Altaf takes back his words against Asfandyar, ANP

In a statement issued on Monday, Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has back tracked from his earlier statement in which he had accused Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali for taking millions of dollars from US during last general elections.

The MQM chief also apologised from ANP workers and said that he did not have any proof against ANP leader. He said that cooperation between all the political parties is needed to restore law and order situation in the country, particularly in Karachi.

Iran criticizes absent EU as envoys see nuclear site

TEHRAN: A group of ambassadors to the U.N. atomic watchdog toured an Iranian nuclear site on Saturday, state television reported, and Tehran accused the European Union of missing an historic opportunity by boycotting the visit.

Iran said the tour, which China and Russia also snubbed after being discouraged by Western officials, aimed to demonstrate the country’s transparency about its atomic program before talks with major powers set for January 21-22.

Tehran invited some ambassadors accredited to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit its nuclear sites. The U.S, British, French and German envoys were not asked along, while the EU declined its invitation, saying United Nations nuclear inspectors should carry out such visits.

Kaneria Confident Of Getting Clearance

Pakistan’s spinner Danish Kaneria is looking to get clearance from PCB for his inclusion in the 30 men preliminary squad for the world cup 2011. He said that he is cooperating with PCB and is fully confident that he will get clearance soon. He said he is fully cooperating with board’s integrity committee and telling them whatever they asked him. He added that his cooperation will be helpful for him in getting board clearance.

Kaneria added that he has provided the details of his bank accounts and properties. He added that he has details of all his assets.

Earlier he was selected for South Africa series and was stopped just minute before he was schedule to flight. He along with Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik is not able to get PCB clearance for selection.

He was charged for spot fixing in England while he was playing county. He was also under the criminal investigations. He was investigated by Essex police and was alleged for spot fixing. Later he was released when found no charges against him. Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal both have shown disappointment after not getting board clearance. PCB has asked ICC for the player clearance and it is probable that they might include in NZ ODI squad and 30 men World Cup Squad also.

Leaders battle for deal to boost OSCE powers

Leaders battle for deal to boost OSCE powers

(AFP) – 2 hours ago

ASTANA: OSCE member states were Thursday battling to thrash out a compromise on an action plan that would bolster the clout of the trans-Atlantic security group after its first summit in over a decade.

World leaders at the summit, hosted by Kazakhstan in its glitzy new capital Astana, have acknowledged the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)’s reactions to prevent conflicts in Europe and the ex-USSR have slowed in recent years.

But the 56 member state group operates by consensus, meaning any single country could torpedo a final communique and framework for action that diplomats hope will define its future role.

“I hope that in the remaining moments we can agree a declaration and overcome the differences,” Kazazkh President Nursultan Nazarbayev told the

‘US Army in Balochistan not on permanent basis’

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The United States has said on Saturday that news regarding the presence of American representative in the core head quarter of Pakistan Army in Quetta was not true, terming its permanent representation in Quetta as ‘unnecessary’.

The statement issued from American Consulate said that the visits of American representatives in Balochistan were a routine job after the cooperation made by Pakistan Army and ISAF in Afghanistan in anti-terrorism campaign in the region. ISAF does every activity near Pak-Afghan border with the cooperation of Pakistan Army, it added.

The spokesman cleared that the representation of US Army in Balochistan was not on permanent basis. Trend Pk

US may provide $2bn security aid to Pakistan: Hillary

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced on Friday the Obama administration would seek $2 billion in foreign military assistance for Pakistan, saying Washington had no closer ally in the struggle against insurgents.
Announcement of the military assistance, which would be delivered over five years from 2012 to 2016, came at the formal opening session of the third round of the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, a series of bilateral meetings that began on Wednesday. Clinton said President Barack Obama’s administration would ask the U.S. Congress to approved the military assistance to complement the $7.5 billion in civilian projects it already has approved.
She said that Pakistan is facing a number challenges but America will help the country in these difficult times. She said that floods put negative impact on the economy of Pakistan and affected 2 million people.
In a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Hillary said that with the cooperation of international community and Pakistan government, steps are being taken to help the flood-hit people. She said that Pakistan is the key ally in the war against terrorism.
On the occasion, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said it was time to counter naysayers who argue that Islamabad’s heart is not in the fight against the insurgents. Prophets of doom are back in business, painting doomsday scenarios about our alliance, he said. They are dead wrong.
Qureshi said that Pakistan wants long-term relations with the US. He said that President Obama wants peaceful resolution of Kashmir dispute. He said that Pakistan and US should work together to restore peace in Afghanistan.
The strategic dialogue is organized into 13 working groups, ranging from water and agriculture to communications and defense.

World Post Day being celebrated today

World Post Day is being celebrated today across the world including Pakistan. Pakistan Post has organized a special ceremony at Postal Training Centre Karachi in this regard.
The day is celebrated to mark anniversary of establishment of Universal Postal Union. It is the foremost forum for the cooperation among the postal services and it helps for ensuring a really worldwide network of the latest services and products.
From the earliest times in history, postal services existed in the form of messengers who travelled large distances on foot or horseback. In the 1600s and 1700s, many countries set up national postage systems and entered into bilateral agreements for the exchange of mail between countries.

