Standing Committee takes notice of 3 persons’ killing

Breaking News Standing Committee on Interior Affairs of National Assembly has taken the notice of 3 persons killing in Lahore by a US Consulate employee.

According to the details, the committee will summon the spokes person of US Consulate, Home department of Punjab, Ministry of Interior and members of deceased families. The Chairman of the Standing Committee Abdul Qadir Patail said that a transparent inquiry would be conducted of the incident.

On the other hand, Provincial Minister Rana Sanaullah said that case has been registered against Raymond under Article 302.

Peshawar: US Consulate General left the charge and returned

US Consulate General in Peshawar Elizabeth Rood departed for US after leaving the charge. She left the charge of Consulate General on Tuesday.

According to spokesman of US Consulate Jonathan De Sabra, Elizabeth mentioned in her letter that she was leaving charge in Peshawar due to her personal and domestic problems and she will now report in State Department, Washington. Elizabeth Rood was appointed as Consulate General in Peshawar in July 2010. She was able to speak languages such as Pushto, French, Russian and German fluently. Earlier to her appointment in Peshawar, she was working with the Foreign Service institute. In 2008-2009, she also served as a US representative for US provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan.

Karachi: Japan consulate vehicle assailed; 2 hurt

At least two people, including a security guard, were injured when some unidentified gunmen opened fire at a vehicle of Japan Consulate in Cantonment area of Karachi, Dunya News reported on Thursday.
Officials said the incident occurred near the Cant Station where two unidentified gunmen riding a motorbike opened fire on an official vehicle of Japans consulate in Karachi, injuring two people sitting in the car.
The incident happened near Cantt Station. The injured are said to be the employees of the Consulate. Police have impounded the vehicle and started investigation into the incident.

PM dismisses Foreign Service Officer GR Baloch

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has dismissed a Foreign Service officer G.R. Baloch upon conviction from the accountability court.
According to an official declaration G.R. Baloch was involved in misappropriation of powers during his stay in US as counsel general and was found involved in issuing illegal passports.
A Rawalpindi accountability court convicted G.R. Baloch and decided a penalty of one year imprisonment as well as a fine of Rs. 10,000 for him.
G.R. Baloch was working as director general research division in the foreign office. He was appointed as the first counsel general in US state of Houston in 2004 when the consulate was opened for the first time in the state. G.R. Baloch was a captain in Pak Army and joined foreign services on armed forces quota.

Taliban talks issue resolvable at national level: Sanaullah

LAHORE: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said the suicide attacks at Data Darbar are extremely condemnable; but, the subsequent statements by leaders of Pakistan People”s Party (PPP) are equally deplorable, Geo News reported Tuesday.

Talking to media outside Punjab Assembly, Rana Sanaullah stressed upon concrete intelligence sharing on the part of the federal government, adding the dilemma whether to talk to Taliban or not, could be resolved only at national level.

The law minister said the government has vigilant eye on the outlawed outfits and their activists in the province.

Commenting on the statement given by Chief Justice of Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Khawja Sharif regarding the PPP, Sanaullah remarked that it ill behooved him to give the statement; however, the way the PPP is passing statements against this constitutional office of the LHC, is also not up to the mark.

US wants operation in N.Waziristan: US official

PESHAWAR: The US government wants operation in North Waziristan Agency (NWA), a US official posted in Pakistan said Tuesday.

Talking to media here, US Consul General in Peshawar Miss Candace Putnam said the operation against the extremists in North Waziristan is vitally urgent; however, it is Pakistani government to decide beginning about any action there.

Responding a question, the US official said the US troops will stay back in Afghanistan until Al-Qaeda is utterly eliminated, adding the US policy in Afghanistan is unchanged.

She continued however, the US search troops will begin withdrawing from Afghanistan from July 2011.

Lauding the military operation in Swat and tribal areas against the saboteurs, she said her government is initiating more development programs in Malakand Division, adding the work on 108 schools, 35 healthcare centers and six water schemes, is underway.

The rate of stealing from the goods bound for the US troops is only one percent, which is satisfactory, she added.

E. Candace Putnam assumed charge as the Principal Officer at U.S. Consulate Peshawar in August, 2009. On February 9, 2010, the Consulate was upgraded to Consulate General status and she became Consul General.

Previously, she also served as the Political Counselor at Embassy Islamabad.

Protesters baton charged in Karachi

KARACHI: Police baton charged participants of a rally trying to reach US Consulate here today. Imamia Organization organised the rally against Israeli aggression.

Protestors clashed with police near Fawara Chowk when they tried to reach US Consulate to protest against Israeli assault on aid convoy.

When they failed to disperse the protesters, the police fired tear gas shells and used water cannon. Later, some protestors managed to reach the Consulate.

Women also participated in the rally.

Youth Milad held at Pak Consulate in Houston

HOUSTON: A ceremony in connection with Milad-un-Nabi was held at Consulate of Pakistan in Houston Texas.

A large number of Pakistani youth attended the Milad. The youth recited poems eulogizing Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon him) and also read essays on the life of Prophet. A quiz competition on the life of Prophet was also held and various gifts were distributed amongst participants.

A written essay and calligraphy competition was also held and top three position-holders received book prizes from Consul General Mohammad Aqil Nadeem.

All participants in Milad were also given appreciation certificated by the Consulate. On this occasion an exhibition of calligraphic work of Ms. Sobia was also on display and participants showed keen interest in the artwork.

Ustad Faraz Khan was a special speaker for the Milad and he delivered a thought-provoking lecture of the life of Prophet.

Third blast shakes Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Another third blast ripped through the Saddar area of Peshawar, Geo News reported Monday.

Earlier, two powerful blasts occurred at Gora Qabrustan near the US Consulate around Hayatabad Avenue.

The television footages show the mushroom plumes of white smoke from the blasts’ site.

The second blast occurred in a vehicle, which was being telecast live on Geo News camera, when the blast occurred.

The gunshots are continuously being fired in the area of the US Consulate situated on Khyber Road, which has been closed for every kind of traffic.

The security personnel took their positions and directed the citizens to limit their movements.

3 blasts near US Consulate in Peshawar: 2 dead

PESHAWAR: A series of powerful explosions and gunfire rocked Peshawar area of Saddar on Monday as heavy grey smoke spewed into the sky, witnesses and a security official said.

The causes of the blasts were not immediately clear, said the security official and local residents.

At least two people were killed and two others injured in the blast; the bodies and the injured have been shifted to Lady Reading Hospital. Some other injured have been moved to the CMH as well.

Khyber Road where the US Consulate building is situated, is being air-monitored by the helicopters.

Television footage showed a heavy mushroom cloud and smoke rising into the air over the garrison part of the city, close to the US consulate and the Peshawar headquarters of Pakistan”s top spy agency, bombed last November.

Bursts of heavy gunfire could also be heard in the wake of blasts which a foreign news agency puts at five in number.

The Khyber Road, where the US Consulate is situated, has been closed.

The cameras of news channels were live covering the incident with security personnel on their positions, when two consecutive blasts occurred.

The series of these three blasts occurred within 20 minutes and shook the city followed by extreme firing. The second and third blasts occurred in vehicles.

The blasts were so intense that the mobile phones services were closed for some time.

Emergency has been declared in Peshawar Hospital.

The US Consulate official said the Consulate is garnering information about the blasts.

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