30,000 government employees to get jobless

The government is going to shut the National Education Commission (NEC) and National Commission for Human Development (NCHD), leaving 30,000 people jobless.

No funds have been allocated in the annual budget for 2011/2012 for the National Education Commission and National Commission for Human Development as both the departments are supposed to be devolved to the provinces under the 18th Amendment.

The closing of both departments will leave 30,000 people jobless, besides jeopardising the future of one million children, who are getting education in the institution controlled by the departments.

Pakistan People’s Party Member National Assembly and head of both departments Nafeesa Shah told Dunay News that due to the non-issuance of funds, the departments would become dysfunctional.

The workers of the National Education Commission and National Commission for Human Development said that they would strongly protest, if they were not accommodated in some other department.

Delay in SPSC results

By Ashique Hussain Shah

HYDERABAD: Dozens of candidates of the Combined Competitive Examination-2008 held a peaceful demonstration outside the press club chanting slogans against the lethargy of Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) Wednesday.

The protest was organized by a group of candidates who are waiting for the final announcement of results.

“Justice delayed is justice denied. The announcement of delay in final results means there is political interference. And it happens in this institution but this time it will not be tolerated,” said G.M. Abro, one of the protesters.

The affected candidates said that the future of hundreds of candidates has been put in jeopardy by SPSC. It is unfortunate that concerned officials have shown lethargy to address the issue and assuage the fears of candidates.

Another candidate said that SPSC has been

Delay in SPSC results

By Ashique Hussain Shah

HYDERABAD: Dozens of candidates of the Combined Competitive Examination-2008 held a peaceful demonstration outside the press club chanting slogans against the lethargy of Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) Wednesday.

The protest was organized by a group of candidates who are waiting for the final announcement of results.

“Justice delayed is justice denied. The announcement of delay in final results means there is political interference. And it happens in this institution but this time it will not be tolerated,” said G.M. Abro, one of the protesters.

The affected candidates said that the future of hundreds of candidates has been put in jeopardy by SPSC. It is unfortunate that concerned officials have shown lethargy to address the issue and assuage the fears of candidates.

Another candidate said that SPSC has been

CJP directs senior lawyers to help end clash

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Monday ordered formation of a committee comprising senior lawyers in order to resolve the Bar-Bench dispute through negotiation, and warned that the prevailing crisis may prove detrimental for the judiciary.
A three member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, heard a suo moto notice of the police highhandedness on lawyers on Friday.
The CJ directed Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, Kazim Khan, Anwar Kamal and Ali Ahmed Kurd figure out a possible solution of the row.
The CJ quizzed that why the sacrifices rendered by the lawyers to get the judiciary restored forgotten?Chief Justice observed that a solution should be hammered out to meet the crisis emerged in wake of the en masse resignation by the civil judges.
During the course of hearing, Inspector General Punjab presented the report regarding police torture on the lawyers,.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry questioned that why the police barged into the barrooms and library and thrashed the lawyers when section 144 was not imposed over there.
He further asked that police wanted to conquer whom through gunfire; adding that had the police not violated the esteem of barroom and library, the current crisis would not have emerged.
However, the CJ also lamented the subsequent roughing up of the cops by some angry lawyers.
Senior advocate Abdul Hafeez Pirzada contended that if judiciary would be assailed no other institution could be saved. Justice Ramday remarked that lawyers are supposed to respect the judges and maintain their reverence by all means.
The lawyers, however, rejected the formation of a committee.
Transfer Zawwar Sheikh to defuse crisis: President LBA
Talking on the issue, President Lahore Bar Association Sajid Bashir said that the House (Bar) refused to accept any committee, saying that such committees had been set up in past also but proved futile.
Transfer Zawwar Sheikh, if you want to resolve the issue, an adamant Sajid stated. He wondered why the judges tendered resignations, adding that they might not want to continue with their jobs.

Negotiation only way to end conflict: Qazi Anwar
Meanwhile, talking to Dunya News, President SCBA Qazi Anwar urged the lawyers and judge to hold negotiations to end the prevailing crisis. He warned that a dangerous situation is being emerged in the wake of the judges resignations.

Intl Day of Older Persons being observed

The International Day of Older Persons is being observed all across the world today. The Day is observed on October 1 each year. The theme of this year is: Older persons and the achievement of the MDGs.
On December 14, 1990 the United Nations General Assembly voted to establish October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons as recorded in Resolution 45/106. The holiday was observed for the first time on October 1, 1991.
The holiday is celebrated by raising awareness about issues affecting the elderly, such as senescence and elder abuse. It is also a day to appreciate the contributions that older people make to society.
In his message on the International Day of Older Persons, being observed on Oct 1, President Asif Ali Zardari has stated that the government is fully cognizant of the issues of elderly people and has taken some institutional and legislative measures to address their problems in the country.Our religion and cultural values place great emphasis on us to look after the elderly and infirm. The elderly people are usually looked after by the families within their resources. However, the myriad pressures of life has posed new challenges and weakened the institution of joint family system.That is why it is important for the government to make institutional arrangements to take care of their elderly when families support to them is either non-existent or inadequate, the President said.
In his message on International Day of Older Persons, being observed on Oct 1, Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has reiterated Pakistans commitment to safeguarding the rights of senior citizens and adopting policies to ensure their welfare and well-being in the society. We live in a society which accords high status to the old persons and holds them in great esteem. Senior citizens in our state and society enjoy special privileges and respect. For the sake of this purpose, we stand with the international community to celebrate the International Day of Older Persons. The day draws our attention to this important segment of society to re-affirm our commitment and determination for welfare of older persons, Gilani said.

