The League will impose economic and political sanctions on Assad’s government and has appealed to member states to withdraw their ambassadors from Damascus, said Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani. It will also call a meeting of Syrian opposition parties, he said.
“We were criticised for taking a long time but this was out of our concern for Syria,” Sheikh Hamad told reporters in Cairo. “We needed to have a majority to approve those decisions.”
Hopes among Western powers that Assad would be isolated by his Arab neighbors were repeatedly dashed until now.
Some Arab leaders have been reluctant to turn against one of their peers given the message it might send to their own restive populations, diplomats say.
But Assad has pressed ahead with the crackdown on protesters against his rule despite an Arab peace plan brokered on November 2. The United Nations says more than 3,500 people have been killed in seven months of violence.
(Read: Cairo meeting: Syria regime ‘fully accepts’ Arab peace plan)
“We are calling all Syrian opposition parties to a meeting at the Arab League headquarters to agree a unified vision for the transitional period,” said Sheikh Hamad, who is also Qatar’s foreign minister.
He said the suspension of Syria from the regional body would take effect on November 16, but did not detail the sanctions.
Qatar currently chairs the Cairo-based Arab League.
“We ask the Arab Syrian Army to not be involved in the violent actions and killing of civilians,” Sheikh Hamad said, quoting from an Arab League statement.
Syria’s representative to the Arab League said suspending Damascus violated the organisation’s charter and showed it was “serving a Western and American agenda.”
Youssef Ahmed told Syrian state television the move to suspend Syria could only be taken by consensus at a summit meeting of Arab leaders.
Echoes of Libya
Yemen and Lebanon opposed the suspension and Iraq abstained in the vote, Sheikh Hamad said.
Freezing Syria out of the 22-member League of Arab States carries extra symbolism in wake of events in Libya, where Muammar Qaddafi was ousted and killed in a rebellion that benefited from NATO air support.
The NATO mission got United Nations Security Council approval after Libya was suspended by the Arab League.
“This step introduces a possibility of foreign intervention and opens the door for engaging the international community in the case and reminds us of what happened with Libya,” said Nabil Abdel Fattah, a political analyst at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo.
Sheikh Hamad held out the possibility that the League may ask the United Nations to help protect the rights of Syrians.
“If the violence and killing doesn’t stop, the Secretary General will call on international organizations dealing with human rights, including the United Nations,” he said.
Since the Arab peace deal, Syrian security forces have killed more than 100 people in Homs, Human Rights Watch said on Friday, and indignation at perceived dithering by Syria’s neighbors has grown.
As Arab foreign ministers gathered in Cairo ahead of the announcement, some 100 protesters shouted “Bashar goes out, Syria is free” and waved flags and banners reading: “The people want international protection.”
“Today’s Arab League meeting saw developments, but it came after a long time, after eight months of killing,” said Ibrahim Alshatay, a 35-year-old Syrian activist. “We hope today’s decisions will end the violence immediately and no more men, women or children will die in Syria.”
During his address to the visiting officers from National Defence University at the Supreme Court (SC), he recalled the SC verdict in the case of the Sindh High Court Bar Association vs The Federation of Pakistan to make it clearer that any illegal action of the armed forces would be unconstitutional and invite the wide and varied application of Article 6 to all who abrogate or attempt to abrogate or subvert the constitution. He added that the SC judgement had laid down that the assumption of power by an authority not mentioned in the constitution would be unconstitutional, illegal and void ab initio and not liable to be recognised by any court, including the apex court.
The CJP said the responsibility to interpret the constitution had been assigned to the SC. In the same judgement, he said, the SC had also added a new provision to the Code of Conduct prescribed for judges of the superior courts, prohibiting them from taking fresh oath on any instrument not in consonance with the constitution.He said keeping in view the importance of the armed forces, a complete chapter was introduced in the constitution which contained provisions for the command, oath and functions of the military. He said according to Article 245 of the constitution, the functions and role of the armed forces was, under the directions of the federal government, to defend Pakistan against external aggression or threat of war, and secondly, subject to law, act in aid of civil power when called upon to do so.
He told the visiting officers that the oath provided in the Third Schedule of the constitution bound every member of the armed forces to bear true faith and allegiance to Pakistan and uphold the constitution, which embodied the will of the people. Moreover, they were bound by the oath not to engage in political activities whatsoever and serve the country honestly and faithfully, as required by and under the law. The CJP said further that the constitution of any country was a supreme document that defined the composition and powers of various organs of the state and harmonised the relations between them. The constitution, he said, provided basic framework for governance of a country and its fundamental values. Various constitutions of the world provided different schemes for distribution of powers between the organs of the state, he said, adding that it was important for the state functionaries to be aware of the principles of the constitution and the law. He quoted an excerpt from Quaid-e-Azam’s address to the officers of Staff College, Quetta in 1948, in which he said: “The executive authority flows from the head of the government of Pakistan and, therefore, any command or orders that may come to you cannot come without the sanction of the executive head.”
