Sara Chaudhry, who said will preach Islam for rest of her life, returns to same “Haram” business

ALERT Sara Chaudhry, who said will preach Islam for rest of her life, returns to same “Haram” business By Abdul Hafeez - Jun 30th, 2012 (No Comment) Pakistan’s young and gorgeous model and TV actress Sara Chaudhry, who left the showbiz three years ago after marrying and declaring that appearing in TV dramas and commercials was Haram (forbidden), is coming back to same old“Haram” business. According to report he is playing protagonist in a Telefilm Allah ho Akbar which also includes songs. Media reports had earlier reported that Sara Chaudhry has separated from her husband in Dubai and established contacts with TV directors and producers. After leaving the showbiz Sara was seen delivering religious lectures and telling the story to Muslim youth as how he left the glamour world. In one of her speech made before a large audience she said she didn’t knew she would one day become a celebrity and didn’t know one-day she would realize it (working in showbiz) was wrong. She said she wanted to become a strong woman and kept doing her efforts in this regard. She was single child of her parents and praised by her family for her work. Sara vowed that she would now preach Islam during her rest of life. In her last interview with an Urdu language newspaper, she had said that people should stop their daughters from entering showbiz as it was a sin. Sara said the world should revolve around the religion and religion should not revolve around the world. === In pursuit of knowledge: From Ghazni to Lahore Hanifa Alizad­a talks about discri­minati­on in Tehran and strugg­ling to adjust in Lahore. By Aroosa Shaukat Published: June 30, 2012 The photograph, a part of 23-year-old Afghan national Hanifa Alizada’s visual arts thesis at the Beaconhouse National University (BNU), has been selected for the World Bank-sponsored Imagining Our Future Together travelling art exhibition. " We left Afghanistan to pursue education and we returned…to pursue it," Afghan artist Hanifa Alizada The photograph, a part of 23-year-old Afghan national Hanifa Alizada’s visual arts thesis at the Beaconhouse National University (BNU), has been selected for the World Bank-sponsored Imagining Our Future Together travelling art exhibition. LAHORE: ‘The distance between us,’ shows a girl facing another. A hand shuts her mouth while another hand shuts the other’s eyes. The two cannot therefore communicate. The photograph, a part of 23-year-old Afghan national Hanifa Alizada’s visual arts thesis at the Beaconhouse National University (BNU), has been selected for the World Bank-sponsored Imagining Our Future Together travelling art exhibition. Alizada, who hails from the Afghan city of Ghazni, says, “The photograph draws inspiration from my time as a refugee in Tehran.” Alizada migrated to Iran as an eight year-old when her family decided that the civil war in Afghanistan was affecting her education.

“My parents decided to move to Tehran hoping it would provide us better educational opportunities,” Alizada said. “But we were not allowed to study at Iranian state schools,” she recalls. Alizada was admitted to elementary school run by Afghan refugees for their children. “The discrimination I suffered in Tehran as a child is expressed in some of my current artwork,” she says. “I began to wonder whether there was something wrong with me.”

In the spring of 2002, Alizada and her family returned to Kabul since there were no schools in Iran for Afghans to enroll for a higher education. “We left Afghanistan to pursue education and we returned…to pursue it,” she recalls. “Our return coincided with the American intervention in Afghanistan… the country was still in a state of war.” After Alizada completed grade 12 from a private school in Kabul, her principal encouraged her to apply for admission at Beaconhouse National University (BNU) under the SAARC scholarship programme that was later renamed the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Institute for South Asian Arts scholarship. Alizada got the scholarship in 2008. “My family was initially worried about me travelling to Pakistan but later gave in,” she says. “I was always curious about Pakistan…I had read about Benazir Bhutto in grade 10 and wanted to learn more about the country she belonged to. Lahore’s heat was the first thing that struck me upon arrival in September 2008,” she says. “I was unfamiliar with the languages spoken at the university,” Alizada says. “It also took me a while to adjust to the spicy food and power outages.” A greater challenge was obtaining annual visa renewal. Salima Hashmi, the dean of the School of Visual Arts and Design, helped smoothen the process, she said. Alizada’s photograph shortlisted out of a total of 280 entries from SAARC countries, will be displayed along with 24 other shortlisted artworks at different World Bank offices in South Asia from September this year to May 2013 after which they will be displayed in Washington DC between June and July 2013. Alizada hopes to get a job at the Kabul University. She also looks forward to art exhibitions in Kabul and Lahore later this year. She said that the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan had several misconceptions about one another due to political differences. “Perhaps…the youth of both countries can help overcome them.” On concluding her arts education, she says, “It feels like finally going to bed after a long, hard day.” Published in The Express Tribune, June 30th, 2012.

مقتل القيادي الصدري عبد الستار البهادلي المتهم الاول بمقتل عبد المجيد الخوئي ومكتب الصدر يتهمون العصائب..

مقتل القيادي الصدري عبد الستار البهادلي المتهم الاول بمقتل عبد المجيد الخوئي ومكتب الصدر يتهمون العصائب.. تم قراءة الموضوع 2099 مرة تم تقيم الموضوع من قبل 9 قراء * 1 * 2 * 3 * 4 * 5 الكاتب: قراءات 28/6/2012 2:57 مساءَ أعلن مقربون من مكتب الصدر في البصرة عن مقتل القيادي عبد الستارالبهادلي فجر اليوم في منزله الواقع في حي الطويسه بالبصرة.. وقال الشيخ كاظم المحمدي القيادي في مكتب الصدر في البصرة أن مسلحين ملثمين أقتحموا دار البهادلي فجر اليوم الخميس الساعة الرابعة وقتلوا البهادلي رمياً بالرصاص بعد أن أحتجزوا حماياته في كرفان مخصص للحماية وعزلوا اسرته في احدى غرف المنزل قبل أن يغادروا المكان.. واضاف المحمدي أن اصابع الاتهام تشير الى تورط جماعة عصائب اهل الحق الموالية ل قيس الخزعلي الذي انشق عن الصدر مؤخراً ومازالت التحقيقات جارية الى حد الساعة ولم يتسنى معرفة الفاعل الحقيقي الى الان.. البهادلي قيادي في التيار الصدري , وفي جيش المهدي بالبصرة , وهو امام الجمعة في البصرة منذ عام 1998 , ومدير مكتب الصدر في المدينة ، ولد في البصرة ونشأ فيها , وانهى دراسته الأبتدائية والمتوسطة , تخرج في معهد الفنون الجميلة ببغداد , وعمل في المجال الفني الشعبي , في فرق تحيي المناسبات العامة والخاصة فعمل في فرقة البصرة للفنون الشعبية , التي كانت تحيي المناسبات وتشارك في كل حفلتقيمه تنظيمات حزب البعث في البصرة , ويذكر البصريون انه شارك في مسرحية تسخر من الخميني أثناءالحرب الإيرانية العراقية وانه – البهادلي – كان يشد على وسطه قطعة قماش , ويضع على وجهه لحية مستعارة ويتحدث بلهجة عربية مكسرة يحاكي بها لغة السيد الخميني ,وكانت تلك المسرحية عرضت في البهو المحلي بالمحافطة ، ثم أستقل فأسس له فرقة شعبية خاصة به في منطقة الجمهورية بالبصرة . كان معتقلاً في قسم الأحكام الخاصة في سجن ابي غريب قبل الأحتلال , وبينما يقول انصاره انه كان معتقلاً ومحكوماً لمعارضة النظام السابق وانه تمكن مع جماعته من ( تحرير البصرة )في ثلاثه ايام فقط اثناء الأنتفاضة الشعبانية , فأن أخرين يقولون بل انه كان محكوماً بتهمة أخلاقية , وانه كان مصدر فتن وقلاقل حتى بين زملائه المساجين . هرب البهادلي مع من هربوا بعد فشل (الأنتفاضة الشعبانية ) عام 1991وتوجه مع الى معسكر رفحا في السعودية الذي خصصته سلطات المملكة العربية السعودية للهاربين من العراق بعد تلك الاحداث ، فرض نفسه في معسكر رفحا بأعتباره شخصية دينية , وسرعان ما حامت حولها لشكوك بأنه يعمل لحساب الأستخبارات السعودية للتجسس على المقيمين في المخيم . تمكن من السفر بسهولة من معسكر رفحا الى ايران قبل شخصيات ذات اهمية بالنسبة للشيعة ولأيران , وهناك عمل في قسم الأعاشة بفيلق بدر , ويتهمه خصومه بانه عمل على الحصول على كشوفات بأسماءأعضاء الفيلق ليسلمها فيما بعد الى السلطات العراقية ، عاد الى العراق عام1993 دون ان تتعرض له السلطات الأمنية في العراق الأمر الذي عزز الشهادات والشكوك التي تحيط بأرتباطاته . التحق بعدها بخط محمد صادق الصدر .. ثم بقي البهادلي قريباً منابن الصدر , مقتدى , والتحق الى النجف ليكون على مقربة منه ايام الأحتلال الأولىوساهم في قتل عبد المجيد الخوئي بأمر من مقتدى الصدر , وقد ذكر القاضي رياض راضيمطلك آسم عبد الستار البهادلي ضمن المتهمين بقتل الخوئي في رسالة وجهها القاضي الى( اللجنة الشعبية لمناصرة قضية السيد عبد المجيد الخوئي ) , ويقول البصريون انهدائم التفاخر بأنه أطلق رصاصة على رأس عبد المجيد الخوئي . أعتقل بتهمة المشاركة في قتل الخوئي , هو وأخوه بمنطقة الجزائر فيما كانا جالسين في أحد المطاعم , وكانت القوة التي اعتقلته هي قوة من الجيش العراقي تحمل أمراً قضائياً بالقبض عليه , وقد أطلقت النيران بغزارة في مناطق ( الطويسة ) و ( حي الحسين ) عند أنتشار خبرالقبض عليه , وكان مقتدى الصدر يطالب بأستمرار بأطلاق سراحه ويهتم به وبأسرته ,حتى أطلق سراحه " لعدم كفاية الأدلة " . يتناقل البصريون فتواه في أحدى خطب الجمعة اذ وقف لابساً الكفن , يحمل بيده مسدساً وقد تجمع حوله صبيان جيش المهدي , ليقول بأنه خصص مكافآة 250 الف دينار لمن يأتيه بمجندة أمريكيةأو بريطانية , أو 100 الف دينار لمن يأتيه بجندي آمريكي او بريطاني , والفرق بينالسعرين – برأي الذين تابعوا نشاطات البهادلي – تكشف عن شخصية المزيد من المواضيع معلومات خطيرة تنفرد قراءات بنشرها !! الطالباني يهيئ نجله... 28/6/2012 10:39 مساءَ قراءات تنفرد بكشف كتاب رسمي تضمن بيع قطعة ارض لـ(خضير... 28/6/2012 10:06 مساءَ مقتل القيادي الصدري عبد الستار البهادلي المتهم الاول بمقتل ... 28/6/2012 2:57 مساءَ خاص بقراءات ...صحيفة لبنانية تكشف فضائح اخلاقية يمارسها... 28/6/2012 1:54 مساءَ بسرية تامة .. مصدر يؤكد : نصف ميزانية اقليم كردستان من... 28/6/2012 12:48 مساءَ تحسبا من وصول طائرات الـ(F16) الى بغداد.. كردستان تعقد صفقة... 28/6/2012 12:42 مساءَ المالكي مستنجدا بايران : اردعوا مقتدى الصدر وتصرفاته... 28/6/2012 12:34 مساءَ حارث الضاري : مقتدى والمالكي شياطين مجرمين بثوب الوطنية... 28/6/2012 11:28 صباحا مستنجدا بعراب تقسيم العراق ..البارزاني يجري اتصالات مكثفة... 28/6/2012 10:00 صباحا خلاف قد يقطع اخر خيوط الوصال بينهما .. علاوي يصف المطلك... 28/6/2012 9:49 صباحا تعليقات القراء الاسم محمد البصري البريد الالكتروني MAYAWADY@YAHOO.COM سبحان الله !, بشر القاتل بالقتل و لو بعد حين ! و لقد تم الان التخلص من أحد شهود مقتل المغدور الخوئي الاسم كريم محمد البريد الالكتروني bbcc971@yahoo.com اذا كان الهادلي هكذا فكيف سيكون قائده تصارع بينهم والبقاء للاقواى فهولاء عبارة عن زمرة عصابات وقتلة واليوم جاء وقت المحاسبة فهذا يريد السيطرة والاخر يريد ابراز قوته على انه الاجدر ونقول لا فرق بين الاثنين فهم عصابات تعابعة لا يران الشر الاسم عباس الموسوي البريد الالكتروني damr_damr@yahoo.com وبشر القاتل بالقتل ولو بعد حين....الى جهنم وبئس المصير هو وجلاوزته الذين دمرو البلد الاسم عراقي البريد الالكتروني damr_damr@yahoo.com وبشر القاتل بالقتل ولو بعد حين....الى جهنم وبئس المصير هو وجلاوزته الذين دمرو البلد الاسم كاظم القريشي البريد الالكتروني kadhum_68@yahoo.com من هالمال حمل جمال الاسم الغديري البريد الالكتروني the_masterph1@yahoo.com ولو ان الشماته حرام لكن اقولها بملئ الفم الى جهنم وبئس المصير يا سافل ويا منحط ويا قاتل ويا لص وانشالله ياتي اليوم الذي يلحق بك المنغولي مقتدى هو وعصابته وجميع كتلة العبيد في البرلمان == Leader of the Sadrist killing of Abdul Sattar Bahadli first defendant killed Abdul Majid al-Khoei and Sadr's office accused of Alasaib .. Topic has been read 2099 times has been the subject of living by 9 Readers * 1 * 2 * 3 * 4 * 5 Author: Readings 28/06/2012 14:57 Announced close to the Sadr office in Basra, killing leader Abdul Asattaralbhadla morning at his home in the neighborhood of Basra Ataiwash .. Sheikh Kazem Mohammadi leader of the Sadr office in Basra that the masked gunmen stormed a house Bahadli dawn Thursday, killing four o'clock Bahadli shot after capturing a caravan in Hamayate dedicated to the protection and cut off his family in one of the rooms of the house before leaving the house .. Mohammadi added that the fingers pointing to the involvement of group League of the Righteous pro Qais Khazali, who recently split from the chest and is still under investigation to the extent that time did not know the true culprits so far .. Bahadli leader of the Sadrist movement, the Mahdi Army in Basra, an imam on Friday in Basra since 1998, and director of the Sadr office in the city, was born in Basra, where he grew up, and finished his primary and middle He graduated from the Institute of Fine Arts, Baghdad, and worked in the field of technical folk, in teams revive public events and private work of the Task Force for Folk Arts of Basra, which salutes the events and participate in all organizations Hfeltqima the Baath Party in Basra, It is noteworthy Albesrion he took part in the play mocks Khomeini Otinaaharb the Iran-Iraq and that he - Bahadli - was pulled to his waist cloth, and puts on his face a false beard and speaks Arabic dialect broken mimics the language of Mr. Khomeini, and that was the play presented in the lobby the local Bamahaafth, then take established the his own popular band in the region of the Republic of Basra. Was detained at the Department of special provisions in the Abu Ghraib prison by occupation, and while supporters say he was detained and convicted for opposing the former regime and he was able with his group of (Edit Basra) in only three days during the popular uprising, others say, but he was convicted on charges of ethical, and that he was a source of strife and unrest even among his fellow prisoners. Fled Bahadli with those who fled after the failure (uprising) in 1991 and went with the camp of Rafha in Saudi Arabia allocated by the Saudi Arabian authorities for those fleeing from Iraq after these events, established himself in the camp of Rafha as a religious figure, and soon hovered around for suspicions that he worked for the Intelligence Saudi Arabia to spy on residents in the camp. Able to travel easily from Rafha camp to Iran before the figures of importance for the Shia and Iran, and there is work in the Department of subsistence Badr Corps, and accused his opponents as an act to get the statements Bosmeoeda Corps to be delivered later to the Iraqi authorities, He returned to Iraq in 1993 without being exposed to him the security authorities in Iraq, which has enhanced certification and uncertainties that surround the Bertbatath. Then joined the line Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr .. Then remained Bahadli soon Mnbn Sadr, Muqtada, and joined to Najaf to be close to it during the occupation Alawlyosahm in the murder of Abdul Majid al-Khoei order of Moqtada al-Sadr, has mentioned Judge Riad Radeimtalk name Abdul Sattar Bahadli among those accused of killing al-Khoei in a letter to judge (People's Committee to advocate the case of Mr. Abdul Majid al-Khoei), says Albesrion Anadaúm boasting that he fired a bullet at the head of Abdul Majid al-Khoei. He was arrested on charges of participating in the killing of al-Khoei, he and his brother Region Algeria while they were sitting in a restaurant, and was the force that arrested him is the power of the Iraqi army with a court order for his arrest, was shot extensively in areas (Ataiwash) and (Al-Hussein) at the spread of Khbralqd it, and Moqtada al-Sadr was demanding continued to release him and care about him and his family, until he was released "for lack of evidence." Circulating Albesrion his fatwa in one of the Friday sermons, as a cease wearing the shroud, holds his hand gun, gathered around the boys, the Mahdi Army, to say that he was allocated bonus 250 000 dinars for those who come to him Bmjendh Omrakiho British, or 100 thousand dinars for those who come to him as an American soldier or British, and the difference Bensaran - opinion who have followed the activities of Bahadli - reveal personal == Flydubai to launch Basra flights Dubai: Thu, 28 Jun 2012 Flydubai, Dubai’s leading low-cost airline, said it has added another Iraqi destination, Basra to its network, with plans to launch four weekly flights to the port city starting from August 8. Basra joins the capital Baghdad, plus Najaf, Sulaimaniyah, and Erbil, swelling flydubai’s Iraqi route map to five points, one of the most comprehensive networks to Iraq in the region, said a top official. "We identified Iraq as one of our principal markets in 2010 with the launch of services to Erbil and Sulaimaniyah. This is in line with our commitment to continually identify emerging and underserved destinations," remarked flydubai’s CEO, Ghaith Al Ghaith. The flights FZ229 will depart Dubai Terminal 2 at 8.45am and arrive in Basra International Airport at 9.40am (local time). On return, flight FZ230, will take off from Basra at 10.40am and land in Dubai at 1.25pm. The return fares from Dubai to Basra start at Dh2,205 ($600) and include one piece of hand luggage weighing up to 7kg, one small laptop bag or handbag plus 20kg of checked baggage in each direction. A seat with extra legroom costs Dh100 extra. "We hope that our expanding network will further promote travel between the UAE and Iraq, not only for the business community but also for the thousands of Iraqi expatriates residing in the UAE," he noted. He emphasised the rising prospects between the UAE and Iraq, which saw trade exchange between the two nations account for more han $4.5 billion in 2011. Iraq’s ongoing reconstruction work and the development of sectors such as energy, construction, retail, and agriculture indicate that the main demand for the new route will be business traffic. Besides its commercial interests, Iraq is also home to a number of significant historical and religious sites. Basra is Iraq’s main port, helping shipping, logistics, and transport evolve into major industries. The oil and gas sector also maintains a significant presence in the city with most of Iraq’s oil exports being shipped from the Al Basrah Oil Terminal.-TradeArabia News Service

