Pakistan to Push Ahead with Defence Co-operation

Announcing a fresh US$ 31 million package of military assistance to Sri Lanka, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Inamul Haq said in Islamabad yesterday that his country would push ahead with defense cooperation to Sri Lanka, notwithstanding objections from India, though not made formally, or concerns expressed privately.

"We will continue to assist Sri Lanka to fight LTTE terrorism despite India's "unofficial objections" or "private concerns" because no third country has a right to place limitations on an independent and sovereign nation", he told the visiting seven-member Sri Lankan Media delegation which called on him in the Pakistani capital yesterday morning.

He said that the Pakistani government earlier provided a US$ 50 million defense package to Sri Lanka and will continue to help the island nation to crush terrorism. "No third country can object to this because both Sri Lanka and Pakistan are independent countries battling the scourge of terrorism"

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Muslim congress is now with the opposition

Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Rauf Hakeem and another three SLMC MPs resigned from their ministerial portfolios and crossed over to the opposition benches in parliament today.

The three MPs were Hassan Ali, Bazeer Segudawood and Faizer Cassim. Meanwhile, the government says it still has the support of a majority of SLMC MPs.

Ten members of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress were elected to parliament at the last general elections held on April 2004, and of them only four MPs remained with the SLMC and those four MPs including its leader Rauff Hakeem crossed over to opposition today.

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Govt does not approve attack on undergrads - Jeyaraj

Chief Government Whip Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle yesterday told Parliament that the Government does not approve the assault on university students who participated in a demonstration in Colombo on Monday.

The Minister responding to a statement by JVP MP Wimal Weerawansa said: "As Ministers we will never approve this incident which had taken place on International Human Rights Day. This is a move taken by police."

Following a request by the Minister, the JVP agreed to conduct a discussion on the Sabaragamuwa University issue at the Parliament complex last afternoon. Weerawansa making a special statement in Parliament said when International Human Rights Day was celebrated on December 10, police assaulted and arrested 10 university students participating in a demonstration in Colombo the same day.

The students had conducted this demonstration regarding a crisis in the Sabaragamuwa University.

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http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/12/12/pol01.asp