RAWALPINDI: Government of Pakistan has announced operational awards for the Armed Forces of Pakistan on the occasion of Defence Day of Pakistan 6th September 2009. Details are as follow:-
Sitara-i-Basalat has been awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Tahir Iqbal (Shaheed), Major Muhammad Zubair (Shaheed), Major Abid Majeed Malik (Shaheed), Major Syed Zahid Hussain Shah (Shaheed), Lieutenant Safi Ullah (Shaheed) and Havildar Naeem Asghar (Shaheed).
Tamgha-i-Basalat has been awarded to Captain Muhammad Tahir, Captain Muhammad Abid Khan (Shaheed), Lieutenant Muhammad Zeeshan (Shaheed), Naib Subedar Arshad Mahmood (Shaheed), Naib Subedar Sharif Nadir (Shaheed), Naib Subedar Himat Khan (Shaheed), Havildar Abdur Rehman (Shaheed), Havildar Muhammad Yousaf (Shaheed), Havildar Mazher Rehman (Shaheed), Havildar Dewa Gul, Naik Akmal Said (Shaheed), Naik Abdul Rehman (Shaheed), Naik Rehmat Ullah (Shaheed), Lance Naik Mirabat Khan (Shaheed), Lance Naik Jalil Khan, Lance Naik Intizar Khan (Shaheed), Lance Naik Sarfraz Hussain (Shaheed), Lance Naik Jahangir (Shaheed), Lance Naik Shadab Haider Shah (Shaheed), Sepoy Iftikhar Ahmed (Shaheed), Sepoy Ghulam Gillani (Shaheed), Sepoy Muhammad Jahangir (Shaheed), Sepoy Muhammad Sajid, Sepoy Muhammad Ramzan Khan (Shaheed) and Sepoy Arif Hussain (Shaheed).
Imtiazi Sanad has been awarded to Colonel Mujahid Hussain, Colonel Saif Ullah Orakzai, Major Muhammad Farooq, Major Jehangir Khan, Captain Syed Ali Raza Gillani, Captain Rizwan Ahmed Shaikh, Subedar Major Sher Hayat Khan, Havildar Abdul Rahman, Lance Naik Shah Nawaz and Sepoy Nasir Mahmood.
COAS Commendation Card has been awarded to Colonel Naseer Ahmad Janjua, Lieutenant Colonel Mirza Asif Hussain Baig, Lieutenant Colonel Tauqir Abbas Shah, Lieutenant Colonel Arshad Mahmood, Lieutenant Colonel Abrar Hussain, Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Saeed, Major Muhammad Ilyas Khan, Major Muhammad Ejaz Akhtar, Major Salman Jamil Noor, Captain Bilal Hasham, Captain Syed Fassih Ul Hasnain and Lieutenant Sami Ullah Khan Niazi. link
ISLAMABAD: A massive reshuffle has been made in almost entire top structure of the bureaucracy, after the Prime Minister granted permission. However in the process of promotion and transfers, many senior officers have been sidestepped against some favourites.
According to senior reporter Gulam Qadir’s report from Rawalpindi, the chosen-ones, who have been promoted to grade 22, also include Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Nargis Sethi, although she stands on number 63 in the seniority list of the grade 21.
IG Javid Ali Shah Bukhari was moved to grade 21 just two month ago, yet he has been promoted again to grade 22, however there are about 40 senior officials in Police Service of Pakistan who have been bypassed in the run of grade 22.
Chief Secretary Punjab Javid Mehmod has been promoted to grade 22, however many officers of his group remained unsuccessful to be promoted to grade 22.
In the Seniority List, MD Police Foundation Khawja Khalid Farooq stands on 14th number; Commandant Police Foundation Syed Shabir Ahmed on 18th; DG Tariq Khosa on 23rd and IG Motorways on 33rd, nevertheless neglecting many senior officers, these dearies have been rewarded with grade 22. link
TEHRAN: Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi renewed on Saturday fraud allegations against Iranian authorities over the June election and called for continued protest.
"People, your friends are committed not to betray you on the path of fighting liars and fraudsters," Mousavi said in a statement carried on his official website.
"With respect to this commitment, the only way that I recommend is to continue on the green path that you have followed in the past months ... with small and large gatherings, campaigns and questions," he said.
Mousavi's call came two days after Iran's conservative-dominated parliament united behind President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and approved the vast majority of his proposed cabinet as reportedly advised by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Mousavi, who came in second, dismissed the June 12 poll as a "shameful fraud" as hundreds of thousands of Iranians poured on to streets in protest against the election.
The protests, in which dozens of people were killed and thousands were arrested, have plunged Iran into its worst crisis since the 1979 Islamic revolution. But Khamenei strongly backed Ahmadinejad, dismissed fraud allegations, pointed an accusing finger at Western states over the unrest and held opposition leaders responsible for the ensuing violence.
The election and its aftermath have bitterly divided Iran's political elite and the authorities have also faced mounting criticism over their handling of the protests amid charges that protesters were raped and tortured in custody. link
TEHRAN: The Iranian Parliament approved President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's nominee for Health Minister, Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi, yesterday.
Dastjerdi is the country's first woman to be appointed to the cabinet since Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Dastjerdi is reportedly a hard-line conservative who has previously proposed gender segregated healthcare. She is a gynecologist and currently teaches at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, where she is also a member of the Medical Ethics Board Committee, reported Bloomberg.
Ahmadinejad was sworn in to his second term in office August 5, following widespread massive protests both in Iran and internationally after June's disputed presidential election. Women played a major role in the public uprising that followed the election and were particularly visible during the election campaigns.link
WASHINGTON: The lawyers of Dr. Afia Siddiqui Elaine Sharpe and Charles Swift will be travelling to Pakistan and Afghanistan, respectively, within next few weeks, to gather evidence to fight the case of Dr. Afia Siddiqui in a US federal court.
Diplomatic sources told The News here on Friday that Ms Elaine Sharpe and Mr. Charles Swift met with Pakistan's ambassador to the United States Hussain Haqqani and discussed various issues relating to the defence of Dr. Afia Siddiqui. Ambassador Hussain Haqqani assured the lawyers that Pakistan Government will fully cooperate with lawyers to end the ordeal of Dr. Afia siddiqui.
It may be pointed out here that Pakistan Government has paid 1.5 million US dollars to three lawyers-Elaine Sharpe, Linda Morano and Charles Swift to represent Dr. Afia Siddiqui's case in a federal court. Dr. Afia's arrest was announced by the US forces in Afghanistan last year after her mysterious disappearance in 2003 from Karachi.
According to the sources attorney Elaine Sharpe's visit to Pakistan and Charles Swift travel to Afghanistan will be focusing on finding what happened to Dr. Afia during the years of disappearance and who orchestrated it. link
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has approved appointments of 13 new judges.
Approval has been granted for induction of 2 judges for the Supreme Court and 11 additional judges for Peshawar and Balochistan high courts link
LAHORE: Pakistan Sugar Mills Association put up a defiant attitude by refusing to sell suar at Rs36/kg, Geo News reported Saturday.
Addressing a press conference here, Sugar Mills Association Punjab Chairman Javed Kiani said they would not flinch back and as a last resort, close down the mills even if they are arrested.
He said the government gave incorrect statistics to the court.
Under the circumstances, the sugar crisis is expected to rage on, Kiani said adding the mills are already suffering from financial slump and would not be able to pay out to the cultivators and banks.
Javed said an appeal would be filed as soon as the court’s signed ruling is received; but, they cannot provide sugar at Rs36/kg, warning to government to plan beforehand for sugar, as there would be less sugar yield next year.
The government is harassing the inventors, and in this harrowing condition, nobody would set up mills here, he warned. link
TEHRAN: Iran said it won’t bow to international pressure to meet an end-of-September deadline for holding talks on its nuclear program.
The U.S., China, Russia, France and the U.K., the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, and Germany, met near Frankfurt yesterday to discuss the offer for direct talks with Iran.
“The Iranian nation favors interaction and dialogue but will not surrender to pressure,” state-run TV cited Hassan Qashqavi, the foreign ministry spokesman, as saying.
