Mumbai attacks case: contempt notice issued to Rehman Malik

The notice has been issued on a statement given by him in London with reference to despatching judicial commission to India in Mumbai attack case.

FIA had filed application under section 503 about despatching a judicial commission to India. FIA has completed its arguments on it while defence counsel Khawaja Sultan and other lawyers were yet to give arguments on behalf of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and other accused.

Defence lawyer Khawaja Sultan Ahmad had made interior minister and government respondents in contempt plea. It was said in the contempt application that interior minister while addressing a seminar in London had said with respect to the petition pending hearing in the court in Mumbai attack case that court had granted commission’s request for sending judicial commission to India and the commission would leave for India within 7 to 11 days.

The court while granting plea of Khawaja Sultan Ahmad stopped debate over the application filed by FIA for sending commission to India and issued contempt of court notice to Interior Minister Rehman Malik on his statement.

The court on the request of lawyers has also summoned three prosecution witnesses including forensic expert of FIA Noman Ashraf Godla, Inspector Sardar Muhammad Azam and Nisar Jadoon from FIA on August, 13 for recording their statements.

Second wife, son of burnt police inspector arrested

The police inspector was reportedly burnt in his jeep in an area of Faisalabad in early morning hours. Earlier police accounts said Inspector Abdul Razzaq Gujjar left his house after Sehri when unknown men intercepted him, tied him up and burnt him inside the police vehicle, which they said was fully burnt. The body of the man killed in the police van was burnt beyond recognition. The incident took place in Samundri Police Station area.

Inspector Abdul Razzaq was suspended as Station House Officer (SHO) Daj Kot lately, police said.

Later, the police suspected involvement of Abdul Razzaq’s second wife and son in the murder. They interrogated the duo and found divergence in their statements. Both told police that the inspector had a spat with them last night and left the house. Abdul Razzaq had three marriages.

A DNA test on the burnt body may be done to determine the identity and carry out further investigation.

Blasphemy law: Taseer murder trial deferred

RAWALPINDI: A trial court recorded statements of two more witnesses and adjourned on Saturday the hearing of the murder case of the former governor of Punjab, Salmaan Taseer, till March 26.

The witnesses who recorded their statements were identified as a police draftsman Khurram Shahzad and sub-inspector Muhammad Gulfraz. The case is being heard at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

Khurram Shahzad told the court about the crime scene and the exact spot where Taseer was assassinated in Sector F-6/4 Kohsar Market on January 4. Subsequently, the sub-inspector told the court about the details of the post-mortem report which was carried out at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

According to the report, governor was shot from behind and there were 26 entry and 14 exit wounds on his body. He was shot from a distance of between four and five feet. The autopsy report also said that the governor’s death had occurred because of a bullet which was lodged in his neck, adding that his heart had remained safe.

On February 26, Malik Mumtaz Qadri, the self-confessed killer of the former Punjab governor, had started after four persons, including CMO of the Federal Government Services Hospital (Polyclinic) Dr Muhammad Arshad, Assistant Sub-Inspector Iftikhar Ali and constable Abdul Raheem of the Koshar police station recorded their statements.

Taseer’s son Shehryar had stated in the FIR that his father was assassinated on the persuasion of certain political and religious groups.

Lawyers defending the self-confessed killer appeared before the court along with Qadri’s father, Bashir Awan, and his brother, Dilpazir.

The former governor’s sister-in-law, Ayesha Tammy Haq also attended the hearing,

Earlier, the police had submitted a three-page charge-sheet in which Qadri was booked under Sections 7 of the Anti Terrorism Act and 302/109 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Taseer’s son Shehryar Taseer. Hundreds of Qadri supporters were also present outside the Adiala jail to express solidarity with him.

Davis has no immunity: Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former foreign minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, has said on Wednesday that US embassy employee Raymond Davis did not enjoy complete immunity.

“US must keep in mind Pakistan’s sacrifices,” said Qureshi, while addressing a press conference in Islamabad after his meeting with US Senator John Kerry.

He said that his meeting with Kerry was on the wishes of US senator.
Criticizing the statements of party leaders, Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP), Qureshi said that his stance on the issue, Raymond Davis, was principled not personal. “I was briefed that Raymond has no complete immunity. I instructed foreign secretary to follow law.”

He said both the countries, US and Pakistan, need each other. TrendPK

Tera Kya Hoga Johny release postponed again

It’s been a while since we saw Neil Nitin Mukesh on the silver screen and the same sentiment goes out for Soha Ali Khan. It now seems that we’ll have to wait a little more as their upcoming film Tera Kya Hoga Johny is indefinitely delayed.

Though the statements issued for the reason are “market conditions” the truth is definitely much more than just that. Major distributors have backed out at the last moment following a spat between the film’s producers over pending payments. Though the film was to release on 31st December, now the film is postponed indefinitely.

Karan Arora, a UK based businessman has filed a criminal and civil case against the film’s producer Manu Kamaran, as the cheques issued by him bounced. Arora was supposed to receive Rs.1.25 crore a month before the release of the film.

