Martial law can bring order to Karachi: Pir Pagara

KARACHI:Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) Chief Pir Pagara on Saturday said that only a martial law or stern action against the perpetrators of violence in Karachi can put the city in order.

Speaking to the media after meeting Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and senior party leader Mushahid Hussain, Pagara also claimed that the current government will not complete its tenure due to rampant corruption.

PML-Q leader Mushahid Hussain stated that the countrys economy will not improve until law and order is restored in Karachi.

He also said the PML-Q had no plans to form its government in Punjab.

Earlier, Hussain had met with Awami National Party (ANP) provincial president, Shahi Syed at Mardan House, where he had criticised the government for failing to control the situation in the city. He also called on the government to take responsibility for the operation in Karachi.

Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani appointed new SC judge

ISLAMABAD:The Judicial commission, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, on Saturday appointed Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani as the new Supreme Court Judge.

Earlier, Justice Usmani had served as the Chief Justice for the Sindh High Court.Justice Musheer Alam has now been appointed as the Cheif Justice for the Sindh High Court.

The Judicial Commission has also recommended making the nine additional judges of the Sindh High Court permanent.

Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Ijaz Chaudhry, Federal Law Minister Babar Awan, Attorney General Molvi Anwarul Haq and Pakistan Bar Council representative Khalid Ranjhaattended the judicial commission meeting.

This is the first meeting since the approval of the 19th Amendment by the parliament, wherein nine members of the commission will participate.

The meeting had been summoned earlier by the chairman of the national judicial commission (NJC) for the appointment of judges in higher judiciary, Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, on January 15, but was postponed due to the murder of Justice Javed Iqbals parents.

Four million flood victims still homeless: Red Cross

The International Federation of Red Cross claims that more than four million people remain homeless six months after the devastating floods that hit the country last year.

The IFRC said in a statement that families remain in desperate condition without adequate shelter, and floodwater still engulf huge areas of land in Sindh.

Thousands of displaced families who have begun leaving camps and temporary shelters have returned to find that their homes are no longer inhabitable leading to a secondary wave of displacement.

Gocha Guchashvili, IFRC flood operations coordinator in Pakistan, said people have endured miserable conditions and they are returning home to almost nothing.

The IFRC is providing emergency relief to over two million people and is carrying out recovery programmes for the support of these returning people.

The attention of the world has moved on and much more will be needed to help people get back on their feet. Food security remains a major concern and support from the international community is vital. Without it, the survivors of this crisis will slide further into poverty, says Guchashvili.

According to their press release, the IFRC appeal of 130 million Swiss francs is currently 59 per cent covered; and full funding will allow it to support 130,000 families in their recovery over two years.

Catastrophic monsoon rains that swept through the country in July and August affected 21 million people and destroyed 1.7 million homes.

Illegal wealth: NAB yet to reopen 14 cases against Sharifs

LAHORE:The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is yet to revive 14 cases against the Sharif brothers, their family members and bureaucrats associated with them, The Express Tribune learnt on good authority.

Meanwhile, the Punjab chapter of the anti-corruption watchdog has 11 dormant cases, while the Rawalpindi bureau of NAB has also not been able to reopen three references against top PML-N leaders, including ones concerning defaults on payment of loans by the Ittefaq Foundries, the Hudaibiya Paper Mills and Raiwind assets.

All of these cases have been dormant since Nawaz Sharif and his family were exiled in 2000.

Sources said that allegations against the Sharif brothers included amassing wealth and assets through illegal means, abuse of power, bank defaults, illegal plot allotment and land acquisition, import of luxury vehicles without import duty payment, using public funds for personal benefit, tax evasion, transfer of money through fake accounts to foreign countries and concealing valuable assets in and out of the country while filing details of their assets with the Election Commission of Pakistan.

A NAB official said that the 11 cases were called MNS cases by NAB Punjab functionaries.

Sources told this correspondent that during executive board meetings held under former NAB Punjab director-general Maj-Gen Nasir Mahmood and Maj (retd) Shahnawaz Badar, these cases were discussed, but no written remarks were recorded.

Relevant NAB officials were verbally advised to finalisethese cases and wait for further orders, the sources said.

NAB Punjab Director A&P and spokesperson Atiqur Reh! man said cases against Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif are yet to be revived by the bureaus headquarters in Islamabad. We have not yet received any such instructions.

Only the NAB chief can authorise the launching of an inquiry or filing of a reference in accountability courts.

In May last year, an accountability court in Rawalpindi had rejected NABs plea to reopen three pending corruption references against the Sharif brothers because the document did not bear NAB chiefs signatures.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2011.

Pakistan Sovereignty Act 2010: NA panel rejects bill

ISLAMABAD:The National Assemblys Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs on Friday rejected a proposed bill which required the president to certify annually that the countrys nuclear programme had not been compromised.

The bill called Pakistan Sovereignty Act of 2010 was moved by the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q). The proposed law would protect and preserve the sovereignty of Pakistan, according to the draft bill.

It required the president to certify to the parliament, annually, that no compromise has been made on the security or effectiveness of the nuclear programme, no understanding has been reached with any foreign country for interference in the change of command or promotions in the Pakistan Armed Forces or in the structure or rule of the security forces of Pakistan and no conditionality has been accepted from any source to weaken the defence of Pakistan against foreign aggression.

The bill was tabled in the National Assembly by senior PML-Q lawmaker Riaz Hussain Pirzada last year in response to the US Kerry-Lugar-Berman Act, which the opposition parties criticised as intrusive.

The US law is meant for providing $7.5 billion non-military aid to Pakistan over the next five years. However, it attaches certain conditions, including annual certification by the US Secretary of State to the Congress, that the economic assistance is not diverted to Pakistans nuclear programme.

The proposed Pakistan Sovereignty Act was referred to the foreign affairs committee which met behind closed doors at the foreign office to scrutinise it.

The meeting, chaired by Awami National Party President Asfandyar Wali, chairman of the committee, rejected the bill saying that all government functionaries, including the pre! sident, are bound under law to protect and preserve the sovereignty of the country.

There is no need for any separate legislation, observed Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who presented the governments view on the issue in the meeting.

Qureshi said the government would never compromise on national security, including the countrys nuclear programme.

We will maintain our minimum credible nuclear deterrence, the foreign minister was quoted as saying by one of the committee members.

Dr Dunya Aziz, PML-Q legislator and one of the signatories of the proposed bill, said the meeting was called on short notice which is why her party members could not attend the committees proceedings.

We could have defended our point of view much better had other members of our party attended the meeting, Dunya told The Express Tribune.

The committee feels that there is no need of a separate law on the issue, but my feeling is the bill has not been rejected outright, she argued.

However, a member of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party insisted the proposed law had been rejected.

There was no official word on the committees proceedings.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2011.

PCO judges case: Call for truce

ISLAMABAD:Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry is rendering a great service for the country and Justices Shabbar Raza Rizvi and Hasnat Ahmad Khan would like to work with him. Dr Abdul Basit, counsel for PCO judges submitted in the Supreme Court on Friday.

Corrupt officials fear the Chief Justice next to God, Dr Basit submitted before the four-member larger bench of the apex court headed by Justice MA Shahid Siddiqui, and comprising Justice Jawad S Khawaja, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Pervez. The counsel hinted his clients were willing to drop the case as long as they escape prosecution.

Defence lawyers of other PCO judges manoeuvring for delays in court proceedings by reeling off objections and contesting the new precedents set by the Supreme Court were caught off guard when Dr Basit laid down his arms and called for truce.

We should work to improve the decorum of the court. Anyone violating the Constitution must be tried, including generals. No one has ever challenged martial law but on November 3, 2007 for the first time in the history of the country, the Supreme Court took a stand when seven of its judges gave the verdict against the imposition of emergency, the counsel maintained.

But a few judges supported a usurper and took oath under the PCO, Justice Siddiqui observed.

There were those who put up a resistance and confronted the dictator, Dr Basit said in his conciliatory remarks.

When did your clients come to know of the decision of the seven-member bench a! nd what did they do about it? Justice Khawaja asked the counsel.

The decision was faxed to my clients according to my information. They did not receive the original copy of the restraining order, the counsel responded. The Registrar was to dispatch the original but he was busy in the oath taking ceremony.

