JuD chief warns India to 'quit' J-K or be prepared for war
Hindu man gunned down in Pak
Indonesia mob attacks 'heretic' Muslims, kills 3
We killed the sisters; say ‘LeT’ posters in Sopore
Islam a great religion and Quran great scripture: Shankaracharya
Muslims must abide by Western values, says Cameron
Kashmiris should be final arbiter of their destiny, says Zardari
Pak Parliament clears Bill to regulate loudspeakers
King Abdullah waives SR585 million in housing loans
Zardari threaten to sue newspaper for $100m
Hosni Mubarak resigns as head of Egypt's ruling party: TV
113 students unaccounted for in Egypt
Egypt VP meets with opposition on reform
Egypt’s loss Dubai’s gain: Locals avoid trouble spot
A 'perfect storm' is brewing in Mideast: Clinton
Pak raises Hindu terror bogey ahead of foreign secretary talks
President Obama calls world leaders to discuss Egypt situation
Egypt's regime makes new concessions to opposition
Islamists reject offer to join new Jordan govt
Spot-fixing: ICC hands out massive bans to Pakistan tainted trio
255 border outposts to come up along Bangladesh, Pakistan border
Two dead as Tunisian police fires on protesters
Cameron says British multiculturalism has failed
Kit Siang tells Najib to heed Egypt, free Shuhaimi
Petro Saudi to lease 747s to evacuate Malaysians
Karzai to announce Afghan handover start March 21
South Sudan mulls new capital after independence
Govt aims to get Egyptians back to work
Quartet urges Israel, Arabs to heed Egypt risk
Guardian’s attempt to stop woman from marrying genuine suitor a crime
Jeddah: City with a survival instinct
Eye on unrest, Iraq PM says he won’t seek 3rd term
2nd imam is out at Islamic center near WTC site
Syria proves immune to upheaval roiling the region
3-day festival to highlight Kashmir culture
Compile by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/jud-chief-warns-india-quit/d/4076
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JuD chief warns India to 'quit' J-K or be prepared for war
Feb 06 2011
Jamaat-u-Dawah chief Hazif Muhammad Saeed on Saturday warned India to ‘quit’ Jammu and Kashmir or be prepared for a "war" even as the extremist group organised protests at several places in Pakistan to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day.
Addressing a rally of about 20,000 supporters on the Mall, one of the main thoroughfares of Lahore, Saeed said in a belligerent tone: "I want to give a message to (Indian Prime Minister) Manmohan Singh ? quit Kashmir or get ready to face a war".
As his supporters shouted slogans like "Kashmir hamara hai" (Kashmir is ours), "Kashmir ki azadi tak jang rahay gi jang rahah gi" (The war will continue till the liberation of Kashmir) and "Bhartio Kashmir chor do" (Indians quit Kashmir), Saeed unveiled his vision for settling the Kashmir issue.
Indian Express
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Hindu man gunned down in Pak
Feb 6, 2011
ISLAMABAD: A Hindu man was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Quetta city of southwest Pakistan today, police said.
The gunmen, who were in a car, fired indiscriminately at the man, identified as Rajesh Kumar.
The attackers fled after gunning him down, police officials said.
No group claimed responsibility for the killing. The motive behind the killing could not immediately be ascertained.
Police contended it was part of a wave of targeted killings that has rocked Quetta and other parts of the restive Balochistan province.
Dozens of Hindus have been kidnapped for ransom in Balochistan, including 82-year-old spiritual leader Luckmi Chand Garji.
Reports from Quetta have said that over 20 Hindu families from the province have sent applications to the Indian High Commission seeking asylum in India.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Hindu-man-gunned-down-in-Pak-/articleshow/7436550.cms#ixzz1DBkTwOUA
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Indonesia mob attacks 'heretic' Muslims, kills 3
Feb 6, 2011
JAKARTA: A machete-wielding mob of Muslims on Sunday attacked the home of a minority sect leader in central Indonesia, killing three and wounding six others, police and witnesses said.
Local police chief Lt Col Alex Fauzy Rasyad said about 1,500 people - many with machetes, sticks and rocks - attacked about 20 members of the Ahmadiyah Muslim sect who were visiting their leader in his house in Banten province on Indonesia's main island of Java.
He said the crowd demanded that the sect members stop their activities, but the request was rejected. As a result, the crowd stabbed to death at least three men, destroyed the house and set fire to their cars and motorbikes.
Six others were hospitalized, four with critical injuries. The police were called, "but the attackers came faster," Rasyad said.
The attack was the latest targeting the Ahmadiyah sect in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation. Many Muslims see followers of Ahmadiyah as holding heretical beliefs.
Indonesia is a secular country with a long history of religious tolerance. But in recent years a hard-line fringe has grown louder and the government _ which relies on the support of Islamic parties in Parliament _ has been accused of caving in to it.
The Islamic Defenders Front pressured local authorities late year to shutter a Christian church located in a densely populated Muslim area, and assailants stabbed Christian worshipper and beat a minister in the head with a wooden plank as they headed to prayers.
The Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy, a human rights group, says attacks on religious freedom by hard-liners are steadily increasing.
It says in 2010 there were 64 incidents, ranging from physical abuse to preventing groups from performing prayers and burning houses of worship, up from 18 in 2009 and 17 in 2008.
Ahmadiyah, believed to have 200,000 followers in Indonesia, is considered deviant by most Muslims and banned in many Islamic countries because of its belief that Muhammad was not the final prophet.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/-Indonesia-mob-attacks-heretic-Muslims-kills-3/articleshow/7437493.cms#ixzz1DBktsHMZ
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We killed the sisters; say ‘LeT’ posters in Sopore
Feb 6, 2011
Two days after the Lashkar-e-Toiba denied having killed two sisters in Sopore, posters in the name of the militant outfit appeared in several mosques and on walls across the town, claiming responsibility for the murders.
