Law will decide Qadri’s return, says Pervaiz

RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister for Information Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Tuesday said PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri had come to Pakistan of his own free will but he will not be able to leave Pakistan now on his own.
Talking to media persons after visiting the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital where scores of wounded cops are under treatment, the minister said: “Now Tahirul Qadri will return to Canada only after the law’s nod”. He was flanked by local PML-N leaders and legislators.

He said former military dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf had also come to Pakistan of his own free will but now he could not fly out as the law had not allowed him to do so.The minister was visibly perturbed over the violence unleashed by the supporters of Dr. Qadri on police personnel. He said the way the cops were subjected to aggression by what he called the ‘Ghundas’ of Tahirul Qadri had no parallel in history.

Senator Rashid claimed that the private parts of police officers and constables were targeted by the supporters of Tahirul Qadri on his (Qadri’s) direction.Praising the media for objectively showing the events on Monday, the minister said people could better decide who exactly had resorted to vandalism.

“Is this the revolution he is talking about and wants to bring to Pakistan,” he asked. “By creating a law and order situation, Tahirul Qadri wanted to divert the nation’s attention from the ongoing Zarb-e-Azb operation against terrorists in North Waziristan, but he would not succeed in achieving what he had planned for.”

Tahirul Qadri, he alleged, had been inciting his followers to violence for the last few weeks and what was witnessed on Monday was before everyone — cops received head injuries and their arms and legs were broken by his hooligans. The minister said around 100 cops were wounded in the violence.

The DHQ Hospital received a total of 35 injured policemen. The minister said PAT activists, on the directives of Dr. Tahirul Qadri, broke the arms and legs of policemen on duty. He further said the attackers would have to face the consequences in accordance with the law.

Referring to the activities of PAT activists in Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the minister said a new type of terrorism was being imported to Pakistan and “we will deal with it like we are dealing with terrorists in North Waziristan”.

He said the nation should receive the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) migrating from North Waziristan as guests. “Serving IDPs is our duty,” said the minister.The minister made it clear that the armed forces were producing 100 per cent results with regard to the elimination of terrorists and the entire nation stood behind them.About the reports of the plight of the Internally-Displaced Persons of North Waziristan Agency, Senator Rashid said the government would take good care of them.

Punjab CM shows law minister the door

 

LAHORE: After an announcement from Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Friday evening, Punjab Minister for Law and Local Government Rana Sanaullah Khan resigned from the cabinet, while Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Dr Tauqir Shah was also removed in the wake of the Model Town incident.
Shahbaz Sharif, during a press conference on Friday evening, claimed that steps had been taken to fulfil the norms of justice. Shahbaz said Rana Sanaullah was his close friend and had rendered invaluable services for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). He said when there was a martial law in the country, Rana Sana was in jail. Similarly, he added, Dr Tauqir was like his younger brother and he had been performing his duty honestly and devotedly for the last 15 years. After Rana Sana’s resignation, Education Minister Rana Mashood has been given the additional charge of law and local government departments.

The Punjab chief minister said tough decisions had to be taken for upholding the norms of law and justice as he considered himself answerable to Almighty Allah, the people and history. Shahbaz said he had full confidence in high court and ifapplication in the Supreme Court for the change of judicial commission. He said if the SC took suo moto notice of the incident, even then he had no objection.

Shahbaz said he was grieved at the tragic incident and, to fulfil requirements of justice, he had formed a judicial commission. He said the case registered against sons of Tahirul Qadri was withdrawn the same night. He said with the blessings of Allah Almighty, he survived a deadly disease like cancer and returned to the country and started serving masses. He said his six years’ tenure as Khadim-e-Aala Punjab was before the people. Shahbaz said he was the person who served the affected people round-the-clock during flood and other natural calamities. He said he always helped the oppressed whether cruelty was committed against girls in Sahiwal or in Muzaffargarh and spared no effort to take to task the powerful and cruel people.

The CM said those doing politics of dead bodies were levelling allegations against him that God forbid he was involved in the murder of the innocent people. He said when 42 people were killed in Karachi in 2007, those shedding crocodile’s tears and “Shaikh-e-Haram were celebrating Jashan with those waving fist in Islamabad”. He asked where those people were at that time who were now talking about justice and demanding resignations. Shahbaz said his past stood witness to the fact that he never compromised on justice and reiterated that he would not take rest till justice was provided in the Lahore incident. He said orders had been issued for immediate arrest of those who opened fire on innocent citizens and all-out steps would be taken to uphold the norms of justice. He said he would not compromise nor allow any hindrance in the way to justice.

Shahbaz said the day was very unfortunate for him when he put behind the bars his own son-in-law with handcuffs. He said God forbid such a time came to even an enemy. He said he was not praising himself but giving an example so that no one should raise a finger at him and those criticising him should know about his character. Shahbaz said he wanted that only doing justice was not enough but it should be seen being done so.

Replying to questions of journalists, the CM said he was not taking a defensive position and he had no concern with the demands of Shaikh-e-Haram. He said when the country was passing through difficult times and he was going to every nook and cranny of the province including Rahim Yar Khan, DG Khan and Muzaffargarh to help the people, those enjoying cool breeze and recreational foreign trips were saying that he was doing jugglery. The CM said by the grace of Almighty Allah the south Punjab gave the PML-N the biggest mandate of the history of the country, which was a proof of the fact that Allah Almighty did not waste services and hard work of any one.

Shahbaz said they decided to send a delegation comprising ministers to Minhajul Quran for expressing condolences, but they refused to receive. The CM said he was Khadim of the people and he was deeply shocked over the loss of precious human lives. If Minhajul Quran authorities permitted, he was ready to go there for offering Fateha. He said the people of Punjab were like his family members and those who died in the incident were his own people and he fully realised the grief of the heirs of the deceased. He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, federal and Punjab governments and the entire nation equally shared the grief of the bereaved families.

Shahbaz said maintenance of law and order was the responsibility of the government and it would discharge its responsibility efficiently.The CM said Nandipur power project was completed within a record period of seven months and Chinese also termed it a miracle. He said those not aware of the miseries of the poor people of Balochistan, KP, Sindh and Punjab must know that a number of programmes had been launched for reducing sufferings of the people. “Is stopping energy projects a service to Pakistani nation?” he asked.

