Fresh flood warning for Sindh, Punjab

ISLAMABAD: The meteorological department issued fresh flood warnings on Wednesday, putting parts of Punjab and Sindh on alert.

The department warned of floods in Hyderabad district, which could spread devastation further south in Sindh, and issued a “significant” flood forecast for Kalabagh and Chashma in Punjab.

The met department also said that River Indus at Chashma was likely to continue in very-high to exceptionally-high flood, ranging between 0.78 million to 0.82 cusecs on Wednesday and Thursday. At Kotri, it is likely to attain a flood level ranging between 0.6 million to 0.8 million cusecs.

Local governments in both provinces also issued warnings about more flooding in the days ahead, although Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah acknowledged that the immediate danger had passed.

Punjab officials said that more than 90 per cent of the town of Kot Addu had emptied and that flooding had cut electricity and gas production, shutting down thousands of factories.

‘This is a friendship that will never break, no matter what happens’

LONDON: “This is a friendship that will never break, no matter what happens,” said President Asif Ali Zardari outside the prime minister’s weekend retreat of Chequers, northwest of London.

The leaders of Britain and Pakistan moved Friday to shelve a row over a British attack on Islamabad’s security record, pledging to step up their cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

President Asif Ali Zardari had vowed to confront British Prime Minister David Cameron over recent claims suggesting that elements in Pakistan back the “export of terror,” which triggered the diplomatic spat.

But both leaders put on a show of unity after their talks near London, saying the bond between Pakistan and Britain was unbreakable, while Cameron accepted an invitation to visit Islamabad soon.

“This is a friendship that will never break, no matter what happens,” Zardari said outside the prime minister’s weekend retreat of Chequers, northwest of London.

‘Osama bin Laden, Mullah Omar not in Pakistan’

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on Tuesday categorically stated that neither Mullah Omar nor Osama bin Laden are in Pakistan and if any one has any credible and verifiable information it should be shared.

Talking to media at the Prime Minister House, Gilani said that bin Laden was not included in the agenda of the meeting with US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton.

He said that if the United States has any evidence regarding bin Laden’s presence in Pakistan, then it should share it with Pakistan.

Just a day earlier, Clinton, in a television interview, had said that she believed bin Laden was still in Pakistan. “I believe (bin Laden) is here in Pakistan and it would be very helpful if we could take them (Al Qaeda leaders),” Clinton said.

High budget deficit puts financial stability at stake

Economic managers have surprised the prime minister, saying a high budget deficit last fiscal and a delay in taking immediate corrective measures have put the country’s financial stability at stake. This may also lead to blocking of foreign funding and depreciation of rupee.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani visited the Q-block on Friday where finance ministry officials gave a comprehensive presentation, depicting a true but frightening picture of the state of economy, sources said.

The ministry officials said the overall budget deficit during financial year 2009-10 stood at an unprecedented Rs909 billion against a revised target of Rs769 billion.

Announcing the last budget, the government had fixed the budget deficit target at 4.9 per cent of gross domestic product or Rs724 billion. Later, it revised the target to 5.1 per cent but, according to provisional estimates, it ended up at 6.2 per cent.

In 2007-08, the budget deficit was recorded at Rs777 billion, equal to 7.6 per cent of GDP.

Govt disowns hostile NAB missive

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday disowned a ‘hostile’ letter to the Supreme Court by an official of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), dubbing it the opinion of an individual and not the government.

Earlier this week, National Accountability Bureau’s prosecutor-general Irfan Qadir challenged the legality of an executive order, leading to the restoration of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and his fellow judges last year. The challenge was issued in a written rejoinder in a case regarding the Bank of Punjab scam currently being heard by the Supreme Court. But the advocate-on-record refused to file the same.

Political and legal experts saw the rejoinder as a veiled threat to an increasingly independent judiciary, which is currently hearing a multitude of cases against the government, its policies and the jewel in its crown, the 18th amendment. The apex court has also been insisting that the government implement its December 2009 verdict on the National Reconciliation Ordinance by reopening all cases of corruption closed by NAB, including  those against President Asif Ali Zardari. But on Friday, the premier shot down such speculation and insisted that the government doesn’t have any plans to go against the judiciary.

Shaky economy could scuttle anti-terror war: Gilani

Richard Holbrooke, (L) the US special representative to Pakistan and Afghanistan, holds up an image during a joint news conference with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at Pakistan’s foreign ministry in Islamabad June 19, 2010. – Photo by Reuters.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani warned on Saturday that public support for war on terror could wane if the international community failed to honour aid pledges and bail out Pakistans troubled economy.

“Time is running out fast. Public support can only be kept intact if the international community start delivering on their pledges,” Mr Gilani told Richard Holbrooke, US Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, during a meeting at the Prime Minister’s House.

International donors had, at a conference in Tokyo in April last year, pledged over $5 billion to help stabilise Pakistans economy and continue its fight against militants. But most donors have yet to fulfil their pledges.

VAT plan to go ahead: Finance Adviser

ISLAMABAD: Dr Hafeez Sheikh, the prime minister’s Adviser on Finance and Revenue, has said that the government is not considering any alternative plan in lieu of value-added tax because it was determined to introduce the levy in July.

Talking to media after a seminar here on Saturday, Dr Sheikh said that plans had been prepared to book non-filers of tax returns and there would be no compromise over tax evasion.

He said it was in the interest of the country to improve tax collection and work out methods to document the economy.