MUMBAI: Exactly five days after TOI blew the lid off the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society scam, embarrassed chief minister Ashok Chavan on Friday revoked the occupation certificate (OC) granted to it by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, also headed by him.
"I have taken serious note of the series of reports in The Times of India on the irregularities in the society. In view of the stringent criticism, I have asked MMRDA to revoke the occupation certificate forthwith. We will wait for the report of the ministry of environment & forests on the violation of CRZ norms. If the report is adverse, we will abide by MoEF's advice. If it directs us, the OC will be revoked forever," Chavan said.
With the building's OC being revoked, water and power supply will be cut with immediate effect, a senior state government official told TOI.
The CM also claimed that his government had played absolutely no role in the entire membership process and claimed the issue was politically motivated. "I never asked the society to admit 40 civilians as members. In fact, during the formation of the society or when the land was allotted, I was neither the revenue minister nor the chief minister," he said. Chavan said he refused to quit, as there was "no commission or omission" on the part of the government, particularly the departments held by him. "Since the government played no role in the formation of the society, the demand for my resignation is absurd," he said.
But documents in TOI's possession show otherwise. In fact, a letter from Adarsh CHS dated 2/6/2000 is addressed to 'Shri Ashok Chavan, Hon'ble Minister of Revenue' and goes on to seek his help in the allotment of land in order in order "to accommodate and reward our heroes of Kargil". The letter also bears the revenue minister's jotting on the margin, asking the revenue secretary to "please consider and put up on priority".
Earlier, in an hour-long freewheeling interview at his official residence Varsha, Chavan put up a brave front, saying he welcomed the decision of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a suo motu probe into the controversial housing society whose members comprise leading politicians, bureaucrats and military officials. "My government has extended full cooperation to the CBI. Whatever information they sought has been submitted to them by the Mumbai collector. We hope the CBI will conduct the probe as early as possible. We will decide the course of action against the erring members and the society after we get the CBI report," Chavan said.
The CM claimed that the land allotted to the society belonged to the state government and that there was no reservation for Kargil war heroes. "I have personally verified all the land records. The land belongs to the revenue department, but it was in the illegal possession of the defence wing. Since it was in their possession, the Mumbai collector obtained a No Objection Certificate from the defence department before allotting the land to Adarsh Society," he said. "When the society was in the initial stages, there was a proposal for granting membership to three Kargil heroes. Accordingly, the society granted them the membership."
Chavan does not propose to submit a report on the row over to the society to defence minister A K Antony, who is also in charge of Maharashtra, or Sonia Gandhi. "So far, the high command has not asked me to submit the report on the allegations. If there is a need, I will certainly brief her," he remarked. He also expressed shock over the "sudden objections" with regard to the security aspect, saying that no one had expressed these concerns while the construction was in progress for well over five years. "I am surprised at the objections. I don't hold a brief for the society, but those activists or military officials should have raised the objections right at the outset. Now it appears to be an afterthought.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Fennell can't explain why CWG entries not made public
NEW DELHI: Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president Michael Fennell Saturday was at a loss to explain why the final list of entries of athletes in most of the disciplines has still not been made public with the Commonwealth Games just eight days away.
Fennell said this could be done only after registraing all the athletes at the Delegation Registration Meeting (DRM), but could not explain how the badminton and squash draws have been done.
Fennell, however, denied that CGF has instructed the international federations not to disclose the list of entries.
The DRM began Sep 16 and in the eight days till Thursday, a mere 15 of the participating countries and territories have completed the process. This means that just seven days are left for the remaining 56 participating teams to complete the process latest by Oct 2.
More than 7,000 athletes and officials from 71 nations and terrotiries are competing in the Games.
Fennell said this could be done only after registraing all the athletes at the Delegation Registration Meeting (DRM), but could not explain how the badminton and squash draws have been done.
"We can come out with the entries only after the DRM is complete. It is a lengthy process. Each and every entry is checked and validated carefully and only after that we can make it public," he said at a packed press conference at the swanky Games Main Press Centre here.
Fennell, however, denied that CGF has instructed the international federations not to disclose the list of entries.
