300 CNG stations closed down in Punjab due to non-supply of gas

Islamabad: The All-Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) has said that more than 300 compressed natural gas (CNG) filling stations have been closed in Punjab, while thousands are on the verge of economic failure due to partial supply of natural gas and irrational pricing.

The number of closed down CNG stations have been increasing creating problems for the masses, increasing unemployment and decreasing the income of the government, said APCNGA Supreme Council Chairman Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha.

In a statement issued here, he said that the natural gas allocated for CNG industry is being diverted to other sectors so that their profits could increase. He said that CNG industry is being deprived of natural gas despite the fact that it is the only sector which has no other alternative while other sectors have substitutes.

Judge gunned down in Quetta

QUETTA: Unidentified armed men shot dead Environmental Tribunal Judge Sakhi Sultan in his office in Shahbaz Town here on Friday morning.

Police officials said that two unknown armed men entered the office of the Environmental Protection Tribunal at around 10:45am and targeted the judge, Sakhi Sultan, with automatic weapons. Sultan sustained serious injuries while the attackers fled.

Sakhi Sultan, who had also been an activist of PPP, was rushed to the Civil Hospital but succumbed to his injuries before any treatment could be provided to him.The cause behind the cold blooded murder is yet to be ascertained. However, police believe that it was a target killing.

Soon after the incident, police officials rushed to the spot and started a probe. Seniors lawyers, office bearers of the Balochistan High Court Bar Association and the deceased judge’s family gathered at the hospital. Moving scenes were witnessed in the hospital.

Sakhi Sultan had also worked as a senior lawyer at the Supreme Court and High Court. Presently, he was discharging his duties as a judge of the Environmental Tribunal. In the past, he had been associated with the PPP and served as member of the central committee of PPP.

The office-bearers of the Balochistan Bar Association have strongly condemned the killing of Sakhi Sultan and announced three days of mourning against the cold-blooded murder of the judge.

Our correspondent adds from Islamabad: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Friday strongly condemned the killing of Sakhi Sultan in Quetta and demanded of the government to take urgent measures for nabbing the culprits.

Soon after his gruesome killing, SCBA President Kamran Murtaza strongly condemned the assassination of Sakhi Sultan and demanded of the government to take speedy measures for arresting the culprits.

“We are going to give a call for strike across the country and will ask the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) as well as bar councils in the provinces to boycott the court proceedings,” Kamran Murtaza told reporters at his office in the Supreme Court.

He recalled that he had already demanded of the government to ensure ample security to the judges and lawyers across the country keeping in view the prevailing law and order situation. However, he said, both the federal and provincial governments failed to take into account his request.

Meanwhile, it was reported that soon after the killing of Sakhi Sultan, the Pakistan Bar Council, Balochistan High Court and Balochistan Bar Association announced mourning and boycott of court proceedings for two days.

President of Balochistan Bar Association Bilal Anwar Kasi and President of Balochistan High Court Bar Mir Zahoor Shahwani strongly condemned the killing of Sakhi Sultan and said the lawyers would boycott court proceedings on Monday and Tuesday.

Karachi: Two gunned down in Gulistan-e-Jauhar

KARACHI: Two people were killed when unknown armed men opened fire on a shop in Gulistan-e-Johar area of the city on Saturday.

According to police, the deceased were identified as Hyder Abbas and Qaisar Abbas. Police have launched an investigation into the killing.

Worst loadshedding spell as four Mangla Dam units break down

 

KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: The country on Sunday witnessed the worst spell of loadshedding after five units of the Mangla Dam broke down.
Loadshedding is likely to increase in various cities after the power shortfall in the country exceeded 4,500 megawatts (MW) from 3,500MW.According to sources, thermal power plants are not producing electricity according to their capacity despite sufficient fuel supply. They said the power distribution companies were providing low voltage to reduce the duration of loadshedding .

The sources further said that the duration of loadshedding could be increased to 16 hours.Several areas of the country are experiencing power outages of 12-15 hours daily while the situation in some cities of the Punjab is even worse.

Power generation in the country stands at 13,350 MW while demand is 16,900MW.Meanwhile, Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali has claimed that the government is proactively executing diverse programmes to overcome the energy crisis.

