Umrah visa ban for Ebola-hit states remains in force : Saudi Official

GNN ISLAMABAD: An official at Saudi Ministry of Health has said that ban on granting Umrah visas to visitors from countries, hit with Ebola virus, is still in place at the start of Umrah season.

He said that the ban comes from various bodies which advised competent agencies not to grant visa if it is found that the country in question is still infected with the virus, Arab news reported.

The official confirmed that no Ebloa case has yet been recorded in the Kingdom since the beginning of the season.

APP

Taliban threatens to burn palaces in Islamabad, Lahore

MIRANSHAH: The Pakistani Taliban on Monday warned foreign firms to leave the country and vowed retaliatory strikes against the government after tanks, ground troops and jets were deployed in a long-awaited offensive in a troubled tribal district.

The warning came as Pakistan´s major cities braced for revenge attacks by ramping up security at key installations and ordering soldiers to patrol the streets, while hospitals in the northwest prepared for incoming casualties.

The offensive on North Waziristan, a stronghold of Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants, was launched a week after a brazen insurgent attack on Pakistan´s main airport in Karachi which left dozens dead and marked the end of a troubled peace process.

Pakistan´s Western allies, particularly the United States, have long demanded an operation in the mountainous territory to flush out groups like the Haqqani network which use the area to target NATO troops in neighbouring Afghanistan. But authorities had held back from a final push -- possibly fearful of angering pro-Pakistan warlords and of opening too many fronts in their decade-long battle against homegrown Islamist insurgents.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) main spokesman Shahidullah Shahid warned foreign countries to stop doing business with the government and supporting their "apostate army". "We warn all foreign investors, airlines and multinational corporations that they should immediately suspend their ongoing matters with Pakistan and prepare to leave Pakistan, otherwise they will be responsible for their own loss," he said in a statement.

"We hold Nawaz Sharif´s government and the Punjabi establishment responsible for the loss of tribal Muslims´ life and property as a result of this operation," he added, vowing to "burn your palaces" in Islamabad and Lahore. The warning came as major cities beefed up their security, with troops seen patrolling the streets of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

"The security of the capital was already on alert, but a new alert has been issued," an Islamabad police spokesman told AFP. Police in Pakistan´s economic hub Karachi have declared a "red alert" and cancelled leave for all 27,000 personnel, spokesman Atiq Shaikh told AFP. And in northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province which borders the tribal zone, the government has declared a state of emergency in all hospitals and asked them to prepare for incoming casualties, provincial health minister Shahram Khan Tarakai said in a statement.

Pakistani air force jets have been pounding suspected militant hideouts in the region since Sunday and have been joined by tanks and infantry engaging in heavy artillery strikes. An AFP reporter in the region´s main town of Miranshah said tanks were now occupying the bazaar as troops fire intermittently in the air to warn people not to leave their homes.

More than 2,000 troops could be seen at new posts set up in the mountains. Pakistan already had troops stationed in the tribal district, but these were reinforced in the days leading up to the offensive.

The death toll from the offensive so far stands at 177, according to the military, the majority through air strikes but some through sniper fire. The figures cannot be verified independently. In the town of Bannu 10 kilometres (6 miles) east of North Wazirstan, hundreds of military trucks with machine guns installed on top were on their way toward the fighting zone, as were oil tankers and a military field hospital.

At the Kashoo Bridge area, some 25 kilometres northeast of Bannu, tractors were busy levelling the ground to set up a camp for internally displaced people (IDPs).

Arshad Khan, Director General Fata Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) said: "We have made arrangements to accomodate IDPs in two camps. "Some 62,000 people have fled the region so far into other parts of Pakistan according to official data, with "hundreds of thousands" eventually expected.

Jhagra sent to London for further treatment on directive of PM

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra on Sunday sent to London for further treatment of the injuries that he had suffered in a traffic accident few months ago, Geo News reported.

 Family sources said that Iqbal Zafar Jhagra was sent to London in an air ambulance on the directive of the prime minister.

It may be recalled that Iqbal Zafar Jhagra a few month ago was on his way back after attending a wedding ceremony in Multan, when his car rammed into a stationary trolley on the road near Doli Shaheed, leaving him and three others on board the car injured.

PSDP allocation is likely at Rs1.175 trn

ISLAMABAD: The government allocation for Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) is likely to be set at Rs1.175 trillion in the upcoming budget.

The Annual Plan Coordination Committee, which will meet under the chairmanship of Ahsan Iqbal, is set to approve the PSDP for the fiscal year 2014-15.

The meeting is expected to approve Rs525 billion for the federal projects and Rs650 billion for the provinces under the PSDP.

Out of the allocation for federal projects, 70 percent will be spent on infrastructure development and 25 percent on social sector development.

The PSDP will be presented for final approval before the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) which is scheduled to meet under the Prime Minister on May 29.

