DINA for the issue of September 21, 2012

	Friday, September 21, 2012 | Ziqa'ad 3, 1433
The DAWN Internet News Alert (DINA) is a free daily news service from Pakistan’s largest English language newspaper, the Daily DAWN.
Army called in as Islamabad protest turns violent ISLAMABAD, Sept 20: Up to 50 people were injured on Thursday as police clashed with thousands of protesters, some carrying banners of rightwing groups, demonstrating in Islamabad against an anti-Islam film...	For suggestions and comments: Email: webmaster@dawn.com Website: http://dawn.com Fax: +92(21) 35693995
Court sends 11 legislators home By Nasir Iqbal ISLAMABAD, Sept 20: The Supreme Court came down hard on legislators holding dual nationalities and slammed the door on them from becoming lawmakers again. The court disqualified 11 members of parliament and provincial assemblies on Thursday, but spared Interior Minister Rehman Malik for the time being. The only sentence Mr Malik received for submitting a false declaration was a court observation that he could not be considered sagacious, righteous, honest and ameen.
India offers to sell locomotives By Mubarak Zeb Khan ISLAMABAD, Sept 20: India has offered to sell locomotives to Pakistan at a competitive price. The offer was made on Thursday during the seventh round of commerce secretary-level talks between the two countries.
Shutdown today against hate film By Our Staff Reporter KARACHI: Public transport, business houses, shopping plazas, educational institutions, banks and courts and other public and private offices will remain closed across the country on Friday designated as the Yaum-i-Ishq-i-Rasool (‘Love for the Prophet’ day). Political and religious organisations will take out processions and hold demonstrations against the anti-Islam film “Innocence of Muslims” produced by US-based extremist Christians that has triggered protests across the world.
US praises efforts to contain violence By Anwar Iqbal WASHINGTON, Sept 20: Pakistan’s swift action to prevent violent protesters from entering Islamabad’s diplomatic enclave was recognised at US Congress on Thursday as Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar briefed a Senate foreign policy panel on the government’s efforts to combat terrorists. Noting that Pakistan took “swift action” to prevent the protesters from reaching diplomatic missions, Senator John Kerry said that the United States condemned the blasphemous video which enraged the Muslim world.
Political parties differ on verdict By Khawar Ghumman ISLAMABAD: Political parties have offered mixed reaction to the Supreme Court’s verdict barring holders of dual nationality from becoming members of parliament and provincial assemblies. Although majority of the parties are in favour of allowing overseas Pakistanis to join national politics at all levels, they suggest certain terms and conditions which a dual national should fulfil before and after entering a legislature.
SC shows AG the door in Malik Riaz contempt case By Our Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Sept 20: The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that Attorney General Irfan Qadir was not competent to prosecute Malik Riaz of the Bahria Town on contempt charges because he had represented the property magnate in the past. A bench comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and Justice Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry was hearing a contempt of court case against Malik Riaz for hurling harsh allegations and three questions at Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry at a press conference on June 12.
Joint appeal for peace CAIRO: Through its foreign policy chief, the European Union has issued a joint appeal with the Arab League, African Union and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation for “peace and tolerance” in the world. “We condemn any advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes incitement to hostility and violence,” the statement said.
UN team opposes new powers for spy agencies By Amin Ahmed ISLAMABAD, Sept 20: A delegation of the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has warned of the danger of intelligence agencies acquiring new powers to interrogate, arrest and detain people to the detriment of the law-enforcement agencies. “This shift can ultimately endanger rule of law as the collection of intelligence and evidence about criminal acts becomes more and more blurred,” the group’s chairman Olivier de Frouville said at a news conference while sharing preliminary recommendations formulated by the team at the end of its 10-day visit to Pakistan.
PML-N not to attend conference convened by PM By Amir Wasim ISLAMABAD, Sept 20: Although all political parties are condemning the anti-Islam film, they will not be presenting a united front when Yaum-i-Ishq-i-Rasool (Love for the Prophet day) is observed on Friday (today). The main opposition parties have decided not to attend the government-sponsored conference called by Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf at the Convention Centre in Islamabad.
Restrictions on faith growing worldwide WASHINGTON, Sept 20: Restrictions on religion were growing worldwide by mid-2010, even in western countries with traditionally few limits on the practice of faith, the Pew Research Centre said on Thursday. It said three-quarters of the world’s seven billion people lived in countries with either “high government restrictions on religion or high social hostilities involving religion”, according to data from July 2009 through June 2010. That’s five per cent higher than a year earlier, said the Washington think tank in an 86-page report from its Forum on Religion and Public Life unit, the third in an ongoing series.
UN report on children in armed conflict criticised By Masood Haider UNITED NATIONS, Sept 20: Pakistan chided the UN Security Council on Wednesday for releasing a report on children in armed conflict which it said deviated from the given mandate and, therefore, could not be accorded legitimacy. Pakistan’s deputy UN ambassador Raza Bashir Tarar told the 15-member council that Pakistan was not on the council’s agenda and allegations relating to armed groups associated with the Taliban and Al Qaeda in the report were “unwarranted and completely misleading”.
Krishna checks on diplomats’ welfare NEW DELHI, Sept 20: Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna spoke to his envoy in Pakistan about the security of his staff and officials on Thursday as protesters demonstrating against an anti-Islam film thronged the sensitive Diplomatic Enclave in Islamabad, local reports said. They said Mr Krishna inquired about the safety and wellbeing of the mission officials and other Indian nationals from High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal. Reports quoting official sources in Delhi said an initial demonstration of around 1,000 swelled to around 5,000 with the arrival of protesters carrying the flags of hardline Islamist groups Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Jamaat-i-Islami and Sipah-i-Sahaba, which is banned by Pakistan government. India has already banned the film and forced its shutdown on the internet.—Correspondent
Obama, Karzai to press forward on security pact By Our Correspondent WASHINGTON, Sept 20: US President Barack Obama and his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai have agreed to press forward with a security pact which would entitle the United States to stay engaged with Afghanistan after 2014, the White House said. Mr Obama held a video conference with Mr Karzai on Wednesday evening, following on their phone call last week.
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