He was replying to a question on how Iran will respond to the September deadline, TV said.
The U.S. and its European allies suspect Iran is developing atomic weapons. They say they will seek international backing for stiffer sanctions on Iran should the Persian Gulf nation rebuff negotiations aimed at curbing its nuclear ambitions.
Iran’s top negotiator, Saeed Jalili, said today his country will present updated proposals for talks next week, Agence France-Presse reported.
Iran continues to enrich uranium in violation of United Nations sanctions, the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a report last month. The Vienna-based UN nuclear watchdog also said it can’t exclude the possibility that there is a military purpose to Iran’s nuclear program.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the threat of sanctions won’t sway Iran. “No one can impose sanctions on Iran anymore,” he said at a press conference in Tehran today, as quoted by the state-run news agency.
It remains unlikely that Iran is willing to make the necessary compromises on at least limiting its enrichment of uranium, said Cliff Kupchan, a senior analyst at Eurasia Group in New York.
The new Iranian proposal will probably focus on Iran’s role in the international order rather than offering concrete ways to resolve the nuclear dispute, according to Samuel Ciszuk, a Middle East energy analyst for London-based business intelligence company IHS Global Insight.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said July 27 that the U.S. will seek support for “a much tougher position” should Iran reject the deadline. Any new sanctions wouldn’t be incremental, he said on a visit to the Jordanian capital, Amman. LINK
GAZA CITY: Israeli warplanes struck the Gaza Strip early on Friday near the southern city of Khan Yunis, Palestinian and Israeli officials said.
The air strike targeted a tunnel under Israel's security barrier that was to be used to infiltrate Palestinian militants, an Israeli military spokeswoman said.
Palestinian security officials confirmed the air strike, adding that no one was injured.
Five mortar rounds were fired from the Gaza Strip at Israel on Thursday without causing damage or casualties, according to the Israeli military.
Two exploded inside Israeli territory, a third landed near the Karni crossing point into the Palestinian enclave and the other two hit near the border fence on the Palestinian side, a military spokesman said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned on several occasions that the Israeli army would respond to each rocket or shell fired into Israel.
According to the army more than 200 rockets and shells have been fired from Gaza since Israel's 22-day offensive against the Hamas rulers of the territory in December and January.
Operation "Cast Lead", which led to more than 1,400 Palestinian deaths including hundreds of civilians and which devastated swathes of the coastal strip, was officially aimed at ending the firing of rockets from Gaza. LINK
SEOUL: South Korea Friday pledged a stern response to North Korean "threats and provocations," after the communist state said it was in the final stages of an enriched uranium nuclear weapons programme.
"We find it very regrettable that the North's attitude goes against the UN resolutions," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
In a letter to the Security Council, the North said earlier Friday that an experiment to enrich uranium,a second route to a nuclear bomb, has entered its final phase.
It also said it was building more atomic bombs from spent reactor fuel rods."This is intolerable," the ministry said. "The government will take a stern and consistent response to North Korea's threats and provocations."
Spokesman Moon Tae-Young said South Koreans will have "in-depth" talks with US special envoy on North Korea Steven Bosworth, who arrives here later Friday from Beijing. LINK
LONDON: Leader of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and former Chief Minister Sindh Syed Ghous Ali Shah said 1992 military operations was not against MQM but against criminal elements which was exceeded from the limits.
In a press conference here, Ghous Ali Shah said there are such elements in Pakistan, which want to see democratic process derailed. A dictator in army uniform contested presidential election in Pakistan while no Pakistani court prohibited him from so doing.
He said if we paid leniency to him who disrespected the constitution of Pakistan so democracy will always remain safe and sound.
Replying to question about Kargiln he said the then COAS kept Nawaz Sharif in dark about the Kargil issue.
He said Nawaz Sharif was not a part of the deal under which Musharraf left the presidency. Sharif never became a part of any deal.
Former Chief Minister Sindh said Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto worked with a dictator but when realize it was not in the interest of the country, he formed a separate party. He said Peoples Party blamed for the murder of Altaf Hussain’s brother and nephew but today both parties are sitting together.
LINK
WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that the war is worth fighting and signaled for the first time he may be willing to send more troops after months of publicly resisting a significant increase.
Gates urged patience amid polls showing rising disenchantment among the public with the war effort, saying the American military presence in Afghanistan was necessary to derail terrorists.
At a Pentagon news conference, Gates said efforts by President Barack Obama _ including ordering an additional 21,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan this spring _ are ``only now beginning'' to take effect and should be given a chance to succeed.
``I don't believe that the war is slipping through the administration's fingers,'' Gates said. Later, he added: ``I absolutely do not think it is time to get out of Afghanistan.'' At the same time, there is a ``limited time for us to show that this approach is working,'' Gates said. LINK
LOS ANGELES: Michael Jackson's family arrived at a suburban Los Angeles cemetery as the start of a funeral service for the "King of Pop" was delayed by more than one hour.
A motorcade of some 31 vehicles swept into the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale just after 8:00 pm (0300 GMT) local time for the service, which is being attended by around 200 close friends and family. Six black Rolls Royce limousines headed the convoy of mourners followed by several luxury sports utility vehicles.
Television footage showed Jackson's three children -- Prince Michael 12, Paris, 11, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II, otherwise known as "Blanket", arriving for the outdoor service as a piano played in the background. The singer's parents Katherine and Joe Jackson were seated near the children in the front row as other members of the musical clan filed in.
Other guests who had arrived earlier included Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor and actor Macaulay Culkin.
Jackson, who died aged 50 on June 25, will be laid to rest in an ornate mausoleum at the cemetery, where Hollywood icons such as Humphrey Bogart, James Stewart, Spencer Tracy and Walt Disney are buried. LINK
KARACHI: A close aide of former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf said Saudi Arabia expressed concern about the current situation in Pakistan during a meeting with Musharraf.
Talking to Geo News, former chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Dr Naseem Ashraf termed the former president’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia successful, quoted Musharraf as saying that Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz was concerned about the current situation in Pakistan.
Dr. Nasim said Pervez Musharraf would visit US in the third week of September where he will deliver 15 lectures in different universities and think tanks and later will reach Pakistan. Asharaf, a close friend of Musharraf, also talked him on telephone.LINK
SIBBI: A local court has dismissed the petition seeking lodging of Nawab Akbar Bugti murder’s FIR against former president Pervez Musharraf.
The petitioner Jamil Akbar Bugti, a son of Akbar Bugti, had filed a petition in the Sibbi District and Sessions Court against the assassination of his father, seeking the court’s direction for the registration of a case against former president Pervez Musharraf, ex-premier Shaukat Aziz and other senior officials.
In September 2 hearing, IG Police Balochistan Javed Bokhari, DSP Abdul Hameed and SHO Dera Bugti Mohammad Qasim informed the court that Tarani area where Akber Bugti and his associates were killed is not part of Dera Bugti and instead of it, it is an area located in district Kohlu. The court had been reserved the verdict.
According to written verdict given by session Judge Jan Muhammad Gohar, the incident took place in Taratani area of district Kohlu, therefore, petitioners should contact with respective police station and Session Court Kohlu.
In his remarks, Session Judge Jan Muhammad said Dera Bugti and Sibbi courts have not authority to hear the filed case, therefore, the petition has been dismissed. Strict security measures were taken at this occasion. LINK
KABUL: An Afghan official says a NATO airstrike on two fuel tankers hijacked by Taliban militants in northern Afghanistan has killed 90 people, including 40 civilians.
Police Chief Gulam Mohyuddin says militants seized the two trucks around midnight near the village of Omar Khel in Kunduz province. He says the alliance launched an airstrike when Taliban fighters stopped the trucks at a river crossing.
One police official estimated that 90 people were killed, and that 40 were civilians. He spoke on condition of anonymity becauseof sensitivity over the issue of civilian deaths in the Afghan conflict.
