PM sounds out Saudis on weapons sale

JEDDAH:
                Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani held extensive talks with King Abdullah on Monday.
They discussed ways of enhancing trade and economic ties between the two countries. The two sides agreed to continue close coordination on all major issues and to stand by each other in times of need.
The meeting was marked by complete unanimity of views on most regional and global issues, sources said.
This visit was basically to perform Umrah, the Pakistani side conceded, yet the Saudi leadership opted to invite the prime minister on an official working visit of the Kingdom.
This was a special gesture from Saudi Arabia as they rarely invite foreign leaders on official visits during Ramadan, Pakistani diplomats said.
Prime Minister Gilani profusely thanked the king for the kind gesture. Sources said that the prime minister laid out before the king the difficulties and the tough economic conditions the country was facing because the on going war on terror.
The Pakistani side reportedly reiterated its interest in selling heavy defence equipment, including tanks and armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has been evaluating the possibility for some time.
It is believed that Prime Minister Gilani also made a request to Saudi officials to extend the deferred oil payment facility to Pakistan again, so as to help it overcome the current budgetary problems. Saudi Arabia indicated it would consider the suggestion.
The current situation in Afghanistan, especially the emerging situation in the wake of the anticipated US pullout and its fallout on the entire region, was also discussed between the two leaders.
Saudi Arabia underlined the significant role that Islamabad had to play in bringing about a peaceful, negotiated, end to the Afghan imbroglio.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia agreed to the need of peace and stability in the Middle East.
Early on Monday morning, Prime Minister Gilani and his entourage performed Umrah, praying for the solidarity, stability and progress of Pakistan and the Ummah.
Before meeting King Abdullah, the prime minister also addressed the Pakistan Investment Forum at an Iftar dinner hosted by them.
He assured the business community that Pakistan was in safe hands and that Pakistan’s economy was on way to recovery.
He said that the current democratic era had provided political stability to the country – so very essential for the growth and economic prosperity of any country.
The prime minister said that Pakistan was facing numerous challenges.
He said these included the country’s war against militancy and terrorism, the impact of the global recession, high international prices of petroleum products, and the massive damages of up to $10 billion caused by the floods last year.

However, he said the national economy was resilient and pursuing a vigorous reform agenda.

Gilani says MQM, JUI can return to govt

ISLAMABAD:

                        Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani here on Tuesday said return of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI) to the federal government cannot be ruled out.
He stated this while talking to mediamen after the launching ceremony of a book “Pakistan – Unique Origins; Unique Destiny?” authored by former federal minister Javed Jabbar.
To a question about inclusion of PML-Q in the government, the Prime Minister remarked that “politics is a day to day affair”.
To a question about his recent visit to Afghanistan, the Prime Minister said his visit was historic and unprecedented and he will invite Afghan President Hamid Karzai to visit Pakistan to follow up on the decisions made in their last meeting.
Gilani said Pakistan’s relations with its neighbouring country are based on the premise that it wants a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan.
To another question, he said the recent statement of army chief on Balochistan was continuation of the government’s efforts to implement package of “Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan.”
The Prime Minister said the government is interacting with the political leadership in Balochistan and the provincial government has invited Baloch leaders to hold talks.
The Prime Minister stressed that the government would deliver on the economic front.
He said it is upto the parliament to take up the issue of Saraiki province.

President Asif Ali Zardari gave a statement that a PPP committee would consider to make ‘creation of new provinces’ part of party manifesto, he added.

At least eight killed in Karachi violence

KARACHI:

                   At least eight people were killed during incidents of violence in Karachi during the past 12 hours, DawnNews reported.
Moreover, 75 suspected individuals had been arrested by law enforcement agencies carrying out search operations in the city.
Earlier on Monday, fear gripped parts of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Gulistan-i-Jauhar and a few housing societies in Scheme-33 after armed attacks and an exchange of fire killed at least four people and left at least five wounded, police and witnesses said.
The firing incidents that erupted about an hour before sunset continued into Monday night, prompting the police and the Rangers only to cordon off the affected areas and launch a snap checking of motorists.
Showing unawareness about the motive and people behind the firing, police said they had spotted the affected areas and would launch a ‘search operation’.

