News Analysis: Cross-border attack imperils Pakistani-Afghan peace efforts

ISLAMABAD, June 27 (Xinhua) -- A cross-border attack on Sunday by Afghan militants that killed 11 Pakistani soldiers has escalated the tension among Pakistan and Afghanistan and could imperil the much-needed peace and reconciliation labors by the neighboring countries.

Pakistan's civilian and military officials supposed that the militants used Afghan territory for the deadly Sunday attack on its check post in Dir region in the country's northwest region.

The Sunday's cross-border attack happened at a time when the two countries are exerting efforts to find a political explanation to the Afghan crisis ahead of the withdrawal of foreign armed forces.

Pakistan-Afghanistan combined peace and reconciliation efforts were deadlocked after the September's murder of Prof.
Pakistan insists that several key leaders of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have crossed into Afghanistan following main military operations over the past three years and now they are using isolated Afghan border regions for attacks on Pakistani border checkpoints and village.

The Afghan deputy ambassador here was summoned to the Foreign Ministry on Monday and a formal protest was lodged over the fresh Taliban incursion, officials supposed. The envoy was asked to convey to Afghan authorities that they have to take urgent steps to prevent such attacks in prospect.

Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan, Omar Daudzai, told Xinhua on Tuesday that Islamabad's "concerns and strain" have been communicate to Kabul.

He said that both countries should not fall prey to the conspiracy of the Taliban, their common opponent.

A spokesman for the TTP, who goes by a single name Sirajuddin and who is thought to be in Afghanistan, confirmed to the media in Pakistan via phone that Taliban fighters indeed ambush a convoy of Pakistani soldiers, killing six and beheading 7 more after they were kidnapped and taken to Afghanistan.

A Pakistani military official also confirmed the beheading of the soldiers in a report.

Pakistan insists that several top Pakistani Taliban leaders, counting the former chief of Taliban in Swat valley, Maulvi Fazalullah, the TTP deputy chief, Maulvi Faqir of Bajaur tribal region and Abdul Wali, TTP leader in Mohmand tribal agency have recognized bases in Afghanistan's Kunar and Nuristan provinces and launch attack on Pakistani border posts from there.

But the Afghan government has starved of Islamabad's claim and asks Pakistan to support their claims with pieces of proof.

Also on Friday, 2 Pakistani security men were killed and 2 others were injured when a mortar shell hit a border post in Mohmand Agency, official sources supposed.

The sources supposed a rocket was fired by militants from across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

There had been series of cross-border attacks in the past and Pakistani Taliban in a major attack in August previous year had killed 25 security men in northern Chitral region.

Pak SC asks PM to reopen Zardari graft case

Islamabad: Piling up force on new Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, Pakistan Supreme Court on Wednesday asked him to react by July 12 to its order to reopen graft cases in Switzerland alongside President Asif Ali Zardari, an issue that had charge his predecessor his job.

A three-judge bench headed by Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk reminded Attorney General Irfan Qadir that previous Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani had been convicted for contempt and sentenced for refuse to act on the apex court's orders to revive the dishonesty cases.

The bench supposed in a brief order that it expected the new Premier would act on the court's directives.

The judges asked the Attorney General to ask the Prime Minister and inform the court of his stance at the after that hearing on July 12.

Ashraf, a close aide of the decision PPP chief Zardari, became Prime Minister following Gilani was disqualified by the peak court on June 19 following his conviction for contempt.

Gilani had been convicted and given a representative sentence on April 26 after he refused to act on the apex court's repeated orders to approach Swiss establishment to reopen the corruption cases alongside Zardari.

Gilani had contended that the government could not act as the President enjoyed protection in Pakistan and abroad.

Shortly after pretentious office, Ashraf supposed on Sunday that the PPP had made it clear that it would not write a letter to Swiss authorities to reopen the cases alongside Zardari.

He supposed there was no difference between him and Gilani on this issue.

Ashraf had further supposed that his government did not want any confrontation with other state institutions and would work in accordance with the Constitution and the commandment.

The Supreme Court has been pressuring the government to revive the cases alongside the President since December 2009, when it annulled an official pardon issued by former military ruler

Pervez Musharraf that had benefit Zardari and over 8,000 others.

The PPP has claimed that the judiciary, especially the Chief Justice, has not been neutral in cases involving the ruling party and its best.

