Edhi suffering from kidney failure, will require dialysis: Dr Adeeb Rizvi

KARACHI : Doctor Adeeb Rizvi of Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) has confirmed that world renowned social worker and philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi’s kidneys have failed and he will require dialysis for life.



Speaking to the media at SIUT, Dr Rizvi told that a transplant is not required on emergency basis, however, Abdul Sattar Edhi will require dialysis treatment for life.



Both Edhi and Dr Rizvi stressed on the importance of donating organs after death which can save countless lives. Abdul Sattar Edhi has also pledged to donate all his organs after death.

Abdul Sattar Edhi admitted to SIUT

KARACHI: Prominent philanthropist and founder of Edhi Foundation, Abdul Sattar Edhi, has been under treatment in SIUT hospital for the last few days, Geo News reported.

According to Head of the Edhi foundation Qazi Anwar, Abdul Sattar Edhi’s condition is now out of danger.



Hospital sources said that Edhi had been diagnosed with Kidney disease and doctors regularly conducted his dialysis.



The sources further stated that Edhi visits Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) for dialysis purposes three to four times a week, however this time, he was rushed to hospital due to hospital after his condition deteriorated.

Rauf and Billy Bowden dropped from ICC Elite Panel of Umpires

Pakistan's Asad Rauf and New Zealand's Billy Bowdenhave been dropped from the Elite Panel of umpires following the annual review, the ICC have announced. They have been replaced by England's Richard Illingworth and Australia's Paul Reiffel in the 12-member panel for the 2013-2014 season starting on July 1, 2013.

In May this year, the ICC withdrew Rauf from officiating in the Champions Trophy in England following media reports that indicated he was under investigation by Mumbai Police. The ICC, however, clarified that the situation was not a factor in his exclusion from the panel.

"In Asad's case, it is important to emphasise that the recent speculation linking his name to the IPL spot-fixing investigation was not considered during the selectors' deliberations," Geoff Allardice, the chairman of the ICC's umpire selection panel, said. "The selection panel considered the overall performances of the umpires over the past 12 months when deciding which umpires would be offered contracts for 2013-14.

"It is exciting to see Richard and Paul promoted to the elite panel, but it is also important to acknowledge and appreciate the outstanding contributions of Asad and Billy over a long period of time," Allardice added.

Rauf was included in the panel of umpires in 2006 and officiated in 48 Tests, 98 ODIs and 23 T20Is. Bowden was part of the panel since 2003 during and he has officiated in 75 Tests, 181 ODIs and 19 T20Is.
Reiffel, a former Australian fast bowler, played 35 Tests and 92 ODIs between 1992 and 1998. He has been umpiring in international cricket since January 2009 and has stood in 4 Tests, 30 ODIs and 9 T20Is.

Illingworth, a former left-arm spinner, played nine Tests and 25 ODIs for England, including the 1992 World Cup final against Pakistan. He has umpired in 4 Tests, 16 ODIs and seven T20Is since July 2010.

Elite Panel of umpires: Aleem Dar, Kumar Dharmasena, Steve Davis, Marais Erasmus, Ian Gould, Tony Hill, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Bruce Oxenford, Rod Tucker, Richard Illingworth and Paul Reiffel

Fazal ur Rehman advises goverment to act cautiously in Musharraf's trial

PESHAWAR: Chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said on Tuesday that proceedings to try former military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf might open Pandora’s Box.

“The government must carefully resolve such issues or else these matters can invite any other trouble,” Fazl spoke to reporters here after holding a meeting with KPK chief minister Pervez Khattak.

“We must see whether only Musharraf is responsible for any unconstitutional act. This is an important question,” Fazl cautiously spoke on the issue, saying that it is a subjudice matter.

He said that putting Musharraf on trial for treason might open a Pandora’s Box and that it would yield no outcome.

About the Gilgit tragedy, the JUI-F said that killing foreign guests is prohibited in the sharia. He was for investigation into the murders to bring the perpetrators to book. -- Nation News

Sindh Assembly : Resolution opposes federal tax proposals

KARACHI: Reiterating the collection of sales tax is provincial subject, the Sindh Assembly on Monday moved a resolution in the house and strongly opposed the Federal Government's move to change definition of the tax.

PPP's Jam Khan Shoro, provincial ministers, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and Sharjeel Inam Memon and other lawmakers jointly moved the resolution. Members of the MQM, PML-F, and Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf also supported it.

The resolution read, "This house resolves and recommends to the Government of Sindh to approach the Federal Government to withdraw the amendment proposed in the Finance Bill to amend the definition of Sales Tax on Services. The Sales Tax on Services is a provincial subject as per the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973, which was further clarified in the 18th Constitutional Amendment.

It is also resolved that imposition of federal excise duty on financial services as proposed in the Federal Bill was unconstitutional and should be withdrawn by the Federal Government.

The house also passed two other resolutions before resuming general discussion on the budget-2013-14. One was tabled by MQM's Khalid Bin Wilayat and other party members, to condemn murder of their colleague, Sajid Qureshi along with his son, Waqas Qureshi in North Nazimabad.

"This cowardly act of terrorism is not only a conspiracy to destabilise the peace of Karachi but also against the solidarity of Pakistan", the resolution stated, and demanded arrest of culprits involved, their facilitators and perpetrators. Second resolution was moved by PPP's Sharmila Farooqi and other female lawmakers to pay tribute to the party's assassinated leader, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto on her 60th birth anniversary.