Alleged Lashkar militants abducted two daughters of a poor labourer from their home in the evening of January 31, and shot them by the road some distance away.
“The girls killed four days ago were killed by the Lashkar-e-Toiba because not only was their behaviour not proper, they were also involved in the heinous crime of being (police) informers,” read the posters in Urdu, written on Lashkar letterheads. “The girls didn’t behave despite warnings from the Lashkar-e-Toiba time and again”.
The posters contain a warning: “...Some conscience-less people have leveled serious allegations against Lashkar... (We) warn them to desist from any anti-movement activity. Otherwise, the Lashkar will be forced to act against them.”
The Indian Express
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Islam a great religion and Quran great scripture: Shankaracharya
New Age Islam News Bureau
Mubarakpur: Addressin a national integration meeting in Mubarakpur, UP, the senior Hindu leader Shankaracharya said that he had read the whole Quran books of hadith but I did not find anything that promotes terrorism and extremism. Islam is a great religion and the holy Quran is a great religious scritpure that preaches and teaches only peace, love, forgiveness and harmony. He said that therefore he could say with conviction that a true Muslim could never be terrorist. He further said those who are cut off from religion spread terrrorism. Coming down heavlly on communal Hindu leaders he also said that some socalled Hindu leaders instill fear of Muslims among Hindus for gaining power but their dream would never come true.
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Muslims must abide by Western values, says Cameron
Hasan Suroor
LONDON: Prime Minister David Cameron was on Saturday accused of reigniting the post-9/11 rows over Islam and fuelling Islamophobia after he used a speech at an international security conference in Munich to call for a more “muscular'' defence of Western values and a tougher approach to tackling Muslim extremism saying the “hands-off tolerance'' would not do.
In remarks that critics said had echoes of the Blair-Bush speeches, he said Muslims living in the West must abide by Western “values'' of tolerance, free speech and respect for women's rights. Arguing that “passive'' multiculturalism that allowed minority groups not to integrate had failed, Mr. Cameron said: “Frankly, we need a lot less of the passive tolerance of recent years and much more active, muscular liberalism.”
He proposed a social boycott of separatist Muslim groups urging Ministers to refuse to share platforms or engage with them. They should also be denied access to public money in what was seen as a veiled reference to the previous Labour government's policy of wooing Muslim groups with funds.
“Let's properly judge these organisations: Do they believe in universal human rights — including for women and people of other faiths? Do they believe in equality of all before the law? Do they believe in democracy and the right of people to elect their own government? Do they encourage integration or separatism? These are the sorts of questions we need to ask. Fail these tests and the presumption should be not to engage with organisations,” he added. Though Mr. Cameron took care to make a distinction between the religion of Islam and the political ideology of Islamist extremism saying it was wrong to link strong religious faith with radicalism, his remarks drew criticism from Muslim groups. The Muslim Council of Britain accused him of “targeting'' the Muslim community.
“Again it seems the Muslim community is being treated as part of the problem rather than part of the solution,” a spokesperson said.
Some Labour MPs and rights activists questioned the timing of Mr. Cameron's remarks which coincided with an aggressive march by the far-right English Defence League in the Muslim-dominated town of Luton against “Islamisation'' of Britain.
The Hindu
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Kashmiris should be final arbiter of their destiny, says Zardari
Anita Joshua
Kashmir issue dominates as Pakistan observes Kashmir Solidarity Day
‘India and world must realise Kashmiris want freedom from India, not an internal adjustment'
Durable peace not possible without resolution of Kashmir issue in line with U.N. resolutions: Gilani
ISLAMABAD: From the President's House to the streets, Pakistan's diplomatic missions across the globe and on domestic television channels, Kashmir remained the subject of national discourse on Saturday as the nation observed Kashmir Solidarity Day with repeated demands to India to allow the Kashmiri people their right to self-determination.
Extending Pakistan's “unwavering, political, moral and diplomatic support'' to the just struggle of “our Kashmiri brethren,” President Asif Ali Zardari in his message to the nation on the occasion said Kashmiris should be associated with the dialogue process as they should be the final arbiter of their destiny.
Referring to the ongoing struggle as a “new chapter in the struggle of [the] Kashmiri people,” Mr. Zardari described it as “spontaneous, indigenous and non-violent.'' Drawing attention to the manner in which Indian subjugation of Kashmir had turned what was a “paradise on earth'' into a garrison state, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani asserted that durable peace in South Asia is not possible without the resolution of the Kashmir dispute in line with the United Nations resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
“Have meaningful dialogue”
Though the Prime Minister was to travel to Muzaffrabad – the capital of Azad Jammu & Kashmir – bad weather prevented him from attending the joint session of the Legislative Assembly of the province and Kashmir Council. He, meanwhile, used the day to once again urge India to have a meaningful and result-oriented dialogue with Pakistan on the issue of Jammu & Kashmir.
The chairman of the Special Committee of Parliament on Kashmir, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rahman, noted that the machinations of India had not weakened the bond between Kashmiris and Pakistanis in six decades. Though Pakistan is beset with its own problems, Pakistanis continue to feel the pain of Kashmiris, he said; adding that India and the world should realise now that Kashmiris want freedom from India and not an internal adjustment.
