SRK to do cameo in Always Kabhi Kabhi

It has been known for some time now that Karim Morani’s daughter Zoa is being launched by Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment in Always Kabhi Kabhi. However, there was much speculation about SRK’s presence in the film.

Well, it has now been confirmed that King Khan will not be a part of the film but he will do a promotional video for it. The said promotional video will feature SRK talking about his school days.

With the backdrop of high school students, their issues and their relationships, the film is expected to hit the screens on June 17. Besides Zoa, the film also stars Love Aaj Kal damsel Giselle Monteiro, Ali Fazal and Satyajeet Dubey.

PML-N likely to oust PPP from Punjab govt

LAHORE: An ongoing tussle between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is set to enter its decisive moment, TrendPK reported Friday.

The PML-N held a key meeting in Islamabad to discuss the fate of PPP in Punjab.

According to reports, majority of PML-N members have called for removal of PPP from the Government of Punjab.

Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif has presented a 14-point Revolution Declaration in the backdrop of its already submitted 10-point agenda.

New set of demands includes safety of life and property of citizens, free education, cheap and timely treatment facilities, provision of employment, elimination of price hike, end of gas and power cuts, and corruption, removal of nepotism, construction of dams and roads, political and moral support of Kashmiris, independent foreign policy, respect for public mandate, deployment of honest and competent people on key positions, delivering of affordable and quick justice, and establishment of independent judiciary. TrendPK

Obama’s plan to visit Pakistan holds greats significance: Holbrooke

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama’s pledge to visit Pakistan and invite President Asif Ali Zardari to Washington is vitally important in terms of strengthening the strategic partnership between the two nations, US special envoy for the region Ambassador Richard Holbrooke told a group of Pakistani journalists Thursday.

Holbrooke spoke in the backdrop of a high point in US-Pakistan relations on Wednesday when during the top level Pakistani delegation’s visit for strategic dialogue, President Obama received the Pakistani delegation at the White House.

The special US envoy said President Obama reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to Pakistan’s economic and democratic development and committed to visit Pakistan in 2011.

The Obama Administration is helping both civilian government and the Pakistani army to grapple with flood recovery challenge, Holbrooke

PM to address the nation today

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani will address the nation today (Sunday), at a time when the government is facing multiple challenges on political and economic.

The address is being seen as very crucial vis-à-vis its timing and the prevailing political situation following a Supreme Court order against possible withdrawal of the executive order through which the judges had been reinstated.

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Gilani and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani held a critical meeting on Saturday in the backdrop of the current political situation in the country. SAMAA

IMF, Pakistan to issue statement on review today

WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund and Pakistan will release a statement on Thursday on ongoing discussions of the flood-ravaged south Asian country”s $11 billion IMF loan, the fund said.

The statement at 10:15 a.m. EDT (1415 GMT) in Washington by IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Pakistan”s Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh follows a week of talks against the backdrop of severe flooding in Pakistan that has destroyed cropland and livestock and displaced millions of people.

Shaikh told reporters last week that Pakistan wanted to remain on track with the 2008 IMF loan program, under which the country pledged to implement tax and energy sector reforms and give full autonomy to the State Bank of Pakistan.

But the minister also said he would seek understanding from the international community about the troubles Pakistan faced from the catastrophic floods.

Outflow from Warsak dam reaches 78,000 cusecs

PESHAWAR: The driving rains in the city are causing water level at Warsak Dam to rise gradually, putting the outflow at 78,000 cusecs, Geo News reported Saturday.

According to Warsak Dam officials, the spell of rains is in progress in upper areas and the areas abutting Afghan border, spurring the water level at the dam.

According to the Dam officials, at least 10,000 cusecs of water were added to dam water in last ten hours, after which six gates of the dam have been opened to let out the water.

The other three gates are being repaired at present.

According to the officials, the dam has the capacity to discharge at least 540,000 cusecs.

Flood aid to help cut US negative image: aid chief

LONDON: The United States hopes its rapid, generous response to Pakistan”s epic floods will help overcome the negative image many Pakistanis have of the United States, the Obama administration”s aid chief said.