Kunduz Governor Mohammad Omar also said that 90 people were dead but did not give a breakdown. NATO confirmed that there was an airstrike in Kunduz overnight but gave no details. LINK
JERUSALEM: Israel's plan to build hundreds of new settlement homes in the West Bank before weighing a freeze is "absolutely unacceptable," Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told foreign news agency on Friday. LINK
NEW DELHI: Indian Trade Minister Anand Sharma said Friday that WTO members had made a "breakthrough" during talks here and had agreed to resume negotiations on a global free-trade pact later this month.
"There has been a breakthrough in negotiations. The impasse in resuming negotiations has been broken," he told reporters.
"The chief negotiators and senior officials will meet on September 14 in Geneva to restart the entire process. LINK
GENEVA: The world is speeding towards a climate catastrophe, UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned on Thursday, urging rapid progress in talks to cut emissions and tackle global warming.
"Our foot is stuck on the accelerator and we are heading towards an abyss," the UN secretary general said in a speech to the World Climate Conference.
Ban, who this week visited the Arctic to witness first hand the changes wrought by global warming, warned that many of the "more distant scenarios" predicted by scientists were "happening now."
"Scientists have been accused for years of scaremongering. But the real scaremongers are those who say we cannot afford climate action -- that it will hold back economic growth," he said. "They are wrong. Climate change could spell widespread disaster," Ban warned.
The UN leader pinned his hopes of a breakthrough on a summit of world leaders in New York on September 22 to discuss climate change. LINK
PESHAWAR: The gold price in Peshawar reached Rs31,000 per tola, Geo News reported Friday.
According to Sarrafa Association, this is the record increase in the price of yellow metal, as its tola price was Rs30,680 last week, which soared up to Rs31,000 marking an increase of Rs320.
According to the Association, the gold prices are expected to rise further. LINK
PESHAWAR: The district administration of the city will start bearing down on the traders involved in hoarding sugar and those who are not selling the commodity at Rs47/kg, Geo News reported Friday.
District Coordination Officer (DCO) Peshawar Sahibzada Muhammed Anis told Geo News that the wholesale market of the city is being provided at least ten trucks of sugar daily, adding every truck has 250 sacks of sugar.
Anis said sugar price has been fixed at Rs47/kg; and crackdown will be launched on those who violate the order of selling sugar at this price and those who stash the commodity for profiteering. LINK
GUJARAT: An Indian High Court has lifted the state government's ban on expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh's book 'Jinnah-India, Partition, Independence' on Friday.
A full-bench of Gujarat High Court comprising Chief Justice KS Radhakrishnan, Justice Akil Kureshi and Justice KM Thaker on Tuesday refused to grant more time to the state government to come out with a new notification to continue its prohibition on the publication and circulation of Singh's controversial book.
This denial for granting extra time for new notification came when the government sought permission to place a new notification in court.
After the notification banning the book was issued on August 19, two activists - Manishi Jani and Prakash Shah - raised objection against it by filing a petition in the High Court claiming that the ban order was issued by the government without perusing the book and without any knowledge of what Singh has to say about Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's role.
The petitioners also questioned the government's arguments that the book could provoke communal riot. LINK
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari extended the tenure of the present Nazims of the local Bodies governments till December 31 of this year, Geo News reported Friday.
Talking to media at a meeting here, Attorney General of Pakistan Latif Khosa told that President extended the term of the present LB governments so that a consensus could be approached among the allies of the government on the issue.
Responding a question regarding 17th amendment, he said this amendment at the moment cannot be done away with, as it will subsequently affect the seats of national and provincial assemblies.
However, he hoped that committee constituted to review the constitutional amendments will recommend the abolishment of the conflicting Articles in the constitution including 17th amendment. LINK
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is concerned on reports that India is again preparing for a new nuclear test, Geo News reported Thursday.
In his weekly news briefing, Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit said the recent US statements on nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer and nuclear proliferation are quite baseless, adding Pakistan like any other responsible country is full-fledged alive to its responsibility.
The spokesman said there are reports that India has a new nuclear test in the works, adding these reports are rather embarrassing to Pakistan; Pakistan is however steadfast on its policy of maintaining minimum defence deterrence and does not want arms race in the region.
Responding a query regarding Mumbai investigations, the spokesman said Pakistan is serious to take those responsible to the book; while, the dossier recently delivered to Pakistan by India is same as the previous one.
Spokesman said Pakistan is opposed to the thorough physical search of Dr Afia before presenting her to the court, adding if such search is conducted, Pakistan will not condone it. LINK
ISLAMABAD: A strike has been observed in a local college and students and teachers of college staged protest demonstration outside the college against PML-N MNA Anjum Aqeel.
Federal education minister took the serious notice of the incident and called urgent report. The principal, teachers and students of FG College in sector F-10/4 boycotted the educational activities, staged protest demonstration and chanted slogans against local MNA.
The protestors having a view that member National Assembly Anjum Aqeel Khan on Wednesday reached college with his armed aides and created rumpus in the college to get admitted one of his relative and misbehaved with the teachers. The incident has been reported in the police.
Protesting teachers and students announced that they would also boycott the educational activities tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Federal Education Minister took the serious notice of the incident and called urgent report. He also expressed displeasure over director colleges for not reporting the incident immediately. LINK
SINGAPORE: Oil prices rose toward $69 a barrel Thursday in Asia as mixed U.S. crude inventory data shed little light on demand.
Benchmark crude for October delivery was up 64 cents at $68.69 a barrel at late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract Wednesday settled unchanged at $68.05.
The U.S. Energy Department's Energy Information Administration on Wednesday said crude inventories fell 372,000 barrels last week, while analysts had expected a drop of 1.9 million barrels, according to a survey by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos.
However, gasoline inventories fell by 3 million barrels, a steeper decline than analysts had expected.
``There's a mix of good news and bad news,'' said Clarence Chu, a trader with market maker Hudson Capital Energy in Singapore. ``That's why the market will likely trade in a range of $65 to $75this month.''
Trading volume in Asia was light Thursday ahead of the Labor Day holiday weekend in the U.S., Chu said.
The growth of Chinese crude consumption will likely help push prices higher over the next year, a Morgan Stanley report said.
Chinese oil consumption has risen to 43 percent of U.S. demand, up from 16 percent in 2000, while by 2024, China will likely be the world's largest oil market, the report said.
Morgan Stanley expects oil to average $85 a barrel in 2010.
In other Nymex trading, gasoline for October delivery rose 0.74cent to $1.82 a gallon and heating oil gained 0.99 cent to $1.76 a gallon. Natural gas was steady at $2.72 per 1,000 cubic feet.
In London, Brent crude was up 45 cents at $68.11. LINK
TEHRAN: A defiant President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday said Iran was ready for more sanctions after global powers pressed the Islamic republic to accept an offer of face-to-face nuclear talks before a key UN meeting in late September.
"No one can impose sanctions on Iran anymore. We welcome sanctions. We have given our proposed package," Ahmadinejad told reporters after a speech in parliament urging MPs to endorse his 21-member cabinet line-up.
Senior diplomats from the six world powers, known as P5+1, and the EU, met in Frankfurt on Wednesday urging Iran to accept their offer of direct talks.
Earlier, foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said Iran will not bow to "threat and pressure" in meeting any deadline set by world powers.
"We are a nation which believes in dialogue and interaction, but if they (six world powers) want to set up a deadline using threat and pressure, it is not acceptable," Ghashghavi was quoted on Thursday as saying by a local news agency.
Iran insists its nuclear work is peaceful but Western countries suspect that Tehran wants atomic weapons. The UN Security Council has slapped three rounds of sanctions on the country, and pressure is growing for more.
A day ahead of the gathering in Germany, Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili was quoted as saying that Tehran had updated its own package of proposals and was ready for fresh talks with world powers.
But the White House and EU maintain they had no official notification from Iran on any new proposals. LINK
ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved 20 projects worth Rs259 billion in a meeting held Thursday with federal finance minister Shaukat Tarin in chair.
The meeting approved Rs128 billion for the restoration of the Circular Railway. Also, the projects for dams worth Rs16.92 have been approved in the meeting.
