No rethink on expulsion of foreign students: Musharraf

ISLAMABAD, Aug 7: Notwithstanding reservations expressed by the ruling as well as Islamic parties, President Pervez Musharraf has said he stood by his decision to deport hundreds of foreigners studying in madrassas in Pakistan as the government informed diplomats of 56 countries of its move to send them back home.

Foreign students from madrasas would be sent back to their respective countries and there would be no reconsideration of this decision, Musharraf said during an interaction with journalists from Sindh province at Rawalpindi yesterday.

According to official estimates about 1400 students studied in Pakistan's madrasas but media reports said that the numbers could be higher than 4000 as many students were either Afghan refugees or foreign students enrolled into the religious schools while staying here on visiting visa. In Multan alone officials spotted 1,474 students studying in four seminaries.

The Government appeared firm and informed diplomats of 56 countries of its decision to deport the foreign students.

Letters were sent to embassies of Afghanistan, Iran, Indonesia, Yamen, Sudan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Oman, Libya, Palestine, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Brunei, Qattar, Lebanon, Morocco and Central Asian States. But no date was set yet for their repatriation.

Significantly, Musharraf reasserted his decision in the presence of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) President Shujaat Hussain, who also attended thePresident's meeting with Sindh journalists.

Hussain, though a close confident of Musharraf, was the first to express his reservations when the General made announcement two weeks ago.

Hussain said he would recommend to the President to let those foreign students who were cleared by officials to continue their studies. He later met Musharraf but it appeared that the President was firm on his decision.

As expected, his move to deport foreign students was also opposed by Islamist alliance Muthahida Majlis Amal (MMA) as most of madasas were controlled by clerics who formed the core of its membership.

MMA threatened to unleash an agitation against the Government's decision and even contemplated taking legal recourse.

Fazlur Rehman, MMA General Secretary and Leader of opposition in National Assembly, said the foreign students could be expelled if they were a threat to the national security.

"There is not justification in expelling the foreign students who have come to Pakistan on a valid visa," he told reporters in Multan.

He also claimed that madrasas were producing true mulisms who loved humanity irrespective of creed and colour.

He termed Musharraf as a reactionary and his philosophy of enlightened moderation as false. He also questioned the judgement of the Supreme Court striking down several clauses of the Islamic Hisba (Accountability) bill brought in by MMA Government in North West Frontier Province.

Noting that the Supreme Court Judges had not taken oath under the 1973 Constitution and continue to serve under the Legal Framework Order (LFO) promulgated by Musharraf, Fazlur Rehman asked: "How can they declare Hisba unconstitutional?"

In his interaction with Sindh media, Musharraf said the madrasas, estimated to be around 30,000 have to register with the government by December this year failing which action would be taken against them.

Musharraf also called for the need to project true values of Islam and said a national discourse would be launched shortly to help remove misconceptions about the religion.

Also, seminars and discussions through print and electronic media would be launched, he said, and sought media's support in this regard.

Meanwhile, a report said Government will not bring any new law to regulate madrassas but will only introduce minor amendments in an existing statute of the Societies Regulation Act of 1860 Act to ensure that all such institutions get registered with the Government. (PTI)

India to go ahead with fencing of
border with Bangla: Natwar

DHAKA, Aug 7: Making it clear that India would go ahead with the fencing of the over 4000-km border with Bangladesh, External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh today said this would help curb activities like smuggling and illegal migration and contribute to peace and tranquility for people living in these areas.

"A strong fence is useful for both sides to achieve their common objectives for mutual benefit," Singh , who is on a three-day visit here, said in an interview to Bangla daily 'Jugantor'.

Due to the porous nature of the borders, there was considerable cross-border criminal activity which included illegal trade in arms and explosives, counterfeit currency, trafficking in narcotics and trafficking of women and children, he said, noting these problems posed a threat to the social and economic well-being of both India and Bangladesh.

"We have seen that in those areas where a fence is in place, there has been a sharp decline in illegal cross-border activities," he said.

There have been differences on the 1975 guidelines under which defensive structures within 150 yards of the borders have to be demolished.

"The border management authorities in both our countries share the common objectives of ensuring peace and tranquility and facilitating interaction between our two friendly people while doing their utmost to prevent illegal cross-border activity," Singh said.

On the proposed gas pipeline between Myanmar and India via Bangladesh, Singh said Indian experts were examining the most efficient and feasible ways of importing gas from Myanmar.

"The gas pipeline through Bangladesh is one of the options being actively considered. This is a commercial project to be implemented by an international consortium," he said.

