1- Mumbai attack mastermind: Tunda was inspired by a ‘chooran wala’Abdul Karim Tunda, an alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist arrested by the Indian police for plotting several terrorist attacks owes his expertise in explosives to a ‘chooran walah’. His attraction towards incendiary material started in his childhood while he was in school and keenly observed a ‘chooran walah’ doing tricks such as cracker-type fire and explosion, using potash, sugar and acid, police said after questioning him for a day.
“When he was aged 12, Tunda observed a ‘chooran walah’ sprinkling acid on a mixture of potash and sugar to produce fire. He developed this principle to make bombs,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Madan Oberoi told a press conference.
2- Death row: ‘Hanging’ by a thread
Convict Behram Khan is thanking his stars. Forty-year-old Khan was to be sent to the gallows and be titled the first prisoner to be hanged in the Karachi Central Jail in five years. However, a stay ordered by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has moved him from the death cell back to his condemned ward.
But will Khan’s luck last long?
Human rights activists and lawyers against capital punishment believe that the previous government’s moratorium against execution should remain.
3- Iran-Pakistan project: Pakistan section of pipeline to miss deadline
With a deadline looming, the government on Monday told the National Assembly that it will take two years to complete Pakistan’s section of the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project.
Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources Jam Kamal Khan, while responding to questions by All Pakistan Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, told the lower house of parliament that it might take another 24 months to complete the project.
4- NA-48 by-polls: ECP declares 38 of 262 polling stations sensitive
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday labelled 38 of the 262 polling stations set up for the NA-48 by-election on August 22 as “sensitive”.
An ECP official said three polling stations have been placed in Category A — highly sensitive — namely at Islamabad Model School in Tarnol, Islamabad College for Boys in F-7/4, and Islamabad College for Girls in F-7/4.
The remaining 35 polling stations were placed in the ‘very sensitive’ Category B, including the federal government boys’ secondary schools at Shah Allah Ditta and Golra Sharif and Junior Model School in Sector G-7/2.
5- Monsoon rains: For twin cities’ residents, no more water woes till 2014
The monsoon has brought good news for the residents of twin cities as according to officials monitoring the Rawal Dam, the rains have dispelled fears of water shortages in the region for the rest of the year.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Rawal Dam Sub-divisional Officer Bilal Rana said this year’s monsoon brought some exceptionally heavy rain in the region filling up the Rawal Dam. “The maximum storage capacity of Rawal Dam is 37,000 acre feet which has been attained this year and it is expected that this volume of water will cater to the needs of the residents of the twin cities for the rest of the year.”
6- Terrorism to be rooted out through talks or force: Nawaz
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said on Monday that he wanted to eliminate terrorism in the country whether through dialogue or with the full might of state institutions.
In his first address to the nation on television and radio after assuming power, the prime minister expressed the resolve of the government to eliminate the menace of terrorism, improve the economy, address the power crisis and pursue good neighbourly relations with all countries of the region, including India, for regional peace and prosperity.
7- Sindh Assembly passes local govt bill
Amid severe criticism from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the Sindh Assembly on Monday passed into law the Sindh Local Government Bill 2013.
The ruling Pakistan People’s Party, as expected, was able to get the support of the opposition’s legislators belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League (Functional) and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz).
8- Power tariff up by 15pc
The Ministry of Water and Power has notified the schedule of electricity tariff for distribution companies and the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC), following the government’s decision to increase the power rates and reduce subsidy gradually.
9- By-polls not to be postponed anywhere: ECP
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday, after a careful review of security and flood situation, decided that the by-elections would not be postponed in any constituency and the army personnel deployed at the polling stations would be given judicial powers.
10- Two top nominees for NAB post reject offers
Two reputed personalities of the country’s judiciary and civilian bureaucracy, Justice (retd) Rana Bhagwandas and Khawaja Zaheer Ahmed, have conveyed to the prime minister and leader of the opposition their clear “No” to accept the high-profile post of chairman NAB even if any of them emerges as a consensus candidate — a rare show of character
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