ISPR denies claims ISI chief met Arab rulers

KARACHI: The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Wednesday denied claims that Director-General Inter-Services Intelligence Ahmed Shuja Pasha held meetings with leaders of certain Arab states, FTNews reported.

A legal notice was also sent to British newspaper ‘The Independent’ for publishing a ‘baseless article’ against the ISI chief.

A spokesperson for the ISPR said that the DG ISI did not meet any Arab leaders from May 1 and May 9.

During his visits to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the ISI chief had only held meetings with his counterparts, the spokesperson said.

The visits focused on exchange of intelligence between the secret agencies of the stated countries.

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ECP report on voters lists unsatisfactory: SC

KARACHI: During a hearing of the case pertaining to voters’ lists at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) submitted a report of the ECP and the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) on the lists’ preparations, FTNews reported.

The case against delay in the lists’ preparation was heard by a three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

During the hearing, Justice Tariq inquired that in case of incomplete lists, what would happen if the elections were to be conducted on March 15, 2012.

Chief Justice Iftikhar said the lists’ preparation was a matter of national integrity and the process of making the lists was critical for this very reason.

He further said that the Pakistan People’s Party’s former chief Benazir Bhutto had also contacted the apex court for correction in the lists before the 2008 elections were held.

The court moreover expressed its dissatisfaction over the commission’s report and said that if upcoming elections were held on the basis of bogus or inaccurate lists, then the country risked facing a state of turmoil.

Chief Justice Iftikhar also said that action could be taken against Secretary Election Commission.

Moreover, the court directed the ECP to complete the lists by February 23.

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PTI campaign a ‘defeated’ tsunami, says Sanaullah

ISLAMABAD: Calling Imran Khan’s political campaign a ‘defeated’ tsunami, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said the strings were being pulled by the country’s establishment, FTNews reported.

Speaking to media representatives outside the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday, the provincial minister said that the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) had disappointed the youth by inviting old faces from the Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid (PML-Q) to their ‘movement for change.’

He added that the participants of Imran Khan and Khursheed Kasuri’s rally in Kasur were not PTI supporters.

Commenting on a question on the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz’s demand for early elections, Sanaullah said the sooner the elections took place the better.

Answering another question on the recent Defence of Pakistan Conference by the Difaa-i-Pakistan Council (PDC) in Lahore, Sanaullah said an inquiry report had already been requested from security agencies regarding the presence of flags of banned organisations.

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