He said further that the constitution provided for a system of separation of powers between the three organs: the legislature, executive and judiciary. Each organ was required to perform its functions to the fullest extent and avoid intervention in the domain of the other, he added. He said this was how the business of the state could be conducted in an organised and coherent manner and peace and security could be maintained in the country.
He said there was a separate part of the constitution dealing with the composition and jurisdiction of the country’s judicature. However, under the scheme of the constitution, the judiciary had not been defined as a part of the state, he added.
“The Constitution of Pakistan provides the system of checks and balances between the organs of the state. The judiciary has been given the power of judicial review of executive and legislative actions. The constitution has guaranteed the protection of fundamental rights including right to life, safeguard as to arrest and detention, protection of property, right to information, right to education and guarantee of freedom of movement, association, speech, trade, business or profession. The said object of the constitution can only be achieved through an independent judiciary. The constitution guarantees that the independence of judiciary shall be fully secured and for this purpose it must be separated from the executive,” said Chaudhry.
The seventh seed Indo-Pak pair eked out a 6-3, 7-6 win in the semifinals over the third seeded Belarusian-Canadian combination in one hour and 27 minutes.
On Friday, Indo-Pak express had shocked second seeds Michael Llodra and Nenad Zimonjic 3-6, 6-4, 10-6 in the quarter-finals of the euro 2,750,000 event.
Now Aisam-Bopanna will face the winner of the other semifinals between French Pair of Julien Benneteau/ Nicolas Mahut and Santiago Gonzalez of Mexico and Kas Christopher of Germany.
AFP adds: Roger Federer defeated Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-3 here on Saturday to reach the final of the Paris Masters for the first time in his career.
The 30-year-old Swiss holder of 16 Grand Slam titles will play on Sunday the winner of the other semi-final which sees 2008 winner Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France take on giant American John Isner.
A break of serve in the first game of each set was all the former world No.1 needed to see off the challenge of Berdych who beat second seed Andy Murray in a marathon quarter-final on Friday.
The day after chalking up the 800th match win of his career, Federer made a storming start against a player who had given him problems in the past.
He immediately had the big Czech on the defensive and clinched a first break of serve when a rasping cross-court forehand forced an error.
The third seed powered through his own serve and had a break point to go 3-0 up in the next game before Berdych finally started to find his range.
Federer though was comfortable on his own serve and took the first set 6-4 despite a double fault at 40-15 ahead in the 10th game.
Berdych stumbled again at the start of the second set handing Federer two break points by netting an easy-looking overhead smash and he then netted a routine forehand from the baseline.
Federer, who won just his second tournament of the year last week in his hometown of Basel, smoothly moved 2-0 up and he never looked like being caught from there on in.
Berdych saved a break point after double-faulting in the seventh game, but two games later Federer went 40-0 up and clinched the win when a demoralised Berdych netted a weak forehand. A win on Sunday would be just the second time that Federer has lifted a title in the French capital with his only triumph at Roland Garros in the French Open coming in 2009 when he beat Sweden’s Robin Soderling in the final.
It would also set him up perfectly for the season-ending ATP Tour finals in London which start the week after next.
"We have given gas load management formula to the government that is beneficial for general public & government. Our Formula will enable everyone to get CNG.
While the government will get the required quantity of gas from CNG sector with Increased Revenue and reduced petroleum import bill," said the resolution.
The CNG association said it has not been known as to why some officials are against this formula while the decided equitable formula is still waiting to be acted upon.
Meanwhile APCNGA has rejected 3days gas load shedding plan for CNG. After a meeting of APCNGA Central executive the Central Chairman Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha told media that the meeting has demanded to revise the load shedding plan for CNG as 3day CNG closure cannot be accepted, we have to face immense pressure from consumers, public and transporters. People go harsh on refusal for CNG and quarrels are a routine on CNG stations which is harmful for our business.
This way the hardships of public will be increased and our business will be ruined. We have given gas load management formula to the government that is beneficial for general public & government.
Our Formula will enable everyone to get CNG. Government would get the required quantity of gas from CNG sector with Increased Revenue and reduced petroleum import bill.
