I forced India to talk on Kashmir, water and terrorism: Gilani

Islamabad, May 4 (ANI): All those mentions of ‘positive’ and ‘spirited’ talks between Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh with his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani on the sidelines of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit in Thimpu seem to be misplaced, as the latter has claimed to have ‘forced’ New Delhi to discuss Kashmir and water sharing issues.

“I forced India to talk on all issues, including Kashmir, water and terrorism,” said Gilani while responding to a point of order raised by the Leader of Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in the National Assembly.

Gilani said he had taken all political parties and leaders, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PLM-N) chief Nawaz Sharif into confidence over the possibility of a meeting with Dr. Singh during the XVIth SAARC Summit.

Commenting on the probe into former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, Gilani vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice, saying the killers would not be allowed to go scot free, “whoever they may be”, The Daily Times reports.

“All the culprits will be brought to justice,” Gilani said, adding that the government has also constituted a probe team to investigate washing down of the spot, where Bhutto was killed in a gun and bomb attack on December 27, 2007. (ANI)

How Gilani promoted his “jail buddy” to a plum Govt. post

Islamabad, Mar. 29 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has reportedly rewarded a junior jail official with a jumbo promotion in the federal government as the man used to provide laptop and movie CDs to Gilani when he was at the Adiala Jail.

Faisal Nisar Chaudhry, a junior officer in Prison Department was first called to work at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat on deputation as Liaison Officer, and now, he has been made Deputy Secretary, The Nation reports.

Interestingly, the association continues as Chaudhry despite having been designated Deputy Secretary continues to work as the Liaison Officer with Gilani, the report adds.

Sources claim that immediately after Gilani’s appointment as the Prime Minister of Pakistan, various attempts were made to induct Chaudhary directly into the Secretariat.

However, the then Principal Secretary and Establishment Secretary had expressed reservations to induct a junior non-concerned officer in Secretariat Group.

But now, sources say, the matter has been resolved as Gilani’s “jail buddy” has assumed charge as Deputy Secretary. (ANI)

PCB boss Butt accuses Army, Judiciary of land grabbing

Islamabad, Mar.23 (ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt knows how to remain in news, as he has now accused the Army and judiciary of land grabbing.

Butt’s shocking disclosure came during a hearing in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which was discussing an audit report, which had revealed massive financial mismanagement in the board’s accounts.

Butt said that the Army officials and judges belonging to the superior judiciary have occupied PCB’s land worth millions.

“They just came and started constructing their houses without any formal transfer of land and payment. No official record of land transfer was available with the revenue department,” The News quoted Butt, as saying.

“Almost 18 acres of expensive land is in the use of the Army and another six has recently been grabbed by the judiciary. The land belongs to the PCB and as such we want it back. I would soon be sending a request of meeting to the Army chief and the chief justice and want to apprise them of the issue,” Butt said.

Delegates present during the meeting, which was presided over by Chaudhury Nisar Ali Khan, were dismayed at Butt’s claims and said the allegations were strange. However, Khan said the committee would extend all support to him to help recover the land from the two powerful institutions

During the meeting, Butt made another shocking revelation, saying he was being threatened by a Karachi based gang to hand over PCB’s land worth over five billion rupees to it.

“First I was threatened and then offered money in exchange for this favour but I refused,” Butt said. (ANI)

Lahore women files petition seeking Pakistani citizenship for Indian husband

Lahore, Sep.17 (ANI): A Pakistani woman has filed a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking Pakistani citizenship for her Indian husband.

Justice Mian Saqib Nisar admitted the petition filed by one Shazia Zia, and referred the matter to the High Court Chief Justice.

Zia, in her petition, said she has married an Indian national named Majid Ali, but the authorities have denied giving her husband a Pakistani citizenship despite repeated appeals.

She alleged that there was no legal justification for this refusal and submitted that it was gender discrimination which has no provision in the constitution

“A foreigner woman married a Pakistani man and got Pakistani nationality, but my husband is being refused the same,” The Daily Times stated the petition, as saying. (ANI)

PML-N moves privilege motion against Zardari

Islamabad, Sep 16 (ANI): The Pakistan Muslim League-N has moved a privilege motion in the National Assembly (NA) against the statement of President Asif Ali Zardari on giving the safe passage to the former president Pervez Musharraf.

The motion signed by 91 MNAs has been brought by Hanif Abbasi, Dr. Tariq Fazal and Anjum Aqeel, the NA Members of the PML-N.

