Dawn – Kohistan bus ambush kills 18

Peshawar, 28 February 2012. Sectarian gunmen ambushed a bus on Tuesday, killing 18 Shia Muslims in a usually peaceful region of northern Pakistan that neighbours the former Taliban stronghold of Swat, officials said.

The bus was stopped, before passengers were ordered off and shot in the mountainous district of Kohistan as it travelled from Rawalpindi to the northern city of Gilgit.

“Armed men hiding on both sides of the road attacked the bus,” local police chief Mohammad Ilyas said.

“Eighteen people have died and eight wounded,” he added. The ambush happened near the town of Harban, 130 miles (208 kilometres) north of the capital Islamabad.

Survivors said seven or eight gunmen stopped the bus, forced the passengers to get off and then opened fire, regional administration chief Khalid Omarzai told AFP by telephone, confirming the casualty numbers.

“It appears to be a sectarian attack,” local MP Abdul Sattar Khan said.

“Its a remote area. We are getting reports that the gunmen forced people to get off the bus. They checked their papers and shot them dead,” he told AFP.

The victims were Shia Muslims, he said. “It could be the outcome of the murder of two Sunni Muslims a few days ago in Gilgit. The people of the area had vowed they would take revenge,” Khan added.

Authorities were slow to confirm the motive and insisted militants are not active in the area.

Kohistan borders the Swat valley, where Pakistan in 2009 managed to put down a two-year Taliban insurgency.

Omarzai told AFP that he could not immediately confirm whether it was a sectarian attack, saying that the police were investigating.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had strongly condemned the Kohistan incident.

The two leaders directed the concerned authorities to ensure best medical treatment for the injured.

Gilani said such incidents could not deter the government’s resolve to fight the menace, while the president said the culprits of such heinous crime would not be spared.

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/28/atleast-18-dead-in-pakistan-bus-ambush-police.html

503.The Man in Blue – Walking in Belgian Limburg

I have decided to return to Southall in July of this year and that makes me want to look back at two activities that I enjoyed very much in the area where I will have lived for two years by the time I move to the UK.

For practical and safety reasons I do not think I want to even try to cycle in the London area. Walking is of course possible in London, and walks along the Thames and the canals belong to my favourites.

But living close to the historic centre of Sint-Truiden and equally close to the countryside makes it easy to go for modest walks in the neighbourhood and longer treks in the countryside, and this is not possible in Southall.

I recently walked and photographed in the Sint-Truiden area, both a longish walk on a sunny and relatively warm day and closer to home on a cold and snowy day. Pictures taken on previous walks are already on my flickr account and the recent ones will appear there after I finally finish posting the many pictures I took during my Christmas and New-year visit to the Netherlands.

Walking and cycling are good for your health and walking is the most natural way to get from a to b.

I have seen wolves walk and wonderful dogs like Irish wolfhounds and compared with those we are clumsy and inefficient. But walking with Nihangs in Panjab showed me that humans can be efficient movers on their two feet. There is a simple law that applies both to walking and cycling: If you want to walk or cycle over any distance you will have to find a constant rhythm to move your legs in.

This does not mean a constant speed because that depends on the road surface and whether you are in a more or less flat or a hilly area. There are some good hills around here but nothing like what you find in the south of Netherlands’ Limburg or in the Belgian Ardennes.

The hills here are not challenging for walkers. The ‘dirt-roads’ offer a more serious obstacle after heavy rains, especially if you like to keep your feet dry.

Walking, just putting one leg before the other again and again has a great calming effect. Even walking through the man-made landscapes of North-West Europe you will after a while start feeling at one with your surroundings.

Guru teaches that God is everywhere, in all creatures and all plants, in rocks, in sand and clay, in the water of the rain (or the hail and snow) and in the water of streams, lakes and canals. And of course apart from the obvious animals like birds (including birds of prey), cattle, horses and donkeys there are also myriads of little ones from the insects down to invisibly small one celled creatures.

The skinny, 6 foot 3 ‘man in blue’ in Guru’s rúp strides through the landscape and feels at one with ‘The One’, the ‘Omnipresent’. But he misses Southall, and he misses his soul-brothers/sisters, and 7 days-a-week kirtan instead of Sunday only !

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622046344528/

The Tribune – Little Punjab dwellers survive on charity & goodwill in UK

London, February 26. Near the Heathrow Airport, underneath a motorway flyover dwells ‘Little Punjab’, a squalid community of illegal immigrants, including Indians, who came here to fulfill their dreams but were reduced to a slum-life, according to a media report.

More than 30 of them, can often be found there, in full view of pedestrians and traffic on the road that passes under the bridge, M4, sending vibrations through to the ground underneath, and less than 20 yards from the nearest houses. They are known as the Bridge Men of Heston.

