SC disqualifies PM Gilani

 Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan has issued a short order declaring Yousaf Raza Gilani ineligible as Prime Minister (PM) of Pakistan in the National Assembly (NA) Speaker ruling case.

SC issued the order here on Tuesday after Gilani was found guilty earlier over contempt of court charges.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Jawad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain heard the similar petitions, filed by the PML-N, Tehreek-e-Insaf and others against the NA speaker’s ruling over the disqualification of the PM.

The Court directed the President of the Country of take due steps for the election of the new PM and ensure the flow of democratic process.

Election Commission of Pakistan is also told to issue notice of ineligibility to Yousaf Raza Gilani.

The seat of the PM is vacant since 26th April 2012, the court said.

Supreme court also stated that Yousaf Raza Gilani had 30 days to file an appeal against the decision.

Gilani is no longer Member National Assembly either and cannot hold any National seat for five years.

It is important to mention here that Yousuf Raza Gilani was convicted two months ago in contempt case over refusal to ask Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari stating that the President has constitutional immunity.

The court made it clear through the order as to who is the guardian and sole interpreter of the constitution.

People’s Party is said to have called a emergency session of the allied parties at 9pm to discuss the court order and future plan of action.

The ruling party and its allies have the necessary majority in parliament to elect a successor to Mr Gilani.

Seeking to overcharge consumers: gas utilities putting undue pressure on Ogra through MoP

The public gas utilities, Sui-Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) and Sui-Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), are pressurising the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) through Petroleum Ministry to allow them to overcharge gas consumers by Rs 10 billion on account of Unaccounted for Gas (UfG) in the next fiscal year 2012-13, it is learnt.

Both the gas utilities have overcharged the gas consumers by Rs 38 billion in last two years, official documents available with Business Recorder revealed. Sources in Petroleum Ministry told this scribe that the authority had proposed the government UfG losses for both the gas utilities should not be over 5.46 percent, while the Petroleum Ministry and gas utilities are pressing Ogra to allow 7.58 percent UfG losses. Managing Director SNGPL Arif Hameed has requested the Petroleum Ministry for allowing 9 percent UFG losses in the premises of SNGPL.

In a letter written to the Petroleum Ministry and Secretary Planning division the Ogra has quoted example of Bangladeshi gas company (Titas Gas), which had brought down UfG losses from 7.06 percent to 0.81 percent within four years (from 2004-05 to 2008-09) and have suggested the government to adopt similar measure in bringing down UfG losses. According to officials gas theft in the country has reached at 400 Million Cubic Feet per Day (MMCFD), which is sufficient to generate 2,000 megawatts of electricity that would reduce power load shedding to four hour daily.

“An extra burden to the tune of Rs 38 billion had been passed on to the consumers in financial year 2010-11 and 2011-12 as a consequence, Federal Government announced price increase of 13.55 percent with effect from August 07, 2011. In January 2012, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources (MP&NR) has increased sale price for various categories of consumers in the range of 13.98 percent to 20.7 percent. The whopping increase has added to the miseries of general public and created hue and cry countrywide. Furthermore, in case of SNGPL, Rs 12 billion of gas development surcharge has been eroded in 2011-12 alone,” said a letter written by Ogra to the Petroleum Ministry.

The letter stated, “It is submitted that Deputy Attorney General for Pakistan and the then Secretary Ministry of Petroleum had not supported Ogra’s stance in Lahore High Court for treating Late Payment Surcharge, Meter Manufact4ring Plants, Sale of gas condensate and Royalty from Jamshoro Joint Venture Limited (JJVL) as operating income and fixing UFG targets per Ogra’s prescribed benchmark of 2.5 percent in the revenue requirement for FY 2010-11.”

