Pentagon concerned over Blackwater's work in Afghanistan
WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates is concerned about possible misconduct in Afghanistan by the private security firm formerly known as Blackwater and has promised to review the issue, the Pentagon said Friday.
Gates made the pledge to lawmakers after receiving a letter from Carl Levin, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who urged the defense secretary to reconsider awarding a possible one billion dollar contract to the firm, now known as Xe, due to allegations of wrongdoing.
"He is looking into it and he takes it seriously," press secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters.
Gates has told the senator that "he shares his (Levin's) concerns," Morrell said.
The letter dated February 25 and released publicly on Thursday notes that the Defense Department is reportedly preparing to give a contract to Xe for "highly sensitive work" to train Afghan national police, despite its controversial record in Iraq and amid fresh allegations of misconduct.
The letter cites a recent Senate hearing on a contract given to a Blackwater affiliate to provide weapons training in Afghanistan.
Levin's committee heard evidence that alleged that Blackwater may have used a front company for the contract, lied to Pentagon officials in its proposal documents, "misappropriated" government weapons, carried weapons without approval and hired staff with serious criminal records including larceny and substance abuse.
Blackwater's conduct may have "contributed to a shooting incident that has undermined our mission in Afghanistan," it added.
LAHORE: The former President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and a senior leader of PPP Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan has hinted at a propaganda being hatched against Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) and the judges of independent judiciary.
He said the formation of Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) in connection with the appointment of judges was a positive proposition, however, he ruled out the impression that the parliament will be able to make political appointments.
Aitzaz told media after addressing a social welfare organization here on Friday. The independent judiciary will appeal to foreign investment, which will bear fruits for common men in a few years to come.
He lauded sacrifices of Pakistan army which they laid down in course of war against terrorism
KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari has said that that laborer, farmer and peasant will now be our partners, not the servants.
Speaking at a bill-signing ceremony here on Friday, President Zardari said Pakistan Peoples’ Party is a pro-business party. But could the industry flourish without the contribution of laborers.
He said the promulgation of the bill regarding removal of laws containing special powers to dismiss any worker would award laborers their due rights.
“Our vision is very clear. We will wage a struggle for the rights of women, minority and laborers,” she added.
The president said: “We are soon bringing a new industrialization policy, under which all stake holders will get their shares,”
Earlier, addressing the participants at the Bilawal House, President Zardari directed the PPP Core Committee to take forward the reconciliatory policy till next generations
GHALNAI: Forces killed thirty militants including some important commanders in Tehsil Pandyali of Mohmand Agency.
According to the sources, security forces shelled a house on a tip-off that killed thirty militants including commanders FaqirMohammad, Qari Ziaur Rehman and Fateh.
PESHAWAR: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry Wednesday took notice of a report aired by Geo News about an elderly woman, who has been waiting for the court’s verdict on her application about recovery of ‘Haq Mehr’ for the last 40 years.
It may be mentioned here that Geo News had also aired a report about the 70-year-old Saeeda Sultan.
Earlier in the day, Saeeda Sultan came to the Chief Justice court and remained there till the last case.
The woman rose from her seat soon after the court hearing ended. She told the Chief Justice that she has been awaiting to get justice from the courts for 40 years.
Taking notice of her plea, the Chief Justice asked the woman to appear before the court with her counsel.
Later, speaking to Geo, Saeeda Sultan hoped that the court would deliver quick justice about her case.
KARACHI: The Karachi Stock Exchange's (KSE) benchmark 100-share index fell in dull trade to end at a more than 2-month low as investors were cautions ahead of the appointment of a new finance minister and on concern about a tax on share purchases, dealers said.
Stocks fell 126.95 points, or 1.33 percent, to end at 9,419.43 points on turnover of only 91.5 million shares.
The index ended at 9,386.92 points on Dec. 31.
The rupee firmed on Wednesday after falling to an all-time closing low the previous day amid a lack of import payments and dealers said some exporters had also been selling dollars in the market.
The rupee ended at 85.03/06 to the dollar compared with Tuesday's close of 85.09/11.
"There was selling of dollars by exporters which helped strengthen the rupee," said a bank dealer.
The rupee hit an all-time low of 85.15 last month.
Dealers said the rupee may firm if there was more selling by exporters and if external flows started to come in but the medium-term outlook remained weak.
The rupee has lost 1 percent against the dollar this year after losing 6.17 percent last year and a 22.12 percent slide in 2008.
In the money market, short-term money rates fell to between 11.60 percent and 11.70 percent compared with Tuesday's close of between 12.00 percent and 12.15 percent but dealers said they expected rates to rise because of tight liquidity.
There were no scheduled inflows or outflows on Wednesday.
The next outflow is scheduled for March 6, of 96.36 billion rupees ($1.13 billion), and the next inflow is scheduled for March 25, of 65 billion rupees ($764 million).
pakistan latest news CHINIOT CHINIOT: Five policemen, who were involved in torture of accused publicly at a Chinot police station, were sent to jail following the registration of cases against them.
Sub-inspector Obaidullah Kaliar and constables Muhammed Afzal, Sajjad and Sarfraz tortured in public Riaz, Wajid Kumhar, Zeeshan Lohar and Sharif Lohar, who are accused of a robbery at rice truck.
After the incident aired on Geo News, police high ups took serious notice and an FIR was lodged against the police personnel, which mentioned only three names of victims.
Brother of torture victim Sharif Kumar told Geo that whereabouts of his brother were not known.
