Criticism doesn’t weaken institutions: Nawaz Sharif

ISLAMABAD: PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif has said that criticism doesn’t weaken institutions but latter can be strengthen through reforms.
He expressed these views in a meeting with Pakistan Ex-Serviceman Association (PESA) delegation here at Punjab House.
Mian Nawaz Sharif and PESA agreed that Pakistan is under attack from within and outside and we need to find solutions quickly.
PESA delegation was led by Admiral (R) Fasih Bukhari which met with Mian Nawaz Sharif along with selected PML-N parliamentarians to discuss the critical situation faced by Pakistan arising in the back drop of the Abbottabad and PNS Mehran raids scenario and crises which has resulted there off.
Participants emphasized and dilated on various subjects in the discussion. It was mutually agreed that if we all continue to identify ourselves with different ideals, our adversaries and enemies shall continue to manipulate us on all issues.
Air Marshal (r) Masood Akhtar presented a Suggested National Security Policy for Pakistan. PML-N panel showed keen interest in the proposed definition of Common Identity, National Purpose and Vital National Interests for the nation.
It was agreed that no war can be won and no peace can be made without a clear national consensus on these values. The presentation also derived a Suggested Counter-Insurgency and a Counter-Terrorism Policy for the current complex crises that Pakistan faces.
Mian Nawaz Sharif took keen interest in the consequent debate and it was decided that a group of two to three members from both sides would be formed to brainstorm and crystallise these crucial ideas for securing the nation. It was hoped that other like-minded parties and stake holders from the government, opposition, media, bench and civil society will join PML-N and PESA to strengthen this initiative.

Heads of agencies will be responsible for target killing in uniform

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Human Rights has condemned the killing of innocent civilians at the hands of security agencies, Geo News reported.
The committee met under the chairmanship of Riaz Fatyana who said that the heads of the agencies would be held responsible if their officials committed target killings while in uniform.
The committee has also directed IGP Balochistan to provide security to police surgeon Dr. Baqir Shah, Journalist Jamal Tarakai and the driver of the foreigners.
The fact finding report on the Kharotabad incident was presented by Faranaz Ispahani. Faranaz said that officials could not submit substantial proof and the foreigners killed were innocent. She added that the foreigners were not wearing suicide vests and were on their way to Mashad from Ziarat.

Armed men storm hospital in Karachi

KARACHI: It took police over an hour to control the firing at a private hospital located on Stadium road, Geo News reported.
According to the police firing at Liaquat National hospital started when people injured during armed clashes between student groups at Urdu university were admitted to the hospital. Those who brought the injured to the hospital started firing creating chaos.
Patients, doctors and the medical staff were severally distressed. The culprits opened heavy fire outside the emergency ward and OPT which created panic amongst the people.
According to the eye witnesses the culprits had also changed the direction of CCTV cameras. When the police managed to enter the hospital, the culprits had already fled from the scene and no arrests were made.

Balochistan doctors threaten to shut hospitals

QUETTA: The Young Doctors Association (YDA) and PMA Balochistan have declared that government and private hospitals in the province will be closed for indefinite period following the manhandling and arrests of doctors by the police on Tuesday, Geo News reported. The YDA said if the arrested doctors were not released and the concerned policemen were not held, then they would also close the emergency wards of hospitals from Wednesday. The call came after police used aerial firing and tear gas to prevent members of the YDA from staging a sit-in protest outside the Chief Minister’s House. According to the YDA, 20 doctors were injured, while 100 others were arrested.

19 killed in Karachi violence

KARACHI: The death toll from Karachi violence has reached 19 during the last 24 hours, Geo News reported,
Today, unidentified armed men shot dead three, including two children in Qasba colony, while six others were injured in different areas because of firing and violence.
The situation is improving following armed clashes between groups in Orangi, Banaras, Qasba, Ali Garh and nearby places.
Situation in Orangi Town is improving following the clashes with public transport seen on roads, shops and petrol pumps are open whereas extra police contingent has been deployed to control law and order situation.
Meanwhile, clash between two student groups in Urdu University Gulshan-e-Iqbal left a policeman and two students injured.