In a rally in the federal capital, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rahman – who heads his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam – warned that if the U. S. wants an honourable exit from Afghanistan, then it would have to ensure that the Kashmir issue is resolved first. “The way to leave Afghanistan passes through Kashmir,'' he said; adding independence is the right of the Kashmiri people and no power in the world can stop it.
The Hindu
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Pak Parliament clears Bill to regulate loudspeakers
Feb 05 2011,
The upper house of Pakistan’s parliament has passed a bill to curb the misuse of amplifiers and loudspeakers as part of the government’s efforts to crack down on sectarian and religious violence incited by hardliners.
The West Pakistan Regulation and Control of Loudspeakers and Sound Amplifiers (Amendment) Bill of 2010 was cleared yesterday by the Senate.
The bill, moved to amend an ordinance of 1965 in its application in Islamabad, was passed by the National Assembly or lower house of parliament in November.
The government has contended that the amendment would serve as a deterrent to growing sectarianism and the incitement of religious hatred during sermons and speeches.
Anyone found guilty of misusing loudspeakers can be punished with a one-year prison term and a fine of up to Rs 50,000.
An unnamed official was quoted by The Express Tribune newspaper as saying that religious leaders belonging to different schools of thought were misusing loudspeakers and promoting hatred.
“This breeds violent sentiments among different sects,” he said.
The Interior Ministry has contended that sectarianism is a major threat and the ordinance will provide a mechanism to control the misuse of amplifiers and loudspeakers.
The 1965 ordinance was last amended in 2007.
Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf had directed police stations to send written directives to leaders of mosques in Islamabad not to misuse loudspeakers.
Since then, mosques have been allowed to use their loudspeakers only for the ‘azan’ (the call for prayer) and Friday sermons.
However, many clerics in Islamabad refused to accept the ban and defied the government’s directives.
The Indian Express
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King Abdullah waives SR585 million in housing loans
By GHAZANFAR ALI KHAN
Feb 6, 2011
RIYADH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has instructed the state-run Real Estate Development Fund (REDF) to write off SR585 million worth of housing loans granted to 3,276 people who died without paying off their loans. Under the waiver, all loans granted to citizens who died before Sept. 11, 2007 would be written off unconditionally.
"The REDF has waived loans of the citizens of different cities and villages, which come as a big relief for the kith and kin in the families," said Hassan bin Mohammed Al-Attas, the fund’s acting director general, while giving details Saturday of REDF's operations. "Those who died after Sept. 11, 2007 will be covered by the loan waiver scheme only if they had been paying the loans' installments regularly."
He also said the government had earmarked SR1.5 billion in home-building and home-buying loans.
"The REDF will provide loans to Saudi citizens to build 6,000 housing units throughout the Kingdom," said an REDF statement.
It said that the housing loan services offered by the REDF has benefited people in 3,976 towns and villages across the Kingdom.
The REDF, which has simplified its lending conditions, has distributed 21,211 government-built houses. The move is significant in view of the growing housing requirement of the citizens in the country. A recent government study by Amir Al-Alwan, an expert in urban planning, found that home ownership among Saudi public sector employees is about 39 percent. The public sector is the largest employer of Saudis.
The study revealed that the Kingdom suffers from a growing housing shortage, and it will need billions of riyals in the next 10 years to meet demand estimated to be around 200,000 units per year, mostly for middle-class and limited-income families.
Since the beginning of its operations in 1974, the REDF has advanced 411,711 personal loans worth billions of dollars, leading to the building of 489,404 housing quarters.
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article252132.ece
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Zardari threaten to sue newspaper for $100m
Feb 6, 2011
ISLAMABAD: A US legal firm representing the Bhutto-Zardari family has threatened to file a lawsuit seeking over $100 million in damages if Pakistan's Jang media group does not apologise for a report about President Asif Ali Zardari's purported marriage to a doctor named Tanveer Zamani. Locke Lord Bissell and Liddell, the legal firm in New York, served notice on Friday on the Jang group for publishing a libellous article about Zardari.
The notice was issued on behalf of Mark Siegel, the publicist of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto, and the Bhutto-Zardari family. The notice said Zamani had confirmed to Siegel that she had "never met" Zardari.
The Jang group had reported extensively on a rumour posted on several hitherto unheard of blogs and websites that the President had "secretly" married Zamani, a New York-based physician and PPP activist.
"Unless such a retraction and apology is issued immediately, Locke Lord Bissell and Liddell LLP will initiate legal action on behalf of the Bhutto-Zardari family for libel, malicious publication and intentional infliction of emotional distress in all jurisdictions where your newspaper has assets," said the notice.
"This lawsuit will seek in excess of $100 million, which the Bhutto-Zardari family will donate to the victims of the 2010 floods in Pakistan," the notice said. The notice said the news report about the purported marriage was a "complete lie that was fostered by an internet hoax that has been ongoing for several weeks".
"Publication of such a non-sourced fabrication was not only reckless, it was malicious. President Zardari has never met Dr Zamani," the notice said. There was no word on the development from the Jang group though The News, the group's English newspaper, posted a denial of the wedding by Zamani on its website.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Zardaris-threaten-to-sue-newspaper-for-100m/articleshow/7435249.cms#ixzz1DBkc6Cud
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Hosni Mubarak resigns as head of Egypt's ruling party: TV
Feb 5, 2011
CAIRO: The leadership of Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party resigned on Saturday, including Gamal Mubarak, the son of President Hosni Mubarak whose rule has been shaken by days of protests, state television said.
Al Arabiya television said Mubarak had also resigned as head of the ruling party. This could not immediately be confirmed.
A party official could not confirm the Al Arabiya report but said that if Mubarak had resigned from the party it would not affect his position as president.