Rana Sanaullah resigns as Punjab Law Minister

LAHORE: Rana Sanaullah has resigned as Law Minister after Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif summoned his resignation.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore Shahbaz Sharif said he had asked Rana Sanaullah to resign over the Model Town tragedy in which nine people lost their lives.

Sources add that Rana Sanaullah has tendered his resignation and has sent it to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

Punjab government sources further add that Rana Mashhood, provincial minister for education and sports, is likely to be made law minister.

'We are shutting down Geo out of respect for law’

KARACHI: “Although we don’t agree with Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) decision to suspend our license for 15 days, we are going to shut down our transmission out of respect for law,” said Geo News on Friday few hours after the media watchdog decision.

“We have received a letter from PEMRA asking us to shut down the channel. We are shutting down the channel and say you goodbye out of respect for law despite we don’t agree with the decision,” said Geo News.

Geo News has been shut down despite government’s repeated assurances that the channel would not be taken off the air.

Anti-judiciary programme case to be decided as per law: SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled for deciding the case regarding anti-judiciary programme aired by ARY TV in accordance with law instead of getting emotional.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and comprising Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry and Justice Mushir Alam, resumed hearing into Civil Miscellaneous Application (CMA)- 3096/2014 in CMA-2774/2014 in Constitutional petition. No 51 of 2010, filed by Independent Media Corporation on behalf of Geo TV.

The court directed its office to provide transcripts of the programme aired by ARY TV on May 21, 2014 against the judiciary by next Tuesday and adjourned the hearing.During the course of the hearing Taufeeq Asif advocate drew the attention of the court towards the banners and posters, displayed in Rawalpindi against the judiciary. He informed the court that a conspiracy is being hatched to defame the judiciary saying that he had already filed a petition and requested for taking up the matter at the earliest.

He informed the court a banner was displayed in the Katchery, Rawalpindi, against Justice Jawad S Khawaja and his family. Taufeeq Asif claimed that the lawyer’s community has made sacrifices for the independence of judiciary however some elements were bent upon defaming the judiciary.

Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan however told the lawyer that when the petition came before them, they will hear it but at present the court is hearing another issue.Sheikh Ahsanuddin advocate, another lawyer also came hard on the programme, aired by ARY Television against the judiciary saying that Mubashir Luqman, the anchor of ARY TV has crossed all the limits while criticising the judiciary.

He further said that it is on record that Mubashir Luqman was caught red handed while conducting a live programme wherein he was taking dictation for posing questions. He also requested the court to take up the petition in which he had filed a CMA, praying to become a party.

Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan however, also asked the lawyer that let his petition come before them and listed, they will hear it.

Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry, another member of the bench observed that they will decide the case in accordance with law instead of getting emotional. He further said that the lawyer’s community has made valuable sacrifices for the independence of judiciary and they lauded the role of the legal fraternity.

“But we will decide the case in accordance with law as it is their responsibility to decide in accordance with law”, Justice Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry remarked adding that they will not get emotional even if it relates to their fellow judge but would decide the matter in accordance with law.

He further said that this bench has been constituted for a limited time to hear the matter. Meanwhile, the court directed its office to separate the clips of the programme which were referred to them and provide them by next Tuesday.

Earlier, On June 2, 2014, the court had summoned CDs of the programme, aired by ARY TV against the judiciary on May 21, 2014 and had directed its office to arrange multimedia so that it may be benefited to watch the clips of programme, aired by ARY TV.

On Wednesday, the court watched some clips of ARY programme in the courtroom and thereafter directed its office to separate those clips of the programme which had been referred to the bench by the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

It is pertinent to mention here that Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Tassaduq Hissain Jillani on May 31, 2014 constituted a three-member special bench in pursuance of the order of a two-member Bench headed by Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja and comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmed, dated May 26, 2014 wherein the Bench had directed Registrar, Supreme Court that order dated May 22, 2014 and May 26, 2014 be brought to the notice of the CJP for further appropriate orders.The CJP had also sent to the bench, Para 4 order of the apex court of May 22, 2014 with a transcript having two clips of the ARY programme.

State institutions should act as per law: Mamnoon

 

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Monday said that the state institutions must work within the parameters laid down in law and the Constitution as political likes and dislikes should be made a yardstick in the discharge of respective responsibilities.
He said that the spirit of democracy is reconciliation, forgiveness, tolerance and mutual cooperation and not confrontation, conflict and revenge.“With our experience and observations, we have realised that democracy is not the name of confrontation, conflict, opposition for the sake of opposition or revenge but the spirit of democracy is reconciliation, forgiveness, tolerance and mutual cooperation,” said President Mamnoon Hussain in his maiden address to the joint sitting of the two houses of parliament at the start of the new parliamentary year.

The three services chiefs, chairman joint chiefs of staff committee, chief ministers of Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh and foreign envoys also heard the speech of the president from the visitors galleries.

He maintained that it was the peak of democracy to respect the opinion of majority, to give precedence to national institutions over individuals, and national interests should be given priority over the interests of the respective parties.

The president pointed out that the government did not believe in any restrictions on the media, however, it also expected of the media to formulate a code of conduct for itself and implement it in letter and spirit. This would enhance national honour and people would consider the media as true representative of their hopes and aspirations.He said that the media in Pakistan was also playing a role as a watchdog and in monitoring and no doubt it was free and its example was an example for many countries.

President Mamnoon Hussain observed that cooperation and understanding among the state institutions was critically needed at this juncture of time. “At a time when our enemies are actively working to create conflict and discord among us, we need to maintain unity and confidence among our lives,” he said.

Mamnoon especially accosted the state institutions saying that they should perform their duties according to the country’s laws and they should not make political likes and dislikes as their standard. “In the eyes of law and the Constitution, people of all areas are equal as their language, race, political inclination and family connections have secondary importance,” he said.

He said, “Every citizen of sacred homeland is Pakistani first and any secondary identity comes later. The lesson of equality taught by Islam is universal and the eternal message should be practically visible in Pakistan,” he said.

The president said in Pakistan, supremacy of Constitution and progress of democracy had become inter-dependent and solution to all the problems had to be sought while remaining within the established constitutional framework and that it was the Constitution which allocated the role for all the parliamentary and political forces. “This is the constitutional framework through which Federation and all federal constituents have to collectively find solution to their problems and have to work together for the people’s progress and prosperity,” he said.

