ASSOCIATED
PRESS OF PAKISTAN
NEWS SUMMARY
(26-03-2000)
Pakistan ready for talks with India "anytime, anywhere and at any level": General Musharraf
ISLAMABAD, March 26 (APP)- Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf said on Mar. 25 that Pakistan is prepared to engage in talks with India "at anytime, anywhere and at any level". Addressing a crowded press conference after having extensive talks with President Clinton, he said the dialogue should not deflect from the centrality of the Kashmir issue. He said, he expected reciprocity from India to his offer of talks. Gen. Musharraf said, the U.S. President showed understanding on the issue of Kashmir and emphasized the need for the resumption of dialogue and reducing tension in the region. President Clinton, he said, told him that he is willing to facilitate holding of dialogue between Indian and Pakistan. "I certainly made it clear that unilateral action is not possible by Pakistan, we accepted that there ought to be dialogue on the issue. To a question, he said, President Clinton has now accepted Kashmir as the main issue between India and Pakistan and he wanted to resolve it. He talked about the issue in India and Pakistan, and the Chief Executive hoped he would use his influence to resolve the dispute. On a question whether the US president left the region endorsing Indian viewpoint on Kashmir, he replied" one cannot say total endorsement or rejection. One expresses his iewpoint. I expressed my viewpoint and I think he did understand my viewpoint," The talks between President Clinton and himself spreading over three hours were held in harmonious and congenial atmosphere, said the Chief Executive.
He described Clinton's visit which was the last of his tour to South Asia was a ," success." Dispelling the impression of any deadlock in the talks he said," there was no deadlock at all. I think , we pulled on together guite well." Clinton plays Golf like me and so we also talked about the game over the luncheon. To a question, he strongly rejected the view that Pakistan was involved in ,"sending any kind of people across the Line of Control." He said India has deployed seven hundred thousand troops in occupied kashmir . If these troops cannot stop infiltration how Pakistan with merely fifty thousand personnel could do so. He, however, said" infiltration is not in our knowledge". "What is happening in Kashmir is indigenous," they( Indians) need to stop human rights violations in Kashmir and stop atrocities across the Line of Control, he added. Replying to a question on the Lahore Process, he said, the US President did raise the issue. "But in this context, Kashmir is the central issue and as long as this centrality is there, we don,t mind talking," he said. Referring to his talks with President Clinton, Gen. Musharraf said, he was satisfied with Clinton's views on Kashmir. The US President clearly showed concern over whatever is happening there. "Kashmir needs a resolution and there is a requirement of restraint and commencement of dialogue. To that extent I am satisfied," he added. To another question, he said, Pakistan condemned attacks on the civilians.
Gen. Musharraf corrected a correspondent who referred to LoC as a border, saying, it is the Line of Control. He said he agreed to the view that the LoC should not be "changed by force." Replying to a question, he said Clinton ," did not talk of isolating Pakistan." However he said if there was no economic turn around Pakistan might be heading towards isolation. Gen. Musharraf did not agree to a view that Pakistan was a failed state. " Pakistan is certainly not a failed state. There is nothing of this sort," he added. Musharraf said, he apprised the US resident of the development strategy of his Government for the rejuvenation of the economy. To a question about the removal of US sanctions on Pakistan, Gen. Musharraf said, the question of US sanctions did not figure in the talks. "We did not ask for lifting of the sanctions. When asked if he would like to utilize the existing Hotline between India and Pakistan to give a call to the Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee for immediate resumption of talks, Gen. Musharraf said, he would like his Foreign Minister to prepare a background before doing so. "I would not jump into the impulsive action of picking the telephone and talking to the Indian Prime Minister," he added. However he said if Vajpayee telephoned him, he would certainly return the call. When questioned whether the US had taken its hands off Kashmir, he said,"not at all." As India is allergic to the phrase of ," mediation," the US was using facilitation for a dialogue between India and Pakistan.
