PM for early import of LNG

Statesman Report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Gillani chaired a meeting at the Prime Minister House Thursday which was attended by Minister for Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Minister for Petroleum Dr. Asim Hussain and Minister for Water and Power Naveed Qamar besides the secretaries and senior officials of the respective ministries to discuss the early import of LNG as the quickest way to overcome gas shortage in the country. The secretary, Ministry of Petroleum, apprised the meeting that the Ministry had been working on two-pronged strategy for the earliest import of LNG. One is import of LNG by government and also through the private sector for which OGRA had already short-listed potential developers.

The PM directed the Ministry of Petroleum to expedite the import of LNG so that the deficiency of more than 2 BCF could be overcome to an extent as to provide substantial relief to domestic and industrial sectors.

The PM observed that the availability of gas from Iran-TAPI and other sources would take time and it was, therefore, absolutely important that immediate measures be taken to mitigate the sufferings of households and the industrial sector through the import of LNG from various sources.

Contempt case

Govt to file review plea

Statesman Report

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to file an appeal for review of Supreme Court's decision on contempt of court case against Prime Minster Yousuf Raza Gillani, Express News reported.

The decision was taken on Thursday during Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) core committee meeting, in which Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan briefed the government about all the details related to the case.

No breakthrough in PML-N, PPP parleys

ISLAMABAD: The preliminary talks between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party on Thursday could not achieve any breakthrough over 20th Amendment issue.

The PML-N side set conditions for its support to passage of 20th Amendment.

The PML-N team comprising senator Ishaq Dar and Zahid Hamid set conditions including demands for appointment of new chief election commissioner, enhancement of ECP members' tenure to five years and their expulsion under Article 209.

The PPP team comprised minister for religious affairs Syed Khursheed Shah, senator Raza Rabbani and minister for water and power Syed Naveed Qamar.

Senator Ishaq Dar made it clear that his party would not lend support to 20th Amendment till acceptance of their demands.

Ishaq Dar had also conveyed to leader of opposition in National Assembly Ch. Nisar Ali Khan the outcome of their negotiations with PPP delegation.

When INP contacted senator Dar told that PML-N made a demand of making ECP as independent through inclusion of clauses in the 20th Amendment.

Only though an independent ECP, holding of elections in free, fair and transparent manner could be ensured, he said, adding, such a development would also benefit PPP in future as an opposition party.

The PPP team would inform the PML-N about its decision after consulting with the Prime Minister. – INP

US plans to halt Afghan combat role early

KABUL: The United States appears to have taken Kabul by surprise by announcing plans to end its Afghan combat role earlier than expected, and coinciding with a secret report that the Taliban is confident it can grab back control of the ravaged country.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, speaking on Wednesday, said the United States would stop combat operations before the end of 2013 as it winds down its longest war.

"A decision to push this a year earlier throws out the whole transition plan. The transition has been planned against a timetable and this makes us rush all our preparations," a senior Afghan security official, who could not be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, told Reuters on Thursday.

"If the Americans withdraw from combat, it will certainly have an effect on our readiness and training, and on equipping the police force," the official said, adding that his government had not been informed of the change in plans.

The United States, which led the NATO invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, has previously said it would withdraw most combat troops by the end of 2014.

Panetta said the U.S. troops would shift next year to a supporting role, training and advising Afghan troops who would take charge of a country that has been at war for more than three decades.

A faster end to U.S. combat in Afghanistan could give President Barack Obama an election-year lift.

It may also demoralise Afghans who fear a return to the austere rule of the Taliban and hope that reconciliation between all parties would deliver a better alternative.

People like hotel waiter Yama, 19, expressed alarm at the prospect that U.S. troops will cease combat sooner.

"Everything Afghanistan has built during the past years would be destroyed, robbed and sold to neighbouring countries," he said.

Many Afghans have long been suspicious of neighbouring Pakistan's intentions, and would like to see it tame Afghan militant groups it is accused of supporting.

Ties between the countries have been strained in recent months, but Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said on Thursday after her trip to Kabul a day earlier that "a lot of ill will had faded."

She said Pakistan had played no substantial role in reconciliation efforts but would encourage insurgent groups like the Haqqani network and the Taliban to lay down their arms and pursue peace if asked by Afghanistan.

"We would be able to do whatever we have, whatever tools we have, we would want to exploit to be able to assist the Afghan people," she told a small group of reporters in a briefing on her trip to Kabul this week.

