Mirza spurns PPP-MQM reconciliation

KARACHI: Sindh’s former Senior Minister Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza Friday said reconciliation by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) with Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was unacceptable to him.

His supporters in large number gave him warm reception as he arrived at Ghagar Gate from Interior Sindh. Addressing on the occasion, PPP’s firebrand leader stressed he came out to rid people of thieves, dacoits and extortionists.

Disfavoring PPP-MQM reconciliation, Mirza urged people to strengthen hands of President Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto.

When asked to react to the statement given by Mirza against him, Federal Interior Minister Rehman A. Malik declined to comment.

Talking to media at Women Jail, Karachi, Malik said, “I am not meddling with any of Sindh affairs.”

Every action in Karachi is undertaken after Sindh’s Chief Minister and Governor are taken into confidence, the federal minister added. TrendPK

UK Deputy PM Clegg defends response to London riots

He also rejected claims government failed to provide leadership as the capital was hit by rioting over the weekend because senior ministers were away from London.

As it emerged that Theresa May, the Home Secretary is flying back to the UK for talks with police chiefs about the disturbances; Clegg defended the government s response to the trouble and condemned what he described as “needless opportunistic theft and violence – nothing more, nothing less”.

On his first day back in Westminster after his summer holiday Clegg said the violence was “completely unacceptable”. The government stood “side by side with those people in those communities who utterly condemn the violence and the theft”, he said.

There have been complaints that the government did not have a senior minister in London at the weekend when the rioting broke out. But Clegg insisted that senior members of the cabinet had been in regular contact by phone.

“I reject completely this notion that somehow this government hasn t been functioning very effectively,” said Clegg, who said he had spoken to David Cameron, who is on holiday in Italy, by phone on Monday morning.

“We have arranged things to make sure that this government works effectively on all the issues of the day. We are in constant contact with each other and we are working as effectively this week as we do in every other week of the year.”

Babar accuses PML-N of horse-trading in Punjab

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Babar Awan on Monday said that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz is itself violating Charter of Democracy (CoD) by horse-trading in Punjab.

Addressing a press conference here alongwith PPP Punjab’s Senior Minister Raja Riaz he reiterated that PPP would continue its reconciliation policy in the province.

However, the minister announced bringing the PPP Parliamentary Party’s 19 points reforms agenda in the Federal Committee which is constituted for the implementation of PML-N’s 10 points agenda.

“A single party cannot decide the entire country’s fate,” urging that all political parties should work together for the betterment of the country.

Commenting on the deadline given by PML-N, Babar claimed that PPP never gave any deadlines nor does it accept any.

The minister stated that there is no deadline in politics and decisions can be taken by consultation but not by dictations.

Babar Awan urged that Chief Minister Punjab should fulfill promises regarding the 19 points reforms agenda of the PPP Punjab Parliamentary Party.

PPP have given two names for the implementation of said agenda which includes Tanveer Ashraf Kaira and Ashraf Sohna, he added.

He said that Shahbaz Sharif”s yesterday”s statement would lead to reservations among the smaller provinces which is not a good sign for the federation.

“We believe in politics of federation, reconciliation and it is basic reason for not leaving the provincial Government,” Babar maintained.

Addressing the press conference, Raja Riaz said chief minister Shahbaz Sharif did not take the issue pointed out by them that is why PPP has decided to present its 19 points agenda in the federal committee which is constituted for the implementation of PML-N”s ten points agenda.

Both the leaders, claimed that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz is violating the Charter of Democracy (CoD) by horse-trading in Punjab and everyone knows that it is impossible without the use of money. (APP)

Peshawar: Child killed, 26 injured in a grenade attack

A child has been killed whereas 26 people have been injured in a grenade attack on a Muharram procession at Yadgar Chowk, Peshawar, trendpk.com reported.

Sources said that blast occurred right after the procession ended. The injured were taken to the Lady Reading hospital including 8 women and 4 children.

Bashir Ahmed Bilour, senior minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa talking to media-men outside the Lady Reading Hospital confirmed that it was a grenade attack. He said all injured have got minor injuries in the blast.

Blast hits school bus in Peshawar, one killed

PESHAWAR: An explosion hit a school bus in Peshawar on Monday, killing a passer-by and three others including a school girl..

The dead and injured have been shifted to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment.

Police teams reached the scene and cordoned off the targeted area.

A senior police official said that the bus driver was also killed.

Speaking to reports at the blast site, senior minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour condemned the barbaric attack and confirmed that one child and bus driver were killed. Trend Pk

Pakistan passing through a transition phase: Sheikh

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Federal Finance Minister Dr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh has said that Pakistan is passing through a transition phase and that a gradual transfer of administrative and financial powers from centre to provinces is in process.

