India formally allows investment from Pak

Move designed to build goodwill

New Delhi—India on Wednesday overturned its ban on foreign investment from Pakistan in a move designed to build goodwill amid a renewed push for a peace settlement between the two neighbours. “The government of India has reviewed the policy… and decided to permit a citizen of Pakistan or an entity incorporated in Pakistan to make investments in India,” said a statement from the Indian commerce ministry.

Asif: Imran lost donations gambling on real estate

Islamabad—PML-N leader Khawaja Asif said Wednesday that donations given in the form of Zakat and Sadqah to the Shaukhat Khanum Trust were sent abroad to be invested in various offshore real estate markets. Asif claimed that Zakat funds given to the Shaukhat Khanum Hospital were used in the real estate market and other companies. Asif said there were several members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) who were involved in this.

Govt believes in trichotomy of power

Islamabad—President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday said the government firmly believed in trichotomy of power which was well defined in the Constitution of the country. Talking to a delegation of Executive Committee of Supreme Court Bar Association, here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, he said it was imperative for strength and stability of the system, that every institution of the state performed its functions in accordance with the constitutional limits. He said in comparatively young democracies, some institutions may, at times, appear to be overstepping their constitutional limits but added that this was part of the evolutionary process.

Pak beats Argentina 2-0

London—Pakistan beat Argentina 2-0 in its second Pool A Olympics hockey match here on Wednesday. The goal scorers from Pakistan were Muhammad Imran and Sohail Abbas. Pakistan had played 1-1 with Spain in first Pool A match on Monday. Greenshirt’s next Pool A match will be with Britain on Friday.

Public office holders not immune to prosecution: CJ

Islamabad—Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry remarked the Constitution did not say that those holding public offices would be immune to prosecution in case they commit contempt of court. The Supreme Court on Wednesday resumed the hearing of 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, was hearing 27 identical petitions challenging the Contempt of Court Act, 2012.

Supreme Court orders legislation on transplant

Islamabad—The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday directed the federal and provincial governments to effectively legislate over the issue of human organs and tissues transplant with mass awareness drive. A three-Judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry resumed hearing of the constitutional petition moved by Asma Jahangir, former president of Supreme Court Bar Association.

Terror attacks decline after bin Laden death

Washington—The number of worldwide terror attacks fell to 10,283 last year, down from 11,641 in 2010 and the lowest since 2005, the State Department reported Wednesday. What’s made the difference? The State Department cites the May 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden and other top al Qaeda members killed last year including Atiyah Abd al-Rahman and Anwar al-Awlaki, who was the head of Yemen’s Al Qaeda affiliate and had ties to the underwear bomber plot in 2010.”