Atmar briefed Jaishankar about the situation in the war-torn country amid growing security concerns over the Taliban fighters rapidly seizing control of a large number of areas, forcing many countries to scale down their presence there.
Haneef, who was detained after being wrongly accused of having links to the failed Glasglow bombing attempt in 2007, on Tuesday struck a deal with the government for receiving 'substantial' compensation over the bungled case after two days of negotiation
The family of Dr Mohammad Haneef, who was declared innocent after being wrongfully confined on terror charges in Australia, is elated. When contacted, His family members in Bengaluru said that they were elated with the decision of the Australian government. They expressed hope that Dr Haneef would now start leading a normal life.The doctor, who hails from Bengaluru, was wrongfully accused of being involved in the Glasgow terror plot.
Australia's former Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews remains defiant in the face of a lawsuit filed by Mohammad Haneef and defends the cancelling of the Indian doctor's visa in a bungled terror probe, contending that he acted upon the advice of his department and the police.
Australian Federal Police chief Mick Keelty and Attorney-General Robert McClelland discussed ways to establish closer cooperation in terrorism investigations, anti-radicalisation programmes and the Haneef case. The meeting came close on the heels of an AFP statement that the probe into Haneef's case, that had cost the force a whopping US$ 7 million, was still continuing, with nine officers working full time. A judicial inquiry into the investigation will start soon.
In a major relief for Indian doctor Mohammad Haneef, who was wrongly accused on terror charges in Australia, the country's police dropped its probe into the case on Friday. "At the present time, there is insufficient evidence to institute proceedings against Dr Haneef for any criminal offence," said Australian Federal Police in a statement. "The AFP has concluded its active inquiries, although some overseas inquiries are yet to be fully resolved," it added.
After the Clarke inquiry into the bungled case of Haneef held its first public hearing on Wednesday, Queensland Law Council president Megan Mahon told the daily that two protections commonly given to royal commissions indemnity against defamation and self-incrimination -- were not given to Clarke, exposing witnesses to civil action. Mahon said that in the absence of those protections, many lawyers would advise their clients not to co-operate.
Indian doctor Mohammad Haneef, who was detained in Australia in connection with the failed London bombings, was today cleared by a special inquiry which said he was 'wrongly charged' in the case, prompting the government to admit that lapses occurred in the handling of the episode.
Attorney General Robert McClelland confirmed that the government would consider any requests from the inquiry to subpoena witnesses, including former Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews. It was also likely that the Indian doctor would be part of the inquiry, The Australian quoted him as saying. The inquiry would examine how authorities handled the case against Dr Haneef, who was held in jail for 25 days on suspicion of being linked to a car bomb plot in London and Glasgow.
Linking the expenditure on media watch with the failed terror case against Haneef that grabbed headlines, Metcalfe told the hearing, "I would note that there was quite a significant level of expenditure across the months of August, September, October and November. Haneef's case was considered by the minister in July and he remained a significant issue for a period thereafter."
Haneef, who was working in Gold Coast Hospital in Australia, returned to India in July last year after being cleared of terror charges in the botched Glasgow airport suicide attack in the UK. The Australian government withdrew all the charges and restored his visa a few days ago.
Mohammad Haneef, who was cleared of terrorism charges in Australia, will decide on returning to Austalia next week, family sources told rediff.com.
The Australia federal court upheld a judge's decision to reinstate the work visa of the Indian doctor who was wrongly accused of links to the failed British terror plot five months ago and forced to leave the country.
The defence team of Indian doctor Mohammad Haneef, who was wrongly accused of terror charges in Australia, has sought more powers for the inquiry probing the failed case against him, after its head said much of the evidence presented to him cannot be made public. Haneef's lawyer Rod Hodgson said the Kevin Rudd government had promised a full judicial inquiry, but the one being conducted was not transparent.
The truth behind the bungled case of Indian doctor Mohammad Haneef, wrongly accused on terror charges in Australia, may never come to light as the head of a government-ordered inquiry said on Monday that much of the sensitive evidence before it cannot be made public as it could harm diplomatic ties with the United Kingdom.
Firdous told reporters in Bangalore that she had contacted the Indian Embassy who in turn had provided her with the information.
Andrews had cancelled Haneef's visa 11 days ago, on the day an Australian court granted him bail.
It may be recalled that after the Madrid blasts of March 2004, the Madrid police had detained two or three Gujarati traders of Madrid because some SIM cards recovered by the police during their investigation had been bought from these traders.
The 28-year-old medic wants to resume his studies at a Queensland hospital, but his lawyer Peter Russo would not advise him to return while the Australian Federal Police maintained it was continuing the investigations.
Doctor Mohammad Haneef, who was exonerated of terror charges in connection with the failed United Kingdom car bombings, has expressed hope that the Australian government would compensate him for the damages caused to him as he was wrongly implicated in the case. "I would be very grateful if they look into this aspect, some of the damages that authorities have done to me previously. I'm very hopeful of this," he said
"I want to return to Australia and fight for my visa. I want the Immigration minister to come forward and make things clear," he said.
The decision was handed down in Melbourne while Haneef's legal team watched via video link in Brisbane.
'God has been cruel on us. One hand he gave me all the joy while on the other he snatched it all away,' Haneef's mother said.
A special aircraft of the Indian Air Force was sent on Saturday to bring back the Indian diplomats, officials and other staff members including a group of Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel.
Contradicting Asif's claim, the office of the Afghan National Security Adviser Mohammad Haneef Atmar issued a statement saying there was no mention or reference of India or an Indian citizen during his meeting with the Pakistani foreign minister on September 21 in New York.
Abbasi will run the government until Sharif's brother Shehbaz is elected as member of parliament