Dengue virus kills five more persons in Lahore

Five more people lost their lives due to dengue fever in the city while death toll is increasing.
Media Reports say five more dengue patients died in Lahore during last few hours despite Punjab government’s claims of taking measures to control the virus. The patients who died from dengue include 55-year-old Shabir of Taj Pura who was under treatment at CMH, 58-year-old Rahat Bano of Taj Pura, 76-year-old Rafiqa Bibi of Township and 19-year-old Kiran of Chungi Amar Sadhu who was under treatment at General Hospital Lahore. Moreover, 45-year-old Rubina

Railway workers protest over salary issue in Lahore

Railway labour unions once again launched protest here due to non payment of their salaries on Thursday.
According to the details, Lahore division and workshop labourers held protest demonstration as Federal Minister for Railways Ghulam Ahmed Bilour failed to fulfill his promise to release salaries of employees. Railway labourers staged a sit-in in front of trains parked at washing line.

Yaseen Anwar made SBP governor

ISLAMABAD - The government on Wednesday appointed State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Acting Governor Yaseen Anwar as SBP governor.
President Asif Ali Zardari made the appointment on the advice of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. The post has been lying vacant for three months after the resignation of Shahid Hafeez Kardar on July 18 due to policy differences with the government.
Yaseen Anwar, who is a dual nationality holder, would be the 17th governor of the central bank of the country, while it is fourth appointment on this post by the incumbent government during its three and half years tenure.

Out-of-turn allotment: CJP reprimands Estate Office officials

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved judgment on a petition against discrimination in allotment of accommodation to federal government employees.
Housing and Works Secretary Kamran Lashari submitted a report before a three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, regarding the allotment policy.
The official informed the court that only 16,000 housing units are currently available for 500,000 government employees in the capital city. He said that around 2,624 official residences had been allotted out-of-turn since 2004.

Punjab rulers grabbing govt lands: Babar Awan

SARGODHA: Former law minister Senator Dr Babar Awan said on Wednesday that Punjab’s rulers were busy in grabbing official lands instead of improving law and order situation, and fighting dengue virus in the province.
Addressing a rally staged in support of President Asif Ali Zardari by Pakistan People’s Party, Babar Awan said that it was the country’s misfortune when PPP founder Chairman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto sacrificed his life in 1977 and protected the national institutions and democracy, whereas Sharif brothers fled to Jeddah by begging pardon from dictator Pervez Musharraf

Pakistan hopes to join India on UN council

Pakistan hopes to win a seat on the UN Security Council as a temporary member alongside India when the United Nations holds annual elections to the 15-nation body on Friday.
Elections for two-year terms — this time running from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2013 — on the Security Council are held on the basis of regional ballots. Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan are vying for a single seat available to the Asia-Pacific group.
India joined the council this year and will stay through 2012. India and Pakistan have fought three wars, mainly over Kashmir, since gaining independence from Britain in 1947.

Muqam may give Nawaz a much-needed boost

The man who is credited for the revival of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q), MNA Engineer Amir Muqam, is contemplating joining Nawaz Sharif’s faction of the PML.
The isolated group of the former prime minister now seems set to regain the political ground that it lost to rivals in the 2008 general polls in the North West Frontier Province, now renamed Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
The PML-Q provincial president is close to an agreement for joining Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz ahead of the next polls, his associates said.
An official of the PML-N said Muqam held a couple of meetings with key leaders of the party in recent weeks.

Clinton set for crunch talks in Pakistan

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was due in Pakistan on Thursday, joining American national security leaders at crunch talks designed to build pressure on Islamabad to attack militant havens.

Fresh from meetings in Kabul, she was to be joined in Islamabad by CIA chief David Petraeus and the top US military officer, Martin Dempsey. They will meet top civilian and military leaders in the capital.

Pakistan has long seen US leaders as divided between "good cop and bad cop", but the Clinton-Petraeus-Dempsey troika is a rare joint showing designed to present a united American front in its dealings with Pakistan.

