ISLAMABAD: Pakistan summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner on Wednesday to lodge a strong protest against the recent ‘unprovoked ceasefire violations’ by Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Harpal and other sectors.

“The Indian Deputy High Commissioner was called in by the Director General (South Asia and SAARC) at the Foreign Office to lodge a strong protest against the unprovoked ceasefire violations by Indian troops at the Line of Control (LoC) in Harpal and other sectors,” said FO Spokesman Qazi Khalilullah.

Read: Pakistan lodges protest against ‘ceasefire violations’ by India

"The Indian firing resulted in the martyrdom of a civilian, Muhammad Shareef,” he said.

The spokesman also added that Indian forces also resorted to unprovoked firing at Jandrot, Nakyal and Karela sectors, as a result of which another civilian was killed and four others were injured.

A Dawn correspondent confirmed that Noor Begum, 75, widow of Lal Mohammad, was killed Wednesday after a mortar shell landed in the courtyard of her house in Dheri Dabsi village of Nakyal sector, quoting Sardar Adnan Khurshid, Deputy Commissioner Kotli.

"Nakyal sector is being constantly targeted by Indian troops for the past several days with both light and heavy weapons," said Khurshid.

"Of the seven deaths in the current spell of cross border shelling, six have taken place in Nakyal sector alone. Around 32 people have been injured, 27 of them belong to Nakyal," added Khurshid.

The deputy commissioner also stated that 16 houses were damaged in the sector.

Pakistan expressed concern over continuous unprovoked ceasefire violations by Indian forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary, urging India to immediately stop the violations and observe the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding to create peace and tranquility.

With the national security advisers of both countries scheduled to meet in New Delhi on August 23, tensions have been high due to regular bouts of violence reported on the shared Kashmir border between the two nuclear-armed states. Both countries have in the past few weeks used diplomatic channels on multiple occasions to protest ceasefire violations by the other.

Read: India summons Pakistan envoy over civilian deaths in Kashmir.

Indian authorities have also claimed several civilian deaths from 'unprovoked firing' by forces on Pakistan's side.

Ties between the two rival states, both of which claim in full the disputed Jammu and Kashmir territory, and have fought two wars over it, were further strained after Pakistan invited separatist leaders from Indian occupied Kashmir for talks in its New Delhi diplomatic enclave on August 23 – the same day security advisers from both countries are scheduled to hold landmark talks.

Take a look: Pakistan invites separatists for meeting 'to irritate India': Indian analyst.

Yesterday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced alarm at the latest upsurge in violence along the disputed border of India and Pakistan in Kashmir and urged restraint on the part of both governments.

Earlier in August, Pakistan Army lodged a strong protest with the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) over unprovoked firing by Indian troops along the working boundary at Sialkot's Pukhlian sector.

The army had launched a similar complaint with the UN body in July also, in relation to incidents of unprovoked firing by Indian forces at Sialkot's Chaprar sector and in Rawalakot's Neza Pir sector along the LoC.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan by the UN-monitored de facto border of LoC but is claimed in full by both the countries.

Ceasefire violations along the LoC and working boundary between Pakistan and India continue intermittently, with casualties reported on both sides.

Read more: Pakistan moves UNMOGIP over unprovoked Indian firing along LoC

Official sources say unprovoked firing by Indian troops on the working boundary has been continuing for the past many weeks.

KARACHI: New Town police on Wednesday night registered a case against unknown suspects on terror charges for Tuesday's brutal attack on Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MNA Rashid Godil.

Read: MQM's Rashid Godil critical after Karachi attack.

“Police have registered FIR 254/2015 on complaint of Mr. Godil’s brother-in-law under section 7-ATA (Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997), section 302 of Pakistan Penal Code and other sections against unknown suspects,” said Gulshan Superintendent of Police (SP) Abid Qaimkhani.

Police has also decided to conduct forensic examination of Mr Godil's car in addition to 'geo-fencing' the area, he said.

Statements of witnesses were also recorded.

The Gulshan SP said Mr Godil was on his way from Baloch Colony area to his residence in Bahadurabad when he was attacked. He added that the police had provided four guards to the MQM lawmaker's family after the attack.

Qaimkhani went on to say that Mr Godil had not informed police about any threats to him and had not demanded police security.

Investigators examined the crime scene, Godil's car and over half a dozen CCTVs installed on the route he travelled before the attack.

Following an initial probe, investigators believe a silencer-fitted pistol was used in the attack and that the attackers had been chasing the MQM legislator from Baloch Colony but targeted him in Bahadurabad.

“CCTV footage hinted at the possibility of the use of silencer-fitted pistol in the attack on Mr. Godil,” opined senior investigator of the Counter-Terrorism Department, Raja Umer Khattab.

Khattab said CCTV footage showed that after being attacked, Godil's driver did not seem to have realised that shots were fired on his car or that he (the driver) had himself been struck.

“The driver applied breaks and disembarked from the car apparently to see what had happened.

