International
Benazir’s death was preventable, bad security killed her: UN
A UN commission on Thursday blamed inadequate security by Pakistan’s federal, state and district governments for the 2007 assassination of the country’s former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto.
The panel said her death could have been prevented if the government under then-President Pervez Musharraf, the Punjab state government, and the Rawalpindi District Police had taken adequate measures “to
respond to the extraordinary, fresh and urgent security risks that they knew she faced.”
Bhutto was killed in a Dec. 27, 2007, gun and suicide-bomb attack as she was leaving a rally in the garrison town of Rawalpindi, where she was campaigning to return her Pakistan People’s Party to power in
parliamentary elections.
“Ms. Bhutto’s assassination could have been prevented if adequate security measures had been taken,” the commission said.
Musharraf’s government blamed Baitullah Mehsud, a Pakistani militant commander with reported links to al-Qaida. Officials at the US Central Intelligence Agency also said Mehsud was the chief suspect.
But Bhutto’s party repeatedly hinted that Musharraf or his allies were involved and demanded a UN probe, claiming it was the only way the whole truth would be revealed.
The UN report found that the investigation into her death was severely hampered by intelligence agencies and other government officials “which impeded an unfettered search for the trust.”
It said Pakistan’s powerful Inter-Services Intelligence conducted parallel investigations, gathering evidence that was only selectively shared with the police.
“The commission believes that the failure of the police to investigate effectively Ms. Bhutto’s assassination was deliberate,” the report said. “These officials, in part fearing intelligence agencies’ involvement, were unsure
of how vigorously they ought to pursue actions, which they knew, as professionals, they should have taken.”
The commission urged Pakistani authorities to carry out a “serious, credible” criminal investigation that “determines who conceived, ordered and executed this heinous crime of historic proportions, and brings those
responsible to justice.”
“Doing so would constitute a major step toward ending impunity for political crimes in this country,” it said.
The report was originally scheduled to be presented on March 30 but Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari asked Ban to delay the release of its findings on his wife’s killing, and the secretary-general agreed.
Pakistan’s presidential spokesman, Farhatullah Babar, said the government asked for the delay so the commission could attempt to question two heads of state who he said had called Bhutto before her death warning
her of “serious threats to her life.” The commission responded saying its probe had been completed.
The secretary-general agreed to appoint a commission to assist Pakistan by determining the facts and circumstances of Bhutto’s death and it began work on July 1, 2009.
Under terms agreed to by the UN and the Pakistani government, Pakistani authorities would determine any criminal responsibility.
The secretary-general set up a special trust fund to pay for the commission’s work and asked for voluntary contributions. UN associate spokesman Farhan Haq said Wednesday that the Pakistani government was the
major contributor.
A UN commission on Thursday blamed inadequate security by Pakistan’s federal, state and district governments for the 2007 assassination of the country’s former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto.
The panel said her death could have been prevented if the government under then-President Pervez Musharraf, the Punjab state government, and the Rawalpindi District Police had taken adequate measures “to respond to the extraordinary, fresh and urgent security risks that they knew she faced.”
Bhutto was killed in a Dec. 27, 2007, gun and suicide-bomb attack as she was leaving a rally in the garrison town of Rawalpindi, where she was campaigning to return her Pakistan People’s Party to power in parliamentary elections.
“Ms. Bhutto’s assassination could have been prevented if adequate security measures had been taken,” the commission said.
Musharraf’s government blamed Baitullah Mehsud, a Pakistani militant commander with reported links to al-Qaida. Officials at the US Central Intelligence Agency also said Mehsud was the chief suspect.
But Bhutto’s party repeatedly hinted that Musharraf or his allies were involved and demanded a UN probe, claiming it was the only way the whole truth would be revealed.
The UN report found that the investigation into her death was severely hampered by intelligence agencies and other government officials “which impeded an unfettered search for the trust.”
It said Pakistan’s powerful Inter-Services Intelligence conducted parallel investigations, gathering evidence that was only selectively shared with the police.
“The commission believes that the failure of the police to investigate effectively Ms. Bhutto’s assassination was deliberate,” the report said. “These officials, in part fearing intelligence agencies’ involvement, were unsure of how vigorously they ought to pursue actions, which they knew, as professionals, they should have taken.”
The commission urged Pakistani authorities to carry out a “serious, credible” criminal investigation that “determines who conceived, ordered and executed this heinous crime of historic proportions, and brings those responsible to justice.”
“Doing so would constitute a major step toward ending impunity for political crimes in this country,” it said.