The meeting is mulled over 20 development projects worth Rs 259 billion for approval. Projects include the development of water reservoirs, infrastructure and social sector.
The members at the outset of the ECNEC meeting prayed for early recovery of Federal Religious Minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi who was hurt in murder attempt outside his office yesterday.LINK
MELBOURNE: Australia's trade deficit blew out to a 14-month high in July as imports spiked four percent and exporters struggled amid the global recession, official data showed Thursday.
The deficit increased more than one billion dollars to 1.56 billion dollars (1.25 billion US), the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said, almost double economists' forecasts and the worst trade performance since May 2008.
Imports rose 736 million to 21.6 billion dollars, led by a 21 percent increase in fuel and lubricants.
Exports dipped 283 million dollars or one percent to 20.04 billion, with non-monetary gold down 27 percent.
Australia's trade department said the figures showed the global economy continued to weigh on the domestic economy, despite a better-than-expected 0.6 surge in growth over the three months to June.
"Australian exporters continue to face extremely challenging conditions despite some encouraging signs that the world economy is stabilising," it said in a statement.
"Eight of Australia's top ten trading partners have contracted over the last year."
Nomura Australia chief economist Stephen Roberts said the deteriorating trade balance was likely to limit growth in the three months to September.
"Over the next few quarters net exports are likely to detract from GDP growth, with the possibility of a substantial detraction to third quarter (economic) growth," he said. LINK
LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has withdrawn the case against the ICC on shifting the World Cup 2011 secretariat from Lahore.
PCB lawyer Tafazzul Rizvi said that the PCB withdrew the case as an agreement was made with the ICC.
He said that this impression is not right that if the PCB did not file the case against the ICC then it would get the same compensation money which it is getting now.
LINK
ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Qamaruz Zaman Kaira said 10 out of 16 projects of small dams have been approved in The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting held today.
Addressing a meeting, he said for these dams, at least Rs 2.5 billion have been apportioned in the current year, of them Rs800 million will be spent in Balochisitan, Rs700 million in NWFP, Rs500 million have been set aside to be spent in Sindh and the same amount will be spent in Punjab.
At least Rs57 billion would be spent on the construction of these dams.
Kaira said he congratulates the residents of Karachi on approval for the restoration of Circular Railways in the city. The project is worth Rs128.60 billion.
75 new coaches are being brought for the uplift of Railways, he said. LINK
KARACHI: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani Thursday arrived back in country after a foreign visit.
He will attend a special session of Sindh cabinet in Karachi, he is expected to stay in the city for two days.
The Sindh cabinet special session will review the performance of Sindh government, price control in the holy month of Ramadan, atta scheme, load shedding, law and order and other development projects.
He is expected to give media briefing over his visit to Libya and other affairs. LINK
KARACHI: Fresh hike in the prices of POL products has added fuel to the already blazing fire of inflation in the holy month of Ramazan, whereas all government measures for controlling this genie seem to fall flat.
Also this year – like every year – before the beginning of the holy month of Ramazan, prices of edible items were raised furthering the problems of the poor.
From August 1st to August 29th, the price of Daal Masor soared up from Rs118/kg to Rs128/kg; Daal Mash from Rs97/kg to Rs120/kg; gram flour (besan) from Rs50/kg to Rs60/kg; Daal Moong from Rs56/kg to Rs62/kg; spinach from Rs15 to Rs25; Golden Apple from Rs65/kg to Rs100/kg and grapes from Rs80/kg to Rs120/kg.
Even though Rs47/kg is the retail price of sugar that has been fixed by the government, the commodity is still being sold for Rs50/kg.
On the other hand, there are only a few fortunate who are able to get the “gift” of flour for Rs10/kg – the subsidized rate set by the government of Sindh. The masses complain, only the very policemen are seen purchasing the commodity, who have been deployed for its safe delivery to the public.
In spite of all the government measures, adopted to control the inflation, common man is unable to buy such items on a shoestring. LINK
SWAT: The security forces presented two young militants arrested from Swat, Geo News reported Thursday.
The extremists said they were trained by the extremists and several people were killed in front of them.
The security forces presented militants Nisar, 18 and Abid, 16 at Swat Circuit House, where Nisar revealed he was arrested from Jambal mountains, adding four people were killed in front of his very eyes.
Their commander was Mardan hailing from Barikot, Nisar said adding they were told that FM Radio Incharge and Vice chief of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Shah-e-Doran has been killed.
Abid said was studying in Kokari and his commander was Khoog Badshah, adding he was trained in Matta and Golarai and four people were killed in front of his eyes.
It should be mentioned that over 150 extremists, arrested from Swat, have been presented in front of the media till now.
Three extremists have been killed in clash between local lashkar and extremists in Tehsil Kalba area of Galoch. Also, an important extremist leader has been apprehended in Qambar area of Mingora.
The forces have announced to relax the curfew 6am to 8pm in the entire district. LINK
LOS ANGELES: Family and friends of Michael Jackson will bid a final farewell to the King of Pop Thursday as the singer is laid to rest in a private ceremony at a star-studded Los Angeles cemetery.
More than two months after Jackson's sudden death from a drug overdose on June 25, mourners will gather for a sunset service in a mausoleum at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, a cemetery that is home to a galaxy of celebrity graves.
The service will be in stark contrast to the lavish public memorial held at Los Angeles's Staples Center in July, which was attended by 20,000 fans and beamed live around the world to an estimated audience of 1 billion.
Police in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale on Wednesday urged Jackson devotees to stay away from the funeral, warning that the neighborhood surrounding the cemetery's entrance would be on lockdown.
"A special request would be to encourage fans to stay at home," a statement said. "The closure of the streets for the day will not afford anyone the opportunity to get anywhere near the gates."
Police helicopters and search dogs would patrol the 300-acre (120-hectare) cemetery, on the lookout for any fans trying to sneak into the service, which is due to take place at 7:00 pm (0200 GMT Friday).
Jackson will be laid to rest in a gold-plated coffin at Forest Lawn's Great Mausoleum, an elaborate neo-classical building inspired by Genoa's famous Campo Santo.
Forest Lawn, which opened in 1906, is also home to replicas of some of Michelangelo's greatest works, including "David," "La Pieta" and "Moses." The cemetery also boasts a recreation of Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper" in stained glass.
Jackson's casket will be placed in a private section of the crypt that is also the final resting place of famous names from Hollywood's golden age such as Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and Carole Lombard.
Other entertainment icons buried at Forest Lawn include Humphrey Bogart, Lon Chaney, Nat King Cole, Walt Disney, Errol Flynn and Jimmy Stewart.
Although open to the public, the funeral home is renowned for its strict privacy, and unlike many other Hollywood cemeteries, does not provide maps.
"The Great Mausoleum where he is going is like the Holy Grail of grave hunters," Scott Michaels, who runs a sightseeing tour specializing in the macabre side of Hollywood, told The Los Angeles Times.
"There are cameras all throughout it, and if you are just wandering about, they will find you and kick you out."
One of Jackson's brothers, Marlon, meanwhile revealed in an interview with a British newspaper that the singer's children -- Prince Michael, 12, 11-year-old Paris and Prince Michael II, 7 -- would leave notes in their father's coffin.
Messages reading "Daddy we love you, we miss you," would be placed in the casket alongside the pop icon's trademark single white glove, Marlon said.
On Wednesday, Los Angeles judge supported a request from Jackson's mother, Katherine, that the cost of the service should be paid for by her son's estate.
A lawyer for the two entertainment industry figures who control Jackson's fortune said the costs of the service would be steep.
"The expenses will be extraordinary, but Michael Jackson was extraordinary," Jeryll Cohen said, without specifying the anticipated bill.
Los Angeles coroners said last week that Jackson's death was being treated as homicide and revealed the star had six drugs in his body when he died, including propofol, a powerful anesthetic.
Propofol is used to induce unconsciousness in patients undergoing major surgery in hospital. Medical professionals say it should never be used by private individuals at home.
The coroner's announcement fueled speculation that authorities may charge Jackson's personal physician, Conrad Murray, in connection with the death. Cardiologist Murray was the last person to see Jackson alive.
