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News
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saturday, 17 August, 2013
Atc extends sadiq’s remand for 14 days in ogrA scam ISLAMABAD INP
An Islamabad anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday extended the remand of former Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) chairman Tauqir Sadiq for another 14 days in the Rs 80 billion corruption case. During the hearing, the accused told the court he was put in such a narrow room that he could not even walk properly in it. He said lack of ventilation had affected his memory. On this, the court ordered NAB to allow Sadiq to walk in the open air. NAB lawyer Barrister Saeed pleaded the court to extend the remand of the accused for 14 days, adding that NAB investigators had to record statements of more witnesses. He told the court that notices were issued to 19 more witnesses who were in Karachi. The lawyer further said the witnesses were receiving threats and Sadiq was not cooperating with the NAB personnel. On this the court extended the remand and adjourned the hearing until August 30.
balochistan unrest case: sc summons ig fc, interior secretary CJP SLAMS LIVE COVERAGE OF ISLAMABAD STAND-OFF, SAYS IT GAVE AN IMPRESSION TO WORLD THAT ONE MAN WAS ENOUGH TO TAKE ISLAMABAD HOSTAGE QUETTA STAFF REPORT
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HE Supreme Court on Friday summoned the federal interior secretary and Inspector General of FC at the next hearing in the suo motu case of unrest in Balochistan after at least 60 people lost their lives in separate incidents of violence within a week. During the hearing held in the apex court's Quetta registry, the two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and Justice Athar Saeed also expressed displeasure of the live airing of a dramatic stand-off in the federal capital a day earlier. The media's live broadcast gave the impression to the world that one man was
enough to hold the federal capital hostage, according to the top judge. The chief justice also questioned chairman of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) over what action he had taken against all those channels which had aired the six-hour long fiasco live. PEMRA Chairman Rashid Mehmood told the court he had no powers to take any action. The bench also expressed anger over the absence of the federal interior
secretary from the court's proceedings. A representative of the FC, while talking about the missing persons issue, informed the court that communication could not be established with the IG of FC, who has remained absent from court proceedings. The court also instructed the deputy attorney general and the advocate general to record the statements of the heirs of all missing persons whereas a report over the missing persons was also submitted in court by the FC. Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry summoned the FC IG at the next hearing. He further said that the Ziarat incident was sensitive in nature, adding that no one was serious about the issue and that the situation was deteriorating day by day while mentioning the recovery of five bodies in the area a day earlier. The court also summoned the chief executive officer of a private new channel over the airing of a video showing footage of the destruction of the Quaid-eAzam Residency in Ziarat. The court had earlier said that the airing of destruction of national heritage sites was against the constitution of Pakistan.
Pti govt determined to rooting out corruption: KP cm
PESHAWAR APP
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is determined to rooting out corruption from government departments and the society, and a comprehensive strategy has already been evolved in this regard, KP Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak said on Friday. Presiding over a high-level meeting held in Islamabad, Khattak said with the implementation of the PTI's agenda for change, the people would find themselves empowered for first time in the history of Pakistan. He said the people would be enabled to take decisions regarding health, education and other services at the village level. The chief minister said with the introduction of reforms in health, education, the people, besides utilising the reforms, would also help abolish corruption from public sector organisations. PTI Chairman Imran Khan, Chief Secretary Mohammad Shehzad Arbab and senior officials of the provincial government were also present in the meeting, during which they were given a detailed briefing on the reforms agenda for good governance.
militants kill two policemen in swabi PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT
Two policemen were killed and three injured in a militant attack in the Parmoli area of Swabi district early on Friday. An accused in police custody was also killed when the militants opened fire on the police vehicle. Officials said the policemen were on a routine patrol in the Parmoli area when unidentified armed men on motorcycles opened fire on the police van, injuring five men. They were rushed to District Headquarter Hospital Swabi where two of them succumbed to the injuries. District Police Officer Dr Mian Saeed told Pakistan Today that they had identified the five militants. He said efforts were underway for their arrest. Terrorist attacks are occurring in the Parmoli area from the last several months. Awami National Party candidate for provincial assembly Amir Rahman survived in a similar attack in the area during an election rally.
RAWALPINDI: Former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and former minister Nazar Gondal present a sword to Pakistan People’s Party leader Zamurad Khan on Friday for his bravery during a standoff with a gunman in Islamabad the other day. ONlINE
Pakistanis protest against lethal crackdown in egypt KARACHI/PESHAWAR
Pti admits failure in protecting di Khan jail ISLAMABAD APP
STAFF REPORT
Hundreds rallied across Pakistan on Friday in support of the ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi and to condemn the use of force against the Muslim Brotherhood. The demonstrations were mostly organised by religio-political parties including Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), which has ideological links to the Brotherhood. In Karachi, more than 500 JI activists marched with banners and placards chanting anti-US slogans as well as support for Morsi. US President Barack Obama has cancelled a joint US-Egyptian military exercise but has stopped short of suspending Washington’s annual $1.3 billion in aid to Egypt. “International powers are behind the Egyptian chaos and General Sisi is a tout of America and the favourite of Israel as well,” said Mohammad Hussain Mahnati, a local JI local leader. General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the army chief, orchestrated the July 3 ousting of Egypt’s first elected president after millions protested to demand an end to his turbulent year in
power. In KP, a total of more than 1,000 JI activists held rallies in four cities, including Peshawar. The Lower House of parliament and Foreign Ministry on Thursday expressed dismay and deep concern over the use of force “against unarmed civilians” and urged all sides to
show restraint. Another protest rally has been planned later in Lahore. Friday saw fresh clashes between security forces and Morsi supporters in Egypt, two days after nearly 600 people were killed when police cleared two Morsi protest camps in the country’s bloodiest day in decades.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi admitted on Friday that the Dera Ismail (DI) Khan jailbreak incident was a failure of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government and action was being taken against the officials responsible. Talking to reporters outside the Parliament House, he said steps were being taken to avoid recurrence of such incidents. He urged the federal government to thoroughly investigate the August 15 Islamabad incident. He said the government and opposition should unite against terrorists and asked the interior minister to inform the parliament about the armed person (Sikander) who entered Islamabad