Meanwhile, four people died of sunstroke and dozens others were hospitalised as the mercury rose to almost 50 degrees centigrade in several cities of the country on Sunday.According to reports, three persons, including two-year-old Arzoo of village 82/6-R, Ahsan, 10, and 32-year-old Muhammad Aslam hailing from village 67/5-R of Sahiwal, fell unconscious due to sunstrokes. They were shifted to hospitals where they expired.

Ahmed Deen, 65, of village 62/5-R died after exposure to the heatwave.Meanwhile, dozens of people affected by intense hot weather were shifted to different hospitals in Sahiwal where, according to medics, the condition of three was critical.

The citizens have expressed grave concern over the nearly 15 hours of loadshedding daily and demanded that the provincial government improve power supply.In Karachi, temperature was recorded at 40 degrees centigrade on Sunday morning. Rural Sindh is also suffering from the intense heat wave. Extremely high temperatures were recorded in various cities of the province including Jacobabad, Nawabshah, Larkana, and Sukkur. However, the temperature is likely to drop in the province from Monday (today).

In Punjab, the situation is no different as the heat wave is prevalent in most parts of the province. Extremely hot weather has gripped most of the plain areas of Punjab including, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan and Bahawalpur divisions.

Severely hot weather also grips many parts of Balochistan, including Turbat and Sibi division, whereas the use of cold drinks has increased due to the heat.The Met Office has predicted that the heatwave would continue to grip most plains areas of the country for the next few days.

An intense summer is also being witnessed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The citizens are visiting parks, canals, beaches and recreational spots to battle the weather whereas the demand for cold beverages has also increased.

Meanwhile, the Met Office has predicted rain with thunderstorm in some areas of Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Malakand and Hazara Division.Jacobabad remained the hottest area during the last 24 hours where the temperature recorded was 50°C, while the maximum temperature recorded in other cities were: Dadu, Sukkur, Larkana, Moenjodaro, Sibi 49°C; Noorpur Thal, Rohri, Shaheed Benazirabad, Rahim Yar Khan, Padidan and Turbat 48°C.

Our correspondent from Lahore adds: With a high mercury level on Sunday, a majority of citizens thronged the city canal and other water spots to beat the heat.With loadshedding and severe heat, a large number of Lahorites went to the Lahore canal to beat the heat. All swimming pools and other water sports facilities were packed. Hours-long traffic jam was also witnessed at the canal road near Jallo Morr.

Met officials said the highest maximum temperature in the city was recorded as 46.3 C. They predicted very hot and mainly dry weather with chances of dust raising winds for the next 24 hours. They said a westerly wave lying over the extreme northern parts of the country had moved away eastwards while the seasonal low pressure lies over northern Balochistan.

Sale of plastic paddling pools has also increased in the city. A vendor sitting at the roadside in Faisal Town said since the morning he had sold over ten large and five small pools.

Pakistan’s most popular channel shut down

 

KARACHI: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has ordered the Geo News to shut down for 15 days. This goes against the sentiments of civil society, parliamentarians, political parties as well as all journalist associations, including the APNS, CPNE and PFUJ besides international human rights and freedom of speech advocacy groups like the Amnesty International, Reporters Without Borders, Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, Freedom Network and Pakistan Human Rights Commission, among scores of others.
The Pemra sent a formal letter on Friday June 6, 2014 ordering the Geo News to immediately shut down its transmission as well as to pay Rs10 million fine.A Jang Group/Geo spokesperson said on Friday night: “The decision taken is a grave injustice to the oldest, the biggest and the most popular media group of Pakistan. It appears the government finally gave in to the pressure of the powerful unseen forces and rushed through the decision to suspend the transmission of the leading independent and the most popular news channel in the country.”

The irony, he said, is that never in Pakistan any channel had ever been suspended, either by Pemra or even by any court. Even the channels that were owned by large business houses and gave biased and twisted news coverage to protect their business interests had never faced such a penalty. Channels that ran sustained campaigns to defame the Chief Justice of Pakistan and defamed the honourable judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts and even those caught red handed planting interviews to malign the Chief Justice of Pakistan had never been cautioned or penalised.

Not only this, channels and TV hosts who had openly raised doubts and suspicions about the Pakistan Army chiefs and prime ministers of being murderers, traitors or foreign agents had not been touched. Incitement to violence and proven defamation by these channels was never considered a big crime for them to be suspended or even fined.

