ISLAMABAD: The Finance Committee of the Senate met on Thursday under Senate Chairman Farooq H Naek asked chairpersons of standing committees to pay fo

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ISLAMABAD: The Federal Government has provided a subsidy of Rs21 million to the utility stores across the country in order to ensure availability of food items at discounted rates in the holy month of Ramazan.

Federal Minister for Industries and Production Manzoor Wattoo announced the Ramazan Package here at Prime Minister Secretariat.

He said 13 items will be sold at subsidized rates at utility stores. Sugar will be sold at Rs38 per kilogram; Atta at Rs22.50 per kg; Ghee at Rs91; rice Cila Super Rs81; Dall Channa Rs43.20; chick peas (sufaid channa) Rs88.20; dates Rs82.8 and; tea Rs391.40 per kg.

Manzoor Wattoo said 180 packets of 2kg sugar will be supplied daily at each utility stores.

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Injured and alone, Spanish alpinist Oscar PÉrez has been stuck on Pakistan’s Latok II, one of the world’s most challenging peaks, for almost a week. Now a rescue team has finally been sent to find him — with no idea whether or not he’s alive

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KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that government has taken notice of artificial hoarding and price hike by traders and they would not be allowed to take advantage of helplessness of the poor.

He was talking to journalists after performing Independence Day flag-hoisting ceremony and offering of Fateha at the Mazar of Quaid-e-Azam here Friday.

Qaim remarked Pakistan People?s Party (PPP) never before accepted the minus-one formula nor does it accept it today, adding the party?s democratic government did not enter the corridors of powers from backdoors, as it enjoys public mandate.

The conspiracies are afoot against the democracy and PPP.

“The government will strictly check price hike and law would be brought into motion in this regard,” he said and added that immediate strict action will be taken against hoarders and profiteers.

He informed that necessary amendment has been made in the law and DCOs, EDOs and DDOs have been entrusted with judicial powers to deal with artificial shortage, hoarding and price hike.

Referring to demands made at the Nazim’’s convention held in Rohri, the Chief Minister pointed out that every program and system has a time frame and present local bodies too would complete their term.

Ours is an elected government and local bodies are to play their role, he said and made it plain that it cannot happen that an elected setup is done away with and only they are allowed to remain.

The Chief Minister said that Pakistan was achieved after great sacrifices for which the Muslims of the sub-continent waged a relentless struggle under the dynamic leadership of Quaid-e-Azam.

The vision of Quaid-e-Azam was that Pakistan should be an Islamic welfare state having a democratic and federal system with all basic rights available to its citizens.

He said Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave practical shape to the Quaid’’s dream and gave the country a federal, Islamic and democratic constitution in 1973.

Later Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto led the struggle and laid her life in service to people.

Qaim Ali Shah said present elected government made promises to the people would be fulfilled.

He declared that poverty and unemployment would be alleviated.

He said poor people would be provided opportunities in different fields and given all incentives and freedom under the constitution.

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ISLAMABAD: The Awami National Party (ANP) has rejected Pakistan Muslim League-Nawazís plan to bring a constitutional package in two parts, as 18th and

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PESHAWAR: Justice Tariq Parvez, Chief Justice Peshawar High Court Friday said the judges will soon resume work in Swat where judges for Darul-Qaza will also be appointed before long.

He expressed these views while talking to media in Peshawar High Court during a program to celebrate Independence Day.

Justice Tariq Pervez said there is no shortage of judges in Malakand, however the judiciary has not resumed its activities, as some of the requirements are yet to be fulfilled to make the judicial system and police to be fully functional again.

Justice Tariq said Darul-Qaza is a bench of the Peshawar High Court and it will soon appoint judges there.

Regarding price hike he said: ?It is administration?s responsibility to control the prices and not ours,? adding, ?however, we are doing our level best and we also took a suo moto notice in this regard.?

Earlier, a flag-hoisting ceremony was held in which Justice Tariq Pervez hoisted the national flag. On-service and retired judges of the Peshawar High Court besides bar room?s officials attended the ceremony.

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Pakistan News

KARACHI: The 63rd Independence Day of Pakistan was celebrated with traditional fervour and national spirit on Friday.

Various programs were organized in all the big and small cities of the country to mark the 62 years of Independence.

The roads, streets and roundabouts besides houses and buildings were decorated with national flags, buntings and illuminations.

A first ever parade was held at Pak-Afghan border in Chaman.