It may be recalled that opposition leader in NA, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had announced to move a motion against Zardari the previous day, and demanded Zardari to present all the aspects of the deal – regarding Pervez Musharraf – in front of the nation and Parliament.

Earlier in the day, contradicting media reports over indemnity being granted to Musharraf, Zardari’s spokesman has said that there have been no negotiations with the so-called international guarantors to give indemnity to the former president.

In a statement, Farhatullah Babar said the President Zardari in an informal talk on Monday with reporters had remarked that national political leaders and parties had held negotiations among themselves to chase Musharraf out of office and restore Presidency to the democratic forces.

In the talk with journalists there was no mention of negotiations with the so-called national or international guarantors to give immunity to Musharraf subsequent to his exit, he said.

Zardari’s remarks of negotiations among national political parties to strategise the sacking of Musharraf have unfortunately been distorted and misrepresented as talks with so called guarantors for indemnity to Musharraf, Dawn quoted Babar, as saying.

He said no one denied the holding of negotiations among national political parties to drive Musharraf out of office.

Babar said it was the result of these negotiations that the national parliament and all provincial assemblies adopted resolutions calling upon Musharraf to quit.

It was also the result of these negotiations that the parties joined hands in preparing a comprehensive and historic charge sheet to impeach Musharraf in case he refused to quit, he said.

There was nothing new in Zardari’s remarks about negotiations among political parties to force Musharraf out of office, except for the distortion and spin now given to it, Babar added.

Babar said the noise and din raised over the alleged remarks wrongly attributed to the President is part of the campaign to discredit Zardari for anything and everything that goes wrong. (ANI)

Lahore High Court re-imposes security restrictions on A Q Khan

Lahore, Sep.2 (ANI): The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday re-imposed security restrictions on nuclear scientist Dr.Abdul Qadeer Khan, declaring the earlier verdict of the single-bench court as null and void.

A two-judge LHC bench headed by Justice Mian Saqib Nisar suspended the verdict of LHC single bench, lifting the security protocol, after hearing an intra-court appeal on a petition moved by the federal government.

The federal government, in its petition, said the Islamabad High Court (IHC) specified the security protocol of Dr Khan, hence, the LHC is not authorized to nullify it, as it is not the substitute court of IHC.

The LHC had directed the district magistrate and DIG Islamabad to end Khan’s official protocol with immediate effect on August 28.

The court also summoned both officials to appear before it on September 4 and explain the reason to keep Khan in captivity under the pretext of protocol.

Khan had moved a petition in the Lahore Court challenging his official protocol, terming it a hindrance. (ANI)

Was Nawaz Sharif against conducting nuclear tests in 1998?

Lahore, Aug.30 (ANI): Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub Khan has said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was not in favour of conducting nuclear tests in 1998, but was ‘outlawed’ by his cabinet and forced to accept its decision regarding going ahead with the tests.

In an interview with a private television channel, Khan claimed that some ministers of Sharif’s cabinet also supported his views of not conducting the nuclear tests at that time.

He said that ministers like Mushahid Hussain, Nisar Ali Khan, Sartaj Aziz and Abida Hussain, during a cabinet meeting, had opposed the nuke tests which were held on May 28, 1998.

“Mushahid changed his mind and did not support the nuclear tests of May 28, 1998 during a cabinet meeting held to consider the issue,” The Daily Times quoted Khan, as saying.

Khan said the present opposition leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan would confirm his claims, as he is fully aware of the incident.

However, both Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) have rejected Khan’s claims.

PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain termed former Foreign Minister’s statements as a ‘joke, saying both he and Mushahid Hussain, as the Information Minister, had supported the nuclear tests.

PML-N Information Secretary Ahsan Iqbal also denied Khan’s claims that Nawaz Sharif was opposed to conducting nuclear tests.

“Gohar’s statement regarding the PML-N chief’s stance on nuclear tests was contrary to fact. The statement has no relevance, as every one knew that Nawaz, the Prime Minister at the time, had decided to conduct the nuclear tests in 1998,” Iqbal said.

Meanwhile, former Federal Minister Abida Hussain said she had suggested the government to not to conduct nuclear tests in a huff merely to give a response to India.