Jackson, one of the most influential figures in pop music history whose four-decade career included the highest-selling album of all-time -- "Thriller" -- had been preparing for a July concert comeback at the time of his death. LINK
NEW YORK: The remarkable comeback of Kim Clijsters gathered pace at the US Open on Wednesday, underlining her growing threat to the domination of the Williams sisters.
The 26-year-old Belgian defeated 14th seed Marion Bartoli of France 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 to reach the third round.
In just her third tournament back after a two year "retirement" during which she got married and had a baby daughter, 26-year-old Clijsters started slowly but moved up through the gears to stun the former world top tenner.
She will next play another Belgian, Kirsten Flipkens, for a place in the last 16, where she could run into Venus Williams, who is struggling with a knee injury.
The 29-year-old American, who won back-to-back titles here in 2000 and 2001, wore a heavy white strapping to support her left knee in her tie against compatriot Bethanie Mattek-Sands, but she was rarely stretched and won 6-4, 6-4.
Younger sibling Serena, who is in the same half of the draw, later produced an awesome display of power hitting to demolish Hungary's Melina Czink 6-1, 6-1 and reinforce her position as the tournament's outstanding favourite.
Williams apart, other leading seeds to make it through from the second round were eighth-ranked Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, who coasted past Barbora Zahlavova Strykova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-1, and seventh-seeded Russian Vera Zvonareva, who hit back to defeat compatriot Anna Chakvetadze 3-6, 6-1, 6-1.
In-form Italian Flavia Panetta, the 10th seed, recorded the first whitewash of the tournament, defeating India's Sania Mirza 6-0, 6-0, but China's top player Li Na kept Asian hopes alive with a 6-1, 6-3 win over tempestuous teen Michelle Larcher de Brito of Portugal.
In other games, French veteran Amelie Mauresmo lost 6-4, 6-0 to Aleksandra Wozniak and said she would consider her future in the game at the end of the year, while Maria Kirilenko of Russia upset Polish 12th seed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
Bartoli was in command early on against Clijsters as both players struggled to hold their serves and she took the first set when Clijsters overcooked a forehand drive and then played a poor drop shot from 30-all on the French player's serve at 6-5 up.
But the Belgian, who won her only Grand Slam title here in 2005, varied her shot-making at the start of the second and Bartoli quickly unravelled as she was knocked out of her comfort zone.
The deciding set was all Clijsters with Bartoli looking increasingly tired and frustrated.
Venus Williams, who came within three points of a shock first-round loss to Vera Dushevina of Russia, said she was trying to play through the pain of her injured knee.
Williams will next play Slovakian suprise Magdalena Rybarikova with a likely fourth round matchup with Clijsters looming at the weekend should they both win.
Sister Serena, the defending champion and second seed who is seeking a fourth US Open title and a 12th Grand Slam title overall, took just 53 minutes to dismantle the unfortnate Czink in what was the first time a women's match had concluded the night-time session on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court. LINK
WASHINGTON: Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA) has strongly condemned murder of Dr. Sajjad Arain in Hyderabad who was killed while on his way to attained duty at Civil Hospital Hyderabad.
A similar incident had also occurred a couple of days earlier in Quetta when Dr. Iqbal Zaidi was killed by unidentified miscreants.
Syed Samad, president of APPNA said, in a statement issued here that it was unfortunate that the law enforcement agencies in Pakistan have constantly ignored the plight of doctors, resulting in unfortunate loss of physicians lives. By now this easy phenomena of killing the doctors has become a routine and a threat to the right to lives of those who are providing souls to humanity irrespective of sex, color, religion or beliefs, he added.
Dr. Samad said that APPNA joins PMA in demanding immediate arrest of culprits as the doctors appear to be victimized due to carelessness of the government. LINK
ISLAMABAD: Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Thursday approved 20 projects worth Rs 260 billion including Karachi Circular Railway System to provide modern transport services to the people, said Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira.
Briefing the media persons about the decisions taken by the ECNEC meeting chaired by Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen here, he said the project like Karachi Circular Railway would be expanded to the other major cities of the country.
The Minister said the meeting also decided to conduct third party evaluation of the project costing Rs 128.60 billion with the sole objective to ensure transparency and saving of cost.
Qamar Zaman Kaira made it clear the third party evaluation would not affect the overall cost as well as execution of the project.
The Minister said the other main project approved was to allow Pakistan Railways to purchase 202 Rail coaches to make the organization more viable and profit-making entity.
The Minister said Pakistan Railways was in dire need of such coaches and the ECNEC has accorded the approval for the Rs 15.9 billion project in view of the reforms being introduced in the organisation.
Similarly, he said, 16 other water related projects were approved including 10 small dams projects to ensure water storage and make Pakistan self-sufficient in food area.
These all projects would cost Rs 57 billion, the Minister said adding that in the current financial year the government has allocated an amount of Rs 2.5 billion for the purpose.
He said the amount earmarked for the small dams in four provinces included for Balochistan Rs 800 million,NWFP 700 million,Sindh Rs 500 m,and Punjab Rs 500 million.
“We will try our best to complete small dams projects to ensure autarky and more such dams would also be constructed in other feasible areas”, Kaira said while replying to a question. link
ISLAMABAD: Federal Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin said implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT) is important to increase the revenues and said customs check posts will be establish to curb the smuggling.
Addressing a tax conference organized by FBR, Tarin said Pakistan’s economy couldn’t afford further tax relief whereas implementation of VAT could raise the tax ratio from 6 to 8 percent in national income.
Talking to media, finance minister said VAT could increase revenues up to Rs.600 billion. He said tax relief on medicines and other items should be reviewed and added that corrupt tax officers will be treated strictly. LINK
ISLAMABAD: Federal Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin said implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT) is important to increase the revenues and said customs check posts will be establish to curb the smuggling.
Addressing a tax conference organized by FBR, Tarin said Pakistan’s economy couldn’t afford further tax relief whereas implementation of VAT could raise the tax ratio from 6 to 8 percent in national income.
Talking to media, finance minister said VAT could increase revenues up to Rs.600 billion. He said tax relief on medicines and other items should be reviewed and added that corrupt tax officers will be treated strictly. LINK
BARA: Security forces operation against militants continued in tehsil Bara of Khyber Agency and several hideouts of militants were destroyed during the action.
According to sources, today is the third day of operation against militants as the area remained under curfew.
At least 50 militants were killed and more then 60 arrested so far during operation. Reports said large number of weapons and drugs were also recovered from militants’ hideouts.
Political agent of Khyber Agency Tariq Hyat said operation in tehsil Bara will continue till elimination of militants and curfew will be relaxed after complete clearance of the area.
LINK
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's king and government leaders gave a grand welcome Thursday to the country's first submarine, purchased from European shipbuilders to boost the country's naval strength.
The Scorpene submarine, named KD Tunku Abdul Rahman after Malaysia's first prime minister, arrived at a naval base on peninsular Malaysia's west coast after a 54-day voyage from France.
King Mizan Zainal Abidin, Prime Minister Najib Razak and other dignitaries watched the submarine surface at the harbor in a nationally televised ceremony.
Malaysia ordered two diesel-electric Scorpene attack submarines at a cost of 3.4 billion ringgit ($900 million) in 2002. The submarines were built by DCNS of France and Navantia of Spain.
The submarines caused political controversy after opposition leaders claimed that middlemen with close ties to government officials were paid hefty commissions. Najib has denied there was any corruption.
The second submarine is to be delivered to Malaysia next year. Both will be armed with torpedoes and anti-ship missiles.
Malaysia has said the submarines will safeguard its maritime interests and help ensure safety in Southeast Asian waters and are not meant to threaten any other country. link
NOWSHERA: Police and law enforcement agencies arrested two suspected militants in Azakhel area and shifted them to interrogation center.
DSP headquarters Akhter Ali told Geo News that arrested militants identified as Arshad and Shamsul Wahab, both belonged to Gatpeochar area of Swat. He said one of the arrested militant was also nabbed few days back in Swat but managed to flee. Both were shifted to interrogation center for investigations, he added.
link
HYDERABAD: The Chief Minister of Indian state of Andhra Pradesh YS Rajshekhara Reddy and others on board the ill fated helicopter have been found dead at the crash site.