The battle between Geo News and Dunya TV

By Ahmed Rayyan - Jun 25th, 2012 (No Comment) 8 The scandals of mediagate and anchorgate have heated up a lot of debate on the ethical responsibilities and professionalism of media and its influential workers across the industry but the two television channels were singled out eventually for creating chaos in making public opinion against the judiciary. Geo News and Dunya TV both got the opportunity to throw mud at each other after journalists and anchors of TV media outlets were observed criticizing the role of media outlets supporting the agenda of of Malik Riaz Hussain, the real estate magnet. Though the battle was not new between the two TV channels but it reached at the height after the issue of Arsalangate, which was highlighted by media persons of both sides including Shaheen Sehbai, Najeem Sethi, Kamran Khan, Mubashir Luqman and Mehar Bukhari. However the battle was old as more than three years old when the Dunya TV launched its transmission and hired leading journalists, newscasters and anchorperson of the Geo News for their current affairs programs. . . . Dunya TV Asma Chaudhry One of the leading correspondents and producers of Geo TV who did reporting in parliament on Geo News joined Dunya TV and become anchor of its current affairs program “In Session”. She is now associated with Dawn News. . . . . Absar Alam He was bureau chief of Geo News and leading political correspondent. He received handsome offer from Dunya TV and move to new channel as Director News though he later joined Aaj TV. Veena Malik She is being called as Queen of controversies nowadays but she was the hostess of a political satire show “Hum Sub Umeed Sei Hain”. Later she joined Dunya TV and become hostess of the program “Miss Dunya”. Javed Iqbal One of the most familiar and favorite face of the Geo News has joined Dunya TV as newscaster. He rejoined Geo News but quit it again to be anchorperson of Dunya TV show “News Watch”. Aniq Naji Aniq Naji is quite unfamiliar but he always works on serious issues of the society and politics. He has hosted morning show on Geo and played a leading role in the investigative documentary program “Bandd File”. He also left Geo to join Dunya TV upon which he has been presenting an investigative documentary program “Talaash”. Dr Younas Butt The famous comic writer, screenwriter and humorist, Dr Muhammad Younas Butt, had been producing at all time favorite show “Hum Sub Umeed Sei Hain” from Geo News. He has introduced a new style of political satire in his show and explored many new actors for different roles. But he joined Dunya and now producing a show “Butt Tameezian”. Besides there are many names who had been associated with Geo News for quite long period later moved to Dunya TV in pursuance of better opportunity. Among them there were newscasters, reporters, Non-linear editors, producers and technical staff. Though there were many people who joined Dunya TV from different outlets but the impact on Geo News was seen significant after its leading team members quit it to join Dunya TV and then tussle has been continued since now. Geo News Geo News as pioneer among private TV channels has always a good team of reporters, anchors, newscasters but it was not only seen cautious with Dunya but took revenge from it as well. Though it picked out a couple of journalists from Dunya TV but they were the most influential people having good viewership and programs’ rating on their previous channel. Najam Sethi and Muneeb Farooq Najam Sethi, a heavyweight journalist, had been gaining popularity as an analyst on Dunya TV in this program ““Najam Sethi Show”. The rating and popularity of the program was quite improving and it became one of the leading current affairs programs of Dunay TV in which he with his fellow anchor Muneeb Farooq not only presented ‘logical’ analysis of national and international political issues but also broke stories of the upcoming events. The pair of two anchors was hired by Geo News obviously on handsome package but more importantly from Dunya TV, its rival media outlets. Their program was rebranded as Aaps Ki Baat and its format was slightly changed from their previous show. Aftab Iqbal Aftab Iqbal, who was considered as one of the famous anchors in the media industry, earlier hosted a favorite comical talk show “Hasbe Hal. The program with its unique format and content gained an extraordinary popularity among the viewers to become a top rated show of the electronic media. He later moved to Geo News and started hosting a unique show “Khabarnaak”. The two shows of Dunya TV was quite popular which brought it among the race of leading TV outlets due to its contents and anchorpersons, however, the show Hasbe Hal retained its popularity with its main character Azizi (Shoail Ahmed). Paid documentary of Bahria Town The race of rating and talk shows does not seem to be over yet but both channels have made handsome money while airing paid documentary or long-duration advertisement of Bahria Town, which has been broadcasting during the transmission of Geo News and Dunay TV for nearly one month. The role of anchors and journalists working in these media outlets certainly cannot included in that case but the management and owners of the two outlets must be involved in making money and contesting each other in getting business from the owner of Bahria Town.

