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Qazi Mansoor Hassan 
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National News
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Migrants and Religious Identity Complete Story |
Man pleads guilty to firearms offences A 27-year-old man has today, Monday 27 October 2008, admitted a number of firearms offences after officers from GMP's Xcalibre Organised Crime Unit recovered five guns when they stopped a car in Wigan. Fation Peqici (born 24/03/81), of Walsh Lane, Bury, pleaded guilty to possessing firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life, possession of a prohibited weapon without a firearm certificate and possession of ammunition without a firearm certificate at Liverpool Crown Court. He is due to be sentenced at a later date. Christopher Payne (15/05/1967), of Walsh Lane, Bury, is currently standing trial at Liverpool Crown Court charged with the same offences. Both men were arrested after officers carried out a search of a Renault Laguna at the junction of Market Street and Atherton Road shortly after 7.30pm on Thursday 5 June 2008. Subsequent searches were also carried out at an address in Bury and Cheetham Hill. Complete Story |
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Home Office Measures to Ban 'Preachers of Hate' Must be in the Best Interests of the Country Home Office Measures to Ban 'Preachers of Hate' Must be in the Best Interests of the Country The Muslim Council of Britain has always supported measures that have the real potential to address the evil of terrorism. The Home Office measures on banning individuals to the UK require clarification and discussion and the MCB will be seeking information from the government before making further comment. In this context, the MCB is pleased to note the Home Secretary's commitment for "on-going engagement with interested parties in order to strike the appropriate balance and ensure we protect public safety and vital national interests here and abroad." The Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari said: "We hope that the government engages in positive dialogue with all sections of society, before implementing these plans and when any measures are put in place, they should be applied without fear or favour." Complete Story |
PHILIPPINES: THOUSANDS SUFFERING IMPACT OF SHATTERED PEACE TALKS PHILIPPINES: THOUSANDS SUFFERING IMPACT OF SHATTERED PEACE TALKS 400,000 displaced, over 100 civilians killed and 140 people taken hostage The suspension of the peace talks between the government of the Philippines and insurgents in the southern island of Mindanao has left hundreds of thousands of civilians living in fear for their lives and their futures, Amnesty International revealed in a new report today. Amnesty International representatives travelled to Mindanao during the onset of heavy fighting in August to research the conflict, where they interviewed staff from local organisations. The report highlights human rights abuses carried out since the breakdown of peace negotiations, including: · the deaths of at least 100 civilians since August, some deliberately targeted by Moro Islamic Liberation (MILF) fighters · some 140 men, women and children taken hostage · almost 400,000 people living in displacement camps, having left their homes, and often crops and livestock as well, as they fled fighting. Many homes have been burnt, and possessions stolen, reportedly by both the MILF and the Philippine army. · the activities of untrained and unaccountable civilian militias The recent escalation in violence followed the Philippine Supreme Court’s decision to block implementation of a Memorandum of Agreement between the government and the MILF in August. The agreement was part of the ongoing peace process to halt the four decade long conflict. Donna Guest, Amnesty International’s Asia Pacific deputy director, said: “The MILF and local groups opposing the peace talks have used violence as a negotiating strategy and hundreds of thousands of people are paying the price.” Amnesty International spoke to a local human rights worker about the deaths of a 94-year-old man, Miguel Daitia and his son Ruben 33, reportedly killed by the MILF on 18 August: “They used a large rock to destroy the lock, and then they went in and took the men. There were three of them, including the 94 year-old. They killed them. They asked the women in the house to leave. Once they left, the MILF fighters burned the house. They burned 22 houses in that neighbourhood in Lapayan, Kauswagan town.” In Lanao del Norte province, a 15-year-old farmer was brutally killed by security forces just days being he was due to get married. He was trying to raise money for his dowry and could not miss the harvest so he took the risk of going to an area of military operations. Together with another farmer, the teenager was walking with his horse to harvest corn from his village when they came across a group of soldiers who threatened them. The other farmer ran away in panic but soldiers pursued the 15-year-old, hit him on the head and he fell into a ravine. He was later found in a ditch, his body marked with around 30 hack wounds. His family immediately buried him and went into hiding. Donna Guest said: “The Philippine government and the MILF must clarify to both their commanders, and to their rank-and-file forces that attacks on civilians will not be tolerated, and see that anyone suspected of carrying out such violations is removed from their position, or from a situation where abuses might happen again. Otherwise, the picture for the people of Mindanao remains bleak if they continue to be targeted.” Background: On 4 August 2008, the Philippine Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order on the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD), a previously “initialled” document. In the days following this order, MILF fighters launched attacks against civilians in North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte and Saranggani provinces. On 14 October the Supreme Court ruled that the MOA-AD was unconstitutional. The conflict concerns the autonomy of Muslims in the southern Philippines Complete Story |
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FOOD PROJECT FOR POORS IN PAKISTAN Edhi briefs president on free food project Complete Story |
NEWS---01-01-2006 NEWS---01-01-2006 Complete Story |
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Multan to regain its lost glory Mr. Shaukat Aziz recently traveled to Multan, an important city of Southern Punjab. He declared to make the city of mangoes as the regional business hub. Five-star hotels and a large airport would prove the means to realize this end. Though many things matter a lot for this city, the most important is the gesture of the goodwill from the center. Complete Story |
5 KILLED IN FIRING OVER MATRIMONIAL DISPUTE At least five people were killed and six others wounded in an exchange of fire between two groups over a matrimonial dispute in Adamzai village, police said.Qari Nasir told police in Akora Khattak that Wali Khan and his son had tried to kidnap his sister. This led to a scuffle in which he was injured and one of his relatives killed.However, the rival group told police that they had gone to Mr Nasir’s house with a jirga to seek Complete Story |