Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry expressed annoyance over disregard of the court orders and gave a deadline till 1:00pm to SSP (Investigation) to recover the child who went missing from Mansehra today.
During the case hearing in Supreme Court Peshawar Registry, the CJ upbraided SSP, saying that he was enjoying while disregarding the sufferings of the missing child’s parents. Mazhar r/o Mansehra was abducted from Oogi on October 18, 2009.
His brother notified six accused in the FIR, however, of them police arrested only two. Mazhar’s father told the court that he moved court as he got much disappointed over police’s efficiency. Meanwhile, the CJ also ordered to decuff an elderly man in the court, and said that police did not arrest the real culprits.

BAQUBA: Three powerful co-ordinated suicide attacks in the central Iraq city of Baquba killed at least 33 people and wounded 55 on Wednesday, just days before nationwide parliamentary elections.

The blasts, the deadliest to hit the country in nearly a month, spurred police to clamp an immediate curfew on the city, 60 kilometres (40 miles) north of Baghdad and one of Iraq’s biggest.

The attacks came despite heightened security across the country ahead of Sunday’s vote and after the leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, threatened to disrupt the election by “military means.”

Two near-simultaneous suicide vehicle bombs ripped through the provincial housing department’s offices and a nearby traffic intersection at around 9:30 am (0630 GMT), while a man later blew himself up at Baquba’s main hospital where victims were being treated.

“The three bombings killed 33 people,” a security official from Baquba operations command said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“The (third) suicide bomber tried to blow himself up against the police chief when he came to see the wounded in the hospital.”

Police chief Major General Abdul Hussein al-Shimmari escaped unharmed but members of his personal security team, including police Colonel Nabil Ibrahim, were wounded. Diyala provincial health chief Dr. Ali al-Timimi was also injured.

The first vehicle crashed through the entrance to the provincial housing department’s compound, which sits next to a police station, before exploding.

Moments later at a nearby traffic intersection, a suicide bomber triggered the explosives packed into his vehicle, creating a powerful blast. The hospital bombing occurred a short time later.

US and Iraqi security forces have cordoned off the hospital, an AFP journalist at the scene said.

Wednesday’s attack was the deadliest to hit the country since February 5, when 41 Shiite pilgrims were killed on the last day of a religious mourning ceremony on the outskirts of the holy city of Karbala.

Baquba, about 60 kilometres (40 miles) north of Baghdad and capital of Diyala province, was a hotbed of Sunni insurgents in the wake of the 2003 US-led invasion.

Iraqis go to the polls on Sunday 7 in legislative elections, the second such vote since Saddam Hussein was ousted in 2003.

The country’s national security advisor told AFP on Sunday that of the groups seeking to strike in the election period, “AQI (Al-Qaeda in Iraq) attacks are the most direct and serious security threat.”

“Al-Qaeda will try to target the whole process, but we do think that it doesn’t have the capacity to reach its goals,” Safa Hussein said.

Hussein added that security forces had found and prevented at least 10 vehicle bombs in the past month.

AQI leader Baghdadi last month condemned the elections as a political crime plotted by Shiites, according to US-based SITE, which monitors Islamist websites.

“(We) have decided to prevent the elections by all legitimate means possible, primarily by military means,” SITE quoted him as saying in a statement posted on an Islamist website.

The election is seen by Washington as a crucial precursor to a complete US military withdrawal by the end of 2011.

The UN’s envoy to Iraq has said that while he was concerned by the level of violence, it had not affected preparations for the election.

“We are concerned about the security of candidates and election organisers,” Ad Melkert said Monday.

“But what one does not see is a general pattern that might really affect also the assessment of whether the campaign as such is enabling the Iraqi people really to express their preference.”

A total of 352 Iraqis were killed as a result of violence in Iraq in February — 211 civilians, 96 police and 45 soldiers — which was nearly double the toll from the previous month.

PESHAWAR PAKISTAN: Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said that strict actions are being taken to ensure the speedy delivery of justice to the public. While no concession can be given in corruption cases.

The CJ gave these remarks while hearing various cases in Supreme Court Peshawar Registry.

While hearing the plea of former official of Pakistan Postal Services, the CJ said that punishment cannot be reduced on gender basis. “Law is equal for everyone,” he asserted.

He further said that concession cannot be given in corruption cases.

