SC adjourns power rental projects case hearing till Oct. 28

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has adjourned the hearing of rental power projects case till October 28.

A three member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry conducted the hearing of suo moto case on Tuesday.

Khwaja Asif, the petitioner, said in his arguments that no approval has been taken from the cabinet for most of the rental power projects and only the Federal Water and Power Minister, along with the concerned secretary, approved them all.

He added that the final date for the start of the projects has passed and now no hurdle prevents the cancellation of their contracts.

The Chief Justice said in his remarks that the verdict of the case will be announced completely according to law and the constitution; the consequences of the verdict will not be paid any heed. SAMAA

LHC reserves ruling in law secretary appointment case

The Lahore High Court has reserved its judgment in a petition seeking termination of a writ against the law secretary’s appointment, Dunya News reported on Monday.
Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafri and the federal government in separate petitions contended that the writ was non-maintainable and should be dismissed.
Deputy Attorney General said that the petition carries objectionable content. He said no legal justification was given for the removal of Law Secretary Masood Chishti.On the other hand, the petitioner maintained that Masood Chistis appointment should be declared null and void as he was hired on political grounds.

High Court dismisses plea on Aamir Khan starrer Dhobi Ghat

Few months ago, when Shah Rukh Khan starrer Billu was all set to release, a section of the barber’s community tried to stop the release as they were upset since the film was earlier called Billu Barber. SRK amicably sorted out the differences and eventually dropped the word ‘Barber’ from the film’s title.

Now Aamir Khan’s Dhobi Ghat, directed by his wife Kiran Rao, finds itself in a similar soup as the Dhobi community is offended with the title of the film. Mr. Vinod Kumar Kanojia, Chairman of Hindustan Kanojia organization of Dhobis has filed a case against director Kiran Rao in the Delhi High Court asking for a change in the title. In his opinion, the makers of Dhobi Ghat have zeroed in on such a title to make a mockery and hurt the feelings of the Dhobi community.

However, The Delhi High Court today dismissed a plea challenging the title ‘Dhobi Ghat’ on the ground that it offended the sensitivity of a particular ‘caste’. Rejecting the petitioner’s contention, the court said that ‘Dhobi Ghat’ is a geographical description of a place and is not offensive. Holding that the PIL is ‘an abuse of process of law’, the court also imposed a cost of Rs. 25,000 on the petitioner and asked him to deposit the amount in Blind’s Relief Association.

SHC dismisses plea against Zardari’s eligibility

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) dismissed a constitutional petition regarding the eligibility of President Asif Ali Zardari on the plea that he wields immunity constitutionally, Geo News reported Wednesday.

A two-member SHC bench including Chief Justice Sarman Jalal Usmani and Justice Zahid heard the petition filed by Maulvi Iqbal Hyder.

The SHC said nobody can be declared as ineligible on the basis of pending cases and that the presidential election cannot be challenged in any court.

The petition pleaded the court to declare President Zardari as ineligible as the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) has lapsed leading Zardari’s election to go null and void.

Maulvi Iqbal said in his petition that the NRO was in effect when the nomination papers were filed; accordingly, the approval or rejection of the papers was not challenged; but, now the court has restored all the cases to October 5 position.

Therefore, all the nomination papers should be re-scrutinized in this perspective that no NRO exists today.

However, the court clarified to the petitioner the presidential election cannot be challenged in any court under Article-41(6) of the Constitution.

But, the petitioner responded that the Article is applicable on the post-election situation and he has raised the point of Zardari’s eligibility in pre-election position.

The court turned down his viewpoint and dismissed his petition.

Talking to media later on, Maulvi Iqbal Hyder said he would challenge this order in the apex court.

Court Acquits Usman Farooqui:Steel Mills Corruption Case

Accountability Court in Karachi acquitted Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) former chairman Usman Farooqui in a corruption case on Friday, Dunya News reported.
Farooqui was accused of corruption, causing a loss of Rs17 million to the national exchequer during purchase of a ferrous manganese contract while misusing his office as PSM chairman in Dec 1995.
The petitioner’s counsel earlier contended that all other co-defendants in the case had been acquitted by the Accountability Court due to lack of evidence and the petitioner was in jail at the time the case was registered against him but he was not produced before the trial court to defend charges against him.
The applicant moved an application in court seeking Farooqui’s acquittal saying that the baseless case has been registered against him.
The court judge Riaz Rajput in his verdict today announced acquittal of Usman Farooqui.

