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district briefs:

US teacher asks Chitralis to find Bin Laden

PESHAWAR: A New York Times story quoting CIA officials as saying they are looking for Osama Bin Laden in Chitral has prompted an American teacher to appeal to Chitralis to help find the Al Qaeda leader. “I humbly ask, please help us. Please help the Americans, if you can. Please help us rid the world of this Osama if you can. He may be hiding in your land and planning to attack America again. That is what the CIA thinks,” Cathy Henry said in an email posted on. “This is bad for us, and it could be bad for you, too. So please help us. We are powerful, but not all-powerful, and there is nothing like a friend when you need help. Everyone needs friends, even Americans,” she wrote. Her email drew an angry response from Islamabad-based Fawad Ali Shah. staff report

PPPP demands independent judicial commission

ISLAMABAD: Leadership of the Pakistan People’s Party-Parliamentarian (PPP-P), at a press conference on Wednesday, demanded that the government constitute an independent judicial commission to look into the cancellation of bail of Asif Ali Zardari by a court in Karachi. “An application has been given to the provincial police officer (PPO) of Punjab to register cases against officials of Punjab and Sindh governments responsible for the hijacking of the plane carrying Zardari,” said Babar Awan, the legal representative of Zardari. “According to the rules of the Civil Aviation, no one can board a plane carrying guns,” he added. staff report

Pakistan Post Office: Hub of public embezzlement?

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday observed that there had been copious instances of embezzlement of public money, mismanagement and violation of rules in the Pakistan Post Office (PPO). Discussing an audit objection against the PPO for 2000-2001, the committee directed the communications secretary to assert his supervisory role and suggest ways to improve the current state of affairs. Chaired by Malik Allah Yar Khan, the committee expressed concern on an unauthorised withdrawal of Rs 3.122 million from the PPO treasury on plain paper chits. The PPO director general was directed to abolish the practice of withdrawing money on plain chits and to identify those who were responsible for the embezzlement. The audit department informed PAC that the PPO had not discontinued the practice and had violated earlier orders of the ad hoc PAC in 2001. staff report

Zardari’s arrest will not hinder reconciliation process: Sherpao

ISLAMABAD: The process of national reconciliation will continue despite the re-arrest of Asif Ali Zardari, Federal Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao said on Wednesday. He said the government would hold talks with all political parties to create a congenial political atmosphere in the country. Talking to journalists on the eve of the inauguration of the first phase of IJ Principal Road, he said that Zardari had been re-arrested in the Justice Nizam-ud-Din murder case He added that none of the accused in the case had complied with court orders to appear in court. The minister said a division bench of the Sindh High Court granted bail to Zardari and the home department of the Sindh government withdrew police officials from Zardari’s residence. He said that all opposition parties had been allowed to hold public rallies but no one would be allowed to take the law into their own hands. staff report

Legislation needed for working women: WWA

ISLAMABAD: The participants of the first Working Women’s Assembly (WWA) organised by the Alliance Against Sexual Harassment (AASHA) on Wednesday were of the view that legislation was needed urgently to protect the rights of working women at the work place. “It is high time that the government took measures to arrest this social menace as it affects almost all working women,” the assembly demanded. MNA Kashmala Tariq who attended the concluding session of the assembly along with chief guest Ghulam Sarwar Khan, labour, manpower and overseas Pakistanis minister, and Justice (r) Majida Rizvi, chairperson of the National Commission of the Status of Women, informed the audience that she had prepared a Gender Justice Bill which would be submitted to the National Assembly very soon. staff report

FO welcomes Singh’s statement

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan welcomed on Tuesday Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement that India wanted to resolve all outstanding issues with Pakistan through dialogue. “We understand that Indian premier’s statement is welcoming, but now expectations are that India and Pakistan should resolve their issues,” Masood Khan, Foreign Office spokesman, told PTV. Masood said the continuation of the composite dialogue was itself a good process. “Now, the composite dialogue process is entering into that stage where efforts should be enhanced to achieve results,” he added. He said confidence building measures (CBMs) and the dialogue process would have to move forward together. Both the countries must show flexibility, courage and sincerity to resolve their complicated issues, he said. app

US Embassy’s gift to law library

ISLAMABAD: The US Embassy presented an American Legal Discovery Centre package (ALDC) to the Rawalpindi District Courts Bar Association Library. Syed Ghazanfer Ali shah, president of the bar association, Naheeda Maqbol Elahi, deputy attorney general, and some members of the legal community were present on the occasion. The US Embassy has launched the ALDC project to equip seven law libraries in Pakistan with the latest legal information and provide an opportunity for the Pakistani legal community, scholars and researchers to broaden their knowledge of the American legal system. The ALDC is a $4,000 package consisting of a Dell Pentium III computer; CD-ROMs and American legal software; reference books on law; an HP laser printer, an uninterrupted power supply unit (UPS); and a wooden cabin and chair. staff report

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