Islamabad: Supreme Court Senior Judge Justice Javed Iqbal termed corruption in the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) a big dacoity in the national history, adding the culprits be taken to task.

The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday exempted Interior Minister Rehman Malik from appearing before the court in person in a contempt of court case and adjourned the hearing for a date in office.

Rehman Malik is facing a contempt of court charge for changing the FIA investigation team, which was probing a Rs 22 billion reported loss to the PSM. A three-member bench of the apex court, comprising Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Muhammad Sair Ali and Justice Tariq Parvez, was hearing a suo moto case regarding corruption of Rs 22 billion in the Pakistan Steel Mills.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik requested the court to exempt him from appearing in person before the court. He stated that his decision to replace the then director general, FIA, Tariq Pervaiz Khosa, as head of the investigation team was not mala fide.

The interior minister, however, said he would leave everything to the court if any misunderstandings emerged.The court observed that PSM’s former chairman Moeen Aftab Sheikh alone could not be held responsible for the massive corruption in the concern.

Justice Javed Iqbal termed the corruption in the PSM a big dacoity in national history, adding that the culprits be taken to task. Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan told the court that it was difficult for the interior minister to appear before the court in person as he had a very busy schedule. He requested the court to exempt him from attending the court. The court accepted the request.

- Staff Reporter

Islamabad: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday said with the government’s commitment, important economic targets within a period of two years had been achieved and the economy was back on the path of stability and progress.

In his opening remarks while chairing the meeting of Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet (ECC) at Prime Minister Secretariat, Gilani said the foreign exchange reserves were at a respectable level, while workers remittances had shown impressive growth and revenue collection with prominent improvement.

The Prime Minister also observed that the investors’ confidence was improving and manufacturing had started picking up.

He further said ECC decisions reflect the true aspirations of democratically elected government for the welfare of people and poverty alleviation.

Gilani acknowledged the services of Shaukat Tareen both as Finance Minister and Chairman of ECC for conducting meetings in judicious manners and taking a number of prudent economic decisions.

He said the ECC was the highest and the most important forum for economic decision making, which had direct impact not only on economy but also on the quality of life of common man.

The Prime Minister said that he introduced the system of obtaining endorsement of the Cabinet to all decisions of the ECC with a view to provide broad-based ownership to these decisions and then decided to bring these decisions to the Cabinet for information and discussion.

He wished to continue the practice of bringing ECC decisions before the Cabinet for information.

The Prime Minister opined that there was a need to find a good balance in decision making at this forum, both from the political as well as from the economic and financial perspective, keeping in view the resources and increased expenditure requirement due to war on terror and settlement of IDPs.

He observed that these decisions must reflect the true aspirations of the democratically elected government for the welfare of the people and poverty alleviation.

Expressing his satisfaction, the Prime Minister said the government had taken a number of bold decisions with political commitment, which had directly impacted people at large.

He mentioned that the government’s subsidy of Rs. 3 billion through Utility Store Corporation on the occasion of Eids, the price control on sugar, intervention price mechanism on wheat and rice have resulted into people welfare and have recorded impressive growth in the agriculture sector reducing poverty from the rural areas.

The Prime Minister urged the members of the ECC to ensure smooth and effective implementation of decision made here and in the Cabinet.

He assured that all decisions will be taken in the best national interest and for the greater benefit of the common man.

- Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has accepted the resignation tendered by Shaukat Fayaz Ahmed Tarin, Minister for Finance, Revenue, Statistics Planning and Development from the office of Federal Minister.

Federal Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen

According to a notification of the Cabinet Division, the President has accepted the resignation of Shaukat Tarin from the office of the Federal Minister, under clause (3) of Article 92 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan w.e.f February 28, 2010.

- Staff Reporter

Islamabad: Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani on Tuesday granted a one-year extension in service to Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha – making him the fourth such beneficiary in recent months, according to official sources.

Director General Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Lieutenant General Shuja Pasha

According to Military Sources that General Kayani has given extension to ISI chief after taking the political leadership into confidence on the matter.

The service period of Inter Services Intelligence chief Lieutenant General Ahmed Shuja Pasha will have to end on March 18, 2010 but now after getting one year extension he will serve in the armed forces till March 18, 2011.