The DRM began Sep 16 and in the eight days till Thursday, a mere 15 of the participating countries and territories have completed the process. This means that just seven days are left for the remaining 56 participating teams to complete the process latest by Oct 2.
More than 7,000 athletes and officials from 71 nations and terrotiries are competing in the Games.
CGF CEO Hooper blames India for Commonwealth Games chaos
WELLINGTON: Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Mike Hooper denied Sunday his organisation was partly to blame for problems in the lead-up to the Delhi Games and said the fault lay with India.
Hooper, a New Zealander, told Television New Zealand that while the federation was the supreme authority and pushed for deadlines to be met, it was powerless to get projects completed on time, with the event just a week away.
"At the end of the day, I'm not a construction engineer. I'm not a builder. We're at the hands and the mercy of, effectively, the government of India, the Delhi government, the agencies responsible for delivery of the venues."
These groups had consistently failed to meet deadlines, Hooper said of what the Indian media has dubbed the "Shame Games".
"Renewed deadlines came and went. New reasons for delays kept coming up. Absolutely exasperation from our perspective," he said.
But Barry Maister, secretary-general of the New Zealand Olympic Committee, which is responsible for the Commonwealth Games team, said the Games federation "has a lot to answer for" with regard to the state of the athletes' village.
"It was their job to ensure the village was ready for habitation. In my view they did not do so," he said after visiting the village last week.
However, Hooper said all competing nations had been kept aware of issues that needed to be resolved and it was exasperating that despite "constant cajoling", venues were in a rush to be completed.
"The very frustrating thing is we have consistently spoken out loudly and clearly, consistent in our reporting: 'Get these things done. Get these venues delivered. Focus on the operational delivery of the Games.'
"And unfortunately, we are where we are. Now, we can all do these post-mortems later. The reality is right now we need to focus on getting as much as we can done."
Hooper, a New Zealander, told Television New Zealand that while the federation was the supreme authority and pushed for deadlines to be met, it was powerless to get projects completed on time, with the event just a week away.
"At the end of the day, I'm not a construction engineer. I'm not a builder. We're at the hands and the mercy of, effectively, the government of India, the Delhi government, the agencies responsible for delivery of the venues."
These groups had consistently failed to meet deadlines, Hooper said of what the Indian media has dubbed the "Shame Games".
"Renewed deadlines came and went. New reasons for delays kept coming up. Absolutely exasperation from our perspective," he said.
But Barry Maister, secretary-general of the New Zealand Olympic Committee, which is responsible for the Commonwealth Games team, said the Games federation "has a lot to answer for" with regard to the state of the athletes' village.
"It was their job to ensure the village was ready for habitation. In my view they did not do so," he said after visiting the village last week.
However, Hooper said all competing nations had been kept aware of issues that needed to be resolved and it was exasperating that despite "constant cajoling", venues were in a rush to be completed.
"The very frustrating thing is we have consistently spoken out loudly and clearly, consistent in our reporting: 'Get these things done. Get these venues delivered. Focus on the operational delivery of the Games.'
"And unfortunately, we are where we are. Now, we can all do these post-mortems later. The reality is right now we need to focus on getting as much as we can done."
Friday, May 28, 2010
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Mayank Shekhar's Review: Bumm Bumm Bole
In 1997, Majid Majidi made Children Of Heaven, and immediately marked himself out among the most humanistic of contemporary filmmakers. This quiet film, shot secretly in Teheran to retain the realism of its images, concerns a little kid born to really poor parents. It starts out with his search for a lost pair of shoes and ends up with a racing competition, where the boy is determined to finish second runner's up, so he can win the third prize most precious to him: a new pair of sneakers.
In the meanwhile, the boy and his sister share the same pair of shoes to school, lest the parents, who can’t afford another pair, get to know. Their school timings suitably match: his starts when hers finishes.
Anyone who’s seen Children Of Heaven, but for the Academy jury that didn’t award it the Oscar in ’98, is likely to have felt a slight lump in their throat. The film certainly moved me to tears in a way its inspiration, Vittorio de Sica’s Bicycle Thieves, didn’t.
Art of any kind, I suppose, is still in the interpretation of it. Here’s what a few delightful dum-dums given to market this Bumm Bumm Bole - Majidi’s official Hindi remake - saw in that original, stirring classic.
