ISLAMABAD (July 05, 2009): Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has directed the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to finalise the integrated energy plan in a month's time. He directed the ministry while chairing a presentation on energy securitisation by developing and exploiting all hydro-carbon resources namely oil, gas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) etc here on Saturday.

LAHORE (July 05, 2009): The Saturday's shutter down strike of business community of Lahore must serve as a "wake up call" to the government, which should take immediate necessary remedial measures to overcome power shortage that was not only hitting hard the country's economy, but also causing great hardships to public. These were the views expressed by traders of different areas while reacting to Saturday's strike in Lahore.

ISLAMABAD (July 05, 2009): The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) is said to have refused to pay three percent of its income to the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP), which is mandatory under Competition Ordinance 2007.

KARACHI (July 05, 2009): The Kenyan government has extended the period for further one year of preferential rate of 35 percent for rice imports only from Pakistan, the Kenyan government officially informed the Pakistan High Commission in Nairobi on Friday.

PESHAWAR (July 05, 2009): Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) has suspended the supply of natural gas to some major industrial units in Hayatabad Industrial Estate, sources in the industries told Business Recorder on Saturday. President of Industrialists Association Peshawar (IAP) Malik Niaz Ahmad said that the suspension of the gas supply had rendered a number of industrial units closed in the estate.

KARACHI (July 05, 2009): The Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) has notified that the initial/basic deposits in ready market, cash-settled future market, stock index futures contract market, and future trading in previously listed companies market, deposited by members with the Exchange may be utilised against exposure margin for respective market during the trading hours, effective from July 6, 2009.

ISLAMABAD (July 05, 2009): Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Saturday said that an independent and robust mechanism for the dispensation of justice is the only way to ensure stability, good governance and maintain our democratic ideals. Addressing the inaugural session of two-day judicial conference, the CJ said that without good governance, it is not possible to achieve economic development.

ISLAMABAD (July 05, 2009): Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani called on President Asif Ali Zardari at the Presidency, and discussed the ongoing military operation, with particular reference to the recent offensive launched in the South Waziristan against the militants, led by Baitullah Mehsud.

ISLAMABAD (July 05, 2009): Gunship helicopters and fighter jets of Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force pounded the hideouts of terrorists in Orakzai Agency, killing more than 15 militants, besides destroying their hideouts. A transport helicopter of Pakistan Army had crashed in this agency's area in which about 40 officials onboard were martyred.

TEHRAN (July 05, 2009): A top aide to Iran's all-powerful leader has accused the country's main opposition leader of being an American agent who should be tried for treason, increasing the pressure on reformists disputing the outcome of last month's presidential election. There was no immediate reaction from Mir Hossein Mousavi to the accusation in an editorial Saturday in the conservative daily newspaper Kayhan.