CM Shahbaz Sharif has expressed deep sense of grief in Peshawar bomb blast

LAHORE, September 19

Punjab Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has

expressed deep sense of grief and sorrow over the loss of precious human lives

in bomb blast in Peshawar today. He prayed that may Allah Almighty

rest the departed

souls in eternal peace and grant strength and courage to the members of

bereaved families to bear the irreparable loss with equanimity.

LoLo Sar Tragedy: Unknown men kill 22 passengers in Naran valley

16/08/2012

MANSEHRA: At least 22 passengers were executed by unidentified armed miscreants after being disembarked from a bus near Lolo Sar area in Naran valley of Hazara division, police said Thursday.  

According to police sources, the bus was traveling from Rawalpindi and destined for Astor valley when it was intercepted by armed miscreants near Lolo Sar area in Naran valley. Eyewitness accounts add that passengers were scrutinized after their identity cards were checked and were disembarked from the vehicle. The passengers were then executed by the armed men. 

DIG Gilgit confirmed the heart-wrenching incident and said that the incident transpired in Naran valley within the territorial limits of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.  

Police was still probing the event to find out the motive behind the onslaught; however, sectarian based bloodshed is commonplace to these areas. 

The Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Syed Mehdi Shah, during a meeting on Masjid Board, gave orders to shut down Lolo Sar road for traffic until further orders. Chief secretary and home secretary were also present during the meeting.

Third drone strike in 24 hours kills two in North Waziristan

19/08/2012

MIRAMSHAH:At least two militants were killed on Sunday in the third drone attack in the past 24 hours in North Waziristan.

Missiles for the third time targeted the Shawal area of North Waziristan, killing two militants while officials said that the death toll could increase.

“At least two militants were killed and two others wounded when a US drone fired two missiles at the site of this morning’s attack where militants were removing the wreckage of their two destroyed vehicles,” a security official told AFP.

Another security official confirmed the attack and casualties.

The Shawal district of North Waziristan region is considered a bastion of Taliban and al Qaeda-linked militants.

Earlier today, Pakistani intelligence officials said missiles fired from unmanned American spy planes hit two vehicles near the Afghan border, killing at least seven militants.

Three intelligence officials said the strike on Sunday came in the Mana area of North Waziristan.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media.

The officials said the area is dominated by Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a commander whose forces often target US troops in Afghanistan, but they did not know whether his men were targeted.

The first strike which targeted a compound had killed at least six militants in Shuwedar village in Shawal district on Saturday.

Pakistan had strongly protested the US drone attacks in North Waziristan on Saturday morning.

It was the fourth drone attack since the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramazan and the second since Pakistan’s spymaster, Lieutenant General Zaheer ul-Islam, visited Washington earlier this month.

Islam’s talks with his CIA counterpart were also said to have focused on drone strikes.

Attacks by unmanned American aircraft are deeply unpopular in Pakistan, which says they violate its sovereignty and fan anti-US sentiment, but US officials are said to believe the attacks are too important to give up.

The latest attacks were in the same region where a drone strike on June 4 killed 15 militants, including senior al-Qaeda figure Abu Yahya al-Libi.

In protest at US drone attacks, local Taliban and Pakistani warlord Hafiz Gul Bahadur have banned vaccinations in North and South Waziristan, putting 240,000 children in the region at risk.

They have condemned the immunisation campaign as a cover for espionage. In May, a Pakistani doctor was jailed for 33 years after helping the CIA find Osama bin Laden using a hepatitis vaccination programme as cover.

There has been a dramatic increase in US drone strikes in Pakistan since May, when a Nato summit in Chicago could not strike a deal to end a six-month blockade on convoys transporting supplies to coalition forces in Afghanistan.

On July 3 however, Islamabad agreed to end the blockade after the United States apologised for the deaths of 24 Pakistani soldiers in botched air strikes last November.

Quetta blast toll rises to 6

July 13, 2012

QUETTA: Six people including an Awami National Party (ANP) leader were killed while ten others were injured when a blast occurred at Kuchlak Bazaar of Quetta Friday morning, Geo News reported.