Later participating in the budget discussion, the PPP members voiced in support of the budget while opposition lawmakers criticised it for various reasons. The house witnessed uproar like situation during speeches female members of different parties including Sharmila and PML-N's Soarath Thebo and PML-F's Nusrat Saher Abbasi. They criticised each other's parties and its leadership.

Sharmila also criticized PTI during her speech. Referring to PML-N, she said the 'lion of Raiwand' had even snatched meal from poor by imposing GST.

Female lawmakers of PML-N, PTI and PML-F strongly protested over Sharmila's remarks. Syed Sardar Ahmed of MQM also appeared discontented of the pandemonium, and advised the lawmakers to focus on Sindh budget and come up with proposals. "This is not a talk show of a TV channel", he remarked.

Soarath Thebo of PML-N accused previous PPP government for selling two islands of Sindh; Dingi and Bhindar. She said Sindh suffered loss of Rs50 billion in the outgoing financial year because of the PPP.

Heer Sohu of MQM said peace could not be restored in Karachi only by making allocation of funds in the budget, adding the adoption of necessary measures will make an impact.

PML-F's Mahtab Akbar Rashdi suggested that funds allocated for Rangers should be utilised for improving performance of Sindh police. She said allocation of funds to Rangers was not enough as its performance should also be evaluated.

NPP's Masroor Jatoi said PPP-led government was spending a huge amount for development of Thar coalfield every year for last five years without yielding any outcome. Earlier the house adopted one-minute silence to express its sympathies with foreign tourists gunned down in Gigit-Baltistan.

Islamabad police arrest banned outfit men in Farid Khan’s murder

ISLAMABAD: Police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested two suspected militants involved in the murder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s MPA from KPK, Farid Khan Orakzai, and over 40 other people, 

Briefing the media persons here, SSP Islamabad Yasin Farooq said that the accused Asif Ullah and Abid belonged to Hangu-based banned outfit, Mulla Nabi group, and were arrested from Islamabad’s Tarnol locality.

The officer claimed that Asif and Abid assassinated the PTI lawmaker on the behest of Mulla Hanfi.

According the SSP, the suspected militants have confessed that they have killed more than 40 people across the KPK province.

Last month, six unknown gunmen attacked the vehicle of Farid Khan in Hangu, killing the lawmaker on the spot. Khan's guard and driver were critically injured in the attack.

Khan was elected as an independent candidate from PK-42, Hangu and later he joined PTI.

The firing incident took place at Sanghair locality of Hangu, triggering riots in Hangu where infuriated people set on fire dozens of houses and shops, prompting the local administration to impose curfew. -- Nation News

High Treason Case: Supreme Court gives goverment 3 days to decide mechanism

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has rejected the PML-N government's request to grant it 30 days to arrange independent prosecutors for the treason trial of Pervez Musharraf.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, has instead given the government three days to file its reply through the attorney general of Pakistan to specify the process and mechanism to be put in place to bring those people to justice who are found guilty of high treason.

Justice Jawwad S Khawaja noted that Musharraf had not acted alone when he imposed emergency. He referred to a list of 600 people, which was filed by petitioner Engineer Jamil, who allegedly assisted the former dictator. "Yes, those who aided and abetted the former military dictator for subverting and violating the constitution, they are guilty of high treason and they will be brought to justice," the attorney general conceded before the court.

Responding to the government's stance, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain said that there is no need for a consultative process, as the constitution has been "murdered" in the current case and the government should start the process to try the culprits. He said that the stand of the interim government was better than the incumbent government. However, appreciating the AGP's statement, Justice Jawwad said, "It has some substance and the government has categorically given its position."

"The statement filed by AGP shows concrete progress in the matter." Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan said that under Section 2(b) and 3 the High Treason (Punishment) Act 1973 the sentence and the process to initiate a proceeding of high treason against the persons who have abrogated or subverted the constitution, while creating special court, is defined in Criminal Law (Amended) Special Courts Act 1976.

He said under the SRO 1994 the interior secretary has to lodge a written complaint against Musharraf on behalf of the federation. The court adjourned the hearing until June 27.

Meanwhile, senior lawyers have observed that the purpose of the government's decision is to divert media attention because the PML-N is facing tough time from media these days on issues like bad economy, terrorism.

Taliban attack Afghan presidential palace

Taliban gunmen attacked Afghanistan's presidential palace and surrounding buildings, including the CIA's Afghan headquarters, early on Tuesday, with explosions and gunfire shaking the city centre.

KABUL – The Taliban say they have hit one of the most secure areas of the Afghan capital with a suicide attack, as a series of explosion rocked the gate leading into the presidential palace.

Smoke rose from the eastern gate of the palace early Tuesday after more than a half dozen explosions and at least 45 minutes of on-and-off small arms fire.

The Taliban sent a quick text-message statement saying "we brought death to the enemy."

The palace is in a large fortified area of downtown Kabul that also includes the U.S. Embassy and the headquarters for the NATO-led coalition forces.

Reporters gathering for an event with President Hamid Karzai counted at least seven or eight explosions starting about 6:30 a.m.

Kabul Police Chief Gen. Ayoub Salangi told Fox News that the attackers tried to get through one of the palace gates in a land cruiser car and the area had been placed under the control of Afghan Security Forces. There was no immediate word regarding the number of casualties.