SC moved against Rehman Malik’s eligibility

ISLAMABAD: A petition was filed in Supreme Court seeking disqualification of Interior Minister Rehman Malik over his failure to recite a Surah of Holy Quran at a cabinet’s meeting.

The petitioner, Advocate Tariq Asad, argued that Rehman Malik has become ineligible for holding public office under Article 63 of the Constitution due to wrong recitation of Quranic Surah.

He pleaded that apex court direct Chairman of the Senate to forward a reference against Rehman Malik before Election Commission.

Prime Minister, federal government, chief election commissioner, Senate chairman and Interior Minister have been made parties in the application.

Shakirullah takes oath as ECP Acting Chief

Justice Shakir Ullah Jan has taken oath as Acting Chief of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
In a ceremony held in the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry administered the oath. Senior officers of the Election Commission, along with senior lawyers and judges from the apex court, attended the ceremony. Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Hamid Ali Mirza is leaving for America on an official visit.

Scars of Srebrenica Still Visible 15 Years on

By Mark LowenIt’s been 15 years since the massacre of Srebrenica left thousands of Bosnian Muslims dead.

Original post:
Scars of Srebrenica Still Visible 15 Years on

KSE, FBR discuss CGT issues

KARACHI: A team of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) led by Member Tax Policy Asrar Raouf held a meeting with representatives of the Karachi Stock Exchange to address issues related to capital gains tax (CGT).

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KSE, FBR discuss CGT issues

ECP announces schedule for Punjab by-poll

ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner Justice (R) Hamid Ali Mirza Friday announced to hold by-elections in two National Assembly constituencies on August 25.

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ECP announces schedule for Punjab by-poll

Power tariff hiked for Karachiites

KARACHI: National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has given a go ahead to Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) to increase power tariff by Rs5.22 per unit.

According to a notification issued by NEPRA, the tariff hike is a result of a fuel adjustment and will be collected for nine months – June 2009 to March 2010.

The collection for the above adjustment will be made in 7 equal installments.

According to details six paisa per unit will be received from the consumers in June bills, in July 22 paisa per unit, in August 26 paisa per unit, in September 53 paisa per unit, in Oct. 70 paisa per unit, in Nov. 79 paisa per unit and in Dec 1.57 paisa per unit fuel adjustment charge will be received.

The increased rates will not be implemented over the lifeline consumers.

Electoral system to go digital: ECP

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan is mulling its digitalisation pursuing models of India and Bangladesh to reform the electoral process into a computerised and fair system, taking all stakeholders onboard.

“We are strategising the computerisation of electoral process following the course of India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. It may be a lengthy process, spanning over a decade or more, but it is inevitable to reform the system,” said Secretary Election Commission Ishtiak Ahmed Khan while biefing media in his recent visit to Bangladesh and about meetings with the election commission heads of South Asian states.

He said the ECP, over the past few months, has been assessing the feasibility of introducing electronic voting machines (EVM) in Pakistan what took almost 22 years in India to succeed.

“We have made significant progress on feasibility study and a final report would be issued by July end, after consultation with political parties and civil society that would be followed by a demonstration by the interested EVM suppliers.

“Five vendors who have provided information on their products, have agreed to visit Islamabad to demonstrate their products to the ECP. This demonstration will take place by end June, and key stakeholders will be invited to attend,” he said.

He said the Chief Election Commissioner, Justice Hamid Ali Mirza (retd) has established a committee on the use of Electronic Voting Machines in Pakistan under the chairmanship of Joint Secretary (Elections) Syed Sher Afghan.

Referring to the five-year Strategic Plan 2010-14 of the ECP that is the outcome of consultation with various stakeholders, the secretary elaborated that the ECP is examining to implement the as the issue was also raised by the political parties in a meeting with ECP.

“Use of technology is on increase in support of the electoral process, and same is with voting process. In India EVMs have been used in pilot projects since 1980”s and have more recently been introduced nationwide for all national and state elections.

Bangladesh is also in the process of developing its own EVM, as is Thailand,” said Ishtiak Khan.

So far as the electoral rolls are concerned, the ECP is committed to complete the process before upcoming election in 2013.

He said it is unfortunate that the target of electoral rolls could not be achieved as the existing rolls contain multiple entries, so the ECP would ratify the issue in close collaboration with Nadra.

