DAWN/The News International, KARACHI 1 July 2009, Wednesday, 7 Rajab 1430
www.karachipage.com (click on underlined key-words/dates to get more details)
ANP activist survives armed attack
Quaid’s grand-nephew issues clarification
4 killed in Kalat blast
Mangla repairs to take two months, at least (more)
Voice for Seraiki province echoes in National Assembly (more)
Terrorists slaughter 18 injured colleagues (more)
Warplanes pound militant positions in NWA (more)
Pakistan starts production of JF-17 (more)
ANP activist survives armed attack

An activist of the Awami National Party (ANP) was injured after he was shot at by armed men in the Peerabad police limits, while two persons were killed in two separate traffic incidents.

Peerabad Police Station Station House Officer (SHO) Bahauddin Babar said that Malik, 45, an exporter by profession and resident of the Muslimabad area of Qasba Colony, received a call from his friend on Tuesday afternoon, who had called him at an estate agency situated near Iqra Medical Center, Peerabad.

After the meeting, as Sher Malik was returning home in his car along with his friend Rahim Khan, two armed men riding on a motorcycle started firing indiscriminately at his car.

Malik received multiple bullet wounds on both arms and legs and one at the stomach, while his friend Rahim Khan escaped unharmed. The criminals fled from the scene. The injured Sher Malik was immediately rushed to the Aga Khan Hospital, where he was reported to be out of danger.

During investigation, it was found that Sher Malik had been associated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) until five months ago, and after leaving Muttahida Qaumi Movement, he had joined the Awami National Party and became its financer.

A case was registered, and the attempt was purported to be of target killing.

MISHAP: Sabir, 25, was crushed to death, while he was crossing the road near Masaan Chowrangi. The deceased was a labourer by profession and a resident of Gulshan-i-Sikanderabad.

Saeed, 40, died of suffocation while working in a well in Korangi. The deceased was a resident of Ranchoor Lane, was married with children.

Quaid’s grand-nephew issues clarification

KARACHI: The only grandson of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is Nusli Wadia, Chief Executive Bombay Dying & Manufacturing Company and lives in Bombay. There is no other grandson of Quaid-i-Azam. The only great grandsons are sons of Nusli Wadia who also live in Bombay. Jinnah’s daughter Dina Wadia lives in New York and Bombay.

This was stated by Liaquat Merchant, grandnephew of Quaid-i-Azam and grandson of Jinnah’s sister Mariambai in a clarification following media coverage which projected Aslam Jinnah as grandson or great grandson of Quaid-i-Azam and invitation extended to him by executives of Baitul Maal in Islamabad.

He said he had in past clarified his position on several occasions during period 2004 to 2007. He said it was incorrect to describe anyone except Nusli Wadia as Jinnah’s grandson.

Merchant, who is Administrator Estate of Quaid-i-Azam, Managing Trustee Jinnah Foundation, Executive Trustee Quaid-i-Azam Aligarh Education Trust, President Jinnah Society, author of publications on Jinnah and recipient of Sitara-e-Imtiaz awarded by President of Pakistan in recognition of his publications on Jinnah, public services in health, education, said he had never met Aslam but thought he was probably a descendent from Nathoo Poonja family.

He said Quaid-i-Azam’s father Jinnah Poonja had two brothers — Walji Poonja and Nathoo Poonja. While grandsons of Walji Poonja had come forward and made claim for a share in Estate of Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah in accordance with Hanafi/Sunni law in their capacity as distant kindred claiming through Jinnah’s paternal uncle Walji Poonja, there was no claim by any male descendent of Nathoo Poonja but a claim filed by one Jenabai, a daughter-in-law of one of grandsons of Nathoo Poonja but her application was dismissed as it did not merit consideration. No other claim has been filed up to date by any member of Nathoo Poonja family.