According to sources in petroleum ministry then Secretary Petroleum Imtiaz Qazi requested the LHC to declare line losses, meter manufacturing plants, late payment surcharge as non-operating costs which would have no impacts on consumer gas prices. As per international business practices the authority considers abovementioned costs of gas utilities as operation costs. The authority has requested the government to revisit its stance in the larger public interest and take necessary actions to vacate the High Court’s stay order granted against Ogra’s above referred decisions.

courtesy :

MPs’ fist-fight recalls Assembly scenes of 70s

The fist-fight by the Parliamentarians in the National Assembly during the budget speech of Federal Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh has reminded the people sitting in the visitors galleries the rowdiness and ugly scenes in the same house in mid-70s when the then ruling party led by PPP founding Chairman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had managed to physically throw the then opposition members including Moulana Mufti Mahmood out of the house by sergeant-at-arms.

Perhaps, after that sorry and ugly episode the country’s apex legislative body had not witnessed what it has witnessed on Friday when the Opposition and Treasury members were at dragger’s drawn and setting aside all Parliamentary norms were freely trading foul language and throwing paper pieces and plastic hand-fans on the members sitting on the treasury benches.

The things went out of control when the Opposition members started raising indecent slogans against Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and tried to push back the human shield prepared by the treasury members in front of the Prime Minster and the Finance Minister who was delivering budget speech. This infuriated some of the members belonging to PPP and one of them pounced on the opposition members and then it become free for all as the house witnessed the ugliest of unruly scenes never seen in the Parliament in the recent past.

Most of the members from the protesting PML-N were not reconciling with the fashion of protest their colleagues had adopted and were staying a bit farther from the main protesting crowed.

One of them later sharing his sentiments with The Nation said that he simply thought he was protesting at some downtown venue in Rawalpindi.  Even Leader of Opposition Ch. Nisar Ali Khan was seemed perturbed over the way things were heading during the brawl and later he admonished some of his own party members who were trespassing the limits of decency.

Some of the members who remained neutral in the whole episode viewed the ugly scenes in the house as unfortunate and an attempt to undermine the sanctity of the Parliament.

They said that the politics of indecency and offensiveness of 90s had not revived rather it had pushed back to the politics of 70s when the ruling party used to physically throw opposition members out of the house.

One of the senior Parliamentarians jokingly said, “Thank God our Parliamentarians have not got the air of the Parliamentarians of Japan or France.”

ICC has no objection to Pakistan hosting Bangladesh

ICC have no objection on Pakistan and Bangladesh Series in Pakistan. Rule of neutral umpires at international matches could be relaxed to facilitate Pak-B’desh series.
This has been said by an International Cricket Council committee on Wednesday. The committee, in other words, said it don’t have any objection to Pakistan hosting Bangladesh.

Pakistan has not hosted international cricket since gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka team at Lahore in March 2009 and the team has since played home matches in the United Arab Emirates.

Bangladesh is keen to be the opposition for the Pakistan team s return home next month and the ICC Chief Executives  Committee says allowing umpires from the two countries would overcome any ICC concerns for the safety of neutral officials.

“The CEC regarded this as an exceptional circumstance in which the appointment to matches of non-neutral match officials could be justified but stated clearly that it should not to be regarded as a preferred option or precedent if the dispensation were to be granted,” ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said in a statement.

The committee reaffirmed that it was the participating countries, not the ICC, which would determine whether a particular tour takes place.

Lorgat sent a letter to the Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket boards on Monday stating the ICC s position after Bangladesh Cricket Board president Mustafa Kamal said Sunday he would approach the ICC for approval to tour Pakistan.

Pakistan has proposed playing either three one-day internationals or two ODIs and a Twenty20 in April. Lahore and Karachi are most likely to host the matches.In other matters, the committee also recommended that the ICC board approve several measures regarding Twenty20 cricket.

It called for expanding the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 tournament in Bangladesh to 16 teams. It also recommended allowing three additional Twenty20 internationals in the year in which the ICC World Twenty20 is being played. Currently, regulations allow for a maximum of 12 for each full member.