Al-Qaeda terror plot targeting Europe unearthed

Western intelligence agencies have uncovered an Al-Qaeda plot to launch Mumbai-style terrorist attacks in Britain, France and Germany, reports said on Wednesday.
Militants based in Pakistan were planning simultaneous strikes in London and major cities in France and Germany, Britain’s Sky News television reported, citing intelligence sources.
It was one of the most serious Al-Qaeda attack plans in recent years and was inspired by the terror group’s fugitive leadership in Pakistan’s tribal areas.
The United States was also a possible target and President Barack Obama had been briefed about the threat, said ABC News in the US citing American officials. Planning for the attacks was advanced but they were not imminent and recent drone strikes in Pakistan had killed several leaders of the plot and severely disrupted it, said Sky. Well-armed, commando-style teams of jihadists planned to seize Western hostages and murder them, in a manner similar to the siege of two Indian hotels in Mumbai in 2008, according to the BBC.
In the Mumbai attacks, 10 gunmen went on a three-day rampage, killing 166 people and injuring more than 300. In Britain on Wednesday, the national threat level remained at severe — where it has been since January — which means a terrorist attack is thought highly likely.
France has been on a heightened state of alert amid warnings of an imminent terrorist attack but an official said late Tuesday these warnings were not linked to the reported Al-Qaeda plans. The plot targeting Europe was uncovered after intelligence-sharing between London, France, Germany and the US, and their cooperation had led to the attack plans being disrupted, said Sky. A number of the plot leaders were killed in drone attacks which were increased in recent weeks to target them, said the broadcaster.
The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the CIA had stepped up its drone attacks in Pakistan’s tribal areas as part of efforts to prevent the mass attacks on European cities. Pakistani security officials have reported around 20 drone strikes in the country’s tribal belt along the Afghan border this month. The latest on Tuesday killed Al-Qaeda’s operational chief for Afghanistan and Pakistan in Pakistan’s tribal areas, according to security officials in the country.

Peaceful, prosperous Afghanistan in Pak interest: Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Thursday that a stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan was in Pakistan’s interest and that peace and stability of the two countries were intertwined.

The Foreign Minister expressed these views during his call-on to visiting Vice President of Afghanistan Mohammad Karim Khalili here on Thursday. Referring to strong brotherly relationship existing between the two countries, the Foreign Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthen its relations with Afghanistan.

He assured the Afghan Vice President that Pakistan supports the road-map laid down by the Kabul Conference recently, and earlier, by the Afghan Peace Jirga.
Pakistan believes that the reconciliation and re-integration process has to be broad-based and Afghan-led, he added.

Qureshi noted that the relationship between the two countries has entered into a new era of cooperation and hoped that both sides will show the necessary restraint to further consolidate this cooperation.

Pakistan has offered US $ 330 million for Afghanistan’s reconstruction and has recently increased the number of scholarships for Afghan students from 1000 to 2000. About 6000 Afghan students are already enrolled in Pakistan’s various Universities and Colleges.

The Afghan Vice President expressed deep sympathies over the tragic loss of precious lives and devastation caused by torrential rains and floods in Pakistan.

The Foreign Minister thanked the Afghan government for providing four helicopters for rescue operations.

Thanking the government of Pakistan for its generous development assistance, the Afghan Vice President said that the assistance indicates Pakistan’s strong commitment to the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

He hoped that the cooperation that they have seen after the change of government in Pakistan will continue to expand further. He assured that the Afghan leadership is determined to strengthen this relationship.

The Vice President also thanked the government and people of Pakistan for hosting the Afghan refugees and the offer the Government of Pakistan has made for the training of Afghan Police and Army officials.

Both leaders noted that the recently concluded negotiations on Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement will further strengthen expanding relations between the two countries.

KP resolution urges Sindh govt to protect Pukhtuns

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Assembly through a unanimous resolution on Monday demanded of the central and Sindh government to take stern action against the people and those political parties who are involved in targeted killings of Pukhtuns in Karachi and provide protection to them.

The resolution was moved by senior Minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour and Opposition leader Akram Kan Durrani after Speaker Kiramatullah relaxed rules 240 under rules 124 to allow the resolution. The resolution stated that member of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Assembly strongly condemned the target killings of Pukhtuns in Karachi and demanding of the federal as well as Sindh government to take action against the political parties and the persons involved in the killing of Pukhtuns.

The resolution, which was also read out by PPP Sherpao’s Sikander, Nighat Aurakzai of PML (Q), Munawar Khan of PML (N) and Qalander Lodhi of PML (Q), stated that Sindh government must bring the culprits tobook and provides protection to Pukhtuns.

The resolution stated that members of the Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Assembly are on the back of the Pukhtuns.Bashir Ahmad Bilour, debating in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Assembly said Pukhtuns in Karachi are being targeted while government is not taking enough steps to protect their lives.PML (Q) female member Nighat Aurakzai said MQM was ‘terrorist’ group and if they are not controlled similar terrorist actions in other cities of Pakistan could also be initiated.

Bashir Ahmad Bilour in his talks with media at Assembly premises also labeled MQM as a terrorist group and urged the government to take steps for protection of Pukhtuns.

The house also offered Fatiha for the departed soul of Mian Rashid, the son of minister information Mian Iftikhar Hussain. Bashir Ahmad Bilour said nation will have to back them against the terrorists. He said they were fighting war for the sake of the nation therefore all political parties should back them.

Bashir Bilour argued all international partners including Nato, Iran, USA, India, Saudi Arabia and Russian and Pakistan to sit together to evolve strategy to cope terrorism. Showing determination, hesaid their courage could not be deterred with such coward acts. Opposition leader Akram Khan Durrani said the sole solution of terrorism is the implementation of joint resolution passed by the parliament.

Next Page »