He said if Aslam is a descendent of Nathoo Poonja, he should establish his ancestry and make a claim before the Sindh High Court for a share. He said he only wished for record to be set straight and had no grievance or reservation against any member of Nathoo Poonja family.

Liaquat Merchant said descendents of Walji Poonja who were settled in Karachi included Muhammad Ali, Jaffer Ali, Hussein Ali and Ghulam Ali who are now survived by Amir Ali son of Hussainali Gangji Walji.

The immediate family of Quaid-i-Azam comprised of his daughter Mrs Dina Wadia and her son Nusli Wadia. Quaid’s sisters are Rehmatbai, Mariambai, Shirinbai and Fatima Jinnah. His brother Bande Ali died and his brother Ahmad who was married to a Sunni lady had one daughter Fatima Goepfert.

Merchant said children of Quaid’s sisters Rehmatbai, Mariambai and Shirinbai are no more alive. Daughter of Ahmed Jinnah lived in Switzerland while Fatima Jinnah did not marry.

Grandchildren of Quaid’s sister Mariambai, presently living in Karachi, are Kulsoom Ibrahim, Zehra Chandoo, Gulshan Chandoo, Rohina Peerbhoy, Liaquat Merchant, Hussein Ebrahim and Moonira Kassam. Other grandchildren of Jinnah’s sisters Rehmatbai and Mariambai live in Bombay and Calcutta.

4 killed in Kalat blast

QUETTA: Four people were killed and 11 others wounded, some of them seriously, when a powerful bomb exploded in Sorab area of District Kalat, some 140 kilometres from here, on Tuesday.

The explosion took place at around 1:05 pm near a petrol pump in Gurgut area, Sorab, when a large number of drivers were having their lunch at a roadside hotel. A powerful explosion took place in a car parked near the hotel, killing four persons on the spot, police said.

The explosion was so powerful that it damaged the petrol pump and the hotel badly and smashed windowpanes of dozens of vehicles parked there. Some containers were also parked at the petrol pump. Sources said the containers, which were carrying goods for the Nato forces in Afghanistan, were also damaged due to the explosion.

It may be a remote control device planted in the car, said DIG Khuzdar Police Ghulam Rasool Domki while talking to The News. Reports reaching here from Sorab suggested that the explosion took place in a car that was on its way from Quetta to Sorab. The car driver had parked the vehicle outside the hotel.

The dead were identified as Qadir, Shakir and Ghulam Sarwar while the name of the fourth victim could not be ascertained. The injured were shifted to a local hospital in private vehicles but no doctor was available at the hospital.

Hundreds of relatives of the blast victims thronged the hospital. The injured were shifted to the District Headquarter Hospital, Khuzdar, where the condition of some of them was stated to be critical. Nobody had claimed responsibility for the blast till the filing of this report.

The police officials told The News that two investigation teams of the police, including the Crimes Investigation Department (CID), had been dispatched from Quetta to Sorab to probe the blast.

 Mangla repairs to take two months, at least

LAHORE: The Monday’s short-circuiting of 10 turbines at the Mangla Hydro Power Station will take at least two months for repair, The News has learnt.

The entire power plant came to a grinding halt after the mishap, which, the sources revealed, was the result of Mangla managers’ attempt to push the worn-out system beyond limits, taking the total generation to 1,150 MW against the normal 1,000 MW. The original ‘oil-filled’ cables, having outlived their utility, could not survive the extra load, leading to the disaster. The Wapda had already awarded the tender for the replacement of these underground oil-filled cables. These cables, joining the turbines with the national grid, had a lifespan of 30 years and should have been replaced till 1997.

The sources said initially the cables of two turbines heated up due to overloading, leading to spark in one of the turbines, which turned into a full-blown fire. The sources also said that the Wapda authorities were repeatedly informed by the officials of the Mangla Dam project to replace these cables to avoid any future setback, but the hierarchy gave a deaf ear to these requests.