No one will believe it: Syed Talat Hussain

The government was supposed to indicate its seriousness with regard to the Balochistan issue. But getting Rehman Malik, the interior minister, to announce the so called amnesty for the “naraz” Baloch is hardly the way to show seriousness. His credibility is not even feather-weight. In Balochistan is the butt of cruel political jokes, and symbolises all that is wrong with the center’s approach to this national crisis. He is flippant in his formulations and never backs up his statements with any action. In fact there are good reasons to believe that his statements are really his own inventions and reflect no real policy decision at any level. It is difficult to see his Amnesty offer becoming the bait that the insurgents would take. The olive branch policy looks nothing more than the ploy to pass time now that this has been announced by Mr Malik. It would have carried some semblance of sobriety and official empathy if the prime minister himself had bothered to un-veil the peace package. But he chose to stay in the background and instead allowed Mr Malik to become the face of the effort. This tardy and tactless. In Balochistan’s brittle environment symbolism is the key to finding the way forward. And Rehman Malik can never be the right symbol for anything serious and thoughtful.

Courtesy: Saach Media

Kohli masterclass keeps India alive

Virat Kohli smacked unbeaten 86-ball 133 and added a quick-fire 120-run stand with Suresh Raina (40*) to help India thrash Sri Lanka by seven wickets and gain crucial bonus point to keep themselves alive in the tri-series. Chasing a mammoth 321-run target, Kohli completed his 9th ODI ton and snitched two crucial stands with Gautam Gambhir (63) and Raina to help India chased down the target in 36.4 overs.

India now will qualify for the finals if Australia beat Sri Lanka in the last league match of the tri-series on Friday.

Kohli smashed two sixes and 16 boundaries in his blitzkrieg knock whereas Raina hit a six and three fours in his 24-ball innings.
Kohli raced to his hundred in just 76 balls, hitting 10 boundaries and a six.
India lost Gambhir after he added 115 runs for the third wicket with Kohli as they kept India’s chances of earning bonus point alive at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
Gambhir played sensibly before he was run-out trying to snatch risky second run, he hit four boundaries in his 64 balls knock.
Gambhir smashed four boundaries in his 31st ODI fifty that came 47 balls while Kohli reached to his 21st ODI fifty in 44 balls that included three fours and a six.
Gambhir and Kohli also completed unbeaten 100 runs stand for the third wicket which was the first hundred runs stand for India in the tri-series. The pair raced to their century stand in just 89 balls.
After losing Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar in quick succession, Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli took India past 100 runs in 11.1 overs.
Sachin, who was going well towards his first fifty of the series, was caught in plumb of the wicket from Lasith Maliga’s Yorker. Master blaster played handy knock of 39 runs, hitting five fours in his 30 balls stay at the crease.
Sehwag also made quick-fire 30 runs in 16 balls before went back to the pavilion. Farveez Maharoof removed the dangerous Sehwag, who smacked five boundaries and huge six in his cameo.
India got off to blistering chase with Sehwag and Sachin putting 54 runs in just 38 deliveries for the first wicket.
Earlier, India’s hopes of winning their last ODI with a bonus point of the tri-series suffered a big blow as Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara helped Sri Lanka post a mammoth 321 runs target.
Dilshan remained unbeaten on 160 which is exactly half the score of what Sri Lanka piled against India in the 11th ODI of the tri-series.
Sangakkara was sent back to the pavilion by Praveen Kumar just after scoring his 13th ODI ton. Sanga’s brisk knock of 105 came in just 87 deliveries that included eight fours and two sixes.
Sangakkara and Dilshan also stitched a record 200 runs second wicket stand at Bellerive Oval, bettering the previous best 145 between greats West Indian Desmond Haynes and Jeff Dujon in 1988.
Flamboyant Dilshan stood firm to reach his 11th ODI ton to add the India’s worry to stay in the race for the tri-series finals.
Sangakkara slammed quick-fire fifty in just 55 balls, smacking three boundaries and a six in his 39th ODI fifty and first of the series.
Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan played a steady knock to take Sri Lanka past 100 runs against the beleaguered Indians.
Dilshan reached to his 27th ODI half-century in 68 balls, smashing five boundaries in his second knock of more than fifty in the series.