Australian gas users fear shortage as LNG exports grow

Wed, May 16 03:44 AM EDT * Gladstone LNG hub may drain east coast gas supplies * Miner Rio Tinto says having problems securing gas supplies * Some domestic buyers press for government intervention * Gas producers say higher prices to boost supply By Rebekah Kebede and Sonali Paul ADELAIDE/MELBOURNE, May 16 (Reuters) - Australia is on its way to becoming the world's top exporter of liquefied natural gas, but industrial consumers on the country's east coast are worried gas producers will ship so much to Asia's booming economies that domestic supplies will be tight. East coast gas will flow to international buyers via three multi-billion dollar LNG projects under construction near Gladstone and due to open in 2014 and 2015. Exports will drive up the price of gas, which previously had no outlet other than the landlocked regional market. Big gas consumers such as power generators, miners and manufacturers will have to match Asian prices to keep gas at home, but are concerned even that may not be enough to beat buyers in China, Japan and South Korea to secure supplies. Gas producers may find selling large volumes in single long-term deals is potentially more attractive than splitting up the volumes for many shorter-term deals to local consumers. "We are looking at a gas supply shortage," New South Wales resources and energy minister Chris Hartcher told reporters. "We need assurances from producers around price structure and security of supply and we have no guarantee on either right now," Hartcher added an industry event in Adelaide, noting New South Wales state has a million customers using gas, Big consumers such as power generators, miners and manufacturers in the east, home to the bulk of the population, are pressing the government to ensure their access to supplies. "Gladstone is going to be like a giant vacuum cleaner for the East Coast gas market hoovering up all the gas it can get its hands on," Michael Fraser, chief executive of power firm AGL Energy, said in a speech last month. He said annual demand for east coast gas could more than triple from about 12 million tonnes now to 46 million tonnes if the projects underway at Gladstone and another on the drawing board are completed. Miner Rio Tinto and fertiliser maker Incitec Pivot , which needs gas to produce ammonia, have raised concerns about supply and prices, with manufacturers calling for producers to be made to keep some gas for domestic supply. "Rio Tinto is actively seeking gas in the Queensland market for the 2015 period (and beyond), but is finding it difficult to secure firm offers for future supply, largely due to uncertainty with many producers balancing reserve growth, existing contract commitments and market expectations," the company said in a submission to the government's energy policy review. Producers are already seeking export-type prices for long term gas contracts to manufacturers. Suppliers are asking Incitec Pivot for double current prices or more in negotiations for new contracts, Incitec spokesman Stewart Murrihy said. Electricity producers have also faced hurdles in locking in supplies, according to the National Generators Forum (NGF), an electricity industry association. Gas producers are reluctant to commit to new supply contracts from the time Gladstone projects are due to come on line, preferring to see if they can sell into export markets or achieve a higher price domestically once exports start. "If you're a local gas producer in Australia and you have the option of selling your gas into an LNG manufacturer or selling it domestically, then you'll want to get a price that's commensurate with what the LNG projects are willing to pay," Peter Strachan, an analyst with Stock Analysis in Perth said. Hartcher said that the state government has yet to decide on policy steps aimed at guaranteeing supplies. It is considering options such as requiring gas producers to reserve some volume for domestic supply or introducing a royalty scheme that would give producers incentives to supply the local market, he said. Australia's resources minister is due to complete an energy policy review later this year focusing on energy security. "I am paying close attention to the suggestions that there are difficulties in negotiating long term gas supply contracts," Martin Ferguson told Reuters on the sidelines of a trade event. Both Ferguson and Hartcher said they would like to see the issue resolved by encouraging producers to pump more gas. One of the obstacles to doing that is opposition to the development of unconventional gas in Australia on environmental grounds. Much of the gas reserves on the east coast are unconventional, such as coal seam and shale gas. Farmers and environmentalists have banded together to protest against drilling due to concerns about its impact on water supplies. PRICES DOUBLE On the other side of the country, Western Australia has already seen gas prices rise to near parity with export prices. Gas there sold for around A$9.50 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) last year, nearly double the price in Sydney and around four times the price in some other eastern state areas, according to the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics. Prices have risen there despite the Western Australian government's requirement for producers to keep 15 percent of gas from new developments for the domestic market. Producers say high prices in the east would encourage them to develop more fields. "We passionately believe that (reserving supply) would be the wrong thing to do," Santos Chief Executive David Knox told reporters this week at an industry event in Adelaide. "Australia has plenty of gas in the ground ... to unlock the molecules we need good prices." Santos, operator of one of the Gladstone projects, would prefer to see a scheme that provided incentives for supplying the domestic market, Knox said.

DIARY - World Time Changes - Jan-Apr 2012

Wed, Jun 20 13:22 PM EDT Reuters Diary of Time Changes Around the World; *** DATE AS PER GMT *** SATURDAY, JANUARY 21 FIJI - Clocks go back by one hour to GMT+12 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26 BRAZIL - Clocks go back by one hour to GMT-3 in Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Salvador and GMT-4 in Campo Grande. SUNDAY, MARCH 11 URUGUAY - Clocks go back by one hour to GMT-3 SAINT-PIERRE and MIQUELON - Clocks go forward one hour to GMT-2 CANADA - Most of Canada puts clocks forward by one hour; (Newfoundland time) St John's returns to GMT -2:30; (Atlantic time) Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Saint John (New Brunswick) and Halifax return to GMT -3; (Eastern time) Ottawa, Quebec, Pond Inlet (Nunavut Territory) and Toronto return to GMT -4; (Central time) Baker Lake (Nunavut Territory), Resolute (Nunavut Territory) and Winnipeg (Manitoba) returns to GMT -5; (Mountain time) Calgary, Edmonton, Inuvik and Yellowknife return to GMT -6; (Pacific time) Vancouver and Whitehorse return to GMT -7 BERMUDA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT-3 GREENLAND - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT-3 in Qaanaaq. BAHAMAS - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT-4 TURKS and CAICOS ISLANDS - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT-4. UNITED STATES - Clocks go forward by one hour; new time in the eastern zone is GMT-4, central zone GMT-5, mountain zone GMT-6, Pacific zone GMT-7, Alaska GMT-8 and Aleutian Islands GMT-9. MEXICO - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT-5 in Matamoros; GMT-6 in Ciudad Juarez; GMT-7 in Mexicali and Tijuana. SUNDAY, MARCH 18 CUBA - Clocks go forward one hour to GMT-4 TUESDAY, MARCH 20 IRAN - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT +4:30 SATURDAY, MARCH 24 LEBANON - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 ARMENIA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+5 SUNDAY, MARCH 25 AZERBAIJAN - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+5 GREENLAND - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT-2 in Nuuk. GREENLAND - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT in Ittoqqortoormiit. PORTUGAL - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT in Azores and GMT+1 in Lisbon. FAROE ISLAND - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+1 IRELAND - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+1 ISLE OF MAN - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+1 SPAIN - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+1 in Las Palma, GMT+2 in Barcelona, Madrid and Palma. UNITED KINGDOM - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+1 ALBANIA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 ANDORRA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 AUSTRIA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 BELGIUM - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 CROATIA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 CZECH REPUBLIC - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 DENMARK - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 FRANCE - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 GERMANY - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 GIBRALTAR - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 VATICAN CITY - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 HUNGARY - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 ITALY - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 KOSOVO - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 LIECHTENSTEIN - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 LUXEMBOURG - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 MACEDONIA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 MALTA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 MONACO - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 MONTENEGRO - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 NETHERLANDS - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 NORWAY - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 POLAND - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 SAN MARINO - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 SERBIA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 SLOVAK REPUBLIC - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 SLOVENIA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 SWEDEN - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 SWITZERLAND - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+2 BULGARIA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 CYPRUS - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 ESTONIA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 FINLAND - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 GREECE - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 LATVIA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 LITHUANIA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 MOLDOVA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 ROMANIA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 TURKEY - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 UKRAINE - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 THURSDAY, MARCH 29 JORDAN - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 in West Bank. FRIDAY, MARCH 30 ISRAEL - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 in Gaza Strip. SATURDAY, MARCH 31 ANTARCTICA - Clocks go back by one hour to GMT +12 NEW ZEALAND - Clocks go back by one hour to GMT+12 in Auckland and Wellington. Clocks go back by one hour to GMT+12:45 in Chatham Island. SAMOA - Clocks go back by one hour to GMT-13 AUSTRALIA - Clocks go back by one hour to GMT+10 in Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne and Sydney; to GMT+9:30 in Adelaide; GMT+10:30 in Lord Howe Island. SUNDAY, APRIL 1 NAMIBIA - Clocks go back by one hour to GMT+1 MEXICO - Clocks go forward by one hour; new time in the central zone is GMT-5 and Pacific zone GMT-6 THURSDAY, APRIL 5 SYRIA - Clocks go forward by one hour to GMT+3 SUNDAY, APRIL 8 PARAGUAY - Clocks go back by one hour to GMT-4 SUNDAY, APRIL 29 CHILE - Clocks go back by one hour to GMT-4 in Santiago, Punta Arenas and to GMT-6 in Easter Island. COUNTRIES/TERRITORIES WHICH DO NOT HAVE TIME CHANGES ==================================================== ARGENTINA - Local time is GMT-3 hours AFRICA - Most countries in Central, East, South and West Africa do not change their clocks AFGHANISTAN - Local time is GMT +4:30 hours ALGERIA - Local time is GMT +1 hours AMERICAN SAMOA - Local time is GMT -11 hours ANDAMAN ISLANDS - Local time is GMT +5:30 hours ANGOLA - Local time is GMT+1 hours ANGUILLA - Local time is GMT -4 hours ANTARCTICA - Local time in Mawson is GMT +5 hours ANTIGUA & BARBUDA - Local time is GMT -4 hours ARUBA - Local time is GMT -4 hours AUSTRALIA - Local time in Brisbane, Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Ausralia, and Christmas Island is GMT +10 hours BAHRAIN - Local time is GMT +3 hours BANGLADESH - Local time is GMT+6 hours BARBADOS - Local time is GMT -4 hours BENIN - Local time is GMT +1 BELIZE - Local time is GMT -6 hours BHUTAN - Local time is GMT +6 BOLIVIA - Local time is GMT -4 hours BOTSWANA - Local time is GMT +2 hours BRAZIL - Local time in Manaus, Amazonas, Pernambuco, Sergipe, Para, Paraiba, Ceara, Amapa, Alagoas, Rondonia, Rio Grande do Norte, Piaui, Maranhao, Acre, Roraima, Tocantins and much of Mato Grosso is GMT -4 hours BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY - Local time is GMT +6 hours BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS - Local time is GMT -4 hours BRUNEI - Local time is GMT +8 hours BURKINA FASO - Local time is the same as GMT BURUNDI - Local time is GMT +2 hours CAMBODIA - Local time is GMT +7 hours CAMEROON - Local time is GMT +1 hour CANADA - Local time in Regina ( much of Saskatchewan, small region of British Columbia, small region of Nunavut Territory, small region of Quebec, small region of Ontario) is GMT -6 hour CAPE VERDE ISLANDS - Local time is GMT -1 hour CAYMAN ISLANDS - Local time is GMT-5 hours CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - Local time is GMT +1 hour CHAD - Local time is GMT +1 hour CHINA - Local time is GMT +8 hours COLOMBIA - Local time is GMT -5 hours COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHEN MARIANA ISLANDS - Local time is GMT +10 hours COMOROS - Local time is GMT +3 hours COOK ISLANDS - Local time is GMT -10 hours COSTA RICA - Local time is GMT -6 hours COTE D'IVOIRE - Local time is GMT CURACAO - Local time is GMT -4 hours DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO - Local time is GMT +1 hours DEPARTMENTAL COLLECTIVITY OF MAYOTTE - Local time is GMT +3 hours DJIBOUTI - Local time is GMT +3 hours DOMINICA - Local time is GMT -4 hours DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - Local time is GMT -4 hours EAST TIMOR - Local time is GMT +9 hours ECUADOR - Local time is GMT -5 hours EGYPT - Local time is GMT +2 hours EL SALVADOR - Local time is GMT -6 hours EQUATORIAL GUINEA - Local time is GMT +1 hour ERITREA - Local time is GMT +3 hours ETHIOPIA - Local time is GMT +3 hours FRANCE - Local time in Papeete, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Marquesas Islands is GMT -10 hours FRENCH GUIANA - Local time is GMT -3 hours FRENCH POLYNESIA - Local time is GMT -9 hours GABON - Local time is GMT +1 hour GAMBIA - Local time is GMT GEORGIA - Local time is GMT +4 hours GHANA - Local time is same as GMT GRENADA - Local time is GMT -4 hours GUADELOUPE - Local time is GMT -4 hours GUAM - Local time is GMT +10 hours GUATEMALA - Local time is GMT -6 hours GUINEA - Local time is GMT GUINEA BISSAU - Local time is GMT GUYANA - Local time is GMT -4 hours HAITI - Local time is GMT -5 hours HONDURAS - Local time is GMT -6 hours HONG KONG - Local time is GMT +8 hours ICELAND - Local time is GMT INDIA - Local time is GMT +5.30 hours IRAQ - Local time is GMT +3 hours JAMAICA - Local time is GMT -5 hours JAPAN - Local time is GMT +9 hours KAZAKSTAN - Local time is GMT +6 hours KENYA - Local time is GMT +3 hours KERGUELEN ISLANDS - Local time is GMT +5 hours KIRIBATI - Local time in Kiritimati (Christmas Island) is GMT +14 hours and Tarawa is GMT +12 KUWAIT - Local time is GMT +3 hours KYRGYZSTAN - Local time is GMT +6 hours LAOS - Local time is GMT +7 hours LESOTHO - Local time is GMT +2 hours LIBERIA - Local time is GMT LIBYA - Local time is GMT +2 hours MACAU - Local time is GMT +8 hours MADAGASCAR - Local time is GMT +3 hours MALAWI - Local time is GMT +2 hours MALAYSIA - Local time is GMT +8 hours MALDIVES - Local time is GMT +5 hours MALI - Local time is GMT MARSHALL ISLANDS - Local time is GMT +12 hours MARTINIQUE - Local time is GMT -4 hours MAURITANIA - Local time is GMT MAURITIUS - Local time is GMT +4 hours MAYOTTE - Local time is GMT +3 hours MEXICO - Local time in Hermosillo (Sonora) is GMT -7 hours MICRONESIA - Local time is GMT +11 hours MONGOLIA - Local time in Ulaanbaatar GMT +8 hours and in Hovd GMT +7 MONTSERRAT - Local time is GMT -4 hours MOROCCO - Local time is GMT MOZAMBIQUE - Local time is GMT +2 hours MYANMAR - Local time is GMT +6:30 hours NAURU - Local time is GMT +12 hours NEPAL - Local time is GMT +5:45 hours NETHERLANDS ANTILLES - Local time is GMT -4 hours NICARAGUA - Local time is GMT -6 hours NIGER - Local time is GMT +1 hour NIGERIA - Local time is GMT +1 hours NIUE - Local time is GMT -11 hours NORFOLK ISLAND - Local time is GMT +11:30 hours NORTH KOREA - Local time is GMT +9 hours NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS - Local time is GMT +10 hours OMAN - Local time is GMT +4 hours PAKISTAN - Local time is GMT +5 hours PALAU - Local time is GMT +9 hours PANAMA - Local time is GMT -5 hours PAPUA NEW GUINEA - Local time is GMT +10 hours PERU - Local time is GMT -5 hours PHILIPPINES - Local time is GMT +8 hours PITCAIRN ISLANDS - Local time is GMT -8 hours PUERTO RICO - Local time is GMT -4 hours QATAR - Local time is GMT +3 hours REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN - Local time is GMT +3 hours REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO - Local time is GMT +1 hours REUNION - Local time is GMT +4 hours RUSSIA - (The new legislation eliminates the yearly switch between standard time and daylight saving time). Kaliningrad Time GMT +3, Moscow Time GMT +4, Yekaterinburg Time GMT +6, Omsk Time GMT +7, Krasnoyarsk Time GMT +8, Irkutsk Time GMT +9, Yakutsk Time GMT +10, Vladivostok Time GMT +11, Magadan Time GMT +12. RWANDA - Local time is GMT +2 hours SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE - Local time is GMT SAUDI ARABIA - Local time is GMT +3 hours SENEGAL - Local time is GMT SEYCHELLES - Local time is GMT +4 hours SIERRA LEONE - Local time is GMT SINGAPORE - Local time is GMT +8 hours SINT MAARTEN - Local time is GMT -4 hours SOLOMON ISLANDS - Local time is GMT +11 hours SOMALIA - Local time is GMT +3 hours SOUTH AFRICA - Local time is GMT +2 hours SOUTH GEORGIA AND THE SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS - Local time is GMT -2 hours SOUTH KOREA - Local time is GMT +9 hours SRI LANKA - Local time is GMT +5:30 hours ST. KITTS AND NEVIS - Local time is GMT -4 hours ST. LUCIA - Local time is GMT -4 hours ST. VINCENT AN THE GRENADINES - Local time is GMT -4 hours ST. HELENA - Local time is GMT SUDAN - Local time is GMT +3 hours SURINAME - Local time is GMT -3 hours SWAZILAND - Local time is GMT +2 hours TAIWAN - Local time is GMT +8 hours TAJIKISTAN - Local time is GMT +5 hours TANZANIA - Local time is GMT +3 hours TERRITORY OF COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS - Local time is GMT +6:30 hours THAILAND - Local time is GMT +7 hours TIMOR-LESTE - Local time is GMT +9 hours TOGO - Local time is GMT TOKELAU - Local time is GMT +14 hours TONGA - Local time is GMT +13 hours TRINIDAD/TOBAGO - Local time is GMT -4 hours TUNISIA - Local time is GMT +1 hours TURKMENISTAN - Local time is GMT +5 hours TUVALU - Local time is GMT +12 hours UGANDA - Local time is GMT +3 hours UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - LOCAL time is GMT +4 hours UNITED STATES - Local time in Hawaii is GMT -10 hours, Arizona is GMT -7 hours, Midway Islands is GMT -11 hours, Wake Island is GMT +12 hours UZBEKISTAN - Local time is GMT +5 hours VANUATU - Local time is GMT +11 hours VENEZUELA - Local time is GMT -4:30 hours VIETNAM - Local time is GMT +7 hours VIRGIN ISLANDS - Local time is GMT -4 hours WALLIS AND FUTUNA - Local time is GMT +12 hours WESTERN SAHARA - Local time is GMT YEMEN - Local time is GMT +3 hours ZAMBIA - Local time is GMT +2 hours ZIMBABWE - Local time is GMT +2 hours ------------------------------------------------------- * All clock times are subject to change ----------------------------------------------------- Please send feedback to diaries@thomsonreuters.com -----