Washington has sent rescue helicopters, delivered medicines and more than half a million halal meals and water as Pakistan”s fragile government struggles with the worst floods in 80 years, which have killed more than 1,600 people.

“As the Pakistani people see the tremendous efforts that America is making to provide them with support … they will appreciate the commitment that we have there (in Pakistan),” Rajiv Shah, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, said in an interview.

The United States is viewed with suspicion by most Pakistanis, despite a commitment to spend $1.5 billion a year over the next five years on nonmilitary aid.

Asked whether he thought the U.S. response to the floods could change that negative image, Shah replied: “I hope so, of course.”

The latest Pew poll shows only 17 percent of Pakistanis have a favorable view of the United States and even fewer — eight percent — see President Barack Obama positively.

The United States has given $35 million in flood relief so far and Shah said more funds would be added, with fears the situation will deteriorate as more rains come.

“This could get a lot worse,” he warned.

A big focus in coming days will be to prevent communicable diseases such as cholera while also making sure as many people as possible are rescued.

Ensuring adequate food supplies is also a priority, with widespread destruction of crops and livestock in many areas.

“We are tracking that very closely,” he said, adding that on the plus side Pakistan has a wheat surplus this year.

U.S. officials are looking at whether some funds already committed for various projects will be reallocated to deal with the immediate crisis created by the floods, which have affected 12 million people in two provinces.

One senior U.S. official, who declined to be named, said there was some frustration over Pakistan”s slow pace of delivering a detailed list of needs and priorities.

But Shah said there was always a lack of clarity in the early days of a disaster. “We call it the fog of relief,” he said. “In a disaster, every day is about doing it better and being more effective and getting better data.”

The United States is working with the United Nations and other allies of Pakistan to assess needs and how much aid will be required over the short and long term.

There is also talk of an international donors meeting, possibly on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly next month, but it could be sooner.

Eyebrows have been raised by the decision of Pakistan”s President Asif Ali Zardari to continue with a trip to Europe this week while the floods ravaged his country.

Shah declined to comment on Zardari”s decision or whether the Obama administration had pressed him to return home. “I probably should not get into that,” said Shah, who was in Pakistan last month.

Malik visits Nine-Zero; vows action in Karachi

KARACHI: Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik visited on Saturday Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) headquarter Nine-Zero and held meeting with the party leaders in the backdrop of recent target killing incidents, ARY NEWS reports.

More here: 
Malik visits Nine-Zero; vows action in Karachi

Anti terrorism policy needs to be reviewed: Raza Rabbani

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Parliamentary Committee on National Security Mian Raza Rabbani has said it is imperative that country”s policy against terrorism be reviewed in the backdrop of evolving situation in the region.

Mian Raza Rabbani said in a chat with the journalists after the meeting. He said all countries were reviewing their anti terror policy, therefore, Pakistan was also doing so.

Director General Military Operation and the Defense Secretary briefed the committee on the anti-terrorism policy.

Rabbani told committee would soon present its recommendations to the government. The present government was attaching much importance to the recommendations and was implementing them as well.

The next meeting of the committee will be held on July 7th and 8th.

Pak Navy to commence drills from next month

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy, in a bid to ensure the security situation in the region, announced to conduct War Game Exercise Shamsheer-i-Behr IV in the next month keeping in view India’s new concept of war, Geo News reported Tuesday.

According to Pak Navy, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani would inaugurate these war games on July 12.

It should be mentioned here that these drills have been worked out keeping in sight the Indian concept of war. The exercises would include mastering various war strategies like the possibilities regarding circumstances of confrontation and jumping to retaliatory action.

The War Game is designed to revalidate Navy’s operational concepts and evaluate new ones in the backdrop of emerging trends in regional and geo-strategic environment.

Last Shamsheer-i-Behr exercises were organized in 2007.

According to Navy spokesman, the 5th Corps of military and Southern Command of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) have also been incorporated in the war games.

Next Page »