Recovering Yuvraj posts bald picture on Twitter

Yuvraj Singh, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy in the U.S. has posted his latest picture.
Undergoing chemotherapy for a malignant lung tumour, Yuvraj Singh has gone bald and the Indian cricketer has posted his latest picture showing the after-effects of the treatment on Twitter.

 “Finally the hair has gone! But #livstrong #yuvstrong,” Yuvraj posted alongside a link to a picture of him without hair on the site.

 The 30-year-old left-hander has been in the U.S. since last month and is currently undergoing chemotherapy in the Cancer Research Institute in Boston.

 “I will fight and come back as a stronger man cause I have the prayers of my nation! Thank you to the media for their support and respecting my privacy,” Yuvraj had written earlier.

 “and of course everyday I look forward to come back and wear my india jersey my india cap and represent my country again jai hind,” he had stated.

 Giving a glimpse into his routine there, Yuvraj today tweeted “20 minutes cycle in the gym felt good after a while!”

 “Amuls new ad is very cute I must say!” he added referring to a new print ad by the dairy product company, which goes with the tagline ‘Yu and Vi will fight it out together’

Aqib Javed resigned and joining UAE Team

Pakistani bowling coach Aqib Javed resigned,

It is speculated that this decision came when he received an offer to join the UAE team as coach.

PCB is left stranded when it comes to bowling coaches, first after loosing Waqar Yunus and now Aqib Javed leaving the side PCB is now on the look-out for a new bowling coach for team Pakistan.

Pakistan has produced the game’s best fast and spin bowling attack since the very beginning. Bowling assets like Shoaib Akhtar and Waseem Akram have previously claimed to be on-call when ever the national side needs them.

The BPL T20 complete Schedule

BPl T20 The Fixture 

The BPL T20 tournaments’s Schedulae have been accounced today. The match will be held at Dhaka and Chittagong. The first match will be 0n 10th Februarry and final match of BPl T20 will held on 29th February.

Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium

10 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Barisal Burners VS Sylhet Royals (2 PM – 5 PM),
BPL T20 Cricket Match – Chittagong Kings VS Duronto Rajshahi (6.30 PM – 9.30 PM)

11 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Dhaka Gladiators VS Khulna Royal Bengals (2 PM – 5 PM)
BPL T20 Cricket Match – Burners VS Duronto Rajshahi (6.30 PM – 9.30 PM)

12 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Chittagong Kings VS Khulna Royal Bengals (2 PM – 5 PM) BPL T20 Cricket Match – Dhaka Gladiators VS Sylhet Royals (6.30 PM – 9.30 PM)

13 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Barisal Burners VS Khulna Royal Bengals (2 PM – 5 PM)
BPL T20 Cricket Match – Chittagong Kings VS Dhaka Gladiators (6.30 PM – 9.30 PM)

14 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Duronto Rajshahi VS Sylhet Royals (2 PM – 5 PM)
BPL T20 Cricket Match – Barisal Burners VS Dhaka Gladiators (6.30 PM – 9.30 PM)

15 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Chittagong Kings VS Sylhet Royals (2 PM – 5 PM)
BPL T20 Cricket Match – Khulna Royal Bengals VS Duronto Rajshahi (6.30 PM – 9.30 PM)

16 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Barisal Burners vs Chittagong Kings (2 PM – 5 PM)
BPL T20 Cricket Match – Dhaka Gladiators vs Duronto Rajshahi (6.30 PM – 9.30 PM)

Chittagong Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium

18 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Chittagong Kings VS Khulna Royal Bengals (2 PM – 5 PM)
BPL T20 Cricket Match – Barisal Burners VS Sylhet Royals (6.30 PM – 9.30 PM)

19 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Chittagong Kings VS Duronto Rajshahi (2 PM – 5 PM)
BPL T20 Cricket Match – Dhaka Gladiators VS Khulna Royal Bengals (6.30 PM – 9.30 PM)

