Posts Tagged ‘PTI’

One-year bans likely for ‘rebel’ hockey players

Former stars including Shakeel Abbas, Rehan Butt , Imran Warsi and Zeeshan Ashraf could be out of Pakistan’s Olympic squad. – File photo by AFP

KARACHI: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) indicated, on Thursday, that it may hand one-year bans to the eight players involved in World Series Hockey (WSH).

PHF has said that all the players who signed the board’s contract after March 31, 2012 could be given a one-year ban for opting for the rebel league, DawnNews reported.

Senior members of the Pakistan hockey team, including Rehan Butt, Zeeshan Ashraf and Shakeel Abbasi, among others, participated in the Indian rebel league, which was not approved by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

In a move to show its displeasure with their participation, PHF issued show-cause notices to the eight players last month to appear before a disciplinary committee.

In last week’s hearing, the players defended their move to join the league, saying that the PHF did not give any clear instructions to the players.

Apart from Abbasi, Ashraf and Butt, former captain Imran Warsi, Waseem Ahmed, Tariq Aziz, Adnan Maqsood and Mudassar Ali Khan also participated in WSH, which was played between March and April.

The disciplinary committee will submit its report to the federation next week.

If, indeed, the bans are imposed, the players could miss out on an Olympic berth.

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Via DAWN.com

Graft charges: OGRA official arrested in Rs52b scam

The arrest was made after the Supreme Court admonished NAB for not taking action against the Ogra officials who are allegedly involved in corruption worth over Rs52 billion.

Some government officials said that Kamal Mari, member finance Ogra, and former chairman Tauqir Sadiq had political backing and therefore have found a ‘safe heaven’.

Senior official of NAB, Zafar Iqbal ruled out intentional delay in the arrest of Ogra officials and said that arrest warrants for Mari and Saqiq had been issued. “NAB teams are after these two officials,” he said, adding that perhaps they have found a ‘safe haven’ and NAB will arrest them.

In its report submitted to the apex court, NAB had said that the Ogra officials had inflicted a loss of Rs52 billion on the national exchequer as well as consumers due to their corrupt practices in different dealings.

NAB found irregularities, like increase in gas theft and leakage ceiling and issuance of unauthorised compressed natural gas (CNG) station licences, due to the decisions taken after the ‘controversial’ appointment of former Ogra chairman Tauqir Sadiq, who also appointed about 50 officers, including his nephew, in the authority in violation of rules and policy matters. Ogra also spent around Rs13 million on the appointment of lawyers, which were not part of the approved panel.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2012.

Counter-affidavit: Durrani concedes ISI role in poll rigging

Durrani submitted an affidavit in response to the one submitted by Gen Mirza Aslam Beg blaming the ISI for corrupt practices. Durrani stated that then-army chief, Aslam Beg, knew about the plan. Defending his position, Durrani insisted that the role of ISI and MI in distributing funds among various politicians and political parties was lawful.

“The ISI had the mandate to carry out this task,” he maintained.

“The decision to disburse election donations may well have been taken by then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan, who having handpicked the caretaker government including the prime minister Mustafa Jatoi, was the de-facto chief executive. The operation was therefore lawful and followed an established chain of command,” he said.

“All accounts were maintained by officers belonging to various MI detachments, and funds were placed in temporary accounts… details can be provided on a confidential basis. The balance was transferred to an ISI special fund only after the disbursements were completed,” Durrani held, adding that “Since records were maintained meticulously, all transactions can be accounted for.”

Gen Beg filed a fresh statement on May 10 attempting to absolve himself of any role in the distribution of funds.  Gen Durrani said “General Mirza Aslam Beg was on board this operation right from the beginning – both in the process of issuing instructions, as well as overseeing the disbursements.”

“I received my initial orders to organise the distribution of election donations through the president (Ishaq Khan). Though subsequent instructions were at times conveyed by Ijlal Haider Zaidi, a member of the president’s election team, I kept the army chief fully informed,” Durrani added.

The general also held that “in this case I followed orders convinced that it was in the best interest of the country. I seek the court’s permission to explain my decision on a confidential basis, or if it pleases the court, to submit a paper on the subject for the court’s eyes only.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2012.