One would think, that the release date would be finalised once the payment issues are resolved but apparently distributors are not keen to release the film even if the financial matters are sorted out; reason being the film’s leakage on the internet. Manu Kumaran who was positive about sorting the payment issues by New Year and releasing the film is quite under confident about the support of the distributors, not only that he also feels that Neil Nitin Mukesh didn’t do his bit to market the film well like other actors do. Neil on his end feels that he has done his bit with the interviews he gave and with the film having an ensemble cast; it’s unfair to blame him solely.

With so many issues revolving around the film, one does wonder, Tera Kya Hoga Johny?

CM Sindh issues inquiry report on breaching of Tori dyke

Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah has issued the judicial tribunal’s inquiry report of breaching of Tori dyke acse, News Trends reported on Wednesday. The report says that the staff of irrigation department that showed negligence should resign voluntarily.

Chief Minister Sindh presented the 225-page report in a press conference in the Chief Minister house. The report has been compiled by a two-member judicial tribunal comprising Justice(R) Zahid Qurban Alvi and Justice(R) Ghulam Nabi Soomro in a period of more than two months. During the investigation the tribunal recorded the statements of 100 people and also visited the area of dyke. It has bee recommended in the report that the negligent staff of irrigation department should resign voluntarily.

US support to India’s UNSC bid not at Pak expense: Crowley

WASHINGTON: US has briefed Pakistan on President Barack Obama’s decision to endorse India for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council and assured Islamabad that his support to the bid is not at its expense.

“We have briefed the government of Pakistan on the President’s announcement. I’m not aware that there was any particular concern expressed,” State Department spokesman P J Crowley said.

“This (Obama’s support) is a reflection of the growing importance of the region to the rest of the world, and Pakistan should not see this as something that comes at their expense. It does not,” he said at his daily press briefing.

“I think Pakistan understands what we told them, and beyond that, I’ll leave it to the government of Pakistan to describe its own reaction,” Crowley said on the statements from the Pakistan leadership expressing concern about US endorsement of

PCB Suspended Central Contracts of Suspended Players

Pakistan Cricket Board has suspended the central contracts of three suspended players. Salman Butt, Muhammad Amir and Muhammad Asif will now have new central contracts after being cleared from ICC anti corruption unit. According to sources the suspension may be the result of ICC pressure that could be inserted on PCB especially after such aggression shown by the players.

Salman Butt and Muhammad Amir responded aggressively after the hearing in Dubai and blamed it as per-decided case. PCB’s legal advisor also shown some reservations on their behaviors and advise them to stop aggression. It is also feared that their statements could affect their final hearing.

Amir continuously said that he is innocent and he has not done anything wrong. He said that the ponds found from their room were of daily allowance. He also said that ICC has no proof against them. The only thing they have against them is the video of “the news of the world”.

PCB has suspended their central contracts and said that they will be renewed after they got clearance from ICC. PCB is also not helping the players. No financial or legal help has been provided to players by PCB as it is against ICC code of conduct. All three players showed their disappointment on this act of PCB.

ATC indicts 28 in Sialkot lynching case

Staff Report

GUJRANWALA: A special Anti-terrorism Court (ATC) on Wednesday indicted ex-DPO and 27 other accused in Sialkot lynching case.

The indictment formally charges the accused with murder, negligence, desecration of dead bodies and terrorism.

Former DPO Waqar Chohan, who is on bail, was also indicted with same charges.

Besides, the court also summoned another six persons for their statements on November 6, 2010.

Teenage brothers, Hafiz Mugheez and Muneeb, were mercilessly killed by a mob in the presence of senior police officials in Sialkot. Trend Pk

Butt withdraws match-fixing allegations against England

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt said Wednesday he was withdrawing comments alleging England players had ‘thrown’ this month’s third one-day international at The Oval.
Butt had claimed England players were paid enormous amounts of money to lose The Oval match in a series the hosts ultimately won 3-2.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) threatened legal action in response unless Butt unreservedly apologised for remarks he said at the time were merely a case of him repeating something he’d heard from bookmakers.
And after a meeting with ECB counterpart Giles Clarke on Wednesday, England got the apology they wanted for what Butt said was a misunderstanding, with the ECB now declaring the matter closed.
Butt, in a joint ECB/PCB statement, said: I wish personally and on behalf of the Pakistan Cricket Board to withdraw the comments I made concerning the England and Wales Cricket Board and each of the England players who played in the one-day international at The Oval on Friday 17 September. It is regrettable that there was a misunderstanding arising from my comments, he added.
I would like to make it quite clear that in the statements which I made that I never intended to question the behaviour and integrity of the England players nor the ECB nor to suggest that any of them were involved in any corrupt practices or in a conspiracy against Pakistan cricket.
In particular, I wish to make it clear that I have never seen any evidence of any wrong doing by any England player or the ECB at any time. I deeply and sincerely regret that my statements have been interpreted to cast doubt upon the good names of the England players and the ECB and hope that this public withdrawal will draw a line under the matter, he added.

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