They sensed in the boy’s sneaker and in the final racing sequence, an extended advertising spot for a leading footwear brand, Adidas. There’s also a stall nearby at the races to promote Horlicks! The growing boy downs a cuppa.
Following the unusual success of Aamir Khan’s Taare Zameen Par, a minor homage to Children Of Heaven itself, they of course also noticed the little bug-teethed boy Darsheel, so he can over-act with a cuddly kid made even more cutesy for a li’l sister (Ziyah Vastani).
The team could also conjure up loud, kiddish nursery rhyme beats for a background score. They even imagined a long animation sequence, and a song around a shoe.
The subject though is entirely for grown-ups. Only an adult can fully empathise with the charm and innocence of childhood. Children prefer flicks about adults.
Like all of Priyadarshan’s Hindi films, it is difficult to accurately place this picture. A reference to Bihu ascribes the setting to Assam -- most dress adequately Persian, look slightly Kashmiri. The kids study at Christian missionary schools, infamous for their disciplinarian ways. Teachers there talk in Hindi only Doordarshan newsreaders will understand. The parents have lost their jobs at a nearby tea estate, and the local police often harasses the family, the father (Atul Kulkarni) in particular.
Priyadarshan, by the way, observed in Majidi’s simple, pleasant story-line a potential plot around ULFA militants, the bomb, and the killing fields of Northeast!
Between the motion pic company Percept and the assembly line theatrical productions of Priyadarshan, the gentle lyricism of the Persian Majidi is entirely numbed. Or, I guess, for want of a shoe, the horse (or the kingdom) is completely lost!
Iranians don’t have the luxury of cinema that can do well on the sell, sex, songs, or a naked Salman alone. Auteurs like Majidi, Mohsen Makhmalbaf or Abbas Kiarostami have touched millions of filmgoers worldwide, not despite, but because of the post-Revolution, censored societies they’re sucked into. The obstacles have challenged them to get more creative. They bring in fresh Asian meat into the international film scene repeatedly every year. We don’t.
It helps that Iranians also look a lot like us, and their homes, cultures and cities (though I’ve only been to two: Teheran and Esphahan) appear astoundingly similar. So do our cinema roots. Ardeshir Irani (Alam Ara), most may not know, also made Iran's first talkie film.
The producers could’ve saved themselves all the effort and expenses, and just dubbed Children Of Heaven in Hindi instead. There’s always another time. And there’s a whole library worth exploring. Hopefully it can be done without grand creative inputs of geniuses like Priyadarshan and others.
68 killed as Maoist attack Maharashtra-bound train
Sixty-eight passengers of a Maharashtra-bound express train were killed early Friday and 200 injured in a Maoist attack which led to derailment of 13 coaches that were hit by a goods train coming from the opposite direction.
"The PCPA have left two posters near the rail tracks clearly owning responsibility for the derailment of the Kurla-bound Gyaneswari Express," IGP (Law and Order) S Karpurakayastha said in Kolkata.
The posters read, "We earlier demanded withdrawal of the joint security forces from Jangalmahal (West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia) and end of CPI(M) atrocities, but those demands were not met."
Another poster demanded immediate withdrawal of the joint forces from the area.
Police have seized both posters.
By mid afternoon 68 bodies were recovered. "The toll could go up," West Bengal Home Secretary Samar Ghosh said.
The sleeping passengers were killed when a goods train rammed into four bogies of the Gyaneshwari Express that jumped rails at 1:30 am on Friday morning allegedly after fish plates were removed and portions of tracks cut out deep inside Maoist-dominated West Midnapore district of West Bengal.
"We had issued a red alert," railway board member Vivek Sahai told reporters in New Delhi.
Sahai said the deaths were mainly caused by the goods train hitting the three derailed coachs of the Howrah-Kurla Gyaneshwari Super Deluxe Express.
"There have been earlier cases of sabotage but never of this scale," the railway board member said.
Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee who reached the spot said a high level inquiry has been ordered.
"We condemn the incident. According to the information from Railways and administration, a bomb blast occurred triggering the incident. I shall write to the Union Home Minister to conduct an enquiry," said Railway minister Mamata Banerjee at the accident site.
