Contempt of court bill adopted

Govt respects judiciary from the core of heart: PM

Islamabad—The National Assembly on Monday passed “The Contempt of Court Bill‚ 2012”, which was moved by Law Minister Farooq H Naek amid protest and walkout from the main opposition party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. The bill will provide a shelter to top government officials against contempt of court proceedings. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) staged protest against the bill and walked out from the session. Earlier, the party also protested the resumption of Nato supplies before the start of the session.

Consensus reached on Fakhruddin as new CEC

Islamabad—Parliamentary Committee on the Appointment of Chief Election Commissioner on Monday developed consensus on the name of Fakhruddin G Ibrahim as CEC. A 12-member parliamentary committee headed by federal minister Syed Khurshid Shah reached consensus on Justice (Retd) Fakhruddin G Ibrahim’s name out of six nominees as the head of the Election Commission of Pakistan. The meeting was attended by Senators Islamuddin Sheikh, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Raja Zafarul Haq, Haji Adeel, MNAs Dr Muhammad Farooq Sattar, Chaudhry Ghias Ahmed and Abdul Qadir Baloch.

Young doctors resume work

Lahore—The Young Doctors Association (YDA), Punjab, has called off its strike and resumed treatment of patients in all departments of public sector hospitals in the province in compliance with orders of the Lahore High Court. “The normal functioning of indoor and outdoor wards resumed in hospitals on Monday”said YDA, Punjab, office-bearers including its president Dr Hamid Butt, Dr Nasir Abbas, Dr Kashif Bilal and many others, while addressing a press conference after holding general council meeting at the Admn Block of the Jinnah Hospital.

Bid to ‘grab’ or ‘kill’ Dr Shakeel Afridi feared

Peshawar—A foreign power and an anti-Pakistan terrorist network may be planning to launch a “surprise operation” to take “custody of” or “do-away with” Dr. Shakeel Afridi who is now serving a jail term for his alleged role for leading American CIA to Osama bin Laden’s compound and his links with militants in Khyber Agency. Fears are growing that a foreign power may try attempt to “free” Dr. Shakeel for his “great services” while an Afghan-based terrorist group was reportedly eager to get hold of Dr. Afridi to punish him for his “crimes.”

Gunmen kill 8 in army camp attack

Gujrat—Gunmen killed eight people in an attack Monday on a Pakistani army camp in a city where thousands of hardline Islamists spent the night on their way to the capital to protest the government’s recent decision to reopen the Nato supply line to Afghanistan, police said. Police were searching for the culprits and it was unclear if any of the Islamist protesters were involved, said Basharat Mahmood, police chief in the eastern city of Gujrat where the attack occurred.

DPC ends long march after sit-in outside parliament

Islamabad—The Difa-e-Pakistan Council announced to end its long march against the opening of Nato supplies after sit-in outside the Parliament House late Monday night. Thousands of religious extremists opposed to the country’s anti-terror alliance with Washington converged on Islamabad to protest over the reopening of Nato supply routes to Afghanistan. Around 15,000 protestors gathered outside the parliament to chant anti-US slogans and wave the banners of the Difa-i-Pakistan Council (DPC), a coalition of right wing and hardline religious groups which organised the protest march from the eastern city of Lahore.

New UK rules to hit Pakistanis hardest

London—New immigration rules affecting marriage from overseas came into effect on Monday and it was clear that Pakistanis be the community hardest hit by these heavy-handed laws. Every year, around 40,000 people come to the UK on marriages or spouse visas. The number of British Pakistanis going to Pakistan to get married has been increasing as the community here retains strong ties back home. Most of the spouses – men and women - from Pakistan come to the UK from Mirpur and Kotli districts in Azad Kashmir, followed by spouses from the Punjab province.