PPP Govt. dismiss 13 cases of massive Corruption.

47% Pakistanis believe govt will dissolve without completing tenure

Tribune
Almost half of Pakistanis (47 per cent) believe that the current government will dissolve without completing its tenure.

ISLAMABAD: Almost half of Pakistanis (47 per cent) believe that the current government will dissolve without completing its tenure, while 31 per cent believe it will complete its term, revealed the findings of a survey conducted by Gilani Research Foundation/Gallup Pakistan.

In the survey, a nationally representative sample of 2,754 men and women from across the country were asked the following question:

Do you think that the current government will complete its tenure or dissolve before that?

Forty seven per cent believed that the government will not complete its five year, 31 per cent were of the view that the government will complete its tenure and 22 per cent gave no response.

In a follow up question, a nationally representative sample of men and women from across the country were asked the following question:

Some people believe that government has become too weak at the moment while others believe it is not so. What is your opinion?

Fifty two per cent agreed that government has become weak, 29 per cent said that it has not weakened and 19 per cent were unsure and gave no response.

The survey also showed that more urbanites (59 per cent) believed that the government has become weak, as compared to their rural counterparts (50 per cent).

The survey was carried out in rural and urban areas of all four provinces of the country during January 2011. The error margin is estimated to be approximately + 2-3 per cent at 95% confidence level.

Free ride: 76 PML-N affiliates costing Rs20m to Punjab govt

Tribune
These people were appointed after approval by the Chief Minister's secretariat.

LAHORE: As the Punjab government abolishes 550 posts to save Rs6 billion annually in expenditures, 76 people connected with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) continue to work as coordinators, chairpersons of task forces and media consultants in various departments and institutions, causing a financial burden of above Rs20 million annually to the provincial government.

An official requesting anonymity told that these appointed men are enjoying perks and privileges without making any remarkable contribution to government business.

Among them, 49 are consultants, 17 chairpersons of task forces of various departments and 10 are media consultants in the Information Culture and Youth Affairs (IC&YA) department to look after media management of the government.

Since July 2009, the Punjab government has appointed ruling party office-bearers and workers, 49 of them, as coordinators in various departments and teaching hospitals to assist officials in improving performance and service delivery to the masses. Of these 49, 11 are offered salaries, allowances, vehicles, petrol, lubricant and oil, office with telephone facilities. Their salaries range between Rs20,000 and 75,000 per month. They are also provided between 150 and 200 litres of fuel per month. The remaining 38 are working on a honorary basis.

These individuals are enjoying perks associated with their posts without making any contribution to government affairs. Since June 2008, the Punjab government led by Shahbaz Sharif constituted 28 task forces in different departments, which were assigned various responsibilities including recommending proposals for the promotion of good governance and merit in the public sector. The purpose of establishing these task forces was to save public funds likely to be utilised on offices of provincial ministers.

The government, after approval by the chief minister’s secretariat, appointed some elected parliamentarians, party office bearers, like-minded businessmen, retired bureaucrats and technocrats as chairpersons of these task forces. All chairmen were given official vehicles, offices, telephones and manpower to complete the assigned tasks. Of these appointed people, 11 were offered salary packages ranging between Rs75,000 and Rs2,25,000. In addition, they were also offered travelling allowance/daily allowance at par with BS-20 officers.

However in August 2010, after analysing the poor performance and casual attitude of the chairpersons, the Punjab government abolished 11 task forces on the directions of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, an official said. But despite that, 17 people continue to enjoy benefits as chairpersons of various bodies.

An official said that the provincial government can save Rs20 million if it terminates contracts of these 76 people.

Govt decides to trim cabinet size

Tribune
The government is yet to decide how many ministries will be devolved and the ministers who will be shown the door.

ISLAMABAD: A day after Pakistan Peoples Party’s core committee meeting, the government announced it would cut the size of the federal cabinet – a decision that has to be taken by June this year to implement the 18th Amendment.

