ISLAMABAD, Feb 11 (APP):Minister for Climate Change Senator Mushahiddullah Khan has said that judiciary is a pillar of the state and the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and its leadership have respect for it.
Talking to a private news channel, he said the PML-N had never criticized the judiciary. The party had been expressing reservations over court decisions, which was a constitutional right of every citizen of the country, he added.
He said former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was not disqualified on corruption charges but on having an Iqama (residential permit). Not a single corruption case was proved against the PML-N leadership, he added.
The minister said Nawaz Sharif was still a popular political leader of the country as evident from the massive public gatherings being addressed by him.
He said difference of opinion was the beauty of democracy and the PML-N was fully united under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif.
Replying to a question, he said the Senate elections would be held on time and as per the constitution.
To another question, he said criticism against Senator Ishaq Dar was unjustified as he as finance minister had played an important role in strengthening the national economy.
Mushahiddullah Khan said Mian Raza Rubbani was a democrat and seasoned politician, whose role as Senate chairman was appreciable.
To another query, the minister said Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had nominated Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif for the office of prime minister. Shehbaz had played a vital role in the PML-N’s victory in the 2013 general election, he added.
Welcoming Mushahid Hussain Syed into the PML-N, he said Mushahid was a good politician.
He alleged that Pakistan Peoples Party leader Asif Ali Zardari had played a negative role in the recent change in Balochistan government.
The minister said the federal government had taken measures for making the country pollution. It was spending eight per cent of its budget for clean energy, he said, adding that cutting of forests was one of the reasons of air pollution.
He rejected the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s claim that his party’s government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had planted one billion and 400 million trees in the province.

LAHORE, Feb 11 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday expressed deep sorrow over the death of wife of Mufti Muhammad Hussain Naeemi (the late) and mother of Doctor Muhammad Sarfraz Naeemi (Shaheed).
The CM deeply commiserated with the bereaved family in his condolence message and prayed patience for them to bear the loss with fortitude and also eternal peace for the departed soul.

LAHORE, Feb 11 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz
Sharif on Sunday expressed deep sense of grief over the death of Asma Jahangir, a well-known lawyer and former president of Supreme Court Bar Association.
The CM, while paying tributes to the late lawyer over her services, said that she was a great and credible person in the world of judiciary.
He said that Asma Jahnagir was very active in lawyers movement
and she offered great services for human and women rights. Her
services in the field of judiciary would always be remembered.
In his condolence message, the CM extended his sympathies to the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace for the departed soul.

RAWALPINDI, Feb 11 (APP):Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif would inaugurate the newly established Wah General Hospital completing at the cost of Rs 1.5 billion to help the ailing ,said Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Health Dr Sohail Chaudary here Sunday .
The CEO told APP that state- of- the- art health project, inaugurated in June 2014 by Minister for Interior, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan will hopefully be inaugurated by the next week.
“Currently its inspection and checking is being carried out and it may take a few days before being ready for inauguration,” he added
He said, 100-bed hospital which would be increased to 500 beds has been constructed for which the provincial government has spent Rs1.5 billion.
The CEO said, 201 staff including doctors, nurses would perform their duties while 11 departments including Radiologist, pediatric, Orthopedic, Gynecology ,emergency , surgery
would be available to provide best health facilities to the residents of Wah ,Taxila and adjoining areas.
He told that 9 Specialists,9 Medical officers,7 Women Medical officers,3 Dental surgeons and other Para- medical staff have been recruited to perform their duties.
Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) Wah had generously provided 96 kanals land free of cost for the hospital.

LAHORE, Feb 11 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz
Sharif on Sunday expressed deep sense of grief over the death of Asma Jahangir, a well-known lawyer and former president of Supreme Court Bar Association.
The CM, while paying tributes to the late lawyer over her services, said that she was a great and credible person in the world of judiciary.
He said that Asma Jahnagir was very active in lawyers movement
and she offered great services for human and women rights. Her
services in the field of judiciary would always be remembered.
In his condolence message, the CM extended his sympathies to the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace for the departed soul.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 11 (APP):Untimely death of Asma Jahangir, an eminent lawyer and human rights activist, is an irreparable loss for Pakistan, Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a condolence message here Sunday.
The minister said that upholding the supremacy of law and constitution, unswerving faith in democracy and protection of human rights was her life mission and without caring for the consequence she always stood with the truth and right causes.
She said that Asma was a shining chapter of the constitutional, legal and democratic history of Pakistan. She said that the entire nation paid glowing tributes to her for her sterling services for democracy, civil society, humanity and rights of women and the void created by her death would be difficult to fill. She said that the entire nation was in mourning over her death and praying for her forgiveness.
The minister also prayed to the Almighty to grant the gratitude, patience and courage to he bereaved family to bear her loss.