Addressing a gathering at Pakistan Development Forum (PDF) here on Sunday, the Finance Minister described 18th Amendment and NFC Award as his government’s big achievements.

Speaking on this occasion, Punjab’s senior minister Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa said that recent flood had ravaged south Punjab, causing losses worth Rs80 billion.

“No government is in a position to undertake reconstruction and rehabilitation work alone,” he said.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Governor Owais Ghani said his provinces needs Rs29 billions to rehabilitate flood-hit people. Trend Pk

Suicide blast kills 50 in Darra Adam Khel mosque

At least 50 people have been killed and 100 others got injured when a suicide blast ripped through a mosque in Darra Adam Khel during Friday prayers. Tehreek-e-Taliban has claimed responsibility of the blast.
The blast was occurred in a mosque of Akhorwal, an area of Darra Adam Khel, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to an eye witness, it was a suicide blast and the bomber blew himself up before the gate of the mosque. Whereas, companions of the bomber, who were outside the mosque, opened fire. The mosque has been totally destroyed while nearby houses and buildings have also been damaged in the blast. Relief activities have been started and the injured are being shifted to hospitals of Peshawar and Kohat. A number of people are still trapped under the debris but efforts are being made to pull them out. At least 50 injured have been shifted to Lady Reading hospital Peshawar.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Iftikhar Hussain has confirmed that it was a suicide blast. He said that war against militants will be continued till their complete eradication. He said that these attacks can not demoralize us.
Senior Minister Bashir Bilour said that suicide attackers cannot be Muslims or even human beings.

Peshawar: Blast rocks mosque in Salman Khel, kills 4

A bomb blast has rocked a mosque in the area of Salman Khel near Badh Bir, Peshawar, Dunya News reported on Friday evening.
According to the sources the blast occurred during the Isha prayers in a mosque in Salman Khel while many members of the Peace Jirga were also present in the mosque at the time of blast. Sources have revealed that more or less three hand grenades were thrown into the mosque.The magnitude of the blast was so immense that its voice was heard in a large surrounding area. The security agencies cordoned-off the area soon after the blast and restricted the movement of people near the mosque. According to the police sources, the nature of the blasts is yet to be identified.
On the other hand rescue teams reached the mosque and started the rescue operation and shifted the injured to the nearby hospitals. According to reports, four people have been killed in the blast while the injured have been shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar.
Earlier 67 people died while more or less 100 got injured when a suicide blast ripped through a mosque in Darra Adam Khel during Friday prayers. Tehreek-e-Taliban has claimed the responsibility of the blast.
The blast occurred in a mosque of Akhorwal, an area of Darra Adam Khel, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to an eye witness, it was a suicide blast and the bomber blew himself up before the gate of the mosque. Whereas, companions of the bomber, who were outside the mosque, opened fire. The mosque was totally destroyed while nearby houses and buildings were been damaged in the blast. Relief activities were started immediately after the unfortunate incident and the injured were shifted to hospitals of Peshawar and Kohat. At least 50 injured were shifted to the Lady Reading hospital in Peshawar.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Iftikhar Hussain confirmed that it was a suicide blast. He said that war against militants will be continued till the menace of terrorism is uprooted. He further said that these attacks can not demoralize us.Senior Minister Bashir Bilour said that suicide attackers cannot be Muslims or even human beings. He also condemned the blasts that claimed the lives of innocent people.

No dengue cases confirmed in Peshawar: Bilour

Staff Report

PESHAWAR: Khbyer Pakhtunkhwa senior minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour has claimed that no cases of dengue fever have been detected in Peshawar.

Speaking to the media in Peshawar on Friday, Bilour said that necessary instructions have been given to tehsil administrations about anti-Congo measures.

He said that concerned departments have been asked to take necessary measures to prevent Congo virus before Eid al Adha.

The minister admitted that supply of clean drinking water and removal of garbage from the city was a big challenge.

He said that Peshawar was under a lot of pressure because of the presence of Afghan refugees and internally-displaced persons (IDPs).

The senior minister urged the international community to help the provincial government in meeting these challenges. Trend Pk

Govt would complete term: Raja Riaz

Pakistan Peoples Party senior provincial minister Raja Riaz has ruled out any in-house change and added that the government would complete its 5-year term, Dunya News reported on Thursday.
The minister stated these views while talking to media after having a meeting with Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Lahore.
Pakistan Peoples Party would stay in the centre and complete its term, the minister said and assured, No in-house change is imminent. Raja Riaz reiterated the governments pledge to avert all the conspiracies being hatched against democracy in the country.
Jointly we will foil all the conspiracies being hatched to derail the democratic process in the country, Raja said. It is worth mentioning that the senior minister called on the CM to draw his attention towards the remarks aired by Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah in which he hinted at slapping a Punjab entry ban on Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Federal Law Minister Babar Awan.

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