The report was originally scheduled to be presented on March 30 but Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari asked Ban to delay the release of its findings on his wife’s killing, and the secretary-general agreed.
Pakistan’s presidential spokesman, Farhatullah Babar, said the government asked for the delay so the commission could attempt to question two heads of state who he said had called Bhutto before her death warning her of “serious threats to her life.” The commission responded saying its probe had been completed.
The secretary-general agreed to appoint a commission to assist Pakistan by determining the facts and circumstances of Bhutto’s death and it began work on July 1, 2009.
Under terms agreed to by the UN and the Pakistani government, Pakistani authorities would determine any criminal responsibility.
The secretary-general set up a special trust fund to pay for the commission’s work and asked for voluntary contributions. UN associate spokesman Farhan Haq said Wednesday that the Pakistani government was the major contributor.
Cryo test fails, GSLV tumbles into the Bay
India’s space odyssey suffered a major setback on Thursday with the prestigious Rs 330 crore Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-D3 mission failing soon after takeoff.
The Gsat-D3 flight with the communication satellite Gsat-4 onboard plunged into the Bay of Bengal within minutes of taking off from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhavan Space Centre, Sriharikota, to the utter
disappointment of Isro scientists.
The mission was different from previous ones since it carried the cryogenic engine designed and developed by the Isro scientists at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre of Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu. Previous
missions had used cryogenic engines purchased from Russia.
“It was not successful,” said a dejected Dr K. Radhakrishnan, chairman of Isro, while talking to mediapersons at the Brahmaprakash Auditorium on Thursday evening. “Everything functioned as per our plans till the
293rd second of the launch. We are not sure whether the cryogenic main engine ignited or not. We have to look into the flight data before coming to conclusions.”
The Isro chairman said that the countdown and blastoff proceeded as per the plans chalked out by the space scientists. But soon scientists sitting at the master control room noticed the vehicle veering and losing
control and altitude after the second stage burnt out. “It will take us two to three days to understand exactly happened, why it happened and what are the corrective measures to be taken,” said Dr Radhakrishnan.
Dr Radhakrishnan, however, said that another GSLV mission with an indigenously built cryogenic engine would take to the skies within one year. “Our other space missions will continue as per schedule,” he said. “We
have two more Russian built cryogenic engines with us and these will be used to launch the Gsat-5B and Gsat-6 communication satellites. The Gsat-5B launch will take place in September 2010.”
He added that Isro would also use GSLV for Chandrayan II, the second moon mission slated for 2013, after taking necessary corrective measures. India had taken up the challenge to indigenously develop the
cryogenic engine after the United States-led Missile Technology Control Regime blocked avenues for the country to buy this technology. Hence the disappointment is all the more high among Isro top brass.
However, while reacting to a question about the failure of the mission, Dr Radhakrishnan turned philosophical and recited a sloka from Bhagavad Gita, “Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana… (We have to
discharge our duties irrespective of failures),” he said.
India’s space odyssey suffered a major setback on Thursday with the prestigious Rs 330 crore Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-D3 mission failing soon after takeoff.
The Gsat-D3 flight with the communication satellite Gsat-4 onboard plunged into the Bay of Bengal within minutes of taking off from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhavan Space Centre, Sriharikota, to the utter disappointment of Isro scientists.
The mission was different from previous ones since it carried the cryogenic engine designed and developed by the Isro scientists at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre of Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu. Previous missions had used cryogenic engines purchased from Russia.
“It was not successful,” said a dejected Dr K. Radhakrishnan, chairman of Isro, while talking to mediapersons at the Brahmaprakash Auditorium on Thursday evening. “Everything functioned as per our plans till the
293rd second of the launch. We are not sure whether the cryogenic main engine ignited or not. We have to look into the flight data before coming to conclusions.”
The Isro chairman said that the countdown and blastoff proceeded as per the plans chalked out by the space scientists. But soon scientists sitting at the master control room noticed the vehicle veering and losing control and altitude after the second stage burnt out. “It will take us two to three days to understand exactly happened, why it happened and what are the corrective measures to be taken,” said Dr Radhakrishnan.
Dr Radhakrishnan, however, said that another GSLV mission with an indigenously built cryogenic engine would take to the skies within one year. “Our other space missions will continue as per schedule,” he said. “We have two more Russian built cryogenic engines with us and these will be used to launch the Gsat-5B and Gsat-6 communication satellites. The Gsat-5B launch will take place in September 2010.”
