Gaddafi spokesman: 17, including French and British, captured

A spokesman for Muammar Gaddafi said on Sunday that 17 “mercenaries,” including what he called French and British “technical experts” had been captured in the Gaddafi bastion of Bani Walid in Libya.

“A group was captured in Bani Walid consisting of 17 mercenaries. They are technical experts and they include consultative officers,” Moussa Ibrahim told Syrian-based Arrai TV.

“Most of them are French, one of them is from an Asian country that has not been identified, two English people and one Qatari,” he added.

He said the 17 would be shown on television at a later time, but did not give more details.

It was not immediately possible to verify Ibrahim s claims. The French foreign ministry said it had no information regarding the report.

NATO, French and British officials had on Saturday denied a report by Arrai TV that some NATO troops had been captured by Gaddafi loyalists.

Western special forces are known to have been in Libya and to have liaised with anti-Gaddafi officials during the conflict. Private security firms have also been helping anti-Gaddafi forces, according to Western media reports.

Police torture on students: LHC summons Secy Education

Lahore High Court Chief Justice Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry summoned the Education Secretary on Tuesday in a case regarding police torture on students and teachers outside the Punjab Assembly. Hearing a suo moto notice, the Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry also sought a detailed report on the private academies being run by the teachers and directed the Punjab government to make a party to teachers, who forced the students to take to streets. Additional Advocate General told the court that teachers are running their private academies in the cover of government jobs. The court said those violating the rules and regulations should be fired from jobs.

During the course of hearing, Punjab government lawyer told the court that the proposed Board of Governor is meant to maintain discipline at the educational institutes and it will, in no way, result into rise in the students fee.

If Board of Governors has to restore the discipline at colleges then Secretary Education is being paid for what? he questioned. In its report submitted to the court, police said that they tried to prevent the protesting students and teachers from damaging public property.
Chief Justice Chaudhry remarked that police have the right to stop the protesters, not to beat them.

KTI, traders support mourning call

Staff Report

KARACHI: Karachi Transport Ittehad and traders have decided to support the mourning call issued by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Wednesday against the target killings.

Condemning the deaths of innocent people, trade bodies said that business activities would remain closed on Wednesday against the violent attacks.

KTI has also decided to keep public transport off the roads today.

Meanwhile, differences have emerged among the management of private schools.

Directorate of Private Schools announced that schools would open on Wednesday, while the chairman of the Private School Association opposed the decision. SAMAA

SC declares Oct.15’s ruling as the final verdict on judges notification reversal case

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has declared it’s ruling of October 15 the final verdict on the judges restoration reversal case, while saying that all concerned officials are bound to follow it under Article-190 of the constitution.

A 17 member Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry conducted the hearing of the case.

Attorney General Maulvi Anwar-ul-Haque informed the court in a preliminary report that all of the concerned circles had been informed about the court’s order in the news, regarding the cancellation of judges restoration order.

He added that the government has formed a committee to probe the matter and has summoned the Managing Director and reporter of the private TV channel for an inquiry.

The Chief Justice inquired whether anyone from the government wished to issue a

Azad Kashmir contract workers deprived of salaries before Eid

Staff Report

MUZAFFARABAD: The contract workers of Azad Kashmir have not received their salaries from last three moths and it is feared that they will remain deprived of their salaries even before Eid and after that as well.

The Eid-ul-Fitar is just ready to arrive in a day or so and all the government employees have received their salaries in advance; the majority of the private employees have also taken their salaries before Eid but thousands of Kashmiri contract workers are deprived of their salaries.

According to sources, the contract workers of Kashmir have not received their salaries for last three months and now they are compelled to face the famine and observe Eid in a very miserable condition.

The source added that the funds for the rehabilitation, and the funds of Earthquake Rehabilitation Authority (ERA) were not provided to Kashmir so the

President Zardari visits Thatta, Sujawal, Hyderabad

Staff Report

HYDERABAD: On an aerial visit, President Asif Ali Zardari examined the conditions of flood affected Thatta, Sujawal and Hyderabad on Monday.

He assured the people affected by the floods that his government would provide all possible support to them.

President Zardari was given a briefing on the prevailing flood situation by Kotri Barrage administration.

He also visited a flood relief camp in Jamshoro. He assured the people that the government will not leave them alone in this critical situation.

President Zardari directed Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Chief Secretary Fazl-ur-Rehman to expedite relief work. He also directed the authorities to provide medicine and food items to the camps in large quantitiesl. SAMAA

26 people recovered from a private jail in Badin

By Suleman Mandhro

BADIN: Police have recovered 26 people from a private jail in Tehsil Golarchi on the orders of the court, SAMAA reported Monday.

The orders were given by District and Sessions Judge Badin, Amjad Ali Bohio.

Police conducted a raid on the private jail of Aslam Gujar and recovered nine women, seven children and ten men.

All the recovered farmers were presented before court today, the court has allowed them to spend their lives as they wish. SAMAA

Each displaced family to get Rs. 20,000: Kaira

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Thursday that the National Oversight Disaster Management Council (NODMC) has been set up to ensure transparency and judicious distribution of assistance to the flood affected people.

Addressing a press conference here, he said provinces have been asked to give names of persons with good repute for the Council.

Kaira said the NODMC would be established within one or two days as, “We are waiting for the names from provinces.”

He said the Council will comprise of eminent personalities with good reputation and impeccable integrity from different walks of life.

“People from the private sector with a good reputation would be taken into the council so that no one can point fingers at them.”

Indian Prime Minister, German Chancellor and President of the Maldives

Geo blocked: Journalists walkout in Balochistan Assembly

QUETTA: Journalists staged walk out in Balochistan Assembly in protest against the blocking the transmission of Geo News and another private TV channel here on Monday.

Geo blocked: Demos at KPC, cable operators offices

KARACHI: Journalists and staff members of Geo TV staged peaceful demonstration in front of Karachi Press Club (KPC) to register protest against the blocking of Geo News and other private channels.

The participants of the demonstrations demanded immediate reopening of the blocked TV channels including Geo News.

The protest rally then headed towards Sindh Chief Minister House where journalists chanted slogans for the freedom of press and media.

Later, the protestors gathered in front of the offices of WorldCall cable operators to mark their protest and to seek an explanation as to what led the administrators of cable offices to block Geo News and other private TV channels.

It is pertinent to note here that WorldCall has heavy stakes of an Oman company as well as government dignitaries including Governor Punjab Salman Taseer.

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