Law Minister Babar Awan announced that the government has decided on “rightsizing” the cabinet to save expenditures. The decision was confirmed by both the Prime Minister  House and the President House, but reports of a cabinet dissolution were denied.

The number of ministries to be devolved is yet to be determined and which ministers will be shown the door.

Under the 18th amendment, the concurrent list was abolished and a number to subjects shifted to the provinces. The number of cabinet members has been fixed to 11 per cent of the total 442-member strength of parliament. A committee is already working for the implementation of the amendment.

The government has been under pressure to curtail government expenditures and plug corruption in order to save the already devastated economy from further deterioration. The main opposition party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, has been pressing the government to implement a reform agenda.

During the core committee meeting on Friday, members of the ruling PPP – most of whom are considered to be close associates of President Asif Ali Zardari  – discussed ways to handle growing pressure from political parties and the general public.

“President Zardari said we have to do something to come out of this pressure. it was decided that if any drastic decision is taken, it might have serious backlash within the party as those shown the door can react. Hence, it was decided that a step should be taken in line with the 18th amendment, so that nobody can raise objections,” a participant of the meeting told The Express Tribune.

The government plans to devolve 10 ministries by February this year, while around another eight will be devolved by June. Some of the ministries will be handed over to the provinces, while others will be merged. As a first step, the government is likely to slash the ministers of state – portfolios that have no significant powers under the rules of business, but a tag used to get perks and privileges as political bribe.

Meanwhile, spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar said that the core committee meeting decided to appoint a committee, comprising Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaz Ashraf, Minister for Labour and Manpower and Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah, and Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, adviser to the PM, to resolve the KESC workers’ issue expeditiously.

The meeting reiterated the commitment of the party to stand by the working classes. It recalled that the in line with this commitment, the government had recently reinstated employees sacked in the past.

The spokesperson added that Interior Minister Senator Rehman Malik gave a detailed briefing on the law and order situation and the recent spate of targeted killings in Karachi. The minister explained various steps taken so far to restore normalcy in the city.

The meeting also decided that the expenses on the building of the Benazir Bhutto memorial in Islamabad will be borne by the party and public funds will not be used.  The president informed his party members meeting about his recent foreign visits and his talks with President Obama and other leaders. The president said appropriate steps should be taken to benefit from the offer made by the Bill Gates Foundation to provide free immunization services to people against various diseases, particularly polio.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said that the government has slashed the Public Sector Development Programme by Rs100 billion from the budgeted Rs280 billion and it will be reduced in coming days.

Shaikh was talking to the business community at the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry on Saturday.  He reiterated that the reformed general sales tax will document the economy and will also reduce inflation. Shaikh said that it is necessary to document the economy, otherwise “we cannot think of sustainable progress, as we do not have enough resources to meet our burgeoning expenses.  We also need to think about our rising security demands and the government needs to cater to this as a priority.”

Govt not amending blasphemy law, says PM

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. DAWN

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minsiter Yousuf Raza Gilani Tuesday urged religious leaders to propagate the true interpretation of Islam and educate people about its teachings of tolerance and mutual respect for each other’s religions.

Addressing religious scholars at the “Ulema and Mashaikh Conference 2011” at the National Library here, Gilani reiterated that the government had no plans to amend the blasphemy law, but stressed that no law should be misused.

“We are not amending the blasphemy law,” Prime Minister Gilani said in response to the points raised by religious leaders during the conference.

Prime Minister Gilani said a committee was setup by the Pakistan People’s Party at the party level to see whether any legislation that is moved by its members has its endorsement.

He said religious leaders must not have any fear and apprehension that anything would be done contrary to Islam or its teachings by the present government.

On the sanctity of constitution and rule of law, Prime Minister said the law of the land must be adhered to.

“We are not in the favour of amendment in the blasphemy law, but we are not in favour of misuse of the law either…and it does not matter what law it is,” Gilani added.

Prime Minister Gilani said any acts of violence bring bad name to the religion and are seen unfavourably in the West. He said it also makes the lives of Pakistanis abroad miserable. Therefore it is vital that Islam is portrayed in the right perspective and is not distorted, he said.

