By Iftikhar A Khan

ISLAMABAD, March 11: The cold war between the Election Commission of Pakistan and the law ministry took a new turn on Monday when the former ordered immediate printing of nomination papers with amendments proposed by it without waiting for an approval of the president.

An ECP member from Punjab, Justice (retd) Riaz Kiyani, told Dawn that the decision had been taken by a majority to avoid any delay in elections. “The ECP has asserted itself and will keep on doing so in the interest of free and fair elections,” he declared.

1994: Pakistan and Iran start discussing gas pipeline project. 1995: Governments of Pakistan and Iran sign preliminary agreement.

1998: Iran proposes extension of pipeline to India. 1999: Governments of Iran and India sign preliminary agreement.

By Nasir Iqbal

ISLAMABAD, March 11: The Supreme Court observed on Monday that what lay behind the Saturday’s Badami Bagh arson attack in which over 178 houses belonging to the Christian community were burnt appeared to be more than what met the eye.

A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed which had taken notice of the attack in Lahore’s Josheph Colony rejected as incomplete a report on the incident submitted by the Punjab administration and ordered it to submit by Wednesday a 258-page report on the 2009 Gojra riots in Faisalabad prepared by a tribunal headed by Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman.

By Our Correspondent

KALAYA, March 11: Three security personnel, an officer among them, were killed and two others wounded in a roadside blast in Upper Orakzai tribal region on Monday.

Sources said a security convoy was going to Balras area of Orakzai from Staar Kalley Dogar in Kurram tribal region. When it reached Dolai area, one of its vehicles hit a landmine. Captain Abbas, Lance Naik Rizwan and a soldier Waseem died and two other soldiers, Qayyum and Omar, were injured in the blast.

By Amir Wasim

ISLAMABAD, March 11: The PML-N linked on Monday early dissolution of the Punjab Assembly with a consensus on caretakers, particularly in Sindh and Balochistan.

“The Punjab Assembly will not be dissolved on March 16 if the government continues to play tricks in Sindh and Balochistan,” declared Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

By Our Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, March 11: No-one had ever imagined that an unexplained withdrawal of a review petition on the Rental Power Projects (RPP) scam would pose a challenge later in the Supreme Court’s acceding to the prime minister’s request for the transfer of the probe to a commission from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

“Why should the court hear the matter when the March 30, 2012 verdict has attained finality to the extent of Raja Parvez Ashraf after the withdrawal of the review petition,” observed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry while heading a three-judge bench.

KARACHI, March 11: Jamaat-i-Islami Amir Syed Munawar Hasan has presented a three-point agenda for solving problems faced by the country.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, he said all political and religious parties should unite on the agenda — eradication of terrorism, recovery of economy and resolution of Kashmir issue.

By Our Staff Correspondent

QUETTA, March 11: Five people were kidnapped at gunpoint from Turbat town on Monday night, police sources said.

Shah Mohammad, Shahzeb, Mohammad Ibrahim, Mohammad Aslam and Mohibullah were sitting at a hotel in Turbat when unidentified armed men reached there and took them to an unknown destination.

By Our Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, March 11: The Supreme Court made known on Monday its intention to take a decision, in the light of constitutional provisions and principles laid down in the 1993 Zaheeruddin case verdict, on a complaint that the election procedures discriminate against the Ahmadi community.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed was hearing a petition against an amendment to the election rules decreed by Gen Pervez Musharraf in 2002 that effectively declared ‘non-Muslim’ a candidate who, if his faith was challenged, refused to sign a declaration regarding his belief that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the last of the prophets.

By Our Staff Correspondent

QUETTA, March 11: Welcoming the inauguration of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project, Balochistan Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi said on Monday it was a great move towards ending the energy crisis being faced by the country for several years.

He said since a major portion of the pipeline would pass through Balochistan, its people should be the main beneficiary of this project.

By Our Correspondent

QUETTA, March 11: Balochistan National Party-Mengal’s acting president Dr Jehanzeb Jamaldani criticised the government on Monday for reaching an agreement for the construction of Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline.

Addressing a press conference, Dr Jamaldani said that projects such as handing over of operation of Gwadar port to China and Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline were against the interests of Baloch people.