Kh Sharif murder plan: Police detains Col Ehsan

Police on Friday arrested Col (r) Ehsanur Rehman, the former Special Branch official and the current Punjab Civil Defence director general, who is believed to the be author of the fake intelligence memo about an alleged assassination plot against the Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Khawaja Sharif.
Col Ehsan, however, denied to have signed the said plan while earlier he submitted his written statement to FIA.
Source said that the government would coerce Col Ehsan to get a statement from him in its favour.

The plot:
According to the contents of the fake intelligence memo, suspects Iqbal Mir, Nadeem Chohan, Babar Chaudhry, Khawaja Farooq, Malik Ehsan, Babar Sandhoo, Riaz Gujjar, Mian Kashif, Khurram Gujjar and Samiullah alias Rana Pomi hatched the plot to assassinate the LHC CJ. Some of the suspects were to attack the LHC CJ at his native home during a religious ceremony. The report claimed that the accused, including Sandhoo, would then escape and take refuge in Lambray village near Muridke at the farm of Riaz Gujjar, where the alleged plot was first hatched. However, local police has said that there is no such farmhouse near Muridke and Riaz is a local school teacher. The memo also claimed that the alleged plotters were seen at venues such as the Governor House and the National Accountability Bureaus (NAB) Punjab headquarters at Chamba House. The memo also ostensibly reveled that some criminals linked to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement were also very active and might be involved in this plan. The Punjab Police arrested the eight suspects and kept them at CIA Centre Allama Iqbal Town under tight security. They were interrogated by intelligence agency officials as well as the FIA inquiry officer. However, after a week of interrogation, no solid proof about the alleged plot was uncovered. CIA Superintendent of Police Omar Virk has now declared all the accused innocent and forwarded a report to the Punjab Police officials , as well as the FIA inquiry officer.Role of Special Branch: Sources said that the author of the fake memo, Col (r) Ehsanur Rehman, withdrew an amount of Rs 1.7 million from a secret fund in August, 2010 before relieving his charge and joining the Civil Defense Department. In order to justify this amount and to obtain the favour by the Punjab CM by maligning the top Pakistan Peoples Party leadership, Rehman came up with the idea of concocting an intelligence memo about a fake plot against the LHC CJ, the sources said.

Kh Sharifs murder plot is fake: Najam Sethi
Talking to Dunya News on the issue, senior analyst Najam Sethi said that the Punjab government has accepted two things: one is that the report has been made by special branch and that the report has been sent to military intelligence agency for confirmation. Sethi said that there is an opinion that the said report has been leaked by Col Ehsan while the new ADG Durrani was not aware of it. He said that FIA is trying to get the statement from Ehsan and Touqeer Shah while the provincial government is trying to save the duo. It is proved that the report is fake and a big drama, Najam said and added that now the responsibility lies with the Punjab government and CM Shahbaz would be held accountable that who made the report and who leaked it.

Governor Taseer wants to make a storm in a teacup: Rana Sanaullah
Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, while talking to Dunya News, said that FIA is a governmental organization and is conducting the investigation on directives, adding that Col Ehsans detention could not be termed as arrest.
Sanaullah said that the Governor wanted to make a storm in a teacup but his designs would be foiled.
The law minister said that special branch sent the report to the Punjab government on Sept 5, which was immediately forwarded to ISI for confirmation. He maintained that the police have been ordered to grill the ten culprits named in the said report to ascertain the facts.

Kh Sharif murder plan: Police detains Col Ehsan

Police on Friday arrested Col (r) Ehsanur Rehman, the former Special Branch official and the current Punjab Civil Defence director general, who is believed to the be author of the fake intelligence memo about an alleged assassination plot against the Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Khawaja Sharif.
Col Ehsan, however, denied to have signed the said plan while earlier he submitted his written statement to FIA.
Source said that the government would coerce Col Ehsan to get a statement from him in its favour.