But we don't know why some officials are against this formula while the decided equitable formula is still waiting to be acted upon. We have sent a letter and asked Petroleum minister Dr. Asim Hussain for a meeting on Monday, we will try to resolve our issue in this meeting. We have firm hope that this issue will be resolved otherwise we will announce our further action plan.
On his return from Maldives, he said that he was not putting any blind faith in any one individual. The Bhartiya Janata Party hit out at Manmohan Singh for what the opposition party believe “turning a blind eye to Pakistan’s failure to act against perpetrators of Mumbai attacks.”
In a veiled message to the opposition, the Indian prime minister said he would visit Pakistan only after solid steps were taken by Islamabad on ending cross boarder terrorism. “I believe armed forces of Pakistan are supporting Indo-Pakistan peace process,” he said.
He said India wanted to strengthen hands of the civilian government in Pakistan and that Mr Gilani has clearly understood that one more Mumbai-like attack will be a big setback in the peace process, The Hindu newspaper reported.
According to the police, Chaudhry Shaukat, a resident of Dhok Elahi Bux along with his brother Arshad Ali, nephew Ch Ghalib were brought to the court of Additional Sessions Judge in police custody, when they were attacked by four armed assailants belonging to the Kala Khan group. All three family members were killed on the spot while a passerby Mohammad Iqbal also became victim of the firing while another man Abdul Waheed was injured
The police arrested three accused who were identified as Tauqeera a resident of Wah Cantt, Zakir, a resident of Chaklala and Asif, a resident of Dhok Khabba while one managed to escape. Rawalpindi CPO Azhar Hameed Khokar has verified the arrest. Police have cordoned off the area and started search of the run away accused.
According to the police, Ch Shaukat and his brother Ch Arshad Ali and nephew Ghalib were facing murder trial of killing members of Kala Khan group namely Rafiq Kala, Sheikh Pappo and his friend on November 22, 2009 near Dhok Elahi Baksh graveyard.
The Injured Abdul Waheed who was taken to District Headquarter Hospital Rawalpindi, while talking to media, alleged that the attackers could have been stopped by firing but they were not stopped on time.
He said that today even though the judge was not present the murderers were taken out of the armored vehicle and brought towards the court and thus giving chance to the attackers to attack.
The attack created panic in the court and security was tightened after the incident.
"Twenty-seven Guards personnel were killed in the explosion," a spokesman for the force, Commander Ramezan Sharif, told state television, adding that some of those injured were in critical condition.
An emergency official, Majid Khaled, quoted by the Mehr news agency, said 23 people were injured in the blast and taken to nearby hospitals.
The explosion shortly after 1 pm (0930 GMT) hit an ammunition depot at the base in Bid Ganeh, near the town of Malard on the western outskirts of Tehran, some 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the city centre, according to media reports.
It shattered the windows of residential neighbourhoods in the western suburbs of Tehran, witnesses told AFP. It was heard in the city centre.
"Initial investigations show the blast occurred as ammunition was being moved," Sharif said earlier.
The deputy head of the national security commission, Esmaeel Kosari, said parliament would open a probe into the blast, the ISNA news agency reported.
Hossein Garousi, a lawmaker from the area, ruled out the blast being the result of "an act of sabotage or in any way political." He told parliament's website the blast had destroyed "a large part of the ammunition depot."
Helicopters and ambulances were dispatched to the area, ISNA quoted an official at Tehran's medical emergency centre, Hassan Abbasi, as saying.
Earlier, a Mehr news agency reporter said two hours after the blast, a fire was still raging, and that there were huge traffic jams on roads leading to the base.
In October 2010, a blast at a Guards ammunition storage in the western city of Khorramabad killed 18 of its members and left dozens injured.
Quoting security sources, the channel reported that the militants managed to escape after opening fire as the intelligence personnel raided the compound. On Saturday morning, the police personnel led by intelligence official entered the area where they found the bodies of four intelligence personnel.
The police place the area under a security cordon and a launched door to door search operation. Contradictory reports were received about the operation, the channel reported. One side, the police said that five proclaimed offenders were killed. On the other side, it claimed that Dr Arshad and his associates were killed during the operation.
Dr Arshad belonged to Mandi Bahauddin where he had attacked the worship place of Ahamadi community in Mung area, resultantly nine people were killed in the incident. The channel reported that Dr Arshad was said to be residing in a shrine located at the mountain of Pir Chanbal.
On the other hand, the military sources said that they did not have information about the operation in Pir Chanbal. However, bodies of the intelligence personnel have been shifted through helicopter.
