Bid of suicide attack at check post in E-11 foiled, suicide bomber killed

The police claimed on Sunday to have foiled bid of suicide attack on a security check post at Saddam Chowk in sector E-11 of the federal capital and shot dead the alleged suicide bomber before detonating himself.

The police also recovered suicide jacket from his possession.

According to details, a suspected person got out of double cabin black vehicle having black glasses at Saddam Chowk near check post on Margallah Road. The police deployed at the post tried to stop him but kept moving towards them, on which the police opened firing on him and killed him.

According to police, there were two other accomplices of the suicide bomber, which escaped safely.

Later, the police searched his body and recovered suicide jacket, which was handed over to bomb disposable squad.

Talking to a private TV channel, IGP Islamabad Syed Kalim Imam said teams have been dispatched for the arrests of other accomplices of the suicide bomber and the area has been cordoned off where they are believed to be hiding.

IG Islamabad Police, Syed Kaleem Imam has said that the attackers used a black colored car in order to help suicide bomber in identification of his target. The suicide bomber failed to hit the target due to strict security and the alleged suicide bomber was hit on head.

He further said that the suicide jacket is quite heavy and it has explosive material of around 12 kg. He said the bomb disposal squad has defused the suicide jacket. He said that investigation is being underway to know what the real and main target was.

Similarly, he said that the minister has also praised the courage of police personnel and he has announced promotion and cash rewards for the officials.

Youth Prime Minister Announces the Youth Cabinet

Youth Cabinet of the third batch of the Youth Parliament Pakistan was announced by the Youth Prime Minister.

Following Portfolios were allotted to the members; Ms. Madeeha Shahid Rana (YP34-PUNJAB16), Youth Minister for Culture, Sports & Youth Affairs, Mr. Waqas Nazar Tiwana (YP21-PUNJAB03), Youth Minister for Foreign Affairs & Defence, Mr. Zulqarnain Haider (YP20-PUNJAB02), Youth Minister for Health & Environment, Mr. Shamas ur Rehman Alvi (YP48-SINDH11), Youth Minister for Finance, Planning and Economic Affairs, Mr. Hannan Ali Abbasi (YP15-NWFP04) Youth Minister for Information and Mr. Hassan Sajjad Naqvi (YP25-PUNJAB07), Youth Minister for Law, Human Rights and Parliamentary Affairs.

Earlier today, Mr. Hassan Sajjad Naqvi (YP25-PUNJAB07) moved a resolution to pass a vote of confidence for the Youth Prime Minister and the House expressed its confidence and trust on the elected Youth Prime Minister.

Mr. Khizar Pervaiz (YP40-SINDH03) presented a motion to discuss the implementation of capital punishment should be meted out strictly to the perpetrators of crimes against women, as these are on the rise. Debate was generated in the house from both sides on different aspects of the motion ranging from the different categories of crimes prevailing against women to general attitude of public towards these crimes. Youth Prime Minister during his speech referred this motion to the standing committee on Law and Justice to review the state of National laws regarding protection of women and present a report in the house in the next session.

Mr. Imtiaz Ali Khuhro (YP46-SINDH09) and Mr. Hammal Muneer Jan (YP03-BALOCHISTAN02) presented a resolution that Pakistan should adopt aggressive policy on water issue against India and an effective water management policy should be adopted immediately. Members urged to adopt immediate measures for water reservation techniques and to promote awareness among the masses on this issue. Members also stressed that Government should tackle the water dispute with India on pure diplomatic grounds and avoid conflict. This resolution was adopted by the House.

Another resolution was moved by Mr. Hannan Ali Abbasi (YP15-NWFP04), Mr. Waqas Nazar Tiwana (YP21-PUNJAB03) and Syed Manzoor Shah (YP04-BALOCHISTAN03). The resolution said that practical steps should be taken to promote Urdu Language at National level as mentioned in the Constitution of Pakistan and recommend promoting Urdu Language through the use of modern technology. The resolution was adopted with large majority by the House.

PML-N calls for investigation into attack on Khawaja Asif

Tasneem Siddiqui, a PML-N law maker has strongly condemned the attack on party leader Khawaja Muhammad Asif by husband of a woman MNA and his bullies and demanded of the speaker national assembly to take stern notice of the incident of rowdyism in parliament lodges and order for investigation.

