Gilani stipulates ‘action’ against Faisal Saleh Hayat

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, during a meeting with PML-Q Chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Thursday, stipulated ‘action’ against PML-Q legislator and Minister for Housing Faisal Saleh Hayat, FTNews reported.

The prime minister said that he was being pressurised by his party leadership and members to act against Mr Hayat who petitioned a case in Supreme Court against his own government for corruption and mismanagement in the setting up of Rental Power Projects (RPPs.)

The PM said that the housing minister was free to carry on with the case but not before resigning from his current portfolio.

In 2009, the federal government approved RPPs for generating 2,206MW of electricity to tide over the shortfall. But the project became controversial after Saleh Hayat, a vociferous opponent of the government’s power policy, came up with serious allegations of corruption against former water and minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.

Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on the other hand, assured prime minister that he would meet and try to convince the housing minister one more time.

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SC larger bench to take up NRO review plea on Nov 21

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary has constituted a 17-member larger bench to take up a pending review plea of the federation over annulled National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) on November 21.

The larger bench would be headed by the Chief Justice. Notices have also been issued to all concerned.

The NRO review petition was taken up for hearing on April 19 but it was adjourned. The case could not be fixed as the requisite strength of 17- member bench was not completed.

The plea was moved by the federation seeking review of apex Court’s verdict which had struck down the NRO on December 16, 2009.

The respondent also wanted Court’s permission to change its counsel to argue its viewpoint.

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Twenty-two militants killed in Orakzai clashes

KALAYA – At least 22 militants were killed in clashes between Pakistani security forces and Taliban militants in a remote district of the Orakzai tribal region in the northwest, local government officials said.

There was no word on casualties from government forces.

There was no independent confirmation of militant casualties, and militants often dispute at an official accounts.

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MQM conveys concerns over Mirza to Zardari

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari assured a delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Thursday that its reservations on Zulfiqar Mirza’s visit to London would be addressed, FTNews reported.

The delegation conveyed its reservation on the activities of Mirza in London to the president during a meeting held at the Presidency.

Zardari told the delegation that Mirza was visiting London in a personal capacity and that his visit had nothing to do with the policy of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

Former Sindh home minister Zulfiqar Mirza was likely to hold a meeting with Scotland Yard officials and it was speculated that he would share evidence against the MQM with it.

The PPP Sindh chapter had already suspended the membership of MPA Imdad Pitafi and had issued a show cause notice to the provincial information minister Sharjeel Memon who accompanied Mirza on his visit to London.

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Suspected US missiles kill seven in North Waziristan

PESHAWAR: Pakistani intelligence officials say suspected US drones fired four missiles at a house near the Afghan border, killing seven alleged militants.

The officials say Thursday’s strike occurred in the Ramzak area of the North Waziristan tribal region. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to the media.

North Waziristan is the main sanctuary for al-Qaeda and Taliban militants in Pakistan and has been repeatedly hit by US drone strikes.

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Visit to London with Mirza coincidental: Sharjeel Memon

KARACHI: Sindh’s Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said on Wednesday that his visit to London had no relation to any conspiracy and that he is answerable only to the leadership of his party, FTNews reported.

Speaking to media representatives at the airport here, Memon said going with Zulfikar Mirza was coincidental.

He said Mirza was doing everything independently and that the PPP had no links to his actions.

Memon further said that those making allegations of his involvement in a conspiracy should present evidence against him.

Separately, a meeting of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Coordination Committee was ongoing simultaneously in Karachi and in London.

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Four new SC judges take oath

ISLAMABAD: Four newly appointed judges of the Supreme Court took oath of their office on Thursday in a ceremony held at the Supreme Court building.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry administered the oath. The oath taking ceremony was attended by judges, federal and provincial law officers besides a number of lawyers of the apex court.

The newly appointed judges who took oath were Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmed, Justice Ejaz Afzal, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Athar Saeed. The number of Supreme Court judges has now reached to 17.

The judges were appointed by the President Asif Ali Zardari on the advice of the Prime Minister Wednesday as recommended and approved by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan and the Parliamentary Committee on appointment of judges respectively.

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Decision on en masse resignation not finalised, says Nawaz

SUKKAR: Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said that the decision on resigning en masse from the national and provincial assemblies had not been finalised yet, FTNews reported.

PML-N stalwart Khwaja Mohammad Asif had earlier said that the party’s leadership was considering the option of quitting the 

National Assembly and may take a decision to that effect within two months.

Speaking to media representatives here, Sharif said the party was deliberating on the resignation issue since long but no final conclusion had been drawn so far.

The decision would be made in the national interest and after considering the overall situation, he added.

He said the time had come for the people to say good bye to the current government.

In response to a question about Shah Mehmood Qureshi, he said that they had spoken and that they would soon hold a meeting.

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