According to police, a blast occurred at Kuchlak Bazaar near the venue of an ANP rally and was followed by intense firing that killed four people including an ANP leader Malik Qasim and an eight-year-old boy.

Ten people including ANP’s provincial president Aurangzaib Kasi and his wife were also injured in the blast.

Security forces cordoned off the area while rescue teams shifted the injured and bodies to Civil Hospital and CMH, Quetta.

Two vehicles were also damaged in the explosion while seven kilograms of explosives were used in the blast that were fitted in a bicycle, bomb disposal squad said.

Several political parties condemned the blast and demanded immediate action against the perpetrators.

Judges to be the first to resist if parliament attacked: CJ Iftikhar

July 13, 2012

QUETTA: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Thursday said the judiciary would be the first to defend parliament against any unconstitutional acts, adding that as the fruits of rule of law are for every person living in the society, therefore, the responsibility of saving the country from any unconstitutional adventurism is also upon every person in the society. However, he added that as torch bearers of the rule of law, the people of Pakistan expect that lawyers will remain at the forefront of every struggle.

He expressed these views while addressing the Balochistan High Court Bar Association (BHCBA) on Thursday, says a press release. The CJ said the supremacy of Constitution and rule of law demand that all the organs of the state should function within their prescribed and well-settled limits provided by the Constitution and law. “The Constitution provides elaborate provisions for the system of administration of justice, including its establishment, powers and functions, etc.,” the CJ said. “The judiciary has been entrusted with the power to adjudge the validity of the legislative and executive actions on the touchstone of the Constitution. Supreme Court of Pakistan being the apex court is aware of its responsibilities and shall always administer justice and safeguard fundamental rights. We have taken oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of Pakistan and to dispense justice without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.”

The CJ said, “It is an established fact that the judiciary of any country cannot impart justice without proper assistance of the lawyers. Lawyers, being part of the educated and law knowing segment of the society, have earned great respect and honour. But this honour has brought certain responsibilities on their shoulders. These responsibilities are twofold. On the one hand, they have to assist the courts in achieving the prime object of administration of justice, and on the other, they have to share the responsibility of upholding rule of law in all circumstances. The CJ said while justice might be a worldly affair for other religions, in Islam, it is a sacred obligation. “In Islam, justice is considered to be an attribute of Allah Almighty and its administration is considered to be a religious duty. The fortress of justice in Islam is unassailable because of its impartiality. Everybody is treated equal before law, irrespective of his position in the society,” the CJ said.

“The courts alone cannot impart justice without proper assistance of the lawyers, who are the officers of the court. The well prepared lawyers with their logical arguments assist the courts to achieve the ends of justice. This noble profession demands continuous learning to perform the sacred duty of dispensation of justice,” the CJ said. “Being torch bearers and respectable members of the society, the other important role of the lawyers is to strive for upholding the rule of law. They are supposed to raise the voice against oppression and violation of rights of the people.

“Bench and the Bar have to keep a healthy relation based on mutual respect, cooperation and professionalism. Lawyers must themselves become a model for the rule of law and constitutionalism. If they themselves do not follow the law, then their slogans may become empty, devoid of any force to influence others and any deviation from their code of conduct would bear a black spot on the whole community,” the chief justice remarked.

Speaking about the lawyer’s movement of 2007, the CJ said: “The unprecedented and unique lawyers movement has taken the country to such an exalted place from where it is destined to shine on the globe, Inshallah. Almost everyone has recognised the contribution of lawyers for their struggle of rule of law and constitutionalism. However, the story would be incomplete if the sacrifices of the civil society and the media are not appreciated.”

He said this struggle for the rule of law and independence of judiciary is not only restricted to a particular era but is an ongoing process and an eagle’s eye is required for the protection of rights of the people. “It is the fearless support of the judicial independence by the Bar that gives hope in the future for the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law,” he said.

Taliban polio ban puts Fata kids at risk

July 13, 2012

PESHAWAR: A Taliban ban on polio vaccinations will put 240,000 children at risk in troubled northwest Pakistan if an inoculation campaign cannot start next week, officials warned Friday.