PPP nominates Makhdoom Shahbuddin for new PM

Updated 4 hours ago [PPP nominates Makhdoom Shahbuddin for new PM] [Print] ShareThis109 73 18 Email0 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has nominated the name of Makhdoom Shahbuddin for the office of Prime Minister, sources said. According to the sources, the decision was taken in a meeting of senior leaders of PPP held here on late Tuesday under the chairmanship of President Asif Ali Zardari. The meeting also decided that the National Assembly session would be summoned on Thursday for the election of the leader of the house, sources added. Earlier, sources said that former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani had expressed reservations over the name of Shahabuddin during the meeting of coalition partners. Coalition partners entrusted President Asif Ali Zardari to nominate new prime minister. Et tu, Hassan Nisar? By Saeed Qureshi - Jun 18th, 2012 (1 Comment) 5 Karachi: If Hassan Nisar is also one of the recipients of the graft money from Malik Riaz, the Pakistan’s billionaire property tycoon: then it definitely betokens the demise of fair journalism in Pakistan. His name is there in the list with the soul-dampening information that, “ he received 1 Crore and 10 Lakhs Rupees: Money transferred from Account Title Bahria Town (Pvt) Limited, Account Number42279-2 at Habib Bank Limited, LDA Plaza Branch, Lahore, Code 1315, SWIFT: HABBPKKAX315 10 Marla Plot in Bahria Town. In the TV Talk appearances as a guest or as a host in his own popular program “Choraha”, or in his Jang columns, he unleashes an avalanche of blistering censure against the corrupt individuals and agencies in Pakistan. He is adored and acknowledged as one among the whole crowd of journalists for scathing views and tongue lashing against a whole range of corruption, greed, moral degeneration and a failed system of governance. He is the most aggressive and unsparing critic of the incumbent government and the power wielders and their sleazy exploits in self-aggrandizement and money grabbing. His defiant rhetoric did not spare the army generals, the bureaucrats, the highly placed government functionaries and exploitative business magnates and classes for plundering Pakistan at the cost of the peoples’ burgeoning woes. But all of a sudden , his image looks so besmirched and hollow that one tends to believe as if his assertion of moral principles and manifestation of pious platitudes was a mere charade that has been lifted in such a freakish fashion. The fundamental question stands out that why this former Bahria Town boss was squandering big chunks of money on a bunch of leading and most prominent journalist whose programs are watched both in and outside Pakistan by countless people. Understandably it was to purchase their loyalties in favor of the exploitative groups, lobbies and individuals whose front man is Malik Riaz. The charge could be credible that the perks and grafts given to Arsalan Iftikhar was aimed at silencing or blackmailing the chief justice for going soft on the gubernatorial cases pending against the powerful persons. Human suffer from temptations for worldly pleasures and enticements and Hassan Nisar is no exception. But what is intriguing or painful is that he was an icon among the journalists for his fiery exhortations against the evil forces. A drastic downgrading from that sublime stature is not only mind boggling but squarely distressing for his admirers. How is he going to cope with this sordid turn of events is too hard a feat to be conjectured correctly? The writer is a senior journalist and a former diplomat. He can be reached at qureshisa2003@yahoo.com.

Accepting verdict, PPP begins hunt for new PM Shahab­uddin report­edly frontr­unner; key party meetin­g today. By Zia Khan Published: June 20, 2012 An emergency meeting of coalition partners was held in the Presidency on Tuesday.PHOTO: APP ISLAMABAD: Surprisingly, confrontation does not seem to be the option the embattled government has opted for. It has opted, instead, for pragmatic planning after two emergency meetings – first of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)’s Central Executive Committee and then of the leaders of coalition partners. Hours after the country’s top court rendered the longest-serving elected prime minister of Pakistan disqualified, it was finally decided to elect a new prime minister to replace Yousaf Raza Gilani. Consequently, a crucial National Assembly session for the vote is expected within the next couple of days. While speculation is rife, no official confirmation has come on the candidate. Leaders of coalition partners empowered President Asif Ali Zardari to nominate anyone from his party to become the next premier and assured him of their full support for the elections, likely to take place on Thursday. Top leaders from the allied parties decided not to go into confrontation with the judiciary and the verdict was accepted despite private reservations on it. Gilani, after being apprised by the legal team, refused to go for an intra-court review of the decision – and a presidential pardon for Gilani was also decided against. The new PM A participant of the high-level huddle told The Express Tribune that some names were discussed at the meeting but the final decision would be taken at the parliamentary party meeting of the ruling party when it meets today (Wednesday evening). According to media reports, during the day, some stalwarts from PPP were being considered as replacement for Gilani. The most probable among them was Makhdoom Shahabuddin, a party leader from southern Punjab. South Punjab, or the Seraiki belt, is the region the PPP is targeting for the upcoming general election — making the candidature of Shahabuddin stronger and giving him an edge over other contenders. An insider told The Express Tribune that Shahabuddin’s name had been finalised and none of the government allied groups raised any objections to it. Water and Power Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar was the other candidate to be the next prime minister for the remaining nine months of the PPP’s tenure, scheduled to end by March next year. Mukhtar was a strong candidate for the premiership after the PPP won the general election back in 2008, but could not make it to the top slot. Hailing from Gujrat district of central Punjab, Mukhtar is considered to be an arch-rival of the leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) — the largest of PPP’s allied group. He won against PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in 2008 in one of the most closely-fought contests. Religious Affairs Minister Khursheed Shah, a PPP diehard from its stronghold of Sindh, was also in the limelight for the top slot — with some officials claiming that he was being backed by a majority of the party. But the problem with Shah’s selection is that the PPP can not afford to give all the important slots to the same province. Some media reports suggested the PML-Q was lobbying for former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. But a participant stated that, neither was his name considered, nor did the party push for it. No early elections According to insiders present at the meeting, the president had ruled out any possibility of calling for fresh parliamentary polls at any cost, saying he would not bow down to the forces out to derail the democratic system. “I know democracy is under threat from all sides but [no one can] force us to hold early elections. I will not run from the battleground,” an insider quoted Zardari as telling the leaders of allied parties. “Over my dead body… As long as I live, nobody can force us to dissolve the government even a day ahead of our term,” Zardari said in a defiant tone, insinuating that his party members should be well prepared for a long political and legal battle. CEC meeting Earlier in the day, the president held emergency talks with central leaders of the PPP. “Though we have reservations about this judgment, we will take advice from the allied parties and legal experts and will then chalk out a strategy for the future,” Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira told reporters after the meeting. “The Central Executive Committee has advised all party workers to remain calm and show patience and not to protest against the verdict,” he added. Asked whether the PPP was considering a presidential pardon for Gilani, the information minister said “no such suggestion is under consideration”. PPP Secretary General Jehangir Badar said the party’s executive committee had given Zardari “complete authority… to take any decision after taking advice from the allied parties”. (Read: A judicial coup?) Published In The Express Tribune, June 20th, 2012. == Profile: Shahabuddin’s journey His portfo­lios includ­e the treasu­ry, planni­ng and develo­pment, health and textil­es. By Kashif Zafar Published: June 21, 2012 Makhdum Shahabuddin's nominated by President for PM elections. BAHAWALPUR: Despite his background as a student of law, Makhdoom Shahabuddin has made a name for himself primarily as a politician and agriculturalist – his portfolios at various times throughout his career include the treasury, planning and development, health and textiles. He hails from Mianwali Qureshian, an important political centre in Rahim Yar Khan and is known to be more interested in finding jobs for the unemployed rather than the development of the region – he is responsible for the employment of hundreds during the time Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has remained in power. He is the Sajjada Nasheen of the Darga Sharif Makhdoom Hameeduddin Hakim in the Meo Mubarak village. Shahabuddin matriculated from Sadiq Public School Bahawalpur, spending his first intermediate year at Government College Rahim Yar Khan before migrating to FC College Lahore. His close ties to Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi are on account of their time spent studying with him in FC College. After his graduation, Shahabuddin studied law at Punjab Law College Lahore. While Shahabuddin’s political career started with the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), he largely witnessed success as part of PPP. He contested his first election from NA 148 in 1988 with the PML ticket, losing to his uncle contesting the constituency with a PPP ticket. Contesting the same constituency in 1990 with the PPP ticket, Shahabuddin defeated his cousin and was elected as a member of the National Assembly. In 1993, he won the constituency’s seat again, defeating his uncle Makhdoom Ruknuddin, and served as the treasury minister in Benazir Bhutto’s government subsequently. Shahabuddin was elected as the chairman of the Southern Peoples Party, when President Asif Ali Zardari, as acting PPP chairman, established a separate chapter for southern Punjab. He is also part of PPP’s central executive committee. Before Yousaf Raza Gilani’s disqualification as premier, Shahabuddin was part of his Cabinet as textiles minister. Published In The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2012. ========= Pakistan president nominates party loyalist for PM ReutersBy Qasim Nauman | Reuters – 1 hr 28 mins ago * Email * * * Share0 * * Print ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's president has nominated ruling party veteran and textiles minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin to replace the ousted prime minister, state media reported on Thursday, in an apparent bid for continuity ahead of elections due early next year. The Supreme Court on Tuesday declared Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani ineligible for office for refusing to re-open corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, triggering a new crisis in nuclear-armed Pakistan. At the time, a senior aide to Gilani said only parliament could dismiss the prime minister, raising the possibility of a confrontation between court and government, but by nominating a new man the president has accepted the ruling and backed away from a fight. Shahabuddin is expected to file his nomination papers on Thursday. The ruling coalition has a comfortable majority in parliament, which meets on Friday in an extraordinary session to elect a new prime minister. Shahabuddin will face mounting public frustrations over a staggering range of problems, and a Supreme Court chief justice who prides himself on standing up to Pakistan's most powerful players. Gilani's removal is likely to heat up the Pakistani political arena, where the civilian leadership, the powerful military and the Supreme Court square off against each other at the expense of a public longing for stability and a stronger economy. Pakistan's relations with the United States, which provides it with billions of dollars in aid, are at their lowest point in years. Taliban militants still pose a major security threat, despite numerous army crackdowns. The economy is struggling and analysts predict Pakistan will again have to turn to the International Monetary Fund to keep it afloat. Chronic power cuts, which triggered violent protests this week, show no signs of easing. Shahabuddin, who enjoys smooth ties with coalition partners, was seen as a safe bet for the ruling Pakistan People's Party, which is gearing up for a general election due early next year. But the former deputy finance minister will likely face the same pressures as did Gilani from Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry to reopen old corruption cases against Zardari. Thousands of corruption cases were thrown out in 2007 by an amnesty law passed under former military president Pervez Musharraf, paving the way for a return to civilian rule. Two years later, the Supreme Court ruled that agreement illegal, and ordered the re-opening of money laundering cases against Zardari that involved Swiss bank accounts. Gilani and his government refused to obey the court's order to write to Swiss authorities asking them to look again at those cases, arguing that Zardari had immunity as the head of state. The United States is hoping for stability in Pakistan so that Islamabad can engage Washington and work to improve ties damaged by a series of events, most recently a NATO cross-border raid in November which killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. Pakistan closed supply routes to NATO forces in Afghanistan to protest against the attack, and negotiations on re-opening the lines are deadlocked. (Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Daniel Magnowski)

