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Lahore Edition
Wednesday, 7 March, 2012 Rabi-ul-Sani 12, 1433
Stay on your constitutional course, SC reminds ECP
nayyar Bukhari to be new Senate chairman
eCP says revised electoral lists delayed due to resolutions passed by Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies on account of floods ISLAMABAD
H
ISLAMABAD AgeNcIes
The PPP Core Committee on Tuesday finalised Senator Nayyar Hussain Bukhari as the new Senate chairman to replace Farooq Naik. The PPP high command decided after consulting with the coalition partners in the government, including the ANP, PML-Q and MQM. It is pertinent to mention here that the names of others candidates in the race for chairmanship were President’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar, Aitzaz Ahsan and Dr Babar Awan. However, the PPP Core Committee finalised Senator Nayyar Hussain Bukhari for the slot. Aitzaz was earlier being tipped the favourite, however, analysts suggested that since Aitzaz was representing the government in key cases, including the PM contempt case, it would be difficult for him to be relieved of the duties crucial to the PPP as a party. Meanwhile, the Awami National Party (ANP) withdrew its demand of being provided the slot Senate deputy chairman. President Asif Ali Zardari apologised to ANP chief Asfand Yar Wali Khan that Senate deputy chairmanship could not be given to the ANP as the PPP was considering giving the seat to a senator from Balochistan.
MAsooD RehMAN
EARING a case pertaining to existence of 27 million bogus votes in the electoral rolls, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Tuesday said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), being a constitutional body, was bound to follow the constitution and the law and no departure from its mandatory provisions could be allowed for a reason not acceptable to the law and the constitution. Heading a bench comprising Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, the chief justice allowed
Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq to collect all relevant documents, commencing from 2007 until now in respect of various stages during the course whereof steps were taken to complete the process of completion of transparent electoral lists. The petitions for removal of 27 million bogus votes and making the electoral rolls transparent were filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan, late Benazir Bhutto and Barrister Zafarullah Kahn, making the ECP as respondent. In compliance with the court’s February 29, 2012 orders that why transparent electoral rolls were not prepared by February 23, 2012 in accordance with the
court’s orders, the ECP members and the secretary, on his own behalf and on behalf of the chief election commissioner (CEC), filed their replies. The ECP members stated that for the first time on December 20, 2011, they were made aware of the court’s July 4, 2011 orders. Before December 20, 2011, they said they were unaware either of the court’s July 4, 2011 orders or the project plan signed between ECP and NADRA about revising and making the electoral rolls transparent. The reply filed by ECP Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan on his own and CEC’s behalf said time was extended (without court’s permission) on account of resolutions passed by Balochistan and Khyber
SC resumes hearing in PM contempt case today ISLAMABAD MAsooD RehMAN
RAWALPINDI: Businessmen burn D-forms during a demonstration on Tuesday against electricity and gas load shedding and increasing of petroleum prices. online
Outgoing senators bid emotional adieu g
Retiring members all praise for each other, some condemn the government, others offer apologies ISLAMABAD TAhIR NIAz
Leaving unfinished agenda for newcomers to fulfill, outgoing senators were on Tuesday all praise for one another, the senate staff and their sitting colleagues with some apologising to the nation for not justifying the given mandate and coming up to the expectations of the masses, as they formally bid adieu to the Upper House of the parliament amidst emotions. Though the on-going session of the House would further continue for two more days, but the speakers took it as a final opportunity to speak in the House before they retire on March 12. It was a gloomy atmosphere when the retiring senators took to the floor; some remembered their days as member of the House, their relationship with other colleagues and moments of triumph and failure, while few criticised the government which, according to them, did not let them establish rule of law in the country in true letter and spirit. Some of the senators mentioned passage of three landmark leg-
Pakhtunkhwa assemblies as well as in view of the report of the Sindh election commissioner on account of floods. The court noted that the documents available on record indicated that the requests for extension of time for preparation of electoral rolls were made in August, September and October, 2011, respectively. The court wondered how much time was required for completing the process of preparation of fresh electoral rolls in view of the stand taken by the ECP. The court noted that in fact the process of preparation of fresh or revised electoral lists ought to have commenced in 2007, when a constitution petition was filed by late Benazir Bhutto.
