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LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) spokesman Siddiqul Farooq asked Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain to return to Pakistan to face cases, so that he could prove his weight.
Farooq urged Altaf Hussain to come to Punjab, saying, ‘We will provide him the bullet-proof vehicles and receive him in Lahore.’
PML-N mouthpiece said his party acknowledges the MQM and its mandate; but, we do not accede to the politics of ethnicity and bias.
‘We respect the immigrants and their offspring; but, we do not accept the All Pakistan Mohajir Qaumi Movement, which was based on the very ethnicity,’ he reiterated.

LAHORE: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the talks about trial against Musharraf under Article six were not came to an end and he was in contact with Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader Mian Nawaz Sharif. Gilani said the Peoples Party and PML-N have differences over the mechanism.
The prime minister was talking to media on Sunday after extending condolence with Peoples Party leader Sardar Asif Ahmed Ali over the demise of his mother.
Gilani said there was no minus-one formula in democracy, “Nawaz Sharif is not disappointed with us. Muslim League (N) and Peoples Party have several common points. The leaders of both parties have suffered afflictions and faced cases,” Gilani said.
Replying a question Prime Minister Gilani said the back of terrorism has been broken and the miscreants were now hiding their faces.
He said his government was taking all possible measure to control the crises of sugar and flour shortage.

Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan:- PML-N walked out from the National Assembly session Thursday protesting over yesterday’s speech by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in the house in which he had ruled out his government would seek a trial of former military president Pervez Musharraf for high treason.
Speaking on a point of order, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that why consensus was needed to invoke the Article 6 of the Constitution for trial of former president Pervez Musharraf.
Responding to the point of order, Dr. Babar Awan said Pakistan Peoples’ Party believes in promoting politics of consensus and consultation for strengthening the democratic norms in the country.
“There are PPP allies in the Federal and the provincial governments, who are always taken on board on all important national issues,” the Minister said.
Babar Awan said on one hand Chaudhry Nisar appreciated Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani for creating consensus among political forces on several national issues, while on the other he was questioning about evolving consensus in political parties regarding the Article 6.
He said these two points of the PML-N leader negate each other.
The Minister said PPP and allied parties are fully backing the comments of the Prime Minister, which he made during his speech in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
He said whatever the Prime Minister said in his speech was not based on personal and political victimization or personal interests but it gave a new ray of hope to democratic forces.
Awan while addressing the Prime Minister said “Mr. Prime Minister we are on your back. The Parliament is on your back. Your coalition is on your back.”

PAKISTAN, ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said he forgave former President Gen (rtd) Pervez Musharraf on his resignation; however, if the parliament brings a consensus resolution against him (Musharraf), he would support it.
Addressing the National Assembly, he said the Leader of the Opposition does not have the majority to get the resolution approved.
The judiciary, having played their role, said the rest lies with the parliament, he said.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto held the democracy the best revenge, he said.
Gilani said he has come to the House, now it is time to bolster democracy, adding it is the first time that he ascended the premiership as the consensus candidate and MQM supported him at a time when it was not a coalition partner.
The PM Gilani said he wants to take all the allies in confidence and the strength of his government comes from the alliance.
All the resolutions were adopted with consensus in 17 months, he added.

PAKISTAN, ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has reiterated that the PPP as per its manifesto is committed to repeal the 17th Amendment from the Constitution.
“I think 17th Amendment is practically dead. I have called on the Parliament twice to repeal it. I do not consider it as an instrument. I do not rely on it. I do not intend to use it,” the President said in ARY NEWS’ programme “Eleventh Hour” telecasted Monday night.
“Being a politically elected President and accepting this position after the consensus within the party as well as resolutions adopted by the Parliament and provincial assemblies, why I would need the 17th Amendment?” the President questioned to the interviewer Jasmeen Manzoor.
The President said he has come to power through a political process as he fought the elections right from the Union Council and District Council to the National Assembly and Senate.
He said the PPP has a past and future as well, so how its co-chairman can think of not abiding by the party’s manifesto. “Will the (present) parliament allow itself to be dissolved,” the President remarked.
To a question about his relations with the Prime Minister, the President said Gilani is all powerful Prime Minister and the PPP nominated him for the position in the name of Benazir Bhutto.
He said there can be wishful thinking of some people about difference between him and the Prime Minister, maintaining “We all are with him. The PPP is behind him. He is a strong Prime Minister.”
To a question, the President said Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had asked him to become the Prime Minister, but the party after three months of deliberations nominated Gilani for the PM’s slot.
President Zardari said the PPP’s commitment to democracy and the Charter of Democracy can be gauged from the fact that Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly, for the first time in history was also given the post of Chairman Public Accounts Committee.
He said some people wanted us to get into confrontation with state institutions “but we want to strengthen democracy and institutions. We are in the process of building institutions and not personalities”.
To a question about criticism on the government, the President recalled the situation in which the PPP government came into power after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
He referred to the federal budget 2009-10 and said some socio-economic vehicles have been created and some are being created for resolving the problems of masses.
The President did not agree with the view that the PPP’s popularity was on decline by saying the people of Pakistan voted PPP to power in the previous elections and the party will again clinch the majority in future as well.