Rs26 billion corruption: NAB given 3 months to probe steel mills case

The Supreme Court also issued a contempt of court notice to Interior Minister Rehman Malik for his interference in the investigation of a case that involves some Rs26.5 billion.

“We felt that attempts to divert fair and honest investigation were also made by the Ministry of Interior (Malik) by appointing a joint investigation team (JIT) despite the fact that the matter was sub judice before this court and the FIA was carrying out the investigation under the directions of this court,” the court’s detailed order stated.

The minister is to appear in the court after two weeks.

Meanwhile, the three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, directed FIA’s director-general (DG) to hand over all investigation records collected and prepared by his agency to the NAB chairman.

According to a forensic audit report conducted by an independent audit firm, the Pakistan Steel Mills has fallen victim to unprecedented levels of corruption. The report showed a breakup of its losses: Business losses amounted to Rs4.68 billion, losses due to corruption were Rs9.99 billion and losses due to mismanagement and negligence were Rs11.84 billion.

The judgment authored by Justice Tariq Parvez highlighted the importance of ‘modern technology and machinery’ for the progress of a nation. The verdict also discussed the phenomenon of corruption in detail.

It reiterated that the investigation by the FIA had so far failed to pinpoint the real beneficiaries operating under the garb of Abbas Steel Group.

The order read: “The purpose of the present proceedings is not to punish someone but to secure recovery of the looted money, which has been plundered by the persons prima facie connected with the commission of the offence and if their cases are sent up for trial before the court of competent jurisdiction, they shall be held responsible in accordance with law.”

The Supreme Court mentioned in its order that the FIA had been filing either preliminary or incomplete reports and had never filed any satisfactory final report. “We do not find any serious effort on part of the FIA towards prosecution of the cases…”

The verdict held that the entire investigation appeared to be casual and not final-result oriented. “We do not find any conclusive report prepared by the FIA.” The court also questioned former FIA DG Waseem Ahmad’s conduct in the case.

Directions for NAB chairman

“Consequently, NAB’s chairman is directed to supervise/appoint a team of honest and upright officers under his administration to further probe the mega scam of losses of more than Rs26 billion, which pertains only to one financial year 2008-2009,” the court held in its order. “Further ensure the arrest of the accused who have been declared absconders or who may be found involved in the case,” the court directed NAB’s chairman.

NAB was ordered to complete the exercise within a period of three months, with the submission of fortnightly report about progress of the investigation/inquiry. After the Rental Power Projects case, this is second high-profile case which has been transferred to the NAB in less then two months.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2012.

NATO supply resumption: Poison, threats sent to foreign embassies

According to the police, an unidentified person or persons from Sindh, sent letters to the three embassies on the same day, warning them against the reopening of Nato supply routes in Pakistan.

“NATO Supply Must Not Be Restored,” stated the letters in identical writing patterns. Officials investigating the case referred it to the secretariat police.

“Each parcel carried 0.5 grams of black powder. It was not explosive,” said a police officer, adding, however, that the material appeared to be poisonous.

The officer further said the material would be sent for laboratory tests to ascertain its composition and properties.

A police investigation officer said the poisonous material was in minute quantity and was insufficient to kill anyone. He also ruled out the possibility of it being anthrax.

“It appears the unknown sender or senders used poison as symbolic death to warn the embassies against the resumption of NATO supply routes,” said the police official, while requesting anonymity. He added that the matter has been taken seriously and is being thoroughly investigated.

The poisonous powder was first detected by the security staff of the embassies during clearance of parcels. They were handed over to the secretariat police who started investigations after registering cases against the unidentified senders.

When contacted, the Australian High Commission refused to comment on the matter, while the other two missions’ officials could not be reached.

After preliminary investigations, police officials said the letters were sent from some place in Sindh but the exact location was not known.

The letters, they added, were dispatched three days ago.

Till the filing of this report, the police were searching if other embassies in the diplomatic enclave had received similar parcels.

In a similar case about two months ago, anthrax in a parcel was sent to Prime Minister’s Secretariat. The parcel was traced back to the Jamshoro University post office in Sindh; however, the sender remains unidentified.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2012.

