Bahria Town starts relief operation for IDPs

ISLAMABAD: Bahria Town on Saturday started relief operation for people, internally displaced due to ongoing Zarb-e-Azb operation against militants in North Waziristan.

Three mobile health units and two trucks carrying wheat, ghee, sugar and other groceries have been sent to North Waziristan by Bahria Town.

Head of relief operation Brigadier (R) Tahir Butt said that Bahria Town will establish camps in Bannu for carrying relief operation.

“Initially five trucks full with aid supplies and three mobile hospitals will be sent for internally displaced persons (IDPs). Iftari will be provided to IDPs while two times meal will be given after Ramazan”, said Tahir Butt. He vowed that Bahria Town will continue relief operation till the return of IDPs to their home.

Tahir Butt said that relief activities were being started after taking no objection certificate (NoC) from Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

Khursheed seeks end to jurist condition for CEC

ISLAMABAD: PPP stalwart and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah on Tuesday proposed an amendment to the Constitution, paving way for senior bureaucrats and lawyers to head the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

“It is a mandatory requirement that the chief election commissioner (CEC) should be a retired judge, but I propose an amendment to the Constitution so that not only a retired judge but also senior bureaucrats and lawyers, could make it to the post,” said Khursheed while talking to media persons at the Parliament House.

He said limiting the post in question to a retired judge blocked other options and the clause concerned should be amended to do the needful.The PPP leader suggested a number of proposals for reforms in the electoral process.He also proposed a constitutional amendment for reducing the government’s constitutional term from five to four years. “Reducing the tenure to four years will resolve all issues,” he argued.

He further said once democracy took roots, the government’s term could be reverted to five years. Khursheed said he had proposed the constitutional amendments after much brainstorming and added that the amendments would accrue positive results.

Ramzan gift for people: CNG prices jacked up

ISLAMABAD: Government has raised the prices of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), mounting burden in the holy month of Ramzan on the people already battered by high rate of inflation.

According to Chairman Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Saeed Ahmed, the prices of CNG were raised in the wake of increase in Gas Infrastructure Tax.

He said the CNG prices were raised by Rs2.10 per kilogram to Rs76.35 in Region one that includes Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Potohar and Balochistan.

In Region two, which consists of Sindh and Punjab excluding Potohar, the price of CNG has been hiked by Rs5.36 a kilo to Rs71.50.

Arrest warrants issued for ARY's Salman, Luqman

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday issued arrest warrants for ARY chief executive Salman Iqbal and anchor Mubashir Lucman for presenting anti-judiciary programs.

IHC Justice Shaukat Siddiqui was hearing the Islamabad District Bar petition against ARY’s program maligning the judiciary.

During the hearing, Secretary Information, Dr. Nazeer and Acting Chairman, PEMRA, Pervaiz Rathore appeared before the court, while PEMRA submitted CDs and transcriptions of Mubashir Lucman’s anti-judiciary programs which were broadcast on ARY.

Later, the court issued warrants of arrest for Salman Iqbal and Mubashir Lucman, as both the accused failed to appear before the court, despite summons.

Further hearing of the case has been adjourned until first week of August.

Players unconvinced by pink ball for day-night Tests

SYDNEY: The Australian Cricketers´ Association says the pink ball is not ready for day-night Tests and have cautioned administrators not to rush into the concept.

Australia trialled night sessions using the pink ball during the domestic Sheffield Shield season and has mooted hosting a first day-night test against New Zealand in November 2015.

"The overwhelming majority of players believe the pink Kookaburra ball isn´t yet ready for test cricket," ACA chief executive Paul Marsh said in a statement on the association´s website on Tuesday (www.auscricket.com.au).

"They´ve told us that it went soft very quickly, didn´t swing, didn´t seam and didn´t reverse swing. As such it is a ball that is very difficult to get batsmen out with, but also difficult to score runs against because it gets soft quickly."

Only 11 percent of players rated last season´s Sheffield Shield trial a success and just a quarter felt it provided a fair contest between bat and ball. "These stats are significant because they challenge the notion that Day/ Night Tests are a fait accompli."

The enthusiasm some have for the concept is understandable, however, in the ACA´s view the possibility of improved short-term commercial outcomes should not be enough to force this on the game prematurely.