The most vociferous TV anchor of a rival channel before retirement of the COAS had called him a CIA agent. He said this on live TV and then encouraged tweets to support his allegation. But neither he nor his channel faced any consequences.

According to the spokesperson, the Pemra action will damage the country as the first-ever TV channel to be suspended is a channel that had become the icon and spearhead of an independent media with a free editorial approach. It is the only channel that had transparently published its editorial policy on its website in the form of Geo Asool and which maintained the record of the most accurate and timely news coverage.

While the ISI’s complaint against Geo was only about a few hours of transmission on just one of its channels, all of Geo Network channels were virtually put off air by unknown forces — not very unknown though.

Geo had been condemned Supreme Court, through a 3-member bench, ordered it to be opened but nothing happened. Even Geo Kahani, Geo Entertainment, Geo Tez and Geo Super were shut, displaced or distorted. Dozens of Jang Group newspaper vans have been burnt, hawkers, reporters and editors beaten up and harassed.

No one has given us justice. Already Rs2 billion loss has been inflicted in an effort to coerce and force the Jang Group to fall in line. It is expected the losses will reach Rs2.7 billion (approximately US $27 million). This is the real penalty Geo has been forced to pay, which is unprecedented even by international standards.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had publicly stated that he was against any curbs on the independent media and against shutdown of any TV channel. Parvaiz Rashid, the Information Minister had also categorically stated on record that the government would not shut down any channel. He had assured that the government had avoided shutting down any channel in the past even though there was pressure from courts.

The 15 day official closure added to the 45 days of an illegal shutdown equals 60 days of closure. It should be noted that during the 2007 emergency of General Pervez Musharraf all channels of Geo Network were shut for approximately 90 days.

The Jang Group and GEO TV Network have faced such adversity from governments, civilian and military alike. Successive governments have tried to shut it down, stop its advertising and distort its transmissions and distribution through cable operators in the past.

Losses of over Rs8 billion had been inflicted on the Group (Approximately $80 million). The constitutional and intrinsic right of the viewers and readers to information and free and independent debates and analysis has been unconstitutionally hampered. Without these freedoms Pakistan cannot progress and be counted among the civilized countries of the world.

The Group editors, reporters and hosts believe that the truth, no matter how bitter, is always in the best interest of Pakistan than a lie, no matter how sweet.

The April 19 transmission, immediately after the attack on Hamid Mir, included content that was excessive, distressful and emotional for which Geo has apologized to all concerned. Regardless of this apology attacks still continue against the group, including physical attacks and harassment of reporters and editors as well as burning of newspaper vans.

The spokesperson said the only fault of the Jang/Geo group was that it was unwilling to allow its editorial policy to be dictated.

For hurt caused as well as for the sake of the lives of its tens of thousands of journalists and employees who are receiving daily threats, Jang/Geo TV network even went to the extent of offering an apology but it failed to calm the nerves of the powerful.

The spokesperson said it seemed that the government had finally surrendered in the face of tremendous pressure from unseen forces. It was only yesterday that Geo had served a lega notice to claim around US $50 million from the federal government, Pemra and ISI in terms of reputational damage as well as the actual damage caused to the group as their formal complaint included blaming Geo to “historically pursue an anti Pakistan agenda”.

The spokesman said it seemed that it was the legal notice to the Defense Ministry, Pemra and ISI that compelled the government to rush to deliver the final blow to Geo News. The head of Pemra was appointed only hours before Friday’s decision to suspend Geo News. The pressure, it seems was so great that Pemra went through with the decision even without giving the right of hearing to Geo News.

Clarifying the so-called contradiction between Geo News apology and its legal notice, the spokesman said that its apology and even Pemra’s yesterday’s decision was about Geo news transmission of 19 April. The group still stood by its apology. The basis of the legal notice was the unsubstantiated allegation that the Group has a history of pursuing Anti-Pakistan agenda. This was the worst kind of defamation. This allegation has caused huge actual and reputational loss to the Group and it exposed thousands of Group employees to life threats.

