Verdict on cases of Afaq, Amir delayed
KARACHI: The verdict in cases of Amir Khan and Afaq Ahmed has been delayed to April 7, Geo News reported Wednesday.
Talking to media, Afaq said he has no link to the government or agencies, adding he does not know who is responsible for the delay of the verdict.
Underscoring the need for jettisoning the way of politics now, Afaq said target killing should be put to end at all cost in Karachi.
Talking to media, Amir Khan said he extends the hand of reconciliation to the Muttahida, saying, ‘I extend the hand of friendship to Altaf Hussain.’
However, any settlement with Afaq is out of question, he stressed adding he is ready for reconciliation with Jamaat Islami for peace in Karachi.
CRC agrees to rename NWFP as Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa
ISLAMABAD: The parliament constitutional reforms committee has finally reached a consensus to rename NWFP as Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa, Geo reported Wednesday.
A final announcement in this regard is expected to be made at 8:00pm tonight, sources said.
According to reports, the reforms committee has accepted the PML-N demands about renaming of NWFP and reconstitution of judicial commission.
The decision has ended the deadlock found between the PML-N and the ANP on the renaming of NWFP.
The committee met today with Senator Raza Rabbani in the chair. Ishaq Dar and Sardar Mehtab Abbasi of PML-N, ANP’s Haji Adeel and Aftab Sherpao of PPP-S attended the meeting.
The committee, after a hectic discussion, finally agreed to rename NWFP as Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa.
The meeting was put off till 8pm, in which final announcement will be made. The CRC Chairman will make a formal announcement about the latest development.
Speaking to Geo ANP spokesman Zahid Khan confirmed that Rabbani would announce the good news to nation.
Pak-Afghan Transit Trade Talks Today
ISLAMABAD: The fifth round of Pak-Afghan Transit Trade has begun in the federal capital.
Both the countries are mulling over removing stumbling blocks in achieving the trade agreement (ATTA) in the three-day negotiations.
Afghan deputy Trade Minister Adib Farhadi is heading his delegation; while, Federal Trade Secretary Zafar Mehmood is leading Pakistani side at the talks.
According to Trade Ministry sources, Afghanistan wants Pakistan to allow Indian products to be routed through Pakistan to Afghanistan. However, Pakistan demands to regularize the informal trade; but, Afghanistan is not willing, causing the deadlock in previous rounds of talks.
Besides, Pakistan demanded to stanch smuggling across Afghanistan, the sources added.
Pak-Afghan Transit Trade Talks Today was first posted on December 19, 2009 at 12:16 pm.
US trying to thin Taliban with jobs, cash offers
December 18, 2009 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
The United States and its allies are stepping up efforts to persuade Afghan insurgents to put down their arms by negotiating with representatives of Mullah Mohammed Omar and other Taliban commanders and offering cash and jobs to low-level fighters, according to Pakistani, Middle Eastern and U.S. officials and analysts, The Washington Times has reported.
The efforts, coupled with an increased U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, are meant to weaken the insurgency and promote a negotiated end to the region’s violence, the paper said. “The strategy is to peel away so many fighters” from the insurgent chiefs that they will be left like “floating icebergs and have no one left to command,” the paper quoted Kenneth Katzman, an Afghanistan specialist at the Congressional Research Service as saying.
A Western diplomat based in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, who asked not to be named, confirmed that Pakistani and Saudi officials are using their “connections and influence within Afghan Taliban to elicit some meaningful way to end the deadlock,” the paper reported.
US trying to thin Taliban with jobs, cash offers was first posted on December 18, 2009 at 6:53 pm.
NRO came to surface in Musharraf government
Lahore, Pakistan News :- Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said that NRO came to surface in Musharraf’s government while Saifur Rehman made fake cases in Nawaz Sharif’s term.
PPP is ready to face the cases in courts. Talking to media in Lala Musa, he said that PML-N ministers accepted that they committed mistakes. He said that Balochistan package would be implemented soon. He said that government did not want to put curbs on media but biased analyses and reports are also against the ethics of journalism.
NRO came to surface in Musharraf government was first posted on November 30, 2009 at 8:45 pm.
Babar Awan advises PML-N on Pakhtoonkhawa
Lahore, Pakistan News :- Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan on Monday said that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) furnished the idea of a strong prime minister. PML-N should demonstrate flexibility to eliminate the deadlock.
Addressing a ceremony held in Islamabad to observe the 43rd Foundation Day of the PPP, he said that PPP gave the country a constitution like 1973 which includes a federal capital, democracy and four provinces. He said, “We want fast-track solution of the problems, we believe on reconciliatory politics.”
He said that the 17th Constitutional Amendment would soon be abolished as the matter has been handed over to a parliamentary committee. He urged that the countrymen should not lose hope. He said that doors are open for dialogues till 2013.
Babar Awan advises PML-N on Pakhtoonkhawa was first posted on November 30, 2009 at 8:48 pm.
No Deadlock Between PPP, MQM: Rehman Malik
Pakistan: No Deadlock Between PPP, MQM: Rehman Malik, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said PPP and MQM are coalition partners and there is no deadlock between both the parties.
Talking to media after meeting with Saudi delegation in the Ministry of Interior, he said that most of the issues have been settled with MQM. He said that MQM has assured it would continue its support for President Zardari. He said that MQM leader Altaf Hussain never advised President Zardari to resign. Talking about prevailing turmoil in the country, Rehman Malik said that terrorists would be wipe out and Pakistan would not allow anyone to use its territory for terrorism activities.
He said that Pak-Afghan border situation is same like Yemen-Saudi border. He said that the terrorist group based in Yemen is infiltrating in Southern Arab. He said the Yemeni group has strong relations with Al-Qaeda and few Yemenis were arrested from Swat search operation. He said terrorists are enemies of humanity.
No Deadlock Between PPP, MQM: Rehman Malik was first posted on November 7, 2009 at 8:18 pm.