It’s a breathtaking snapshot of what happens when dreams of forging a better life in Britain turn sour.

A remarkable fact about many of those in “Little Punjab” have been here for nearly two years, without being compelled to leave, and relying mostly on charity and goodwill to stay, the Daily Mail reported.

The police, the UK Border Agency and local authorities have long been aware of the Bridge Men of Little Punjab, which takes its nickname from Southall, widely known as Britain’s Little India.

A community leader was quoted by the daily as saying that the UK government and Indian High Commission was “well aware of the problem”, but added that “Everyone seems to have gone to sleep. No one does anything about it. If they are here legally, help them. If they are not, then help them to get back.”

Although most Bridge Men are thought to be illegal immigrants, some are known to have come to Britain legally with visas which have since expired. (PTI)

Dreams shattered

Known as the Bridge Men of Heston, more than 30 illegal immigrants can often be found near the Heathrow Airport.

The police is long been aware of the Bridge Men of Little Punjab, which takes its nickname from Southall, widely known as Britain’s Little India.

One of them arrived in the UK over one decade ago as a teenager but lost his job and fell out with his family. Now his home is a sleeping bag.

Some find food at the gurdwara that provides meals for up to 1,000 needy people a day. Others simply wander the streets.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120227/main6.htm

The Tribune – Attempt to usurp gurdwara in Pakistan

Islamabad, February 26, An attempt to occupy an 18th-century gurdwara in Pakistan’s Punjab province has been foiled, media reports said today. The police stepped in when a group of five women, who claimed themselves as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) activists, tried to occupy the 18th-century gurdwara in Sori Gali near Ghaa Mandi yesterday.

Their leader and former councillor Romana Safdar Gujari told the police that she had close ties with Nawaz Sharif’s son-in-law. She also claimed that Gurdwara Singh Sabha property had been allotted to her by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) on lease.

She claimed she had a letter from ETPB chief Asif Hashmi in this regard. The PML-N, however, said Gujari was not a member of the party’s women’s wing.

The gurdwara houses a civil defence post. The women were later arrested.

Gurdwara Singh Sabha was constructed during the British rule. Iqbal Qasir, Punjabi Khoj Garh director, told Dawn that the gurdwara was built by local Sikhs without any funds from the Akal Takht. After Partition in 1947, the building was allotted to the Civil Defence Department.

“We condemn all such attempts. I again request the Pakistan Government to hand over all gurdwaras to the committee so that we take care of religious sites with honour and dignity,” Robinder Singh, Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee member, was quoted as saying. Pakistan has several gurdwaras, including Nankana Sahib where Sikh religion founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. Minorities form approximately 4 per cent of Pakistan’s population of nearly 180 million. (Agencies)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120227/punjab.htm#8

The Asian Age – Ship fired 24 rounds: Cops

Kiran Tom Sajan, Age Correspondent With agency inputs

Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram, 27 February 2012. The weapons seized from Italian merchant vessel Enrica Lexie by the Kerala police special investigation team has yielded crucial evidence on the number of rounds fired by the two arrested marines, Latore Massimiliano and Salvatore Girone. Police sources claimed 24 rounds were fired from the vessel, and two of these, it is believed, killed the two fishermen.

The number of rounds was calculated from the number of bullets left in two mounted guns on board. These had 22 and 18 bullets left in them respectively. The police claimed each gun had a capacity to load 32 bullets at a time, which indicates the two had together fired 24 rounds.

“They might have opened fire using these guns, as only these offer binocular vision. It would be difficult to make a headshot from such a distance with a rifle,” said a ballistics expert.

The police seized six other rifles from the four marines on board. The weapons inventory given by the Italians to the police and ustoms authorities showed 32 items — two mounted guns, six rifles, 18 pistols and six bulletproof jackets.

In Thiruvananthapuram, defence minister A.K. Antony said the case was progressing well, and added: “The case will proceed under Indian law.” Later, after visiting the family of one of the slain fishermen in Kollam, the minister said the Centre would take steps to ensure coastal security and the safety of fishermen.

http://www.asianage.com/india/ship-fired-24-rounds-cops-818

Netherlands 23 december till 2 January, Den Haag & Amsterdam

 27 December, Den Haag, Transvaalbuurt, Graskopstraat

27 December, Den Haag, Transvaalbuurt, Graskopstraat

27 December, Den Haag, Transvaalbuurt, Graskopstraat

 27 December, Den Haag, Transvaalbuurt, Viljoenstraat
I do not know what the purpose of this new building is, but I do like its roof !

