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Farooq Sattar granted pre-arrest bail
Citizens to celebrate Independence Day with acute water shortage
Rangers gun down two alleged robbers
Two die in road accidents; 12 vehicles hijacked
Police Order 2002 promulgated
Two foreigners among 94 conferred civil awards
Karakoram Express launched
Search for Taliban, al-Qaeda men in NWFP launched
GUJRANWALA: 5 prohibited TJP activists nabbed
American school may be closed down
US to fingerprint Muslims
Farooq Sattar granted pre-arrest bail
KARACHI, Aug 13: The district and sessions judge, South, Agha Rafique Ahmed Khan, granted pre-arrest bail to Dr Muhammed Farooq Sattar, a leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and former mayor of Karachi
, in a case pertaining to the possession of an unlicensed sub-machine gun (SMG).
The judge gave the former mayor bail before arrest in the sum of Rs100,000.
The Muttahida leader was booked on September 25, 1999 by the Artillery Maidan police following the arrest of two Muttahida workers, Intizar and Nadeem.
According to the FIR, the two workers were on their way in a car (AAH-993) when a police party spotted them and seized the SMG from them. The two workers told the police that both the car and the weapon belonged to Dr Farooq Sattar.
Citizens to celebrate Independence Day with acute water shortage
KARACHI: The city will be facing an acute water
shortage on Independence Day, as the supply through the Indus source
has decreased by 160 million gallons of water daily (MGD) due to the
perpetual power failures at Pipri, Dhabeji and Gharo pumping stations
on Tuesday.
Closure of the diesel pump house, Dhabeji, for at
least next 48 hours due to the repair work on the 72-inch diameter
pipeline, apparently damaged due to the power cited fluctuations, is
likely to aggravate the problem.
Sources at the KWSB said that the worst string of
power breakdowns was observed on Tuesday at Pipri, Dhabeji and Gharo
pumping stations between 5:55am and 3:05pm, disturbing the supply of
water to the city.
Giving the break-up of the breakdowns at Dhabeji
pumping station, the sources said that the power supply was suspended
four times, from 5:55am to 6:30am; from 7:20am to 8:25am; from 8:50am
to 9:25am; and finally from 2:15pm to 3:05pm.
At the Gharo pumping station, the sources said,
power supply remained suspended between 6:45am and 9:15am; between
9:20am and 10:45am; between 11:25am and 11:40am; and between 12:50pm
and 1:05pm. Power failures occurred at the Pipri pumping station
thrice, from 6:10am to 6:25am; 7:00am to 7:55am and from 8:10am to
10:00am, the sources added.
Pointing out to the aftermath of the cited
"historic" disruptions in the power supply, the sources said
that it caused bursting of the 72-inch diameter concrete pipeline
which brought water from Dhabeji to the city.
In view of the situation, the KWSB had enforced an
emergency in the department concerned and started the repair work on
the damaged pipeline on a war footing, which would take 48 hours to
complete, the sources added.
However, the sources said, the water supply to
Karachi from the Dhabeji's Diesel Pump House would remain suspended
till the repair work was completed. The sources said that the
shortfall of 160 MGD, coupled with the suspension of water supply from
the diesel pump house would cause a severe water shortage in almost
all parts of the city over the next few days, adding to the miseries
of already water-starved areas.
Rangers gun down two alleged robbers
KARACHI: Two alleged robbers were gunned down by
Pakistan Rangers in highly suspicious circumstances near Karsaz
traffic intersection on Tuesday morning. Police said Shamshad Ahmad,
who had arrived from Kuwait, was on way to Cantt Railway Station in a
rickshaw from airport at about 7:55am.
A man standing near Suzuki Baleno (ADG-881)
signaled the rickshaw to stop in Tipu Sultan police limits. The man
and his companion posed themselves as police officials, carried out
Shamshad's body search took his UAE Dirham 1,200 and Rs6,500 and went
towards airport in their car.
Shamshad immediately rushed across the road to
Rangers picket in the limits of Sharea Faisal police and informed
them. One of jawans opened fire on the car killing two unarmed men.
Police recovered snatched money from the deceased, forged IDs of
various law enforcement agencies, credit cards etc.
The deceased were identified as Mirza Salim Baig
and Habibullah with the help of their identity cards. Police said both
were involved in dozens of robberies by posing themselves as officials
of FIA, Coast Guards or police.
