LAHORE: The entire media (print and electronic) boycotted Punjab Assembly proceedings on Monday with no journalist enter the Press Gallery for coverage.
While, no camera was installed in the TV channels” enclosure outside the Assembly chamber and the reporters abstained from holding any press talk with MPAs/ministers there.
However, a large number of journalists gathered on the premises of the Punjab Assembly to record their protest and remained there for over two hours till the session resumed sitting at 5pm instead of its scheduled time of 3pm.
The President Punjab Assembly Press Gallery’’s President Zaheer Shahzad and General Secretary Shumaila Jafri, and Lahore Press Club’’s President Sarmad Basheer, Vice President Aamir Waqas Chaudhry, General Secretary Zia Ullah Khan Niazi, Punjab Union of Journalits” President Rai Tahir Hasnain addressed the protesting journalists and advised them to remain peaceful, while protesting against the anti-media resolution unanimously passed by the provincial assembly on Friday last.
On this occasion, the Punjab Deputy Speaker Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, Law Minister Rana Sana Ullah Khan and Senior Minister Raja Riaz Ahmed also tried to talk with media representatives to sympathize them. But the journalists vowed that they would not hold talk with any MPAs/ministers until withdrawal of the anti-media resolution.
The media organisations also rejected the committee formed by the Punjab government to settle down the issue, and demand for a body must be headed by Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif. They also called upon the chief minister to clarify his position regarding the passage of anti-media resolution at the time he was present in his office in the Assembly building.
At 5:00 pm, the journalists dispersed after lodging their peaceful protest and will gather again in the Assembly premises tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11:00am in continuation of their peaceful protest.
More: continued here
KARAHCI: Voicing grave concern over cut in share of water for Sindh province, a member assembly Rana Abdul Sattar, has said the cotton crops have been put in danger due to shortage of water, Geo news reported.
Talking to Geo news, he said Punjab is releasing 3000 cusecs of water in Chashma Link Canal, cutting short the share of water of Sindh province, which has jeopardized cotton crops in upper Sindh.
?This action should be condemned as it could ultimately lead to decline in production of cotton crops by 15,00,000 bales this year?, he maintained adding, ?Sindh has always been exploited in this matter?.
Entire country is facing water scarcity on the whole and keeping Chashma Link Canal constantly opened has resulted in abject water shortage in Sindh, he added.
More: continued here
PARIS: As Spain returned to Madrid on Monday to a welcome befitting their status as freshly-crowned world champions FIFA president Sepp Blatter delivered a glowing appraisal to World Cup hosts South Africa.
Spain added the global crown to their European title thanks to Andres Iniesta’’s extra-time winner in the 1-0 win over Holland in Sunday’’s final at Soccer City which brought the curtain down on the first ever World Cup staged on the African continent.
The flight from Johannesburg carrying Iniesta and his teammates touched down in Madrid at 1300 GMT with the first to emerge from the plane team captain Iker Cassillas clutching the World Cup trophy in his arms.
A welcoming committee of over one million Spaniards is expected to turn out to greet Vicente Del Bosque’’s side as they parade in an open-top bus later through the streets of the Spanish capital.
Spain’’s triumph triggered an all-night party in Madrid with the centre of the city transformed into a sea of red and gold.
One group of fans chanted “Iniesta Presidente! Iniesta Presidente!” as they marched along the centre of the Gran Via.
As for the runners-up, Holland were due to land at Amsterdam-Schiphol’’s airport at 15:30GMT Monday.
They will be escorted into Dutch airspace by a F-16 fighter jet painted orange for the occasion.
Bert van Marwijk’’s side will be received on Tuesday in The Hague by Queen Beatrix before parading in a boat along Amsterdam’’s canals.
As well as returning with the ultimate prize in football Casillas was voted FIFA’’s goalkeeper of the tournament, with Spain taking home the fair play award.
Uruguay striker Diego Forlan was awarded the Golden Ball as the best player of the World Cup, the Atletico Madrid striker Forlan grabbing five goals as his country finished in fourth place.
Germany’’s Thomas Mueller was named Young Player of the World Cup and picked up the Golden Boot for the top scorer.
More: continued here
Pakistan News
TAND BAGO: Sindh Home Minister Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza Monday said that nationalists are being used to mislead people of Sindh.
Addressing a public meeting here in Tando Bago, the Home Minister said funds are given to nationalists by various agencies to mislead people in a bid to achieve their designs.
He said no deal will be made at the expense of Sindh?s rights.
Dr. Mirza said he is forgiving his opponents, assuring he will not take any kind of revenge from them.
He said Pakistan People?s Party had the Kalabagh Dam project scrapped and that endeavors will continue for the rights of the province.
More: continued here
LONDON: Umar Amin may win the race for one available slot at the one-down position in the opening Test of the two-match ?home? series against Australi
More: continued here
ISLAMABAD: Director General Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha has briefed the Senate Standing Committee on Defence on the performance of the agency.
An in-camera meeting of the Senate?s Standing Committee on Defence was held here at Parliament House with its Chairman Javed Ashraf Qazi in the chair.
The Committee members put many questions on ISI?s performance which the DG ISI assured to answer in the next meeting.
Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha apprised the meeting about the professional matters and accomplishments of ISI.
Later, Javed Ashraf Qazi shied away from giving details of the meeting. Some of the Committee members, however, described the meeting as conventional, saying only those things came under discussion which have already been highlighted by the media.
President Pakistan Muslim League-Q Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Maulana Muhamamd Khan Shirani besides other members of the Committee attended the meeting.
More: continued here
LAHORE: A majority of civil and additional sessions judges of Lahore went on 15-day leave to protest against the attitude of lawyers who kicked judges cars besides pelting stones here at the Sessions Court on Monday.
Earlier, the Lahore Bar Association in its general house meeting on Friday had passed a resolution against the behaviour of District and Sessions Judge Zawar Ahmad Sheikh demanding his transfer.
DSJ Zawar Ahmad Sheikh was asked by the lawyers not to attend the court. However, he arrived in the court followed by other judges on Monday.
The lawyers protested against him and also hurled stones at the vehicles of judges and tried to lock chambers of the judges.
However, police intervened and foiled the lawyers bid to lock the chambers.
The judges said they were receiving threats from the Lahore Bar and could not perform their professional duties.
More: continued here
Pakistan News
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance, Dr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh said the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) would adopt strict measures to stop sugar hoarding.
He was talking to Geo News Monday.
He pointed out that monthly consumption of sugar was 278000 tones and the stocks were of 1246000 tones, enough till October.
The government would foil all bids to create artificial shortage of the commodity, he warned.
More: continued here
LONDON: Pakistan are the refugees of international cricket playing their home series in England a reality that is hard to digest by even expatriates l
More: continued here
LAHORE: Differences have emerged within Pakistan Muslim League-N on the matter of expelling Sanaullah Khan Masti while slogans in favor of Masti were raised in lobby of Punjab Assembly.
Supporters of Sanaullah Masti accorded him a very warm welcome as he entered the lobby of Punjab Assembly today. These N-League MPAs warned of giving resignations in case action is taken against Sanaullah Masti.
Uproar was once again witnessed in Punjab Assembly when Opposition Leader Chaudhry Zaheeruddin was not allowed to present resolution in favor of media.
The N-League MPAs warned that they would stand by Mastikhel if the party took any action against him.
It is pertinent to mention here that Mian Nawaz Sharif, a couple days ago, had directed to expel Mastikhel from the party.
More: continued here