Plans ‘ready’ to strike Iran, says US envoy

File photo from Jan 15, 2011 shows Iran’s heavy water nuclear facilities near the central city of Arak 250 kilometers southwest of Tehran. —AP Photo

JERUSALEM: US plans for a possible military strike on Iran are ready and the option is “fully available”, the US ambassador to Israel said – days before Tehran resumes talks with world powers which suspect it of seeking to develop nuclear arms.   

Like Israel, the United States has said it considers military force a last resort to prevent Iran using its uranium enrichment to make a bomb. Iran insists its nuclear programme is for purely civilian purposes.

“It would be preferable to resolve this diplomatically and through the use of pressure than to use military force,” Ambassador Dan Shapiro said in remarks about Iran aired by Israel’s Army Radio on Thursday.

“But that doesn’t mean that option is not fully available – not just available, but it’s ready. The necessary planning has been done to ensure that it’s ready,” said Shapiro, who the radio station said had spoken on Tuesday.

The United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany have been using sanctions and negotiations to try to persuade Iran to curb its uranium enrichment, which can produce fuel for reactors, medical isotopes, and, at higher levels of purification, fissile material for warheads.

New talks opened in Istanbul last month and resume on May 23 in Baghdad.

Israel, which is widely assumed to have the Middle East’s only atomic arsenal, feels threatened by the prospect of its arch-foe Iran going nuclear and has hinted it could launch preemptive war.

But many analysts believe the United States alone has the military clout to do lasting damage to Iran’s nuclear programme.

In January, Shapiro told an Israeli newspaper the United States was “guaranteeing that the military option is ready and available to the president at the moment he decides to use it”.

US lawmakers are considering additional legislation that would increase pressure on Iran, with further measures to punish foreign companies for dealing with Iran in any capacity.

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Via DAWN.com

South American Penguins

Millions of these South American penguins still live on the coasts of Argentina and Chile, though the species is still under the classification as a “threatened species”, mainly due to the risk of large breeding colonies to oil spills, which kill Tens of thousands of them in Argentina. Due to the decline in fish populations, sea lions and giant petrels prey on their chicks. To save these penguins from oil spills, many zoo representatives adopt them and breed them in captivity.

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Via DAWN.com

Pakistan takes flight from its drone stance

ISLAMABAD – Formal deliberations on drone strikes in Pakistan’s north-western belt are not part of Pak-US ‘reconciliation’ process as defence ministry finalises three strategic agreements ahead of Nato supplies resumption vis-à-vis future strategic cooperation between the allies, it is learnt.
Well-placed ministry officials said the formulation of these agreements, …

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SC transfers PSM corruption case to NAB

ISLAMABAD – Announcing its verdict in the Pakistan Steel Mills case, the Supreme Court Wednesday transferred the enquiry of Rs26 billion corruption scam from FIA to NAB.
A three-member bench of the apex court, comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Pervez, heard the suo moto on corruption and mismanagement in the steel mill.
Regarding …

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Imran to launch campaign against resumption of Nato supplies

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Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chief Imran Khan. – File Photo by Reuters

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan said on Wednesday that he was contacting other political parties for the opposition campaign against ,expected re-opening of the Nato supply, routes to Afghanistan, DawnNews reported.

Talking to media representatives at the press conference at Zaman Paark in Lahore, Khan criticised the parliament for its inability to implement the resolution regarding future rules of engagement with the United States.

He asked why Pakistan was compromising on its stand of  not allowing the Nato supplies through its land-routes, when the US drone attacks have not been  stopped and the US has not seek for an apology over the raid on Salala check-post that killed 24 soldiers.

The PTI chairman warned that Pakistan will have to bear financial loss and loss of human lives, if it allows reopening of the Nato supply routes.

Speaking about election commission of Pakistan (ECP), Khan said that if Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz appoints their cronies in the commission then PTI would oppose that.

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Via DAWN.com

Malik urges Sharifs to stop using state’s machinery for rallies

Interior Minister Rehman Malik – File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik on Wednesday said protests led by Sharif brothers are an eye opener for public as to what level they (Sharifs) can go for their personal enmity where they even do not mind using the state machinery for their protest rallies.

He said law and order situation is not satisfactory, corruption and mismanagement can be seen in Punjab province as wrong and vague policies of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif have made people to suffer.

The minister was responding to a question raised in a press conference regarding statements being issued by the PML-N leadership against the government.

