Posts Tagged ‘Multan’

Politicians declare assets: ‘Gilani, Shahbaz own no cars purchased by themselves’

Shahbaz’s assets witnessed a tremendous increase of over 100% during the financial year 2011-12.

While the net worth of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s own assets crossed the Rs20 million mark for the first time this year, the assets declared by one of his sons, Abdul Kadir Gilani, a member of the Punjab Assembly, are much more than the premier’s himself.

On the other hand, Shahbaz in his annual declaration stated that the total worth of his assets now stands at Rs210.4 million. For the fiscal 2010-11 he had declared that the total worth of his assets and liabilities was Rs94.3 million only.

Still, the declared value of his own assets is less than the values of assets he declared for one of his wives, Nusrat Shahbaz – a housewife.

Shahbaz owns only one vehicle according to the form, and this too was a gift – a Land Cruiser.

Hamza Shahbaz, son and political heir of Shahbaz Sharif, declared that the total worth of his own assets and liabilities stand at Rs213.7 million while his wife Mehrunissah Hamza owns assets worth only Rs2.5 million. Hamza, however, left the column pertaining to vehicle ownership vacant.

Meanwhile, according to the prime minister’s declaration, the only business transaction he had during the whole year was the purchase of three acres of agriculture land in Hamidpur Kanora, in his native town Multan, priced at Rs4.8 million. The premier claimed that he purchased this land out of savings and cash in hand.

Despite having a fleet of official vehicles used for his protocol, PM Gilani is among those political leaders of the country who do not have a car of their own, according to his assets declaration.

Under the law, lawmakers are required to submit the statement of assets of their spouses and dependent members of the family. However, the premier avoided making the assets of his spouse public for the first time since he took up his office.

Ali Musa Gilani, the prime minister’s younger son who is currently facing corruption charges, did not have to declare his assets as he has been in office as an MNA for less than a year.

Eldest son Abdul Kadir Gilani, on the other hand, who is a member of the Punjab Assembly, has assets worth millions of rupees. Though he did not count the total worth of his assets, he has mentioned the value of some of his properties where their purchasing cost and present value are exactly the same, raising question marks as to when they were purchased.

Besides other properties and vehicles, he owns an imported bulletproof vehicle which according to his declaration is valued at Rs12.8 million.

Other politicians

Noor Alam Khan, a PPP member of the National Assembly from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is apparently the richest parliamentarian in the country who declared that his assets are worth over Rs32 billion – thanks to the appreciation of value of his ancestral land in prime locations of Peshawar.

Other billionaires in the lower house of the parliament include Mehboobullah Jan (PPP), Shahid Khaqan Abbasi (PML-N) and Jehangir Khan Tareen (PTI).

Usually, members either do not declare their real assets or they undervalue their assets. Under the law, ECP annually publishes the assets of all the members of Senate as well as the national and provincial assemblies but it has no mechanism to counter-check the details provided by these lawmakers.

The net worth of assets of some other leading National Assembly members are: Federal Minister for Railways Ghulam Ahmed Bilour Rs1.7 billion, ANP Chairman Asfandyar Wali Khan Rs32 million, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar Rs14 million, Minister for Water and Power Naveed Qamar Rs32 million, Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira Rs20 million, Federal Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan Rs46 million, Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar Rs51 million,  JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman Rs50 million and  Faryal Talpur Rs116 million.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8^th, 2012.

Forex & Gold 8 May 2012

Forex Update:
KARACHI, May 07: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 91.5 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 15:30 PST)

Note: We do not receive Foreign Exchange Rates regularly.

The last received rates are given below.

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Via DAWN.com

Zong’s football tournament creates history

LAHORE – Football Tournament 2012 was launched to great public excitement, simultaneously in five cities of Pakistan. The tournament was for the selection of 32 young boys who will get trained in Manchester United Soccer School, Abu Dhabi. The CCO of ZONG Sajid Mahmood kicked-off the ball in Pakistan Sports Complex to begin the tournament, says a press release.
A total of 128 Zong …

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OGRA presentation: Bigwigs named in illegal relocation of CNG stations

The presentation – a copy of which is available with the Express Investigation Cell (EIC) – contains the names of investors and their patrons who approached OGRA seeking relocation of CNG stations knowing the fact full well that the practice was banned in February 2008.

The presentation suggests OGRA officials colluded with federal cabinet members, and former army and intelligence officials to relocate CNG stations despite the ban.

OGRA chief Saeed Khan expressed ignorance regarding the issue. “I took over as chief just a few days ago,” he told EIC. However, he said that he could look into the matter to ensure transparency in the authority’s workings.

The presentation revealed how Ogra used abbreviations and shortened names to hide the identities of those whose stations were relocated. For instance, over a dozen CNG stations, mostly in Lahore, were relocated under ‘JB’s’ direction.

