ISLAMABAD, Mar 14 (APP):The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed contempt of court petitions against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, and ministers Daniyal Aziz and Khawaja Saad Rafique.
The three-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan heard the petitions.
During the course of proceedings, petitioner Sheikh Ahsanuddin said as per media reports Nawaz had termed the court verdict an insult of over 200 million citizens of the country.
He alleged that the PML-N Quaid (supreme leader) had scandalised the court’s verdict in his rally.
Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar remarked that the court did not consider the presented evidence contemptuous. He observed that every individual had the right to comment on the verdicts while staying within the legal parameters.
He observed that the limit might not have been crossed in the cited example but in some other instances.
Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan responded that the court too exercised patience.
The chief justice remarked that that the bench did not consider the content presented in the application enough for a contempt of court notice.
Meanwhile, contempt pleas against Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique and Minister for Privatization Daniyal Aziz were also dismissed.
SC dismisses contempt petitions against Nawaz Sharif, others
Transparency, fairness ensured in balloting for Hajj-2018: NA told
ISLAMABAD, Mar 14 (APP):Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf Wednesday informed the National Assembly that the government had ensured transparency and fairness in balloting for Hajj-2018.
During the question-hour, he clarified that there was no hajj quota for the Prime Minister, ministers and parliamentarians.
This year, the minister said, as many as 3,75000 people had applied to perform the religious obligation under the government scheme.
As per the Hajj Policy 2018 approved by Cabinet, he said, as many as 179,210 pilgrims would perform the pilgrimage under both the government and private schemes.
Out of the total Pakistan’s Hajj quota, as many as 67 percent people will perform the hajj under government scheme, while 33 percent through private hajj group organizers.
He, however, said that the private hajj operators have moved the court against this decision.
He assured the House that the court’s decision with regard to allocation of quota would be implemented in letter and spirit.
He said the ministry would extend all possible facilities to intending pilgrims in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia during Hajj, terming the package under the government scheme ‘most economical.”
He said majority of intending pilgrims were preferring to perform the religious obligation under the government scheme, keeping in view facilities being extended to the Hujjaj.
British scientist Stephen Hawking dead at age 76
LONDON, March 14 (AFP/APP):Renowned British physicist Stephen Hawking, whose mental genius and physical disability made him a household name and inspiration across the globe, has died at age 76, his family said Wednesday.
Hawking, whose 1988 book “A Brief History of Time” became an unlikely worldwide bestseller and cemented his superstar status, dedicated his life to unlocking the secrets of the Universe.
His genius and wit won over fans from far beyond the rarified world of astrophysics.
He died peacefully at his home in the British university city of Cambridge in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
“We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away today,” professor Hawking’s children, Lucy, Robert, and Tim said in a statement carried by Britain’s Press Association news agency.
“He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years.”
Hawking defied predictions he would only live for a few years after developing a form of motor neurone disease in 1964 at the age of 22.
The illness gradually robbed him of mobility, leaving him confined to a wheelchair, almost completely paralysed and unable to speak except through his trademark voice synthesiser.
“His courage and persistence with his brilliance and humour inspired people across the world,” the family said.
“He once said, ‘It would not be much of a universe if it wasn’t home to the people you love.’ We will miss him forever.”
– A titan of science –
Born on January 8, 1942, Stephen William Hawking became one of the world’s most well-regarded scientists, earning comparisons with Albert Einstein and Sir Isaac Newton.
His work focused on bringing together relativity — the nature of space and time — and quantum theory — how the smallest particles in the Universe behave — to explain the creation of the Universe and how it is governed.
In 1974, he became one of the youngest fellows of Britain’s most prestigious scientific body, the Royal Society, at the age of 32.
In 1979 he was appointed Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University, where he had moved from Oxford University to study theoretical astronomy and cosmology.
Newton was a previous holder of that prestigious post.
Inside the shell of his increasingly useless body was a razor-sharp mind, fascinated by the nature of the Universe, how it was formed and how it might end.
“My goal is simple,” he once said. “It is complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all.”
