PML-N keeps away as NA approves energy bills

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-N kept away from the National Assembly for a full day on Friday in protest over the government’s handling of a controversial memo that led to the resignation of Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States as the house passed two government bills for energy levies before coming to a quiet end to a hot 12-day session.

The boycott was in continuation of the party’s walkout from the house on Thursday when it felt dissatisfied with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s explanation of the resignation by ambassador Hussain Haqqani at his demand and despite his announcement that an inquiry at the “highest level” by a committee would be held into the origin of the memo critical of Pakistan’s military leadership, which both government and the envoy have said in the past was fabricated by a US Pakistani-American businessman.

Mr Gilani remained in the house on Friday for an unusually long time but did not speak on this issue, which got only a brief mention when a member of the opposition Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Mohammad Laeq Khan, said amid cheers from the treasury benches that his party would not become a party to use the memo, which businessman Mansoor Ijaz sent to then US military chief in May, as part of conspiracy to topple the elected government.

However, despite PML-N’s defiance and some angry exchanges before and after Thursday’s walkout, Water and Power Minister Naveed Qamar announced his acceptance of some amendments proposed by PML-N members along with some non-binding recommendations from the Senate — and he then moved those amendments — in the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess Bill he piloted on behalf of Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh to provide for the imposition of a cess from companies or consumers to finance infrastructure projects such as for the import of gas from Iran and Turkmenistan, import of liquefied natural gas import and enhancing liquefied petroleum gas supply.

The second legislation — the Petroleum Products (Petroleum Levy) (Amendment) Bill — also piloted by Mr Qamar on behalf of the finance minister — further amends the Petroleum Products (Petroleum Levy) Ordinance of 1961 to empower the government to revise the levy on the basis of international prices and to add or delete certain petroleum products from a relevant fifth schedule of the existing law.

Earlier, several female members of the house from parties in the ruling coalition complained of prevailing discrimination and violence against women as they spoke to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women designated by a 1999 resolution of the UN General Assembly and were followed by an assurance by the chief whip of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Religious Affairs Minister Khurshid Ahmed Shah that the government would not tolerate any excess against women and minority communities.

The minister used the occasion for an appeal to the Senate to endorse a private bill passed by the National Assembly on Tuesday to provide for heavy penalties for anti-women practices like forced marriages, the so-called “marriage with the holy Quran” and depriving them of inheritances.

This he did in response to a complaint from Pakistan Muslim League-Q’s Kashmala Tariq about the lapse in the upper house ofan earlier pro-women bill passed by the lower house.

It was PPP’s Azra Fazal Pechuho, a sister of President Asif Ali Zardari, who initiated the discussion on what she called “bigotry and violence” faced by women in the country inside and outside their homes, including the so-called “karokari” and other forms of honour killings, and called upon lawmakers to join the UN campaign against violence on women.

Awami National Party’s Bushra Gohar demanded nullification of the result of a by-election won by her own party on Thursday for a provincial assembly seat in the Kohistan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa province, in which she said women were barred from voting under an agreement reached between contesting parties at the local level at the office of the district coordination officer.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Shagufta Sadiq said violence against women was increasing and called for the use of education syllabi and the platform of mosque to prevent the trend.

The house passed a motion moved by Mr Khursheed Shah to authorise the house speaker to form a committee representing all parties to probe complaints of delay of PIA flights bringing back Haj pilgrims from Saudi Arabia, before Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, who chaired the day’s proceedings, read out a presidential order proroguing the session.

PPP decides against reopening cases

The meeting decided to step up consultative process with political forces and coalition partners to overcome the challenges facing the country: Farhatullah Babar.

ISLAMABAD: Senior PPP leaders and a number of federal ministers met here on Friday night under the chairmanship of President Asif Ali Zardari and decided not to reopen cases against the president.

The meeting was held to discuss the Supreme Court verdict dismissing the government’s petition to review its verdict against the National Reconciliation Ordinance.

“The meeting decided to step up consultative process with political forces and coalition partners to overcome the challenges facing the country,” said President’s Spokesman Farhatullah Babar while the meeting was still in progress.

Those who attended the meeting included Senator Nayyar Hussain Bokhari, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Rehman Malik, Syed Khursheed Shah, Syed Naveed Qamar, Mian Raza Rabbani, Dr Babar Awan, Senator Faisal Raza Abidi, Senator Sardar Ali, Nazar Mohammad Gondal, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Rukhsana Bangash, Fouzia Wahab and Fouzia Habib.

Senator Babar Awan briefed the meeting on the NRO issue and said President Zardari enjoyed immunity from prosecution.

The meeting decided that the policy of reconciliation would continue.

The memogate issue also came under discussion and the meeting expressed satisfaction over appointment of Sherry Rehman as Ambassador to the United States.

Tawakkal Communications

Tawakkal Communications

Pakistan upstage Sri Lanka for Twenty20 clean sweep

ABU DHABI: Pakistan put up another clinical performance to win the only Twenty20 by five wickets against Sri Lanka at Abu Dhabi stadium on Friday, blanking their rivals in all three forms of the game.

Paceman Aizaz Cheema took 4-30 to bowl Sri Lanka out for 141 in 19.3 overs before skipper Misbah-ul Haq kept his nerves with a fighting unbeaten 48 to help his team chase down the target with three balls to spare.

The victory capped a remarkable performance by Pakistan who won the preceding three-Test series 1-0 and the five-match one-day series 4-1.

