BB Returned after Getting ‘Clearance’ from US: WikiLeaks

WikiLeaks: Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan after getting ‘clearance’ from the US. President Asif Ali Zardari told this to the then US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W Patterson after the assassination of BB, US embassy cables revealed.

According to the US embassy cables, Zardari held meeting with Patterson on 25th January 2008 in which he opened his remarks by saying that the US is “our safety blanket” and recounted how Benazir had returned despite the threats against her because of support and “clearance” from the US.

However, Zardari quickly moved on to the PPP succession. He shared a photocopy of a one-page handwritten will from Benazir in which she bequeathed the party to him. This document, Zardari said, would be published in an upcoming book authored by Benazir.

He said that he opposed to launch a FIR over Benazir’s death because Pakistan did not afford any more chaos.

US embassy cables revealed that Zardari was not much interested in who the sniper was or exactly how Benazir was killed. This was not as important as finding out who financed the killing, who were the “hands behind” it. Ambassador said that we believed Baitullah Mehsud was responsible; Zardari dismissed this by saying that Mehsud was “just a pawn” in the process.

India PM defends himself over $40 bln telecom scam

NEWDEHLI: India’s premier on Saturday denied accusations of “inaction” in a 40-billion-dollar telecoms scandal and promised that any wrongdoers in the case would be punished.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is accused of failing to act on allegations that that his telecoms minister sold second-generation (2G) mobile phone licences for a fraction of their value in 2008.

The scandal has engulfed Singh, whose ruling Congress party’s popularity partly rests on his “Mr Clean” image, and it is being seen by Indian commentators as his government’s most serious crisis in its six years in power.

“There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that if any wrong thing has been done by anybody he or she or will be brought to book,” Singh said in his first public statement on the accusations.

“We need to deal effectively with the threats of corruption,” he told a

Zulqarnain explains his position to Pakistan Board

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman has spoken to Zulqarnain Haider and assured him of its full co-operation after the wicketkeeper left the squad in Dubai and went to London where he has applied for asylum.

Zulqarnain said PCB chief Ijaz Butt had spoken to him by telephone to find out the circumstances surrounding his sudden departure from the team hotel.

“I explained everything to him. I told him I was genuinely concerned about the threats given to me for not getting involved in any racket to fix matches in the one-day series against South Africa,” Zulqarnain told Geo News on Thursday.

“I have told the PCB chairman everything and he has assured me that the board will provide me all assistance and cooperation,” the keeper said.

The PCB had been trying to make contact with Zulqarnain since Monday when he arrived in London and on Wednesday it

Zulqarnain family asks him to return home or join team

Staff Report

KARACHI: The family of wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider urged him to return home from London where he fled hours before the fifth and final one-day international against South Africa in Dubai.

“He should return to Pakistan or if he has issues coming back home because of the threats he should at least come back to Dubai and join the team again,” his brother Aqeel Haider said.

“His wife and children are also very concerned about him and believe he should be back at home they don’t want to go to London,” he said.

Haider’s wife Qurutul Ain appeared on Trend Pk with her father-in-law pleading for her husband to return at least to Dubai.

Haider landed in London late Monday night claiming he had got death threats from unidentified persons after refusing to cooperate with them in fixing the one-day series against South Africa in

Open manhole in Hyderabad – Trend Pk VIDEO

Ashique Hussain Shah reports on the threats of open manhole in different areas of Hyderabad city. (October 31, 2010)

Open manhole in Hyderabad – Trend Pk VIDEO

Ashique Hussain Shah reports on the threats of open manhole in different areas of Hyderabad city. (October 31, 2010)

Open manhole in Hyderabad – Trend Pk VIDEO

Ashique Hussain Shah reports on the threats of open manhole in different areas of Hyderabad city. (October 31, 2010)

Open manhole in Hyderabad – Trend Pk VIDEO

Ashique Hussain Shah reports on the threats of open manhole in different areas of Hyderabad city. (October 31, 2010)

Open manhole in Hyderabad – Trend Pk VIDEO

Ashique Hussain Shah reports on the threats of open manhole in different areas of Hyderabad city. (October 31, 2010)

Open manhole in Hyderabad – Trend Pk VIDEO

Ashique Hussain Shah reports on the threats of open manhole in different areas of Hyderabad city. (October 31, 2010)

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