Islamabad—The much anticipated lawyers long
march which started on June 10 from Karachi came
to a peaceful but abrupt end on Saturday morning
in front of Parliament House. The number of the
participants of the long march had swelled to a
level that had never been witnessed in the
federal capital. The long march arrived in front
of the parliament house on venue at 1:00 am
Saturday morning.According to the lawyers’
leader, more than 200,000 people participated in
the long march. Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N),
Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI),
Awami National Party (ANP), Socialists Pakistan
Party, Khaksar Tehrik Pakistan, Civil Society,
Ex Service men Society, doctors of Pakistan
Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and
thousands of lawyers participated in the long
march.
Islamabad—The US-led coalition
planes hit Makin area of South Waziristan by
satellite guided missiles on Saturday night and
the rescuers have found one dead body from the
debris. According to the Private TV channel the
planes which fired three missiles tried to
strike house of Baitullah Mahsud. Baitullah
Mahsud usually resides in the Makin area.
Rawalpindi—President Pervez Musharraf said
Saturday economic reforms are creating an
enabling environment for the private sector to
become an engine of growth for the country.
Talking to Dr. Detley Rose, Chairman Polysius
A.G. Germany who called on him here, the
President said that Pakistan has become one of
the attractive destinations for investment due
to its liberal and investment-friendly policies.
He said that there are tremendous opportunities
that would benefit not only Pakistan but also
the investors because of the location of the
country between Central Asia-South Asia, Western
China-Afghanistan and India.
Islamabad—Government has decided to phase out
subsidy being allowed on electricity bills as
per demand of the World Bank. It is proposed in
fiscal bill 2008-9 that 15 percent GST being
paid by the government as subsidy on electricity
bills be increased to 16 percent and recovered
from the consumers. The treasury and opposition
benches are targeting this decision. Government
is paying 15 percent GST included in electricity
bills in the form of subsidy. With the passage
of finance bill the subsidy will be withdrawn
from July, 1 and the GST will stand shifted to
the consumers.
Islamabad—Senate and National Assembly on
Saturday resumed debate on the budget for the
fiscal year 2008-09. Parliamentarians from the
treasury, opposition benches and independents
took up various aspects of the proposed budget.
The issues like long march of the lawyers,
restoration of judges, constitutional package
and price hike and power shortage mostly
dominated the speeches of the members. Members
of the former ruling PML-Q and their allies MQM
and PPP-Sherpao remained busy in defending the
economic policies of the previous government.
Parliamentarians from the ruling coalition
expressed their party approaches in their
speeches.
Islamabad—Federal Information and Broadcasting
Minister Sherry Rehman has said in equivocal
terms that the issue to reinstate deposed judges
is not in cold storage and they would be
reinstated soon. While talking to Private TV
Channel on Saturday, the minister said that
neither we had given any timeframe to
participations of long march to sit in stage
before the Parliament nor we had banned them to
do so. The participants of long march were under
no compulsion to stay for long time in Capital,
the minister clarified.
Islamabad—Pakistan-India Judicial Committee
Saturday recommended to both the governments
that all the prisoners who have completed their
sentences and whose national status has been
confirmed by their respective High Commissions
should be released immediately. This has been
stated in a joint statement issued by the
Foreign Office following the visit of members of
Indian chapter of the Committee to Pakistani
jails in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi. Keeping
in view the recent deaths of 4 Pakistani
nationals in Indian prisons and one Indian
national in Pakistani prison, the Committee
recommended to take immediate steps by either
country where a national of the other country
dies while in custody.
London—Noting that current polarisation was
pushing the country to the edge, Muttahida Quami
Movement leader Altaf Husain called on the
political forces to sink their differences and
strengthen Pakistan integrity and solidarity.
Speaking on the occasion to celebrate 30th
Foundation of Day of All Pakistan Mutahida
Students Organisation (APMSO) in the northern
London district of Edgware on Friday evening, he
opposed the current lawyers movement and said
the real issue of price hike which has
bedevilled the common man has been pushed into
the background.
Islamabad—Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (F) Parliamentary
Leader Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman on Saturday
demanded of the government to establish a
commission to investigate into wheat crisis and
policies of the previous government relating to
privatization other economic matters education
and internal affairs. He said this while taking
part in the debate on Budget 2008-09 in the
National Assembly. He asserted that the country
was confronting political and economic
challenges as well as deteriorating law and
order situation and question of restoration of
judiciary.
