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PESHAWAR: After an attack by Nato forces in Kurram Agency, the Pak-Afghan border has been completely sealed, DawnNews reported on Sunday.

When militants had difficulty in taking control of Upper Kurram, they sealed all routes leading in and out of the area, due to which residents of the area had to travel through to Afghanistan in order to reach any other part of the country. Basic commodities and utilities were also being transported through this way.

Recently, the Pak-Afghan border was sealed when Nato helicopters attacked a checkpost in Pakistan.

Col. Tauseef Akhtar, an FC Commander stated on Sunday that it was essential to seal this border in order to maintain security and peace. – DawnNews  

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Sunday said that strict action against corruption will be taken after November 7.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad after visiting the FIA headquarters, Malik said that the heads of government institutions have been given a period of one week to take steps to eliminate corruption.

Malik said that the people should identify corrupt elements in the government institutions so that immediate action can be taken against them.

The minister also said that measures were being taken to combat human trafficking and that action will be taken against the staff deployed on checkpoints from where people were illegally leaving the country.

He said that action will be taken against extortionists and a special helpline will be established in this regard.

Prior to his press conference, Malik, while touring the FIA headquarters, announced that the women’s quota has been raised to 25 per cent in the FIA and also stated that employees’ salaries will now match those of the Motorway Police force. – DawnNews

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan/Chairman Judicial Commission of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has called the first ever meeting of the commission on November 6 to make and initiate process of filling the actual and anticipated vacancies in superior judiciary.

The Judicial Commission headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan/chairman and having two senior most judges of the apex Court, one retired judge, the attorney general for Pakistan, Law minister and a senior member of Pakistan Bar Council, as members would hold meetings for making appointments.

The process for appointments to the judiciary was envisaged under Article 175A inserted through 18th Amendment in the Constitution.

Upon October 21, a 17-member bench through its order on a number of identical writs challenging the process, had maintained that all cases of fresh appointments of Judges of the Supreme Court, of the Federal Shariat Court, of the High Courts and of Additional Judges of the latter Courts shall be processed forthwith under Article 175A.

A process for constitution of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan was started on October 23.

The CJ in consultation with two most senior judges of the apex Court after thorough deliberations nominated Ali Hussain Qazilbash, former Judge of Supreme Court under Art-175A (2) (iii) of the Constitution and Mian Allah Nawaz former Chief Justice, Lahore High Court under Proviso to Art-175A (5) (iv) of the Constitution.

The Pakistan Bar Council has also elected Dr Khalid Ranjha as member of the Commission.

Moreover, as the incumbent Chief Justice, Lahore High Court will attain the age of superannuation on December 8, nomination of a former Chief Justice or a former Judge of that Court was also required to be made under the proviso of Article 175A (5)(iv) as one time member of the Commission for appointment of Chief Justice of that Court.

Letters were written to Chief Justices of High Courts for taking necessary measures/steps for establishment of the Commission including seeking nomination of senior Advocate from respective Provincial Bar Councils as Member of the Commission as early as possible but not later than three days.

Similar letter was also written to the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary of Pakistan Bar Council for nomination of senior Advocate, Supreme Court as Member of the Commission.

Letters were also addressed to the Secretary, Cabinet Division, Government of Pakistan and Chief Secretaries of Provincial Governments asking for copies of notifications of official Members of Judicial Commission in the Gazette of Pakistan.

On October 29, letters were written to the Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and Secretaries of the Provincial Bar Councils for compliance with requirement of Article 175A of the Constitution, ensuring nomination of a senior Advocate as member of the Commission by the respective Bar Council.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has underscored the imperative of bridging the trust-deficit and need for positive messaging on Pakistan-US relationship from both sides.

The Prime Minister was talking to the new US Ambassador Cameron Phelps Munter who paid a courtesy call on him Saturday evening.

The Prime Minister while welcoming the US Ambassador to Pakistan assured of his government’s complete support during his tenure in Pakistan for further expanding strategic partnership between the two countries in multidimensional fields.

The Prime Minister stated that despite of havoc caused by the unprecedented flood in Pakistan’s history, his government remained determined to carrying on the fight against menace of terrorism.

He, however, called on the US to help build capacity of law enforcement agencies of Pakistan and enhance defence and intelligence sharing cooperation between the two sides to defeat the common enemy.

He said that losing this war against terrorism was not an option and Pakistan expected the US and its allies would also share the successes and failures in this process.

The Prime Minister underlined the need for increased people to people exchanges on all levels particularly frequent exchanges of parliamentary delegations to address misperception as well as to create better understanding of each other position and perspective.