To a question on banning any group or elements in Pakistan accused of supporting terrorism, Gen. Musharraf said, this issue did not come up during his talks with President Clinton. There was no mention of Harkatul Mujahideen by the US President, he added. Replying to a question on Osama bin Laden who is blamed by the US to sponsor terrorism, the Chief Executive said, "I would like to engage," Government of Afghanistan, " if there are any sanctuaries," of terrorism. He would like to address the issue to he satisfaction of the world community, he added. On the Osma issue, he said, others had tried to resolve it n the past but failed. This issue has now become complicated but e would try to solve it. He said there was no difference of opinion on combating terrorism in any form. Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and it itself is a victim of the scourge. Answering a question on conditions laid out by the US, he said these were very acceptable. They include checking errorism, educing tension in the region and controlling the nuclear roliferation and issue of restoring democracy. However Gen. Musharraf said, he could not give time-frame as the Government has to achieve certain objectives in the economic sector and bring about the electoral reforms. "But I will not perpetuate myself," he added. Replying to a question on CTBT, he said, it did fiqure in his talks with the US President.
Gen. Musharraf said, he told the US President that he was trying to find a national consensus on the issue. Answering a question about former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, he said, Clinton raised the issue and spoke on the background of violence against leaders in this region. The US President "suggested restraint on my part but it is in the court. I am not a vindictive person," he said. On a question of the ban slapped by the Government on the political activities on the eve of Clinton's visit to akistan, he said, the Government would review it in due course of time. The Chief Executive told the press that the local bodies elections in Pakistan had never been on party- basis
Some other way than mediation can be found for Kashmir dialogue: Sattar
ISLAMABAD, Mar 26 (APP): Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar said on Mar. 25 that the United States could help facilitate a dialogue between Pakistan and India on Kashmir through some other way if not direct mediation. "We understand that India does not want him to play a role but we hope if not mediation some other way will be found for help by the President of the United States and the United States in moving the two countries into a dialogue (on Kashmir)", he told CNN in special telecast on US President's visit to Pakistan. The Foreign Minister termed the visit of US President to Pakistan as very significant "after nearly three decades of the last visit of the President of the United States". Sattar said during his short stay in Pakistan, President Clinton "has been able to have nearly three hours of intensive, very friendly, cordial, forthright conversations, first with the President and then with the head of our government General Pervez Musharraf". "Given the tradition of easy communication between Americans and Pakistanis of being forthright, I think this visit has served to reach a meeting of the minds on many different issues", Sattar said. To a question about the perception that President Clinton has sided with India on Kashmir question, the Pakistani leader thought no leader in the world has emphasised the need for settling the Kashmir question to the extent that the President of the United States has ever since he assumed office in 1993. "So we greatly respect him, respect him for emphasising the need for settling the Kashmir question and we have very high expectations of him because he of all the leaders in the world, he has contributed to bringing conflicting parties together in Middle East, Northern Ireland, in East Timor, in Kosovo and in Bosnia. "So he came here with very high expectations on the part of people of Pakistan".
To a question whether Pakistan is being asked to renounce its claim on Kashmir in return for American support, the Foreign Minister said Pakistan had never made a claim to Kashmir." "Kashmir is a disputed territory and in more than 52 years, our stand has been that Kashmir question should be resolved in accordance with the wishes of the people of Kashmir". To a question, the Foreign Minister said the Kashmir issue was the focus of one hour, 50 minutes discussions between President Clinton and Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf."A very substantial part was devoted to discussions on ways and means to reduce violence and moving towards a settlement of the Kashmir question". Pakistan, he said, was quite satisfied with the President's continuing focus on the need to resolve this root-cause of tensions in South Asian. To a question about massacre of sikhs in held Kashmir, Sattar said this came as a great shock to Pakistan."We condemn the massacre of the minority community.We would like very much for independent journalists, media people to go and investigate" Sattar said. "They (journalists) should interview the witnesses to the massacre. We have come across a report in an Indian newspaper that the killers wore Indian Army uniforms and were carrying bottles of alcohol". "Now that has a certain implication but we are not making any allegations.We would like an independent group of people to go there and investigate and see if there are any leads to who these killers might be".
Sattar said there were many angles to the Kashmir issue but there is a central angle which is that in the last decade, more than 70,000 Kashmiris have died according to the spokesmen of the Kashmiri organisations, especially the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. "Surely, that deserves the attention of the world community when so many people have been killed, when so many have been denied their human rights", He said. Sattar said all the political leaders of India-held Kashmir at this time are either in jails or under detention.There is no chance for them to engage in political activity, he added. To another question, Sattar differed with the notion that Pakistan was interested in keeping the Kashmir alive."Pakistan is not keeping the Kashmir question alive.It is the Kashmiri people who insist on being heard.It is the Kashmiri people who have risen in revolt". He said the Indian government has concentrated on the use of force to suppress and repress the Kashmiri people."So it is they (Kashmiris) who want to be heard and have drawn world attention". Pakistan, he said, has internal problems but "we have to solve them. We don't want to be deflected from solving these problems. In the last five months particularly, the government has focused on solving some of the domestic economic and law and order problems".
