President Zardari urges foreign investment in energy sector

He directed that procedural formalities concerning Guddu and Uch transmission line projects should be completed in time so that the signing of agreements could take place in September this year.

This he said while talking to a Chinese delegation from a leading Chinese company dealing in power transmission projects. The delegation called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Wednesday.

The delegation was headed by Ye Jun, Chairman of the company TBEA.

The President said that Pakistan was facing difficulties in meeting its energy requirements. To improve energy resources, the president said, “we are focused on building mega hydropower projects in Diamer Bhasha and Bunji”.

President Zardari calls Ahmadinejad

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari called Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Saturday.

According to the president’s spokesperson, two leaders discussed on Pak-Iran ties, economic cooperation and regional situation.

Both leaders agreed on stepping up economic cooperation. TrendPK

Bilawal to take up politics in September – Zardari

GUJRANWALA: President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto will be given some political responsibilities in September this year.

While addressing Party Parliamentarians and office bearers from Gujranwala division here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Wednesday night, the president said his government has achieved successes despite all opposition and criticism.

The PPP will take the country out of all crises, he said.

The presidential reference to review the case of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto is to correct the history and it is not any revenge that we take from any one, Zardari added. TrendPK

Strong democratic institutions vital to get rid of terrorism: Zardari

Addressing a ceremony in the Aiewan-e-Sadr to distribute the apartments and plots to the families of the martyred, the president said that terrorism would be wiped out of country at every cost. He said that the government took steps for the rehabilitation of families of the martyred who were deployed at the security of the Benazir Bhutto. He said that plots can not be a compensation of sacrifices however it was the duty of the government to give honour to the families of the martyred.

Thousands protest in Yemen against Saleh’s rule

Thousands of opposition supporters took to streets in the Yemeni capital on Thursday against Ali Abdullah Saleh’s rule.

The protest, the biggest staged against Saleh in past weeks, came despite the president announcing yesterday that he would not seek another term and that he had postponed controversial April elections – two key opposition demands.

The Tunisian and Egyptian upheavals have fueled people’s demands for political change across the Arab world. There have been calls for anti-government protests Thursday in Sudan, Friday in Jordan and Saturday in Syria.

Zardari vows to unearth BBs killers

President Asif Ali Zardari said that killers of Benazir Bhutto (BB) would be uncovered at any cost.

Addressing a ceremony in Islamabad, the president said that democratic government will continue reconciliation process. He said that the government will fulfill all the promises made with people. He said that Swat would be made an exemplary city. He said that extremists were wiped out of Swat and the government established its writ in the area. He said that Kaladhaka will also be an ideal city like Islamabad.

Ahmadinejad slapped by top Revolutionary Guard: WikiLeaks

The chief of the Revolutionary Guard angrily slapped Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in early 2010, as Tehran was still dealing with the fallout from last year”s election, according to a leaked US diplomatic cable.

The cable, written in February, said Revolutionary Guard Chief of Staff Mohammed Ali Jafari blamed Ahmadinejad for the post-election “mess” in 2009, which saw the country roundly criticized by the West amid allegations of fraud and tough crackdowns on large-scale protests in Tehran.

The guard was founded after the Islamic revolution in 1979 to prevent dissident activity and is a strong internal force within the country, with economic and military wings.

Jafari is seen as close to the most conservative Iranian elements, but Ahmedinejad himself is also deemed a stalwart hawk.

The cable, titled “He who got slapped,” quotes an Iran watcher in Baku, Azerbaijan, who related that Ahmedinejad felt that in the aftermath of the post-election street protests, which turned violent, “people feel suffocated.”

In a meeting with his national security council, the president “mused that to defuse the situation it may be necessary to allow more personal and social freedoms, including more freedom of the press,” according to the source.

This provoked an angry retort from Jafari, according to the cable:

“You are wrong! (In fact) it is YOU who created this mess! And now you say give more freedom to the press?!”

The top guard then slapped the president in the face “causing an uproar and an immediate call for a break in the meeting” which did not resume for another two weeks, the cable said.

It took the intervention of Ayatollah Ahmad Janati, a senior member of the top oversight body, the Guardian Council, to get Jafari and Ahmedinejad back to the table, according to the cable.

The source cited in the cable released by WikiLeaks “predicted that events are trending towards major developments and a new phases” during 2010.

Some people want to live only in news headlines: Zardari

President Asif Ali Zardari has said that some people only try to live in news headlines and they were ready to do every thing even to destabilize the country.Addressing at a inaugural ceremony of PIA workers housing scheme, the president said such people lives in news headline but we live in the hearts of common men due to our services adding that every worker of his party tries his best to continue Bhuttos and BBs mission.

Iranian president sacks foreign minister

TEHRAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sacked the foreign minister on Monday and appointed the country’s top nuclear official as the caretaker for the key position, the official IRNA news agency reported.

“I appreciate your diligence and services as the foreign minister,” Ahmadinejad said in a letter to Manouchehr Mottaki, IRNA reported.

Ahmadinejad appointed head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation Ali Akbar Salehi, a close ally to the president, as the caretaker for the ministry, state television reported.

A reformist website said Mottaki had been critical of Ahmadinejad’s policies.

“Mottaki failed to adjust himself to the president’s view points and his foreign policy,” the Mardomsalari website reported. AGENCIES

Karzai pardons criminals: WikiLeaks

LONDON: Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ordered the release of numerous dangerous criminals and drug traffickers detained by US-led coalition forces, leaked American diplomatic cables revealed Tuesday.

American officials said they had repeatedly rebuked the president and Afghan attorney general Muhammad Ishaq Alko for authorising the release of detainees over a three-year period.

“Both authorize the release of detainees pre-trial and allow dangerous individuals to go free or re-enter the battlefield without ever facing an Afghan court,” said a cable dated August 2009 and classified as “secret” by then-US deputy ambassador to Afghanistan Francis Ricciardone.

“Despite our complaints and expressions of concern to the GIRoA (Afghan government), pre-trial releases continue,” it said.

Internet whistleblower WikiLeaks has begun releasing a quarter of a

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