“I advise both the Sharif brothers to avoid telling lies and bring change in their attitudes. They should realise that people support Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) which is trying to bring positive change in their lives,” he said.

Malik said he has evidence against Sharifs of their involvement in corruption and added he would gradually reveal their other frauds before the masses.

Replying to a question, the minister said he would approach the courts regarding their (Sharifs) corruption but first he will fight against them in the “court of masses.”

He said the amount embezzled and wasted in Sasti Roti Scheme and corruption in free laptops distribution is so massive that with the same amount half of the Punjab would have been self-sufficient in electric supply, he added.

“If Sharifs bring only 50 per cent of their wealth from abroad laundered through various banks and stolen by Pakistani banks can make Pakistan self-sufficient in the energy supply,” he said and asked Nawaz and Shahbaz to bring back the stolen money and invest in the country instead of “talking.”

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Via DAWN.com

Freedom, at last

Dr Khalil Chishti has finally got freedom but after 20 years of his life had been wasted in an Indian jail. The President sent a special plane to bring him over and the Interior Minister was present on the airport to receive him. Dr Chishti deserved this reception, yet nothing is going to bring back his lost life except the memory of years spent in pain and longing. An octogenarian now, he would …

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SC orders NAB to investigate Pakistan Steel Mills corruption case

ISLAMABAD: Announcing its verdict in the suo motu case regarding corruption worth Rs26.5 billion in Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM), the Supreme Court of Pakistan has ordered that the case be transferred to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Express News reported on Wednesday.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry directed the director-general of FIA to hand over all investigation records to NAB.

The court expressed lack of trust in the investigation conducted by the FIA.

The Supreme Court directed NAB’s chairman to supervise the inquiry and told him to conclude it within three months. The court also directed him to submit a compliance report every 15 days.

Bail of all the accused in the case was also annulled.

The Supreme Court issued a contempt of court notice to Interior Minister Rehman Malik for “unnecessary transfers” of officials conducting the probe, on December 17, 2009.

The court sought a reply from Malik within two weeks when the next hearing of Supreme Court will take place.

Cabinet session: Printing money can help overcome loadshedding, suggests Gilani

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Wednesday suggested that the government should print currency notes and pour capital into the electricity sector in order to overcome loadshedding, Express News has reported.

During the federal cabinet session, Gilani said, “We can print currency notes and pour capital in the electricity sector in order to overcome loadshedding”.

Gilani’s suggestion surprised ministers present in the session, however, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, while endorsing the prime minister’s statement, said that the “2-3% rise in inflation could be overcome within a few years” and that there was no problem in printing money.

The participants also suggested that the recovery of dues that different sectors owed Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) could be handed over to Malik to curb the circular debt.

However, this idea was opposed by some ministers, saying that this will cause a dispute between the trader community and industry with Wapda.

Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said that Wapda does not have a system to gauge the amount of electricity needed by different cities. He said that Wapda needs to develop a system to properly distribute electricity within the cities, prioritising on the demand.

Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar could not answer a question asked 3-4 times in the session about the capacity of the electricity produced by Wapda.

Gilani says decision on Nato supplies be taken considering national interest

Gilani said that the decision on resumption of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) supply routes will be taken considering Pakistan’s national interest.

The prime minister said that the government has not compromised on its principles in the past and will not do so in the future.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is likely to be formally approved by the federal cabinet to reopen vital land routes for foreign forces stationed in Afghanistan.

He said that the government does not want to take an “emotional” decision which will not be beneficial for the country.

Reiterating his stance on the right to appeal the Supreme Court’s verdict in the contempt of court case, Gilani said that he is not “scared of any threats” and that he will continue to guard the constitution.

Earlier, Gilani had said that Pakistan’s relationship with 48 countries serving in the Nato cannot be put on stake just because of the US.

On Tuesday, Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) finally gave a go-ahead to lift the almost six-month old blockade on Nato supplies passing through the country.

The supplies were suspended in November last year in reprisal to a Nato air raid on a Pakistani border post that had killed 24 soldiers and strained Pakistan-US relations to the breaking point.

PM briefs cabinet on UK visit

The prime minister said that during his visit to the United Kingdom from May 8 to May 13, 2012, he met UK’s Queen Elizabeth on her diamond jubilee and her reign of 60 years as head of the Commonwealth at the British Deputy High Commission.