To see more Belgium and Netherlands public transport pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622685920411/

To see more Belgium and Netherlands gurdwara pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622147381380/

More Belgium / Netherlands pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Passenger safety ‘paramount’; Railways Minister inspects Chandigarh railway station

Sanjay Bumbroo, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 26. Rail commuters, especially travelling in executive class or super fast express trains, would have to pay more as the cash-starved railways is likely to increase fares in the forthcoming Budget.

Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, who made a surprise visit to the local railway station today, said that as the Central Government did not provide adequate funds for modernisation of the railways, his ministry would have to innovate ways to generate more funds for this purpose.

Trivedi said that their main focus was on safety of the passengers and for that they would have to upgrade the infrastructure, including changing of single-track lines into double and double into triple. The Minister, however, did not announce any new trains to or from the city. He said whatever proposals would be, announced in the Budget itself.

The Minister, who flew down from Delhi and inspected various facilities, including telephone, washrooms, cleanliness of platforms and food items being provided to commuters at the railway station, expressed satisfaction at the working of the railway station.

He said authorities had made optimum and prudent use of the funds being provided to them for the upkeep. Lauding the authorities by maintaining the railway station, he said the funds doled out to the railways were limited, but still they managed to put up a good show here.

About providing world-class facilities at the railway station here, Trivedi said that they had constituted a body with representatives from the Rail Land Development Authority and the Indian Railway for making the Chandigarh railway station into a world-class.

Later, accompanied by General Manager, Northern Railways, Raj Shekhar, Senior Commercial Manager, Ambala Division, MM Singh and other technical staff, the Minister inspected the tracks and manned and unmanned level crossings on the Chandigarh-Sangrur track, which covers Mohali, Kharar and New Morinda.

The Minister also made a surprise visit to Sirhind railway station. Accompanied by higher officers, the Minister was accorded welcome. As the news spread, hundreds of residents and representatives of various social organisations rushed to the railway station to give representation to the Minister regarding poor upkeep of the station.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120227/punjab.htm#12

BBC News – Afghan airport hit by Taliban ‘revenge’ car bombing

Monday, 27 February 2012. A Taliban suicide car bomber has killed at least nine people and wounded 10 others in an attack at Jalalabad airport in eastern Afghanistan.

The insurgents said the bombing was in revenge for a Koran-burning incident at a US air base a week ago.

The burning, which the US says was unintentional, has sparked violent protests across the country.

Nato said it had no reports of international forces being among the casualties in Jalalabad.

The airport serves both civilian and international military aircraft. Witnesses reported seeing at least four destroyed cars at the gates.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in an email to media: “This attack is revenge against those soldiers who burned our Koran.”

President Hamid Karzai has appealed for calm amid anger at the incident at Bagram air base near Kabul.

In his televised address on Sunday, Mr Karzai “condemned with the strongest words” the treatment of the Korans but added: “Now that we have shown our feelings it is time to be calm and peaceful.”

Manhunt

More than 30 people have been killed in the past five days, and further violence broke out on Sunday.

A grenade was thrown into a Nato base in northern Kunduz province during a protest, injuring several Nato personnel.

Also on Sunday, some 4,000 people took to the streets in Aybal, in northern Samangan province, attacking a police station and a US base.

Meanwhile, Afghan authorities are still hunting a 25-year-old Afghan policeman believed to have shot dead two senior Nato officers at the interior ministry in Kabul on Saturday.

Afghan officials named the suspect as a police intelligence officer, Abdul Saboor, from Parwan province.

The dead Nato officers are believed to have been American officers.

On Sunday, France and Germany followed the US and Britain in withdrawing civilian staff from Afghan government institutions in the wake of the killings.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17175568

The Tribune – High priests skip Big B issue again; AISSF hands over ‘evidence’ against actor Amitabh Bachchan

Perneet Singh, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 25. The Sikh high priests again did not take up actor Amitabh Bachchan’s letter, pleading innocence in the 1984 riots, during their meeting at the Akal Takht Secretariat here today.

However, the All-India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) handed over “evidence” against Bachchan to the Sikh clergy. AISSF chief Karnail Singh Peermohammed said the “evidence”, including an affidavit and a CD, had been sent to them by California-based Manjit Singh Saini. He claims himself to be an “eyewitness” to the alleged incident in which Bachchan, also known as Big B, was reportedly instigating the crowd against the Sikhs outside the AIIMS in New Delhi on October 31, 1984, the day the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated.

Then, Saini used to live at Kalu Sarai in Hauz Khas, New Delhi, along with his parents and siblings. Peermohammed claimed Saini had sent them the “evidence” in a sealed envelope, which they submitted to the Sikh clergy as it is.

In his affidavit, Saini explained the entire sequence of events as he claimed to have witnessed on and after October 31, 1984.

Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said they had received some documents from Peermohammed and Bibi Jagdish Kaur, a key witness in Sajjan Kumar case, pertaining to the Bachchan issue and they would look into the matter during their next meeting.