20 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Barisal Burners vs Duronto Rajshahi (2 PM – 5 PM)
BPL T20 Cricket Match – Sylhet Royals vs Khulna Royal Bengals (6.30 PM – 9.30 PM)

22 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Dhaka Gladiators vs Sylhet Royals (2 PM – 5 PM)
BPL T20 Cricket Match – Barishal Burners VS Khulna Royal Bengals (6.30 PM – 9.30 PM)

Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium

20 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Chittagong Kings VS Dhaka Gladiators (2 PM – 5 PM)
BPL T20 Cricket Match – Duronto Rajshahi VS Sylhet Royals (6.30 PM – 9.30 PM)

25 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Barisal Burners VS Dhaka Gladiators (2 PM – 5 PM)
BPL T20 Cricket Match – Chittagong Kings VS Sylhet Royals (6.30 PM – 9.30 PM)

26 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Khulna Royal Bengals VS Duronto Rajshahi (2 PM – 5 PM)
BPL T20 Cricket Match – Barisal Burners VS Chittagong Kings (6.30 PM – 9.30 PM)

27 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Dhaka Gladiators VS Duronto Rajshahi (2 PM – 5 PM)
BPL T20 Cricket Match – Khulna Royal Bengals VS Sylhet Royals (6.30 PM – 9.30 PM)

28 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Semi-Final-1 (2 PM – 5 PM)
BPL T20 Cricket Match – Semi-Final-2 (6.30 PM – 9.30 PM)

29 February : BPL T20 Cricket Match – Final (6 PM – 9 PM )

Player Sold in BPL T20

Dhaka Gladiators bought Shahid Afridi for 700 thousand US Dollar.
Khulna Royal Bengals bought Neil o’brien for 80 thousand US Dollar
Dhaka Gladiators bought Naved Ul Hasan for 100 thousand US Dollar
Barisal Burners bought bought Ahmed Sehzad for 50 thousand US Dollar
Sylhet Royals bought Edwards for 60 thousand US Dollar
Sylhet Roayls bought Kamran Akmal for 100 thousand US Dollar

Chittagong Kings bought Mahmudullah Riad for 110 thousand US Dollar
Khulna Royal Bengals bought Abdur Razzak for 85 thousand US Dollar
Sylhet Royals bought for Imrul for 50 thousand US Dollar
Duronto Rajshahi Junaed Siddique for 70 thousand US Dollar
Dhaka Gladiators bought Mashrafee Murtaza for 50 thousand US Dollar
Barisal Burners bought Yasir Arafat for 80 thousand US Dollar
Sylhet Royals bought Trego for 75 thousand US Dollar
Duronto Rajshahi bought Tahir for 50 thousand US Dollar
Khulna Royal Bengal bought Russel for 85 thousand US Dollar
Khulna Royal Bengal bought Sanath Jayshuria for 110 thousand US Dollar
Sylhet Roayls bought Brad Hogg for for 50 thousand US Dollar
Sylhet Royals bought Sahil Tanvir for 100 thousand US Dollar
Sylhet Royals bought Summy for 55 thousand US Dollar
Duronto Rajshahi bought Samuels for 360 thousand US Dollar

Duronto Rajshahi bought Abdul Razzak for 100 thousand US Dollar
Barisal burners bought Brad hodge for 140 thousand US Dollar
Chittagong Kings bought Shoib Malik for 150 thousand US Dollar
Chittagong Kings bought Sayeed Ajmal for 100 thousand US Dollar
Chittagong Kings bought Bravo for 150 thousand US Dollar
Chittagong Kings bought Muttiah Muralitharan for 100 thousand US Dollar
Barishal Burners bought Chris Gayle for 530 thousand US Dollar
Dhaka Gladiators bought Pollard for 300 thousand US Dollar
Khulna Royal Bengal bought Nasir Hossain for 200 thousand US Dollar