Ban on wheat supply: Potohar region flour millers threaten to launch protest drive

RAWALPINDI: Flour millers of the Potohar region have threatened to launch a protest drive if their loaded trucks were not released by the authorities in Punjab.

At an emergency meeting held in Islamabad on Thursday, representatives of the flour mills said that trucks supplying wheat to flour mills of the Potohar region were being stopped and unloaded at Sargodha, Wazirabad, Jhang and Mianwali, which may cause a flour crisis in the Potohar region.

The Punjab government has clamped a ban on wheat supply to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) from Punjab.

Talking to Tribune, Islamabad Traders’ Action Committee Secretary Information Khalid Chaudhry said that 140 mills were facing an acute shortage of wheat after the trucks were stopped in different cities of Punjab. He said that if the practice persisted, mills in the Potohar region will not be able to supply flour to the market.

He said Punjab and Sindh have produced 2 million tons of wheat beyond their set target. He said that the Punjab Food Department, PASCO and the private sector have sufficient stocks, but an artificial shortage was being created.

Traders Action Committee Chairman Sheikh Muhammad Shabbir said that provincial government instead of stopping trucks supplying wheat to K-P, the provincial government was punishing mills in the Potohar region.

He also condemned the ban on wheat supply to K-P, terming it unjust.

“Punishing the PTI-led government in K-P will add to the peoples’ miseries in the province,” he said.
They demanded that the Punjab chief minister and prime minister intervene and ensure smooth supply of wheat to flour mills in the Potohar region.

(By Our Correspondent) Published in GNN & Tribune, May 23rd, 2014.

Prisoners’ escape: FIA nabs sub-inspector for abetting crime

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested a Punjab police sub inspector for releasing three UK-convicted prisoners from the Central Jail Karachi in 2010 on forged papers drafted by a section officer (law) in the federal interior ministry who was arrested by the FIA last month.

The FIA investigation team is also facing great hardship in tracing the two absconding prisoners due to lack of cooperation of interior and prisons department of the Sindh government, it has been learnt.

Sources privy to the matter in FIA informed the Express Investigation Cell that Sub Inspector Ibrar of Punjab police was arrested by the investigation team of FIA Anti-corruption cell, Islamabad Zone, a few days back due to his involvement in the prisoners’ release case.

As per FIR No- 24/14 registered by FIA Anti-corruption cell on March 28, 2014, three Pakistani citizens Nasir Khan, Asad Habib and Rizwan were convicted by the British government in three different murder and narcotics cases.

Nasir and Rizwan were sentenced to life imprisonment in murder cases on February 21, 2002 and November 8, 2010, respectively, while Asad was convicted for 25 years in a drugs case on August 7, 2004.

The three convicts were later handed over by the British government to the Pakistan government under a prisoner agreement on August 21, 2010, and were sent to the Central Jail Karachi to complete their remaining imprisonment.

Meanwhile, Section officer (Law) Ali Muhammad allegedly forwarded letters to the authorities of Central Jail Karachi in different time periods for the release of said prisoners. As a result, Nasir was released on September 9, 2010, while Rizwan and Asad were released in November, 2010.

In pursuance of such FIR, the FIA Investigation team arrested section officer Ali Muhammad from Islamabad and one of the released prisoners Asad from Karachi.

When contacted, the deputy director FIA Anti-corruption cell, Islamabad zone Jalil Khan has confirmed the arrest of Sub Inspector Ibrar for his involvement in the case.

(By Yaqoob Malik) Published in GNN & Tribune, May 23rd, 2014.

Govt approves allocation for construction of Bhasha, Dasu dams

ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday approved the allocation for construction of 4,500 Mega Watt (MW) Diamer Bhasha Dam, 2,160 MW Dasu Hydro Power Project, construction of a 57 km long stretch of the Faisalabad – Khanewal M-4 Motorway and Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus project.

The decision was taken during a meeting chair by the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to finalise the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) allocation for financial year 2014-15 at PM House.

We have embarked upon the road to progress and the projects initiated by our government will usher our country into an era of prosperity, said Nawaz. He added that these projects will not only create millions of job opportunities in the country but also raise the living standard of our people.

Emphasising on the efficient use of public money, Nawaz told the participants of the each penny in the government’s kitty is a public trust.

The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, MNA Hamza Shahbaz, MNA Capt (retd) Safdar and senior officials of the concerned ministries.

Prime Minister was given a detailed briefing on the PSDP projects included in the next financial year budget.

Nawaz was informed that each project, whether small, medium or large has been evaluated with reference to cost, importance, priority and time frame.

The premier directed authorities to speed up the initiation of work on Lahore- Karachi Motorway. The premier was informed that the work on this project will be started by end of current year.

The meeting also discussed and approved the initiatives of feasibility study for construction of new rail links from Islamabad to Muzaffarabad via Murree, new rail link from Havelian to Pak China Border, feasibility study to connect Gawadar with Karachi through rail.

