Monday, November 1, 1999
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W O R L D | Monday, November 1, 1999 |
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Musharraf
defines NSC functions
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Jakarta completes pullout
from Timor Slain PM, 7 others laid to rest State funeral for Tamil minister Blasts at Chechen leader’s
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Governors get CMs’ powers ISLAMABAD, Oct 31 (ANI) — The Chief Executive, General Pervez Musharraf, on Saturday promulgated two more orders under the PCO, 1 of 1999. The first order concerned the appointment of the National Security Council (NSC) while the second defined the powers and functions of the governors of the provinces. The order concerning the Governors states that “the Governors will have the same powers and functions as under the Constitution, including the functions and powers of a Chief Minister and such other powers and functions which might be conferred upon him by the CE.” The order about the NSC, which comes into force with immediate effect, states that the Chief Executive shall call the NSC to meet at such time and place as he may deem fit for deliberations. Under Order 6, the Chief Executive will be the Chairman of the NSC comprising the Chief of the Naval Staff, the Chief of the Air Staff and such other members as might be appointed by the Chief Executive. The NSC will deliberate upon, discuss and tender advice to the CE on such matters as the CE may deem expedient and necessary to refer to the NSC in national interest. The matters which the NSC will be discussing, inter alia, relate to national security, foreign affairs, law and order, corruption, accountability, recovery of bank loans, and public debt from defaulters, finance, economic and social welfare, health, education, Islamic ideology, human rights, protection of minorities and women development so as to achieve the aims and objectives enshrined in the Objective Resolution of 1949. The decision taken by the CE on considering the deliberations of the NSC shall be enforced and given effect in the manner as deemed fit by the CE. The CE may, in his discretion, substitute, change or add any member of the NSC. The members of the NSC will hold office during the pleasure of the Chief Executive. The member who is not in the service of Pakistan can resign by submitting his resignation to the Chief Executive. The member who is in the service of Pakistan has no such option. The Order No 6 under the PCO, 1999 further states that a member of the NSC who is not in the service of Pakistan will have to take oath before the President. The order also provided the oath which the civilian members of the NSC would have to take before the President. The oath is almost the same which is prescribed for the ministers and the ministers of state in the Constitution, except the addition that he/she would abide by PCO 1, 1999 issued by the Chief Executive on October 14. “Member will abide by the Proclamation of the Fourteenth day of October 1999, and the Provisional Constitution Order No 1, of 1999 issued by the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Chief of Army Staff and the Chief Executive of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on the Fourteenth day of October, 1999 and all subsequent orders issued by him.” In another order called Powers and Functions of the Governor Order (Order No 5, of 1999), the Chief Executive provided: “The Governors will have the same powers and functions as under the Constitution, including the functions and powers of a Chief Minister and such other powers and functions which might be conferred upon him by the CE.” The order, which comes into force at once, states that the Governor of the province may, whenever he considers it necessary, with the approval of the Chief Executive or is so directed by the CE, call upon the Armed Forces of Pakistan for such assistance and performance of such functions, as deemed fit. Reuters adds: Almost three weeks after Pakistan’s army ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and seized power, popular relief at the end of his 31-month chaotic rule is giving way to impatience at the slow pace of reform. “Sooner, rather than later, people will tire of the masterly inaction we have witnessed thus far,” said political commentator Irfan Hussain. “The generals must realise that the goodwill they currently enjoy is a very perishable commodity.” His words, echoed in the columns of Pakistan’s lively and critical media, reflect a growing realisation that the popular honeymoon army ruler General Pervez Musharraf enjoyed after the bloodless October 12 takeover is fading. General Musharraf promised to clean up Pakistan’s corrupt elite, revive the economy, strengthen the crumbling bonds between the four provinces that make up the country, and cleanse institutions to install “real democracy” before the army relinquishes power. But his selection of civilians for a National Security Council (NSC) and an embryonic cabinet have come under sharp scrutiny from politicians, newspapers and commentators, many of who question their ability to deliver. His choices for the NSC include Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar, a 