Increase in gold prices hitting new heights

PESHAWAR:

                       The gold price registered record increase in the country's history with 10-gram gold closing at Rs47014 and 12 gram (tola) at Rs54,850.

Sarafa Association in a statement on Tuesday said international gold price hitting over 1,775 dollar an ounce is the main reason behind the fueling of local gold prices.
Association said that owing to changes in overall economic condition there are ample chances of further increase in bullion rates

London riots: Flames engulf three more cities

LONDON:

                  Violence escalated across London and at least three other cities Tuesday as police fought thousands of rioters and looters and Prime Minister David Cameron headed back to Britain to face the crisis.
In unprecedented scenes of rioting in the capital, buildings were in flames in Croydon, Peckham and Lewisham in the city's south, while gangs of looters roamed the streets of Hackney in the east, Clapham in the south, Camden in the north and Ealing in the west.
Scotland Yard said it had deployed an extra 1,700 officers to deal with the London unrest, the worst in years. Armoured cars were used to quell the rioters.
Hundreds of riot police poured into Hackney to try to contain the violence in a district just a few miles (kilometres) from where the 2012 Olympics will take place in a year's time.
As darkness fell, police wielding batons pushed the youths back, while local residents hoping to return to their homes were kept behind police cordons.
In Croydon, an entire block of buildings -- including a 100-year-old family furniture business -- was ablaze, sending flames leaping into the night sky.
Local residents were evacuated due to the spreading fire, while the Guardian newspaper quoted a nearby officer as admitting: "We can't cope. We have passed breaking point."
A 26-year-old man was found injured in a car with gunshot wounds in Croydon, police said. He was taken to hospital and was in a serious condition.
Just outside Croydon town centre, hordes of looters roamed the streets unchallenged while the smell of burning cars and buildings hung in the air.
Firefighters also battled a severe blaze in Clapham after looters rifled their way through the renowned Debenhams department store.
Wealthy neighbourhoods were not spared with rampagers forcing their way into Michelin-starred restaurant The Ledbury in Notting Hill before stealing diners' phones, plates off the tables and attempting to take the till.
The violence first erupted on Saturday in the multi-ethnic neighbourhood of Tottenham in north London after a man was shot dead by police two days earlier.
Copycat violence then spread to other areas of the British capital on Sunday before reaching to new districts on Monday.
Rioting also broke out in the English cities of Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester and Bristol.
West Midlands Police confirmed they had made 87 arrests as youths ran rampage in Birmingham centre overnight, smashing shop windows and looting merchandise.
Meanwhile, Merseyside Police confirmed Tuesday they were dealing with disorder in the north west city of Liverpool with several cars set alight while Bristol officers battled to contain a mob of around 150 youths.
Prime Minister Cameron, who had resisted calls to cut short his family holiday in Italy amid last week's turmoil on the financial markets, was due to return to Britain Tuesday, his Downing Street office said.
He will chair a meeting of Britain's emergency response committee and hold separate talks with the Home Secretary Theresa May and the acting London police chief.
Police said Tuesday they had made 334 arrests over the three days, including an 11-year-old boy. At least 35 police officers were injured in the unrest at the weekend. Sixty-nine people were charged.
Acting Metropolitan Police Commissioner Tim Godwin earlier urged parents to "start contacting their children" to find out where they were before slamming "spectators getting in the way of the police operations."
Tensions remained high in Tottenham following the shooting on Thursday of 29-year-old Mark Duggan, which sparked the first riots in London.
There were fresh doubts about the original account of his death during a police operation against gun crime within the black community.
The father-of-four was shot in a taxi in what was initially said to have been an exchange of gunfire. But reports said it was possible that police officers were not under attack when they opened fire.
Tottenham was the scene of severe rioting on the Broadwater Farm housing estate in 1985 when police constable Keith Blakelock was hacked to death.
After Duggan's death, rumours spread online that he had been killed in an assassination-style execution with shots to the head -- something the Independent Police Complaints Commission was forced to deny in a statement. (AFP)

