Pakistan Views

The chief of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Nawaz Sharif and party president Shahbaz Sharif have arrived in Islamabad from London. They came after PML-N’s talks with Pakistan Peoples Party over the issue of reinstatement of deposed judges collapsed in London. Central leaders of PML-N Ishaq Dar, Tehmina Daultana and a large number of party workers are present at Islamabad international airport on the occasion. Workers chanted slogans against the Presidency and supported their party leadership. Security has been beefed up in and around the airport building.

A Jirga of the federally administered tribal areas, with Federal Minister for Frontier Affairs, Najmuddin Khan in the chair, was held here, while the Fata members’ parliamentary leader in National Assembly, Munir Orakzai termed this initiative futile.This meeting held under the aegis of federal ministry for frontier and state affairs mulled over annulment of FCR, law and order situation and development projects. The tribal participants in the Jirga at its outset bitterly criticized the former government’s policy relating to the tribesmen and expressed the hope that the People’s Party government would pay due attention to the problems of tribesmen.On the other hand, Fata parliamentary leader in NA, Munir Orakzai commenting on the holding of this Jirga in his statement bitterly criticized it. He said that the tribal representatives, who participated in this frontier affairs’ ministry Jirga have no status and it was a futile move of the annulment of FCR, while the tribal areas Jirga was attended by 50 tribesmen.

The provincial metropolis and Islamabad were without power on Tuesday following a technical fault at the Gutti 500kv power transmission in Multan paralysing life and industrial activities. The irritating and repetitive power-cuts have prompted a five-member committee headed by senior Technical and Planning Manager Arshad Raza to submit an inquiry report within 72 hours. Pakistan Electricity Power Supply Company Managing Director Munawar Baseer told a press conference on Tuesday.The power went off at 0905 hours when the 500kv in Multan’s Gatti transmission line tripped after the technical fault, resulting in the tripping of other 500 and 220kv transmission lines and loss of 2600mw generation - apparently 25 percent of the available generation capacity.
Baseer said the inter-tripping system put in place by the National Transmission Distribution Company prevented the system from collapsing and damaging the 500kv and 220kv system equipment, such as transformers and generators. About the subsequent chain of events, he went on to say the inter-tripping scheme had split the system into two parts - North and South of Multan - and limited the power disruption to only the North. The power system South remained normal, he added. “The Southern Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan continued getting power. The power supply through Karachi Electric Supply Company has also remained unaffected,” he said. He also said the National Power Control Centre in Islamabad acted under the Emergency Response System and restored the power to Islamabad at 0947 hours by interconnecting the Mangla system through 220kv Mangla-Rawat line. The Tarbela Hydel Power Station and Tarbela-Sangjani line were restored. The 220kv and 500kv systems to Lahore, Faisalabad and other areas were partially restored by 1430 hours and fully restored at 1513 hours. He told reporters that the committee would submit a comprehensive report covering the analysis of network operations, protective system in place and anomalies. “The committee will then present clear recommendations and specific solutions in the network protection and control system to avoid such mishaps in the future,” he added. He said his company had set up state-of-art call centres in FESCO, LESCO and IESCO under the company’s supervision and also rental powerhouses and rehabilitation of the existing thermal power plants.
He went on, “The company is pursuing a plan in two ways - one from the demand side and the second from the supply management. Targeting of 1800mw for 2008, the company is adding 425mw on a fast-track rental generation, 550mw by adding a new rental plant and 300 more by rehabilitating the current GENCO owned generation plants. PEPCO has targeted 1850mw in 2008 by energy conservation initiatives. As earlier mentioned, PEPCO has achieved its target of 500mw of saving by the energy conservation campaign. Further, a medium-term plan to enhance the generation capacity of 6100mw has also been articulated.”

