Women judges being inducted: Zardari

Campaign launched to stop violence against women

Islamabad—President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the Government has decided to appoint women judges in the judiciary as part of its efforts to take social, economic, legal and constitutional steps for the empowerment of the women and for their protection from all kinds of exploitation and violence. Addressing the concluding ceremony of “One Million Signatures Campaign to stop violence against women” here at Aiwan-e-Sadr Friday the President said that discrimination against women was deeply rooted in all spheres of society –social, political, economic and legal. He said women issues were not limited to Pakistan alone but other countries in the region were also facing similar issues. He said that there was a need to bring a positive change in the attitudes of men towards women.

Judiciary wants democratic system to continue: CJ

Islamabad—The Supreme Court on Friday heard petitions against the recently passed contempt of court law. A five-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and including Justice Shakirullah Jan, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Jawad S Khawaja and Justice Tassadduq Hussain Jilani, heard 27 identical petitions challenging the Contempt of Court Act, 2012. During the hearing, Justice Khawaja remarked that members of parliament were servants of the public and that they drew their salaries from the taxes paid by the people of Pakistan.

Surprises wait Nawaz, PML-N in Sindh: Elahi

Karachi—Quelling rumors of the alliance between Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) being on shaky ground because of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Friday stated that Nawaz Sharif and his party will “get surprises in Sindh”.

A big majority still finds it hard to digest Abbottabad episode

THOUGH the chapter of Osama bin Laden has officially been closed by the Americans last year, only a few would believe that word’s most wanted person who continued to get on the nerves of Americans well over a decade was killed in the poorly orchestrated drama by the American Navy Seals in Abbottabad on May 2, 2011. Off course, more than a dozen US marines were killed when the vigilant Pakistan Air Force birds shot down a US copter during the process. Hence, a majority still finds it hard to digest the killing of Osama in Abbottabad episode. A top Pakistani intelligence official during a recent interview with a Islamabad-based magazine, ridiculed as to how could a man, already dead years ago, be re-killed, an impression confirming the story filed by this correspondent in December 26, 2001 issue of Pakistan Observer that Osama died of untreated lungs complication in the Tora Bora mountains (Afghanistan) and contents of the Story were also carried by a leading broadcasting house when this correspondent was interviewed in the film titled “Osama bin Laden, Dead or Alive , conspiracy theories” aired by BBC World in March 2010.

President invites Manmohan to visit Pak

Islamabad—President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday formally invited Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to visit Pakistan saying that it will provide an opportunity to the two leaderships to take stock of bilateral relations. Spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the invitation has been extended through a letter sent Friday to the Indian Prime Minister through Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi.

Fazl against extending present set-up for one year

Islamabad—Jamit-Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) Amir Maulana Fazalur Rehman has said that according to parliamentary recommendations government is bound to change the rules and regulations of the cabinet on the issues of national security, defence and foreign policy, adding that the Parliament has not given the mandate to government to continue Parvez Musharraf polices to cooperate with US and Nato forces. He said that the verbal agreements should be declared null and void and the written agreement with US America is not in the favour of Pakistan, adding that the preset political atmosphere not in favour of extending present set up for one year, adding that the secular people would not be accepted in the interim set up.

Saga of PML-N, SNF merger in trouble

Karachi—Well before the general elections, amalgamation of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and Sindh National Front (SNF) has caught in troubles because leaders of SNF have not got distinctions so far, sources claimed. Chief SNF, Mumtaz Bhutto has replaced flag of PML-N with the SNF at his vehicle. To set up strong alliance against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the PML-N was succeeded on May 9, when SNF chief Mumtaz Bhutto formally announced the merger of his party with (PML-N), sources said.