National Government(2013-2018) Performance Watch

[W.11]

mod please make this sticky like naya KPK thread

And now the test begins!

ISLAMABAD: The time for promises and rhetoric is over for Mian Nawaz Sharif after he took oath of the office of the prime minister on Wednesday. He will now be judged purely on the basis of his actions and decisions.

Within days it would be clear if he means business. The first phase of his political and bureaucratic appointments would set the tone for his rule. In his post-election speech in the NA on Wednesday, he vowed to uphold merit, pledged to curb corruption and promised to change the destiny of Pakistan for a better future of the nation.

Nawaz Sharif has though made history by becoming prime minister for the third term, he is faced with huge challenges like terrorism, loadshedding, failing economy, all-time high corruption, extreme bad governance, poverty, unemployment, target killings in Karachi, unrest in Balochistan, US drone attacks and a lot more.

His recent political gestures including his visit to Imran Khan, his support to PTI to form its government in the KP and most importantly his offer to nationalist parties to have their chief minister and governor in Balochistan despite the PML-N’s sound position in the provincial assembly to form government were laudable and left the impression as if Nawaz Sharif is really a changed man and has learnt some lessons from the past.

However, his real test starts now. He does not have the magic wand to solve the complex and haunting problems like terrorism, loadshedding, etc, faced by the Pakistan but what people would expect from him to move swiftly and sincerely towards the direction leading to a better Pakistan.

The selection of his cabinet ministers and their portfolios would be crucial to judge his intention. However, more important is to see how he would make the key appointments in bureaucracy, in the state-owned enterprises, in Pakistani missions abroad and in the anti-corruption apparatus of the country.

Whom he would bet for the office of the NAB chairman? Who would be his choice as DG FIA? How would he make the Federal Board of Revenue autonomous? What would be the repute and standing of his key bureaucratic aides and the key federal secretaries? What would be the selection criterion for the appointments in the bureaucracy? The answer to many such questions will be available sooner than later by the regime of the newly-elected prime minister.

The PML-N sources say that a large number of opportunists, high profile job seekers, friends and acquaintances of Mian Nawaz Sharif and other top PML-N leaders are eager to get the key appointments including that of ambassadors, head of government entities like PTV and radio, corporations, etc. Besides some ex-generals, journalists, columnists, serving and retired bureaucrats, many politicians who could not make it to the cabinet are even trying to get the key posts like head of PIA.

A controversial top police officer heading the Motorway Police had the cheek to give a full page advertisement to different newspapers welcoming Nawaz Sharif’s election at the cost of taxpayers’ money. It would now be seen if he would be allowed to continue as the Motorway Police head after doing this. Others in the government departments are bound to follow suit again at the cost of public money if not immediately stopped by the newly-elected prime minister.

Each and every appointment to be made by the prime minister in the coming days and weeks would be microscopically scrutinised by the media, opposition parties and the judiciary. Nawaz Sharif has pledged that there would be no favouritism at all in his rule and that he would stick to merit and only merit. It would be really remarkable if he sticks to his commitment. Otherwise, he would have to face the tough media, an independent judiciary, an awakened civil society and an aggressive opposition.

 

[W.11]

Government to present budget on June 12: Ishaq Dar
ISLAMABAD, June 8 (APP): Federal Minister for Finance, Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar said Saturday that the federal budget for the upcoming financial year 2013-14 will be presented before the National Assembly on Wednesday, June 12 after its approval from federal cabinet. The upcoming budget would mainly focus on revival of economy with special concentration on overcoming circular debt to resolve the prevailing energy crisis in the country, Ishaq Dar said while talking to media after assuming the office of Federal Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs and Statistics here.
Ishaq Dar said that the government has already devised a strategy to overcome the prevailing challenges at economic front including energy crisis.
Before the presentation of the budget in the National Assembly, the meeting of National Economic Council (NEC) is scheduled to be held on Monday June 10 to consider and approve funding for Public Sector Development Programme(PSDP) (2013-14).
Senator Ishaq Dar said that the circular debt has expanded to Rs.500 billion and for resolving energy crisis there is dire need to get rid of this burden adding that the upcoming budget would be devised in a way to come out of this vicious circle.
He was of the view that country was facing several challenges however, added that the government would try its best to overcome these and help economic development.
He said that inflation was also one of the pressing issues but it could not be brought down overnight and would take some time to provide relief to masses.
The federal minister said that the debt on government has surged from Rs.3000 billion up to Rs.14000 billion and the government is not only bound to pay back the loans but also pay interests according to the schedule.
The government would definitely opt for a better mechanism to pay back these loans adding that it was already engaged to devise a proper strategy in this regard adding that some payment are due till December.
The federal minister said that the country also have to spend on its defence, infrastructure and other social sector programmes.
He said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) post-monitoring programme missions is scheduled to visit Pakistan in the third week of June.
On revenues, the federal minister said that the Federal Board of Revenue(FBR) has been directed to achieve its revised tax collection target well in time. The FBR had revised the revenue target from Rs.2301 to Rs.2193 and then to Rs.2116.
The minister said that the government would try to achieve the revenue targets it would set for the upcoming fiscal year (2013-14).
He said there is dire need to enhance income and resources to help improve economy and lead the country towards progress and prosperity.
He stressed the need for striking balance between income and expenditures and informed the media persons that austerity measures will be taken to reduce the expenditures.

