Zardari asks for party mobilization in relief work
ISLAMABAD: Co-Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party President Asif Ali Zardari has directed Party organizations and legislators in Sindh and Balochistan to mobilize the party workers for speeding up relief work in the wake of torrential rains in Karachi and other areas and also gear up for meeting any eventuality due to the approaching cyclone Phet that is likely to hit the country’s coastal areas later today.
Low lying areas in Karachi have already submerged under water due to torrential rains and water supply to city from Hub pumping station is suspended as heavy downpour is forecast during the next 36 hours. Power supply to Thatta has also been cut off due to rains.
A directive issued on Sunday by the party co-Chairman said that although the federal and provincial governments, the armed forces and relevant institutions of the state are already on the alert to meet any contingency, it was no less important that the Party workers were also mobilized to assist in the relief work and also rescue mission if the need arose.
Spokesperson former Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the party co-Chairman directed that Party Senators, MNAs and MPAs particularly from Sindh and Balochistan must also be fully involved in the plans drawn by the Party organizations for the relief work and for meeting any eventuality due to cyclone Phet.
The President further directed the provincial Party Presidents that they should be kept posted with the arrangements made by the Party in this regard. He also directed the Interior Ministry, which is monitoring cyclone through a special cell to keep him posted with the latest situation.
Water outflow from Attabad lake reaches 4800 cusecs
GILGIT: Water inflow and outflow from Attabad lake has reached 4800 cusecs on Sunday, Geo news reported.
Meanwhile, the boat service in four affected areas located in tehsil Gojal is still underway, sources said.
For the first time in five years, the professional doctors have been deputed at the only hospital located in the headquarters Gulmat of tehsil Gojal irrespective of government’s never-met pledges to do the same for last five years.
Affectees of Attabad lake disaster are angry with government over false promises, sources said.
Water enters into JPMC’s ICU, other wards
KARACHI: The water got stagnant due to incessant rains in Karachi has entered into many wards at JPMC Hospital including ICU ward late on Sunday night, Geo news reported.
Government made many sky-high claims of addressing water-related issues ahead of Cyclone Phet but despite the fact that the Cyclonic storm Phet moved past Karachi without hitting; however, the rains it brought wrecked havoc with many low-lying areas including JPMC Hospital.
There is no perfect system of water sewerage at hospital, therefore, water upto 3-feet depth has been deposited in many wards including special ward, ICU ward and Psychology ward, patients relatives told media.
PM for providing relief to cyclone affectees
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Sunday stressed the need for providing relief and rescue to the population affected by the cyclone in the coastal areas of the country. The Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction on the budget presented in the National Assembly on Saturday.
He termed it a pro-poor budget. He was talking to the parliamentarians who called on him at Prime Minister House on Sunday evening.
The Prime Minister while discussing the political situation of the country said that the people has reposed their confidence in the policies of the government, which was manifested by the results of the by-elections. He urged the Parliamentarians to personally monitor the development projects of their constituencies.
The parliamentarians apprised the Prime Minister of the projects taken up by their ministries.
The meeting was attended by Senator Raza Rabbani, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Information Broadcasting, Syed Khursheed Shah, Minister for Labour and Manpower, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Minister for Water Power and Nazar Mohammad Gondal, Minister for Food Agriculture.
Voting on in Punjab by-polls
LAHORE: Polling has been underway in two constituencies of Punjab Assembly on Saturday.
Security has been tightened in PP-206, Jalalpur Pirwala and PP-240 Dera Ghazi Khan to avoid any untoward incident.
The election commission has declared 27 polling stations sensitive from the total polling stations 112 .
In Dera Ghazi Khan constituency PP-240, 32 polling stations have been declared sensitive and around 2000 policemen have been deployed in the area.
The constituency of PP-206 Jalalpur fell vacant when the elected candidate of PML-Q Naghma Mushtaq tendered resignation from the candidature when a case was filed against her of having a fake degree.
Sources said a neck-to-neck contest is expected at PP-206 Jalapur Multan between the PML-N candidate Nagma Mushtaq and PPP candidate Ahmad Mujtabah, brother of the Prime Minister of Pakistan. At PP-206 some 12 candidates are contesting bye-election and 19 polling stations were declared sensitive in the constituency.
On the other hand in PP-240 D.G. Khan strict competition is expected between the independent candidate Khawja Salahuddin and the candidate of PML-N Mir Badshah Qasrani while 35 polling stations were declared sensitive.