Gilani urged for closer collaboration between scholars of different religions for better understanding and to bring peace and tranquility.

He rejected the notion that Islam was the cause behind the acts of terror and extremism and said in fact it was a religion of peace and abhorred violence. He said following of real teachings of Islam was the only way to get rid of the scourge of terrorism that had spread its tentacles across the globe.

He said his government believed in taking along all political forces and appreciated the opposition for being supportive of the government on all national issues.

Earlier, religious leaders spoke about Islam’s universal message of peace, love and tolerance and that it believed in peaceful coexistence with people of all religions. The speakers regretted distortion of the religion by certain vested interests and urged a deeper understanding of the Quran and Sunnah by all.

They said Islam did not differentiate between people of any caste, colour or creed.

Religious leaders were of the view that there were no two opinions about the honour and dignity accorded to Prophet Mohammad and pointed that the Quran and Sunnah were very clear about it. They said no one would be allowed to bring any changes in the blasphemy law.

PML-N 45 days dead-line for the Government

The Nation
PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif forming a four member committee to overlook the implementation of 10 point agenda by the government in 45 days said that he had given no ultimatum to the government adding that his party does not believe in politics of black mailing and horse trading.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday after meeting of the party Nawaz Sharif said that a four member committee has been constituted which would be headed by Senator Ishaq Dar and would consist of members Sardar Mehtab, Pervez Rashid and Abdul Qadir Baloch. This committee would hand over our 10 point agenda to the government and would overlook the govt progress.

Reiterating the 10 point agenda he said increase in Petroleum prices should be withdrawn which the govt has done. Gas and power load shedding should be brought to an end. Corrupt elements should be replaced with honest ones, Political loan waivers should be reversed. Policy should be made to control escalating prices of every day commodities. All the decisions of the SC should be implemented. Court orders of NRO should be implemented. The size of the cabinet should be reduced and the govt expenditures should be reduced by 30 percent. Govt corporations such as PIA, CAA, PEPCO, PSM, PGDC should be restructured to get rid of corruption and deficits. Hajj Corruption scandal, NFC, BoP scandal should be investigated and culprits be brought to justice.


Nawaz Sharif said that he did not give any ultimatum to the govt as this word does not exist in his dictionary. He said that he sees the word as a sign of arrogance. He said he had simply asked the govt to answer in yes or no.

He said today the country is facing multiple problems it has a fragile economy, law and order situation, poverty, inflation and increasing drone attacks. He said that dictatorship have destroyed our country and now the martial law administrators should not fool the country anymore.

He said PML-N always spoke of unity and we want to help the govt take this country out of crisis through this agenda.

He said that after the implementation of 18th amendment the PM has become a powerful prime minister and he can implement the agenda. He said we would decide our future course of action after 45 days. He said we are ready to support the govt if our agenda is implemented, He said that we have never demanded of mid term elections.

In response to a question he said that the Prime Minister never consulted him on who should be the new Governor Punjab.

Punjab govt lost Rs 7bn in IT sector: Elahi

Daily Times


LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) senior leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has accused the Punjab government of causing a loss of Rs 7 billion through bad governance in the Information technology sector.

Addressing a press conference at his residence, he said Nawaz Sharif has forgotten to issue a deadline to the provincial government to trace corruption, mismanagement and bad governance. Elahi said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief should have issued a 12-point agenda to the Punjab government, which he said, had violated all democratic norms in politics and promoted turncourts, which was against the spirit of the Charter of Democracy (CoD) he had signed with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

He said the PML-N should accept the mandate of other political parties, as it had promised in the CoD and stop patronising turncourts of other parties in pursuit of the party’s lust for power.

Elahi said that the PML-N government had caused Punjab to go bankrupt, although when his party left the government, the province had Rs 250 billion in surplus. He added that in the IT sector alone, the PML-Q government had made long-term plans and investments while the incumbent government, through its bad management, had caused a loss of Rs 37 billion annually to the sector.