A fast is not considered broken if someone drinks water by mistake, Dr Basit added. Mistakes may be rectified, Justice Khawaja observed.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2011.

Nisar wants PM to scrap lodges plan

ISLAMABAD:Opposition leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Friday directed an austerity plea to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, asking him to scrap a cash-guzzling project for parliamentarians.

In the second phase of Parliament Lodges, family suites over an area of four acres and servant quarters over an area of 1.4 acres are to be constructed at a staggering cost of Rs2.9 billion.

Such projects place extra burden on the economy already reeling from many shocks, said Chaudhry Nisar in a written appeal to the premier.

He called for diverting hefty sums of money that would otherwise be spent on building palatial residences for parliamentarians to some public welfare scheme. He pointed out that many people displaced by last years floods were still without a roof. Gilani vowed to respond to the letter once he received it.

It may be mentioned that the projects PC-1 was given clearance by the Ecnec this month.

Under the plan, the scheme will be completed in 36 months. Some 104 family suites are to be constructed in the second phase of Parliament Lodges which will have a huge parking space and separate gyms for men and women.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2011.

Politics of Watan Cards distribution enters SHC

KARACHI:The Sindh High Court Friday directed the Deputy Attorney General and Advocate General Sindh to file comments of respondents on petition challenging the non-issuance of Watan Cards to flood affected people.

A division bench, comprising Justice Mushir Alam & Justice Syed Zakir Hussain, was hearing the petition filed by Abdul Razzaq and other IDPs belonging to district Thatta.

They submitted that the government had received foreign grants for rehabilitation and assistance of affectees in flood-hit areas but was not issuing them financial aid to rebuild houses, cultivate agricultural lands, as NADRA authorities deleted their names from lists entitling the affectees to get financial compensation through Watan Cards.

They submitted that the provision of food and financial compensation to survivors in rustic areas of the province was the duty of the provincial government, but authorities on political grounds were not attending to them.

They called on the respondents to give financial assistance to IDPs, rehabilitate their houses and agricultural lands without political discrimination.

On Friday, their counsel moved a miscellaneous application seeking urgent hearing of the petition in view of the gravity of the IDP situation.

Allowing the urgency application, the SHC ordered, Let notice be issued to respondents as well as DAG. Officials present need not to appear in person, however, they are directed to file their comments either through DAG or AG Sindh.

Tribesmen rally against US drone attacks

MIRANSHAH:Hundreds of tribesmen on Friday rallied to demand an end to US drone attacks which they said were killing innocent people in the tribal areas, witnesses said.

More than 1,000 protesters staged the demonstration in Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan district, shouting slogans against the United States and its Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), responsible for the missile attacks.

Killer, killer, CIA killer, Stop drone attacks and Americas friends are traitors, shouted the crowd.

The United States does not confirm drone attacks, but its military and the Central Intelligence Agency operating in Afghanistan are the only forces that deploy the unmanned aircraft in the region.

In 2010 the campaign doubled missile attacks in the tribal area with around 100 drone strikes killing more than 650 people, according to an AFP tally.

Addressing Fridays rally, a member of a local political committee, Sarfraz Khan, denounced the drone attacks for killing innocent people including women and children, and said that if it did not stop he would launch a long march to Islamabad in protest.

Washington says wiping out the militant threat in Pakistans semi-autonomous tribal belt is crucial to winning the nine-year war against the Taliban in Afghanistan and defeating al Qaeda.

Militant networks in North Waziristan are accused of escalating the nine-year war in Afghanistan and US officials want Pakistan to launch a ground offensive in the district to limit the militancy threat.

Pakistan tacitly co-operates with the bombing campaign, which US officials believe has severely weakened al Qaedas leadership, but has ! stalled on launching a ground offensive in North Waziristan, saying its troops are overstretched.

Indian forces fire across border in Sialkot

SIALKOT:Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) on Friday violated the working boundary in Bajwat Sector, Sialkot.

According to Express News correspondent, Abid Ali Malik, the Indian BSF fired across the boundary between 3am and 4am earlier this morning, creating panic among residents.Villagers along the Bajwat Sector came out of their homes and took shelter due to the intense shooting.

Sources said four mortars were also fired from across the boundary. Pakistan Rangers retaliated to the Indian shooting. However, there are no reports of casualties in the incident.

World Bank approves loan, grant for Pakistan

WASHINGTON:The World Bank has approved a $250 million loan and a $35 million grant for Pakistan to help vulnerable communities in areas rocked by conflict.

The loan announced Thursday aims to bolster Pakistans recovery efforts in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) province and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). The grant, meanwhile, will be co-financed by the Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF), the Washington-based international development lender said.

This combined support comes at a critical juncture in order to assist the poor and vulnerable households to cope with income shock due to militancy crises in KP and FATA, the bank added.

These areas have been hit by conflict for about a decade between the Pakistan army and groups believed close to al Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban.

Nabeel Gabol takes back his resignation

ISLAMABAD:Minister of State for Ports and Shipping, Nabeel Gabol, who had resigned from his cabinet post on Tuesday, took back his resignation after he met Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in Islamabad on Friday.

Nabeel Gabol had called on the prime minister and the prime minister had assured him of the redressal of his grievances.

Gabol had resigned from his cabinet post saying that he was quitting because he felt powerless in taking important decisions within his ministry and that he was unable to address the issues of his constituency.

Sources said that Gabol stepped down in protest against a massive operation by Rangers and police commandos in Orangi Town and a possible crackdown in his home constituency of Lyari.

However, a one-line handout by the media office of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani attributed the decision to unspecified personal reasons.

Gabol, a close confidant of President Asif Ali Zardari and a central leader of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). His residence in Karachi was also allegedly raided by police after his resignation.

There have been several incidents in the recent past where ministers and lawmakers have resigned from the slot they hold, only to be convinced by their parties or the government to rethink their decision.

Afghan refugees: Gearing up for resuming voluntary repatriation

ISLAMABAD: The government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has started gearing up for the resumption of voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees.

In a meeting held on Thursday between representatives of the ministry of states and frontier regions and UNHCR, the formation of sub-committees was announced as part of the governments strategy. A multidimensional strategy has been established for the management and repatriation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, which houses approximately 1.6 million of them.

The strategy includes extending the validity of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards for Afghans until the end of 2012 and also extends the Tripartite Commission Agreement for another three years, to maintain the voluntary nature of the ongoing repatriation in line with the security situation and capacity of Afghanistan to absorb returning refugees.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2011.

PCO judges case: Generals should also be tried for treason, says attorney

ISLAMABAD:The seven judges who passed the restraining order on November 3, 2007 will also have to stand in the witness box for cross-examination if the court does not halt proceedings against PCO judges, contended Dr Abdul Basit, counsel for Justices Shabbar Raza Rizvi and Hasnat Ahmad Khan, in the Supreme Court on Thursday.

This would be against the court decorum, said Dr Basit, resuming his arguments before the four-member larger bench of the apex court, headed by Justice MA Shahid Siddiqui, and comprising Justice Jawad S Khawaja, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Pervez.

Dr Basit has petitioned the court to serve notices on the corps commanders and Army generals who supported the imposition of emergency on November 3 by former president Pervez Musharraf. He has appealed to the court to halt proceedings till the notices have been issued.

The judges were not the only ones to commit contempt of court. The Chief of the Army Staff, corps commanders and civil authorities are also guilty of the offence. Why were they not served contempt of court notices? he asked rhetorically.

The judges will be handcuffed if convicted and they will be imprisoned for six months in Class C. As convicts, they would still be judges. The court should conduct contempt of court proceedings against PCO judges after revoking their status under article 209 of the Constitution, the counsel submitted. If the proceedings continue, it will be an insult to the judges as well as to the court.

We have the courage to face criticism, Justice Jawad S Khawaja remarked. Had it been otherwise, I would have been in Adiala Jail, Dr ! Basit re sponded.

Let the world see that the Supreme Court of Pakistan is not scared of the Army and it may try the Army Chief and corps commanders on mutiny charges, the counsel argued.

Dr Basit appeared before the bench after former chief justice Abdul Hameed Dogars counsel, Ibrahim Satti had concluded his arguments. The court adjourned the case till today (Friday).