“He was checking the car to see what had happened and in the mean time, he collapsed probably due to excessive bleeding,” said the CTD official.

It was also possible, added Khattab, that the driver did not realise Mr. Godil was also shot and wounded inside the car.

Meanwhile, Additional Inspector General of Police, Karachi, Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar, on Wednesday proposed Rs5million reward money for any help that leads to the attackers' arrest.

In a letter to the Sindh Home Department, the police official requested that since “the incident was of serious nature” and was probably executed by “hardened criminals,” reward money of Rs5mn be sanctioned to ensure early detection of the assailants.

A PENSIONER’S lot in Pakistan can be pitiable because systems have often not evolved sufficiently to take the age-related limitations of this particular demographic into account.

Newspapers frequently report on the ordeal of infirm individuals having to suffer extended waiting periods at banks and, sometimes, humiliating treatment at the hands of bank staff while collecting paltry amounts at the beginning of each month.

Another dimension of the issue has now come to light that underscores the importance of putting in place streamlined disbursement methods not only for the pensioners but for the government itself.

Testifying before the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, the National Bank president said the bank had discovered at least 600,000 ‘ghost’ pensioners who had for long been collecting pension amounts they were not entitled to receive, thus causing huge loss to the public exchequer.

Some NBP branches, he said, were dealing with up to 80,000 pensioners in the first few days of every month which resulted in further delays. Ostensibly, some heirs of deceased pensioners had chosen not to inform the bank of the latter’s demise and continued collecting on their behalf.

The fraud was uncovered during the bank’s computerisation of the pension system which will be completed by the end of the year and is based upon pensions being transferred directly into pensioners’ accounts that can be operated via ATM cards requiring biometric verification for transactions.

The possibility of deceit would thereby be largely eliminated. Equally important, so will the need for pensioners to queue up in person for hours to collect the pension, which — inhumane though it is in practice — is meant to safeguard against precisely such deception. That begs the question, how then could so many ghost pensioners go undetected for an extended period?

After all, although pensioners can depute someone to collect in their place, they can do so only for three months at a stretch.

Moreover, this is probably only the tip of the iceberg; there are certain to be many more ghost pensioners on other systems, such as Pakistan Post, from where pensions are disbursed. The authorities, rather than different institutions independently, should undertake efforts to address the shortcomings, thereby putting an end to such manipulation.

As it is, pensions account for a huge proportion of the government’s annual budget outlay, and while the amount undeservedly disbursed so far has yet to be determined, it is likely to be considerable.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

ISLAMABAD: The Senate transformed itself into a ‘committee of the entire house’ on Wednesday and discussed proposals for reforms aimed at providing speedy and inexpensive justice to people.

In their speeches and presentations, a number of senators and legal experts suggested steps, including amendments to the Constitution, aimed at improving the existing justice system which, according to them, had failed to deliver speedy and inexpensive justice to people.

Legal expert and former senator S.M. Zafar suggested that amendments be introduced in the Constitution to ensure that suo motu jurisdiction of the Supreme Court was used with “judicial restraint”.

Take a look: No reform of justice system

He was of the view that law and justice commission and judicial academies should be made independent. He also opposed the inclusion of serving judges in the commission and the academies.

Mr Zafar described the “inefficiency of the system” as the main cause of delay in dispensation of justice and proposed “a surgical operation” of the existing judicial system.

Another expert, Abdul Malik Ghouri, said that local police chiefs and district judges should be professionals elected by the people instead of being nominated by the government or any other institution.

Hasil Bizenjo said that parliament should assert itself and take bold steps to make the justice system speedy and inexpensive.

Hafiz Hamdullah said there was no concept of inexpensive and speedy justice in society and proposed establishment of Sharia courts at district level besides increasing the number of judges and courts and introducing jirga-like formal systems to expedite the process.

PPP’s Farhatullah Babar said that victims of enforced disappearance and their families were yearning for justice and called for legislation to bring state agencies under the ambit of law.

Unfortunately, he said, no avenue for justice was available to such people and the talk of inexpensive and speedy justice was meaningless to them.

Similarly, he said, in cases involving suo motu notices, the highest court in the country tended to become a trial court with no avenue for appeal.

He said that excessive use of suo motu jurisdiction closed an important avenue of justice, namely the right to appeal, and called for a mechanism whereby the critical avenue was not blocked.

Mr Babar also questioned the present mode of appointment of judges, saying the existing system revolved around judges being appointed by judges to the exclusion of the president, the prime minister and practically the parliamentary committee.

The Senate will continue the debate on Thursday.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

QUETTA: The Chief Minister of Balochistan, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, urged councillors to convince their political parties to opt for devolution of powers up to the local council level in the province.

He was speaking at a conference titled ‘Community Driven Development’ organised by the Balochistan Rural Support Programme (BRSP) in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and Rural Support Programme Network (RSPN) on Wednesday.