Local Taliban and Pakistani warlord Hafiz Gul Bahadur, whose followers are fighting Western troops in Afghanistan, have banned polio vaccinations in the northwestern tribal region of Waziristan to protest against US drone attacks.

They have condemned the immunisation campaign, which is slated to begin on Monday, as a cover for espionage.

"There is possibility that we may have to skip the polio campaign in North and South Waziristan because we are not getting clearance from the army nor is the situation conducive," a government health official told AFP.

"We have threats from the Taliban. Going to these areas for a polio campaign would be tantamount to putting the lives of our staff in jeopardy," added the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Pakistani doctor Shakeel Afridi was jailed for 33 years in May after helping the CIA find Osama bin Laden using a hepatitis vaccination programme as cover.

Fawad Khan, director of health services in the tribal belt, told AFP that at least 160,000 children in North Waziristan and 80,000 in South Waziristan would be affected if polio drops are not administered.

Talks are ongoing between administrators and the Taliban, but health workers had "not yet received the green light" for going ahead in Waziristan, he added.

But a senior security official said tribal elders would on Monday discuss how to launch the campaign.

In South Waziristan, where the army fought local Taliban in 2009, the official said "it should not be difficult" to vaccinate children "at least in areas where displaced persons have returned".

The Lancet medical journal has said vaccination problems led last year to Pakistan's highest number of polio cases in a decade, 198, compared to 144 in 2010.

Polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria.

The highly infectious disease affects mainly the under-fives and can cause paralysis in a matter of hours. Some cases can be fatal.(AFP)

President Zardari signs contempt bill

July 12, 2012

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari Thursday signed Contempt of Court Bill 2012 into law, Geo News quoted Presidential Spokesperson Farhatullah Babar as saying.

The final step of affixing the signature on the bill by the President was taken today after both the upper and lower houses of the Parliament had passed the Contempt of Court Bill 2012 with majority support.

New Contempt of court law:

The contempt of court bill was approved by the National Assembly on July 9.

The Senate on Wednesday night passed the new contempt of court law, as two PPP stalwarts, Aitzaz Ahsan and Mian Raza Rabbani, openly expressed reservations, saying the Supreme Court could partially strike it down.

The bill, exempts the 'holders of public office' from contempt in 'exercise of powers and performance' of functions and allows suspension of an appeal.

Many see it as a calculated person-specific move of the treasury benches to save PM Raja Pervaiz Ashfar for meeting the same fate as Yusuf Raza Gilani for not acting in accordance with the apex court order to write to the Swiss authorities with regard to President Asif Ali Zardari's accounts.

The YDA has announced to restore indoor and outdoor services on Monday morning.

08 July,2012

The YDA has announced to restore indoor and outdoor services on Monday morning.

 The young doctors have announced to resume work at the indoors and outdoors of all hospitals of the province.

Holding a press conference in Lahore, representatives of Young Doctors Association (YDA), the decision of ending the strike has been taken in the light of the Lahore High Court orders. They said that the court has ordered to stop victimization of the doctors by the Punjab government.

The young doctors said that they will not step back from their demand of service structure; however, they will announce further strategy in the meeting of their General Council after the court proceedings on Monday.

The citizens have expressed their satisfaction and appreciated the decision of calling off strike by the young doctors. 

No compromise on judiciary's independence: CJP

Karach:CJP Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said there is no justification of Parliaments supremacy on judiciary.

Addressing a ceremony in Karachi, Chief Justice of Pakistan CJP Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry all citizens were equal in the eyes of law and the constitution was supreme.

 The CJP said there is no inevitable role of a single person to run the system. He said the judiciary should be independent that has been guaranteed in Article 2 A of the constitution.

The Chief Justice said that whatever position or post one holds the law was same for everyone. Action on contempt of court was taken against the chief executive for not obeying the court order and he lost his position, he said.

He said defending independence of the judiciary was joint responsibility of the judges and the lawyers.

The CJP added the judiciary wants rule of law and the constitution in the country.