News Fom Pakistan

[+]US eyes military equipment transfer to Pakistan from Iraq
      Thursday, September 10, 2009

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon has proposed transferring U.S. military equipment from Iraq to Pakistani security forces to help Islamabad step up its offensive against the Taliban, according to officials and government documents. The Pentagon request for the authority to "transfer articles no longer needed in Iraq" to the army of Pakistan received a cool reception in the U.S. Congress, where some questioned what safeguards would ensure the arms would not end up being diverted to Pakistan's border with India, a nuclear-armed power like Pakistan. The inclusion of Pakistan in the request, along with Iraq and Afghanistan, underscored the high priority the Pentagon places on freeing up equipment the Pakistani army says it needs to mount ground operations in South Waziristan and other Taliban strongholds bordering Afghanistan. In addition to the possibility of transfers from Iraq, the Pentagon is considering expanding programs under which Washington procures equipment for Pakistani forces through third governments, or leases them U.S. equipment at nominal rates, sources briefed on the discussions said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

(Courtesy Daily The News, Pakistan)

[+]PML-N asks SC to reopen cases against Musharraf
      Thursday, September 10, 2009

ISLAMABAD: The PML-N, while recalling the forced exile of Nawaz Sharif and his arrival in Pakistan on September 10, 2007, has demanded of the Supreme Court to reopen contempt of court cases against former president Pervez Musharraf. A PML-N spokesman said the forced exile of Nawaz Sharif, when he returned to Pakistan on September 10, 2007 following a decision of the Supreme Court, was a violation of the Constitution and human rights, and was liable to contempt of the Supreme Court. He demanded of the Supreme Court to re-start hearing of contempt of court cases, which were filed following the September 10 exile of the PML-N Quaid and former prime minister. He said September 10, 2007 would always be remembered in the country’s history as a dark day because the dictator again sent the “most popular” political leader into forced exile after his return to the country. He maintained that PML-N could have been a majority party in the National Assembly had Nawaz Sharif been allowed to return to the country. “Pervez Musharraf was the perpetrator of the conspiracy as Nawaz Sharif was not allowed to return to his homeland on September 10, 2007,” he said.

(Courtesy Daily The News, Pakistan)

[+]VAT enforcement opposed
      Thursday, September 10, 2009

RAWALPINDI: Enforcement of the Value Added Tax (VAT) as desired by the IMF may lead to a constitutional conflict between the Federation and the provinces and also strikes and protests by the trading community. The application of the VAT on the services sector may also increase problems faced by the government.Elimination of the social backwardness and feudalism is the prerequisite to increasing the income from tax. At the same time, share of the documented economy in the overall national income, which is currently minimal, has to be increased. Before the new tax is applied, the provinces are to be taken into confidence although the Sindh Assembly has already resolved that income from the VAT has to go to the provinces. How a weak political government would be able to collect this tax from Balochistan when a new sales tax will have to be introduced completely to impose the tax on services sector.

(Courtesy Daily The News, Pakistan)

[+]Sugarcane price to be linked to sucrose level
      Thursday, September 10, 2009

LAHORE: The federal government has made a plan to link the sugarcane price to the sucrose level and the farmers, producing the crop with the highest sucrose level, will be able to get the maximum price. The plan would be introduced in the forthcoming national sugar policy. The News has learnt the federal government will fix a minimum sugarcane price with the consultation of the provinces for 8.5 per cent sucrose level. The growers producing higher sucrose level sugarcane crop will get higher prices for their produce. This step will be helpful for sugarcane crop development in the country, providing an opportunity for the farmers who grow good quality sugarcane crop and increase the sugar production. The step will also encourage all the farmers to grow better quality sugarcane crop in order to get higher prices. To check the sucrose level, the federal government will ask the millers to establish sucrose level testing laboratory in their mills, which will be installed in the range of Rs 1.5 million only. It will also instruct the provincial governments to establish their sucrose level testing laboratories as well to recheck the sucrose level testing results of sugar mills.

(Courtesy Daily The News, Pakistan)

[+]FPSC has failed to deliver on merit so far
      Thursday, September 10, 2009

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), a constitutional body established to uphold merit, is unfortunately far behind from discharging its prime responsibility to finalise high-profiled appointments in public departments. “The principle of justice delayed justice denied applies to the FPSC with its action of keeping pending four Grade-18 appointments in the Ministry of Information Technology and its subordinate departments for the last more than two years,” sources told The News. Unfortunately, the FPSC, working without a chairman since March 30, 2009, made a single appointment against five posts till now despite starting the procedure from January 2007 whereas four have been left in a state of uncertainty, they added. According to the information, the Ministry of Information Technology had to induct five system analysts into the Pakistan Computer Bureau (PCB) taking one each from the Punjab, Sindh, the NWFP, Balochistan, the Northern Areas and the AJK. Muhammad Akram has been appointed under case No.4-150/2007-R (18/2007) and others from Sindh, the Punjab, Balochistan and AJK-NA are still waiting despite the NWFP quota was filled in January 2009 on the nomination of Sarwat Habib, Director (FS). “The commission should have inducted all the five instead of making appointment from the NWFP or should have held the same case till decision on all those on the merit list,” FPSC officials and victims said.