ANP’s leader killed in Buner

BUNER: A leader of Awami National Party (ANP) was killed in Buner, Geo News reported Sunday.

Muhammed Khan Baba Jan was killed in a firing incident here in Buner.

Nawaz tried to fool nation, says Babar Awan

LAHORE: Federal Law Minister Dr. Babar Awan said the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif tried to befool the nation, Geo News reported Sunday.

Talking to media at Lahore airport, he said, ‘Nawax Sharif forgot that camera eye does not speak untruth.’

No parliament can give opinion about the institution, he asserted referring a consensus resliution passed at the floor of Punjab Assembly, adding the entire nation witnessed who spearheaded the resolution.

He urged the PML-N leadership not to make a scapegoat of a Mastikhel, adding, ‘The entire nation watched the tolerance of the princes of Lahore dynasty.’

‘We believe in the freedom,’ he said.

Musharraf was at brink of Kashmir solution: India

HOUSTON – Raja Zahid Akhter Khanzada: The president Indian Supreme Court Bar Association (ISCBA), the chairman Kashmir Committee and a member of Rajeya Sabha Ram Jethmalani disclosed Tuesday Kashmir issue could have been long resolved peacefully if General Musharrf, the then Pakistani President, would remain in power for a little longer, Geo news reported.

Judiciary has no power to meddle with constitution legislated by a parliament, he observed.

He was talking to Jang/Geo news here in Houston city of Texas after attending a convention hosted by Sindhi Association of North America (SANA) on Tuesday.

Pervez Musharraf was at brink of resolving Kashmir issue practically before being destabilized by political turmoil in Pakistan, sending automatically the matter in limbo again, he revealed.

He said, “It is no longer a secret now that president Musharraf sent us a document carrying acceptable recommendations and proposals for solution of Kashmir Issue for two sides.”

“Subsequently, I myself, worked on those proposals being chairman of Kashmir Committee, made slight changes and produced them before mass representatives”, he said adding, “but time did not permit Musharraf.”

He hoped Kashmir Row would be resolved soon.

CJ’s restoration illegal, NAB writes to SC

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has launched a frontal attack on the Supreme Court of Pakistan by accusing it of interfering with investigations, paralysing NAB, being biased, suffering a faulty composition and simply not being fit to hear the case.

The rather harsh remarks came in NAB’s blistering response to the queries posed a few days back by the apex court during the hearing of the ongoing case of the multi-billion rupees Bank of Punjab scam.

In its reply addressed to Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, NAB has also questioned the CJ’s restoration in March last year through an executive order of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani by stating, “Neither order is countenanced by the constitution nor the same has any other legitimate basis”.

The NAB has also challenged the legality of the judgment of July 31 on the same grounds and said that the appointment of two ad hoc judges—including Justice Ramday is in derogation of Al-Jihad Trust case (PLD 1966 SC 324).

According to NAB’s written response, the present bench led by CJ Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had developed biases against NAB and others concerned so it should not hear the BoP case.

NAB has also protested strongly against the humiliation being faced by its top officers in the SC and accused the SC of paralysing the institution.

In its formal response, NAB has gone to extent of alluding that instead of focusing on the real issue involving the Bank of Punjab scam, “scores” were being settled at the cost of national institutions. It said that NAB’s institutional pride has suffered immensely as the senior officers of the Bureau are being ridiculed in the SC and this attitude is neither legal nor good for a healthy environment within the organisation.

In a strongly worded six-page long response submitted in the SC with regard to Bank of Punjab (BoP) case and available with Jang Group, the NAB has also told the SC not to let the Punjab government become party to the Bank of Punjab case as its former chairman Hamesh Khan, presently being investigated by NAB, had levelled some serious accusations against Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif.

Salman Khan donates 25 computers to NGO

Salman Khan has always made headlines be it for his brash behaviour or for his merciful deeds. The actor who has a golden heart has proved it yet again by purchasing 25 computers for kids residing in an NGO in Bandra on hearing that they were keen to learn
computers but did not have adequate facilities.

The actor in his latest philanthropic deeds donated 25 computers to the Saint Catherine’s Home in Bandra. The institution helps the cause of young children by providing them with free education and shelter.

Salman has been making it a point to visit Saint Catherine’s Home twice a month, where he interacts and plays with the children. On one of his visits he learnt that the children were keen to learn computers but the institution didn’t have enough of them for everyone to work on. This is when Salman did the needful.

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