He said it was a matter of satisfaction that all the state institutions were performing their duties with consummate harmony and devotion.

He said the armed forces were defending and protecting borders of the country very proficiently and other defence institutions were working diligently day and night while the whole nation was proud of them.

He said the armed forces were not only protecting the frontiers but they now were also performing important functions to ensure internal security. “They rendered matchless sacrifices for securing our future and we honour their sacrifices,” he said.

He also paid tribute to the sacrifices given by the people especially of Fata who had always been in the forefront for the defence of the country.

The president said the supremacy of the Constitution had become inter-dependent and solution to all the problems had to be sought while remaining within the established constitutional framework.

He said democratic transition and sustainability was not only a national requirement, but also important for national security, dignity and political identity. He stressed further promotion of reconciliatory approach to move the country forward.

The president lauded the vibrant role of civil society and called upon it to give consideration to the law of the country, national tradition, temperament of society and feelings of the masses while performing their role.

He said it was a matter of satisfaction that minorities were enjoying equal rights in Pakistan and they were not facing any discriminatory attitude, observing the role of minorities in the development and construction of the country was really laudable.

Mamnoon Hussain lauded the efforts of the government in strengthening the national economy and its efforts to overcome the energy crisis. He hoped that the government would be successful in overcoming these challenges soon.

The president said the government also took a bold initiative and launched a dialogue with the Taliban to bring peace and hoped this process would lead the country to the logical end.

Referring to Pakistan’s relations with other countries, the president said that they wanted brotherly and friendly relations with all the neighbours on the principle of sovereignty and equality. He said the visit of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to New Delhi was also a step forward to normalise relations with the neighbour to bring peace and stability in the region.

The president said Pakistan wanted a negotiated settlement of Kashmir dispute according to the UN Security Council resolutions and aspirations of the people of Kashmir.

He said Pakistan gave priority to its relations with China and realised that friendship between two countries was not merely a traditional diplomatic bond but in present times it had become a live metaphor of exemplary and eternal relationship. In reality, the whole global community realised that Pakistan and China were like two bodies and one soul in the real sense.

He said Pakistan was grateful to the European Union for providing it access to their markets.

President Mamnoon Hussain said realistic and pragmatic policies of the government for the development and prosperity of the country had enhanced the country’s esteem and respect in the international community. “Owing to these policies, statesmen from various countries besides representatives of international organisations and investors from all over the world are expressing their desire to work with Pakistan and invest here in various sectors,” he mentioned.

President Mamnoon said today observers and analysts from all over the civilised world were looking to Pakistan because, for the first time in 66 years of history, one democratic government completed its constitutional term and now another democratic government had completed its one year successfully.

He highlighted various schemes and projects launched by the government to generate employment for the youth. He appreciated the government for launching various schemes to help the youth and educate them which would help improve their skills and ultimately would benefit the country.

He said during the last one year, the government’s achievements were extremely impressive which included an increase in gross national production, continuous decrease in budget deficit, successful launch of Euro Bond, European Union grant of GSP Plus status to Pakistan, increase in remittances and increase in export of textile products.

The president said to continue the economic growth and development, ending of loadshedding was inevitable and lauded the steps taken by the government to solve this issue.

Muscle defeats law, Constitution in Geo-ISI tiff

ISLAMABAD: On the issue of Geo, the government and the military establishment stand divided with the former not inclined to get the Geo off air while the latter insisting on the closure of the channel at all costs.

However, on the ground, the Geo network has been blocked in most parts of the country without any legal order from any authority. This situation is a mockery of the law, Constitution and legal course and has all the potential to invite international pressures and possible sanctions.

In case of any “violation” by any media house, the law prescribes certain procedures, including filing of a complaint, which have been followed in this case by the ISI through the Defence Ministry. However, without allowing the law to take its course, the Geo network in most parts of the country has been closed through coercive measures.

The law of the land and the decisions of the Supreme Court do not allow the cable operators to act as an adjudicator or arbitrarily block or shuffle the number of any channel on the cable. But in the case of Geo, it has been done without any fear of accountability.

Pemra, which is without any chairman and is faced with the worst kind of internal bickering, has been unable to check the illegal suspension of Geo transmission. Neither Pemra has passed any order on Geo’s controversial April 19th coverage regarding the ISI nor any such judgment has been handed over by any court of law, yet the channel has been made to bleed through illegal means.

Background interactions reveal that the government is anxious to get the Geo-ISI tiff resolved amicably whereby the respect of the institutions of Pak Army and ISI is upheld without the closure of the channel. The government believes that what Geo did on April 19th was unfair but it does not want to go to the extent of closing down the leading television channel of the country.

Sources said that the ISI, however, is desirous to see the Geo channel suspended, if not closed. The government, however, is apprehensive that such an extreme action against Geo would not only compromise its democratic credentials but would also bring a lot of pressure from international players.

Some major economic concessions, including the GSP-Plus offered to Pakistan by the European Union, would be under serious threat in case Geo was shut down. The sources said that freedom of expression has been one of the conditions for the grant of GSP-Plus status to Pakistan.

More importantly, the government realises that no channel could be arbitrarily shut down in the presence of an independent judiciary. What happened on April 19th has to be adjudged ultimately by the judiciary in line with the law and Constitution. The court has to ultimately decide whether it was a bad editorial judgment or a conspiracy to defame the ISI.

The government is, in fact, in a dilemma over the Geo-ISI tiff. On the one hand, it is under pressure to shut Geo and also get from it an apology while, on the other hand, it has received a large number of complaints that Geo has been either closed or its place has been changed to last numbers on the cable by cable operators.

The government does not want to close Geo because it can be used as a precedent by the present and future governments to close any channel on the complaint of anyone against it. Politically, it suits the government to close any channel any time that criticises it but Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid and others do not want to use such negative tactics. The government is of the view that the issue should be resolved by apology and fine. Moreover, the government does not want to shut Geo because Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif realised that the journalist unions and Jang Group workers are planning to launch countrywide protests if journalists and workers were rendered jobless as a result of a ban on Geo.

