PPP Core Committee to discuss ‘core’ issues Wednesday

TrendPK.com

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has called meeting of the Pakistan Peoples Party’s Core Committee in the Presidency on Wednesday night to take up key political issues, TrendPK reports.

Sources said, Zardari, which is also PPP’s Co-chairperson, would chair the meeting summoned to chalk out a plan of action against the recent challenges facing the government, including contempt of court notice served to PM Gilani, 20th Constitutional Amendment, upcoming Senate elections.

They said the meeting would also discuss joint parliament session likely to be held next week. TrendPK

NA body wants Railways to implement minimum wage system

The N.A standing committee for Railways has advised the ministry to increase the salary of contract employees to Rs.7000 within 30-day period.

The meeting convened by Chairman Ayaz Sadiq on Monday, also deliberated on other important Railways’ issues like approved and attested documentation for each transaction attached, with any accords thus signed, and transparency in purchase of newer engines, for which a 5-member technical team has been formed.

The chairman standing committee expressed his great chagrin over the fact that despite PM’s announcement of minimum wages of Rs.7000 for labor, Railways had failed to implement the scheme, which was also tantamount to contempt of Court, as Supreme Court had also endorsed it.

Clarifying the issue, cabinet representative, central labor advisor Javed Iqbal informed that PM’s directive for Rs.7000 minimum salary pertained to private industrial and commercial sector, and did not apply to ministries. However Supreme Court’s verdict in case of PTCL and Lady Health workers issue, had endorsed this minimum salary policy for all governmental employees.

The standing committee directed Railway officials to implement the policy of Rs.7000 as minimum salary for Railways’ contract employees, and resolve the issue in coordination with Finance ministry.

The issue of regularization of contract employees was also raised in the meeting, with directives issued to regularize contract employees, whose tenure with Railways’ equaled three years or above.

The committee also deliberated over the issue of purchase of locomotive engines, with directives to follow prudent measures and regulations in their purchases, following the routine of tenders.

The committee also noted that Railways’ annual production amounted to Rs.24 billion in 2008, which had decreased to Rs.18 billion, while the committee desired an annual target of Rs.22 billion, by taking practical prudent steps.

PCB clears Shoaib Malik

The PCB committee meeting held under the chair of PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt.

According to PCB spokesman, the matter of Shoaib Malik which was initiated suo moto by the committee with regard to certain deposits in his overseas accounts has been under consideration since December last year. Various meetings of the committee were held and a number of personal hearings were also provided to Shoaib Malik.

Shoaib Malik was directed to provide complete information supported with relevant documents regarding the source of the said deposits which he did provide. The committee reviewed all the material in detail and also verified the veracity of the said information from relevant authorities.

The committee reviewed all the information, provided by Shoaib Malik and cleared Malik all the charges.

Muhammad Ilyas appears before PCBs disciplinary committee

Muhammad Ilyas appeared before two-member disciplinary committee headed by Sultan Rana at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and presented his stance.

Talking to media after the meeting, Muhammad Ilyas said that he answered committee’s queries and the proceedings remained positive.

He said decision regarding appeal would be taken after receiving decision of the committee.

Load shedding to continue until 2018: WAPDA

The National Assembly Standing Committee for Water and Power meeting was held in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Ghulam Mustafa Shah.

Briefing the committee, Water and Power Development Authority Chairman Shakil Durrani said that Mangla Dam would be filled up to 1210 feet by the end of this year. This will enhance the water storing capacity of the dam by 0.8 million acres.

He said that hydro power cost Rs 1.05 per unit while the power generated by the IPPs cost Rs 10.18 per unit.

He said that hydro power generation saved Rs 41 billion for the national exchequer in 2010.

The WAPDA chairman said that load shedding cannot be overcome until 2018 and power demand would soar to 130,000 megawatt by 2030.

He said that India could not build dams on three western rivers, adding that the 16 kilometre long tunnel of Jhelum Hydro Project had been constructed.

During the meeting, Standing Committee for Water and Power member Sajjadul Hassan said that the power outage of 22 hours a day was unacceptable and the PEPCO office in Okara would be burnt, if load shedding were not stopped.

Doctors threaten to resume protest

Young Doctors Association has decided to resume the protest movement saying the official committee formed to solve the issue has already taken 15 days without any outcome. The attitude of the committee is intimidating, alleged the doctors.