CM approves relaxation in upper age limit for SPSC
KARACHI, Mar 14 (APP):Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved upper age limit in general for all the candidates to make them eligible to appear in the combined Competitive
Examination-2018 from 30 to 32.
The upper age limit for scheduled cast candidates has been
allowed from 31 years to 33 while the government servants interested
to appear in the SPSC combined Competitive Examination has allowed
upper age limit from 35 years to 37, said a statement on Wednesday.
It may be noted that the chief minister had received some
application for relaxation of upper age limit to become eligible for
Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) combined Competitive Examination-2018.
“I will not favour to some selected candidates, he rejected the
request/applications and decided to relax upper age limit for all
so that every candidate can take its benefit,” he said.
It may be noted that the chief minister has already approved the
general relaxation of upper age limit by 15 years for the posts to be
filled in government departments during the period from July 1, 2016
to June 30, 2018, (except police service and posts to be filled
through combined competitive examination by the SPSC) which covers up to
43 years of applications to apply for appointment in Sindh government.
APCPC for constituting CPEC cell to facilitate investors
RAWALPINDI, Mar 14 (APP):The All Pakistan Chambers Presidents’ Conference International (APCPCI) Wednesday suggested the government to constitute a separate China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) cell in the Federal departments to facilitate businessmen and foreign/domestic investors who intend to invest under the CPEC regime.
Addressing the APCPC’s concluding session at Gwadar, President Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(RCCI) Zahid Latif Khan urged the government that Gwadar region be facilitated with efficient connectivity with other parts of the country through airlinks, railways, marine and double roads to connect the surrounding cities.
One window operation for investors should be introduced to cater to the problems of businessmen and facilitate the processes in an efficient manner under the proposed board, he added.
He also proposed that Special Economic Zones (SEZ) be prioritized in the remote areas of Sindh, Punjab, KPK, Balochistan and AJK and there should preferably be sizeable percentage of hiring local manpower in all projects of the specific area.
Commenting on taxation, Zahid said tax rate should be rationalized and widened and pointed out that business community believes that taxation system for small and medium sized business should be re-engineered and simplified with the concept of “Pay
as you go” in simplified manner.
The RCCI president said Tax rate should be brought down to 15 percent and focus should be on expanding the tax net. Inter-provincial sales tax adjustment should be facilitated while the rate of sales tax should be brought to one digit. He opined that
withholding tax deduction on cash withdrawal of Tax payers be abolished while it may continue for non-tax payers.
Tax Amnesty Schemes should be abolished and in case is it is to apply then it may not deal with repeat cases.
The conference urged that government should eradicate corruption and develop a culture without harassment by government departments.
The two-day 10th APCPC moot adopted joint declaration with an aim to promote business and trade activities throughout the country as without a stable economy the goal of self-sufficiency could not be achieved.
The APCPCI, hosted by RCCI, adopted five points agenda including focus on CPEC and decrease the ratio of Sales Tax to single digit, increase tax net, tax base, removal of discretionary powers given to the commissioners, ease of doing business, skill
development and more connectivity to Gwadar.
The RCCI Chief said that its’ an honor and legacy for RCCI that it has been organizing this event for the last nine years regularly . This time we picked Gwadar as event venue so that business community can see the development on the ground
and get aware about future aspects of CPEC.
The conference was attended by key government dignitaries including Minister of State for Finance, Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, National Security Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua, and representatives from more than 40 chambers of Commerce across Pakistan, Vice President Khalid Farooq Qazi, Group Leader Suhail Altaf former presidents, members of the
executive committee, representatives from Gwadar Port and Chamber of Commerce and a large of traders and industrialists.
Lok Virsa to pay tribute to Habib Jalib on March 16
ISLAMABAD, Mar 14 (APP):A literary session titled ‘Muzakra’ would be held here at Faiz Heritage Library of National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) on March 16 to pay tribute to revolutionary poet Habib Jalib.
The Research and Publication department of Lok Virsa will conduct interactive literary sessions. Renowned writers and scholars including Itfikhar Arif and Tahir Jalib will speak on topic “Habib Jalib and the Power of Poetry”.