The plot:
According to the contents of the fake intelligence memo, suspects Iqbal Mir, Nadeem Chohan, Babar Chaudhry, Khawaja Farooq, Malik Ehsan, Babar Sandhoo, Riaz Gujjar, Mian Kashif, Khurram Gujjar and Samiullah alias Rana Pomi hatched the plot to assassinate the LHC CJ. Some of the suspects were to attack the LHC CJ at his native home during a religious ceremony. The report claimed that the accused, including Sandhoo, would then escape and take refuge in Lambray village near Muridke at the farm of Riaz Gujjar, where the alleged plot was first hatched. However, local police has said that there is no such farmhouse near Muridke and Riaz is a local school teacher. The memo also claimed that the alleged plotters were seen at venues such as the Governor House and the National Accountability Bureaus (NAB) Punjab headquarters at Chamba House. The memo also ostensibly reveled that some criminals linked to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement were also very active and might be involved in this plan. The Punjab Police arrested the eight suspects and kept them at CIA Centre Allama Iqbal Town under tight security. They were interrogated by intelligence agency officials as well as the FIA inquiry officer. However, after a week of interrogation, no solid proof about the alleged plot was uncovered. CIA Superintendent of Police Omar Virk has now declared all the accused innocent and forwarded a report to the Punjab Police officials , as well as the FIA inquiry officer.Role of Special Branch: Sources said that the author of the fake memo, Col (r) Ehsanur Rehman, withdrew an amount of Rs 1.7 million from a secret fund in August, 2010 before relieving his charge and joining the Civil Defense Department. In order to justify this amount and to obtain the favour by the Punjab CM by maligning the top Pakistan Peoples Party leadership, Rehman came up with the idea of concocting an intelligence memo about a fake plot against the LHC CJ, the sources said.

Kh Sharifs murder plot is fake: Najam Sethi
Talking to Dunya News on the issue, senior analyst Najam Sethi said that the Punjab government has accepted two things: one is that the report has been made by special branch and that the report has been sent to military intelligence agency for confirmation. Sethi said that there is an opinion that the said report has been leaked by Col Ehsan while the new ADG Durrani was not aware of it. He said that FIA is trying to get the statement from Ehsan and Touqeer Shah while the provincial government is trying to save the duo. It is proved that the report is fake and a big drama, Najam said and added that now the responsibility lies with the Punjab government and CM Shahbaz would be held accountable that who made the report and who leaked it.

Governor Taseer wants to make a storm in a teacup: Rana Sanaullah
Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, while talking to Dunya News, said that FIA is a governmental organization and is conducting the investigation on directives, adding that Col Ehsans detention could not be termed as arrest.
Sanaullah said that the Governor wanted to make a storm in a teacup but his designs would be foiled.
The law minister said that special branch sent the report to the Punjab government on Sept 5, which was immediately forwarded to ISI for confirmation. He maintained that the police have been ordered to grill the ten culprits named in the said report to ascertain the facts.

CJ takes suo moto notice of 40 years old’s lynching in Lahore

CJ takes suo moto notice of 40 year old’s lynching in Lahore

Staff Report

LAHORE: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Choudhry has taken suo moto notice of the lynching of a 40 year old person in Lahore, after allegation of theft, SAMAA reported on Tuesday.

The Chief Justice has ordered Punjab Police’s Inspector General to forward a detailed report of the incident by September 6.

According to a notification issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the Chief Justice has taken suo moto notice after reading a column in a newspaper.

The column of the newspaper described that laborers of a fruit market in Lahore killed a 40 year old unknown person under the assumption that he entered a shop with the intention to snatch fruit.

The writer of the column, in same column, requested the Chief Justice to take suo moto notice over this brutal

Zardari urges businessmen to support relief efforts

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday urged the business community to help the government in providing relief and rehabilitation to the millions of people affected by the devastating floods.

During a special meeting with representatives of the business community and Chamber of Commerce here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, President Zardari shared the grim situation millions are facing after the floods.

He said never have such floods occurred in the country in the past; these have been unprecedented in volume and damage.

Zardari said the people affected by the floodd would have to be sustained for a long time.

“We as a nation, should be prepared to sustain them for a long period; with unity we can overcome the problem.”

The President said he too, had lost some of his lands, but the people have lost almost all of their

Sialkot tragedy: 3 police officers face the music

Staff Report

SIALKOT: Inspector General of Punjab Police, Tariq Saleem Dogar, on Friday demoted three top officials of Sialkot to the ranks of Officer on Special Duty over the brutal killing of two young brothers in broad daylight in the presence of policemen.

The demoted officers are: DPO Waqar Ahmed Khan, SSP Investigation Afzal Virk and DSP City. They have been asked to report to the headquarter.

Besides, the IGP constituted a two-member special committee comprising DIGs to probe the brutal incident. Shoaib Dastgir and Major Mubashir will submit the report within two days.

Dogar also ordered arrest of the suspended policemen, including a sub-inspector, two ASIs and eight constables, who witnessed the brutal killings, but made no attempt to rescue them.

It may be reminded here that Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry took suo motu

New rain system likely to enter Pakistan tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: Hot and dry weather is expected in most of the country during the next 24 hours, Meteorological Department said Monday.

According to Met Department, a new weather system comprising westerly winds is expected to enter Pakistan on Tuesday.

Northern Balochistan, Upper Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and some areas in Upper Khyber Pakhtoonkhaw are expected to receive strong winds and rains coupled with thunderbolt tomorrow night.