Meanwhile, the Sikh clergy pronounced “tankhah” (punishment for religious misconduct) against Prof Sarabjit Singh Dhunda for his objectionable remarks regarding the recitation of “Gurbani” at the Golden Temple. The “tankhah” was pronounced after Dhunda appeared before the clergy to clarify his stand on the controversy. He had also tendered a written apology. The situation was tense when Prof Dhunda arrived at the meeting venue as a large number of Sikh Students Federation (Mehta) activists were present outside. Had he not apologised before the Sikh clergy, the situation could have taken an ugly turn.

There was heavy presence of the SGPC task force, besides cops in civvies, to deal with any untoward situation.

In another move, the Sikh high priests have instructed all gurdwara committees to ensure that only baptised Sikhs should be engaged as “raagis” and “paathis”. The Sikh clergy has also recommended to the SGPC to felicitate marathon man Fauja Singh and Sikh intellectual Saroop Singh Alag. Earlier, the high priests released the amended Nanakshahi (New Year) calendar.

Jathedar pledges eyes

Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh on Saturday pledged his eyes in the presence of representatives of the Eye Donation Association, Hoshiarpur. He has become the second incumbent of the key post to have pledged his eyes. His predecessor Joginder Singh Vedanti had done the same during his stint.

‘All Birs in Bihar safe’

In view of the recent recovery of an ancient ‘bir’ of Guru Granth Sahib from three persons in New Delhi, Takht Sri Patna Sahib Jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh has said that all the “birs” at Takht Sri Patna Sahib were safe and secure.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120226/punjab.htm#1

The Tribune – WHO takes India off polio-endemic list

But warns against importations of virus circulating in Pakistan, Afghanistan & Nigeria

Aditi Tandon, Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 25. Hailing India’s anti-polio efforts, the World Health Organisation (WHO) today took the country off the list of nations with active endemic wild polio virus transmission. That leaves only Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan on the list.

Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad broke the news after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh opened the two-day Polio Summit this morning.

“The WHO has taken India’s name off the list of polio-endemic countries in view of the remarkable progress made during the past year,” Azad said as the PM credited the feat to 23 lakh volunteer vaccinators who work to cover every single child. That led to an unprecedented 99.3 per cent immunisation coverage in the problematic states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar last year.

The PM today hinted at increased public spending on health with the WHO pegging the global deficit for polio eradication at $1.09 billion. “The 12th Plan will be one of health and education. We need to increase public expenditure on health to 2.5 per cent of the GDP,” the PM said.

He, for the first time, stressed on cashless OPD health care in government hospitals as recommended by the Planning Commission’s expert group on Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

“We need to work towards hassle-free and cashless OPD care in public hospitals and accelerate efforts to achieve universal health care for all. Two-thirds of private health care expenditure is on outpatients, diagnostic care and medicines. Insurance schemes mainly target in-patient care. We need to work towards cashless OPD care in public hospitals,” the PM said.

India’s removal from the polio-endemic nation list follows a year of zero infections. The last case, detected on January 13, 2011, involved Rukhsar Khatoon of West Bengal’s Howrah district. The child had never received polio drops.

WHO’s recognition comes with a warning. Assistant Director General, Polio, WHO, Bruce Aylward, who is here for the summit, said India must guard against importation of the virus circulating in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.

“India has a high risk of importation. Till the virus is circulating in other countries, it can return by the same route it went.

China saw an outbreak in October 2011 after 10 polio-free years.

The virus was traced to Pakistan and infected 21 persons aged four months to 53 years. The risk of importation is as significant as the risk of resurgence. We recommend vaccinating everyone who are moving to and fro between endemic countries,” said Dr Aylward.

Pakistan had 198 infections in 2011 and 11 so far in 2012. Afghanistan had 80 cases last year and Nigeria had 27 cases in 2011 and three so far in 2012. By 2011, the world had only four polio-endemic countries but over 40 countries saw importations.

India has come a long way since 1999 when the last wild polio virus 2 was reported globally from UP’s Aligarh district. “That’s what makes today’s accomplishment special,” Aylward said.

The WHO last month declared a public health emergency plan for global eradication of polio. The plan seeks to help Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan reach necessary coverage to stop the transmission of polio virus by the end of 2012 and sustain the anti-polio momentum in Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola which saw outbreaks (lasting over a year) from imported viruses.

Marching ahead

India’s removal from the polio-endemic list follows a year of zero infections. The last case was detected on January 13, 2011 in West Bengal’s Howrah district. Rukhsar Khatoon had never received polio drops.

India has come a long way since 1999 when the last wild polio virus 2 was reported globally from UP’s Aligarh district In 1988, half of the world’s 3.5 lakh children paralysed annually by polio were in India.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120226/main2.htm