The Prime Minister thanked the US for its generous assistance to help Pakistan in its flood rescue and relief efforts by noting that the US was the leading country in this regard.

He, however, stressed the need for fast tracking of Kerry Lugar Bill assistance, Coalition Support Fund’s reimbursement, legislation for ROZs and enterprise fund, and early implementation of mutually agreed action plan in all working groups in the recently held 3rd round of strategic dialogues to ease Pakistan’s economic difficulties accentuated by the flood.

He observed that these measures on the part of US would be of vital importance for the continuous across the board public and political support for the war against terrorism.

Ambassador Cameron Phelps Munter thanked the Prime Minister for receiving him and expressed his gratitude to the people and leadership of Pakistan for their warm hospitality and sentiments accorded to him since his arrival in the country.

He agreed with the Prime Minister on the imperative of building the US image among the people of Pakistan through strengthening the level of exchanges and better explanation of utilization of the US assistance on people friendly projects.

The Ambassador acknowledged that Pakistan gave great human and economic sacrifices in the war against terror and assured him that Pakistan would always be consulted and taken into confidence over US policies in this war and Afghanistan.

ISLAMABAD: The second batch comprising of three F-16 C/D Block 52 high tech fighter aircrafts had arrived at PAF Shahbaz Base in Jacobabad Saturday and two more are scheduled to arrive in the country next week.
 
Brigadier General Michael Nagata, Deputy Commander, Office of Defence Representative in Pakistan handed over the aircrafts to Air Marshal Mohammad Hasan, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Operations).

Pakistan had signed a contract with the US Government in 2005-06 for the acquisition of 18, F-16 C/D Block 52 aircrafts.

Under this arrangement, the PAF would receive these state-of-the-art aircrafts from the US in staggered batches.

GUJRAT: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Saturday declared that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had made a blunder in its first government in 1972 by nationalizing tens of thousands of schools and colleges in the country.

“Yes it was a wrong move, and we cannot move forward without admitting our mistake”, the prime minister said about the decision of the party’s founding leader late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.
 
Gilani in his remarks also offered Mr Sharif all-out support for creating the right atmosphere for politics of reconciliation.

He was addressing a ceremony to mark the 68th death anniversary of Nawab Sir Fazal Ali, the founder of the Zamindar College Gujrat.

QUETTA: The Balochistan government has decided to take action against a banned religious out-fit involved in target killings in the province.

Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani, in a high-level meeting on Saturday, said that those involved in target killings, terrorism and kidnapping for ransom would not be spared.

He directed the law enforcing agencies to take action against criminal element without any discrimination and political pressure.

The meeting also decided to contact the Punjab government for action against the banned organisation.

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik on Saturday said the Shershah scrap market will have permanent police pickets supported by the Rangers and intelligence agencies.

Malik, in a meeting with the representatives of the market dealers at the Governor House, said that those involved in the Shershah carnage will be arrested soon and added that the investigation reports in this regard will be made public as well.

He said that all out efforts are being taken to make the port city as citadel of peace and tranquility and added that action will be taken against outlaws without any discrimination.

“Stern action will be taken against extortionists in future,” he added.

The Interior minister said that one of the accused nominated in the FIR in Shershah tragedy has been arrested while others will also be arrested very soon.

He assured the delegates and representatives of the business community that all their genuine demands will also be met.

Malik assured the delegates, belonging to Shershah, that they will be given compensation within due course of time.

PESHAWAR: Militants attacked a military check post on Saturday, killing two soldiers in the South Waziristan tribal region, a security official said.

The attack took place in the Badar area, 30 kilometres north of Wana, the main town in South Waziristan.

“Militants attacked a military check post today in South Waziristan and killed two soldiers,” a senior security official in the area told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Another security official confirmed the attack and casualties.

Pakistan launched a major ground and air offensive in South Waziristan last year to clear the area of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has been blamed for some of the country’s worst violence. — AFP

WAH CANTT: Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday said that a major change on the political arena was expected during the next few months.

He, however, clarified that the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) would support change only through democratic means.

Speaking to media representatives, Nisar said due to the present government’s inept policies, its close allies at the national as well as the international level were not happy.  

Responding to a question, he said that his party gave no importance to the meeting between Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Law Minister Babar Awan. He further said that he saw no threat to the Punjab government.

He said the PML-N would not join the United Muslim League initiated by Pir Pagara.

