Hearing of PM’s contempt case gets underway in SC

TrendPK.com

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday started hearing of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani’s contempt case, TrendPK reports.

Gilani has challenged the contempt indictment verdict through an intra-court appeal on Wednesday which is being heard by an eight-member SC bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

PM’s counsel and veteran lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan is currently giving his arguments before the jury against the court summons issued to PM Gilani to appear on February 13 and face indictment over his failure in reopening Swiss money laundering cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Gilani, in his appearance in the Supreme Court on January 19, has cited Zardari’s immunity as explanation for his refusal to obey the court’s order to ask Switzerland to re-open corruption cases. TrendPK

Ferry sinks near Australia with 350 onboard

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea: Rescue crews have saved 28 people from the water off Papua New Guinea’s northeast coast after a ferry sank Thursday with as many as 350 people on board, officials said.

The MV Rabaul Queen went down when traveling between the coastal towns of Lae and Kimbe after it sent a distress signal early Thursday, PNG’s National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) said.

Rescue co-ordinator Captain Nurur Rahman said four merchant ships were diverted to the scene by Australian authorities to help with the rescue.

“They have rescued 28 people who are now on board one vessel,” Rahman said.

“I cannot confirm or deny the 350 missing number, it is hearsay. I have not seen the manifest as yet, but it is likely around 300,” he added.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said there were 350 people aboard and that Australia was providing assistance to its near neighbor, without elaborating on that help.

“This is obviously a major tragedy,” she told reporters in the Australian city of Melbourne.

“Given the likely very high loss of life here, I think when this news comes to the attention of Australians around the country they will be thinking about the people of PNG as they respond to this tragedy,” she added.

Rahman said he was being fed information from an NMSA agent on board one of the ships.

“The dynamics of this thing are changing all the time, minute by minute,” he said.

Earlier, an unnamed NMSA official said two helicopters from Lae had also joined the operation.

NMSA rescue co-ordinator Fred Siroi said he would make a public statement later Thursday.

Ship operator Star Ships could not be immediately contacted for comment.

’600 killed in South Sudan’

The violence erupted Thursday in Jonglei state and the UN mission to South Sudan reported the death toll, said UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.

South Sudan became independent from Sudan on July 5 to much international fanfare, but diplomats have expressed mounting concerns about stability in the country and tensions with the Khartoum government.

A UN team has been sent to Jonglei state and the head of the UN mission to South Sudan, Hilde Johnson, has appealed for restraint.

Gaddafi forces still hold Brega oil terminal, refinery

BENGHAZI: Troops loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi are still in control of the oil terminal and refinery of the strategic eastern port of Brega despite rebel advances, a spokesman for rebel forces said on Friday.

The two sides have been battling for months over Brega, 750 km east of Tripoli. The rebels see securing the oil facilities as a tipping point in the war and hope to resume oil exports from there as quickly as possible.

Rebels said they had captured a residential area of Brega on Thursday. But spokesman Mohammed Zawawi told reporters it was still not safe to go into the city. The oil terminal is about 15 kms (about 10 miles) from the residential district.

“Now we’re trying to clear that area. There are some Gaddafi troops still there,” said Mohammed Zawawi. “Gaddafi troops are shooting rockets into the city.”

Gaddafi is clinging to power despite a near five-month-old NATO air campaign, tightening economic sanctions, and a lengthening war with rebels trying to end his 41-year rule.

The rebels have seized large swathes of the North African state, but are deeply divided and lack experience, and Thursday’s gains in the east broke weeks of stalemate.

In the west, rebel forces driving north toward the town of Zawiyah, within striking distance of Gaddafi’s stronghold in the capital, have not moved up from Thursday’s positions.

Rebels said they had reached the village of Bir Shuaib, some 25 km (15 miles) from Zawiyah, which has unsuccessfully risen up against Gaddafi twice this year.

THREE FRONTS

The western battle is one of three widely separated rebel fronts against Gaddafi forces. In the east around the ports of Misrata and Brega, fighting had been bogged down in recent weeks while the western rebels have advanced.

Misrata, a sea port on the Mediterranean under rebel control for months, is about 500 kms (300 miles) east of Brega

Zawiyah lies less than 50 km west of Tripoli, on the main road to Tunisia, which has been a lifeline for Libya but has begun to crack down on rampant smuggling of gasoline.

Rebels in the western mountains do not operate as a single force, as each town has its own command. But when they join forces for major operations they can muster a few thousand men.

In an effort to pile economic and military pressure on Gaddafi, more countries are set to announce next week that they will free frozen assets for the rebels, a British official said.

“While it’s hard to predict when this will end, it’s easy to see the pressure is building on Gaddafi and it is only a matter of time before he’s forced to leave power,” the official said.

Britain is playing a leading role in NATO air strikes against Gaddafi’s forces, which have weakened his armory but have not enabled the rebels to deliver a knockout blow.

Tightening the economic noose around Gaddafi, Tunisia said on Thursday its troops were patrolling fuel stations to curb the flow of smuggled gasoline into neighboring Libya.