‘Evidence’ arrives: Malik Riaz to appear before court today: Symbiosis between money and politics undermines democracy

Started by Adnan Darwash, Jan 13 2011 11:41 AM Posted 13 January 2011 - 11:41 AM Symbiosis between money and politics undermines democracy Someone has once stated “It is easier for a man to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven”. But what if the Rich man controls the banks, the media the legislators, the judiciary and centres of decision making? The worst case scanario is manifested by Italian Prime Minister (PM) Silvio Berlusconi. He bribed late PM Benito Craxi, to gain control of state owned monopolies including four TV channels. After becoming Italian PM for the second time, Berlusconi succeeded in passing laws delaying any investigation accusing him of illegal activities while he remains occupying the post of PM. In America, it is a must for big corporations and financial institutions, including crooks like Bernie Madoff and Rotstein, to contribute to the election funds of US politicians and legislators. During the thirties, the Italian Mafias did put law enforcement officers and Judges on their payroll. At one time, thirty US senators owed their seats to the mafia. But when too many complaints filed against certain illegal practices by names likes Al-Capone, Colombo, Luciano and Genovese the Americans started to cry wolf until the mafia activities became ‘legal’. In the US today, a new group of untouchables with names like Goldberg, Goldstein, Goldsmith, Silverstein, Spielberg, Bloomberg and Greenberg…etc are in control of the financial institutions, the media and Washington D.C Politics. A good example is Mike Bloomberg. He made $9billion working for Goldman Sachs, established his own media corporation and went to become the mayor of New York in the hope of becoming the next US President. Because of the heavy influence of the Jewish money in US politics, no-one in his right mind can criticise Israel or have an honest and open dialogue about the pro-Israeli US foreign policy. The same American Rich men have started to invest heavily on politics in West and East Europe. In recognition for the Jewish contribution, British PM Margaret Thatcher appointed five Jewish Cabinet Ministers in her first cabinet: Nigel Lawson, Keith Joseph, Leon Brittan, Lord Young, and George Younger. All have worked to rip off the United Kingdom by privatising the state monopolies to the benefit of their friend and allies. As an example, Lord Young privatised the communication firms, left the government and got himself a $5 million job with Cable and wireless. The same US Rich men worked to rip off the Russian state monopolies that ended up in the hands of mostly Jewish Oligarchs. In trying to clarify the role of US money in British politics, Tony Blair promised during the election campaign to open up the books. But later on, he changed his mind after becoming the PM and after his party treasurer, Jewish Lord Levi, showed him the extent of US money involvement in his party donations. It was not a mere coincidence that Tony Blair has joined G.W. Bush in marching on Baghdad to Israeli drums. The bad Rich men are ruining the world by launching wars, supporting autocrats, promoting corruption, carrying out dirty works and conspiring to silence or to assassinate their foes; through their control of the mighty United States of America. Adnan Darwash, Iraq Occupation Times Symbiosis: Politicians need Bankers to win seats. Similarly, Bankers need politicians in order to use Tax payer money to pay for their losses. Real estate tycoon return­s home; aides say he will defend himsel­f. By Irfan Ghauri Published: June 12, 2012 Asked if he will be defending allegations, attributed to him, against the chief justice’s son Dr Arsalan Iftikhar, Malik Riaz said: “Everything will be (clear) in court tomorrow.” PHOTO: AGENCIES ISLAMABAD: The alleged repository of all ‘evidence’ in the case involving the chief justice’s son and a real-estate tycoon has arrived in Pakistan, and will appear before the Supreme Court on Tuesday (today). “I am in Pakistan now and will be appearing before the court in person,” former Bahria Town chairman Malik Riaz told The Express Tribune via telephone after arriving in Karachi on Monday. Malik’s private aircraft landed at Karachi airport Monday evening, and the real-estate tycoon stayed there for some time before leaving for Islamabad. There is no confirmation if Malik met anyone during his brief stay in Karachi. Asked if he will be defending allegations, attributed to him, against the chief justice’s son Dr Arsalan Iftikhar, Malik said: “Everything will be (clear) in court tomorrow.” A close associate, however, added that Malik would “certainly defend” his case and bring substantial evidence against Arsalan. Last chance Earlier on Monday, a two-judge bench of the apex court offered Malik the last chance to appear before the court on Tuesday or submit his concise statement. Justice Jawwad S Khawaja told Malik’s counsel, Zahid Bokhari, that in case of failure to submit a concise statement, the court will proceed on the basis of available material. Justice Khilji Arif Hussain also admonished Bokhari and instructed him to comply with court orders. Bokhari has already proposed that an independent commission be formed to investigate the matter. He had suggested that the matter could be referred to a commission, like the one formed for Memogate scandal, for thorough investigations. At this stage, however, he did not press for the formation of a commission, and said that his client can request for this in the future. Later, he told reporters that his client would be arriving with “explosive evidence” against Dr Arsalan. Mysterious arrival, departure Malik’s arrival in Karachi, instead of Islamabad, is as shrouded in mystery as his departure from the country. His personal staff officer had claimed that Malik left the country for ‘treatment’ two days before the court took suo motu notice of the case. According to the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) record, however, a Beechcraft B-114 aircraft marked ‘Bahria Town 001’ took off from Lahore and landed in Karachi at 1pm on June 6. A Federal Investigation Agency official, who approached the aircraft to check immigration stamps of the people onboard, was informed that there were two persons on the private aircraft and they did not need the exit stamp. Meanwhile, before its landing, three high-profile officials were already present at the airport’s apron area but sources were not able to confirm if they held a meeting with the persons onboard the private aircraft or were simply there to facilitate their departure without documentation. CAA officials, on condition of anonymity, said the plane had Malik Riaz on board and left for Dubai at 1:50pm. The same plane returned to Karachi on June 8, but Malik was not onboard the aircraft, which left again for Dubai on Tuesday to bring him back. Published In The Express Tribune, June 12th, 2012. = Analysis: Arsalan’s Heel How a medica­l doctor unempl­oyed as recent­ly as 2008, landed himsel­f with a net worth of Rs900 millio­n is the questi­on. By Zahid F Ebrahim Published: June 13, 2012 How a trained medical doctor of modest financial background, unemployed as recently as 2008, landed himself with a net worth of Rs900 million is a question which we cannot wish away. PHOTO: MYRA IQBAL/EXPRESS Public confidence in the judiciary is under threat. Public confidence in the superior courts is the foundation of any society sought to be established on the basis of rule of law. Malik Riaz and Arsalan Iftikhar have both, albeit with different motives, shaken such foundation to its very core. The charges levelled against Arsalan Iftikhar, at least to the extent of enjoying extravagant hospitality of the Bahria Town magnate seem difficult to now deny. How a trained medical doctor of modest financial background, unemployed as recently as 2008, landed himself with a net worth of Rs900 million is a question which we cannot wish away. The devastating pain such knowledge must cause his family is unimaginable. However, there is a much larger danger. Arsalan’s bleeding heel is being malevolently used to damage Pakistan’s judiciary. Malik Riaz, who travelled back to Pakistan against his doctor’s advice did not appear the least unfit in his boisterous press conference. In sharp contrast to the statement filed in court a few hours earlier where he hailed the integrity of the Supreme Court, Malik Riaz, launched a frontal attack on Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry in his press conference. The allegations do not require repetition here – it will fill the spaces of many newspaper columns – but the purpose and the consequence requires understanding. Not unlike General Musharraf’s predicament in 2007, Justice Chaudhry is perceived as a threat which is likely to cut short the political career of Prime Minister Gilani. Last month’s conviction of Premier Gilani for contempt will inevitably lead to his disqualification from not only the current office but also from the next general election. President Zardari’s grievance against Justice Chaudhry is no secret. Chaudhry Shujaat is unlikely to have forgotten the humiliation of seeing his nephew behind bars in the NICL scam nor Rehman Malik the embarrassment of being compelled to renounce his British citizenship. Grievances within the ruling coalition are legendary. However, these are mere conjecture and there is no evidence, thus far, of a larger conspiracy. Malik Riaz has had his press conference but has no intention to hold his peace. He has promised to repeat this scandal show in the coming days. Spare a thought here for the chief justice and other judges of the Supreme Court who can hold no press conference but only speak through their judgments. “Achilles in Greek mythology was a baby and it was foretold that he would die in battle. To prevent his death, his mother Thetis took Achilles to the River Styx which was supposed to offer powers of invincibility and dipped his body into the water. But as Thetis held Achilles by the heel, his heel was not washed over by the water of the magical river. Achilles grew up to be a man of war who survived many great battles. But one day, a poisonous arrow shot at him was lodged in his heel, killing him shortly after. Still, Achilles is remembered as one of the greatest fighters who ever lived.” Malik Riaz’s press conference is a poisonous arrow aimed at the heart of the Supreme Court. Irrespective of the failings of Arsalan, we cannot let the Supreme Court bleed. This may not be the greatest Supreme Court which ever lived, but it certainly does not deserve to be maligned by the indiscretion of one lone individual. Published In The Express Tribune, June 13th, 2012. === Mubashir Lucman suspended for 'off-air' comments: Report An inquir­y will allege­dly be initia­ted agains­t those who leaked the video. By Web Desk Published: June 14, 2012 A screenshor of Mubashir Lucman from the leaked video. Mubashir Lucman, news anchor at private channel Dunya TV, has been suspended for the comments he made ‘off-air’ while interviewing business tycoon Malik Riaz, reported Pakistan Today. Behind the scenes footage showing Lucman and his co-anchor Meher Bokhari talking to Riaz during their show surfaced on YouTube under the title “Malik Riaz Planted Interview with Mehar Bokhari and Mubashir Lukman on dunya tv“ on Thursday. The show aired on the TV channel on Wednesday. Sources told Pakistan Today that an inquiry has been ordered against those who leaked the video. Bokhari is heard saying a question is planted towards the end of the video. “Say what you want… what question should we ask. It will appear as though it is planted… it is, but it shouldn’t appear it is.” The footage shows conversations between Lucman, Bokhari and Riaz focused on the kind of questions they will be asking. Both anchors are also instructed against interrupting Riaz during the interview. The video begins with general conversation and is followed by Riaz questioning the anchors on why they are not asking why he is part of “deals”. In between Lucman’s smoke break, Bokhari turns to Riaz to discuss what they will ask next. A brief discussion and a “khul kay poochain”, Meher says that they will discuss journalists at the end of the show, so as to “clear her name” at least. Lucman tells Riaz, “Today I will ask you to give me in front of everyone. Give me a villa like you gave Hamid”. “No, no,” is Riaz’s response once again, followed by a “why not” from Lucman. Riaz is seen occasionally choosing topics of his choice, focusing on the chief justice as well. He is also visibly upset during one part of the video, where he says that most of his questions are left and the work isn’t done. The second part also sees both anchors getting into a little tiff over camera time. Bokhari calls Lucman childish, who takes his mic off and leaves. Riaz appears desperate when Lucman walks off, asking him to come back, saying it will be unfair for him. An angry Lucman returns and tells Riaz that he will say live on air that he was pressurised into doing the show by him and Mian Amir. === Video leak: Lucman, Bokhari run 'planted show' with Malik Riaz "It will appear as though it is plante­d… it is, but it should­n’t appear it is” says Meher Bukhar­i. By Shaheryar Popalzai Published: June 14, 2012 "It will appear as though it is plante­d… it is, but it should­n’t appear it is” says Meher Bokhar­i. What do you get when you leave the camera on with two TV anchors and a business tycoon during an advertisement break? A candid video of what went on behind the scenes during what is termed a “planted show” on one of the biggest scandals in Pakistan’s history. Behind the scenes footage showing Dunya TV anchors Mubashir Lucman and Meher Bokhari talking to Malik Riaz during their show surfaced on YouTube under the title “Malik Riaz Planted Interview with Mehar Bokhari and Mubashir Lukman on dunya tv“ on Thursday. The show aired on the TV channel on Wednesday. The footage shows conversations between Lucman, Bokhari and Riaz focused on the kind of questions they will be asking. Both anchors are also instructed against interrupting Riaz during the interview. Bokhari is heard saying a question is planted towards the end of the video. “Say what you want… what question should we ask. It will appear as though it is planted… it is, but it shouldn’t appear it is.” The video begins with general conversation and is followed by Riaz questioning the anchors