Money in Swiss banks must be returned: Nawaz
Speaking alongside the chairman of the Sindh National Front Mumtaz Bhutto, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif said that people of Pakistan wanted their money to be returned.
He further said that the government’s actions were against the will of the people and instead of hiding behind the cover of immunity, the nation’s money must be returned.
I could not understand why the government is reluctant about writing the letter to Swiss authorities,” he said.
Faisalabad: SNGPL engineer to be released on bail
According to resources, Advisor for Petroleum Dr Asim Hussain held a dialogue with the plaintiff party and the Managing Director Sui Gas in which it was settled that the applicants of the case and the FIA officials would not contest the bail matter of arrested Engineer Shahid Shoukat in the court on Monday.
After acceptance of bail from the court, the gas employees in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would end their strike.
It is worthy of note that Engineer Shahid Shoukat had been arrested five days back over allegation of providing gas supply to a factory despite government ban.
‘Contempt proceedings against PM not enough’
Talking to the media at Sukkur Airport, Sindh Chief Minister said that candidates for the Senate polls would be selected in consultation with coalition partners.
The Prime Minister would appear before the Supreme Court to face the trial, he said.
Commenting on new face for the next prime minister, Sindh CM said that he was unconscious about it.
He said that the government was trying its best to discourage target-killings, adding that they are ready to face any challenge including flood.
He said that renovation of Sukkur Barrage is underway while the UK has been appealed to enhance its capacity to store water.
SC to frame charges against Gilani today
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will appear before Supreme Court on Monday to face contempt charges that could decide his fate and plunge the country into a fresh political turmoil over his refusal to reopen graft cases against the President.
Dealing a major blow to PM Gilani, the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on Friday had rejected his appeal against framing of contempt charges over his failure to act on its repeated orders to revive cases of alleged money laundering against Asif Ali Zardari in Switzerland.
Gilani personally appeared in the court when it took up the contempt case on January 19 and said the government could not reopen the cases against the President because he enjoys complete immunity in Pakistan and abroad.
Refusing to buy his arguments, the court told Gilani that he had no option but to write to Swiss authorities to revive graft cases against Zardari as no one was above the law.
Insiders in the ruling Pakistan People s Party today said the premier is expected to stick to this position when he appears in court again tomorrow.
If Gilani is convicted, he could be imprisoned for six months and face possible removal from office after being disqualified from holding public office for five years.
However, legal experts pointed out that the President had the power to pardon him after his conviction.
The apex court has been pressuring the government to reopen the cases since December 2009, when it struck down the National Reconciliation Ordinance, a graft amnesty issued by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf that benefited Zardari and over 8,000 others.
The PPP has been reluctant to act because top leaders believe any action on the cases in Switzerland could give the Supreme Court an opportunity to interpret the constitutional provision related to presidential immunity.
“Once the Swiss cases are reopened, then the court could say it wants to review the President s immunity. And all this will pave the way to launch a get Zardari movement on legal grounds,” a PPP leader, who did not want to be named, told PTI.
At the same time, the PPP s top leadership has considered the possibility that Gilani may have to be replaced if the apex court acts against him.
Religious Affairs Minister Khursheed Shah and Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar have emerged as possible contenders for the premier s slot if Gilani is disqualified, insiders said.
There is a section in the PPP which believes that any action taken by the Supreme Court against Gilani could boost the party s standing, especially in the premier’s home province of Punjab, at a time when its fortunes are at a low.
“We are fully convinced that Gilani s sacrifice will give a boost to the party and help lay a strong launch pad for the next election,” a presidential aide said.
In an indication of the thinking within the PPP, Gilani told a public meeting in Punjab yesterday that now the party s leaders, and not the workers, would make “sacrifices”.
Such fears have prompted some of the PPP s allies in the ruling coalition to suggest that the government should act on the court s orders, sources said.
During the hearing on Gilani s appeal, the court had said that $60 million that were allegedly laundered will come back to Pakistan only if the letter is written to Swiss authorities.
Gilani is expected to take the PPP s allies into confidence about his strategy for the contempt proceedings in the apex court, party insiders said.