Sattar said military coup certainly was not the answer to economic mismanagement and rampant corruption of the democratic governments, during which 39 billion US dollars of debt was accumulated while 57 percent of GDP went to debt-servicing. He said the present set-up was a temporary phase and the first step for holding local and district level elections has already been taken, to be followed first by provincial elections and then national assemblies elections. "We in the government are very cognizant of the fact that we have limited period and we have to perform in that limited period for bringing good governance to Pakistan". He said the government is spending 175 million US dollars on preparing new voter lists and ridding those lists of bogus registrations. Sattar said democracy is taking time to have roots in Pakistan as it did in the United States."Here, elected representatives need to realise that the crime of corruption does not pay". To a question, Sattar said no issue has harmed Pak-US relations more than the withholding of F-16s for which Pakistan had paid up. But he paid compliments to President Clinton for admitting that it was not fair for US to keep both the planes and the Pakistani money. Sattar hoped that a way would be found to pay Pakistan back the "residual money" paid for F-16s.
The Foreign Minister said the US sanctions of October 1990 did hurt Pakistan.Further, he said, there were sanctions after 1998 nuclear tests though Pakistan was not the first to detonate these tests in the sub continent."But US law does not differentiate between who was the first and who was the second". Nevertheless, he said, the present government was making Pakistan live within its own means."Our exports by June this year will rise by 20 percent as compared to last year." But he said resumption of foreign assistance will further help Pakistan in its task of poverty alleviation. He said investment climate in Pakistan is improving for both domestic and foreign investors and Pakistan's credit rating has already risen."
Pakistan is certainly not a failed state: Musharraf
ISLAMABAD, Mar 26 (APP): Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf on Mar. 25 vehemently said that Pakistan was not a failed state. "Pakistan is certainly not a failed state," he said in response to a question at his press conference after talks with U.S. President Bill Clinton. "If anybody has this impression (that Pakistan is a failed state). Then he is mistaken." When asked about the remarks of some U.S. officials reportedly portraying Pakistan as a failed state, the Chief Executive said the U.S. President in his talks never referred to Pakistan in this context.
I expressed Pakistan's viewpoint with sincerity: Musharraf
ISLAMABAD, Mar 26 (APP): Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf on Mar. 25 said he sincerely and genuinely put across Pakistan's position on Kashmir and other issues in talks with U.S. President Bill Clinton. "We expressed our point of view with full genuineness and sincerity. I told him what I have been saying all along. There has been no change in our language," he said in response to a question at a press conference after talks with the U.S. President at the Chief Executive Secretariat.
'We are not vindictive people': Musharraf told Clinton on Sharif issue
ISLAMABAD,
Mar 26 (APP): Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf
told U.S. President ,"we are not vindictive people,"
when Bill Clinton raised the issue of former Prime Minister Nawaz
Sharif. "Yes, he raised
the issue (of Nawaz Sharif," the Chief
Executive said in response to a question at his press conference after
more than two hours of talks with the U.S. President. He
said the US President cited the history of South Asian countries like India, Bangladesh and Pakistan where violence
was committed against the
political leaders. "He suggested restraint on
my part. I told him that we are not vindictive people."
Pakistan terms Indian statement on democracy as unwarranted interference
ISLAMABAD, Mar 26 (APP): A Government Spokesman on Mar. 25 termed Indian Foreign Ministry's comments about the return of democracy in Pakistan as unwarranted interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan. "The remarks made by the Foreign spokesman of India to the effect that India calls for an immediate return to democracy in Pakistan in reaction to the Chief Executive's announcement of the devolution plan on March 23, is unwarranted interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan," an official spokesman of the Government of Pakistan said. The spokesman regretted that the Indian Government has neither studied the full text of the devolution plan announced by the Chief Executive with depth and attention which they merit, nor does the Indian Government possess an understanding of the specific context and conditions inside Pakistan. "Instead of acknowledging that the timeframe for establishing the foundation of democracy represents an unprecedented and comprehensive framework for the authentic empowerment of the people at the grass-roots level, the Indian spokesman has merely given a superficial reaction." Referring to India's claims about being a democracy, the Spokesman said, that, instead of criticizing other nations such as Pakistan, the Indian Government should concentrate on the enfranchisement and empowerment of tens of millions of the poor and under-privileged people of India who belong to the lowest castes of Hindu society and remain deprived of their basic human and democratic rights.
