PM directs Pakistani HC in London to provide consular access to Altaf

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed Pakistani High Commission (HC) to London for providing consular access to Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain immediately, Geo News reported.

According to the spokesman of Prime Minister House, the government was ready to provide legal and moral assistance to Altaf Hussain.

The federal government termed reaction in Karachi over Altaf’s arrest ‘regretful’, saying that damaging life and property is against the law.

PM Nawaz directed Sindh government and law enforcement agencies to ensure safety of life and property of masses in the province.

SC directs to ensure transparent investigation in missing persons case

ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday presented in the Supreme Court a copy of the FIR registered against Naib Subedar Amanullah in the missing persons case, while the court directed to present copy of the challan also after completion of investigation, Geo News reported.

SC three-member bench headed by Jawwad S. Khawaja was hearing the 35 missing persons case here. Earlier, on the complaint of Defence Minister Khawaja Asif against a sensitive intelligence agency official regarding forced disappearance of Yasin Shah, among 35 missing persons, the Secretariat Police had registered a report and referred it to Dargai/Malakand detention centres as Yasin Shah went missing from those centres, the police sources said.

The Secretariat Police, taking action on the complaint, lodged a report and referred the case to the centres concerned. The police authorities, when contacted, said that Yasin Shah had not gone missing from Islamabad and that’s why the case had been shifted to the police station concerned.

According to FIR, the case has been registered under section 346 of crimes regulations.

Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja in his remarks said, “The law has come into action, now a transparent investigation will be conducted and could be hoped that those really responsible will be brought to fore. It is also hoped that the Commission will soon present its report relating to the missing persons. When the state takes any action, it is imperative to give legal protection to it, no person or organization above law.”

The court directing the government to ensure transparent investigation in the case adjourned the hearing for three weeks.

 

SC directs Secretary Interior to constitute new JIT for inquiry of court tragedy

ISLAMABAD: A two-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Tassadaqu Hussain Jillani directed Secretary Interior to constitute a new joint investigation team (JIT), headed by an independent and upright officer of Deputy Inspector General of Police for inquiry of Islamabad District Courts tragedy in which 11 persons were killed and 32 injured.
The bench also directed the Secretary to include representatives of the intelligence agencies with mandate to complete the inquiry within two weeks and submit report before the Supreme Court.
The bench of the Supreme Court expressed displeasure over the reports submitted by the Inspector General of Police and the Chief Commissioner of Islamabad pointing out some contradictions between the two reports and directed the Secretary Interior to submit a detailed report in the court after covering all areas of the tragedy including the numbers of assailants.
The bench also stopped all the stakeholders to issue statements on the issue saying that it could cause confusion during the conduct of inquiry.
Rao Naveed Advocate who is also son of deceased Rao Rashid advocate who was killed by the assailants on March 3, 2014 appeared before the court and requested the bench to allow him for the registration of separate FIR and directions may please be issued.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Tassadaqu Hussain Jillani and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed heard the point of view of Rao Naveed in detail and observed that "No separate FIR can be registered." However, the bench directed the Inspector General of Police Islamabad Sikandar Hayat to allow every one for recording statement before the police regarding the incident.
Mohsan Akhtar Kiyani, President Islamabad High Court Bar Association apprised the bench about compensation being paid to deceased and injured saying that the government announced Rs. 500,000 for each deceased and Rs. 75,000 for each injured which is not proper compensation.
The bench directed Secretary Interior to enhance compensation for deceased and injured even government should also consider jobs for a son or daughter of every deceased.
However, the bench asked Chief Justice Islamabad High Court to continue inquiry being conducted through a judge of the Islamabad High Court with direction to submit the report as completed.
Inspector General of Police appeared before the court and apprised the bench about the progress of the inquiry being conducted by the police and said that statements of 154 witnesses have already been recorded. Statements of lawyers will be recorded without delay.
The Inspector General of Police also briefed the bench about security measures taken and being taken for the security of District Courts Islamabad.
To a question raised by the bench regarding number of assailants, the Chief Commissioner Islamabad apprised the court that inquiry is in progress and "No final figure has been determined so far".
Tariq Asad Advocate and Riaz Hanif Rahi advocate appeared before the court and requested the bench to entertain the petitions filed by them separately on the same issue.
The bench accepted the request and directed the office to fix their petitions along with the suo motu case in future.
On the request of Taufeeq Asif Advocate, the bench directed the office concerned to club the petition filed by lawyers of Rawalpindi regarding security of lawyers of the twin cities.
The hearing of the case was then adjourned for March 17 (Monday)

SC directs Foreign Secretary to submit report over issuance of Passports to overseas in China

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs to contact Pakistan Embassy in China and submit report regarding the issuance of Machine Readable Passports to the overseas Pakistanis there.