It’s not understandable why Ogra hid ‘JB’s’ identity while the presentation used full names of several parliamentarians, cabinet members and bureaucrats and retired generals? The presentation also identifies several military-owned CNG businesses by name.

A possible lead to ‘JB’s’ identity is the fact that most of the CNG stations were shifted while Tauqir Sadiq, Leader of the House in the Senate Jahangir Badar’s brother-in-law, was the Ogra chief.

In its report, Ogra had intentionally left certain columns blank, possibly to avoid disclosing the names of certain high-ups. Due to incomplete information in some cases, it is unclear who ordered the relocation of certain CNG stations.

The beneficiaries include Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq, Minister for Production Riaz Pirzada, Information Technology Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira.

All of them belong to the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). Pir Mazharul Haq got Naushero Feroze 1 CNG relocated. He also managed to shift Abbasi CNG filling station in Badin.

Riaz Pirzada got Chaudhry Gas Station relocated in Bahawalpur.

Makhdoom Shahabuddin, acquired a renewed licence for a CNG station in Rahimyar Khan. He also relocated Mehran Enterprises Panu Aqil. Religious Affairs Minister Khurshid Shah recommended issuance of a ‘PL licence’ for this case.

Pervez Ashraf had Rajput CNG Chakwal relocated.

Qamar Zaman Kaira recommended the relocations of Fine CNG, Multan Road, Lahore, Hussain CNG Station, Rawalpindi, and Hasan CNG, Chakri Road, Rawalpindi.

Senator Adnan is also among those who acquired relocation orders from Ogra for at least a dozen CNG stations. He managed to get a PSO pump in G7 Islamabad, a Shell filling station in a Rawalpindi commercial market, Saya Zaar CNG station Abbottabad, Save CNG Kallar Seydan and Green House CNG, Multan, relocated. Similarly, Ali Badar, son of Jahangir Badar, secured the relocation of Madina CNG.

Other than ‘JB’ a man identified as Imran is behind the relocation of 30 Sprint Energy CNG stations.

Chaudhry Imtiaz Safdar Warraich, PPP Punjab chapter president, shifted Siddu CNG, Gujranwala, and Moshin CNG Station, Khushab. Federal Minister Nazar Gondal secured the relocation of Al Rehman CNG Samundri. Federal Minister Fazal Shah Gilani managed the shifting of Orangi gas station, Karachi, and Apna CNG Station, Rawalpindi, was shifted on MNA Hanif Abbasi’s recommendation.

Maqbool Mamon of the Zardari House managed the shifting of Al Mustafa CNG, Nowshero Feroze. Haji Khan Afridi got Saeed CNG & filling station, Peshawar, shifted. MNA Moazam Ali Khan Jatoi managed to get Total Speed Petroleum Muzaffargarh relocated. State Minister Abbas Afridi got Bahram CNG Kohat relocated. MNA Khalid Saeed managed the relocation of Baryar CNG Muridke.

Beneficiaries from the military Col Shabbir c/o Wak Gas secured the relocation of Shabbir LPG auto Khushab. Brigadier Ejaz got Lancer CNG relocated. Major Dr Iqbal Cheema c/o DDGIB managed the relocation of Cheema CNG Samberial.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2012.

Writers, artists vow to uphold dignity of people

LAHORE, May 5: Writers and artists of the country have always upheld the dignity of people, struggled for their rights and would keep on doing so.

It was the crux of writers and artists convention held at Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Tipu Block, New Garden Town, on Saturday. The event was organised by the HRCP.

In his opening remarks, HRCP Secretary I A Rehman said it was the first such convention organised by the Commission, adding such events should also be held in Karachi, Quetta and Islamabad.

He said the convention was held to assess the state of rights of literary figures and the freedom of expression they were being given. He said no issue could be properly addressed without having a discourse on it.

Veteran writer Intazar Hussain, in his keynote address of the first session titled ‘21st Century and Writers’, threw light on the role of writers in the 20th century and in present situation.

He said since 1947 Pakistani literature passed through a number of phases that gave birth to many movements. But, he said, literature for its growth did not rely on movements.

“Movements come and go but literature stays there,” he said. Dr Saadat Saeed, criticising the US, said it wanted to turn the world into a global village. He said the western theories being taught in local universities were designed to ‘poison the students’ minds’. Mr Saeed said writers and intellectuals should wage a war against capitalism.

Dr Qazi Asad from Multan said though it was not good to ape western literature, to discard good literature being produced in the West was also not wise. He said the writers had never been happy with their times and they kept writing against negative attitudes prevalent in society.

Dr Ravish Nadeem from Islamabad regretted that distorted version of history was being taught to the students at school level.