(Courtesy Daily The News, Pakistan)

[+] Faisal Saleh Hayat seeks SC probe into rental power plants
      Thursday, September 10, 2009

ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary leader of the PML-Q in the National Assembly, Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, has urged the Supreme Court to probe into the controversial Rental Power Projects (RPPs). “I appeal to the Supreme Court to take suo moto notice of the installation of Rental Power Projects,” he said while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday at the PML House. He said despite repeated requests he had been time and again denied the opportunity in the National Assembly to debate the Rental Power Projects (RPPs). “I had also submitted an adjournment motion to the speaker’s chamber seeking an opportunity to raise the RPPs issue, however, the speaker termed it inadmissible and turned down my request,” he added. The PML-Q leader offered himself for accountability, refuting all charges against him levelled by Minister for Water & power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. “The prime minister who has made the tall claims of corruption-free governance has so far been silent on reports of his cabinet minister having purchased a expensive flat in London worth Rs 600 million from shady deals in the Rental Power Projects,” he said.

(Courtesy Daily The News, Pakistan)

[+]PML-Q govt fudged figures, claims PML-N
      Thursday, September 10, 2009

LAHORE: PML-N Central Joint Secretary MPA Zaeem Hussain Qadri on Wednesday alleged that Ch Pervaiz Elahi was hardly in a position to talk about democracy as he had been a crony of Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf, who had trampled the mandate of the people.

(Courtesy Daily The News, Pakistan)

[+]More houses demolished as Bara action continues
      Thursday, September 10, 2009

BARA/PESHAWAR: Three houses of tribesmen were demolished by security forces as the operation against militants continued in Bara subdivision of Khyber Agency for the ninth consecutive day on Wednesday.

(Courtesy Daily The News, Pakistan)

[+]Violation of Constitution an act of treason in 18th Amendment
      Thursday, September 10, 2009

ISLAMABAD: Superior court judges and MPs, who would validate the abrogation, subversion, suspension of the Constitution or holding it in abeyance by military adventurers or anybody else would be liable to be tried for high treason as per the draft constitutional package of the ruling Pakistan People People’s Party (PPP).The scope and application of the hitherto un-invoked Article 6 of the Constitution that provides for high treason has been hugely expanded in the draft, which was circulated among the members of the multiparty constitutional committee assigned with recommending amendments to the basic document. Some of the new insertions in the article include words like “validating ÖÖviolating the oath of office specified in the Third Schedule”, which means that those according such validation or committing such violation would also be guilty of high treason. During different periods, the Supreme Court has validated all the successive martial laws, giving legal and constitutional cover to Army interventions. Under the revised Article 6, such judges would be liable to trial for high treason.

(Courtesy Daily The News, Pakistan)

[+]Seminar on President Zardari’s achievements in one year
      Thursday, September 10, 2009

LAHORE: The government will announce a package to redress the grievances of the people of Balochistan within a few days. Federal Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira said this while addressing at a seminar organised by Parliamentary Party of the PPP Punjab here on Wednesday for celebrating President Asif Ali Zardari’s achievements during one year as the head of the state.State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mehreen Anwar Raja, Senior Minister Punjab Raja Riaz, PPP leaders Haji Aziz-ur- Rahman Chann, Zakarya Butt, Altaf Qureshi, Aslam Gill, Pir Nazim Shah, Sajida Mir, Rai Muzammil and Zafar Masood Bhatti also spoke on the occasion. They highlighted various aspects of the president’s personality. They especially referred to President Zardari’s ability of facing challenges and said he remained undeterred during the hour of trial. The information minister said the parliamentary committee on Balochistan had almost completed its recommendations, which the government will incorporate in the package to be announced within a couple of days. The minister said the critics of President Asif Ali Zardari must keep in mind the situation faced by the country one year earlier. President Zardari not only saved the country but also kept the party integrated. “Asif Ali Zardari did not allow the use of horse-trading to muster support from independent candidates in the Punjab or in the Centre and opted for making a coalition government to advance the ideas of Benazir Bhutto regarding politics of reconciliation to bring the country out of crises,” he said.

(Courtesy Daily The News, Pakistan)