China agrees to control Gwadar Port, Raisani rejects decision
May 22, 2011 by Trend PK
Filed under Breaking News
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence, Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar said that China and Pakistan have agreed to work jointly to establish peace in the region. China will be handed over the control of Gwadar Port when Singapore Auhtority’s tenure would come to an end.
He revealed that China has also decided to give FC-20 jets to Pak Air Force while Pakistan had requested China to give a frigate of 44,000 tonnes weight on credit.
On the other hand, Balochistan Chief Minister Nawaz Aslam Raisani has rejected the decision of handing over the Gwadar Port to China because the federal government did not take the provincial government into confidence. He said that Balochistan government has ability to handle the port.
Gilani ready to go to watch World Cup semifinal
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is prepared to watch the World Cup semifinal between Pakistan and India in Mohali, India.
Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Chaudhry Nisar Ahmed refused to go with the Prime Minister
US sold old F-16s at higher rates, says Mukhtar
Federal Minister for Defence Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar has said that the United States sold old F-16s to Pakistan at higher rates.
Talking unofficially to the journalists in Washington, the minister said that the USA raised the prices of old F-16s and Cobra helicopters, making them unpurchasable for Pakistan. He also said that the matters of coalition support fund and the old F-16s were raised in the strategic dialogue. Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar told the journalists that Pakistan has not yet received $2 billion for the coalition support fund and no way has yet been carved out to resolve the issue.
Troika fine-tunes stance for Pak-US Strategic Dialogue
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Saturday and deliberated on matters relating to the forthcoming Pak-US strategic dialogue. Defence Minister Ch. Ahmed Mukhtar and Finance Minister Dr.Abdul Hafeez Sheikh were also present during the meeting besides Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and Finance Secretary Salman Siddique.
Briefing the media, Spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar said that the meeting was held to deliberate upon the forthcoming Pak-US strategic dialogue that is scheduled to be held in Washington soon. He said that the last round of Pak-US Strategic Dialogue was held in Islamabad in July last to intensify strategic engagement and pursue comprehensive sectoral track cooperation.
It may be recalled that various areas of mutual cooperation that included: security, defence, socio-economic projects, enhancement of power generation capacity and infrastructure were thoroughly deliberated during the sectoral meetings in the last round of the dialogue. The Spokesperson said the democratic government wanted to pursue multi-faceted comprehensive cooperation between the two countries while at the same time address issues like drone attacks, reimbursement of coalition support fund arrears and RoZ legislation.
He said that the challenges being faced by the two countries vis–vis the security situation and promotion of intelligence sharing mechanism and the capacity enhancement of the security forces would also come under discussion during the strategic dialogue.
The President has all along maintained that Pakistan had suffered a colossal loss, both in human and material losses due to the ongoing fight against militancy and the recent devastating floods which further added to the economic woes. The President said the situation calls for the help of the international community especially the US to support Pakistan and advocate its case for having greater access to its products in the international markets.
The President said that he had been urging US visitors to use their influence in expediting ROZs legislation and for helping Pakistan in creating new vistas of opportunities for the flood-affected people. The President expressed hope that discussions during the forthcoming dialogue would be productive and help carry forward the progress made so far in the mutually agreed areas of cooperation in which Pakistan needs more help from the United States.
Troika fine-tunes stance for Pak-US Strategic Dialogue
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Saturday and deliberated on matters relating to the forthcoming Pak-US strategic dialogue. Defence Minister Ch. Ahmed Mukhtar and Finance Minister Dr.Abdul Hafeez Sheikh were also present during the meeting besides Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and Finance Secretary Salman Siddique.
Briefing the media, Spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar said that the meeting was held to deliberate upon the forthcoming Pak-US strategic dialogue that is scheduled to be held in Washington soon. He said that the last round of Pak-US Strategic Dialogue was held in Islamabad in July last to intensify strategic engagement and pursue comprehensive sectoral track cooperation.
It may be recalled that various areas of mutual cooperation that included: security, defence, socio-economic projects, enhancement of power generation capacity and infrastructure were thoroughly deliberated during the sectoral meetings in the last round of the dialogue. The Spokesperson said the democratic government wanted to pursue multi-faceted comprehensive cooperation between the two countries while at the same time address issues like drone attacks, reimbursement of coalition support fund arrears and RoZ legislation.
He said that the challenges being faced by the two countries vis–vis the security situation and promotion of intelligence sharing mechanism and the capacity enhancement of the security forces would also come under discussion during the strategic dialogue.