He said one could not help compare Pakistan in 21st century with the developed countries, adding the societies which were far ahead struggled for centuries to become civilised.

“Consciously or unconsciously we do follow the West because they (western nations) are models for us whether we accept it or not”, he added.

Veteran writer Masood Ashar, defending the Third World literature being written in English, said sensitive issues were also being highlighted through such writings.

He emphasised the need for introducing changes in syllabus, especially with regard to history. He regretted that students were being taught wrong history.

Poet and a former director general of Pakistan National Council of Arts, Kishwar Naheed, said Pakistani writers did not write on the issues of the society where they lived because western ideologies seemed more attractive to them.

Senior Lawyer and left-leaning politician Abid Hassan Manto in his keynote address for the second session titled, ‘The Role of Writers and Artists in the Struggle for Human Rights’ threw light on different phases of the history of human rights and efforts made by Progressive Writers Association in this regard.

Mr Manto regretted that ideological borders of Pakistan were being defended by fundamentalists. He said the country was under the hammer of capitalistic system. “What to talk of national independence, there was not even individual independence in this country,” he added.

Writer Rashid Misbah gave a sweeping statement saying 95 per cent of Pakistani writers were ‘hypocrites’ and they did not write truth.

Prof Razi Abidi said access to education was extremely important as educational rights should be given to everybody. He said women must get education to become economically independent.

Dr Arifa Syeda also pointed towards the wrong history being taught to students at the school level.

The third session, ‘Culture and Challenges of the Age’ was about performing and fine arts. It began with some melodious singing by Sara Zaman.

Dr Anwar Ahmed, in his address, threw light on the political and cultural situation of the country and how culture and cultural values were being treated by the authorities.

Prof Lala Rukh from Women Action Forum, through a slide show of photographs based on the journey of WAF, specially focusing Zia regime, refreshed memories of all those who were part of the struggle against dictatorship.

Prof Nazish Attaullah showed artworks by different artists created during the last 10 years with a special focus on Zia regime.

Writer Shahid Mehmood Nadeem threw light on the 28-year long journey of Ajoka Theatre and told the audience that it kept producing plays unflinchingly on social and political
issues of prime importance.

Screening of clips of some of the Ajoka plays was also part of Nadeem’s address. Writer Aqeel Ruby threw light on culture and cultural values. Shirin Pasha from NCA Film and Television Department briefly discussed the film history in Pakistan.

Architect Nayyer Ali Dada said culture could not be seen as an aspect of life as it was life itself. He said civility led to culture and then came poetry, art and literature. He said along with menace of intolerance, giant of terrorism was also staring us in the face.

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Via DAWN.com

Demand for South Punjab

LAHORE: While the demand for a separate South Punjab province has been making the rounds at discussions, editorials, and other forums for decades, it gained political traction in February 2011 after the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) parted ways with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) provincial government in the Punjab.

Between 2008 and 2011, when the PPP sat on treasury benches in the Punjab Assembly, it sided with the PML-N on knocking out resolutions pertaining to South Punjab province. PML-Q’s MPA Mohsin Leghari submitted tens of resolutions, in almost every session, but none were supported by the PPP.

After the fallout, PPP’s Co-Chairman, President Asif Ali Zardari, asked the party’s manifesto committee to prepare recommendations for a new province. The committee has held only one meeting since 2011, but never discussed the issue of South Punjab.

Gaining traction

Before being taken up by the leading parties, the PPP and the PML-N, the issue also lacked electoral support.

Leaders, like the Pakistan Seraiki Party’s President Barrister Taj Muhammad Langah, who have been most vocal about a Seraiki or South Punjab province, have never been elected to parliament or provincial assemblies.

The tide, however, turned around after the PML-N wrapped up the local government system in 2008, introduced by former president Pervez Musharraf under his regime.

As authority centered back in Lahore, the demand for South Punjab went from drawing rooms to the street.

Budget figures

At the 2010 budget speech in the Punjab Assembly, lawmakers from South Punjab protested on the floor of the house over the allocation of “Rs5 billion” for South Punjab.

Terming the amount “equivalent to Zakat,” the lawmakers lashed out at Rs21 billion spent on Raiwind road that leads to the Sharifs’ residence outside Lahore.

Chairman Planning Department of Punjab, however, refuted the claim.

Giving official figures to The Express Tribune, the chairman said the PML-N government increased the allocation of development budget to South Punjab from Rs22 billion in 2007-08, or 15% of total development allocation in the Punjab, to Rs70 billion in 2011-12, or 32% of total allocation.

The allocation, however, does not necessarily translate into disbursements which may be far lower.

Rhetoric versus action

The PML-N says the resolution in National Assembly is an attempt to deflect pressure on the government following conviction of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in a contempt case.

