Hilary Clinton Phones PM Gilani
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton telephoned the Prime Minister, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani this evening to express her gratitude for the warm hospitality accorded to her by the Government of Pakistan during her just concluded visit.
The PM lauded her efforts for trying to clear the misperceptions about the strategic partnership between the two countries through her wide ranging and extensive interaction with the political leadership, media, youth and members of the civil society in Pakistan.
He noted that it was for the first time that a high level US dignitary had gone a distance to assure our people of the strong US commitment to Pakistan.
The Prime Minister stated that while his government will continue striving forever more strengthen bilateral relations, the US should help pursue this goal by starting the strategic dialogue between the two countries.
The US secretary of State assured the Prime Minister that as has been agreed in their meeting, the proposal of strategic dialogue was discussed with her Pakistani counterpart and will be implemented.
She also apprised the PM that she has instructed Ambassador Richard Holbrook her special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan and the US Ambassador in Islamabad for undertaking proactive measures to follow up on the decisions reached between the two sides during her visit.
She requested the Prime Minister to convey her best wishes to the political leadership and members of Pakistan’s Parliament as well.
Dr. Afia Siddique unconditional release sought
October 31, 2009 by Trend PK
Filed under Breaking News
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan : The Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Saturday urged unconditional release and repatriation of detained Dr. Afia Siddique by the US administration if it wanted to win hearts and minds of Pakistanis.
The meeting chaired by Chairman Senator Mohammad Talha Mehmood discussed in detail Dr.Afia’s case and the issue of Pakistanis detained in foreign countries’ jails.
The committee said the US must release Dr. Afia without any further delay.
Senator Talha Mehmood said all diplomatic channels should be extensively exploited for the early repatriation of Dr. Afia.
A Foreign Ministry representative told the meeting that as many as 6037 Pakistanis were languishing in foreign jails, mostly in UAE, Saudi Arabia and China, adding that one third of them were arrested on charges of drug trafficking.
The meeting was informed that Pakistan embassy in Washington had informed brothers of Dr. Afia for hiring a team of lawyers of their family choice to contest her case.
The committee expressed its reservations over information that lawyers were only assisting the court and not acting as lead lawyers in the case.
It condemned inhuman treatment meted out to Dr. Afia during detention, adding if US was serious in image building in the eyes of Pakistanis then it must respect Pakistani citizens.
The committee decided to raise Dr. Afia’s case at every platform in order to press for her unconditional release and for molding public opinion in this regard.
The committee also sought suggestions from the ministries of law and foreign affairs regarding taking the issue to the International Court of Justice and the legal implications.
Among others who attended the meeting were Senator Almas Perveen, Saeeda Soghra Imam, Haji Adeel, Begum Najma Hameed, Dr Abdul Malik and representatives of law and foreign ministries.
Israel Demolishes Palestinians’ houses
October 30, 2009 by Trend PK
Filed under Breaking News
Israeli troops demolished Palestinians’ houses in Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque area and ousted them from there. Israeli officials said that the houses were constructed without permit while Philistines say that Israel wants to oust them forcefully by demolishing their houses. They maintained that Tel Aviv is using demolition tactics to tighten its hold on the occupied territory, and again with the aim of destroying the Islamic identity of Jerusalem Al-Quds.
Earlier this year, The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, called for a halt to home demolition in East Jerusalem Al-Quds.
Israel Demolishes Palestinians’ houses was first posted on October 30, 2009 at 10:45 am.
CJ Iftikhar Not to Hear Doggar Case
October 30, 2009 by Trend PK
Filed under Breaking News
Some public circles openly suggested that the CJ should not kindly head of banking hearing these cases. The Chief Justice has formed a five member board, headed by Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday and comprising Justice Nasirul Mulk, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed, S Khawaja and Justice Ghulam Rabbani.
The five board members will address the cases of unconditional apology and contempt of court on 2 November 2009, while Hamid Shah Vs State Maghfoor (Latif Khosa Corruption) case will be taken on 6 November 2009.
The 13 judges who sought unconditional apology from the Supreme Court are justice (retired) Muhammad Afzal Soomro, Justice (retired) Tariq Shamim, Justice (retired) Maulvi Anwarul Haq, Justice (retired) Muhammad Khalid Alvi, Justice (retired) Muhammad Bilal Khan , Justice (retired) Dr Allama Khalid Mehmood, Justice (retired) Dr. Rashid Ahmad Jhalindri, Justice (retired) Mian Muhammad Najm-ul-Zaman, Justice (retired) Fazal Meeran Chohan, Justice (retired) Syed Sakhi Hussain Bokhari, Justice (retired) Syed Asghar Haider, Justice (retired) Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi (now Chief Justice of the northern areas of the Supreme Court) and Justice (Retired) Bin Yamin.
The 13 judges who were issued notices of contempt of court, but did not include an apology for justice (retired) Iftikhar Hussain Chaudhry, Justice (retired) Khursheed Anwar Bhinder, Justice (retired) Hamid Ali Shah, Justice (retired), Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry, Justice (retired) Hasnat Ahmad Khan, Justice (retired) Shabba Syed Raza Rizvi, Justice (retired) Akram Qureshi, Justice (retired) Yasmin Abbasi, Justice (retired) Hamid Farooq Durrani (now resigned), Justice (retired ) Maeroof Saeed Khan (now resigned), Justice (retired) Jahanzeb Raheem, Justice (retired) Zahid Hussain (now sitting judge of the Supreme Court) and Justice (retired) Abdul Hameed Dogar.
CJ Iftikhar Not to Hear Doggar Case was first posted on October 30, 2009 at 12:06 pm.
