Missing containers case: Inquiry expanded to Afghanistan

Head of the investigation team Hafiz Anees Ahmed has reached Afghanistan in this regard. In the case, at least 50 FBR officials have been dismissed while putting their names on the Exit Control List (ECL). When detail of the properties of FBR officials was sought, all the officials feared a number of scandals could come to surface after this.

FBR has asked all housing schemes to give details of those officials, supposed to be involved in the embezzlement of billion of rupees. Besides, details of accounts of these officials have also been demanded.

Nabeel Gabol Withdraw His Resignation

Breaking News trendpk: Former State minister for ports and shipping and senior member of Pakistan Peoples Party, Nabeel Gabol, who resigned from his ministry on Wednesday, withdraw his resignation after his meeting with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani on Friday.

Prime Minister assured that the concerns raised by Nabeel Gabol would be addressed. Although the state minister had cited some ‘personal reasons’ for resignation, the sources said he had withdraws his resignation after getting a cold response from the party leadership over his concerns and reservations regarding the working of his ministry.

After Gabol’s resignation on Wednesday, the police conducted a raid on his residence in the port city of Karachi and rounded up his 11 guards and his name was also added in Exit Control List (ECL) on the order of federal ministry. Nabeel Gabol came into Islamabad early on the morning today. On Benazir Bhutto International Airport, talking to media he said that I have some reservations and I will discuss that with party leadership. He further said that resignation from ministry doesn’t means that he is leaving the party, PPP is my party and I am a worker of this party since 26 years.

After the resignation of Nabeel Gabol the news came in the media that President Asif Zardari wants to elect his son Balawal Bhutto from the Lyari Town seat in the next election. It is to be remembered that Nabeel Gabol has a hold on Lyari Town area and Lyari seat is considered as his permanent seat.

SC summons FIA DGs over ECL issue

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed Director Generals of the Federal Investigation Agency Islamabad and Lahore to appear on next date of hearing and apprise it over the proper action taken against those officials who facilitated Umar Farooq to leave the country despite restriction of Exit Control List (ECL).

Here is the original:
SC summons FIA DGs over ECL issue

BB death probe begins: six officials made OSD

ISLAMABAD: Six senior officials on Sunday were made Official on Special Duty (OSD) and their names were put on the Exit Control List (ECL), for being responsible for the security of Benazir Bhutto on December 27, 2007 in Rawalpindi.

Taking action on the recently released UN report, the government made the officials OSD, and investigation has been launched against them.

The government also cancelled the contract of DG Civil Defence Brigadier Javed Iqbal Cheema (retired), who was then spokesman of Interior Ministry and had claimed that BB”s death was due to the hitting of van”s roof but not the bullet.

Those officials who were made OSD include former DCO Rawalpindi Irfan Illahi, former Rawalpindi DPO Saood Aziz, SPs Khoram Shahzad, Ishfaq Anwar, Abdul Majeed Marwat and Yaseen Farooqi.

PPP resolves action against Musharraf, aides

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) here held its Core Committee (CC) meeting late on Saturday night.

Core Committee meeting reviewed report, investigated and presented by UN’s three-member independent panel to figure out causes of Benazir Bhutto assassination.

According to knowledgeable sources, In connection with UN investigative report, the meeting decided to move court against those officials from previous government, which were named as being responsible for allowing assassination on former premier Benazir Bhutto to happen due to non-serious security measures and former President Pervez Musharraf is no exception.

Also, the alleged suspects’ names will be put on Exit Control List (ECL), sources said.

No MQM Leader on ECL: Interior Ministry

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan News: The names of central leadership of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) including Dr Farooq Sattar and Babar Ghauri were not on the Exit Control List; nor are they on the List now, Interior Ministry sources.

The MQM voiced serious reservations with the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) over the reports regarding the inclusion of names of party leaders on the List.

The spokesman of the Interior Ministry underscored that no names of MQM’s central leadership including Dr Farooq Sattar and Babar Ghauri are on the ECL; nor were their names included in the List ever before.

According to sources privy to the Interior Ministry, the list of beneficiaries of National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) received from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is being reviewed, so that the names of people involved in old cases could be put on the ECL.

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No MQM Leader on ECL: Interior Ministry was first posted on December 20, 2009 at 8:06 pm.

First Refuelling Aircraft Arrives in Pakistan: PAF

ISLAMABAD: The first Aircraft Tanker for aerial fuelling has arrived in Pakistan at Air Force base.

According to PAF sources, the first aerial refuelling aircraft has arrived Pakistan at the Air Force base. The aircraft has been purchased from Ukraine which is capable of refuelling several aircrafts in single flight.

Pakistan will receive three more aircraft tankers in the next year.

Article 248 Challenged in Supreme Court

Pakistan News: Article 248 which gives immunity to the president has been challenged in the Supreme Court while hearing of a petition seeking disqualification of NRO beneficiaries will start from Monday.
A petition filed by Khalid Khawaja challenged the constitutional cover given to the president under article 248. Petitioner maintained that article 248 is in clash with the basic human rights and Islamic principles. Another petition filed in the SC sought the disqualifications of those parliamentarians who had benefited from the NRO. SC formed a 3-member bench to hear the various accountability cases which have reopened after the striking down of NRO. The bench will be headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary while Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain will be the other judges on the bench. The case of provincial minister Sindh Agha Siraj Durrani has been included in the cause list. It is interesting to note that name of the Article 248 matches with the number of 248 NRO beneficiaries whose names were placed on the Exit Control List (ECL).

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Article 248 Challenged in Supreme Court was first posted on December 19, 2009 at 6:02 pm.

Stopping Defence Minister caused defamation to country, PM Yousuf Raza Gilani

Lahore, Pakistan News :- Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday said information about NRO beneficiaries is being gathered after Supreme Court’s verdict on National Reconciliation Ordinance. He said the country has been defamed by preventing Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar from leaving for official visit.

Talking to media in Islamabad, PM Gilani revealed that Interior Secretary is suspended for stopping Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar as latter is part of the federal government. He said government itself includes peoples’ names in Exit Control List (ECL) and the list is being prepared. Answering a question, Gilani said “Rehman Malik himself arrests people, how can we arrest him?” he said coalition government is present in Punjab therefore no minister will be arrested there. “President Asif Ali Zardari remained 12 years in prison. Even if he would have been convicted in any case, he couldn’t have been sentenced for more than that period,” he added.

Prime Minister Gilani further said nobody talks about Pervez Musharraf and Shaukat Aziz despite the fact that they were the ones who brought NRO. “Every dictator comes and talks about accountability, but goes without taking any action.” He said the government wants to establish an exemplary accountability institution and he has consulted with PML-N Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif on that. To a question, Gilani said “I have formed the cabinet whereas I consult President Zardari on every issue as he is the co-chairman of PPP.”
Replying to another question, Prime Minister said issuance of visas to US citizens has not been stopped. He said violation of law will not be tolerated, adding that operation will be conducted wherever terrorists are hiding.

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Stopping Defence Minister caused defamation to country, PM Yousuf Raza Gilani was first posted on December 18, 2009 at 10:57 pm.

NAB Asks Interior Ministry To Place NRO Beneficiaries On ECL

TrendPK.com NAB Asks Interior Ministry To Place NRO Beneficiaries On ECL:The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has requested the interior ministry to place the names of all NRO beneficiaries on the Exit Control List (ECL), DawnNews reported.
The NAB has issued arrest warrants for declared proclaimed offenders and convicts and has ordered the freezing [...]