A section of the media has been instigating not only violence against Geo and its employees but also lobbying powerful forces not to accept Geo’s apology. They are doing this for financial gain as Geo Network has the largest advertising share because of its huge viewership and competitors thought they would stand to gain millions if Geo was shutdown. The Group has the largest circulated newspapers, news channels and entertainment channels as well as Pakistan’s only sports channel. In fact Geo News following is bigger than the next three channels combined.

On June 6, 2014, around 10 pm, Geo News shut down its transmission across Pakistan, asking its viewers to pray for justice.The channel will, however, consider all legal options with its editors and legal advisers.

Taliban 'master bomber' gunned down amid deadly infighting

NEW YORK: A suicide bombing "mastermind" in the Pakistan Taliban has been gunned down and killed in the country's northeastern tribal region, just days after a major faction in the militant group announced it was breaking away over ideological differences, says a US TV report.

Gunmen riding in a car attacked Ashiqullah Mehsud, a senior commander in the leadership of the group known formally as the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), in the village of Urmuz in North Waziristan on Thursday before speeding off, sources told US TV.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, while the TTP has yet to issue a statement.

Mehsud was viewed as a successor to Qari Hussain Mehsud, the militant group's explosives expert whose notoriety includes allegedly recruiting children as suicide bombers.

The Pakistan Taliban has been beset with months of deadly infighting, culminating in an announcement early this month by the group's Mehsud faction that it would be going its own way after failing to convince the leadership to give up what it said were "un-Islamic" practices, such as attacks in public places, extortion and kidnappings.

It's the first split since the TTP -- a coalition of militant groups -- was founded in 2007, seeking to establish its version of sharia law across Pakistan, the report said.

Tensions within the TTP escalated after the group's leader, Hakimullah Mehsud, was killed in a U.S. drone strike in November last year, setting off a power struggle among top commanders of the TTP that led to violent clashes in which dozens of people were killed.

Appointed by a tribal council, Mullah Fazlullah has stood at the helm of the TPP since Mehsud's death. He hails from the country's Swat valley and is the first TTP leader who is not a Mehsud. He has struggled to contain the internal frictions among the group's factions, especially those within the Mehsud tribe, which makes up the majority of the TTP.

In a statement released last month, Azam Tariq, a spokesman for the breakaway Mehsuds, said the TTP leadership had "fallen into the hands of a bunch of conspirators ... involved in criminal activities like robbery and extortion."

 

'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.

Four including 3 women gunned down in Swat

SWAT: Four persons were killed when unknown culprits opened fire in a house in Buner District of Swat on Monday morning, Geo News reported.

According to police, the incident occurred in Palwari area of Buner where unknown armed assailants opened fire in a house that killed three women and a man.

The ferocious incident didn’t end here. The brutal murderers set the bodies along with the house on fire after killing their targets.

Police reached the incident site and initiated investigation.

Two gunned down in Karachi

KARACHI: Two people including a doctor were killed when unknown armed men opened fire in Orangi Town and Hussainabad areas of the city on Thursday.

Police said that the slain doctor was identified as Doctor Hassan Ali Qureshi who hailed from Sukker. The doctor had been serving at a local hospital.

A man identified as Zahid was gunned down in Orangi Town area of the city.

US military intelligence chief stepping down

WASHINGTON: The head of the US Defense Intelligence Agency and his deputy will step down later this year, officials said Wednesday, but denied reports they were being forced out.

Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, who had served as director of the DIA since July 2012, and deputy David Shedd, said in a joint memo to employees that "they will depart the agency and retire by early Fall 2014," according to an agency statement.

Their "retirements have been planned for some time," said Pentagon press secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby in an email.

Flynn played a key role in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, serving under General Stanley McChrystal as part of US efforts to dismantle insurgent networks through raids by special operations forces.

But The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, said Flynn was being pushed out of office after disagreements with other senior figures, including Michael Vickers, the undersecretary of defense for intelligence and a former CIA officer.

The DIA is undergoing dramatic changes under a plan to deploy more spies in the field, and Flynn´s efforts to speed up the transformation proved "disruptive," according to his critics, the Post reported.

US defense officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, rejected the report and said Flynn and Shedd both had planned to retire for a number of months.

The intelligence agency´s statement said the pair had led a "transformation" that "helped reshape DIA culture," allowing "the agency to nimbly respond to recent crises without having to create special task forces or move people.

