PAKISTAN ALL SET TO RELEASE RAYMOND DAVIS?

Pakistan likely to release Davis soon: Report

WASHINGTON: Double murder-accused US diplomat Raymond Davis, who is currently under Pakistani police detention, may be released soon, officials have indicated. Two Pakistani officials in the United States told a foreign news agency that they expect Davis to be free in days, once the court goes over the documents submitted by US officials to prove his diplomatic status, Fox News reported on Saturday.

US officials say the accused US consulate worker in Lahore acted in self-defence in shooting and killing two armed Pakistani men, who approached him on the street after robbing someone else.

Publicly, Pakistani officials have avoided giving definitive statements on whether Davis qualifies for diplomatic immunity, saying that his fate is up to the court.

But the Pakistani officials who spoke to the news agency said that their government had to let the case proceed until the US produced the necessary documents on Davis’’ status. Pakistani Police believes that the evidence supported Davis’’ story, they added.

Davis was arrested soon after the January 27 shootings, and made a brief appearance in court on Thursday, while his next appearance is set for February 11. Besides the two men who were shot dead, a bystander was killed when an American car rushing to the scene to help Davis struck him.

MONA LISA IS A MALE: Italian Research

Appearances are deceptive!

ROME — Italian researchers who specialise in resolving art mysteries said Wednesday they have discovered the disputed identity of the model for Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa -- and claimed he was a man.

Silvano Vinceti, chairman of the Italian national committee for cultural heritage, said the Florence-born Renaissance artist's male apprentice and possible lover Salai was the main inspiration for the picture.

However his claim was immediately disputed by experts at the Louvre in Paris, where the painting is on display.

Salai, real name Gian Giacomo Caprotti, an effeminate young artist who worked with da Vinci for 25 years, is thought to have served as a model and muse for several of his paintings. The pair had an "ambiguous" relationship and were probably lovers, Vinceti said.

Comparisons between the facial characteristics of figures from several of da Vinci's works -- such as "St. John the Baptist" and the "Angel Incarnate" -- reveal striking similarities with the Mona Lisa's nose and mouth, he said. "There are remarkable similarities," Vinceti told reporters.

What is more, Vinceti said da Vinci had left clues to the model's identity in tiny letters L and S which he and his team found painted into the eyes of the Mona Lisa.

"Close examination of a high-quality digital copy of the portrait had revealed an L for Leonardo and an S for Salai," he said. But Vinceti's claims have been disputed by the Louvre museum.

The museum said it had carried out "every possible laboratory test possible" on the picture in 2004 and then again in 2009, and insisted that "no inscriptions, letters or numbers, were discovered during the tests."

"The ageing of the painting on wood has caused a great number of cracks to appear in the paint, which have caused a number of shapes to appear that have often been subject to over-interpretation," the Louvre told AFP.

The museum also said Vinceti's had made his claims without having had access to the painting itself.

The Italian aficionado, whose team gained notoriety with their claims surrounding the death of Caravaggio last year, said he felt sorry for the embarrassment the museum must feel on having missed the clues all these years.

"I can understand their incredulity and amazement -- after all this must be the most studied picture on earth," he told AFP, but added "they're really blind." "They have to be serious and accept that they didn't see what was right in front of their eyes," he said.

In order to clear up any lingering doubt over his theory -- worthy of Dan Brown's 2003 bestseller the "Da Vinci Code" -- Vinceti said he would be willing to take his team to France and collaborate on further tests with the Louvre.

"We're ready to go to Paris and extract a tiny bit of paint from the numbers and see whether they match the rest of the painting, to see if they were done at the same time or are marks that have appeared over time," he said.

Whether the prestigious art museum will take Vinceti up on his offer is yet to be seen.

AFP

END OF AN ARTIST PAR EXCELLENCE- KHAYYAM SARHADI

By Mahtab Bashir
Islamabad
mahtabbashir@gmail.com
0333 53 63 248

I am no more a couch potato neither impressed by any performer on tube but he was the one I always adore since my childhood- as he is truly a versatile in every role he played. Khayyam Sarhadi- one of my all time favourite artist par excellence leaves this world.

This veteran TV, film, stage actor and Presidential Award holder versatile artist Pakistan has ever produced, Khayyam Sarhadi died of cardiac arrest during picturisation of a TV play here in Lahore on Thursday (February 3). He was 70.