Analysts second that, saying the resolution is merely a political gimmick that attempts to cash in on public support on the issue in , what is widely perceived to be, an election year.

Caving out a new province will require a bill, not a resolution, they say, adding that a resolution has no legal weight and does not make South Punjab imperative. Since a new province would require amending the Constitution, the PPP, if it is serious about South Punjab, should have moved a bill.

What is the process? 

The process for amendment to the Constitution, which is essentially what a new province would entail, is laid out in Article 239 of the Constitution.

A bill has to be moved in either houses of parliament, National Assembly or Senate, and has to pass with a two-thirds majority in both. Any regular bill would then be sent to the president for endorsement but sub article 4 adds an extra provision for this case, which states: A bill to amend the Constitution which would have the effect of altering the limits of a province shall not be presented to the president for assent unless it has been passed by the provincial assembly of that province by the votes of not less than two-thirds of its total membership.

Few months ago, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement submitted a bill to remove the aforementioned clause. The bill, however, is pending in National Assembly secretariat and has not been entertained.

South Punjab, therefore, needs the assent of both – the PPP and the PML-N – if it has to become a reality under the current Constitution, and before the next election.

PML-N’s counter-proposals

The PML-N does not disagree on the creation of new provinces, but demands that they should be created on an “administrative basis” only.

The party, in its policy presented last year, has called for a commission, like the States Reorganisation Commission constituted in India in 1953, which should form new provinces after detailed study.

According to the PML-N’s manifesto committee, the party has plans for 13 new provinces in Pakistan; and while not much progress was seen on that front, the party was jolted into action on Friday.

Hours after PPP’s resolution was passed by the National Assembly, the PML-N submitted a counter resolution to the NA secretariat, calling for the creation of not one but four provinces – South Punjab, Bahawalpur, Fata and Hazara.

Sources in the party, however, say the PML-N’s stance on a prospective ‘Bahawalpur’ province is a political attempt to counter PPP’s demand of a ‘South Punjab’ province.

Bahawalpur versus South Punjab

While the debate on southern Punjab, until recently, focused on South Punjab versus Bahawalpur, PML-N’s resolution submitted on Friday now calls for creation of both.

The party is not the only one calling for a Bahawalpur province though.

Former information minister Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani, a leading figure in the movement for a separate Bahawalpur province, has demanded that the former princely state be given a provincial status.

It is the constitutional right of the people of Bahawalpur to have their own province, just like it is the right of the people of DI Khan and Multan to have their own province, Durrani said in a statement on Thursday.

Any effort to pitch the people of Bahawalpur against the people of DI Khan and Multan will fail, he added.

PML-Functional Punjab President Makhdoom Ahmad Mehmood has also demanded that Bahawalpur should be restored as a separate province, instead of inducting it into a Seraiki or South Punjab province.

Hazara province

Following through on its counter-proposal submitted to the NA secretariat on Friday, the PML-N submitted a resolution in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Secretariat, calling for forming the Hazara division a separate province. The resolution, filed on Friday, is signed by six lawmakers .

“Once it is carved into a new province, the revenue generated [through its resources] will be used on this region,” Muhammad Javed Abbasi told reporters. “It is very difficult to administer this division from Peshawar.”

The resolution states that the Hazara division is gifted with natural resources but unjust treatment by successive governments have led to feelings of depravation amongst the people.

“This provincial assembly asks the provincial government to recommend to the federal government to amend the Constitution of Pakistan to make Hazara a separate province,” the resolution reads.

Meanwhile, pro-Hazara province activists have called for a protest and sit-in in Islamabad on May 14, against the ignoring of their demands. Members of the Suba Hazara Tehrik criticised the PPP for ignoring the demand of Hazarawals at a meeting in Abbottabad on Friday, saying their demand is an administrative one in nature.

The road to Seraiki province

Pakistan Seraiki Party’s President Barrister Taj Muhammad Langah believes that creation of a Seraiki province is imperative, and a boundary commission should therefore be established immediately.

If the process is delayed, however, he has several short-term proposals to offer.

The Punjab Assembly could be divided informally into Punjab and Seraiki region, he said, while talking to The Express Tribune.

Members from the Seraiki regions in the Punjab Assembly should prepare budget proposals for their areas separately and allocation of funds to the Siraiki area should be based on population and the area’s contribution to the national economy, he said.

Similarly, the federation should have separate financial allocation in the budget, as well as in the NFC award, for a future Seraiki province, he added.

He proposed that until a separate province is created, the Punjab Assembly should, on temporary basis, be divided into two houses for legislation and development allocation purposes.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2012.

Security breach: Distance terror planning from prison cells

A secret survey carried out by an intelligence agency has revealed that terrorists continue to use mobile phones to maintain contact with the outside world – especially with banned outfits like the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) – in a bid to garner financial support and plan more such attacks. The discovery surfaces despite increased security efforts by authorities after reports of further attacks on more prisons particularly Adiala Jail Rawalpindi, Central Jail Faisalabad and Kot Lakhpat Jail Lahore.