The government, however, is not taking action on the complaints against the cable operators just to please the military establishment that wants Geo’s closure and an apology.According to a Geo spokesman, Geo has sustained losses of billions of rupees besides damage to its reputation because of its illegal closure or change of number on the cable.

Pakistan has no law to govern intelligence agencies: Umar Cheema

 

ISLAMABAD: ‘The News’ investigative journalist Umer Cheema has said that no intelligence agency in Pakistan, including the ISI, MI and IB, had any law to govern their working.
Talking to Kamran Khan in ‘Aaj Kamran Khan Kay Sath’ show on Tuesday, Cheema said these intelligence agencies worked under the standard operating procedure due to which their work carried no legal value.

He said the Saleem Shahzad Commission report had also talked about intelligence reforms. He said even Bosnia had a law to govern the working of intelligence agencies.

He said a number of Central Asia states, which broke away from Russia, had suffered a lot at the hands of intelligence agencies and the first thing these states did after independence was that they introduced reforms for their intelligence agencies.

He said when Dr. Shoaib Suddle was DG Intelligence Bureau, he had made a law to govern the working of the agency but he was removed before he could present it to the government for presentation in Parliament.

He said the good omen for a county was that its rulers learn a lesson from their mistakes but unfortunately here in Pakistan we commit mistakes and repeat them. He said not even a single example existed in the United States where its premier intelligence agency CIA had ever kidnapped, attacked or killed a journalist.

Cheema mentioned the case of American computer professional and former employee of the CIA Edward Joseph Snowden. He said when Snowden was in the US he was not afraid of being abducted by the CIA and killed and dumped on the roadside rather he feared the US law.

He said one could imagine the consequences if someone in Pakistan had blown the whistle on the Inter-Services Intelligence or Military Intelligence (MI).Agreeing to Kamran Khan, Cheema said the CIA faced the allegation of killing President John F. Kennedy but there was not as much fuss and hue and cry from the intelligence agency against the accusation as was being witnessed in Pakistan these days.

He said a murder attempt had been made on senior journalist Hamid Mir and the channel pointed a finger at the ISI director general in the light of the attacked journalist’s statement that if something terrible happened to his life then the responsibility would lie with the agency. He said it was just an allegation but the security institutions were not ready to face it.

To a question, Cheema said that he was attacked in September 2010 after which he talked of ‘intelligence reforms’ and wrote many articles about it. “I did not talk of revenge and wanted to become part of the solution. Let’s find a solution to this problem. I also put blame on the ISI for beating me up. This should not happen to anyone,” Cheema said.

He further said, “Year 2014 has come. Mistakes can be made by anybody. Being a patriotic Pakistani, I think of the future of this country and am perturbed by it. We invest confidence over others but not in the Parliament. Whenever we see corruption, we expose it.”

To a question by Kamran Khan, Umer Cheema said that the ongoing talk on Geo was not of a single institution but of one personality. “We respect the ISI chief, but Hamid Mir is no lesser in status. He is a star anchor and has been attacked. He feels unsafe in his own country. He is afraid of those who are to save him, which for me as a Pakistani, is a shame,” he said, adding that a “Gentleman Agreement” was essential, and if not so, there should be legal limits for all.

To another question, Cheema said that the procedure for overall coverage should be changed. “Either we should not have aired the bakery-affair of Sharif family, or we should not have aired the picture of General Pasha with reference to Raymond Davis case? Moreover we should not have telecast the picture of DG IB when Benazir Bhutto was assassinated? Law should be equal for all,” he said.

Umar Cheema added that Hamid Mir had come to many people before this incident took place, and whatever he discussed was aired. He noted that the news with reference to ISI chief was aired and it is essential to present the picture of the person in question, which is a new phenomenon of electronic media. He further said that we were not mentally prepared for this new phenomenon in electronic media which had led to prejudice or obscurity. He said that when clarification came from DG ISPR, no one objected upon the airing of the picture of the DG. “Neither ISPR, nor ISI complained for telecasting his picture,” he clarified.

Responding to another query, journalist Umer Cheema said that back in 2010, his case was highlighted by the then opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar. “At that time Mian Nawaz Sharif also said that the ISI was involved in the case of Umer Cheema,” he said. Moreover, he said that at a certain stage, Chaudhry Nisar also demanded for the resignation of General Pasha, which led Cheema to question if law was not applicable in this case.

In response to a query, Cheema said that Chaudhry Nisar should clarify whether he was wrong then or right.In reply to a question, Umer Cheema said that the government’s spokesman Pervaiz Rashid had said many things between the lines. He said that those groups, who talked with arguments, were standing together with the government and civil society. He said that this statement was different from that of Chaudhry Nisar. “Perhaps the office of Chaudhry Sahib has some requirements, or he is playing the role of a fire fighter which he wants to retain,” Cheema said.

To a query, Cheema said that we knew only to rule over the ignorant. “We talk of only those things which the people want to listen to. If we turned to a different talk, they will call you a ‘traitor’. There is a dearth of media’s overall training. We should also enforce relevant code of conduct,” he added.

Umar Cheema, responding to a question, said that his opinion was not necessarily the prefect one. He added that everyone had his own opinion about a thing or two. He noted that if it could be highlighted that someone was being blamed then also Hamid Mir was not an ordinary man; he held a respectable status in journalism, and if his family said that they had his recorded statement, this was a newsworthy thing. However, he said that some people might not conform to this opinion, but he opined that a meeting should be held to decide whether or not this opinion be revisited, as there is always a room for improvement.

Speaking on the show, Editor Investigations ‘The News’ Ansar Abbasi, to a question Kamran Khan about his demand that the ISI chief should step down after the attack on Hamid Mir, said he had said that it was a serious allegation raised by Hamid Mir and his brother Amir Mir pointing a finger at the DG ISI. He said this allegation caused bashing of the institution and he thought that institution should be protected as individuals do not matter.

He said if he were in place of the DG ISI, he would have stepped down so that allegation is not made on the ISI and the institution is not bashed worldwide. He said many people including Mir’s brother shared his opinion.

Asked why he did not advocate going to court to prove the allegations, Abbasi said this matter is not about allegations and indictment. He said he is talking about respect of the institution as the whole world is bashing the ISI now. He said if the allegations are proved, it will be a matter of shame for the country. He said he wants to protect the ISI from bashing.