"India tramples the principles of democracy everyday in Jammu and Kashmir through its overt and covert acts of terrorism." The framework for devolution for power and responsibility between the Federation, the Provinces and the Districts announced by the Chief Executive is the most appropriate way to re- establish democracy in Pakistan, the Spokesman said.
Clinton urges Pakistan, India to hold dialogue on Kashmir
ISLAMABAD, Mar 26 (APP): US President Bill Clinton on Mar. 25 urged Pakistan and India to hold a dialogue to resolve the Kashmir dispute as "there is no military solution" to it. "India and Pakistan can resolve the Kashmir issue through dialogue," he said in a televised 15-minute address during his visit to Pakistan. The American President believed that it is in Pakistan's interest to reduce tensions with India. "When I was in New Delhi, I urged India to seize the opportunity for dialogue. Pakistan must also create conditions that will allow dialogue to succeed." Clinton said, for India and Pakistan this "must be a time for restraint, for respect for the Line of Control and renewed lines for communications." President Clinton said, he listened carefully to Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf and others and understood the concerns about Kashmir. "I share your convictions that human rights of all its people must be respected." But, the US President said, the stark truth must also be faced. "There is no military solution to Kashmir. International sympathies, support and intervention cannot be won by provoking a bigger, bloodier conflict." On the contrary, Bill Clinton maintained, sympathy and support will be lost. President Clinton said, Lahore process is the right road to peace for Pakistan and India. "Last year, the world watched with hope as the leaders of India and Pakistan met in Lahore on the road to better relations.
"This is the right road to peace for Pakistan and India and for the resolutions of problems in Kashmir." The US, he said, will do all it can to help both sides to restore the promise and process of Lahore. Clinton asked Pakistan to intensify its efforts to defeat terrorism. "Just as we fought together to defeat those who traffic in narcotics, today, I ask Pakistan to intensify its efforts to defeat those who inflict terror." Americans, he said, have also felt the evils of extremism. "Surely, we both suffered enough to know that no rievance, no cause, no system of belief can ever justify the deliberate killing of the innocent.Those who bomb bus stations, target embassies or kill those who uphold the law, are not heroes. "They are common enemies.Their aim is to exploit painful problems, not to resolve them. President Clinton asked Islamabad to be a leader in global nuclear non-proliferation efforts. "The United States is dramatically cutting its nuclear arsenals.Around the world, the nations are renouncing these weapons. I ask Pakistan to also be a leader for non-proliferation." The American President said, one way to strengthen Pakistan's security is to join the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. "The whole world will rally around you if you do."
Indian forces shod dead five Muslims villagers in IHK
ISLAMABAD, Mar 26 (APP): In occupied Kashmir, Indian forces' personnel shot dead five Muslim villagers during sleep at the village of Ramvan some 200 kms. North of Jammu, reports Kashmir Media Service (KMS). According to reports, a group of armed men stormed the home of a Muslim family and shot dead two men and three women. Two other men were injured in the attack. The Chairman of United Jehad Council and Supreme Commander, Hizbul Mujahideen, Syed Salahuddin Ahmad has said, the killing of Muslim villagers has been done by the Indian armed forces' who have been carrying out the genocide of Kashmiri Muslims with impunity. A Hizbul Mujahideen spokesman has described as baseless and concocted the statement by the Indian Interior Secretary, Kamal Pandey saying that a Mujahid belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen allegedly involved in the Chatti Singhpora killing has been arrested. The spokesman clarified that no Mujahid by the name of Muhammad Yaqub Wagey has ever been associated with Hizbul Mujahideen. Getting a forced statement from an under custody person and concocting baseless stories to defame the Kashmiris struggle is an old but common practice of the Indian authorities,the spokesman added. Continuing, he said the variations in the statements of the Indian Interior Secretary and of the Army Administration at Srinagar about the member of persons involved in the Chatti Singhpora attack clearly contradict their claim.