"Flynn´s successor has not been announced but the Post said it would likely be Lieutenant General Mary Legere, who would be the first female officer to lead the agency if nominated and confirmed by lawmakers.

Van falls deep down ravine, 4 killed at Shangla

SHANGLA: At least four persons were killed and five sustained injuries as a passenger van plunged down a deep ravine at Sakargah on Saturday here, Geo News reported.

Sources said that the ill-fated passenger van on way from Shangla to Batgram went out of control due to high speed skidded deep down a ravine at Sakagah that killed four persons, while five sustained injuries.

Local people and rescue teams shifted the bodies and the injured to the nearby hospital.

Prof. Ibrahim appeals TTP, army to lay down arms

PESHAWAR: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leader and member Taliban negotiating committee, Professor Ibrahim has appealed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the army for making dialogue process successful, Geo News reported.

Addressing Tribal Jirga in Peshawar here Thursday, Professor Ibrahim said the army and Taliban are real parties and if the military wants, the dialogue process would become successful. He appealed both TTP and the military to lay down their arms.

He also asked both the parties for ceasefire in respect of the sacred month.

JI leader said if the Islamic articles of the constitution were implemented, they gave assurance that Taliban would accept the constitution.

“We organized a meeting between government committee and Taliban shura in which process of confidence building began”, he added.

Ibrahim said the judiciary is a major part of the constitution, however, the people of Fata are deprived of its benefits.

Petrol down by Re0.34 per litre, diesel by Rs4.51

ISLAMABAD: The government has reduced the prices of petroleum products with petrol going down by Re0.34 per litre, diesel Rs4.51 per litre and kerosene Rs3.8 per litre.

The overall reduction in the POL prises is up to Rs4.51 per litre from today (May 1, 2014) after accepting the recommendations of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra).

In line with Ogra’s recommendations, this time the government has decreased the price of petrol by only Re0.34 per litre, which is nominal. While the dollar has depreciated against the Pak rupee, even then consumers will not get the required relief because of the fact that the price of petrol has surged to a reasonable level in the global market and this has deprived the consumers of petrol from the Rs1.20 per litre relief.

However, the government has substantially reduced the price of High Speed Diesel, which will provide a reasonable solace to the masses as most of the transportation of all kinds of goods, including kitchen items, takes place on diesel-run vehicles. The tumbling in the price of diesel will help reduce the prices of daily use items.

The price of kerosene has been decreased by Rs3.8 per litre, Light Diesel Oil Re0.94 per litre and High Octane Blending Component (HOBC) Rs1.94 per litre.

This means that the new price of petrol (motor gasoline) will be at Rs107.97 per litre from (today) May 1, 2014, High Speed Diesel Rs109.34 per litre, Light Diesel Oil Rs94.13 per litre and Kerosene Rs98.07 per litre.

According to a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar called on Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in London. The finance minister briefed the prime minister on the cumulative reduction in the POL prices in the last three

months and told him that the economic policies, stabilization in the value of rupee and an increase in the foreign exchange reserves had stimulated the recent reduction in the POL prices.

The prime minister directed the finance minister that benefits of the strong economy should reach the common man. The finance minister suggested a reduction in the POL prices after consultation with the Ogra and the Ministry of Petroleum and the prime minister approved a reduction in the POL prices.

The Nawaz government, during March-May 2014 period, reduced the petrol price by Rs4.71 per litre, diesel by Rs7.41 and kerosene by Rs8.69 per litre.

Policeman guns down 3 US citizens at Kabul hospital

KABUL:An Afghan policeman opened fire Thursday on staff at a Kabul hospital run by a US charity, killing three Americans in the latest deadly attack targeting foreign civilians in the city.

The gunman was injured in the incident outside the CURE International hospital and detained by police, officials said, adding that the motive behind the shooting was not immediately known.

"The attacker was a member of the police in the district," Seddiq Sediqqi, spokesman for the interior ministry told.

"He opened fire as the foreign nationals were entering the hospital, tragically killing three and injuring one more. Another policeman in the area shot the attacker, injuring him."

A medic who was treating the wounded told that a foreign doctor was among the dead.

"With great sadness we confirm that three Americans were killed in the attack on CURE Hospital," the US embassy said on its Twitter account. "No other information will be released at this time."