As per reports, five bodies have been found at the crash site located on the Srisailam hill eight kilometers from Rudrakonda at a distance of 70 km east of Kurnool town.
The government is waiting for the post-mortem report before making the grim news official.
The others who died along with YSR are his Principal Secretary Subramanyam, Chief Security Officer A S C Wesley and the Pilot and Co-Pilot Group Captain S K Bhatia and Capt M S Reddy remains uncertain.
Meanwhile in Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has convened an emergency meeting with Home Minister P Chidambaram and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee over the issue.
The 11-year-old Bell 430 helicopter had lost radio contact one hour after it took off the from the old Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad at 0835 hrs yesterday.
link
WASHINGTON: Democratic lion Edward Kennedy was Saturday reunited with his slain brothers laid to rest in a Virginia
cemetery as a lone bugle player brought the curtain down on a political dynasty.
Surrounded by his tight-knit family which has dominated US politics for half a century, Kennedy's body was brought to Arlington National Cemetery, to rest on a hillside overlooking the nation's capital.
The late senator was being buried 100 feet (30 meters) from the grave of his brother, Robert Kennedy, assassinated in 1968, and close to the eternal flame marking the last resting place of president John F. Kennedy, shot dead in 1963.
Three days of high emotion drew to a close as the nation bid a final farewell to the man who had the Kennedy mantle thrust on him and who spent 47 years tirelessly working in the US senate to improve the lives of others.
At a Catholic mass earlier in the Kennedy fiefdom of Boston, President Barack Obama, who won key support from the Kennedy's in his race for the White House, eulogized him as "the lion of the Senate."
Obama, three former presidents and the nation's elite gathered at Boston's Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help to say farewell to the Kennedy family patriarch, who on Tuesday lost his fight with brain cancer. He was 77.
Obama hailed Kennedy as a "champion for those who had none, the soul of the Democratic Party, and the lion of the US Senate."
Kennedy had triumphed over "more pain and tragedy than most of us will ever know," the president said.
After the mass, Kennedy's flag-draped coffin was flown to Washington on the last leg of his final journey which had begun Thursday when it was placed in a hearse outside his Cape Cod home.
Thousands of people again lined the routes Saturday, mirroring scenes seen over the past three days in his home of Hyannis Port and then in Boston in an enormous outpouring of grief at Kennedy's death.
Outside the US Capitol the crowds broke into loud applause as the funeral procession halted briefly for the senator's final visit to the imposing white national assembly.
In unprecedented scenes, thousands of other ordinary by-passers had gathered solemnly on the lawns and roadsides nearby to pay their respects.
Outside the Senate which shook for almost five decades with the sound of Kennedy's voice, his widow, Vicki, and other family members stepped out of their cars to greet hundreds of Congress staffers and lawmakers.
The members of the Irish-American clan were earlier moved to tears at the mass when Kennedy's son, Ted Kennedy Jr, gave a moving address about his father's tenderness to him during childhood when he had a leg amputated because of cancer.
"He taught us that even our most profound losses are survivable," Kennedy Jr said.
Recounting how his father helped him climb an icy hill with his new prosthetic leg, Kennedy Jr said: "He taught me that nothing is impossible."LINK
WASHINGTON: The Obama administration has accused Pakistan of illegally modifying U.S.-made missiles to expand its ability to hit land-based targets, which would constitute a threat to India, The New York Times reported in Sunday editions.
Citing senior administration and Congressional officials, the Times said the charge came in late June through an unpublicized diplomatic protest to Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and other top Pakistani officials.
The accusation, made amid growing concerns about Pakistan's increasingly rapid conventional and nuclear weapons development, triggered a new round of U.S.-Pakistani tensions, the report added.
"There's a concerted effort to get these guys to slow down," the newspaper quoted a senior administration official as saying. "Their energies are misdirected," the official added.
A senior Pakistani official called the accusation "incorrect," saying that the missile tested was developed by Pakistan, just as it had modified North Korean designs to build a range of land-based missiles.
U.S. officials said the disputed weapon is a conventional one based on the Harpoon anti-ship missiles that were sold to Pakistan during the Reagan administration as a defensive weapon, the newspaper reported, but Pakistan has upgraded and modified it into surface missile.LINK
NEW YORK: Oil prices spiked Wednesday after the government reported a huge draw of crude oil from U.S. stockpiles.
The report was surprising because the demand for energy has been knocked down so badly by the recession. Crude withdrawn from storage facilities last week wiped out a buildup in supplies over the past two weeks.
Benchmark crude for September delivery jumped $3.23 to settle at$72.42 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. That contract expires Thursday, and most of the trading has already shifted to the October contract, which climbed $2.74 to settle at $73.83.
If the October contract ends the week at that price, it would seta new high for 2009. The Energy Information Administration said crude in storage fell by 8.4 million barrels last week. Gasoline held in storage fell as well.
Investors have been looking for signs that the country would recover its energy appetite as the economy healed. The EIA report, on the surface, would suggest that may have begun.
Last week's drop in crude supplies was the most since Aug. 15, 2008, a month after crude prices peaked above $147 a barrel.
Yet it may be too soon to say that consumers and businesses are using more energy. For one, crude imports over the past four weeks are down 9.5 percent compared with the same period last year.
“They didn't import more because, at the end of the day, we just don’t need it,'' analyst Stephen Schork said. LINK
AMMAN: Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshaal took part in his father's funeral in Amman on Saturday.
Meshaal joined hundreds of citizens and key figures of Islamic Hamas movement at the University of Jordan's Mosque in performing prayer for his father, who died Friday at the age of 91.
The Hamas leader arrived in Jordan earlier Saturday from Syria along with several Hamas members after King Abdullah II of Jordan instructed the government Friday to allow his entry.
Official sources in Jordan said allowing Hamas leader to enter the kingdom was purely for humanitarian reasons and there are no political reasons behind.
This is the first time for Meshaal to be allowed back into Jordan since Jordan expelled the Hamas leader and later shut down offices of the Islamic movement in Jordan in 1999.
Relations between Hamas and Jordan soured further in 2006 after Amman alleged that members of the group smuggled missiles and other weapons into the kingdom.LINK
KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Saturday inched closer to the prospect of outright victory in elections marred by allegations of massive fraud and international concerns about their credibility.
Officials have now announced results from 35 percent of polling stations in the second ever direct presidential vote in a country dogged by a Taliban insurgency, eight years after the US-led invasion.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on a lightning visit to the troubled south, pledged to speed up training Afghan security forces in order to battle the insurgency and eventually draw down international troops.
As Brown visited Helmand province, an explosion killed a British soldier who was on foot patrol in the province, raising to 208 the number of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan since the 2001 invasion, British officials said.
Out of 2.03 million valid votes counted, Karzai won 940,558 and former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah 638,924, Daud Ali Najafi, chief electoral officer at the Independent Election Commission (IEC), told a news conference.
The figures gave Karzai 46.3 percent of votes announced and Abdullah 31.4 percent, widening the incumbent's previous lead of around nine percent and apparently increasing his prospects of avoiding a second round.
The results are being released in stages in a process that the IEC has said will lead up to the announcement of preliminary results on September 3, and the final tally on September 17.
The next tranche is due to be released on Monday, the commission said. The time it is taking to release results has seen claims of fraud escalate. LINK
BAGHDAD: The Iranian foreign minister on Saturday called for Iraq's neighbours to hold a meeting to discuss Iraqi security after Baghdad accused Syria of harbouring the planners of two massive bomb attacks.
Separately, Turkey's foreign minister is to visit Iraq and Syria on Monday to try to soothe relations between the two.
Since 2003, tensions -- prone to flare-ups since around the time Saddam came to power in 1979 -- have centred on charges from Iraq's U.S.-backed government that Syria, estranged from Washington, has allowed insurgents to stream into Iraq.