He said that he also attended a parliamentary reception held by the speaker.

“I also visited Buckingham Palace for a meeting with Duke of York,” said Gilani. “Apart from the enhanced strategic dialogue review, all major ministers called on me for detailed discussions on various strands of cooperation between Pakistan and the UK.”

The premier said that the warm welcome given to him as an elected prime minister reflects the importance and confidence the UK government attaches to its relations with a democratic Pakistan.

He said that British Prime Minister David Cameron applauded the fact that the current government of Pakistan was working to strengthen democracy in the country.

“His categorical statement that Pakistan’s friend is UK’s friend and Pakistan’s enemy is UK’s enemy was a strong reiteration of Pakistan’s standing and importance in the committee of nations.”

Gilani further said that the UK has vowed to build a deeper, stronger relationship with Pakistan and that that it wants to strengthen relations in the fields of trade, defence, health and education.

“We [Pakistan and the UK] have also agreed to boost bilateral trade,” he said.

Cabinet apprised of CASA-1000 project

While reviewing the status of the implementation of the cabinet’s decisions pertaining to Water and Power Division, the cabinet meeting was informed by Qamar that the CASA-1000 Megawatt project meeting being held in Dubai was expected to make substantial progress.

CASA-1000 is a joint project of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Prime Minister Gilani told the cabinet that economic indicators of Pakistan’s economy were moving in the right direction despite the global recession and the devastating floods of 2010 and 2011.

Shaikh assured the cabinet that full financial support will be extended to the Ministry of Water & Power to eliminate unscheduled loadshedding immediately and also to decrease scheduled loadshedding at the same time.

For this purpose, it was decided to utilise the full thermal and hydal power generation capacity in the country.

Sindh card has “run out of credit,” says Nawaz

Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif addresses a public meeting at Dakhan, Shikarpur on Tuesday, May 15, 2012.—Online Photo

SHIKARPUR: Chief of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N), Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said that the Sindh card could no longer be used as it had “run out of credit,” DawnNews reported.

Speaking to reporters in Shikarpur, the PML-N chief blamed the country’s rulers of being disconnected from the people and oblivious to their problems.

He said it was time the government paid attention to the masses’ issues and served the people.

Moreover, the former prime minister alleged that Rehman Malik’s past was rife with graft cases, saying that the interior minister had previously been convicted by the courts.

“Who is he to accuse others? He is not an angel,” said Sharif. “He (Malik) joined forces with Zardari to save himself. Now they are only protecting each other.”

Malik has accused the PML-N chief of money-laundering and corruption worth $32 million — claims the interior minister vows to prove.

The Supreme Court is hearing a case into allegations that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) illegally financed politicians in the 1990s through the now defunct Mehran Bank Limited. The bank’s former chief, Younis Habib, claims he delivered money by hand to the PML-N chief, and paid his brother, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, a sum of Rs 2.5 million.

The PML-N denies the allegations, calling the claims baseless and a “pack of lies”.

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Via DAWN.com

ANP to support govt on Nato supply resumption: Iftikhar Hussain

Nato supply trucks. — File photo

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Wednesday said his party (Awami National Party) would support whatever decisions the federal government takes regarding the resumption of Nato supplies.

Speaking to media representatives here, the provincial minister said the decision taken by the federal government with regard to Nato supplies would be in the best interest of the country, however, he hoped that the recommencement of the supplies would come with certain conditions.

“Those who granted permission for Nato supplies through Pakistan are now making hue and cry,” he added.

Replying to a question regarding the fresh wave of terror attacks, the minister said it was a temporary situation and hoped that the government would soon overcome the crisis.

The minister categorically said that stern action would be taken against “terrorists no matter wherever they are”. The security forces have successfully carried out operations against terrorists in different parts of the province, he said, adding that actions against militants would continue.

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Via DAWN.com

PML-N to resist NATO supplies: Nawaz

Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) chief Mian Ex Prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharifhas said that his party would oppose and resist the resumption of NATO supplies bypassing the recommendations of the parliament.
In an interview with a private TV channel Wednesday, Ex Prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharifsaid that US has not offered apology over Salala check post attack killing 24 Pakistani troops neither it showed any flexibility in its attitude in …

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