His daughter said that he suffered the heart attack during the shooting of a drama, and was pronounced dead in a hospital.

Sarhadi started his career from theatre and later joined Pakistan Radio but he got fame from number of TV plays like Waris, Anokha Ladla and Manchaly Ka Soda. The actor also performed in three movies including Dakoo and Bobby but he left the film industry.

Son of pre-partition film producer and lyricist Zia Sarhadi, Khayyam Sarhadi acted in a number of popular PTV dramas like Man Chale Ka Sauda, Sooraj Key Saath Saath and Deep Se Deep Jale.

Since he was educated in England, he could not read Urdu and had to get his dialogues rendered in Roman.

He first married television actress Atiya Sharaf and then film actress Saiqa. His daughter Zille Sarhadi is an actress and model.

His father was a progressive person who produced three films, Hum Loag, Footpath and Awaz, before the partition. He also wrote lyrics for films like Lal Haveli, Jugnu and Anokha Pyar.

The actor is survived by two widows and three daughters.

ZARDARI TIES THE KNOT WITH ZAMANI?

CUPID STRIKES AHEAD OF V'DAY?

President of Pakistan Mr. Asif Ali Zardari (widower of Benazir Bhutto) just updated his status to ‘JUST MARRIED’. According to Muslim Shiyat Bylaws, Asif Ali Zardari tied the knot to Tanveer Zamani in Dubai recently. However, there was no official ceremony or announcement for this marriage, so far.

The weeding took place in Dubai last week. However the marriage religious vows, paper work and prenuptials have been confirmed. Nine black goats, 6 cows and 1 camel was sacrificed at this sacred occasion.

This happened 3 years after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. She is a Mediterranean descent American resident, and she lives in Gramercy Park, Manhattan, New York.

Zamani is a practicing physician and known to be a Bhutto party loyalist. She earned PhD degree in International Politics from UK. She owns estates in London, Dubai, Islamabad and Manhattan.

Zamani is a known Democrat and supported Obama’s 2008 election campaign. She actively participated in Obama’s Health Care reform bill to make it a law. Recently, she has been prohibited to attend the public political meetings due to her security issues. Pres. Zardari in a meeting with Obama on 1/14/11 in DC, requested his help in acquiring security for Zamani.

It has been claimed that Zardari is among the four richest men in Pakistan. It has been noticed that with the advent of Zamani in his life for the last 8 months, he has changed a lot. He seemed to find refuge in trusting her loyalty to him more than the party. The couple might have faced many domestic, social and political issues before they decided to turn this long distance, under cover- relationship into a life time partnership.

Many media analyst are still trying to find an evidence. They wonder what is behind this marriage; Love, political move or Wealth. The event was supposed to be an undisclosed sentinel secret, but it is released through a fashion designer company by a UAE news agency.

Tanveer Zamani Profile:
Tanveer Zamani is a Mediterranean descent American resident, and she lives in Gramercy Park, Manhattan, New York. Zamani is a practicing physician and known to be a Bhutto party loyalist. Tanveer Zamani earned PhD degree in International Politics from UK. Tanveer Zamani owns estates in London, Dubai, Islamabad and Manhattan. Zamani is a known Democrat and supported Obama’s 2008 election campaign. Tanveer Zamani actively participated in Obama’s Health Care reform bill to make it a law. Recently, Tanveer Zamani has been prohibited to attend the public political meetings due to security issues. President Asif Ali Zardari in a meeting with Obama on 1/14/11 in DC, requested his help in acquiring security for Zamani.

Asif Ali Zardari Profile:
Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in December 2007. Zardari became the Chairman of the PPP (Pakistan People Party). It has been said that Zardari is among the four richest men in Pakistan. In the 1988 elections, Bhutto became Prime Minister, and Zardari became a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan. Zardari’s opponents began to use his nickname, “Mr 10%”, in reference to the charges of corruption against Zardari. Asif Zardari served in Jail from 1990 -1993 and 1997-2004.