Complete list of Player for each team

Barishal Burners
Chris Gayle $550,00
Yasir Arafat 80,000 $
Darean Sammy 50,000 $
Ahmed Sehzad 50,000 $
Suhrawadi Shuvo 45,000 $
Hamid Hossian Hassan $40,000
Mohammad Mithun $80,000
Ramiz Raja Jn $25,000
Souwrav
Sohag Gazi $25,000
Nazmul Hossain Apu $50,000
Alauddin Babu $65,000
Farhad Hossain $20,000
Mohminul Hoque $20,000
Nazmul Hossain Opu $50,000
Al Amin $20,000
Kamrul Hossain Rabbi $20,000
Kamrul Islam Rabbi 20,000 $
Brad Hog

Chittagong Kings
Shoaib Malik 100,000 $
Mutthiah Muralidaran 100,000$
Mahmudullah Riyad 110,000 $
Farad Reza 55,000 $
Nasir Jamshed $100,00
Farhad Reza $55,000
Jahurul Islam $110,000
N. Jamshed $100,000
K. Cooper $25,000
L. Simmons $25,000
Sanjamul Islam $40,000
Faisal Hossain$20,000
Ziaur Rahman $40,000
Shamsur Rahman $45,000
Enamul Hoque Jr. $55,000
Arafat Sunny $50,000
J. Taylor (WI) 50,000 $

Dhaka Gladiators

Saeed Ajmol ($ 100,000)
Kerion Pollard ($ 3000,000 )
Rana Naved ul Hasan $ 100,000
Mashrafi Bin Mortaza $ 50,000
Nazimuddin $ 85,000
Elius Sunny $75,000
Darren Steve (England) $25,000
Imran Nazir (Pakistan) $85,000
Stuart Mcgill $50, 000
Nazmul Hossain $ 30,000
A Kervezee $35,000
Imran Nasir $85,000
Anamul/Enamul Huq Bijoy $20,000
Tanvir Haider
Mosharraf Rubel
Mosharraf Hossain $65,000
Aftab Ahmed $ 20,000
Diman Ghosh $ 20,000

Duronto Rajshahi

Abdur Razzak $100,000
Junaed Siddiqui 70,000 $
Imran Tahir 50,000 $
Marlon samuels 360,000 $
Riaz Cheema $ 25,000
Mohammad Sami $70,000
Kaisar Abbas $25,000
Md. Sammy (pak) $70,000
Muktar Ali $20,000
Shabbir Rehman $40,000
Syed Rasel $ 20,000
Ariful haque
Mizanur rahman
Shumaya Sorkar $20,000
Saqlain Sajib $35,000
Asif Hossain Ratul $20,000
Fuad Alom (pak) $45,000
S. Ervine (ZIM) $25,000
Asif Ahmed Ratul 25,000 $

Khulna Royal Bengals
Dwayne Bravo 100,000 $
Shahid Afridi (700,000 $)
Abdur Razzak (85,000 $)
Nasir Hossain (200,000 $)
Andrew Russle 85,000 $
Sanath Jaysuria 110,000 $
Nial O Brien $80,000
Shafiul Islam $65,000
Shivnarine Chanderpaul $25,000
Shafiul Islam $ 65,000
J. butler $25,000
Maishukur
Sahagir hossain
Shamsur rahman
Marshal Ayub
Nazmul Hossain Milon $35,000
Nazmul Hossain $35,000
Dollar Mahmud $20,000
Shadaat Hossain $20,000
H. Gibbs (SA) $100,000
D. Smith (WI) $50,000

Sylhet Royals 
Peter Trego $ 75,000
Imrul Kayas $ 50,000
CBrad Hogg $ 50,000
Sohel Tanvir $ 100,000
Kamran Akmal $ 100,000
Feidal Edwards $ 60,000
D. Summy $ 55, 000
Rubel Hossain $70,000
Naeem Islam $ 90,000
Faisal Iqbal $25,000
Shuvagoto Hom Chowdhury $80,000
Alauddin Babu $65,000
Noor Hossain $20,000
Arafat Salauddin $20,000
Talha Zubair
Nabil Samad
Nadif Chowdury $30,000