"Cricket Australia and other administrations have weighed the concept for a number of years, hoping to tap into the possibility of broadcast dollars from bigger television audiences at home and abroad.

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen is among those far from bowled over by the innovation.

"Day/night Test cricket - what a joke! Hope all statistics start again then!" the South Africa-born player who was controversially dumped in the wake of England´s Ashes debacle earlier this year, said on his Twitter page.

"Public don´t watch cos there is too much cricket! And it´s expensive! Play less & public will be more interested!" wrote the 104-Test veteran, whose crowd-pulling aggressive batting is now confined to Twenty20 leagues and county cricket.

Dr Arsalan announces open global tender for Reko Diq

 

DUBAI: The son of the ex-chief justice of Pakistan, now at the centre of a huge controversy over his appointment, says the multi-billion dollar Reko Diq gold mines will be awarded through an open global tender to the highest bidder.
Dr Arsalan Iftikhar Chaudhry, now vice chairman of the Balochistan Board of Investment, told me in a telephone talk that his father came to know about his new job through the media but then asked him to serve the people with full responsibility.

He dismissed the conspiracy theories about his appointment to sell multi-billion dollars gold mine Reko Diq through a backdoor deal as rubbish.“I would ensure that Reko Diq was given through an international tender, with maximum transparency, to ensure the rights of the Balochistan people,” he stated categorically several times during the talk.

PTI leader Imran Khan had stated at a huge rally in Bahawalpur that Arsalan was appointed VC of the BOI to repay ex-chief justice Iftikhar M Chaudhry for his complicity in rigging the 2013 elections in favour of Nawaz Sharif.

In an upbeat mood and dismissing his critics as just politicians playing politics, Arsalan emphasised repeatedly that neither Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, nor his sons or anyone in the federal government had any role in his appointment.

“I am a Baloch and now my fourth generation lives in this province. I have a right to serve it. The federal government has nothing to do with my appointment. The CM has said on the floor of the house that it was his personal decision. He is an honourable, clean and a nationalist person. He wanted to bring a team which could do something and deliver for the province.”

Arsalan revealed that he had in the past two years brought investments of millions of dollars into Balochistan. “Since 2007, I have been doing my independent business and I am an entrepreneur, everything is my own, my business, social life, everything is my own thing. I have contacts with people in Balochistan from my childhood and we have been living here for four generations now. My father came to know about this through the media. He knew nothing but when he heard it the only thing he told me was that I have a heavy responsibility and I will have to serve the people in any capacity.”

Asked wheter this meant his father had approved of the appointment, he said: “He never interferes in my matters, He never approves or disapproves anything concerning my matters. He has kept it like this. Neither I will interfere in his matters and nor he will do so in my matters.”

Asked about Reko Diq and how would he respond to criticism that he, Dr Malik, Hasil Bizenjo, the PM’s family and some old ousted companies had ganged up to give Reko Diq to them through a deal, Dr Arsalan said: “I laugh at political leaders who say things and make allegations on hearsay. In BOI our work is to channelise things. There are other opportunities and projects in Balochistan. We are there to project it and then put up to the govt, cabinet and provincial assembly. Our job is limited. Whatever project it is, we will ensure transparency and interests of the people of Balochistan. We will not compromise that in any case, come what may. We have been stopping corruption. To expect anything out of the way for anyone would be wrong. Whatever will be in the interest of the people, for their good, we will do. No favourtism will be done.”

Dr Arsalan has already made plans for the road forward. “Our first presentation to the chief minister will be given soon and we will place two core things before the CM. First will be the law and order and security for investors and the second would be complete transparency in projects, including Reko Diq.

“Before starting anything, we will hold external audits, from 2010 to-date. Every year an external audit by international companies will be done. It will be as crystal clear as a glass.”

On Reko Diq, Dr Arsalan is very clear. “It would be an international open tender. That’s how it should be done. The best bid and the option should be accepted. It would be open for all and advertised in international magazines, newspapers. We will see what the people get and the major share comes to the locals”.

“And let me tell you the father I represent, I can assure that with me around nothing like a backdoor deal is possible. The way forward will be given in a presentation within a week or 10 days as everyone was busy in the budget. The way forward will be opened to the public.”