"These are two different positions," the official said. In its report, state television named the new secretary-general as Hossam Badrawi, seen as a member of the liberal wing of the party.
"(The resignation) is very important politically because this party was exploiting the state for the interests of the party, and that has caused a lot of criticism," said analyst Diaa Rashwan, adding that it had fuelled anger over corruption.
Protesters who have rocked Egypt's political system have complained about corruption, poverty and political repression that left power in the hands of Mubarak and his allies.
"Practically, it is important because the people using violence were being mobilised by the party ... and now they have been stripped of this protection and they won't feel secure that they have a party behind them," Rashwan said.
The outgoing leaders include secretary general Safwat el-Sherif, 77, who has been powerful in the Egyptian establishment since the 1960s and is a pillar of the old guard. Sherif is also speaker of the upper house of Parliament.
Without a place in the leadership, Gamal Mubarak would no longer qualify as the party's presidential candidate under the existing constitution.
President Mubarak himself bears the title of NDP president and state television did not say that had changed.
The outgoing leadership make up the five-man core committee in the party. The other members are Zakaria Azmi, Mubarak's chief of staff, NDP spokesman Ali el-Din Hilal and steel magnate Ahmed Ezz, who had already resigned a few days after the outbreak of the popular uprising against Mubarak.
The party was one of the main targets of the uprising and its headquarters near Tahrir Square was gutted by fire during the protests.
Bilal Fathi, 22, a member of the protest movement, said: "These are not gains for the protesters. This is a trick by the regime. This is not fulfilling our demands. These are red herrings."
The protesters' main demand is that President Mubarak leave office.
The Times of India
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113 students unaccounted for in Egypt
February 06, 2011
ALOR SETAR, Feb 6 — The whereabouts of 113 Kedah students in Egypt are still unknown, said State Religious, Education and Co-operative Committee chairman Datuk Mohamed Taulan Mat Rasul.
He said they should inform the Malaysian Embassy, their sponsors or parents.
“We want to know whether they are still in Egypt, had returned home or [were working] temporarily in another country during the current semester break,” he told a news conference here today.
He said 1,016 students, including 442 women, from Kedah were pursuing higher studies in Egypt.
Of these, 886 students were sponsored by the Kedah Islamic Foundation and the state Religious Department while the rest were self-financed, he added.
“Seventeen Kedah students in Alexandria refused to leave as they are worried about the cost they would incur to return to Egypt after the turmoil ended or are in remedial classes,” he said, adding that they were safe and had enough food.
Mohamed Taulan said four Kedah Islamic Foundation officers had been dispatched to Egypt to check on the condition of Kedah students at three hostels in Cairo and buy them food or other essential items as the state had allocated RM100,000 for the purpose.
He said 731 Kedah students were already flown out of Cairo to Jeddah while 155 would be airlifted today.
Meanwhile, Kedah Islamic Foundation general manager Abdul Rahman Ismail advised parents not to worry on the safety of their children as arrangements were being made to fly them home.
For enquiries, the Kedah Islamic Foundation can be contacted at 04-7302703 round the clock, he added. — Bernama
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/
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Egypt VP meets with opposition on reform
February 06, 2011
CAIRO, Feb 6 — Egypt Vice President Omar Suleiman held talks today with Egyptian opposition groups including the officially banned Muslim Brotherhood to try and find a way out of the country’s worst crisis in decades, attendees said.
They said the attendees included members of secular opposition parties, independent legal experts and business tycoon Naguib Sawiris. A representative of opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei was also in attendance.
The opposition are demanding an end to President Hosni Mubarak’s three-decade rule. Many of its members, including the Brotherhood, had said they would not meet any government representatives before he stepped down. He has refused to do so.
Suleiman last week urged the Brotherhood to join dialogue, calling it “valuable opportunity” for the group. It was his publically announced meeting with Brotherhood members since his appointment as vice president.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/
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Egypt’s loss Dubai’s gain: Locals avoid trouble spot
By RIMA AL-MUKHTAR
Feb 6, 2011
JEDDAH: Normally Saudis travel to Egypt or Lebanon for vacation during this time of year, but due to the recent unrest in both countries Saudis are cautiously staying away.
“For years I’ve been going to Cairo in the break between the two semesters, nowadays I wouldn’t even think about it because I’m horrified of the condition over there,” said stay-at-home mother Hanan Bakr. “I’m following what’s happening there on TV and my fear is growing by the day.”
Earlier this week, Arab News reported that travel agencies have lost SR230,000 due to canceled reservations. Agencies are trying to offset losses by rebooking packages to other popular destinations, such as Dubai, Jordan, Syria and Turkey.
Some Saudis find Dubai a good alternative to Egypt; others find it too expensive for a short vacation.
“I usually spend a little amount of money in Egypt because it’s cheaper than renting a beach house in Jeddah,” said teacher Ahmed Al-Zahrani.
“I calculated how much money I would need to travel to Dubai and I found that I couldn't afford my four children and I spending a week in Dubai. I would end up broke.”
Saudis who own property in Cairo have added concerns.
“I’ve been trying to reach my caretaker for days now with no response,” said Talal Khouja, Saudi businessman who owns an apartment overlooking Tahrir Square in Cairo where demonstrations and clashes have been focused. “I’m really worried about my place and my belongings being stolen or damaged by the angry protesters.”
Those wishing to travel to Egypt wouldn't be able to anyway, according to Al-Amoudi travel agency in Jeddah.
“There are no flights to Egypt for the time being until further notice, and people who have purchased tickets are free to get refunds or reschedule their flights for later,” said an agent at the company. “We are not authorized to book flights or hotel rooms in Cairo until the situation gets better over there.”
