Karachi’s electoral rolls: SC suggests door-to-door voter verification

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During a hearing on flawed electoral rolls, the Supreme Court on Wednesday floated the idea of door-to-door verification of deeply contentious voters’ lists in Karachi – a move that it says will help address the deteriorating law and order situation of the city.

However, the bench has reserved its judgment in the case.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry maintained the verification drive could be launched with the help of the armed forces. Addressing MQM’s reservations, the chief justice said employing the army’s assistance was a lawful option.

He added the army was “in a position to book criminal elements, while the ECP will be able to rectify errors in the registration of voters.”

Justice Chaudhry added that Karachi, being the financial hub, had a direct impact on the country’s economy, and that addressing the law and order situation could solve other issues.

“I am telling you; if you can read between the lines, many other issues will be resolved by this exercise.”

The MQM and ECP, however, did not seem too comfortable with the suggestion.

After taking instructions from MQM’s leadership for about 15 minutes, the party’s counsel Farogh Naseem told the court the matter cannot be resolved by one person, and sought time to reach a consensus.  The court, however, said the issue was not a political one.

The bench was about to announce its judgment, when it was met with stiff resistance from the MQM and ECP, who said the verification campaign was not a workable option.

“We fail to understand why the ECP and MQM are opposing this move. We were expecting a positive response from all political parties. What are your apprehensions?” asked the chief justice.

But the top judge’s inquiry met with a brief “nothing” by the MQM counsel.

ECP’s lawyer Munir Piracha was more forthcoming. “The ECP is not supposed to conduct such an exercise (to nab criminal elements).”

Naseem also chipped in and questioned why Karachi was the focus of this exercise. “The situation is not good in many other parts of the country.”

He pleaded to the court to dismiss the petition, saying the ECP had already claimed to have personally verified 80% of the voters.

After the day-long hearing, the apex court decided to reserve its judgment on whether the ECP should re-launch its verification drive or not.

Nearly all political parties have voiced their concerns in the Supreme Court, saying the ECP has registered a large number of Karachi’s residents in their native towns without their prior consent. The parties maintain flawed lists amount to pre-poll rigging.

They also said 90% of the people of Karachi have not been approached by the ECP through its door-to-door campaign.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s counsel Rasheed A Razvi handed a list of 632 voters registered against a single house in Karachi.

Piracha argued that 68,000 voters could not be verified through door-to-door verification, while the identity of 0.7 million voters were not clear. ECP officials said only 0.1 million votes had been shifted from Karachi to other parts of the country.

Naseem said people who have complaints should approach the Election Commission personally, but Chief Justice Chaudhry said it was not possible for thousands and thousands of people to knock on the ECP’s door when they are too busy trying to make ends meet for their families.

He observed the “glaring complaints cannot be ignored” and that the commission was not fulfilling its constitutional duty of carrying out annual verification campaigns. “You can even carry out your verification campaign for the year 2012,” suggested the chief justice.

Read More:http://tribune.com.pk/story/472567/karachis-electoral-rolls-sc-suggests-door-to-door-voter-verification/

Troubleshooting inefficiencies: Counter-terrorism authority berated over performance

The National Counter Terrorism Authority’s (NACTA) main objective was to foil terrorist acts in the post 9/11 scenario following an unprecedented rise in militancy and terrorism in Pakistan. To envisage liaising between civil and military intelligence agencies was its secondary purpose. But lawmakers have observed that the body has been fruitless in achieving its targets: “NACTA has completely failed to serve its objective,” officials told a Senate Panel on Wednesday.

Lawmakers expressed reservations over NACTA’s performance hours before the federal cabinet approved a draft law to establish a new counter terrorism body aimed at better coordination efforts to defeat terrorists.

Then prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani ordered the creation of NACTA under an executive order in December 2008 when NACTA’s former director general (DG) Tariq Pervaiz floated the idea after getting superannuation as the DG of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

NACTA Deputy Coordinator Arif Akram informed the Senate Standing Committee on Interior that the body spent some Rs13 million in 2008, Rs210 million in 2009, Rs102 million in 2010 and 2011 each and this year the Ministry of Finance allocated Rs97 million to it for the current fiscal year.

After receiving these details, Senate Panel Chairman Senator Talha Mehmood observed: “NACTA has now become an official NGO (non-governmental organisation). The government will have to reassess its importance.”

After a detailed briefing, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Fateh Hassani hit hard on the man who had floated the idea. “NACTA has lost its utility,” he claimed. The Senate panel has also summoned the body’s pioneer, Pervaiz, for a detailed briefing on the idea he had floated to curb militancy in Pakistan.

In its defence, NACTA’s Research and Planning Director Khizer Hayat Nagra told the committee that the body had prepared a number of research papers, including Causes and remedies in Swat turmoil, Trends of terrorism in Pakistan and Dynamics of why people join religious militancy.