The Interior Secretary mentioned the number of attackers as seventeen whereas the Srinagar Administration said they were between forty to fifty. The spokesman said the incident at Chatti Singhpora is the handiwork of Indian forces who, immediately after the bloodshed offered the Sikhs to join the village Defence Committee under a pre-conceived conspiracy so as to use the Sikh minority as a counter-insurgency force against the Mujahideen. The spokesman re-iterated that the Kashmiris struggle for their rights will continue un-deterred. In Srinagar today a three-member delegation of the human rights organization from Indian Punjab had separate meetings with Acting Chairman of APHC, Mir Waiz Umer Farooq and members of the Executive Committee of Hurriyat Conference. The Mir Waiz and the Executive members apprised the delegation of the latest situation arising out of the Chatti Singhpora incident and about their demand for an impartial inquiry of the crime through an International Court of Justice. The delegation supported the demand for an nvestigation through Amnesty International or any other neutral agency. The delegation acknowledged that the Kashmiri Muslims have always upheld communal harmony and the traditional religious tolerance. The Indian Punjab delegation consisted of N.S. Grewal, D.S.
Gill and Rambir Singh Mita. They belonged to Ludhiana chapter of International Human Right Organisation. The Hurriyat Conference leaders present during the meeting were Ghulam Muhammad Butt, Advocates Bashir Ahmad Butt, Ali Muhammad, and Hafizull Makhdoomi besides Mukhtar Ahmad Soofi, Syed Iftekhar Hussain Jalali, Syed Muzaffar Rizvi, Gulam Nabi shah, Abdul Rashid and Mukhtar Ahmad. Kashmiri leaders imprisoned in Udhampur and Kot Balwal jails in Jammu, in a statement, re-iterating sympathies with the Sikh community, have expressed shock and grief over the Chatti Singhpora incident in which 35 Sikhs were mercilessly butchered by the Indian forces' and Secret Agencies' personnel. The incarcerated Kashmiri leaders include Ghulam Nabi Hubbi, Ghulam Nabi Sumji, Shaikh Abdul Aziz, Bashir Ahmad Tota and Shahid-ul-Isam. In their joint statement, they made impassioned appeal to all the people in occupied Kashmir to maintain the atmosphere of traditional brotherly relationship, unity and solidarity. They also called upon the people to be vigilant against the designs of disruptive and benefit-seeking elements. On the other hand, Jammu and Kashmir freedom Party's detained Chief, Syed Shabbir Ahmad Shah, has warned that in order to subvert the Kashmiris' struggle, a conspiracy has been hatched to spread hatred and rancour among the followers of different faiths who have been living together peacefully for centuries. By creating doubt and suspicions among Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, they are being made to feel insecure, he added.
Syed Shabbir Ahmad Shah said, the Sikh community is aware of the fact that Muslims always protected life and property of Sikhs in their continuing struggle, and reminded them that it were the Kashmiri Muslims who had launched a strong protest when the Indian rulers had desecrated the Golden Temple at Amritsar by attacking this most sacred Shrine of sikhs faith. He called upon them not to think of migrating by falling a prey to the nefarious designs of disruptive elements and assured them of full support of their Muslim brethren. Syed Shabbir Ahmad Shah said that the Kashmiri Pandits were forced to quit the Valley as part of the conspiracy to malign the Kashmiris' freedom struggle. Kashmir, he said belong to all its citizens whether they are Hindus, Sikhs or Muslims.
Meanwhile, the Sikh leaders have acknowledged that certain self-seeking elements were trying to create a rift among the Muslims and Sikhs in the guise of Chatti Singhpora incident. Chairman, Gurdwara Prabandak Board, Jammu, Sardar Sudarshan Singh, after touring the Valley, told newsmen at Jammu airport that the Sikh leaders will undertake visits to various places in Jammu and ensure the Muslim brethren of their safety and security and that the mischievous elements will not be allowed to succeed. He stressed upon the Sikhs to exercise restraint and maintain the traditional atmosphere of brotherhood and tolerance. During pitched battles between the Mujahideen and Indian forces at half a dozen places, a number of Indian forces' personnel including officers were killed and wounded. According to details, during the Indian troops' siege of Buttpora, adjacent to Srinagar the Mujahideen charged the troops. Giving details a spokesman of Al-Badr Mujahideen said that six armed forces personnel including two officers, one of them a Major were killed during the clash. Two Mujahideen also embraced shahadat. In another incident, the Indian troops used around fifty citizens as human shields during an encounter with Mujahideen and one citizen Ghulam Muhammad was seriously injured. The residents expressing deep resentment protested against the forces' action. About other clashes that took place a spokesman of Hizbul Mujahideen said that a number of troops were killed or wounded when the vehicle they were travelling blew up after hitting a land mine planted in its way.