Meanwhile, flights to Dubai are sold out, according to Diera travel agency in Jeddah. Hotels, too, are booked to capacity.
“All of our usual customers are no longer asking for tickets to Egypt and instead asking to book flights to Dubai regardless of the ticket and accommodation prices,” said a manager at Diera. “There are no seats available for the next two weeks.”
Arab news
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A 'perfect storm' is brewing in Mideast: Clinton
By MATTHEW LEE
Feb 6, 2011
MUNICH: US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned Saturday of a brewing “perfect storm” of economic woes, repression and popular discontent across the Middle East and urged international support for reforms pledged by Egypt’s embattled leaders so extremists do not hijack the country’s political transition.
Clinton said that backing for democratic reforms around the region was critical, despite risks of short-term instability, illustrated by reports of an alleged attack on an oil pipeline. An Egyptian gas company official said the explosion and fire were caused by a gas leak, while a regional official said earlier that sabotage was suspected.
Such unsubstantiated reports bring “into sharp relief the challenges that we are facing as we navigate through this period,” Clinton told an international security conference in Munich.
“There are forces at work in any society and particularly one that is facing these kinds of challenges that will try to derail or overtake the process to pursue their own specific agenda,” she said. “It’s important to support the transition process announced by the Egyptian government actually headed by now Vice President Omar Suleiman.” Clinton’s comments appeared to reflect a subtle shift in the Obama administration’s position toward Egypt, which had been peppered with demands for political transition to begin immediately. On Saturday, Clinton noted that the transition would “take some time” to do right, although she made clear that taking steps to ensure a peaceful and transparent change should be expeditious.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article251997.ece
Pak raises Hindu terror bogey ahead of foreign secretary talks
Sachin Parashar
Feb 6, 2011
THIMPHU: A day ahead of the crucial foreign secretary-level dialogue here, Pakistan tried to queer the pitch by declaring that India did not have the courage to handle Hindu terror.
The provocation came from Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson Abdul Basit: "India seems to be lacking courage to unearth culpability of Hindu extremists and their links with some Indian Army personnel."
The Indian side was taken aback by the comment because both sides seemed to be settling down perfectly for a dialogue on Sunday, leading to speculation about a possible thaw in the relationship after the disastrous meeting of the foreign ministers last July.
Indian officials refused to get drawn into a slanging match of the Saarc ministerial meet. They are even maintaining that they remain "cautiously optimistic" about the outcome of the talks.
Sources, however, acknowledged that with Pakistan again resorting to gamesmanship to push India on to the back foot hours ahead of the talks, success of efforts to restore normalcy in ties will remain uncertain.
To Basit's statement that India lacked the courage to punish those behind the attack on Samjhauta Express, New Delhi's response was restrained. "We don't want to vitiate the atmosphere. The fact is that the Samjhauta attack is still being investigated. In the context of the dialogue, our attempt is to unlock the process and find the right combination. We remain cautiously optimistic about the outcome of the talks," said a source here on condition of anonymity. He said Basit's comment seemed aimed at putting India on the defensive even though there was "no comparison" between Samjhauta blasts and 26/11 strikes. While admitting that Pakistan seemed set to rake up the Samjhauta issue on Sunday, the source said even India can ask Pakistan about what action it has taken against Arif Kasmani, an LeT operative identified earlier by the US as one of the main accused in the Samjhauta case.
However, as Pakistan made it amply clear that it has now acquired another stick in the form of Hindu terror, there were enough indications to suggest that there was no softening of stand by the Indian side on issues which have led to the current stalemate. While Pakistan is again all set to link its demand for a timeline for discussing politically sensitive issues to progress in investigations into the Mumbai attacks, sources said India is not going to buy this argument.
The Times of India
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President Obama calls world leaders to discuss Egypt situation
Feb 6, 2011
WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama called several world leaders to discuss the current situation in Egypt, emphasising the need for immediate beginning of an "orderly peaceful transition", the White House has said.
Obama spoke to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed of the UAE, British Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, the White House said.
"The President discussed his serious concern about the targeting of journalists and human rights groups, and reaffirmed that the government of Egypt has a responsibility to protect the rights of its people and to release immediately those who have been unjustly detained," a White House statement said on Saturday.
"The President emphasised the importance of an orderly, peaceful transition, beginning now, to a government that is responsive to the aspirations of the Egyptian people, including credible, inclusive negotiations between the government and the opposition," it said.
Noting that the leaders agreed to stay in close contact going forward, the White House said, Obama and Merkel also reviewed developments in the broader Middle East, including the Quartet meeting in Munich.
The Times of India
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Egypt's regime makes new concessions to opposition
Feb 6, 2011
CAIRO: Egypt's vice president met a wide representation of major opposition groups for the first time Sunday and agreed to allow freedom of the press, to release those detained since anti-government protests began nearly two weeks and ago and to lift the country's hated emergency laws when security permits.
Vice President Omar Suleiman endorsed a plan with the opposition to set up a committee of judiciary and political figures to study proposed constitutional amendments that would allow more candidates to run for president and impose term limits on the presidency, the state news agency reported. The committee was given until the first week of March to finish the tasks.
The regime also pledged not to harass those participating in the anti-government protests, which have drawn hundreds of thousands at the biggest rallies. The government also agreed not to hamper freedom of press and not to interfere with text messaging and Internet.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Egypts-regime-makes-new-concessions-to-opposition/articleshow/7437664.cms#ixzz1DBjQwpD4
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Islamists reject offer to join new Jordan govt
Feb 6, 2011
AMMAN: Jordan's Islamist opposition said on Sunday it has rejected an offer to join a new government led by Prime Minister Marruf Bakhit and tasked with pushing through reforms.
