Charges against MNA framed

RAWALPINDI, Sept 29: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Thursday framed charges against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan and 17 others in a case relating to MNA’s escape from Islamabad police custody.

However, PML-N MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan and 17 other co-accused denied the charges. Nevertheless, ATC-I Judge Shahid Rafique went ahead with framing the charges and asked the prosecution to produce witnesses before the court on October 11.

The court charged PML-N MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan with intentionally escaping from the custody of Shalimar Police Station with the help of 35 people who attacked the police station and resorted to firing and interfering into the police matters.

PML-N MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan was apprehended by PS Shalimar officials from Islamabad on July 15 in a fraud case while a large number of PML-N supporters attacked the police party as he was being shifted to police station and got him released forcibly from the police custody.

At this, Islamabad police registered another case against PML-N MNA and his 35 supporters. Nonetheless, the court had already acquitted 18 people from the case and granted bails to the MNA and other accused. — A Reporter

PAC meets today

ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: The maiden meeting of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly headed by the leader of opposition, Ch. Nisar Ali Khan will commence here today after the controversial appointment of new Auditor General of Pakistan.

According to the agenda, the PAC will consider seven reports including the annual report of ‘monitoring and implementation committee’.

Opposition leader Ch. Nisar Ali Khan had shown reluctance to call the meeting apparently to express his anger over the appointment of Akhtar Buland Rana as the new auditor general by the premier without consulting him.

The agenda for the Sept 30 meeting says that the PAC members will consider and approve the reports for the years 1990-91, 1992-93, 1994-95, 1997-98, 2001-02 and 2008-09.

Since the appointment of Rana last month, Chaudhary Nisar reportedly twice rejected summary moved by the committee’s secretariat to hold its meeting.

The first summary suggested the holding of the committee’s meetings on Aug 25-26 and the second on Sept 6-8, but the PAC secretariat did not receive any response from the chairman’s office.

Realising that Chaudhary Nisar might not convene the meeting, Nadeem Afzal Chan, Noor Alam Khan and Yasmeen Rehman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Asia Nasir of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) and Haider Abbas Rizvi of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had

submitted the requisition notice to call an early meeting of the PAC under Article 54(3) of the constitution, which requires its chairperson to convene its meeting within 14 days.—Our Reporter

One killed in accident

TAXILA, Sept 29:  One passenger was killed and five others were injured when a speeding Suzuki pickup collided with electric pole on Museum road in the limits of Cantonment police station.

Police sources said that a Suzuki pick up (RIN- 3763) collided with a roadside pole when the driver identified as Atif Yousaf lost control while overtaking another vehicle at railway station chowk on Museum road.

Consequently, Rabb Nawaz, 40, died on the spot while five others including the driver were injured.

Although, a traffic police warden was permanently deputed at the chowk, he was not there at the time of accident and reached the site after an hour. Cantonment police have registered a case and started investigation.— Correspondent