The investigation also revealed that various scanning devices in prisons across Punjab were out of order and walk-in gates unmanned, The Express Tribune has learnt.

According to extracts from the intelligence report, Qari Waqas – an affiliate of TTP’s Tariq Afridi group, detained in Camp Jail, Ferozpur Road Lahore – has contacts with activists of the TTP in Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa (K-P). The communication link was established primarily to arrange finances for prisoners.

In another intercepted telephonic conversation, communication links between a prisoner of the Adiala Jail and a terrorist of the TTP were unearthed.

While the prisoner enquired if any of their accomplices were able to escape during the Bannu jailbreak, his TTP counterpart said that none of their accomplices were among the escapees and added that most of the escaped prisoners belonged to the Mehsud clan.

The TTP terrorist further disclosed that their next target will be Adiala Jail because most of their accomplices were imprisoned there, an intelligence agency operator who intercepted the call revealed.

Another report revealed that terrorists are also planning attacks on Central Jail Faisalabad and Central Jail Kot Lakhpat, Lahore.

In light of the secret survey report, seven jails of Punjab have been declared “most sensitive” and Punjab’s home department has demanded assistance from Rangers in each of the seven jails.

These jails have been declared most sensitive because they house nearly 250 terrorists. As many as 48 terrorists are presently imprisoned in Kot Lakhpat Jail Lahore, 90 terrorists in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi, 17 terrorists in Faisalabad Jail, 16 in Dera Ghazi Khan Jail, 20 in Bahawalpur Jail, 49 in Multan Jail while nine are lodged in the Mianwali Jail.

The report also revealed that the arms and ammunition in possession of the prison guards were not up-to-date and did not meet the basic requirements. There was also a significant lack of proper arrangements by the management to ensure mobile patrolling around the jail premises.

According to the report, mobile phone facilities were not only enjoyed by ordinary prisoners but were also used by high-profile terrorists who carry out jailbreak planning with their accomplices and parent banned outfits through these devices.

The report added that none of the respective district police officers have prepared any contingency plans in this regard.

In a bid to beef up security, joint teams have been constituted and representatives of Punjab’s home department will lead these teams in association with DSPs.

These joint teams will point out loopholes and security lapses in prisons and will present their recommendations to the provincial home department.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2012.

Gilani says civil charge does not disqualify him from premiership

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. — File Photo by AFP

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday said the verdict of the Supreme Court against him does not disqualify him from the office of prime minister, as he did not commit any criminal offence by not writing letter to the Swiss authorities.

“The charges against me are not of criminal nature. In a civil charge, there cannot be disqualification,” he said in an interaction with correspondents from local and foreign media, at the Prime Minister House here.

Gilani said he had followed the constitution and did not have moral turpitude on him as the article 248-1 of the constitution grants immunity to the president.

He said the clause regarding immunity had never been debated and interpreted in the country’s 64-year history.

He said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) did not show patience for the detailed judgment of the Supreme Court order to come. “I do not need their (PML-N’s) recognition. We do not need the alternative options but will follow the constitution and rule of law,” he added.

The prime minister on the passage of resolution in the National Assembly for the creation of provinces termed it a step forward and in accordance with 40-year desire of the people of Southern Punjab.

“A national message by the people of Southern Punjab has been sent across,” he said and mentioned that he phoned the political leaders of Awami National Party (ANP), Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Balochistan National Party (BNP) and PPP-Sherpao group to thank for their support in this regard.

On PML-N’s stance for not supporting the creation of Southern Punjab province and bringing resolution on other provinces, he said today they had “lost the game” and they were trying to divert the attention from the real issues.

“They (PML-N) have been isolated and totally exposed. They are trying to gain from both sides, being simultaneously in the power and in the opposition,” he said.

The prime minister said the government was moving ahead by taking along all political forces while the PML-N was making its “solo flight.”

Asked would he reciprocate by not recognising the Punjab chief minister like the PML-N is doing him, Gilani said he had full respect for the mandate and believed in the rule of law.

“I have always supported them and will always do in future as well. I have rather opened my doors for them,” he added.

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Via DAWN.com

Internal politics: Entire party not sold on mass protest

The PML-N on Wednesday announced several public gatherings, two of which will be addressed by party chief Nawaz Sharif. However, senior leaders are not sold on the idea of starting a mass movement just yet, sources privy to the developments told The Express Tribune.

In fact, the public gatherings may have now become as much about the PML-N’s internal issues as they are about the removal of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. Interestingly, negotiations between the senior leadership of the PML-N and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) are
already under way over a one-point agenda: The smooth
replacement of Prime Minister Gilani.

