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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)


ASSOCIATED PRESS OF PAKISTAN
NEWS SUMMARY (09-06-1998)

Pakistan's defence invincible: Prime Minister

JEDDAH, June 9 (APP) : Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has said that Pakistan's Defence has become impregnable and the nation is now capable of defending itself without any outside help. He was addressing the Pakistani community here at Khuzam Olympic Pool Garden late Sunday evening. The Saudi Government, in a goodwill gesture towards Pakistan, had allowed a public gathering which was attended by over 20,000 Pakistanis living in and around Jeddah. "Now that our defence after the nuclear tests has become strong, we need not worry about it. Now the time has come when we will have to look towards making Pakistan's economy strong", the Prime Minister told the cheering crowd. The Prime Minister congratulated the people for Pakistan for becoming an atomic power, and said, the country was now being bracketed with other 6 nations who have nuclear capability. He said, the leadership of India had hegemonic designs in conducting its nuclear tests. It was giving very harsh statements against Pakistan while threatening to attack Kashmir. "But after our nuclear tests, their tone has altogether changed. Now they say that they are willing to talk with Pakistan on all issues including Kashmir". "We had shown restraint after India went ahead with nuclear tests, hoping the world would take a serious note. But, unfortunately, Pakistan was being asked to refrain from carrying out its nuclear tests and India was allowed to go off the hook with only mild and half-hearted condemnation, statements".

King Fahd expresses solidarity with Pakistan

JEDDAH, June 9 (APP): Saudi Arabia has expressed solidarity with Pakistan following India's nuclear tests which have created security concerns for Pakistan. This assurance was given by the Saudi monarch Shah Fahd bin-Abdul Aziz during a meeting with Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in Jeddah here late Sunday evening. The two leaders reviewed the situation in the region after the nuclear blasts by both India and Pakistan. King Fahd declared the sanctions being imposed against Pakistan were "unwarranted", and said, Saudi Arabia would continue its cooperation and support to Pakistan in this difficult time. King Fahd congratulated Pakistan for acquiring the nuclear capability, and said, "these tests have strengthened the defence of the Islamic world". Shah Fahd expressed complete solidarity with Pakistan's view point for its national security and territorial integrity. Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif informed the Saudi monarch about the prevailing situation in the region and said Pakistan by detonating its nuclear devices had restored the balance of power in the region. He also briefed the Saudi King about the increasing pressure Pakistan had to bear while waiting for international community's response to the Indian nuclear tests.

Nawaz Sharif and family perform Umrah

MAKKAH AL-MUKARRAMAH, June 9 (APP)- Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his family and members of the entourage performed Umrah late Sunday night. The gates of Haram Ka'aba was specially opened for the Prime Minister and his entourage, who prayed for the prosperity and stability of Pakistan as well as Muslim Ummah. The Prime Minister left for Madinah Al-Munawwarah Monday morning for a day's visit to the Prophet's (PBUH) city. While in Madinah, the Prime Minister will offer special 'nawafil' and 'salam' at the 'Roza-e-Rasool (PBUH)' and offer special prayers for the solidarity and prosperity of Pakistan.

Emergency, a constitutional, temporary measure to meet economic and security concerns : Mushahid

ISLAMABAD, June 9 (APP)-Information Minister Mushahid Hussain Sayed, while rejecting the Opposition's criticism on the imposition of emergency as "frustrated utterances of a defeated politician", on Monday said, the Government has taken the consitutitonal step to safeguard economic and security concerns of the country. "The imposition of emergency (after Pakistan's nuclear tests on May 28) was not an extra-constitutional step - it was taken as a temporary measure to meet an extra-ordinary situation," he told the joint sitting of the Parliament. Mushahid Hussain said, the Government is committed to uphold democratic values and rights of the citizens "and this emergency is different from the one imposed by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in his civilian martial law . " The Government's decision, he said, is purely for economic and security concerns."Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has played it very straight - our decision is consistent with the aspirations of 140 million people ." It has no connotation or link with terrorism, he said. The Minister said, the Government will drive the country into the 21st century as an honourable nation. Referring to the security concerns facing the country he said, before Pakistan's nuclear tests Indian Home Minister L K Advani went to the extent of threatening an attack on the country. LK Advani went to the extent of threatening an attack on the country. Now they have resorted to fomenting terrorism in our cities."