Kamran Khan pointed out that allegations were also levelled against Nawaz Shaif and Iftikhar Chaudhry but none of them left the office.Abbasi said what he had said was his opinion and not that of Geo TV. He said if his opinion is in violation of the Constitution, it should be taken to the court of law.

Kamran Khan again pointed to Arslan Iftikhar case and the fact that they did not at that time demanded that Iftikhar Chaudhry should leave office.Abbasi said Malik Riaz had told him that he had evidence against Arslan but he did not have any evidence against the then chief justice. He questioned if a son did something wrong, should the father be punished?

He said Hamid Mir is not an ordinary person. He said Hamid Mir had shared these allegations with many persons, so what should we do now? He said wrongly or rightly, Mir had shared his apprehensions with top management of Geo TV.

He said things should not be twisted. He repeated that DG ISI is not more important as an individual than the institution. He said he thinks that if you remove the DG, you save the institution of the ISI. He said it is his viewpoint which can be rejected.

He explained that this is not the opinion of his organisation. He said he often speaks against his organisation so when he is doing so, how can it be opinion of his organisation.

Kamran Khan questioned how things will be settled when the Defence Ministry has accessed the Pemra against Geo TV, and the Interior Ministry also disliked the coverage.

Ansar Abbasi said there should be a fair deal as he is a man of rule of law. He said he only called for a fair deal but his comments were stretched beyond limits. He said, “Leave me. I am a traitor. Every body in Jang Group is a ‘traitor’. We all should be given medals for being traitor.”

He said those levelling allegations against them should monitor their activities. He said totally free media is a dangerous thing. He said had Pemra been doing right things, it should have called Geo TV to restrict if any red line was being crossed. He said Pemra has asked the media to show restrain at the time of Chehlum tragedy in Rawalpindi because there was a risk of violence in the country.

He said why Pemra and the government were sleeping at the time of transmission of Hamid Mir attack. He questioned why Pemra did not make a phone call to mention that Hamid Mir’s allegations are wrong and these pictures should not be aired on the media. He said he has objections to the working of Pemra which took no notice of abuse of the former chief justice, adding that the government and the Pemra should regulate themselves.

Kamran Khan questioned how should they defend themselves at a time when the ministries of interior and defence are levelling serious allegations against them?

Ansar Abbasi said Pemra is the body to deal with media legally and the ministers criticising the media are not in apposition to do so. He said Pemra should hear the ministries. He said justice should done with them (media) and the Ministry of Defence. He said if an assurance for such a justice is made, then they should fully submit to the law. He said they could go to the independent judiciary in case of any injustice.

Abbasi said there should be no conflict between military and civil government portraying his or others’ statements on Geo TV. He said some channels are stocking fire. He said he heard at a channel that the prime minister is siding with Geo TV but the interior minister and some other people are on the other side.

Ansar Abbasi has said that a divide is being created because of them but for them, national interest is supreme. He said they would never want that a dark environment is created because of them in the country. He said they should submit to the law as they believe in institutions. He said those who oppose should put up all their complaints to Pemra. He added fire is being stocked by wrong interpretations of their statements and these issues should be brought before the institutions concerned

Musharraf case proves supremacy of law: LHC CJ

 

LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial has said the judiciary is committed to dispensing justice to the affected people.
He was addressing a seminar on the topic of ‘Court Reporting and Dispensation of Justice’, organised at the Punjab Judicial Academy by the Press Council of Pakistan (PCP) here on Saturday.

About the Pervez Musharraf issue, the LHC CJ said he did not want to comment on the case as it was a sub judice matter. But, he added, he would like to say one thing that the developments in the Musharraf case had proven the supremacy of the law.

Justice Muhammad Anwarul Haq, Justice Ali Baqar Najfi, Justice Abdus Sami Khan, Raja Muhammad Shafqat Abbasi, Chairman PCP, Muhammad Ramzan, Mujeebur Rehman Shami, President CPNE, and journalist Saeed Aasi were also present on the occasion.

The CJ said justice could not be judged by the number of verdicts but by the authenticity of the verdicts. He said the services of the legal fraternity would be remembered for long. Pakistan was created by a lawyer, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, its idea was presented by another lawyer, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, and a number of other prominent lawyer leaders of the Pakistan Movement had struggled for the creation of this homeland.

The CJ recalled that the lawyers’ movement of 2007 wasunique in the sense that not a leaf was disturbed or any public property damaged as the movement was totally peaceful, pursuing its cause through talks, the most trusted weapon of the lawyers. The LHC CJ hoped that in the future too the judiciary, lawyers, civil society and the media would jointly ensure the supremacy of the rule of law.

The LHC chief justice said the role of the media was very important for the rule of law in the country and the restoration of constitutional rights of the public. He said the contempt of court law was used as a tool in the past to intimidate the journalist community, but the present judiciary has the courage to face positive and constructive criticism and it has not invoked the draconian law in the near past. He said the language of law was more difficult than ordinary language and it requires vast knowledge and expertise to fully comprehend legal terminology. We, the judges, also go through law books while dictating judgements; therefore, journalists should also take extra care while reporting judicial matters so that their news may not prejudice court proceedings.

He further said judges could not decide cases without assistance from the legal fraternity and the role of the lawyers in the dispensation of justice could not be undermined. At the end, the chief justice lauded court reporting in the Lahore High Court and saluted media persons for their responsible reporting.

Speaking on the occasion, PCP Chairman Raja Muhammad Shafqat Abbasi said the era of press releases was over and now the media was an independent entity, like other state institutions, and it was a need of the hour that it should be self-accountable now. Each institution should endeavour for more services to the masses, he added.

The Pakistan Bar Council vice chairman asked media persons to curtail the fashion of tickers on the electronic media.Agencies add: LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said the judiciary was a vibrant institution and its verdicts should not be made controversial.

Justice Bandial said the accused were freed by the courts due to poor investigation by the police, but the courts are accused of freeing culprits. He said the judiciary wanted to reform society.

Imran Khan says martial law will destroy Pakistan

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has said that martial law would be destructive for Pakistan.