"We are willing to do whatever the Afghans expect or want us to do." – Reuters

Pakistan

will do anything

for ‘Afghan’ peace

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said Thursday it was willing to do whatever Afghans wanted to end 10 years of war with the Taliban, but insisted the process should not be led by the Americans or any other foreign power.

A day after talks with President Hamid Karzai billed as a fence-mending visit designed to ease frosty ties, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar sought to refute perceptions that Islamabad was an obstacle to peace.

Pakistan's role in Afghanistan is regarded with deep suspicion in many Western capitals given its long-standing ties to the Taliban, Haqqani network and other fighters, whose leaders are based in Pakistan.

'We're willing to do whatever the Afghans want or expect,' Khar said when asked whether Pakistan was ready to push the Haqqani network towards peace talks, but stopped short of naming the group or commenting further.

She said Karzai was due in Islamabad in the middle of the month and that she would travel with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani to Qatar, where the Taliban has set up a liaison office for talks with the Americans.

She said it was 'not in anyone's interest' for Afghanistan to slide back into the chaos of the past, but said Pakistan had 'so far' not played any substantial role in the contacts there between the Americans and the Taliban.

Analysts say that Kabul and Islamabad have felt sidelined by the Qatar contacts. Khar did not comment explicitly, but said it was imperative that the Afghans were central to any eventual peace process, still 'miles away'.

'Who can play this central role? Not Pakistan, the US, Germany, the UK, Qataris, Saudis or anyone, it has to be the Afghans.'

She was determined to distance from Pakistan being in any way an independent actor in an effective peace process.

'It is Afghanistan to decide and as a friendly neighbour, it is our job and responsibility and will to stand strongly behind that. The only prerequisite that Pakistan has is that it should be an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-driven, Afghan-backed process which has the ownership of Afghan people.'

A leaked NATO report based on material from interrogations of more than 4,000 captured Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives, accused Pakistan's security services of still backing the Taliban.

Khar took a swipe, saying that media reports and leaks do not reflect Pakistan's 'dialogue' with NATO and the United States.

'Pakistan would not want to be seen to be working at counter purposes with the rest of the world, including the Westerners, NATO, ISAF, US. It will be in our interest to be able to assist them in whatever way we can,' she said.

She also signalled that Pakistan could shortly end a more than two-month blockade on NATO supplies entering Afghanistan for foreign forces.

Islamabad shut the border and ordered a review of its US alliance after air strikes killed 24 Pakistani soldiers on November 26, in what NATO and the US military later blamed on a series of mistakes by both sides.

Responding as to when parliament would pass the review, she said: 'I'm going to hopefully ensure and push it very hard that it is no later than within a week... first half of February is probable.'

'I cannot pre-empt what the parliament is going to decide but I would assume that should not be so much of a problem,' she said when asked if the recommendations would include re-opening the border.

Pakistan to seek

end to US unilateral

military actions: Khar

NEW YORK: The parliamentary committee currently reviewing Islamabad-Washington relations will "redefine what is uncompromisable for Pakistan", said Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, while making it clear that the Parliament will determine military priorities."It is the Parliament of Pakistan that must decide whether it is time

for military action in one area or not," Khar said in an interview with TIME, the mass-circulation US magazine, released on Wednesday.

Pakistan's red lines for the United States will include no unilateral actions such as the military operation that killed Osama bin Laden and the November strikes on Pakistani border posts killing 24 soldiers, she said.

"The national interests of a country are defined by the parliament. It is the security interests of a country that are defined by the military", Khar pointed out.

"As far as the case of Pakistan is concerned, the military will work with whoever has political ownership. The military cannot act without being authorized ..."

The Foreign Minister said the military is part of Pakistan. It is part of the executive and it works under the executive.

Khar also urged an end to US drone attacks in Pakistan's tribal areas, saying they actually fuel all of the elements of militancy that "we want to take out."

But the United States, despite its public support for democracy, has ignored criticism of the drones from Pakistan's parliament expressed "at the top of its lungs," she said. "So is very difficult to explain why the US would choose to ignore the will of 180 million people and think it knows better," she added. – APP

SBP sees inflation pressure persisting

KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) governor expects inflation pressures to persist in the next fiscal year beginning July as challenges in meeting federal revenue targets could push up government borrowing. The State Bank of Pakistan was also wary of the government s dollar inflows expectation in the current fiscal year, Yaseen Anwar told Reuters in an interview on Thursday. Pakistan hopes to secure inflows from selling licences for third-generation (3G) mobile telecom services, US Coalition Support Fund for Pakistan and privatisation proceeds of Pakistan Telecommunication Co Ltd before June 30.