Feasibility studies for approach roads to New Islamabad International Airport, New Gawadar International Airport project, Jetty and Infrastructure development at Gaddani, Gawadar Port Economic Free Zone project and Pak-China Technical & Vocational Institute at Gawadar and Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park at Lal Sohnra Park Phase-II (600 MW), were also approved.

Internal, external challenges: Civil-military huddle reviews security situation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has extended its full support to Afghan authorities for the second phase of presidential polls but urged them to take urgent steps against repeated cross-border firing incidents by their security forces.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chairing a high level meeting to review the national and regional security situation at Prime Minister House on May 20, 2014. PHOTO: PID

The issue was one of the key agenda items during a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by top civil and military leadership, including Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

According to an official statement issued by the Prime Minister House, the army chief briefed the PM on his recent visit to Kabul and his discussions on border coordination and security for the second phase of the Afghan presidential elections.

An official, privy to the development, said the meeting discussed Afghanistan in the post-election and post-US drawdown scenario. The army chief briefed the meeting about his visit wherein he had asked the Afghan authorities to take steps against cross-border firing incidents, he added.

He said Gen Raheel took up the issue during his talks with his Afghan counterpart Sher Muhammad Karimi and International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) Commander General Joseph Dunford in Kabul on Monday.

Officials said the army chief told the meeting that he shared his concerns with Afghan authorities regarding the alleged sanctuaries of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan and said that Islamabad suspected that the TTP chief Mullah Fazlullah was being given refuge by Afghan security agencies.

The issue was discussed in the backdrop of ongoing peace talks with the TTP which had entered the second phase when the infighting within the Taliban ranks and government’s cautious approach towards their demand for release of non-combatants put the process on the backburner.

Though Tuesday’s meeting discussed the security situation in regional and national context, the official statement did not have a mention of talks with the Taliban.

On the other hand, officials did not say as to whether the issue of talks with the Taliban was taken up or not irrespective of the fact that the interior minister had recently announced that the government was going to resurrect the talk’s process.

The meeting, according to the statement, discussed national and regional security situation. Additionally, the law and order situation in Balochistan and Karachi was also reviewed.

The interior minister briefed the premier on the law and order situation in Karachi in particular and it was decided the targeted operations against miscreants would continue in the metropolis.

The meeting was also attended by Adviser to PM on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam, Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen Ashfaq Nadeem and DG Military Operations Maj Gen Amir Riaz.

(By Qamar Zaman) Published in GNN & Tribune, May 21st, 2014.

CJP convenes judicial commission on May 28 to deliberate on 3 new judges for IHC

Three posts in the IHC were vacant. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jillani has summoned a meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on May 28 to deliberate over the appointment of three additional judges of Islamabad High Court, GNN learnt on Saturday.

Sources told Media that Islamabad High Court chief justice Muhammad Anwar Kasi has recommended the name of lawyer Athar Minallah for the post of IHC judge.

Minallah belongs to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and had served as the spokesperson for former Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhy during the lawyers’ movement.

According to the IHC Act 2010, the capital’s high court comprises of one chief justice and six judges who would be appointed from all provinces and FATA.

After the retirement of Justice Riaz Ahmad Khan last week, the post of a judge elevated from K-P was lying vacant. IHC CJ has thus proposed the name of Minallah for the slot.

The sources further said that the IHC CJ had proposed four further names for posts of Islamabad and Balochistan based judge. For this purpose, Justice Kasi has proposed the names of Mian Abdul Rauf and Anees Jillani for a seat in the high court for Islamabad.  The names of Sher Shah Kasi and Tahir Shah have been proposed for the post of IHC judge from Balochistan.

A sub-committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Rahmat Hussain Jaferi will meet on May 27 to shortlist two names from the four nominees.

Earlier, CJP had summoned a meeting of the JCP on April 10 to review the appointments in the IHC. Later, a JCP sub-committee, which was due to shortlist names, was postponed.

The strength of the Islamabad High Court has been reduced to three judges after the retirement of senior-most judge Justice Riaz Ahmad Khan last week.

The capital’s high court should have seven serving judges, but due to shortage of judges, and a backlog of over 13,000 cases, was causing problems to litigants.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court Bar Association President Mohsin Kayani has warned of protests if the names of the capital’s lawyers as IHC judges were not considered.

Kayani, while talking to Media, lamented that since the re-establishment of the court in 2010, no judge had been appointed from the cadre of Islamabad based lawyers.

PTI threatens to halt traffic if protest barred

PTI Punjab president claims that rigging has taken place on at least 70 National Assembly seats. PHOTO: FILE

FAISALABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has threatened to paralyse traffic in the Punjab if the government created any impediments for the participants of the party’s proposed May 11 protest in Islamabad, PTI Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry said on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference, Chaudhry said that arrangements had been made to stage a historic protest in Islamabad.