Two die in road accidents; 12 vehicles hijacked
KARACHI: Reckless driving claimed two lives in city
on Tuesday, police said. A recklessly driven route 7 bus JA-1196
knocked down to death an unidentified young man who was crossing Mewa
Shah Road within the limits of Pak Colony police station. The driver
of the bus, however, left the vehicle and escaped. A speeding truck
overturned on Super Highway due to light rain causing serious injuries
to the cleaner M Fayyaz (24). He was taken to a nearby private
hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
ROBBERIES: Armed men took away cash and jewellery
from the shop of M Shahid in Kharadar police limits; Naveed Shahid was
deprived of Rs25,000 by unknown robbers in Gizri area; bandits barged
into the house of Mirza Ahmed Baig in Federal B Area within the limits
of Jauharabad police station and looted cash, jewellery and other
valuables; Younus and Abdul Wahid lodged FIRs with Korangi and
Manghopir police station respectively stating that unknown bandits
took away cash, gold ornaments and other valuables from their houses.
VEHICLES: Carjackers took away 12 vehicles
including four cars and eight motorcycles from different parts of the
city. One car and two motorcycles were snatched at gunpoint while
three cars and six motorcycles were stolen. However, police recovered
only one motorcycle KCM-2780 during last 24 hours from the city.
Police Order 2002 promulgated
ISLAMABAD, Aug 13: The Chief Executive promulgated late Tuesday the Police Order 2002, to redefine the police role, its duties and responsibilities. The 65-page Order extends to the whole of Pakistan and comes into force at once.
It envisages that the police has an obligation and duty to function according to the Constitution, law and democratic aspirations of the people, and that "such functioning of the police requires it to be professional, service-oriented and accountable to the people."
The Order seeks that whereas it is expedient to redefine the police role, its duties and responsibilities, and whereas, it is necessary to reconstruct the police for efficient prevention and detection of crime, and maintenance of public order; and finds that the Chief Executive is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary "to take immediate action."-APP
Two foreigners among 94 conferred civil awards
ISLAMABAD, Aug 13: The President of Pakistan, on the occasion of Independence Day, Aug 14, has conferred the following civil awards on 92 countrymen and two foreigners for excellence in various fields of activities.
( An investiture ceremony in this regard will take place on March 23).
Details of awards with the names of recipients along with their field and province or country respectively are as follows:
I. NISHAN-I-IMTIAZ: Prof Dr Atta-ur-Rehman, chemistry, Sindh.
II. HILAL-I-PAKISTAN: Senator Sam Brownback, services to Pakistan, USA.
III. HILAL-I-IMTIAZ: Lt-Gen Ghulam Ahmed Khan late, public service, NWFP; Mehdi Hassan, music, Punjab; Dr Maleeha Lodhi, public service, Punjab; Lt-Gen Jehandad Kahn (Rtd), public service, Punjab; Moeen Afzal, public service, Punjab; Dr Ishrat Hussain, public service; Lt-Gen Khalid Ahmad Kidwai, public service, Sindh; Lt-Gen Zulfiqar Ali Khan (Rtd), public service, Punjab; Shams Kassim Lakha, public service, Sindh; Prof Malik Hussain Mubashir, public service (psychiatry), Punjab; Ghulam Nabi, science (detonics),Punjab: Muhammad Irfan Burney, chemical engineering, Punjab.
IV. SITARA-I-SHUJA'AT: Muhammad Farooq Awan, gallantry.
V. SITARA-I-IMTIAZ: Dr Muhammad Naseer Khan, applied physics, NWFP; Zia Mohyeddin, acting/compering, Punjab; Prof Jawad Sajid Khan, cardiology, Punjab; Nayyar Ali Dada, architecture, Punjab; Ishfaq Ahmed, literature, Punjab; Shoukat Sidiqui, literature, Sindh; M.A. Zuberi, literature (journalism), Sindh; Kamal Shah, public service, Punjab; Tariq Banuri, education; Muhammad Shafi Malik, public service, Punjab; Ahmad D. Bawany, space technology, Sindh; Mir Zubair Mahmood, public service.
VI. PRESIDENT'S AWARD FOR PRIDE OF PERFORMANCE: Muhammad Arif Niaz, physics, Punjab; Dr Ghulam Ali Qureshi, biochemistry, Sindh; Prof Dr Sher Hassan, agricultural research, NWFP; Prof Dr Mohammad Khurshid, health sciences, Sindh; Dr Rasul Bakhsh Rais, education, Punjab; Sufi Muhammad Ishaque, education, Punjab; Dr Syed Sakhawat Shah, education research, NWFP; Syed Munawar Saeed, acting, Punjab; Muhammad Aziz Baluch, folk music, Balochistan; Majeed Khan (sarangi player), music, Sindh; Syed Afzal Hussain, sound recording, Punjab; Iftikhar Ahmad, cricket commentary, Sindh; Ghulam Mustafa, painting, Punjab; Imdad Hussaini, Sindhi Literature, Sindh; Prof Dr Shahbaz Malik, Punjabi Literature, Punjab; Syed Zahoor Shah Hashmi (late), Balochi Literature, Balochistan; Ada Jafri, poetry, Sindh; Rozi Ali, mountaineering, Northern Areas; Prof Muhammad Nawaz Tair, Pushto Literature, NWFP; Malik Abdul Qadir, farming, Punjab; Akhtar Hussain Jafri (late), literature, Punjab; Muneeza Hashmi, art, Punjab; Haider Ali, boxing, Balochistan; Muhammad Irfan, weight lifting, Punjab; Bashir Ahmad, health physics, Punjab; Syed Shabbir Hussain, health physics, Sindh; Muhammad Riaz Khan, mechanical engineering, Punjab; Maqsood Ali, mining, Punjab; Col Dr Nadeem Ehsan, engineering, Punjab; Khalid Shamim, mechanical engineering, Punjab; Rana Abdul Qayyum, mechanical engineering, Punjab; Brig Khalid Latif, SI (M) mechanical engineering, Sindh; Brig Imran Rehman, lectrical engineering, Punjab; Muhammad Khan Chaudhry, mechanical engineering, Punjab; Barkat Ali Chaudhry, health physics, Punjab.