Hearing the case about non-payment of pension to the family of a government employee for 9 years, the CJ said the culture of indolence will not be tolerated.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has given 48 hour deadline to police to recover a student who went missing from Mansehra.
The CJ heard the case at Supreme Court Peshawar Registry. The CJ remarked that when the police did not want to work, it gives the plea that the incident occurred somewhere out of state’s precincts. He posed a question that why the police do not use the powers it has been authorized to use. He also ordered the police to inform the court about all the progress regarding the said case.

The Supreme Court has sought record from Election Commission regarding a case challenging Shahbaz Sharif’s eligibility today.
During the case proceedings, the Attorney General argued that Shahbaz was a candidate for constituency PP-10 and as such he should not have taken oath both for Bhakkar seat and as a chief minister of the province. A three-judge bench headed by Justice Javed Iqbal heard the petition filed by Shahid Orakzai. The AG argued in the court that when Shahbaz became a candidate for Rawapindi seat, he was neither a member of Punjab Assembly nor a chief minister at that time, and added that after winning the seat PP-10 from Rawalpindi, Shahbaz is not entitled to keep the Bhakkar seat.
The petitioner submitted in the petition that as a member of assembly, a person has to quit one seat in case he won two. He noted that as Shahbaz has quit the Rawapindi seat thereby constitutionally he became ineligible for the Bhakkar seat as well.
Therefore, he could not be a chief minister, as he is not a member of Punjab Assembly. After hearing the argument, the court asked Shahbaz’s counsel Khawaja Haris to submit reply in this regard.
Justice Javed Iqbal remarked that a comprehensive verdict would be given after complete hearing of the case and added that the SC gives verdict as per the law and constitution. The case was deferred till March 18.

Pakistan News: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Wednesday announced issuance of a fresh notification to elevate Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and Justice Asif Saeed Khosa of Lahore High Court (LHC) to the Supreme Court (SC) while Justice Khawaja Mohammed Sharif would continue as LHC Chief Justice.
Following an over three-hour long meeting here at the Prime Minister House, Gilani announced the decision superseding the earlier notification of the President for appointment of Justice Khawaja Mohammed Sharif as judge of the Supreme Court and Justice Saqib Nisar as acting Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court. The Prime Minister also announced that Justice (Retd) Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday who retired as judge of the Supreme Court last month would also be appointed as ad-hoc judge of the Supreme Court for a period of one year.
Gilani said the meeting was “part of the consultative process for the appointments in the superior judiciary which has to be participatory, and consensus oriented.”
The Prime Minister said “the government holds the judiciary in high esteem and shall implement all the decisions of the higher judiciary in letter and spirit.”
When asked whether the meeting would have any impact on the decision of the Supreme Court on the NRO, he said the court decision would be fully implemented. About the court’s verdict on appointment of Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Gilani said “leave the decision about the NAB to the government.”
He said during the meeting important decisions were taken under which two permanent and one ad-hoc judge would be appointed in the Supreme Court and all vacant seats in the judiciary would be filled in immediately.
He said the process for the elevation of judges in the Lahore High Court and the Sindh High Court was finalized and appointments would be made after observing procedural requirements. Gilani said the outcome of meeting was in the best interest of the nation and would bring more stability to the system.
To a question, he said both the executive and judiciary were working in the ambit of constitution and there would be no need to apply the law of necessity. According to a press release issued by the Prime Minister House, the meeting took stock of institutional framework as enshrined in the Constitution and it was reiterated that the rule of law “forms the basis for the functioning of all the state organs to ensure greater welfare of the people”.
It was agreed that in order to achieve this goal the process of consultation among the pillars of state should be constructive and meaningful. “It was decided that judiciary would be further strengthened to provide cheap and immediate justice to the public at their doorsteps.” The Chief Justice of Pakistan said the judiciary would continue to play its role for upholding the rule of law and constitution to strengthen the democratic system for the greater glory of Pakistan.

Islamabad, Pakistan News :- In the meeting between Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani at the PM House in Islamabad, it is decided to elevate CJP recommended judges to the Supreme Court and cancel the notification about judges’ appointment issued by the President, A Pakistan News reported on Wednesday.

New notification on judges appointment would be issued soon. The government has decided to appoint three judges in the Supreme Court. Justice Saqib Nisar and Justice Asif Saeed Khosa would be elevated to the Supreme Court as permanent judges while Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday would be ad hoc judge in the SC for a year.
The sources added that back-channel interaction was on for the last two to three days in which Aitzaz Ahsan played a role of a mediator.

