DAILY BRIEF NEWS UPDATE: 24.01.2012

Memo Commission hearing today

A judicial commission inquiring into  so-called memo scandal meeting today. The commission had summoned Mansoor Ijaz, the central character of memo scandal, today.

Mansoor Ijaz due to security concerns has refused to arrive Pakistan and testify before the commission. The National Security Committee had also summon Ijaz on Thursday.

The lawyer of Hussain Haqqani, Zahid Hussain Bukhari has said Mansoor Ijaz has ridiculed the commission by not appearing before it despite promising twice.

While arriving for the hearing at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) he said there is no justification in recording Ijaz's statement in abroad adding he will ask the commission to forfeit his right of statement.

Mansoor Ijaz has ridiculed commission: Bukhari

ISLAMABAD: The lawyer of Hussain Haqqani former ambassador to US, Zahid Hussain Bukhari said Mansoor Ijaz has ridiculed the commission by not appearing before it despite promising twice, Geo News reported.

While arriving for the hearing at the Islamabad High Court (IHC), he said there is no justification in recording Mansoor Ijaz's statement abroad and will ask the commission to forfeit his right to testify.

The counsel said he will approach the Supreme Court if not satisfied with the commission.

Kenyan aid worker missing in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A Kenyan aid worker and his Pakistani driver working for an international charity are missing, feared abducted in southern Pakistan, police said Monday.
Police official Saqib Ismail said the Kenyan works for Care International and that his car was found abandoned in the town of Naushahro Feroz on Sunday. Since then, there has been no news of about the men's whereabouts.
Six foreigners, four of them aid and development workers, have already been abducted since July in nuclear-armed Pakistan, where US forces last year killed Osama bin Laden and which stands on the frontline of a Taliban insurgency.
The Kenyan is missing in Pakistan's southern province of Sindh in an area badly affected by devastating floods in 2010 and again by floods in 2011 that mobilised a huge international aid operation.
Javed Suharo Jaskani, police chief of Naushahro Feroz, said the foreigner was around 40 years old and had been working in Pakistan for about a year.
'He left (the town of) Sukkur for Dadu (part of the flood-affected areas) yesterday and his car was found abandoned at Naushahro Feroz,' said Jaskani.
'His driver, who is a local person, is also missing,' he added, saying that police believe local bandits kidnapped them for ransom.
Nothing appeared to have been taken from the vehicle, with the foreigner's laptop and bag containing his personal effects left behind, police said. agencies

Business News Mon, 23 Jan 2012 -Local stocks lock a 2-month high KARACHI: Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) closed on a more than two-month high on Monday, with volume at a one-year hi  -Pak-India talks on Turkmenistan gas project Tuesday ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan delegation headed by Federal Minister for Petroleum Dr. Asim Hussain has arrived in India to  -Rupee retreats against dollar KARACHI: In the currency market, Monday, the rupee ended weaker at 90.21/26 to the dollar, compared with Friday s  -Euro slips ahead of finance ministers'' meeting TOKYO: The euro slipped against the dollar and yen in Asia on Monday as the market awaited a meeting of eurozone f  -Oil prices lower on Europe debt worries SINGAPORE: Oil prices were lower in Asian trade Monday amid renewed concerns over Europe s ability to deal with it  -Faisalabad industry sans gas 32nd day on FAISALABAD: The industry in Faisalabad had to suffer from gas closure for the 32nd consecutive day on Sunday, Geo  -Sindh CNG stations reopen after 24 hr suspension KARACHI: CNG stations in Sindh including Karachi reopened on Saturday at 9 am after facing 24 hours suspension, Ge  -Faisalabad IUs remain shut for 31st day FAISALABAD: The industrial units in Faisalabad remained shut for more than a month as a result of suspension of ga  -ECC allows purchase of 100,000mn ton local sugar ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet here on Friday took a number of decisions inc  -Dollar dwarfs rupee down to a record low KARACHI: In the currency market, Friday, the rupee ended weaker at 90.18/23 to the dollar, compared to Thursday s  -KSE ends 2.25pc up ahead of finmin visit KARACHI: Pakistani stocks ended on a two-month high on Friday ahead of an expected visit by the country s finance  -Pakistan economic growth depends on reform pace: ADB KARACHI: Pakistan s economy will struggle to grow fast this year but the country can do better in the future provi  -Finance minister chairs ECC meeting ISLAMABAD: Economic Coordination Committee s (ECC) meeting is underway with Federal Minister for Finance and Econo  -IMF chief Lagarde to talk in Berlin on Jan 23 WASHINGTON: The managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, said Thursday she w  -Asian shares, euro extend gains as debt fears ease HONG KONG: Asian markets rose for a fourth straight day Friday on strong French and Spanish bond sales, the lowest

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Mohammed Saleem Mansoori