Lt-Gen Pasha is the fourth three-star general, who has been granted extension in the recent times under the plea described in so many words as compulsion for the sake of national security.

- Staff Reporter

Lahore: Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed has launched a movement against what he called ‘Indian designs to obstruct flow of rivers towards Pakistan’.

Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed

A new body “Movement for Saving Water Resources of Pakistan” has been established by JDP with the sole aim of lodging protest against “Indian water aggression”.

“India is in the process of constructing several dams on Chenab, Jehlum and Indus rivers in a bid to completely stop flow of water towards Pakistan,” Hafiz Muhammad Saeed told The News here on Sunday. He said this act has catastrophic outcome for an agrarian country like Pakistan.

Ameer Jamatud Dawah Prof Hafiz Muhammad Saeed addressed the rally. Hundreds of Jamatud Dawah workers participated in the rally with tractors from Nasir Bagh, which culminated in front of Punjab Assembly.

The farmer wing of Jamatud Dawah Pakistan also held the ‘Water Rally’ in provincial capital to protest construction of Indian dams on Pakistani rivers in Held Kashmir.

Farmers from different parts of the country participated in the rally with hundreds of tractors and demanded that government must take practical steps to secure Pakistani water.

Haifz Saeed said India by constructing illegal dams and diverting water of Pakistani rivers has imposed war on Pakistan and government should prepare the masses to counter this hostility.

Saeed said that by constructing illegal dams and diverting water of Pakistani rivers, India has virtually imposed war on Pakistan. He demanded of the government to prepare the nation to counter this aggression. “The government must take practical steps to secure Pakistani water,” he stressed.

He said that due to water shortage, not only cultivation of crops would be impossible but drinking water would not be available to Pakistanis. “It is a matter of life and death for Pakistan”, he said.

He alleged that India is setting up terrorist camps in Afghanistan in the name of diplomacy. Saeed asked the Pakistani rulers to hold dialogue with India on equal level.

Hafiz Saeed said that Jamaatud Dawa has no link with Mumbai attacks and attack on Indian Parliament.

- Staff Reporter

Karachi: Sialkot Stallions retained the Pakistan National Twenty20 Cup by beating Faisalabad Wolves by five wickets at the jam packed National Stadium in Karachi.

Sialkot Stallions celebrating after winning the Pakistan National Twenty20 Title

A luminary battled was witnessed by record number of spectators at the stadium, which exceeded the original capacity of 35,000 with thousands other were choked outside the ground.

It was a the perfect start by Stallions after been asked to bowl first as Mohammad Asif dislodged man in form Asif Hussain on the second ball of the day with Abdul Razzaq snapped Mohammad Salman in his first over to dent Wolves.

Opener Mohammad Hafeez who scored hundred against Lahore Lions in semi final, was again in a sound mood, stood tall in seek of another runs’ feast but it was not the ideal case as Stallions were too strong to deal with.

Although Wolves never looked in control throughout the innings only defied with couple of steady cameo but before they get fluent, Stallions revert back strongly to dispatch it. As Khurram Shahzad drove back to Abdur Rehman who dabbed smartly to impel the ball back onto the non-striker’s to reduce Hafeez from the crease. Rehman hit back in the same over to pin down Shahzad, trapped lbw for 6 off 13 balls.

Skipper Misbah ul Haq thereafter had a enticement stand with Shahid Nazir to help the side to pile up a respective total to fight on but skipper failed to clear the mid-wicket boundary to be caught Shahid Yousaf off Sarfaraz Ahmed after adding nearly run-a-ball of 27.

With the departure of Misbah, the hopes got down and Rana Naveed ul Hasan further broke Mohammad Talha’s timber who bashed the third and final six of Wolves innings, and Saeed Ajmal (5) run out on the concluding ball of the innings to reduce the Wolves at 109 for 9 in 20 overs.

Stallions off to a lively purse as Imran Nazir cracked a dashing cover drive for boundary and and a six off the opening two balls by Talha but another big drive straight to cover fielder concluded his three-ball cameo. Mansoor Amjad was the next man back in hut after a expensive mix-up in the middle to be ran out for six-ball duck.