“We have received reports from sources in the police and administration that the government plans to sabotage our protest call and resort to underhand tactics to create hurdles for the PTI workers to keep them from participating in the protest. However, all police officials and other government functionaries who attempt to create hurdles in the protest will be taken to task,” Chaudhry said.

He said that “The Sharif government has failed on all fronts. Rampant poverty, electricity and gas shortages, unemployment and inflation demonstrate that this government is incapable of delivering.” He said that due to energy shortages, exporters in the Faisalabad region alone had suffered a loss of Rs85 billion and around 15 million daily-wage employees had lost their jobs. He claimed that rigging had taken place on “at least 70 National Assembly seats and PTI candidates who were winners were made to lose in these constituencies.”

The PTI leader expressed concern over the law and order situation. “Street crime has jumped 70 percent in the Punjab compared to the previous year.”

(By Shamsul Islam) Published in GNN & Tribune, May 8th, 2014.

Karachi court grants bail to arrested FBI agent

FBI agent Joel Cox.

KARACHI: The district and sessions court Malir on Thursday accepted the bail plea of a Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) agent who was earlier arrested at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, GNN, & Express News reported on Thursday.

FBI agent Joel Cox was travelling from Karachi to Islamabad by PK-308 on May 5 evening when, during a routine search by Airport Security Force (ASF) staff, 15 bullets and a magazine were found in his bag. He was handed over to the airport police station where a case was lodged against him under Section 23 1(a) of the Sindh Arms Act, 2013. The district Malir court has already remanded the suspect to police custody till May 10.

The bail was granted to the accused on the condition of producing a surety bond worth Rs1 million.
A source told Express News that Cox had claimed in his request that the ammunition found in his bag was not his own and that he was being framed.

Another source said the court was pressured by the government and the US embassy into granting the bail. The chief and home secretaries reportedly visited the jail to ensure the FBI agent was released.

Investigation
Even after hours of arrest, investigators have failed to decode information from the devices belonging to the agent.

According to the latest details, the police officers at the Artillery Maidan police station are finding it difficult to interrogate the FBI agent as he only speaks English. Also, Cox has been insisting that his embassy should be contacted for all the queries.

The detained FBI agent has been reportedly afforded VIP protocol and provided with fast food meals.
The devices seized from Cox’s possession include pen cameras and locator gadget. The bullets he was carrying are also said to be different than those found in Pakistan.

Malir SSP Rao Anwar told Express News that no criminal record was found against the agent. He said Cox had come to Pakistan with a 90-day long visit visa on a passport made five months ago.

Anwar said people Cox had met during his stay in the country were also being interrogated.

Pakistan-US coordination 
During the daily press briefing, spokesperson for the US State Department Jen Psaki said US officials were coordinating with the Pakistani authorities to resolve this matter.

“This individual detained is an employee of the FBI who was on a temporary duty assignment to provide routine assistance to the legal attache at the US mission. But we are coordinating closely to resolve this manner with authorities, and we are hopeful in that regard,” she said.

Appointment to SHC: Judicial commission meets today to consider 10 names

Those nominated include five district and sessions judges. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE

KARACHI: The judicial commission will meet today in Islamabad to consider the appointment of 10 judicial officers as lawyers as additional judges to the Sindh High Court, Tribune has learnt.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jillani will preside over the meeting, which will also be attended by the federal law minister, the attorney general, SHC chief justice Maqbool Baqar and the provincial advocate-general.

Currently, the high court has a working strength of 29 judges against the sanctioned strength of 40. According to officials, SHC CJ Baqar had forwarded the names of 10 judicial officers and lawyers to fill the vacancies as additional judges for a period of one year.

Those nominated include five district and sessions judges – Abdur Rasheed Soomro, Abdul Ghani Soomro, Saghir Zaidi, Lal Mohammad Khairo and Ghulam Qadir Leghari. The lawyers include former SHC Bar Association secretary Shahab Sarki, Iqbal Kalhoro, Advocate KK Agha, Amir Raza Naqvi and Hasan Akbar.

The judicial commission is set to meet today in Islamabad to ponder over the names. “Once the judicial commission approves the names, they will be sent to the parliamentary committee on the appointment of judges to the superior courts to give its consent,” said an official. “Afterwards, the names will be sent to the president for approval on the advice of the prime minister.”
Last year, eight additional judges were appointed to the high court for a period of one year with a view to overcome the dearth of workforce in the superior judiciary of the province.

Retiring in the future
The SHC will lose seven judges in the next five years, unless service periods of some of the additional judges are extended. SHC’s Justice Nisar Muhammad Sheikh will retire on November 17 this year, while Justice Hasan Feroze’s retirement is due on August 1, 2015.

SHC’s pusine judge Justice Faisal Arab is also due to retire on November 11, 2017. However, there are chances of his elevation to the apex court.

In year 2017, the SHC is set to lose another three judges – Justice Sadiq Hussain Bhatti, Justice Syed Muhammad Farooq Shah and Shahnawaz Tariq. Justice Abdul Rasool Memon will retire in 2018.