"The targets for inflows are, in my view, somewhat ambitious. If they are not met, then we see the fiscal deficit of 4.7 percent (of GDP) that the government has earmarked will be somewhat north of that," Anwar said.

However, robust inflows from remittances averaging $1 billion a month will help in cushioning the balance of payments(BOP), said Anwar, who was attending the Reserve Bank of India s international research conference here. The central bank expects its current account deficit to be 2 percent of gross domestic product in this fiscal year and does not envisage much pressure coming from hefty repayments to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The $1.3 billion payment due to IMF this fiscal year is not in a lump sum, which to some extent eased pressure on the BOP, he said. "It is in this month and in April in half instalments each and these amounts have been budgeted in our BOP calculation. We have factored them into our forecast of our reserves." Pakistan s current account deficit widened to $2.154 billion in the first six months of the 2011/12 fiscal year versus a surplus of $8 million, central bank data showed. Anwar said the government needs to contain its borrowings to ease pressure on inflation. Pakistan's January consumer price index inflation was at 10.10 percent, with the average inflation target at 12 percent. EXCHANGE RATE The central bank is not too worried about the rupee's recent fall and has not intervened in the market significantly, Anwar said. "Keep in mind, rupee has depreciated from July 1 to December 31 only 4.6 percent. The kind of depreciation is not that significant, it has not impacted our budget calculation. It is factored in." The rupee touched a record low of 91.20 rupees per dollar on Jan. 9. The currency fell 4.82 percent in 2011 and 0.42 percent so far in 2012. "We have used other instruments to take actions to ensure that banks that are taking speculative positions are watched and carefully manage the import cover for letters of credits." IMF LOAN Pakistan does not plan to go for another IMF loan programme in the current fiscal year ending June 30, Anwar said. "We don t have any plans at the moment to take another programme as of today." In 2008, Pakistan and the IMF agreed on a 3-year loan package worth $11 billion. But the programme was halted in 2010 because of slow implementation of fiscal reforms, and only $8 billion has been disbursed. Pakistan has to repay IMF about $1.3 billion by the end of 2011/12 fiscal year. - Reuters

Senate passes National Commission for Women Bill

ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Thursday unanimously passed "The National Commission on the Status of Women Bill, 2012"  for women empowerment, equalisation of opportunities and protecting their  social, economic, political and legal rights.

The bill was tabled by Advisor to the Prime Minister Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar.

The Commission would be independent having autonomous status with full financial and administrative powers. Its fundamental functions will be to examine policies, programmes and other measures taken by the government for women uplift and gender equality. It will assess implementation and make suitable recommendations to the concerned authorities, considered necessary for effective impact.

The Commission will also review all laws, rules and regulations, affecting the status and rights of women and suggest repeal, amendment or new legislation essential to eliminate discrimination, safeguard and promote women interest and achieve gender equality before law in accordance with country's Constitution and obligations under international covenants and commitments.

The Commission will sponsor, steer and encourage research to generate information and dialogue with non-governmental organisations, experts and individuals in society and active association with similar commissions and institutions in other countries for collaboration and action to achieve gender equality and development at the national, regional and international level.

It will help facilitate and monitor implementation of international instruments and obligations affecting adult and minor females to which Pakistan is a signatory and advice the federal government before accession to any such proposed international instrument, protocol or treaty.

The new autonomous body will have the authority to generate its own fund through grants and donations in addition to a National Commission Fund to be established by the Federal Government. 

The commission will issue an annual report, which will include an account of its performance and utilisation of its funds and all executive authorities in Pakistan will assist commission in the performance of its functions.

The commission will consist of a chairperson, who shall be a person with experience of working on women rights issues for more than fifteen years, understand international commitments of the country, have a legal understanding and is committed to the cause of women empowerment. Two members from each province and one member each from Fata, AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad Capital Territory and two members from minorities.

The ex-officio members will consist of representatives of Ministries of Law, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Interior and concerned ministry shall not be below BPS-20 and shall not have the right to vote and secretary of the Commission, who shall not have right to vote. A member shall not be less than thirty years of age, with experience of working on Women's Rights issues for more than five years. - APP

3 policemen killed in Lakki Marwat attack

PESHAWAR: Three policemen were killed and one injured in an attack by Taliban militants in the Shahbazkhel area of Lakki Marwat late Wednesday night. Security forces launched a search operation in the area immediately after the attack.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has seen a rise in militant attacks since the start of the new year, with the southern parts of the province suffering the brunt of these attacks.