The President has all along maintained that Pakistan had suffered a colossal loss, both in human and material losses due to the ongoing fight against militancy and the recent devastating floods which further added to the economic woes. The President said the situation calls for the help of the international community especially the US to support Pakistan and advocate its case for having greater access to its products in the international markets.
The President said that he had been urging US visitors to use their influence in expediting ROZs legislation and for helping Pakistan in creating new vistas of opportunities for the flood-affected people. The President expressed hope that discussions during the forthcoming dialogue would be productive and help carry forward the progress made so far in the mutually agreed areas of cooperation in which Pakistan needs more help from the United States.
Gates, Mukhtar Discuss Security Issues
Gates, Mukhtar Discuss Security Issues, US Defence Minister Robert Gates met Ahmed Mukhtar in Islamabad today and discussed strategic ties with him. During the meeting war on terror and regional security was also deliberated upon.
According to sources, Mukhtar told his US counterpart that Pakistan wanted peace in Afghanistan, as both the countries were interrelated in terms of security situation. Gates has assured Mukhtar of consistent support against war on terror, sources added.
Gates, Mukhtar Discuss Security Issues was first posted on January 21, 2010 at 4:46 pm.
Defence Minister Said Pak Army Does Not Interfere In Politics
December 24, 2009 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
TrendPK.com Defence Minister Said Pak Army Does Not Interfere In Politics:ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar said that army is not interfering into politics.
Talking to the media at Lahore airport, he said that President Asif Ali Zardari will complete his tenure and will not resign before that period. “Some people [...]
US Drone attacks 7 kill in N Waziristan
US Drone attacks 7 kill in N Waziristan, Pakistan News :- The suspected US Drone attacks have killed at least seven people in North Waziristan on Friday.
Three missiles were fired over a village, Paikhel, some 30 km away from Miranshah where at least seven people were killed on the spot while five others injured.
US Drone attacks 7 kill in N Waziristan was first posted on December 18, 2009 at 7:18 pm.
Chairman NAB apologizes Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan News : Chairman National Accountability Bureau Naveed Ahsan has apologized Pakistan Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar On Friday for stooping him to go to China for official visit on Thursday.
haudhry Ahmed Mukhtar confirmed that NAB chairman has apologized. He said that NAB chairman had confirmed that his name was not included in the Exit Control List.
The defence minister, after talking to the NAB chairman, informed Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and briefed him about the situation and demanded the inquiry into the matter.
PM Gilani has assured the defence minister for thorough inquiry.
The NAB spokesman, Ghazni Khan, also confirmed that the name of defence minister was not included in the ECL. He said that there are 53 names except Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar.
MINISTER STOPPED AT AIRPORT AFTER NRO RULING
Pakistani’s defence minister was stopped from leaving the country, news reports said on Friday, after a court struck down an amnesty protecting him and other leaders, including President Asif Ali Zardari from prosecution.
Fears of political turmoil have increased as the opposition mounts pressure on Zardari and his aides to resign following the Supreme court order, even though he is shielded by presidential immunity.
On Thursday, Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar, who faces the resumption of an earlier corruption-related case, was stopped by immigration authorities when he tried to go on an official visit to China, the Financial Times and CNN said.
The prospect of political instability comes as the United States increases calls on Pakistan to tackle the Afghan Taliban in lawless border enclaves, where Pakistani security agents said suspected U.S. drones attacked on Thursday, killing 12 fighters.
The Supreme Court threw out on Wednesday the 2007 amnesty that protected Zardari and top aides from graft charges, heaping pressure on the unpopular pro-American leader.
The ruling means all old cases covered by the amnesty, most of them corruption cases, have been revived. It also asked the government to seek the revival of cases lodged in foreign countries.
Among those protected by the amnesty were the interior and defence ministers and several of Zardari’s top aides. If they departed from government it would not have a significant impact on Pakistan’s war on militancy, which is led by the army.
Immediately after the Wednesday evening court ruling, Zardari’s spokesmen said the president’s ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) respected the decision but there was no question of the president resigning.
Chairman NAB apologizes Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar was first posted on December 18, 2009 at 7:24 pm.
Prime Minister Gilani suspends Interior Ministry, FIA officials
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan News : Prime Minister of Pakistan Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has taken notice the incident of stopping Federal Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar to leave for China and suspended Secretary Interior Ministry Qamar-uz-Zaman on Friday.
PM Gilani has also ordered the inquiry of the incident of stopping Federal Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar . The officials on duty Additional Director Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and two inspectors have also been suspended.
Prime Minister Gilani suspends Interior Ministry, FIA officials was first posted on December 18, 2009 at 9:07 pm.
