PM Gilani calls Sindh cabinet’s meeting

KARACHI: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani is arriving in Karachi to review the prevailing law and order situation in Karachi.

The Prime Minister has called a meeting of Sindh cabinet at Chief Minister House to discuss the situation on Monday.

Earlier, President Zardari held a meeting with PPP ministers and decided to resolve the issue of Karachi in political manner within one week.

The meeting also discussed matters regarding MQM’s return to the coalition government.

President Zardari directed Federal Minister Khurshid Shah to meet the MQM leaders and address their concerns.

According to sources, President Zardari will make a visit to Karachi next week.

On the other hand, a three-member committee set up by President Zardari to address the Karachi situation met at Governor House in Karachi.

The committee comprises of Governor Ishratul Ebad, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and Home Minister Manzoor Wasan.

The committee decided that heirs of those killed in recent wave of unrest would be given compensation.

US funds end up in Taliban hands

About USD 360 million of US taxpayer s money has ended up in the hands of Taliban and local criminals in Afghanistan, through US financed contracts awarded to Afghan companies.

The findings come after examining hundreds of combat support and reconstruction contracts in Afghanistan, in an investigation by a special task force assembled by General David Petraeus which began last year.

Petraeus has recently relinquished command in Afghanistan to become Central Intelligent Agency (CIA) director.
American-led coalition has spent nearly a decade battling in Afghanistan, however the coalition had little visibility into the connections many Afghan companies and their vast network of subcontractors had with Taliban and local criminals.

In a process known as “reverse money laundering”, money was sent from US to businesses and individuals in Afghanistan who had ties to Taliban or criminal networks, through companies hired by the US military for transportation, construction, power projects, fuel and other services in the war troubled country, The Huffington Post reported.

US officials have requested anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation into the movement of US contract money in Afghanistan.

Overall, the USD 360 million represents a fraction of the USD 31 billion in active US contracts that the task force reviewed. But insurgents rely on crude weaponry and require little money to operate.

The US has reportedly spent over USD 1 trillion in taxpayer money on its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001. Some experts estimate indirect costs such as interest on the additional debt will exceed the direct costs.

The 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan was launched with the official objective of curbing militancy and bringing peace and stability to the country.

The security situation remains fragile in Afghanistan despite the presence of 150,000 US-led foreign forces in the country.

The escalating human cost of the war is putting a great deal of pressure on NATO member states to withdraw their troops.

Lebanon government falls

Breaking News
The Lebanese government has collapsed after minister Adnan Sayyed Hussein resigned.
The resignation brings the total number or ministers to leave Lebanon’s coalition government to 11. Hussein’s departure follows the resignation of 10 ministers from the coutnry’s Hizbollah movement and its political allies, a move which has effectively ended the governemnt’s power-sharing agreement.
The collapse of the government marks the failure of the coalition to resolve a dispute over a UN tribunal into the death of former Prime Minister Rafik al Hariri.

Story contribute by Latest Breaking News, Trends And Updates – TrendPK.com

Altaf sees France-like revolution coming

BHIT SHAH: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain on Saturday said his party’s Sindh Convention will turn out to be the last nail in the coffin of those working for Sindh partition.

Addressing the party’s Sindh Convention held here in Bhit Shah near Hyderabad, MQM chief Altaf Hussain said nobody could block the path of revolution in Pakistan.

‘Conspiracies were hatched in past against the people speaking Urdu and Sindhi languages, however, today’s gathering will drive the last nail into the coffin of these plotters,’ Muttahida founder stressed.

‘Today’s convention proves that Sindh was in the foremost position in the making of Pakistan,’ he added.

He also urged the party to seriously decide about staying with the coalition government. TrendPK

Pak receives $633mn CSF tranche

United States has transferred $633 million Coalition Support Funds (CSF) tranche this week to Pakistan.

According to a statement issued on Friday, Pakistan has received $8.760 billions from United States for the war against terrorism and that tranche has been paid for January to June period. The CSF process reimburses 27 nations, including Pakistan and the amount will help Pakistan to fight against terrorism. The statement further says that Pakistans role in fighting against terrorism is very important and US tries its best to pay its tranches as soon as possible so that war against terrorism could not affect.

JUIs Majlis-e-Amla Ratifies Decision to Quit Coalition Govt

trendpk: JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that Majlis-e-Amla has ratified partys decision of breaking away from the coalition government.

Breifing media after the meeting of JUI Majlis-e-Amla. He said that Majlis-e-Shura will decide about the revival of MMA. He urged the traders to help make the strike of 31 December as successful. He said that they have decided to approach the people to fulfill their interests. He said that JUI wanted next elections on time.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that NAB was an intitution made by a dictator. Tahafuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat Law cannot be amended and they will oppose this move. He said that the US was trying to find ways to flee from Afghanistan as the country was on the brink of defeat. Answering a query, he said that Gilgit-Baltistan could not yet become geographical part of Pakistan.