If Shahbaz Shraif calls the meeting by this Wednesday then they would meet him, otherwise the protest will start again, doctors warned.
Doctors appealed to the civil society to join hands with them to press their demands.

Standing Committee takes notice of 3 persons’ killing

Breaking News Standing Committee on Interior Affairs of National Assembly has taken the notice of 3 persons killing in Lahore by a US Consulate employee.

According to the details, the committee will summon the spokes person of US Consulate, Home department of Punjab, Ministry of Interior and members of deceased families. The Chairman of the Standing Committee Abdul Qadir Patail said that a transparent inquiry would be conducted of the incident.

On the other hand, Provincial Minister Rana Sanaullah said that case has been registered against Raymond under Article 302.

Report on 19th Amendment Bill presented in NA

trendpk.com: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Tuesday congratulated the nation and political leadership on successful training launch of Medium Range Ballistic Missile Hatf-V (Ghauri) and report of Constitutional Committee on 19th Amendment.

While speaking in the National Assembly, he said it was a good omen that the Chairman of Constitutional Committee Mian Raza Rabbani had laid the unanimously passed report of the Committee on 19th Amendment. He said it would give a strong message to those people who used to term the parliament as rubber stamp and powerless parliament.

Those who proclaimed the Parliament a rubber stamp with no powers should know that the present parliament is independent. I have remained the member of the National Assembly in 1982, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993 and 2008. I have never seen such an independent parliament.

The previous parliament did nothing except raising the slogans of go Musharraf go, he said.He recalled that the former President addressed the previous parliament for only one time during his nine-year tenure.

Congratulating the members of Constitutional Committee, the Prime Minister said that the unanimously passage of the report on 19th Amendment bill by them would be written in the history.

He said the 1973 Constitution was presented by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the successive governments made a number of changes in it. It is not a unicameral system rather it is bicameral system. I am happy that not a single member opposed the bill.

While acknowledging the efforts of Raza Rabbani, the Prime Minister said, I appreciated the Chairman of the Committee for presenting the report in a short time. I also appreciate the political leadership for showing political maturity that has further dignified the parliament.

He praised the role of Supreme Court of Pakistan for referring the matter to the Parliament for review and reconsideration. I compliment the role of Supreme Court for referring the matter to the Parliament for a review. The judiciary has given the highest respect to the Parliament and the Parliament has reciprocated in the same manner.

We want to make the institutions stronger instead of individuals, he added.

MCC Favor Ground Umpires For Low Catches Decision

Marylebone Cricket Club favors ground umpires for taking decision regarding he low catches. The on field umpires should have to decide about the low catches. According to current prevailing laws on field umpires can refer the decision to the third umpire and they can take decision by looking in the matter with different cameras.

Australia captain R Ponting is one of the biggest supporters of ground umpires for taking such king of decisions. In the current Ashes series at the Brisbane Test, Alastair Cook was given not out by the third umpire when he flicked the ball to short midwicket.

In the committee meeting it is decided that third umpires are lacking definite prove for giving out or not out decision. The on-field umpires should given their decision and if players have doubt about the decision then they have review in their hand.

England Captain Andrew Strauss also admitted that the technology is not perfect and there are some chances of error from third umpire side regarding the decision. R Ponting suggested that fielder should be asked whether catch was carried and all umpired should be agreeing on this. On field umpires should take decision on the response of fielder. However it looked difficult to implement and resultantly ICC will have to ask on field umpires to take decision.

National Assembly SC rejects RGST

National Assembly standing committee for food and agriculture has rejected RGST, trendpk.Com reported on Saturday.

On the other hand FBR has confessed that the imposition of RGST would cause an increase in the inflation rate. Javed Iqbal Warraich presided over the meeting of standing committee for food and agriculture. During the meeting the members of the committee said that the agriculture sector is already under stress and that it should be saved from RGST. Imposition of RGST on agricultural sector would increase the prices of fertilizers, seed, pesticides and agricultural machinery which, in turn, would affect the peasants.

On the other hand standing committee has recommended to lift the ban on export of Gurr from KhyberPakhtunkhwa. Standing committee has constituted another committee to to deal with export of Gurr to Afghanistan from KhyberPkahtunkhwa.

Next Page »