Singh discussed the tri-nation project during talks with Bangladesh Finance Minister Saifur Rahman. Dhaka has agreed in principle to allow the 290-km pipeline through its territory but has imposed certain conditionalities.

It wants India to establish a direct road linking Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan and address the issue of trade imbalance.

Rahman said the ministries concerned would hold detailed discussions with the Indian side to make the pipeline project a reality in line with Bangladesh's position on the issues. "We have to see mutual benefit of both the countries and that is the main point to strengthen relations further."

Asked whether the twice-deferred SAARC Summit, now slated to be held here in November, would be postponed, the Minister said the dates have already been announced.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "is eagerly looking forward to visiting Dhaka for the Summit," he said.

Singh said SAARC has a very important role to play in the comprehensive development of South Asia in this globalised economy and in fostering an atmosphere of mutual trust and harmony among the member states.

India, Singh said, would like to see SAARC evolve into an effective organisation, through which regional cooperation in social, economic, cultural, educational, scientific, technological and other agreed spheres could be facilitated and infrastructural development promoted for mutual benefit.

"SAARC countries should concentrate on the benefits of cooperation to achieve collective prosperity," he stressed.

Observing that the northeastern states of India were fast becoming an important bridgehead in its trade relations with Myanmar and China, he said the long Indo-Bangla boundary was a "border of friendship and an open door for unhindered cooperation".

The re-opening of the trade route from China to Sikkim through Nathu La pass also threw open immense trade possibilities between China and India, and beyond this, for regional cooperation, the minister said.

Contending that integration of infrastructure in South Asia was essential to generate and sustain growth levels necessary to achieve mutual prosperity, he said "we must learn from the experiences in cooperation not only in other parts of the world but also in our own. But European Union and ASEAN offer outstanding examples".

"India and Bangladesh would benefit from modernisation and improvement of our shared river, road and rail linkages," he said.

The Minister was of the view that a bilateral Free trade Agreement would lead to an expansion of trade with significant mutual benefits on the lines of a similar India-Sri Lanka FTA which has triggered exponential growth in Sri Lanka's exports to India.

On the proposed river linking project, Singh said this was still at a conceptual stage. India's focus was on the southern Peninsular rivers, which do not affect water flows in Bangladesh, as they originate in central and western India and then flow into the sea.

"If at any stage, we do consider any proposal affecting river flows into Bangladesh, India will consult and fully take into consideration the view of Bangladesh," he said, adding this assurance has been conveyed at the highest level by Indian leaders to their counterparts in Bangladesh.

"It is important that we avoid sensationalising the issue," he said. (PTI)

Blue-print for roadmap for Indo-UK
strategic ties next month

LONDON, Aug 7: The blue-print for the roadmap for developing the Indo-UK strategic relationship will be "fleshed out" during the visit of Prime Minister Tony Blair to New Delhi next month, Indian High Commissioner to Britain, Kamalesh Sharma, has said.

"In the time to come, the relationship between India and the UK is going to be very special," Sharma said at a function organised here to celebrate the Independence Day last night.

He said the engagements and encounters between the peoples of Britain and India had been one of the great episodes of modern times.

"Prime Minister Blair will be going to India next month and he is going in his dual capacity as Prime Minister of this country and as President of the European Union. Blair will be in New Delhi for two days from September 7," Sharma said.

"I think, it is very fortunate that the blue print for the roadmap for a strategic relationship, on which we already have a document, is going to be fleshed out at this meeting and we are going to see where we are going to make advances, in which field we are going to do it.

"I think it is very happy circumstance. We hope to see advances in all fields, whether it is academic relations or education," the High Commissioner said.

Sharma noted that the number of Indian students studying in the UK has gone up from 4,000 to 16,000 per annum during the last three to four years. "What could be a greater vote of confidence by the youth of the country in another country?" he asked.

The High Commissioner said in Science and Technology the two countries used to have a working group which used to plod along.

"Now it has been raised a few weeks ago into an Indo-British Joint Council and Innovation. It is the innovation and the word innovation is what makes all the difference. Because it meant to do something, deliver something, get somewhere.

"Besides we also recently had a Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation. Other areas where such working groups envisaged are for advancement of biotechnology, Nano-technology, IT and other frontline areas where the two countries could have partnership appropriate for the 21st century," he said.

Maneck Dalal, Chairman of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, UK, Centre, and Khalid Hameed, CBE, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Cromwell Hospital, also spoke on the occasion. (PTI)