"Four men were on a routine check when an explosion took place on the opposite side of the road when they reached the stop at Bulandkhel," said Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Syed Nawaz Marwat said. Militants, in an ambush, opened fire on the security personnel when they got out of their vehicle.

"It seems that the explosion was a distraction. Even though our men tried to counter the attack, the militants hid at an intermittent distance and kept on firing," said Marwat.

Those killed were identified as Jan Muhammad, Munawwar Khan and driver Zahid Ullah. Islamuddin was injured in the attack.

Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Shah Hassan Khel spokesperson, Mansoor called media personnel and claimed responsibility for the attack. He said it was in reaction to a search operation where a number of TTP men had been taken into custody.

"If they are not released, we will continue," he said.

Shah Hassan Khel was one of the biggest militant training centres prior to the launch of a full-fledged operation by security forces in 2009. A suicide bomber had struck at a volleyball match in the area on January 1, 2010, killing more than 100 people.

I will quit politics if proved ISI funded PTI: Imran

Statesman Report

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has thrown down the gauntlet, that he will quit politics if it is proven that his party has been funded by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency.

Ever since his party's massive rallies in Lahore and Karachi, critics have questioned where the PTI is getting its money from. Many say it is an 'establishment' darling and is receiving funding from intelligence agencies.

"I will quit politics if proved that the ISI funded PTI (sic)," Imran wrote on microblogging website Twitter on Thursday.

Imran and other leaders from his party, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, have claimed that the party receives generous funding from overseas Pakistanis, like Imran's other successful projects such as Namal College in Imran's home constituency Mianwali and the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital in Lahore.

Imran further wrote that his party will never allow the use of Pakistan Army against the country's own people. "We need to stop this War on Terror which in effect is a war of terror orchestrated by the US (sic)," he wrote.

EU waiver: GSP plus to be next objective for Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: With World Trade Organisation’s (WTOs) approval on unilateral trade liberalisation from the European Union, Pakistan now eyes on roping in Generalised System of Preference (GSP) Plus status to enhance its exports with reduced duty rates to the EU Markets, official sources said.“Of course getting duty free access of 75 products to EU is a great achievement with healthy impact on the economy and the credit goes to Prime Minister who at diverse levels pleaded the case effectively,” Director General, Trade Policy Safdar Sohail told APP.He said after the unilateral trade liberalisation, efforts are being made for getting GSP Plus to expand country’s exports.

“Pakistan is persuading EU to change the criteria for GSP Plus so that it may be able to get benefit of this scheme and expand its exports”, Safdar Sohail added.

He said that currently only those countries are given GSP plus, exports of which to EU are less than one percent of their total exports. However, he added, efforts are being made to persuade EU to increase this percentage as Pakistan’s exports to EU are exceeding it.

He said that under the GSP plus, import duties on products would be reduced and there would also be no limitation on exports.

Safdar said that owing to anti-drug efforts, Pakistan had been enjoying GSP Plus from 2002 to 2005, however, after the Indian interference, the status was withdrawn by the EU.

Husnain Haider Deputy Secretary Ministry of Commerce who is dealing trade with EU said that the EU waiver would help boost exports and thereby help earn foreign exchange as well as develop textile industry.

He said that out of total 75 products that have been allowed duty free entry into EU markets, 64 are textile products.

Haider said that it was the diplomatic efforts of leadership who have been following “trade and not aid” policy.

He said that after the formal notification of World Trade Organisation (WTO), the trade waiver would be discussed in EU parliament to give final approval for the practical implementation.

He said that a delegation of commerce ministry would be heading to Brussels next week to participate in Pak-EU Joint Commission where the exact time of implementation of the trade waiver could be known.

Commenting on the trade deal, Spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce Najeeb Khawar Awan said that Prime Minister and President have been making efforts for long time to get this waiver.

“Even in Mohali during Pakistan India Cricket Match, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani had asked his Indian counterpart, Manmnohan Singh to help Pakistan get this trade concession in EU.”

He said that it was through the diplomatic efforts India, Bangladesh and other opposing countries did not object the waiver at WTO.