The cases of eight sitting judges are being heard for taking oath under the provisional constitutional order issued by former president Pervez Musharraf on November 3, 2007. They are Justice Syed Zahid Hussain, Justice Khurshid Anwar Bhinder, Justice Hamid Ali Shah, Justice Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry, Justice Hasnat Ahmad Khan, Justice Syed Shabbar Raza Rizvi, Justice Yasmin Abassi and Justice Jahan Zaib Rahim.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2011.

Action against Karachi violence: Govt pleads ignorance on Orangi operation

KARACHI:

In a remarkable turn of events, the governments top civilian security chiefs on Thursday declared ignorance regarding the massive operation launched by paramilitary forces in Karachis troubled Orangi Town.

The operation, on its first day on Monday, saw over 400 people arrested in pre-dawn raids by some 700 personnel of the Pakistan Rangers Sindh.

Somewhat taken aback by the authorities supposed ignorance, a Rangers brigadier said the paramilitary unit comes under the Ministry of Interior and no operation could be launched without the ministrys knowledge. Everyone, including the home ministry is consulted and obviously involved, he said.

Earlier in the day, Sindh home minister Zulfikar Mirza, the provinces security chief, told the Sindh Assembly that he was not consulted on the Orangi operation. In fact, he also added that even the chief minister and Capital City Police Office were not aware of the raids.

While that assertion left some lawmakers baffled, a subsequent statement by federal security chief, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, bordered extraordinary.

I agree completely with what Dr Zulfiqar Mirza said because neither I, nor the authorities, know anything about the action to which he is referring, Malik told the media.

The interior minister said that these things could have happened after the police and Rangers were given the power to follow-up on any information that they have.

I was in the UAE when this action took place and we will not allow such an incident to happen again. We will make sure that in any operation carried out by the police or Rangers, the authorities will remain subservi! ent to t he Sindh authorities, chief minister and the home minister, Malik said.

About the target killings in the city, Malik said the killers were planning to target senior leadership of the MQM, ANP and PPP. There were three major incidents that were avoided, one such incident involved an improvised device plus firing in the Sindh Assembly. I personally called the MPs and directed them on how to manage the situation, he said, adding that they planned to attack some journalists.

It doesnt matter if they are from South Africa or Bajaur or Balochistan, they all have the same agenda: to break down Pakistan, to destabilise us, he said.

Amidst all the confusion, a Pakistan Rangers major said the process is pretty straightforward. The provincial government sends a request to the Ministry of Interior, which then directs Rangers to go in aid of the police. Also, if prior orders are given to Rangers by the ministry that it must act whenever called in by the provincial government, then it follows those directives whenever such a request is sent, he said.

The major said the current game being played was nothing but political point scoring. He said they should have known that Rangers would act impartially in an operation and would pick up any criminal no matter what political affiliation they have. Their vote bank gets affected by such operations, so its very convenient that theyre putting the blame on us, he said.

Meanwhile, SP Orangi Khurram Warid toldThe Express Tribunethat the number of suspects held in the on-going operation had exceeded 100. He said he wasnt acting on his own. Obviously, the police officers are carrying out the operation after being given orders by the CCPO and PPO, he said. He added that the operation was expected to end by 31st January.

Earlier on Thursday, the Supreme Court also commented on the volatile situation in Karachi. During a hearing of the Hajj scam case, the Chief Justice of Pakistan Ifthikar Muhammad Chaudhry said the violence in the city had claimed ! the live s of at least 75 people in the past month alone.

The court questioned why key posts in the city were being awarded on a contractual basis, including that of Sindhs Inspector General.

Meanwhile, the Sindh government has decided to convene an all-parties conference on January 26 to tackle outbreaks of violence in the city.

PPP and MQM leaders met at the CM House in Karachi and decided to from a sub-committee to discuss and resolve issues between the two parties. The members of the committee will be nominated soon.

The meeting was jointly chaired by Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan and Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah.

WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY HAFIZ TUNIO

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2011.

US sanctions 'deadliest' Pakistani Taliban leader

WASHINGTON: The US has imposed sanctions on "the deadliest" Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader Qari Hussain to stem the flow of finances to the terrorist group behind many lethal suicide bombings throughout Pakistan.

Hussain has been designated by the secretary of state Hillary Clinton under executive order 13224 "which targets terrorists and their supporters", the state department announced Thursday.

"This action will help stem the flow of finances to Hussain by blocking all property subject to US jurisdiction in which Hussain has an interest and prohibiting all transactions by US persons with Hussain," it said.

TTP has previously been designated under the same order and as a foreign terrorist organization.

"Qari Hussain is one of TTP's top lieutenants and also serves as the trainer and organizer of the group's suicide bombers," the state department said.

"Training camps organized by Hussain are notorious for recruiting and training men of all ages as suicide bombers, and Hussain has gained particular notoriety for his heavy recruitment of children.

"Widely considered to be the deadliest of all TTP's commanders, Hussain and the TTP have taken responsibility for many lethal suicide bombings throughout Pakistan," it said

Such attacks have included a November 2009 car bomb in Peshawar, Pakistan; two attacks on Pakistani government offices in Lahore; a September 2010 attack on a rally in Quetta that killed at least 54 people; a second September 2010 attack on a Shia procession in Lahore, which killed 33; and a September 2010 car bomb in Lakki Marwat, Pakistan, that killed at least 17 people, including four children.

Hussain, the department said, is also believed to have trained the Jordanian militant Humam Muhammad Abu Mulal al-Balawi - the double-agent whose suicide mission Dec 30, 2009, in Khost, Afghanistan, killed seven Americans.

"Today's designation of Qari Hussain is in response to the wanton acts of! violenc e he has perpetrated against the people of Pakistan and United States," state department's coordinator for counterterrorism Daniel Benjamin said.

"Hussain's sponsored operations have had a destabilizing effect on the region and his use of children to carry out suicide bombings is abhorrent," he said.

"This case illustrates our continued resolve to undermine TTP senior leaders' planning and coordination capabilities."

IHC dismisses petition seeking end to Qadri's trial

ISLAMABAD:The Islamabad High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking to end the trial of Malik Mumtaz Qadri, the assassin of former Governor of Punjab Salmaan Taseer.

Express 24/7 correspondent Sabur Ali reported that the petition filed by Advocate Zafar Awan read that Pakistani law states that capital punishment will be handed to those who blaspheme and it is under this law that Qadris trial should not continue.

The court rejected the petition stating that even if someone has blasphemed, no one is allowed to take the law into their own hand.

A second petition asking to cancel the First Information Report (FIR) against Qadri was also rejected by the court.

The hearing for the case of the former governors assassination will be heard in-camera at Adiyala Jail on January 24.

52% of Pakistanis believe media is source of awareness

ISLAMABAD:A survey conducted by Gilani Research Foundation, which carried out by Gallup Pakistan on Thursday revealed that more than half (52 per cent) of all Pakistanis consider media to be a source of awareness, while 29 per cent believed otherwise.

In the survey, a sample of men and women from across the country were asked the following question:

Some people believe that the media creates constructive awareness amongst the public through dramas, talk shows and other programs, while others are of the opinion that the media does not influence traditions, Life styles and beliefs. What is your point of view?

Fifty two per cent believed that media has a valuable effect on culture. Whereas, 29 per cent said that it left no impact on their lives. A considerable 19 per cent gave no comments because they were unsure.

The recent survey was carried out among a sample of 2,754 men and women in rural and urban areas of all four provinces of the country, during January 2011.

A detailed analysis of the survey showed that the responses were different in urban and rural areas. It showed that 59 per cent of urbanities were of the opinion that the media creates a positive impact on society where as, only 49 per cent of their rural counterparts believed the statement to be true.

Top al Qaeda leader personally beheaded Daniel Pearl

WASHINGTON:A recently completed reportinto the killing of the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter, Daniel Pearl has confrimed the accused Khalid Sheikh Mohammad as the murderer.

DespiteKhalids admissionto killing Pearl in 2007, there were doubts regarding his involvement. Khalid, who describes himself as the mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Centre is being held at the US detention centre in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, but the United States had not charged him with the crime.

A video of the slaying was distributed online nearly a month after Pearl was abducted, but the face of the killer who slit his throat was not visible.