Elahi said bad management in the sector had not only halted investment, but has deprived poor students of thousands of scholarships and subsequent chances of good jobs. He said through schemes like the Sasti Roti scheme and ill-conceived plan of constructing IT labs, Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif had allowed siphoning off of billions of rupees.

PPP members urge party to quit Punjab govt

Tribune

LAHORE: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Punjab members on Saturday sent recommendations to their leadership advising it to quit the coalition in Punjab.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had given the government until January 10, 2011 to respond to a nine-point agenda or else face expulsion from the coalition government in Punjab.

Talking to the media outside the Governor House in Lahore, PPP Punjab President Imtiaz Safdar Warraich asserted that the decision to pull out of the provincial government cannot be reversed.

Meanwhile, member of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) forward block Atta Muhammad Manika said that his party will support the PML-N in Punjab.

Manika said that no party can form a government in Punjab without including forward block members.

He was of the view that it is difficult for the PPP and the PML Q to destabalise the PML-N government in the province, adding that no party wants to play any role in forcing the PPP to quit the federal government.

Nine-point agenda: PML-N reminds PPP of impending deadline

Though the PPP-led coalition seems to have wriggled out of a crisis after winning over the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the main opposition party – the PML-N – has reminded the ruling party that it will stick to the deadline it set earlier this week.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had given the government – which had lost its majority in the centre with the MQM gone – until January 10 to respond to a nine-point agenda or else face expulsion from the coalition government in Punjab.

On Friday, Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah told journalists in Lahore that the PPP would have to respond, ‘yes or no’ to the PML-N’s agenda by January 10.

Sources in the PML-N have told  that the party has decided to de-notify seven provincial ministers from the PPP after the expiry of the deadline.

However, to counter this, the Punjab chapter of the PPP is considering forming a coalition government with the help of the PML-Quaid, if need be,

Sanaullah shifted the blame of the assassination of the Punjab governor to the PPP saying that the ruling party had failed to provide proper security to Salmaan Taseer.

Federal Law Minister Babar Awan has described Taseer’s murder as a political killing. But Sanaullah said Awan was happy with the murder because he was aspiring for the office of the governor Punjab. “Although Taseer was not a religious man, his death was the result of a controversy between the PPP and religious parties over the blasphemy laws,” he added.

Earlier Punjab Senior Minister Raja Riaz said that if PML-N would de-notify provincial ministries from the PPP, the party would form a coalition government with the PML-Q.

Awan accused the PML-N of supporting Salmaan Taseer’s assassin. He also claimed that the president of PML-N lawyers’ wing at Islamabad had garlanded Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri. He also said that the PPP would respond to the PML-N deadline after January 10.

Government withdraws petrol price hike

Tribune

ISLAMABAD: Prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has announced in the National Assembly that petroleum prices be reverted back to the prices declared on October 31, 2010.

He said that the issue could not be addressed earlier due to the tragic assassination of Governor Salmaan Taseer.

On his return he had a joint discussion with the Finance Minister, Abdul Hafeez and other members of parliament.

The prime minister said the decision was made keeping in mind the opinions of all political parties.

They also took into account the protests over the hike in petroleum prices and decided to reverse the prices back to the rates that were effective on October 31, 2010.

The Prime Minister also urged a parliamentary committee be formed for developing strategies to overcome the issue of fluctuating prices of oil and petroleum.

Leader of the opposition, Chaudhary Nisar appreciated and lauded  Gilani’s decision in the National Assembly.

Cartoon Of the day 3 January 2010

MQM will not revise its decision : Altaf Hussain

Pakistan Prime Minister 'Yosuf Raza Gilani' phones to MQM founder and leader Altaf Hussain. Both Leaders are discussed regarding the Political situation after the MQM's stance. MQM decided to sit on the opposition benches. By the report of agencies, PM Gilani asked Altaf Hussain to revise his stance, but Altaf Hussain replied negatively..