Iraqi politicians have also lashed out at Saudi Arabia for inciting Sunni Islamist insurgents, a charge the kingdom denies. And while Baghdad's relations with Tehran are cordial, the U.S. military complains that Iran arms and trains Shi'ite militia.
Meanwhile, Iraq's relations with Kuwait to the south are strained as Baghdad chafes at Kuwait's insistence it continue to pay billions of dollars in reparations for former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's 1990 invasion.
Relations with western neighbour Jordan have been on the mend, and ties with Turkey have taken a noticeable turn for the better in the past year.
"We hope to get the cooperation and approval of all neighbouring countries for this meeting," Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters through a translator during a visit to Iraq.
There have been several regional meetings on the conflict in Iraq since the U.S.-led ouster of Saddam in 2003, but Iraq's ties with its neighbours are fragile.
Iraqi officials frequently blame neighbouring countries for the violence that continues to rock the country more than six years after the U.S.-led invasion.
"Maintaining security and stability in Iraq, or losing it, has a direct impact on all of Iraq's neighbouring countries," Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said in a statement.
While sectarian slaughter between majority Shi'ites and once dominant Sunnis in Iraq has subsided, bombings attributed to Sunni Islamist groups such as al Qaeda continue as U.S. forces begin to gradually withdraw ahead of an end-2011 deadline.
Many in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam which follows a strict brand of the Sunni faith called Wahhabism, see Persian Iran, a Shi'ite Muslim country, as their arch enemy.
Clerics of Saudi Arabia's official hardline school of Islam view Shi'ites as heretics and the government fears Iraq is becoming a satellite of Shi'ite power Iran.
Iraq and Syria recently recalled their ambassadors after Maliki's government denounced Damascus for allegedly harbouring supporters of Saddam's outlawed Baath party, blamed for two truck bombs on Aug. 19 that killed 95 people at two ministries.
Baghdad demanded Syria hand over two suspected masterminds of the bombings, and banish all those that Iraq considers to be members of terrorist groups.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said after meeting his Iranian counterpart that he would continue to push for the United Nations to set up an international court to review Iraq's complaints against Syria.
"This will not be done overnight. But we believe there is a possibility of achieving it," Zebari said. LINK
KARACHI: Karachi is expected to receive the torrential spell of rain in next 24 hours, forecasted metrological office on Saturday.
Met office officials told Geo news low pressure of monsoon winds is hovering over India’s Madhiya Pardesh close to Sindh province and is nearing towards West in Pakistan.
They said the heavy showers have been predicted in Southwestern parts of Sindh including provincial capital metropolis city in next 24 hours.LINK
ISLAMABAD: Former federal minister and ex chief of Intelligence Bureau (IB) Humayun Akhtar Khan Saturday said Brig. (Retd.) Imtiaz Ahmed is issuing controversial statements only to attract world attention.
“Brig. Imtiaz is the man who encouraged my father to board the C-130 which later met an accident,” Humayun Akhtar maintained.
Humayun said Brigadier retired Imtiaz has opened new Pandora Box which has met strong opposition from political leaders.
He said to him the credibility of Brig. (Retd.) Imtiaz Ahmed is no better than nil. “I ask Brig. (Retd.) Imtiaz to explain what led him to play a role in my father’s killing.”
Dismissing the allegations leveled from Brigadier rtd. Imtiaz as baseless Akhtar said he would not bribe politicians outside country.
I want answer to my father’s murder, he said.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Rasheed, the chief Awami Muslim League (AML) termed Brigadier Imtiaz statement that he would bribe him as fake and concocted and added that Imtiaz would create misunderstandings in between me and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif.
To a question, PML-Q leader Mushahid Hussain Syed said Jiay Sindh Movement (JSM) was to do nothing with MRD so Imtiaz’s allegations that Indian intelligence agency RAW tried to make contacts with MRD through JSM are nothing but full of fabrication.
Meanwhile, the acting president of MRD has also dismissed Brigadier Imtiaz’s blames, saying that he has no links with JSM. LINK
"Around 90 percent Swat displaced have returned back to their homes. The figure so far stand at 1.6 million out of total 2.3 million IDPs from different areas," said Martin Mogwanja, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Pakistan.
"During past week, average 500 families returned to their homes daily. Earlier, the return rate was faster as 1,400 families use to return their homes every day," Mogwanja said at a news conference.
He said as large number of IDPs have returned to their homes, now only 454 school buildings are under their use out of total 4, 700 school buildings.
"All the rest buildings have been vacated by the IDPs and hopefully will be used for educational purposes with the start of the educational session," he said.
Revealing the findings of the recent mission to Swat area, Mogwanja said, due to scattered attacks by independent groups, still there are some security concerns. Secondly, he said, checkpoints and barricades are causing significant delay in movement of IDPs and relief goods. Thirdly, he said, early recovery activity for provision of basic facilities was urgently required as 600,000 IDPs were on their way to back home.
"They will also be needing basic facilities, infrastructure and livelihood. Four distribution hubs have been set up for providing them food and non-food items," he said.
Adding to Mogwanja, the WHO Country Representative Khalif Bille Mohamud said, 25 health facilities were partially and five were totally damaged during the operation.
The tourists, replying to Sri Lanka's first innings score of 416, lost two quick wickets as they struggled to 51-2 by tea on the second day at the Sinhalese sports club.
Tim McIntosh was given out leg-before to fast bowler Dammika Prasad for five and Daniel Flynn was caught behind off left-arm seamer Thilan Thushara for 13.
Martin Guptill was unbeaten at the break on 29 and Ross Taylor was on two with the tourists needing 166 more to avoid a follow-on.
Samaraweera, who made 159 in the first Test at Galle which Sri Lanka won by 202 runs, hit 143 on way to becoming the second batsman after England captain Andrew Strauss to complete 1,000 runs this year.
The right-hander has so far scored 1,058 runs in eight Tests in 2009 with two double centuries among his four three-figure knocks. Strauss, in comparison, has 1,071 runs from 12 matches.
Samaraweera hit 17 boundaries and celebrated his 11th Test century in 54 matches by smashing the next ball from seamer Iain O'Brien over the square-leg boundary for six.
His batted for six hours and 22 minutes to anchor Sri Lanka's innings before he was ninth out, caught behind by wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum while trying to reverse sweep off-spinner Jeetan Patel.
Sri Lanka, who were comfortably placed at 367-4 before lunch, lost their last six wickets for 49 runs in a dramatic collapse in the afternoon session.
Patel finished with 4-78, including the wickets of Prasad and Rangana Herath off successive deliveries, while skipper Daniel Vettori took 3-104 in 40.3 overs of left-arm spin.
Samaraweera, who turns 33 next month, has endured an extraordinary year in which he hit two successive double-centuries against Pakistan before being laid low by gun shots during a militant attack.
He was hospitalised for two weeks after he suffered a bullet injury in the left thigh when gunmen opened fire on the Sri Lankan team bus in the Pakistani city of Lahore on March 3.
Seven Sri Lankan cricketers and an assistant coach were injured in the attack, while eight Pakistani security men and bystanders were killed.
Samaraweera proved the main stumbling block for New Zealand after Sri Lanka resumed at their overnight score of 262-3.
Former captain Mahela Jayawardene missed a second successive ton against the Kiwis when he edged a ball from O'Brien to McCullum after making 92.
Jayawardene, who hit 114 in the first Test, put on 180 runs for the fourth wicket with Samaraweera after Sri Lanka were struggling at 115-3 before tea on the first day.
Addressing the 12th annual award ceremony of National Highways and Motorway Police here, the Prime Minister said awareness among the masses regarding rules and regulations on the motorway was an important aspect of road safety.
He appreciated the launching of vigorous public awareness campaigns on road safety and traffic laws by the National Highways and Motorway Police.
“These are bearing fruit and we can see their positive effects in the form of mature and civilized behaviour on the roads,” he added.
The Prime Minister said bringing about a change in the behaviour of commuters on motorways is a major achievement of NH&MP.
Referring to the challenge of terrorism, the Prime Minister said it requires proactive approach and support from all segments of the society.