I decapitated with my blessed right hand the head of the American Jew,Daniel Pearl, in the city of Karachi,Pakistan, Khalid said, according to a Pentagon transcript released nearly four years ago. For those who would like to confirm, there are pictures of me on the internet holding his head.

The new report prepared by faculty members and students at Georgetown University says that US officials have now concluded that vascular technology, or vein matching, shows that the hand of the unseen man who killed Pearl is that of Khalid. The report erases any doubts that Khalid personally carried out the beheading.

ISPR denies Mullah Omar's treatment in Karachi

An Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) spokesman dismissed reports on Thursday that Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar was treated in Karachi for a heart attack.

The spokesman strongly contradicted the news item that appeared in local and international media about the medical treatment of the spiritual leader of the insurgency.He said that news is unfounded and concocted to serve vested interests.

Earlier, an international newspaper claimedthat Mullah Omar had a heart attack on the January 7 and was treated in Karachi with the help of intelligence service.

The US daily said Mullah Omar had stayed at the hospital for around four days and was later discharged.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Taliban have also dismissed the reports as baseless claims.

Sacked employees attack KESC office

KARACHI:Dismissed employees of the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) staged a protest in Karachi on Thursday against their lay-offs.

They attacked the KESC office near Gizri area, demanding their immediate reinstatement.

KESC laid off over 4,000 workers on Wednesday, under a cost-cutting drive to make the utility financially viable.

A company press release put it as the elimination of a number of its [KESCs] non-core and redundant functions.

KESC Spokesperson, Ayesha Arabi told a private TV channel that these employees were offered a golden handshake.

Arabi claims they were offerred to take their retirement voluntarily however, they declined it.

The fired employees include sanitary workers, security guards, bill distributors, attendants and drivers. The company announced that non-core office jobs have been outsourced. At the same time, other positions such as petrol pump attendant, office time keeper, junior office attendant, daftari and typist have been abolished.

PPP leadership: Accused of appeasing religious right

ISLAMABAD:Leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) are said to have ridiculed the current leadership of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and accused it of abandoning its original moderate and progressive role,sources said.

During a meeting of delegations of the two parties on Wednesday to discuss pressing economic issues, PML-Q leaders said that the PPP instead of moving a joint resolution condemning the retrogressive mindset, bowed before them and withdrew it altogether.

PML-Q leaders are also said to have made sarcastic remarks about doing away with PPPs original ideology to appease the religious right.

One PML-Q leader said the party had transformed to such an extent that one cannot differentiate between policies adopted by the Ziaul Haq regime and the present PPP government.

They also expressed chagrin at a statement attributed to the federal interior minister, Rehman Malik, according to which he had said that he would kill anyone who was found to be involved in blasphemy.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20th, 2011.

Earthquake: Over 200 mud houses damaged in Dalbandin

QUETTA/ISLAMABAD:The 7.2-magnitude earthquake that rocked Pakistan early Wednesday morning has damaged over 200 mud houses in Dalbandin but no casualties have been reported so far.

Earlier, the US Geological Survey reported that a magnitude 7.4 magnitude earthquake had struck southwestern Pakistan, but later downgraded it to one with an intensity of 7.2 on the Richter scale. The depth of the quake was initially calculated at 6.3 miles, but was later revised to 52.2 miles.

Assistant Commissioner of Dalbandin Tufail Baloch told The Express Tribune that more than 200 mud houses had either collapsed or were partially damaged in Dalbandin, a city of 25,000 souls.

Some of the damaged structures were government offices. No casualties were reported but the offices of deputy commissioner, assistant commissioner, anti-narcotics force and Levies Station Dalbandin were partially damaged, he said.

The city, situated in Chagai district, is 34 miles from where the quake struck at 1:23am local time. Chagai, populated by around 300,000 people, is Balochistans largest district in area.

Total damage, however, is yet to be ascertained. A survey is being conducted toassess the damage and it
may be that other townships were affected as well, Baloch said.

Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durrani confirmed that there were no reported casualties but said that more than 250 tents and blankets had been dispatched to Dalbandin. However, a C-130 flight carrying relief items for victims was cancelled due to inclement weather.

The temperature has dropped to a negative in Dalbandin and people are still outside their houses, reside! nt Hyder Aajiz told The Express Tribune by phone. No relief work has so far been started and people are afraid of staying indoors, he said.

Two army helicopters and a small aircraft are currently on standby in Quetta with three medical teams to be deployed on short notice.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Chairman NDMA General Nadeem Ahmad said that all flights had been grounded because of bad weather but said he hoped that relief goods could be sent out by Thursday morning.

Later, Prime Minster Yousaf Raza Gilani, during his meeting with the chairman on Wednesday, finalised a contingency plan and asked the NDMA to rush relief items, including medicines.

A report compiled by the metrological department shows that, from 1902 to September 2010, there have been 6,849 earthquakes ranging from low to high intensity in the Pakistan region. The most powerful earthquake on record was in 1945 along the Makran coast. Its intensity was 8.3 on the Richter scale. It caused a tsunami in the Arabian Sea killing more than 4,000 people.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20th, 2011.

Case study: Afghans cut a better deal on copper deposits

ISLAMABAD:War-torn Afghanistan cut a much better deal with a Chinese company to exploit its copper reserves than what its neighbour Pakistan could manage to pull off with respect to the Reko Diq copper-and-gold reserves.

Afghanistan floated international tenders for Aynak copper mine adjacent to Balochistan which attracted bids from 200 large companies. China Metallurgical Group Corporation eventually clinched the deal. The agreement stipulated that the refining process be carried out in Afghanistan.

The value of the agreement Kabul concluded with the Chinese company was $2.9 billion. The Afghan government set the rules of engagement when signing the agreement despite the bad law and order situation in the country. It made the Chinese firm accept all the terms to protect Afghanistans national interest.

On the other hand, the Balochistan government did not invite any international tenders for the high-value gold reserves nor did it demand a higher share. Instead, it agreed to all the conditions set forth by the foreign company and kept the deal under wraps.

The Afghan government invited tenders for its copper reserves in 2007 and the Chinese firm secured the deal in 2008 under which 240 million tons of unexploited copper deposits were given to it on a 30-year lease. The Chinese firm paid $880 million to the Afghan government upfront.

The conditions of the agreement included details such as how many Chinese and Afghan workers will be employed on the project. The Chinese firm has started work on the project in July last year.

A report issued in 2009 stated that only 70 Chinese engineers were working alongside 3,000 Afghan miners. The agreement cla! rified t hat the Afghan government will maintain a strict monitoring system on all exploration, mining and refining work.

According to a report, the foreign firm has been mining in Reko Diq for the last two years. The reserves of Reko Diq span over an area of 300 to 350 kilometres. Tethyan company has only explored an area of seven to eight kilometres. According to the report, the agreements made by the company in other countries are also being reviewed. It has emerged that there are big differences between the set of conditions agreed to in the contracts with other countries and the one concluded with Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20th, 2011.

Four-year tally: Stolen containers could be over 15,000'

KARACHI:The Federal Tax Ombudsmans report on containers scam highlights the gross inefficiency, maladministration and corruption within the notorious customs department of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

The report, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, repeatedly stresses that although its focus was on the [International Security Assistance Force (Isaf)] containers scam, the real issue is the ongoing large-scale loot and plunder in the garb of the Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) agreement.

Some of the key findings in the report are that at least 7,922 transit containers were pilfered within Pakistan during the lastfour years. This conservative estimate was based on containers that did the impossible task of completing the Karachi-Afghanistan-Karachi round trip in less than eight days. It said that if one extrapolated the size of the problem on the basis of the more probable 10-day round trip, the number of containers stolen en-route would work out to 15,314. The loss to the exchequer on account of 7,922 containers would be at least Rs19 billion, and for 15,314 containers Rs37 billion.

It lambasts the quality of data maintained by the Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL), a private company owned and managed by FBR, used to monitor the Isaf containers and says it is highly unreliable. The data of National Logistics Cell was also termed seriously flawed. It questioned why a separate automated system used to clear the US military cargo that was relatively less prone to pilferage wasnt being used.

It said the senior management of customs failed to take necessary steps to put in pla! ce appro priate countermeasures against repeatedly occurring scams and cited four mega scams of containers in the recent past as examples.

