PM Gilani contempt case, an internal issue: US

TrendPK.com
WASHINGTON: The USA said contempt against Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani is an internal matter of the country and that it is hoped all issues will be resolved under law and the Constitution, TrendPK reports Saturday.

This contempt of court case against him (Prime Minister Gilani) is nothing new; also this is an internal matter of Pakistan, US State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters during a media briefing here.

Reacting to a query regarding Pak-US relations, he said his country is in persistent contact with Pakistani rulers and in wait for the recommendations by the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS).

Despite the circumstances besetting Pakistan and stagnancy in the bilateral relations, the two countries have continued the cooperation, Toner said adding U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter is in consistent contact with the Pak leadership. TrendPK

PML-Ns parliamentary committee to submit recommendations to Nawaz today

Fifteen-member Parliamentary committee of PML-N headed by Raja Zafarul Haq will present its recommendations to the party chief Nawaz Sharif regarding formation of new provinces.

The committee has proposed that the new provinces should be formed on administrative and population basis instead of ethnic basis.

It has been stressed in the recommendations that distribution of resources should be made certain before the formation of new provinces on administrative basis instead of dividing one or two provinces.

PML-N will decide its policy today regarding formation of new provinces in the light of committee’s recommendations.

UAE cabinet ratifies extradition treaty with Pakistan

ABU DHABI: The UAE cabinet Sunday ratified an extradition treaty with Pakistan and a civil nuclear cooperation deal Abu Dhabi has signed with Britain.

Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the meeting, which was attended by Interior Minister Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, among others.

The cabinet has also given its consent to the budget of the General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA) for the fiscal year 2011.

The ministers reviewed the recommendations forwarded by the Federal National Council on the registration of veterinary medicines and the hike in commodity prices after the recent rise in petrol prices. Trend Pk

CRC okays SC Proposals on Judges Appointment

News Trends: The Constitutional Reforms Committee (CRC) on Friday unanimously approved all the recommendations of the Supreme Court (SC) regarding the appointment of judges.

The committee meeting was chaired by Senator Raza Rabbani. It recommended that the name of a judge will be sent to the president via the prime minister for final approval. According to the recommendations, the parliamentary committee for judges appointment will have eight National Assembly members and four of the Senate. In case the national assembly is dissolved, the Senate members will finalise names of the judges. Three out of four members of the Senate will be able to accept or reject the name of a judge for a post. The reforms committee has decided to table the 19th amendment for the approval of the recommendations during the National Assembly session starting on December 22. It has also formed a six member sub committee to finalize the draft of the 19th amendment. The apex court last month asked the parliament to change a two-pronged criterion for judges appointment devised by the committee by inserting a new article (175-A) into the 18th constitutional amendment.

Accordingly, the government revived the Parliamentary Committee of Constitutional Reforms to undertake the task. After initial meetings earlier this month, the committee decided to explore various options to accommodate the Supreme Court order, including introducing a 19th amendment or passing a resolution in a joint sitting of the National Assembly and the Senate.The Supreme Court, in its interim order, had asked the parliament to amend the mechanism for judges appointment in a way that it gives the chief justices the final say in nominating judges.

Frustrated Iqbal resigns as Chairman Sports Committee

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The Chairman Standing Committee for Sports, Iqbal Mohammad Ali, resigned on Saturday in protest against Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) failure to implement his recommendations.

He said that the PCB has not convened meeting of its governing board for the last two years.

“I’ll reconsider my decision, if committee’s recommendations are implemented.”

Iqbal said that he had to take the decision to protest government’s inaction against Ijaz Butt.

Speaking to Trend Pk Senator Tahir Mushhidi applauded Iqbal’s decision to step down. “Ijaz Butt has failed to run the affairs of the cricket board. He has destroyed Pakistan cricket,” he added.

Another committee member, Senator Naseer Bhutta said that the decision was expected as no action was taken against the PCB chief. Trend Pk

Appointment of judges to be included in constitution

Constitutional reforms committee of the parliament has started reviewing the judges appointment and instead of making it a part of the rules, the committee has started reviewing it to be made a part of the constitution of the country, Dunya News reported on Monday.
The meeting of the committee was held in the parliament in Islamabad that was presided over by the Chairman of the Committee Mian Raza Rabbani. During the meeting Raza Rabbani said that after the verdict of the Supreme Court, the earlier decision of the committee to include the appointment of judges in the rules would be reviewed to make it a part of the constitution. The verdict of the Supreme Court on the 18th Amendment was wholly analyzed during the meeting of the committee and it was declared that the verdict is a positive move forward towards a better relationship between the judiciary, executive and the legislature. The committee also declared that the verdict has proved that the apex court has respected the stature of the parliament and hence requires a positive response. The committee also considered the recommendations of the Supreme Court and vowed to defend and safeguard the judiciary in accordance with the constitution.
The next meeting of the committee would be held on 10th November this year.

AJK lawyers demand appointments in top judiciary

Staff Report

MUZAFFARABAD: Lawyers in Azad Jammu and Kashmir threatened to launch a protest movement if judges were not appointed on vacant posts in superior judiciary.

Addressing a news conference here on Friday, Bar Associations’ Standing Committee spokesman Shahid Bahar said four positions are vacant in Azad Kashmir High Court, while eight ad hoc judges have been appointed in Supreme Court.

Bahar termed the situation as a conspiracy to destroy the judiciary.

He called for early appointment of judges in line with the recommendations made by the Chief Justice of Azad Kashmir High Court. SAMAA

AG seeks more time for NAB chairmans appointment

The Attorney General has requested the Supreme Court to grant three weeks time for appointment of NAB chairman as NAB chairman has not been appointment within the time limit given by the court.
It one reason was that Opposition leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had rejected the names floated by Prime Minister Gilani for the post of Chairman NAB. Nisar said that in a letter he wrote to the Premier stating that both the proposed names for the said post were controversial and as such his party opposed the recommendations altogether.
The post was lying vacant since former chairman Naveed Ahsan’s resignation and the Supreme Court had ordered to fill the post within the next few days.
The opposition leader rejected the names because they were not impartial and demanded neutral names.

Nawaz writes to PM; suggests aims, objective of terrorism moot

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-N Chief Nawaz Sharif has written a letter to Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, recommending ways and means to tackle the scourge of terrorism ahead of the proposed conference on terrorism.

Nawaz Sharif sent his letter through fax to the Prime Minister before departing for London.

He called for making the national conference a result oriented step towards adoption of a joint strategy to defeat terrorism.

The PML-N Chief enumerated his recommendations as to what should be the nature as well as aims and objectives of the national conference.

“A national strategy be adopted against terrorism through the conference,” he suggested, adding consent of all the political parties and stakeholders be sought for holding of the national conference.

The letter did not suggest any date for holding the national conference.

PML-N leader Pervez Rasheed when contacted by Geo News, confirmed the dispatching of the letter by Nawaz Sharif to the Prime Minister but abstained from giving its details.

NA meets today

ISLAMABAD: The session of National Assembly would start from today at 5 pm after break of two days.

The NA session would be presided over by Speaker Dr. Fehmida Mirza. The NA on Friday passed annual budget 2010-2011.

Later, the Speaker adjourned the House to meet again on Monday.

The House passed the Finance Bill with a majority vote when the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) members had already walked out on the grounds that their recommendations were not incorporated in the budget.

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