Pak top brass talks with US to avert attacks

Pak top brass talks with US to avert attacks
Shaiq HussainISLAMABAD - In the backdrop of fierce clashes between the army, paramilitary forces and militants in North Waziristan, Pakistan’s top security brass is engaged in intense negotiations with senior officials in Washington to avert possible US attacks on the restive tribal belt.Strong indications from the US capital suggest growing restlessness among the security cadres over the surge in violence in Pakistan’s tribal belt and the alleged regrouping of Al-Qaeda and Taliban there.The diplomatic circles here believe that the Bush administration was under increased pressure to mount assaults against the Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants in Waziristan from Afghanistan. They said that in such a worrisome scenario, Pakistan was all out in its contacts with the top officials in Bush administration to avert possible military action from the US led allied forces on its soil fearing it would lead to catastrophic repercussions.Sensing the urgency and seriousness of situation, Pakistani security forces on Sunday targeted the militants and killed six Taliban fighters in North Waziristan where the overnight battles left 13 miscreants dead. After the scrapping of North Waziristan peace deal few days back by the militants that Pakistan had reached at with the tribesmen last year, the military and paramilitary forces have been trying their best to control the spiraling violence. A diplomatic source said that Islamabad had been trying to impress upon the Bush administration that any attack on Waziristan or any other tribal area from outside would only add to the militancy in Pakistan.“Pakistani officials have been urging restrain during their interaction with the US. Authorities while telling them that Islamabad’s policy of talks for the revival of North Waziristan peace deal along with the use of force when and where it is required must be given a chance as it would bear fruits,” he said.

Wheat production numbers were manipulated to show higher GDP

Unreliable wheat output figure upsets Minfal
MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN
ISLAMABAD (July 06 2007): The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal) is facing embarrassment due to unreliable wheat output statistics as some of the policy makers are contesting the production figures of 23.5 million tonnes.Business Recorder on Thursday interviewed some government officials and private sector individuals who were unanimous that the actual wheat production was about 21 million tonnes but the government projected it at 23.5 million apparently to show GDP growth of 7.02 per cent in 2006-07."Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, in his speech to the National Economic Council (NEC) on May 31, said that production of wheat was 23.523 million tonnes, the highest ever in the country. "I am a witness to it that last year one million tonne wheat was added in the overall wheat production figures just on telephone call to improve the GDP growth figures," claimed one of the top official on condition of anonymity.He was of the view that this year too the same technique was used to show that GDP growth has surpassed 7 percent, which was earlier projected at 6.5 percent.The sources said that the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet which met a week ago had a heated debate on the wheat prices issue as two of the federal ministers criticised the decision makers especially Minfal and Prices Committee headed by the Prime Minister Advisor on Finance Salman Shah for their failure to take timely action to control wheat and flour prices."Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmad and Minister for Industries and Production, Jahangir Khan Tareen were the main critics of government's slow moving decision on wheat and flour situation," the sources added.The sources said that Agriculture Minister Sikandar Khan Bosan and Dr Ashfaque Hasan Khan, Economic Advisor to the Finance Ministry were angry over the remarks of Sheikh Rashid and Jahangir Tareen. The sources said that Commerce Secretary Asif Shah was also one of the officials who had a tough time in the ECC for not issuing SROs timely and seeking R&D support for leather garments.Dr Ashfaque Hasan Khan informed the journalists last week that the ECC took serious notice of increase in the prices of wheat and wheat flour at a time when Pakistan achieved highest ever production of over 23.5 million tonnes. As regards the stock position, the total stock of wheat with the government as on June 25 was 4.795 million tonnes with the government. In addition the private sector is holding over 2 million tonnes, Ashfaque claimed.