Within the PPP, no leaders have differed with the top leadership s decision not to reopen the cases in Switzerland, they said.
PM Gilani hints he’ll step down if convicted
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani who is scheduled to appear before the Supreme Court to face contempt of court charges tomorrow, hinted that he will step down if the court found him guilty.
The Supreme Court on February 10 rejected PM Gilani’s appeal, seeking to withdraw contempt of court charges, which the apex court leveled against him.
During an interview with Al Jazeera, Gilani said government is following the constitution and he will no longer be the member of the parliament if the court convicted him.
The prime minister and his ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have so far refused to write to Swiss authorities to reopen corruption case against President Asif Zardari in spite of several court orders.
On Monday, the Supreme Court is poised to frame contempt of court charges against Gilani. If convicted, he may face disqualification from his office and a jail sentence.
Giving his remarks to a question regarding relations with Pakistan army, PM Gilani reiterated that there is no rift between military and the government.
The prime minister also clarified that government had no information regarding Osama Bin Laden’s whereabouts.
“Many high-value targets have been achieved with collaboration between the ISI and CIA, but US conducted unilateral action against Osama Bin Laden, which was against the sovereignty of the country.”
Also giving his views regarding reopening of NATO supply route, parliament would soon give its decision over the issue.
He also added that Pakistan is ready to support any Afghan-led reconciliation in peace process as both countries have suffered most in the war against terrorism.
Jails not new for PPP ‘Jialas’, says Firdous
While addressing the inauguration ceremony of NADRA office and the passport office at a village Kobey in the suburb of Sialkot, Minister for Information Firdous Ashiq Awan said that accountability, penalty and prize are the rights of the masses. The PPP stands first among giving sacrifices for the sake of democracy, she said.
She expressed that the government is taking concrete steps to overcome energy and gas crisis. She also has had a meeting with delegation comprising members from Chamber of Commerce, Dry Port Association and Surgical Association of Sialkot who called on Information Minister and Governor Punjab Sardar Muhammad Latif Khosa today.
The delegation was led by Chairman Chamber of Commerce Naeem Anwaar Qureshi and Chairman Dry Port Association Saddique Ishaq Butt.She announced that one more gas pipeline is being laid down from Wazirabad to Sialkot to resolve the problem of gas shortage in the city.
“We are focusing to generate electricity from hydel power which is cheaper and also directed provinces to initiate small projects to overcome the energy crisis”, she said.
Around 2000 megawatt electricity would be produced through the factories’ wastes which would also help resolve the issue.
Keeping in view the energy crisis, she informed that an energy conference would be arranged in Lahore soon.
Governor Punjab Sardar Latif Ahmad Khosa said that some people were hatching conspiracies to derail the system of democracy but such tactics would be foiled.
He said that the people claiming for change were actually committing forgery and fraud in the name of rule of law.
Commenting on next budget, he said the delegation that the upcoming budget would be people and business friendly.
The suggestions would be sought from Chamber of Commerce, Dry Port Association and Surgical Association in this regard which would be incorporated while planning the budget.
Latif Khosa said the country cannot progress until the government extend the tax net.
The government is taking concrete steps to overcome prevailing energy crisis in the country.
The delegation said 251 million dollars export is being made from Sialkot annually while the local industry is providing job opportunities to 0.4 million people.
PPP’s real court is masses and some elements are trying to halt the Senate polls with their threats, she said.
DPC to protest outside parliament on Feb 20
Defence of Pakistan Council, in its Karachi rally on Sunday, passed resolutions of immediate recovery of missing persons, ending target killing in Karachi, instantaneous arrest of criminals involved in target killings and decrease in petrol prices.
The Council also announced to hold a protest rally outside parliament in Islamabad on February 20 against government policies.
Addressing the Defence of Pakistan Conference in Karachi, Jamaat ud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed said that NATO forces have been violating our integrity in the name of so-called war on terror.
Capitalistic system is fading away from the world panorama replaced by the Islamic system, Saeed said.
He said that the US wanted to establish the supremacy of India in the region but it would not be tolerable for Pakistan at any cost, adding that any endeavour done at any stage or any sense would be foiled.
