BRIEF NEWS UPDATE: 12.01.2012

US voices support for democracy, constitution in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The United States supports democracy and constitution in Pakistan, says a statement issued by US embassy in Islamabad.

The US is the supporter of supremacy of law and constitution, and democracy in Pakistan.

It said NRO ruling and memo scandal are Pakistans internal matters and that US doesnt want to interfere in the countrys internal situation. SAMAA

‘US playing no role in Pakistan matters’

WASHINGTON: The US State Department said on Wednesday that the conflict between the civil and military establishments in Pakistan was the country`s internal matter and it would not like to comment on it.
At a briefing in Washington, a State Department official also said the US was not playing any role in removing differences between the civilian government and the Pakistani military.
The official, however, said that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was meeting Pakistan`s new envoy to Washington, Sherry Rehman, on Wednesday evening and would reiterate the US desire to rebuild its relationship with the country.
On Tuesday, Ambassador Rehman submitted her credential papers to Wendy Sherman, US Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs, and is scheduled to have a formal meeting with President Barack Obama on Jan 18.
During her visit to the State Department, Ms Rehman also met Marc Grossman, US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan.
`They discussed the current state of Pakistan-US relations,` a Pakistani embassy spokesman said.

Petition in IHC seeks to preempt sacking of Kayani, Pasha

ISLAMABAD: Amid growing tensions between the civilian government and the military leadership, an unprecedented petition has been filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday to block any attempts by the government to sack Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Ahmed Shuja Pasha.
The petition filed by Advocate Maulvi Iqbal Haider, considered to be a dubious character by the Supreme Court (SC) and even banned from entering SC premises by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry for filing frivolous petitions, was promptly accepted by the IHC.
The petitioner requested that the president and prime minister be restrained from taking any action against the army and intelligence chiefs by issuing an adverse notification against them until a final decision on his writ petition had been taken.
Seeking the judiciary’s intervention, the petition was filed hours after the Army warned of “grievous consequences” for the country, over criticism by Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani that the army and intelligence chiefs had failed to make their submissions to the commission through government channels.
The brewing tussle has already led to the sacking of secretary defense and triggered speculations that the government may take similar action against the army and intelligence chiefs.
Maulvi Haider filed the petition under Article 199 of the Constitution, naming eleven respondents including the president, prime minister, chief of army staff, director general ISI, chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB), secretaries of cabinet division, establishment division, law and defense ministry, former ambassador to US Husain Haqqani and Pakistani American businessman Mansoor Ijaz.
Iqbal prayed to the court to declare that the president and prime minster had failed to perform their constitutional duties by disobeying the orders of the SC and the judicial commission probing the Memogate case.
Haider went on to add that the president had categorically declined to accept the SC’s decision and judicial commission’s finding in the Memogate case, whereas the prime minister had said “no one would be allowed to run state within a state” on the floor of the National Assembly on December 22, adding that both statements were in violation of Article 2A, 5, 9,25,62,63,189,190 and 204 of the Constitution and the oath undertaken by the president and prime minister.
Furthermore, the petitioner requested the court to restrain the government from implicating Mansoor Ijaz, the main accuser in the Memogate case, in any false cases upon his arrival and provide him with the Army protection during his stay in the country.

Business News

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:52:00 +0500 

-

Oil prices higher in Asian trade
SINGAPORE: Oil prices rose in Asian trade Thursday as concerns over supply disruptions in Iran and Nigeria outweig 

-Asian shares mixed as China inflation slows
HONG KONG: Asian markets were mixed Thursday as Chinese inflation hit its lowest level in more than a year while a 

-Wall Street ends near 5-month high before Europe test
NEW YORK: Stocks held firm near recent five-month highs on Wednesday as investors awaited key bond market tests fo 

-CNG closed for third day in Multan region
MULTAN: Multan region is facing CNG closure for the third consecutive day today (Wednesday) under the gas load man 

-Euro down ahead of Spain, Italy debt auctions
TOKYO: The euro eased against other major currencies in Asia on Wednesday amid caution ahead of debt auctions by s 

-Asian shares mostly higher on Wall Street rally
HONG KONG: Asian shares were mostly higher Wednesday, tracking gains on Wall Street where US stocks closed at thei 

-Oil lower in Asia on profit-taking
SINGAPORE: Oil prices slid in Asian trade Wednesday as traders took profit from recent gains, with weak US energy 

-Hedge funds lock horns with IMF on Greek debt
LONDON: Hedge funds are taking on the powerful International Monetary Fund over its plan to slash Greece s towerin 

-Samsung confident of outselling Nokia in 2012
LAS VEGAS: Samsung Electronics Co is confident it will become the world s largest cellphone maker in 2012, ending 

-KSE loses 107 points
KARACHI: Share prices at Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) fell on Tuesday, as investors remained concerned about the p 

-Euro stable in Asia after French-German talks
TOKYO: The euro was stable against major currencies in Asian trade Tuesday as investors focused on European reacti 

-US data, Iran fears send oil higher in Asia
SINGAPORE: Oil prices rose in Asian trade Tuesday with buoyant US consumer data and heightened worries over Iran s 

-Asian shares up on US data
HONG KONG: Asian shares rose Tuesday, following a lead from Wall Street after more upbeat US data, although a meet 

-Swiss central bank chief quits over wife''s currency deal
BERNE: Swiss National Bank Chairman Philipp Hildebrand resigned with immediate effect on Monday, saying he could n 

-KSE sheds 85 points, ends at 11,040
KARACHI: The Karachi Stock Exchange s (KSE) benchmark 100-share index ended 0.76 percent, or 85.05 points, lower a

  

LATEST/BRIEF NEWS:

·       Gen Dempsey in contact with Kayani: US

·       Pir Pagara s remains reach Pir Jo Goth

·       Defusing tension: As allies waver, PPP heads to NA

·       PM statement: Army Chief Kayani in crunch meeting

·       Nawaz demands early elections

·       Zardari, Altaf discuss political situation

·       Govt-military infighting may spell trouble for West

·       Military-Civil imbalance

·       Pakistan urges respect for sovereignty

·       PM remarks: Army warns of consequences

Mohammed Saleem Mansoori