Detailed SC contempt verdict out

Gilani held wilful, deliberate, persistent defiant to SC order

Conviction renders contemnor disqualified for 5 years, 77-page verdict written by Justice Nasirul Mulk with 6-page extra note by Justice Asif Khosa

Islamabad—The Supreme Court of Pakistan has issued its detailed verdict in Prime Minister Gilani’s contempt of court case. The 77-page verdict written by Justice Nasirul Mulk contains a 6-page additional note by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa. The contempt conviction may result in disqualification of PM Gilani from Parliament for five years, the detailed order said.

You stand by Zardari, face music now: Nawaz to Gilani

Garhi Khero—Pakistan Muslim League-N President Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said Yusuf Raza Gilani should have stepped down from his office on the same day the Supreme Court had convicted him in contempt of court case. “You (PM Gilani) chose to stand by President Zardari, now face the music because it is now too late for you to do anything to help yourself,” Nawaz Sharif said during his address to a public meeting here, hours after the apex court announced its detailed verdict against Prime Minister Gilani in contempt of court case.

Gilani for enhanced strategic coop with UK

Islamabad—Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Tuesday embarked on a five day visit to the United Kingdom to attend the Ist Annual Review Meeting of the Enhanced Strategic Dialogue. Talking to the media persons at PAF Chaklala Airbase here before departure, the Prime Minister said promotion of strategic dialogue is the important component of his visit to the United Kingdom. Mr. Gilani said that the main focus of our talks would be on the Strategic cooperation with the United Kingdom. He said the Enhanced Strategic Dialogue will provide an opportunity to identify ways and means to further raise the level of cooperation in the various areas of mutual concern.

US priority is to defeat al-Qaeda: J Carney

Washington—The number one priority of the US and the Obama administration is to disrupt, dismantle and ultimately defeat al Qaeda in Afghanistan, the White House said. “Because of this President’s focus on a specific mission in Afghanistan, it has been this President’s policy and this administration’s policy that the number one priority of our mission in Afghanistan is to disrupt, dismantle and ultimately defeat al Qaeda,” White House Press Secretary J Carney told reporters. He said Taliban exist in Afghanistan, and for ultimate peace in Afghanistan there needs to be reconciliation.

Govt made ‘fake’ cases against us: Shahzain Bugti

Quetta—Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) provincial president Shahzain Bugti claimed on Tuesday that the government had created fraudulent cases against him and his companions. Speaking to media representatives after being presented before a sessions court in Quetta, Bugti said that the government was launching a propaganda campaign by registering fake cases against them. He accused that three of his companions, who were said to have been ‘kidnapped’ from Karachi by law enforcement agencies, were wrongly associated with the resistance movement in Lyari.

S Korea, Japan military pact soon

Seoul —South Korea said Tuesday it is close to signing agreements on military cooperation with Japan, the first such accords since Tokyo’s brutal colonial rule over Korea ended in 1945. One pact would let the two nations share intelligence on North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes and carry out joint sea search and rescue operations, Seoul’s defence ministry said.The other allows for cooperation in logistics, excluding weapons, and service in peacekeeping operations abroad. “We’ve been discussing dates and agenda with a view to (signing the agreements at) the end of this month,” said ministry spokesman Kim Min-Seok.

Corps Commander Peshawar criticizes US for double standards

Peshawar—An hour after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton advised Pakistan to eliminate terrorists’ sanctuaries from its soil, Peshawar Corps Commander Lt. Gen Khalid Rabbani criticized the US and NATO for what he said their dual standards. Speaking to media Tuesday, the military commander in country’s conflict zone taunted the US and NATO saying, negotiations with Taliban across the border (Afghanistan) are justified while it is wrong when Pakistan does so with militants. He said that Pakistan is forbidden from engaging the militants in talks by the allies in Afghanistan.