MPs violate security rules at parliament

The city police have requested the National Assembly speaker to ensure that parliamentarians do not take visitors inside the Parliament House without valid entry pass, verification and clearance. When their visitors were checked for entry pass, searched or asked to use other gate, the lawmakers misbehaved with the police personnel.

The police expressed the fear that some of the people going inside the Parliament House violating the rules may pass on information about security arrangements in and around the building and the red zone to militants.

During the joint session of the Parliament and NA session on 18 amendment bill, 43 MNAs and eight senators were found involved in taking unconcerned people inside the Parliament House without proper permit and security clearance.

(via Dawn)

Contract irregularities: Reply sought from Rly ministry, others

The Lahore High Court has sought replies from the railways ministry, the railways chairman and others on a petition alleging massive irregularities in awarding a contract of sale of scrap to different companies in violation of criteria.

The petitioner contended that a tender for 21,000 metric tones scrap was opened in November 2008, but the bids of all tenderers were rejected twice to give maximum benefit to a blue-eyed bidder of the railways general manager. He said the tender was decided after a delay of 17 months in February 2010 that also showed mala fide on part of railway authorities. He said the market price was also not kept in view despite the fact that a committee of five officers had assessed higher rate but the tender committee ignored its objections.

(via Dawn)

MNA toung thrashes a chauffeur

Tongue lashing between a chauffeur and an MNA over a parking place in the parliament ground on Thursday led to the former punching the latter but both agreed to forget the matter.

Police sources said the MNA and the chauffeur of a federal secretary got into a wordy duel jockeying for a place in the parking lot reserved for the members of parliament.

It degenerated into a scuffle when abusive language enraged the chauffeur.

Onlookers, police and government officials among them, rushed to the place to separate and calm them down. Both were persuaded to forgive and forget.

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MMA lawmaker expelled for faking degree

An election tribunal of the Peshawar High Court on Thursday disqualified an MPA of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, Gulistan Khan, for possessing a fake sanad of a seminary. Mr Gulistan had submitted a seminary sanad so as to prove that he was a graduate, which was a precondition under the Representation of People Act for contesting the then election.

According to official record the registration number of the said sanad belonged to another seminary, Jamia-i-Sadatul Uloom, situated in Waziristan, which meant that the sanad produced by Mr Gulistan was fake. The case of Mr Gulistan has seen many twists and turns. First, his nomination papers were rejected by the returning officer before the 2008 election on the same ground. However, an appellate tribunal set aside the order of the returning officer.

(via Dawn)