Yaseen Anwar formally appointed SBP governor

KARACHI: Yaseen Anwar has formally been appointed as Governor State Bank of Pakistan according to a notification issued today and may be the chosen one by the authorities, but analysts and former government officials fear he may not be the best central bank governor to fight the challenges faced by the fragile economy.
The soft-spoken former banker has served as deputy governor of the State Bank of Pakistan since March 2007 and is seen by some as vulnerable to government pressures, especially after the recent aggressive and unexpected rate cuts

Yaseen Anwar appointed as SBP governor

KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Acting State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) governor, who approved what analysts say were highly risky interest rate cuts, was appointed as State Bank of Pakistan Governor on Wednesday, official sources said.

"Yes, Mr. Yaseen Anwar has been appointed as governor of the State Bank," a senior government official told Reuters.
Yaseen Anwar assumed duties on an interim basis three months ago after the former governor of the State Bank of Pakistan resigned citing "differences of opinion on policy actions."

MQM’s return to help bring normalcy to city: PM Gilani

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday welcomed Muttahida Quami Movement’s (MQM) decision to re-join the Government and said it will help bring normalcy to the city. Karachi plays a very important role in the country’s economy, the Prime Minister said during a call-on by Sindh Governor Dr. Ishratul Ebad Khan and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on his arrival here in Karachi at the Governor House. The matters relating to law and order situation in the metropolis were discussed at the meeting.

Pakistan warns US over unilateral military action

Pakistan's army chief Ashfaq Kayani has warned the US that it will have to think "10 times" before taking any unilateral action in North Waziristan.

He said that the US should focus on stabilising Afghanistan instead of pushing Pakistan to attack militant groups in the crucial border region.

Washington has for many years urged Islamabad to deal with militants in the area, especially the Haqqani network.

Some govt allies are corrupt, others are terrorists: Nawaz Sharif

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Nawaz Sharif said on Wednesday that he has never seen such a corrupt government throughout his life.
"Corruption is going on day and night. Some among the government allies are involved in corruption and some are involved in terrorism," Nawaz said while addressing a public gathering in connection with the launch of "Go Zardari Go" movement here in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Market Watch: Bourse falls as investors opt to sell

KARACHI: The stock market fell on Tuesday as investors opted to book profits in key oil and banking stocks.

The Karachi Stock Exchange’s (KSE) benchmark 100-share index fell 0.53 per cent or 63.36 points to end at 11,912.19 points.
The oil sector’s decline was led by Pakistan Oilfields which dropped 1% to close at Rs362.81 ahead of its result announcement scheduled today (Wednesday), said JS Global Capital analyst Jawad Khan.
Oil and Gas Development Company also dipped 0.3% despite an announcement that the first phase of Kunnar-Pasakhi Deep project had been completed which would increase gas production by 100 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd), added Khan.
Trade volumes rose to 81.1 million shares compared with Monday’s tally of 79.5 million shares. Banking stocks continued to remain out of favour amongst investors with almost all major banks witnessing declines.
Foreign institutional investors were buyers of Rs133 million and sellers of Rs106 million worth of shares during the trading session, according to data compiled by the National Clearing Company of Pakistan Limited.
Engro closed near its lower limit as its new Enven plant is on Sui Northern Gas Pipelines’ network, which is experiencing new gas issues. On the other hand, Fatima Fertiliser surged 4% as it is on the other gas network with support from talk of another urea price hike. Fauji Fertiliser Company gained 2.3% on expectation of healthy earnings to be announced in coming days.
Attock Refinery jumped 4% to Rs124.2 following announcement of higher than expected earnings for the quarter.
Shares of 377 companies were traded during the session. At the end of the day, 101 stocks closed higher, 168 declined and 108 remained unchanged.
Fatima Fertiliser Company was the volume leader with 13.5 million shares, gaining Rs0.49 to finish at Rs24.38. It was followed by Fauji Fertiliser Bin Qasim with 7.9 million shares, firming Rs0.2 to close at Rs63.67 and Lotte Pakistan PTA with 7.85 million shares, increasing Rs0.22 to close at Rs12.57.

