SC gives govt one day’s time to reinstate Sohail Ahmed

Supreme Court of Pakistan. — File photo

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday stated it was giving the federal government a day’s time to reinstate Sohail Ahmed to his post of Establishment Secretary and to submit Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s response to its concerns, DawnNews reported.
Mr Ahmed had been relegated by the government from his post to a sinecure post of ‘officer on special duty’ on Tuesday, about two hours after he had submitted to the Supreme Court a notification transferring Hussain Asghar, the IG of Gilgit-Baltistan, back to the Federal Investigation Agency in the face of a stern court warning of immediate action against him on contempt of court charge for not complying with its orders.
Piqued by the unexpected demotion of the top bureaucrat for obeying its orders, the court had on Wednesday directed Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq to personally convey to Prime Minister Gilani the court’s feelings and explain constitutional implications of a deviation from the court’s orders.
The AG was required to inform the court on Thursday about his meeting with the prime minister and submit in writing the reaction of the chief executive to the court’s order.
However, the court has given the government a day’s time to reinstate Mr Ahmed and to submit Prime Minister’s Gilani’s response to its directive.

Resignations yet to be accepted: Gilani

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani. – File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Saturday that resignations of federal and provincial ministers of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had not been accepted so far and “their status as ministers is still intact”.
“The Sindh governor, federal and provincial ministers of the MQM had tendered their resignations, but we have not accepted them. Till the time their resignations are accepted their status as ministers is intact,” the prime minister said in his brief chat with reporters after presiding over the 13th Annual Awards Ceremony of National Highways and Motorway Police at the PM Secretariat.
Sources in the MQM confirmed that the party was in touch with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and talks were being held on a number of issues and that the possibility of rejoining the government could not be completely ruled out.
“It all depends upon the seriousness of the PPP leadership and the government towards tackling the Karachi situation,” said an MQM leader.
He said the incidents that took place in the past two days in Karachi showed that the government was either not serious in its efforts to maintain law and order or was incompetent.
He welcomed the prime minister’s statement that the government had ordered an inquiry into the recent violence in Malir area of Karachi.

Pakistan desires peace in Afghanistan: PM Gilani

By APP

Published: July 2, 2011

PM Gilani said Pakistan will extend all possible support to an Afghan-led reconciliation process.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on Saturday said Pakistan sincerely desires peace and stability in Afghanistan and will extend all possible support to an Afghan-led reconciliation peace process.
He said that Pakistan is committed to creating conducive environment for meaningful negotiations leading to peace and stability in Afghanistan.
The PM was talking to Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir at the PM House who briefed him about his recent visit to Afghanistan for the Trilateral Core Group meeting.
The Foreign Secretary informed Gilani that he also called on President Hamid Karzai who conveyed his good wishes for President Asif Ali Zardari and PM Gilani.
He also informed him about his discussion with the Afghan leadership on the bilateral agreements on Joint Commission between Pakistan and Afghanistan after Trilateral Core Group meeting.

PM approves appointment of Hina Rabbani Khar as FM

Hina Rabbani Khar addressing the media. - File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday approved the summary for the appointment of Hina Rabbani Khar as the new Foreign Minister, DawnNews reported.
The summary has now been sent to President Asif Ali Zardari for his approval.
Government sources told DawnNews that the complete absence of a Foreign Minister was not only affecting the foreign ministry but also the foreign policy.
Pakistan has had no foreign minister since Shah Mehmood Qureshi was dropped in a cabinet reshuffle in February, during which time it has had to navigate a huge crisis in US relations over the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Peace talks scheduled for July 26 in New Delhi mark the first foreign minister talks between Pakistan and India in a year.
“The government wants Pakistan to be represented by a full-fledged foreign minister in the forthcoming talks with India and it is because of this reason that the position of Hina Rabbani Khar is being elevated,” an official told AFP.