According to the sources, which are well-placed in the decision making circles of the PML-N, the party has categorically ruled out the option of en masse resignations from the assemblies and a long march. As for the mass protests, some senior leaders feel that the party will not be able to execute the plan fully and properly, which will result in adverse effects for the PML-N.

The two senior leaders, which the sources say were not in favour of announcing a mass movement, are the leaders of the opposition in the Senate and National Assembly, Ishaq Dar and Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. These two leaders wanted to up the political pressure and see what happens in coming days as a result.

But this plan was rejected, according to sources.

Nawaz was sold on the idea of Khwaja Muhammad Asif, an MNA from Sialkot, and also Nawaz’s class fellow from Government College University Lahore, who felt that the party should launch a mass movement against the government.

Dar and Nisar, according to sources, tried to convince Nawaz that, keeping in mind the weather conditions as well as it being harvesting season, the time was not conducive for putting together large gatherings. The inability to put together convincing shows of strength would have an adverse impact on the PML-N, they are said to have argued.

But Khwaja Asif and his supporters allegedly charged the two with being unable to put together large gatherings in their constituencies.

Nisar is said to have taken this as a challenge and offered to host the first of the gatherings in Taxela, Rawalpindi, on May 5.

According to PML-N’s schedule, public gatherings will also be held in Gujranwala (May 7), Bahawalpur and Sargodha (May 8), Multan and Rawalpindi (May 10), Sialkot (May 11) and in Gujrat (May 12).

A gathering was also scheduled for Lahore (May 9), but Nawaz himself rejected this idea, said sources, believing that a failure to put up a massive show would hurt the party.

Nawaz himself will only address gatherings on May 5 and May 11. The rest of his addresses, said sources, may take place in other provinces.

One of his appearances will be in Hafizabad on May 11. However, the purpose of this gathering is more about bringing on board important recruits. The Bhattis of Hafizabad (Pindi Bhatyan) are an influential political family of the area and have won all the seats of the district on PML-Q tickets in the last two general elections. The Bhatti family has invited Nawaz to an event they are holding in his honour.

According to sources, negotiations between PPP and PML-N over the resignation of Prime Minister Gilani are under way between Chaudhry Nisar and PPP chief whip Syed Khurshid Ali Shah and Senator Raza Rabbani.

The negotiations, said sources, are still in their infancy – but the PML-N believes it can get PPP to agree on replacing Gilani.

PML-N’s Deputy General Secretary Ahsan Iqbal said that the party stand unanimous over the protest movement as it had been decided in the party’s central working committee. He showed his ignorance about negotiations between Nisar and PPP’s office bearers.

He said that, no matter the season, the people would come out in support.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3^rd, 2012.

Hajj 2010: Slow Hajj scam investigation annoys apex court

The Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Member of National Assembly (MNA) Hamid Saeed Kazmi was imprisoned due to his negligence and involvement in this scam. A two-judge bench of the apex court comprising Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan and Justice Jawwad S Khawaja resumed hearing of the suo motu case regarding corruption in Hajj arrangements in 2010.

During the hearing, Additional DG FIA, Inam Ghani, apprised the bench that the FIA had not received the LLB degree verification from Zakria University Multan for one of the alleged accomplices in the scam, Zain Sukhera, a close friend of Premier Gilani’s son.

The court questioned as to why the verification process was not completed, despite lapse of more than 13 months. Justice Khawaja added that the verification process takes ten minutes and that it is unclear as to why the court’s order was not adhered to.

During the hearing, a report pertaining to investigation against Director Hajj Rao Shakeel, former secretary establishment Ismail Qureshi and Joint Secretary Hajj, S M Tahir, was presented before the bench stating that challans were submitted to the court concerned against all three officials on April 25, 2010.

The bench was informed that Qureshi was declared innocent by the FIA, based on which, Justice Khawaja inquired why his name was placed in the list of submitted challans.

Deputy Attorney General Shafi Muhmmad Chandio sought time from the bench to submit his reply in this matter. The FIA director also sought more time from the apex court, citing insufficient time as his reason, since he was assigned the task of probing the scam recently on April 20, 2012.

The hearing was adjourned for two weeks with the court seeking a comprehensive report of the findings so far.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had taken suo motu notice after receiving a letter from Saudi Prince Bandar Bin Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud and applications received by Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday from different pilgrims, accusing three MNAs and two Senators of embezzlement in Hajj arrangements in 2010.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3^rd, 2012.

Forex & Gold 3 May 2012

Forex Update:
KARACHI, May 02: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 91.6 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 15:30 PST)

Note:We do not receive Foreign Exchange Rates regularly.