Sources said that extra contingents of police and rangers were sent to the sensitive areas in both the constituencies.
Critics should see results of Punjab’s by-poll: Zardari
KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari has said that those, who claim that PPP’s popularity is fading, should see the results of Punjab’s by-election.
Chairing a high-level meeting here on Tuesday, he directed the members of Sindh Assembly to visit their respective constituencies and solve people issues there.
President Zardari also directed the MPAs to step up preparation for local bodies election besides helping the people in obtaining new CNICs and registration of their votes.
According to sources, the president reprimanded those MPAs, who were not visiting their constituencies. He said unpopular members of assembly would not be awarded tickets in the next election.
President Zardari to Start Punjab, NWFP Visit from Jan. 12
Pakistan News: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has decided that President Asif Ali Zardari will start visit of Punjab and NWFP from January 12 whereas, no PPP candidate will contest against PML-N candidates in by-polls in NA-55 and NA-123.
Top leadership attended the meeting chaired by President Asif Ali Zardari in the Presidency. President’s ten days visit of Punjab was decided in the meeting in which meeting with Nawaz Sharif is also expected.
It was also decided in the meeting that no PPP candidate will participate in the by-polls in NA-55 of Rawalpindi and NA-123 of Lahore whereas, in other constituencies, PPP candidates will take part in by-polls.
President Zardari to Start Punjab, NWFP Visit from Jan. 12 was first posted on January 7, 2010 at 4:11 pm.
Govt Keeping In View The Prevailing Challenges: Kaira
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Wednesday Peoples Party’s stance was very clear in the parliament from the day one that the government wanted political reconciliation keeping in view the prevailing challenges being faced by the country.
Talking to a private TV channel, he said Shaheed Benazir Bhutto had promoted politics of reconciliation in the country.
He said “we cannot move forward in the atmosphere of confrontation and tension”. He said Benazir Bhutto initiated politics of dialogue with other political parties, General Pervez Musharraf and international community for restoration of democracy in the country. The minister said that as a result of this dialogue both Benazir and Nawaz returned home, election was held and an era of prosperity dawned in the country.
He said that when Nawaz Sharif demanded impeachment of Pervez Musharraf it was Asif Ali Zardari who advised him to be patient by taking other political parties into confidence.
The minister said Pervez Musharraf resigned before impeachment and without using force or resorting to violence as PPP believes in slogan of Benazir Bhutto ,” Democracy is the best revenge.”
He said “we should avoid indulging in controversies which harm the interests of the country.”
Replying to a question, he said “PPP is a part of a coalition government both in the center and provinces and they have to consult coalition partners and take them on board.”
The information minister said the prime minister had also stated that all political parties on Article 6 should be consulted for tabling consensus resolution.” If two major political take decision in their own capacity without consulting other political parties it would not be good for the parliament, democracy and political harmony in the country.”
He said their decision would have been different had the Peoples Party been ruling without coalition partners. “We have to take coalition partners on board for strengthening the democratic system,” he said.
Answering a question, he said PML(N) did not need permission from anybody for tabling a resolution in the parliament.
Govt Keeping In View The Prevailing Challenges: Kaira was first posted on August 20, 2009 at 11:33 am.
Punjab and Frontier’s MPs Meet President
PAKISTAN, ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari Wednesday night invited MNAs from Sindh and NWFP for dinner and meeting in the Presidency as part of consultative process with members of the Parliament on various political issues. The meeting was also attended by some federal ministers and about 50 MNAs from Sindh and NWFP.
Briefing the journalists about the meeting, spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar said that issues on which the MPs expressed their views ranged from recent successes in the fight against militancy, rehabilitation of the displaced people, proposed constitutional amendments in the light of Charter of Democracy, power shortage in the country, developmental issues, law and order situation and the recently announced Fata Reforms.
The President also took the participants into confidence about his forthcoming four days visit to China.
Farhatullah Babar said that a number of MPs hailed the recently announced Fata reforms and described it as a big step towards mainstreaming the Tribal Areas.
MNA from Bajaur Akhunzada Chatan, who was the first to speak said that extension of Political Parties Order to Fata would enable secular democratic parties to take their manifestos and agenda to the people and counter those who were propagating freely their retrogressive agenda behind the facade of religion.
During the meeting, which was continuing till the filing of this report, the MPs also raised issues specific to their constituencies.
Punjab and Frontier’s MPs Meet President was first posted on August 20, 2009 at 11:57 am.
