LS adjourns for the day after uproar over Women’s Bill

NEW DELHI : Lok Sabha did not function today following an uproar over the Women’s Reservation Bill with SP, RJD, JD(U) members repeatedly trooping into the well to stall the proceedings.

The House saw three adjournments on the same issue before the Chair called it a day as members opposed to the bill remained unrelenting.

RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and JD(U) President Sharad Yadav led their slogan-shouting members into the well each time the House was called to order.

At one time, SP member Shailendra Kumar tore some legislative documents and threw pieces of paper into the well, even as the Chair took up the listed business.

Lone member of the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen Asaduddin Owaisi too joined the protest, raising slogans against the bill and rushed to the well.

As pandemonium continued, the Chair adjourned the House for the day.

Similar scenes were witnessed throughout the day, as the opponents of the bill in its present form demanded a quota within the quota for OBCs, SCs, STs and minorities. (AGENCIES)

Car bomber hits police building
in Pak's Lahore; 11 dead

Lahore : A suspected suicide car bomber today struck special investigation unit's building used to interrogate high-value Taliban militants in Pakistan's key city here, killing at least 11 people and wounding 61 others.

Breaking a brief lull in terrorist violence, the explosive laden vehicle hit the building housing the special investigation unit in Model Town area of Lahore at around 8. 15 am. The injured included schools girls.

Punjab police chief Tariq Salim Dogar described the blast as a "vehicle-borne explosion".

"I was informed that the terrorists came in a car and it exploded at the gate," he said.

Witnesses said an explosives-laden car had been rammed into the building. Officials of the bomb disposal squad said up to 800 kg of explosives were used in the attack.

Lahore Police Commissioner Khusro Pervez said 11 people were killed and 61 injured in the attack.

He said the death toll could rise as some persons were feared to be buried in the debris of the building that collapsed due to the powerful explosion.

While Taliban militants have been carrying out attacks regularly in the North West Frontier Province, the strike in Pakistan's cultural capital of Lahore came after a considerable lull.

Sources said some important suspects with links to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan were being held in the special investigation unit.

(Agencies)

SC asks Centre to deport Pakistani prisoners

NEW DELHI : The Supreme Court today directed the Centre to deport within two months all Pakistani prisoners who have completed their sentences after being arrested under the Public Safety Act of Jammu and Kashmir.

A Bench comprising Justices Markandey Katju and R M Lodha, which passed the direction, disapproved of the submission of the Centre that these prisoners could be released only in return for an equal number of Indian prisoners languishing in jails in Pakistan.

"Relief under Article 21 of the Constitution of India is available to every person irrespective of his nationality. This provision in the Indian Constitution can not be allowed to be diluted," the Bench said.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Bhim Singh, leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party, seeking release of 124 Pakistani nationals detained in different jails of the country.

"This court is the custodian of the civil rights of every person, Indian or foreigner, under Article 21 and no person shall be deprived of his life or liberty without the procedure established by law," the Bench said.

"How can the government keep them in detention in violation of the fundamental rights of a person for years together without resorting to the procedure of law?" it said.

The apex court also perused the affidavit filed by the Centre in which it said 22 prisoners who have completed their sentences, were detained in different jails across the country.

They were recommended by J&K Government for deportation because no case was pending against them, the Centre said.

The apex court also asked the Centre to find out the address and nationality of one Amjad Quarshi who has been in jail since 1994 and has been recommended for deportation.

The Centre had submitted that it has not been able to trace his nationality but he was given consular access.

Earlier, Singh had submitted that out of 22 people recommended by J-K for deportation, the Centre has failed to identify and verify the nationality of Amjad Qurashi.

The Centre had informed the apex court that Pakistan has neither sent travelling documents nor cleared the names of Mohd Aslam Mughal alias Zahoor Ahmed, Manzoor Ahmad Sheikh, Liaquat Ali Khan alias Mehboob Ali and Abdul Qadeer Khawaja but it had given consular access to them. (PTI)