Briefs

Pervaiz chairs meeting to review Pemra laws

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Wednesday chaired a meeting to review laws pertaining to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra). The meeting was attended by senior officials of the ministries of  Information and Law. A committee was constituted which would present its report after examining the Pemra laws. The meeting decided that in light of remarks of Chief Justice of Pakistan, Pemra rules and regulations would be made more effective. Moreover, it was decided that Pemra laws would be amended and new legislation would be done in that regard.

SC grants Rs1m bail to former NBP chief Ali Raza

By our correspondent

KARACHI: A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim, accepted a plea for Rs1 million bail of former president of the National Bank of Pakistan Ali Raza. The counsel for Ali Raza submitted that the FIA had registered a case against his client, alleging that he had misused his authority and had embezzled funds of the bank. The counsel said the allegations levelled against his client were incorrect and he is willing to face the same while appearing before the court. The High Court had earlier rejected the bail application. The counsel said his client fears that he would be arrested, therefore, the bail should be granted to him.

CII bill allows husband to mildly beat wife

News Desk

LAHORE: The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has prepared a draft law (bill) for women's protection that would be presented to the provincial and national assemblies, reports Geo News.  Prepared by the CII member Imdad Ullah, the bill allows husband to mildly beat his wife who would have the right to resort to legal course if she is beaten harshly. The bill proscribes women's social gatherings with men, their acting in advertisement and dance. Women would also not be allowed to receive foreign guests. Similarly, nurses would not be allowed to look after male patients.   The bill also bans women's "marriage with Quran" and fixes 10-year jail for this offence. 

Musharraf declared PO in Ghazi Abdul Rasheed case

ISLAMABAD: An additional district and sessions’ court Wednesday declared former president Pervez Musharraf as a PO in the Ghazi Abdul Rasheed murder case. The two-page decision by additional district and sessions judge (West) Islamabad Pervaizul Qadir Memon stated that the accused had gone abroad despite issuance of his non-bailable arrest warrants. It stated that the court had already rejected his request for exemption to appear before the court as he was reluctant to attend the proceedings.In such circumstances, Pervez Musharraf is declared as a proclaimed offender, the judgement said.

ATC adjourns Imran Farooq
murder case till June 6

ISLAMABAD: Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of Imran Farooq murder case till June 6 due to non issuance of a notification about new prosecutor of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). When ATC judge Syed Kausar Abbas Zaidi took up the case counsel for accused Khalid Shamim filed a petition challenging the jurisdiction of the court. FIA prosecutor Khawaja Imtiaz told the court that a notification regarding his appointment as prosecutor has not yet been issued. The court adjourned hearing till June 6 because of the absence of notification of prosecution’s counsel. The court also extended judicial remand of the accused including Khalid Shamim, Moazzam Ali and Mohsin Ali till June 6. On the next hearing arguments will be given on a petition filed by the counsel for accused challenging the court jurisdiction.

Bridegroom, others granted bail in Nowshera firing case

By our correspondent

NOWSHERA: A local court on Wednesday released on bail 41 persons, including 11 female dancers and a bridegroom who were arrested by the police during a raid in Taru Jabba area of Pabbi tehsil in the district. The court of the civil judge, however, rejected the bail plea of four accused for possessing assault weapons at the time of the arrest. The arrests had taken place while police were conducting a search operation in the area. Sources said the police raided the house of one Shaukat alias Shaukatay late Monday night. They said during the raid police had recovered Rs78,000, three laptops, 16 vehicles, 90 bottles of liquor, five Kalashnikovs, five pistols, a repeater, two guns, and ammunition.

Bogies of goods train derail near Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Two bogies of a Lahore-bound freight train derailed on main railway track at Latifabad unit 7 near Hyderabad railway station early Wednesday morning. Railway sources said the freight train was coming from Karachi when two rare bogies derailed between Pathan goth and Khaskheli Muhalla though no casualty was reported. Railway traffic has been suspended while the track was under examination and after clearance from the technical staff the track will be reopened, the sources said.

Apex court disqualifies PTI MNA

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld an election tribunal’s verdict and disqualified MNA Rai Hassan Nawaz of PTI, elected from NA-162 Sahiwal, and ordered re-election in the constituency. The three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali heard the matter after Rai Hassan challenged the tribunal’s decision. The election tribunal had disqualified the PTI lawmaker for concealing details of his assets on the application filed by his opponent candidate Haji Yaqoob.

Hekmatyar says ready to ink agreement with Taliban

By our correspondent

PESHAWAR: Expressing grief over the killing of Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, leader of his own faction of Hezb-i-Islami, Gulbadin Hekmatyar, has said his party is ready to ink agreement with the Taliban. In a statement available with the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) on Wednesday, Hekmatyar urged the Taliban to join hands with him for finding a solution to the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan.“At this critical stage, my advice to Taliban is let us adopt a joint stance and policy on [finding] solution to the crisis in the country, peace, jihad and future of the country. If it is not possible, then let us at least agree on adopting policy to avoid fighting against each other and stop those who are fueling enmity between Taliban and Hezb-i-Islami,” he said.

JUI-S chief calls meeting on drone attacks

By our correspondent

NOWSHERA: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) Chief Maulana Samiul Haq has summoned all religious and political leaders to an advisory meeting on May 30 to discuss the United States’ drone attacks and form a unanimous view on the issue.The JUI-S has also appealed to the activists of political parties to observe May 27 as a ‘Black Day’ to protest the Saturday’s US drone attack in Balochistan that killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour. He criticised the leaders of the major political parties, both in government and opposition, for being busy in levelling allegations against each other. He said that the internal differences have made those at the helm of affairs blinded towards the issue of national sovereignty.

Two employees expose Axact’s fake business

Monitoring report

ISLAMABAD: Two employees of Axact have recorded their statements with Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against their company in fake degrees case, reported Geo News on Wednesday. While recording their statements, the officials of FIA told Additional Sessions Judge Pervezul Qadir Memon that two employees of Axact had disclosed the details of Axact bogus business. They said that during investigation two Axact employees, Jamshed and Qasim, revealed that the senior officials of Axact used to talk to their clients by pretending as the diplomats of US and other countries.

Five Chinese workers hurt in clash

By our correspondent

GHAZI: Five workers of a Chinese company sustained injuries when their two groups clashed in Tarbela here on Wednesday, official sources said. They said the workers of the Synohydro Corporation, a Chinese hydropower engineering and construction company working on the Tarbela 4th Extension project to extend the generation life of the reservoir, clashed with each other late Wednesday night.The incident occurred in the residential area for the employees in Ghazi. They said T workers sustained serious injuries  were taken for treatment to a private hospital in Islamabad.

MINGORA

MINGORA: The security forces and police on Wednesday recovered a suicide vest from an abandoned house in Maglawar area in Swat, police officials said.