DINA for the issue of January 24, 2014

	January 24, 2014 | Rabi-ul-Awwal 22, 1435
The DAWN Internet News Alert (DINA) is a free daily news service from Pakistan’s largest English language newspaper, the Daily DAWN.
Govt mulls option to fight force with force By Baqir Sajjad Syed ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his national security advisers deliberated on Thursday on various options for dealing with militants.	For suggestions and comments: Email: webmaster@dawn.com Website: http://dawn.com Fax: +92(21) 35693995 Karachi Stocks up 49.22 Points: KARACHI, January 23: At the close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 27064.34, up 49.22 points. Forex Update : KARACHI, January 07: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 106.5 to the US Dollar in the open market.
Hazaras agree to end sit-in By Saleem Shahid QUETTA: The Shia Hazara community agreed late on Thursday night to end their protest sit-in after Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan assured them that strict action would be taken against elements who carried out the Mastung bomb attack on pilgrims which left at least 25 Hazara people dead. Hundreds of Hazara men, women and children held protest sit-in in the city’s Shuhada chowk for about 48 hours in extremely cold weather with sub-zero temperatures at night on Sunday.
Car bomb kills six in Peshawar By Ali Hazrat Bacha PESHAWAR: At least six people were killed and eight others wounded in an explosion caused by an explosives-laden car here on Thursday. The blast took place in an auto-workshop in the Scheme Chowk area on Kohat Road.
Special courts, other unusual steps for Fata mooted By Khaleeq Kiani ISLAMABAD: As part of a broad national anti-terror strategy, the government is examining the option of setting up special courts for Federally Administered Tribal Areas, imposition of ‘limited emergency’ in specific troubled areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and adopt British model of ‘media blackout’ in selected parts of the terrorism-hit areas. This is part of a ‘national policy strategy paper’ prepared on the desire of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by his senior aides like special assistant Kh Zaheer, Law Secretary Barrister Zafarullah Khan and a group of legal and administrative experts. Some elements of the strategy have already been covered in the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance while some others would follow in the form of amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act and presidential orders, sources told Dawn on Thursday.
Govt can send under-trial cases to special courts By Amir Wasim ISLAMABAD: Besides providing legal cover to an indefinite detention of suspected terrorists, the Protection of Pakistan (Amendment) Ordinance, 2014, has empowered the government to transfer any under-trial case to special courts to be set up under the new controversial law. The new ordinance also allows special courts to hold in camera trial of an accused detained by security agencies. However, the special courts will be required to announce their verdicts in the presence of public.
50 licences awarded for exploration of gas, oil By Our Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD: After a rather long gap, the government on Thursday issued 50 provisional licences for exploration of oil and gas to eight local and two foreign firms having minimum investment commitment of $371 million. Speaking at a press conference, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the government could not award licences for about four years because of teething problems vis-à-vis model concession agreement and petroleum rules formulated under the 18th Amendment which allowed greater say of provinces in matters involving their resources.
Ordinance promulgated to check gas theft By Kalbe Ali ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain promulgated on Thursday the Gas Theft Control and Recovery Ordinance 2014, which enunciated the legal measures to be taken against those stealing natural gas. Under the ordinance, any person tampering with gas supply lines will be liable to a punishment of between five and 10 years of imprisonment, and a fine of up to Rs3 million. However, those tampering with the main lines or installations may be awarded imprisonment of between seven and 14 years, and a fine of up to Rs10m.
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