Railways gets shot in the arm but needs multi-organ transplant

Federal Minister for Railways Ghulam Ahmed Bilour is sticking to his guns on the government’s bailout package: he wants the gift to keep on giving.
After the finance ministry released an emergency Rs1 billion, Bilour was far from satisfied, reportedly telling President Zardari that the government should shut down Pakistan Railways (PR) if it is unable to provide the additional funds he has requested.
The minister was in a fatalistic mood at a press conference on Tuesday, even pointing to countries such as Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan which do without a railway system. Bilour was also willing to accept personal responsibility for the downfall of PR during his term: “If anybody considers me part of the railway problems, I am ready to resign.

PML-N to rid Sindh of ‘Daku Raj’: Nawaz

SHAHDADPUR - PML-N President Mian Nawaz Sharif said on Tuesday that his party would rid the people of Sindh from ‘Daku Raj’ and people of the country from the corrupt government.
Addressing a hug gathering of flood affectees of Interior Sindh in Shahdadpur, the PML-N chief said he wanted Sindhis to support PML-N in its struggle to build a new Pakistan.
He said flood affectees were spending miserable and helpless lives at the camps and their houses and fertile lands had been destroyed by the flood waters. He asked the government to provide Rs 100,000 as compensation to the each flood affected family.

Police still clueless about Karsaz blast

KARACHI: Investigations are still underway into the Oct, 18, 2007 Karsaz suicide blast but there is no headway, said Additional IGP Karachi, Saud Mirza here on Tuesday.

“Our senior police officers are investigating the case but so far we are clueless,” he said while talking to media persons after funeral prayers of a Shaheed police constable Muhammad Hanif killed in encounter with robbers in DHA area on Monday afternoon

LHC directs court to halt references against Sharifs

An accountability court has been directed by the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court to not take up any proceedings in three corruption references pending against Pakistan Muslim League chief Nawaz Sharif and his family till November 17.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Abdul Waheed Khan further directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to submit their comments in the three identical petitions filed by Sharif and his associates till the next date of hearing.
The Sharif family has said that the hearing in these references was adjourned sine die (without assigning a further date for hearing) in early 2008. This means the cases can be resurrected by the government at its convenience, according to the family.
The Lahore High Court (LHC), however, allowed NAB prosecution to file an application with the trial court for the restoration of the pending corruption references after a deputy prosecutor general argued that the bureau was now ready to contest the case adjourned sine die

SC directs immediate release of salaries to PCPP employees

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed concerned authorities to release six months withheld dues of the Punjab Colleges Pilot Project (PCPP) employees immediately, otherwise, the court would take strict action.
The three member bench of Supreme Court headed by the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry heard the suo motu notice against the nonpayment of salaries to the teachers of PCPP. Deputy Secretary Finance Muhammad Iqbal informed the court that Rs 563 million are required to pay to the teachers.
Chief Justice, in his remarks, said that teachers should be respected more than anybody else in society. They are made professors but are living from hand to mouth due to nonpayment of salaries, the CJP said.
He asked the authorities to inform the Court as to who ordered to stop the salaries and the court will take action against him.

Taliban must give up arms before talks - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD- Pakistan will only hold peace talks with Taliban insurgents if they lay down their arms first, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Tuesday, after both sides signalled willingness to consider negotiations.

"The minimum agenda is that they give up arms and come forward and then there will be talks. But if they think they will keep Kalashnikovs in their hands and also hold talks, that will not happen," he told reporters.

Both sides have indicated recently they were open to talks, but analysts are sceptical the Taliban will ultimately agree.

"The government is saying accept the constitution and lay down arms. But the militants have other aims. They want to take over, gain power. They think negotiations are a joke," said security analyst Mahmood Shah.