DINA for the Issue of March 23, 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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March 23, 2012 Friday Rabi-us-Sani 29, 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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Obama-Gilani meeting likely next week
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By Baqir Sajjad Syed
ISLAMABAD, March 22: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is expected to meet US President Barack Obama in Seoul next week on the sidelines of a nuclear safety summit.

The meeting will take place at a time when the parliament will resume debate on new terms of engagement proposed by a committee on national security after a recess sought by the opposition to study the proposals...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/23/obama-gilani-meeting-likely-next-week.html


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Cricketers' Pakistan Day gift to nation
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KARACHI, March 22: Pakistan proved again on Thursday night a view held by many experts that it performs better under pressure. The theatre was the Asia Cup final and the rivals were Bangladesh.

Right from winning the toss to the last over, the 'Bengal Tigers' made everyone to realise that they should no longer be considered as minnows, for it was only after Aizaz Cheema bowled the last ball of the 50th over that the delicately poised encounter came to an end, bringing a rapturous celebration to Pakistan when most expected it less...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/23/cricketers-pakistan-day-gift-to-nation.html


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Article 10A overrides contempt law, Aitzaz to SC
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By Nasir Iqbal
ISLAMABAD, March 22: Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, who is defending Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani against contempt charges, tried to convince the Supreme Court on Thursday that the 18th Amendment and introduction of Article 10A had almost overridden its power on the issue of contempt.

That would be the simplest way to put Thursday's proceedings which were heavy on technicalities and interpretations. A seven-judge SC bench headed by Justice Nasirul Mulk is hearing the contempt of court case against the prime minister for not pursuing the graft cases in Switzerland in which President Asif Ali Zardari is also an accused...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/23/article-10a-overrides-contempt-law-aitzaz-to-sc.html


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HR violations increased last year: report
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ISLAMABAD, March 22: Human rights violations increased manifold last year because the government was caught up in its own crises — the memo controversy, NRO and rumours of a coup — and fighting for survival, says a report released here on Thursday.

The report on 'State of human rights in 2011', launched by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), spoke of a gloomy scenario vis-à-vis administration of justice, law and order, jails and prisoners, freedom of movement, expression and thought, rights of women, children and workers, education and health as well as environment and status of refugees...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/23/hr-violations-increased-last-year-report.html


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CJ nominates Justice Jan as acting CEC
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By Iftikhar A. Khan
ISLAMABAD, March 22: Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry nominated Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, a judge of the Supreme Court, as acting Chief Election Commissioner on Thursday.

Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Hamid Ali Mirza retires on Friday (today) and Justice Shakirullah Jan will take oath on Saturday...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/23/cj-nominates-justice-jan-as-acting-cec.html


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Announcement
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THE offices of Dawn will remain closed on Friday (March 23) on account of Pakistan Day. Arrangements have, however, been made to bring out the newspaper on Saturday...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/23/announcement-7.html


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Sharp decline in assistance to poor
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By Khaleeq Kiani
ISLAMABAD, March 22: Despite a flagship Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) targeting the poor, financial assistance to the poor and vulnerable declined by 50 per cent and the number of beneficiaries of government-supported programmes by 43 per cent during the first quarter of the current financial year.

Total transfers through all programmes protecting the poor registered a negative growth of 50 per cent in terms of grants and 43 per cent in terms of beneficiaries during the July-Sept period of 2011-12, compared to the same period last year, according to a progress report on poverty reduction strategy paper released by the ministry of finance...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/23/sharp-decline-in-assistance-to-poor.html


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Lawlessness in Balochistan: SC stresses need for local govt to
ease crisis
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By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, March 22: The Supreme Court on Thursday underlined the need for gearing up the local government system in Balochistan to improve the law and order situation.

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry which is hearing a petition filed by former president of the Balochistan High Court Bar Association (BHCBA) Hadi Shakeel, also asked Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq to find out why the intelligence agencies were insisting that a session on the matter be held in camera...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/23/lawlessness-in-balochistan-sc-stresses-need-for-local-govt-to-ease-crisis.html


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Seven judges appointed to FSC, LHC
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By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, March 22: President Asif Ali Zardari appointed on Thursday two judges to the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) and five additional judges to the Lahore High Court (LHC). Those appointed to the FSC for two years are Justice (retd) Shaikh Ahmad Farooq and Justice (retd) Muhammad Jehangir Arshad.

A summary received by the president from the prime minister said the appointments had been made after due consideration by the Judicial Commission and then by the Parliamentary Committee on the Appointment of Judges in the Superior Courts...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/23/seven-judges-appointed-to-fsc-lhc.html


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President tells police to curb extortion
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By Syed Irfan Raza
ISLAMABAD, March 22: A high-level meeting held at the Presidency on Thursday asked security departments to curb increasing incidents of extortion in Karachi.

The meeting, chaired by President Asif Ali Zardari, stressed the need for improving laws to end the menace of extortion and give exemplary punishment to criminals...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/23/president-tells-police-to-curb-extortion.html


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One killed, 25 hurt in Kashmir explosion
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SRINAGAR, March 22: A suspected militant died in Indian-held Kashmir on Thursday when explosives he was carrying in his car detonated by accident, police said. Twenty-five bystanders were injured.

The blast occurred on a busy main road in the town of Bijbehara, 50km south of Srinagar...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/23/one-killed-25-hurt-in-kashmir-explosion.html


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Karachi Stocks Down 19.83 Points:
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KARACHI, Mar 22: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 13273.29, down 19.83 points.
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Forex Update:
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KARACHI, Mar 22: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 91.3 to the US Dollar in the open market.
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