Those associated with law enforcement services have the greatest responsibility in this regard, he said.
The Prime Minister appreciated the initiatives being taken by the National Highways and Motorway Police in countering terrorism.
He said the government treated this menace as the most serious challenge, and would provide all necessary resources to better equip and modernize the National Highways and Motorway Police enabling them to confront the challenge effectively.
The Prime Minister said the government was firmly committed to the principle of merit and for providing a level playing field to everyone.
He said the delivery of services can improve only through a merit-based transparent system.
The Prime Minister appreciated the enforcement of law by NH&MP evenhanded which had earned it better acceptability and greater respect.
Gilani also announced setting up of Commission on cultural transformation of police and approved airfare for the free training courses for NH&MP officials in Germany, as demanded by Minister of State for Communications and Inspector General NH&MP.
He said he would ask the Finance Division to immediately look into disparity of salary between deputational and regular duty officials. On demand for Risk Allowance, the Prime Minister said he would refer the case to Pay and Pension Department to consider it.
Congratulating the officials who were given awards on outstanding performance, the Prime Minister said the tradition of recognizing professional excellence and sense of dedication was commendable.
He appreciated the efforts of Inspector General NH&MP and his team members who have been diligently performing their duties with a spirit to serve and achieve excellence.
Minister of State for Communications Chaudhry Imtiaz Safdar Warraich said NH&MP had brought a positive change in clearing the negative perception about police through their public-friendly attitude and commitment.
He said the force was performing duties diligently and was an example of institution with good governance.
Sharif Ahmed, Secretary Ministry of Communications said while serving with responsibility, the NH&MP had become a symbol of national solidarity.
Waseem Kauser, Inspector General NH&MP said National Highways and Motorway Police takes care of 2,600 kilometre roads and highways and also of the 95 percent of vehicular traffic.
He said certain SAARC countries including Maldives, Bangladesh and Afghanistan had requested NH&MP to train them in traffic management centre.
He said NH&MP was working on the principle of introducing a culture of soft policing.
Earlier, the Prime Minister gave away awards to the patrol officers on their outstanding performance. LINK
HUNGU: The local people took to street in protest against prolonged power crisis and went on rampage in central market here, Geo News reported Thursday.
Police arrested at least 11 demonstrators.
BERLIN: The swine flu (A/H1N1) virus has spread throughout the ranks of the German army units operating within the International Security Assistance Force, Media Circle of the German government announced on Wednesday.
The German Federal army (Bondsver) reduced flights to Afghanistan in fear of the spread of the A/H1N1 virus in the German army in the northern Afghan areas.
UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Rights James Anaya said the so-called "intervention", in which thousands of troops and police were sent to help curb alcohol-fuelled sexual abuse and domestic violence, was clearly discriminatory.
He urged the government to reinstate the Racial Discrimination Act in the Northern Territory and called for compensation for the Stolen Generations of Aboriginal children, taken from their parents to promote racial integration.
"It undermines the right of indigenous peoples to control their own destinies, their right to self-determination," Anaya, referring to the intervention, told reporters in Canberra.
"There is entrenched racism in Australia," he added. "These measures overtly discriminate against Aboriginal peoples, infringe their right of self-determination and stigmatise already stigmatised communities."
Under the intervention, the conservative government of ex-prime minister John Howard slapped restrictions on welfare payments, alcohol and pornography in 73 desert townships and introduced measures to boost school attendance.
Engineers say a forest of 100,000 "artificial trees" could be deployed within 10 to 20 years to help soak up the world's carbon emissions.
The trees are among three geo-engineering ideas highlighted as practical in a new report.
The authors from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers say that without geo-engineering it will be impossible to avoid dangerous climate change.
The report includes a 100-year roadmap to "decarbonise" the global economy.
An American soldier was killed in the violence, which broke out Wednesday as Afghan forces were trying to capture a suspected Taliban commander, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) under NATO said.
Twelve Taliban were killed in the fighting that raged for about six hours, and six others were captured, said Hamidullah Zhwak, the provincial spokesman, adding a clinic guard was also wounded.
Acting on a tip-off, Afghan security forces surrounded the clinic at around midday in the small Sar Hawza district of Paktika province, which borders Pakistan and is a hotbed of Taliban violence.
The ISAF statement said the "suspected insurgent leader" was being treated for injuries suffered during fighting on election day, August 20.
The Afghan soldiers "were clearing the clinic when they received direct fire attack," the statement said.
More troops, international and Afghan, arrived to provide backup, it said, and once all civilians had been brought safely out of the clinic, an Apache helicopter was called in to fire on the building.
The helicopter strafing ended the "the direct threat," ISAF said, "injuring the targeted insurgent in the building."
No civilians were killed, ISAF said.
"This clearly shows the disparity between coalition forces and anti-Afghan forces when it comes to concerns for civilians caught in the crossfire," said Major Matthew Gregory, a spokesman for ISAF.
In the neighbouring province of Khost, a roadside bomb killed four border police and wounded three others on Thursday in Gurbuz district, said police official Sher Ahmad Kochai, blaming the Taliban for the attack.
The Taliban have widening influence in eastern and southern Afghanistan and have been particularly active around the election, only the second in Afghanistan's history to choose a president.
In early counting, President Hamid Karzai is leading his main rival, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah 42.3 percent to 33.1 percent.
The campaign to instill enough fear in people to deter them from voting appears to have had a serious impact, as figures extrapolated from early results suggest 30-35 percent of registered voters turned out.
Violence peaked on election day, with reports from a variety of sources of rocket, grenade and suicide attacks, gunfights and afterwards beatings and even finger amputations of people who voted.
The Taliban have also stepped up their attacks on foreign soldiers -- who under NATO and US command number more than 100,000 -- in Afghanistan to wipe out the insurgency.
The Taliban's weapon of choice is the improvised explosive device, or IED, usually a concealed roadside bomb detonated remotely and, increasingly, linked to others to cause maximum damage, often killing civilians.
ISAF said Thursday an American soldier was killed in southern Afghanistan when his patrol was struck by an IED and then ambushed by insurgents.
"The patrol responded to the attack but a service member was killed in the engagement," an ISAF statement said.
Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah instructed the government to bring the casualties to Kuwait for treatment as "a contribution by Kuwait to alleviating the suffering of our Iraqi brothers," he said while talkingto a local news agency.
At least 95 people were killed and almost 600 wounded by two massive truck bombings outside the finance and foreign ministries in Baghdad on August 19 in the country's deadliest day of violence in 18 months. LINK
Flight 584, carrying 265 passengers and crew on a Boeing 767-300, was en route from the southwestern Japanese city of Matsuyama to Tokyo when the pressure dropped temporarily and oxygen masks dropped from overhead compartments.
"The pilot descended the plane to 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) from an altitude of 20,000 feet to cope with the situation," said the official at the transport ministry's Haneda office.
"China is expected to complete the research on its first jumbo jet engine in 2016 and begin to apply for aviation certificate from the state aviation authority," the official local news agency cited the engine maker as saying.
The controversy over the yield of the tests, previously questioned by foreign agencies, has been given a fresh lease of life with K Santhanam, senior scientist and DRDO representative at Pokhran II, admitting for the first time that the only thermonuclear device tested was a "fizzle". In nuclear parlance, a test is described as a fizzle when it fails to meet the desired yield.
Santhanam, who was director for 1998 test site preparations, said that the yield for the thermonuclear test, or hydrogen bomb in popular usage, was much lower than what was claimed. Santhanam, who was DRDO's chief advisor, could well have opened up the debate on whether or not India should sign CTBT as claims that India has all the data required and can manage with simulations is bound to be called into question.
``Based upon the seismic measurements and expert opinion from world over, it is clear that the yield in the thermonuclear device test was much lower than what was claimed. I think it is well documented and that is why I assert that India should not rush into signing the CTBT,'' said Santhanam.
He emphasized the need for India to conduct more tests to improve its nuclear weapon programme.
The test was said to have yielded 45 kilotons (KT) but was challenged by western experts who said it was not more than 20 KT.