The spokesman added that an Indian patrolling contingent was also ambushed at Hardatoor, Islamabad and several troops were killed or wounded in the attack launched with rockets and automatic weapons on a Task Force camp, destroying two military barracks. In Shala Kadal, Bijbehara, the Indian forces were attacked when they attempted to ambush a Mujahideen hideout and in the ensuing battle a number of troops including an officer were killed by Mujahideen.
I draw legitimacy from people of Pakistan: Musharraf
ISLAMABAD, Mar 26 (APP): Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf on Mar. 25 said he draws legitimacy of his government from the people of Pakistan. "My legitimacy comes from the people of Pakistan. I am totally assured (on that) and I don't need legitimacy from anyone else," he said in response to a question at his press conference. Musharraf said he appreciated the understanding of the U.S. President Bill Clinton of October 12 events and,"the existing environment and as it stood before October 12."
Clinton appreciates CE's announcement of local elections
ISLAMABAD, Mar 26 (APP): US President Bill Clinton on Mar. 25 appreciated Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf's announcement about the date for local bodies elections as a "good step" towards restoration of democracy. "I know General Musharraf just announced the date for local elections.That is a good step," he said in a televised address to Pakistani nation. However, the American President said, the return of civilian democratic rule requires a complete plan, a real roadmap. Clinton shared disappointments that previous democratic governments in Pakistan did not do better for their citizens. "The answer to flawed democracy is not to end democracy but to improve it. Of course, no one from the outside can tell Pakistan how it should be governed.That is for you, the people of Pakistan, to decide and you should be given the opportunity to do so."
Full US politcal and economic ties with Pakistan can be restored: Clinton
ISLAMABAD, Mar 26 (APP): President Bill Clinton on Mar. 25 said, America's full economic and politcal partnership with Pakistan can be restored if Islamabad meets the challenges of the new era in world affairs. "But if you do meet these challenges, our full economic and political partnership can be restored for the benefit of the people of Pakistan," he said in a televised address. Clinton referred to a number of political, economic and security challenges facing Pakistan and hoped that this country will be able to meet the difficult challenges. "Pakistan can achieve great things in this new world but real obstacles stand in the way.The political situation, the economic situation, the tensions in this region.They are holding Pakistan back in achieving its full potential in the global economy." The American President said, he valued greatly Washington's friendship with Pakistan. "Today, I am proud to speak with you because I value our long friendship and because I believe our friendship can still be a force for tolerance and understanding throughout the world." Clinton recalled that Pakistan helped the United States open a dialogue with China. "We stood together when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. Our partnership helped end the cold war. And in the years since, we have cooperated in the fight against terrorism. Our soldiers have stood togehter in missions of peace in every part of the world. "This is your proud legacy. Our pround legacy." The US President quoted a couplet from poet Allama Iqbal and asked Pakistanis to "draw strength from the words of the great Pakistani poet, who said that in the midst of Today's upheavel, give us the vision of Tomorrow."
ISLAMABAD, March 26 (APP)- Well-informed sources while referring to the discussions held by Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf and U.S. President Bill Clinton said, one indicator of the successful nature of the dialogue is the fact that whereas the original schedule allowed was about 45 minutes of initial first round of talks, the actual duration of the first round was about ninety minutes, the double of the original duration. In this first phase of talks, General Pervez Musharraf was assisted by the Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar, Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, Advisor to the Chief Executive on National Affairs and Information Javed Jabbar, Foreign Secretary Inamul Haq and Pakistan amabassador in Washington Dr.Maleeha Lodhi, chief of staff the Chief Executive Lt. Gen. Ghulam Ahmed. The venue of the two formal rounds of talks was the Chief Executive's secretariat. In the first round, President Clinton was assisted by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, National Security Advisor Sandy Berger, chief of staff to the President John Podesta, Bruce Riedel member national security council and US ambassador to Pakistan William Milam. After this comprehensive first round, the two sides moved to the longer cabinet room where they were joined from the Pakistan side by two members of the National Security Council Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada and Begum Atiya Enayatullah and two more members of the Cabinet Commerce Minister Abdul Razzaq Dawood and Interior Minister Lt. Gen. ® Moinuddin Haider; and on the US side the additional individuals joining were Ms.Karen Tramontano, White House deputy Chief of Staff and Karl Inderfurth assistant Secretary of State for South Asia. This second round lasted about an additional half an hour.
