Twitter outrage over Madhuri playing Sonam’s mom

The news that Madhuri Dixit would be playing mom to Sonam Kapoor in Anil Kapoor’s production of Freaky Friday has not gone down too well with her fans and supporters.

Laughs Madhuri, “My followers on Twitter are asking, why mom why mom, no mom! Let’s see. I haven’t said yes to Anil yet. I’m yet to see Freaky Friday. I’m watching the film this week. After that I’ll take a call.”

Madhuri is very clear that she won’t accept a role unless she’s absolutely sure of it. “It isn’t as if I’ve any problems playing a mother on screen. I am a mother in real life. And I love being one.”

In fact her two sons are in India right now for their Christmas holidays. “And we’re having a ball. I’ve never been away from them for so long. God, it was good to see them.”

Madhuri is in Mumbai until March 2011. “That’s when my stint on ‘Jhalak Dikhla Jaa’ will end. I’m having such a good time doing the show. I’m no stranger to the camera. But I had never judged a reality show before. So I had my apprehensions. But the show is a breeze. The contestants are all so good. And I get along really well with the other judges Malaika Arora and Remo. Yeah, all in all I’m very comfortable doing the show.”

As for signing a film Madhuri is not getting into anything she’d regret later. Not after her last film Aaja Nachle.

Says a source very close to Madhuri, “Aaja Nachle had everything going for it. But it didn’t have a sense of purpose. The fight was for something really trivial. Now Freaky Friday is no great shakes. If they are remaking a bad film, how much can they improve on it? At this stage of her career Madhuri doesn’t want to get into anything she’d regret later.”

Govt to review Nawaz proposal Thursday

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira on Wednesday said that the government would review the proposal made by PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif about the establishment of an independent flood relief commission.

Briefing media persons at the PID Media Center here, he said the government would hold a special meeting of the chief ministers on Thursday to listen to their apprehensions and views about the flood situation.

“We will first address the apprehensions of provinces before reaching a final decision regarding the flood relief commission,” he said.

Kaira said the government is paying more attention to provide medical supplies in flood-hit areas to prevent possible epidemic.

He said the government has preliminary information about the loss of life and property in the affected areas. However, correct figures will

PM congratulates nation on reforms

ISLAMABAD: Congratulating the nation on presentation of Constitutional Reforms package to the House, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Friday urged every citizen to promote nationalism and contribute to nation building.

“Let it be the time that we the Pakistanis say with pride every where in the world that we are proud to be Pakistanis,” he said addressing the National Assembly prior to presentation of the report of the Constitutional Committee to the House.

“Today is a historic day. Today we have gathered here to mend the follies of the past. Today I feel pleasure to congratulate the Speaker, the Committee, the Parliamentarians and the whole nation,” he added.

Recalling the time when the Speaker was requested to formulate a Committee to do away with the Constitutional amendments of the dictatorial regime, the Prime Minister said, nobody from outside will come to set our House in order. We committed follies and we are to address them.

“I appreciate the Committee and the political parties to redress the acts of a dictator who had trampled down the Constitution. If a dictator wears many hats, the democratic set share power to govern,” he added.

Gilani said, the Reforms will empower provinces and thus the people of Pakistan. It is not empowerment of myself or any other individual but empowerment of this House and the people.

He said the representation of political parties in the Committee, the sagacity shown by the members and marathon exercise it dwelt upon, was unprecedented in country”s history.

“I also congratulate Raza Rabbani and his colleagues who burnt the midnight oil to mend the mistakes of the past in a legal and constitutional effort,” Gilani said.

He said the Committee sent a message world over that Pakistani nation is a democratic nation and commitment of its leadership touches the highest pinnacle where they even do not hesitate to lay down their lives for the people as well as sovereignty of the country.

“When Benazir Bhutto signed Charter of Democracy, she was well aware of the follies of the dictators and believed to redress these follies,” he said.

He said the recommendations of the Committee will empower the provinces and when the institutions will be fully empowered, there will be good governance and political ownership.

“Today I feel honored that all the stakeholders are on the same stage either it is the President, the Prime Minister, the government, the Parliament or the opposition,” he added.

Gilani co-related the NFC Award, Aghaz-e-Huqooq Balochistan and the Committee recommendations, and said, it is a reply to the apprehensions of our critics who have been disillusioned on formation of this Committee.