"We have received an offer to join the government of Marruf Bakhit, but we refused," Hamzah Mansur, leader of the powerful Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan said.
"We did not discuss the details of the offer, but all what I can say is that taking part in this government under the current circumstances is out of the question," he said.
While the IAF's internal bylaws do not prevent the Islamists from joining government, "acceptable participation for us is the one that comes through national consensus and parliamentary elections," he added.
"We are not asking for miracles. Our demands are realistic, practical and do-able. We demand early general polls in line with a new electoral law."
The IAF boycotted the last general election in November in protest at constituency boundaries set up under a new electoral law, which it said over-represented rural areas considered loyal to the government.
Bakhit said on Saturday that his cabinet -- which he hopes to have in place by next Thursday -- would "include personalities who are credible and close to the people."
King Abdullah II instructed the 64-year-old career soldier and past prime minister to undertake a sweeping programme of political and economic reforms following street protests.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Islamists-reject-offer-to-join-new-Jordan-govt/articleshow/7437610.cms#ixzz1DBkl3foq
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Spot-fixing: ICC hands out massive bans to Pakistan tainted trio
Feb 5, 2011
NEW DELHI/DOHA: The bans on the tainted Pakistani trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer were handed out after a day of dramatic deliberations involving the three-member International Cricket Council (ICC) tribunal and the players and their legal teams.
A statement read out by tribunal member Michael Beloff said: "The tribunal heard the charges under Article 2.1.1 of the Code that (respectively) Mr Asif agreed to bowl and did bowl a deliberate no ball in the Lord's Test match played between Pakistan and England from 26 to 29 August 2010. That Mr Aamer agreed to bowl and did bowl two deliberate no balls in the same Test and that Mr Butt was party to the bowling of those deliberate no balls, were proved.
"We impose the following sanctions: On Butt's 10 years' ineligibility, five years are suspended on the condition that he doesn't commit further breaches of the code, and that he participates under the auspices of the Pakistan Cricket Board in a programme of anti-corruption education. On Asif, a sanction of seven years of ineligibility, two years of which are suspended on the condition that he commits no further breach of the code and also participates in an anti-corruption programme. On Aamer, a sanction of five years' ineligibility. No further sanctions are imposed on any player."
Full report at: The Times of India
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255 border outposts to come up along Bangladesh, Pakistan border
NEW DELHI: Aimed at strengthening security along frontiers, government has finalised a blueprint to construct 255 outposts on the country's borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
As per the decision, there will be 129 border outposts (BOPs) along the Indo-Bangla border and 126 BOPs along the Indo-Pak border by the CPWD.
"The design of the BOP is being finalised and it is estimated to cost about Rs four crore to construct one BOP," said a senior CPWD official.
There will be barracks, generator room, kitchen, toilet block and officers' chamber at the BOP.
The construction work will begin where land is available, the official said adding, "It is the district administration's responsibility to acquire the land for the purpose."
Border outposts are manned by central paramilitary forces to check smuggling, infiltration and other illegal cross-border activities.
The Indo-Bangladesh border covers a total 4,095 km. Of this, West Bengal has a border length of 2,216 km, Tripura 856 km, Meghalaya 443 km, Mizoram 318 km and Assam 262 km.
As the entire Indo-Bangladesh border has been prone to large-scale illegal immigration and infiltration from Bangladesh, the BOPs are crucial to prevent it.
Besides the construction of BOPs, border fencing and lighting at these places are also being carried out by the CPWD.
The Times of India
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Two dead as Tunisian police fires on protesters
Feb 6, 2011
TUNIS: At least two people were killed and 17 others wounded in northern Tunisia on Saturday when police opened fire to quell a protest after a senior police officer slapped a woman in the face, official and media sources said.
The head of police in the city of El Kef was arrested after the shooting, an interior ministry source said.
Four policemen had been arrested earlier on Saturday on suspicion of links to the death on Friday of two civilians while in police custody in Sidi Bouzid, the epicentre of a popular revolt that ousted last month President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and reverbrated across the Arab world.
Public confidence in the police has been at a low since the revolt, with many Tunisians blaming police officers for killing protesters and associating them with the ousted president.
A rally by hundreds of protesters in front of the police station in El Kef, north of the capital Tunis, degenerated when they tried to occupy its premises, the ministry source said.
"About 1,000 people gathered in a protest in front of El Kef's police station to demand the dismissal of the head of the police in the city for power abuse while exercising his duties," the source told Reuters.
Full report at: The Times of India
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Cameron says British multiculturalism has failed
Feb 05 2011
Cameron believes his country's policy of multiculturalism has 'failed' to prevent the radicalisation of Muslims.
British Prime Minister David Cameron believes his country's policy of multiculturalism has 'failed' to prevent the radicalisation of Muslims by hindering their integration into the British society.
In his first speech on radicalism and causes of terrorism, the Prime Minister said a "hands-off tolerance" of those who reject Western values had failed to prevent the rise of Islamic extremism in Britain.
He said Britain has "even tolerated these segregated communities behaving in ways that run counter to our values", a policy that needs to be revised.
Addressing a security conference in Germany, Cameron argued in favour of developing a stronger national and "muscular liberalism".
Decrying the long-standing policy of multiculturalism, Cameron also suggested that there should be greater scrutiny of Islamic groups that get public money but do little to tackle extremism.