Karate team prepares for Asian Games 2014

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan karate team s preparations are in full swing for the upcoming Asian Games 2014 to be held in South Korea later this year.

National coach Khalid Noor said that the country s both male and female contingents had been working hard in the training camp here at Pakistan Sports Complex.

Total 17 male and 12 female players are attending the camp in two different sessions for rigorous physically and technical training according to the latest rules of the games for the Asia s mega event Noor added.

About performance of the players in the Asian Games, he said there were some brilliant players in the team who earned name in many international events.

“I m optimistic our players will produce good result in the Asian Games”, he said.

After featuring in the Asian Games Pakistan team would proceed to Germany for the 22nd edition of the World Karate Championships that takes place from November 5 to 9.

In an attempt to better prepare the side Pakistan has also planned tours of Turkey and Iran in August and September respectively the coach said.

Saeed Ajmal thrilled for MCC-World XI encounter

ISLAMABAD: Ace spinner Saeed Ajmal feels privileged for the country and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as three of the national players have been invited to the mouth watering encounter between two star studded playing elevens at Lord’s on July 5 to mark the Bicentenary Celebrations of the historic ground.

The MCC team will be led by the recently retired Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar while the Rest of the World XI is captained by his old rival and equally famous Australian leg spinner Shane Warne.

Lord’s completes its 200 year anniversary on June 22 having hosted the first known cricket match back in 1814 between MCC and Hertfordshire and this game between teams featuring some of the top names of today and yesteryear will be a fitting tribute to the Home of Cricket’s stature as a place of reverence for players and fans alike.

The MCC team includes Tendulkar’s former Indian teammate Rahul Dravid, West Indies batting legend Brian Lara, Australian pace bowler Brett Lee as well as Pakistani seam bowler Umar Gul as well as master off spinner Saeed Ajmal.

The Warne-led Rest of the World XI features Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Muttiah Muralitharan, Adam Gilchrist, Kevin Pietersen and Pakistan all rounder Shahid Afridi.

Ajmal said he is honored to have been asked to play in the MCC versus Rest of the World match. It should be a fantastic occasion featuring some of the greatest players in the history of the game.

There are many superstars in both teams and it will be brilliant to play alongside and against some of cricket s legends and biggest names Pakpassion.net quoted Ajmal as saying.

Ajmal who is ranked at number one in ODIs and holds the 3rd and 5th rankings in T20s and Tests, respectively, said it is great news for Pakistan cricket that Shahid, Umar and I have been invited to play at this great occasion.

Lord’s Bicentenary match teams:
MCC: Sachin Tendulkar (Ind, capt), Saeed Ajmal (Pak), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI), Rahul Dravid (Ind), Aaron Finch (Aus), Umar Gul (Pak), Brian Lara (WI), Brett Lee (Aus), Chris Read (Eng, wk), Shaun Tait (Aus), Daniel Vettori (NZ).
REST OF THE WORLD: Shane Warne (Aus, capt), Shahid Afridi (Pak), Tino Best (WI), Paul Collingwood (Eng), Adam Gilchrist (Aus, wk), Tamim Iqbal (BD), Muttiah Muralitharan (SL), Kevin Pietersen (Eng), Virender Sehwag (Ind), Peter Siddle (Aus), Yuvraj Singh (Ind).

No room for politicking on Model Town incident, says Pervaiz Rashid

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Sunday said there should be no politicking on the Model Town incident which was actually a human tragedy.

Talking to various news channels here, the minister said certain elements were only doing politics on human bodies as they had no other issue. He assured that those involved in the Model Town tragedy would be brought to book at all costs. “The Punjab government had asked its law minister to tender resignation to ensure a free and fair inquiry into the incident,” he added.

The minister questioned if Pervaiz Elahi had asked his brother (Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain), the-then interior minister, to resign after the Lal Masjid incident. He said most of the APC leaders did not believe in law and the Constitution.

“They want disruption and violence to create anarchy in the country. Did they ever demand resignation from Musharraf after the Lal Masjid and May 12 2007 tragedies?”He said there was no harm in reconstitution of the judicial commission probing the Model Town incident if the law permitted but he believed the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) would still continue to protest as it was their sole objective.