The day dawned with the 31 gun salutes in the Capital and 21 each in the four provinces, followed by special prayers in mosques across the country for the progress, prosperity and stability of Pakistan.

A smartly turned out contingent of the Pakistan Naval Academy cadets mounted guard at the Quaid’’s Mausoleum.

Representatives of three services laid Inter Services Floral Wreath at the Mazar of Quaid-e-Azam and offered dua.

The central flag hoisting ceremony was organized at Convention Centre Islamabad where Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani hoisted the national flag. Members of the Federal Cabinet, Army Chief, Speaker National Assembly, Chiefs of Armed Forces and other dignitaries attended the program.

Flag hoisting ceremonies were also held in all the big and small cities of the country including the four provincial capitals ? Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta ? besides Muzafarabad, capital of Azad Kashmir.

Sindh Governor Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan and Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah hoisted the national flag in Karachi.

Similar ceremony was held at Huzuri Bagh in Lahore where Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was the chief guest.

The Malakand affectees also took active part in the independence day celebrations, as an atmosphere of festivities was witnessed in the relief camps.

The IDPs who returned to Swat are also celebrating the countries freedom with passion.

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KARACHI: Federal Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Senator Shaukat Tareen highlighted the various corrective measures taken by the Government to support the economy which included introduction of Bankruptcy Law, programmes for skill development and credit guarantee schemes.

The Government was also working on modalities to increase tax and GDP ratio and plans to enhance this ratio to 15 percent or 17 percent in next couple of years. Pakistan is much behind in tax-GDP ratio against many other countries, he said.

He underlined the need for collective efforts to achieve economic independence for the country and self-respect of the people.

About NFC, he said the negotiations among the provinces and Federation are scheduled to start by August 29, 2009 and that NFC award would be finalised in September 2009.

Regarding market access to developed countries, the Minister said the European Union (EU) has agreed to give us GSP plus and this understanding will be transformed into a formal agreement soon after some deliberations. Similarly, USA has agreed to give us market access.

He said five-year textile policy is the first step on how to take trade and industry to new heights.

When his attention was drawn to FBR’’s SRO-603, he said this could be revisited for making it practical.

He informed the business community that KESC has been asked to renovate its system in 18 towns of Karachi by June 2010 and that KESC authorities have agreed. They have also been asked to make huge investment in KESC, from generation to distribution systems, at the earliest possible.

He said he was seeking technical assistance from IMF or World Bank to make Federal Bureau of Statistics a purely professional organization and make it independent like Germany’’s Bureau of Statistics. This would be linked to some foreign institute of world fame.

Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister on Investment and former president KCCI Muhammad Zubair Motiwala highlighted various initiatives taken by the Provincial Government to attract local and foreign investment.

President KCCI Anjum Nisar, Leader of BMG and former president KCCI Siraj Kassam Teli spoke of various problems facing industry and trade.

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LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister and PML-N President Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that it is the time to hold self-accountability instead of criticizing each other as the country is facing challenges on internal and external fronts.

He expressed these views while speaking at the national flag hoisting ceremony at Hazoori Bagh here on Friday to mark the Independence Day.

Nazim City District Lahore Mian Amir Mehmood had made the arrangements of flag hoisting ceremony.

Shahbaz said that 62 years” history of the country reflects more failures against the achievements and stressed for hard work at all levels to change this situation for successes.

?Poverty, illiteracy and unemployment cannot be the fate of millions of Pakistanis if we learn from the past mistakes and start work with national spirit, dedication, honesty and commitment,” he observed.

The CM said that self-reliance can be the key to move on the road to progress as no nation can get development without depending upon its own resources.

He said that Ulema, Scholars and other leading segments of the society must focus on finding out ways to remove disparity between `haves and have not” and to get development in science and technology, removing illiteracy and poverty in the country.

The Chief Minister said that instead of wasting time in repenting on past we must look forward and play an active role for national prosperity.

He said that the nation must get rid of clutches of international monetary fund (IMF) because its strict conditionalities often put burden on the poor people.

Shahbaz Sharif said that Allama Iqbal’’s message of “Khudi” should be the guiding principle for the whole nation, adding, everyone among us must give priority to the country instead of personal gains.

“On this day of independence everyone of us must renew his pledge to make Pakistan a true reflection of ideas of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal,” he said.

The city Nazim said that people of Lahore had played an historic role in Pakistan movement and they had always been in the forefront to lead the country on the road to progress.

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WASHINGTON: US Defence Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday voiced confidence in Pakistan?s security measures for its nuclear assets anad reaffirmed the

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