ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has noted that despite directives from time to time, the federal government has not made arrangements for elections in the Islamabad Capital Territory. Local polls in the ICT is a requirement by the Constitution, but no progress has been made except that a bill has been prepared which is likely to be tabled in the National Assembly or a presidential ordinance has to be issued, a court order said on Tuesday. It disposed of matters pertaining to local elections, which are required in the ICT, Cantonment Boards and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Suffice to observe that it is the duty of the state to enforce the constitution in its letter and spirit and there should not be any discrimination,” the order said.
In Punjab, elections are being held but residents of ICT are being deprived of participation in governance at gross roots level. The order hoped that no further delay “shall be caused in this behalf”, and directed the government to submit a progress report in seven days to the court registrar.
Suicide attack foiled in Kabul
Kabul: Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS) foiled a suicide attack in the capital Kabul yesterday. According to a statement issued by the NDS, the suicide bomber was looking to attack a senior government official in capital Kabul. The statement further added, the suicide bomber was recognised as Syed Habib and was arrested along with a suicide bombing vest. According to NDS, the detained bomber has confessed that he was hired by Taliban group leader Mawlavi Abdul Karim in Quetta City and was later sent to Miranshah for training purposes. The arrested suicide bomber quoted in the statement as saying that he received almost four months of training on how to carry out suicide attacks, roadside bombings and use of various weapons in Miranshah. He also added that he was sent to capital Kabul for suicide bombing attack after completing his training in Pakistan tribal region.
Seven rebels killed in raids
Kabul: Seven Taliban insurgents were killed and 21 arrested in operations by Afghan security forces and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan (ISAF) in the last 24 hours in Afghanistan. The Interior Ministry said operations took place in Kandahar, Maidan Wardak and Paktika provinces and weapons and ammunition were also seized. There were no casualties in the forces.
East Pakistan hit by quake
ISLAMABAD: A moderate 5-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Pakistan on Wednesday, with tremors felt in several cities, but officials said there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The epicentre was in northern India at a depth of 50km, regional meteorological chief Muhammad Riaz said. The quake was felt in cities, including Lahore, Kasur, Okara and Sialkot. Pakistan was hit by a 7.6-magnitude earthquake on October 8, 2005 that killed more than 73,000 people and left about 3.5m homeless, mainly in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A 7.7-magnitude quake devastated several areas, including Awaran in southwestern Baluchistan province, in September.
Agencies