“The government will implement the recommendations of the judicial commission in letter and spirit while a joint investigation team is also working,” he added.To a question about meeting with former president Asif Ali Zardari, he said meetings among politicians and with political leadership were a routine matter. He said Asif Zardari was an ex-president and the head of the country’s largest opposition political party. He, however, added that no formal schedule had been finalised for such a meeting with Zardari.

Pervaiz Rashid said the government was providing all the necessary support to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of North Waziristan.He said the government was fully cognizant of the problems of IDPs adding that all required facilities were being provided to the people who had left their homes due to the ongoing North Waziristan operation launched to flush out terrorists.

Bilour seeks setting up of more camps for IDPs

PESHAWAR: Demanding establishment of more relief camps, former federal minister and senior leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) Ghulam Ahmad Bilour Sunday renewed call for properly handling the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of North Waziristan and providing them maximum facilities.

“The IDPs from Waziristan have been offering sacrifices for the greater cause of the country and nation and they should be extended wholehearted support,” he told a press conference. Ghulam Bilour, who is member of the National Assembly from Peshawar, said Pakhtuns were being killed in the name of religion. “On whose hand should I seek the blood of my sons, brothers and sisters - the United States, the rulers of my country, religious parties or jihadi organisations?” he posed a question.

Pakhtuns have been targeted since 1979 and their sufferings were long drawn, he added. He said the Pakhtuns were being pitted against each other through a conspiracy. “For God’s sake, they should not be killed anymore and there should be an end to this massacre,” he added.

He also appealed to the Ulema to help stop killing of innocent people in the name of religion. He said that at least 20 camps should be established for the IDPs in Bannu, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan and Peshawar and they should be provided maximum facilities.

“The Sindh and Punjab governments and people should host the IDPs and extend them full support as they have been rendering sacrifices for the national cause. They left their homes and scenic valleys for the restoration of peace in the country, not for personal gain,” the ANP leader stressed.

To a question, he recalled that the ANP-led provincial government had made all arrangements for the IDPs from Malakand division.Ghulam Bilour said his party always stood for democracy and did not support dictators. However, he said he and his party was worried about the bad conditions of IDPs and killing and displacement of Pakhtuns.

The ANP leader said it was right time to bring an end to the sufferings of people from this part of the world and let them pass peaceful life. To a question about the issue of moon-sighting, he said he kept fast because of love for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and followed the people of his city Madina where people were fasting.

“I didn’t follow Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai or any other religious leader’s announcement,” he said, adding that the moon-sighting issue should be resolved with consensus and it should not be made a matter of ego.

Imran Khan can hang me for Nawaz victory speech

ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Pervez Rashid on Sunday said that Imran Khan should hang him as he had arranged Nawaz Sharif’s victory speech on the day of May 11 election.

He said that they (PML-N) would have punctured ‘tube’ of Imran Khan in Rawalpindi had they been able to do so.

The minister further said that last year's election was transparent and Hanif Abbasi lost his seat which he had repeatedly been winning in the past.

He said that Najam Sethi made appointments on the demands of Imran Khan and Chaudhry’s which were not acceptable for the PML-N.

The minister said that PTI’s candidates didn’t appear before election tribunals hearing their complaints.

“We don’t talk of hanging people on the streets,” he said. The minister said that Imran Khan himself had demanded appointment of returning officers from judiciary while Najam Sethi was appointed on PPP's proposal.

Ex-NAB official arrested for corruption

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arrested former Additional Director of NAB Balochistan Col (R) Muhammad Ishaq from Rawalpindi on the charges of corruption.

The accused allegedly misused authority and gained illegal benefits by using name of NAB Balochistan. The accused also allegedly took bribe from people for getting them appointed in Balochistan government.

The arrest warrants of accused were issued by Director General NAB Balochistan. The NAB Headquarters provided the intelligence assistance to NAB Rawalpindi Region to execute the arrest warrants.

Subsequently, Regional NAB Rawalpindi arrested the accused through coordinated efforts.The accused will be produced before the Accountability Court on Saturday for getting his physical remand.