islations including 18th, 19th and 20th Amendments at the farewell 79th session of the Senate. It is the last session of the present parliamentary year ending March 11. Senator Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi said the government did not implement the recommendations of the House. He condemned the federal government saying it did not accept supremacy of the people rather bulldozed them. Hafiz Rashid Ahmad condemned the government for its policies. He also condemned drone attacks in FATA and said that the tribal people were as much loyal to the country as the other people, adding that the time had come for the law of the land to be applied there. Senator Tahir Mashhadi, who has been re-elected, said best of luck to the retiring senators. He particularly appreciated the services of chairman and deputy chairman senate for promoting democratic norms. Senator Nilofer Bakhtiar admitted that despite efforts, still a lot of agenda remained unfinished. She hoped that the newcomers would continue strengthening democratic institutions and make pro-
people policies. Senator Abdur Rashid observed that the rulers were not willing to obey the constitution. He particularly pointed out the issue of missing persons, FCR and highhandedness of the intelligence agencies. He demanded the government do the needful to “bring the people of FATA in the ambit of humanity”. Senator Salim Saifullah condemned the Sindh government for not granting leave to former Sindh chief minister Arbab Abdur Rahim as member of the provincial assembly. Senator Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi staged a walk out against the decision of the Sindh government. However, Chief Whip Islamuddin Shaikh assured the House that he would take up the issue with the provincial government. Senator Abdul Khaliq Pirzada apologised to the nation for not getting their problems resolved in six years. Prof Ibrahim Khan said the government was least bothered about establishing rule of law in the country. He also asked the government to resolve the issue of FCR. Senator Humayun Khan Mandokhel
while paying tribute to the outgoing senators said he as a young member of the Senate had learnt a lot from the experience of his colleagues. Senator Dr Abdul Malik said it was great pleasure for him that democracy was taking roots in the country and for which both Houses of the parliament had great contributions. Senator Gulshan Saeed specially lauded the role of female senators for the pro-women legislation in the House. Senators Rehmat Ullah Kakar, Kalsoom Perveen, Dr Khalid Soomro and Javed Ali Shah also spoke on the occasion and called for giving special attention to resolution of problems of the common man. In response to reservations expressed by Senator Semeen Siddiqui, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the staff of passport office and a mobile unit had been assigned to remain present in the Parliament House on Wednesday (today) to issue blue passports to outgoing senators. He further said each senator would also be issued an arms license of prohibited bore. Later, the Senate chairman adjourned the House for today.
A seven-member special bench of the Supreme Court will today (Wednesday) resume hearing in the contempt of court case against Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. The bench consists of Justice Nasirul Mulk, Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Muhammad Ather Saeed. Prime Minister’s former principal secretary and incumbent cabinet and defence secretary Nargis Sethi will get her statement recorded before the bench as a defence witness. Besides, prime minister’s counsel Aitzaz Ahsen, will submit summaries of May 21 and September 21, 2010 along with the orders passed by his client in response to the court’s orders about reopening of Swiss cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. The summaries sent by the Law Ministry contain advice/consultation to the prime minister not to write letter to the Swiss authorities for reopening corruption cases against President Zardari. According to Aitzaz Ahsen, the prime minister was bound to follow the legal opinion of the Law Ministry.Aitzaz said since the prime minister could be convicted by the court, he should be given full opportunity to defend himself. He will submit documentary evidence and also deliver arguments on the contempt charge, keeping aside the defence of any immunity. He has said that he only wanted to prove that his client did not defy court’s orders deliberately. The court has already indicted the prime minister on the contempt of court charges. Earlier on February 28, 2012, the bench had allowed prime minister to produce his former principal secretary Nargis Sethi as his defence witness in the ongoing contempt proceedings against him for not complying with the court’s December 16, 2009 order on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).