Task Force to curb Gray Traffic, unauthorised SIMs

A high level meeting was held in the Ministry of Interior under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Interior, Senator Rehman Malik to examine the ways and means to curb Gray Traffic in Pakistan. Secretaries of Interior and Information Technology Ministries, Director General FIA, representatives of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and other government departments were present on the occasion. Different issues were discussed in the meeting including capacity of monitoring system which is presently only 30% and needs to go to the level of 100%. Ministry of Information Technology has been requested to pursue the matter for sanction of funds.

People have been advised that all those who have got more than the prescribed limits of SIMs should surrender immediately to PTA as a thorough scrutiny of the SIMs has been ordered and any body found in possession of those SIMs shall be proceeded with in accordance with the law.
It was decided in the meeting that the punishment/penalty for the violators would be enhanced from three years to seven years and fine from Rs. 10 million to Rs. 50 million besides making it non-bailable offence.

It was also decided that 20 million cash reward shall be given to anyone who will point out the Gray Traffic to the authorities and 10% of the recovery will also be given to the informer.

A Task Force has been announced whereby a team will be headed by Director, FIA Shahid Nadeem Baloch and sub task forces comprising of representatives from ISI, IB, PTA and local police will also be constituted.

The Task Force will submit, every fortnightly, report of their progress on the cases/raids to curb gray traffic.

It has also been decided by the Government that there will be zero tolerance for gray traffic in Pakistan and its progress/monitoring shall be jointly done by the Secretary Interior and Secretary Information Technology.

David Beckham in Car Crash on Freeway

On his way back home from the Royal Wedding in London, soccer star David Beckham got himself involved in a car accident on a Southern California freeway on Friday morning. The star was behind the wheel of his Black Cadillac SUV that rear-ended a gold Mitsubishi in the carpool lane of the 405 Freeway in Torrance.

The driver of the Mitsubishi was taken to a hospital in Torrance as he complained of minor pain in the neck after the collision. Beckham came out without a scratch and needed no medical attention. Beckham had his seatbelt on when the rear-ended collision between the two vehicles took place.

Luck seems to favor the soccer player as he was neither arrested nor cited for the accident as reported by the authorities and is now safely back home.

The incident does not lead to any encumbrance for the pink themed baby shower plans of the dynamic couple of David Beckham and his gorgeous wife Victoria Beckham. It is truly an “all’s well that ends well” fable for world!

32,000 hoarded bags of sugar recovered from Faisalabad

Staff Report

FAISALABAD: Authorities have recovered 32,000 bags of hoarded sugar from a sugar mill near Jaranwala area of Faisalabad on Monday.

Faisalabad’s authorities received information that a large quantity of sugar has been hoarded in Hussain Sugar Mill for black marketing.

Following the information, the authorities immediately raided the sugar mill and recovered 32,000 bags from the godowns.

The authorities have seized all bags of the recovered sugar and started to shift them to government godowns. The authorities have said that all the confiscated sugar will be sold to people at a government approved price. Trend Pk

Imran Khan questioned by Mumbai Customs over toy helicopter

Imran Khan didn’t quite receive the welcome that he was expecting when he returned from New York day before yesterday after promoting his upcoming film Break Ke Baad. On his arrival at the Mumbai International Airport, Imran was stopped by the Customs authorities over a small toy helicopter which he was carrying.

Apparently, Imran had got himself a toy helicopter from New York which works on Wi-Fi. Little did the actor know that the customs authorities in Mumbai would have an objection to it. The officials demanded that Imran get permission from the Telecom Department for possessing such a toy. Restrictions have been imposed on import of aero models that run on certain radio bandwidths because of their possible interference with the communication networks of security agencies.

The officials confiscated the toy on the grounds of obtaining a clarification from the telecom department. Imran tried to reason with the authorities, but they asked him to seek permission from the telecom department and then take the toy. Like a good law abiding citizen, Imran had no choice but to leave his toy helicopter behind. The actor plans to now seek the required approval /permission and claim back his toy.

3-day gas supply cut for Faisalabad industries expected

Staff Report

FAISALABAD: Thousands of laborers of industries are protesting against two-day gas supply cut in Faisalabad but the Sui Northern Gas Company plans to stop the supply for three-day.

The company has stopped supplying gas to the industries for two-days therefore all the industries of the city are closed. The industrialists have rejected company’s decision.

On the other hand, sources told that the Sui Northern Gas Company has decided to discontinue gas supply for three day in a week from November 15 to February 28. The new schedule has been sent to the authorities for approval, sources added.

All the industrialists have also been informed about the new schedule during winter season. Trend Pk

OC

No alliance with anyone in LB elections: Fauzia

Staff Report

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples’ Party Secretary Information Fauzia Wahab said that his party will not make an alliance with any political party during the Local Body elections.

While talking to media persons on Wednesday, she said that President Asif Ali has directed the authorities to submit the report on Zulifkarabad.

Fauzia Wahab also said that flood tax would be imposed in Sindh soon. Trend Pk

Bar-police scuffle: Lahore’s dancing police officer suspended

Staff Report

LAHORE: The police officer who started to dance with jubilation after an assault on the protesting lawyers at Lahore High Court (LHC), has been suspended by the authorities on Monday.

According to police sources, after a successful assault on lawyers to prevent their rally under imposed Section-144, police Inspector Mustafiz began to jump and dance in front of LHC with delight.

Many other policemen were also seen in footage who were sharing their euphoria with Inspector Mustafiz.

The police launched a stern baton charge and tear gas shelling on the lawyers to prevent them from their agitation against LHC. SAMAA

Flood victims protest in Thatta

By Zohair Ali

THATTA: Flood victims of the various areas held protest against the authorities and threw stones on NDAR office and police available on the spot, SAMAA reported Sunday.

More than ten thousand flood affectees protested when NADRA officials stopped distributing Watan cards. Angry mob threw stones at the office and the police.

Rangers were called to control the situation. Aerial firing and tear gas was used by the police.

Mob disbursed after couple of hours. SAMAA

Japan intervenes for 1st time in six years to cap yen

TOKYO: Japan stepped into the currency market on Wednesday for the first time in six years, selling yen to stem a rise that is threatening a fragile economic recovery.

The dollar extended its gains after intermittent yen selling and was up 2 percent on the day and nearly two yen above a 15-year low. But it was unclear whether Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s government had the stomach for a prolonged campaign similar to Japan’s last foray into foreign exchange markets in 2003-2004.

Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda confirmed the intervention, saying Tokyo was also communicating with authorities overseas but indicating that Japan acted alone.

U.S. officials at the Federal Reserve and the Treasury declined to comment immediately about Tokyo’s action.

Noda would not say whether the authorities were buying dollars in the first intervention since March 2004, but

Malik vows to investigate Khawaja Sharifs murder plan

Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that the plot to kill Chief Justice Lahore High Court can be a conspiracy to provoke rift between judiciary and executive and the matter would be thoroughly investigated.
Talking to Dunya News, Malik said that Director IB and Director General ISI have been ordered to present investigation report within 48 hours. He said that if evidences found about the alleged plan of killing of LHC CJ Khawaja Sharif, then complete investigation would be made for the satisfaction of the judiciary. He said that if it proves, it would be dangerous for Pakistan as it might be a conspiracy to destabilize Pakistan.
On the other hand, an important meeting of home secretaries and IGs of all provinces would be held on September 14 to discuss law and order situation in the country.

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