‘Taliban al-Qaeda’ claims responsibility for PIA plane attack

KHAR: A group calling itself the Taliban al-Qaeda group has claimed responsibility for the recent firing on the passenger airline in which a woman was killed.

It is the first time that any militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Pakistan International Airlines plane that was landing at the Peshawar airport after having flown from Riyadh. However, the claim lacks credibility as this little-known group has not been blamed for any attack on the security forces or government installations yet.

Talking to reporters on Thursday, the Taliban al-Qaeda group chief Yousaf Raza Mujahid said the plane was fired at to avenge the atrocities committed against the Taliban.He also claimed responsibility for the recent attacks on the security checkpost in Helmand province in Afghanistan and military base in Nuristan.

He vowed to continue struggle against the unjust system of governance and justice in Pakistan. He said that militants would convene a meeting to discuss ceasefire during Ramazan.

Flu spray better than shots for young kids

ATLANTA: When it comes to flu vaccines, a federal panel says a squirt in the nose is better than a shot in the arm for young children.

The advisory panel voted Wednesday to advise doctors that FluMist nasal spray is a bit better at preventing flu in healthy young kids. The recommendation is specific to ages 2 through 8 only.

Some studies have found that kids within that age group are about half as likely to get the flu if they had the spray vaccine instead of a shot.

Federal health officials usually adopt the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. A flu vaccine is now recommended for virtually everyone over 6 months old.

AstraZeneca's FluMist is the only spray vaccine on the market. It was first licensed in 2003 and is approved for healthy people ages 2 to 49. Unlike flu shots made from a killed virus, it is made from a live but weakened flu virus.

Experts say the spray prompts a better immune response in children who may have never been infected with flu before, but there isn't a clear difference in adults.

The nation's largest pediatrician's group, however, objected to giving preference to the spray for kids. A representative of the American Academy of Pediatrics noted FluMist is more expensive, it can't be used for everyone and doctors have already ordered their vaccine doses for the fall flu season.

Dr. Michael Brady of Ohio State University also said the vote hinged on studies that were done before flu vaccine was encouraged for most children and vaccination rates were much lower. It's possible fresher data might not show such a difference, he said.

"We really feel you shouldn't place (doctors) and families in a situation where if they don't receive the live vaccine, they feel they're getting an inferior product. Because it may not be an inferior product," he said.

Health officials at Wednesday's meeting stressed that if doctors don't have FluMist in stock, flu shots are perfectly fine — both work. FluMist costs about $23; shots range from about $8 to $22.

Of children ages 2 to 17 who get a flu vaccine, 44 percent get FluMist, according to AstraZeneca. The company decided to make more for the coming flu season — 18 million doses, up from 13 million last year — partly in anticipation of the panel's vote, said Kathleen Coelingh, senior director of US medical affairs.

Terrorists responsible for dialogue failure: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday that terrorists were responsible for the dialogue process not succeeding.

The prime minister added that safe havens of terrorists would be eliminated and the entire country stood behind brave soldiers of the Pakistan Army.

During a meeting with a delegation led by Vice Chairman Pakistan Bar Council Ramzan Chaudhry, Prime Minister Sharif said a revolution in Pakistan could only be achieved via polls.

PM to meet political leaders

A meeting of political leaders will also be convened by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and he is expected to take them into confidence over the operation in North Waziristan and challenges facing the country.

The prime minister will also call upon the support of political leaders for strengthening democracy in Pakistan.

PM invites Imran to visit IDPs

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also invited Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan to visit IDP camps.

The prime minister’s invitation was declined by Imran Khan on account of prior political commitments.

Residents of North Waziristan have fled from their homes after the military launched an operation to root out terrorism. It is expected that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will visit IDP camps on Friday.

Ansar Burney Trust lauds ministry for helping trafficked Pakistanis

KARACHI: The Ansar Burney Trust International that is endeavouring hard to save the lives and bring back 20 Pakistanis trafficked for slavery and presently stuck at Berbera Port in Somaliland has thanked Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad, for their kind assistance to bring them back home soon.

Trust’s Chairman Ansar Burney said that 20 Pakistani nationals were trafficked to Somalia via Dubai for ‘modern day slavery’ by cruel agents in Pakistan about a month ago by way of cheating and fraud, as they were promised by the agent to be taken to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the job of fishermen but conversely, they were taken to Somaliland, Somalia.