“Impose martial law if you want destruction in Pakistan,” the cricket star turned politician said, adding that bringing about junta rule was as if somebody goes to a dispensary for cancer treatment.

He said martial law is imposed for a brief period in a country in the wake of problems but in reality the military coup aggravates the problems.

He said when a corrupt man becomes leader he destroys institution like a dictator who ruins institutions while trying to become a democrat.

Farooq Sattar terms Protection of Pakistan bill as black law

KARACHI: MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar has termed the Protection of Pakistan bill as black law and said that the law was passed in haste.

He said that the law was against the basic human rights as it allows for shooting on sight. The MQM leader said that the government presented the bill without holding consultation with the opposition.

He asked as to how many terrorists were arrested under the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance.

He said the government was trying to impose “democratic tyranny’. Sattar said that political parties were not being taken into confidence over the talks with the Taliban.

Iran passes law to boost cooperation with Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Despite tensions prevailing between Pakistan and Iran in the past few months over incidents on the Pak-Iran border in Balochistan and Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan province, Sunday saw a marked difference.

Iran's parliament adopted a bill which seeks to enhance security cooperation with Pakistan which The News understands would bind the two countries to cooperate against terrorist and militant groups on the border.

This week will also see the navies of the two countries carrying out joint military exercises in Iran. Despite reaching out to the Foreign Office and the Inter Services Public Relations, there was no response for more details. Neither was there any statement on their websites in what is an important development.

It is unbelievable that when there are efforts for an improvement in bilateral relations between Pakistan and an important neighbour, both the civil and military authorities maintain a stony silence.

The passing of a bill in parliament and news of naval exercises between the two navies come on the eve of a visit to Tehran by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for which both sides are working on mutually agreed dates.

Recently, the Sunni terrorist group Jaish al-Adl which operates on the Iranian border has on several occasions kidnapped and killed Iranian border guards. Pakistan has denied that these activities take place on its territory. Only recently relations had soured to an extent that the Iranian interior minister threatened hot pursuit inside Pakistan to recover six kidnapped border guards. His threat came as a result of an uproar in the Iranian parliament which demanded that the government seeks the release of its border guards.

Pakistan reacted quickly warning Iran that it had no authority and such an act would be seen as violation of international law. Consequently five of the security guards were handed over to Iranian authorities but one of them had been killed, with Pakistan once again saying that all this was done inside Iranian territory.

In the past this same terrorist group had killed a dozen Iranian soldiers. Sunday also saw the Pakistani fleet inside Iranian waters where they would coordinate with Iran for holding of joint military exercises in the Eastern waters of the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistan's fleet includes a warship, a submarine and a logistics warship. "The most important programme of the Pakistani fleet, during its stay in Bandar Abbas, is to launch joint maneuvers with selected units of Iran's Navy in eastern waters of the Hormuz Strait," Iranian Rear Admiral Shahram Irani told IRNA. Irani also said that the Pakistani flotilla is slated to stay for four days and that the naval drills are part of a broader cooperation between the two countries.

 

Iran passes law to boost cooperation with Pakistan

 

ISLAMABAD: Despite tensions prevailing between Pakistan and Iran in the past few months over incidents on the Pak-Iran border in Balochistan and Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province, Sunday saw a marked difference.
Iran’s parliament adopted a bill which seeks to enhance security cooperation with Pakistan which The News understands would bind the two countries to cooperate against terrorist and militant groups on the border.

This week will also see the navies of the two countries carrying out joint military exercises in Iran.Despite reaching out to the Foreign Office and the Inter Services Public Relations, there was no response for more details. Neither was there any statement on their websites in what is an important development.

It is unbelievable that when there are efforts for an improvement in bilateral relations between Pakistan and an important neighbour, both the civil and military authorities maintain a stony silence.

The passing of a bill in parliament and news of naval exercises between the two navies come on the eve of a visit to Tehran by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for which both sides are working on mutually agreed dates.

Recently, the Sunni terrorist group Jaish al-Adl which operates on the Iranian border has on several occasions kidnapped and killed Iranian border guards.Pakistan has denied thatthese activities take place on its territory. Only recently relations had soured to an extent that the Iranian interior minister threatened hot pursuit inside Pakistan to recover six kidnapped border guards. His threat came as a result of an uproar in the Iranian parliament which demanded that the government seeks the release of its border guards.

Pakistan reacted quickly warning Iran that it had no authority and such an act would be seen as violation of international law.Consequently five of the security guards were handed over to Iranian authorities but one of them had been killed, with Pakistan once again saying that all this was done inside Iranian territory.

In the past this same terrorist group had killed a dozen Iranian soldiers.Sunday also saw the Pakistani fleet inside Iranian waters where they would coordinate with Iran for holding of joint military exercises in the Eastern waters of the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistan’s fleet includes a warship, a submarine and a logistics warship.“The most important programme of the Pakistani fleet, during its stay in Bandar Abbas, is to launch joint maneuvers with selected units of Iran’s Navy in eastern waters of the Hormuz Strait,” Iranian Rear Admiral Shahram Irani told IRNA.Irani also said that the Pakistani flotilla is slated to stay for four days and that the naval drills are part of a broader cooperation between the two countries.

Obama signs law providing Ukraine loan guarantees

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill providing $1 billion in loan guarantees to Ukraine.

The legislation signed by the president on Thursday also punishes Russia for its bold annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea.

The law calls for the direct imposition of sanctions on certain people with regard to Ukraine.

Some in Congress are pushing Obama to take further steps, including increasing natural gas exports to Europe.

Obama is to meet with top lawmakers later Thursday about the situation in the Ukraine.

Obama signs law providing Ukraine loan guarantees

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill providing $1 billion in loan guarantees to Ukraine.

The legislation signed by the president on Thursday also punishes Russia for its bold annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea.

The law calls for the direct imposition of sanctions on certain people with regard to Ukraine.

Some in Congress are pushing Obama to take further steps, including increasing natural gas exports to Europe.

Obama is to meet with top lawmakers later Thursday about the situation in the Ukraine.

Obama signs law providing Ukraine loan guarantees

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill providing $1 billion in loan guarantees to Ukraine.

The legislation signed by the president on Thursday also punishes Russia for its bold annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea.

The law calls for the direct imposition of sanctions on certain people with regard to Ukraine.