The report said in some instances like the Lunar case, the collector who had failed to prevent wrong clearance of 52 containers laden with liquor was made part of the fact finding committee, to frustrate the course of investigation by Director General Intelligence and Investigation.

The modus operandi in these mega scams remains the same; fake / forged documents, primitive and manual clearance and processing systems, wide discretion in the hands of unscrupulous customs officials, lack of transparency and ineffective accountability, involvement of seniors otherwise responsible for oversight, it said.

The report quotes a knowledgeable person dealing with imports as saying that over 80 per cent of his business over the last one year had shifted to smuggling-related ATT regime. Businessmen told the office of the ombudsman that at least 10 per cent of ATT containers were not actually reaching Afghanistan, while at the extreme end of the spectrum it was said that the ratio could be as high as 40 per cent.

The report doesnt name any individuals and instead says that another criminal investigation team will be formed to find those responsible. A source within the ombudsman office said the task was going to be extremely difficult as some officials were claiming that their signatures on documents were not theirs and it would need forensics expertise.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20th, 2011.

Belt tightening: KESC fires 4,000 staffers

KARACHI:The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) sacked more than 4,000 of its employees on Wednesday.

A company press release put it as the elimination of a number of its [KESCs] non-core and redundant functions.

The company had announced a voluntary separation scheme (VSS) for non-management and non-technical staff on December 31, 2010. The scheme, which offered a minimum guaranteed payout of Rs700,000 to each employee, expired on January 15. A KESC official requesting anonymity confirmed that the scheme received a lukewarm response. The scheme was targeted at office staff and workmen, including drivers, office attendants, security guards and janitors. Explaining the rationale behind the scheme, the official said: KESC has accumulated heavy losses over the past decade and rationalising the workforce and controlling expenditures relating to human resources will help curb them in the future.

Collective bargaining agents and union leaders had rallied against the scheme until the company obtained a stay order from Sindh High Court against them. Consequently, most employees opted against the voluntary separation scheme. KESC spokesperson Amir Abbasi confirmed that the retrenchment orders are effective immediately.

More than 4,000 employees who have now been sacked by KESC will not be entitled to the benefits that were in the offing under the VSS. Instead, these employees will be paid all their statutory dues along with one months salary, which is significantly below the offer made earlier. According to the official statement, the KESC board of di! rectors has endorsed the decision along with orders that the management should focus on core technical functions of the company and outsource non-core functions to third-party service providers who specialise in these tasks.

Generally, after the companys privatisation and particularly in the last two years, the management took a serious note of its colossal losses impacting its financial health, concluding that over-staffing, duplication of work, overlapping and redundant non-core job roles are a substantial contributory factor to the financial ill-health of the company, stated a notice issued by KESC on Wednesday. The workers fired under the retrenchment plan include regular cadres in regular service, those employed temporarily or on contract as well as some daily wage-earners on special assignments.

The company has announced that non-core office jobs, such as those of office assistant, sanitary work and crane operators have been outsourced. At the same time, other positions such as petrol pump attendant, office time keeper, junior office attendant, daftari and typist have been abolished.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20th, 2011.

Nabil Gabol's house raided by police

KARACHI:Minister of State for ports and shipping and senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Nabil Gabols house in Karachi was raided late Wednesday evening and his security guards were arrested.

Speaking to the media from an undisclosed location, Gabol said the raid had been conducted to arrest him in order to prevent him from addressing a press conference tomorrow.

Speaking to Express 24/7, Nabils brother Sarfaraz said that twelve police mobiles had raided the Defence residence.

Sources have also said that Gabols name has also been put on the Exit Control List (ECL).

Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Fayyaz Leghari denied that a raid had taken place.

Earlier, Gabol had sent his resignation to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.

Express 24/7 correspondent Sumaira Khan reports that Gabol resigned due to the management of ministerial affairs. Gabol also had some issues with Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Babar Khan Ghauri, claimed sources.

Gabol has reportedly said that he had not been given due share of authority in the ministry.

Gabol was elected to the National Assembly from Lyari Town, Karachi in 2008.

Nabil Gabol resigns from ministry of ports & shipping

KARACHI:Minister of State for ports and shipping and senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Nabil Gabol resigned on Wednesday.

Express 24/7 correspondent Sumaira Khan reports that Gabol resigned due to the management of ministerial affairs. Gabol also had some issues with Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Babar Khan Ghauri, claimed sources.

Gabol has reportedly said that he had not been given due share of authority in the ministry.

Gabol was elected to the National Assembly from Lyari Town, Karachi in 2008.

7.2 magnitude earthquake jolts Pakistan, no casualties, minor damage

KARACHI:A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck southwestern Pakistan, the US Geological Survey reported early Wednesday morning.

Residents of cities as far as far apart as New Delhi and Dubai, but doing little damage to the sparsely populated region.

The earthquake hit Karachi, Hyderabad, Quetta, Jaffarabad, while tremors were felt in Lahore and Sargodha.

The quake was more than 80 km (50 miles) underground, close to the town of Dalbandin in Balochistan province, near the Afghan and Iranian frontiers, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Akbar Durrani, interior secretary of Balochistan province, said there were no reports of casualties. There has been partial damage to house in villages near Dalbandin but there were no casualties, he told Reuters.

Naeem Shah, head of Dalbandin police, said he had no reports of any injuries or deaths. There were no human losses, Shah said. The walls of a few houses and offices collapsed but there are no reports of any casualties.

The US agency revised an initial estimate that the quake was very shallow ranging at 7.4, and said it probably centred at a depth of 52 miles (83 km), 55 km (34 miles) west of Dalbandin, a town of about 15,000 people.

Poor communications delayed reports from the remote area but despite the strength of the shock, its depth seems to have limited damage. The USGS had first said the earthquake was much shallower.

Residents in major cities as far apart as the Indian capital New Delhi and the Gulf emirate of Dubai said they felt tremors, as did people in Karachi, although there were no early reports there of damage or injuries.

In Quetta, 330 km (205 miles) northeast of the epicentre, a woman died at a hospital from a heart attac! k follow ing the quake, hospital officials said. In Karachi, 400 km (250 miles) away, people rushed from their homes as the quake hit.

I felt like my bed was shaking. I got up and ran to check the children, said Masooma Rizvi. It was very scary. I have never felt anything like this before.

The Pacific Tsunami Center said the quake had not triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean.

A major quake of this magnitude is capable of causing widespread and heavy damage.

The distance of the epicentre to known locations is:

55 km (34 miles) W (271) from Dalbandin, Pakistan
263 km (164 miles) W (269) from Kalat, Pakistan
301 km (187 miles) ESE (102) from Zahedan, Iran
793 km (493 miles) NE (41) from MUSCAT, Oman

On October 8, 2005, a 7.6 magnitude quake 95 km northeast of Islamabad killed over 70,000 people.

A major quake of this magnitude, if at a shallow depth and close to population centres, is capable of causing widespread and heavy damage and could pose fresh strains on Pakistan following the devastating floods last year which left more than 10 million people homeless.

American security guards for Zardari's security

ISLAMABAD: In the wake of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer's assassination by his police guard, the Pakistan government is considering a proposal to bring in special security guards from the US for President Asif Ali Zardari, according to a media report today.

While Zardari's security has always been cause of "serious concern" for authorities, the government is also mulling a proposal to hire foreign security guards for several VVIPs, including the Prime Minister, provincial Governors and Chief Ministers and a few federal ministers, The Express Tribune newspaper quoted highly-placed sources as saying.

The proposal for the president's security envisages deploying US guards in Zardari's "inner-most security cordon", the report said.

The proposals are part of the government's decision to review security arrangements of key personalities following the January 4 assassination of Taseer, which validated "fears that religious extremism had penetrated the ranks of security forces in Pakistan", the report said.

"An overhaul in the present security system has been recommended as an essential requirement by the authorities responsible for the safety and well-being of the VVIPs," a source was quoted as saying by the daily.

An army unit, the 111 Brigade that has been used for several military coups, is currently deployed at the Presidency for the security of Zardari, while police guards are posted around the boundary walls of the palatial building in the heart of Islamabad.

However, Zardari has engaged "many private guards from Sindh" for his personal security, "reflecting a distrust of government-provided security arrangements", the report said.

