Shahbaz says engage extremists to root out extremism

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Chief Minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif, has said that extremism can be eradicated by engaging extremists in positive activities, and he agreed with the opinion that Punjab’s flood hit areas are dens of extremists.

Addressing a donor conference at Punjab House, Islamabad, Shahbaz Sharif said that the floods have devastated six million houses of the province. Ripe cotton, sugar cane, pulses and rice crops have completely been destroyed.

He assured that with the nation’s strong will power and support from the global community, he will overcome this mayhem.

The CM added that every flood affected family will receive Rs. 20,000 cash, while seeds and urea to sow crops next month will also be provided for free. SAMAA

DIG, DCO sacked after Abbotabad tragedy

PESHAWAR: The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Hazara Division and District Coordination Officer (DCO) Abbotabad have been sacked over death of eight people in police firing on Monday.

According to Geo, DIG Imtiaz Altaf and DCO Munir Azam have been suspended.

Dr. Salman has been appointed new DIG while Zahir Islam has been made Abbotabad DCO.

Nawaz wants acceptable solution to end Hazara protests

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif said Tuesday innocent lives should not be wasted to do politics on the issue of NWFP name.

The PML-N chief chaired a consultative meeting held at the Punjab House to review the prevailing tense situation in Abbotabad.

The meeting was also attended by Raja Zafar ul Haq, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Ahsan Iqbal, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Pir Sabir Shah and other senior leaders.

He said that those political parties that were rejected by the people would not be allowed to stoke violence in the Hazara Division.

The former premier urged all political parties to sit together to find an acceptable and immediate solution to the problem.

He said his party has showed flexibility on the renaming of NWFP, as it does not want to create hurdles in the passage of 18th Amendment for the sake of provincial autonomy and restoration of the Constitution.

“Our party will speak to the elders of Hazara Division to bring the situation under control,” he said.

PML-N Forms Body for NWFP Name Change

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan News: Former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif has constituted a party committee headed by Sartaj Aziz to consider over the change of the name of NWFP and to hold talks with Awami National Party (ANP) over the issue.

The committee was formed in a meeting of Muslim League (Nawaz) at Punjab House in Islamabad on Saturday.

The members of the committee include Saranjam Khan, Nasir Khan, Sardar Mehtab and Pir Sabir Shah.

The meeting also nominated Malik Shakeel Awan as party candidate for bye-elections of NA-55 constituency in Rawalpindi. Anbar Faiz was named party candidate for Mansehra bye-polls.

---

PML-N Forms Body for NWFP Name Change was first posted on December 26, 2009 at 5:19 pm.

Debate on NRO likely in NA session tomorrow

Lahore, Pakistan:- The 17th session of National Assembly will start on Monday afternoon at the Parliament House with heated debate on NRO in the offing, however, NRO is not part of tomorrow’s agenda. On the other hand, a meeting of PML-N parliamentarians has been summoned by the party in Punjab House Islamabad before the session.

NRO is not part of the agenda for Monday’s session of National Assembly that will start at 4pm chaired by Speaker Dr. Fahmida Mirza but four other ordinances will come under discussion. The government, under the direction of Supreme Court, had laid the ordinances promulgated by former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf in the house including the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO). According to sources, the government has devised a strategy to get NRO passed during this session of the NA whereas opposition parties have decided to fully oppose the infamous ordinance. A heated debate between the ruling and opposition parties is expected during the session if NRO becomes part of the agenda. PML-N and PML-Q have separately called meetings of their parliamentary parties in Islamabad before the NA session.

PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif has summoned all the parliamentarians of his party at 11am on Monday in Punjab House Islamabad. Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif has also been called in addition to party leaders from all the four provinces on the occasion.

Former President Supreme Court Bar Association, Aitzaz Ahsan while talking to Dunya News said, “according to detailed verdict of Supreme Court’s decision of July 31, 2009, which was released on September 28, even if NRO is passed by the parliament, SC reserves the right to review the ordinance provided it contradicts constitutional norms.”

The National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), termed as most notorious act of Constitution, was issued by the former president of Pakistan General (retd) Pervez Musharraf on October 5, 2007. It granted amnesty to politicians, political workers and bureaucrats who were accused of corruption, embezzlement, money-laundering, murder and terrorism between 1st January 1986 and October 12th 1999, the time between two Martial Laws. The NRO states:

“Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in sub-section(1), the Federal Government or a Provincial Government may, before the judgment is pronounced by a trial court, withdraw from the prosecution of any person including an absconding accused who is found to be falsely involved for political reasons or through political victimization in any case initiated between 1st day of January, 1986 to 12th day of October, 1999 and upon such withdrawal clause (a) and clause (b) of sub-section (1) shall apply.”

The current Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, suspended this ordinance on October 12, 2007. But he was soon dismissed after Musharraf abrogated the constitution on November 3, 2007. The new Chief Justice, Abdul Hameed Dogar revived the NRO on February 27, 2008.