The blast occurred when the train was running between Khemasoli and Sardiya stations, about 135 km from Kolkata, South Eastern Railway officials said.
13 bogies including the engine of the Gyaneshwari Express that had left Howrah and was heading for Kurla jumped the rails. A goods train that was coming from the opposite direction crashed on to four of the derailed bogies.
As a result, the goods train was itself derailed.
Four bogies (S4, S5, S6, S7) were smashed as relief workers desperately tried to cut through the mangled structures and bring out dead bodies. Bodies were dangling from the wreckage as the relief workers struggled with gas cutters to reach for any possible survivors.
The train was full of sleeping passengers, about 70 in each bogie, and no one was sure about the number of casualties.
Rail authorities initially claimed that an explosion in the rail tracks had triggered the incident. But police officials, after preliminary survey, indicated more than a foot of tracks were cut out and fish plates were removed.
"Law and order is a state subject and these are highly sensitive areas. Rajdhani Express was detained in this area last year. The Maoists are observing Kala Divash (Black Day) between May 28 and May 31 here," said the railway minister.
She claimed that a pilot engine passed through this route last night but didn't specify how long before the incident the patrolling took place.
This is a region where Maoists tried to disrupt trains on at least three occasions between October 27, 2009 and May 20, 2010.
The combined forces arrived after the accident. Relief workers were rushed before dawn. Indian Air Force helicopters were pressed into service at the accident spot to airlift some of the injured to the hospitals. The injured were taken to a hospital in Kharagpur.
The Railway minister announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the next of kin of each of the dead and Rs 1 lakh for the injured.
राठौड़ ने ऐसे गुजारी जेल में पहली रात.
हरियाणा के पूर्व पुलिस महानिदेशक एस पी एस राठौड़ को जेल में सोने के लिए चटाई दी गई और खाने के लिए सूखी चपाती. बहुचर्चित रुचिका गिरहोत्रा यौन उत्पीड़न मामले में राठौड़ को 18 माह की सजा दी गई है.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
kolkatta building fire claims 16 lives.
The devastating blaze that swept through three floors of a 150-year-old multi-storeyed building in Kolkata has claimed at least 16 lives with fire brigade personnel recovering 10 charred bodies from the sixth floor of the ill-fate structure late tonight, officials said.
While six persons died either by jumping from the burning floors of the building, 'Stephen Court', or sustaining burns during the day, 10 charred bodies were found late Tuesday night, fire brigade sources told PTI.
"Firemen were conducting routine checks whether the fire has been totally doused when they first found four bodies lying on the sixth floor. Then, six more bodies were spotted on the same floor," the sources said.
Ernst & Young on how the Budget 2010 will affect individuals and businesses.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee took the first step towards implementation of the Direct Taxes Code (DTC) on Friday. While retaining the basic exemption limits for all income levels (as in the DTC), he increased the other slabs.
For instance, while the basic exemption limit for individuals has been retained at Rs 1.6 lakh, the 10 per cent rate will now be applicable for the Rs 1.6 lakh-Rs 5 lakh bracket. Earlier, the 10 per cent rate was applicable for income of Rs 1.6-Rs 3 lakh. The hike in the slab means that the taxpayer is going to save Rs 20,600 for incomes up to Rs 5 lakh.
Further, he has also increased the limit for the next income slab -- that is, the 20 per cent tax rate will be applicable for incomes of Rs 5 lakh-Rs 8 lakh instead of Rs 3 lakh-Rs 5 lakh. And the highest rate of 30 per cent will be applicable on incomes of over Rs 8 lakh (earlier Rs 5 lakh).
The maximum benefit that will come because of the increase in slabs would be Rs 51,500. "With the consumer inflation index rising at 14.97 per cent (December-end), this move will help reduce some of the burden by leaving more cash at the individual's hands," said a financial planner.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
I don't believe in too many team meetings: Ganguly
MUMBAI: Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Sourav Ganguly believes in giving freedom to players and is not a great supporter of too many team meetings.
"I'm a believer of execution and I'm not a firm believer of too many team meetings and too many ideas," the former India skipper said on the eve of Kolkata Knight Riders' Indian Premier League clash against defending champions Deccan Chargers.