Hussain said it was the then Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub Khan who had pressurized Nawaz Sharif for conducting the tests immediately. (ANI)

Musharraf’s trial, NRO should not be interlinked: Gilani

Islamabad, Aug.25 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) and the trial of former president General Pervez Musharraf under the Article Six of the Constitution are two separate issues and should not be interlinked.

“These are two separate issues,” Gilani said when asked whether the NRO was preventing the government from initiating a high treason case against Musharraf.

Interacting with media persons at Chaudhry Nisar Ali’s residence, Gilani said Pakistan wanted to maintain good relations with all its neighbours including India, The Daily Times reports.

Gilani said his government wanted ‘forward movement’ in the composite dialogue process with India for the resolution of all outstanding issues, but without compromising Pakistan’s sovereignty, dignity and honour.

Gilani said the PPP led government is in constant touch with the PML-N over all important issues concerning the nation including relations with India.

Referring to his meeting with Dr.Manmohan Singh in Sharm-El-Sheikh on the sidelines of the NAM summit, Gilani said he had contacted PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and taken him into confidence before the meeting.

When asked about the differences between the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League -Nawaz (PML-N) over the trial Musharraf, he said both parties have their own manifestos and programmes and were working according to it. (ANI)

Chances of Musharraf trial not finished yet: Gilani

Islamabad, Aug.23 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said chances of former President General Pervez Musharraf being tried under the Article Six of the Constitution still exist.

Interacting with media persons here, Gilani said he is in constant touch with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif.

Gilani also rejected reports about Sharif being unhappy with him for his statement in the National Assembly that Musharraf would be tried only after a resolution is tabled in the house with the consensus of both the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the PML-N.

“Nawaz Sharif is not disappointed with us. Muslim League (N) and Peoples Party have several common points. The leaders of both parties have suffered afflictions and faced cases,” The Nation quoted Gilani, as saying.

Earlier, Gilani said Sharif was like a brother to him.

Reacting to Sharif’s statement that he was heart-broken by his (Gilani’s) decision to distance the PPP from Musharraf’s trial, Gilani said he would soon contact the former Prime Minister to address all his grievances.

“He had a lot of expectations from me, which is why his heart is broken,” Gilani said.

Gilani had virtually ruled out the Musharraf’s for high treason, saying such step a step could trigger political imbalance in the country.

Responding to opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s demand in the National Assembly, Gilani questioned the ‘feasibility’ of a Musharraf trial.

“We should do what is doable,” Gilani said in what was an apparent turnaround from his earlier statement where he said the former Army chief would be tried for violating the Constitution if Parliament unanimously passes a resolution for it.

“We should not take any action that can’t be reversed. Our (PPP) chairman has already said that democracy is the best revenge. And we have taken our revenge through democracy. We have come to parliament. Now we should try to strengthen democracy. We should not play to galleries,” he said. (ANI)

Gilani rules out Musharraf’s high treason trial

Islamabad, Aug.20 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has virtually ruled out the trial of former President General Pervez Musharraf for high treason, saying such step a could trigger political imbalance in the country.

Responding to opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s demand in the National Assembly, Gilani questioned the ‘feasibility’ of a Musharraf trial.

“We should do what is doable,” Gilani said in what was an apparent turnaround from his earlier statement where he said the former Army chief would be tried for violating the Constitution if Parliament unanimously passes a resolution for it.

“We should not take any action that can’t be reversed. Our (PPP) chairman has already said that democracy is the best revenge. And we have taken our revenge through democracy. We have come to parliament. Now we should try to strengthen democracy. We should not play to galleries,” Gilani said.

Earlier, Khan told the National Assembly that a draft of resolution regarding Musharraf’s trial has already been prepared and he would move it in the house if the Prime Minister agreed to charge Musharraf under Article 6 of the Consitution.

Khan had raised the issue in the house earlier this month, but it subsequently died down following former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif statement that a parliamentary resolution was not needed and that government should invoke Article 6 on its own after the Supreme Court declared the November 3 emergency and other related decrees as ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘extra judicial’.

During Khan’s speech, PML-N members chanted slogans in protest against MQM’s protest shouts against his criticism of the Karachi-based party’s association first with Pakistan’s third military dictator late General Zia-ul-Haq and then with General Musharraf, the Dawn reports.

“Whoever is friend of Musharraf is traitor,” PML-N leaders shouted.

