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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Posted in: NATIONAL

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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Posted in: NATIONAL