ARY Gold Case: Ehtesab bench grants bail to Benazir Bhutto

RAWALPINDI, June 9 (APP): The Ehtesab bench of Lahore High Court (Rawalpindi Bench) Monday granted bail to the Leader of Opposition Ms. Benazir Bhutto in ARY Gold case and directed her to submit a personal bond for grant of bail. Ms. Benazir Bhutto Monday appeared before the Ehtesab Bench and her counsel Raja Muhammad Anwar submitted that his client has surrendered herself before the court to comply with the Court orders. He prayed that Ms. Benazir Bhutto may be granted bail as some other accused in the case had already been granted bail. He submitted that she was fully prepared to appear before the court when-ever summoned by the Court. Defence Counsel argued that assets of his client have already been frozen by the Ehtesab bench so that she may be granted bail on personal bond. The special prosecutor Malik Muhammad Rafique opposing the contention of the defence counsel submitted that she may not be granted bail under atricle 3 of the Ehtesab Act.

Tarar asks foreign missions to effectively project Kashmir cause

ISLAMABAD, June 9 (APP)- President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar has asked the foreign missions of Pakistan to impress upon the World that they should pressure India to solve Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN resolutions on Kashmir, if a durable peace in South Asia is wanted, He expressed these views while talking to the Ambassador- designate of Pakistan to Jordan Zahid Saeed, who called on the President at Awan-i-Sadr here Monday. He said that India was not complying with UN Resolutions on Kashmir for the last fifty years and was constantly violating the charter of the UN. President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar also asked the Pakistani missions abroad to work with a new spirit and effectively project Kashmir cause and expose Indian aggressive designs, internationally in their respective missions. He urged them to invite the attention of the World towards the gross violations of basic human rights and atrocities being perpetrated by India through its brutal forces on the innocent Kashmiri people in occupied Kashmir. President Tarar said that in the wake of Indian nuke tests and open threats to attack Pakistan, it had become necessary for Pakistan to demonstrate its nuclear capability.

Islamabad-based Ambassadors of Muslim countries assure their full support to Kashmir cause

ISLAMABAD, June 9 (APP)- The ambassadors of different Muslim countries based in Islamabad have assured their full support to right of self-determination to the people of Kashmir. This assurance came in the wake of a briefing given by AJK Prime Minister Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chudhary on Kashmir issue and freedom movement organized for the ambassadors of Muslim countries here at Kashmir House Monday. Ambassadors of Iran,Syria, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhzstan, Turkey, Jordan,Tunis, Algeria and Lebanon to Pakistan attended the briefing. Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chudhary briefed them about Kashmir issue, current situation in occupied Kashmir and firing by Indian troops on civilian population in Azad Kashmir living along the Line of Control (LOC). He told them that India after its nuke tests has intensified brutalities on innocent Kashmiri people in occupied Kashmir in order to quell their struggle for their birth right of self determination as promised by the UN.

Joint sitting witnesses mixed reaction

ISLAMABAD, June 9 (APP): There was a mixed reaction on imposition of emergency and suspension of fundamental rights in the country in the joint sitting of the Parliament, with members belonging to the ruling PML towing official policy and opposition members criticising it. The second day of joint sitting was slightly marred with exchange of hot words between the treasury and the opposition benches, turning the otherwise stale proceedings lively. Owing to the large number of speakers, two sessions were held on Monday and the proceedings of the joint sitting will continue on Tuesday. The main speakers of the day were leader of the opposition Benazir Bhutto, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Minister for Information; Tehmina Daultana, Minister for Social Welfare; Zafar Ali Shah, Parliamentary Secretary and Syed Khurshid Shah, Deputy opposition leader; Maulana Abdus Sattar Niazi and others. The day witnessed a token walk out by the opposition benches, protesting the remarks by Zafar Ali Shah and prompting the government to clarify that emergency was not imposed because of the Balochistan government. Chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party Benazir Bhutto has accused the government of proclaiming Emergency in the country to pressurise her party. Bhutto said the government was pursuing only one agenda and that was to "get PPP." Emergency was aimed at destroying democracy under the cover of nuclear tests. Information Minister Mushahid Hussain Sayed, while rejecting the Opposition criticism on the imposition of emergency as "frustrated utterances of a defeated politician", said the Government has taken the constitutional step to safeguard economic and security concerns of the country.

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