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Via DAWN.com

Multan Police bust 18 gangs

MULTAN – The district police have smashed 18 gangs of car and motorbike snatchers, animal and vehicle lifters and arrested 90 gangsters besides recovering booty worth over Rs25 million from their possession.
The gangs include Zulfiqar alias Pappu Gang, Sharif alias Sharifa Gang, Rizwan alias Jhoola Gang, Asif Gang, Riaz Gag, Mujahid Hans Gang, Kamran Gang, Azam alias Azmi Gang, Muhammad …

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After bin Laden’s death: Anti-Americanism rises, but support for al Qaeda declines

The Abbottabad raid did not have a major impact on the incidence of terrorism in Pakistan but definitely increased anti-United States sentiment amongst the public, said an intelligence official while speaking to The Express Tribune.

Anti-US sentiments may not be rampant amongst the population, since there are no credible statistics to prove either way, but a remarkable rise in anti-US rhetoric by right-wing groups was witnessed post-bin Laden raid, the intelligence official said.

He was seconded by defence analyst Brigadier (retd) Farooq Hameed Khan, who has also served at the defence section of the Pakistan Embassy in Washington.

There is no palpable rise in extremism since the bin Laden raid but there has been a substantial increase in anti-American sentiment in Pakistan, Khan said while talking to The Express Tribune.

The US did not release any photograph or video of the Abbottabad raid which raises question about bin Laden’s presence in Abbottabad at the time of the operation, he added.

Meanwhile, the Abbottabad commission has yet to complete its report on the incident.

The nation anxiously awaits the report and hopes it will help answer the questions people have about this highly-secretive operation, Khan added.

Waning support

A year after the death of its leader, al Qaeda is widely unpopular among Muslim publics.

A new poll by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project, conducted March 19 to April 13, 2012, finds majorities – and mostly large majorities – expressing negative views of al Qaeda in Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Turkey and Lebanon. The chart above illustrated the findings.

Support for bin Laden, however, had waned considerably among Muslims around the world even before his death.

21% of Pakistanis expressed confidence in bin Laden to do the right thing in world affairs in 2011, down from a high of 52% in 2005.

Confidence in bin Laden amongst Muslims also saw a decline in Indonesia, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Lebanon, the survey findings reveal. (With additional input from news desk)

Published in The Express Tribune, May 2^nd, 2012.

PM contempt: PML-N announces schedule for protest campaign

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) has devised its strategy for a countrywide protest movement against the Pakistan Peoples Party-led (PPP) government and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s refusal to step down.

According to Senator Pervez Rashid, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif will start with addressing public gatherings in Punjab. The first rally will be held on May 4 in Taxila and will be followed by rallies in Gujranawala on May 7, Bahawalpur and Sargodha on May 8, Multan and Rawalpindi on May 10, Sialkot on May 11 and Gujrat on May 12.

Later, rallies will be held in Khyber-Paktunkhwa (K-P), Balochistan and then in Sindh.

Nawaz Sharif will address a final public gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore, where he will announce launch the Long March.

According to PML-N sources, the party has decided it will force stakeholders within and outside the country, including the army, to mount pressure on PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to replace Gilani as prime minister.

Earlier, the PML-N president had announced that a countrywide mass movement would be launched against the government if Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani did not step down after his conviction by the Supreme Court.

A meeting of PML-N’s top leadership was convened in the capital on Monday to decide on the party’s line of action after the apex court convicted the prime minister in a contempt case.

Separate electorate: Dual voting right for minorities urged

The Pakistan Christian Post (PCP), in a recent memorandum to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), has demanded minority representation in Parliament on the basis of “dual voting rights” after members from the Christian and Hindu community expressed serious reservations on the joint electorate system, introduced by former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf in 2000.

Dual Voting Right is an electoral system through which religious minorities can elect their representatives in Parliament, similar to separate electorates, while simultaneously voting for general seat candidates.

Highlighting the joint electorate system as one based on patronage, the PCP has said that the joint electorate system empowers “Muslim political parties to distribute minority reserved seats in parliament in a ratio to their seats in assemblies through selection of their favoured religious minority leaders, often after taking bribes in millions of rupees”.

In recent PCP polls 59% minorities favoured dual voting, 27% favoured joint electorates while 14% voted for separate electorates.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 1^st, 2012.

Gilani maintains defiant stance

ISLAMABAD, April 30: There is no let-up in the rising political temperature in the country. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, at centre of a controversy after his conviction for contempt, continued with his defiant mood on Monday.

The prime minister, while speaking at a ceremony in the morning, publicly criticised the Supreme Court judgment and then while addressing the Senate in the evening he hit out at the Pakistan Muslim League-N for demanding his resignation in the aftermath of the conviction.

At the ceremony organised by Radio Pakistan, Mr Gilani for the first time publicly criticised the seven-member Supreme Court bench’s judgment in which he had been found guilty of contempt charges.

