Aman Committee’s new leaders have no criminal past: Mirza

ISLAMABAD: Sindh’s Senior Minister Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza Tuesday said the people who took charge of People’s Aman Committee following the death of Rehman Dacoit, had no criminal record whatsoever.

Talking to media on arriving in the federal capital, firebrand Mirza stressed there was no point in beating the drum of Peace Committee, stressing actual reasons of restiveness in the metropolis be made public.

Defending Aman Committee, Zulfiqar Mirza remarked People’s Aman Committee had no existence now, as its leaders had announced to abolish the organization after it was banned.

“Rehman Dacoit was killed when I was home minister,” Mirza added. TrendPK

Nawaz voices strident support to SC

Pakistan Muslim League Patron Nawaz Sharif has vowed all-out consistent support to the Supreme Court to uphold rule of law in the country.
Talking to media in Lahore on Friday, Nawaz called for removal of all the NRO beneficiaries in case they do not resign.
Replying to a question vis-a-vis President Zardaris indemnity, Nawaz said that, Only the Supreme Court could decide about it and nothing could be said until that.
The PML-N chief deplored that many big criminals got indemnity under NRO. In answer to a question about courts rulings, he said the judiciary has been restored after great sacrifices, and added the government should implement SC orders at all costs.
Huge sacrifices have been rendered for the restoration of judiciary, Nawaz maintained and lamented that I did not know that the judiciary has to face such fate after its reinstatement.
Nawaz reiterated that he would not move an inch from his principled stance regarding judiciary and other issues and pledged to make others do the same.
Politics or no politics, I will stick to my guns about judiciary, Nawaz said. He called upon the government to give at least Rs0.1million each to the flood affectees.
Govt has implemented all SC orders except Swiss cases: Kaira
Federal Information Minister Qamaruz Zaman Kaira, while talking to Dunya News, said that Nawaz Sharif should come to the Parliament through democratic means. He claimed that the incumbent government has implemented all the SC orders except Swiss cases. He termed PMs call in which he asked the NRO beneficiaries as principled. He said the people who have been granted bails could not be termed as convicts. He maintained that only the parliament is authorized to amend the Constitution. He said that those who are against the immunity enjoyed by the President should move a motion in the Assembly. He said that under Article 248, the President could not be prosecuted.

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

China may boost missiles aimed at Taiwan to 1,900: official

TAIPEI: China could raise the number of missiles aimed at Taiwan to 1,900 by the end of the year despite warming ties between the former bitter rivals, according to the island”s deputy defence minister.

Military experts estimate that the PLA currently has more than 1,600 missiles aimed at the island. But recent media reports have said the People”s Liberation Army may boost the number of short-range ballistic and cruise missiles facing Taiwan to 1,960 before the year”s end.

“Judging from their manufacturing capacities, the PLA could increase to that number of missiles targeting Taiwan before the year”s end,” Andrew Yang, an academic-turned deputy defence minister, told foreign media.

Although tensions across the Taiwan Strait have eased since President Ma Ying-jeou”s China-friendly administration came to power in 2008, “Beijing has never renounced the use of force against Taipei,” Yang warned.

Speaker urges govt action against suicide trail

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly has been apprised that at least 200 people have hitherto committed suicide during the current year, Geo News reported Tuesday.

The NA speaker Dr Fahmida Mirza directed the government to get off the ground an awareness drive against this trend among the people.

The Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) presenting Call Attention notice during the proceedings on the Private Members’ Day, said the people buckling under extreme poverty and price hike in the country, are coerced to commit suicides.

Reacting to this, Federal Minister for Human Rights Mumtaz Gilani said at least 113 people committed suicide in Punjab during the current year thus far; 56 in Sindh, 15 in Balochistan and 20 people killed themselves in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well.

He said government does not have a magic wand that it can change the economic condition overnight.

Mirza directed the government to roll out a movement to create awareness among the people against the trend of suicide and the same should be cautioned in mosques that suicide is haram (impermissible).