Kabul has been hit by a spate of attacks targeting foreign civilians this year, including a Lebanese restaurant where 21 people died, an attack on a luxury hotel and the daylight shooting of a Swedish radio journalist.

Last month Taliban militants attacked a Kabul guesthouse used by Roots of Peace, a US anti-landmine charity, killing two people including a girl.

And this month Associated Press (AP) photographer Anja Niedringhaus was shot dead by a police commander in the eastern province of Khost in an attack which also left her Canadian colleague Kathy Gannon badly wounded.

Move to shut down Geo challenged in SHC

 

KARACHI: A division bench of the Sindh High Court, after hearing in detail a petition filed by the Independent Media Corporation (Pvt) Ltd. to challenge the arbitrary manner in which the federal government acting through ministries of interior and defence has complained to Pemra seeking cancellation of Geo News licence issued notices to both the federal government and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) calling for their comments here on Wednesday.
In its detailed order, the division bench headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, issued notices to the federal government through the Ministry of Information and also to Pemra and has called for comments on Geo’s petition, fixing May 2 as the next date of hearing.

In its petition, the Jang Group had contended that all over the world, it is routine for victims’ families to express suspicions for the help of investigating agencies. In England, a non UK citizen Mohammad Al Fayed has been conducting more than a decade of court battles to prove that his son Dodi Al Fayed and Lady Diana were murdered by MI6 of the UK. On his request, various inquests have taken place and the media has routinely reported proceedings of the court. No one has questioned this allegation as damaging the respect of MI6.

In the petition, Geo Jang Group has contended that while on the one hand, the federal government got a judicial commission set up headed by Justice Anwer Zaheer Jamali to look into the allegations of Hamid Mir’s family, on the other hand, without waiting for the findings of the judicial commission, it has reportedly filed a complaint with Pemra to cancel the Geo News licence.

In the petition, Geo has contended that on April 19, April 20 and also on April 21, no official of Pemra or that of the Ministry of Defence, contacted them to express unhappiness over the transmission and then without any prior communication, all of a sudden, the minister of interior and minister of defence filed complaints with Pemra.

In the petition, it has also been contended that the haste and arbitrariness that has been shown by the federal government when filing the complaint, the petitioner expects no fair, transparent and impartial adjudication on merit by Pemra, which has to-date never decided against the government of the day.

It was also pointed out that despite the worst kind of defamation that was conducted against the superior judiciary of Pakistan, to-date Pemra has not cancelled a single broadcasting licence.

Shut down Geo, Pemra asked on ISI complaint

 

ISLAMABAD: On the complaint of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the Defence Ministry on Tuesday directed the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to take action against the Geo TV network for levelling allegations against the ISI.
According to an official source, the application was submitted to the media regulator under Sections 33 and 36 of the Pemra Ordinance 2002 after approval from the Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif.

The application sought legal action against the channel management for framing allegations against the ISI and its DG Lt. Gen. Zaheerul Islam.According to a statement, the ministry also provided the authority with the relevant evidence suggesting the media group’s involvement in tarnishing the image of the intelligence agency.

“The news channel has breached the code of conduct by accusing Director General (DG) of the ISI Lt. Gen. Zaheerul Islam of masterminding the attempt on senior journalist Hamid Mir,” the statement said. It added that action would be taken against the channel’s editorial and management team.

“All those who are involved in the mala fide broadcast, riddled with baseless allegations, will be taken to task,” the statement said.Meanwhile, in a statement, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan declared the recent murder attempt on Hamid Mir a tragedy not only for the channel and family, but also for journalists and the entire nation.

He, however, took exception to the way the issue of the murder attempt on Hamid Mir had been used as a springboard to malign national institutions without concrete evidence.He pointed out that there was no justification for the allegations when the government had already set up a three-member judicial commission.

Meanwhile, Nisar remarked that there was no precedent in any country of the way important defence institutions were criticised and targeted and allegations levelled against them.“The propaganda against the institutions by some particular circles was exploited and propagated by the enemies the world over,” he noted.

The interior minister said when officers and Jawans of the defence forces were sacrificing their lives and shedding blood for Pakistan, this one-sided and negative propaganda was not only a matter of concern, but also condemnable.“When the government has established a judicial commission what’s the purpose of such allegations,” he asked.