Full report at: The Indian Express
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Kit Siang tells Najib to heed Egypt, free Shuhaimi
By Yow Hong Chieh
February 05, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 — Lim Kit Siang has told Datuk Seri Najib Razak to heed the Egyptian crisis and withdraw the sedition charge against Sri Muda assemblyman Shuhaimi Shafie.
Lim urged the prime minister to take this “tiny step” in order to prove his administration had the political will to “wind down” and eventually end political repression.
“If the Najib administration is to learn from the lesson of the Egyptian crisis, there are many things it would have to do — but let it start with the tiny step of withdrawing the sedition charge against Shuhaimi on Monday,” Lim (picture) said in a statement today.
He said Shuhaimi’s sedition charge was the latest reminder that the Attorney-General’s Chambers served Barisan Nasional (BN) and not the people.
The Ipoh Timur MP accused the A-G’s Chambers of being “very quick on the draw” to respond to police reports of sedition lodged against Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders while ignoring similar reports against BN politicians.
Full report at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/
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Petro Saudi to lease 747s to evacuate Malaysians
By Yow Hong Chieh
February 05, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 — PetroSaudi chairman Prince Turki al-Saud will lease two Boeing 747s to bring Malaysians back home from Saudi Arabia after their arrival from crisis-hit Egypt.
PetroSaudi CEO Tarek Obaid said the gesture, made on behalf of the company and the Saudi royal family, demonstrated PetroSaudi’s continued commitment to Malaysia. The prince is a son of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
The oil exploration and production company, owned by the Saudi royal family, is involved in a RM8.7 billion joint venture with government-owned 1 Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), a vehicle for Middle East investments in Malaysia.
The joint venture is expected to focus on global strategic assets in petroleum-related industries, renewable energy and power to lower the cost of energy in Malaysia.
Cash-rich PetroSaudi is also understood to be eyeing direct investments in Malaysia’s rapidly growing Islamic banking sector.
Several thousand Malaysians remain stranded in crisis-hit Egypt despite Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s announcement that the government’s evacuation plan has been successful.
Full report at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/
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Karzai to announce Afghan handover start March 21
06 Feb 2011
MUNICH (Feb 6, 2011): The president of Afghanistan said on Sunday he would announce the start of a process to transfer the responsibility for security to Afghan forces from international forces on March 21.
NATO agreed with President Hamid Karzai at a summit in November to begin the handover to Afghan forces this year with the aim of completing the process by the end of 2014.
The Western military alliance has said it hopes to launch the process, which is aimed at a gradual reduction of the 150,000 foreign troops in the country, next month.
Karzai told an international security conference in Munich that the Afghan government was determined to show leadership, adding: "I will announce the first phase of transition on the Afghan New Year, which is the 21st of March."
Karzai said this had been made possible by a big effort to boost the size of the Afghan security forces.
Full report at: http://sun2surf.com
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South Sudan mulls new capital after independence
Feb 6, 2011
South Sudanese leaders said on Sunday they were considering building a new capital after their expected independence as the current hub Juba lacked infrastructure and space for new business.
"A committee has been formed to look into a more suitable place for a capital ... that is befitting an independent nation. There are so many things that Juba doesn't have now in terms of services," said Anne Itto, from the south's ruling party.
Sudan's oil-producing and underdeveloped south is expected to declare independence from the north on July 9 after voters overwhelmingly chose to secede in a referendum in January.
Organisers of the vote told Reuters they had not received any legal appeals against it by a Saturday deadline, clearing the way for the release of the final results on Monday.
Juba, which sits on the banks of the White Nile in the south's Central Equatorial state, has seen a dramatic but chaotic expansion since a 2005 peace deal ended decades of north/south civil war and promised the referendum.
After the accord, Juba became the seat of the south's semi- autonomous government, the base of a mushrooming United Nations presence and built on its status as the south's commercial hub.
Full report at: http://sun2surf.com
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Govt aims to get Egyptians back to work
Feb 6, 2011
CAIRO: President Hosni Mubarak's government aimed to get people back to work on Sunday with banks and businesses reopening, in the first clear test of how far his opponents can keep up the momentum of protests to force him out.
Protesters camped out in Cairo's Tahrir Square vowed to continue their battle to oust Mubarak, but the 82-year-old president insists he will stay until September polls.
And with some Egyptians keen for a return to normal, the government appears to be trying to emphasise the threat to stability and the economy from the protests, and tough it out.
The reopening of banks at the start of Egypt's working week will give the first clear indication of the economic toll of almost two weeks of protests against Mubarak's 30-year rule.
"We want people to go back to work and to get paid, and life to get back to normal," Egyptian army commander Hassan al-Roweny said. He was touring Tahrir Square to try to convince protesters to leave the usually busy intersection at the heart of the city. The United States, Egypt's ally and aid donor, is stressing the need for gradual change and talks between the government and opposition groups on an orderly handover of power.
Full report at: http://sun2surf.com
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Quartet urges Israel, Arabs to heed Egypt risk
Feb 6, 2011
MUNICH: Israel and the Palestinians should recognise the security risk posed by the turmoil in Egypt and urgently speed up peace efforts, the Quartet of Middle East peace brokers said on Saturday.
The United Nations, European Union, Russia and the United States said further delays in resuming Israeli-Palestinian talks would be "detrimental to prospects for regional peace and security".
"The Quartet emphasised the need for the parties and others concerned to undertake urgently the efforts to expedite Israeli-Palestinian and comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace," they said in a statement.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton took part in the meeting along with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Full report at: http://sun2surf.com
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Guardian’s attempt to stop woman from marrying genuine suitor a crime
By WALAA HAWARI
Feb 6, 2011
RIYADH: Well-known Saudi family lawyer Sultan bin Zahim has come out strongly in support of an effort by the government's Human Rights Commission (HRC) to define a man's abuse of his role in his daughter's marriage as a form of human trafficking.