“Even though the entire world is aghast over the SC judgment against me, we have accepted it.

“Can a court convict somebody with a criminal offence when there are civil charges against him?”

The prime minister also said in a sarcastic tone that his 30-second punishment deserved to be included in the Guinness Book of World Records.

He said there was no law in the world under which a court could send home an elected representative, thus he would continue to serve as prime minister.

Since the announcement of the court judgment on April 26, legal experts are divided on its impact. Some say it automatically disqualifies Mr Gilani as a member of the National Assembly and he ceases to be the prime minister. But there are others who believe that only the speaker can decide on the matter as the final authority.

From his hard-hitting remarks, it appears the soft-spoken prime minister has decided to take his opponents head-on.

And for the first time, the prime minister bracketed the SC judgment and PML-N’s response to his conviction, saying that from the opposition party’s reaction it appeared as if they knew the judgment in advance.

“The implementation of law by the SC should be even-handed,” said the prime minister while referring to the court’s lack of interest in the Mehrangate scandal in which PML-N leaders are allegedly involved. “Strangely, the SC was quick to announce decision on my cases but showing no urgency on Mehrangate scandal.”

In response to a question, the prime minister outrightly dismissed a perception of a constitutional crisis following his conviction.

“Only the Sharif courts based in Raiwind are getting impassioned and want to send the current set-up packing. Otherwise, there is nothing wrong.”

Mr Gilani also asked the Sharif brothers to explain under which court judgment they had been released from Adiala jail and flown to Jeddah.

In response to the opposition’s demand for his resignation, Mr Gilani said only the speaker of the National Assembly had the power to ask him to leave the charge as prime minister and if asked, he would not think for a second and go back to Multan.

“What is the hurry, let the detailed judgment come. And what about my right of appeal against the decision which the Constitution gives me,” he said in response to a query.

LETTER TO AITZAZ: “At the end of the day, it is the people of Pakistan who judge the performance of their government and this right of the people, expressed through their elected representatives in parliament, cannot be taken away and should not be allowed to be taken away from them,” the prime minister said in a letter addressed to Senator Aitzaz Ahsan along with a Rs100 cheque as fee for what he termed his priceless services as his lawyer.

“In representing me, in fact, Senator Aitzaz Ahsan was upholding and defending the principle of supremacy of the Constitution which was no small matter, especially in the face of an adverse propaganda by some political entities and relentless bias by a section of the media.”

The prime minister referred to Chaudhry Aitzaz’s book ‘Divided by democracy’ in which he wrote that in the political history of Pakistan not once had the judiciary “invalidated the incumbent regime of a military adventurer” and expressed the hope that some day this would prove to be untrue.

CONSPIRACY: Speaking in the Senate after a protest walkout by PML-N members against his appearance in the house after conviction, Mr Gilani accused the opposition party of conspiring to derail democracy and advised it to desist from influencing the court’s decision.

He said the law provided for an appeal against the judgment followed by a procedure. He said he would quit the day he was de-notified by the speaker.

He also claimed that even if he went, the next prime minister would be picked by him.

The prime minister said he was not a beneficiary of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) and his only crime was that he wanted to protect the Constitution. He said he had given respect to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif after his conviction in a hijacking case.

He said Mr Sharif had become the first beneficiary of the NRO when he proceeded to Jeddah from Adiala jail under an agreement. However, he kept misleading the nation by saying that he had not signed any agreement.

Prime Minister Gilani said he had followed the rules and procedures and accepted the advice, which was correct, that a letter for reopening cases against the president could not be written because the head of the state enjoyed complete immunity in and outside the country under the Constitution.

The prime minister said even his successor would not write such a letter if he left.

He said Mr Sharif’s moves were driven by his ‘Imran phobia’. “That is why they want to hold a long march before him.”

Mr Gilani said the bar on becoming prime minister for the third term had been lifted to favour Mr Sharif.

DAR’S DEFENCE: Leader of Opposition in the Senate, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, sharply reacted to the remarks, saying Mr Sharif had not gone to Saudi Arabia through any NRO but Muslim countries had played a role to save the leader who could have been hanged by Gen Pervez Musharraf.

He said the clause about bar on premiership was also applicable to the late Benazir Bhutto.

Senator Dar said the PML-N would accept the decision if the sentence was set aside after an appeal.

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Via DAWN.com

‘India awarded MFN status on China proposal’

MULTAN – Former envoy of World Trade Organization in Pakistan and Chief Executive Officer of World Trade Adviser Geneva Dr Manzoor Ahmad claimed on Monday that Pakistan declared India Most Favoured Nation (MFN) on China’s proposal.Addressing the members of Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), he said that China was of the view that Pakistan should strengthen its economy by …

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