US slams Pakistani
minister’s filmmaker bounty
WASHINGTON: The United States on Sunday condemned a Pakistani
government minister’s offer of a bounty to kill the maker of an anti-Islam film
that has triggered violent protests around the Muslim world.As demonstrators held more rallies against the film — this time in Hong Kong, Turkey, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Bangladesh — even Pakistan’s government distanced itself from the comments by its Railways Minister, Ghulam Ahmed Bilour.
On Saturday, Bilour offered a $100,000 “prize” for killing the filmmaker of “Innocence of Muslims” — an amateurish film made in the United States — and invited the Taliban and al Qaeda to take part in the “noble deed.”
The State Department weighed in Sunday, with an official recalling that US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton “have both said the video at the core of this is offensive, disgusting, and reprehensible.
The official added: “But that is no justification for violence and it is important for responsible leaders to stand up and speak out against violence.” Therefore we find Mr. Bilour’s announcement is inflammatory and inappropriate,” the official said in a statement.
In Pakistan, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf rejected the bounty offer. “This is not government policy. We completely dissociate (ourselves) from this,” a spokesman for the prime minister’s office told AFP.
Fresh rallies were held across Pakistan Sunday to condemn the film after violent nationwide protests Friday left 21 people dead when police used tear gas and live rounds to fight back protesters.
More than 50 people have died in protests and attacks around the world linked to the low-budget film, which mocks Islam and the Prophet Mohammed, since the first demonstrations on September 11.
Four US officials, including the ambassador to Libya, were killed in the Libyan city of Benghazi.
The publication on Wednesday of cartoons mocking the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) in French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has further stoked anger.
In France, an 18-year-old man who used Facebook to threaten the magazine’s editors was charged Sunday with terrorism-related activity, a judicial source said.
Police arrested the teenager in the southern city of Toulon on Wednesday after he was reported by a person close to him who was concerned over his radicalism.
Police found several knives at his residence and said the man had threatened to go after those in charge of the weekly.
Meanwhile, an influential US lawmaker cast doubt over whether there was even an anti-American protest going on when the American ambassador to Libya was killed in an attack on the consulate in Benghazi.
The Obama administration initially said it believed extremists had not really planned the attack in Libya but rather had simply used a spontaneous protest over the anti-Islamic trailer as cover to mix in with the crowd and attack with weapons that included rocket-propelled grenades.
The White House for the first time on Thursday described the assault as a “terrorist attack” and said it could have links to al Qaeda. But a Republican lawmaker cast doubt Sunday over whether the protests even happened.
“I have seen no information that shows that there was a protest going on as you have seen around any other embassy at the time,” Mike Rogers, chairman of the House intelligence committee, told CNN’s “State of the Union” program.
“The notion about the film… I think the administration was ill-advised to push down that road,” he added.
Rogers said he believed it was a revenge attack timed to coincide with the 11th anniversary of 9/11 but that it wasn’t clear if the militants had known Stevens was there or just got lucky.
“This had to be a pre-planned event. We know it was an act of terrorism. I think the administration has come to the conclusion it’s an act of terrorism now,” he said.
The State Department is under rising scrutiny about what appears to be inadequate security for Stevens and the consulate in Benghazi before the attack.
President arriving New
York to attend General Assembly session
NEW YORK: President Asif Ali Zardari arrived here on Sunday evening
to attend the 67th session of the General Assembly of United Nations and hold
meetings with heads of state and governments to discuss international and
regional situation.All the arrangements have been finalised for the session of General Assembly which will also be attended by the US President Barack Obama and other world leaders.
President Zardari will have a chance to interact with these leaders on the sidelines of the session to further promote and strengthening Pakistan’s relations with the international community.
President Zardari, who will stay for couple of days in the New York, will give a comprehensive speech during the general debate of the 67th General Assembly session.
The theme of the debate this year is “Adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations by special means” and Pakistan’s role is very important in this scenario due to a front line state in war against terror.
President Zardari in his important address to the General Assembly which will be on the first day of the start of the general debate will highlight the crucial role the people and the people of Pakistan have been playing the war against militants and the huge sacrifices made by the people in making the region a safe and peaceful place to live.
He will also highlight the need for the international community to undertake concerted efforts on the issues which are critical for success in the war against terror.
The President will especially mention the reaction of the Muslims, especially the people of Pakistan, on the sacrilegious film that has created unrest among the Muslims of the world, calling for the need for taking effective measures, by the member states, to stop such attempts of playing with the religious sentiments of any community.
During his stay, here in the New York, the President will also interact with the world leaders on the sidelines of UN General Assembly session.
The President will also meet head of Microsoft Bill Gates who has been helping Pakistan in eradication of polio.
US urged to do more trade with Pakistan
WASHINGTON: Foreign Minister Hina
Rabbani Khar has called for greater access for Pakistani products in the United
States market as an effort to strengthen the South Asian country's economy.
During talks with US officials as she continues her U.S.
visit, Ms. Khar said that Pakistan was hopeful that at some point soon the two
countries will negotiate a free-trade agreement that would open up both
Pakistani and US markets to products made by the other.
In the short term, the foreign minister added, Pakistan was
urging the US to put together a trade package that would give greater access to
Pakistani products now and thus strengthen the Pakistani economy.
A democratic and economically viable Pakistan, she said, is
the strongest weapon to defeat the terrorist threat in South and Central Asia.
During her meetings, she expressed her satisfaction that the
Pak-US bilateral relationship had weathered a very difficult period over the
last 18 months, and that relations were clearly improving, laying the
foundation for an even more robust special relationship between the two nations
in the future.
She conveyed the appreciation of the Government and people
of Pakistan for the economic support and assistance provided by the US over the
years, according to a press release issued by the Pakistan embassy here. This,
she noted, was an investment by the US in a partnership that had done so much
for peace, prosperity and security of our two peoples.
She also thanked the members of the Foreign Relations
Committee, especially Senators John Kerry and Richard Lugar for the vision and
leadership to enact the Enhancement of Pakistan Partnership Act of 2009
(Kerry-Lugar-Berman Bill).
More concerted efforts were, however, needed to achieve the
benefits of this partnership as envisaged by the two countries, she said. After
her meeting with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Ms. Khar said in an
interview with a news channel that her current visit had enabled her to address
several concerns related to Pakistan in the US, and present an accurate picture
of the challenges Islamabad faced as the contribution being made the country.
"The 'do more' mantra, in my opinion, will subside
slowly, and it has during the last four months, ever since the question of
apology was settled," she said. "Both our countries have tried to
further this relationship with respect and commitment to each other and it
shows on both sides".
The Pakistan-US relations, she said, were important and
would remain so. Afghanistan was one reason for it, but there are several other
bases for this relationship.
There were several other elements that enhanced bilateral
relations.
"Upcoming elections in each country will not have any
outcome on the nature of bilateral relationship," she said.
Elections were also scheduled in Pakistan after 6-8 months.
State-to-state relations were not dependent on one
administration or the other. "You have seen a consistency in Pakistan,
whatever government has been in power - even when there is no civilian
government - state-to-state relations are maintained".
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