“We are constantly struggling for the decentralisation of powers to local bodies,” said Malik Baloch. “This could play a vital role in reducing poverty in the province.”

“Our forefathers, including Mir Ghaus Bakhsh Bizenjo and Khan Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai, struggled against the One Unit policy,” he said. “Similarly we strived for 18th Constitutional Amendment.” He said they had gained provincial autonomy and now wanted to devolve powers to local bodies.

The chief minister claimed that poverty was a worldwide issue but its impact was worse and more complicated in Balochistan. He said the coalition government with limited resources was trying hard to eradicate poverty.

Balochistan, he said, was a vast area and needed support from the EU and other international communities to help the province get rid of poverty.

According to Dr Baloch, his government and his party [National Party] were both in favour of decentralisation at the local bodies level. He said this could lead to an increase in local bodies funds from one to 10 per cent.

He added that they had Rs40 billion for development of the province and this was an insufficient amount. “We should work hard and defeat poverty,” he said. “Our friends and members of the local government can play a crucial role in this regard.”

He appointed MPA Raheela Durrani as the focal person and directed her to collect proposals made by different non-governmental organisations. He also asked her to check how these proposals could be implemented.

The CM rejected the notion that no development had taken place in the education sector and said a lot had changed.

“More than 5,000 vacancies in the education department are being filled through the National Testing Service contrary to the past when nepotism was encouraged and merit was ignored,” Dr Baloch said.

He added that cheating in exams was still going on but the government had started a campaign against this and would report positive results soon.

The chief executive officer of BRSP, Nadir Gul Barrech, BRSP Chairman Sardar Naseer Khan Tareen, RSPN’s chairman Shoaib Sultan Khan, MPA Raheela Durrani, Sardar Raza Muhammad Barrech, adviser to chief minster on education, along with representatives from the EU and International Labour Organisation also spoke.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

KARACHI: Expressing extreme annoyance over the non-compliance of its orders for umpteenth time, the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday once again directed the city police authorities to ensure shifting of oil tankers to the Zulfikarabad Oil Terminal.

A two-judge bench comprising Justices Sarmad Jalal Osmany and Gulzar Ahmed also warned the officials concerned that contempt of court proceedings would be initiated against them in case the shifting of the oil carriers did not start immediately.

The bench was seized with the hearing of an application of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation administrator seeking court’s direction to the police and Rangers to ensure shifting of oil tankers to the Zulfikarabad oil terminal as the tanker operators resisted their shifting from Shireen Jinnah Colony to the terminal.

The KMC application was tagged with a petition filed by Shagufta Bibi, a resident of Clifton Block-1, who had in 2012 asked the then Chief Justice of Pakistan to order the shifting of the oil tankers from the locality.

Officials given one week to file compliance report

The woman had initially written a letter to the then CJP, who converted it into a petition.

The petitioner complained that heavy oil tankers were parked on both sides of the main road in Clifton Block-1 and its surrounding area. Besides, she said a number of auto workshops had been opened in the locality, making the lives of area residents miserable.

She submitted that the oil tanker operators had encroached upon streets in Block-1 and its adjoining areas, causing environmental hazards and affecting residents’ privacy, as families could not move about freely due to vehicles activity. She added that oil tankers were being parked in the residential parts of the colony causing hardship to the people.

The representatives of the oil tanker owners stated that no parking place was available for them at the moment and they were compelled to park their vehicles either near the seashore or in the adjacent populated areas.

During the past three years, the apex court time and again directed the authorities and the oil tanker owners and operators to remove their vehicles immediately from the residential area of Shireen Jinnah Colony, a neighbourhood in Clifton, but to no avail.

On Wednesday, the focal person of the provincial transport authority told the judges that 50 per cent work on the construction of the terminal had been done but oil tankers could not be shifted there.

One of the bench members remarked that the land in Shireen Jinnah Colony had been illegally occupied for years and oil tankers had not been removed from there despite repeated orders. The judge also warned the authorities of action, observing that no further delay in compliance with the court order regarding removal of the oil tankers from Shireen Jinnah Colony would be tolerated.

In his application, the KMC administrator stated that the Zulfikarabad oil terminal was fully operational, but the oil tanker owners and operators were not ready to shift to the new terminal, spread over 150 acres. He sought court direction to the law-enforcement agencies for assisting the city administration in shifting the oil tankers away from Shireen Jinnah Colony.

The KMC also submitted a report on the matter stating that work on 32 acres had already been completed and the terminal was operational. However, he said, the oil tanker owners and operators and the petroleum ministry had not paid their respective 10 and five per cent share of the expenditure on the construction of the oil terminal.

The bench directed the additional inspector general of police, Karachi, DIG (operations) and senior superintendent of police (south) to start shifting of oil tankers to the newly built terminal and submit a compliance report in the court within one week.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

KARACHI: Twelve students of Dawood University of Engineering and Technology were booked and arrested on terrorism, rioting and other charges on Wednesday after violence erupted during a protest demonstration by DUET students against the varsity vice chancellor on New M.A. Jinnah Road, officials said.