SHC suspends exemption notification for Sindh Bank

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) has suspended notification that grants special exemption to the Sindh Bank from the Sindh Public Procurement Act and issued notices to Chief Secretary Sindh and the bank for June 28, Geo News reported.
The two-member bench comprises Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi was hearing the constitutional petition filed by Transparency International (TI).
TI has challenged the notification issued on the directives of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah. The notification grants special exemption to the Sindh Bank from the Sindh Public Procurement Act.

Govt, opposition pursuing US agenda: Rashid

LAHORE: Awami Muslim League Chief Sheikh Rashid Monday alleged that both the government and opposition were engaged in furthering a US agenda, Geo News reported.
“The Government is advancing the US agenda through its policies while the opposition is pursuing it by maligning the intelligence agencies,” Sheikh Rashid said in his address on the occasion of the inauguration of his party’s office in Allama Iqbal Town.
He said the government and opposition were engaged in politics of personal interests and not of reconciliation as being projected.
The AML Chief said both the major parties of the country came up with their respective ‘election budgets’, because both have no interest whatsoever in people’s welfare.
“If N-League is really serious in playing the role of opposition, it should resign from the assemblies by June 30 and seek people’s mandate,” he remarked.
He said Pakistan today faced greater internal threat rather than external.

Firing was cause of foreigners death: Police Surgeon

QUETTA: The police surgeon who conducted the post mortem on the foreigners killed during the Kharotabad tragedy told the inquiry tribunal that they were killed due to firing by police and FC officials, Geo News reported.
Dr. Baqir Shah told the tribunal that 21 bullets were extracted from the bodies of the five forefingers. Till date, 26 individuals including Director FIA Shakeel Durrani have had their statements recorded.
The inquiry tribunal is headed by judge of Balochistan High Court (BHC), Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar and is investigating the May 17 incident which led to the death of five foreigners.

Youth killing: Police get 15-day remand of Rangers

KARACHI: Six Ranger personnel and seven others involved in the extrajudicial killing of a young man in Karachi have been remanded into police custody for 15 days, Geo News reported.
In related developments Attorney General of Pakistan Maulvi Anwar-ul-Haq said Monday, that the government would not file an appeal against the Supreme Court’s orders to remove IGP and DG Rangers Sindh from their posts in three days. He said that the orders of the Supreme Court would be upheld.
The young man Sarfaraz Shah was killed by Rangers personnel in Karachi on Wednesday. The accused in the case are being tried in an anti-terrorism court and if convicted could face life in prison or the death penalty.

Rehman says Govt-JUI alliance will continue

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik Monday said Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) is a government’s coalition partner in Balochistan and added that this alliance will continue in future too, Geo News reported.
Rehman Malik said this during his meeting with Opposition Leader in the Senate and JUI (F) leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Hyderi here.
Both the leaders had an exchange of views law and order situation in some parts of Balochistan besides ways to end loadshedding and issues of local peasants.
The Interior Minister, on the occasion, announced establishment of a passport office in Qalat area of Balochistan.

Arabian Sea low pressure intensifies, rains likely by evening

KARACHI: The low pressure in the Arabian Sea has intensified again and the probable sea storm may trigger strong winds by Sunday evening in the coastal areas. According to the Metrological Department (Met) fishermen have been advised to refrain from sailing into the open sea on Sunday and Monday.
On the other hand, the mercury in Punjab and Khyber Pakthunkhwa declined after several cities received showers.
The Met Department said that Thatta, Badin and some coastal areas of Karachi were likely to witness rains with strong winds by Sunday evening, as the low pressure 560 kilometers southeast of Karachi had again intensified.
Most of the cities in Sindh province were still in the grip of a heat wave, while in areas of Khyber Pakthunkhwa including Swat, Mansehra and Mardan the intense hot weather had somewhat mellowed down following Saturday’s showers.
In Punjab, Faisalabad and Bhawalpur witnessed strong winds overnight, while the mercury in Islamabad, Lahore, Sargodha and Gujranawala decreased after rains on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, the Met office said that different towns and cities of Punjab were likely to receive rains with strong winds
In Balochistan, Naseerabad, Jafferabad, Sibi and other towns were experiencing intense heat, according to the Met Department.

