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Strategies & Market Trends : India Coffee House -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JPR who wrote (2623)	8/29/1998 10:52:00 AM
From: Mohan Marette	Respond to of 12475

Pakistan- Getting closer to god! 'morning JPR: Very interesting piece of news, I guess the Chinese bomb is not doing its job,eh? Would be interesting to see what 'god' will have in store for them. From New York Times. Pakistan Premier Proposes an Islamic Society Based on Koran By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif proposed a law Friday to create an Islamic order in Pakistan and establish a legal system based on the Koran. The constitutional amendment was condemned by human rights groups, opposition politicians and constitutional experts. With Sharif controlling a two-thirds majority in Parliament, however, the amendment is likely to pass with little difficulty. The country's opposition, led by former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, said an Islamic state would deepen strife in a country where religiously motivated violence has killed hundreds of people. Civil libertarians accused the embattled Sharif of using Islam to buttress his power. "In the name of Islam, Nawaz Sharif is trying to perpetuate a fascist rule," said Asma Jehangir, a prominent human rights activist and lawyer. In a speech to Parliament, which was carried on national television, Sharif promised a "true Islamic welfare state." He said all laws would be based exclusively on the Koran, the Muslim holy book, as well as the Sunnat, which are writings of Mohammed. "Simple changes in laws are not enough," Sharif said. "I want to implement complete Islamic laws where the Koran and the Sunnat are supreme." Under the amendment, the federal Government would be "obliged" to enforce prayers five times a day and collect annual tithings. The Prime Minister sought to assure minorities -- who make up barely 5 percent of the country's 140 million people -- and women that the new Islamic laws would not violate their rights. His emphasis on education for women appeared to be an attempt to allay concerns that Pakistan's version of Islamic law would be the same as Afghanistan's, where the Taliban rule. But Jehangir warned that militant Muslims will use the new law to impose their brand of Islam. While the current legal system is rooted in British common law, Pakistan already has taken tentative steps toward Islamic rule. Since the late 1970's, for example, there have been laws stipulating that four male witnesses are required for rape prosecutions. The same law also provides the death penalty by stoning for the crime of having sex outside of marriage. "The more Islam is used for political ends, the more it will fuel sectarianism because of Islam's many interpretations," said Naveed Qamar, deputy leader of the opposition and a member of Ms. Bhutto's party. Hundreds of people have been killed in attacks between rival Sunni and Shiite Muslims here. While most Pakistanis are Sunni Muslims who generally get along with their Shiite brethren, there are militant members of both sects who routinely clash. There also were accusations that Sharif was trying to divert attention from serious economic troubles, made worse by sanctions that followed Pakistan's explosion of six nuclear devices in May. The underground explosions were conducted after India exploded five such devices. nytimes.com

To: JPR who wrote (2623)	8/29/1998 10:06:00 PM
From: Mohan Marette	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 12475

'Half of Taliban Soldiers are Pakistanis' reports Janes Defence weekly. JPR: Well get a load of this. timesofindia.com