The issue of replacing the oil-filled cables, the sources revealed, was taken up some two years ago, and finally the Wapda considered two companies — M/s SGWI and Excel Technological Services (ETS) — to award the contract in February 2008. The contract was finally awarded to ETS in February 2009. Ironically, the work on the project was yet to begin.

The total length of the tunnel, having all the cables, is one kilometre. Managing Director Pepco Tahir Basharat Cheema has said “we are going to lay the overhead cable, which would hasten the recovery process and save time”. But experts say it would take around 3-4 months even if the cables were installed overhead. It was also learnt there was no local expertise available in the country so the expertise had to be called from abroad.

Sources in the Wapda claimed the authority did not have the power cable in hand and planning to import it from Saudi Arabia. According to a former member Wapda, if the cables in any of the turbine in a power station get overloaded, there exist certain instruments called ‘Protection Relays’, which should be operated right after an emergency occurs. He said these relays were battery-operated and it is possible that the batteries were not charged or the ‘Protection Relays’ were out of work altogether. The News made a number of calls to get the version of Wapda Chairman Shakil Durrani and other officials but no one attended the calls. The story of CD’s evaluation of foreign gifts

 Voice for Seraiki province echoes in National Assembly

ISLAMABAD: As the debate kicks off in the media and the general public on carving out new provinces, the voice in favour of a Seraiki province echoed in the National Assembly on Tuesday when Sardar Bahadur Sehar supported the formation of another administrative unit to lessen the problems of the people of southern Punjab.

Speaking on a point of order in the National Assembly, Sehar said the southern Punjab had been deprived of development despite having the ability to become the bread basket for not only Pakistan but also for South Asia.

He said since 1970s, no major education institution such as medical collage or an engineering university had been set up in the southern Punjab. “If the people there do not get proper education, religious seminaries would benefit,” he added.

He said from the development budget of Rs 137 billion for the Punjab, only a sum of Rs 5 billion had been allocated for the area with the population of approximately 50 million. “When we raise our voice for our rights, we are declared anti-Pakistanis,” he said.

Sehar said in the historical 1940 Lahore Resolution, the rights of all the nations had been accepted. “We are demanding the rights granted in the 1940 Resolution and even in the Charter of Democracy,” he added.

Rejecting the impression that the voice for a Seraiki province has been raised on the linguistic basis, Sehar said this demand was not raised on ethnic or linguistic basis but “we want that our issues resolved on our doorsteps. We want our files to go to Multan instead of Lahore,” he added. He said even the people of southern Punjab did not get the share of the National Finance Commission.

The budget session was prorogued after the 18th day of the sitting, which began on 12th of June. National Assembly Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi read out the presidential order of prorogation.

 Terrorists slaughter 18 injured colleagues

ISPR says three soldiers martyred; troops kill 16 more militants in Swat

ISLAMABAD: Security forces on Tuesday stated that the militants in the Biha Valley of Swat had slaughtered 18 of their own wounded comrades, as they could not be moved out along with the retreating miscreants.

“It has been reliably learnt that during the clearance of Biha Valley, 18 wounded terrorists, who could not be taken to safety, were slaughtered by their own people on orders of their commanders,” an ISPR statement said on Tuesday.

Security forces killed 16 more terrorists and apprehended 23 others in Swat while three soldiers embraced Shahadat and eight others, including three officers, were injured. Security forces also recovered and successfully defused an explosives-laden vehicle.

Security forces started the operation to secure Shah Dherai from two different directions. From north, Samai Killey was secured. In the process, three soldiers embraced Shahadat and five others, including two officers, were injured.

From the eastern side of Shah Dherai, security forces secured Bhoka, Dande and Yakh Tangai Sar. During this operation, three soldiers, including an officer, were injured. Security forces started a clearance and search operation around Rahatkot and Jukhtai southeast of Fatehpur and recovered one explosives-laden vehicle from the house of Dua Khan while another was blown up.

