SCP four new judges take oath

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP)’s four new judges have taken oath here today. Justice Zahid Hussain, Justice Ghulam Rabbani, Justice Sair Ali and Justice Mahmood Akhtar Shahid are included among the new SCP judges taking oath. Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry administered the oath in a simple oath-taking ceremony held here. The number of Supreme Court judges rose to 28, following the new judges having taken oath. ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP)’s four new judges have taken oath here today. Justice Zahid Hussain, Justice Ghulam Rabbani, Justice Sair Ali and Justice Mahmood Akhtar Shahid are included among the new SCP judges taking oath. Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry administered the oath in a simple oath-taking ceremony held here. The number of Supreme Court judges rose to 28, following the new judges having taken oath.

Pak may get $6 bln in donor pledges: WB

WASHINGTON: The World Bank said Monday that Pakistan was expected to get pledges of aid of between four and six billion dollars at a donors conference in Tokyo this week. "We are still making efforts, we think this is possible," Isabel Guerrero, the bank's vice president for South Asia, told reporters when asked whether such an aid projection could be met at the talks Friday to be co-hosted by the development lender and Japan. The meeting comes after US President Barack Obama unveiled a sweeping new strategy to turn around the Afghan war and defeat Islamist militants in Pakistan, which Washington has put at the heart of the fight against Al-Qaeda. Guerrero said 27 countries and 16 organizations would attend the conference, with most delegations to be led at minister-level. President Asif Ali Zardari is scheduled to head Pakistan's delegation. Pakistan voiced hope Monday that the donors conference would endorse a four-billion-dollar aid package to stabilize the battered economy and fight against Islamist militancy. Guerrero said a "Friends of Pakistan" meeting on political and security issues would be held before the donors conference on development assistance on the same day. "There could be pledges there as well," she said. Hajime Hayashi, a senior Japanese embassy official, said the Pakistan government was under "heavy pressure" and "it is naturally very important for the international community to provide fresh pledges to provide financial assistance." "There are some strong positive signs of their fresh pledges from these countries and participants," he said. "We very much hope a good result" will emerge from the talks, he said. Pakistan's finance ministry chief Shaukat Tarin said this week in Islamabad that his country, a frontline state and a key ally in the US-led "war on terror," has paid a heavy price in dealing with extremist violence in the country's troubled northwest, where it borders Afghanistan. Military operations against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked militants have displaced around 300,000 people and the government wants to help them in their rehabilitation, he said. Tarin said Pakistan had drafted a nine-point agenda that will be shared with the donor countries, which includes support for the needy, alongside training and employment opportunities to help people escape poverty. Pakistan would like donors to finance energy projects to overcome a crippling power shortage and the government wants to increase spending on health, education and infrastructure through public-private partnership.

Cross border infiltration expected to rise before polls: Army Chief

NEW DELHI: Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor on Tuesday said that infiltration attempts from across the border were expected to rise substantially before the General Elections, but added that the armed forces were ready to counter any attack. Gen Kapoor told media in New Delhi that the Army was aware the ‘other side’ was planning infiltration in the run-up to polls. In view of the threat, a three-tier defence system has been put in place on the Line of Control (LoC), the Army Chief added. Commenting on the perceived threat from Taliban militants, Gen Kapoor stated that the security forces were prepared to deal with those extremists also. He also spoke about reports of female terrorists being readied across the border for carrying out terror activities in India.

KSE on Tokyo conf. spurred breaching 8000 marks

KARACHI: Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) investors today for the second day reveled and rejoiced in an environment of high hopes and optimism on the Tokyo conference likely committing $6 billion of aids from friends of Pakistan and locally President’s signing of the Swat accord, pouring cold water on the simmering political upheaval in the country, which saw the KSE-100 index breaching the psychological barriers of 8000. Sources said that trading today in the market seen brisk and buoyant, as the index in the first few hours of trading jumped up by 132 points breaching the psychological barriers of 8000 marks. Yesterday the index gaining 225 points had climbed beyond 7800 points and at one point of time it was seen to have achieved even 7900 marks.

Massager Abdul Rauf appointed after ICC approval: PCB

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that the appointment of massager Abdul Rauf has been made after the termination of the agreement with the ICL and the approval from the ICC.

Abdul Rauf, who was working as massager for Lahore Badshah in the Indian Cricket League, has left with the Pakistan cricket team for the United Arab Emirates.

Spokesman of the Pakistan Cricket Board said that Abdul Rauf had signed an agreement with the ICL for a period of one year which has expired. He had also submitted an NOC to the PCB in this regard and later the board after bringing it to the notice of the ICC has appointed Abdul Rauf as massager of the Pakistan cricket team.

The spokesman said that the ICC law regarding the ban on players and officials attached with the unapproved cricket leagues would be enforced from June 1.

FO summons acting Indian High Commissioner

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday summoned acting Indian High Commissioner Manpreet Vohra over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement about possible Taliban attacks during Indian elections. According to the foreign office, Pakistan has taken serious note of Indian PM’s statement and asked India to provide Pakistan with any concrete information about terrorism. The foreign office said Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.