England Win 1st Test Against Bangladesh

CHITTAGONG: Graeme Swann completed a maiden 10-wicket match-haul as England ended Bangladesh’s resistance with a 181-run victory in the opening Test on Tuesday.

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Junaid Siddique hit a solid 106 for his maiden Test century and Mushfiqur Rahim an impressive 95 to frustrate the tourists before Bangladesh were bowled out for 331 on the fifth and final day, chasing an improbable 513-run target.

Off-spinner Swann, who took five wickets in the first innings, finished with 5-127 off 49 overs in the second.

England, denied success for more than two sessions by left-handed Siddique and wicket-keeper Rahim, heaved a sigh of relief when Swann removed both batsmen in his opening four overs after lunch.

Swann struck in his first over after the break when he had Siddique caught by Paul Collingwood in the slips before accounting for Rahim, who was bowled after he stepped out to drive the spinner and missed the line.

Rahim, who came in to bat after five wickets fell for 110 before the tea break on Monday, was involved in a 167-run stand for the sixth wicket with Siddique before missing out on his second Test hundred.

Siddique hit 17 fours in his 292-ball knock and Rahim 12 in a 232-ball innings.

Bangladesh’s innings lasted only 10 more overs after the dismissals of Siddique and Rahim, with paceman Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan, and Swann sharing the last three wickets.

Siddique and Rahim kept the England attack at bay in the morning session with their determined knocks, helping their team add 86 to their overnight total of 191-5.

Skipper Alastair Cook took the new ball after 80 overs, but his pacemen Broad, Bresnan and debutant Steven Finn failed to unsettle the Bangladeshi pair.

Siddique, 68 not out on Monday, completed his hundred in style as he drove Finn through the covers for a four to reach 96 and then smashed the same bowler through mid-off for another boundary.

Rahim, who made 79 in the first innings, completed his second successive half-century early in the morning when he drove Finn through the covers for a four.

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Siddique offered a difficult chance on 106 when he attempted to cut Swann, but wicketkeeper Matt Prior failed to hold on to it.

Hilary Clinton Phones PM Gilani

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton telephoned the Prime Minister, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani this evening to express her gratitude for the warm hospitality accorded to her by the Government of Pakistan during her just concluded visit.

The PM lauded her efforts for trying to clear the misperceptions about the strategic partnership between the two countries through her wide ranging and extensive interaction with the political leadership, media, youth and members of the civil society in Pakistan.

He noted that it was for the first time that a high level US dignitary had gone a distance to assure our people of the strong US commitment to Pakistan.

The Prime Minister stated that while his government will continue striving forever more strengthen bilateral relations, the US should help pursue this goal by starting the strategic dialogue between the two countries.

The US secretary of State assured the Prime Minister that as has been agreed in their meeting, the proposal of strategic dialogue was discussed with her Pakistani counterpart and will be implemented.

She also apprised the PM that she has instructed Ambassador Richard Holbrook her special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan and the US Ambassador in Islamabad for undertaking proactive measures to follow up on the decisions reached between the two sides during her visit.

She requested the Prime Minister to convey her best wishes to the political leadership and members of Pakistan’s Parliament as well.

Dr. Afia Siddique unconditional release sought

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan : The Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Saturday urged unconditional release and repatriation of detained Dr. Afia Siddique by the US administration if it wanted to win hearts and minds of Pakistanis.

The meeting chaired by Chairman Senator Mohammad Talha Mehmood discussed in detail Dr.Afia’s case and the issue of Pakistanis detained in foreign countries’ jails.

The committee said the US must release Dr. Afia  without any further delay.

Senator Talha Mehmood said all diplomatic channels should be extensively exploited for the early repatriation of Dr. Afia.

A Foreign Ministry representative told the meeting that as many as 6037 Pakistanis were languishing in foreign jails, mostly in UAE, Saudi Arabia and China, adding that one third of them were arrested on charges of drug trafficking.

The meeting was informed that Pakistan embassy in Washington had informed brothers of Dr. Afia for hiring a team of lawyers of their family choice to contest her case.

The committee expressed its reservations over information that lawyers were only assisting the court and not acting as lead lawyers in the case.

It condemned inhuman treatment meted out to Dr. Afia during detention, adding if US was serious in image building in the eyes of Pakistanis then it must respect Pakistani citizens.

The committee decided to raise Dr. Afia’s case at every platform in order to press for her unconditional release and for molding public opinion in this regard.

The committee also sought suggestions from the ministries of law and foreign affairs regarding taking the issue to the International Court of Justice and the legal implications.

Among others who attended the meeting were  Senator Almas Perveen, Saeeda Soghra Imam, Haji Adeel, Begum Najma Hameed, Dr Abdul Malik and representatives of law and foreign ministries.