Strike in Sindh from tomorrow against LG System in Karachi, Hyderabad

KARACHI/HYDERABAD: Sindh’s nationalist parties have announced 12-day strike call in Sindh against the restoration of Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2001 while Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has sketched the plan to counter the situation, TrendPK reported Sunday late evening.

The Malir Bar Association has announced boycott and the lawyer community will attend courts tomorrow (Monday).

Tense situation is being observed in different parts of the province including in Karachi where two vehicles have been torched.

A man has been killed in firing incident near Dalmia, Karachi. Firing has also been reported near Urdu University.

Awami Tehreek’s President Ayaz Latif Palijo and Jeay Sindh Tehreek’s Dr Safdar Sarki have condemned the restoration of the LG System. Both the leaders said that PPP and MQM have tried to divide the province. TrendPK

Sindh govt. restores LG Ordinance 2001 in entire province

KARACHI: Sindh government after the tough resistance from the Sindhi nationalist parties has restored the Local Government Ordinance 2001 in the entire province, TrendPK reported Sunday late night.

This was decided in a high level meeting chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah.

Earlier, Sindh’s nationalist parties condemned the restoration of LG Ordinance 2001 in Karachi and Hyderabad, calling it a conspiracy to divide the province on the ethnic basis.

It is pertinent to mention here that within a short span of 24 hours after Commissonerate System was rolled back in Karachi and Hyderabad divisions, Sindh government has resolved withdrawal of that system in other districts of the province.

Provincial Information Minister Sharjil Memon told TrendPK that the government reached the decision to restore LG Ordinance 2001 issued by the then president Musharraf in the entire province after it countered intense resistance from Sindhi nationalists against withdrawal of Commissionerate System in Karachi and Hyderabad.

Setting an example of ‘sitting on the fence’, Awami National Party (ANP) welcomed restoration of ordinance but said that the party was still in favour of Commissonerate System.

CM Sindh Qaim Ali Shah has issued orders to restore LG Ordinance 2001 in all the districts and divisions of Sindh.

President Asif Ali Zardari has convened an important meeting of the PPP’s ministers in Sindh cabinet at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Monday. The meeting would likely review the fast changing political landscape in province.

Governor Ebad signed two ordinances, restoring LG system in Karachi and Hyderabad and the delimitations in Hyderabad on Saturday night. TrendPK

Judges Restoration Order Can Not be Withdrawn

ISLAMABAD, News Trends: Supreme Court of Pakistan Friday in a brief judgment said that the notification of judges’ appointment could not be taken back.

A 17-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry started suo moto hearing after media reports said that the government considering to withdraw the notification through which the judges of the superior courts were restored.

The court called the signed statement of Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani to know the federation’s stance on the matter.

But the Attorney General failed to produce the statement of the prime minister on the issue.

The apex court in its brief verdict said the withdrawal of the judges restoration notification will be violation of the constitution that will be liable to action under Article 6 of the constitution.

CJ took notice on report as rumors proven true on Nov. 3, 2007

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said during the hearing of suo moto case on a media report about the judiciary that notice has been taken as the same rumors of November 2 were proven true on November 3, 2007.

Earlier on Friday morning, a full 17 member bench of the Supreme Court started the hearing of suo moto notice, taken on a media report regarding the reversal of an executive order which was issued for the restoration of judiciary.

After the hearing started, Attorney General Maulvi Anwar-ul-Haque argued that the Prime Minister rejected that media report immediately and a probe shall be initiated as to why such reports are being published.

The Chief Justice said in reply that it is the government’s duty to investigate the matter, but someone had surely said something, otherwise it was not possible to run the report.

Gilani says judiciary-government clash conspiracy will not succeed

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: While commenting on last night’s unrest in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said that the conspiracy to create a judiciary-government clash will not succeed.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister says that the government respects the judiciary and that news about the reversal of judges restoration notification carry no truth at all.

The statement adds that leaders and workers of Pakistan Peoples Party have given their blood for the restoration of judiciary.

The Prime Minister added that some elements wish that institutes should not get stronger, but all of them will fail completely. SAMAA

Oil & Gas production yet to be restored after recent deluge

Where the recent deluge has devastated the agricultural sector, it has also affected the oil and gas production sector, almost halting the production. According to the Pakistan Petroleum Information Service oil production remained 64,000 barrels a day in the month of September which is just 0.4% higher than the last year statistics of the same month. Gas production in the country also experienced a modest increase of just 2.3% to reach a level of 4 billion cubic feet. According to the Invest Cap, situation will ameliorate after the restoration of production in the affected fields.