69-year-old civil servant, and five-time Central Bank Governor Mohammad Yaqub. Although experienced technocrats untainted by any corruption charges, most of his choices have been criticised as “people of the status quo” or “old and tested faces” who fared poorly in previous roles as bureaucrats or government advisers. This contrasts with the general relief opposition parties voiced that the main aim of months of noisy protest — the removal of Sharif — had been accomplished. Political analysts say the goodwill General Musharraf enjoys may evaporate if the economic hardships blamed on Mr Sharif’s policies do not ease and if Pakistan appears to have embarked on another long spell of the military rule it has known for nearly half of its 52-year existence. Pakistan’s major
political parties want an early return to civilian rule,
though they disagree on whether it should be by holding
new elections or by reviving the suspended Parliament. |
Jakarta completes pullout from Timor DILI (East Timor), Oct 31 (AFP) — The last Indonesian troops left East Timor in the early hours today on a ship from Dili harbour, ending 24 years of military occupation of the former Portuguese colony, witnesses said. The last soldiers from a 1,000-strong Indonesian garrison that had remained in the territory boarded the Teluk Banten 516 after arriving in the harbour in a convoy of trucks closely guarded by Interfet armoured personnel carriers. The troop ship slipped silently into the moonlit harbour after an Australian soldier cast off the last line, a report said. Three East Timorese on a motor cycle behind the dockside fence briefly broke the silence with catcalls as the ‘Teluk Banten’ sailed off, in a low-key finale to the decades long occupation. SINGAPORE (ANI): Indonesia has said that it will not interfere in the choice of which country will lead the UN peacekeeping force in East Timor. Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Security and Political Affairs, Gen Wiranto said: “For the peacekeeping force in East Timor the choice of commander does not depend on Indonesia, but on the UN itself.” The General, however, added, “But we will give suggestions to the UN on who is our best choice”, without specifying any particular country. Malaysia, has already
indicated its willingness to lead the UN force. While
Indonesia has repeatedly called for regional involvement
in such operations, East Timorees leaders have expressed
reservations about a south-east Asian nation commanding
the force. |
State funeral for Tamil minister COLOMBO, Oct 31 (PTI) — Senior Sri Lankan Minister and septuagenarian Tamil leader Soumyamoorthy Thondaman, who passed away here last night following a massive heart attack, would be accorded a state funeral on Thursday, official media said today. The 87-year-old Livestock Development and Rural Industries Minister, who strode Sri Lanka’s politics like a colossus for over five decades suffered a heart attack first at Nuwara Eliya, the home of tea estate labours, 350 km from here yesterday while attending a crucial meeting of the Cyclone Workers Congress (CWC) of which he was the President. He was later airlifted by a military helicopter to Colombo’s state owned Jayawardenepura Hospital where he died after suffering another massive stroke. He breathed his last even before his family members made arrangements to airlift him to Chennai for specialist treatment. The death of the leader of Indian plantation labourers on the eve of the crucial presidential polls come as a massive blow to President Chandraika Kumaratunga, who is battling hard to get re-elected in the mid-term elections scheduled to take place on December 21. Thondaman was an important ally in the ruling People’s Alliance (PA) on whom the President banked on getting the crucial votes of over five lakh Indian Tamil tea estate workers. With his death now, the Opposition United National Party’s (UNP) Ranil Wickramasinghe is expected to make a strong bid to get the Indian Tamil’s votes in his attempts to stall Chandrika’s re-election. Thondaman’s mantle will now be passed on to his grandson and Member of Parliament Armugam Thondaman who is expected to take over as president of the CWC in the coming days. The party has nine members in Parliament, including senior Thondaman who was nominated to the House by the UNP before he switched over to the PA. However, Armugam Thondaman’s take over is not expected to be smooth as several other senior leaders are contender to the post. Though the CWC has
already suffered a split few years ago, Thondaman,
considered to be most shrewdest politicians of Sri Lanka
managed to retain his hold on the Tamil plantation
labourers by tagging on to successive ruling parties in
the island. |
Pak rules out sabotage in plane crash KARACHI, Oct 31 (AFP) — Pakistan navy chief Admiral Abdul Aziz Mirza today ruled out sabotage or the possibility of enemy attack in a surveillance aircraft crash that left 21 officers and sailors dead. "There is no possibility of any attack by the enemy," he said, adding that the aircraft was participating in naval exercises being conducted "within our area." A Pakistani Atlantique navy reconnaissance aircraft was shot down by Indian fighter planes in August, killing all 16 officers and sailors on board. Pakistan said the Atlantique was on a routine training mission over the southern coastal region. India claimed the Pakistan navy plane had intruded into its airspace. "The Orion plane was in the same area where similar naval exercises had been conducted in the past", Admiral Mirza told mediapersons after funeral prayers for its two officers. He said a team was