Then, there was a brief break to enable the invitees to the official lunch hosted by the Chief Executive at the Aiwan-e-Sadr to move from the Chief Executive's secretariat to the luncheon venue. At lunch, the two leaders were seated at the same table and were able to continue informal talks for an additional one hour. Principal guests at the luncheon were the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Justice Irshad Hassan Khan, the Chief of Air Staff Parvaiz Mehdi Qureshi, Chief of Naval Staff Abdul Aziz Mirza, Governor Punjab, Lt. Gen. ® Muhammad Safdar, Governor Sindh Air Marshal ® Muhammad Azeem Daudpota, Governor NWFP Lt. Gen. ® Muhammad Shafique and Governor Balochistan Justice ® Amirul Mulk Mengal, Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Muhammad Aziz Khan and Lt. Gen. Mahmood Ahmed. All three phases of discussions including the two formal sessions lasting two hours and the informal session lasting over one hour enabled the two leaders and the members of the delegations to exchange views in a very cordial and congenial atmosphere. Sources said that the two leaders established a good rapport during the three hours of formal and informal discussions.
Clinton holds meeting with Tarar
ISLAMABAD, Mar 26 (APP): US President Bill Clinton on Mar. 25 held a meeting with President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar and exchanged views on matters of bilateral interest. President Rafiq Tarar received Bill Clinton warmly on his arrival at the Presidency in a motorcade. US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar, Secretary Foreign Affairs, Inam ul Haq and Pakistan's Ambassador to Washington Maleeha Lodhi also attended the meeting. The American leader went into the meeting soon after his arrival at the Presidency from PAF air base where Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar and senior officials accorded a warm welcome to Clinton.
NRB opens to receive ideas on devolution of powers: Chairman NRB
ISLAMABAD, Mar 26 (APP): Chairman National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) Gen. (Retd) Syed Tanveer Hussain Naqvi has said that NRB is open to have ideas from people on the proposed framework of devolution of powers. He was addressing a workshop on "Devolution of Power to the Grassroots Level: Pptimising the Government's Framework" here on Mar. 25 morning. The two-day workshop has been organised by Liberal Forum Pakistan in cooperation with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation. The NRB Chief said, "We will be willing to learn from other countries experiences." He said, "We want to be sure that we do not get utopion." On the question of evolution of powers, he said power actually means the ability to influence peoples' minds and change their attitudes . He said power is relevent to leadership and not management and administration. Gen. Naqvi was of the view that it is a case of excercising that power to influence minds of people to make them do things better than they are already doing or make them do things they are not doing. He said, "it is an entirely political activity and people exercising that power is missing in the present system where in many cases provincial government is sitting 600 miles away and it is in fact an amorphous government. The NRB Chief said that there were administrative tiers not political tiers in the prevalent system. He said that political leaders are close to peoples' pulse and the government wants to empower the people by placing elected representative at the helms of affairs at the local level.
About decentralisation of authority he said that it is a preserve of administration and a 'legal prop' is present to control those who exercise authority. He said that the provinces did not realise that distance between them and districts had grown and two were very far away to each other. He said that no integrated government system at district level was existing, therefore, decentralisation of authority is required. Gen. (Retd) Syed Tanveer Hussain Naqvi said that over the last 20 years, there has been institutional movement towards autocracy. He said that there should be diffusion of powers and authority. Democracy, he said, does not lead to autocracy. On the financial aspect of the proposed system, he said that even in the richest of rich countries there were hardly any local government which was totally self-financing itself. He said that provinces need to improve system of fiscal transfer from federal govt to districts. He said that there should a formula to disburse money. Gen. Naqvi said that district Assemblies must be able to legislate new taxes and levy surcharges. He said that it does not mean that you want to impoverish people further. He said that people's representatives would be able to see how much taxes the people can pay easily. He said that there is lot of money which can be diverted to finance local governments.
He said that people will have more confidence in the government when they will have more participation. "We are working on a transparent system which will have a system of lateral and professional monitoring which will be non-intrusive and will be backed by accountability", he said. The NRB Chief said that at local level, government will have to advertise in newspapers and seek the views of people before imposing a new tax. He said that district assemblies would be provided a legal branch and before elections, training of trainers will be conducted. Replaying to a question that, was not the proposed system similar to BD system introduced by General Ayub khan, he said that there have been conjectural comments. He asserted, "I don't think it can happen again, it is a different dispensation." He said that NRB will consider the ideas and suggestions formulated by the workshop.
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