We back judiciary along with nation, says Kaira

Federal information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has said that his party stands with the nation on the matter of judiciary. He said his party has rendered invaluable sacrifices for the restoration of judiciary.
Talking to the media personnel in Islamabad he said that his party respects judiciary. Courts order for PMs decision to be provided in the court would be obeyed and later whatever decision comes, shall be binding on us. He said that Chief Justice is equally respectable for all of us. Some people are misrepresenting the factual realities by portraying a confrontational situation between the apex court and the government.
Federal minister said that the statement of Abdul Qayyum Jatoi is his personal opinion and not the governments stance. He said that Jatoi spoke in an irresponsible and uncalled for manner which was unbecoming of his present position.
Responding to a question about Dr. Aafias repatriation, the minister said that Dr. Aafia was trialed in US courts and Pakistani government gave her all the technical and legal aid. We tried our best for her acquittal using all official and diplomatic channels, he said. The way US court has penalized Dr. Aafia is unprecedented in the legal history of the world. No court has ever penalized separately on different charges. The court should have given a collective punishment, he added. Kaira vowed to leave no stone unturned for her return.

Sargodha by-polls marred by scuffles

SARGODHA: The voting is underway in by-elections in Sargodha constituency of PP-34 with complaints from some polling stations, Geo News reported Monday.

Complaints were received that polling staff did not arrive on time on some polling stations. While, voting process remained suspended for some time following hot words were exchanged among party workers.

Polling stations wore deserted look for the first hour of the voting. The hustle started afterwards with candidates and their supporters busy with transporting voters to the polling stations aboard motorcycles, cars and rickshaw.

Before long, the supporters of PML-N’s candidate Tabrez Gul and independent candidate Ijaz Ahmed entered into exchange of hot words followed by scuffle resulting in halting the vote at polling stations in Abdullah Colony and 46 Shimali.

However, the polling resumed a little later.

It should be mentioned here that the seat vacated as MPA Chaudhry Rizwan Gul of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) was rendered ineligible by the court after his degree was proved fake. Later on, the Election Commission announced to hold by polls in his constituency.

There are at least 112 polling stations with 350 polling booths; while, presiding officers have been deputed with additional powers of a magistrate, under which they are authorized to send behind bars those who try to cast fake votes.

The constituency has a total of 151,902 registered voters; of them, 81554 are men and 70348 women.

Constitution creates institutions including judiciary: Ramday

ISLAMABAD: A 17-member larger bench of Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, continued hearing petitions challenging 18th Amendment today (Monday), Geo news reported.

Judges, in their remarks regarding their restoration occurred last year said, “Our restoration was result of public pressure”.

Federal lawyer Waseem Sajjad, arguing the court, said judiciary is creation of constitution, which takes oath to abide by constitution in all circumstances, therefore, judiciary cannot term void any article of constitution.

Justice Jawwad S. Khwaja asked the lawyer whether a parliament could wish contrary to what people wish.

While, Justice Tariq Parvaiz said public pressure made it possible the restoration of judges although the parliament was still present at that time but parliamentarian failed meet wishes of public.

Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday said the elected representatives of people failed to restore deposed judiciary therefore public pressure was mounted for our restoration.

“Nothing is final in this world whether it be the independence of judiciary or supremacy of constitution”, he remarked adding, “Every institution of country is creation of constitution including judiciary and judicial judgments can be effortful at times as judges are human beings not aliens.”

CJP in his remarks said people desperately yearn an independent judiciary while we have multiplied our plights by not complying with sayings of Founder of Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

The hearing remained continued till filing of this news.

Suspended trains engines to be used in freight service

LAHORE: Pakistan Railways has announced suspension of six more passenger trains due to financial hardships faced by the train service.

GM Railways Ashfaq Khattak has refused to give timetable for the restoration of suspended trains and said at the moment it is not possible to give any specific time period for the restoration of trains.

Three trains are being suspended from Saturday today including Sakhi Abbas Express, Karachi-Mirpur Khas Express and Sialkot Express. The service of Chiltan Express and Tezro will be suspended from July 20 and Shalimar Express from July 29, the railway.

Talking to Geo News GM Railways said Railway facing deficit of Rs.1.5 billion annually because of these trains. The engines of suspended trains will be now be used to run freight trains as more than 60 freight trains are stuck at different stations due to non-availability of engines.

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