Published in GNN & Tribune, May 8th, 2014.

US national detained at Karachi airport for carrying bullets was an FBI agent

Cox, who was training local police, was found carrying 15 bullets of 9mm calibre in his bags.

KARACHI: A US citizen, who was detained at the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on Monday evening for carrying bullets in his baggage, was found to be an agent for the US investigating agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), CNN reported on Wednesday.

Joel Cox was attempting to board a domestic flight to Islamabad on Monday evening, when the Airport Security Force (ASF) discovered 15 bullets of 9mm caliber and a pistol clip in his baggage.

He was detained by the ASF before being handed over to the Airport police station where a case was lodged against him under section 23 1 (a) of the Sindh Arms Act, 2013.

The US national was sent on physical custody remand by a judicial magistrate in district Malir on May 6.  Adam H Ishaque, the judicial magistrate in district Malir, had remanded the suspect to police till May 10.

“The American failed to provide any legal permission for carrying bullets,” senior police officer Rao Anwar told AFP.

US officials in Pakistan confirmed that an American had been arrested.

“We are aware of the situation that has been reported and we are coordinating with the Pakistani authorities to resolve the matter,” a US embassy spokesperson said.

Carrying firearms or ammunition aboard commercial flights is prohibited.

Early on Wednesday, CNN reported that Cox was an FBI agent.

FBI agent arrested in Pakistan after accidentally carrying ammunition boarding a domestic flight, official says.
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) May 6, 2014

CNN added that the agent was in Pakistan to train police officers.

The report added that diplomats were working with Pakistani authorities to secure his release.

 By Web Desk / AFP Published: May 7, 2014

Reopening YouTube: NA resolutions have little impact, says Senator

A private member, who submits resolution in his personal capacity, has to give seven days’ notice and the resolution. PHOTO: APP/FILE

ISLAMABAD: Though a resolution calling for restoration of YouTube in the country was passed with unanimous vote in the National Assembly on Tuesday, some lawmakers believe this will not achieve anything on the ground.

“A resolution is not binding on the government,” said former law minister Senator S M Zafar while talking to Media.

Zafar added that resolutions do not have legal or constitutional value but they are important in the parliament since they are passed by elected representatives.

“Our track record is that resolutions are passed and then are thrown to dustbin.”

MNA Shazia Marri from the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had moved a resolution saying “This House is of the opinion that the Government should take steps to lift [the] ban on YouTube.”

As the subject was related to every member, there was no vote against it and was passed unanimously.

YouTube had been blocked on September 17, 2012 after a sacrilegious clip grew in prominence. The clip drew sharp reaction from much of the Muslim world. Pakistan along with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sudan had blocked the site. While threats of blocking it forced YouTube to censor the video in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. It took a court order in Brazil to block the video.

Earlier, a Senate committee on Human Rights had also approved a similar resolution seeking removal of ban from the videos sharing website.

The record of the National Assembly resolution for lifting ban on YouTube was 47th. The first resolution was passed on 16 June 2013 that condemned terrorist attack that targeting of Quaid e Azam’s Residency in Ziarat.

How is a resolution introduced in the House
The Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly 2007 define the entire process for introducing resolutions into the house.

“A resolution should be in the form of a declaration of opinion or a recommendation, or convey a message, or command, urge or request action, or call attention to a matter or situation for consideration by the government, or in such other form as the Speaker may consider appropriate.”

There are guidelines about the content of a resolution too. “It shall not (a) contain arguments, inferences, ironical expressions or defamatory statements (b) refer to the conduct or character of a person except in his official and public capacity (c) raise discussion which is detrimental to public interest (d) contain reflection on a judge of the supreme court or a high court or any subordinate court or (e) relate to any matter which is pending before the court.”
A private member, who submits resolution in his personal capacity, has to give seven days’ notice and the resolution. After going through the scanners and set procedures, is presented before the house for approval.

Rule 169 reads as “(1)  ON the conclusion of the discussion, the speaker shall put the resolution or, as the case may be, the resolution amended, to the vote of the House and if Passed by the House, a copy thereof shall be forwarded to the Division concerned. (2) The Division concerned shall apprise the Assembly the action taken on the resolution within a period of six months from the date of communication by the Assembly Secretariat.”

Pakistan ready to take 'two steps to greet a hand extended in friendship': Nawaz

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chairing the concluding session of envoys conference at Foreign Office on May 6, 2014. PHOTO: PID

ISLAMABAD: Addressing the concluding session of the Envoys Conference, focused on the Middle East, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said “Pakistan is ready to take two steps to greet a hand extended in friendship.” Commenting on Pakistan’s aspiration to forge closer bilateral ties with all countries in the Middle East, Nawaz said, “Our efforts to develop bilateral ties with one country are not, and will not be, at the expense of another.”