The Met Department also forecasted the rain spell and strong winds in irrigable areas.

Woman mishandling case: police out of control: CJ

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) scolded Inspector General of the Punjab Police, Tariq Saleem Dogar during a suo motu case regarding manhandling of a woman at the hands of Faisalabad police, Geo News reported Monday.

A three-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry heard the suo motu case.

Inspector General of the Punjab Police, Tariq Saleem Dogar, CPO Faisalabad Rao Sardar were also present in the hearing.

The CJ Chaudhry reprimanded the IG Punjab for not taking action against police personnel responsible for woman mistreatment.

He said the incident brought slur upon Pakistan in that women are tortured in the country and people think the courts ceased to function here.

Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday said in his remarks that police went out of control, as magistrates have not been left to work in field.

The footage of maltreatment was shown in the courtroom when CPO Rao Sardari denied the reports of torture on any woman. The CPO was scolded for misstatement.

The CJ told the IG that Rao Sardar is not capable enough for police service.

SC suspends promotions of 54 federal secretaries

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) issued orders declaring the promotion of 54 bureaucrats as null and void and notification on these promotions has been cancelled, Geo News reported Wednesday.

These 54 bureaucrats are federal secretaries recently promoted to grade 22 by the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on September 4, 2009.

The SC directed the PM to again make appointments on these posts on merit.

It should be mentioned that the promotion of at least 173 bureaucrats was overlooked in making these 54 promotions.

The promoted federal secretaries include the PM’s Principal Secretary Nargis Sethi, former Chief Secretary Punjab Javed Mehmood, Secretary Election Commission Ishtiaq Ahmed, Secretary Narcotics Tariq Khosa, Secretary Petroleum Kamran Lashari, Home Secretary Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, Chairman CDA Imtiaz Inayat, Khyber Pakhtoonkhaw’s Chief Secretary Javed Iqbal, Secretary Ombudsman Sami Saeed, Chairman FBR Sohail Ahmed and Inspector General of the Punjab Police, Tariq Saleem Dogar.

The PM made these promotions under his discretionary powers.

Moore calls for new Aussie blood at Asian Cup

SYDNEY: Australia should use next year”s Asian Cup in Qatar to start building its next generation of footballers, World Cup defender Craig Moore said on Sunday.

With a large contingent of the ageing national squad expected to retire from international football after June”s World Cup in South Africa, Moore said it time to start afresh with the Socceroos at the Asian Cup.

Australia have drawn South Korea, Bahrain and India in their group for next January”s Asian football showpiece and must finish in the top two to reach the knockout stage.

“It (Asian Cup) has to be used as a rebuilding phase,” Moore told the Sunday Telegraph.
“I certainly won”t be continuing after the World Cup in South Africa and I”m sure there will be five or six others who won”t be either.”

Football Federation Australia technical director Han Berger said after Friday”s draw in Doha that he doubted whether European clubs would release key players Tim Cahill and Harry Kewell for the tournament.

“Regardless of whether Tim or Harry are available, we have to build for the future and start to get the new boys ready for the World Cup qualifiers for Brazil (2014),” Moore said.

“It”s the Tommy Oars and Michael Zullos that we now have to look forward to. They have to start getting the experience.

“I”d like to think they will come on, but only time will tell.”

The core of Australia”s likely World Cup squad is 30 and older and it is expected that this will be the last World Cup campaign for Moore, Scott Chipperfield, Vince Grella, Mark Bresciano, Brett Emerton and Kewell.

“I have had a wonderful journey, but enough is enough,” said Moore, a former Glasgow Rangers defender.

“I”m sure Australia will continue to produce good players, but they have to make that transition from club football to national team football. The Asian Cup is the ideal stage for the next crop.”

Australia are also looking for a new national coach after the World Cup with Pim Verbeek already announcing he will be stepping down from the job.

The Socceroos will play India in their opening match at the Asian Cup on January 10, followed by games against fellow World Cup finalists South Korea on January 14 and Bahrain on January 18.

The Asian Cup would normally have been played in July but was brought forward because of the heat in Qatar at that time of year.

Shoaib’s house in Sialkot scanned

SIALKOT: Prior to arrival of Shoaib Malik and his bride Sania Mirza, Shoaib’s house here was thoroughly scanned by security officials.

Officials of the Punjab Police special branch and the Civil Defence on Sunday morning went to the house of Shoaib Malik, situated in Sialkot Cantt and made a thorough checking of roofs, rooms and backyard through special equipment and later declared the house cleared.

Talking with Geo News, the security officials said that fool-proof security arrangements are being made before the arrival of the newly-wedded couple at their house.

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