MQM deputy parliamentary leader Haider Abbas Rizvi criticised both the PPP and the PML-N, saying his party has been used by both whenever they needed its support, and was ignored afterwards and even subjected to military operations. (ANI)

Protests continue over Shopian incident in Kashmir

Srinagar, June 23 (ANI): Activists of Jammu Kashmir Peoples Freedom League took to streets here on Tuesday staging protest against the alleged rape and murder of two Kashmiri women at Shopian area last month.

Scores of activists of Jammu Kashmir Peoples Freedom League on Tuesday gathered at city’s main Lal Chowk and started moving towards the United Nations to submit a memorandum about human right violation in the valley.

Protestors were also demanding the withdrawal of security forces from Kashmir.

“We demand that those responsible for the incident (Shopian incident) must be punished, these types of incidents have happened earlier also and these incidents will continue to take place as long as the security forces are empowered with the special laws. We demand the United Nations and the Indian government that the security forces be withdrawn from the valley,” Nisar Ahmad, an Activist Jammu Kashmir Peoples Freedom League told media on the sidelines of the protest.

The police prevented them from moving towards the UN office.

The disputed Himalayan region witnessed a series of violent protests and demonstrations over the alleged rape and murder of two Muslim women in Shopian town, 60 kilometres south of Srinagar last month.

Two protesters have died and hundreds injured in clashes with the police. (ANI)

Pak PAC summons top officials for providing cheap electricity to Musharraf’s farmhouse

Islamabad, May 29 (ANI): Taking a strong stand over reports of cheap electricity being provided to former President General Pervez Musharraf’s farm house in Chak Shahzad, the Pakistan Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has asked the water and power secretary and other concerned officials to appear before it.

The PAC chairman Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan ordered the top officials to appear before the committee with all important documents regarding the issue, The Daily Times reports.

“We have written a letter today to the secretary water and power to appear before the committee and give his explanation over the media reports,” said a senior PAC official said.

The official added that senior officials of the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) would also be summoned soon.

Earlier, it was reported that Musharraf’s newly built farm house in Chak Shahzad was being provided electricity at agricultural rates, which were much cheaper than those for urban electricity. (ANI)

Reported sale of “Slumdog” child star probed

By Shilpa Jamkhandikar

MUMBAI (Reuters) – Indian police in Mumbai are probing accusations that the father of a child star of the Oscar-winning film “Slumdog Millionaire” tried to sell his daughter for 200,000 pounds ($290,000).

The mother of 9-year-old Rubina Ali protested after a sting operation by a British tabloid alleged her father tried to sell her.

Police called Rubina Ali and her father, Rafiq Qureshi, to a police station on Sunday night and recorded their statements.

“On Sunday, Rubina’s mother Khurshid complained to us that her ex-husband was trying to sell her daughter, saying she saw some reports on television to that effect,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Nisar Tamboli told Reuters.

The film, a rags-to-riches romance about a slum boy competing on a TV game show, won eight Academy Awards earlier this year but sparked controversy in parts of India.

The sting operation by the News of the World quickly made headlines in India.

Rubina, who starred as the youngest incarnation of the film’s heroine, Latika, lives with her father and step-mother in a teeming slum in the suburbs of the financial hub.

Rubina’s family denied they were willing to sell her.

“We never thought that we would have to face this. We are poor people, for us, our children are everything. Why would we give her away like that?” Rubina’s uncle Moinuddin Qureshi said.

“This is just an attempt to malign her name. After all she has become world famous now, hasn’t she?” Qureshi added.

The film’s makers set up a fund for the education of Rubina Ali and her young co-star, Azharuddin Ismail. Authorities in Mumbai also said the state would give housing for the children.

The title raised an outcry and sparked protests in parts of India, because “Slumdog” was seen as derogatory to India’s millions of slum dwellers.

(Writing by Matthias Williams; Editing by Alistair Scrutton)

Billions of Pak taxpayers’ money misappropriated in 2005-06

Islamabad, Apr 16 (ANI): Pakistan’s Public Accounts Committee chief Nisar Ali Khan has said that the PAC had found a misappropriation of billions of rupees in 2005-06.

Taking part in a debate on the address of President Asif Ali Zardari to the joint session of parliament, Nisar said the PAC had dug out hundreds of cases in various government departments in which the nation’s money had been plundered.

He said a fountain, worth Rs 225 million, was installed in Karachi during Pervez Musharraf’s tenure, which consumed Rs 160,000 per day. Recently, the fountain had been stolen and millions of rupees of this poor nation had drained, he said.