Burney said one of such Pakistani namely Feroz Bhatti, a resident of Baba Bhit, Manora in Karachi, somehow managed to contact the Trust’s Karachi office by phone from Berbera, Somaliland and informed that he along with 19 other Pakistanis had been compelled to live a miserable life in Somaliland.

He requested Shagufta Burney, Advocate Director of Ansar Burney Trust, to help them out of this condition as their lives were in continuous danger. He also requested to make efforts to bring them back to Pakistan to reunite them with their families.

Ansar Burney said the names of 20 Pakistanis are Kader, Feroz, Adam, Jafer, Younus, Akber, Ghafoor, Abdullah, Umar, Jamel, Bashir, Manzoor, Yar Mohammad, Mohammad Khalil, Ramzan, Ghulam Hyder, Maula Bux, Ali Hussain, Gul Mohammad and Abdullah Bhatti.

He said the Trust had made immediate contact and appealed to President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad, and other higher authorities in Pakistan and Africa, to help the Ansar Burney Trust to save the lives and repatriation of these miserable people.

Ansar Burney, to establish the required Pakistani citizenship of trafficked Pakistanis in Somalia, requested families of the 20 Pakistanis to immediately contact Ansar Burney Trust International, 6 - Hassan Manzil, Arambagh Road, Karachi or by Phone: (021) 32623382.

Qadri tells followers he has returned to fight the war for Pakistan

LAHORE : Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahir-ul-Qadri says that even in the face of political highhandedness, he is present among his people.

Addressing his party workers and followers at the Minhaj-ul-Quran International secretariat in Lahore, Qadri paid high accolades to the independent electronic and print media in Pakistan terming them his “revolutionary army” adding that now the world will witness the Pakistani revolution.

The PAT chief added that the Almighty has given him wealth, respect and recognition but he has come to Pakistan for the people of this country whose future has become bleak due to the corrupt system.

He told his followers that soon the government will be toppled and the leaders will be held accountable, taunting that he can be killed but the revolution will not be stopped.

He termed the present leaders thugs and criminals, taunting again that his war is with them and the fight will continue till only a victor is left standing.

Tahir-ul-Qadri promised his followers that he will not let the corrupt leadership flee from the country; he will hold them accountable and send them behind bars.

He announced that after consultations with political forces he will give the final call for the revolution.

Eight Bangladesh Islamists to hang for 2001 bombing

DHAKA: A Bangladeshi court sentenced eight Islamists to death on Monday for a 2001 bomb attack that killed 10 people during new year celebrations in the capital Dhaka.

"The attack was carried out to destabilise the country and create panic," Judge Ruhul Amin said as he delivered the verdict in a crowded court in Dhaka´s old city. The head of the outlawed Harkat-ul-Jihad al Islami (HuJI) outfit, Mufti Abdul Hannan, was among the eight who were ordered hanged for targeting the celebrations in Dhaka´s main park which they deemed unIslamic.

The judge also sentenced six others to life in prison for setting off two bombs as thousands of revellers were celebrating the first day of Bengali New Year on April 14, 2001."It´s a heinous attack and unprecedented in our history," prosecutor Abdullah Abu told reporters after the verdicts were announced.

"We´re happy with the eight death sentenced, but not satisfied with the sentencing of six people who were given life terms. We´ll appeal against the life sentences."

The HuJI chief, better known as Mufti Hannan, is already on death row having been convicted in 2008 for trying to assassinate the British high commissioner four years earlier in a grenade attack.

A lawyer for the defendants, Faruque Ahmed, told AFP that he planned to appeal the verdicts which he said were politically motivated and designed to "make people happy in certain quarters". Mufti Hannan, who fought alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan´s civil war, is also accused of having been behind a plot to assassinate the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when she was leader of the opposition in 2004.

PTI leader asks KP govt to increase aid for IDPS

BANNU: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Frontier Region Bannu, president Malik Mavez Khan and others said on Sunday that allocation of only Rs350 million from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was a joke with internally displaced persons (IDPs) from North Waziristan.
Speaking at a press conference, they said Senior Minister Sirajul Haq should have allocated 30,000 per family for the IDPs instead of Rs3, 000. PTI members of provincial assembly (MPAs) and ministers should have come to Bannu to serve the IDPs.

