Justice still inaccessible despite access to justice plan
Despite the Access to Justice Programme, people still suffer in police stations and the lower courts. According to the Planning Commission, the last installment of Rs 5.69 million has been released for the provincial programme, out of the total outlay of Rs 11.88 billion.
As such, 96 percent of the programme was completed. Rs 1.90 billion were also used on federal programme. Reportedly, there have been 250 policy actions taken under this programme in police stations and courts. It included freedom of police from interference, improved capacity, independent prosecution service, transparency and accountability, improved police-citizen liaison and public awareness of rights.
The policy actions proposed for lower judiciary consisted of better policy making, strong judicial independence, greater efficiency, legal empowerment of the poor, better judicial governance and human resource development.
In 2011, there were 2.5 million cases pending in the country, out of which 10 percent were in the Supreme Court and high courts. As of January 15, 2012, there were 2.2 million cases pending in the Punjab alone, according to the chief justice of Pakistan. Supreme Court budget has been increased by 112 percent to Rs 18 billion. There are 2500 judges in the country.
In session and district courts, new furniture, vehicles, computerization of record and new buildings was added under the programme. The salaries of the judges were also increased under the programme. But the fact remains that the justice has become all the more expensive for the common people. The people have to pay for stationery and conveyance in the police stations to get the culprits nabbed.
Report by Zulfiqar Ali
Missing prisoners meet their families in AG office
The missing detainees of Adiala jail were produced before a three-member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan headed by Chief Iftikhart Muhamamd Chaudhry as it resumed haring on Monday.
The bench ordered the detainees to be handed over to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and their families to be allowed to meet them. The court said the secretary would be responsible for food medical treatment and security of the prisoners and they would not be shifted to Parachinar.
The bench also ordered that a panel of doctors be formed to look after the health of the detainees.
Coalition partners back PM
The meeting discussed the current political situation of the country after Gilani’s indictment in the contempt case on Monday.
The leaders agreed that they would continue to work together for continuation of the political and democratic process in the country.
The coalition partners expressed complete solidarity with Prime Minister Raza Gilani.
The meeting was attended by Choudhry Shujaat Hussain, Asfand Yar Wali Khan, Farooq Sattar, Munir Khan Orakzai, Rehman Malik, Syed Khursheed Shah, Syed Naveed Qamar, Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour and Raja Pervez Ashraf.
Latvala wins Sweden Car Rally
Ford s Jari-Matti Latvala overcame a late puncture to win the Rally of Sweden on Sunday and make amends for crashing out of the Monte Carlo season-opener on the first day.
The Finn beat compatriot and former team mate Mikko Hirvonen, now with Citroen, by 16.6 seconds while eight-times world champion Sebastien Loeb finished a distant sixth.
Latvala still had to overcome a late scare when he hit a rock and punctured a front tyre on the 22nd stage, a setback that slashed his lead from more than half a minute to eight seconds.
He won the same event four years ago and was evidently happy with his sixth World Rally Championship victory.
Norway s Petter Solberg, Latvala s team mate, hit the same rock on the same 22nd stage and lost third place to compatriot Mads Ostberg, also in a Ford.
Frenchman Loeb, winner in Monte Carlo, saw his hopes vanish when he hit a snow bank on the opening day but retained the championship lead by winning the power stage.
Loeb leads the title race with 28 points, 10 ahead of Spain s Dani Sordo, whose Mini Cooper failed to finish after crashing on the eighth stage, with Petter Solberg third on 15.
The next event is the Rally Mexico from March 8-11.
Jalil Abbaz Jilani to be appointed as Foreign Secy
Salman Bashir is likely to send to New Delhi or Paris.
According to sources, foreign secretary Salman Bashir is getting retired on March 3 and will be replaced by Jalil Abbas Jilani as new one. Jalil Abbas is rendering his services in Brussels at present.
The sources say that Salman Bashir is likely to appoint as an ambassador to Paris or New Delhi in accordance with new contract.
Lescott sends City back to the top
Manchester City moved back to the top of the Premier League as Joleon Lescott s goal clinched a hard-fought 1-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.
Roberto Mancini s side had surrendered pole position to Manchester United after their bitter rivals 2-1 win against Liverpool on Saturday, but City underlined their determination to wrestle the title from Old Trafford with a gritty victory in freezing temperatures at Villa Park.
Lescott struck midway through the second half to lift City two points clear of United, while Villa are down to 15th place after their fifth defeat in their last seven home matches.
City dominated for long spells and England winger Adam Johnson went closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half when his long range effort hit a post.
Mancini s men had won just one of their last six away games, but they ended that barren sequence thanks to Lescott s predatory effort in the 63rd minute.
Former Villa midfielder Gareth Barry headed David Silva s corner back across goal from the far post towards England defender Lescott, who kept his balance to direct his hooked shot past Villa goalkeeper Shay Given.
Kerber upstages Bartoli to win Paris Open
Angelique Kerber of Germany won the WTA Paris Open on Sunday by defeating France s Marion Bartoli 7-6 (7/3), 5-7, 6-3 in the final.
The world number 27, who conquered top seed Maria Sharapova in Friday s quarter-finals, became the first German champion at the event since Steffi Graf in 1995.
It was the 24-year-old s first win on the main WTA circuit, her previous best being a runner-up finish in Bogota in 2010.
Prior to coming to Paris, she had never beaten a top-10 player.
It was the first time in five attempts that the 27-year-old Bartoli, the second seed, had reached the final in her home tournament.
“It s incredible,” said Kerber. “I don t know what to say. The match was so tough but I fought on all the big points. It s been a fantastic week.”
Bartoli was in tears by the time of the post-match presentations.
“I pushed myself all the way but it was not enough,” she said after the 2hr 39min final.
SC allows Gilani to take his car inside courts premises
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was allowed to take his car inside Supreme Court premises when he arrives for hearing in contempt case today.
In an earlier development the apex court had barred Gilani from taking his car inside court’s premises.
Pakistan People’s Party’s secretary information Qmar Zaman Kaira moved an application in the court that security risks have increased due to hearing of missing persons case by the Supreme Court.
Interior Minister also wrote a letter to registrar of the Supreme Court, asking him to grant permission to prime minister to bring his car inside the Supreme Court building.
Lahore: CNG stations closed for 64 hours
According to Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) load management plan, the CNG stations in Lahore, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Sahiwal and Multan regions will remain shut for 64 hours.
The CNG stations will remain closed from 6:00am today to 10:00pm on Wedneday. On the other hand, gas supply to textile industry in Lahore, Muridke and Sheikhupura regions has been resumed for two days.
DR Congo president’s aide killed in plane crash
A close aide to DR Congo President Joseph Kabila was killed and the country s finance minister seriously injured in a plane crash on Sunday in the east of the country, the president s office said.
The statement identified Kabila s aide as Augustin Katumba Mwanke, 48, considered a key member of Kabila s entourage, who had the ear of the president.
Finance Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo was in a serious condition, while Sud-Kivu governor Marcellin Tshisambo had suffered fractures in both legs, said an airport official.
The plane overshot the runway at Bukavu airport, the president s office said.
“There were three killed: two American crew members and one passenger,” Mwanke, a Bukavu airport official told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that there had been eight passengers on the aircraft.
Mwanke and the pilot “died on the spot,” a source at the presidency said.
The twin-engine Gulfstream 200 had flown in from the capital Kinshasa via Goma and apparently missed its landing at Bukavu airport, in the vast country s east.
“It touched down only halfway down the runway and went skidding into a ditch beyond the runway. The plane is damaged,” the airport official said.
