Kashmir solution only way to durable peac

ISLAMABAD - A highly impressive joint military parade by the armed forces of Pakistan took place here Monday after a gap of seven years, to commemorate the historic Pakistan Resolution on March 23, 1940 – a day which set course for the creation of Pakistan.

Led by Brigadier Khurram Sarfraz, personnel from all three services, Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force, strategic command, Rangers, FC, police, boys and girls guides participated in the parade.

Mobile phone networks in the capital were disabled to thwart potential bomb attacks, some roads were closed to the public and much of the city was under heavy guard for the event.

The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Rashad Mahmood, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, naval chief Admiral Zakaullah, PAF chief Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, senior serving and retired civil and military officials, diplomats and citizens.

This year’s event took place at the new Parade Ground, specially built near scenic Shakarparian.
In the past, the parade was held on Parade Avenue in front of Parliament House and before that, at the Race Course in Rawalpindi.

The colourful ceremony of Pakistan Day parade kicked off with a splendid fly past of aircraft of Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Navy led by Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman.

Both modern and more traditional elements of Pakistan’s military arsenal were on display, from nuclear-capable missiles and the new home-made armed Burraq drone to a camel-mounted musical band.

The formations of F-16, JF-17, Mirage, F-7PG and P-3C Orion presented salute to the chief guest by flying over the saluting dais.

Nuclear-capable Nasr and Shaheen missiles, which have a range of up to 1,500 kilometres, and Babur cruise missiles were also paraded.

Different regiments of Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force marched past the saluting dais presenting salute to the president.

Mechanised columns including tanks, rocket launchers, indigenously developed short and long range missiles, radars and unmanned aerial vehicles were showcased at the parade.
Demonstration of UAV Burraq was also made.

Floats depicting culture of the four provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan were also part of the parade.

Helicopters of Pakistan Army Aviation and Pakistan Navy presented fly past.

Personnel of Special Services Groups (SSG) displayed a breathtaking show of paratrooping and Aircraft of Pakistan Air Force including JF-17 Thunder and F-16 presented thrilling aerobatic maneuvers.

Addressing the nation on the occasion, President Mamnoon Hussain expressed the resolve to free the country from terrorism, militancy, ethnicity and sectarianism in order to ensure a peaceful and prosperous Pakistan.

The president said, “Our destination is to make Pakistan such a country which is free of all prejudices and the people can live as per their own free will.
” 
“Pakistan Day parade provides an excellent opportunity to pay tributes to the elders who waged a relentless struggle for the creation of homeland,” said Mamnoon.

Paying tributes to the martyrs, the president said the nation was proud of its sons who sacrificed their lives for the country and also made Pakistan a nuclear power.

Referring to Zarb-e-Azb Operation against terrorism, Mamnoon said, “Our armed forces are rendering their lives in this most difficult war of the history.
” He announced that he would personally visit the soldiers and officers engaged in the Zarb-e-Azb operation.
He said the martyrs of Peshawar school attack also deserved salute.

He said the consensus amongst all segments of society on National Action Plan against terrorism was a commendable step which also reflected that the elimination of this menace was not far away.

The president said Pakistan wanted peaceful and friendly relations with all its neighbors including India on the basis of equality.
He said Pakistan desired resolution of all disputes with India including Jammu and Kashmir through dialogue.
Mamnoon said the Kashmir dispute should be resolved in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and the United Nations Security Council’s resolutions.
This, he said, could only ensure durable peace and stability in the region.

Mamnoon said Pakistan enjoyed historic religious and cultural ties with Afghanistan and these relations were further being cemented.
 
Mamnoon said, “Pakistan will continue to play its role for world peace and security.
He termed the extension of Pakistan’s seabed to 350 nautical miles by the United Nations as a significant development saying it would further enhance country’s natural resources.

The ceremony culminated with presentation of national songs by the students of different schools.

Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday greeted his counterpart Nawaz Sharif on Pakistan National Day.
He told Sharif that all outstanding issues between the two neighbours could be resolved through bilateral talks in a terror-free atmosphere.

