DINA for the issue of July 23, 2013

	Tuesday July 23, 2013 | Ramadan 13, 1434
The DAWN Internet News Alert (DINA) is a free daily news service from Pakistan’s largest English language newspaper, the Daily DAWN.
Loadshedding to end by ’17 By Sohail Iqbal Bhatti ISLAMABAD, July 22: The government has finally formulated the much-awaited National Energy Policy 2013-18. It will be presented to the Council of Common Interests for approval on Tuesday.	For suggestions and comments: Email: webmaster@dawn.com Website: http://dawn.com Fax: +92(21) 35693995 Karachi Stocks Up 209.81 Points: KARACHI, July 22: At the close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 23638.74, up 209.81 points. Forex Update : KARACHI, July 22: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 103.10 to the US Dollar in the open market.
Sindh govt assured of centre’s help By Our Staff Reporter KARACHI, July 22: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has assured the Sindh government that the federal government will provide it whatever resources it requires to restore peace and improve law and order situation in Karachi. The minister, who was on a whirlwind visit to the city on Monday, spent a busy day to assess the law and order situation and muster support for the PML-N candidate in the presidential election scheduled for Aug 6.
Mamnoon strongest PML-N candidate By Khawar Ghumman ISLAMABAD, July 22: With two days remaining for submission of nomination papers for the presidential election, the PML-N is reported to have narrowed down the list to three candidates. Senior PML-N leaders told Dawn that former governor of Sindh and party loyalist Mamnoon Hussain was the front-runner followed by PM’s adviser on foreign affairs and national security Sartaj Aziz and former chief justice of Pakistan Justice Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui.
ECP rejects govt plea on presidential poll delay By Iftikhar A. Khan ISLAMABAD, July 22: The Election Commission of Pakistan turned down on Monday a request made by the government to change the date for presidential election and said the poll would be held on Aug 6 as already announced by the commission. Sources told Dawn that ECP Secretary Ishtiak Ahmad Khan had written a letter to the law secretary informing him that the government’s request had been placed before the commission comprising the chief election commissioner and four provincial members, but they declined to accept it on the grounds that any change in the schedule was not possible at this ‘belated’ stage.
Provinces oppose bulk power purchase By Nasir Iqbal ISLAMABAD, July 22: Three provinces have opposed the Supreme Court’s suggestion of supplying electricity in bulk directly to the provinces in accordance with their requirements and deducting the cost at source from the National Finance Commission (NFC) award allocations. The court had asked Attorney General Muneer A. Malik to seek instructions from the federal and provincial governments on the possibility.
SC wants legal work completed by Aug 15 By Our Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, July 22: The Supreme Court ordered the four provincial governments and the Islamabad administration on Monday to complete legal formalities, including delimitation of constituencies, by Aug 15 to enable the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold local government elections preferably on Sept 15. A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry said it would appreciate if the provincial governments held the polls by Sept 15. It said the process of promulgating new laws and rules and conducting delimitation of constituencies should be finalised to ensure early elections.
Abid named minister of state By Our Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, July 22: The Acting President and Senate Chairman Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari approved on Monday appointment of Abid Sher Ali as minister of state for water and power. Mr Ali is said to be a nephew of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Government’s critics have started criticising his appointment.
Syrian rivals urged to respect holy sites By Our Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, July 22: The Foreign Office condemned on Monday an attack on the shrine of Sayyeda Zainab in Syria and urged militants to respect the sanctity of holy places and called upon the government of the country to ensure their safety. The charge d’affaires of Syria was called to the Foreign Office and “concerns of the government and people of Pakistan” over the attack on the shrine on the outskirts of Damascus were conveyed to him.
Karzai sets terms for Pakistan visit KABUL, July 22: Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Monday gave a lukewarm response to Pakistan’s invitation to visit Islamabad, setting conditions for any high-level talks designed to mend increasingly frosty relations. Pakistan on Sunday sent its top diplomat to offer further assistance to Afghanistan’s efforts to reach a deal with the Taliban to end 12 years of war.
MQM leader lashes out at PTI chief By Our Staff Reporter KARACHI, July 22: MQM leader Hyder Abbas Rizvi has criticised the allegations levelled against Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan and asked him to refrain from issuing provocative statements hurting the sentiments of ‘millions of MQM workers’. Talking to journalists in London, the PTI chief had held the British government responsible for the murder of PTI leader Zehrah Shahid Husain in Karachi and said that it should restrain its citizens from spreading violence in Pakistan, a clear reference to Mr Hussain.
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