LATEST NEWS UPDATE: 20.04.2012

SC resumes hearing of chemical quota case today

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court of Pakistan will resume hearing of chemical quota allotment case today (Friday).The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has named the prime minister s younger son, Ali Musa Gilani, as an accused in its investigation report on the illegal allocation of import quotas for a controlled drug.A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry will resume hearing of the case on Friday.In the 23-page investigation report prepared for the Supreme Court, the ANF s Regional Director (Rawalpindi) Brig. Faheem Ahmed Khan has informed the apex court of eight new suspects in the Ephedrine quota case, including Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani s principal secretary Khushnood Akhtar Lashari and Ministry of Narcotics Control Secretary Zafar Abbas Luk.Other suspects include National Assembly member Mian Abdus Sattar and his colleague, Anjum Shah, Drug Controller Sheikh Ansar as well as the Deputy Drug Controller, Abdus Sattar Suhrani.The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), an international body monitoring the implementation of the United Nations (UN) drug control conventions, permits Pakistan to import a total of 22,000kg of Ephedrine a year - a limit it exceeded by nine tonnes when the devolved ministry of health allocated 30909.55kg in 2010.

LATEST/BRIEF  NEWS:

·       Gilani contempt case hearing underway

·       Nato urges Pak to open transit route

·       Three gunned down in Karachi areas

·       Hafeez upbeat on trade with India

Business News

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 - Global growth seen subdued, still heavily reliant on Asia LONDON/SINGAPORE: The global economy is set to expand by a modest 3.3 percent this year as a still-smoldering euro - Social media is gold for Olympics advertisers SAN FRANCISCO: Advertisers are going for Facebook as athletes go for the gold, in the first Olympic Games where ma - KSE shade lower as investors offload energy stocks KARACHI: Local stocks ended slightly lower on Thursday because of selling in the energy sector, but investors boug - Another flat close for rupee vs USD KARACHI: The rupee Thursday ended almost flat at 90.71/76 to the dollar, compared with Wednesday s close of 90.71/ - Gold extends losses in local market KARACHI: Gold lost Rs128 to close at Rs48,514 per 10 grams in the local market Thursday as its international pric - Pakistan''s forex reserves rise to $16.6bn KARACHI: Pakistan s foreign exchange reserves rose to $16.6 billion in the week ended April 13, from $16.52 billio - Analysis: In Asia, BlackBerry''s RIM sees a glimmer of hope JAKARTA: The launch in India of a new BlackBerry by Research In Motion Ltd is not just a nod to its lower-end user - Asian markets mixed, dealers await Spain debt sale HONG KONG: Asian markets were mixed on Thursday as dealers cautiously await a crucial bond auction in Spain, while - Oil prices up, focus on Spanish bond sale SINGAPORE: Oil edged higher in Asian trade Thursday but prices were capped ahead of a Spanish government bond auct - Euro inches up ahead of G20 debt-crisis talks TOKYO: The euro inched higher against major currencies in Asia on Thursday as traders looked to a G20 meeting focu - Pakistan upbeat on trade with India WASHINGTON: Finance minister on Wednesday voiced optimism about trade with India, saying that he saw popular suppo - Gold comes down to Rs48,642/10gm KARACHI: Gold slipped by Rs 215 to Rs 48,642 per 10 grams in the local market Wednesday as its international pric - Karachi stocks pick up on earnings hopes KARACHI: Stocks at local equity market ended higher on Wednesday on buying by investors expecting strong corporate - Rupee retreats against dollar; overnight rates flat KARACHI: On Wednesday in currency market, the rupee ended weaker at 90.71/74 to the dollar, compared with Tuesday - Foreign investment falls 65pc in July-March: SBP KARACHI: Foreign investment into Pakistan fell nearly 65 percent to $516 million in the first nine months of 2011/ MOHAMMED SALEEM MANSOORI