Modi tweeted, “It is my firm conviction that all outstanding issues can be resolved through bilateral dialogue in an atmosphere free from terror and violence.
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“I have written to Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif, conveying my greetings on the National Day of Pakistan,” Modi tweeted.

China offers to export 4,000MW to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: China has offered to export 4,000MW of electricity to Pakistan for which a memorandum of understanding will be signed in a couple of days, Dawn has learnt.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif gave a go-ahead to his economic team last week for early finalisation of the accord.

“We have received a draft MoU from China,” an official of the ministry for water and power told Dawn. An official delegation had gone to Beijing to discuss the draft with officials of the State Grid China, he said.

The legal team of the Private Power and Infrastructure Board and the National Transmission and Despatch Company had proposed some changes in the draft, the official said, adding that the 4th meeting of Pakistan-China Joint Cooperation Commission to be held in Beijing on March 25 would review the proposed changes.

The meeting would also finalise the agreement for signing during the coming visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Pakistan, he said.

The two sides will also discuss modalities, including the financing of the transmission line, tariff and deadline for completion of the project.

Water and Power Minister Khwaja Asif hinted on Monday that the project would be ready by 2018.

The government has already announced to add 10,400MW to the national grid with the help of China by 2017 under early harvest projects.

Under the early harvest programme, Pakistan and China have made substantial progress for installation of three coal-based power plants to generate 3,300MW of electricity.

The National Transmission and Despatch Company and State Grid China will also sign a cooperation agreement on two transmission lines from Matiari to Lahore and Matiari to Faisalabad.

PA opposition leader backs Governor’s Rule

Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Shaharyar Khan Mahar has said if Governor’s Rule is imposed in Sindh he and his party will support it.

Death row convict Saulat Mirza’s startling revelations about the Muttahida Qaumi Movement had a ring of truth about them because “a man cannot tell a lie just hours before his certain death”, argued Mr Mahar while addressing a luncheon hosted in his honour by the city’s traders association here on Monday.

He said that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah liked to reiterate that police and other institutions worked under his control, but surprisingly he appeared reluctant to clarify his position with regard to the raid on the MQM headquarters known as Nine Zero.

He said the Rangers had conducted the raid under the government’s supervision and the chief minister was required to clear his government’s policy about it.

About Lyari gangster Uzair Baloch’s hitherto undisclosed allegations, Mr Mahar said that he had already spoken about them in the past. The Sindh government had been patronising criminals for long and now statements of Uzair Baloch against the Pakistan Peoples Party leadership were published in all newspapers, he said.

He rejected reports of any role of former military dictator Pervez Musharraf in a future setup and said that Musharraf would have to clear his name first and face all the cases in court before formally entering politics.

Mr Mahar rejected Sindh Assembly speaker Agha Siraj Durrani’s allegations that gambling was being done in the fair which was under way in Wazirabad and said if he was right he should use his clout to get the fair premises raided.

He said the fair featured cultural programmes which included horses and bulls races but if participants themselves put wagers on races what could be done about it.

He said the fair was organised after seeking permission from the deputy commissioner and the senior superintendent of police. Mr Durrani had done nothing but irreparable damage to local bodies institutions during the last seven years, he said.

Judicial commission not to cause any crisis, says Senate chairman

SUKKUR: Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani has said there will be no crisis in the country because of the formation of the judicial commission but the onus is now on Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf to come back to the assemblies to represent its voters.

Talking to journalists at Begum Nusrat Bhutto airport here on Monday before leaving for Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, Mr Rabbani said that since state institutions had been strengthened the judicial commission would not cause any crisis.

He said the Pakistan Peoples Party had handed over reigns of power to the victorious party after elections in a democratic manner and hoped that rule would now be transferred democratically to others in the same spirit.

He said the country’s very survival hinged on the democratic system. The Senate was a symbol of the federation and represented all provinces where he would work for the protection of constitutional institutions and supremacy of the Constitution, he said.

Whatever action the Pakistan Army was taking against terrorists under the National Action Plan had complete support of all democratic forces and national institutions, he said.

If any motion was moved in the Senate against terrorism it would be taken up. The federation would be strengthened if the country’s democratic and national institutions were strengthened.

Later, Mr Rabbani left for Garhi Khuda Bakhsh.