PAKISTAN, KALABAGH: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Nawabzada Malik Ammad Khan said minus Zardari formula has been made up by media and there are no differences within People’s Party.
Talking to media in Kalabagh, he said only parliament can take action against the former president Pervez Musharraf.
“There is a complete understanding among government, army, and opposition,” the minister stressed, adding, “all major decisions are made after taking the opposition in confidence.”
Only parliament has power to take action against Musharraf which can give a go ahead for any action under Article 6, he added.
Ammad said government is in favour of abolishing the 17th amendment and President Asif Zardari will open-heartedly accept the cutback in his powers.

PAKISTAN, ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday night announced major legal and political reforms in the Tribal Areas to extricate them from a century of bondage and subservience and usher them into mainstream of national life describing it as a gift to the nation and the tribal people on the Nation’s 63rd Independence Day.
The government has fulfilled its promise and now people in Fata can have an identity as they will participate in political activities and exercise their right to vote, the President said while addressing the nation in a live PTV Special Show held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on the occasion of Independence Day.
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Chairman Senate Farooq Naek, Speaker National Assembly Fehmida Mirza, Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, Federal Ministers, Parliamentarians, Diplomats and high-ranking government officials were present on the occasion.
The President said Pakistan’s future lies in democracy and every Pakistani has a right and duty to nurture democratic values.
He said Quaid-e-Azam succeeded in gaining an Islamic country through a democratic struggle.
“Democracy gave Pakistan and democracy saved Pakistan” and now all citizens can live in this country with honour, he said adding the nation should be thankful for a free and democratic Pakistan.
The President said the government will take into confidence all political parties inside and outside the parliament, on national issues.
All parties including PML(N), ANP, MQM and others will be together on national issues and everybody will strengthen each other and stand united, he added.
He said living nations face challenges and recalled when their democratic government took over, the country was near bankruptcy and a handful of extremists wanted to take hold of Pakistan.
He saluted the jawans of Armed Forces who sacrificed their lives to safeguard the nation and people who stood with the government at that critical juncture.
The President thanked the host families for opening their hearts and doors for the dislocated people and said the government would not have met the challenge of militancy without the support of people.
He prayed for the continuity of democracy so that future generations can stay safe from the dangers of dictatorship.
Spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the package of political reforms for Fata hammered out after consultation with all stakeholders had been approved a day earlier in a meeting in the Presidency that was also attended by the Prime Minister and which urged the President to announce it any time he deemed fit.
President Asif Ali Zardari decided to make the announcement in his address to the nation on the eve of 63rd Independence Day, he said.
Farhatullah Babar said that the political and judicial reforms announced tonight by President Zardari envisage extension of the Political Parties Order to the Tribal Areas on the one hand and changes in the century old anachronistic law called Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) to make it responsive to the human rights of the people while respecting the local customs and traditions.
The President said that Pakistan was created through a democratic struggle and through democracy it will be made strong and prosperous.

PAKISTAN, ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that no future Parliament would be succeeded in the country if the sitting one failed to perform its duties.
Addressing a special session of the National Assembly held Thursday in connection to Independence Day celebrations, the PM said that the parliamentarians crossed the bloodbaths to bring the country where it is at present.
He facilitated the judiciary saying that it has acquired its rights in result of its struggle.
The PM asked the parliamentarians not to mind the criticism by the media.
“We should be thankful to the media on their criticism instead of minding it. We are seeing a lot of criticism at present but I hope soon the media will start understanding its due responsibility.”

ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary party meeting of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has unanimously passed a resolution demanding trial of former military ruler General (R) Pervez Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution.
PML-N parliamentary party met here Thursday to deliberate on party’s stance on the issues being debated in the ongoing session of the National Assembly.
The party had announced yesterday that it will present a resolution before the NA to press the house to approve Mushrraf’ trial for violations of the Constitution and misdeeds committed by him during eight-year-long rule.