BB had US support, clearance: President Zardari/Wikileaks

KARACHI: According to whistleblower Wikileaks, a cable of the US Ambassador dated January 28, 2008 stated that Asif Ali Zardari described the US as “our safety blanket”. He recounted how Benazir Bhutto had returned despite the threats against her because of support and clearance from the US.
Zardari acknowledged that he had believed that the closer he got to General Kayani, the more Kayani would be weakened.
Wikileaks spilled the beans from one of the statements made by Khyber Pakthunkhwa Chief Minister, Amir Haider Khan Hoti. US Counsel Principal Officer in Peshawar Tracy’s cable dated April 30, 2009 sent to Washington said that Amir Haider Khan Hoti has appreciated the drone attacks, but he (Hoti) also said that he could never support it in public.
Lahore US Counsel Principal Officer Brian Hunt said that former Governor Punjab, Salman Taseer flayed Shahbaz Sharif’s government. In a cable dated December 31, 2008, Brian Hunt wrote that Salman Taseer was of the view that Shahbaz Sharif’s government was highly heart burning. “Shahbaz Sharif is hard working, but just like my gardener. Brian Hunt in a memo dated February 7, 2009 wrote that Salman Taseer had nothing to do with the lawyers’ long march and he was getting ready to celebrate Basant and would see whether the people give importance to the long march or choose to party for Basant.

Kharotabad incident: Driver says his statement was coerced

QUETTA: The driver of the foreigners killed in the Kharotabad incident said Sunday that his statement to the inquiry tribunal was not correct and he was forced by the police to make this statement, Geo News reported.
The driver Atta Mohammed said this during proceedings of the fact-finding mission chaired by the Prime Minister's Advisor on Human Rights Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar. In his earlier statement the driver had said that arms and explosives were recovered from the luggage of the foreigners. He added that the police had told him that if he made this statement he would be promoted otherwise he would be at risk.
On May 17, five foreigners were killed by Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel and police in the Kharotabad suburb of Quetta. They were alleged to be in possession of explosives and wearing suicide jackets.
Terming the killing of five Chechens in Akhrotabad, Quetta, last month as inhuman, the NA Standing Committee on Human Rights, on June 08, formed a fact-finding committee and directed it to submit its report within two weeks.
The committee set up a five-member fact-finding mission headed by Advisor to the Prime Minister on Human Rights Mustafa Nawaz Khokar and Kishwar Zehra, Farah Naz Asfahani, Raheela Baloch and Araish Kumar as its members.

Youth’s killing: Rangers men to be tried under ATA

KARACHI: On the orders of the Supreme Court, section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) have been included in the case against Rangers personnel involved in the extrajudicial killing of a young man in Karachi, Geo News reported.
Section 7 of the ATA says whoever commits an act of terrorism whereby the death of any person is caused, shall be punishable, on conviction, with death or with imprisonment for life, and with a fine.
Supreme Court appointed investigation officer, DIG West Sultan Khawaja recorded statements of eyewitnesses on Sunday at the Boat Basin police station. During this time the families of the victim were also present at the police station.
While talking to the reporter the police officer said that accounts of four witnesses have been recorded and the probe team would submit the challan within seven days.
While replying to a question regarding pressure from Rangers the investigation officer replied 'no comments'. He pointed out that some points have been added to the FIR but refused to provide dtails.
The young man Sarfaraz Shah was killed in broad daylight by Rangers in the Clifton locality of Karachi on Wednesday. The entire incident was recorded and shown on news channels. Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on Friday directed the government to remove IGP and DG Rangers Sindh from their posts.

Kharotabad case: Tajik mother breaks down at painful sight

QUETTA: The parents of Tajik national who was killed in Kharotabad incident arrived in Quetta today and witnessed the body their son, Geo News reported.