Throughout his 10 to 15 minute talk with journalists, Mr Rabbani was forced to stand on the roadside outside the airport in the scorching heat as the airport authorities did not allow assembly of people inside the building and the Press Information Department had not made alternative arrangements for the chairman of the Senate to talk to the press.

Saulat Mirza’s startling disclosures warrant investigation, says PTI leader

HYDERABAD: Former Punjab governor and leader of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, has said that investigation must be conducted into Saulat Mirza’s startling revelations about the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

He said that all political parties should disband their militant wings and expressed regret that it was a matter of great concern that the country’s criminal justice system had failed to dispense justice.

He was speaking at the annual meeting of Anjuman Arain Sindh at Gulshan-i-Zealpak late on Sunday night where the gathering unanimously made him head of Arain community by presenting him a turban which was traditionally worn by tribal chieftains.

Mr Sarwar said that criminal justice system needed to be improved. The ongoing military operation had largely crushed terrorists and broken their backbone. In the like manner, the nagging problems of joblessness and corruption could also be resolved in a spirit of national unity, he said.

There was no dearth of resources and talent in the country which only needed able leadership and good governance to leap forward and prove itself, he said.

Quaid-i-Azam, he said, had a vision of Pakistan where justice would be served to all people regardless of their colour, creed and race and people would live in complete harmony and tranquility but unfortunately his lofty dreams still remained unfulfilled.

Intolerance was spreading its tentacles in Pakistani society while in reality Islam had nothing to do with such behavior, he said.

Mr Sarwar said that Arain community had rendered tremendous sacrifices for the progress and protection of the homeland and its members were serving the society in an outstanding manner in different fields.

KARACHI: Speaking at a press conference at the residence of a PTI leader in Karachi on Monday, Mr Sarwar said that both the major political parties had contributed to destruction of state institutions by political intervention and nepotism.

He called for disbanding armed wings in political and religious parties and said if there was any criminal in the PTI’s ranks, action should be taken against him immediately.

He said that their party had a strong vote bank across the country including Sindh and hoped the PTI would be able to form a government in the country in next elections.

About the judicial commission, he said the commission had been formed according to the law and the constitution. Even when he was governor of Punjab he was of the view that the government should itself constitute the commission to probe rigging charges, he said.

Answering a question, he said if the federal or Azad Kashmir governments made attempts to intervene in by-elections in the state, his party would stage a strong protest.

Mr Sarwar accused the governments of Azad Kashmir and centre of colluding to change polls schedule under a conspiracy and warned if the date was changed the PTI would react strongly.

To another question, he said that his party was preparing a marshal plan for Balochistan which could help end a sense of deprivation among the Baloch.

He conceded there were differences in the PTI’s Sindh chapter like any other major political party but they would be ironed out soon.

Peshawar school victims among 112 recipients of awards

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain conferred on Monday civil and military awards on those who had achieved distinction in their fields.

A total of 112 awards – 52 civil and 60 military – were given away at an investiture ceremony held on the occasion of Pakistan Day.

The ceremony was attended by top military officers, political leaders, government officials and foreign diplomats.

The teachers and students of the Army Public School, Peshawar, were decorated with top civil awards for demonstrating bravery when terrorists attacked the institution on Dec 16 last year, killing 135 students and 10 staffers, including the principal. The school’s former principal Tahira Qazi and teacher Saima Zareen were awarded Sirtara-i- Shujaat while others were given Tamgha-i-Shujaat.

Other prominent people who received their awards included Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar, Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations Maj Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa, Maj Gen Sanaullah Khan Niazi (late), religious scholar Agha Hassan Abedi, National University of Science and Technology Rector Mohammad Ashgar, distinguished journalist Minhaj Barna (late) and sports journalist Dr Nauman Hamid Niaz.

Pakistan holds first Republic Day parade in seven years

ISLAMABAD: The highly-anticipated joint military parade by the armed forces of Pakistan took place today in Islamabad after a gap of seven years, to commemorate the historic Pakistan Resolution on March 23, 1940 - a day which marks the the birth of a separate state for Muslims.

Personnel from all three services, Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force, are participating in the parade.