Misbah, who hit three boundaries and a six off 38 balls, added 46 for the fourth wicket with Asad Shafiq (33) after Pakistan lost their way in persuit of the target.

They lost Mohammad Hafeez (13), Imran Farhat (13) and Umar Akmal for a first ball duck.

Shafiq hit three boundaries during his run-a-ball knock before he was bowled by Lasith Malinga.

Misbah hit Dilruwan Perera for a huge six and when 43 needed off the last four overs, the Pakistani captain hit three boundaries in Dilhara Fernando’s 17th over of the innings.

When Pakistan needed 23 off the last two overs Afridi hit Fernando for two sixes over deep mid-wicket before the paceman had him caught behind.

Pakistan needed nine off the last over bowled by Malinga whose first ball saw two taken by Misbah but the ensuing throw went for four before Shoaib Malik knocked off the winning runs.

Earlier Cheema took 4-30 in a superb display of swing bowling to derail Sri Lanka who had looked set to put up a big total on the back of maiden Twenty20 half-century by Dinesh Chandimal.

Chandimal had looked threatening during his 44-ball 56, hitting six boundaries and added a firey 31 for the second wicket with skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan (28) before Cheema came into his own.

Sri Lanka were off to a flying start of 30 by the third over before losing opener Upul Tharanga, bowled by Cheema for 12.

Dilshan miscued a drive off spinner Saeed Ajmal in the sixth over but Sri Lanka still had a ten run avergae by the sixth over.

Pakistani bowlers led by Cheema, playing only his second Tewnty20 match, checked Sri Lankan innings as they lost their last seven wickets for 54 runs.

Chandimal brought up his maiden half-century in the shortest form of the game off 40 balls before Cheema had him in the 19th over of the innings, trapped leg-before.

Cheema also had Thissara Perera (nought) and Malinga (one) to finish his four-over spell.

Sri Lanka’s poor batting was not helped by two run outs of Angelo Mathews (14) and Chamara Silva (four).
Umar Gul polished off the tail with 2-16.

Pakistan fly off to Dhaka on Saturday to play a Twenty20, three one-day internationals and two Tests. The Twenty20 will be played in Dhaka on Tuesday.

Thar coal project to become operational by 2013: Dr Samar

Pakistan's prominent scientists Dr. Samar Mubarak (R) and Dr. Ishfaq Ahmed (L), chairman of country's Atomic Energy Commission, stands in front of a hill under which Pakistan conducted its five nuclear tests.

ISLAMABAD: Thar coal project will become operational in December 2013, member of the Science and Technology Planning Commission, Dr Samar Mubarakmand, said on Thursday.

Talking to a private news channel, he said that the project would bring prosperity in the country. “Pakistan has enough coal reserves that can provide electricity to the country for more than 500 years,” he said.

He said that development work is in progress and the first 50 megawatts gasified project has almost been completed.

He said that the project is to cost Rs8.898 billion with a foreign exchange component of Rs 5.847 billion that was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council last year.

Dr Mubarakmand said that the success of the Thar coal project would lead to investment from the leading international companies.

He said that several foreign companies wanted to participate in the project and had shown interest.

He said that fifty per cent coal-fired power generation works has already been done, while the rest would be completed within a months.

With the completion of this project, the nation would get cheap and sufficient power supply thus resolving the current pestering energy crisis, he added.

Dr. Samar said it is for the first time in Pakistan that the coal gasification is being launched on commercial basis and abundant and cheap electricity would be available if it gets through.

He said the coal gasification was already producing 50000MW around the world, as the cost of electricity per unit is relatively low.

He said the four continents in the world are working on this project, as this method has enhanced energy efficiency reaching to 76 per cent.

He said the new growth strategy of the country is being emphasised on power generation through coal.
He said our installed capacity of thermal generation is 12000MW against hydel generation of 9000MW.

SC moved to place Haqqani on ECL

ISLAMABAD: PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif who has moved the Supreme Court on the memogate scandal filed on Thursday yet another application, calling for restrictions on Husain Haqqani, the former ambassador to the US, from leaving Pakistan.

“It is apprehended that either the former ambassador will flee the country or that he will be made to leave the country in order to frustrate the adjudication by this court for reasons based on malice, to say the least,” the two-page application said.

The application has been filed under the order 33 of the Supreme Court Rules of 1980.

It said the ambassador who had resigned from the post was a person central to and vital for purposes of a fair and just inquest.

The petition said the court should order Mr Haqqani not to leave Pakistan till the adjudication was concluded.

Two members of the National Assembly from Balochistan and a provincial minister filed a similar petition in the Supreme Court on the memogate scandal.

Pakistanis protest against improving trade with India

MUZAFFARABAD: Hundreds of Islamist activists in Pakistani-administered Kashmir on Friday demonstrated against the government’s decision to take steps to improve trade with India.

Pakistan’s cabinet last month said it approved a proposal giving India the status of “most favoured nation” in a move towards normalising trade relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Members of banned Islamist groups including Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba, and hardline religious party Jamaat-e-Islami gathered in the main square in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Protesters shouted slogans against the Pakistani government and were joined by supporters of the main opposition party of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, an AFP reporter said.

“We will never accept this decision,” Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi, local chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa told the gathering.

His organisation is blacklisted as a terror group by the United Nations and considered a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba that Washington and New Delhi blamed for the killings of 166 people on November 26, 2008 attacks in Mumbai.

Protesters later blocked the main road passing through Muzaffarabad city centre by setting tyres on fire.