 

[W.11]

Pakistan lodges protest, stresses ‘immediate end to drone strikes’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan summoned the US Charge d’ Affaires, Ambassador Richard Hoagland to the Foreign Office on Saturday to register a strong protest against the latest US drone strike in North Waziristan on Friday.

“It was conveyed to the US Charge d’ Affaires that the Government of Pakistan strongly condemns the drone strikes which are a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said a press release by the Pakistani Foreign Office.

“The importance of bringing an immediate end to drone strikes was emphasised,” it said.

Hoagland was summoned to the Foreign Office in Islamabad on Saturday evening on the instructions of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s, and was handed a demarche in this regard, said a press release by the Pakistani Foreign Office.

The latest drone attack on Friday in Shawal Tehsil of North Waziristan agency killed at least seven people.

It was the first such attack since Nawaz Sharif was sworn in as prime minister earlier this week.

In his inaugural address to parliament, Sharif called for an end to US drone strikes on Pakistani soil, which many view as a breach of Pakistan's sovereignty.

The bombing comes 10 days after a similar US drone attack killed the Pakistani Taliban's second-in-command, Waliur Rehman, and six others in a major blow to the militant group.

President Barack Obama said last month the United States would scale back drone strikes, only using them when a threat was “continuing and imminent”.

 

[W.11]

First since Nawaz sworn in as PM, US drone kills 7


Miranshsh - A US drone strike Friday killed at least seven suspected militants in a tribal district of northwest Pakistan, the first such attack since Nawaz Sharif was sworn in as prime minister this week.
The latest attack came just two days after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif called for an end to the American drone campaign.
The drone fired two missiles which hit a compound in Shokhel village in Shawal area, more than 100 kms southwest of Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan Agency, which is known as a stronghold of Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked militants.
"The US drone fired two missiles targeting a militant compound and killing at least seven militants", a senior local security official told AFP.
The compound was destroyed in the attack, security officials were quoted as saying by TV news channels. A ‘high-value target’ was among those killed in the attack, a private TV channel reported but did not give details.
Reports suggest that TTP chief Hakeemullah Mehsud usually operates in Shawal area of North Waziristan.
On May 29, the deputy chief of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, Waliur Rehman, was killed in another drone strike in North Waziristan.
The strikes by the CIA-operated spy planes are criticised by the Pakistan government as counter-productive for the war on terror. US officials say the drones are a vital weapon in the campaign against militants.
Many Pakistanis oppose US drone strikes because they say they the strikes kill large numbers of innocent civilians — something the US denies — and end up breeding more extremism by those seeking retribution.
The country's new Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, has lashed out against the US drone programme and called for an end to it.
On Thursday, families of Pakistani victims of US drone strikes wrote to new Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urging him to stop the campaign — by shooting the unmanned aircraft down if necessary.
Victims’ families and their lawyer Mirza Shahzad Akbar have written to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urging him to heed the Peshawar High Court’s ruling, which called on the government to take the matter up at the UN Security Council.
“The court has ordered the government of Pakistan and its security forces to administer a proper warning to the United States that future drone strikes will not be tolerated,” Akbar wrote in the letter.
Akbar said that if Pakistan failed to persuade the US to stop the strikes through the United Nations, “the court has very clearly ordered to shoot down the drones”.

