All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff observing ‘Black Day’

Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff is observing ‘Black Day’ today in a protest against blockade of funds. Educational activities in the 72 universities countrywide will remain suspended and teachers against the cut-off in the budgets will stage protest.
HEC on the other hand says students and teachers, rejecting the protest against 4-year degree program under the new education system, have bought more than 26 thousand forms. HEC further says they are unhappy with the check-and-balance of the governing boards of the colleges and universities who want to have six figure salaries without even teaching a word.

LBs system, police order failed, observes CJ

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry observed that the local bodies system and new police order failed, saying that nobody wanted LBs polls today.
The CJ was hearing some identical petitions against 18th amendment on Wednesday. The court cannot strike down any clause of the constitution under which we (member of bench) took oath, however, the amendments after our oath could be brought under judicial review, the CJ observed. Justice Iftikhar maintained that the PCO judges reviewed the cases against PCO, adding that under the Supreme Judicial Council, we set code of ethics for the courts vis–vis constitutional amendment. Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday said in US Senate appoints judges but we need to take decisions in view of our ground realities. Chief Justice Chaudhry said the new systems always have flaws in them, adding that under the new police order around 97 accused escaped. He deplored lack of administration and infrastructure in the country regarding the post-flood affects. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa said the democratic countries across the globe appoint and sack judges, but sans denting judiciarys freedom.Punjab Advocate General Khawaja Harris argued that veto power of the parliamentary body has done away with the importance of the chief justice and judicial commission.

East Timor welcomes new Australian PM

DILI: East Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao on Friday welcomed new Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and thanked ousted leader Kevin Rudd for his “steadfast support”.

“The peoples of Australia and Timor-Leste share a strong and mature friendship which will continue under the new leadership of Prime Minister Gillard,” he said in a statement, using his country”s formal name.

“We look forward to working with her and her cabinet on critical matters that concern both our countries and the region.”

Gillard was appointed prime minister on Thursday after deposing Rudd as leader of the Labor party.

arizona law

Phoenix, Arizona – The new Arizona DUI Laws quietly took effect on September 26, 2008. The revised law has been so quiet that it has gone all but unnoticed in the media.
The new law piles on the amount of jail time for a first conviction for extreme DUI. Under the old law, a person convicted of having an alcohol concentration of .150 or greater would be sentenced to at least 30 days in jail. Of the 30 days, all but 10 days in jail could be suspended. This was the sentence that most people would get. No longer.
Now, under the new law, Judges are powerless to suspend any of the 30 day sentence. This means that the minimum jail sentence a person convicted of extreme DUI in Arizona will get is 30 days.
For second offense convictions it gets even worse. Now a judge must put the second offender in jail for 120 consecutive days. The Arizona legislature simply eliminated a judge’s ability to suspend 60 days.

full story………

President Zardari inks PIDE Bill 2010

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday gave assent to a bill giving degree-awarding status to the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE).

President Zardari, who inked the bill here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, hoped the institution would produce Ph.Ds, M.Phils and Masters in Economics and help the country in meeting the requirements of highly trained economists in public and private sectors.

He said a number of economists of international repute have been associated with PIDE and there is a need to recognize its merit and make it a degree awarding institution.

In his brief remarks, the President said the new law was a recognition of the strengths and capabilities of the institution and it had given it greater responsibilities.

The President was also appreciative of the Speaker National Assembly and Chairman Senate for the passage of important legislation.

Under the new law that has already been passed by the National Assembly and the Senate on January 18 and March 24, the main purpose of the institute is to provide for education and scholarships in such branches of knowledge as it may deem fit, and to make provision for research, service to society and for the application, advancement and dissemination of knowledge in such manner as it may determine.

Under the new bill the Institute shall have academic, financial and administrative autonomy, including the power to employ officers, teachers and other employees on such terms as may be prescribed, subject to the provision of this Act and the Higher Education Commission Ordinance, 2002.

President Zardari said PIDE was a world class center of teaching and research on economic development and wished the institution success in its new role as a degree awarding institution.

The President underlined the need for out of box solutions to achieve high rates of growth for Pakistan.

