SC orders NAB to probe PSM corruption case

Contempt notice issued to Malik for ‘unnecessary transfers’

Statesman Report

ISLAMABAD: Announcing its verdict in the suo-motu case regarding corruption worth Rs26.5 billion in Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM), the Supreme Court of Pakistan has ordered that the case be transferred to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Wednesday. A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry directed the director-general of FIA to hand over all investigation records to NAB. The court expressed lack of trust in the investigation conducted by the FIA.

KP reaffirms commitment to achieve ‘Education
For All Goals’

Statesman Report

PESHAWAR: The present government of the KP province aims to accelerate expansion of educational opportunities for girls and disadvantaged groups of the society, and education budget will be doubled from the next financial year to achieve EFA Goals, stated Sardar Hussain Babak, Education Minister while delivering inaugural address at a seminar on Early Childhood Education here in Peshawar. Education indicators in KP are low due to certain historical reasons and geo-political factors, including impact of insurgency in neighbouring country of Afghanistan, burden of 3 million Afghan refugees, and extremism leading to destruction of schools in different parts of the province,

Joshi Festival at Kalash Valley Concludes

CHITRAL: Joshi Festival concluded on Wednesday here at Kalash Valley. Mir Shahjahan Khetran, Managing Director Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) graced the occasion as a chief guest. According to a press release issued here, Mir Shahjahan Khetran said that PTDC is the National Tourism Organisation responsible for promotion and development of tourism in the country. He added that PTDC has established its Hotels, Motels, and Restaurants on over 40 tourist spots throughout the country especially in Chitral Valley i.e. Bamburate, Chitral, Booni and Mastuj offering quality accommodation and meals services for Pakistani and foreign tourists.

Syria accused of new ‘massacre’

UN observers evacuated

DAMASCUS: Syrian forces were accused Wednesday of having "executed" 15 civilians, as the office of envoy Kofi Annan said members of a UN observer team were evacuated a day after a bomb blast hit their convoy. "After regime forces raided the neighbourhood of Shammas (in the central city of Homs), 15 civilians were found summarily executed," Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told AFP, in what he branded a "massacre." The overnight killings came one day after regime forces were accused of another massacre in the town of Khan Sheikhun in northwest Idlib when they opened fire on a funeral procession and reportedly killed 20 people.

Cement price fell by Rs10-12 per bag

ISLAMABAD: The price of cement in the country fell by Rs10-12 per bag to Rs418-420 per bag. Stock analyst Zaheer Ahmad told APP that the price decline was due to slow down in construction activities as most of the labour force was employed for harvesting wheat which was likely to be completed by end of May. He said that the cement was available in surplus in the industries and the industrialists want to increase their liquidity by selling the commodity.  He, however said that the decline in price was for short term and it would revert back to Rs430-432 per bag soon because of increase in demand of cement in near future. Zaheer said that as the government is increasing budget allocation for Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) for the next fiscal year, the construction work in the country would increase.

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  ο Indian change of heart towards

     Pakistan

  ο  Coping with the physically

     challenged

   ο Hiding OBL was not an option
     for Pakistan

  ο Doubts fly as US envoy to  
     Pakistan quits

  ο  Criminalisation of politics in Karachi

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  ο  US-NATO prepare for new cold war  

Pakistan’s dilemma

According to media reports, the US Congress has proposed sanctions and stopped trade with Pakistan unless Pakistan reopened NATO