Re-emphasising Pakistan’s desires for peace and tranquillity in the Middle East, the premier reiterated that Pakistan will maintain its policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other states.

He said that the government is paying particular attention to the promotion of its special relationships with fraternal countries in the Gulf and Middle East. Recent exchanges at the highest level reflect these endeavours, said Nawaz.

The prime minister said on external front Pakistan has always emphasised on building a peaceful neighbourhood and PML-N government is also pursuing the policy of constructive engagement with all the neighbouring countries.

On Afghanistan, Nawaz said the key tenants of Pakistan’s approach are non-interference, support for the peace and reconciliation process, and building a bilateral relationship, marked by enhanced trade and economic cooperation.

Commenting on Pakistan’s relation with India, the premier said that Pakistan remains committed in reaching out to India for the peaceful resolution of all the pending disputes, including Kashmir, through a sustained dialogue.

“We believe the main dynamic in South Asia should be cooperation, not confrontation.”

He added that since June 2013, Pakistan has reinforced it strategic partnership with China, re-oriented the relationship with US, upgraded ties with the European Union, reached out afresh to Russia, and strengthened linkages with ASEAN, Africa and Latin America.

Guidelines for Pakistani missions
Emphasising on the role of Pakistani diaspora, Nawaz said, our community in Europe, North America and the Middle East, is well-placed to play the role both as a “bridge” and a “catalyst”, for fostering of enhanced economic collaboration, between Pakistan and countries of their residence.

While appreciating the efforts made by the envoys to improve services to Pakistani expatriates abroad, the premier said there still more need to be done.

Acknowledging the resource constraints faced by the Pakistani missions, Nawaz said the government has already taken steps in that regard. He hoped that the benefits of the initiatives taken will be felt by the people soon.

“The Government will also welcome innovative ideas for generating funds, for measures aimed at improving community services, as well as adapting the rules and regulations, for utilization of already available funds,” said Nawaz.

Economic diplomacy
The prime minister said that in order to re-invent the foreign in the light of growing inter-dependence, economic strength and greater integration with the rest of the world, Pakistan have taken a conscious decision to re-balance Pakistan’s geo-strategic and geo-economic priorities.

“I have also consistently emphasized the importance of “trade, not aid”, said Nawaz.

He referred to the initiation of the “Economic Corridor” project with China, and the GSP-plus status with EU as the prominent success of PML-N government.

It is essential that in all our endeavours, we focus on seeking opportunities for expanded trade, investments and economic cooperation that exist in every region, said Nawaz.

He added that with a booming energy sector, development of infrastructure, a thriving services sector, and enhanced focus on connectivity, the opportunities offered by the Middle East are immense.

The prime minister also apprised the attendees regarding the steps taken by the government to address the issues of security and energy crisis. He said that a National Security Policy has been approved and a dialogue process has been launched, to address the issues of extremism and militancy.

He hoped that the sincere efforts of the government would yield the desired results and help turn the tide of violence.

He also informed that in order to resolve the energy crisis, over 2,100 MW has already been added to the national grid, and more is expected later this year.

Pakistan needs to reinforce synergies with Iran: Nawaz

Nawaz Sharif welcomes Abdolereza Rahmani on Tuesday. PHOTO: APP

ISLAMABAD: With Iran having threatened to seal its border with Pakistan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said they need to promote strategies aimed at reinforcing synergies between the border regions through physical connectivity and border trade markets.

According to a press release issued by the PM Office, Nawaz met with the visiting Iranian Interior Minister Abdolereza Rehmani Fazli on Tuesday.

The premier spoke about strengthening economic ties between the two countries. He added that Pakistan and Iran are bound by ties of religion, culture, history and geography.

He said Pakistan attaches great importance to its brotherly relations with Iran and seeking a peaceful neighbourhood remains a policy priority for the government.

“Our commitment to this relationship is unequivocal and firm.”

Nawaz also spoke about his impending visit to Iran and meeting with Iranian President Rouhani. He said that the forthcoming visit will serve as a political affirmation and will also set a new direction based on cooperative partnership.

Chaudhry Nisar Ali news conference
On Tuesday afternoon, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that relations between Pakistan and Iran will guarantee peace and security in the region, reported Radio Pakistan.

He said the two sides have agreed to enhance cooperation in areas such as security, cross border terrorism, smuggling, human trafficking, greater intelligence sharing and coordination between the security forces of the two countries.

Furthermore, he said that Pakistan and Iran have agreed in principle to establish hotline for exchange of information to thwart any untoward incident.

Mango exports: Pounce while India is still out, says expert

The ban on Indian mangoes by the EU has heightened the concerns of Pakistani mango exporters who might suffer a similar fate, if they fail to comply with the EU regulation standards. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI: The recent ban on Indian mangoes being exported to the European Union (EU) countries offers a unique opportunity to Pakistan who can pounce and expand their business, Harvest Trading Director and horticulture expert Ahmad Jawad said in a statement.