He added that Isro would also use GSLV for Chandrayan II, the second moon mission slated for 2013, after taking necessary corrective measures. India had taken up the challenge to indigenously develop the cryogenic engine after the United States-led Missile Technology Control Regime blocked avenues for the country to buy this technology. Hence the disappointment is all the more high among Isro top brass.
However, while reacting to a question about the failure of the mission, Dr Radhakrishnan turned philosophical and recited a sloka from Bhagavad Gita, “Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana… (We have to discharge our duties irrespective of failures),” he said.
UN blasts Musharraf government for Bhutto death
A UN investigative report on the 2007 assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto has severely criticised the government headed by then-president Pervez Musharraf for failing to protect her despite
publicly known threats.
Bhutto, twice a prime minister, died in a gun and bomb attack on December 27, 2007, when she appeared at an election rally in the garrison town of Rawalpindi.
Bhutto’s widower, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari, requested the UN investigation carried out by a three-member commission headed by Chile’s UN Ambassador Heraldo Munoz. Munoz was joined on the
commission by Marzuki Darusman of Indonesia and Peter Fitzgerald of Ireland.
Zardari again scuttling UN probe into Benazir killing?
Musharraf recently denied accusations that he failed to secure enough protection for Bhutto after she returned from exile to take part in domestic election campaigns. But the UN said relations between the two had
deteriorated after Musharraf declared a state of emergency on November 3, 2007, suspended the constitution and imposed martial law in the face of instability in the country.
“The commission found that security arrangements for Ms Bhutto were fatally insufficient and ineffective,” the 65-page report said in its conclusion.
It said the Pakistani police was “severely inadequate to the task of investigating the assassination of Ms Bhutto and lacking in independence and the political will to find the truth, wherever it may lead.”
“The autonomy, pervasive reach and clandestine role of intelligence agencies in Pakistani life underlie many of the problems, omissions and commissions set out in this report,” it said.
“The assassination of Benazir Bhutto occurred against the backdrop of a history of political violence that was carried out with impunity.”
Pakistan wants Afghan, Saudi, US input on Bhutto report
It said the failures of police and other Pakistani officials to react immediately following the fatal bomb attack were “in most cases, deliberate.”
The report said the crime scene was hosed down immediately after the attack and the “deliberate prevention” of authorities for a post-mortem examination of Bhutto had hindered the definitive determination of the cause
of her death.
The report said authorities in the Punjab province and the Rawalpindi District Police where Bhutto campaign failed also in their duties to protect Bhutto, including not providing the full police force of 1,371 officers as
planned.
“A range of government officials failed profoundly in their efforts first to protect Ms Bhutto and second to investigate with vigour all those responsible for her murder, not only in the execution of the attack, but also in its
conception, planning and financing,” the report said.
It said neither Punjab nor Rawalpindi “took necessary measures to respond to the extraordinary, fresh and urgent security risks that they knew she faced.”
“The federal government lacked a comprehensive security plan for Ms Bhutto, relying on provincial authorities, but then failed to issue to them the necessary instructions,” the report said.
UN panel probes Pak army’s role in Benazir murder
The report was handed over to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who gave a copy to Pakistani UN Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon so he can forwarded it to his government in Islamabad.
Bhutto’s husband was out of the country at that time and arrived in Rawalpindi only seven hours after the attack that killed his wife. No autopsy was ordered and her body was placed in a coffin and taken to the airport
upon his arrival.
“The commission is persuaded that the Rawalpindi police chief, CPO Saud Aziz, did not act independently of higher authorities, either in the decision to hose down the crime scene or to impede the post-mortem
examination,” the report said.
In addition to her broken relationship with the Musharraf government, Bhutto was facing “serious threats” from al-Qaeda, the Taliban and local jihadi groups and “potentially from elements in the Pakistani
establishment,” the report said. The report urged reform in the Pakistani police as well as its intelligence agencies.
It said the UN investigators were severely hampered in their duties to carry out their work by intelligence agencies and other government officials, which “impeded an unfettered search for the truth.”
A UN investigative report on the 2007 assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto has severely criticised the government headed by then-president Pervez Musharraf for failing to protect her despite
publicly known threats.
Bhutto, twice a prime minister, died in a gun and bomb attack on December 27, 2007, when she appeared at an election rally in the garrison town of Rawalpindi.
Bhutto’s widower, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari, requested the UN investigation carried out by a three-member commission headed by Chile’s UN Ambassador Heraldo Munoz. Munoz was joined on the commission by Marzuki Darusman of Indonesia and Peter Fitzgerald of Ireland.
Zardari again scuttling UN probe into Benazir killing?
