SC displeased with slackness in missing persons case

The SC said non-serious attitude of the government with regards to recovery of missing persons is not acceptable.

A 3-member bench of SC presided over by Justice Mian Shakir Ullah Jan took up the case for hearing Tuesday.

Additional Attorney General (AAG) KK Agha told the court 134 out of 382 missing persons had been recovered while 138 persons were being traced out. The chairman of the commission will soon be appointed, he added.

The court issued directives for appointment of the commission chairman within a week and questioned why chairman had not been appointed so far while government was given only one-week time in this connection.

The chairman of the commission be appointed forthwith, the court directed.

The Deputy Attorney General (DAG) told the court cases of 10 missing persons were very old and efforts were underway to trace out. Seven missing persons who were incorporated in another list of missing persons had been traced out, he said.

The Defence Ministry had constituted a special committee which was investigating the old cases, he said.

He submitted that Justice (Retd) Fazlur Rehman, chairman of a two-member inquiry commission, had joined the Election Commission and new chairman in his place would be appointed soon.

Justice Jawad S Khawaja expressed displeasure over it, saying Justice (Retd) Fazlur Rehman had joined the Election Commission six months ago.

KK Agha said the Interior Secretary remained preoccupied due to the Karachi situation due to which the delay occurred. One-week time be allowed and the chairman would be appointed, he pleaded.

Justice Shakir Ullah Jan observed it was responsibility of the government to trace out missing persons.

KK Agha said statistics were being collected about the missing persons in Balochistan and intelligence agencies were not involved.

Justice Shakir Ullah Jan said: “You should file a written reply”. KK Agha said a written reply would be filed within a week.

Aamna Masud Janjua, chairperson Defence of Human Rights, said no commission was working with reference to missing persons.

5 more ministries to be transferred; preparations ordered

In the second phase of implementation of 18th amendment, 5 more ministries would be transferred to the provinces, News Trends reported on Wednesday.

Chairman of Implementation Commission Mian Raza Rabbani has said that no employee would be fired nor would be sent to the surplus pool. The session of the implementation commission was held in Islamabad that was presided over by the Chairman of commission Mian Raza Rabbani to finalize the transfer of 5 more ministries to the provinces. After the session Mian Raza Rabbani said that Cabinet division, establishment division and inter-provincial coordination departments have been directed to start preparations for the transfer of 5 more ministries. He also said that the fate of ministers of the transferred ministries would be decided by the Prime Minister whereas those ministers would be summoned ot the session of the commission who express reservations on the transfer.

5 federal ministries transfer to provinces approved

Implementation Commission has approved to transfer 5 federal ministries to the provinces, trendpk.Com reported on Tuesday.

The meeting of the commission held under rhe supervision of Mian Raza Rabbani in Islamabad. Establishment Division briefed the participants about the future of employees of the said ministries. It was told to the meeting that these employees would be appointed in different departments.

The ministries to be transferred include: Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ministry for Youth Affairs, Ministry of Zakat & Ushr, Ministry of Population Welfare and Ministry of Special Affairs. It is pertinent to mention that around 3,918 employees are currently working with the said ministries.

Jehangir opposes CJ’s sole discretion to name judges

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Noted human rights activist and President of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Asma Jehangir says that the Chief Justice (CJ) should not have the sole authority to recommend names for judges in the Judicial Commission.

Speaking at a seminar here on Tuesday, she said two senior judges involved in the Judicial Commission should also have the authority to recommend names for the appointment of judges.

The SCBA chief said that no relative of the commission’s members should be considered.

“If any member feels that his relative is competent, he should first voluntarily surrender his membership,” she advised.

“Although I am in favor of cases of public litigation, suo motu notices should not be taken on a daily basis.”

She further said that a proper method should be adopted for suo motu notices.

Ms.

Justice (r) Ch. Ijaz nominated as Judicial Commission member

Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has nominated Justice (r) Chaudhry Ijaz as member of the Judicial Commission for two years.
Earlier, Justice (r) Ali Hussain Qazalbash was nominated as member of the commission but he resigned on Tuesday due to bad health.
The CJP has called the meeting of Judicial Commission on November 06 to discuss the names of judges to be appointed for superior judiciary.

Justice (R) Qazlabash refuses to be member of judicial commission

Newly appointed member of the judicial commission Justice (R) Ali Hussain Qazlabash has refused to work as the member, Dunya News reported on Tuesday.
It has been learnt that Justice (R) Qazlabash has refused to work as the member of the commission due to his bad health. Justice (R) Qazlabash has said that he is a heart patient and needs rest therefore he would not be able to continue with the new appointment whereas on the other hand the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has accepted the resignation of Justice (R) Qazlabash.

Karachi: Man kills wife, two sons and a daughter

A callous man slaughtered his wife and two sons and a daughter in Karachi on Wednesday.
According to police, 21-year-old Madiha got to an Army checkpost at Malir Cantt in critical condition and said that his father and uncle wanted to kill her and both of them have already murdered her younger sister who was 6.
Police arrested the accused on Madihas pointation who during grilling confessed to the commission of his crime that he killed his wife, two sons and daughter on suspicion. Police recovered the bodies and are investigating.

EU doubles Pakistan flood aid to 150 million euros

ISLAMABAD: The European Commission has decided to more than double its Pakistan flood aid to 150 million euros (205 million dollars), the European Union’s humanitarian aid chief said Friday.

The EU’s executive arm has already provided 70 million euros in aid and will now distribute another 80 million euros to its partner organisations, European humanitarian aid commissioner Kristalina Georgieva told a news conference.

“Our own staff in Pakistan confirms that more financial resources will translate into more lives saved and more people helped,” she said.

“For that reason we have decided in the commission to more than double our humanitarian support to Pakistan.”

Combined with contributions from national governments, the European Union’s support for Pakistan now totals 400 million euros, she said.

Torrential rain began falling in northern

US imposes sanctions on Iranian officials for human rights abuses

The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on eight Iranian government officials for serious human rights abuses against the people of Iran.
The White House charged that these senior Iranian officials, based on credible evidence, were involved in the commission of serious human rights abuses during or after Iran’s 2009 presidential election.
The individuals designated will be subject to financial sanctions and visa ineligibilities under U.S. law, the White House said in a statement. The list of names is not exhaustive and will continue to grow based on events in Iran, and as additional information and evidence becomes available.
The statement claimed that the United States is strongly committed to the promotion of human rights around the world, including in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and will always stand with those in Iran who aspire to have their voices heard.
We will be a voice for those aspirations that are universal, and we continue to call upon the Iranian government to respect the rights of its people, the White House said.
In his address last week to the United Nations General Assembly, U.S. President Barack Obama listed human rights as a matter of moral and pragmatic necessity for the United States.

US imposes sanctions on Iranian officials for human rights abuses

The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on eight Iranian government officials for serious human rights abuses against the people of Iran.
The White House charged that these senior Iranian officials, based on credible evidence, were involved in the commission of serious human rights abuses during or after Iran’s 2009 presidential election.
The individuals designated will be subject to financial sanctions and visa ineligibilities under U.S. law, the White House said in a statement. The list of names is not exhaustive and will continue to grow based on events in Iran, and as additional information and evidence becomes available.
The statement claimed that the United States is strongly committed to the promotion of human rights around the world, including in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and will always stand with those in Iran who aspire to have their voices heard.
We will be a voice for those aspirations that are universal, and we continue to call upon the Iranian government to respect the rights of its people, the White House said.
In his address last week to the United Nations General Assembly, U.S. President Barack Obama listed human rights as a matter of moral and pragmatic necessity for the United States.

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