Load shedding to continue until 2018: WAPDA

The National Assembly Standing Committee for Water and Power meeting was held in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Ghulam Mustafa Shah.

Briefing the committee, Water and Power Development Authority Chairman Shakil Durrani said that Mangla Dam would be filled up to 1210 feet by the end of this year. This will enhance the water storing capacity of the dam by 0.8 million acres.

He said that hydro power cost Rs 1.05 per unit while the power generated by the IPPs cost Rs 10.18 per unit.

He said that hydro power generation saved Rs 41 billion for the national exchequer in 2010.

The WAPDA chairman said that load shedding cannot be overcome until 2018 and power demand would soar to 130,000 megawatt by 2030.

He said that India could not build dams on three western rivers, adding that the 16 kilometre long tunnel of Jhelum Hydro Project had been constructed.

During the meeting, Standing Committee for Water and Power member Sajjadul Hassan said that the power outage of 22 hours a day was unacceptable and the PEPCO office in Okara would be burnt, if load shedding were not stopped.

All major parties send opposition notes on RGST

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The Standing Committee of Senate for Finance has sent recommendations regarding Reformed General Sales Tax (RGST) and flood relief to the Senate. Opposition notes include those of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) and Jammat-e-Islami (JI).

The four day long session of the Standing Committee of Senate for Finance has ended in Parliament House today. The committee has unanimously recommended imposing no RGST on food items, medicines and stationary used for academic purposes. It is also recommended to increase the limit of flood relief surcharge as Rs. 0.5 million instead of Rs. 0.3 million annually.

All political parties have recommended implementing tax on the income of agriculture in their opposition notes.

PML-M has submitted Mian

Uproar in Senate over RGST

After MQM, now its JUIs turn to oppose RGST in the Senate. Slogans of RGST unacceptable were shouted in the Senate till its session was adjourned for indefinite period. Nair Bukhari presented the copy of the RGST bill in the Senate and the bill was handed over to the Standing Committee for Finance. Tahir Mushhadi said that it was a suicide certificate being given to people in form of RGST. He said that RGST was the other name of VAT. He stressed that if reforms are necessary, then PIA, WAPDA and Railways should be reformed at the earliest. Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidry said that RGST was not less than drone attack and it would not be supported. MQM members continued to shout slogans against RGST. MQM boycotted the session for the third day in opposition of RGST approval. Finance Minister said that RGST was not a new tax, instead the system was reform.

PML-N moves Privilege Motion against government

PML-N has moved a privilege motion in the National Assembly against the government for not taking the assembly into confidence before the recently held strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the USA, Dunya News reported on Monday.
The motion was moved by PML-N members Chaudhry Barjees Tahir, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Sheikh Aftab, Zahid Hamid and others in the National Assembly secretariat. The privilege motion states that the assembly was not taken into confidence before the recently held strategic dialogues which not only undermined the stature and status of the assembly but also the stature of the public representatives. Hence the motion should be moved to the standing committee of privilege.

Wine sale imperative to attract tourists, says Nilofer

Chairman of the standing committee of senate for tourism Ms. Nilofer Bakhtiar has once again opted for a free-fall by urging that the ban on the sale of wine should be lifted to attract tourists.
Talking to Dunya News in Islamabad she said that an immediate lift of the aforementioned ban from the government hotels is imperative for attracting tourists. She supported her stance by saying that if wine sale is allowed in five-star hotels then why it is banned in the hotels of the development corporation of tourism ministry. She exclaimed that if government hotels do not provide the expatriates with wine then how their thirst would be quenched?
Earlier Ms. Nilofer Bakhtiar also raised the same issue in the standing committee of the senate. She held the view that after the ban, government hotels are running in deficit.
Before the recent issue, Ms. Nilofer Bakhtiar also came in the lime light in 2007, when she was the minister in charge of Tourism, when she jumped from a plane for a free-fall dive and had to pay a huge price for her jump. In fact she had to resign from her office on the issue.

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

Sports body demands Ijaz Butts resignation by tomorrow

Chairman Standing Committee for Sports Iqbal Muhammad Ali called upon Ijaz Butt, Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman, to resign for having a controversial stint with the Board, Dunya News reported on Monday.
The Committee chairman also warned to resign en bloc in its Tuesdays (tomorrow) session, in case Butt show adamancy in leaving the lucrative post.
Iqbal maintained that Butt through his mismanagement pushed cricket to the verge of total destruction.
Iqbal added that many letters have been written to President Zardari in this regard. He said Ijaz Butt issued irresponsible statements during spot-fixing scam of the cricket team in England.

Committee members one on decision: PML-N
Leader PML-N and member of Standing Committee for Sports Naseer Bhutta, while talking to Dunya News, said that the committee is one on the decision. We stick to our stance and the matter would certainly be resolved in tomorrows meeting, he said.

PPP backs Committee decision
Member of Standing Committee for Sports and PPP Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla said that as a human being Ijaz Butt is a good person, however he reiterated sports committees demand for his resignation.

President Zardari should replace Butt: Abdul Qadir
Former selector Abdul Qadir said that there are many people suitable for the position of chairman PCB other then Ijaz Butt.
He called upon the President to look into the matter and resolve the issue at the earliest. He notified Pir Aftab Jilani as the most suitable person for the post.

Clinton, Gates visit DMZ dividing 2 Koreas

PANMUNJOM: Standing at the spot that divides North and South Korea, U.

Originally posted here: 
Clinton, Gates visit DMZ dividing 2 Koreas

Punjabi Taliban grown dangerous: Malik

ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Rehman A Malik believed that Punjabi Taliban holed up in South Punjab had become more dangerous and were geared up for large-scale sabotage in the country, Geo News reported Wednesday.

Briefing the Standing Committee here, he revealed that Laskhar-e-Jhangavi had been involved in Marriott Hotel bombing, the GHQ attack and Lahore terror incidents.

The interior minister maintained that the government of Punjab has been sought to launch action against the suspected outfits.

Rehman Malik said the information of people blackmailing big trade groups and organizations, has been received and directives have been issued for crackdown on these miscreants.

At least three agents of the RAW, India’s spy agency, have been nabbed on intelligence report, he informed the Committee.

Pakistan is extending full cooperation with the US over investigations into Faisal Shehzad case, he added.

Privilege motion to be brought against Ijaz Butt

ISLAMABAD: Statements made by Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt on Sunday has opened a new controversy.

On one hand, Senate’s standing committee for sports has announced to bring privilege motion against Ijaz Butt and on the other hand, a joint meeting of the standing committees of National Assembly and the Senate has been called for May 31.

Chairman Senate standing committee for sports senator Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi said that the PCB chairman are making allegations on senators just to hide his failures.

He said that senators’ privilege has been wounded from the statements by Ijaz Butt and a privilege motion against him would soon be presented in the Senate.

Sources said that a joint meeting of the standing committees for sports of both the National Assembly and the Senate has been called for may 31.

Performance of the Pakistan cricket team and the PCB’s financial and administrative matters would be discussed at the meeting.

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