Some in Congress are pushing Obama to take further steps, including increasing natural gas exports to Europe.

Obama is to meet with top lawmakers later Thursday about the situation in the Ukraine.

Use of drones should be under global law

 

GENEVA: The United Nations called on all states on Friday to ensure that the use of armed drones complies with international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law, backing a proposal from Pakistan.
A resolution presented by Pakistan on behalf of co-sponsors, including Yemen and Switzerland, did not single out any state.The United States is the biggest armed drone user in conflicts, including those in Pakistan, Yemen, Afghanistan and Somalia.

“The purpose of this resolution is not to shame or name anyone, as we are against this approach,” Pakistan’s Permanent Representative at the UN Ambassador Zamir Akram told the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). “It is about supporting a principle.”

The United States prizes drones for their accuracy against al-Qaeda and Taliban militants. Pakistan says they kill civilians and infringe its sovereignty.“The United States is committed to ensuring that our actions, including those involving remotely piloted aircraft, are undertaken in accordance with all applicable domestic and international law and with the greatest possible transparency, consistent with our national security needs,” Paula Schriefer, US deputy assistant secretary of state, told the talks.

The resolution was adopted by a vote of 27 states in favour to six against, with 14 abstentions at the 47-member Geneva forum. The United States, Britain and France voted against.The resolution urges all states to ensure that any measures employed to counter terrorism, including armed drones, comply with their obligations under international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, international human rights law and international humanitarian law, in particular the principles of precaution distinction and proportionality.

The text voiced concern at civilian casualties resulting from the use of remotely-piloted aircraft or armed drones, as highlighted by the UN special investigator on counter-terrorism Ben Emmerson in a recent report.It called on UN human rightsexpert discussions on armed drones and report back in September.

The United States, Britain and France said it was not appropriate for the forum to put weapons systems on its agenda. The Obama administration preferred to discuss drones under an initiative of Switzerland and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which it hoped would provide a “non-politicised forum” where military experts can discuss law of war issues, Schriefer said.

Akram, speaking before the vote, said opposition “can only lead to the conclusion that these States are guilty of violating applicable international law and demonstrate that they are afraid of being exposed in the expert panel”.

A separate UN human rights watchdog called on the Obama administration on Thursday to limit its use of drones and to curb US surveillance activities.The heavy mandate in favour of the resolution came about despite stiff opposition and intensive lobbying against the resolution by the US, the UK and France. As a result several European Union countries which are currently members of the Council were forced to change their votes. However, they refused to vote against the resolution and abstained. The only exception was Ireland which took a principled stance in support of the resolution.

According to the Pakistan’s Mission in Geneva, the adoption of the resolution by heavy majority underscored the success of Pakistan’s diplomacy in garnering international support for its principled position on the use of armed drones in violation of international law. This would further strengthen the country s efforts to address the issue of drones, it added.

Efforts to make Hijazi SECP chief, disregarding law

ISLAMABAD: Govt is heading towards appointing Zafar-ul-Haq Hijazi as chairman SECP but rules bar him from holding this post as he has already served two terms as commissioner, it is reliably learnt.

For this purpose the government has re-advertised the vacancy in the national dailies on March 23, 2014.It has been learnt that the commission constituted for the appointment of heads of the state-run enterprises reportedly had interviewed seven short-listed candidates for the slot and sent their profiles with comments. However, instead of forwarding the process further, the government withdrew this responsibility from the commission through a notification issued on March 7.

Rana Asad Amin, advisor to the ministry of finance, when contacted, said, “The notification of appointment of the commissioner/chairman SECP through the commission has been withdrawn to ensure transparency in the appointment process. The government has already withdrawn such notifications of almost 30 state-run enterprises and companies. The government has decided to make the appointments according to the rules that are already prescribed in the Act of the SECP and the CCP”.

“In order to ensure transparency in the process of appointment of chairman SECP the government would re-advertise the position after which suitable and competent persons would be appointed as heads of these institutions,” he commented.

Well-placed official sources informed this correspondent that the process for hiring of chairman/commissioner SECP is being revised only to adjust Mr. Zafar Hijazi, who was not short-listed by the commission because he did not qualify for the position after completing two terms as commissioner SECP.

It is said that Zafar Hijazi is friend of an important personality and worked with him previously. Sources close to the government said Hijazi is a competent person and has vast relevant experience. He is also a man of integrity, they said.

Hijazi was appointed as commissioner SECP in 1999. He then served two consecutive terms as commissioner SECP and his second term ended in 2004. During the last days of his second term, Mr Hijazi also obtained a legal opinion from the Law Division regarding his appointment in the SECP as commissioner for a third term. The then Secretary Law gave a written opinion that the SECP Act 1997 is not clear regarding the appointment of commissioner/chairman for third consecutive term and Mr Hijazi could be appointed for the third term. The copy of this legal opinion is available with The News.

Despite completion of his tenure he did not leave his office and sent a summery to the office of the prime minister to secure the third term. He continued to serve for five months after the expiry of his term without pay. Thereafter the then Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz rejected his candidature due to the objection from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

It is pertinent to mention here that the SECP was formed under $500 million capital market development loan of the ADB. The ADB was of view that the appointment of a commissioner for the third term is against the essence of the law and would undermine the independence of the regulatory body. It will also pave way for the heads of other regulatory bodies to occupy the positions for an indefinite period. The rule of maximum two terms for commissioners/members is the same for CCP, PEMRA, NEPRA, OGRA etc.

Sources in the finance ministry said that the old controversial legal opinion of a former secretary law is being cited to appoint Mr Hijazi as the chairman of the SECP.

When contacted, Zafar Hijazi confirmed that he got an opinion from the Law Division regarding the possibility of getting appointed for the third term as chairman SECP. “The Law division gave the opinion that the law is not clear on the number of terms for the appointment of the SECP commissioner, and a person could be appointed commissioner and chairman SECP for more than two terms”, said Hijazi. However, he refused to comment when asked if he will accept the responsibility if appointed chairman SECP by the government.

The SECP Act 1997 is very much clear about the tenure of SECP chairman and commissioners which states, “The Federal Government shall appoint one of the Commissioners to be the Chairman of the Commission, and no Commissioner shall be appointed Chairman for more than two consecutive terms”.