He said they were presented before the government besides a documentary called ‘Battle for Paradise’ which was about religious militancy in Swat.

However, there is a long list where NACTA failed to complete its projects. It was unable to prepare a research paper titled: Study on Flaws in Terrorist Prosecution in Pakistan. A research paper titled: Proposing a Counter IED understanding has still not been published either.

The authority also failed to prepare ‘Radicalisation in Pakistan: Problem Analysis and Future Strategies for De-radicalisation’ which it was supposed to present it to the government last month. Two projects relating to ‘Data mining of terrorist incidents and terrorist profiling’, and ‘Compendium on CT Laws in Pakistan’ also could not be finalised due to unknown reasons.

Paper shortage

While discussing other matters, passport authorities informed the Senate panel that over 200,000 passports could not be delivered in time due non availability of paper.

They requested lawmakers to direct the Ministry of Finance to release funds so that the passport office could pay its liability to the Security Printing Press.

“Currently, we produce 6,000 to 7,000 passports daily but we have a capacity of producing over 20,000 if the government provides us papers freely,” officials said.

The panel will visit the finance ministry office today (Thursday) to ensure the release of funds to passport office for this purpose.

Read More:http://tribune.com.pk/story/472539/troubleshooting-inefficiencies-counter-terrorism-authority-berated-over-performance/

Amended bill to tackle grey traffic agreed upon

However, one of the stakeholders, the Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT) wants the draft to be approved by its minister in charge, Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, before it is presented to the main NA committee.

“I do not think this is needed. The parliament is the supreme body and [we should] let it decide if the draft needs vetting and approvals from ministers and other bodies,” said MNA Anusha Rehman, who was chairing the NA Subcommittee meeting discussing the amendments proposed by Humayun Saifullah Khan and four other members of the National Assembly.

A representative from the MoIT insisted they were bound by rules to get the approval from PM Ashraf, as the proposed bill was a private members’ bill. “After our minister’s approval the draft should go to the Council of Common Interest (CCI) and then presented in the house,” said the MoIT representative, a member of the ministry’s legal department.

The committee members objected to his point of view, mainly on the grounds that the process would take too much time as it would involve the approval of the prime minister, “Who must be a busy man,” said one of the members.

After deliberations, the subcommittee agreed to send its draft report to the main committee. MNA Rehman asked for the draft report to be sent to her office to present it to the main committee.

Grey Traffic

MNA Saifullah proposed to further clarify the definition of grey traffic in order to include all licensed or unlicensed operators that indulge in originating or terminating international telephony services.

The grey traffic is basically meant to avoid any such taxes, said a representative of the PTA. The committee agreed to incorporate the changes suggested.

PTA members

It was also suggested that the telecom authority will consist of three executive members and five non-executive members. All members will be appointed for a fixed term of four years.

The eligibility of the member’s appointment will be 15 years of service in the telecom, finance or legal domains, with 20 years of experience as exception for the chairman.

Read More:http://tribune.com.pk/story/472587/amended-bill-to-tackle-grey-traffic-agreed-upon/

Cabinet meeting: Govt moves for bigger, better anti-terror body

The federal cabinet approved the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) Bill 2012 on Wednesday, a draft law which aims to establish a ‘new’ body to coordinate efforts to eliminate terrorism from the country.

Interestingly, however, officials privy to the development claim that the bill is first and foremost likely to act as a legal cover for the already-existing, but near-dormant, body by the same name (Nacta), which was formed through an executive order by the prime minister back in 2008.

The new bill, claimed the officials, will, at the same time, expand the power, mandate and membership of the inactive body – which, most importantly, will now act as a coordination and information-sharing platform between different intelligence agencies, military and civilian, as well as law-enforcement agencies, both at the federal and provincial level. It is expected that it will be chaired by the prime minister himself, and will include the chief ministers of all provinces and representatives of intelligence outfits.

Previously the body was under the interior minister.

The official also said that the body would also deal with all policy and legislative business regarding terrorism and counter-terrorism – including looking at syllabus and textbook issues pertaining to the spread of hate material and propaganda.

The bill was approved after lengthy rounds of consultations between all stakeholders and the government. The bill, which needs to be approved by both houses of parliament and signed by President Asif Ali Zardari, is to be immediately tabled in the National Assembly for further deliberations and proposals from other political forces.

While Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira did not provide details about the bill, he told the media that its main objective was to defeat terrorism. The minister was addressing the media after a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.

“The federal cabinet today approved the National Counter Terrorism Authority Bill for which efforts had been ongoing for a long time. There was a need for a body to interlink the activities of security agencies,” Kaira said.

The information minister added that there was a need for greater coordination between government institutions fighting terrorism. He said that previous attempts to reform religious seminaries, considered to be the ‘nurseries’ of the Taliban and other extremist organisations, had borne few results.

Kaira said, “The new authorised body will formulate policies that will improve coordination among the federal and provincial governments, and intelligence agencies, as well as carry out research to defeat the terrorist mindset.”

