THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 12 November 2006 — Pakistan yesterday offered visas without hassles to the relatives of people of Indian origin who have migrated to Pakistan to visit their relatives, raising hopes of some 250 Pak citizens in Kerala who live here as foreigners in the twilight of their life. “This is a problem being faced by not only Kerala but other parts as well. Most of the people from Kerala settled in Karachi are poor anglers,” Pakistan High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan told Malayalam television Manorama News. “As far as the Pak citizens in Kerala are concerned, it’s up to the government here to take a decision,” he said. “People to people contacts have increased and as far as Pakistan is concerned, we facilitate as much as we can so that people of Indian nationality can go and visit their loved ones who are living in Pakistan. Similarly the same thing should be from the other way round,” he said. On combating terrorism, he said Pakistan will seek help from all countries, including India, in its fight against terrorism. “I think terrorism is a test for the entire international community. Everybody is responsible to play a role and we have been playing our role very responsibly and we have earned a lot of appreciation from all countries of the world as far as combating terrorism is concerned and our record speaks for itself,” he said adding India and Pakistan should engage in meaningful co-operation instead of “putting people on spot”. Meanwhile, police yesterday detained a Pak citizen in Thrissur with “suspected terror links”.
Mammootty Gets Notice
Kerala superstar and four-time national award winner Mammootty has received a show-cause notice from Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA) to explain why he should not be banned for appearing on a television program violating norms. The industry’s apex body had banned lead actors from appearing on television and telecasting their stage shows on television within 12 months saying they pose a threat to the industry. But Mammootty appeared on Surya TV’s half-an-hour musical program Melody on Eid Al-Fitr day in which he presented popular songs. Popular comedian Jagadish got the boot for appearing on a stage show in Muscat on Oct. 25. KFPA President Milan Jaleel said he had written to all members not to cast Jagadish as he had defied several warnings. Both Mammootty and Jagadish are leading lights of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) which agreed to these clauses to end a long stalemate two years back. The film stars need to sign an agreement with the producer of a film stating clearly that they would not participate in any stage shows by private television channels. The actors’ remuneration would also be mentioned in the agreement.
Crucial By-Election Battle
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), which leads the ruling coalition and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the key ally of the opposition Congress party, are locked in a fierce battle for Thiruvambady constituency where a by-election was necessitated by the death of CPI-M legislator Mathai Chacko. The outcome is crucial for rival fronts since it is considered as the first test of popularity after the Left Democratic Front (LDF) came to power five months ago on an anti-incumbency wave. The constituency, once a United Democratic Front (UDF) bastion, went the LDF way for the first time when Chacko wrested the seat by a margin of more than 5,000 votes in the April-May elections. Chacko, who took oath of office from his hospital bed, died of cancer last month and the LDF hopes to cash in on the sympathy for the departed leader while UDF pins its hope on the growing disenchantment of minorities with the new government.
Police Officers Shunted Out
Two Kerala police officers, who were in charge of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s security during his last month’s visit when his driver motored down a wrong street, were removed from their posts yesterday. Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan announced the action against P. Chandrashekhar, inspector general in charge of security, and Manoj Abraham, the city police commissioner. A sub-inspector, P. Balachandran, was suspended on Oct. 31 itself after the security lapse embarrassed the authorities. The prime minister was being driven from the airport to Raj Bhavan, the governor’s residence, when the driver of the pilot vehicle took a wrong turn, bringing the convoy to a halt and causing a rare security breach.
Manmohan Asked to Save Saddam
Chief Minister Achuthanandan has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to pressure the US and its “puppet government” in Iraq to revoke its decision of hanging former dictator Saddam Hussein. In a letter to Manmohan, he said India had always stood for peace and nonalignment movement and it commands huge respect as the world’s biggest democracy. So it should intervene in the issue, an official communiqué said here quoting the chief minister. Terming the occupation of Iraq by the US forces as “an aggression on a sovereign country”, the veteran communist said India’s appeal had been well received by other nations.
Air Kerala Project Still On
Board of the Cochin International Airport Limited has decided to put pressure on the federal government to get its budget airline project, Air Kerala, cleared. Though a subsidiary for operating low-cost flights for blue collar Kerala workers in the Gulf was floated two years ago, it failed to take off as the aviation authorities refused to waive two conditions—a fleet of 25 aircraft and at least five years’ domestic flying experience—to operate international flights. Achuthanandan, who is also chairman in his capacity as chief minister of the state that is the single largest shareholder of the company, which operates India’s first corporate airport, will meet the prime minister to press his demand. CIAL announced its plans to operate chartered flight services in association with the Kerala Tourism and an aircraft maintenance hangar.
