Historic landing: Nasa’s Curiosity rover successfully docks on Mars

pasadena,—The US space agency has just landed a huge new robot rover on Mars, US media reported on Monday. The one-tonne vehicle, known as Curiosity, was reported to have landed in a deep crater near the planet’s equator at 06:32 BST (05:32 GMT). It will now embark on a mission of at least two years to look for evidence that Mars may once have supported life. A signal confirming the rover was on the ground safely was relayed to Earth via Nasa’s Odyssey satellite, which is in orbit around the Red Planet. The success was greeted with a roar of approval here at mission control at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

PPP bans Abidi’s entry into Presidency

Islamabad—Pakistan People’s Party on Monday expelled Senator Faisal Raza Abdi from the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) and banned his entry into the Presidency for holding a press conference against the higher judiciary. The PPP also suspended Faisal Raza Abidi from party’s core committee after issuing a show-cause notice. Abidi has also been asked to resign from the post of president PPP Karachi chapter. Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira talking to media men at an Iftar dinner said they did not endorse Faisal Raza Abidi’s views against the judiciary.

Govt serious in holding fair elections: Raja

Islamabad—Prime Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf has said that the democratic government was serious about holding of transparent elections in the country. Speaking at the Iftar dinner he hosted in honour of media-persons here on Monday the Prime Minister said that elections are the only way to strengthen the parliament. He said, PPP government is committed to hold ing elections in transparent manner so that the people could choose their representatives. He said the people would get an opportunity to decide who would run the government in the future.

Chairman Nadra urges political parties to mobilise citizens for CNIC

islamabad—Chairman Nadra Tariq Malik has written letters to leaders of all political parties requesting their assistance in mobilizing Pakistani citizens to obtain their computerized national identity cards (CNlCs), which is also a pre-requisite for registration as voters; this was stated in statement issued here today. In his letter Chairman Nadra emphasized that political parties’ outreach and presence across the country provides an opportunity to Nadra to access pockets of population that remains unregistered. Nadra will extend its Data Acquisition Units (DAUs) to the door steps of citizens and is ready to perform registration operations through numerous mobile units, he said in the letter.

Gunmen kill Nato supply truck driver

Peshawar—Within forty hours of the resumption of NATO supplies to Afghanistan, another setback was caused, when a NATO caravan was again attacked by the miscreants in Jamrod, Khyber agency leaving driver of a container dead and cleaner seriously injured Monday morning. Pakistan, had to temporarily stop the NATO supplies over security concerns on July 24 after gunmen attacked a convoy of NATO trucks, killing a driver, in the town of Jamrod Khyber agency. The supplies to NATO forces inside Afghanistan en-route Torkham and Chaman borders were suspended in November 2011 after NATO forces attack on Salala check post in Mohmand agency resulting in martyrdom of 25 Pakistan troops.

Reopening cases against Sharifs Court adjourns hearing to Sept 15

Rawalpindi—An accountability court on Monday adjourned the hearing of petitions pertaining to reopening of NAB references against the Sharifs to Sept 15. Judge Chaudhry Abdul Haq said that the accused could be summoned once the petitions were admitted for hearing. The petitions request the court to reopen references pertaining to Ittefaq Foundries and Raiwind assets.

Neelum Jhelum project on fast track 3,300 MW power added to national grid: PM

Muzaffarabad —Prime Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf has said the government is focussing on hydel, coal, wind and solar power projects to meet the energy crisis and provide affordable electricity to the people. Addressing a ceremony after visiting the Neelum Jhelum Hydel project site in Azad Kashmir on Monday, he said despite the financial crisis, the government is giving subsidy of 209 billion rupees in power sector in order to provide relief to the masses. He said 3300 megawatt of electricity has been added to the national grid during the last four and a half years.