ISLAMABAD: The proposed giant water reservoir, Diamer Bhasha Dam, which will produce 4,500MW of electricity apart from serving irrigation purposes, has still got no firm foreign funding commitment, budget documents show. However, Neelam-Jhelum Hydropower Project (NJHP) in Azad Kashmir has substantial foreign funding, almost half its cost. Similarly, the procurement and manufacture of 202 new design passenger railways coaches has been earmarked Rs5.7 billion with the foreign component of China of Rs5 billion. Likewise, the…
Posts published in June 2012
GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister has finally agreed to release Hussain Asghar from his post as the region’s police chief, a day after the Supreme Court gave an ultimatum to the former Federal Investigation Agency official. Chief Minister Mehdi Shah said on Wednesday that he would release G-B Inspector General of Police Asghar after choosing his replacement from a list of prospective candidates sent by the federal government. A few months back, the apex court…
GILGIT: In a bid to equip the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) police to maintain law and order in the mountainous region, G-B Chief Minister Mehdi Shah on Wednesday handed over 2,000 weapons and 200,000 rounds to the force. He said the weapons will enable the police to effectively counter terrorism and extremists; “the menaces that have ruined life in the region”. A total of 700 G3-rifles with 70,000 rounds, 300 7.62mm sub-machine guns with 30,000 rounds, and…
ISLAMABAD, June 5: The Supreme Court ordered Khushnood Akhtar Lashari, the Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, on Tuesday to recall the notification appointing Hussain Asghar as Inspector General of Gilgit-Baltistan if he failed to rejoin the Haj scam investigation in three days. The court issued the order after getting frustrated over the pace of investigation into the scam by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). In the past, the court had on several occasions had asked…
ISLAMABAD: A prominent Kashmiri civil society activist, privy to the developments regarding rehabilitation and reconstruction in the earthquake-affected areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir has asked the AJK government not to hide facts regarding the shifting of funds meant for reconstruction and instead courageously press the Centre to make immediate efforts for damage control. “It is very unfortunate that a person (AJK PM) who is responsible for implementation of reconstruction-related activities in his administered area…
MIRPUR: The people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) should be granted the same basic human rights enjoyed by the people of Pakistan. AJK Legislative Assembly Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Chaudry Tariq Farooq gave the proposal during a press conference at the Kashmir Press Club on Saturday. The opposition leader also underscored the need to empower the AJK government to run local affairs independently by bringing about required amendments in the state’s interim constitution.…
ISLAMABAD: In a unique case of murder of merit, government non-papers, which are never made part of the official record, show why the most eligible candidates are deprived of their right to get official jobs in the federal government under Gilani’s misrule. Official documents and some of these government non-papers available with The News show how callously the federal government had annulled the process of appointments in an official department merely because those who had…