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Khaleda warns foreign interference
by Nazrul Islam

     Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has warned foreigners not to poke their noses into her country's domestic affairs as she believes that there is a well orchestrated conspiracy to unseat her four-party allied government. 'Stop interfering in the internal affairs of our country,' Khaleda said in her valedictory remark on a thanksgiving motion on the president's speech in Bangladesh parliament on Tuesday night. She categorically said no one would be allowed to do anything subversive of social discipline and law in the guise of religion, politics, movement or any particular ideology. Bangladesh main opposition party Awami League, which stayed out of the parliamentary proceedings, castigated the prime minister's remarks saying that the speeches against the foreigners in parliament are not decent. "'If she fells that someone threaten or dictate her in running state affairs, she could solve it through diplomatic channels," Abdul Hamid, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, told a press conference claiming that the prime minister's remark that the opposition parties were hatching conspiracy against her government was untrue. Khaleda also dismissed the opposition claims that Islamist militants have been rising rapidly under the auspicious of the four-party alliance, which include two Islamic parties, despite the government banned two other Islamists outfits only in the late last month.

     "The question is not of extremism or fundamentalism, the government will take necessary measures against whosoever responsible for unleashing violence and disturbing social peace and stability," Khaleda said, explaining the government's position regarding recent bomb explosions and anarchic activities. On the allegations of the presence of fundamentalists, militants and al-Qaeda in Bangladesh, she said, "These are nothing but conspiracies against the four-party alliance." "No one can govern a nation, which gained independence through war, by dictation and frowning,' she said. 'As a sovereign nation, we have a sovereign parliament, laws, and judicial system," she added. Khaleda was critical on the role of media and opposition, which she says portray a negative image of the country in the international arena.

Condoleezza meets Musharraf and Shaukat (Go To Top)

     Islamabad: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz separately at the Pakistani capital today. According to sources, the leaders talks about bi-lateral co- operation and regional and international issues during the meetings. More details are awaited Earlier, Rice arrived here from New Delhi on the second stop of a six-nation tour of Asia, her first of the continent since taking charge of the key post in January. In New Delhi, Rice held wide-ranging discussions with Indian leadership in which India voiced concern over the possible sale of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan. Indian authorities told her that the move might create "some complications" and asserted that the Indo-Iran gas pipeline will sail through. After holding a 45-minute meeting with External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at a joint press conference here that they discussed the possible sale of F-16 to both India and Pakistan. "We did express certain concerns on certain matters on the defence issue. It might create some complications," Singh said referring to the issue of F-16 sale to Pakistan. However, there were "no (no) serious differences of opinion," Singh said after the wide-ranging parleys on issues covering bilateral matters, Nepal, Indo-Pak ties, Afghanistan, Iraq, West Asia and other issues of mutual interest. He said "there were one or two items on which we don't agree. But our relations have reached a maturity where we can discuss these issues freely and frankly and place our views firmly with regard to F-16 on which our views are well known."

Pak ready to launch Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service (Go To Top)

     Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri has said that all arrangements for launching the Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service have been finalized. According to the Dawn, Kasuri, while taking to media persons after attending an international seminar "The Kashmir Imbroglio: Looking Towards the Future" organized by the Islamic Policy Research Institute, in collaboration with the Hanns Seidel Foundation, however said that it has not yet been decided as to who would inaugurate the bus service He said that the bus service would of immense benefit to Kashmiris living on both sides of the Line of Control, adding that Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) were creating a good environment in which many difficult issues would be resolved. "The composite dialogue is there and we are in a positive frame of mind. India should also reciprocate. Without the political will, complex issues cannot be resolved. You will have to take risk and the risk could only be taken by a leader having decision-making power. Taking risk is not that easy because if a leader fails, his whole career is at stake," the paper quoted Kasuri as saying.

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