India’s apex court and the High Courts can order Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe into criminal cases to protect the fundamental rights of citizens, without consent of the state governments.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the constitutional validity of courts’ powers to order CBI investigation without the prior permission of state governments with a provision that this should be used carefully and cautiously.
A five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan in a unanimous judgment said such powers have to be exercised cautiously by the apex court and the High Courts.
India’s federal ruling Congress party welcomed the decision saying that it would be beneficial in the public interest. “It is a judgment which in the public interest, in the national interest holds that there would be situation where the state concerned or the person concerned at the state level would so arrange matters that a consent to have the CBI enquiry will not be given. In such cases, the consent cannot act as a veto, or the requirement of consent cannot act as a veto. And therefore the court has held that wherever larger public interest remains the court is not powerless to direct the CBI whether it is high court or Supreme Court. I think it’s largely consistent with the government stand and that stand has been upheld. I think it is judgment to be welcomed in the public interest,” Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters outside Supreme Court.
Justices R V Raveendran, D K Jain, P Sathasivam and J M Panchal, who were also a part of the Constitutional Bench, said that such powers have to be used sparingly in exceptional and extraordinary circumstances in cases having national and international ramifications.
The CBI will otherwise be flooded with such directions in routine cases, said the Constitutional Bench, adding that such powers are vested with the apex court and High courts to ensure protection of fundamental rights of citizens under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The judgment was announced on a bunch of petitions filed by the eastern West Bengal state government, who argued that the CBI could carry out a probe only with the prior consent of the concerned government under the provisions of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan News: President Asif Ali Zardari Monday said I will respect Supreme Court (SC)’s ruling regarding judges’ appointment. An executive order, seeking approval of judges’ restoration, will soon be tabled in joint session of assembly.

There are no imminent of midterm elections in country, he said adding, PPP understands very well how to run democracy and we will respect apex court’s verdict pertaining to appointment of judges.

According to sources, addressing the meetings of Senate and National Assembly’s parliamentary committees of PPP here at Aiwan-e-Sadr, President Zardari said there is a big difference in being exiled and jailed as I lost precious 8 years in imprisonment while some one else remained exiled for the same period.

Referring to latest tremor in political scenario, he said political actors are politicizing issues, as it always happens in politics but they are not going to be allowed to exploit matters of national interests to derail democracy; besides they must be rest assured of the completion of 5-year-term of our government.

Advising the nation, President said people should not turn the attentive ears to negative propagandas of opposition parties, forbidding the activists of PPP from counter protest.

Meanwhile, spokesman to presidency Farhatullah Babar quoted President Zardari saying 2010 is the year of Local Bodies elections.

According to him, the president said PPP will engage its coalition partners in thorough consultation before reaching any decision regarding LB elections.

Zardari Biggest Threat to Democracy: Nawaz Sharif, PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif has said that Zardari is the biggest threat to democracy.
During a press briefing after holding a consultative party meeting, Nawaz expressed dismay over the government’s decision regarding judges’ appointment and maintained that there was no difference between autocracy and the democracy being practiced by Zardari. He expressed the fear that such moves on part of government may disillusion the people with democracy. Nawaz said that though he was the biggest sympathizer of Zardari, but deplored that he has always been betrayed by the president, and added that the PM did not take him into confidence vis-à-vis the decision on judges.
Condemning the unilateral decision on part of government as regards the judges’ appointment, he said that it seemed as if those at the helm of affairs have not accepted the restoration of judiciary in wake of the lawyers’ movement. He said that for PML-N confrontational politics was against the democratic process. Nawaz alleged that the incumbent government was targeting the judiciary to protect its corruption from Supreme Court’s ruling on NRO.
He grieved on the non-compliance of court orders, saying that it was a blatant disrespect of free judiciary, which was also against the public sentiments. He noted that the move was of the same kind as of November 3, 2007 decision by a dictator. He called upon the government to avoid clash between the institutions and ensure implementation of constitution and court’s orders. He said that public issues were being ignored, adding that the rulers were playing with the institutions’ sanctity.
He said that to boost one’s power at the cost of the country was condemnable, adding that the public got the free judiciary restored and as such its decision be respected. He asserted that his party would not allow the government to backtrack on Charter of Democracy, institutional respect and the legal and constitutional appointments of the judges. “The government would not be given freedom to commit corruption and distortion of the constitution”, Nawaz said, adding that he with the support of public would keep a vigilant eye on the government not only in the parliament but also outside it against such acts. He said he would do his level best to protect the public to bear the burnt of the misdeeds of the rulers, and added that there was no room for adventurism in the country. He said it was high time for him to play a role for democracy, and warned against disregard of the institutions by an individual for vested interests.