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Posts published in January 2013

US promises funds for Bhasha Dam: by Mansoor Ahmed in The News, Jan 29

LAHORE: US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson has promised US will be the main sponsor of the Bhasha Dam but on political issues he said corruption, governance and transparency would be best addressed through the democratic process. He asked the people of Pakistan to avail the opportunity offered by elections by electing honest representatives.He was talking to the media at the Lahore Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) launch on Monday. The OSAC would represent the…

Accidental Shigar lake draining gradually

By Shabbir Mir in Express Tribune, Jan 28 GILGIT: An artificial lake formed accidentally in Shigar valley of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), this week, is draining gradually after officials and local volunteers dug a spillway through the debris on Saturday. The lake came into existence on Wednesday near a village known as Hotoh in Shigar valley after boulders, rocks and mud fell in the river, blocking the flow of water. The incident refreshed harsh memories of Attabad…

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Cut power subsidies and invest in Diamer Bhasha Dam, says ADB ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has asked Pakistan that it must reduce power subsidies to spare money for financing the mega Diamer Bhasha dam amid fears that growing cost of the project may lead to its eventual cancellation. According to sources in the Ministry of Water and Power, ADB has expressed fears that if delayed further Diamer Bhasha dam may not remain feasible…

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Unpaid amounts: G-B contractors give govt 2 days to clear dues GILGIT: The Gilgit–Baltistan (G-B) Contractor Association has threatened to stop all ongoing projects and launch protests across the region if the government fails to clear their dues within in the next two days. A few contractors staged a sit-in in front of the Diamer district administration headquarters, demanding payment of millions of rupees that the government owes them for various construction projects. After chairing…

3 AJK PMs spent Rs32m on chopper flights

MUZAFFARABAD, Jan 23: Helicopter jaunts by three former prime ministers of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) cost more than Rs32 million to the region’s taxpayers from July 2006 to July 2011, according to an official document. The information was revealed by the government in response to a question tabled by PML-N lawmaker Chaudhry Tariq Farooq in the Legislative Assembly secretariat. The legislator had sought details of chopper rides by the three premiers, including year-wise allocated…

Mushtaq Zargar — a new pawn on Jihadi chessboard?

By  Amir Mir in the News, Feb 23 ISLAMABAD: Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar, one of the three jehadis released by the Indian government in 1999 in exchange for the passengers of hijacked Indian Airlines flight IC 814, has decided to revive armed struggle against the Indian security forces in Jammu & Kashmir while using Azad Kashmir as the base camp of Al Umar Mujahideen (AuM). His declaration is set to create further problems for the Pakistani…

Development and displacement; Editorial in The Express Tribune, Jan 22.

There is always tension between the need for development and the rights of people. Any large-scale development project, like highways and dams, will cause the displacement of large numbers of people. The trick is to do a cost-benefit analysis and decide just how vital a project is before going through with it and to always ensure that displaced people are adequately compensated. Pakistan has usually fallen short of this bare minimum. Funds for development projects…

PM appoints two judges to GB court

GILGIT, Jan 21: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has approved the Gilgit-Baltistan governor’s summary for appointment of two judges to the region’s Supreme Appellate Court. Local sources told Dawn on Saturday that the summary was sent to the prime minister via the Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ministry seven months ago as the two posts fell vacant after the retirement of the incumbents. They said Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court Chief Judge Raja Jalal Khan and member Muzaffar…

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China and Gwadar Port: by Bassam Javed in The News, Jan 17 The Port of Singapore Authority has now indicated to withdraw from the contract to manage the operations and develop the Port of Gwadar on 40 years’ lease for what it calls the government’s failure to honour the agreement clauses that it had signed as a wholesome document. With the prospective quitting of Gwadar Port operations by the Singapore Port Authority, whom should Pakistan…

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Pakistan plans wheat sale to pay for imports from Iran By Shahbaz Rana in The Express Tribune, Jan 15 ISLAMABAD: As international sanctions against Iran’s nuclear programme have disrupted trade financing mechanisms, Pakistan has decided to ship wheat to Tehran for clearing unpaid bills for electricity and iron ore. The federal government has asked state-owned Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Services Corporation (Passco) to supply 100,000 tons of wheat to Iran. The decision was taken last…

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Power import: Pakistan, Iran work out a detour for payments By Zafar Bhutta  in The Express Tribune, Jan 15 ISLAMABAD: After local banks backed out, Pakistan and Iran have worked out alternative methods of paying bills of import of power to Balochistan through an Iranian company. Pakistan found a loophole to avoid sanctions in the backdrop of the economic blockade imposed by the United States and the European Union on Iran for its alleged nuclear…