on why they are not asking why he is part of “deals”. Lucman is then seen on the phone asking if the interview is going fine and defending himself by saying Riaz is being given a chance. Who is he speaking to? Abdul Qadir Gilani, he says. The anchor tells “Gilani” that he wants to clear his name from taking money and he wants to talk about Hamid Mir’s allegations, but Riaz isn’t letting him take his name. “No, no,” says the business tycoon in response to that. Riaz then asks “Gilani” to pray for him. In between Lucman’s smoke break, Bokhari turns to Riaz to discuss what they will ask next. A brief discussion and a “khul kay poochain”, Meher says that they will discuss journalists at the end of the show, so as to “clear her name” at least. Lucman tells Riaz, “Today I will ask you to give me in front of everyone. Give me a villa like you gave Hamid”. “No, no,” is Riaz’s response once again, followed by a “why not” from Lucman. Yet another break later, both anchors and Riaz are once again seen talking about what the next discussion will be. Riaz once again mentions that he wants them to ask why he is in every deal, and is told by Bokhari that she is not interested in asking that question, but is in return told that he wants to go back to it. “So go back,” says Lucman. Riaz is seen occasionally choosing topics of his choice, focusing on the chief justice as well. He is also visibly upset during one part of the video, where he says that most of his questions are left and the work isn’t done. Smoke breaks, thumbs up from both anchors, a high five and questions of how the show is going so far are also seen during the video. Little arguments between both anchors are also regularly seen during the video, mostly on order of asking questions and the time each has to take. Lucman also tells Riaz that he will ask a “conspiracy theory” question that he wanted to become the prime minister. He tells Riaz that he will not answer the question before 10, as this will make people wait for it otherwise they won’t come back to the show. In another interesting revelation, Riaz states that he does not eat roti, chawal or meetha, and will eat an egg or chicken. Lucman asks Bokhari to get barbecue instead. Riaz is not to be interrupted The second part of the video has strict instructions coming in for both Lucman and Bokhari that Riaz is not to be interrupted. Both anchors give their assurance that they will not be interrupting the businessman now. Lucman also tells someone off camera that they should not be pressurising them for a break, and says that they will go over time if they have to. Lucman then asks Riaz to give him a “dhamaka”, and is promised that he will get one on the next show. Bokhari also delivers a message from Maryam Nawaz that a car had been offered to them but they had declined it after saying thank you. During this talk, a muffled off screen voice says something and Riaz tells the female to stay quiet. The second part also sees both anchors getting into a little tiff over camera time. Bokhari calls Lucman childish, who takes his mic off and leaves. Riaz appears desperate when Lucman walks off, asking him to come back, saying it will be unfair for him. An angry Lucman returns and tells Riaz that he will say live on air that he was pressurised into doing the show by him and Mian Amir. Riaz continues trying to reconcile between the two during all of this. He then begs both anchors and says that the program will be spoilt and that his life is at stake. Lucman then tells Riaz that he will say that he had gone to meet the man who also had documents to show against Dr Arsalan Iftikhar. A video close to 26 minutes will now just add to the only dangerously brewing storm that has a member of the judiciary linked to it. === ALERT Supreme Court orders action against Arsalan Iftikhar, Malik Riaz, Salman Ahmed By Mirza Hassan - Jun 14th, 2012 (2 Comments) 8 Islamabad: The Supreme Court has issued short order in Arsalan Iftikhar case, ruling that Malik Riaz tried to buy justice through bribes which is an offense under law. The court ordered the Attorney General Pakistan to take strict action against Arsalan Iftikhar, Malik Riaz and his son of law Salman Ahmed. The court rejected plea of Zahid Bokhari of forming a commission to probe the case or handing it over to an investigation agency. The order was given by a division bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justice Jawwad S. Khuwaja and Justice Khilji Arfi hussain. “Both who give or take bribe are sinners,Malik Riaz tried to buy justice through bribes which is an offense”. In the order, the court said that while Malik Riaz claimed Rs327 million was given in cash, the documents presented only provided details of Arsalan’s visits and no proof of monetary transfers. Malik Riaz admitted that he did not succeed in his efforts despite spending money.The order further stated that Riaz did not submit any statement on behalf of his son-in-law Salman The court said that transparent trial was the basic right of Arsalan Iftikhar, Salman Ahmed and Malik Riaz In the order, the court stated that the media had attacked the judiciary, adding that the statements of journalists showed that they did not try to get their facts straight Justice Khuwaja said The News editor Shaheen Sehbai disclosed that chief justice would be targeted. The SC ruled that the media was holding the national hostage on the basis of baseless information. The short order noted that media should not let itself use by those who doesn’t respect the Constitution. === Twitter abuzz with #gates after Mehar Bukhari, Mubashir Luqman fiasco By Shahab Nafees - Jun 15th, 2012 (6 Comments) 32 Islamabad: Bahriagate, Mediagate, Anchorgate, Familygate, Malikgate, Arsalangate and now Mehrgate and Luqmangate. Twitter has been abuzz with these terms since the launch of a video uploaded on YouTube, showing (or exposing) Mehar Bukhari and Mubashir Luqman. Whole Tweetosphere is flooded with tweets regarding the video and almost all tweeters vented their anger against the two anchors. It may be first time in the history of Twitter that seven of the top ten trendings belonged to Pakistan and only one topic was being discussed—the media. Below are some from a sea of tweets which show how Twitter sees these ‘gates’. Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi @Ali_Abbas_Zaidi #MediaGate is perhaps the best thing for Pakistani media. Swaying public perceptions out of inaccurate and speculative facts is a crime 15 Jun 12 * Reply * Retweet * Favorite Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi @Ali_Abbas_Zaidi The #Familygate #BahriaGate has given birth to #MediaGate - If properly managed, this can be the best thing that can happen to #Pakistan 15 Jun 12 * Reply * Retweet * Favorite Wajahat S. Khan @WajSKhan #Mediagate Buzz: Lucman suspended, may quit. Meher Bokhari may air clarification on leaked vid (allegedly by Luqman) on 10pm. Ratings drama? 15 Jun 12 * Reply * Retweet * Favorite salman ahmad @sufisal If a free and fair media is the 5th pillar of state, some Jaali Jourrnos are smelling it up like an army of skunks on heat. #mediagate 15 Jun 12 * Reply * Retweet * Favorite Rasikh Mashhadi @rasikh Jin ko tha Zubaan pay Naaz ... Chup hain woh zuban daraz ... @MubasherLucman #meharbukhari #anchorgate #bahriagate 15 Jun 12 * Reply * Retweet * Favorite Syed Haris Izhar @Harisizhar #MeharBukhari ke shakal main #AmirLiquat nazar aa raha hai :P 15 Jun 12 * Reply * Retweet * Favorite Zeshan Schwarz @iamzhk Today is the most historic day In the history of #Pakistan. Some really good guys exposed the snakes in the media. #MediaGate. 15 Jun 12 * Reply * Retweet * Favorite Arslan Ali @a4arsl I said so many times that this media is just business they can do anything for money and #MediaGate proved me right 15 Jun 12 * Reply * Retweet * Favorite PAKMAN @FarrukhSiddiqui #Pakistan Leave everything aside! First of all media should be trialed! Dood ka dood pani ka pani hona chaheyah! #MediaGate #AnchorGate beena sarwar ‏@beenasarwar Just heard from @NasimZehra she has resigned from #DunyaTV. Couldn't stay on after this indefensible show whatever the motives of leak. Sad === http://www.zemtv.com/2012/06/14/crossfire-meher-bokhari-trying-to-cover-her-fault-14th-june-2012/ http://www.zemtv.com/2012/06/14/malik-riaz-planted-interview-with-mehar-bukhari-and-mubashir-lukman-hidden-camera-recording/ === Bahria Town prices dip on Malik Riaz scandal The city’s second larges­t housin­g projec­t is one of Malik Riaz’s master­pieces. By Shahram Haq Published: June 17, 2012 Bahria Town is the second largest housing society after Defence Housing Authority in Lahore. PHOTO: FILE LAHORE: Being a real estate agent in Lahore, Azeem like many others peers invested in the one of the most sought after housing society in the city. News of the mastermind behind the project Malik Riaz being caught up in a national level scandal has witnessed prices of the society plummet and create a panic among real estate agents. “I have not only invested my savings in this scheme, but also money of my investors,” said Azeem. The society has been doing well for some years and was providing a big relief to the real estate market of Lahore but the scandal is reversing the land price and putting our investments in jeopardy. Malik Riaz, one of Pakistan’s most high-profile businessmen, has alleged that Arsalan Iftikhar, son of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, took almost $3.6 million from him in exchange for favourable verdicts in cases involving Riaz’s businesses. The case is still under trial at the Supreme Court. Prices of a 605-square yard plot have declined up to Rs200,000 in the last few days, agents told The Express Tribune. There was a time when the real estate developments in Lahore were based purely on providing housing units, with little regard for any other facilities. The military-owned Defence Housing Authority began offering a few improvements in infrastructure but the trend did not catch on until the late 1990s, when Bahria Town began offering ‘lifestyle real estate’. From then on, a trend started that has continued since. Other than this, another boom to the real estate market was the migration of people from across the province looking for a save-haven against the rise in criminal activities. Bahria Town is the second largest housing society after Defence Housing Authority in Lahore, however, the property magnate backed-society has become the preferred choice due to its unique and international living standards. Prices of land and houses have been stagnant in DHA while Bahria Town prices have declined. Majority of the growing middle class is investing in Bahria Town as it is much cheaper and provides more facilities than DHA. The day the saga hit all news channels, investors panicked and started selling, even at prices lower than the market going rate, said property expert Shahreyar Ashraf while warning that this is just the start. The son of Malik Riaz, Ali Riaz, in a statement recently announced that he is handling Bahria Town affairs, but this was not enough to lift investor confidence, Ashraf added. The real estate market is volatile to news flows. Investors fearing the worst have started shifting their investment to other societies. Property investors operating at a large scale have the option to divert their investment but we can’t, said Azeem. We can just pray and hope for the best, he added. Published In The Express Tribune, June 17th, 2012. === Off-air leak a ‘big conspiracy’, says Riaz’s counsel Bukhar­i demand­s that the hidden faces behind the conspi­racy be expose­d. By Our Correspondent Published: June 17, 2012 Bukhari demands that the hidden faces behind the conspiracy be exposed. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE LAHORE: Zahid Bukhari, the counsel for real estate magnate Malik Riaz, said on Saturday that the leaked off-air footage of his client’s controversial Dunya TV interview appeared to be ‘a big conspiracy’, adding that he would stand by the court against this conpiracy. Bukhari, whose entry into the Lahore Bar has been banned due to his representing Riaz in the Dr Arsalan case, was addressing a press conference in Lahore. He demanded that the hidden faces behind the conspiracy be exposed. Bukhari said the Supreme Court did not give “a clean chit” to any one which showed that there was an imminent need to investigate the situation. The controversial property developer’s counsel also claimed that his client had not given any money or bungalows to journalists, an allegation making the rounds since a list containing a list of media persons apparently on Riaz’s payroll was leaked. Bukhari also read out an email which he claimed was sent to him by Riaz in which, he said, Riaz had denied giving any financial or other favours to journalists. The counsel further claimed that the list of journalists, allegedly given cars, property and cash which was published on a Bahria Town letterhead, was bogus and had no legal significance. Regarding questions pertaining to Riaz’s allegations against the chief justice and the superior judiciary during a press conference in Islamabad earlier this week Bukhari said he had no association with his client’s comments. He added “it would have been better” if his client had consulted him prior to holding the contentious press conference. Published In The Express Tribune, June 17th, 2012. == A short history of Mehar Bukhari By Ahmed Rayyan - Jun 17th, 2012 (4 Comments) 14 Karachi: Mehar Bukhari, the controversial hostess of Dunya TV news channel, is among those faces made their debut in the electronic media in the past one decade and gradually attained reputation as an outspoken and an influential anchorperson in the national political scenario. Without any prior experience of journalism, Bukhari was become the part of launching team of Samaa TV in 2007 and manipulated public opinion on the social and political issues of the country through her talk shows. Nai Rahei She became anchorperson of the program “Nai Rahei”, which highlighted the issues of the women in urban and rural areas initially. Later on the focused of program was shifted on issues of Pakistan’s society and its problems. Mehar came in the limelight when a fake footage in her program in which Tribal areas Taliban lashed out a young girl publicly on the pretext of illicit relationship with a man. The program gained reputation with obvious high rating and become leading topic of every TV channel and newspaper. Though the video provided by Samar Minallah was