The EU banned Indian alphonso mangoes and four vegetables from May to December 2015 on grounds that their mangoes were contaminated with non-European fruit flies.

“It is the right time for Pakistani exporters to push their product into high-value European markets so that mango lovers don’t feel a shortfall, especially for the EU where Pakistan has been awarded GSP Plus status,” Jawad said.

With an annual production capacity of around 1.6 million tons, India is the world’s largest mango exporter, selling up to 70,000 tons to overseas markets, according to The Economic Times.

The banning of Indian mangoes by the EU has opened up an opportunity for the Pakistani exporters. It may, however, be a wakeup call at the same time for the latter as both the countries use same technology: Hot Water Treatment (HWT).

“The government and its allied departments should impose strict monitoring of mangoes this year so that we may grab the markets in EU and the United Kingdom,” Jawad said, while talking to a group of journalists in Islamabad – the significance of the EU markets can be judged from the fact that the UK alone imports £6 million worth of mangoes from India, according to The Economic Times.

The controversial ban on Indian mangoes by the EU has heightened the concerns of Pakistani mango exporters who might suffer a similar fate, if they fail to comply with the EU regulation standards.

“The permission may be granted to only those exporters who are prepared to comply with the protocols set by the EU,” the statement quoted Jawad as saying.

The Pakistani mango export industry is promoting the use of HWT and looking after Global Gap Mango farms that have been doing good agriculture practices so that fruit flies and other pests may be destroyed before the shipments are dispatched, the statement read.

In HWT, mangoes go through a thorough cleaning system where they are treated in hot water at temperatures of around 48°C (118.4°F) for approximately an hour. They are then dried, packed and cold treated.

Pakistan’s HWT facility has also been approved by Australia, South Korea, Mauritius, Lebanon, and the facility is open to all in the fresh produce exporting trade.

However, Jawad informed that the country will have to wait to learn if the HWT facility satisfies authorities in the UK and EU.

The statement further said that the impact of the ban of Indian mangoes has turned into a controversy not only in India but also in the EU.

Many importers, retailers, growers and politicians have branded the prohibition as a punitive and over-reactionary measure and started active lobbying against it. They have even filed an e-petition to the concerned authorities for the reversal, the statement said.

Published in GNN & Tribune & Our Correspondent, May 6th, 2014.

The new Islamabad airport: PAC stops govt’s land acquisition for runway

Despite constructing two runways, when there was need for only one, a third is being planned. PHOTO:FILE

ISLAMABAD: While suspecting money minting in the process of land acquisition as the sole motive behind the construction of a new airport in Islamabad, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday stopped the government from acquiring land for construction of a third runway.

The decision was taken after the government officials told that the runway would be constructed in 20 years’ time, and currently the government wanted to acquire the land at an estimated cost of Rs8.1 billion – something that sounded highly illogical to the PAC members.

Despite constructing two runways – when there was need for only one – a third is being planned. PAC Chairman Syed Khursheed Shah grilled the Civil Aviation Authority officials and the National Highway Authority (NHA) for their faulty planning and ill-preparedness.

The PAC also delayed finalising the need of building a new stretch of a 13.5-kilometre long road – in order to have controlled access to the new airport – at an estimated cost of Rs31 billion, till Tuesday. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has already approved the construction of the new road, while rejecting the other two options, told an NHA official to the PAC. The NHA has already banned private construction to acquire the land for runway.

The PAC deferred the decision after the NHA and the Ministry of Aviation failed to produce figures in support of a decision to construct a new road over two other available options which are less costly. The government officials will present the same figures to the Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal and Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif and would become the basis of the decision for the construction of the new road.

The PAC has ordered to produce the names of the owners of the land along with both the sides of the planned road.

The PAC meeting was about revealing money minting at every stage of the project construction – the ‘game’ that is still continued, something feared by the PAC members. The estimated cost of the new Islamabad International Airport is Rs100 billion, excluding the Rs31 billion for the new road. A senior official of the audit department revealed in the PAC meeting that so far Rs82 billion audit objections have been framed against the airport project.

“On this side (PAC) there is deep suspicion that the entire game is about making money in land acquisition”, said PAC member Syed Naveed Qamar.

After the Secretary Aviation Division, Imran Ali Gardezi, revealed that the selection of the airport site was wrong, the PAC also directed to expand the scope of an ongoing inquiry by the Federal Investigation Agency and add selection of the site for the airport into a list of allegations to be probed. The inquiry has been ordered by the PM to find out who is responsible for the faulty design of the airport and the reasons for the delay in its execution.

“In the original PC-I – the detailed project document, there is no planning about the availability of water and the access roads,” Gardezi told the PAC. “The authorities are still struggling to cope with serious issues.  The project is mismanaged to the extent that while visiting the project site on March 20, PM Sharif ordered to change the design of under construction airport terminal to add six more gateways.”