MNA Tasneem Siddiqui said security arrangements in parliament lodges were very poor and due to this these armed hooligans entered into the parliament lodges unchecked and forced Khawaja Asif through threats to tender apology again in the house on a minor incident while Khawaja Asif had already apologized over it for the sake of settlement of the matter.

Despite the fact, Khawaja Asif committed no excess but Amjid Warraich, a former MNA and husband of woman MNA threatened and bullied Khawaja Asif.

It may be recalled that Khawaja Asif during his speech had called Farkhanda Amjid Warraich MNA, a stranger and upon it she had wept. However Khawaja Asif had regretted over his remarks.

Investigations revealed Amjid Ali Warraich, accompanied by his armed guards reached Khawaja Asif Lodge No J-401 at 1245 hours on Friday. He called Khawaja Asif on the door and used abusive language against him. His guards caught Khawaja Asif by neck.

Khawaja Asif addressing Amjid Ali Warraich said he had not hurt Farkhanda Amjid Warraich intentionally and what happened was outcome of some misgiving and he had regretted over it on the spot. Amjid Warraich later threatened Khawaja Asif of dire consequences.

Ban on pillion riding extended for further one month in federal capital

Ban on pillion riding in federal capital has been extended for further one month.

This was decided in a high level meeting held here in interior ministry Saturday under the interior minister A Rehman Malik to review the security arrangements in federal capital.

Interior secretary Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, IG Islamabad, Syed Kalim Imam, deputy commissioner Islamabad, Aamir Ahmad Ali and senior officers of law enforcement agencies, attended the meeting.

Sources told IG Islamabad, Syed Kalim Imam briefed interior minister A Rehman Malik about the security measures in federal capital and also presented the preliminary repot with reference to target killing bid made on a brigadier of Pakistan army in sector I-8.

Sources said it was decided to further upgrade security system at exit and entry routes of federal capital besides revamping the security of important state buildings and institutions.

Sources revealed A Rehman Malik directed IG Islamabad to ensure implementation of orders of ban on pillion riding. The station house officers of respective police stations be arrested if no action is taken against the violators of the ban on pillion riding.

Interior minister also appealed to people to abide by the ban imposed on pillion riding for further one month as all the terror acts were being conducted in federal capital through motorcyclists.

Peshawar: Bomb disposal squad blows a suspicious vehicle with petrol bomb to check it caries a bomb or not

The bomb disposal squad of Peshawar created a novel way to check suspicious vehicle by blowing them with petrol bomb, is what they did when they received reports of a ’suspicious vehicle’ parked in Kallaan Bazaar.

According to details a person parked his Mini Pajero with the number plate D-2428 at Kallaan Bazaar. The suspicions of nearby shopkeepers were raised when that person did not come back till long; panic gripped and shopkeepers closed their shops and called the bomb disposal squad.

The squad came and instead of scanning that vehicle, blew the vehicle by tying a petrol bomb with the back mirror of the vehicle to check whether it carried a bomb or not.

Eyewitnesses said that police asked the nearby shopkeepers and locals to leave the place.
“We all were standing not a 100 meter away from that vehicle when police started this whole drama and we all were amazed to see this new way of checking the bomb” said an eyewitness.

He said that use of such senseless techniques by the police, speaks about the volume of lack of preparation to tackle any terrorism incident in city.

News TV channels agree on code of conduct

Electronic media managers from eight prominent television channels have evolved first-of-its-kind voluntary framework to standardize professional guidelines regarding terrorism coverage, reported ARY NEWS.

Representatives of ARY NEWS, KTN, Samaa, Dawn News, Dunya, Express News and Express 24/7, Geo and Aaj television met here Thursday to conclude a two-week long internal debate on how best to respond to viewer feedback on reporting incidents where large scale loss of human life has occurred.

The group, comprising key news decision-makers in their respective organizations, recognized that public’s abiding trust in the media placed a heavy responsibility on news-managers to further improve the quality of video news product.

Applying their collective experience and judgment, they agreed on harmonizing existing professional methods to perform the task of honest reporting in these times of extreme crisis and national danger.

Members of the group, a voluntary gathering open to all, agreed among themselves that formalization of policies on reporting and news gathering in terrorism-related cases was need of the hour.

The areas where the agreement was reached pertained to field and live reporting, viewer exposure to extreme and disturbing visuals, dead bodies, badly injured people, accounts of emotionally-distraught as well as eye-witnesses, and real-time decisions on releasing information during war or in the case of hostage-situation.