He said ECP is convening a meeting to be attended by Nadra authorities, government officials and representatives from opposition parties to reach a consensus on the issue and avoid further differences in future.

He said once the feasibility study is approved by the concerned authorities, the EVM project would be executed in phases, adding that no budget allocation has been made for the projects for upcoming fiscal year.

In its initial deliberations, the EVM committee discussed the global trends seen in the use of voting and counting technologies and recognised that there were considerable challenges involved introducing such technologies.

18th Amendment package tabled in NA

ISLAMABAD: Senator Raza Rabbani presented landmark 18th Amendment draft in the National Assembly today, Geo News reported.

Yesterday, PCCR chairman handed over the draft to the National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza.

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.

In his address to the NA Raza Rabbani said dictatorships distorted the Constitution, and only reconciliation and dialogue can resolve bitter disputes.

Some of the proposals presented are:

Few subjects in fed legislative list 1 transferred to list 2

Concurrent list be abolished

President bound by PM”s advice

Ordinances to be re-promulgated only once

Strength of Senate to be increased to 104

Article 58 2 (B) to be repealed

President on advice of PM dissolve House

All children of age 5-14 be given free education

NWFP renamed to Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa

CCI meetings to be held every 3 months

Chief Ministers cannot have more than 5 advisors

Provincial assemblies to have 70-100 working days

HC judges cannot be transferred without own consent

12 parliamentary members to select Chief Election Commissioner (CEC)

CEC to be selected with consent of government, opposition

Caretaker cabinet to be formed after dissolution of government

Caretaker CM”s to be appointed by outgoing government, opposition

6th Schedule to be repealed

7th Schedule also be repealed

No limits be fixed on terms of PM or CM”s

Shahbaz Replies In Black And White To Taseer’s Letter

In a written reply to Governor Salman Taseer, Chief Minister Punjab Mian Mohammed Shahbaz Sharif expressed disappointment over the former’s allegations on him and his party and termed them as baseless.
Shahbaz also called upon President, Prime Minister and Chief Election Commissioner Punjab for taking legal action against Taseer’s conduct. CM Punjab in his letter wrote that it is not the violation of the regulations laid down by EC to take part in electioneering as did by the Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah during election campaign of Jhang by-polls when he took part in the rallies of N-league’s candidate. The fact is that Governor Salman Taseer took part in the electioneering of PPP’s contender under the pretext of inauguration ceremony of a Sui gas scheme in Jhang, terming the deed as the violation of Political Parties Act (PPA), Shahbaz wrote. Taseer was the member of pseudo cabinet of former president Gen Pervez Musharraf, which wrecked havoc with the constitution by sacking 63 judges and keeping them under house arrest illegally, he noted.

Polling in NA-123 to Be Held on March 10: EC

Pakistan News: Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan Tuesday announced polling for bye-election in constituencies NA-123 Lahore-VI, PP-82 Jhang-X and PP-284 Bahawalnagar-VIII on March 10, 2010.
The constituency NA-123 Lahore-VI remained vacant under Article 223 of the Constitution while the constituency PP-284 Bahawalnagar-VIII has become vacant due to disqualification of Muhammad Rauf Khalid, MPA of Punjab Assembly.
The constituency No. PP-82 Jhang-X has become vacant due to resignation tendered by Mian Azam Chela as MPA of the Punjab Assembly.
Following is the schedule of bye-election in aforesaid constituencies. Public notice would be issued by the Returning Officer on January 30, 2010. The dates for filing of nomination papers with the Returning Officer by the candidates would be from February 1 to 4, 2010. The dates for scrutiny of nomination papers by the Returning Officer would be from February 6 to 8, 2010.
Last date for filing of appeals against decisions of the Returning Officer on rejecting or accepting the nomination papers is February 11, 2010 while last date for deciding appeals by the tribunal is February 16, 2010.
The last date for withdrawal of candidature is February 17, 2010, publication of revised list of candidates is February 18, 2010. It is also mentioned here that it shall not be necessary for candidates who have already filed their nomination papers, to file fresh nomination forms or make deposit under Section 13 of the Representation of People Act, 1976.

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Polling in NA-123 to Be Held on March 10: EC was first posted on January 12, 2010 at 8:39 pm.

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