Cheque dishonour law being misused: CJP

LAHORE:

Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry while hearing a case here on Monday remarked that law pertaining to cheque dishonour (Section 489-F of PPC) is being misused whereof level of corruption has increased.
The CJP made these observations while granting bail to a person namely Ghulam Mustafa who was in jail for eight months on the charges of issuing a cheque which failed to encash.
He said only three years maximum punishment could be handed down under Section 489-F but surprisingly the accused has been behind the bars for eight months and the trial court had failed to conclude the case proceedings so far. Mustafa argued that complainant of the case was using delaying tactics by not producing the witnesses in the court.
Meanwhile, an Additional District and Sessions Judge on Monday directed court staff to provide case record to the accused in fake encounter case against DSP Riasat Bajwa and three others.

Torrential rain brings ‘Ravi’ in City

LAHORE:

 Parts of the country including the City received heavy downpour on Monday, bringing the life to a standstill by causing urban flooding, massive traffic jams and disturbing schedule of air and rail traffic. Lahore received 131 mm rain at Upper Mall, 124 mm at Airport, 116 mm at Misri Shah, 90 mm at Jail Road and 78 mm at Shahdara.

The experts have forecast more rains during the next couple of days. The rains started early morning and continued with varying intensities till the evening.

The heaviest rain of the ongoing monsoon submerged roads and streets in urban localities including Lahore into knee deep water and it took hours to sanitation agencies and tehsil municipal administration to clear inundated rainwater after stoppage of rains.

The inundated rainwater on roads added to the woes and miseries of motorists and pedestrians.

Massive traffic jams were witnessed on a number of important arteries till the evening.

The heavy rains also brought a pleasant change in weather by causing a considerable decrease in the mercury level.

In Lahore, the rains started at 4:40am and continued with varying intensities till the evening. Rains started heavily at 6:10am and continued for hours, submerging roads and streets not only in low lying areas but also in several posh localities into lakes and ponds, much to the agony of motorists and pedestrians.

Accumulation of water on roads, especially the branch roads, caused the motorists to sweat even during rains as their vehicles were broken down.

Lack of proper drainage system caused closure of a number of underpasses for vehicles for several hours that resulted into worst traffic mess on the thoroughfare.

The premier sanitation agency Wasa failed to clear inundated rainwater from roads and streets even hours after stoppage of rains.

In several localities, the rainwater could not be drained out till late at night. The situation was worst at Liberty Market, Centre Point, Firdous Market, various areas of DHA, Shadman, Gaddafi Stadium, Tajpura, Qartaba Chowk, portions of Multan Road especially Thokar Niaz Baig, Multan Chungi and Shahnoor, Punjab Housing Society, Kashmir Road, Davis Road, Shahra-i-Fatima Jinnah, GPO Chowk, Qartaba Chowk, Chowk Nakhuda, Aziz Road, Do Moria Pul, Sheranwala Gate, Misri Shah, Farooq Gunj, Main Boulevard Allama Iqbal town, Lakshami Chowk, MM Alam Road, Garhi Shahu, Jorey Pul, Muslim Town and Shah Jamal.

Heat stricken Lahorites took a sigh of relief as the rains and windy conditions brought a pleasant change in weather by causing decrease in the daytime temperature.

Lahore Canal attracted a large number of people including children during the rains. Youths were seen enjoying the rainfall by swimming in the mud coloured canal water.

People come out of their houses after Iftar to enjoy pleasant change in weather. Major parks and picnic spots in the City attracted a large number of people including women and children.

Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Racecourse Park, Bagh-e-Jinnah, Jallo Park, Sozo Park, Lahore Zoo and other picnic spots attracted a large number of people in the evening.

Massive traffic jams were also witnessed on the arteries in the close vicinity of these picnic spots.

On Monday, maximum and minimum temperature in the City was recorded 25.5 degree Celsius and 23.5 C respectively. Relative humidity in the morning and evening was recorded 96 per cent.

Local meteorological department has forecast partly cloudy weather with chances of more rains for the city during the next 24 hours.