Giving details about the tariff lines of all the 75 products, he said that Ethnol has one tariff line, home textile 8, non-value added textile 33, raw leather 2, textile garments 23, value added leather 4 while vegetable has one tariff line.

Commenting on the waiver,former Finance Minister Dr. Salman Shah welcomed the decision and hoped it would benefit Pakistan’s exports specially textile exports to EU markets.

“Pakistan would get benefit of US $ 40 million this year”, he remarked.

Pakistan Business Council (PBC) has also welcomed the move and expressed the hope it would help boost country’s exports to the EU markets. – APP

PM asks UNHCR for repatriation of Afghan refugees

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani on Thursday said Pakistan wanted the return of Afghan refugees to their homeland with honour and called upon the international community for assistance in this regard.

Talking to Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Afghan Refugees at the PM House, the Prime Minister said it seemed that the international community had forgotten the Afghan refugees.

The Prime Minister said Pakistan would support any reconciliation process which was Afghan-led and Afghan-owned and added that its culmination would not destabilise Pakistan.

The Prime Minister emphasised that the return of the Afghan refugees was important because the crossing of borders by 30,000 to 40,000 Afghan on daily basis made it impossible to distinguish between a "tourist and a terrorist".

He reiterated that the people of Pakistan and the democratic government had the resolve and capacity to defeat the forces of terrorism and added that the safe return of Afghan refugees to their homeland would help in this pursuit.

He appreciated the people of Pakistan and the government for extending hospitality to more than three million Afghan refugees who had to leave their homes due to the military occupation of their country in 1979.

The UN High Commissioner said they were reaching out to the international community to undertake heavy investment in 48 identified areas within Afghanistan which would encourage the Afghan refugees to return to their native country on permanent basis because it would provide them attractive job opportunities. – APP

Riko Diq goldmine case: CJ critical of bid to move ICJ

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry Thursday said the Riko Diq gold mines belong to Pakistan.

Heading a three-member bench hearing Riko Diq Goldmine case, Chief Justice Chaudhry noted taking recourse to the International Arbitration Court is an attempt to undermine the authority of the national institutions.

According to a private television channel, Raza Kazim, the counsel of petitioner and former Punjab MPA Ehsanullah Waqas told the court that the apex court's ruling delivered on May 25 was an exhaustive verdict which was agreed upon by all parties; but, now, Tethyan Copper Company Pakistan (Pvt.) Limited (TCC) took the matter to world arbitration court i.e. International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The petitioner said the case cannot be taken up simultaneously by two forums.

The CJ queried if no one cares for the judicial system of the country, stressing this is an apparent attempt to curtail the stature of the Supreme Court. – NNI

Sherry, Gen Mattis discuss Pak-US ties

WASHINGTON: Pakistan Ambassador to the US Sherry Rehman met with US Centcom Commander General James Mattis here and discussed Pakistan-US relationships.

The ambassador "stressed the need for both countries to work together to build a relationship that is equitable, transparent and predictable."

Sherry Rehman also added that Pakistan had rendered more sacrifices than any other country in the war against terror, and that Pakistan had also contributed the most towards successes in the war.

Centcom Commander General James Mattis acknowledged Pakistan's contributions, especially the close cooperation of Pakistani military with Nato/Isaf forces in Afghanistan.

General Mattis also stressed on the importance of continued collaboration between both countries at all levels, to take the relationship forward "in a mutually beneficial manner." – INP

Banking court rejects bail plea of Khurram Rasool

LAHORE: A banking court in Lahore on Thursday rejected the bail plea of the former media coordinator of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani, Khurram Rasool, DawnNews reported. Earlier on Monday, a local court extended physical remand of Rasool in Rs76 million fraud case by four days.

A bail before arrest was acquired by Rasool for the case in question. The court rejected the interim bail for non-follow up.

Rasool was already arrested in a separate case. – Statesman

SC directs NAB to move reference against accused in BoP scam

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed Additional Prosecutor General National Accountability Bureau to move reference against Sheikh Muhammad Afzal, the main accused in Bank of Punjab loan scam, and others, before February 10 in a competent court.

It also directed the court seized of the matter to proceed against Sheikh Afzal and others by holding day-to-day hearing without allowing adjournments unless unavoidable.

A three-Judge bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Parvez issued directive on a constitutional petition of the Bank of Punjab, NIB Bank, Seth Muhammad Yaqoob, etc against Haris Steel Industries (Pvt) Ltd & others.