investigating the cause of the crash. He said most
officers on board had received training from the USA and
various European companies. |
Slain PM, 7 others laid to rest YEREVAN, Oct 31 (Reuters) — Armenians today laid to rest their slain Prime Minister and seven other top officials and turned to the task of healing the wounds opened by last week’s bloody attack on Parliament. Mr Vazgen Sarksyan, Parliamentary Speaker Karen Demirchyan six other officials were killed on Wednesday in a blaze of gunfire by a gang led by a man who said he wanted to rid the country of “bloodsuckers.” After three days of official mourning, President Robert Kocharyan now faces rebuilding a government shattered by the killing of two of its top three figures. “This is an irretrievable loss to Armenia. Those who carried out this crime will answer not only before the law but before the nation and future generations,” a visibly weary Kocharyan told the funeral gathering, including dignitaries from 28 countries. Another victim, parliamentary deputy Armenak Armenakyan, was buried in a private ceremony. Over 100,000 mourners paid their last respects. A gang led by radical journalist and activist Nairi Unanyan, (34), burst into Parliament in an action Unanyan said was to punish those who had plunged Armenia into poverty and created an undemocratic system. “Enough of drinking
our blood,’’ witnesses said Unanyan told
Sarksyan. “Everything is being done for you and your
children’s future,” were the bearded
poet’s last words as Unanyan emptied bullets into
him from a Kalashnikov automatic rifle. |
Blasts at Chechen leader’s house MOSCOW, Oct 31 (Reuters) — Interfax news agency said Russian warplanes today carried out a series of attacks on the city centre of Grozny, capital of the breakaway region of Chechnya. Interfax quoted its correspondent in Grozny as saying he could hear explosions coming from around the official residence of Chechen leader Aslan Maskhadov and the city’s railway station. It said Russian warplanes had been bombing the capital incessantly since noon (9 a.m. GMT) and that there several aircraft over the capital at any given time. There was no immediate word on casualties and the Interfax report could not be independently confirmed. Russian Generals have said they would take Grozny in the end but denied immediate plans to storm it. Russian troops have encircled Gudermes, the second city in the breakaway region of Chechnya, 30 km east of its capital Grozny, the news agency quoted the Russian military command as saying. Interfax said local community officials had appealed to the residents of Gudermes and rebel fighters to end resistance and lay down arms. Gudermes, situated between two mountain ridges, controls a road to Grozny from the east. Russia has for the last month been waging a military campaign in Chechnya, saying its goal is to destroy Islamic rebels it blames for attacking neighbouring regions and planting bombs in Russian cities in which nearly 300 persons died. Chechen authorities deny
any connection to the blasts and say the onslaught is
intended to end the independence they won in a 1994-96
war with Moscow. |
SC to take up Sharif cases next week ISLAMABAD, Oct 31 (ANI) — A five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court will take up important cases for hearing next week, including two petitions challenging the military takeover and corruption cases against the deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The Bench will take up
the cases of corruption pending in the Supreme Court
since 1996. Meanwhile, retaining deposed Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif as the party’s chief, the Pakistan
Muslim League Central Working Committee has formed a
lawyers’ committee to weigh the option of moving the
Supreme Court against the dismissal of its government on
October 12. |
Anwar-bank officers nexus to be probed KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31
(Reuters) — Malaysia’s Central Bank will
investigate its officers after a former senior official
said he had cooperated with former-Finance Minister Anwar
Ibrahim in setting up political slush funds, Finance
Minister Daim Zainuddin said. |
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| First Lady returns donation WASHINGTON: Hillary Rodham Clinton has returned a $ 1,000 cheque from a foreign-born donor because the money was believed to be linked to a business with possible ties to organised crime in Bulgaria. “Questions were raised about the source of the contribution and the check was returned,” Mr Howard Wolfson, a spokesman for the First Lady’s Senate campaign, said on Saturday. — AP 100 hurt in riot Prince Charles Amnesty to
prisoners Singapore maids Mobile loos Clock turned
back Schoolboy sailor |
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