The three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, resumed hearing of a suo-moto notice case on an application sent by an overseas Pakistani regarding non-issuance of Machine Readable Passports to 7500 overseas Pakistanis, residing in China.

During the course of proceedings, Additional Attorney General Shah Khawar informed the court that a modern machine had been installed at the Pakistan Embassy in Beijing and problems of the overseas Pakistanis would be solved in a short span of time.

On this, the Chief Justice remarked that an E-mail has received from an overseas Pakistani which stated that no tangible measures were taken to resolve the problem.

Naveed Khan Deputy Project Director National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) appeared before the bench and told that System Administrator Muhammad Waseem and Technician Aamir Mahmood had been appointed as data entry operator and they would start work within three to four weeks after reaching China.

Justice Azmat Saeed remarked that NADRA was reluctant to issue a clear stance on the issue.

Later, the court adjourned hearing till March 17.

SC directs govt to install CCTV cameras in courts within 48 hours

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jillani on Monday directed the government to install CCTV cameras and walk through gates in the premises of courts throughout the country within 48 hours.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jilani, who took suo motu notice of the Islamabad court incident yesterday, heard the case. The court also directed Federal Secretary Interior to submit a comprehensive report into the incident on Monday and pay compensation to the victims.

During the course of proceedings, Federal Secretary Interior Shahid Khan appeared before the bench and submitted investigation report into the terror attack.

The chief justice inquired secretary interior that how many police personnel were present on duty in the court and how many of them were armed?

The court was informed that 47 out of 66 security personnel were performing their duty in the F-8 Katchery and rests of the personnel were absent from duty.

Justice Jillani asked that did any of the police officials open fire on attackers? Did the police firing hurt any of the terrorists? He was given no satisfactory answer of these questions. At which, the CJP observed that IG police has no interest into the federal capital's security matters and that he is unaware of what happed in the court.

He further asked that had CCTV cameras been installed at the court premises. The secretary replied that neither the cameras were installed nor the walkthrough gate was in order at the entrance.

He claimed that concerned police station quickly responded the attack and the personnel timely arrived at the court.

The chief justice expressed dismay over the government report and directed Federal Secretary Interior Shahid Khan to file another detailed report on the next hearing on Monday.

The Supreme Court directed concerned authorities to take measures for installation of CCTV cameras in courts across the country.

The court adjourned the case till March 10.

Dar directs IPDF to come up with clear ideas on doable projects

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Finance, Mohammad Ishaq Dar here on Saturday directed the Infrastructure Project Development Facility (IPDF) to come up with clear ideas on doable projects in both energy and infrastructure development sectors.

The minister chaired a meeting of IPDF to discuss professional functioning of the Facility and get a briefing on doable projects in energy and infrastructure development.

In the detailed presentation IPDF team explained that Public Private Partnership model can be put in place in energy and infrastructure development sectors of the country on Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model.

They said that there is huge potential in these sectors and if properly employed it can not only save valuable foreign exchange for the country but would also generate economic activity in the country.

The IPDF Chief Executive Officer, Adil Anwar presented comparative study of Karachi-Lahore Motorway, Deep Sea Jetty and a number of energy related projects on PPP model.

The Finance Minister said that IPDF must come out with clear ideas on doable projects in both energy and infrastructure development sectors.

He said that IPDF should focus on stand alone energy projects in remote areas of the country with special focus on employing the potential in solar and wind energy generation.

Moreover, clear concepts on setting up of domestic solar panel industry should also be evaluated, he added.

The minister said that transparency and competitiveness should be the hallmark of the Public Private Partnership and instead of consuming PSDP local investors should be encouraged in infrastructure development.

Ishaq Dar emphasized that the professional work of IPDF should be directed at offering well prepared services to the public sector in designing of new projects and rehabilitation of the projects which are not delivering up to their maximum capacity.

He said that in line with the manifesto of the PML-N the projects should focus on domestic investment and local employment generation in both urban and rural areas.

"We will have to work hard to materialize the growth targets and economic development in the country", he added.