Nisar further said that his party wished that the present Pakistan People’s Party-led government complete its tenure but it seems that the PPP would bury with its blunders and failures.

He said PPP’s loyal leaders were being put to the walls.

Nisar said the PML-N was the only party which was criticising drone attacks inside and outside the parliament. He said innocent people were being killed in drone attacks and that the attacks were a threat to the country’s security and sovereignty.

He said his party would oppose the imposition of the flood tax in the coming assembly session. — APP

KARACHI: Speaking to media representatives in Karachi, Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Saturday said that every murder case cannot be termed as an incident of target killing.

Until police sources confirm, no murder case should be called a target killing, Malik said.

The minister said security had now been beefed up around Karachi’s Shershah scrap market and a covert operation had been initiated against criminals in the aftermath of the latest killings in the city.

Malik said several criminals involved in the recent killings had been arrested. He further vowed to take the offenders to task without discrimination.

Responding to a question regarding US Ambassador Cameron Munter’s recent defence of drone attacks, Malik said the strikes violated Pakistan’s sovereignty and security and that the government was involved in negotiations with the US on the issue.

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh on Saturday said that the federal government, in line with the 18th Amendment, will transfer control of five ministries to the provinces next week.

Speaking at a seminar in Islamabad, Sheikh said another five ministries will be transferred to the provinces by December 2010.

The ministries whose control would be transferred to the provinces next week include: Local Bodies, Special Education, Zakat and Ushr, Population Welfare and Youth Affairs.

Sheikh further said that those employed in these five ministries would be offered the options of golden handshake, transfer and deputation.

RAWALPINDI: One person was killed and eight others were wounded when unknown assailants opened fire in Rawalpindi’s Civil Lines area on Saturday, DawnNews reported.

ISLAMABAD: International aid agency Oxfam warned Friday that three months into Pakistan’s unprecedented flood crisis funds were drying up, putting millions at risk with swathes of farmland still under water.

“Funds for the UN flood appeal are drying up and threatening the aid and reconstruction effort,” Oxfam said in a statement marking the third month since heavy monsoon rains began falling in northwestern Pakistan.

“The crisis is far from over,” said Oxfam’s director in Pakistan, Neva Khan.

“Cases of disease are increasing and large areas remain under water in southern Sindh province,” said Oxfam.

“The funding shortfall is so serious that existing regular food rations to 3.5 million people could be in jeopardy,” Oxfam said.

KARACHI: Senior politician Pir Pagara was elected as president of newly formed Muttahida Muslim League (MML).

The merger was announced at a meeting of the four PML factions at Kingri House here on Friday.

The four factions, which were merged into the newly formed League, were PML (F), PML (Zia), PML (like-minded), and PML (Awami).

Former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali has been appointed as convener while Imtiaz Shaikh has been appointed as coordinator of the party.

A nine-member steering committee, led by Jamali, has also been set up to contact other PML groups, including PML(N), and PML(Q).

Later addressing a press conference, Pagara said that all the parties have been invited to join the alliance so that it could formally be formed into Muttahida Muslim League.

To a question, Pagara said that the Chaudhry brothers could not attend the meeting due their other engagements.

Pagara said that he has not contacted PML (N) Chief Nawaz Sharif to join the alliance.

He observed that the unification of PML groups was in the better interest of Pakistan.—Agencies

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani called on President Asif Ali Zardari here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Friday.

Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi were also present during the meeting.

Matters relating to recently concluded third round of Pak-US strategic dialogue and overall regional situation were discussed in the meeting.—APP

KALAYA: Twelve militants were killed and six others wounded as helicopter gunships pounded militant hideouts in different areas of Orakzai tribal region on Friday.

The helicopter gunships targeted militant positions in Khadizai, Shahu Wam, Kasha and Saifal Dara areas of the agency.

Four hideouts and a vehicle of militants were destroyed during the shelling.

The security forces also conducted search operation in Ghaljo and adjoining areas.

Huge cache of arms including rockets, mortars, hand grenades and explosives were recovered during the operation.

Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Hafiz Saeed denied the reports about the killings, saying no Talib was killed or injured in the shelling.

GENEVA: More than 100,000 flood victims in Pakistan are likely to spend winter in camps because many villages in the country’s south remain under stagnant water, the United Nations refugee agency said on Friday.

Failure to deliver aid and compensation to millions of Pakistanis made homeless by the floods could lead to social unrest, especially as cold temperatures bite in the south Asian nation at the heart of US efforts to stabilise Afghanistan.