VII. SITARA-I-KHIDMAT: Prof Dr Tang Mengsheng, services to Pakistan, People's Republic of China.
VIII. TAMGHA-I-SHUJA'AT: Lt-Col Abdul Salam Khan (Rtd), gallantry, Sindh; Muhammad Ashraf (late), gallantry, Punjab; Muhammad Kaseer, gallantry, NWFP; Raja Umar Khitab, gallantry; Muhammad Atif, gallantry.
IX. TAMGHA-I-IMTIAZ: Shahid Manzoor, science, Punjab; Iqbal Zafar Malik, missile technology, Punjab; Prof Abdullah Jan Jaffar, medicine, Balochistan; Dr Riaz Ahmad, education, Punjab; Sohail Akram (Sohail Ahmad), play writing/acting, Punjab; Madeeha Gauhar, theatre direction, Punjab; Faizaan Peerzada, art (puppetry), Punjab; Amir Hamza, calligraphy, NWFP; Raja Muhammad Nawaz, public service, Islamabad; Raza Ali, public service, Punjab; Surriya Allahdin, public service, Balochistan; Sharfuddin Memon, public service, Sindh; Mahmud ul Hassan Siddiqi, public service, Punjab; Maqbool Ahmed Khan Khichi, farming, Punjab; Shafiq Ahmad, public service, Punjab; Dr Fatima Zehra Basha, education, Sindh; Anwar Ali Khokhar, public service, Sindh; Haroon Khalid, education, Punjab; A.D. Bhutta (late), export, Punjab; Zulfiqar Ali Junejo, public service; Dr S. Muhammad Ali Shah, public service, Sindh; Amer Aziz, public service, Punjab; Daniyal Aziz, public service, Punjab; Naeem-ul-Haq, public service, Punjab; Muhammad Jamil Najam, education, Punjab; Azmat Iqbal, chemical engineering, Punjab.-APP
Karakoram Express launched
RAWALPINDI, Aug 13: Federal railways minister Lt-Gen Javed Ashraf Qazi (retired) on Tuesday morning inaugurated the new Chinese-made Karakoram Express.
President Gen Pervez Musharraf had to inaugurate the train but he caught flu, therefore the railways minister took part in the ceremony in his absence.
The train will run on Lahore-Karachi route on alternate days.
Mr Qazi, speaking on the occasion, criticized the media furore over the issue and the controversies that had preceded the train's launching.
He said the train's design was not faulty, however, the platforms at some railway stations were not of international standard and had to be "trimmed" according to the specifications of the new coaches.
The minister said seeking adjustments in the design of the new train coaches, built according to international standards, could have been costly, requiring an additional amount of $5 million.
Pakistan Railways had to trim the concrete platforms at several railway stations to facilitate the passage of the 14 carriages imported from China for the Karakoram Express.
Chinese vice minister for railways Peng Kaizhou, speaking on the occasion, said the train was an independence-day gift for Pakistan and a symbol of friendship between the two countries.
The 15 air-conditioned coaches have cost Rs32.5 million a piece. Another 25 similar coaches will arrive next year, while as many as 135 coaches are to be manufactured at the Islamabad carriage factory.
The total project of $200 million is being financed by the Exim Bank of China, which will meet 87.5% of the total financial requirements on supplier credit basis, while the Pakistan government is to provide for the rest.
Karakoram Express will be seen off by Punjab governor Lt-Gen Khalid Maqbool (retired) at Lahore, when it embarks on its journey, carrying passengers for the first time, at 5pm
Search for Taliban, al-Qaeda men in NWFP launched
PESHAWAR: Security forces have launched an
operation in a tribal northwestern district close to the capital to
hunt down Taliban and al-Qaeda fugitives believed to be hiding in the
area, a senior police officer said on Tuesday. The operation is the
first that Pakistani troops and police have launched a sweep in the
region of Kala Dhaka, a notorious hiding place for bandits between the
districts of Buner and Mansehra in NWFP, 100 kilometres north of
Islamabad.