Musharraf recently denied accusations that he failed to secure enough protection for Bhutto after she returned from exile to take part in domestic election campaigns. But the UN said relations between the two had deteriorated after Musharraf declared a state of emergency on November 3, 2007, suspended the constitution and imposed martial law in the face of instability in the country.
“The commission found that security arrangements for Ms Bhutto were fatally insufficient and ineffective,” the 65-page report said in its conclusion.
It said the Pakistani police was “severely inadequate to the task of investigating the assassination of Ms Bhutto and lacking in independence and the political will to find the truth, wherever it may lead.”
“The autonomy, pervasive reach and clandestine role of intelligence agencies in Pakistani life underlie many of the problems, omissions and commissions set out in this report,” it said.
“The assassination of Benazir Bhutto occurred against the backdrop of a history of political violence that was carried out with impunity.”
Pakistan wants Afghan, Saudi, US input on Bhutto report
It said the failures of police and other Pakistani officials to react immediately following the fatal bomb attack were “in most cases, deliberate.”
The report said the crime scene was hosed down immediately after the attack and the “deliberate prevention” of authorities for a post-mortem examination of Bhutto had hindered the definitive determination of the cause of her death.
The report said authorities in the Punjab province and the Rawalpindi District Police where Bhutto campaign failed also in their duties to protect Bhutto, including not providing the full police force of 1,371 officers as planned.
“A range of government officials failed profoundly in their efforts first to protect Ms Bhutto and second to investigate with vigour all those responsible for her murder, not only in the execution of the attack, but also in its conception, planning and financing,” the report said.
It said neither Punjab nor Rawalpindi “took necessary measures to respond to the extraordinary, fresh and urgent security risks that they knew she faced.”
“The federal government lacked a comprehensive security plan for Ms Bhutto, relying on provincial authorities, but then failed to issue to them the necessary instructions,” the report said.
UN panel probes Pak army’s role in Benazir murder
The report was handed over to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who gave a copy to Pakistani UN Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon so he can forwarded it to his government in Islamabad.
Bhutto’s husband was out of the country at that time and arrived in Rawalpindi only seven hours after the attack that killed his wife. No autopsy was ordered and her body was placed in a coffin and taken to the airport upon his arrival.
“The commission is persuaded that the Rawalpindi police chief, CPO Saud Aziz, did not act independently of higher authorities, either in the decision to hose down the crime scene or to impede the post-mortem examination,” the report said.
In addition to her broken relationship with the Musharraf government, Bhutto was facing “serious threats” from al-Qaeda, the Taliban and local jihadi groups and “potentially from elements in the Pakistani establishment,” the report said. The report urged reform in the Pakistani police as well as its intelligence agencies.
It said the UN investigators were severely hampered in their duties to carry out their work by intelligence agencies and other government officials, which “impeded an unfettered search for the truth.”
On 14th December 2009, the Hon’ble Minister for Aarogyasri, 108, 104, Medical Infrastructure and Health Insurance, Sri Pithani Satyanarayana, launched AP 108 Operations website in the presence of Principal Secretary Sri J Satyanarayana, Commissioner of Family Welfare Sri Anil C Punetha, Advisor for Aarogyasri, 108 & 104 Sri P K Agarwal, Srinivas HSD – Chief Operating Officer ,Swaroop MSR – PPP head of GVK EMRI and members of Health Department and GVK EMRI.
The most significant aspect of this site is that it provides transparency of ‘108’ operations to the citizens of Andhra Pradesh and accountability to the Government of Andhra Pradesh, while reinforcing our commitment to improve emergency services in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
Information that is available on this website is:
- Number of ambulances in operation
- Emergencies handled upto the closing of the previous day
- Daily report of operations of the previous day
- Details of beneficiaries, their address, phone number, if available
- Phone number of callers
- Number of lives saved
- Types of emergencies served
- Procurement processes and relevant details
- HR Policies and processes
Data upto 13th December-Operations at a glance
Total number of ambulances : 802
No. of Ambulances in operation : 752
Ambulances kept as backup : 50
Total emergencies served till date : 36,73,958
Total pregnancies served till date : 6,40,770
Simultaneous searches were conducted by ACB officials over the residence of D. Srinivasa Reddy, S/o. D.Venkat Reddy, age 39 years, Mandal Revenue Inspector O/o. the Tahsildar, Maheshwaram, R.R. District on 14-12-2009 at H.No. 16 -105, R.N. Reddy Nagar of Saroor Nagar Mandal, R.R. district and also his office at Maheshwaram, R.R. District and his brother’s house at Ibrahimpatnam (V) and his medical store at Sagar Road, Hasthinapuram. Searches resulted in unearthing assets worth about Rs.70 Lakhs (Rupees Seventy Lakhs) as per documentary value. The market value of these asstets is estimated to be much higher.
