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Musharraf at court for the first time for treason hearing
Musharraf at court for the first time for treason hearing (AFP) / 18 February 2014 He was first ordered to appear before the tribunal on December 24, but had missed repeated hearings since then due to bomb scares and health problems. Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf arrived in court on Tuesday for the first time to face charges in a treason case he has denounced as a score-settling exercise by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The 70-year-old arrived in a heavily protected cavalcade of at least half a dozen vehicles at the National Library in Islamabad where the court has been holding hearings, an AFP photographer said. No former military leader has appeared in court before, and the trial is seen as a test of the supremacy of civilian rule in a country governed for more than half its history by the army after three coups. Musharraf faces possible treason charges, which can carry the death penalty, over his suspension of the constitution and imposition of a state of emergency in 2007 while he was president. He was first ordered to appear before the tribunal on December 24, but had missed repeated hearings since then due to bomb scares and health problems that saw him complain of a heart ailment. Musharraf has challenged the civilian court’s right to try a former army chief, saying he is entitled to be dealt with by a military tribunal. He has accused Prime Minister Sharif, whom he ousted in a 1999 coup, of waging a “vendetta” and has asked for permission to go abroad for medical treatment, which has been refused. Sharif came to power after elections in May last year in the first transfer of power from one elected government to another after a full term. Musharraf has endured a torrid time since returning to Pakistan in March last year on an ill-fated mission to run in the general election. Almost as soon as he landed he was barred from contesting the vote and hit with a barrage of legal cases dating back to his 1999-2008 rule. The charges against him include the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in December 2007. So far, nothing has come of rumours that a backroom deal would be struck to get Musharraf out of the country before trial, to avoid a destabilising clash between the government and the powerful armed forces. For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
UAE, US discuss regional issues and bilateral relation
UAE, US discuss regional issues and bilateral relation (Wam) / 18 February 2014 General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed receives US Secretary of State in Abu Dhabi. General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, received US Secretary of State John Kerry and his accompanying delegation at Al Mina Palace on Monday. General Shaikh Mohammed and Kerry discussed bilateral relations and cooperation between the countries as well as an array of issues of mutual concern. During the meeting, which was attended by Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, the two sides reviewed appropriate means of strengthening the existing avenues of joint cooperation for serving strategic interests of the two friendly countries and their people. Discussions also tackled latest regional and international developments where the two sides reviewed ongoing efforts to achieve peace and security in the region and recognised the need for continuous consultations and coordination in this regard. The UAE and the US also underscored that serious dialogue and constructive understanding are the adequate mechanisms to address and resolve all crises and issues in the region. Looking at regional concerns and developments, the two sides discussed the humanitarian crisis in Syria and results of the recently concluded Geneva II Conference. Situation in Egypt was also figured high during the talks, where they stressed the importance of realising political and economic stability there. The two sides also discussed the talks between Iran and the Group 5+1 in Vienna next week, which seeks to reach an inclusive agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme. Current efforts to revive Middle East peace talks were also touched. Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE Ambassador to the US, and Mohammed Mubarak Al Mazrouie, Undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court, attended the talks from the UAE side. Present from the US side were Michael H. Corbin, US Ambassador to the UAE, Philip Gordon, White House Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf; Thomas Shannon, Counselor of US Department of State, and a number of US officials. For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Fire destroys 12 warehouses in Sharjah Industrial Area
Fire destroys 12 warehouses in Sharjah Industrial Area Afkar Abdullah / 18 February 2014 Residents of nearby buildings and labour accommodations evacuated. Firefighters from Sharjah, Ajman, Dubai, and Umm Al Quwain are currently fighting massive fire erupted at 9pm at more than 12 warehouses at Sharjah Industrial Area No 13. Fire at the warehouses in the Sharjah Industrial Area 13 on Monday night. – KT photos by M. Sajjad The warehouses were storing clothes, aluminium, glass, furniture and different types of flammable materials. The flames are spreading fast and smoke billowed up the sky because of strong wind and the quantity of flammable materials kept in the warehouses. No casualties have been reported till the time of filing this report but the fire might have caused huge loss, according to a police official. The police cordoned off the area and closed the road to help the firefighters carry out their duty. The police also evacuated the tenants and workers from nearby buildings and labour accommodations for safety. A Civil Defence official said that the firefighters are trying hard to control the fire and prevent it from spreading to nearby premises and other warehouses in the same compound. A source in the civil defence team said it may take long hours to put out the fire considering the speed of the wind and the intensity of the fire. Once the fire is extinguished, experts will start cooling operations, said the source. According to an eyewitness a number of warehouses in the compound have been completely destroyed by the fire. afkarali@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
