SC verdict may not be appealed: Aitzaz

Question of PM’s disqualification does not arise, Praises Speaker’s ruling

Islamabad—Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani’s counsel Aitzaz Ahsan said that a proposal for not appealing the conviction and sentencing of the PM for the contempt of court by the Supreme Court is under consideration. Earlier, Aitzaz had said that the appeal was ready and the decision to file it would be made by the Peoples Party. Now he says that the proposal not to appeal the SC verdict is under consideration. Talking to media persons here, Aitzaz Ahsan said that Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza made a right decision by not sending the reference against the premier to the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Dual nationality SC suspends Ispahani’s NA membership Ruling to be contested

Islamabad—The Supreme Court on Friday suspended Farahnaz Ispahani’s National Assembly membership over her dual Pakistani and American nationality. A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, issued the ruling while hearing the dual nationality case. The petition was filed by Syed Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi seeking a declaration against parliamentarians and members of different provincial assemblies holding dual nationality. The court ruled that Ispahani could not partake in the proceedings of the National Assembly. It further said that Ispahani also could not participate in any of the committees of the National Assembly.

Dr Shakil’s sentence ‘unjust, unwarranted’: Clinton

Washington—US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday denounced as “unjust and unwarranted” the treatment of a Pakistani doctor who was jailed for 33 years for helping in the hunt for Osama bin Laden. A tribal court in Khyber on Wednesday convicted Shakeel Afridi of treason after he agreed to collect DNA for US intelligence to verify the presence of the most-wanted Al-Qaeda leader.

7 killed in bus attack Sindhu Desh Liberation Army claims responsibility

Nawabshah—At least seven persons were killed and more than 25 others injured when unknown gunmen on motorcycles and cars attacked a passenger bus here at the National Highway on Friday. According to police, about 15 culprits riding motorcycles and cars ambushed a Kohat bound passenger bus coming from Karachi in Ren Shakh area of tehsil Qazi Ahmed of Nawabshah.

Turkish PM keen to see Pak stable, prospering

Islamabad—Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an ardent supporter and a true well-wisher of Pakistan wants to see this country stable and prospering. He travelled to Pakistan at a time when political conflict was on high pitch. Sources in the government, opposition as well as in the Turkish embassy told this scribe during his meetings with leadership of ruling party and the opposition, he looked emotional to see Pakistan moving forward on the road to stability and prosperity.

Kidnappers kill another employee of BRSP

Zhob—Kidnappers have killed another employee of BRSP after not being paid ransom money, an official confirmed here on Friday. According to details, a group of armed men had kidnapped six employees of Balochistan Rural Support Program (BRSP) including Bashir Ahmed, Mujeeb ur Rehman, Altaf, Dawood Shah, Maqbool and Abdul Ghafoor from Barshor area of Pishin in December last year. They were shifted to South Waziristan via Zhob. Maqbool Ahmed resident of Khuchlak was killed few months back.

Salala killings Bilawal again urges US to apologise

Washington—Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari strongly defended Islamabad’s position on war on terror issues as he told the Obama administration in a TV interview that “it is never too late (for it) to apologize” over the loss of 24 Pakistani soldiers in a cross-border strike that has strained Pakistan-US relations. “I think an immediate (U.S.) apology was the humane, appropriate thing to do. I’d like the American public to consider what their reaction would have been if 24 American soldiers had been killed in such a way on the border with Mexico,” Bhutto Zardari told CNBC in an interview.