Police resorted to baton charge and fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters who had gathered outside the varsity against lack of facilities at the varsity, suspending traffic on the main road on a third consecutive day.The protesting students told the media that when they had staged a demonstration a couple of days ago, the police authorities had promised them that they would take up their demands before the DUET administration but they did not fulfil the promise. It prompted them to continue their protest but the police allegedly subjected them to high-handedness at behest of the DUET administration again, the students alleged.

However, Jamshed Quarter SP Akhtar Farooq said the protesters allegedly resorted to firing on the policemen, hurled stones at vehicles and indulged in riot, resulting in injuries to a policeman. He claimed that the police took the action in response and arrested 12 students. “The police also arrested one dozen students over charges of terrorism,” he said.

He said the police registered an FIR against the 12 students under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 and 147 (riots), 148 (armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly is guilty of offence committed) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan's Ambassador to Pakistan Janan Mosazai was called in by Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry on Wednesday to convey Pakistan’s concerns over the recent spate of allegations levelled by the Afghan government, media and senior officials to 'malign' Pakistan.

In recent times, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, chief executive Abdullah Abdullah and the country's premier spy agency have issued statements accusing Pakistan and its military of providing implicit support to Taliban insurgents.

Take a look: Ashraf Ghani slams Pakistan over recent Kabul attacks.

While Pakistan has denied such allegations – both the army chief Gen Raheel and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have vowed to help Afghanistan combat terrorism – Afghan officials have constantly criticised Pakistan for failing to take effective measures to curb terrorism on its own soil, which fuels attacks in Afghanistan, they claim.

The foreign secretary stressed that such allegations undercut mutual confidence and affect the environment of bilateral relations that both countries have been working hard to improve, said a handout issued on Wednesday.

“Pakistan has been acting with maximum restraint and avoiding any blame-game,” he added.

Also read: Ties with Pakistan tense as Afghanistan celebrates independence.

Earlier, a strong protest was also lodged on cross-border violations from the Afghan side on August 16 and 17, 2015, which resulted in the death of three FC personnel and injured two others.

The Afghan ambassador was conveyed that, as a matter of policy, “Pakistani authorities do not initiate fire and return fire only in self-defence”.

The foreign secretary further conveyed to the Afghan ambassador that according to the guidance of its leadership, Pakistan would continue its policy of restraint and responsibility and indulge in constructive engagement with Afghanistan.

Editorial: A downturn in Pak-Afghan ties.

“We expect that the Afghan government would also reciprocate by taking effective measures to obviate recurrence of such incidents on the border, and work with Pakistan to build mutual trust and good-neighbourly relations.”

QUETTA: The director general of National Accountability Bureau (NAB), retired Major Tariq Mehmood Malik, handed over a Rs5.214 million cheque to the director general of livestock department on Wednesday.

The amount is part of Rs7.752m recovered by NAB from some livestock department’s officials who had allegedly gained it through corruption.

Earlier, a cheque for Rs600,000 was given to the livestock director general.

The NAB’s Balochistan branch recently unearthed corruption in a project for rehabilitation of people from drought-hit areas of the province.

The federal government had provided funds to the department under the Animal Health Coverage Programme in 2009.

But some officials of the department embezzled Rs7.752m by supplying substandard veterinary medicines to people of the drought- hit areas.

The National Account­ability Bureau conducted an inquiry into the scam and recovered the embezzled amount from the officials involved.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

KARACHI: Though injury and disease have claimed the lives of many zoo animals over the past decade, there has been no effort on the part of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to hire technical staff and make the zoo hospital functional, it emerged on Wednesday.

A visit to the facility showed that renovation of the quarantine, part of the hospital, which has been ongoing for about two years at an exorbitant cost of Rs20m, has been suspended while the hospital equipment is in a state of disuse.

The zoo staff on condition of anonymity told Dawn that it was almost nine years since an animal had been treated at the hospital and that too by a visiting vet.

Presently, the zoo with more than 800 mammals and birds has only one veterinarian and three zoologists, two of them hired on contract basis in recent years.

Top zoo officials, the director and the additional director, have no academic qualification in zoology or professional experience in animal care. Besides, there has been no move by the KMC to upgrade the status of animal-keepers who spend most of the time with animals.

The KMC hires both zoo-keepers and sweepers in grade one and their posts require no specific training or qualification except that they should be healthy individuals.

“There has been no new induction of zoo-keepers since 1997, though many have either retired, left the job or passed away. The other upsetting thing is that most zoo employees have been awaiting promotion for a long time,” revealed a zoo staff.

To support his point, he gave the example of a senior colleague, Karamat Masih, who recently retired as zoo-keeper in grade one after serving the facility for 30 years. Same was the case with Deen Mohammad, who retired as a gardener last year after 40 years of service.

