Pakistani parents in 'honor' murder

Shafilea Ahmed's parents are found guilty of what has been described as her 'honor murder.' CNN's Atika Shubert reports.

Imran throws 11 flaming questions at Nawaz

Imran Khan challenges Main Nawaz Sharif to have a debate with him at any forum. Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan in a press conference Friday asked PML-N chief Mian Nawaz to answer his 11 questions to the nation. He accused PML-N chief of defaulting on bank loans worth Rs6 billion rupees. “Mian Nawaz Sharif borrowed this money and never returned it back”, he alleged. After giving details of his own assets to the media Imran Khan asked Mian Nawaz Sharif to explain certain facts. Imran said Nawaz Sharif should answer these questions to the public. The 11 question Imran asked are as under: 1. Raymond Baker, an international renowned author, wrote in his book that Nawaz Sharif did corruption worth $417 million. The book says that Nawaz Sharif took a commission of $160 million from Daewoo for the motorway which was recently made. If Baker had made a false allegation, then why did you not initiate a case against him? 2. You bought four apartments in Mayfair worth more than Rs1 billion. Now their value has gone up to Rs4.5 billion. Where did you get the money from? 3. In 1994, you stated your income as Rs150,000 and you gave a tax of Rs14,000. If this is your income, then how did you buy a property in Mayfair? 4. You took a loan from Al Taufiq Bank worth $30 million and then you defaulted it. They took you to court and attached your property. From where did you get the money to pay back those $30 million? 5. Ishaq Dar gave an affidavit saying that Nawaz Sharif did money laundering by opening a fictitious account by the name of Qazi family in London. The BBC did a film on that too. 6. You took a loan worth Rs6 billion from Pakistani banks and you had them defaulted. Did you return back the loan? 7. You have a 1,700 acre land in Raiwind. Where did you get the money from to buy that land? 8. Where did the people’s tax money go? How much of the tax money was put into Raiwind? 9. Your whole family has properties in London. You want to do government in Pakistan but your children’s properties are lying abroad. You should own it like I owned it right now. 10. You planted a steel mill in Jeddah of $150 million. Your tax return does not show that you have enough income to plant a mill. 11. You froze your foreign accounts in 1998, but tell us, how much money did you transfer abroad the night before? Khan further clarified the accusations against Shaukat Khanum Hospital and said that whatever investment was done did not face any loss. “Bluechip company guaranteed us that they will bear the loss and we will get the profit. Our party’s senior leader will read out the email to you.” He added that all his assets as well as of his senior party leaders will be made public on his website within a few days. He also promised to expose Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. He said he was ready to have an open debate with Nawaz Sharif, adding Nawaz should come forward and speak himself instead of using his handpicked employees to talk.

Balochistan poetess, lecturer receives life threats

The Express Tribune News

Renowned Balochistan poetess and lecturer at Sardar Bhadur Khan Women University, Nusheen Qambrani, came under attack by unknown armed men on Qambrani Road late last night who threatened to kidnap and kill her daughter, the police confirmed. Qambrani told the media that for the last four days, unknown men in a car bearing no number plate had been visiting her house when she was present. “They threatened my domestic workers and my family, and said that they wanted to kill me,” Qambrani said, adding that she does not know who the men were or what they wanted. She claimed that the same people have threatened her several times in the past, and was confused as to who would be unhappy with her since she was only a lecturer. Qambrani appealed to the government to take notice of the threats. Meanwhile, a large number of women staged a protest outside the Quetta Press Club on Wednesday condemning the attack on Qambrani. The protesting women were carrying placards, banners and chanted slogans against the government. They urged the judiciary to take a suo motu notice and hold a high-level investigation to identify the culprits. Qambrani is the daughter of famous Baloch intellectual, late Prof Nadir Qambrani, who had spent his youth years in self-exile in Afghanistan. On his return, he had joined the Balochistan University as a lecturer till his retirement. Last year Balochistan University’s Prof. Saba Dashtiyari was killed by unknown men.

Asfandyar Wali calls on President

President of Awami National Party Asfandyar Wali Khan

called on President Asif Ali Zardari at presidency on Thursday and discussed matters of mutual interest. He remained with the President for some time and also discussed current situation in the country as well as coalition matters.

Dr Arsalan used CJP House’s address for commercial deals

Daily Times

According to reliable sources, Dr Arsalan Iftikhar Chaudhry was using the official address of Chief Justice House, Islamabad, for commercial purposes. He was even using this address for his company with the name and style F.E.A. (Pvt) Ltd. Huge amounts, reportedly over Rs 300 million, were deposited in the account of this company owned by Arsalan Iftikhar with the correspondence address of Chief Justice House. It is a matter of concern that how an account could be opened in the name of a private limited company with the address of Chief Justice House. This is a clear violation of Know Your Customers (KYC) instructions of the State Bank of Pakistan, which are required to be religiously followed by all banks and financial institutions of the country. Legally and morally, it cannot be comprehended as to how the official residence of the Chief Justice of Pakistan can be used for commercial deals. The huge amounts which reportedly were credited as a matter of routine since 2009 in the accounts of Arsalan Iftikhar also raises the question as to why not a single Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) was ever generated. Bankers are under a legal obligation to report all unusual or large transactions to NAB as well as Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) of the State Bank of Pakistan, which deal with anti-money laundering matters. Under ordinary circumstances, it is the normal practice for the banks to immediately report to the State Bank of Pakistan any transaction that is not commensurate with the financial status of the account holder. In the Arsalan Iftikhar case, it has been widely reported that the present net worth of the Chief Justice’s son is Rs 900 million. It is however relevant to note that until 2007, he was merely a Grade-17 government officer who was totally dependent on his salary or his father. However, no report was ever sent to the State Bank of Pakistan about the sudden surge and accretion in Arsalan Iftikhar’s accounts. This was indeed a phenomenal growth and extremely rare. This non-reporting can either be considered as a great favour to Arsalan by the bankers or they were afraid because the address given for these accounts was the official residence of the Chief Justice of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Against this backdrop, a new case is likely to emerge under the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010 unless the State Bank, FIA, NAB and other agencies opt to keep their eyes shut for obvious reasons. Whether or not the Supreme Court of Pakistan will take suo motu notice of such acts of Arsalan will be seen in the coming days, especially when the criminal inquiry against him has come to a grinding halt on the orders of the apex court. The bankers nevertheless have violated anti-money laundering laws and may now face penal consequences for ignoring Arsalan’s accounts. Will anyone touch Arsalan? Only the Supreme Court can tell.

Kohat tunnel not repaired since 2008

The National Accountability Bureau, on Wednesday, submitted its preliminary report into Kohat tunnel, where lighting and exhaust systems had not been repaired since a vehicle-borne suicide attack on August 29, 2008 damaged it. Due to the malfunctioning of the exhaust system passengers using the tunnel risked health hazards, since carbon monoxide stayed inside the almost two-kilometre-long tunnel, built with the cooperation of Japan. Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan took suo motu action against the authorities for not repairing the damaged tunnel in the last four years and blaming the attack on Taliban militants. The NAB provided necessary details regarding the tunnel, including its daily revenue through toll tax, as an estimated 20,000 vehicles used it on daily basis. A representative from the company managing the tunnel told the court that both lighting and exhaust systems would be installed by September 15. On this assurance, the court adjourned the hearing till September 18. Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan said, "It is unfortunate that no amount is kept for the maintenance of the tunnel while it is earning Rs 2.5 million a day."