Five gunned down in Karachi

KARACHI: Unknown gunmen opened fire on a shop on Shahra-e-Faisal, killing at least three people, Geo News reported late Sunday night.

Police said that the gunmen opened fire on a confectioner’s shop located near Drig Road on Shahra-e-Faisal.

A spokesman for the Ahle-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat said their legal adviser Amjid and two other activists were targeted in the attack.

The ASWJ condemned the killings and called for an action against the perpetrators. The bodies were shifted to a nearby hospital.

Two other people were shot dead in other parts of the city, police said.

Lawyer Ghulam Haider gunned down in Karachi

KARACHI: Another incident of firing claimed one more life as a lawyer was shot dead on Jehangir Road in Karachi on Friday.

According to police, the incident took place when unidentified assailants opened fire at a car, killing the lawyer.

The police said that the deceased is identified as Ghulam Haider, who was an Assistant Director at Insurance Ombudsman Office in NAB.

Five gunned down in Karachi attacks

Karachi: Five people were gunned down in the city on Wednesday in a new wave of sectarian killings that had already claimed two lives a day earlier. Besides, a police constable and an Awami National Party activist were among four other people killed in the city.Three seminary students were shot dead near Darul Sakoon madrassah in Block 14 of Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

Everton down Arsenal to keep European dream alive

LIVERPOOL: Everton struck a huge blow in the battle to qualify for the Champions League with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Arsenal at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Strikers Steven Naismith and Romelu Lukaku both scored for Everton in the first half, while Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta added a third with an own-goal in the second period in a match the home side dominated.

The result meant fifth-placed Everton closed the gap on Arsene Wenger´s side in fourth place to just a single point, and the Toffees also have a Premier League game in hand over their London rivals.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez handed Naismith, who impressed from the bench against Fulham last time out, a place in the starting line-up ahead of Ross Barkley while Kevin Mirallas was preferred to Gerard Deulofeu.

Arsenal had Aaron Ramsey back in their squad for the first time since December after his recovery from a thigh injury but he had to settle for a place among the substitutes while Nacho Monreal started in place of Kieran Gibbs, who had an ankle injury, at left-back.

Leon Osman signalled Everton´s intent and went close with a curling effort from distance, which had Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny worried, that just went over the crossbar.

Osman, named Everton captain for the day, was forced off moments later with a nasty cut on his face after Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna landed on him and was replaced by Barkley. But despite his absence the Toffees zipped the ball about with confidence and a slick move in the 14th minute allowed Naismith to put the hosts ahead.

A teasing ball into the area from left-back Leighton Baines found Lukaku who saw his shot from near the penalty spot parried by Szczesny, but Naismith was quickest to react and confidently placed the ball into the corner of the unguarded net.

Everton´s pressure on the Arsenal goal was relentless and Barkley drew a smart save on the half-hour mark from Szczesny before Mirallas had the Poland international scrambling across his goal shortly afterwards with a low shot from distance.

Arsenal´s rearguard was eventually breached for a second time by on-loan Chelsea striker Lukaku who notched his 12th Premier League goal of the season in the 34th minute.

The Belgium international received a cross-field pass on the right flank and skipped past Arsenal defenders Monreal and Thomas Vermaelen before he struck a powerful shot into the corner.

Arsenal briefly flickered into life before the interval and Lukas Podolski´s shot was acrobatically tipped over the crossbar by Tim Howard in the Everton goal.

Wenger´s side began the second period in a determined fashion but Everton simply matched them and their desire was reflected in the manner of the third goal shortly after the hour mark.

Mirallas stole possession off Sagna on the halfway line and headed towards the Arsenal goal where he found Naismith with an intelligent pass.

Naismith saw his path to goal blocked by Szczesny, but the ball popped free and Mirallas, who had continued his run into the penalty area, battled Arteta - a former Everton player - in the scramble which ultimately saw the Arsenal midfielder inadvertently push it into his own net.

From that point there was no way back for Arsenal although a run from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, introduced for Podolski in the 66th minute, saw him rattle the crossbar with a spectacular effort. But it was Everton who finished the stronger of the two sides with Barkley, Baines and substitutes Deulofeu and Aiden McGeady all threatening with runs into the box. (AP)