According to sources, the KMC has no practice of providing technical training to its staff posted at facilities for captive animals. Two members of the zoo staff, however, received training in handling foot-and-mouth disease cases in May this year. The training was organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation as part of a national project.

“This happened for the first time in decades. We want to learn and polish our skills. Unfortunately, there are no avenues,” another zoo official said.

In the absence of technical staff, lack of training and funding constraints, it’s not surprising that the zoo has failed to perform its basic purpose – conservation of wildlife species. With high mortality and injury rates, the zoo has no breeding programme for endangered species to boast of while many animals die after spending a solitary life.

“We don’t have the technical staff to run the health facility. Diseased and injured animals are treated in their cages since renovation of the quarantine isn’t complete yet,” said assistant director of the zoo Dr Aamir Ismail.

He refused to show the mortality data book of the zoo, arguing that “no zoo in the world would do so.”

Additional director zoo Syed Aqeel Tazeem Naqvi, who holds a foreign diploma in gardening, admitted that the zoo lacked technical staff and said that requests for the same had been made to the authorities.

“If technical staff is hired, given financial powers and a long tenure to serve, there is no reason that the zoo can’t show progress,” he said, adding that the relevant officials had also been informed about the need to make the hospital functional.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia on Wednesday signed a landmark defence deal that includes the sale of four Mi-35 ‘Hind E’ attack helicopters to Pakistan.

“The agreement was signed by top defence officials from Pakistan and Russia in Rawalpindi on Wednesday,” said a military source.

Both countries were negotiating the deal for the past year, signalling a major thaw in relations between the two cold-war rivals.

Read: Russia ready to sell four Mi-35 helicopters to Pakistan: report

Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif had also visited Russia in June, after which a draft contract for the delivery of four Mi-35M 'Hind E' combat helicopters was sent to Pakistan from Russia.

General Raheel Sharif had spent about 15 hours at an arms expo near Moscow that featured Russia’s cutting edge weapons and military equipment. He inspected not only the weapon systems on display but also saw their live demonstrations.

Late last year, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived on a visit to Pakistan which was aimed at discussing bilateral defence cooperation with the Pakistani leadership.

CEO of Russia's Rostec hi-tech corporation, Sergey Chemezov, had also last year said Russia had lifted its embargo on delivery of military hardware and armaments to Pakistan and negotiations were being held on delivering helicopters.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry also said both sides have been negotiating the delivery of helicopters and that Pakistan currently has a number of Mi-17 helicopters delivered by the United States to assist in the fight against militancy.

The Mi-35 helicopter is an exceedingly modernised version of the Mi-24 (Hind) combat helicopter with new onboard equipment and avionics. It also has a more powerful engine and a different tail rotor.

Read more: Russian defence minister arrives in Pakistan to discuss defence cooperation

Pakistan and Russia had signed a bilateral defence cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening military-to-military relations in November last year. The deal had to be followed by another ‘technical cooperation agreement’ to pave the way for sale of defence equipment to Pakistan.

Besides helicopters, Pakistan also appears interested in other Russian hardware.

Russia and Pakistan have lately been working on enhancing defence cooperation and are believed to have already covered a lot of ground. Exchange of visits by military commanders in recent years is an indication of progress achieved in this regard.

India’s decision to enter into tighter embrace with the US had prompted Russia to rethink its defence relationship with Pakistan.

KARACHI: The Pasban-i-Pakistan, a civil society organisation, has urged the Sindh government to immediately issue temporary route permits to Qingqi rickshaws in larger public interest and order police to release all rickshaws confiscated illegally.

The organisation’s head, Altaf Shakoor, argued at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Wednesday that how the Qingqis which were given to the poor under the President of Pakistan Self-Employment Scheme in 2007 could be illegal.

He said the ban on plying of Qingqis had multiplied hardships of millions of commuters, who were now forced to travel by sitting on rooftops of buses and hanging from their gate bars and ladders.

Jawed Ahmed Chitari, a lawyer who accompanied the Pasban chief, said the government was receiving 16 per cent sales tax from local Qingqi rickshaws. In the wake of the court order, police forcibly took away rickshaws that were even parked inside the owners’ residences although the court order did not say that, he said.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

KARACHI: Pakistani scientists could benefit from the Horizon 2020 programme under which funds of 300 million to 400m euros are available for research assistance, said acting EU ambassador to Pakistan Stefano Gatto at a seminar held at Karachi University (KU) on Wednesday.

The programme aimed at creating awareness of Horizon 2020 was jointly organised by a European Union delegation to Pakistan, Pakistan Science Foundation and the KU.

The biggest EU research and innovation programme ever with nearly 80 billion euros of funding available over seven years (2014-2020), Horizon 2020 is a financial instrument implementing the Innovation Union, a Europe 2020 flagship initiative aimed at securing Europe’s global competitiveness.

In his speech, Mr Gatto underlined the need for research and said it’s the key to progress and development. “Science and technology have no borders. Pakistan is a rapidly growing nation and we want to make it more vibrant in the field of science and research,” he said while acknowledging the services of Pakistani scientists and appreciating the research work being done at the KU.