“But, now when the provinces will enjoy powers and fruits will trickle down to masses, they will get the reply,” he said.

The Prime Minister expressed hope to continue with the same spirit of reconciliation and consultation and urged all political forces in the country to unitedly forge ahead for resolving masses problems.

National Interests To Be Protected: FM Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Brushing aside the apprehensions on Kerry-Lugar Bill, Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi Friday said that national interests will be protected and “we will never compromise on our sovereignty.”

Responding to a point of order in National Assembly, he said “the government will not allow anybody micro-management of our affairs and to cast an eye on our nuclear programme.” Qureshi said these messages were clearly conveyed to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Administration Branch during his meeting with them.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the government has very broad principles on its nuclear program and “we shall not compromise on it.”

“Our government will never surrender our sovereignty. We shall make decisions in national interest,” he assured the House.

The foreign minister said, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will issue certification every year and “I have clearly told her about our national interests.”

Qureshi said he has cut short his foreign visit on direction of the Prime Minister and have come to listen the members and reply their queries.

“I have been listening them abroad and shall listen them also here in the House and reply their questions and concerns,” he said.

He said during last six decades a number of important decision were taken out of the parliament but “our government believes in supremacy of the parliament.”

“We give importance to the parliament and this debate reflects how much importance we give to both the Houses. We will also accept the verdict of the parliament,” he added.

The minister said during his stay abroad he met with Senator Kerry, Senator Lugar and other members of the US Senate and conveyed them our message regarding sovereignty.

He, however, urged the member to look into the bill with an open mind and said, “if we have to take right decisions we shall have to take on the issues with open mind.”

“If we want to make decisions in country’s interest, we also need to be dispassionate and cool minded,” he said.

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National Interests To Be Protected: FM Qureshi was first posted on October 9, 2009 at 3:23 pm.

National Finance Commission Award’s 2nd Round Today

ISLAMABAD: Second session of the opening meeting of the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award with Minister of Finance Shaukat Tarin in chair being held today in Islamabad.

In the first session on Thursday the centre and provinces finalized the agenda of the NFC Award with unanimity.

The commission had included all contentious issues in the agenda for an NFC meeting today (Friday), in line with a demand by the provinces. The level of poverty and backwardness, the impacts of the war against terrorism, sales tax on the services sector and hydal net profit were included in the agenda of the commission.

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah told reporters after attending the first meeting of the reconstituted NFC that the commission had included all contentious in the agenda. He said the federating units were of the view that an agenda prepared by elected representatives from all provinces should be followed, and “thanks to the chairman, our demand was accepted”.
He said the federal government would be strengthened further if the federating units were economically empowered. He said Friday’s presentation on resource availability would help provinces form a consensus over what should be demanded from the federal government in the new NFC.

He hoped that despite a huge agenda including new issues, the NFC Award would be finalised by the end of September. He said that the new award would be finalised according to the aspirations of the provinces, as the last two awards were finalised by non-elected persons.

NWFP Finance Minister Humayun Khan was of the view that his province needed additional help, along with an increased share in the NFC Award, as the war on terror had affected the provincial economy. He said the province had been unable to develop its infrastructure because of the non-payment of net hydel profits.

Punjab Finance Minister Tanvir Ashraf Kaira told reporters that Punjab was participating in NFC negotiations with “an open mind … any revenue-sharing formula agreed by other provinces will be acceptable to us if Punjab’s demands are met”.

Balochistan Finance Minister Mir Asim Kurd said a “sense of deprivation” had prevailed in the province for the last 63 years. He said the Balochistan government wanted to bring the province at par with other federating units, and “for this purpose we need an increase in the NFC share”.

Federal Minister for Finance Shaukat Tareen told reporters that Thursday’s NFC deliberations had, to a large extent, removed the apprehensions among stakeholders, and paved way for smooth negotiations.

He said despite the inclusion of new issues in the NFC agenda, it would not be difficult to finalise the new award. He said several committees were to be formed to resolve each and every issue raised by the provinces in the minimum possible time.

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National Finance Commission Award’s 2nd Round Today was first posted on August 28, 2009 at 11:13 am.
©2009 “Pakistan News“.