later declared as faked by the court of law since there was no such incident reported by police however its impacts were widespread at the time it was raised. News Beat Mehar Bukhari was later made the hostess of political show “News Beat” in which she appeared to be more blatant and confident interviewing top political leaders of the country on different topics. She conducted many successful live shows and attained viewers’ attentions in few months as credible and brave anchorperson. In 2010, her photos with CIA official in US Embassy were surfaced on internet and social media that caused dent to her credibility first time as her fans were heart-broken with her gestures shown in the snaps. Though there were other female anchorpersons belonging to different news channels seen in the photos but Bukhari can be seen more frankly with male US officials, which is unacceptable in our society and raised many questions on her partiality as media person. In the same year in August, a video footage of Mehar Bukhari was uploaded and shared widely on Youtube and Facebook in which she looked to be very close to the federal ministers (Qamar uz Zama Kaira and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf) who had been criticized in her show. Fatwa on Salman Taseer In 2011, she telecasted fatwa of a local scholar on the killing of slain Salman Taseer that invited harsh criticism and reactions from liberal scholars on the content of her show. She lost her job in Samaa TV after Mr Taseer was assassinated. Crossfire at Dunya News Mehar Bukhari joined Dunay TV in May 2011 against handsome salary of more than one million rupees. She started conducted her show “Crossfire” after couple of months and continued to hold talk shows on national political issues to play a vital role in making public opinion through leading news channel. Marriage with Kashif Abbasi She came in the limelight again in November 2011 when she got married with Kashif Abbasi, a senior anchor of ARY News Channel. Her husband is considered though a decent anchor but he could not influence her professional career positively as she continued to carry out controversial programs. Dunya Leaks Scandal And now in June 2012, she has been exposed by a leaked video conducting a “planted show” for manipulation of public opinion in the favor of Malik Riaz, a real estate tycoon. The show not only created mess in Dunya News and media industry but also grabbed the attention of supreme judiciary of the country, which ordered an inquiry of the program after a day. The co-host of the program, Mubashir Lucman, was suspended by Dunya News management but her fate has yet to be decided. Bukhari though tried in vain to explain about the content of the program at her show but she has lost a majority of her fans and viewers who got surprised and enraged to watch her gestures and conversations in the off-air time of talk shows. In the span five years, the career of Mehar Bukhari was full with successes, controversies and scandals. Now the viewers of the TV channels will decide whether her show should be watched or not. === ALERT Social media power: Malik Riaz becomes active on Facebook By Ahmed Rayyan - Jun 17th, 2012 (2 Comments) 5 Karachi: After leaked video fiasco, Malik Riaz (MR), the real estate tycoon, has become active on Facebook to gain public support through presenting his philanthropic activities for the welfare of poor masses. An official fan page titled “We Support Malik Riaz Hussain” created on June 15 which attracted nearly 3,000 likes in a day thanks to advertisement. The page portrays Malik Riaz as heroic figure of the country having his various snaps for the masses welfare activities. It is also filled up with the opinion pieces and article written in his favour by prominent journalists and analysts in leading newspapers. The FB page also contains material which demeans Chief Justice of Pakistan Chaudhry Iftikhar Muhammad for his involvement in the corruption of his son Dr Arsalan Chaudhry. Besides the documents (bills) were also uploaded which were evidences upon which TV anchors of different news channels had earlier conducted their talk shows It also contains post of editorial written by his friend Najam Sethi on the prevailing issue in Friday Times. It seems that a dedicated team of social media activists or professionals was hired to cultivate a public opinion in the favour of MR through FB pages while criticizing CJP’s son involvement in the corruption. The MR introduction written on the FB page is “Pakistan’s Leading Real Estate Developer & Philanthropist. Entrepreneurship has itself found new meanings in the work of Malik Riaz. Because of his philanthropic initiatives, he is being dubbed as the Warren Buffett of Pakistan.” Malik Riaz Hussain, Founder and Ex Chairman , is a real force behind Bahria Town, started in the 1980s as a small-time contractor. As competitors targeted the rich, he built for the emerging middle class, becoming one of Pakistan’s richest developers. == After losing paid agent Mubashir Luqman, Shujaat puts up defence of family friend By Abdul Hafeez - Jun 16th, 2012 (No Comment) 6 Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid president Chaudhry Shujaat has put up a stout defence of property tycoon Malik Riaz and the latter would definitely be thinking that Chauhdry Sahib should be his defence counsel instead of Zahid Bolhari. Shujaat who along with Chaudhry Pervez Elahi supported dictatorial regime of General Pervez Musharrf with Elahi vowing to elect the dictator in uniform 10-times, is now advising people to think of Malik Riaz’s philanthropy. He says Riaz provides the people with free meal at Bahria Dastarkhwuan, gives dowry to the daughters of poor. Shujaat doesn’t forget to mention Riaz’s support of people during floods. However, the Q-League president didn’t answer whether people should receive Malik Riaz’s aid at the cost of justice and Supreme Court of Pakistan and Pakistanis should let the tycoon do what he wanted. Shujaat warned the people of consequences of Malik Riaz burst as he has numerous secrets about how governments were formed in the past. Perhaps, Shujaat doesn’t know the poor masses have nothing to do with how the governments were formed. Speaking to party workers on Friday, he said he had family relations with Malik Riaz, adding that the property tycoon was a self-made person. Shujaat’s tone indicates as Malik Riaz is an innocent man and being singled out by his opponent, like Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. However, he doesn’t tell why the Bahria Town owner allegedly bribed Arsalan Iftikhar and why he had tried to involve the Chief Justice of Pakistan. Chaudhry Sahib’s one of the staunch supporters Mubashir Luqman has been caught conspiring along with his family friend Malik Riaz against the Chief Justice of Pakistan on a TV channel owned by his crony Mian Amir Mehmmod. Should people of Pakistan be thinking that Chaudhry Shujaat is behind the conspiracy to let down the CJ just because Moonis ELahi was sent behind the bars for his corruption? === Pak chief justice’s son is not new to controversies Reports alleged that Dr Iftikhar sought favours from a big business magnate, Malik Riaz Hussain. DAWN correspondent 10th Jun Dr Arsalan Iftikhar (C). akistan Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry took suo moto action against one of his own sons, Dr Arsalan Iftikhar after reports alleged that the latter sought favours from one of the biggest business magnates of Pakistan, Malik Riaz Hussain. Dr Iftikhar is not new to controversies and was earlier brought to the limelight in 2007 when Pervez Musharraf filed a reference against his father before the Supreme Judicial Council. The reference stated various allegations against Iftikhar, however, none of them were proven during the trial of the chief justice. Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was suspended by Pervez Musharraf in March 2007, on various charges pertaining to corruption. According to the reference filed against the chief justice, one of the charges levelled against him was that he allegedly committed misconduct by employing his position to gain undue advantage for his son. The bizarre reference stated that Dr Iftikhar secured an overall C grade in intermediate examinations, which was not sufficient to grant him admission in Bolan Medical College in 1996. It was alleged that the then Chief Minister of Balochistan was approached to nominate Dr Iftikhar for admission against leftover foreign vacant seats/special seats. According to the reference, Dr Iftikhar was appointed as a medical officer at Institute of Public Health, Quetta in 2005. A few days after his initial appointment, the Chief Minister of Balochistan passed an order, which called for Dr Iftikhar's promotion as section officer in the health department. The orders were allegedly given to the then chief secretary of Balochistan who referred the case to Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD), as the authority to approve postings and transfers of secretariat staff. Ironically, the reference also stated that in August 2005, the Ministry of Interior addressed a letter to the chief secretary of Balochistan regarding Dr Iftikhar's services being required in FIA. In September 2005, the Ministry of Interior issued a notification to appoint Dr Iftikhar as assistant director in the FIA. In April 2006, Dr Iftikhar was promoted to the position of deputy director in FIA. After being promoted in FIA, it is alleged that a campaign was launched to recruit Dr Iftikhar in the police service. The reference also mentions that in May 2006, the Ministry of Interior issued a letter to Commandment National Police Academy in Islamabad to attach Dr Iftikhar for field training along with under training ASPs. A few days later the Ministry of Interior issued another letter which stated that after the completion of Dr Iftikhar's training at National Police Academy, the services of the trainee be made available to the Punjab Police. Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Secretariat was allegedly approached to permanently induct Dr Iftikhar as an employee of the Police Service of Pakistan. However, his permanent recruitment required an amendment in the Police Service of Pakistan Rules 1985, which could only be introduced through the President's approval. The authorities claim that the chief justice exerted immense pressure on the Prime Minister Secretariat to ensure his son's permanent induction in the police force. The aforementioned charges, along with other cases, brought about the suspension of Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. The charges filed by former President Musharraf were challenged by the chief justice in the Supreme Court of Pakistan as he believed that the Supreme Judicial Council will manoeuvre the judgment according to the President's will. Shortly afterwards, Musharraf imposed emergency in Pakistan, during which chief justice and his family were under house arrest. It is now being alleged that Dr Iftikhar has accepted up to Rs 400 million in bribe from Bahria Town's Malik Riaz Hussain. It is also alleged that between 2009 and 2011, Hussain sponsored his trips to London with credit cards to be used at his discretion. = NEWS IN BRIEF: 'Pak chief justice's son ran judiciary like a don' By Mail Today Reporter PUBLISHED: 23:44 GMT, 12 June 2012 | UPDATED: 00:01 GMT, 13 June 2012 * Comments (0) * Share * o o o Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry A day after threatening to make public bomb-like evidence against the son of the Pakistan Chief Justice, an Islamabadbased real estate tycoon told the country's supreme court on Tuesday that his relatives had paid a staggering 342.5 million rupees (in local currency) to Arsalan Iftikhar, who he claimed was running the judiciary like a don. The real estate tycoon at the centre of a corruption scandal involving Iftikhar Chaudhry's son levelled several damning allegations against the judiciary, and said the top judge was aware of the scam for six months but took no action. Malik Riaz Hussain, the founder of the Bahria Town real estate firm, alleged that the Chief Justice's son, Arsalan, was running the judiciary like a don and vowed to make more revelations about the judiciary in the coming days. In a statement submitted to the apex court, which had taken suo motu notice of media reports on improper links between the tycoon and Arsalan, Hussain accused him of blackmailing his relatives. Later, referring to the Chief Justice's pledge that the apex court would act according to Quranic injunctions and Islamic law in dealing with his son's case, Hussain produced a Quran during a news conference and asked the Chief Justice to tell the people how many times he had met him (Hussain) in the dark of night. Hussain alleged that the evidence against Arsalan was brought to the Chief Justices's notice six months ago by a mutual friend but Chaudhry had refused to see the proof. 'The Chief Justice should say how long he has known of this case and why he didn't take suo motu (action),' Hussain said. 'They say it is an independent judiciary, it is actually a judiciary being held hostage. It is being run by a don. I am not saying the don is the Chief Justice of Pakistan, the don is Arsalan Iftikhar,' he alleged. Hussain contended that the Chief Justice's son and the Supreme Court's registrar Faqir Hussain were present at his meetings with the top judge. He further alleged that the Chief Justice had met Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani several times at the Lahore home of his business partner, Ahmed Khalil. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2158351/Pak-chief-justices-son-ran-judiciary-like-don.html#ixzz1y6YvZu4O == # This was just artifical boom created by the Bahri itself through bulk agents/investors, even a 5marla plot was asking at 3-4 lack own. Now this nut is cracking & prices r declining to the actual value. Recommend5 # Sky 21 hours ago Reply Buy the fear. Good time to buy. – investor Recommend6 # roadkashehzada 20 hours ago Reply so wht does this report suggests??? proceedings against riaz thekedaar is hurting public interest?? Recommend14 # Raj 20 hours ago Reply Prices of a 605-square yard plot have declined up to Rs200,000 in the last few days, agents told The Express Tribune. I must say Pakistanis are very lucky to get such large chunk of plots at such cheap rates that too in one of the major cities like Lahore. In India to get even 200 sq yd of land in any of the metros , one has to spend all his life time savings and also may need to take a loan on top of that. Then there are some neighbourhoods where middle class people can’t even think of buying appartments let alone plots Recommend9 # Ajamal 19 hours ago Reply Another knee jert reaction by our people. When will be learn to keep personal and corporate affairs separate? In the worst scenario, an independent board can be appointed by Supreme Court to run the affairs of Bahrai to protect billions of inidviduals investment. Recommend2 # Baba Ji 17 hours ago Reply Time to buy !!!!!!Recommend6 # Ahmad 17 hours ago Reply After what all appeared on media, how can one be sure that the article above is not a paid article by the Bahria town competitors? Recommend5 # KB 17 hours ago Reply @Raj: It meant ‘up to’ 200k which does not give clear picture of how much the price of this will be. Islamabad has one of the expensive most properties so the story is same about people spending their life saving up except for a very little percentage. Recommend4 # KB 17 hours ago Reply @Ajamal: Behavioural Finance sure had some concepts that were relevant. The market react to such news which is normal. Recommend # Hemant 16 hours ago Reply @Raj: The report nowhere indicates the price of the 605 yard plot , what it states that the price has declined by 2 lacs . Recommend8 # Hunter Punter 16 hours ago Reply a 605 yd plot in london comes for about 5 million pounds…. 200000/- is dirt cheap. unless the price quoted is wrong. surely in lahore, prices of prime property must be far more than that. Recommend2 # MB 16 hours ago Reply So now the people will flock to buy plots in Bahria Town which will increase the prices. Simple economics.Recommend5 # Rhazes 15 hours ago Reply @Hunter Punter: The prices declined by 200,000 not that the land was worth 200,000. For 200,000 you won’t be able to buy even a one bedroom flat in a poor locality. Recommend6 # Nadir 15 hours ago Reply Hawwww! 200k “decline” is a drop in the bucket, compared to the original landholders who got a pittance at best or nothing at all as they were forced of their land! Recommend1 # Aziz 14 hours ago Reply This time it may not be managed decline in price but Bahrai does it premeditatedly to pick the titles back at low levels as they have deep pocket. When they collect back enough the storm is over and they sell it at high prices and we common people follow their plans like idiots. Same happens in most the stock markets specially in developing world where regulators are corrupt and incompetent to cath the white collar thieves. Recommend1 # Ashraf P 13 hours ago Reply You can now get a villa in Bahria Town for 1 million. But no takers. I am waiting for the price to come down to 100,000. Then, I will buy. Recommend # Mian Allah Yar Ahmed 12 hours ago Reply Dear Fellows;- Please keep in mind these big alligators want to snatch the last bite from Pakistanis who have invested their life saving in Bahria Town, it looks like the same game of Cooperative societies. Kindly be aware this might be the big game to digest Trillions of people.Recommend2 # Muhammed 11 hours ago Reply prices in Pakistan are already INFLATED …. the property business is being done in hardly 15 – 20 Communities and 90% of people who are buying and selling are INVESTORS. I would say the prices should go down another 500,000 Rs to come to actual value Recommend1 == Mehar Bukhari must quit TV By Dr Ghayur Ayub - Jun 18th, 2012 (2 Comments) 6 Karachi: Mehar Bukhari added her name in the sting operation against the superior judiciary and the CJP in that special interview of Malik Riaz on Dunya TV. People around the globe with interest in Pakistani politics watched her doing everything to please the property tycoon through her conversation supported by body language during ‘off-the-air’ intervals. She tried her best to get Malik Riaz’s attention and ‘blessings’. He responded with ‘fatherly’ attitude. To please her, he promised to give her exclusive one-to-one interview in future. The whole ‘episode’ reminded me of slave mental mind-set our society suffers from. Despite her explanation the next day on her talk show, she cannot hide the factual visuals seen by millions a day earlier. The question is why did she want to have another one-to-one interview? Didn’t she do enough ‘Khush-Amadi’ in those two hours that she wanted more hours? What else she could have done that she didn’t do in that interview? Whether she likes it or not, the paradoxical approach in ‘on the air’ and ‘off the air’ visuals brought her down in the eyes of the public. Khwaja Asif tried to save her integrity by calling her a ‘collateral damage’. It is not as simple as that. The only way she can distance herself from the sting operation and be counted as ‘collateral damage’ is to resigns from Dunya TV as her colleague Nasim Zahar did. That is the only honourable way out otherwise showing selected clips of her conversations and trying to explain her position is like cleaning her greasy hands with water instead of turpentine. Moreover it can cast a shadow on her husband Kashif Abbasi’s integrity, who is known to be an upright anchor person. Finally, if one removes the clip in which Mubashar Lucman received a call from PM’s son and handed over the telephone in a disgraceful manner to Riaz Malik, he acted and sounded more upright than Meher Bukhari during those crucial ‘off the air’ time. == FIA, NAB and police to probe Malik Riaz saga Three member-joint invest­igatio­n team to probe chief justic­e’s, tycoon’s famili­es. By Abdul Manan Published: June 19, 2012 Three member-joint investigation team to probe chief justice’s, tycoon’s families. PHOTO: REUTERS/ FILE LAHORE: Following the Supreme Court ruling to investigate the alleged payments made by property tycoon Malik Riaz to the chief justice of Pakistan’s son, Dr Arsalan Iftikhar, the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP)’s office has constituted a three-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) which will probe the entire saga, sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune. According to sources, the JIT consists of the Inspector General of Islamabad Police, as well as directors from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The members and mandate of the JIT has been suggested and finalised by the PPP-led coalition government – and the details were sent to the AGP’s office on Monday night for a notification to be issued. Sources told The Express Tribune that AGP Irfan Qadir would, in coming days, issue the notification – which could come as early as Tuesday (today). The AGP will monitor the JIT and later submit the findings to the court. Former chairman Bahria Town Malik Riaz had accused Dr Arsalan of financial impropriety, claiming that he had taken bribes from him and promised to have his cases pending in court settled amicably. The Supreme Court on June 14 had directed the AGP to proceed according to the law and take required action against business tycoon Malik Riaz, his son-in-law Salman and the chief justice’s son Dr Arsalan Iftikhar. JIT’s mandate According to sources, the JIT has been mandated to investigate the following: the wife of the chief justice, his son Dr Arsalan Iftikhar, his “pir” (mentor) Hakeem Abdul Wahab, Malik Riaz and his son-in-law Salman Ali Khan. Besides these two families, JIT would investigate businessman Ahmad Khalil, alleged to be the go-between, and renowned lawyer Hamid Khan. According to sources, Hakim Wahab is suspected to be a partner of Dr Arsalan. According to sources, Riaz had claimed that the bribes were given primarily for two cases – both of which would be investigated in close detail. The JIT, said sources, would investigate Riaz’s allegation that he was asked to hire Hamid Khan for these two cases. One case pertained to the car race accident, which took place in December 2010, as a result of which five persons were killed. Riaz’s son, Ali Riaz, faced murder charges. The second case is said to be the one pertaining to the murder of a Bahria Town guard Fayyaz Ahmad. AGP Irfan Qadir, while talking with The Express Tribune, confirmed the formation of the JIT. He promised that everything in this matter would be unveiled. Published in The Express Tribune, June 19th, 2012. === Bahria Town brings out Dr Arsalan judgment Real estate compan­y says SC ruled that such cases be referr­ed to a trial court. By Our Correspondent Published: July 3, 2012 Real estate company says SC ruled that such cases be referred to a trial court. ISLAMABAD: An embattled Bahria Town administration came out with some new ammunition on Monday, pleading that the Supreme Court should not be hearing cases against it – ironically basing its new prayer on a recent judgment given by the apex court itself in the controversial Dr Arsalan Iftikhar case. In a reply submitted to the court in the case pertaining to the murder of a security guard in relation to an alleged land-grabbing case, Bahria Town’s administration pointed out that in the Dr Arsalan case, which dealt with alleged bribes taken by the chief justice’s son from the family of real estate tycoon, the court had stated that matters of such nature should be taken up by a “competent trial court”. Bahria Town pleaded that “the Honourable Supreme Court is not a trial court, which can decide the civil disputes between private parties” and also pointed out that the real estate company has already submitted that all claims against it are actually “civil disputes” and should hence be decided by a “civil court.” Taking its argument a step further, it was also argued that if Bahria Town property disputes are to be taken up by the apex court, then all such disputes should be dropped from civil courts and taken up by the Supreme Court. The real estate company further prayed that it had not been given a “proper trial” – which, it was argued, could only take place in a civil court “after the recording of evidence and a decision taken on merits.” The right to such a trial, contended Bahria Town, has been enshrined in the Constitution under Article 10-A – which was also stated by the Supreme Court in its “landmark” judgment in the Dr Arsalan case. Bahria Town, the largest land development company in the country, and its former chairman Malik Riaz have a number of cases being heard against them in the Supreme Court for over three years now. It was pointed out that the Dr Arsalan case had been referred to the competent authority “within 4 days” – and Bahria Town has prayed to get similar treatment from the court. Published in The Express Tribune, July 3rd, 2012. === Graft investigation: I am not going to run away, says Malik Riaz By Web Desk Published: July 30, 2012 Riaz slams 'proclaimed offender'proceedings initiated against him by ATC. PHOTO: REUTERS/ FILE ISLAMABAD / RAWALPINDI: The Bahria Town chief Malik Riaz, who appeared before a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Modnay, hit out at being declared a proclaimed offender by a Rawalpindi court. An Anti-Corruption court initiated a process whereby Riaz would be termed a proclaimed offender in a case involving his son and seven others, accused of purchasing land through alleged forged documents and fake identities. Express News reported that Riaz had lashed out saying that if he is to be declared a ‘proclaimed offender’, then he best be arrested, but the move, he warned, would not deter him and attempts to force him to ‘run’ will not work. “The supreme court should hear the case in which have been declared a proclaimed offender and see for them selves whether there is any truth in it, or just another false case,” Riaz urged before telling media persons that he already has bail in the case for which proclaimed offender proceedings were being initiated against him. The tycoon of Bahria Town fame also reached out to the Supreme Court, asking the apex body to provide his son-in-law protection whereby he too could come and present his testimony in the Dr Arsalan Iftikhar case. NAB JIT Business magnet Malik Riaz appeared before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) of NAB today and answered questions about the details given by him, in response to JIT’s questionnaire served on him during his last appearance, a release said. Malik Riaz elaborated and explained some commercial transactions involving large amounts through which allegedly Dr Arslan Iftikhar Chaudhry obtained undue financial benefits from Malik Riaz and Bahria Town. NAB said it will deeply examine the transactions brought on record. The material and information received from various banks and financial institutions is also being evaluated by financial experts and reports on various financial trails are being compiled. Meanwhile, Malik Riaz sought a further weeks time for submitting additional documentary evidence to substantiate his contentions. The release said that the JIT has initiated an exercise to look into money laundering aspects associated with the case. NAB also issued notices to Dr Arslan Iftikhar Chaudhry to appear in person later this week. Dr Faqir Hussain has also been summoned in his private capacity. Becoming a proclaimed offender Earlier on Monday, a special judge of the Anti-Corruption Court initiated the process of proclamation for Malik Riaz, his son and seven other accused in a case of purchasing land through alleged forged documents and fake identities. The trial Judge Chaudhry Amir Muhammad Khan issued posters showing the owner of Bharia Town Malik Riaz, his son Ahmed Ali Riaz and others after they did not appear before the court despite repeated warrants for arrest were issued after summons and adjourned the hearing till September 3, 2012. The court further directed the district coordination officer DCO Rawalpindi to collect the information about the movable and immovable properties of Riaz in Rawalpindi and submit a report to the court on next date of hearing. The proclamation process started after the property tycoon failed to get favourable decision from the Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi bench, against the arrest warrants issued by the trial court. Malik Riaz, his employees and some revenue officials were being tried for transferring 1401 kanal land in the names of the property tycoon at Malikpur Azizal in the area of Rawat and his son allegedly using forged mutations, transfer letters and fake identities. Riaz has denied allegations of fraud and says he was looted by the revenue officials and some middle men as he paid Rs85 million for purchase of the land in 2009. ========