Zardari seemed to have found refuge in trusting Zamani’s loyalty to him more than the PPP. The couple might have faced many domestic, social and political issues before they decided to turn this long distance, under cover- relationship into a life time partnership. It has been said that he needs a loyal partner in his life who could support him spiritually, physically and financially at his worse times. To choose a life partner might be a difficult decision for him before meeting Zamani, but she made it an easy shot to play since she seems not someone who would marry him for his assets and power. President Zardari made a good deal to marry an American citizen, since next time he would not go to a prison. He will be pulled out by her to Manhattan. It is presumed that the couple will officially announce the marriage at the end of his political Presidency term. Obviously which is not until after the next elections.

Will the party or Zardari loose a lot of popularity he cashed after the death of his ex-wife? Or Zamani will give him a new fame, name, and a life with the happiness that he never found in his last relation? His children Bakhtawar , Bilawal and Aseefa must understand the needs of their father who after taking care of their mother’s party has already proven his Loyalty to Bhuttos. Now, its their turn to let him move on with Zamani and spend in Manhattan a life he deserves.

RAYMOND DAVIS CASE: LEGAL PROCESS & PUBLIC PASSION

If there is one truth that the Raymond Davis affair has driven home it is that in Pakistan, sovereignty is a sham. The entire episode stinks of the impunity with which the US does as it pleases on our soil. That Raymond Davis shot two Pakistani youths, Faizan and Faheem — whether they were dacoits or not has yet to be proved — in an act that he terms as “self-defence” was shocking enough, but for the US to insist that the man be set free because of claimed ‘diplomatic immunity’ flies in the face of the facts, justice and fair play.

Reports are proliferating that Mr Davis was not just any routine embassy or consul official. Raymond Davis has been called many things. Washington calls him a ‘diplomat’ but there are reports suggesting that he was a private security officer. News reports have also shown evidence to suggest that he was not travelling with a diplomatic visa, that he had been booted out of Pakistan a year ago because of dubious activities and there were even some claims from Washington that his name was not Raymond Davis at all! That means, at the very least, that he had entered and left Pakistan repeatedly during the past year on a false passport. Now, under this cloak of ambiguity, lies a challenge to Pakistan’s much touted sovereignty.

The reports mentioned above suggest that Raymond Davis was an undercover operative and the circumstances surrounding the shooting show that he was also a trained one. After shooting the two boys with sniper-like precision, Davis asked for a back-up car, which then proceeded to kill a third man in a hit-and-run accident. The whereabouts of the driver and passengers of that car remain unknown and US embassy officials refuse to hand over any information or the vehicle. Washington is issuing statements almost daily about how Raymond Davis’s actions are covered by diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention, and that they expect him to be released and handed over to them. Meanwhile the Lahore High Court (LHC) has restrained the government from handing him over to the US and has directed that Davis’s name be put on the Exit Control List. This move by the LHC ought to silence the opposition, who were creating quite a ruckus about the likelihood of a ‘secret’ deal between the government and the US to hand Davis over. Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has said that the case will proceed according to the law of the land. The resignation of Punjab Deputy Prosecutor General Rana Bakhtiar became inevitable after he was removed from the sensitive case for statements to the media.

Diplomats, particularly those from the US, have been riding roughshod over our laws and citizens for a long time now. From traffic accidents, parking misdemeanours and blatant disregard for the lives and safety of the average Pakistani, embassy officials have been implicated in some rather messy matters but have been let off the hook simply because the immunity provided to them, literally, saved their skins. Such antics have served to make a mockery of the dignity, honour and respect that the host country deserves. Now that Raymond Davis, whether acting in self-defence or not, has got the blood of two Pakistani citizens on his hands, it has become clear how foreign diplomats and embassy staff view us. This murder has given the many anti-democratic forces and anti-US elements out there a reason to come out onto the streets and berate the government for not protecting Pakistan’s sovereignty. It is not too late for the government to turn over a new leaf and act in defence of the independence and sovereignty of Pakistan. As seems increasingly likely, if investigations indicate that Mr Davis does not have diplomatic cover, he must be tried and convicted according to the laws of Pakistan. This state-endorsed impunity that has emboldened US officials to commit daylight murder must end.

GIVE US AAFIA- TAKE AWAY DAVIS

By Mahtab Bashir

Islamabad

mahtabbashir@gmail.com

It is a time ripe enough for government of Pakistan to capitalize the arrest of Raymond Davis to that of Dr Aafia Siddiqui- a bubble is being created and of many in Pakistan are already have sent their voices to US categorically ‘Give us AAFIA and take away DAVIS’- based upon an ancient ‘Barter System’. Lets see weather ruling class stick to their words or being pressurized and surrenders against the time tested friendship of USA. Wait and see!

President Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday (Feb 1) that the courts should decide the fate of a US government employee, who is under investigation for double murder, after US lawmakers pressed for his release.

Six representatives of the US Congress asked Zardari to free Raymond Davis, who was arrested after killing two motorcyclists in broad daylight on the streets of Lahore, in what the American said was self-defence.

“It would be prudent to wait for the legal course to be completed,” Zardari’s office quoted him as saying during the meeting, which the US embassy said was planned before last week’s killings.

President’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar said that while the president “appreciated” the congressmen’s concern “the matter was already before the courts”.

The US embassy in Islamabad has requested Davis’ immediate release, claiming diplomatic immunity on his behalf.

Babar said the president told the delegation that people needed priority attention and assistance to overcome financial difficulties and urged it to use its influence to secure market access and trade for the country. Later, the US Congressional delegation called on Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani at the PM’s House in the afternoon.

Gilani said the US must quicken the pace of disbursement of its economic assistance for the development projects not only in the affected areas but throughout the country to help the government sustain the momentum and retain the support of the masses in fight against terrorism.

The prime minister termed the US assistance as pivotal for the success in war against terror. Gilani said he expected that the US would not discriminate among the South Asian countries and Pakistan would be treated at par with its neighbour, particularly in the field of nuclear energy cooperation.

The US Embassy in Pakistan has already called “for the immediate release of a US diplomat unlawfully detained by authorities in Lahore” who “has a US diplomatic passport and Pakistani visa valid until June 2012”, according to a US Embassy press release. Pakistani authorities have so far refused to entertain this request. “This matter is sub judice in a court of law and the legal process should be respected,” said Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abdul Basit. PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif also told US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter that the matter of American national Raymond Davis was sub judice and “this sad incident has caused deep sorrow and grief to the entire nation”. Ambassador Munter rang up Mr Sharif to express regret over the death of three Pakistanis who lost their lives in Lahore recently.

The events leading up to Mr Davis’ arrest are shrouded in mystery. Mr Davis has been charged with double murder and taken into custody. He claims that he shot the two armed men in self-defence when they confronted him. It has since been revealed that both men were shot from behind, which makes the self-defence plea untenable. Pakistani authorities claim that Mr Davis was on a visit visa, hence he cannot get diplomatic immunity. The White House maintains that ‘Raymond Davis’ is not his real name. US State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said, “We have not released the identity of our employee at this point.” Some reports indicate that Mr Davis runs Hyperion Protective Consultants, LLC, a company that provides “loss and risk management professionals”. It is still not clear in what capacity Mr Davis was working for the US Consulate in Lahore, given the fact that not only was he armed but a well trained shooter as well. This seems to be the latest and the most current avatar of ‘the ugly American’. Instead of cooperating with the authorities, the US administration is pressurising the Pakistani government to release Mr Davis. Anti-American sentiment is already rife in Pakistan. By asking the Pakistani state to let Mr Davis leave the country without a proper court hearing, the Americans are not doing their already hated image much good. The right-wing forces are busy exploiting this incident to further their own vested interests. The PPP government has a tough task at hand. It is the only government to have built a consensus in favour of the war on terror by owning this war and asking the people to cooperate as it is a war for our own survival. If Mr Davis is released without due process, those who continue to term it as the US’s war will take advantage of the situation. Instead of going around in circles, the US should come clean on Mr Davis’s real identity and his position at the US Consulate.

The US must realise that Pakistan is its frontline ally in the war against terror but that does not mean it can allow American nationals to violate the law of the land. If indeed Mr Davis acted in self-defence, the investigations will uncover that and the court of law will then make a judgement accordingly. Bilateral relations between the two countries have seen their ups and downs over the years. Cooperation from Pakistan may be lacking in some areas but arm-twisting measures by the US do not help the situation on the ground. Both countries should handle this incident with extreme care and let the law of the land prevail.

WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN, Mr. Mubarak

By Mahtab Bashir
Islamabad
mahtabbashir@gmail.com

All the old paintings on the tombs
They do the sand dance don't you know
If they move too quick (oh whey oh)
They're falling down like a domino

All the bazaar men by the Nile
They got the money on a bet
Gold crocodiles (oh whey oh)
They snap their teeth on your cigarette

All the cops in the donut shop say
Ay oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh
Walk like an Egyptian
Walk like an Egyptian

I remember my childhood kicks off listening this hip hop single by ‘Bangles’ in mid 80’s, didn’t know at that time even the ‘Bangles’ are referring it to Hosni Mubarak to walk like the other Egyptians and foget his own gait.

"Walk Like an Egyptian" is a number-one hit from the album Different Light by The Bangles in 1986. The opening lyrics state, "All the old paintings on the tombs/They do the sand dance don't you know". The reference to the sand dance possibly refers to a music hall routine performed by Wilson, Keppel and Betty where Wilson and Keppel danced around in the postures portrayed on the reliefs wearing the fez while Betty watched. I used to listen this song with a good dance beat since I took my senses. The song is the first song by an all-female group playing their own instruments to top the Billboard singles chart.[3] The success of the song and "Manic Monday" propelled Different Light to number two on the Billboard 200 chart, making it the group's most successful album.

“As long as there is in my chest a heart that beats and I draw breath”, that is how long Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak vowed to continue ruling the land of the Nile in a 2006 declaration to the Egyptian Parliament. However, the massive uprising that is the largest in the three decades of his rule, inspired by and following in the footsteps of the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia, looks set to prove the 81-year-old president wrong. Since January 25, youth from all walks of life in Egypt have been rallying against a system that has for too long given them nothing but unemployment, crippling price hikes, corrupt governance and police brutality to make it clear to Mubarak — and the world — that they are no longer prepared to put up with a dictatorship that has been seeking to inculcate a political dynasty through anointing Mubarak’s son as his successor (the son has fled in the face of the protests to London, complete with bag, baggage and family).

Hosni Mubarak has been President since 1981, taking over after President Anwar El Sadat was assassinated. He had continually been re-elected to office in 1987, 1993 and 1999 in largely controversial elections as no one could really run as a candidate against the president. In 2005, a highly biased referendum was held in which Mubarak was once again re-elected. Although still clinging to power, rumours started buzzing that the ailing president was grooming his son, Gamal Mubarak to take over. For the people of Egypt — where 40 percent of the population lives on less than two dollars a day — to have a son of leisure and privilege represent them without their approval was perhaps finally too much to swallow. Emboldened by the successful ouster of Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Egypt’s protesters, it seems, will not rest until they have rid themselves of a despot president.

So far, some 75 people have been killed and some 1,000 arrested in protests all over Egypt. On Wednesday, when the government saw the situation getting radically out of control, curfew was imposed and gatherings of more than five people were officially banned. The army was ordered in and the police rampaged with tear gas and water cannon. What started off as a peaceful demonstration of youth dissent quickly turned into an all out revolt by Friday. The government has sealed off most internet and media access inside the country. The headquarters of the National Democratic Party in Cairo were set on fire by the protesters on Friday after which President Mubarak, in a late night televised address, dissolved his government in an attempt to pacify the crowds. He has still not hinted at stepping down and the people seem inclined to settle for nothing less.

As can be seen in much of the Arab world, the US has always sided with rulers who serve its agenda best. Pumped up with some $ 2 billion in military and economic aid annually, Mubarak was the US’s trump card to keep the ‘Islamists’ away from power — the Muslim Brotherhood is perceived by the West as Egypt’s biggest Islamist threat — and keep Egypt within the fold of Arab states who have made peace with Israel. Throughout the Arab world, the US has aligned itself with despots who refuse to vacate power, making a mockery of the ‘democracy’ it otherwise advocates so fiercely. Even now, President Obama is urging “democratic reforms” in Egypt but not the ouster of an unpopular president, while at the same time withholding $ 1.5 billion in military aid, perhaps as a signal to the Egyptian generals to intervene if they want the money.

Considering the momentum of events and the unrelenting protests on the streets, it looks like President Mubarak’s days are numbered. With the Muslim Brotherhood remaining silent so far, it is yet to be seen what character this impending change will take. Any regime changes in Tunisia and possibly in Egypt will set the tone for whatever comes next in the Arab world. The entire world watches and waits.