He also spoke about the role of the EU in detail and said that it was a strong and diversified political institution.

The European Union counselor on scientific affairs, based in New Delhi, Denis Dambois, spoke through a video link, highlighting the importance of innovative research for developing nations.

“Europe is a highly diversified region that has the largest number of researchers in the world. The seven-year programme of Horizon 2020 is open for all researchers from any country,” he said.

The European Union, he said, was working in collaboration with Pakistan and 402 Pakistani students, 10 scholars, had received grants.

Welcoming the guests, vice chancellor of the KU Prof Mohammad Qaiser commended the EU for offering assistance to Pakistani researchers and said that it would provide many opportunities to explore new avenues.

Prof M. Ashraf of Pakistan Science Foundation talked about the aims of the organisation and said the basic purpose of the PSF, set up in 1973, was to promote and popularise science.

Later, Mr Gatto spoke to a select gathering at the university’s Area Study Centre for Europe. During his speech, he traced the history of the EU-Pakistan relations as far back as 1962 and recalled that it was his fourth assignment as EU ambassador.

He regretted that despite getting the award of GSP (Generalised Scheme of Preference) plus status, Pakistan had done little to meet the standards of quality assurance on the supply side.

Mr Gatto stressed the need for concerted efforts to take advantage of the trade concessions offered by the EU and said that there was a greater room for partnership with Pakistan.

The EU, he said, expected better performance on the fronts of human rights, rule of law and democracy.

“Human rights doesn’t mean lifting the moratorium on death penalty but rather protecting human rights and labour rights with special focus on child labour, eliminating it in its all forms,” he said, adding that Pakistan must try to create conditions favouring freedom of expression.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

KARACHI: Senior Sindh Minister for Information and Education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said that the Sindh government is ready to hold local government elections in the province but its date has to be announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Mr Khuhro, who was responding to questions of media persons after a meeting with American Consul General Brian Heath here at his office on Wednesday, said that the initial round of talks between Muttahida Qaumi Movement leaders and Maulana Fazlur Rehman remained positive and expressed the hope that the matter of resignations would be resolved amicably in the next round of talks scheduled to be held in Islamabad.

He said continuation of dialogue even after an attempt on the life of MQM leader Abdul Rashid Godil manifested the maturity of the political parties.

Replying to a question, Mr Khuhro said that the Karachi operation was started with mutual understanding of political parties, including the MQM, which would continue without any discrimination until complete eradication of terrorists as had been vowed by the government to not to compromise on peace of the city.

He said that attacks on political leaders were part of a conspiracy to disturb peace of the city as some elements did not like to see political stability and strengthening of democratic process in the country.

However, he added, they would never succeed in their nefarious designs.

Replying to another question, Mr Khuhro said that parliament was the best forum to raise voice on people issues and these elements needed to come in the parliament.

Earlier, the US consul general met Senior Minister Khuhro at his office and exchanged views on matters of mutual interest, including law and order, peace and education.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

KARACHI: Police officials investigating the gun attack on Muttahida Qaumi Movement lawmaker Abdul Rashid Godil on Wednesday said that the attackers riding a motorbike had chased his car from Baloch Colony flyover to Bahadurabad where they targeted him.

They arrived at this conclusion after examining footage of the route recorded by nearly half a dozen closed-circuit television cameras. “CCTV footage also hinted at the possibility of use of silencer-fitted pistol in the attack on Mr Godil,” said senior investigator of the counterterrorism department of police, Raja Umer Khattab.

The police investigators also decided to do forensic examination of the car and geo-fencing of the area.

In the Tuesday morning attack, Mr Godil was critically wounded and admitted to a private hospital, while his driver, Abdul Mateen, was shot dead.

Police plan forensic examination of Godil’s car. Family provided police security after the attack

Mr Khattab explained the CCTV footage showed that after being attacked, the driver did not seem to have realized that shots had been fired on the car and he [the driver] himself got wounded. Therefore, the driver applied the brakes and disembarked from the car apparently to see what had happened. “He was checking the car but since he had been wounded, he fell down probably due to excessive bleeding,” said the CTD official. It was also possible that the driver might not have realized that Mr Godil was also shot at and wounded inside the car, added Raja Umer Khattab.

FIR registered

Gulshan SP Abid Qaimkhani said the New Town police registered an FIR (254/2015) on a complaint of Mr Godil’s brother-in-law under Sections 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, 302 (premeditated murder) and other sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The police also recorded statements of some witnesses, he said.

The officer explained that Mr Godil was on his way from Baloch Colony area to his residence in Bahadurabad when he was attacked.

Police unaware of any threats

He said Mr Godil had never informed the police about any threats to him nor had he demanded police security. Following the attack, the police provided four police guards to the lawmaker’s family, the officer said.