During an exchange of fire with terrorists, eight of them were killed. On a tip-off, a search and sweep operation was launched in areas around Matta and Wanai, where eight terrorists were engaged and killed.

In another clearance and search operation at Balasur, two suspected terrorists, Mian Afil Zada and Aziz Ahmed, were apprehended. In yet another clearance and search operation in Sambat, a terrorist, Muhammad Raheem, alias Bhai, son of Gulpur Jan, was apprehended.

Warplanes pound militant positions in NWA

PESHAWAR/MIRAMSHAH: The government finally reacted to the militants’ brazen terrorist activities in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) by targeting the suspected positions of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur-led Taliban fighters by warplanes on Tuesday.

Also, fearing losses in the likely military operation against the militants, hundreds of Utmanzai tribal families started migration to relatively safer places in towns of Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Peshawar.

Some of the families living on the Pak-Afghan border villages like Madakhel, Dattakhel and Lowara Mandi even crossed into neighbouring Afghanistan’s Urgoon area, where an Afghan official welcomed the displaced tribal families and gave $300 to each family.

Situation in the volatile North Waziristan tribal region turned tense after two attacks on the Pakistan Army convoys by the local militants and then scrapping their peace accord with the government.

Security forces suffered heavy losses in the two attacks that led to heavy bombing by the PAF fighter planes on suspected positions of the militants. Before the warplanes could arrive, Security forces based at Dattakhel and Gharlamay military camps continued shelling the suspected positions of the militants.

Tribal sources said two warplanes arrived in the afternoon and started heavy bombing on suspected locations of Gul Bahadur-led militants at Lattaka and Doga villages of Madakhel. Heavy explosions caused by bombing on Madakhel village were heard in Miramshah, the headquarters of North Waziristan.

Madakhel, which is hometown of Taliban commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur, is about 50 kilometres west of Miramshah. There were no details about the losses suffered by the militants and local tribesmen in the bombing.

A senior military official, when reached by telephone, told The News that bombing by jets on Madakhel was a reaction to the Sunday’s attack on the military convoy by terrorists in which 30 soldiers — three of them officers — were killed and 35 others injured.

He did not confirm whether the government was going to launch a military operation against the militants in North Waziristan. The government may not open another dangerous front for security forces, which had been engaged in the non-stop battle against the militants in almost all the seven tribal regions as well as the restive Malakand Division.

Though the Taliban scrapped the peace accord with the government and said they closed all doors for talks, tribal elders and senior clerics continued efforts for defusing the tension between the government and the Taliban.

The Jirga members were satisfied with positive response from the government officials regarding peace talks with the militants. Pleading anonymity, one of the Jirga members seemed hopeful about their efforts and said they would soon bring the two sides on the negotiation table.

Dozens of families were seen fleeing their homes at the border area and shifting to other towns in Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Peshawar. Some of the tribal families crossed the border and went to Urgoon town in Afghanistan’s Paktika province to evade losses in case the government launched the military operation. According to tribal sources, an Afghan official was deputed on the Pak-Afghan border to receive the displaced Pakistani tribal families.

Pakistan starts production of JF-17

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday launched the JF-17 (Thunder) fighter aircraft manufacturing project at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), Kamra. The aircraft would be manufactured locally, in collaboration with China.

Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman was the chief guest at the project-launching ceremony. “Start of final assembly and the FTS today would, Insha Allah, lead us to the much-awaited roll out of the first JF-17 from the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra, in October timeframe this year. As per plan, six aircraft would roll out of the PAC by the end of 2009,” Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman said in an address on the occasion. He said: “The JF-17 is a light combat aircraft, developed to meet the PAF’s specific requirements. It would be replacing the PAF’s ageing fleet of A-5s, F-7s and Mirages.

YESTERDAY'S NEWS

TODAY'S NEWS, BUT 10 YEARS OLD

© DAWN Group of Newspapers, 2009
© JANG Group, 2009

Go Back to Karachi Page