On several occasions, Zardari "has been quoted to have said in the presence of US diplomats and officials that his life was in danger", the report said.

A secret US diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks said Zardari had instructed his son Bilawal, the chief of the ruling Pakistan People's Part! y, to na me his sister Faryal Talpur as the president in case he is killed.

The fear about the presence of extremist ideology in the security forces is not new.

It surfaced a few years ago when personnel of the air force and army were involved in two unsuccessful attempts on the life of then Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.

Energy Summit 2011: Zardari makes plea to promote cultural harmony

ABU DHABI:President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday made an impassioned plea to the United Nations (UN) to work out special plans for promoting cultural and religious harmony. He said this during a meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the sidelines of the fourth Energy Summit in UAE.

The president called upon the UN to give special attention to promoting religious and cultural harmony in the world. Warning that religious harmony was fast eroding the world over, he said that these tendencies also crossed national boundaries and religious divides.

Extremism is being manifested in various forms including violence and intolerance, President Zardari said, adding, Not only is there disharmony between different cultures, but the disharmony is on the rise.

It is disturbing that in the wake of the war on terror, people are generally receding from the universal values of tolerance and harmony advocated by the UN, he said. The president said that Pakistan came into existence in the shadow of the UN as both were created in the fading years of the 1940s and it supported the universal values of tolerance and harmony promoted by the UN.

President Zardari further said that the values of tolerance and harmony cannot be fragmented into different religions.

Stressing that promotion of tolerance and harmony had to be across the religious and geographical divides, the president also cautioned against making exceptions and selectivity as it will shake faith in the universal norms of the UN charter.

The president said that it was time to save the UN charter and in this conte! xt the s ecretary general had a central role to play. As the secretary general of the UN we are confident that you will give priority to promoting social harmony which will lead to universal harmony, he said.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that the UN would strive to promote cultural harmony, adding that no exceptions would be made in this regard.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19th, 2011.

Reopening cases: NAB has sent letter to Swiss officials

ISLAMABAD:National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials have complied with a Supreme Court order and have written a letter to the Swiss authorities, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was told on Tuesday. So far, NAB has not heard from the Swiss officials, the panel was informed.

At a Parliament House meeting the panel also took serious notice of appointments on counterfeit documents in the Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL). The committee directed the authorities concerned to register an FIR against two men who were forging documents.

The committee reviewed the Audit Report Public Sector Enterprises for the fiscal year 2008-09 of the finance division.

The audit official apprised the committee that the ZTBL appointed Imtiaz Lodhi as chief finance officer (CFO) in February 2006 with a gross salary of Rs200,000 per month. However, the ZTBL president was later informed through a summary that Lodhi, in his application for the post of CFO, had misstated his last job.

On the directive of the president, Lodhi was asked to clarify his position but he failed to produce the original documents and subsequently quit, the audit official added.

The audit objection, he said, was about the appointment of CFO on forged documents, causing a loss of Rs224,8387 to the public exchequer in monthly salaries.

PAC chairperson Yameen Rehman directed that a case be registered against the accused. In another para regarding the ZTBL, the audit official also informed the committee about the appointment of the ZTBL vice president on bogus documents. He said the ZTBL appointed Khalid Javed Sheikh as senior vice president (SVP) in August 2006 on a monthly salary of Rs120,000 having BA degree without the! require d experience for the slot.

He was dismissed from the service in March 2007 on grounds that the documents provided by him for the said position were forged. The officer received Rs874,600 till his termination from service.

The audit officials opinion was that the bank management was required to verify the credentials before appointment.

The ZTBL management commented that all recruitment was being made with the approval of the board of directors.

The post was advertised and Khalid Javed Sheikh also applied, he was selected for the post of SVP, he added.

As per his CV, he had practical experience of more than 15 years in commercial banks. On verification of documents it was revealed that he had misstated facts in his resume.

The PAC also directed that an FIR be registered against him. The committee directed the bank authorities to review their performance.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19th, 2011.

Nizam-e-Adl Regulation: Top sharia court set up in Swat

SWAT:Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti on Tuesday inaugurated Darul Qaza (an appellate or revision court) in Swat as a step towards full implementation of the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation (Order of Justice System).

The Nizam-e-Adl Regulation, a controversial act approved by President Asif Ali Zardari after parliamentary approval on April 13, 2009, formally introduced sharia law in Malakand division.

It was the result of negotiations between the ANP-led government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Maulana Sufi Muhammad, the chief of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM). And critics saw it as a move towards ceding ground to the hardline Taliban.

Speaking at the inauguration, Hoti called it a day of rejoicing for the people of Malakand division who have long been calling for sharia law in the region for speedy dispensation of justice.

Today our joy knows no bounds. The government has fulfilled a long-standing demand of the people, said a proud Hoti. Terrorists successfully exploited this issue because people can tolerate everything, but not injustice.

The chief minister was referring to obscurantist Taliban, led by fugitive cleric Maulana Fazlullah, who had launched a bloody campaign for the enforcement of their version of hardline Islam until they were defeated by the military in 2009.

Hoti defended the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation despite widespread criticism from liberals. We respect detractors. But at the same time its a fact that a record numbers of cases 27,000 civil and 39,811 criminal have been decided after the implementation of the new act, last year, he said.

Critics say that the Nizam-e-Adl will establish a parallel judicial system in the country. And the Taliban woul! d seek t o export their system of sharia to other regions of the country.

The chief minister credited political parties and the people of Malakand division with the establishment of Darul-Qaza. This court will ensure cheap and speedy justice, which was the basic demand of the local people, he said.

Provincial Law Minister Arshad Abdullah called it a landmark achievement of the ANP-led provincial government which established Darul Qaza despite criticism from home and abroad. The international community is now satisfied. And now people in other areas of the province are also demanding a similar judicial system, Abdullah told The Express Tribune.

Opponents of Nizam Adl say the government has given in to the Taliban by introducing sharia-based judicial system in the region. But provincial the additional advocate-general rejected the criticism. It has been a demand of the people of Malakand division since 1975, Ikram Khan told The Express Tribune.

The lawyers community is also happy with the establishment of Darul Qaza. Its a day of rejoicing for the people of Malakand, said Asghar Khan, president of the Swat Bar Association. Itll save local people time and money as they had to travel to Peshawar to pursue their cases in the high court.

The Nizam-e-Adl Regulation envisages establishment of, besides lower courts, Darul Qaza (appellate or revision court) and Darul Darul Qaza (final appellate or revision court).

Its implementation was delayed after Maulana Sufi Muhammad sought appointment of men of his choice as qazis in sharia courts. He was, however, arrested in July last year following a full-scale operation, codenamed Rah-e-Rast.

Criticism apart, the fact of the matter is that the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation a replica of the regulations agreed in 1994 and 1998 for Swat during the regimes of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif promises quick justice. And in case of delays in disposal of cases not only the Qazis would be questioned but also the parties trying to drag the case would be! made to pay the cost of the case to their opponents.

To ensure quick justice, the courts are bound to decide the cases, whether of criminal or civil nature, within a stipulated time period. For a civil case, the time period is not more than six months, and for criminal case it is not more than four months.

The Qazis and magistrates are bound by the NAR to follow established principles of the Quran and Sunnah and recognised opinions of scholars of Islam. But the cases of non-Muslims in matters of adoption, divorce, dowry, inheritance, marriage, usage and wills shall be decided in accordance with their respective personal laws.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19th, 2011.

7.4-magnitude earthquake shakes Pakistan: USGS

ISLAMABAD: A major 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit southwest Pakistan on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey said.

The quake struck at around 1:20 am local time (2023 Tuesday GMT) at a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles) with its epicentre around 50 kilometres west of the town of Dalbandin, close to the border with Afghanistan.

The epicentre was around 300 kilometres (200 miles) east of the Iranian city of Zahedan, USGS said.

Pakistani-administered Kashmir, in the country's northeast, was hit by a major earthquake in 2005.

7.2 magnitude earthquake jolts Pakistan

KARACHI:A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck southwestern Pakistan, the US Geological Survey reported early Wednesday morning.

The US agency revised an initial estimate that the quake was very shallow ranging at 7.4, and said it probably centred at a depth of 52 miles (83 km), 55 km (34 miles) west of Dalbandin, a town of about 15,000 people.