It is pertinent to mention here that in more than nine months the PML-N government has failed to appoint CEOs of over 28 state-run enterprises. All these institutions and departments are being run by the acting CEOs including SECP, PSM, PSO, OGDCL, SNGPL, SSGC, Pepco and many others.

Country bearing brunt of martial law policies: Nawaz

 

RAWALPINDI: Addressing the ground-breaking ceremony of the Metro Bus Service here on Sunday, Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said terrorism was taking its toll on Pakistan due to the wrong policies of the martial law regime, and expressed his determination to steer the country out of its crises.
The prime minister lauded the role of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for the development of his province and assured all possible assistance to the provincial government in the completion of project.

He said the project will be extended to the divisional level and a Multan Metro Bus service will be started in the next phase.Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, federal ministers, members of the national and provincial assemblies and senior government officials attended the ceremony.

Earlier, the PM laid the foundation stone of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Service Project. The over Rs44 billion project is being implemented as per the vision of the prime minister and Punjab chief minister to provide an international standard mass transit system to the twin cities.

The federal and provincial governments will contribute 50 percent each of the total cost. The project will benefit over 150,000 commuters traveling between the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi daily.

Nawaz unveiled the plaquefor the project that would be completed in 10 months. He vowed to bring about a positive change in the lives of the common man. “People will soon see this change,” he said and mentioned a number of similar other development projects. These included the motorway up to Karachi, the Islamabad-Muzaffarabad train service and the New Islamabad International Airport, which would be completed next year.

He said the government was also working on a plan to end power loadshedding and would add 22,000MW electricity in the next four years.Nawaz said talks with the Taliban were going ahead at a satisfactory pace and hoped that a meeting would be held between the two sides in a day or two. “There will be peace and the country will get rid of extremism and terrorism,” he added.

He said terrorism, corruption, unemployment, indiscipline and poverty had now become the order of the day. He regretted that the country wasted a great deal of time and nothing much was achieved in any area. He said Pakistan did witness short stints of development when his government twice came to power in the ’90s.

“The nuclear programme and the motorway were just some examples of my previous government,” he added. Thereafter the governments of the day, he added, did little to serve the masses.

He said the country’s economic indicators were positive and he had directed the federal finance minister to ensure that the rate of the US dollar against the rupee remained stable, a little below Rs100. He said the Metro Bus Project was a reflection of his government’s commitment to provide the best possible services for the residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

“Despite the fact that the number of PML-N seats in the twin cities have halved, we have doubled our services for the people,” he added.

Nawaz Sharif further said though the deadline for the completion of the project was short and it was no ordinary feat, he had firm faith in the abilities of the chief minister to accomplish this gigantic task within a short period of 10 months.

Referring to the earlier agreed upon 50-50 fund-sharing formula for the project between the provincial and federal governments, he assured the support of the federal government after Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif pointed out that the cost of the project in Rawalpindi would be much higher, and the formula needed to be revised.

A documentary shown on the occasion pointed out that there will be no environmental impact of the project as no green area will be affected during the construction of the project and it will not violate the master plan of Islamabad.

The total cost of the project also includes a signal-free interchange at Peshawar Mor, Islamabad, at a cost of Rs4.7 billion that will also be completed in 10 months. The federal and provincial governments will contribute 50 percent each of the total cost. Currently, an estimated 0.5 million people daily commute between Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The service will cater to around 150,000 people daily.

A documentary showed the route of the Metro Bus Service that will start from Flashman’s Hotel Chowk on Murree Road and will end at the Pak Secretariat covering a total distance of 23.2 km passing through the Murree Road. From Faizabad Rawalpindi, the bus will ply on IJP Road, 9th Avenue and Jinnah Avenue, Blue Area and culminate near the Pakistan Secretariat.

The portion of the Metro Bus Service in Rawalpindi from Flashman Hotel to Faizabad, covering a distance of 8.6 km, will be elevated, while in Islamabad 14.6 km will be on the ground, starting from Faizabad to the Pak Secretariat via IJP Road and 9th Avenue. The track will also have 24 modern stations for passengers.

Of these 10 will be on Murree Road and 14 in Islamabad. Initially, 60 buses will ply on the Metro Bus track from Rawalpindi to Islamabad carrying over 150,000 passengers. About 29 kanals of land will be acquired for the project, of which about 20 kanals will be acquired on Murree Road, Rawalpindi.

The premier was informed that in future if the load of passengers increased the metro track could be used for the Metro Train by laying train tracks.The project got a green signal from the prime minister in January this year and following the approval of the project the provincial cabinet, work has been initiated on the project that would provide a international standard mass transit system for the citizens of the twin cities.

Later, acting Prime Minister of Azad and Jammu Kashmir Ch Yaseen presented a cheque for Rs60 million to the PM for the affected people of Thar. The premier appreciated the help and sentiments of the Kashmiri people for their Thar brethren.

China to toughen environment law, hold polluters accountable

The revised law would hold "polluters accountable for the damage they cause. (AP Photo)

China will toughen its environmental protection laws to target polluters, according to a high-level policy report released on Sunday, paving the way for possibly unlimited penalties for polluting and the suspension or shutdown of polluters.
The revised law would hold “polluters accountable for the damage they cause and having them compensate for it”, said the report, delivered by Zhang Dejiang, who sits on the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee as one of the country’s most powerful politicians.
Premier Li Keqiang declared a “war on pollution” in a report during the country’s annual parliamentary session on Wednesday, but critics say the statement amounts to mere rhetoric without legal reforms to back it up.
The environment has emerged as one of Beijing’s key priorities amid growing public disquiet about urban smog, dwindling and polluted water supplies and the widespread industrial contamination of farmland.
Sources with ties to the leadership said in February that amendments to China’s 1989 environmental law would expand the environment ministry’s powers significantly and allow regulators to suspend and shut down repeat offenders.
Sunday’s policy report did not give specific details on how enforcement would be toughened. China’s environment ministry has historically been unable to enforce anti-pollution laws effectively.
Almost all Chinese cities monitored for pollution last year failed to meet state standards.
China tested a domestically-produced drone aircraft that disperses smog by releasing a chemical catalyst, state media reported on Sunday.