Strict checking of vehicles has been started on all entry and exit points of Islamabad as security has been put on high alert in the capital. SSP Islamabad, Syed Kaleem Imam on Friday directed SSP East, SSP West, SHOs of all police stations to take strict action against suspicious people and anti-social elements. He directed police to ensure strict checking at all entry and exit points of the capital and keep vigilant eye on suspicious people. Owners of hotels and guest houses have been directed to submit details of all visitors in their respective police stations. Likewise, property dealers and people involved business of Rent a Car are being told to keep full information about their clients and provide it to police.
He said that crackdown will continue against proclaimed offenders and beggars, adding Islamabad Police in ongoing operation has arrested 184 proclaimed offenders, 290 beggars and 100 suspected people. He added that security has been tightened around all sensitive installations and government buildings. SPP said extra force has been provided to police station and patrolling is being further tightened. He advised people to inform Rescue 15 about any suspected persons and unclaimed goods.

The Islamabad police fired teargas at supporters of the sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry protesting outside his official residence in Islamabad on Sunday, witnesses said. The protesters, including lawyers, political party workers and civil society activists, were stopped by riot police at the barbed barricade erected outside the residence of deposed Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. Police fired teargas at the protestors to disperse them and both sides threw stones at each other, an AFP photographer said. The protesters wanted to march towards Chaudhry’s residence and present him with flowers, but police stopped them, he said. Lawyers across the country observed “Black Flag Week” to press for Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s reinstatement, hoisted black flags over bar offices and organised conventions. President Pervez Musharraf sacked Chief Justice on March 9 last year on misconduct charges but the Supreme Court reinstated him in July. In November Musharraf again sacked Chaudhry and other judges under emergency rule, fearing they might disqualify him for contesting presidential elections while being army chief and president at same time. Chaudhry and his family have been living under house arrest at the official residence of the Supreme Court chief justice in a heavily guarded government residential area of Islamabad since November. Pakistan’s incoming government coalition partners Sunday said that the new parliament would reinstate the sacked judges. Aitzaz Ahsan, a senior lawyer for Chaudhry, welcomed the announcement.

The lawyers observed strike in Rawalpindi and Islamabad courts on Thursday to stress for restoration of deposed judges.
The lawyers of the twin cities stayed away from the courts proceedings on Pakistan Bar Council’s strike call.
The lawyers bodies holding protest meetings throughout the country to demand reinstatement of the sacked judges.

The lawyers rally, which emerged from the residence of Supreme Court Bar President Barrister Aitezaz Ahsan, left for Islamabad after taking lawyers from Aiwan-e-Adal on Saturday morning.
The rally comprised the people from civil society, lawyers and the leaders from political parties, social and student organizations.
Bushra Aitezaz and Bena Qureshi are leading the rally aimed at the restoration of judiciary.
The lawyers and leaders from political parties and student organizations announced that they will continue their struggle until the restoration of the deposed judges and reinstatement of the Constitution 1973.
The rally arrived at Aiwan-e-Adal from Mall Road, where it was received by the lawyers present there. Afterwards, the rally left for Islamabad.

A 106th corps commanders conference has begun here on Thursday morning. Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani is presiding the conference.

The conference would review the national security, defence issues and professional matters. All principal staff officers are also taking part in a daylong meeting.

Riot police used tear gas and batons here on Thursday to disperse hundreds of protesters chanting slogans against President Pervez Musharraf, AFP reporters witnessed. Around 400 people, including lawyers and supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) screamed “Death to Musharraf” when police stopped them from visiting former chief justice of Pakistan. President Musharraf deposed chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry under emergency rule in November last year. Chaudhry remains under house arrest in Islamabad. The protesters tried to break through a police barricade outside the upmarket Marriott Hotel, which is near Chaudhry’s house, but were forced back by baton-wielding police who then fired tear gas. Waving black flags, the protesters regrouped and chanted: “We will lay down our lives for the chief justice.” Former premier Nawaz Sharif was prevented from meeting Justice Chaudhry on Wednesday.