The people of Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Dera Ismail Khan districts have vacated their residences and hujras and accommodated IDPs but the government failed to provide them financial and other facilities, they added.

They said the security forces should facilitate the IDPs at checkposts. People of various areas in Bannu district established camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and provided them support including portable water and food items.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters, Malik Amir Feroz Khan Wazir said that Mamandkhel tribe would provide assistance to the IDPs moving from North Waziristan Agency (NWA). Mamondkhel tribe had established camp for the IDPs at Azadmandi, he added.

“The people should generously cooperate with their brothers, who are in miserable condition and lacking water and food items as they had been forced to flee the area due to military operation,” he said, adding that people should vacate their hujras for IDPs.

Malik Ghulam Khan Wazir of Madakhel tribe and others asked the government to take measures for the rehabilitation of the IDPs on emergency basis. Camps should be set up in government schools in Bannu, Lakki Marwat, and Karak districts to accommodate the IDPs. The camps should be established near Bannu City as those in the remote areas lacked water, electricity and other facilities, he added.

Need to set up military tribunals for terrorists

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Army has sent in its officers and Jawans to lay down their lives so that the rest of us can live in peace. The Pakistan Army is at war. The rest of Pakistan does not seem to be. There is absolutely no doubt that the Pakistan Army will win the battle on the ground. But to win the war and there must be unity of effort.

Over the past 11 years, fatalities in terrorist violence stand at 52,653. Since 2002, there have been 398 suicide attacks killing 6,032 and injuring an additional 12,560. Since 2000, there have been 4,941 bomb blasts.

On September 20, 2008, the Marriott Islamabad was bombed. Rehman Malik, the-then minister of interior, charged Lashkar-e-Jhangvi for the attack.Justice Malik Muhammad Akram of the Anti-Terrorist Court acquitted Dr Usman, Rana Ilyas, Hameed Afzal and Tehseenullah Jan as the police failed to provide evidence against them.

On November 19, 2008, Major-General Ameer Faisal Alvi was shot by three gunmen on Islamabad Highway. The accused were set free for lack of evidence.On October 18, 2007, the Karachi bombing killed 140 and injured more than 350. Qari Saifullah Akhtar and his three sons, all linked to al-Qaeda and the outlawed Harkat-ul-Jihad, were arrested. A month later, Saifullah was freed due to lack of evidence.

On May 8, 2002, 11 French engineers were targeted in Karachi. On September 18, Sharib Zubair was arrested as the mastermind behind the attack. Mufti Mohammad Sabir was also arrested as the suspected bomb-maker. The two men had their convictions overturned.

In 2009, some 629 terrorism cases came before the Anti-terrorism Courts (ATCs) in Punjab. Suspects in 471 cases were acquitted. In 2001 and 2003, a total of 333 arrests were made. Only 38 of them were convicted and the rest were acquitted.

The overall acquittal rate in terrorism-related cases stands at 75 percent. In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the province most affected by terrorism, the acquittal rate is even higher. In Swat, some 575 terrorism-related cases were filed in the three Anti-Terrorism Courts.

Out of the 575, only 15 accused were sentenced.

In 2007, 28 cases were filed; only one accused was punished. In 2008, a total of eight cases were filed, six were acquitted; one was punished and one was declared wanted. In 2009, five cases were filed, four were released and one was punished. In 2011, a total of 191 accused were arrested, only four were sentenced.

Pakistan’s judicial system is ending up boosting the morale of Pakistan’s enemies. There is voluminous evidence that “the ease with which terror suspects are acquitted encourages terror outfits to indulge in worse actions with no fear of effective crackdowns.”

Military tribunals have been used in the US, the UK, Germany, Canada and India. To be certain, military tribunals do not mean the imposition of military authority on Pakistan’s civilian population. To be sure, military tribunals will not be a substitute for Pakistan’s civilian judicial apparatus. Military tribunals would mean military justice only for enemy combatants.

Remember, “Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate”.