The crusading top judge too has come under a cloud after real estate tycoon Malik Riaz Hussain claim that he had salaried over Rs 342 million to the Chief Justice's son to power cases in the apex court.

Pakistan in the cold on Lashkar after Abu Jundal's arrest

The main political increase for India from the arrest of Lashkar-e-Taiba functioning Abu Jundal, also known by his set name Abu Hamza, will be its collision on Pakistan.

Islamabad, already inaccessible on other issues, will be shocked when it realises how the seize took place.
Various sources say the preliminary tip-off that Jundal was in Saudi Arabia came from US intelligence. He was then apprehended by Riyadh which in turn told India to send a particular plane to pick him up. That a number of governments worked jointly to help India increases pressure on Pakistan, says counter-terrorism specialist Ajai Sahni.

That the 2 countries caught up were ones Pakistan has seen as allies would be especially unnerving. Pakistan-based security psychoanalyst Talat Masood supposed the Saudi role was important  Pakistani-Saudi security links were even faster than those Islamabad had with the US.

An Indian civil servant says Saudi-India counter-terrorism cooperation, once absent, has deepened significantly the past two years. This is partly driven by Saudi attention in India as a future oil client, Lashkar’s float towards the anti-Saud Al Qaeda and US pressure.

Says a Washington-based LeT spectator: “There is a realisation in Washington that a key income to go after the LeT is to go from side to side the Gulf.”
 
.His admission would make it harder to deny the state links to the assault, says a senior retire Indian intelligence officer. After all, Jundal was in the radical control room during 26/11, beside senior Lashkar and ISI officers.

New Delhi can wait for to throw any new evidence at Pakistan, pushing harder for action alongside the LeT perpetrators of 26/11, many of whom were under arrest and then released, counting Jundal. “He can be used to scheme our case, provide more hard proof to Pakistan and the international community,” say Sahni.

State’s excesses subject to judicial scrutiny: CJ

ISLAMABAD: While address a delegation of the Youth Parliament on Saturday, Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry complete it clear that whenever an limb of the state misuses its powers, it becomes the judiciary’s privilege to subject it to scrutiny.
However, any excess or misuse of power beyond that domain becomes the subject matter of judicial scrutiny, the chief justice supposed.

Chief Justice Chaudhry claimed that the expectations Pakistanis had of parliament to address their needs could not be fulfilled in the history, due to the constant political and legitimate turmoil in the country. “From 1973 onwards, even though there have been lively national assemblies and senates, political and legitimate turmoil has repeatedly interfered in parliament’s functions; therefore, the expectations of people attached with it have remained unfulfilled,” he additional.

The chief justice also clarified parliament has the power to legislate. However, it could not pass a law that is alongside the Constitution. I can assure you that they cannot endorse a law that is alongside the Constitution, the principles of Islam and contrary to chief laws.
He explained that the fundamental objective of the judicial review was to check the abuse of power by public functionaries, and ensuring just and fair action to the citizens in accordance with the law and constitutional norms.

Speaking on the fundamental rights of Pakistanis, Chief Justice Chaudhry stated that “where any question of negligence arises regarding the enforcement of any of the fundamental rights ensured by the Constitution of Pakistan, then the Supreme Court has the authority to make any appropriate order for the enforcement of these human rights.”

Technically Gilani no more PM: Kaira

ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira supposed on Tuesday that technically Syed Yousuf Raja Gilani is no additional Prime Minister of Pakistan.,,

He says the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party has qualms over the Supreme Court ruling which disqualify PM Gilani for holding any public office.,,

Kaira supposed President Zardari has cancelled his scheduled visit to Russia in the wake of unexpected situation opposite the ruling clique.,,

The PPP privileged Kaira, Jahangir Badar and Raja Pervez Asharf were speaking at media briefing following party's Central Executive Committee gathering here.,,The meeting was attend by PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the gathering top brass.,,"

Technically Prime Minister Gilani and his cupboard are dysfunctional," Kaira supposed.,,Kaira urged party workers to observe restraint and wait for decisions by the party management, rather than holding protest demonstration.,,He told reporters that PPP leadership has empower President Zardari for taking decisions concerning the nomination of a new PM.,,

He supposed the consultation process was underway to save the setup.,,We have called a meeting of leaders of our ally parties to hold up us in this situation and device future course of action," he supposed.,,

"After the consultation procedure, the decision would be then taken by the parliament which is the supreme meeting," he supposed.,.