Baba Ramdev May Launch Political Party, Yoga guru Baba Ramdev plans to launch his own party though he says he won’t fight elections. Baba Ramdev said he wants to ‘cleanse’ the system. The yoga guru would field candidates in all Lok Sabha constituencies.

Ramdev, who was in Ghaziabad on March 15th to participate in a school function, targeted the UPA government for not keeping the prices of essential commodities in check and alleged: “The intention of the government is very much doubtful towards poors and farmers”.

“No doubt Manmohan Singh is a good economist and he understands perfectly the growth rate, but he does not understand the economics of Dal-Roti (cereals and bread),” he told reporters.

He said common men eats bread and not the growth rate, which has no role in the life of those who live below poverty line.

The yoga guru said that he will field candidates in the 2014 general elections but not yet decided on his own candidature. He advocated reforms in the administrative system of the country.

Ramdev has already launched Bharat Swabhiman campaign with an aim to end corrupt practices, bring back the Indian black money and use it for the development of the nation besides changing the system that has been continuing since the British period, among others.

ISLAMABAD: A unanimous resolution was passed in the upper house on Monday in support of Dr Aafia Siddiqi.

The resolution demanded the government of taking concrete measures and diplomatic efforts to secure early release of Pakistani neuroscientist from the US custody.

Federal Law Minister Dr Babar Awan told the house that at least three links were missing from the incidental evidence submitted against Dr. Siddiqi. He said the benefit of the doubt always goes to the accused. Therefore, she should be released.

LAHORE: The Sui Northern Gas Company has served notices on CNG stations to suspend operations two days a week, according to Geo News.

The orders would remain in effect until February, reported the channel. Sui Northern Gas Company General Manager (Sales) Chaudhry Masood Ahmed told the channel that the company was facing “a daily shortage of 250 million cubic feet of gas … therefore, CNG stations in Lahore have been directed to follow the orders from December 13 (Sunday)”.

He said nobody would be forced to follow the schedule.

Chairman of the CNG Station Owners’ Association Ghayas Piracha criticised the government for announcing the closure policy, and said the government had earlier announced that no such orders would be issued.

He said the association would contact the higher authorities to register a protest, and could even seek court’s help for justice.

TOKYO: Japan’’s cabinet on Tuesday approved a huge economic stimulus package worth 274 billion dollars including more than 80 billion dollars in direct spending, the government said.

The package is meant to boost a fragile recovery from Japan’’s worst post-war recession, which is now threatened by deflation and the strong yen’’s impact on exporting companies in Asia’’s biggest economy.

The cabinet of centre-left Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama agreed on the size of the package, to be financed by an extra budget for the financial year to March 2010, after its announcement was delayed last Friday.

“We made a cabinet decision on the emergency economic measures,” chief government spokesman Hirofumi Hirano said. “The scale exceeds 24 trillion yen in terms of the value of projects.”

The new package totals 24.4 trillion yen (274 billion dollars), the government said in a statement. It includes direct spending as well as loan guarantees and other measures that do not require actual government outlays.

ISLAMABAD: People in most of the areas of the country are still facing sugar shortage.

Even after the announcement made by the government the sugarcane crushing has yet not been started.

Reports from diverse areas say that the commodity is not available even at the utility stores and sale points.

Officially 40 sales centre and 200 sale points have been set up in the city of Gujranwala, but the essential food item is not available at these points.

Like several other cities, Multan, Sialkot, Mianwali, Sheikhupura, Hafizabad and Mandi Bahauddin are also facing scarcity of sugar.

In most of the towns and cities, shopkeepers are selling sugar upto Rs80/kg, the reports added.

Meanwhile, Rabitta Committee of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has strongly condemned the ongoing sugar crisis.

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Rabitta Committee has strongly condemned what it called the artificial sugar crisis created by hoarders.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, Rabitta Committee demanded of the government to take serious steps in overcoming the prevailing sugar crisis across the country. “The big fish involved in the creation of crisis be arrested and brought to law,” it added.

MQM said common people are being shoved in long queues for getting sugar, making every effort but the commodity remains out of their reach.

“Some high political figures are part of the sugar scandal, and their identification is necessary,” said Rabita Committee

It said the present sugar crisis following the shortage of Atta is a conspiracy aimed at undermining the government. “The government will have to cast away the black sheep among them.”

The Committee said that the government continues to show non-seriousness towards addressing the real issues of the people.

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has telephoned PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, Geo News reported Wednesday.

The President thanked Mr. Sharif on his statement over minus-one formula, terming the latter’s statement as a reflection of positive political thinking.

Both the leaders concurred on strengthening democratic system without giving opportunity to undemocratic forces.

A PML-N source told Geo News in Lahore that President encouraged Mr.Sharif for adopting positive political thinking which will strengthen the democracy. To this Mr. Sharif said that he believes in politics of principles and the government should complete its five year term.

Nawaz Sharif insisted that it is necessary to repeal the 17th amendment of the Constitution to ensure supremacy of parliament, the sources added.

The PML-N leader also criticized Pervaiz Musharraf’s statement regarding President Zardari, saying Musharraf should have refrained from giving such a statement.

GILGIT: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman has said that so far there is no fear of rigging in Gilgit-Baltistan elections.

Talking to media at a local hotel here on Wednesday, the JUI Chief said the reforms package introduced for Gilgit-Baltistan will have no impact on the Kashmir issue because ‘it is not a province, it is only a province like set up.’

He said it would not be advisable for the government to announce any kind of package during the elections, as it can affect the position of the candidates.

ISLAMABAD: The Chairman of Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP), Khalid Mirza, has urged the government to get the Competition Commission Ordinance 2007 validated from the Parliament, or it would be disastrous for the economy and a conspiracy against the general public.

Talking to a group of journalists on Tuesday, he said that the CCP would cease to exist if the elected Parliament was unable to approve the Competition Ordinance 2007 by November 28, as directed by the Supreme Court.

In case the parliament approves the Competition Ordinance, 2007, all actions and decisions taken by the Commission would get validated, he added.

He said that if the Parliament did not approve the Ordinance promulgated on October 2, 2007, its actions taken in first four months would have legal backing till February 2, 2008 but legality of action taken after February 3 to date would pose question mark on which it could not interpret.

The legal implications of not approving Ordinance would have serious consequences on the entire economy.

Therefore, the Ordinance 2007 has to be approved by the Parliament at any cost to avoid such legal complications.

In case the Parliament does not validate the Ordinance by November 28, 2009, he said, it would badly effect the economy.

LAHORE: Sugar crisis has worsened in Lahore, as the government appears to have completely failed to overcome the problem of sugar supply.

Sugar is neither available to shopkeepers nor to the consumers, as the commodity’s price hits Rs70 per kilogram in some areas.

People are running from pillar to post to find a single kg of sugar in the face of administration’s failure in fulfilling its claims.

Sugar has disappeared from the city and if it is available in anywhere, its price is between Rs60 and 70.