Protest to continue against ban on ARY NEWS

KARACHI: The transmission of ARY NEWS remained blocked on Tuesday in various cities of Pakistan as journalist fraternity and civil society will continue to protest today against unannounced ban on the channel by government authorities.

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Protest to continue against ban on ARY NEWS

Oil falls to near $81 ahead of Fed meeting

SINGAPORE: Oil prices fell to near $81 a barrel Tuesday in Asia as investors looked to a Federal Reserve meeting for possible policy changes to boost U.

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Oil falls to near $81 ahead of Fed meeting

Dr Masood consults lawyer on plea against media ban

ISLAMABAD: President ARY Digital Network Dr Shahid Masood on Tuesday arrived here in the capital and consulted veteran lawyer of Supreme Court before filing a petition against ban on the ARY NEWS.

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Dr Masood consults lawyer on plea against media ban

Extreme weather fuels debate over global warming

PARIS: As Russia battles wildfires triggered by an unprecedented heatwave, flood waters surge across a drenched Pakistan leaving millions of people homeless, and questions are asked about global warming.

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Extreme weather fuels debate over global warming

Zardari returns home to flood crisis

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari returned home on Tuesday from official foreign visits to a chorus of criticism over government’s response to the country’s worst flooding in 80 years.

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Zardari returns home to flood crisis

Over 53000 new jobs promised in Sindh budget

KARACHI: Sindh chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah Friday presented a Rs422 billion budget with a deficit of Rs25 bn for the province that envisages 53 percent in its annual development program.

More than 53,000 new jobs in various provincial departments have been pledged to be dispersed by government across province during fiscal 2010-11.

Sindh province is increasing Development Budget for facilitating greater economic activity, said the CM in his budget speech in the Sindh assembly.

Total budget size of the government expenses for the fiscal year 2010-11 is Rs422 billion as against total revenue of Rs 397 billion with a deficit of Rs 25 billion.

We are increasing the provincial ADP to Rs115 billion against the current year”s allocation of Rs75 billion with an increase of 53percent, he said.

The total size of our development portfolio adds to Rs 135 billion as under: Provincial ADP Rs115 billion, Federal PSDP Grants Rs14.4 billion, Foreign Project Assistance RS 4.2 billion and DERA/ SCIP Rs 1.5 billion.

District Development portfolio has been estimated at Rs 18 billion.

Total budget size of the government expenses for the fiscal year 2010-11 is Rs422 billion as against total revenue of Rs 397 billion with a deficit of Rs 25 billion.

Syed Qaim Ali Shah said this deficit is 6 percent of the total budget of Sindh and hopefully we should be able to finance this through following measures: Improving our revenue collection; mobilizing additional resources; containing current expenditures through ban on wasteful expenditures, especially vehicles and discouraging unnecessary foreign visits, etc.

We also expect to resolve the issue of SCARP CDLs. Here we have overpaid an amount of Rs22 billion to the government of Pakistan and we plan to take issue with federal government again, said Syed Qaim Ali Shah.

Foreign Visits Aimed at Resolving Public Issues:Zardari

LAHORE, Pakistan News: President Asif Ali Zardari has said that our survival is linked with the survival of democracy, which depends on smooth functioning of state intuitions.

Addressing a gathering here at the Governor House Thursday, he said he would deliver the speech in Punjabi language as he was presented a Punjabi turban by the Governor.

“I learnt Punjabi in the jail,” he asserted.

He further said Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto laid their lives for the sake of democracy. We will continue their mission.

“We have empowered women in accordance with the vision of Benazir Bhutto. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is working for the poor class. We will continue the politics of reconciliation.”

President said Pakistan is dealing with a number of challenges and sincere efforts should be made to solve country’s issues.

He said water is the main reason behind Kashmir dispute that is why dams are being built across the country and loans worth $700 million have been taken for their construction.

He said he is aware of the issues of party workers. He said he will spend one week in Lahore to listen to party workers’ issues every month.

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Foreign Visits Aimed at Resolving Public Issues:Zardari was first posted on January 14, 2010 at 6:31 pm.

Cabinet rejects weekly 2 days off in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, : The federal cabinet meeting rejected the proposal of two weekly holidays on Wednesday.

The meeting was being chaired by the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani. The meeting also decided to minimize the expenditures of the government. The foreign visits of President and Prime Minister would be reduced by 40 percent.

The foreign visits of the ministers would also be reduced by 30 percent. President and Prime Minister would only use seven vehicles in their cavalcade. Governors and Chief Ministers would use only six vehicles in their motorcade.

The facility for the ministers to perform Hajj on the governmnent expenses would be no more. The federal ministers could only use 1800 cc cars and the provincial ministers could only use 1600 cc cars.

Five-day week to chop down energy usage in Pakistan

Lahore, Pakistan:- Committee proposes five-day week to chop down energy usage, The Austerity Committee has proposed to put into practice 2 weekly holidays in government offices to cut down the usage of electricity and gas in the country.

Meeting of the committee held under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen. The committee proposed to reduce government officials’ foreign visits by 70 percent. The committee suggested 50 percent decrease in vehicles of convoys of PM, CMs and ministers.

According to sources, the committee also recommended to refurbish 8 governmental trade institutes including PIA, Pakistan Railways, National Highway Authority and WAPDA. Finance Ministry sources told that the NWFP and Punjab governments have already accepted the proposal of two weekly holidays. The recommendations of the Austerity Committee would be presented in the Cabinet meeting tomorrow.

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Five-day week to chop down energy usage in Pakistan was first posted on November 3, 2009 at 11:51 pm.