"You have to let the player play to his strength. Everybody has his strength. They have been successful so far with the way they have played.
The Bengal stalwart, India's most successful captain in Test history, was not prepared to dwell on the first two years of IPL when KKR did precious little of note and was confident this time they would deliver the goods.
"I'm not too keen on talking about what's in the past. It's a very new setup for us at the KKR. We tried and got our team. (We) have done extra work in terms of preparations and players. Hopefully we will deliver this time," Ganguly said.
The Bengal stalwart said the atmosphere in the team was good and the players were enjoying themselves.
"I'm a believer of execution and I'm not a firm believer of too many team meetings and too many ideas," the former India skipper said on the eve of Kolkata Knight Riders' Indian Premier League clash against defending champions Deccan Chargers.
"You have to let the player play to his strength. Everybody has his strength. They have been successful so far with the way they have played.
The Bengal stalwart, India's most successful captain in Test history, was not prepared to dwell on the first two years of IPL when KKR did precious little of note and was confident this time they would deliver the goods.
"I'm not too keen on talking about what's in the past. It's a very new setup for us at the KKR. We tried and got our team. (We) have done extra work in terms of preparations and players. Hopefully we will deliver this time," Ganguly said.
The Bengal stalwart said the atmosphere in the team was good and the players were enjoying themselves.
"It's all about delivering at the big stage. It's all about delivering in the middle for all teams in the world, all teams in the competition. It's the same for us. We have a good atmosphere in the team. We're enjoying ourselves and hopefully, as I said, we will deliver," he remarked.
Ganguly said the team would miss the services of West Indian Chris Gayle and New Zealander Brendon McCullum for some matches as they were busy with their national commitments but the team had other good international players to fill in.
"We have good players in (Brad) Hodge, (Owais) Shah, Angelo Mathews. Obviously we will miss McCullum and Gayle. But we will wait for them. Gayle should be here very shortly."
He pointed out that all the other teams were facing the same handicap in the first week and things would improve later.
"Lots of the teams don't have their key players. It's going to happen in the first week of the tournament and hopefully things will settle down," he said.
Ganguly hoped his team would win most of the matches in the first week to gain the much-needed momentum in the race for the semi-final spots.
There was a fitness concern over speedster Ajit Agarkar and it will be known, on Friday, whether he can play, Ganguly said. "Yes, there's a fitness issue over Ajit. We will deal with it tomorrow," he said.
Ganguly said the team would miss the services of West Indian Chris Gayle and New Zealander Brendon McCullum for some matches as they were busy with their national commitments but the team had other good international players to fill in.
"We have good players in (Brad) Hodge, (Owais) Shah, Angelo Mathews. Obviously we will miss McCullum and Gayle. But we will wait for them. Gayle should be here very shortly."
He pointed out that all the other teams were facing the same handicap in the first week and things would improve later.
"Lots of the teams don't have their key players. It's going to happen in the first week of the tournament and hopefully things will settle down," he said.
Ganguly hoped his team would win most of the matches in the first week to gain the much-needed momentum in the race for the semi-final spots.
There was a fitness concern over speedster Ajit Agarkar and it will be known, on Friday, whether he can play, Ganguly said. "Yes, there's a fitness issue over Ajit. We will deal with it tomorrow," he said.
The former national skipper was full of praise for the role of Pakistan great Wasim Akram in working with his team's bowling department. Asked about the impact the ex-Pakistan captain had on his team he said, "Great impact".
"He's working with the bowlers. Our bowling department is very well looked after. Hopefully we can get some runs on the board," he said.
Elaborating he said, "We have lot of good quicks in our team who can actually go and play for India at some stage. Ishant (Sharma) is already playing for India. (Ashok) Dinda has played a game. He's in the reckoning.
"We got Varun Aaron. Once he's fit and once we get him on the park, he bowls (at) nearly 90 miles an hour. He's a bright prospect," he remarked.
Ganguly was non-committal about opening the innings, saying there were other contenders too.
"We will see. We have other contenders We will try and get the best combination on the park.
He said T20 was mostly about execution and hoped his team would do it well. "This game is all about execution, it's 10 per cent planning and 90 per cent execution and hopefully we will do that properly."