Avatar, Hangover Big Winners at Golden Globes

BEVERLEY HILLS, CALIFORNIA: Box office sensation Avatar was named best film drama and The Hangover claimed the top comedy trophy at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday in Hollywood’s annual race to the Oscars.

Among actors, Sandra Bullock earned the title of best film actress in a drama for football movie The Blind Side, while Jeff Bridges was best dramatic actor for his turn as a down-and-out country singer in Crazy Heart.

Robert Downey, Jr. won the Golden Globe for best comedy actor for his turn as super sleuth Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes, and Meryl Streep was the top actress in a comedy for cooking film Julie & Julia in a show that took on a somber tone after the recent earthquake in Haiti.

The glitzy Golden Globes, one of the most-watched awards shows in Hollywood, were filled with statements of thankfulness by A-list celebrities far from the chaos of the recent disaster in Haiti. Many stars wore yellow, blue and red ribbons to show their support for victims.

Accepting her award, Streep said she had to remember “my happy movie self, in the face of everything I’m aware of in the real world.” She said her mother, now deceased, had a sense of joy that, during difficult times, taught Streep how to be grateful for success.

The Golden Globes are given out by some 90 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to film and television actors, directors and others, and a win here can give movies the momentum they need in Hollywood’s race for Oscars, the world’s top movie honors given out in March.

“Inglourious Basterds” star Chistoph Waltz was named best supporting actor in a film, and Mo’Nique earned best supporting film actress, going against her reputation as a comedienne and playing an abusive mother in dark drama “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire.”

Disney adventure Up won two early Golden Globes, best animated movie and original score. Avatar also earned best director for James Cameron, and corporate downsizing drama Up In the Air garnered writing honors for Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner.

Among television awards, “Mad Men,” about the lives of Madison Avenue advertising executives, claimed its third straight Golden Globe for best drama and upstart musical “Glee” was named best comedy or musical.

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Avatar, Hangover Big Winners at Golden Globes was first posted on January 18, 2010 at 5:14 pm.

Meera’s Case SHC Moved Against FIA

KARACHI : Meera’s Case SHC Moved Against FIA, The alleged double standard exhibited by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration and Passport, Lahore for letting of film actress Meera (Irtiza Arbab) despite recovery of two passports from her possession when she flew into Lahore from abroad, was questioned before High Court of Sindh.

The said constitution petition was processed and fixed for hearing before a division bench of SHC on Jan 22, said the petitioner Muzaffar Hussain Askari, President Social Reforms Movement and Journalist Forum, Karachi.

The petitioner maintains that FIA used to arrest and prosecute citizens of Pakistan in case of even tampering the computerized passports, and in the case of Meera, who possessed two passports, she was allowed to go home after executing a personal bond.

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Meera’s Case SHC Moved Against FIA was first posted on January 18, 2010 at 5:27 pm.

SC dismisses NRO Beneficiaries’ Disqualification Plea

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan News: The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition to disqualify the NRO beneficiaries on Wednesday.
Advocate Syed Iqbal Kazmi has moved an appeal in the court to disqualify the NRO beneficiaries besides suspending their parliament membership.
The objections put by the Registrar office states that as the petitioner himself was not the affectee thus he was not eligible to move the court in this regard; moreover the said case is already sub judice in different courts.
Iqbal Kazmi said that he would again file the application after removing the objections.

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SC dismisses NRO Beneficiaries’ Disqualification Plea was first posted on December 23, 2009 at 2:52 pm.

Daughter Of East Murder Case Porceedings Postponed

RAWALPINDI: An anti terrorism court in its verdict on a plea of FIA seeking postponement in the judicial proceedings of Benazir Bhutto murder has directed the petitioner to take the matter before the court after 14 days.

FIA had pleaded to the court for postponement of the case till completion of a further investigation of the assassintion of Benazir Bhutto.

Deputy Attorney General Shah Khawar filed an application with the ATC No-I under section 344 of the Cr PC and informed the court that in accordance with the notification of the Interior Ministry a new JIT of the FIA was going to further investigate the case and asked for proceedings to be put off until the investigations were concluded.

Moreover, a lower court reserved its verdict over a plea for registration of the case of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto under Article 22-A.

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Daughter Of East Murder Case Porceedings Postponed was first posted on August 22, 2009 at 4:29 pm.