 

[Leader]

 

[W.11]

Iran-Pak gas project 'priority' for new Pak government: Minister

Karachi, June 9 (ANI): The Federal minister for Planning and Development in Pakistan, Ahsan Iqbal has said that Iran-Pakistan's gas project is vital and cannot be set aside especially in the present crucial time.
The minister asserted that Pakistan needs to complete the work at the gas pipeline and acquire energy from 'wherever it comes, whether from Iran or the Arabian Sea', Dawn.com reports.
Iqbal insisted that energy is the country's first, second and third top priority as electricity is no longer a mere commodity now; it is a necessity and lifeline.
However, fears remain in certain forces whether or not the gas project will be completed especially because of the ruling party PML-N's well-established relations with the Saudis.
Meanwhile, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also agreed with Iqbal and said that the power sector is the top most priority for both domestic and commercial users as long as gas supply is concerned. (ANI)

 

[W.11]

Pakistan threatens Google with ban - The Times of India

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's new IT minister has warned that Google could be blocked in the country if the company fails to remove blasphemous and objectionable material from its video-sharing website YouTube.

Minister of state for IT and telecommunication Anusha Rahman Khan made the remarks on her first day in office yesterday while talking about Pakistan's efforts to end a nine-month ban on YouTube for hosting clips from the controversial film "Innocence of Muslims."

Google, the parent company of YouTube, had rejected requests from the previous Pakistan People's Party-led government to remove the objectionable material and Khan said she hoped the company would listen to the new PML-N government.

"It all depends on our negotiation clout. If they persist with their stance, we can block Google in Pakistan as a last resort as there are many alternative search engines available on the web," Khan was quoted as saying by The News daily.

Innocence Of Muslims triggered violent protests by right wing groups across Pakistan and the PPP-led government itself sanctioned a day of protests in September last year. Twenty-three people were killed and property worth billions of rupees was destroyed during these protests.

The PML-N government has listed as one of its priorities the restoration of YouTube with filters to screen blasphemous and pornographic content.

Pakistan banned YouTube on September 17 last year. The ban was lifted for a few hours in December before being reinstated following protests from right wing groups.

Soon after the ban, the IT Ministry issued a key policy directive to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to block all blasphemous and pornographic materials on the internet by installing a filtration system.

 

[W.11]

 

[muse]

Pakistan threatens Google with ban - The Times of India

A facade, Blasphemous content is going to be the ruse, monitoring and censoring is the ambition behind this issue - now the CJP is involved and perhaps we gain insight into why islamist terrorists fare so well before the Pakistani courts

 

[Tiger Awan]

A facade, Blasphemous content is going to be the ruse, monitoring and censoring is the ambition behind this issue - now the CJP is involved and perhaps we gain insight into why islamist terrorists fare so well before the Pakistani courts

dont know what CJP is doing but Anusha Rehman tweeted that the Indian Newspaper has misquoted her

 

[batmannow]

100 days layoff from me to the govt, just good will gesture, but after that.............!

 

[W.11]

 

[W.11]

Bomb attack destroys Quaid's residency in Ziarat - DAWN.COM

QUETTA: Militants attacked the Quaid-e-Azam residency in Ziarat with hand grenades in the wee hours of Saturday, destroying the historical monument where the founder of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah spent his last days.

A police man outside the Quaid's residency was also killed in the attack.

A police official, who requested anonymity since he was not authorised to speak to the media, told Dawn.com that four militants on two motorcycles entered the residency and hurled hand held bombs.

"All old memorials inside the residency have been destroyed," he said.

He said memorial chairs, beds, and historic photographs of the founder were burnt to the ground in the resulting fire.

Another police official, requesting anonymity, said the wood structure of the residence had been burnt down, however, the exterior concrete structure was still intact.

Bomb disposal squad also claimed to have defused six more bombs planted inside the residency.

Police said the militants escaped unhurt from the spot.

Frontier Corps and police reached the residency and started investigation into the incident.

The founding father of the country, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, had spent last days of his life in Ziarat at the historic wooden structure.

Ziarat is considered a tourist point in insurgency-hit Balochistan province. A large number of tourists visit the town and the memorials of the Quaid every summer.