Pakistan Heading Towards mid term polls

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has announced to quit the coalition government after Azam Swati was fired as Federal Minister by the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The decision was taken in the meeting of JUI. After announcement of the decision Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani wanted to meet Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman at his residence; however Maulana did not meet and excused. According to sources, Federal Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Rehman Malik and Khurshid Shah also telephoned Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman but Maulana simply refused to talk to them. Qazi Hussain Ahmed said Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman will have to part ways with the government for revival of MMA. It is expected that Qazi Hussain Ahmad will meet Maulana today in Islamabad and during this meeting they will also discuss the matter of coalition among all the religious parties. After separation of JUI from the government, chances of MMA’s coalition have increased.

On the other hand the MQM has also strongly condemned the speech of Sindh Home Minister Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza delivered by him before the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and accused him of threatening the Urdu speaking people. Mirza had insinuated that Karachi’s businessmen were equally to blame for the city’s law and order problem because they contributed large sums of Zakat and extortion money to militant organizations involved in terror activities and by donating large sums of money to religious organizations  without properly identifying their antecedents, they were a party to the growing terrorism in the country. The statement could create bitterness between the MQM and PPP and harm the Sindh coalition government. In swift reaction of the statement, the MQM’s Rabita Committee held an emergency joint session in Karachi and London to discuss this “provocative speech”. The meeting demanded the top leadership of PPP to take a serious note of the “unwarranted speech” and ask the Home Minister to explain his position. MQM has told that remaining in the coalition or quitting the coalition Government was for the Rabita Committee to decide as the party always takes important decisions at this forum. Altaf Hussain has telephonically contacted Ch. Shujaat Hussain also to discuss the present political situation.

Islamabad is humming with rumors that the country was moving towards mid term polls, as following withdrawal of support by JUI (F) and highly unpredictable attitude of the MQM has left Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani with no option but to go for snap polls. The differences between PPP and JUI (F) are unlikely to subside as claims of Azam Swati about alleged corruption in the Hajj arrangements which had brought bad name to the country and he wrote letters to the President and the Prime Minister but instead of taking any stern action against the culprits, the Minister was sacked. Azam Swati is fully backed by Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

The PPP-led government has already lost its credibility, as it could not fulfill any of its pledges made with the people and could not provide any relief to the common man against mischief of mongers who were at their free will to fix the prices of daily used commodities according to their choices. “Sugar mafia” has proved highly powerful that government had to move step back and wind up the action against them. The government could not come up to the expectations of the people who were facing the ever worst inflation of the Pak history. The government has pushed the people towards a situation that would compel them for suicide.

PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has recently given a clear statement that he can no longer back such a government, which doesn’t seem to be ready for a ‘change for the better’ and would endorse a ‘constitutional change’. All plans that accept the current President and Prime Minister are not likely to be endorsed as events in the past several months show; they are part of the problem not a solution. Prime Minister Gilani has also recently announced that “Parliamentary change would be acceptable”. He showed his willingness to accept political change. In the wake of growing speculation over regime change Pakistan needs an in house change or mid term polls. The Government should bring the nation out of this uncertainty at earliest possible.

JUI-F will not quit ruling alliance in Balochistan, claims Raisani

LAHORE: Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman’s Jamiat Ulema-e Islam (JUI-F) will not quit alliance and the coalition government in Balochistan would continue to function as usual, claimed the Chief Minister of Balochistan Nawab Aslam Raisani on Thursday.

Aslam Raisani said while talking to media in Lahore that the changing scenario of the center will not cause any harm to the coalition government of Balochistan and he would try to save the federal government as well.

“US will not be allowed to launch drone attacks in Balochistan and the sovereignty and integrity of Pakistan would be defended at any cost,” the CM Balochistan added. TrendPK

MQM calls Rabta Committee meeting to discuss political situation

MQM has called an emergency meeting of its Rabta Committee in London and Karachi to discuss the current political situation erupted in the country after the ouster of JUI from the coalition.

According to MQM sources, the changing political situation will come under discussion in the meeting. MQM will chalk out its future strategy. According to the sources, different issues including JUI ouster and situation after Zulfikar Mirzas statement against MQM will be discussed in the meeting.

JUIs expulsion: Govt not in danger yet

After JUIs ouster from the coalition government, the government will lose support of 8 members in the National Assembly, however, the government will not be in danger in the short run.

PPP has 127 seats in the House of 342 members while PML-N has 90 seats. PML-Q has 51 seats. MQM has 25 seats while ANP has 13 members. JUI has 8 seats in the NA. Muslim League Functional has 5 seats, National Peoples Party, BNP and PP Sherpao have one seat each. There are 12 seats of FATA and 8 seats of independent candidates. The government needs 172 seats in the NA and after JUI explusion, it has 185 seats. So, there is no danger for the government.

Next Page »