First reports from the region, close to the troubled frontier with Afghanistan, suggested injuries may have been limited, not least given the sparseness of the population.

The earthquake hit Karachi, Hyderabad, Quetta, Jaffarabad, while tremors were felt in Lahore and Sargodha.

Residents in major cities as far apart as the Indian capital New Delhi and the Gulf emirate of Dubai said they felt tremors, as did people in Pakistans major port of Karachi, although there were no early reports there of damage or injuries.

The Pacific Tsunami Center said the onshore quake had not triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean.

A major quake of this magnitude is capable of causing widespread and heavy damage.

The distance of the epicentre to known locations is:

55 km (34 miles) W (271) from Dalbandin, Pakistan
263 km (164 miles) W (269) from Kalat, Pakistan
301 km (187 miles) ESE (102) from Zahedan, Iran
793 km (493 miles) NE (41) from MUSCAT, Oman

On October 8, 2005, a 7.6 magnitude quake 95 km northeast of Islamabad killed over 70,000 people.

A major quake of this magnitude, if at a shallow depth and close to population centres, is capable of ! causing widespread and heavy damage and could pose fresh strains on a country still reeling from devastating floods last year which left more than 10 million people homeless.

Justice Javed Iqbal's parents' murder: Brother confesses to murder, says Police

LAHORE:Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore, Aslam Tareen on Tuesday revealed that Justice Javed Iqbals younger brother Naveed Iqbal had planned and executed the murder of his parents along with two of his accomplices.

Speaking to the media in Lahore, the CCPO revealed that Naveed had not been in touch with his family for a long time.

The CCPO also revealed that Naveed had planned the murder with two of his friends, Abbas and Amin, and had taken them to his parents and asked them to kill his parents.

Naveed and his accomplices fled from the scene after stealing Rs 163,000.

Naveed has retracted from his statement and states that he has been framed by Abbas.

Naveed Iqbal who is a retired government officer and Justice Javeds step brother, confessed to the police that he had a dispute with his parents over the division of property.

His statement was recorded in front of Justice Javed Iqbal.

Naveed has been taken into police custody and will be presented before judicial magistrate tomorrow (Wednesday).

The parents of Justice Javed Iqbal were killed on January 11 under mysterious circumstances in a well-guarded area of Lahore.

The murder came to light when a relative of Abdul Hameed, who came to see the couple, found them dead in the TV lounge of their house. They were strangled to death using pillows.

Drone strike kills 5 in N Waziristan: Officials

MIRANSHAH:A US drone strike on a compound in North Waziristan on Tuesday killed five militants, security officials said.

A US drone fired two missiles at a militant compound in Dashgah village killing at least five militants, a senior Pakistani security official told AFP.

We are trying to ascertain the nationality of the militants killed in the attack, said the official.

Dashgah is around 40 kilometres west of Miranshah, the main town in the North Waziristan tribal district, which borders Afghanistan.

A security official and an intelligence official in Peshawar confirmed the attack and the death toll.

Justice Javed Iqbal's parents' murder: Iqbal's brother confesses to murder

LAHORE:Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore, Aslam Tareen on Tuesday revealed that Justice Javed Iqbals younger brother Naveed Iqbal had planned and executed the murder of his parents along with two of his accomplices.

Speaking to the media in Lahore, the CCPO revealed that Naveed had not been in touch with his family for a long time.

The CCPO also revealed that Naveed had planned the murder with two of his friends, Abbass and Amin, and had taken them to his parents and asked them to kill his parents.

Naveed and his accomplices fled from the scene after stealing Rs 163,000.

Naveed Iqbal who is a retired government officer and Justice Javeds step brother, confessed to the police that he had a dispute with his parents over the division of property.

His statement was recorded in front of Justice Javed Iqbal.

Naveed has been taken into police custody and will be presented before judicial magistrate tomorrow (Wednesday).

The parents of Justice Javed Iqbal were killed on January 11 under mysterious circumstances in a well-guarded area of Lahore.

The murder came to light when a relative of Abdul Hameed, who came to see the couple, found them dead in the TV lounge of their house. They were strangled to death using pillows.

US sees positive side to delayed N Waziristan operation: NYT

Pakistans unwillingness to launch an operation in North Waziristan has been taken as a positive by United States intelligence and counterinsurgency officials, states a report published in the New York Times.

According to the report, senior US officials believe that insurgents bunching up in the area will make it easier for US drone strikes to hit them from afar.

Although drone strikes have successfully targeted insurgent commanders and senior leaders, US officials still believe it is important for the Pakistan Army to weed out the militants from the area.

More than a dozen intelligence and military officials interviewed by the New York Times believe that the delay will help US drones will help weaken the militants before the Pakistani army moves in for the operation. As quoted in the New York Times report:

In some ways, its to our benefit to keep them bottled up, mostly in North Waziristan, said a senior intelligence official, who like others interviewed agreed to speak candidly about the Pakistan strategy if he was not identified. This is not intentional. That wasnt the design to bottle them up. Thats just where they are, and theyre there for a reason. They dont have a lot of options.

Senior Pakistan Army commanders and politicians have stated that the army will carry out an operation in North Waziristan on their own time. Ambassador of Pakistan to the US, Husain Haqqani has been quoted stating that it is only a matter of how, when and in what mann! er the o perations will be conducted.

Justice Javed Iqbal's parents' murder: Iqbal's brother in police custody

LAHORE:Police on Tuesday took into custody the youngest brother of Supreme Court judge Justice Javed Iqbal in connection with the murder of their parents.

Express 24/7 correspondent Shiraz Hasnat reports that Naveed Iqbal had been taken into custody after police had picked up some clues after going through his cell phone records.Initial reports state that Naveed has confessed to murdering his father and stepmother, however there is no official confirmation yet.

The parents of Justice Javed Iqbal were killed on January 11 under mysterious circumstances in a well-guarded area of Lahore.

The murder came to light when a relative of Abdul Hameed, who came to see the couple, found them dead in the TV lounge of their house. They were strangled to death using pillows.

Stowaway case: Body identified as 9th grade student

Police on Tuesday identified the body of the Lahore stowaway, who had fallen off a Dubai bound plane, as Qasim Siddique, a ninth grade student.

Express 24/7 correspondent Shiraz Hasnat reported that the body had been identified by the parents, who had been traced through a receipt found in Qasims pocket.

Qasim, who had disappeared two days before the incident, had run away with his friend Amir, whose whereabouts are still unknown.Qasims parents had lodged a complaint with the police when he had gone missing.

The body had been found on January 15, when residents of Street 5 in Al Faisal Colony reported hearing a loud bang between 9:10 and 9:15 pm at one of the houses on the street. A flight headed for Dubai had recently taken off from Allama Iqbal International Airport, which is located close to the colony.

The pilot of an Airblue flight had contacted the control room immediately after take-off and reported a malfunction while closing a planes wheels, air traffic control sources said, informing the controllers a few minutes later that the problem had been rectified.

The air traffic controllers said that the time of the flights take off coincided with that of the mans fall, saying it was likely that the stowaway was hiding in the planes wheels which might have caused the wheels malfunction.

The body had earlier been buried without identification. Doctors had confirmed to the police investigators that most of the bones were broken as a result of a fall.

Gilani rules out blasphemy law amendment

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Tuesday reiterated that the controversialblasphemy law will not be amended.He was addressing the Ulema and Mashaikh Conference 2011in Islamabad.

Gilani denied that a committee has been formed to amend the blasphemy law. He said Islam stresses inter-faith harmony and tolerance, adding that there was a need to promote patience in society.

The premier said beliefs cannot be enforced on anyone and urged the clerics to represent the true meaning of Islam.He said laws should be implemented to ensure provision of rights.

We are not in the favour of amendment in the blasphemy law, but we are not in favour of misuse of the law eitherand it does not matter what law it is, Gilani added.

Prime Minister Gilani said any acts of violence bring bad name to the religion and are seen unfavourably in the West. He said it also makes the lives of Pakistanis abroad miserable. Therefore it is vital that Islam is portrayed in the right perspective and is not distorted, he said.

Gilani urged for closer collaboration between scholars of different religions for better understanding and to bring peace and tranquillity.

