LIMASSOL: Commonwealth finance ministers on Friday appealed for an open trading system in the face of the global financial crisis which has impoverished millions of citizens in smaller member states.
"The impact of the crisis has been felt very strongly and persistently in the poorest and smallest developing members as well as resource-dependent and less diversified economies," they said at the end of a three-day meeting.
"These economies are especially vulnerable to lower trade levels and capital flows and restricted in their ability to use domestic policy to alleviate the impact of exogenous economic shocks," the ministers said in a final statement.
They called for "continued global commitment to an open trading system and the rejection of protectionism," after the talks in the southern Cypriot coastal resort of Limassol.
The finance ministers discussed "the appalling human cost of the current economic crisis in many low-income countries.
"Despite the greater resilience provided in these countries through strengthened policy frameworks, many millions of Commonwealth citizens have fallen into poverty as a result of the crisis," they warned.
The grouping of Britain and 52 former colonies and territories also "stressed the need for greater international support for these countries to build greater resilience in the face of these shocks."
Ahead of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Trinidad on November 27-29, they called for "continued global macroeconomic coordination including monetary and fiscal policy stimulus to avoid a return to global recession and to ensure that global growth is well established."
KARACHI: Sindh Home Minister Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza has ordered CCPO Karachi to launch an inquiry into the incident of Baldia Town in which police provided protection to the decoit, arrested others and manhandled the Geo News team.
The provincial minister directed the police to mend their attitudes and refrain from misusing authority.
He also directed the IG Sindh and DIG Training to adopt measures for imparting proper training to the police officials and personnel.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Friday warmly welcomed the five Pakistanis freed by the Saudi government, imprisoned on charges of narcotics smuggling.
The five were freed after the arrest of the real culprits in Pakistan, who without the persons' knowledge, placed narcotics in their belongings.
The Prime Minister invited the freed persons to visit the Prime Minister House soon after their arrival at Benazir Bhutto International Airport by a special Saudi chartered flight.
Gilani received the returned Pakistanis accompanied by Interior Minister Rehman Malik and warmly greeted them with garlands on their safe return back home.
"Your innocence has added to the country's pride," the Prime Minister told the freed persons that were held soon after they landed in the holy land to perform Umrah.
The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for the release of Pakistanis after being provided proof of their innocence. He said the government's sincere efforts and prayers of nation brought fruits with Allah's blessing.
Gilani mentioned the efforts of Interior Minister Rehman Malik and the Religious Ministry for making the issue resolved in positive.
He said he had directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make diplomatic efforts to take up the issue of release of other innocent Pakistanis abroad.
He also listened to the problems of the freed persons and issued directives regarding a demand for regularization of a man in a company.
Rehman Malik said the case of release of Pakistani prisoners was pursued on Prime Minister's special interest.
He said he had talked with his Saudi counterpart Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz who extended great cooperation in this regard.
He said the freed Pakistanis were due to return on September27, however on their request for Umrah, the date was extended to date.
State Minister for Religious Affairs Shagufta Jumani was also present.
ISLAMABAD: Five Pakistanis arrested in Saudi Arabia on charges of trying to smuggle drugs about four months ago have arrived in Pakistan on board Saudi special plane, Geo News reported Friday.
It should be mentioned that Saudi Arabia released the five Pakistanis who were interned at King Abdul Aziz International Airport, Jeddah on charges of drug smuggling, after ascertaining that they had no relation with the drugs.
Government personalities including Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Chairman of Standing Committee for Interior senator Talha Mehmood, Saudi Ambassador Abdul Aziz Al-Ghadeer and the families of the released people received the lucky Pakistanis at Chaklala Airbase.
The coming Pakistanis are accompanied with two-member FIA and some Saudi officials.
According to sources, these people will be escorted to the PM house.
Sources in the Interior Ministry said that the Pakistanis were scheduled to return on Sept 28 but some legal procedure delayed their arrival.
The five who belong to the same family requested Saudi authorities that they wanted to perform Umrah for which they had travelled to the kingdom but could not do it because of their arrest on arrival. Saudi authorities have permitted them to perform Umrah.
According to a press statement of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Islamabad the security authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, have released the five Pakistani nationals who were interned at King Abdul Aziz International Airport, Jeddah, on 9/6/1430 H, on charges of drug smuggling, after ascertaining that they had no relation with the drugs, which they were carrying without their knowledge.
This transpired after the concerned authorities in the Kingdom were briefed about the outcome of investigation carried out by the Pakistani security authorities with the real culprits who were apprehended in Pakistan, during the meeting of the Interior Minister His Excellency Mr. Rahman Malik, with officials of the Saudi Interior Ministry in his recent visit to the Kingdom, the statement said.
The Press Statement of the Saudi Embassy in Pakistan further said that the detainees after their release performed Umrah and visited the Prophet’s Mosque. The Embassy advised all those traveling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to make sure that their luggage which they are carrying, does not contain any contraband item punishable by the rules of Saudi Arabia, particularly narcotics, which is punished by death sentence.
The three who have confessed to have tried to smuggle drugs into the kingdom face death sentence. Those who were arrested in Pakistan, including a travel agent and his wife, would be tried under Pakistani laws.
YANGON: Judges rejected an appeal by pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi Friday against her extended house arrest, a Myanmar official said.
A divisional court in Yangon upheld the Nobel Laureate's conviction, delivered in August, over a bizarre incident in which an American man swam uninvited to her home, earning her an extra 18 months in detention. The Myanmar official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told foreign news agency that the appeal was rejected but did not give further details.
KARACHI: The Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) witnessed bullish activity on Friday, contributing 154 points to the benchmark KSE-100 Index which finished the week at 9,455.
Today’s trade started in the red territory but later buying in energy stocks pushed the major Index into the green zone where it pegged at the current level.
The market turnover was registered at 220 million shares with Jehangir Siddiqui Company remaining the volume leader with a gain of Rs1.74 to close at Rs40.70.
CENTURION: England captain Andrew Strauss has won the toss and elected to bat against Australia in the first semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy here at the Super Sport Park on Friday.
England, rebounding from a 6-1 series loss at home to Australia last month, have made three changes to their team.
Fast bowler Stuart Broad has a sprained buttock and his place has been taken by Tim Bresnan.
England have chosen a specialist wicketkeeper in Steve Davies, making his one-day international debut, with Eoin Morgan returning to the outfield after standing in for the injured Matt Prior in their two previous matches.
Batsman Ravi Bopara has been dropped, along with left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom, who has been replaced by Graham Onions.
Australia, who are unbeaten in the competition, have named an unchanged starting XI.
Teams
England - Andrew Strauss, Joe Denly, Owais Shah, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan, Steve Davies, Luke Wright, Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Graham Onions.
Australia - Shane Watson, Tim Paine, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Cameron White, Callum Ferguson, James Hopes, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Nathan Hauritz, Peter Siddle.
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