SC deadline on by-polls legislation ends today; 23 lawmakers to be disqualified

TrendPK.com
ISLAMABAD: Deadline given by the Supreme Court (SC) for giving legal cover to the by-polls is coming to an end today (Monday). As many as 23 members of the Parliament will be held ineligible if the government fails to get 20th Amendment passed.

A four-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry will hear the case regarding the voter lists.

It should be mentioned here the apex court stayed the process of by-elections on the present electoral rolls and held that the by-polls under an incomplete Election Commission are unconstitutional and illegal.

Meantime, the court gave time till February 6 to the Parliament to endorse the by-elections’ results; the deadline is coming to an end today.

National Assembly will meet today after an interval of two days to make an attempt for the passage of Twentieth Amendment. The government needs support from its coalition partners as well as the opposition parties for the purpose. TrendPK

Please click ‘Video’ button to watch this news.

SC suspends by-polls results: 28 lawmakers disqualified

TrendPK.com
ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) suspended the membership of 28 members of the Parliament, as the government fails to get 20th Amendment passed, TrendPK reports Monday.

It should be mentioned here the court, in its previous hearing, set February 6 as the deadline to the government to give legal cover to the by-polls and warned the government of disqualification of the lawmakers elected in by-polls.

There are nine MNAs and three senators who were disqualified by the apex court, one from Balochistan and two MPAs from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The members disqualified by the apex court are Federal Finance Minister Dr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr. Asim Hussain, Jamshed Dasti, Owais Leghari, Khuda Bux Rajar.

The suspended lawmakers also include Asghar Ali Jutt, Akhtar Kanju, Shafqat Hyat Khan, Tasadduq Masood Khan, Sardar Mumtaz Khan, Khadija Amir Yar Malik.

A four-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry heard the case regarding the voter lists on the petition filed by Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan against fake electoral lists of the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Tariq Pervez and Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmani are the other members of the bench. 

The suspended members include eight from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and nine from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Punjab Assembly’s nine lawmakers and Sindh Assembly’s four members were declared ineligible to continue as lawmakers.

It should be mentioned here the apex court stayed the process of by-elections on the present electoral rolls and held that the by-polls under an incomplete Election Commission are unconstitutional and illegal; hence, legislation is needed to afford legality to these by-elections.

Meantime, the court gave time till today to the Parliament to endorse the by elections results.

National Assembly will meet today after an interval of two days to make an attempt for the passage of Twentieth Amendment. The government needs support from its coalition partners as well as the opposition parties for the purpose. TrendPK

Senate, NA to take up 20th Amendment Monday

TrendPK.com

ISLAMABAD: Upper and lower houses of the Parliament – National Assembly and the Senate – are all set to debate the 20th Constitutional Amendment in Monday’s respective sessions to be held this evening, TrendPK reports.

The government has issued a six-point agenda of the session, according to which bill of the 20th Constitutional Amendment would be tabled in the NA.

Sources said the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government had accepted three out of four demands of its ally, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q),  for support the bill in the lower house.

However, the opposition’s proposals for an acting government set up are yet to be agreed upon. TrendPK

Missile strikes against Pak sovereignty: FO

TrendPK.com
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit Tuesday said the missile strikes on Pakistani soil stands in contradiction with the country’s sovereignty.

Talking to TrendPK TV, the FO spokesman said the Parliament is re-visiting the terms of engagement with the US and NATO after the US attack on Salalah’s security check posts in Mohmand Agency on November 26, which left 24 Pak troops dead. TrendPK

Come back for more details.

Pakistan to stand by Parliament on NATO supply routes

TrendPK.com
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir Wednesday said Federal Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar will soon visit Afghanistan.

Talking to media after attending a meeting of National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs headed by Dr Farooq Sattar, he said any decision regarding re-opening of the NATO supply routes will be made by the Parliament and the country will stand by the conditions adopted by the Parliament.

The secretary said the US missile strikes on Pak soil are absolutely unlawful and unacceptable and the government’s position over the issue is quite clear.

Replying to a question on Afghanistan, Bashir said Pakistan backs up reconciliation process in the neighboring country and wants cordial relations with it.

Earlier briefing the Standing Committee on a bill regarding biological weapons, he said the proposed bill has no bearing on the war against terrorism.

According to the bill, the violation of the Biological and Fatal Weapons Convention will lead to punishment of life-imprisonment, a fine worth Rs.10 million and confiscation of transferable and non-transferable property.

Also, an authority will be established to ensure the implementation of the Act.

The Secretary Bashir furthermore told as many as 164 countries are signatories to this convention; of them, 132 have had legislation in this regard.

The committee voiced reservations over the draft of the Bill and directed to clearly specify the implementing authority. Bill’s approval was put on hold until the next meeting of the NA committee. TrendPK

No foreign agent on Pak soil: Malik

TrendPK.com
ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Rehman A. Malik Friday said there is no foreign secret agent in any part of the country, adding any such agent will not be allowed to carry on his clandestine activities.

Talking to media outside the Parliament here, he said the eavesdropping is not carried out by the government’s consent, adding the secret services including Intelligence Bureau are responsible to check such anti-state activities.

Malik informed the reporters a call was received last night from Pak embassy in London, which has been directed to expedite visa issuance to American-Pakistani Businessman Mansoor Ijaz.

Reacting to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif’s demand of early elections, the federal minister noted the PML-N leader has always been demanding early elections; but, the government will go the full length of its stipulated term. TrendPK

Joint Parliament session in first Feb week: Firdous

TrendPK.com
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Friday said the elections will be held on the appointed time.

Talking to media, the federal minister said the joint session of the Parliament will be called in the first week of February.

Responding a question regarding the Supreme Court (SC) ruling on bogus voter lists, the minister said the government is currently in consultation with the opposition parties over the issue. TrendPK

Water trickles down Parliament, Presidents House

According to the details rain water trickled down the hospitals and entered into the basement of the Supreme Court. A lot of water gathered at the Constitutional Avenue where traffic got jammed. Many vehicles of ministers were stuck in the traffic.

The rain water trickled down the third storey of the President’s House and the Parliament. The patients also faced difficulty because of being stuck in the traffic. Only 16 members MPs could reach the Parliament.

Rainwater enters Parliament House in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Rainwater has entered Parliament House as heavy monsoon showers constantly pour in Islamabad today, TrendPK reported on Monday.

Heavy rain has converted most roads in the capital city into canals where routine life has been disturbed badly by the rapidly flowing rainwater.

According to the Meteorological Department, till now, more than 85 millimeters of rain has been recorded in Islamabad.

All meetings at Parliament House have been cancelled today as rainwater has entered many committee rooms and is constantly filling other areas as well.

Seeing no break in the ongoing heavy rain showers in the twin cities, authorities have put all rescue agencies on high alert to control all types of emergency situations in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. TrendPK

Drone attacks challenge to Pakistans stability, says Shahbaz

British Member Parliament Keun Jons replied that it was being done with the permission of Pakistani government, which is following dual policy.

The drones are also igniting extremism.

Britain member Parliament Lord Nazir Ahmad received the guests with open arms.

Next Page »