The needs of the country have increased with the rise in population from 45 million in 1970s to 170 million today, he said adding, “we should tap all our resources to meet aspirations of people.”

The President said the world is changing fast and the process of learning should continue from cradle to grave to meet new challenges.

The signing ceremony was attended among others by Deputy Speaker National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi, Federal Education Minister Sardar Aseff Ahmed Ali, parliamentarians and leading economists and academicians.

23 killed in Twin Iraq Attacks

BAGHDAD: Staggered explosions killed 23 people Wednesday including the governor of Anbar, Iraqi officials said, in the latest violence to roil a turbulent province that is still struggling to stamp out the remnants of the al-Qaida insurgency.

The western province of Anbar is strategically important because it was once the heartland of support for al-Qaida linked militants before American officials paid Iraqi fighters to join a pro-government force.

Police official Lt. Col. Imad al-Fahdawi said two bombs exploded in Anbar’s capital of Ramadi, 70 miles (115 kilometers) west of Baghdad. He says a suicide bomber in a car caused the first blast on the main road near the provincial administration buildings.

Gov. Qassim al-Fahdawi, the deputy police chief and other officials came to inspect the damage, the police official said, when a suicide bomber on foot detonated a vest full of explosives nearby.

The governor and deputy police chief were killed and other officials wounded, al-Fahdawi said. Police have put a curfew in place, he added.

“The leadership in the province have requested support from U.S. forces in response to the attacks near the provincial government center in Ramadi,” said military spokesman Lt. Col. Curtis Hill. He said American forces were helping evacuate casualties, establish security and forensic investigation.

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23 killed in Twin Iraq Attacks was first posted on December 30, 2009 at 5:31 pm.

Historic NFC Award Inked

GWADAR, Pakistan News: The Chief Ministers of four provinces on Wednesday signed the historic 7th National Finance Commission Award.

The ceremony at the picturesque Gwadar, in Balochistan province, was witnessed by Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and members of his cabinet.

The venue was specially chosen to reflect the desire of all the provinces to end years of deprivation of the largest province of the country.

The Award was inked by the finance ministers of the four provinces in the presence of Punjab Chief Minster Shahbaz Sharif, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti and Balochistan Chief Minister Aslam Raisani and Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin.

The new Award would come into effect from the next financial year and marks the agreement by all the federating units over the distribution of financial resources among the provinces of Pakistan by the federal government on annual basis.

Under the award the population will be given 82 percent weightage, poverty 10.3 percent, revenue collection 5 percent (2.5 percent revenue generation, 2.5 percent revenue collection) and area 2.7 percent.

Under the new NFC Award, the federation met the demand of the provincial government for a greater share in the national resources.

The provincial share of the divisible pool would increase from 47.5 percent to 56 percent in the first year of NFC and 57.5 percent in the remaining years of the Award.

Under the new formula, Punjab would get 51.74 percent from the divisible pool, Sindh 24.55 percent, NWFP 14.62 percent and Balochistan 9.09 percent.

In the new award Punjab has given up 1.27 percent, Sindh 0.39 percent and NWFP 0.26 percent, while Balochistan has gained.

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Historic NFC Award Inked was first posted on December 30, 2009 at 5:35 pm.

Obama signs Kerry-Lugar bill into law

WASHINGTON, US : President Barack Obama singed the Kerry-Lugar bill aimed at providing USD seven-and-half billion aid to Pakistan into law.

Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 – popular as Kerry-Lugar Bill – signed by the US President before the expiry of the mandatory 10 days time after it being sent to him, White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters during his daily press briefing.

Gibbs said that by signing the bill Obama “wants to help the people of Pakistan and the democratic government of the country.”

Under the new law, Pakistan will receive $1.5 billion per annum for next five years in terms of civilian aid from the US.

The US Congress yesterday issued an “explanatory statement” in an effort to placate the concerns of Pakistan on the aid bill which says that the legislation does not seek in any way to compromise Islamabad’s sovereignty and impinge on its security interests.

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Obama signs Kerry-Lugar bill into law was first posted on October 15, 2009 at 10:00 pm.