Religious leaders spoke about Islams universal message of peace, love and tolerance and that it believed in peaceful coexistence with people of all religions. The speakers regretted distortion of the religion by certain vested interests and urged a deeper understanding of the Quran and Sunnah by all.

They said Islam did not differentiate between people of any caste, colour or creed.

Religious leaders were of the view that there were no two opinions about the honour and dignity accorded to Prophet Mohammad and point! ed that the Quran and Sunnah were very clear about it. They said no one would be allowed to bring any changes in the blasphemy law.

Gilani has repeatedly ruled out any amendments to the blasphemy law. Earlier this month, he said the government had already ruled out any change to the law and the controversy surrounding the law should end.

The PPP disassociated itself from Taseers support of Aasia Bibi, who was sentenced to death for allegedly committing blasphemy, as well as MNA Sherry Rehmans private member bill proposing amendments to the blasphemy law.

Earlier, Religious Affairs Minister Khursheed Shah had also said that the government had no intention of repealing the law.

Karachi violence: 400 suspects arrested

About 400suspects were arrested in a search operationby Rangers in the Faqir Colony area of Orangi Town in Karachi early Tuesday morning.

Large contingents of Rangers entered the colony and conducted a door to door search operation which continued for five hours. The suspects weredetained and shifted to an unknown place for interrogation. Roads leading to and from Orangi Town were also shut down.

As violence continued in the city, four people were reported killed and three others were injured in firing incidents in different parts of the city in the past 24 hours.

Due to the recent wave of target killings in Karachi, Rangers have been given police powers to conduct search operations, set up check points and detain and investigate suspects in the city.

Earlier, Interior Minister Rehman Malik had said that a curfew-like situation would be enforced in all sensitive parts of Karachi to curb violence.

Authorities decided to increase police and Ranger presence in violence-prone areas. This was decided at an earlier meeting held by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, which was attended by the federal interior minister.

According to the strategy, aerial surveillance would be intensified and helicopters would be used to airdrop police commandos to contain armed conflicts.

Law-enforcement agencies have also been asked to take action against users of stolen or snatched cellular phones.

People living in affected areas have been asked to keep their CNICs with them and they will only be allowed to go about their work aft! er prope r scrutiny.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is also tasked to keep an eye on possible movement of suspicious elements at Karachi airport to stop them from escaping from the city.

Nawaz, Khosa meet in Raiwind

Newly appointed Governor Punjab Sardar Latif Khosa and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif agreed to build a better political atmosphere in the province on Tuesday.

Khosa met with Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif at their Raiwind residence on Tuesday.

The governor conveyed to the Sharifs his leaderships point of view on a better working relationship in Punjab. He said the policy of reconciliation will continue since it is in the interest of the people of Punjab.

Nawaz said he would be glad to work with the new governor for the political uplift of the province.

Khosa was accompanied by Senior Minister Raja Riaz, PPP Punjab President Imtiaz Warraich and Provincial Minister Tanveer Ashraf Kaira.

Karachi violence: 400 suspects arrested

WELLINGTON:About 400suspects were arrested in a search operationby Rangers in the Faqir Colony area of Orangi Town in Karachi early Tuesday morning.

Large contingents of Rangers entered the colony and conducted a door to door search operation. The suspects weredetained and shifted to an unknown place for interrogation. Roads leading to and from Orangi Town have also been closed.

Due to the recent wave of target killings in Karachi, Rangers have been given police powers to conduct search operations, set up check points and detain and investigate suspects in the city.

Earlier, Interior Minister Rehman Malik had said that a curfew-like situation would be enforced in all sensitive parts of Karachi to curb violence.

Authorities decided to increase police and Ranger presence in violence-prone areas. This was decided at an earlier meeting held by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, which was attended by the federal interior minister.

According to the strategy, aerial surveillance would be intensified and helicopters would be used to airdrop police commandos to contain armed conflicts.

Law-enforcement agencies have also been asked to take action against users of stolen or snatched cellular phones.

People living in affected areas have been asked to keep their CNICs with them and they will only be allowed to go about their work after proper scrutiny.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is also tasked to keep an eye on possible movement of suspicious elements at Karachi airport to stop them from es! caping f rom the city.

PML-N chief in Badin: Violence in Karachi is a conspiracy, alleges Nawaz

LAHORE:Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Monday expressed deep concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi, terming it a conspiracy against the people of Pakistan.

Sharif was addressing a rally on the occasion of the 24th death anniversary of political leader Fazil Rahoo in Rahooki, Badin.

No one will be allowed to disrupt peace in the country, particularly in Karachi, he said and called upon the government to take cognizance of the law and order situation.

Sharif claimed that his party will expose the forces behind the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

It is time we refrain from personal political gains and give priority to improve the socio-political situation in the country beyond party lines, he said.

Sharif said that some unscrupulous elements were bent on creating a divide amongst the people of the country in the name of religion and ethnicity. He also spoke at length about the law and order situation in interior Sindh, saying that dacoits have held the life and property of the people to ransom. The government must expose the faces of these culprits, Nawaz said, adding that PML-N during its regime eliminated the rule of dacoity.

The PML-N chief said that when his party comes into power, it will provide land to the landless farmers of the province without any discrimination.

Help to the poor people will bring socio-economic prosperity in the country, he added.

Politics for someones own interests is sinful, but the politics PML-N practices is merely for the sake of the deprived nation, Nawaz said. He told the! gatheri ng that his party will implement its 10-point agenda after coming into power.

Nawaz added that PML-Ns revolution aims at prosperity. It is not about sending bodies in bags.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2011.

Security concerns: Aasia to be moved to women-only jail

KUWAIT CITY:The Punjab government is likely to shift Aasia Bibi, convicted under blasphemy laws, to an all-women jail in Multan because of security concerns.

The transfer will take place at nighttime under heavy security within the next seven days. She is currently incarcerated in Sheikhupura district jail.

Aasia Bibi, a 45-year-old Christian woman and a mother of five, was sentenced to death by an additional district and sessions judge in Sheikhupura on November 9 for allegedly making derogatory remarks about the Holy Prophet (pbuh). The incident took place on June 14, 2009, while the FIR was registered under 295-C of Pakistan Penal Code in the Saddar Police Station of Nankana Sahib town on June 19 of the same year. Aasias children are: Aseem, Imran, Sidra, Esha and Esham.

In Sheikhupura, there were fears that she could be hurt by male prisoners but in a women-only jail, she would be safe, a jail department official said.

The Punjab home department would direct Inspector General of Police to provide heavy security for the transfer, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2011.

Missing persons: SC warns of action against spy agencies

ISLAMABAD:As the Constitution guarantees the protection of citizens, if charges of abduction are proven against officials of spy agencies, they will be prosecuted under the law, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmad declared in the Supreme Court on Monday.

If there are terrorists among the missing persons, they should be produced before a court of law. No state institution or official has the right to make an arrest without fulfilling the legalities, remarked Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmad, while presiding over the division bench of the apex court.

Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq submitted the judicial commissions report on the recovery of missing persons.

The intelligence agencies will be booked for abduction if they fail to produce the missing persons, warned the two-member bench comprising Justice Ahmad and Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali.

Officials, who take oath under the Constitution, are bound to respect it and function within its parameters, the bench observed.

The court expressed its dissatisfaction with the report and directed the AG to meet ISI officials. If they can be convinced to comply with the courts directive, half the cases will be resolved.

To uphold the Constitution, state institutions including secret agencies must abide by the law. Since the issue is of public interest, it should be taken up by parliament, the bench remarked.

It has directed the federal secretaries of defence and interior to attend the hearings of the missing persons case. The heirs of the missing persons requested the court to order the AG to provide them a copy of the Judicial Commissions report.

Haq informed the court that as the report contains sensitive information it cannot be provided to the complainants, petitioners or heirs of the missing persons.

The AG was directed to share it with the bench and provide copies to the petitioners and heirs of the missing persons on the next hearing after excluding the sensitive information.

The court will continue proceedings in the missing persons case till they have all been recovered, declared Justice Ahmad. Had the secret agencies acted in accordance with the law and the Constitution, the situation would have been different today. Asma Jahangir, President Supreme Court Bar Association, apprised the court that four more people had gone missing on December 21. So far 174 out of the 235 have been traced. The court adjourned the case for a week.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2011.