LAHORE, Feb 11 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad
Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday assured the Supreme Court that a
comprehensive plan to address the issues of untreated
effluent discharge into rivers, provision of clean drinking
water and disposal of hospital waste would be submitted in
the court within three weeks.
The chief minister made the assurance before a three-
member bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, who was
hearing several suo motu notices of public importance here at
the Supreme Court Lahore Registry.
As the proceedings began, the chief justice observed that
these proceedings were not of adverse nature but a collective
effort to settle the issues besides acknowledging the arrival
of the chief minister on court’s call.
Amicus Curie Advocate Ayesha Hamid submitted a report on
discharge of untreated effluent into rivers from Lahore,
Multan, Rawalpindi, Gujranawala and Faisalabad.
She submitted that every day 540 million gallons of
effluent was being discharged into river Ravi from Lahore, whereas
Faisalabad produces 290 million gallons, Rawalpindi 96 million
gallons, Gujranawala 162 million gallons and Multan 230
million gallons and the same was discharged into rivers.
She mentioned that Faisalabad had a treatment plant, which
treats almost six per cent of effluent and almost a third of
effluent was treated in Multan before discharge into
rivers. She also apprised the bench about Punjab government’s
plan of installing six treatment plants in Lahore with the help of
Asian Development Bank and others.
At this, the chief justice asked the chief minister to
suggest measures to settle the issue. He also expressed his
reservations over outsourcing of hospitals’ waste disposal in
the province.
To which, the chief minister submitted that his government
was making all-out efforts to serve masses, and it had gone beyond
the call of duty. Shehbaz Sharif said that he believes
in transparency and his government had managed to save billions
of rupees in various mega projects.
He apprised the court about the energy projects, initiated
in the province and submitted that they were installed on almost
half the cost compared with Guddu power project.
To a court query, he said that emissions from Sahiwal
coal-fire plant were below the international limits. He
also sought three weeks time to come up with plans to address
the issues raised by the court.
Adjourning the hearing, the bench also drawn the attention
of the chief minister towards contaminated water issue.
The chief justice also remarked during the hearing that
general elections would be held in a fair and transparent manner.

ABBOTTABAD, Feb 11(APP)::Deputy Speaker National Assembly and General Secretary PML-N Khyber Phaktunkhawa Murtaza Javed Abbasi expressed heartiest grief and sorrow over sad
demise of the prominent lawyer and renowned human rights icon Asma Jahangir.
Deputy Speaker in his condolence message issued on Sunday expressed deep grief over the sad demise of Asma Jahangir. He lauded her immense contributions towards upholding rule of law, democracy and safeguarding human rights.
Murtaza Abbassi also praised her services rendered for the cause of independence of the judiciary, rule of law and supremacy of constitution in the country and said that her services will always be remembered in good words in the judicial history of Pakistan.
The Deputy Speaker termed her demise as a great loss for the legal fraternity and has prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and for the courage of the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss with fortitude.
Murtaza Javed Abbassi also expressed his heartfelt grief and sorrow over the passing away of Qazi Wajid and said that Qazi Wajid was highly dynamic and versatile artist and with his death country has lost a legendary artist. He said his services would be remembered for long time to come.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 11 (APP):Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting, National History and literary Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb has expressed deep sense of grief over the death of renowned and versatile TV artist Qazi Wajid.
The minister, in a condolence message here Sunday, said that in his death the country had lost a great artist, who had played memorable roles in countless television dramas, including ‘ Khuda Ki Basti’ and ‘Hawwa Ki Baitty’.
She said that the void created by his death would be difficult to fill for a long time to come. She prayed the Almighty to rest his soul in peace and grant the gratitude to the bereaved family to live without him.