About the possible motive for the targeted attack, the SP said since it was a high-profile attack carried out just a day after the killing of Punjab home minister Shuja Khanzada in Attock, the motive might be to create uncertainty or it could be a reaction to the killing of militants in ‘encounters’ in the metropolis.

Meanwhile, Karachi police chief Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar on Wednesday proposed Rs5 million as reward money for those who would provide information or help leading to the arrest of the attackers.

In a letter to Sindh home department, the city police chief said some hardened criminals could be involved in this attack, which was of serious nature, it was requested that Rs5 million be sanctioned as reward money to ensure early detection of the culprits.

Crucial 24 hours as Godil makes progress

Warning that the next 24 hours were crucial, doctors at the Liaquat National Hospital on Wednesday said Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Rashid Godil, who was critically wounded in an attack a day earlier, was making satisfactory progress.

Anjum Rizvi, a spokesman for the hospital, said Mr Godil was on 40 per cent ventilator support.

He said Mr Godil’s lungs had been badly affected, yet his cerebral and kidney functions were normal, as was his heartbeat and blood pressure.

Quoting doctors, Mr Rizvi said the condition of the lawmaker was still critical.

“A panel of doctors will soon decide whether to take him off the ventilator or not. The next 24 hours are extremely crucial for Mr Godil,” Mr Rizvi said.

Doctors said Mr Godil, who underwent an emergency surgery following the attack, had sustained five bullet wounds ─ two in the neck and three in the chest.

A panel comprising 18 doctors for Mr Godil declared him clinically stable, yet they did not rule out the chances that his condition could destabilise.

The hospital spokesman said it was making initial preparations for taking Mr Godil off the ventilator. He said the hospital staff had stopped administering the patient sedatives to monitor his reactions.

Meanwhile, Sindh Health Minister Jam Mehtab Dahar also said in a statement that the condition of Mr Godil was “now out of danger”.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

KARACHI: The Sindh government has ordered registration of FIRs and arrest of 64 officials facing serious charges of corruption and financial irregularities and decided to hold open inquiries in 36 cases, according to director of Anti-Corruption Sindh Nazar Mohammad Bozdar.

Mr Bozdar told journalists after a meeting of the Anti-Corruption Committee which had met after a long interval of 20 months that the committee had ordered registration of cases against and arrest of officials who included officers of grades 18, 19, and 20, former nazims, TMOs and others over corruption.

The meeting was chaired by chief secretary Mohammad Sadiq Memon and attended by chairman Anti-Corruption Establishment Sindh, Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah, secretaries of local government, health and education department.

Mr Bozdar said the meeting took decisions on 58 out of 125 cases pertaining to education, health and local government departments. In three cases of the health department, orders were issued to lodge FIRs and arrest five suspects involved in the embezzlement of about Rs80 million and illegal recruitment of 304 people.

In six cases, open inquiry was ordered and four cases were referred to the health department for inquiry and report within 30 days, he said.

He said the committee also ordered to register FIR and arrest 24 officials involved in cases of setting up illegal water hydrants, embezzlement of Rs6.2 million from GP fund and illegal recruitment of 214 people.

The committee ordered to hold open inquiry in 29 cases of education department involving about Rs80 million embezzlement and 700 illegal recruitments in the department.

The committee decided to launch a thorough inquiry into the case pertaining to sale of plot of Muniba School, Shah Faisal Colony, while four cases were referred to the education department for completing departmental inquiry within 30 days, he said.

Mr Bozdar informed in seven cases pertaining to local government department the committee ordered registration of FIRs and arrest of all 35 suspects, most of them former taluka nazims and TMOs.

The committee ordered arrest of five officials in three cases of health department. They are; ex-MLO of Dokri Hospital Dr Abdul Ghaffar Kandhro, ex-MLO of Taluka Hospital Hala, Dr Mohammad Hussain Khaskheli, and one private person Abdul Khaliq Jokhio and medical officer of rural health center Pakka Chang, Dr Fida Hussain Chang.

In the education and literacy department, the committee ordered arrest of 24 officials in five cases. They included; regional director of colleges Sukkur, Altaf Hussain Abbasi; deputy director, Inayatullah Jogi; office superintendent, Ghulam Asghar Jaskani; assistant Rano Bhatti, DDO Allahdad Mahar, ADO Ghulam Sawar Pathan and junior clerk Ghulam Qadir Khokhar, former EDO of Tando Mohammad Khan Ghulam Shabbir Bughio and his personal assistant Pervez Bhatti, Government Boys Primary School Lyari Head Master Ejaz Hussain, Ex-EDO Lyari Town Karim Bakhsh Brohi, office superintendent Mushtaq Ahmad, NBP branch Denso Hall manager Mohammad Mairajul Haq, credit officer Arif Yusuf, supervisor of education Abdul Samad and Ejaz Ali Abbasi and private persons Ghulam Hussain, ex-EDO Kashmore-Kandhkot Abdul Nabi Kalor, DOE (education) Qazi Nisar Ahmad, EDO (female) Shamshad Khatoon, head clerk Fazal Deen and senior auditor Jacobabad Manzoor Ahmad.

