LAHORE: A three-member team, consisting of Moin Habib, counselor in the Pakistani embassy in the US, Raja Amir Abbas, NAB deputy prosecutor general and NAB Punjab’’s Financial Crime Investigation Wing (FCIW) Deputy Director Rizwan Khan, brought Hamesh Khan back to Pakistan today.

Supreme Court (SC) on Friday summoned Hamesh Khan, the former president of Bank of Punjab and the main accused in the Rs9 billion loan scam, on May 26.

During the case proceedings, the court ordered the relevant authorities to take Hamesh Khan to Chunba House in Lahore. It allowed Hamesh Khan access to his lawyer.

The court also said that the NAB Director Investigation will interrogate Hamesh Khan.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry heard the case.

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KARACHI: Federal Minister for Local Bodies and Rural Development Justice (Retd.) Abdul Razzaq Thahim Friday said that he had written a letter to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding local bodies elections.

He said this while talking to media men after the concluding ceremony of 5-day course here at Municipal Training and Research Institute (MTRI).

Certificates were distributed among the participating administrators from Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa, Sindh and Islamabad.

The Federal Minister said that he had met with the representatives of NADRA and asked them to ensure issuance of National Identity Cards before the local bodies elections.

He said the local government system will continue. However, the provinces have authority to bring changes in the concerned laws.

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Karachi

A petition has been filed in the Sindh High Court (SHC) against the alleged kidnapping of a businessman by the personnel of law enforce

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LAHORE

THE Labour Party Pakistan (LPP) has alleged that the PPP and the PML-N are using all tactics to rig polls in PP-63, Faisalabad.

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Pakistan News

PESHAWAR: Courts are not awarding exemplary punishments to the terrorists, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain said during a visit to Central Jail Peshawar.

He mentioned that more than 800 militants were in different jails of the province. ”They would be produced in Anti Terrorism Courts.”

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KARACHI: Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) witnessed sluggish trade activity Friday amid low volume, as the benchmark KSE-100 Index slipped 8 points to finish the week at 10,271.

Today?s trade began with green numbers and at one stage the major Index was seen floating at its intra-day high of 10,341 points. But the market was later dominated by sell off, switching the Index to negative mode.

The market turnover was recorded at 64 million shares with Band of Punjab emerging as today?s volume leader at Rs16.11, up Rs1.

On the other hand, KSE-30 Index slashed 28 points to close at 10,341.

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LAHORE: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has supplied polling bags containing ballot papers and other required material to all 753 Presiding Officers of Faisalabad, Vehari and Muzaffargarh districts for conducting fair, free and impartial by-elections on four seats of the National and Provincial Assemblies on May 15.

Provincial Election Commissioner Akhtar Hussain Sabir told APP here Friday that the elections staff, which includes Presiding Officers, Assistant Presiding Officers and Polling Officers had already been imparted necessary training for conducting polling at their respective stations.

Giving details of by-elections, he said that a total of 288 polling stations had been established in NA-167 Vehari for 363,091 registered voters.

While 252 polling stations in NA-178 Vehari for 283,623 voters, 103 polling stations in PP-259 Vehari for 122,142 voters and 110 polling stations in PP-63 Faisalabad for 119,445 voters.

He said all returning officers had already been asked to ensure the availability of polling bags to all presiding officers well in time to facilitate on time polling.

He said Pakistan rangers would assist the local administration, police and election staff for maintaining a peaceful and congenial atmosphere at all polling stations in Vehari and Muzaffargarh districts.

The returning officer, Faisalabad, has not requested for the deployment of rangers as he is satisfied with the foolproof security arrangements made by DCO Saeed Iqbal Wahlah and will be depending on the local administration and police for holding of fair and free by-polls.

ECP Friday empowered all returning officers, assistant returning officers and presiding officers as First Class Magistrates, Provincial Election Commissioner Akhtar Hussain Sabir said.

He said they can exercise powers of a First Class Magistrate under the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) 1898 (Act V of 1898) on the day of by-polls being held tomorrow in Faisalabad, Vehari and Muzaffargarh districts in respect of the offence punishable under section 80, 82-A to 87 and section 190 of the Act for summary trials.

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Pakistan News

GROS ISLET, Saint Lucia: Rain delayed the scheduled 11am local time (1500GMT) toss in the World Twenty20 semi-final between Australia and defending champions Pakistan here on Friday.
The match, due to start at 11:30am (1530GMT), had already been delayed by 10 minutes when a fresh burst of rain fell on the Beausejour Stadium.
However, organisers have given themselves an additional two hours in which to complete this match, which means that not until approximately 1.30pm (1730GMT) will the fixture start being reduced from a 20 overs per side contest if the semi-final has not already started by then.
Should no result at all be possible because of bad weather, Australia will be in the final as they have won more matches at the tournament than Pakistan.
The teams have already met once in this competition, with Australia beating Pakistan by 34 runs in a first round group clash here on May 2.
Whoever wins this match will face England in Sunday’’s final at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, after Paul Collingwood’’s side convincingly defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the first semi-final at Beausejour here on Thursday.

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LAHORE

INCREASING incidents of crime against property, kidnapping for ransom, corruption in Lahore Police officials ranging from constables to

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ISLAMABAD: The Upper House was told Friday that a total of 60 people were perished and 208 wounded in 291 train accidents in the past two years.

The Ministry of Railways informed the Senate in writing that 61 passenger coaches and 7744 freight coaches have completed their operational life.

On the occasion, opposition leader in Senate Wasim Sajjad said the Railways Minister, accepting responsibility of the train accidents, should tender his resignation.

In a written reply it has been stated that 4 private airlines are operational in the country while an application of one more is under consideration.

The Interior Ministry told the Senate that a summary of raise in the salaries of FC personnel has been moved.

The Senate unanimously approved amendment bill 2010 in the Civil Laws.

Later, the session was adjourned till 4 PM Monday.

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