BRIEF NEWS UPDATE: 04.01.2012

BlackBerry maker vows privacy safeguard amid memo probe

OTTAWA: Research In Motion vowed Tuesday to defend the legal privacy rights of BlackBerry users after a judicial commission in Pakistan ordered copies of smartphone communications in the memo probe.
The Canadian firm reacted to news that a Pakistani commission was seeking records for a probe into an unsigned memo purported to ask for Washington’s help to rein in Pakistan’s military.
The highly controversial memo was allegedly an attempt by Husain Haqqani, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US and a close aide of President Asif Ali Zardari, to enlist the US military’s help to head off a military coup in May in Pakistan.
It was made public in October by American businessman Mansoor Ijaz.
On Monday, the commission directed Pakistan government officials to obtain the BlackBerry “record of conversation” between Ijaz and the former envoy accused of crafting the memo.
Haqqani resigned over the affair and the Supreme Court has stopped him from leaving Pakistan. He has denied any involvement in the scandal.
Canada-based RIM, which makes the BlackBerry, said, “Like others in our industry, from time to time, we may receive requests from legal authorities for lawful access assistance.”
The company statement added: “We are guided by appropriate legal processes and publicly disclosed lawful access principles in this regard as we balance any such requests against our priority of maintaining the privacy rights of our users.”

Last chance for govt on NRO implementation: SC

ISLAMABAD: A five-member Supreme Court bench hearing NRO implementation case told the government that it was its last chance to follow court orders. After that no order would be issued, instead, action would be taken, Geo News reported Tuesday.Meanwhile, the court summoned Chairman of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on January 10. The bench ordered investigations against former OGDCL chief Adnan Khwaja. ?How were Adnan Khwaja and Ahmed Riaz appointed, Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa asked.

Ban on rallies in Karachi`s `red zone`

KARACHI: Due to security concerns, the Sindh government banned on Tuesday rallies and all political activities in the `red zone` of Karachi.
The move may be aimed at stopping the Ahl-i-Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) sit-in it plans to stage outside the Governor`s House on Jan 6 in protest against registration of an FIR against its leader.
City police chief Akhtar Gorchani said in a TV interview that it was decided that no rally or other political activity would be allowed in the `red zone`.
He said the decision was taken at a meeting after hundreds of Pasban-i-Jafria activists gathered outside the Governor`s House, demanding registration of an FIR against the rival party leader.

Imran says govt has lost mandate to rule

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan said on Tuesday his party would decide whether to go for a civil disobedience campaign or use other means to oust the government during its Central Executive Committee meeting on Saturday, adding that the government had lost the confidence of the people.

Speaking at a news conference, Mr Khan, flanked by information secretary of his party Shafqat Mehmood, said there was nothing wrong in calling early elections because the government`s mismanagement and corruption had undermined every institution and led to a breakdown of law and order.
He said the government`s energy policies had rendered four million people jobless in Punjab alone because of shutdown of businesses and industrial units. He said his decision of boycotting the 2008 elections was correct because those polls were meant to bring about a government which was subservient to the US dictates and better served American interests at the expense of the people of Pakistan.
“There is nothing wrong with the demand of early polls to keep the democratic order on track as there are several examples of repeated elections in different countries in the recent past, including Turkey,” he said.
The PTI chairman reiterated his party`s stance that it would not contest the elections unless the Election Commission implemented the judgment of the Supreme Court about names of fake voters in electoral rolls.
Referring to power and gas riots across the country, Mr Khan said only 185,000 consumers were paying their electricity bills though there were 28,00,000 air conditioners and there were 400,000 illegal connections owned by influential people who used free electricity and the poor had to pay their bills also.
Referring to corruption in the fertilizer sector, the PTI chairman said that media would soon be provided with details of the corruption in this sector, which had badly hit farmers throughout the country. About deteriorating law and order situation, he said that cases of car snatching had touched new heights last year while kidnapping for ransom had now become a massive industry, forcing several industrialists to close their businesses in the country move to other countries.
He accused the government of mismanagement in state affairs and reneging on agreements, leading to massive gas and power loadsheddng which had closed hundreds of industries and businesses, rendering millions of people jobless and pushing them and their families to starvation.
He attributed all these problems to US-brokered PPP-Musharraf deal known as NRO and because of this deal an inefficient, incompetent and corrupt government was put in place only to continue to serve US interests.
He accused the government of destroying all key institutions, including PIA, PSM and Pakistan Railways.
The PTI chief supported the demand of new provinces of Hazara, south Punjab and Bahawalpur, but only on administrative grounds and not for political point scoring or gaining party votes, adding that countries like Japan and others had done so to streamline their administrative work and to facilitate their masses.

Business News

 Tue, 3 Jan 2012

-Rupee trades at record low of 90.20
KARACHI: The Pakistani rupee traded at a record low on Tuesday because of increased import payments and a deterior 

-Oil eases in Asian trade after overnight surge
SINGAPORE: World crude prices inched lower in Asian trade Wednesday after soaring overnight over tensions between 

-CNG, transporter associations call off strike
ISLAMABAD: The talks between the Secretary Petroleum and Natural Resources Muhammad Ejaz Chaudhry and Chairman All 

-Banking stocks lead KSE to 11402 points
KARACHI: Share prices at Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) rose on Tuesday mainly as a result of traders interest in b 

-Oil higher in Asia
SINGAPORE: Oil rose in Asian trade Tuesday, underpinned by positive economic data out of China and geopolitical te 

-Euro firms against dollar in Asian trade
SINGAPORE: The euro rebounded against the dollar in Asian trade Tuesday but ongoing worries over Europe s debt woe 

-Asian shares rise on China economic data
HONG KONG: Asian shares rose Tuesday, taking a lead from European markets which started 2012 in positive territory 

-Ban on filling CNG in public transport vehicles to be suspended for 15 days
ISLAMABAD: Secretary Petroleum Natural Resources Muhammad Ejaz Chaudhry held a meeting with Ghyas Paracha Chairman 

-Consumer price index jumps 9.75pc in Dec
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan s consumer price index (CPI) rose 9.75 percent in December from a year earlier, the Federal Bu 

-OGDC, shaky economy dent KSE
KARACHI: Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) ended lower on Monday as investors sold shares of heavyweight Oil and Gas De 

-CNG situation being distorted: Petroleum Minister
KARACHI: Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain said on Monday that some people were trying to fool the public about t 

-Gas crisis: Punjab traders to go on protest
LAHORE: All the chambers of commerce and industry and trade organisations of the Punjab have decided to launch a p 

-CNG stations observing strike in KPK
PESHAWAR: CNG stations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are observing strike across the province from today, Geo News reporte 

-Petrol price hiked; diesel kept unchanged
ISLAMABAD: Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on Saturday hiked the price petrol and HOBC but withdrew rise i 

-ISE elects directors for 2012
ISLAMABAD: The general body of Islamabad Stock Exchange (ISE) on Saturday elected five directors for the year 2012

  LATEST/BRIEF NEWS:

·       Cabinet meeting on energy crisis today

·       Edging closer: Taliban insurgents drop precondition for peace talks

·       Maulana Johar being remembered today

·       PM not for army courts in Karachi

·       US to release Taliban leaders: UK paper

·       Nato attack: PCNS meeting today

·       Salmaan Taseer's death anniversary today

·       US hopes Pak will open supply routes

Mohammed Saleem Mansoori