Shahbaz opposes new provinces on ethnic basis

LAHORE: Punjab’s Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif says he is not against new provinces, adding they should be formed on administrative grounds.

Speaking to newsmen on his return from a private visit to London today, Sharif opposed the idea of creation of new provinces on the ethnic basis. He, however, supported the establishment of more provinces on administrative basis. TrendPK

Hajj Scandal: Kazmi, Swati Sent Packing

trendpk: In a move desperately awaited by the victims in particular and the public in general, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani dismissed two federal ministers: Hamid Saeed Kazmi, Minister for Religious Affairs, and Azam Khan Swati, Minister for Science & Technology over Hajj corruption scandal.

Minister for Labour & Manpower Khursheed Shah has been appointed as Minister for Religious Affairs, while Federal Education Minister Sardar Assef is given the portfolio of Minister for Science &Technology.

Health Minister Makhddom Shahbuddin is given the charges of defence production.

Secretary Religious Affairs Agha Sarwar Qizalbash has also been replaced by Secretary for overseas Pakistanis Saeed Khan. Qizalabsh has been ordered to report back to the Establishment Division. Hamid Saeed Kazimi and Azam Swati were entangled in a court battle and stand off over corruption charges in Hajj operation.It should be mentioned here that Federal Minister for Science and Technology Azam Khan Swati leveled allegations regarding serious corruption against Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi in alleged corruption in hajj arrangements.

It is pertinent to mention here that there are no allegations of corruption against Azam Swati; however, he was sacked from his ministry for overlooking the directives from the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, who directed the two to avoid giving statemnets.

IHC becomes operational today

Islamabad High Court (IHC) would become functional on Monday (today), however, the hearing would not be resumed because so far judges have not been appointed.

In April, the government has ordered revival of the IHC in the light of the 18th Constitutional Amendment. The high court will start functioning after appointment of judges. Law Minister Babar Awan said that the chief justice and judges of the IHC would be appointed from all units of the federation. Three judges for the IHC including the Chief Justice have been nominated, however the parliamentary committee would likely to notify more judges. The SC last year declared the Islamabad High Court as illegal, saying it had been established under the Provisional Constitutional Order imposed by former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf of Nov 3, 2007. In its July 31 judgment, the apex court had struck down the order of establishment of the IHC and reverted the judicial system to the status of Nov 2, 2007. All the judges who were part of the judiciary on Nov 2, 2007, had been ordered to return to original courts. All judges who were not part of the judiciary had been ordered to cease acting as judges. The IHC employees had been ordered back to their original positions or to the federal surplus pool. The Supreme Court, under Justice Hameed Dogar, had decided in favour of the establishment of IHC. But its creation was delayed because of a stay order issued by the Lahore High Court after its establishment was challenged. The IHC was to start functioning in Feb 2008.

Palestinians criticise US, peace process in crisis

RAMALLAH: The Palestinians said on Wednesday “Israeli obstinacy” made Washington give up on efforts to freeze Jewish settlement and questioned whether the United States could ever help them attain independence.

Senior Palestinian official Yasser Abed Rabbo said that with its bid to revive direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations now at a dead-end, the United States was proposing a return to indirect

talks to try to unstick a peace process in deep crisis.

The Palestinians had demanded a halt to Israeli settlement building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem before agreeing to resume direct talks in pursuit of the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Under U.S. stewardship, the Israeli and Palestinian leaders held three rounds of talks in September. But the Palestinians pulled out when Israel’s 10-month freeze on West Bank

Hajj Scam: CJ Orders Arrest of All Accused

News Trends: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has ordered arrest of all those allegedly involved in Hajj scandal including the secretary of religious affairs.

During the course of hearing of a suo moto notice of Hajj scam, the CJ gave a dressing-down to FIA officials over non-appearance of DG FIA, saying that Close down the FIA office; its not a small issue, two ministers are involved, secretary is standing in the court; make him appear in the court tomorrow.

The CJP asked former DG Rao Shakeel that why the government selected him for the post despite his name on the ECL and allegations of Rs300million embezzlement in Multan Development Authority. Has the government no upright man for the post that it appointed you, the Chief Justice asked Rao sarcastically. Rao replied that the Establishment appointed him. Chief Justice lamented that if the corruption is made in the name of religion than only God can save the country. When the secretary for religious affairs told the court that he was appointed 10 days ahead of Hajj flights, the CJ said to him that he should have surrendered over corruption. Justice Ramday quizzed the secretary if he visited Saudi Arabia to check the accommodations for the pilgrims and other arrangements in this regard. The secretary told the court that the government has returned around 2000 to 1600 riyals to 32,000 Hujjaj.

Establishment Division to post 1233 employees in federal departments

Staff Report

KARACHI: The Establishment Division has promised to accommodate employees of five ministries, which are being transferred from centre to provinces.

Establishment Secretary Ismail Qureshi made this assurance at the meeting of 18th Amendment Commission headed by its chairman Mian Raza Rabbani.

Qureshi told the commission that transfer of ministries would affect 1, 233 employees, including 197 senior officials.

He said that all these employees would be appointed in federal organizations and departments. Trend Pk

Scrutiny of NA Secretariat employees starts

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Several employees of the National Assembly (NA) Secretariat have bogus educational degrees; the Establishment branch has asked the entire staff to submit photocopies of their educational documents, SAMAA reported Thursday.

According to a notification issued by NA Section Officer Arshad Mansoor-ul-Haq, all the employees have been requested to submit their educational documents before October 20.

The total number of employees in NA secretariat is 1,450; sources told SAMAA that several among them have fake degrees. SAMAA

Scrutiny of NA Secretariat employees starts

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Several employees of the National Assembly (NA) Secretariat have bogus educational degrees; the Establishment branch has asked the entire staff to submit photocopies of their educational documents, SAMAA reported Thursday.

According to a notification issued by NA Section Officer Arshad Mansoor-ul-Haq, all the employees have been requested to submit their educational documents before October 20.

The total number of employees in NA secretariat is 1,450; sources told SAMAA that several among them have fake degrees. SAMAA

Gilani to get final list of NRO officials soon

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The Establishment Division is likely to submit the final list of NRO benefiting government functionaries to Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani in a day or two, sources told SAMAA Saturday.

Speaking at the floor of Upper House on Friday, Prime Minister Gilani confirmed that he received a list of NRO beneficiaries and forwarded it to the Establishment Division for scrutiny.

Sources privy to the Establishment Division told SAMAA that the final list would be submitted to the Prime Minister in a day or two.

According to sources, several officials who benefited from the ill-fated NRO had either retired or died. SAMAA

Establishment, Govt working properly: Malik

Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that Establishment and Government were working properly; there was no change to see.
He was talking to media in Islamabad. He said that Karachi killings could not be termed as targeted killings. He said that Dr. Afia Siddiqi should be released under Geneva Convention. He said that a letter has been written to the US in regard.

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