Rana, bucked up with his all round performance so far, knocked 27 off 21 balls and captain Shoaib Malik who edged back to wicket-keeper, fell in quick succession but Abdul Razzaq smacked four consecutive fours off Talha regain the authority for Stallions.

Asad Ali returned for his second spell to dismiss Razzaq but the damage was not that serious as Stallions needed another 16 runs off 32 balls. The only threat came from the spectators as some one from the general stand threw some bottles, the incident obligate Wolves skipper to take his team off the field but the matter was sorted out in due course. Thenceforth, Adeel Malik (14 not out) brother of Shoaib along with Shahid Yousaf (21 not out) secured the way through to victory to maintain their domination in last five years.

- Staff Reporter

Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Syed Munawwar Hasan has cautioned that the US-led war on terror seems not to end in the foreseeable future as Washington is working to extend it from the FATA and the NWFP to Punjab, Karachi and Quetta.

Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Syed Munawwar Hasan

Addressing a country-wide training workshop of JI office-bearers from the central, provincial and district levels at Mansoora on Saturday, he said if Pakistanis did not understand and stand up against the US designs, the future of the country might be very bleak.

After Iraq and Afghanistan, h said, the US would have to leave the country in a humiliating manner. He said America was happy to have brought Pakistani people and the army against each other. He said the balance sheet of military operations issued by the army showed that there were losses on both the sides.

In the FATA, innocent women and children were becoming target of the drone attacks and military operation and properties of the people were being destroyed. More than 10,000 security personnel and over 21,000 civilians had been killed in the ongoing war to please America but still Washington doubted Islamabad’s sincerity and was pressing for ëdo moreí. The drones were now flying over Chaman and Quetta and there was every possibility that they would attack Karachi in search of the so-called Taliban.

Pakistan incurred losses worth 50 billion dollars in the American war but Washington and the so-called ëFriends of Pakistaní had not paid even a penny so far, he said. He accused the ISPR of spreading disinformation, saying its press releases were irresponsible and false statements.

He said if JI leader Haroon ur Rasheed was a terrorist, every citizen was a terrorist, since the whole nation was opposed to the military operations for the sake of the US agenda. He said JI’s ëGo, America Goí campaign aimed at exposing the real US face and ending its interference in the country would be stepped up in future.

He said the present government had failed both on internal and external fronts. Its economic policies were designed by the IMF which had deprived the masses of basic necessities of life. He said two years were enough to introduce policy change but the rulers were only interested in increasing their wealth through corruption, looting and plunder.

JI naib ameer Ch. Aslam Saleemi, secretary general Liaquat Baloch, deputy secretary general Farid Piracha, provincial chiefs Prof. Muhammad Ibrahim, Dr Syed Waseem Akhtar, Asadullah Bhutto and Abdul Mateen Akhundzada also addressed the opening session of the meeting which would continue till Sunday (today).

- Staff Reporter

Jhelum: The captors of a kidnapped 5-year-old British boy included someone who was close to the family, Pakistan’s Interior Minister said Sunday.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik

“There is someone who is very close to the family because the way the situation happened; the way the entry was made,” Minister Rehman Malik said.

Malik, who spoke to reporters after meeting the boy’s father in the Pakistani town of Jhelum, said authorities were close to finding the kidnappers.

“We have certain leads which we would not like to disclose, but I have a warning to those who abducted the boy: leave the boy because we are very near to you,” he said.

The boy, Sahil Saeed, is of Pakistani descent.

He was on the last day of a two-week vacation in Pakistan before he planned to return home to Oldham in northern England.
punjab
Gunmen barged into Sahil’s grandmother’s home in the eastern province of Punjab and took him at gunpoint Wednesday.

They have reportedly demanded a ransom of 10 million rupees ($118,000).

- Staff Reporter

Chiniot: A view of the final of dog fighting at Loona More.

A view of the final of dog fighting at Loona More

Lahore: An attractive view of flowers blooming on tree to welcome the spring season.

An attractive view of flowers blooming on tree to welcome the spring season