Nawaz agreed to support Musharraf: WikiLeaks

WikiLeaks claimed that President Asif Ali Zardari told former US ambassador Anne Patterson that PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif was willing to support Pervez Musharraf. In another cable, it was revealed that the United States stopped Zardari from buying cheap oil from Iran.

Former US ambassador Anne Patterson wrote on March 10, 2008 that Zardari told her that Nawaz Sharif was ready to support Musharraf and accommodate Justice Dogar as the chief justice. According to another cable, Zardari told former ISI chief Nadeem Taj that Justice Iftikhar should be shifted to his ancestral house in Quetta.

Nadeem Taj said that people’s sympathies were with Justice Iftikhar and the move could backfire.

On one occasion, the American ambassador asked Zardari that what would happen to his 30-day deadline, he (Zardari) replied laughingly that political dates should not be taken seriously.

In February 2008, Anne Patterson wrote that Zardari feared Musharraf would try to harm Pakistan People’s Party through Amin Fahim. Zardari said that Nawaz’s demand about judiciary would be buried in a committee and he (Nawaz) would also be satisfied.

Ex-President Farooq Leghari passes away

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Former president of Pakistan, Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari, passed away early Wednesday morning at a hospital in Rawalpindi. He was 70.

Leghari had been under treatment at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology for quite some time for heart problems.

His body is to be flown to his ancestral town in Dera Ghazi Khan where he is to be laid to rest.

The funeral prayer will be offered at 4:00pm today (Wednesday).

Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari was the eighth President of Pakistan from November 14, 1993 till December 2, 1997.

He was born in Choti Zareen, a village in Dera Ghazi Khan District, Punjab on May 29, 1940. He comes from an eminent political family that has been active in politics in this part of the world since pre-colonial days.

His father, Sardar Muhammad Khan Leghari, and grandfather, Nawab Sir

Four boys drown in Kabul river

PESHAWAR: Three boys drowned while bathing in Kabul river located near Peshawar while two others were rescued, Geo News reported Sunday.

Those drowned belonged to Kakshal area of Peshawar and were identified as Yasir, 17; Junaid, 17; Ibrahim, 16 and; Shah Faisal, 16, while Siddique and Ismail Mano were rescued.

When the dead bodies were taken to their ancestral area, the tragedy brought tears to all eyes.

The bereaved family members said the boys being, fed up of load-shedding, went to bathe in Kabul river to kill the heat but lost their lives by drowning.

Governor Calls Sindh Coalition Meeting

KARACHI, Pakistan News: Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad has called a meeting of coalition parties as the tension between PPP and MQM increased and also to overcome the peace situation prevailing in Karachi; where as Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah will have a telephonic talk with Altaf Hussain.
The meeting will consist of all the coalition parties present in the provincial government which include PPP, ANP, MQM and Muslim League Functional; where as Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah will also attend the meeting. Talking to party members at the residence of Senior Provincial Minister Raja Riaz in Lahore, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that we are trying to maintain the alliance between both the parties.

---

Governor Calls Sindh Coalition Meeting was first posted on January 10, 2010 at 1:25 pm.

US Not to Send Troops to Yemen: Petraeus

TAMPA, Florida: The US military does not intend to put ground troops in Yemen, a country where al Qaeda operatives have become an increasing threat, Gen. David Petraeus told a US channel in an interview.
However, the United States plans to more than double its security assistance funding to Yemen, from $70 million to more than $150 million, Petraeus, head of US Central Command, told at CENTCOM headquarters in Tampa.
Petraeus said al Qaeda’s growth in Yemen became increasingly worrisome for him two years ago. Washington began to view the ancestral home of al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden as a possible haven for the group as early as 2001.
As al Qaeda was pushed out of Saudi Arabia — and under pressure in Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan — they took refuge in Yemen, he said. Yet, Petraeus said Yemen is not the most important locale in the US war on terror. “That would likely still be the western Pakistan-Afghanistan border area,” he said.

---

US Not to Send Troops to Yemen: Petraeus was first posted on January 10, 2010 at 1:51 pm.

Benazir’s Second Death Anniversary Today

Garhi Khuda Bakhsh: The programmes of second death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed began at her ancestral Garhi Khuda Bakhsh on Sunday morning with recitation of holy Quran at her last abode at local graveyard.

The leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party were arriving at her Mazar to pay respects to their leader.

Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari accompanied by sisters Aseefa and Bakhtawar reached Naudor on Saturday.

Security has been tightened at Naudero and Garhi Khuda Bux with 300 special force men, 800 Rangers and other security men.

Meanwhile, police have finalized a special traffic plan to facilitate the people coming to the memorial.

The party leadership has decided to mark the ceremony with simplicity due to Muharram-ul-Haram and the central ceremony will be held at the Presidential Camp House instead of a public meeting at Garhi Khuda Bux.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will address the gathering.