The news managers decided that they will desist from showing graphic and disturbing images on the screen, and as and when required, utilize a delay mechanism in their transmissions. This will enable the channels to edit out undesirable footage. The news managers also developed a consensus on putting greater efforts to check information before flashing breaking news about bomb blasts, etc.

PM announces to repeal Electronic Crimes Ordinance

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani while announcing a repeal of Electronic Crimes Ordinance has said that Government will not impose any restriction on media.

In his address in National Assembly on Thursday, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said that government is not in favour of restricting freedom of media. He said that he has instructed information minister to look into the mater because it is included in the manifesto of the PPP not to accept those draconian laws and curbs on the media should be repealed.

Treatment of Late Huma Waseem free in India, Pakistani doctors take every single penny from Waseem Akram

Treatment of Late Huma Waseem in India was free whereas doctors in Pakistan have taken every single penny from cricket legend Waseem Akram who served Pakistan for 20 years.

According to a close relative of Waseem Akram the staff of Indian hospital where treatment of Huma Waseem took place, refused to take rent and medical charges from him by saying “you are a hero of cricket, and for us cricket is our Dharam (religion) and we cannot lose our Dharam by taking money from you”.

On other hand Pakistani hospital staff not only failed to diagnose the disease but also took every single penny from him which shattered Waseem Akram as he is confused who should he say his friend.

Even my mom could score runs on Pak pitches: Boycott

Legendry former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott has urged the Pakistan cricket authorities to prepare more bowler friendly tracks so that batsmen get a feel of international conditions and do not struggle on foreign tours.Boycott, in his same old witty style, told a Pakistan website that Pakistani pitches are so flat and batsman friendly that even his mom could score runs on them.

“The plan is simple, you see off a few overs from the new ball and you are set. Then you can just counter the bowling by planting your front foot down the track and playing almost everything off the front foot with ease. I would say that my mother could score runs out there,” Boycott said.

Boycott pointed out that Pakistani pitches were far too much in favour of batsmen and stressed on the need of preparing a balanced playing strip which offers help to both the batsmen as well as the bowlers.”There has to be in future some sort of balance and equality between bat and ball, otherwise Pakistan will continue to produce batsmen who can`t score runs away from the sub continent. The wickets are too flat and too true,” he said.

Technical skills of batsmen could not be tested on Pakistani pitches as anybody can score runs on them even with a `rhubarb stick`, said the former Yorkshire opener.

“As a batsman you don`t have to think too much about your batting, you are not tested technically and you dont have to concentrate too hard to score freely on those wickets. The issue here is that it`s difficult to adapt to other types of wickets when you have been brought up on such flat tracks,” he said.

New device may help heal a failing heart

A new artificial pump along with the intake of certain drugs could enable a failing heart to rest and repair itself, say scientists in Britain.

The temporary pumps, known as Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs), are currently used in patients with severe heart failure while they await transplantation, reported the online edition of BBC News.

The LVAD takes on the work of one of the heart’s four chambers, the left ventricle, which pumps oxygen-rich blood from the heart around the body.

Experts from Imperial College London and the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust administered the combination therapy to 15 severely ill patients and found that 11 of them recovered.

Eight of these patients were alive, free of heart failure and did not need a transplant for more than four years.

Magdi Yacoub, from the Heart Science Centre at the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust, said: “We are impressed by the dramatic, sustained improvement in the condition of these severely ill patients. The improvement observed was far greater than what has been reported to date for any other therapy.

“The study also highlights the fact that ‘end stage’ heart failure can be reversed and that the heart has the capacity to regenerate itself.”

Many patients are often unable to get a new heart due to a shortage of donor organs. The new therapy, however, has the potential to ease the pressure on the waiting list while also offering patients a better alternative to a donor heart – their own healthy heart.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF), which supported the research, stressed that the technique was only suitable for certain patients.

“It could help some who develop severe heart failure as a result of a disease that weakens their heart muscle, but not those with the more common coronary heart disease, which damages the heart as a result of a lack of blood supply,” explained Peter Weissberg, medical director of the BHF.

He added: “The study raises several important questions which will need answering in future clinical studies – we need to know exactly what part of this treatment regimen is responsible for the recovery of heart function, and which patients can benefit from it.”