D-8 acknowledgements

Earlier, in his opening remarks, Prime Minister Ashraf congratulated all organisers, including the Foreign Office, for a successful Developing-8 summit in Islamabad.

The premier said the members are of the view that the development and progress of concerned countries are linked to stability and peace in Afghanistan. The member states expressed their confidence in the democratic development of Pakistan and appreciated President Asif Ali Zardari’s initiative for trade‚ banking‚ and currency swapping among D-8 members, he added.

The prime minister also appreciated all those who played an important role in maintaining peace during Muharramul Haram. He paid tribute to the armed forces‚ security agencies‚ police‚ Rangers‚ ulema‚ media and civil society for maintaining unity during Muharram.

New medical university

Kaira informed the media that the cabinet also decided to establish a medical university at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in Islamabad. He said the university will be named after Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and will be a federal chartered university imparting post-graduate medical education.

The cabinet also decided to provide autonomous status to the Climate Change Impact Study Centre, which will include representatives for Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir.

Read More:http://tribune.com.pk/story/472577/cabinet-meeting-govt-moves-for-bigger-better-anti-terror-body/

Mumbai attacks: Headley, Rana to face sentence in January

David Coleman Headley, 52, formally admitted to 12 terror charges in March 2010 after prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty or to allow him to be extradited to India, Pakistan or Denmark to face related charges.

He is expected to be sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole.

The Mumbai siege, which began on November 26, 2008 and lasted nearly three days, saw 166 people killed and was the deadliest militant onslaught on Indian soil since independence.

US came under fire in India for reaching the deal with Headley, but prosecutors said it was well worth it given the valuable intelligence he provided in order to save his own skin.

Headley also testified against his childhood friend, Pakistan-born Chicago businessman Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who was convicted on two terrorism charges last year.

Rana, 51, faces up to 30 years in jail for helping the banned Pakistan militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) plan an attack on a Danish newspaper that sparked outrage by publishing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.

However, a jury found there was insufficient evidence that Rana was involved in the Mumbai attacks, even though Headley described how he had used Rana’s immigration services business as a cover while conducting surveillance in India’s financial capital.

Rana will be sentenced on January 15.

The only one of ten heavily-armed gunmen to have survived the three-day siege, Pakistani national Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, was hanged in an Indian prison last week.

Read More :http://tribune.com.pk/story/472643/mumbai-attacks-headley-rana-to-face-sentence-in-january/

Bill on US Senate calendar: Counterinsurgency fund to come with strings attached

The text of the bill states that the US secretary of defence has to certify to congressional defence committees that Pakistan is taking action against terrorist groups including the Haqqani Network, the Quetta Shura and against improvised explosive device manufacturers.

The bill also stipulates the conditions associated with the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Fund. It asserts that no reimbursements can be made to Pakistan that were claimed by the country during the period when the ground lines of supply through Pakistan to Afghanistan were closed.

Additionally, the bill says that no more than $1,750,000,000 can be given to Pakistan in the fiscal year 2013 — this figure does not include reimbursements made to Pakistan during fiscal year 2013 from previous funds.

The bill text states that the US secretary of defence has to certify to congressional defence committees that Pakistan has opened and is maintaining security along the ground lines of supply to Afghanistan for the Pakistan counterinsurgency.

Read More:http://tribune.com.pk/story/472557/bill-on-us-senate-calendar-counterinsurgency-fund-to-come-with-strings-attached/

Pakistan lags behind OIC states in access to higher education

Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairperson Dr Javaid R Laghari said this while addressing the launch ceremony of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) International Business Plan Competition.

“Despite all the challenges, the HEC is striving to make Pakistan appear on the world map,” he said.

He was sharing his experience from attending the Sixth Islamic Conference on Higher Education and Scientific Research in Sudan. Leghari said access to higher education in Lebanon is 54%, Turkey 45%, Malaysia 40%, and Jordan 38%, and the OIC countries only contribute 1.5% of the world’s technology exports.

“The HEC has undertaken steps for promotion and innovation in entrepreneurship and so far, 22 Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation (ORICS) and six business and technology incubation centres are working at higher education institutions,” he said. He emphasised on the importance of working towards a knowledge-based economy to improve the economic state of the Islamic countries.

Faisal Mushtaq, patron of the TiE competition, maintained that despite a number of competitions being launched in Pakistan, somehow the rewards have never seemed juicy enough to tempt entrepreneurs to participate. “The TiE competition is not one of those. With cash prizes of $1.5 million, it is the richest business plan competition in the world.”

HEC Executive Director Dr Sohail Naqvi elaborated that the competition is all about new opportunities, sharing the passion for entrepreneurship and learning from the insights and entrepreneurial experiences of the mentors and competition judges.

Read More :http://tribune.com.pk/story/472457/pakistan-lags-behind-oic-states-in-access-to-higher-education/