Overall situation with special reference to law & order in the country, incidents of violence in Gilgit-Baltistan, Karachi, Balochistan and the Bannu Jail break were discussed during the meeting.

The President also briefed the Prime Minister about his visit to Gayari sector. The President lauded the courage of the brave soldiers who were defending the frontiers despite all odds and difficulties. The President said that all available resources be utilized in expediting the search and rescue operation in Gayari sector.

Islamabad, April 6(PFP):Finance Minister, Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh called on Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani at PM’s House here today and briefed the Prime Minister on the state of economy and steps taken towards self-sufficiency, preparation of next budget, mobilization of domestic resources and generation of employment in the country.

The Minister said that in this regard the country’s economy is showing strong performance of revenue mobilization.

The Minister disclosed that revenue collection upto March 2012 stood at Rs. 1270 billion as compared to Rs. 1020 billion during the corresponding period of last year reflecting 25% increase.

The Minister said country’s export continue to register upward trend despite the high base of last year exports of 30% increase that touched record figure of dollars 25.5 billions.

The Prime Minister appreciated the efforts of the Finance Minister which he is putting in to meet the imperatives of social uplift of the people and economic growth of the country.

Encouraging and appreciative comments from the recipients suggest the fruit has bright future in terms of large imports from Pakistan once the recently signed PTA came into force.

State Secretary, Indonesia, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Sudi Silalahi in his comments described the kinnows as delicious. Cabinet Secretary, Dipo Alam welcomed arrival of Pakistani kinnows. Leading news daily, the Jakarta Post’s Foreign News Editor, Yohanna and her team addressed a message to the Embassy saying, “These are tastier than what we had in the market which are usually imported. You could promote more  often to the business people here.” A senior official from the Indonesian  Ministry of Trade, Sri Nastiti said, it was pleasing to see Pakistan kinnow in Indonesian market. A number of Ambassadors also sent comments of appreciation.

The distribution of the Kinnows, Ambassador Sanaullah here told media, was aimed at popularizing the delicious Pakistan fruit and receiving feedback ahead of its regular import facilitated by zero tariff provided in the PTA. Further the exercise was also meant to highlight the need to expedite the ratification of the PTA, showing the Indonesian demand for this fruit. The Indonesian Ministry of Trade, he added was likely to forward the PTA to the President for issuance of necessary regulation following which the agreement shall come into force. The Ambassador also said keeping in view the large Ramadan demand, the Embassy was also making arrangements to import dates from Pakistan.

It may be mentioned that due to expiry of these injections, administration of Jinnah Hospital contacted the company to provide replacement.

Prof. Javed Akram directed the hospital administration to use these injections in MRI tests of the poor and deserving patients.

The special investigation unit of the Federal Investigation Agency had booked them under Sections 212, 419 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code and 13 and 14-RW of the Foreigners Act related to abetting a culprit, making fake identity, taking illegal asylum and unlawfully residing in the country.

The charges carry a minimum punishment of three years in prison.

The court ordered the appointment of an interpreter before the next hearing, to be held on March 26, in the sub-jail because of the sensitivity of the matter.

It allowed Khairiah to speak to her family in Saudi Arabia.

Security agencies had taken the family into custody from a compound in Abbottabad after the killing of Bin Laden by US commandos on May 2 last year.

Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz has alleged before the memo inquiry commission that American investigators’ access to the widows was one of the conditions for delivering the memorandum to former US military chief Admiral Mike Mullen, to which former ambassador Husain Haqqani had agreed.

Both hit centuries during their 37-over second wicket stand of 205 runs eclipsing the previous record of 198, set by Virender Sehwag and Suraish Raina, also from India, against Pakistan at Karachi in 2008.

Gambhir made 100 from 118 balls while Kohli hit 108 off 120 balls. Both struck seven fours each.

Interestingly, each of them completed his tenth hundred in one-day international cricket.

The Foreign Minister also apprised the Prime Minister about the forthcoming visits to South Korea and China, where he is expected to meet many heads of the state and government.

The Prime Minister mentioned that he made this announcement yesterday in Mirpur on the demand of all sections of the society including the political leadership of all spectrums.

The Prime Minister gave the above direction while chairing a meeting on the State of Disaster Preparedness at PM’s House here today.

The Prime Minister said that hundred of thousands of Kashmiris have been working in the UK and Middle Eastern countries and sending billion of dollars of foreign exchange back home and the demand of the airport must be met at the earliest.

The Prime Minister also directed the Chairman NHA to pursue proactively the expressway between Lower Topa and Kohala and after its completion from Kohala to Muzafarabad to provide excellent travel facilities to the people of AJ&K.

The Prime Minister said that the completion of the international airport and the expressway between Lower Topa and Muzaffarabad would provide efficient and smooth connectivity of the AJK with Pakistan, and would also give boost to the tourism industry.

The meeting was attended by Secretaries of the Ministries of Finance, EAD, Chief Secretary AJK, Chairman NHA and other senior government officials.

“The new Greek programme is not only in its starting blocks but has been politically adopted tonight by the Eurogroup,” the president of the Eurogroup Jean-Claude Juncker told a late night press conference.

He noted that the formalization of this approval will be finalized by Wednesday after the finance ministers have checked if all the internal national procedures have been fulfilled.

On his part, EU Commissioner for economic affairs, Olli Rehn , said the second financial programme has a very strong emphasis on economic reforms that can bring much needed growth and jobs to Greece.

“Of course the success of the program mewill essentially depend on unwavering implementation and political unity in Greece,” he stressed.

Greece has agreed to implement strict but unpopular austerity measures in order to get the second loan.

The Ministers also discussed about that Spanish deficit which was higher than the deficit target of 4.4% of GDP for 2012 agreed with Brussels.

“We welcome the commitment of the Spanish government to meet the 2013 deadline for the correction of the excessive deficit, bringing the deficit below 3% of GDP,” said Juncker.