Commenting on the Chiniot torture incident, Inspector General of Punjab Tariq Salim Dogra described the police action as deplorable for the whole society.
Renowned human rights activists Asima Jehangir condemned the incident and said that police personnel did not get training about human rights and do as ordered.
Eyewitnesses on the occasion, however, said that the condemned SHO threatened them for more violence.
All three victims were sent for medical check up.
Further more, IGP also sent a team to Chiniot under the leadership of Additional IG Inspection and vigilance to conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident of violence and submit report to the IGP by tomorrow (Thursday) so that further action would be taken against the accused police officials in the light of report.
At its simplest, Pakistani cooking today consists of staple foods which are cheap and abundant. Wheat and other flour products are the mainstay of the diet, one familiar form being CHAPATI, an unleavened bread akin to a Mexican tortilla. This is made with dough prepared from whole wheat flour.
Another basic food is LASSI, milk from which curds and butterfat have been removed. Vegetables, usually seasonal, lentils are commonly used. Families with larger incomes eat more meat, eggs and fruits. And the more affluent cook with GHEE, which is clarified butter, instead of with vegetab
le oil.
From the earliest times, the imaginative - and sometimes heavy - use of spices, her
bs, seeds, and flavorings and seasonings have helped cooks transform rather ordinary staple foods into an exotic cuisine.
Consider some of the most common of these in wide use in Pakistan toda
y: chilli powder, turmeric, garlic, paprika, black pepper, red pepper, cumin seed, bay leaf, coriander, cardamo
m, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, saffron, mace, nutmeg, poppyseeds, aniseed, almonds, pistachios, and yogurt.
Their use in a wide range of pickles, chutneys, preserves, and sauces, together with
curries of all descriptions and special treatment for meats, sea, food, vegetables and lentils, gives Pakistani cooking much of its distinctive character.
Cultural influences, whether religious precepts, practices, and ceremon
ies or local traditions, or even esthetic preferences, have made their contribution toward the evolution of Pakistani cuisine.
The Influence Of Islam:
The spread of Islam to what is now Pakistan, starting in the Eighth Century, has given a basic character to the food of the people. The Quranic injunctions against eating pork or drinking alcoh
olic beverages has channeled tastes and appetites in other directions. Lamb, beef, chicken and fish are basic foods, although their consumption by persons of low income is modest and often ceremonial.
Some of the Muslim feasts involve special dishes. Eid-ul-Adha, which commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim's readiness to obey God even tothe point of being willing to sacrifice his son, is observed by the sacrifice of a goat, a lamb, or a cow from which special dishes are made.
On Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the end of RAMZAN, the month of fasting in the Is
lamic Calender, the serving of a special dessert of vermicelli cooked in milk is a must. Almond and pistachios are added as decorations as is the silver foil. The latter is so thin that it will disintegra
te unless it is immediately transferred from the protective layers of paper onto the dish.
Food And The Moghul Emperors:
Another major influence in the development of Pakistani cookery was the establishment of the Moghul Empire starting in 1526. The opulent tastes exhibited by such Emperors as Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb in art, architecture, music, dance, and jewelry was also extended to fo
od.
A style of cookery called Moghlai' evolved at the Moghul court and even today it remains centered in Lahore. Some latter-day and widely known survivors of court cookery are, for example, chicken tandoori, a dish in which chicken is cooked at low temperatures in special ovens called TANDOORS, and murgh musallum' in which the whole chickens are roasted with special spices and ingredients. SHAHI TUKRA, a dessert of sliced bread, milk, cream, sugar and saffron, is another left-over from the days of the Moghuls.
Perhaps the ultimate Moghul cuisine was reached when the imperial chefs perfected the recipes for desserts made from ginger and garlic. Ginger and garlic puddings are still made in some home
s for truly special occasions.
Fruit drinks, squeezed from pomegranates, apples, melons, and mangoes, and called SHARBAT, are an important part of the Moghlai cuisine and, indeed, the inspiration for American "sherberts."
Other Influences:
Cookery in Pakistan has always had a regional character, with each of the four provin
ces offering special dishes. In the Punjab, for example, the Moghlai' cuisine usin
g tandoor ovens and elaborate preparations is important. In Baluchistan, cooks use the SAJJI method of barbecuing whole lambs and stick bread in a deep pit.
BUNDA PALA (fish) is a well known delicacy of Sind. The fish is cleaned and stuffed with a paste made from a variety of spices and herbs, including red pepper, garlic, ginger, and dried p
omegranate seeds. It is then wrapped in cloth and is buried three feet deep in hot sand under the sun. There it stays baking for four to five hours from late morning to early afternoon. THANDAL, made from milk and a paste of fresh almonds, is a popular drink. Cooking in the NorthwestFrontierProvince is a great deal plainer and involves the heavy use of lamb.
Ceremonial occasions such as weddings have inspired a number of fancy dishes. A traditional dish at marriage feasts, for example, is chicken curry with either PILAU or BIRYANI. FIRINI, made from cream of rice and milk, is an equally traditional wedding dessert. It is served in clay saucers topped by silver foil. At Zoroastrian (Parsi) weddings, which are not frequent because so few followers of this ancient Iranian religion live in Pakistan, a special fish dish is served. This is PATRANI MACHCHI, consisting of sole, plaice, or a local fish called pomfret, wrapped in banana leaves, steamed or fried, and then baked slowly for half an hour.
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