Ahmed Awais, counsel for Sheikh Muhammad Afzal, Haris Afzal and Haris Steel Mills, said that they would fully comply with orders in letter and spirit.

While the counsel for Bank of Punjab said that despite a lapse of considerable time, spreading over a span of about three years, the trial of Sheikh Muhammad Afzal and others had not yet commenced.

Rashdeen Nawaz, counsel appearing for the Bank of Punjab, pointed out that despite clear directions of this Court, contained in order dated 13.12.2011, the properties had not been transferred to the prospective purchasers as hinted in a report of the Salvage Committee.

Makhdoom Ali Khan, S.M. Zafar, Fakhr-ud-Din G. Ibrahim, and Anwar Kamal, counsels for parties, stated that in compliance of the order dated 09.06.2011, replies had been filed by their respective parties and they were regularly making the payments outstanding against them. – APP

Medicine

reaction claims 3 more lives

SARGODHA: Three patients suffering from heart diseases died of medicine reaction in tehsil Sahiwal, provided by Punjab Institute of Cardiology.

THQ hospital authorities said on Thursday that 58 heart patients from tehsil Sahiwal were registered in PIC and they were regularly taking medicines from the institute due to which three patients identified as Ch. Shahfiq resident of Farooqa, Barkhurdar of Nehang and Anwar Khan of Din Pur died of reaction.

MS THQ Sahiwal Dr Aman Ullah Qazi said that substitute medicines are being given to the registered patients of PIC. – APP

Giving it up: Shahbaz hands over 8 ministries

Statesman Report

LAHORE: After much criticism from the opposition, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has handed over eight ministries to cabinet members, assistants and advisors.

Sharif, who previously held 18 portfolios, still maintains ten additional departments including Health, Home, Transport and Tourism, among others.

There are a total of nine ministers in the Punjab cabinet, who are working with additional departments. After the passing of the 18th Amendment, a cabinet should have 39 ministers according to the ratio of the 10% formula for total members.

Up to March 2011, the cabinet was running with 16 ministers, nine from PML-N and seven from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). After the PPP ministers quit, the cabinet was left with nine members, while the rest of the portfolios were under Sharif's charge.

Pak-India peace process must

be uninterrupted: Mani Shankar Aiyer

ISLAMABAD: Member of Rajya Sabha and former Indian Union Minister, Mani Shankar Aiyer on Thursday appreciated the present PPP-led government for making decisive moves towards normalising Indo-Pakistan trade and hoped that both countries could realistically become each other's most favoured nation.

Speaking at a policy discussion seminar titled "India and Pakistan: Retrospect and Prospect" organised by the Jinnah Institute here at the Islamabad Club, he asserted that it is not communal animosity, but national hostility, that keeps India and Pakistan apart.

Aiyer who was the Minister in the Union Cabinet for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Youth Affairs and Sports and for Development of the Northern Region, has served in the Indian Foreign Service for 26 years.

He has also served as Consul General of India in Karachi during 1978-1982.

Aiyer said that any strategy built on the presumption that Pakistan cannot survive is misconceived, misplaced, and dangerously misleading.

He said, "No state has suffered as much from terrorism as Pakistan itself," Aiyer said.

"I do believe that a joint strategy to counter terrorism will enable both India and Pakistan to overcome what is, in effect, a joint threat to our people", he said.

Aiyer concluded by saying, "let us give peace a chance; we have nothing to lose but our chains, and we have a world to gain".

Aiyer's lecture was preceded by opening remarks from Aziz Ahmed Khan, Honorary Vice President Jinnah Institute and former Ambassador, who said that Indo-Pakistan relations have experienced many highs and lows, but a leap of faith is needed in order to find a solution.

Ejaz Haider, Executive Director of Jinnah Institute, said that modern experiences are crucial in forming individual identities, and urged India to recognise Pakistan as a reality that will not go away.

During the question and answer session, the audience asked what effect opposing mindsets had on the India Pakistan peace process.

Aiyer said that mindsets can change, and there is a symbiotic relationship between mindsets and ground realities, and that the narrative of hate must definitely be countered.

A comment was also made regarding the Joint Anti-Terror mechanism established in 1997 by India and Pakistan, and that it should be implemented in letter and spirit.

Mani Shankar Aiyer is the second distinguished speaker, as part of JI's ongoing Indo-Pakistan Track-II engagement named the Chaophraya Dialogue. - APP