The Pakistan government is all set to raise outlay on defence by around Rs 100 billion in the upcoming budget, official sources said.
“There has been a consensus to enhance the defence budget. The government plans to raise the allocation by around Rs 100 billion,” a government official said.
He added that the expected hike, the defence outlay will be up from Rs 343 billion (allocated during 2009-10), to Rs 440 billion in the upcoming budget for 2010-11. The budget is likely to be presented before the Parliament on June 5. PM Yousuf Raza Gilani had already hinted that defence budget would be raised.
“The government wants to meet the budgetary requirements of defence sector,” the official said.
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Saudi to probe MTV film that created anger
Riyadh : The Saudi information ministry said on Tuesday it was investigating an MTV documentary about young people challenging the kingdom’s ultra-strict Islamic social code amid an uproar among conservatives.
Traditionalists have filed a legal complaint against the one-hour documentary entitled Resist the Power! Saudi Arabia broadcast on MTV in the United States last week, Jeddah court sources said, adding that the complaint was being reviewed. “We will not allow the values of Saudi society to be broken, and we call for the trial of Aziz and the MTV channel,” a group of religious conservatives said. —AFP
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Jordanian kills sister for love affair, charged
Amman : A Jordanian man was charged on Tuesday with premeditated murder for allegedly stabbing to death his younger sister over a love affair, the police said.
“The 22-year-old man has confessed to killing his 20-year-old sister on Monday, with the help of his cousin, after learning that she was in love with a man,” in Marka, eastern Amman, a police spokesman said.
“His 19-year-old cousin was charged with being an accessory to murder.” The two face death penalty if convicted. Murder is punishable by death in Jordan but in so-called “honour killings” Jordanian courts can commute or reduce sentences, particularly if the victim’s family urges leniency. —AFP
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Female ghost haunts jail in Malaysia?
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian cops have reported that a ghostly apparition of a woman with long hair in a white dress has been haunting their police lock-up.
According to the Harian Metro, the ghost has apparently been disturbing officers on night duty at the Betong district police headquarters about 150km from Kuching, and it has also been seen around the police station.
“Its face is similar to an officer here. When it is given instructions, it would only keep quiet,” the Star online quoted a source as saying.
Such incidents have been happening ever since the police headquarters shifted to the current location in April. —ANI