The committee decided that in seven cases of local government department FIR would be lodged and 35 officials would be arrested. They were; ex-taluka nazim Ali Akbar Banglani, ex-TMO Abdul Sattar Sarhindi, ex-TO finance Lal Bux Dashti, TMO Abdul Ghaffar Shaikh, TO finance Amanullah Abro, proprietors of Bismiallah Iron Store Thull, M Iqbal & Co and Suraj Pipe Store Thull, additional district officer North Karachi Khalid Zafar Hashmi, DDO Shahid Wali, junior clerk Mohammad Javed and private person Abdul Rahman Anasari, additional district officer Lines Area Redevelopment Project Anees Zaidi, ADO Ms Ishrat Jahan, deputy district officer Manzoor Ahamd, stenographer Abdul Latif, private lady Akhtari Begum, Mohammad Salim, TMO Sinjhoro Jaman Das, ex-XEN Landhi-Korangi Ameer Ali Bhatti, Ex-DDO Mohammad Juned Khan, ex-nazim Hyderabad taluka Khawind Bakhsh, ex-TMO Hyderabad rural Faqir Shakir, sub-engineer Abdul Aziz Memon, contractor Nisar Ahmad and others, XEN KWSB Izharuddin, Tahir Ali Khan and Mohammad Ejaz, assistant engineer Mohammad Ejaz Alam, Abdul Qadir, Haris Farooqui, Riazur Rehman, Shafiuddin Khan, Sahibzada Tufail Ahmad and others.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

MURREE: Pakistan’s largest chairlift and cable car service was inactive for more than two hours on Wednesday, leaving dozens of tourists frightened and suspended thousands of metres in the air.

Hundreds of tourists were travelling via the chairlift and cable car service when the service stopped due to an electric failure. The alternative facilities, the back-up generator as well as the emergency engine, which allows those passengers still on the lift to return with zero speed, were out of order.

Sources stated that the service was also interrupted for more than an hour on Tuesday due to a fault in the generator.

When contacted, Patriata Chairlift Manager Raza Khan laid blame on the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) for fluctuations in the electric supply. He said that the back-up generator is only functional when the electric supply has been fully disconnected, but cannot work if the supply is fluctuating. He added that the generator is guided electronically and does not perform well in particularly humid conditions.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Punjab organiser Chaudhry Sarwar has said the banned organisations’ supporters must be removed from public offices to successfully execute the clean-up operation.

Welcoming the decision to launch a clean-up operation against defunct outfits here on Wednesday, Mr Sarwar stressed that the government should first remove banned organisations’ known supporters serving public offices otherwise no operation would be able to cleanse society from the menace of terrorism.

Assuring full support for the operation against terrorism, Mr Sarwar said the government should also continue operation against target killers and extortionists without any discrimination to establish peace in the country.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has announced naming of an institution after slain home minister of Punjab retired Col Shuja Khanzada.

The announcement came at a Quran Khwani ceremony held for the slain minister in Model Town here on Wednesday.

Paying rich tributes to Khanzada, the chief minister asked the cabinet committee to submit final proposals regarding attributing one of the provincial institutions to the brave minister who laid his life while fighting against terrorism.

Provincial ministers Rana Sanaullah, Tanvir Aslam Malik, Iqbal Channer, Zakia Shahnawaz, Nadeem Kamran, Haroon Sultan and Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, parliamentary secretary Rana Muhammad Arshad, special assistant Rana Maqbool, chief secretary, inspector-general of police, senior member Board of Revenue, home secretary and senior officials attended the Quran Khawani.

Meanwhile, on the direction of the chief minister Quran khawani was held for victims of Attock blast after Asr prayers throughout Punjab. – Staff Reporter

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

ISLAMABAD: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has initiated an investigation into possible anti-competitive behaviour behind a sharp increase in fees being charged by private schools.

The inquiry was launched after concerns were raised by people, especially parents, that the private schools increase the fees exorbitantly every year without any justification, particularly without any corresponding increase in the quality of education.

In the first phase of the investigation, crucial information about entities involved in the schooling business is being gathered.

Also read: Govt fails to regulate private schools

Information pertaining to fee increases over the past three years has been summoned from various schools so that the CCP has the data required to take action under the Competition Act, 2010.

The CCP will determine whether the fee increase is a result of anti-competitive practices such as cartelisation or abuse of dominance.

According to a CCP spokesman, Section 3 of the act prohibits unreasonable increases in prices by dominant market players, while Section 4 bars collective fixing of prices by competitors.

“Once the process is completed, the CCP may impose substantial penalties on any undertaking involved in anti-competitive behaviour,” he said. “Anyone who wishes to lodge a complaint or provide evidence of anti-competitive behaviour can contact the CCP through its email [address] or the office number available at the website of the CCP,” the spokesman said in a statement.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play