Water outflow from Attabad Lake reaches 16000 cusecs

ISLAMABAD: Lt Gen (R) Nadeem Ahmed said that after widening of spillway, the outflow from Hunza Lake has reached 16000 cusecs, thus reducing the level of water in the lake.

He said keeping in view the whole situation and meeting with a technical team, decision was taken to remove rocks which were causing hurdles in the way of water outflow. This has further increased the outflow of water through spillway and the water level in the lake has further reduced by 13 inches.

He said, before removal of the rocks which were in the middle of water in the spillway, the inflow of water into Hunza Lake was from 14000 to 15000 cusecs while outflow was over 15000 cusecs.

Now, there is no danger for Lake water”s flow towards houses especially in Shishkat and Gulmit, he added.

Lt. General (Retd) Nadeem Ahmed said that the demand of further widening of spillway is not acceptable as over 30,000 population of 33 villages in down stream area has already been evacuated to the safer places to save them from flooding. The people of these villages have been allowed to go to their homes for routine business only in day time.

Replying to a question General (Rtd) Nadeem Ahmed said that all essential commodities are abundantly available at the moment.

He appreciated activities of Government as well as other organizations for providing assistance to the affected people.

Protest in Lahore against poverty, suicides

LAHORE: Pakistan Awami Tehreek staged a protest demonstration against the growing number of incidents of suicides due to poverty and unemployment.

The protesters outside the Lahore Press Club were holding placards on which slogans against the government failure to stop the incidents of suicides were inscribed.

Addressing the protesters, General Secretary of Pakistan Awami Tehreek Wnwar Akhtar Advocate said the people are forced to commit suicide due to poverty, inflation and unemployment but, unfortunately, the rulers seem totally lost in their luxurious lives.

He cited weak economic policies as the reason behind growing number of suicides in the country.

Pakistani student convicted of conspiring to aid Taliban

HOUSTON: A Pakistani college student living in Texas was convicted Thursday of conspiring to help the Taliban and fight U.S. troops.

A federal jury convicted Adnan Babar Mirza, 33, of two conspiracy counts and seven firearms violations after a three-day trial in Houston.

He faces up to five years in prison on each conspiracy count and 10 years on the weapons counts when he is sentenced on Sept. 10.

Mirza, who remains in federal custody, was one of four men arrested in 2006 for alleged participation in paramilitary training exercises at campsites around the Houston area so they could engage in a holy war.

Mirza”s attorney, David Adler, told jurors Mirza went on camping trips but denied they involved paramilitary training exercises.

Prosecutor Jim McAlister told jurors that the activities of Mirza and the other three men came to authorities” attention after another of their friends, James Coates, decided “things were getting out of hand” and became an FBI informant.

Mirza claimed Coates was the one who was militant and promoted violence.

An undercover officer taped conversations with Mirza and the other men in which they allegedly talked about ambushing U.S. soldiers and triggering a bomb with a cell phone, according to court documents.

FBI Special Agent John McKinley, the prosecution”s first witness, told jurors Mirza can be heard on the taped conversations talking about sending money to support Taliban families.

Prosecutors have said Mirza collected about $900 for Taliban fighters and their families.

But Adler said it”s not against the law to send money to the families of Taliban fighters and Mirza collected money for hospitals and other groups but not specifically for the Taliban.

He also said Mirza can be heard in these taped conversations expressing anger about injustices Muslims around the world have experienced, but his client was just expressing emotion and didn”t intend to act on it.

Hunza lake spillway to begin by midnight

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo Friday said that water outflow through spillway will begin at Hunza Lake by midnight.

Speaking in Islamabad, the Minister appealed to the residents of low lying areas to shift to the camps.

He said wheat has been stored in Gojal for 25000 IDPs for two months and that assessment of damage will carried out for determining compensation for the businessmen affected by the incident after improvement in the overall situation and restoration of Karakorum Highway.

Manzoor Wattoo said the people of upper areas have not been affected and they continue to do business with China.

Three blasts heard in Lahore

LAHORE: Three blasts are reported to have been heard near Tabi police station here, Geo News reported Friday.

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