ISLAMABAD Pakistan : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday firmly said that the government was ready to take action against Musharaff if the parliament unanimously passed resolution.
Addressing the National Assembly, the Prime Minister ruled out the perception that parliament is rubber-stamp, and affirmed, “The parliament is supreme, we have not bypassed any one…we are ready to take action against Musharraf just the parliament unanimously passes a resolution against him.”
Earlier, addressing the lower house, leader of the opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan lashed out the government on the grounds that the parliament is not free to take any decision and termed it a “rubber-stamp parliament.”

KARACHI: Former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has refuted the allegation levelled against him that he fled from Pakistan saying his family and house were abroad even before his assuming office in Pakistan. The reinstatement of Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was legal.
Replying to a question, he said, he did not flee from the country and allegations levelled against him in this respect were baseless. He said he is eager to visit Pakistan to serve the nation. He said he worked very hard for development of the country and would continue to do so. When asked about entry of former President Pervez Musharraf in politics, he said, Pervez Musharraf would himself take the decision in this respect. He refused to comment when asked whether he would appear in the Supreme Court or not, if summoned.

KARACHI: City Nazim Mustafa Kamal has filed a constitutional petition in Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday against orders of Sindh chief minister of slashing powers and not letting him to do work.
Nazim in his petition says the orders have been passed without legal formalities and he is not allowed to do work.

ISLAMABAD: An important meeting between Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif held here at the residence of Gilani on Sunday.The two leaders discussed the legal proceedings against former president Pervez Musharraf, local bodies, National Finance Commission Award, implementation of the Charter of Democracy, displaced persons’ issue and other matters.
The meeting continued for one-and-half hour at the Prime Minister’s residence in Lahore.
The two leaders agreed for joint efforts for resolution of the national problems and leading thepolicy of reconciliation. Gilani and Shahbaz Sharif also agreed that the provinces will decide the future of the local bodies system and they will be entitled to introduce amends in the system.
According to the sources, the Chief Minister of Punjabassured support to the Prime Minister over the NFC Award.
The two leaders could not reach to a consensus strategy with regard to the legal action against Pervez Musharraf. They however agreed that no dictator will be allowed any adventure against the democratic rule.

LONDON: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani called Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) Quaid Mian Muhammad Nawaz on telephone on Saturday and will hold meeting cum PML-N leader and Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday.
According to PML-N sources, PM Gilani, in his telephonic conversation with Nawaz Sharif, discussed the overall law and order situation of country and inquired after the health of his wife Kulsoom Nawaz.
Premier has also extended invitation to CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif on luncheon at his residence today (Sunday), sources said.
President Asif Ali Zaradi also exchanged views with PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif during meeting at his residence in Jati Umra while, on the occasion; two leaders reiterated their resolve to continue cooperation of two parties for repealing the unconstitutional articles and continuation of composite dialogue for stability of democracy in country, sources added.

LAHORE, Pakistan: Pakistan Muslim League-N’s member of Punjab assembly Shumaila Rana on Friday tendered resignation from the office in the backdrop of credit card theft charges.
In a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif at the CM House, Rana handed over her resignation to him with the standpoint that she did not want to use her office illegally as the probe into the scandal was underway. Shahbaz accepted her resignation.
After the release of the video showing Shumaila Rana shopping with allegedly stolen credit card, the PML-N demanded her resignation but Rana sought time to prove her innocence, however, she failed to do so and tendered her resignation.
PML N Spokesman Siddiqul Farooq Friday appreciated the resignation rendered by Shumaila Rana and said it is a good example of party discipline.
Talking to a private news channel he said inquiry committee found Shumaila Rana guilty and demanded her resignation but she insisted that she is innocent, adding but arguments could not convince anyone and according to party discipline she had to resign.
He said party discipline was the pressure and she had to abide by it.
PML N had set the example that who had done the blunder would be punished and other parties should follow it, he maintained.
Replying to another question he said it is great punishment if a parliamentarian is asked to resign and he or she resigns for the sake of party discipline.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senator Dr Javed Leghari tendered his resignation from Senate.Dr javed Leghari was elected as Senator on the PPP ticket from Sindh in March 2006.
His wife confirmed his resignation, saying Dr Javed Leghari gave this resignation on personal accounts.