Zardari offered Presidency to Nawaz Sharif says Jehangir Badar

The Secretary General of the PPP, Jehangir Badar said Wednesday that Asif Ali Zardari had offered the Presidency to Nawaz Sharif.
Badar talking at the inauguration of the new PPP Central Secretariat claimed that Nawaz Sharif had rejected the offer made by Asif Ali Zardari.
Badar added that it was Nawaz Sharif who had suggested Asif Ali Zardari to become the President and was now criticising him.

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Proposal: More women needed in the judiciary, says Zardari

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari, reaffirming his resolve to eliminate discriminatory practices and abuses against women in Pakistan, enumerated the government’s initiatives for women empowerment on Friday.
He was addressing a ceremony arranged to mark the end of “One Million Signatures” campaign launched last year to stop violence against women. Maintaining that discrimination against women is deeply rooted in the social, political, economic and legal spheres of society, Zardari said that the issues were not only limited to Pakistan but were also seen in other regional countries.
Claiming that the government’s highest priority is to address discriminatory laws against women, the president listed down the legislative measures taken to protect women, which included Adoption of Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010‚ Criminal Law (Amendment) Act‚ Acid Control and Acid Crime Act and Prevention of Anti Women Practices Act.
The president added that the National Commission for Human Rights Act 2012 has been enacted to monitor the overall human rights situation, while the Women in Distress and Detention Fund Act 2011 has been promulgated to provide financial and legal assistance to deserving women. Moreover‚ 26 Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Centers for women have been established in various districts to provide immediate relief to female victims of violence, he added.
Zardari further said that around one million women are receiving direct assistance under Benazir Income Support Program, while the National Commission on the Status of Women has been strengthened to monitor the violation of women’s rights. A proposal is under consideration to give more representation to women in the judiciary, he added.
Speaking on the occasion‚ Country Director of UN Women Pakistan, Alice H Shackelford lauded the legislative measures taken by the Pakistani government for the protection of rights of women. She emphasised the need for collective efforts to bring a positive change in society.

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NRO Implementation: SC orders PM Ashraf to write letter by August 8

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has given August 08 deadline to Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to implement its order by writing a letter to Swiss authorities to reopen the graft cases against President Asif Ali Zradari,
A five-member bench, led by Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal, Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Muhammad Athar Saeed, is seized with the case.
Attorney General Irfan Qadir assured the court to make serious efforts to resolve the ongoing crisis. On July 12, the prime minister was directed to write the letter by July 25 and submit the compliance report.
Justice Asif Khosa remarked that President Zardari is our president as well and if he enjoys global immunity then the court is ready to help in this regard.
The AG argued the July 12 court order could not be implemented as it differs from the earlier judgement, adding that a sitting prime minister was removed from the office unconstitutionally.
"The NAB is not accountable before the court and that the NRO order has several flaws in it. The court has no jurisdiction over any NAB official and can not issue direction to any of them."
AG Irfan Qadir also demanded Justice Khosa's removal from the bench.
On this, Justice Khosa said we are also not in favour of sending prime minister home; you can think of ways to come out of this issue.
The court has taken a certain position in this NRO case and it can't be readjusted, it is possible only in politics, Justice Khosa added.
The court order said bridging the gap between two state organs was not impossible and the honourable AG has assured to make sincere efforts to resolve the tussle. There is a false tension among the institutions and the court hoped that by the next hearing a workable solution would be sorted out.
During proceedings, NAB Prosecutor General KK Agha informed the court about the progress made in Adnan Khwaja, Malik Qayum and Ahmed Riaz Sheikh cases.
The NAB official told the bench that the investigation against the out of rule appointment of Adnan Khwaja as OGDCL chief has been completed and the matter is now in prosecution phase, adding that the NAB Board will further decide upon the matter in next 2-3 weeks.
About Ahmed Riaz Sheikh, the court was informed that the decision has been made to file references against three persons within three weeks after the conclusion of probe.
The Attorney General on Tuesday submitted before the court that the prime minister under the constitutional scheme of the country, was bound to act under the advice of his cabinet, but with respect to the implementation of para 178 of the NRO judgement, he did not receive any such advice.
He submitted this in a civil miscellaneous application with the apex court, which was rejected by the SC Registrar Office the same day.

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