The search was launched after reports that an
alleged Pakistani supporter of al-Qaeda had taken shelter there along
with an undisclosed number of Taliban fugitives, Peshawar city police
chief Khurshid Alam said.
Alam did not disclose the name of the suspect but
said that he had been involved in training militants to fight
alongside the Taliban militia in Afghanistan. Hundreds of security
personnel, including police and paramilitary troops had descended on
Kala Dhaka in armoured vehicles, jeeps and trucks, he said.
"The mission is to hunt down militants and
search houses for arms and ammunition," Alam said. He said that
there were minor protests against the sweep from people in Meera
village in the area, but that no violent incidents had occurred. He
said that no arrests had been made so far and that the operation would
continue for some days.
GUJRANWALA: 5 prohibited TJP activists nabbed
GUJRANWALA, Aug 13: Alipur Chattha police claimed on Tuesday having arrested five activists of the banned outfit Tehrik-i-Jaffaria Pakistan allegedly involved in attacking on a mosque in Rasoolnagar village.
Reports said Alipur Chattha police booked some 83 activists of the banned outfits Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan and Tehrik-i-Jaffaria Pakistan on the charge of attacking alam procession and a mosque a few months ago. However, the activists got bail from a court.
An anti-terrorism court in Gujranwala on Monday rejected their bail pleas. The police arrested 36 accused while others escaped.
On a tip-off, the police team raided an Imambargah and arrested five activists. The court sent them to jail on a judicial remand.
American school may be closed down
ISLAMABAD, Aug 13: The administration of American International School has threatened to close down its institution, if the government fails to provide adequate security cover in the wake of recent terrorist attacks, an official source said.
The school administration held a session with the Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider on Tuesday and apprised him of their security concerns.
Shortly after the meeting, the chief commissioner and inspector general of police Islamabad went to the school and assured the administration that they should not worry as the police were taking all possible measures for their security.
The source said the school staff who was expected to return on August 15 have deferred their arrival for an indefinite period.
The school management held a meeting with the interior minister on Tuesday and expressed their security concerns.
The source said in view of the security concern shown by the American School administration 'Black Tiger' police squad had been formed and deployed at the school. The well-equipped squad will be stationed in the school building and also escort the school van during pick and drop service, the source said.
When a senior police official of Islamabad Capital Territory police was contacted, he confirmed the formation of Black Tiger squad and said that it was formed after the terrorist threat.
In another move, the secretary interior has sought explanation from the chief of Islamabad police (IGP) about allegations of misbehaviour and indifference of the police officials towards foreigners seeking security cover, the source said. The interior secretary's move came after a diplomat complained that neither the capital police IGP nor the SSP responded when he expressed his security concerns and asked the police to take effective security measures, a source in the interior ministry said.
When a senior police officer was contacted, he confirmed that complaint had been lodged and the police had responded. "Unfortunately, the reply was missed somewhere in the mail".
Diplomats in Islamabad have been advised to refrain fromgoing to deserted places and offered to take police guards, if they so desire for their protection, following the recent attacks in Murree and Taxila.
US to fingerprint Muslims
WASHINGTON, Aug 13: The United States has decided to fingerprint and photograph tens of thousands of visitors from the Middle Eastern and Muslim countries entering the country after Sept 11, US officials said on Monday.
Sept 11 has been chosen as the starting date for the new programme because of its symbolic importance as the day when America faced the worst terrorist attack in its history.
"After an initial 20-day period for testing and evaluating the system at selected ports of entry, all remaining ports of entry - including land, air and sea - will have the new system in place on Oct 1," said Attorney General John Ashcroft while announcing the first phase of the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System.
He said: "The visitors will be selected according to intelligence criteria reflecting patterns of terrorist organizations' activities."
Since all the 19 hijackers responsible for the Sept 11 disaster were Arabs and the on-going campaign against terrorism is also focused on Muslims, it is obvious that the new programme will mostly affect those from the Islamic countries. However, the US government has identified five countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and Syria by name. All visitors from these countries, considered sponsors of terrorism by the State Department, will be photographed and fingerprinted.
The programme will also apply to non-immigrant aliens whom the State Department determines to present an elevated national security risk, based on criteria reflecting current intelligence. Aliens identified by Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) inspectors at the port of entry, using similar criteria, will also be scrutinized.
"The vulnerabilities of our immigration system became starkly clear on Sept 11," said Ashcroft.
The new programme, which will be implemented by the INS, will correct some of the problems that led to the Sept 11 attacks, he said.