"He's working with the bowlers. Our bowling department is very well looked after. Hopefully we can get some runs on the board," he said.
Elaborating he said, "We have lot of good quicks in our team who can actually go and play for India at some stage. Ishant (Sharma) is already playing for India. (Ashok) Dinda has played a game. He's in the reckoning.
"We got Varun Aaron. Once he's fit and once we get him on the park, he bowls (at) nearly 90 miles an hour. He's a bright prospect," he remarked.
Ganguly was non-committal about opening the innings, saying there were other contenders too.
"We will see. We have other contenders We will try and get the best combination on the park.
He said T20 was mostly about execution and hoped his team would do it well. "This game is all about execution, it's 10 per cent planning and 90 per cent execution and hopefully we will do that properly."
Ganguly did not see any problem in getting motivated to play in IPL after having quit international cricket more than a year ago.
"It may not be a tournament of countries but you have so many international players trying to do well. It's a very competitive tournament and the performances here get noted. Motivation is not an issue," he said.
The former India skipper welcomed Afghanistan's entry through the qualifying rounds into the World T20 Championship in the West Indies but wanted them as well as Bangladesh and Zimbabwe to concentrate in becoming good Test teams.
"It's good they (Afghanistan) have qualified for World Cup, but I would like to see Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe become strong Test sides because that's the best form of the game.
"This (T20) is also an equally good form of the game but I would be more happy to see all those three teams become very good Test teams," he said.
Team coach Dav Whatmore saw IPL as challenge for himself. "It (challenge) ranks up there with everything else. It's a totally different ball game from other forms of the game. That's another format of the game you like to be successful in as a player or coach," he commented.
"It may not be a tournament of countries but you have so many international players trying to do well. It's a very competitive tournament and the performances here get noted. Motivation is not an issue," he said.
The former India skipper welcomed Afghanistan's entry through the qualifying rounds into the World T20 Championship in the West Indies but wanted them as well as Bangladesh and Zimbabwe to concentrate in becoming good Test teams.
"It's good they (Afghanistan) have qualified for World Cup, but I would like to see Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe become strong Test sides because that's the best form of the game.
"This (T20) is also an equally good form of the game but I would be more happy to see all those three teams become very good Test teams," he said.
Team coach Dav Whatmore saw IPL as challenge for himself. "It (challenge) ranks up there with everything else. It's a totally different ball game from other forms of the game. That's another format of the game you like to be successful in as a player or coach," he commented.
India 'close friend' but Pak 'conjoined twin', says Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: In a delicate balancing act, President Hamid Karzai on Thursday described India as a "close friend" while referring to Pakistan and Afghanistan as "conjoined twins."
In remarks apparently aimed at assuaging Pakistan's concerns about the Indian presence in Afghanistan, Karzai said his country would never allow its soil to be used for activities directed against any of its neighbours.
"India is a close friend of Afghanistan but Pakistan is a twin brother of Afghanistan. We are more than twins, we are conjoined twins. There is no separation, there cannot be a separation," he said in response to a question during a joint news conference with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
At the same time, Karzai, who was here on a two-day visit, made it clear that India and Afghanistan have "very close friendly relations."
Noting that he had provided details of the cooperation between the two countries to Gilani, Karzai said: "India has gone out of its way to help Afghanistan with reconstruction and to offer Afghan youth education in India."
In remarks apparently aimed at assuaging Pakistan's concerns about the Indian presence in Afghanistan, Karzai said his country would never allow its soil to be used for activities directed against any of its neighbours.
"India is a close friend of Afghanistan but Pakistan is a twin brother of Afghanistan. We are more than twins, we are conjoined twins. There is no separation, there cannot be a separation," he said in response to a question during a joint news conference with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
At the same time, Karzai, who was here on a two-day visit, made it clear that India and Afghanistan have "very close friendly relations."
Noting that he had provided details of the cooperation between the two countries to Gilani, Karzai said: "India has gone out of its way to help Afghanistan with reconstruction and to offer Afghan youth education in India."
"Afghanistan will not allow its territory to be used against any one of our neighbours, in particular against Pakistan. And we hope the same will reflect towards Afghanistan that Pakistani territory will not be used against Afghanistan," Karzai said.