The assets include 1 plot at Ibrahimpatnam, one two-storied Building at R.N.Reddy Nagar ; One three – Storied building is under construction at Hasthinapuram ; 2 cars i.e Scorpio & Getz, 3 – two wheelers i.e Hero Honda, Hero Honda passion plus and Yamaha ; 30 tulas of Gold; Net cash of 30,000/-; Bank balance of Rs. 3,98,000/- and House hold articles worth approx. Rs.4,50,000/- were also found during the searches.
D.Srinivasa Reddy is being arrested and will be produced before the Special court for ACB Cases, Hyder
abad.
Case is under investigation.
Some few minutes MP.Rajgopal will land in Shamshabad International airport and Government also prepare to arrest in airport because of yesterday he has announced his decision of Congress MP from vijayawada Lagadapati Rajagopal to launch a hunger strike here from Monday to protest the proposed bifurcation of A.P has evoked strong reaction from his own party leaders in Telangana
Senior Congress leader and former minister P Goverdhan Reddy demanded that the MP be arrested on his arrival in Hyderabad. He warned of bloodshed if Rajagopal undertakes a fast here.
Rajagopal, who has resigned as MP to protest the central government’s decision to initiative the process for granting separate statehood to Telangana, has said he would lunch the hunger strike in Hyderabad .
Talking to reporters, Goverdhan Reddy alleged that the industrialist MP was Bringing hired goons from Vijayawada to create disturbances in hyderabad.
‘He mad crores of rupees in Hyderabad and is now using the same money for blackmail’, said Goverdhan Reddy.
Another party leader and formed minister jeevan Reddy also warned Rajagopal against provoking the people of Telangana and said noboby could stop the formation of Telangana state.
Another formed minister and legislator, R.Damodar Reddy, took exception to the MP’s remark about Hyderabd and said he was not aware of the city’s history.
‘Hyderabad will be the capital of Telangana state, he said and hoped that Congress president Sonia Gandhi would carve out the separate state either through a resolution in the assembly or through a bill in parliament.
Groups fighting for separate statehood for Telangana region have also warned Rajagopal against launching a hunger strike in Hyderabad saying he could do so in Vijayawada or some other part of A.P
I .Krishna Murthy, S/o late pitchaiah, retired official, Board of Revenue, A.P., Hyderabad was caught red handed when he demanded and accepted bribe of Rs.3,25,000/- and accepted Rs.1,00,000/- from the complainant Sri.N.A.V.Rama Rao, Office Superintendent, O/o Commissioner, Prohibition and Excise, Hyderabad on 11-12-2009 at about 9:25 AM at the residence of Accused. The Accused demanded bribe stating that there are petitions against the complainant and other officers with the Anti-Corruption Bureau and that he will get the petitions closed by using his influence on the D.G., A.C.B. He also claimed friendship with D.G., A.C.B., Hyderabad.
The chemical test conducted on the both hand fingers of Accused yielded positive. The bribe amount of Rs.1,00,000/- was recovered from the possession of the Accused.
The Accused is arrested and being produced before the Hon’ble Prl. Special Judge for S.P.E & A.C.B. Cases, Hyderabad for judicial custody.
The Bureau appeals the public to be alert from the persons who are demanding money in the name of ACB and inform the Head Office 040 -24740198, 199 for taking action them.
Case is under investigation.
Hon’ble Dalton Mc Guinty, Premier of the Province of Ontario, Canada,New Delhi will arrive at Hyderabad on 10th December, 2009 at 2-50PM. On 11th December, 2009 at 4-30PM he will meet with Hon’ble Chief Minister of A.P., in his Chambers, Secretariat. On 12th December, 2009 he will leave for Toronto at 2-15AM.
During his visit to Hyderabad, he will stay in Hotel Taj Krishna.
MIKE NITHAVRIANAKIS, DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER, BRITISH DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSION, CHENNAI CALLED ON DR. K. ROSAIAH, HON’BLE CHIEF MINISTER AT SECRETARIAT ON 16-11-2009.
DR. K. ROSAIAH, HON’BLE CHIEF MINISTER IS PLACING WREATH ON THE BODY OF SRI P.UPENDRA, EX-MINISTER AND PRP LEADER AT HIS RESIDENCE, JUBILEE HILLS, HYDERABAD ON 16-11-2009.
sai