The news quoted Nisar as saying that the fountain was ordered and inaugurated by former president Pervez Musharraf, but his signatures were not there on record.

Another important case was found in the Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDCL), which imported an LPG plant costing Rs 600 million.

Similarly, Nisar said, the PAC had learnt that Rs 4.8 billion were borrowed by the top echelon of the National Logistic Cell (NLC) from different banks and invested in stock markets. “This amount has totally vanished,” he said.

Nisar said it was astonishing to note that around 7,000 electricity poles were missing from the storerooms of Wapda. He said: “A single pole is so heavy that it requires a crane to be lifted; how could all these go missing?”

He said around 4,000 flats in Karachi were allocated on ownership basis to occupants in the previous term. He said these flats, according to an audit report, were worth Rs 500 billion.

Nisar said the PAC would reach out to all such people, who plundered the national wealth, irrespective of their posts and status. (ANI)

Zardari signs sharia deal following National Assembly’s green signal

Islamabad, Apr.14 (ANI): Following the National Assembly’s nod, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has signed the sharia law deal which is to be implemented in the North West Frontier Province’s Swat region.

“Yes, the president has signed the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation before leaving for Dubai on a two-day visit,” The Daily Times quoted presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar, as saying.

The National Assembly also gave its green signal to a resolution asking Zardari to sign the sharia regulation to be implemented in the Malakand division of the province according to the peace accord inked between the NWFP government and the Tehreek Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM).

Addressing the members of the National Assembly after putting the regulation before the house, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said the regulation had been placed before the house to build a broad national consensus and establish the supremacy of parliament.

Gilani said he had also discussed the issue with the NWFP government and TNSM, and both were of the view that the regulation should be passed as soon as possible.

“I have also talked to Asfandyar Wali Khan and Fazlur Rehman and both recommended immediate passing of the resolution,” Gilani said.

Meanwhile, both the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the TNSM have welcomed parliament’s move.

Spokesperson of the Taliban’s Swat chapter Muslim Khan said being the assembly of a Muslim country it was absolutely correct to pass the resolution.

“The endorsement of Nizam-e-Adl by parliament was the result of efforts by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the ANP,” TNSM chief Sufi Muhammad said.

Some political parties, however, have expressed their discontent over the issue.

Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan refused to comment on the deal terming it as a ‘sensitive issue.’

Khan accused the government of dragging the parliament in the issue to avoid pressuer from the international community.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) said it does not support Taliban’s ‘forced sharia.’

MQM chief Altaf Hussain said Talibanisation and religious extremists were defaming Pakistan. (ANI)

“Rana Ranjeet Singh” Musharraf used to shower 20,000 tips against food bills of 10,000!

Islamabad, Apr.8 (ANI): Waiters of luxurious hotels were a happy lot during former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf’s eight year long autocrtic rule in the country, wonder why? Consider this: General Musharraf used to give 20,000 rupees as tip against a bill of 10,000 rupees.

Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) member Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has lambasted General Musharraf for doling out huge amounts of public money for his own pleasure.

“The bill of the food used to be 10,000 rupees and the man used to give 20,000 rupees as tip to the waiters from public money. Was our president Rana Ranjeet Singh that he was spending such huge money on tips and other luxuries?” Khan said.

Khan was particularly furious about General Musharraf and the then Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz getting a clean chit from PAC for the period 2005-06.

According to The News, the Auditor-General of Pakistan could not find a single financial irregularity in the spending of hefty amounts by these two top office-holders during the same financial year.

Khan also raised questions over the several dance and music shows which were arrangeduring General Musharraf’s reign.

“I wonder from where expenses on these dance and music shows were arranged to please the president,” he said.

He charged both the leaders of using the discretionary grants for their own luxury.

“Even the Queen of England might have not such powers to distribute public money on her will,” Khan added.

Auditor General of Pakistan’s spokesman Masood Muzaffar also confirmed the report that no financial irregularities were established against the president and the prime minister for 2005-2006.

He said it was not only the Presidency and the Prime Minister’s house against which no audit para was established. (ANI)

Sena corporator, 6 others booked under MCOCA for extortion

The Mumbai Police Crime Branch on Wednesday booked a sitting Shiv Sena corporator and six other alleged members of the Pandav Putra gang under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for attempting to extort Rs 13 lakh from a person who wanted to renovate a room owned by him and sell it.

