SC orders arrest of main accused within a week

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday, while issuing an order to the Ministry of Interior to arrest the main accused allegedly involved in the anti-judiciary campaign within a week, expressed dissatisfaction with the Ministry of Interior’s report about the action taken in this regard. The apex court also summoned a report within a week about the arrest of the accused.
Justice Nasirul Mulk remarked, “We don’t want a blank report. Tell us what the outcome of this report is. How many accused have been arrested so far and what guidance has been given by them to the law enforcement agencies. Security personnel are present everywhere and they have not spotted anyone placing the banners.”

Justice Jawwad S Khawaja reply is not satisfactory. It means judiciary is insecure. Are there no CCTV cameras there? Are the entries not made on barricades? Is the state so much helpless that every one enters Red Zone and returns after doing whatever he wants?”

A three-member SC bench presided over by Justice Nasirul Mulk took up anti-judiciary campaign case for hearing Wednesday.Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Ahmad Saeed presented the interior ministry and IB report in the court. He made it clear that the government had made safe city project with reference to security which was annulled by the SC.

He said that IB report was secret.Justice Jawwad S Khawaja inquired what the secret was therein.The DAG told the court that IB report was based on the progress made in the case.The court remarked, “What progress is there that it has not been ascertained so far how many accused were there and what action was taken against those involved in placing banners.”

The DAG said that efforts were underway to locate prime accused. Two accused had been arrested and information was being taken from them. Give us one week and we will take action against the culprits and give report.”Justice Jawwad S Khawaja remarked, “It means we are not fully covered.The hearing of the case was adjourned till July, 2.

Work on Karachi-Lahore Motorway to begin within few months: Nawaz

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has stated that work on Karachi-Lahore Motorway project would begin within few months, Geo News reported.

The premier was speaking to a delegation of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders and parliamentarians from Sindh, who called on him in Islamabad on Wednesday evening.

PM Nawaz said bringing normalcy to Karachi was top priority the government.

Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, Minister of State for Railways Abdul Hakeem Baloch and Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan were also present on the occasion.

All institutions including media working within limits

PAKPATTAN: Punjab Governor Ch Muhammad Sarwar has said that the government is proud of the Pakistan Army.

He added that the government has made a strategy to end power shutdowns in the next three years.Talking to newsmen at the Shrine of Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Masood Ganj Shakar on Sunday, the governor said all institutions, including the army, administration, judiciary, politicians and the media, had an important role in the country. He said responsible journalism played a pivotal role in nation-building. “The significance of the media could not be denied as it had played a vital role in stabilising the social set-up and bringing the truth to people. The army, administration, judiciary, politicians and the media are working within their limits. The Pakistan Army is the best army in the world. We are proud of our army, the governor said.

The governor was received by MNA Sardar Mansab Ali, MPA Mian Ali Naveed, Habibullah Bhatti, Administrator Market Committee MD Butt, DCO Rana Muhammad Arshad, DPO Shah Nawaz and others. Foolproof security arrangements were made at the shrine of Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Masood Ganj Shakar. The governor offered Fateha at the shrine and left for Sahiwal by a helicopter.

MH370 mini-sub search of ocean zone will end within week: PM

PERTH: The mini-submarine hunting for flight MH370 will finish scouring its current strip of the Indian Ocean within a week, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said, adding that if unsuccessful the operation will be forced to move into a new phase.

Abbott told the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that authorities will need to rethink their approach if the US Navy mini-submarine fails to find wreckage from the missing Malaysian jet in its current search zone, 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) off Perth.

"We believe that search will be completed within a week or so," Abbott told the US newspaper.

"If we don´t find wreckage, we stop, we regroup, we reconsider."

The unmanned Bluefin-21 submersible on Thursday completed its first full mission in the search zone, where underwater signals -- believed to be from the missing plane´s black box -- were detected earlier this month.

Data retrieved by the mini-submarine is being analysed.

Australian officials said the Bluefin had searched around approximately 90 square kilometres (35 square miles) so far.

The mini-sub´s first two attempts to scan the seabed for signs of the Boeing 777, which vanished on March 8 with 239 people on board, had to be cut short -- on Tuesday because the water was deeper than its 4,500-metre operating limits, and on Wednesday because of an unspecified technical problem.

"My determination for Australia is that we will do whatever we reasonably can to resolve the mystery," Abbott said.

"If the current search turns up nothing, we won´t abandon it, we will simply move to a different phase," he added, reiterating his confidence that searchers were looking in the right place.

The Bluefin´s aborted first two missions have raised the spectre of a prolonged, difficult search that may require even more sophisticated equipment to be deployed.

The US Navy has estimated it would take the sophisticated device "anywhere from six weeks to two months to scan the entire search area".

MH370 mini-sub search of ocean zone will end within week: PM

PERTH: The mini-submarine hunting for flight MH370 will finish scouring its current strip of the Indian Ocean within a week, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said, adding that if unsuccessful the operation will be forced to move into a new phase.

Abbott told the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that authorities will need to rethink their approach if the US Navy mini-submarine fails to find wreckage from the missing Malaysian jet in its current search zone, 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) off Perth.

"We believe that search will be completed within a week or so," Abbott told the US newspaper.

"If we don´t find wreckage, we stop, we regroup, we reconsider."

The unmanned Bluefin-21 submersible on Thursday completed its first full mission in the search zone, where underwater signals -- believed to be from the missing plane´s black box -- were detected earlier this month.

Data retrieved by the mini-submarine is being analysed.

Australian officials said the Bluefin had searched around approximately 90 square kilometres (35 square miles) so far.

The mini-sub´s first two attempts to scan the seabed for signs of the Boeing 777, which vanished on March 8 with 239 people on board, had to be cut short -- on Tuesday because the water was deeper than its 4,500-metre operating limits, and on Wednesday because of an unspecified technical problem.

"My determination for Australia is that we will do whatever we reasonably can to resolve the mystery," Abbott said.

"If the current search turns up nothing, we won´t abandon it, we will simply move to a different phase," he added, reiterating his confidence that searchers were looking in the right place.

The Bluefin´s aborted first two missions have raised the spectre of a prolonged, difficult search that may require even more sophisticated equipment to be deployed.

The US Navy has estimated it would take the sophisticated device "anywhere from six weeks to two months to scan the entire search area".

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The court adjourned the case till March 10.