He appealed that rulers should stop unconditional favour of the US that has crushed the Muslim World under the guise of war on terror.
Throwing light on current situation of Balochistan, he said that the US wanted to ignite chaotic conditions in war-torn province for her vested interests.
Actually, the US has nothing to do with the progress and prosperity of the Balochis; rather its first and foremost ‘mission’ to disintegrate the province endowed with natural resources, he added.
Hafiz Saeed said that the US wants to intrude in Balochistan after its failure in Afghanistan and India is using Kashmir as a puppet to watch its interests in the region.
All kinds of resources would be utilised to halt NATO supply, he emphasised.
Jamaat Islami chief Syed Munawar Hassan said that the Pakistan Defence Council has been formed to secure the integrity and sovereignty of motherland.
At the end of the conference, religious scholars passed a 10-points resolution, emphasising that the rulers should take the resolution seriously; otherwise, revolutionary steps would be taken for security and survival of the motherland.
S Africa to release new notes bearing Mandela’s pic
The complete series of South African bank notes will bear Nelson Mandela s image, the country s president said on the 22nd anniversary of the anti-apartheid leader s release from prison.
“With this humble gesture, we are expressing our deep gratitude as the South African people, to a life spent in service of the people of this country and in the cause of humanity worldwide,” president Jacob Zuma said at the central bank offices.
He said that Mr Mandela s release after 27 years in prison for fighting apartheid “marked the beginning of a new era of hope for our country and the world”.
Mr Zuma did not say when the new notes would appear. Mr Mandela s image will appear on all South African notes, which are issued in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 rands, officials said.
Local media had reported that speculation about the government press conference put pressure on the rand, but it revived following reassurance from bank officials that the announcement would not be about interest rates or central bank staff changes.
Mr Mandela, the 93-year-old Nobel Peace prize winner, became South Africa s first black president in 1994. Known affectionately by his clan name, Madiba, he has retired from public life.
New Maldives President expands cabinet
The new president of the Maldives is expanding his Cabinet to strengthen the coalition government ruling the Indian Ocean nation.
A presidential spokesman says six members from four political parties will be sworn in Sunday as ministers in the government led by President Mohammed Waheed Hassan.
Former president Mohamed Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party, however, has not responded to an invitation to join the Cabinet.
The Maldives has been rocked by political turmoil for nearly a week, since Nasheed resigned and was replaced by his vice president. Nasheed claims he was ousted in a coup, a charge the new president denies.
A senior U.S. diplomat who met with Maldivian leaders on Saturday said the Maldives wasn’t ready for early elections as a way out of its political crisi
Chatta elected chairman, Arbab president of PML-Likeminded
Humayun Akhtar Khan would be Secretary General of the party.
The meeting of general council of PML (Likeminded) was held under the chairmanship of Senator Salim Saifullah Khan to elect new leadership of the party for the tenure of next three years.
The meeting also elected Salim Saifullah for the slot of Chairman Steering Committee, whereas Kashmala Tariq was elected Information Secretary.
After elections, newly elected Chairman of Likeminded Hamid Nasir Chatta said while speaking to the general council that they have always promoted democracy within party. It is not the party of a particular family, but it is the party of the nation.
“We have rejected the ancestral politics. We chose our President from a smaller province, which reflects that the party is committed to give right to the entire province.”
He said that discussion on Baluchistan in the committee of US Congress is an unconstitutional act. It is in fact matter of embarrassment for the whole nation. He said that government took loans during four years which is more than the total debt the country had taken in sixty years.
Arbab Ghulam Rahim addressed the meeting through video link. He said that fair, free and impartial elections are not possible in presence of sitting rulers. He said that they will snatch the Sindh card from the PPP.
Humayun Akhtar Khan said that the 2012 is the general election year and the party would have to complete its preparedness for the polls within shortest span of time.
Earlier, besides election, general council discussed prevailing political situation of the country, conflict between national institutions, law and order situation, target killing in Baluchistan, threats to national integrity, corruption, dearness and drug scandal in Punjab in detail. –Online