On March 24, Unit 2 of the Crime Branch had arrested Vijay Anand Vashirde (60), a Shiv Sena corporator from Ward 217, for accepting an extortion amount on behalf of the Pandav Putra gang. Six other accused identified as Mukesh Sondagar (32), Zakir Shaikh (32), Nisar Shaikh (43), Tabrez Maqbool (28), Laxman Kiran (27) and Siddharth Maekar alias Sidhu (30) were also arrested. All of them are allegedly members of the Pandav Putra gang headed by Deepak Walekar, who is charged with MCOCA and currently lodged in jail.

“Today we have applied MCOCA on Vashirde and the other arrested accused in the case, and have informed the special MCOCA court. All the accused have been remanded to police custody till April 9,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria.

According to the police, two months ago, the complainant sold a room located in 7th Kumbharwada lane to a person for Rs 25 lakh. The buyer told the complainant he would pay him if the room was renovated, to which the complainant agreed and started the repair work. Sondagar, who stays in the same building, provided the tip off to Sidhu who was controlling the gang. Sidhu demanded an amount of Rs 13 lakh from the complainant for allowing the renovation to continue following which a complaint was lodged with the Crime Branch and a trap was laid.

After changing locations to two different hotels, the extortionists called the complainant to a hotel in Kalbadevi where Sondagar, Zakir and Nisar asked for the money. Before handing over the amount, the complainant asked for a guarantee that he would not be harassed further. The trio took the complainant to another restaurant where Vashirde met them and took delivery of the cash.

Pakistan Day celebrated in New Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 22 (ANI): On the occasion of Pakistan Day, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi hosted a reception at its official premises in the capital.

People from all walks of life attended the meeting and offered their congratulations and felicitations to Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik and other officials of the High Commission.

Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who attended a function after four years, also attended the function.

On the occasion, Geelani appealed people to boycott the upcoming general elections.

“Elections are not a solution to Kashmir issue. That’s why we say to people that exercising the franchise is not in our favour. So the votes should be boycotted. We have said this earlier during the Assembly polls also. And we are saying it again before the Lok Sabha elections,” Geelani said.

Hurriyat (G) leader Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar, Advocate Sheikh Muhammad Ali, Moulvi Bashir, Nisar Hussain Rather, Abdul Ahad Parra, Muhammad Shafi Wani, Zamrooda Habib also attended the function.

It was on this day in 1940 that a demand for the creation of a Muslim State of Pakistan was made by Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, at a meeting of his Muslim League Party in Lahore. (ANI)

Worried US gets into act to determine Pakistan’s situation

Islamabad, Mar.12 (ANI): Perturbed by the turn of events in Pakistan, the United States has got into the act to determine as to what is actually happening in the country.

US’s special envoy to Pakistan-Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, on Thursday, called Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to express concern over the situation of Pakistan.

US Ambassador to Pakistan, Anne Peterson met former Prime Minister and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif to dicusss the ongoing political chaos.

According to sources, Nawaz told Peterson that he would never compromise on his principles and that President Zardari should fulfill his promise of reinstating the sacked judges and restoring judiciary to the November 2007 status.

The sacked Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif and Chaudhry Nisar were also present during the meeting, The News Reports.

Meanwhile, lawyers and political workers started their long march for restoration of judiciary.

Several leaders including Jamaat-i-Islami Prof. Ghafoor Ahmad, Asadullah Bhutto, President Karachi Bar Muhammad, Ali Abbasi, and dozens of other activists and lawyers were arrested till the reports last came in. (ANI)

PML-L fears assassination of Nawaz, Shahbaz by Zardari

Islamabad, Mar.5 (ANI): The Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) has expressed fears of an assassination attempt on its leaders, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and deposed Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif .

The PML-N spokesperson, Pervez Rashid, has said the party has received information about a possible assassination attempt on both leaders.

Rashid also that the PML-N would hold President Asif Ali Zaradri responsible if any harm is done to their leaders.

Some well-informed sources in Islamabad have also warned about serious security threats to the lives of the Sharif brothers.

Opposition Leader, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, also said: “Sharifs’ face a security threat from the present rulers and security agencies.”

Khan, however, did not reveal the name of ‘rulers’.

Meanwhile, Zardari’s spokesperson, Farhatullah Babar charged the PML-N for maligning the President’s image for gaining political mileage.

Babar said that he has no knowledge about any such threat to the Sharif brothers. (ANI)