The speakers will pay tribute to revolutionary poet Habib Jalib in their copies. Habib Jalib was a big name in the Urdu poetry. His work besides affecting the modern poetry of the language also had a very positive and construction impact on the poetry of other languages.
He was a progressive writer and soon started to grab the audience with his enthusiastic recitation of poetry.
The poetry of Habib Jalib can be divided into two parts first comprises ghazals composed during the period when Jalib had chosen to keep a somewhat low profile. He died on March 12, 1993 at the age of 65 years.
Many prominent writers, poets and intellectuals would be participating in the event.
Air Chief pays farewell visit to Defence Minister
RAWALPINDI, Mar 14 (APP):Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman Wednesday
paid a farewell call on Minister for Defence, Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan here at the Ministry of Defence.
The Defence Minister lauded long meritorious services, rendered
by the outgoing Air Chief for the defence of the country.
He appreciated Sohail Aman for his contributions to make
Pakistan Air Force a strong and modern air force.
The minister said that the government was making all-out
efforts to enhance capability of Pakistan armed forces and enable them to face the challenges and ensure foolproof security to country’s frontiers.
Alpine Club of Pakistan provides national forum for mountaineers
ISLAMABAD, Mar 14 (APP):Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) provides the national forum for nature and adventure lovers who are fascinated by the charm and challenge of mountains and are endowed with the spirit of mountaineering and climbing.
Pakistan is blessed with magnificent, lofty and compelling mountains offering great opportunities for mountaineering, trekking and other adventure activities.
The ACP aimed to cultivate mountaineering culture amongst the nature lovers and interested persons, specially youth by providing facilities for climbing, mountaineering and mountain related activities.
ACP also make efforts to promote and organize mountaineering expeditions either singly or in collaboration with other mountaineering organizations, clubs and climbers from abroad.
Alpine Club of Pakistan also organize training in mountaineering, rock, snow, ice climbing, sports climbing, ski-ing and trekking and for other club activities.
Mountaineering is an exciting affairs and Pakistan is home to five of the 14 highest peaks in the world. Two of them are K2 (8611 meters) which is the second highest peak in the world and Nanga Parbat (8125 meters) which also known as killer mountain. There are numerous peaks above 6500 to 7700 meters, which have still remained unnamed and unclimbed. Alpine Adventure Guides offers a number of mountaineering options that mountaineers choose according to skill and strength.
CM condoles death of Stephen Hawking
LAHORE, Mar 14 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad
Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday condoled the death
of world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking.
In his condolence message, Shehbaz Sharif lauded the
services of Stephen Hawking in the field of science and
said that he was a great scientist of his age.
His scientific discoveries were praiseworthy and
services in the field of physics would be remembered
forever, the chief minister added.
Governor appreciates UNOCHA for assisting TDPs
PESHAWAR, Mar 14 (APP):Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Engr.
Iqbal zafar Jhagra has said that almost 97 percent of TDPs have returned to
their native lands and the remaining will be repatriated as soon as possible.
Moreover, he said various projects and developmental works
are under process for reconstruction and rehabilitation purpose of TDPs.
He expressed these views while presiding over a high level
meeting with a delegation of UNOCHA here at Governor’s House on Wednesday. The
delegation was headed by Mr. Jhon Ging ( Director of Operations (UNOCHA)
and was accompanied by Ms. Cathrine
Howard, Mr. Neil Hans Buhne, Ms. Heli Uusikyla, Mr. Tariq, DG projects FATA and
concerned officials from Fata secretariat Peshawar.
Governor said that skilled training has been given to youth
of FATA in various fields which can be beneficial in earning livelihood. Many
of FATA students were availing scholarships in higher institutes of Pakistan.
The Governor said the incumbent government was taking
concrete and imperative steps to facilitate people of FATA. He also appreciated
the role of UNOCHA in assisting people of FATA and urged international
communities to come forward for further support of people of FATA.
The Governor instructed concerned officials from Fata
Secretariat to be in coordination with UNOCHA to fully support and facilitate
people of FATA.