The southern Pakistan provinces of Sindh and Balochistan, still reeling from the record floods which began in late July, will take months to recover, according to the spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

“Local authorities are looking into how stagnant water can be pumped from villages, but this will be a massive undertaking and is likely to take time,” Adrian Edwards told a news briefing.

In Sindh, more than 1 million people were in some 3,200 camps or makeshift sites at the time of a UNHCR survey two weeks ago, but the numbers have fallen since, according to the agency.

A further 60,000 displaced were in camps in Balochistan.

The floods, which rolled from north to south in an unprecedented tide of destruction, destroyed or damaged more than 1.7 million homes, official figures show.

Some 7 million people have shelter needs, including many who have returned to homes lacking a roof or electricity, said the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), an aid agency playing a central role in the flood response.

“The immense scale of the disaster continues to pose a huge challenge to the government and aid agencies. We are still a long way from providing shelter to every flood victim,” said IOM regional representative Abdel Moneim Mostafa.

A United Nations appeal for $1.9 billion for Pakistan is only 39 per cent funded, spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs said.

“We still have a long way to go. The food security, health and camp management sectors are really under-funded,” she said. – Reuters

ISLAMABAD: The election of a new leader of Pakistan’s lawyer community may help ease growing tension between the government and the judiciary, analysts say, while at the same time strengthening Pakistan’s democracy.

Renowned human rights activist Asma Jahangir on Wednesday was elected president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, defeating rivals seen as allies of the dominating judiciary against the government of President Asif Ali Zardari.

Lawyers have emerged as key political players in Pakistani politics after they launched a popular campaign for the restoration of scores of judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, sacked by former President Pervez Musharraf in 2007.

Zardari, who succeeded Musharraf as president, reinstated the judges last year but tensions have been simmering between the government and judiciary after Chaudhry struck down a law giving amnesty to Zardari, his top aides and thousands of others.

Jahangir’s election is a milestone in more ways than one.

She’s the first woman to head the SCBA and an unabashed advocate of minority rights. And while her margin of victory was small, it suggests a split between the pro- and anti-government factions within the legal community.

“Asma Jahangir’s election is going to strengthen the government against the judiciary,” Anis Jilani, a senior lawyer, said.

This, in turn, could allow a more stable balance of power between Pakistan’s civilian institutions, a separation most analysts believe is crucial to strengthening democracy.

“Asma’s voice will carry weight as a constitutionally valid voice in spelling out the correct place of parliament, executive and judiciary within Pakistan’s constitutional work,” political commentator Nasim Zehra wrote in the Daily Times newspaper.

Jahangir earlier this year warned that Pakistan could see a “judicial dictatorship in the country if the judiciary continuously moves ahead in its present direction”.

The judiciary has been accused by critics of engaging in a politically motivated persecution of the government. Supporters say it is trying to clean up corruption and reform Pakistani politics.

Speculation has been rife in Pakistan that Chaudhry may reject a government appeal to reinstate the amnesty law, which could spark a new political crisis in the south Asian nation critical for US efforts to stabilise Afghanistan.

Jahangir has also been critical of lawyers who have been supporting the judiciary in its row with the government, saying the bar should not take sides.

Human Rights Watch hailed Jahangir’s election as victory for the “country’s transition to genuine civilian rule.”

Though pro-government lawyers fully supported Jahangir in her election, analysts caution that the independence-minded SCBA president is unlikely to blindly support the government.

“She will not favour unjudicious moves by the judiciary… but if she finds any mistake from the government, she is bold enough to stand up against them,” M. Ziauddin, editor of daily Express Tribune, said. “She will act as a balancing factor.”

This was reflected in her comments after her victory.

“The bar will not speak the language of judges,” she told reporters after her election. “It will also not speak the language of any political party. It will have its own voice.” – Reuters

KARACHI: The newly appointed US Ambassador to Pakistan, Cameron Phelps Munter, termed the drone attacks as part of the war on terror.

Speaking to media representatives after visiting Quaid-i-Azam’s mausoleum in Karachi on Friday, Munter said: “I want to strengthen the bilateral ties between the US and Pakistan.”

The envoy said he would work on the partnership between the two countries to make sure that the relationship between the Pakistani and the American people is built on principles of mutual respect.

The envoy said instability in Afghanistan would harm Pakistan and assured the country of complete support in the ongoing war on terror.

Thanking the Pakistani people for extending a warm welcome to him on his arrival, Munter said the US also wanted to boost trade ties with Pakistan.

Munter was accompanied by the Consul General of the United States in Karachi, William Martin.