DINA for the issue of January 19, 2012

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D A W N I n t e r n e t N e w s A l e r t
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January 19, 2012 Thursday Safar 24, 1433
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The DAWN Internet News Alert (DINA) is a free daily news-service
from Pakistan's largest English language newspaper, the Daily
DAWN.

We encourage comments & suggestions. We can be reached at:

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(c) Pakistan Herald Publications (Pvt.) Ltd., Pakistan - 2012

The link at the end of each extract can be used to access the
complete story on DAWN - the Internet Edition.


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Test of nerves as PM appears in SC today
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By Khawar Ghumman and Nasir Iqbal
ISLAMABAD, Jan 18: Thursday will be a momentous day in the country's inglorious political history when Yousuf Raza Gilani is set to become the third elected prime minister to appear in court on contempt charges.

However, Wednesday evening brought some balm for a distraught nation as signs began to emerge that the government was in no mood for a head-on collision with the judiciary...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/19/test-of-nerves-as-pm-appears-in-sc-today.html


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Ogra chief, Nepra's member from Sindh resign
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By Khaleeq Kiani
ISLAMABAD, Jan 18: Amid the worsening energy crisis, the government suffered a severe setback on Wednesday when two key functionaries of energy sector regulators, Nepra and Ogra, submitted their resignations to the cabinet division.

The resignations by chairman of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) and vice-chairman of National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) came amid an ongoing investigation, under directives of the Supreme Court by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) into alleged wrongdoings in Ogra, and government's criticism of Nepra's affairs...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/19/ogra-chief-nepras-member-from-sindh-resign.html


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Pakistan's economy recovering, says WB
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By Our Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Jan 18: Economic activity in Pakistan firmed in the second half of 2011 although it continues to markedly lag behind other nations in South Asia, says a World Bank report released on Wednesday.

Pakistan is South Asia's second largest economy, representing about 15 per cent of regional GDP...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/19/pakistans-economy-recovering-wb.html


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Parliament's review to help reset ties: Sherry
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By Anwar Iqbal
WASHINGTON, Jan 18: The parliamentary review will present an opportunity for both the United States and Pakistan to reset ties on more consistent, transparent and predictable lines, says Ambassador Sherry Rehman, who presented her credentials to US President Barack Obama on Wednesday.

Pakistan started a parliamentary review of its relations with the United States after the Nov 26 Nato raid on its military posts that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. The review goes beyond the attack and tries to set new parameters for bilateral ties...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/19/parliaments-review-to-help-reset-ties-sherry.html


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NAB plea for recovering Sharifs' property rejected
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By Nasir Iqbal
The appeal was moved by NAB Prosecutor General K.K. Agha against an Oct 2011 decision of the Lahore High Court under which the bureau had to release the confiscated property of Nawaz Sharif and his family as well as an amount of Rs115 million after the confiscation had been declared illegal.

The Sharif brothers had signed with a friendly country an agreement to go on a 10-year exile instead of serving jail term in Pakistan. They had surrendered their property to NAB in lieu of a Rs20 million fine imposed by the Attock Accountability Court in the July 2000 helicopter case. They had been assured that other corruption cases against them would be dropped...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/19/nab-plea-for-recovering-sharifs-property-rejected.html


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Notices issued in Lodhi sacking case
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By Malik Asad
ISLAMABAD, Jan 18: Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan of Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued notices on Wednesday to the president, prime minister, secretaries of cabinet and establishment divisions and the acting defence secretary on a petition filed by the sacked defence secretary, Lt-Gen (retd) Khalid Naeem Lodhi, seeking his reinstatement.

The court admitted the petition and sought replies from the respondents. The hearing was adjourned till the second week of February...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/19/notices-issued-in-lodhi-sacking-case.html


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Railway gets Rs6.1bn loan to repair locomotives
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By Our Staff Reporter
LAHORE, Jan 18: A Rs6.1 billion loan arranged by the government from a banking consortium for rehabili-tation of 96 locomotives has been given to the Pakistan Railways Advisory and Consultancy Services (Pracs).

According to an official, the finance ministry is the guarantor for the loan to be repaid in five years with 13 per cent interest by Pracs to the consortium led by the National Bank...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/19/railway-gets-rs61bn-loan-to-repair-locomotives.html


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Wikipedia, Google slam US piracy bills
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WASHINGTON, Jan 18: Wikipedia and Google joined hundreds of other websites on Wednesday in a sprawling online protest against legislation in the US Congress intended to crack down on Internet piracy.

Wikipedia shut down the English version of its online encyclopaedia for 24 hours to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act (Sopa) introduced in the House of Representatives and the Senate version, the Protect IP Act (Pipa)...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/19/wikipedia-google-slam-us-piracy-bills.html


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Karachi Stocks Up 242.26 Points:
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KARACHI, Jan 18: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 11547.42, up 242.26 points.
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Forex Update:
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KARACHI, Jan 18: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 91 to the US Dollar in the open market.
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