International sanctions and the effects of Libya’s civil war have disrupted normal supplies of fuel to parts of the country under Gaddafi’s control, but huge volumes of gasoline are instead being smuggled across the Libyan-Tunisian border.

“The armed forces are now conducting checks at fuel stations in the south of Tunisia … so that neither Tunisians nor Libyans can fill up with large quantities,” Tunisian defense ministry official Mokhtar Ben Nasr told a news conference.

“These checks are aimed at preventing the smuggling of diesel and gasoline to Libya.” AGENCIES

NEPRA okays Rs.0.61/unit hike in power tariff

KARACHI: National Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has given approval to 61 paisa increase in electricity tariff per unit as it reserved verdict over increase of power tariff on Thursday, TrendPK reported.

According to NEPRA officials, the electricity tariff has been raised under monthly fuel adjustment charges.

Eight power distribution companies excluding Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) requested NEPRA to allow hike in tariff by Rs 0.61 per unit under monthly fuel adjustment charges, which would be implemented from the month of May.

The hearing was held on these applications on Thursday after which the decision was kept reserved by the authorities.

The approval will be applicable on all electricity consumers except KESC’s which will be charged in next months’ bills.

ICC bans govts to appoint board members

Cricket s governing body on Thursday banned governments from appointing members of national cricket boards, vowing to free the sport from undue government influence.

The International Cricket Council told a media conference in Hong Kong that it had made the decision to uphold “the important principle of free elections and the independence” of the sport.

Protesters condemn Quran burning by US pastor

KABUL: Protesters in Afghanistan held a peaceful demonstration on Thursday in the capital Kabul, to further condemn the burning of a Quran at a small Florida church last month.

The desecration of Islam’s holy book has inflamed days of protests across Afghanistan.

There have been almost daily protests across Afghanistan against the act last month at a small church in Gainesville, Florida.

Most have not turned violent, but 10 people were killed in two days of protests in the southern city of Kandahar.

Protesters on Thursday held banners reading “We strongly condemn the act of burning Quran”. AGENCIES

MQM’s delegation reaches Pervaiz Elahi’s residence

LAHORE: A delegation of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has arrived at the residence of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, a leader of PML-Q, TrendPK reported Thursday afternoon.

A key leader of MQM, Farooq Sattar, also the Deputy Convener of party’s coordination committee, is leading the delegation. TrendPK

Chaos as India-Eng tickets go on sale

BANGALORE: Indian police baton-charged thousands of World Cup cricket fans queuing for tickets for India”s weekend clash with England amid scenes of chaos outside Bangalore stadium.

Several people on Thursday were injured and taken away on stretchers as police attempted to keep order as an estimated 5,000 people pushed and shoved in an unruly line that stretched around the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Sunday”s game was switched at the last-minute to Bangalore because of problems at the Eden Gardens stadium in Kolkata where the match, one of the highlights of the early stages of the World Cup, had been due to be played.

A total of 7,000 tickets were on sale at the stadium on Thursday and sold out in several hours, a secretary at the state cricket association, Javagal Srinath, said.

People had begun queuing on Wednesday night and the crowd grew bigger on Thursday morning, leading to a huge crush when the half dozen counters opened on Thursday morning.

Kadhafi accuses protesters of bin Laden links

TRIPOLI: Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi on Thursday accused residents of Az-Zawiyah, a town west of the capital hit by fierce fighting between his forces and rebels, of being linked to Osama bin Laden.

In what was said to be a live audio feed on state television, Kadhafi also accused the protesters of being on drugs.

“You in Zawiyah turn to Bin Laden,” he said. “They give you drugs.”

This was the embattled leader”s second television appearance since protests broke out against his 41-year-old rule on February 15.

Addressing the older generation, Kadhafi said al Qaeda was behind the problems facing Libya, while the youth were on drugs and misbehaving.

“It is obvious now that this issue is run by al Qaeda,” he said. “Those armed youngsters, our children, are incited by people who are wanted by America and the Western world.

“Those inciting are very few in numbers and we have to capture them. Others have to stay at home. They have guns, they feel trigger happy and they shoot especially when they are stoned with drugs.”

The “situation is different from Egypt or Tunisia … Here the authority is in your hands, the people”s hands. You can change authority any way your wish.

It”s your call. You are the elderly, the head of the tribes, the professors.”

“They have been brainwashing the kids in this area and tell them to misbehave. This are the one who are under Bin Laden”s influence and authority, under the influence of drugs.”

On Tuesday, in a defiant, sometimes rambling speech on television, Kadhafi vowed to remain in Libya as head of its revolution, saying he would die as a martyr in the land of his ancestors and fight to the “last drop” of his blood.

He ordered the army and police to crush the popular uprising against his iron-fisted four-decade rule that has left hundreds dead.

Residents of Libya”s dissident-held east vowed on Thursday to march on Tripoli to oust the veteran leader.

State news agency Jana said three “terrorists” attacked a security forces post in Az-Zawiyah and slit the throats of three policemen on Thursday, amid reports of heavy fighting in the town.

Az-Zawiyah lies on the Mediterranean, 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Tripoli. Fighting around the capital intensified after much of the country”s east has reportedly fallen to rebels.

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