Govt to stay in power even without MQM: PM

Online News

LAHORE: Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that the government will stay in power without MQM, added there is no crisis as PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif in favour of democratic system.

Talking to media, PM Gilani said he knew through media about the MQM decision about quitting government and noted that the MQM settled issues with provincial government.

He said that President Asif Ali Zardari was in contact with MQM for discussing the issues and hoped the government would stay in power without the MQM and noted there was no crisis.

Gilani said that he did not mind any statement of Maulana Fazalur Rehman and he received the resignations of the JUI-F.

He made it clear that there would be no amendment in blasphemy law in his government and noted that Sherry Rehman had submitted the bill on her personal capacity.

He said that the prices of petroleum products were increased under the international markets.

Gilani said that he was enjoying cordial ties with Nawaz Sharif as he has own programme and manifesto and hoped that the PML-N Quaid would not harm the democracy as he always demonstrated seriousness.

Fazl refuses to rejoin govt, soften stance on PM

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Dawn

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Wednesday requested Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F’s chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to rejoin the coalition government. However, the JUI-F chief rejected the request and said his party had ratified the move and would not change its stance in the current circumstances.

Rehman Malik had made the request during a meeting with Fazlur Rehman at the latter’s residence, DawnNews quoted JUI-F sources as saying.

Later on, a delegation of 10 MNAs from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) also met with Fazlur Rehman.

In his meeting with the MNAs from Fata, Fazlur Rehman rejected their request for the JUI-F chief to soften his stance toward Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Fazlur Rehman said he would not change his posture as “the prime minister had sabotaged the Pakistan People’s Party’s reconciliation policy”.

Another setback for Pak govt as MQM parts ways

Hindustan Times


The ruling coalition in Pakistan led by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has suffered a major setback as another of its key ally, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), decided to part ways with the government. "The reservations of the party have not been addressed and we are forced to make a decision to go our own way," MQM legislator Haider Abbas Rizvi told Samaa TV.

The MQM's decision comes just a week after Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), withdrew from the government after Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani sacked Jamiat's Azam Swati, who was minister for science and technology, from his cabinet.

MQM lawmaker Haider Abbas Rizvi told Samaa TV that in the first phase, two federal ministers Farooq Sattar and Babar Khan Ghori, will offer their resignations to the prime minister.

The MQM last week set a 10-day deadline for the government to  clarify a statement of Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza, who had accused MQM of extortion and target-killing in Karachi.

An MQM delegation called on President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani and both assured it of a favourable response. But the party decided to go ahead with the resignations at the end of the deadline when nothing concrete emerged.

"We are not going to apply for opposition benches as yet and will wait and see before making the next move," said MQM leader Wasay Jaleel.

"If things don't improve, we may decide to leave the coalition altogether in the centre and the Sindh province," he said.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman on December 21 submitted resignations of four other ministers of his party and withdrew support to the government.

Federal minister and PPP leader Khurshid Shah said the government wants to take all allies along and the ruling party would assess the situation before giving a formal reaction.

Meanwhile, Zardari is believed to have asked Interior Minister Rehman Malik to play an interlocutor and the president is expected to reach Karachi shortly and establish contact with the MQM, reports said.

The divided mandate in the national assembly had forced the PPP to form a coalition government with the MQM (25), the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (6) and the Awami National Party (13). Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz Sharif) has 90 members, and Pakistan Muslim League (Qaid) has 51.

The exit of the two partners may affect the PPP's number game and it will be difficult for Gilani to take a vote of confidence in parliament.

"The allies have kept a window open for return if the government mends its ways. However, the gulf between the ruling party and its allies is likely to widen in the coming days because the government has not shown any signs of retreating from its hostile stand," political analyst Irfan Siddiqui told Geo TV.

Now, all eyes are on former premier Nawaz Sharif, chief of opposition PML-N, who holds the numerical strength to derail the government if he joins hands with another powerful group. However, he is playing a waiting game and has said that he "will not be part of any undemocratic move".