Pakistan's top leadership, including Gilani and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, have often spoken of concerns related to India's presence in Afghanistan.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik has alleged that Indian elements were directing terror attacks on Pakistan from Afghanistan.
However, Karzai said Afghanistan would act "if there is any information of any country, not only India, using Afghan territory against a neighbour."
He also said Pakistan should be aware that there cannot be peace and stability within its territory "without a stable and peaceful Afghanistan."
"The bottom line is that Afghanistan does not want any proxy wars on its territory. It does not want a proxy war between India and Pakistan (or) between Iran and the US.
"It does not want any big or small country, neighbour or far, to engage in any activity against another nation in Afghanistan," Karzai said.
In response to a question, Gilani acknowledged that he and Karzai had discussed Afghanistan's demand for the handing over of senior Afghan-Taliban leaders recently arrested in Pakistan, including Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the deputy of Taliban chief Mullah Muhammad Omar
Pakistan's top leadership, including Gilani and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, have often spoken of concerns related to India's presence in Afghanistan.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik has alleged that Indian elements were directing terror attacks on Pakistan from Afghanistan.
However, Karzai said Afghanistan would act "if there is any information of any country, not only India, using Afghan territory against a neighbour."
He also said Pakistan should be aware that there cannot be peace and stability within its territory "without a stable and peaceful Afghanistan."
"The bottom line is that Afghanistan does not want any proxy wars on its territory. It does not want a proxy war between India and Pakistan (or) between Iran and the US.
"It does not want any big or small country, neighbour or far, to engage in any activity against another nation in Afghanistan," Karzai said.
In response to a question, Gilani acknowledged that he and Karzai had discussed Afghanistan's demand for the handing over of senior Afghan-Taliban leaders recently arrested in Pakistan, including Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the deputy of Taliban chief Mullah Muhammad Omar
Gilani said Pakistan is yet to decide on Afghanistan's demand. "We have our own judiciary and they are quite active. We are looking into the (matter) and consulting legal experts too. We will sit with them and discuss about it and get back to (Karzai)," Gilani said.
Pakistan's offer to train the Afghan army and police was discussed during the Afghan President's meeting with his counterpart Asif Ali Zardari yesterday, Karzai said.
"There were a range of offers made to Afghanistan, some of which are new to us, some of which our Defence Minister already had information about. We will continue to talk about these issues," he said.
Karzai said Afghanistan had accepted some of Pakistan's offers for military cooperation, including the "supply of ammunition and some equipment."
He said there would be more detailed discussions between the two governments on "further steps."
The Afghan President, who was visiting Pakistan for the first time since his re-election, said while replying to a question on the reconciliation process in his country that the "Taliban are really a factor in the whole of the region."
The Taliban's role in the process of reintegration and reconciliation in Afghanistan was discussed with the Pakistani leadership, Karzai said.
The two sides also discussed the "extremely significant role" of Saudi Arabia in this process, he said.
Pakistan's offer to train the Afghan army and police was discussed during the Afghan President's meeting with his counterpart Asif Ali Zardari yesterday, Karzai said.
"There were a range of offers made to Afghanistan, some of which are new to us, some of which our Defence Minister already had information about. We will continue to talk about these issues," he said.
Karzai said Afghanistan had accepted some of Pakistan's offers for military cooperation, including the "supply of ammunition and some equipment."
He said there would be more detailed discussions between the two governments on "further steps."
The Afghan President, who was visiting Pakistan for the first time since his re-election, said while replying to a question on the reconciliation process in his country that the "Taliban are really a factor in the whole of the region."
The Taliban's role in the process of reintegration and reconciliation in Afghanistan was discussed with the Pakistani leadership, Karzai said.
The two sides also discussed the "extremely significant role" of Saudi Arabia in this process, he said.
Karzai said he had informed the Pakistani leaders about the details of Afghanistan's request to Saudi Arabia to "participate in facilitating peace and stability" in the country and the region.
Besides Zardari and Gilani, Karzai met the powerful army chief, Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani
Besides Zardari and Gilani, Karzai met the powerful army chief, Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani
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