ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court heard the petitions challenging certain clauses of the 18th Amendment on Tuesday.

A 17-judge full court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry was hearing the case.

Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday in his remarks said the courts accorded temporary endorsement to the martial law rule, while the parliament provided permanent protection to it.

Earlier, petitioner Wahan Al-Khairi in his argument said various sections of the 18th constitutional amendment against the Islamic teachings.

Abdul Hafeez Pirzada in his arguments said 18 th amendment has changed the role of parliament.

Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday questioned whether the political parties not endorsed the martial law through the 8th and 17th amendment of the constitution?

He said deletion of the clause about elections in political parties an undemocratic step. He said the new electoral rules will hinder the holding of transparent elections.

Chief Justice in his remarks said assembly had passed a resolution on November 3,2008 measures instead of endorsement. The court has issued the notice to law ministry and attorney general on a petition file by civil society counsel Salman Akram Raja. Laterm the hearing has been adjourned till tomorrow.

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LAHORE: The spell of power outages continued with no sign of letting up despite the power shortfall narrowed to zero as a result of downpours across the country, Geo News reported Tuesday.

According to Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO), the improved weather conditions equaled the power demand and supply at 13496 Megawatts without any shortfall with 670 MWs being supplied to Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC).

The spokesman said the total power production include 5420 MW poured from hydal, 2116 MW from thermal, 5906 MWs from IPPs and Rental accounts for 58 percent of the total volume of electricity.

The spokesman further told the load shedding is not being carried out overnight in both industrial and domestic sectors and new schedule would be issued if needed.

Despite this, the spate of tripping continued in nearly all small and large cities including Lahore. And, it is quite unpredictable when power would go and return. The people demanded to put an end to this unannounced tripping spree.

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LONDON: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi won the toss and elected to field against Australia in the first Test at Lord’’s here on Tuesday.

Pakistan gave debuts to 25-year-old right-handed batsman Azhar Ali and 20-year-old left-handed batsman Umar Amin.

Australia gave debuts to wicketkeeper Tim Paine, in after Brad Haddin was ruled out of the tour with an elbow injury, and leg-spinner Steven Smith.

The inclusion of Paine, alongside captain and star batsman Ponting and seamer Ben Hilfenhaus meant Tasmania had three players in an Australia Test side for the first time.

Rain and overcast conditions, which should suit Pakistan’’s seam attack, delayed the scheduled start of this match by at least 90 minutes, with play now due to get underway at 12pm local time (1100GMT). The match was leg-spinning all-rounder Afridi’’s first Test in four years.

This was the first of a two-Test series being played in England because top-class international cricket in Pakistan was effectively suspended following the armed attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in March last year.

It also represented the first time a ”neutral” Test had been played in England since the 1912 triangular tournament where Australia and South Africa, along with England, made up the competing teams.

Pakistan: Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Azhar Ali, Umar Amin, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi (capt), Kamran Akmal (wkt), Mohammad Aamer, Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Danish Kaneria

Australia: Shane Watson, Simon Katich, Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Marcus North, Tim Paine (wkt), Steven Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus, Doug Bollinger

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ISLAMABAD: Expressing his dissatisfaction over the UN Commission?s report on Benazir Bhutto?s assassination, Interior Minister Rehman Malik held on Mo

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BERLIN: What do you give the global superstar who has everything? This was the dilemma facing staff at aquarium home of Paul the octopus whose knack f

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LONDON: The flamboyant Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi sees a chance for his country to surprise Australia here at Lord?s, saying they are beatable as

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Pakistan News

KARACHI: Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 11.73 percent in 2009/10, surpassing the government?s target of 10 percent, mainly because of unprecedente

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ISLAMABAD: Water row erupted between the Punjab and Sindh by opening of Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal has been resolved in a meeting of the chief ministers of the two provinces and chaired by the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, a Prime Minister House statement said Tuesday.

The July 6, 2010 order of Indus River System Authority (Irsa) for water regulation was agreed to be withdrawn by consensus and with immediate effect.

An urgent meeting of the authority has been convened on July 14, to review the regulations keeping in view the current water availability and provincial indents of various canal systems for subsequent necessary orders to regulate the water supplies.

The acting chairman of Indus River System Authority, Shafqat Masud, had asked the Water and Power Development Authority to open Chashma-Jhelum link canal and start releasing 10,000 cusecs through the canal despite opposition from members representing the federal and Sindh governments.

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Pakistan News

Karachi

Participants of an open forum held on Monday to discuss electricity-related issues of the citizens called for constituting a watchdog c

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KARACHI: The cash-strapped Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) is extracting raw material from its mines in Balochistan to minimise dependence on the imported

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