Heart-wrenching scenes were witnessed, as the painful sight of the son’s body was much more than her heart could endure and she could not stop herself from breaking down.

PPP had offered Chattha CMship of Punjab

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had offered the slot of chief minister Punjab to Hamid Nasir Chattha with an aim to win his support for getting Asif Ali Zardari elected as President, said a US Embassy cable leaked by WikiLeaks on Saturday.
The cable also discloses that MQM had been promised to get three-four important federal ministries for supporting Zardari’s name for the post of Pakistan President.
The secret US Embassy cable sent to Washington on August 27, 2008 highlights how PPP was involved in political scheming to get Zardari elected on President’s post.
PPP deputy secretary general Sheikh Mansoor in a meeting with US Charge d’Affairs Jerry Feierstein on August 27, 2008 admitted that his party leadership, including those serving in government, would not focus on the extremist threat or other pressing issues until its Co-Chair Asif Zardari was elected Pakistan’s president on September 6.
Party members were busy securing deals with factions of the Pakistan Muslim League, Karachi’s Muttahida Quami Movement, and religious party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam.
Mansoor revealed that, if Zardari becomes president, as expected, party management will pass to his sister, parliamentarian Faryal Talpur, to serve as “executor” for Bilawal (Zardari and Bhutto’s son).
Mansoor recognized that Zardari would have to make good on his promise to the Army to grant former President Pervez Musharraf immunity, but said such a bill would be presented to the National Assembly only after Zardari became president. Lastly, Mansoor claimed that the PPP’s plan to gradually reinstate the deposed judges, minus former Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, was working, with eight judges returning to the Sindh High Court and possibly a couple of Supreme Court justices also agreeing to the “re-appointment”.

Geo News receives footage of Upper Dir attack

KARACHI: Geo News has received footage of the attack by Afghan militants on a Pakistani security check post in Upper Dir on June 1. The attack on the check post resulted in the death of 28 security forces personnel and 75 Afghan militants. The Afghan militants had gained controlled of the check post and clashes with security forces lasted for over one week.

The militants set fire to eight schools and at least eight civilians were killed during the clashes. Upper Dir is now completely under the control of security forces.

On Saturday during a press conference with Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said that if the involvement of Afghan national was proven in the Upper Dir and Bajaur clashes then the government and people of Afghanistan would be responsible for launching an investigation against them.

Petrol shortage continues in Lahore

LAHORE: A week on the petrol shortage continues in Lahore, Geo News reported. Many petrol stations in the city remain closed and those which are open are witnessing long lines.

Petrol station owners complain that they are not receiving petrol from oil companies. Residents of the city are also calling on the government to take notice of those vendors who are selling petrol at inflated prices.

Sindh Cabinet approves budget for 2011-12

KARACHI: Sindh Cabinet has granted approval to the provincial budget for the fiscal year 2011-12.
The meeting of Sindh Cabinet was held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah.
Sindh Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah briefed the participants of the meeting about the salient features of Sindh Budget 2011-12
Sindh Information Minister, Sharjeel Memon talking to media after the above meeting claimed that no new tax was imposed in the next year’s budget.
He said budget allocation for provincial security had been raised while support for flood affected people would continue.
In regard to ANP’s non-participation in the meeting, Sharjeel Memon said members of Awami National Party (ANP) had some reservations but hoped that they would attend the budget session.

Punjab announces Rs 655 bn budget

LAHORE: The Punjab Budget for fiscal year 2011-2012 was announced on Friday by Provincial Finance Minister Kamran Michael, Geo News reported.
A scuffle took place as the budget was being announced between opposition and government MPAs. The total outlay of the budget was Rs. 655 billion out of which Rs. 220 billion have been allocated for development programmes.
The budget also includes Rs 19 billion in foreign aid. The 2011-2012 Punjab Budget compared to last year’s saw an increase of Rs. 90 billion. A 15% increase in the salaries of government employees has been allocated in the budget. Rs. 23.90 billion has been allocated for education and Rs. 26.40 billion for health. Rs. 50 billion have been allocated for the Police and maintenance of law and order in the province.