US supports Pak-Afghan direct talks: envoy
WASHINGTON: The United States on Sunday renewed its support for Pakistan-Afghanistan dialogue toward better ties and common peace and stability objectives, with a top diplomat saying that the American policy in this respect, which also takes into account regional considerations, is moving forward.
“That is a good thing, not a bad thing. As long as they had no dialogue, you could not get anywhere,” Richard Holbrooke, U.S. Special Representative for the region emphasized.
He was commenting on the recent talks between Pakistani and Afghan leaders including the Kabul meeting between Pakistani army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and President Hamid Karzai.
Holbrooke, who spoke in the backdrop of recent progress in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations including conclusion of a trade agreement between the two neighbors, faulted the previous Bush Administration for not making successful effort at promoting Pak-Afghan ties.
“Now, in the Kayani-Karzai meeting, the American commanding general of ISAF, NATO was there, then General McChrystal. I’m sure General Petraeus (the current US commander) will continue to play the same role, if not more so. And I have talked to David (Petraeus) about that,” he said, appearing in CNN’s GPS program.
Elaborating the Obama Administration’s policy, which, he said, is the only one that meets Washington’s interests the special envoy said, “We have a policy here which is try to reduce the gap between Islamabad and Kabul, a historic gap, which goes back to the independence of Pakistan 63 years ago – and to make them work together for a common objective while taking into account the strategic interests of India and other regional neighbors. And that is moving forward.”
“It is a tough difficult policy. But it is the only one that meets our regional, international and national security interests.”
In answer to a question about Pakistan’s cooperation and change in attitude vis-a-vis combating the Taliban, Holbrooke told anchor Fareed Zakaria, a prominent Indian-American journalist, that “you cannot just go after the Pakistanis to do this and do that in the tribal areas.”
“You have to have an entire approach to the country. This has been lacking for over a decade,” he pointed out.
Holbrooke’s remarks referred to the recent progress in U.S.-Pakistan cooperative relations in wide-ranging areas in contrast with unifocal security-driven nature of ties the two countries had had in the past.
Continuing, Holbrooke added, the United States is now “approaching the country differently. And we are beginning to see real signs of movement. Nonetheless, we still have problems.”
FC man martyred in Peshawar attack
PESHAWAR: Terrorists stormed a security checkpost within limits of Sarband police station here, resulting in killing of one FC personnel and leaving a police constable wounded, Geo News reported Monday.
According to details, militants fired rockets at the security checkpost, which claimed the life of an FC man, identified as Jaan Hussain, while police constable, identified as Manzoor, sustained critical injuries.
After the attack had taken place, the injured men were rushed to Hayatabad Medical Complex, where FC personnel succumbed to wounds.
Consequently, more parties of FC and police arrived the attacked check-post meanwhile attackers managed to flee the crime site.
Geo’s reporter Anwar hurt in Hyderabad ambush
HYDERABAD: Unknown assailant(s) opened fire at Geo News’ van, injuring reporter Anwar Kamal and driver Naseem seriously here at Thandi Sarak, Geo News reported late Saturday.
Two were rushed to a local hospital where they are being provided medical aid.
According to details, Anwar Kamal along driver Naseem was on his way to Hyderabad on Geo’s van after covering a news event relating to Dadu-Manchar Lake, when unknown gunmen on motorcycle opened indiscriminate fire at van.
The ambush took place in front of GOR police station, a woman police station, but the assailants could not be identified who, all of a sudden, succeeded to flee the crime scene, sources said.
Anwar Kamal received a bullet on his left shoulder, hospital sources confirmed to media.
DIG Hyderabad Fayyaz Laghari said security at all the city’s entrance and exit points has been beefed up.
Former Senator Habib Jalib shot dead in Quetta
QUETTA: Unidentified gunmen opened fire on a former senator and the secretary general of Balochistan National Party (BNP) Habib Jalib, leaving him critically wounded near Moosa Colony in Quetta, who succumbed to wounds on the way to hospital, Geo news reported Wednesday morning.
Miscreants succeeded to flee as police failed to locate their whereabouts. Meanwhile, the area has gone under high tension following incident of shooting, residents said.
Police sources told Geo news; the incident took place as Habib Jalib stepped out of his home to drop his children school, when all of a sudden, three unknown gunmen opened fire on him and managed to flee the crime scene.
Shortly after the ambush, his relatives and activists of BNP took to street, chanting anti-government slogans and blocked Jinnah Road in front of Civil Hospital.
The resident of deceased Habib Jalib and Jinnah Road have been cordoned off by the law enforcement agencies, DIG operations Hamid Shakeel told Geo news.
It may be mentioned; killed Habib Jalib was the secretary general of BNP besides being a senior advocate at Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP).
He has also served as member senate and an active member of Baloch Students Organization.
Supreme Court Expels Petitions in PCO Judges Case
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan expelled petitions regarding judges’ case affected by July 31 verdict, after completing the hearing of maintainability of the appeals.
A 14-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry heard the case of petitions of former judges of the higher judiciary. The counsels of former judges completed their arguments on the maintainability of their petitions.
The SC has accepted the unconditional apology by PCO judges.
Later talking to newsmen, lawyer of the former Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, Ahmed Raza Qasuri said that a review petition would be filed within two weeks.
Supreme Court Expels Petitions in PCO Judges Case was first posted on October 13, 2009 at 9:43 pm.
Vice-president JWP gunned down in Quetta
QUETTA, Pakistan : Vice President Jamhoori Watan Party Dr Aslam Mirza and his driver were gunned down in Akhtarabad, a locality of Quetta here on Tuesday.
According to Police, his diver also lost his life during the ambush while police said the incident took place as he was on his way to home through Akhterabad of Shaal Kot area when unknown armed militants opened fire on him, killing him two on the spot.
The unidentified miscreants succeeded to flee the crime scene, police sources added.
Following the tragedy, police arrived on the scene and shifted dead bodies to Bolan Medical Complex while the murder cases were lodged against anonymous miscreants, police sources added.
Vice-president JWP gunned down in Quetta was first posted on October 13, 2009 at 10:40 pm.