This abuse is called adhl (prevention in Arabic) and is referred to in Chapter 2, Verse 232 of the Holy Qur'an. A father who prevents his daughter from marrying a suitor who is otherwise considered an acceptable husband as defined in Shariah commits this crime.
The crime may also be committed by a woman's legal guardian, or wali, in the absence of the father. A common motive for committing adhl is a father's desire to maintain control of and access to an employed daughter's income.
Guardians also deny marriage on the basis of a suitor's tribal affiliations. Islam does not define perceived tribal incompatibility as a legitimate reason for a father to deny a daughter's desire to marry a suitor.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article252168.ece
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Jeddah: City with a survival instinct
By LINA ALMAEENA
Feb 6, 2011
The first human love story is that of Adam and Eve (peace be upon them) whose marriage was witnessed by the Lord of the universe.
Their story has been mentioned in the texts of all divine religions. After they ate the fruit of the prohibited tree, God asked them to leave their paradise. Famous historian Tabri cited Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) as saying that Eve later arrived in Jeddah, a city that is named after her, the grandmother of humanity. Bin Ishaq and the people of the Torah agree with him. It is well known that Adam and Eve met at the Plain of Arafat, near Makkah, after 200 years of separation. She lived long after the death of Adam, and most historical facts indicate that she is buried in Jeddah.
Unfortunately, most residents of this great city are unaware of this history, especially the new generation, which could lead to the vanishing of Jeddah's history like the city's check dam.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article252184.ece
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Eye on unrest, Iraq PM says he won’t seek 3rd term
By LARA JAKES
Feb 5, 2011
BAGHDAD: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki will not run for a third term in 2014, an adviser said Saturday, limiting himself in the name of democracy while keeping a wary eye on the popular anger at governments across the Middle East.
Al-Maliki, a Shiite, narrowly held onto a second four-year term despite falling short in national elections last year.
His successor will be the first to lead without US military help since the fall of Saddam Hussein after American troops fully withdraw as planned by the end of this year.
The prime minister made no public statements on Saturday, but his decision was broadcast on state TV and confirmed by his media adviser, Ali Al-Moussawi.
Al-Moussawi said Al-Maliki also wants to change the Iraqi constitution before he leaves office to limit all future prime ministers to two terms.
“Eight years is enough for him, in order to not convert to a dictatorship,” Al-Moussawi told The Associated Press, as state TV announced Al-Maliki’s decision. “This is the principle and the concept of democracy.” Saturday’s stunning announcement follows Al- Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article252078.ece
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2nd imam is out at Islamic center near WTC site
Feb 5, 2011
NEW YORK: A Muslim scholar recently named as the new senior imam at the Islamic center being built near the World Trade Center has parted ways with the project. Shaykh Abdallah Adhami said Friday in a joint statement with the center’s developer that he will no longer serve as a religious adviser to the center.
“It is important for me now to devote my time to the completion of my book, which assists English readers in understanding and facilitating the language of the Qur’an. I wish the project leaders well,” Adhami said.
The 44-year-old had been announced as the new imam at the center just weeks ago, on Jan. 14, after its co-founder, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, was given a reduced role in the project.
Rauf had been the public face of the center but hadn’t always seen eye to eye with its developer, Sharif El-Gamal.
Rauf also spent much of his time traveling, often to far corners of the globe, and El-Gamal said he preferred to have someone leading religious programming at the center who could spend more time on building a local congregation.
Adhami was to have been one of several New York City imams fulfilling that role, but shortly after his appointment, news reports questioned his views on homosexuality. In one recorded lecture, he said he believed that homosexuality was linked to childhood abuse.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/world/article252051.ece
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Syria proves immune to upheaval roiling the region
By ZEINA KARAM
Feb 5, 2011
DAMASCUS: Syria's president recently boasted that his country, one of the Arab world's most stifling regimes, is immune to the upheaval roiling other Arab countries. He was proven right — at least for the time being.
A weeklong online campaign failed to galvanize the kinds of mass protests that have rocked Tunisia and Egypt in recent weeks. In fact, no one showed up Friday and Saturday for what were to be “days of rage” against the Syrian president’s rule.
By Saturday afternoon, the number of plainclothes security agents stationed protectively in key areas of the old city of the capital, Damascus, had begun to dwindle.
“The only rage in Syria yesterday was the rage of nature,” wrote Syrian journalist Ziad Haidar, in reference to a cold spell and heavy rain lashing the country.
But it was more than just the weather that kept Syrians at home. A host of factors — including security agents and President Bashar Assad's popular anti-Israel policies — kept Syria quiet this weekend.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article252115.ece
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3-day festival to highlight Kashmir culture
New Age islam News Bureau7
New Delhi: Though politics has driven a wedge between the people of Jammu and Kashmir, but the culture is still playing the role of a bride between Kashmiri Muslims and pandits of the state. Kahmir Educational, Cultural and Science Society is going to organise a three day festival on Jammu and Kashmir from 11 February in Delhi. The President of the Society Bharat Dhir and members Dr Kaul, Vijay Saki and Arun Shalia have expressed their hope that this festival would strengthen cultural relations between the two communities. Mr Dheer said there was a need to preserve Kashmiriyat as all the relics of Kashmiriyat were being destroyed. He said that during the three day festival, songs, drama and paintings would be presented. The Society has also requested the Centre to give it financial aid.
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/jud-chief-warns-india-quit/d/4076