Gardezi said that the project consultant, M/s Louis Berger Group of US, was responsible for the faulty design and suggested that names of company’s officials may be placed on the Exit Control List.

“The premier has been presented with three options on the access road,” Gardezi informed the PAC. “The first option is to construct a new 13.5km road from Golara More to the airport site aimed at ensuring fast movement of traffic leading to the airport. The NHA official said the total cost of the project was Rs31 billion, including Rs13.8 billion for land acquisition.

The commercial land will be acquired at Rs20 million per kanal while the agriculture land will be acquired at Rs600,000 per kanal.

“The Planning Minister has decided that the width of this road will be 600 metres,” he said – a figure that shocked the PAC members. The Chief of the transport wing of the Ministry of Planning, Munir Anjum told the PAC that the purpose of the 600-metre wide road is to build commercial sites on both sides of the road, while the actual length will be 100 metres long.

The second option was to construct a 4.5km long road and the third option was to link the existing Kashmir Highway with the airport. But the NHA official could not produce the cost comparison of three routes.

Published in GNN & Tribune, May 6th, 2014.

Missing persons: IG FC issued contempt of court notice on absence

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC), while hearing the missing persons’ case, issued contempt of court notice to IG Frontier Corps on failing to appear in the court despite repeated notices served to him.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Ifikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Ameer Hani Muslim was hearing the missing persons’ case today.

During today’s proceedings, the court issued contempt of court notice to IG FC on failing to appear before the bench after he was notified thrice. Also, Irfan Qadir appeared on behalf of the IG FC without the power of attorney.

CJ Iftikhar remarked that he could not be granted any relaxation without appearing in the court.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif appeared before the bench and requested to hold in-camera briefing of the case due its sensitive nature. Replying to this, the CJ Iftikhar asked him to first produce the 30 missing persons and then agreed to hold in-camera briefing in judge’s chamber.

The SC, then, gave 30 minutes time to the defence minister to consult Attorney General Munir A Malik in the case.

AG Munir told the court that the government could not ascertain about the whereabouts of the remaining missing persons, and then pleaded to hold in-camera hearing.

Defence Minister told that the status of 5-7 persons is known till now but the gathered information can’t be exchanged with everyone due to its crucial nature. He further said that it will take some time to find out about the missing persons and assured the court that the government doesn’t intend to delay the case.

On Wednesday, the SC gave the government time till December 5 to present the remaining missing persons.

The IG FC was also ordered to appear before the apex court or to face the action against him.(GNN)(Thenews)(Geo)(GNN National)

Police arrest 18 over Nanga Parbat massacre

ISLAMABAD: Police in Gilgit-Baltistan said Thursday they have arrested 18 suspects over the killing of 10 foreign climbers in the Himalayas in June, but warned that others remain at large.

The June 22 attack was the deadliest assault on foreigners in Pakistan for a decade and was claimed by a purported new faction of Pakistan’s umbrella Taliban movement, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Police in the northern districts of Gilgit and Diamer in the Gilgit-Baltistan region said they have arrested 18 suspects on suspicion of planning and carrying out the attack.

The officer leading the investigation said only four of those held are believed to have been directly involved in the killings at the foot of Pakistan’s second highest mountain Nanga Parbat.

“We have arrested four culprits who shot the tourists at Nanga Parbat base camp while seven are still at large,” Muhammad Naveed told AFP.

The victims of the attack, carried out by men in police uniforms, were identified as one American with dual Chinese citizenship, three Ukrainians, two other Chinese, two Slovakians, one Lithuanian and one Nepalese. A Pakistani guide was also killed.

Further details of the attack have emerged during interrogation. The suspects have revealed that their original plan was to kidnap the trekkers, an investigating officer said.

“They said their plan went foul when one of the Chinese resisted after they approached them,” he said.

“After the Chinese tourist retaliated, one of the terrorists fired a shot that killed him and the terrorists fought with each other over it. After that they sprayed bullets at all the tourists.”

Asked if the kidnap could have worked, the officer said it would have been almost impossible for them to escape with the hostages because of the difficult terrain.

A senior official of the local administration said extremists from Diamer district had linked up with the Pakistani Taliban and travelled to the tribal areas along the Afghan border for training.

A group of 35 including the 18 detainees was trained in North Waziristan.

“This group was launched as an extension of the Pakistani Taliban in the northern region,” the official told AFP, adding that the group had been behind a rise in killings targeting Shia Muslims in the north.

Naveed, the senior police officer, also confirmed that some of the suspects arrested in connection with the Nanga Parbat attack had links with the Pakistani Taliban.

After the attack the Taliban said it had set up a new faction, Junood ul-Hifsa, to kill foreigners to avenge US drone strikes on Taliban and Al-Qaeda operatives in northwest Pakistan.

Until the June 22 attack, Gilgit-Baltistan was considered immune from much of the militancy plaguing other areas.

The killings badly hit the local tourism industry, a major economic prop. (GNN) (AFP) (Yoogle)