Passing out parade of 4,000 Baloch cadets held

Staff Report

QUETTA: The passing out parade of 4,000 cadet officers has taken place in different cities of Balochistan simultaneously, Trend Pk reported Friday.

All 4,000 cadets commissioned in the ceremonies hail from Balochistan.

Parades were held in Quetta, Khuzdar, Sibi, Sui and Kashmore and attended by cadets’ families, relatives, tribal elders, lawmakers, ministers and senior military officials.

On the instruction of Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, young recruits of Balochistan were given special leniency.

Balochistan’s Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi was the chief guest of the passing out ceremony. Trend Pk

Iran bankrolling Karzai govt: NYT

Afghan President Hamid Karzais chief of staff, Umar Daudzai, has been receiving regular cash payment from Iran, which is trying to expand its interests in the Afghan presidential palace, The New York Times reported.
Citing unnamed Afghan and Western officials in Kabul, the newspaper said Iran had been using its influence to help drive a wedge between the Afghans and their US and NATO allies. The payments, which officials say total millions of dollars, go into a secret fund that Daudzai and Karzai have used to pay Afghan lawmakers, tribal elders and even Taliban commanders to secure their loyalty, the report said. The Times cites unnamed officials as saying that the Iranian payments are intended to secure the allegiance of Daudzai, a former ambassador to Iran who consistently advocates an anti-Western line to Karzai and briefs Karzai every morning. Last August, when President Karzai wrapped up an official visit to Iran, Maliki brought to the presidential plane a large plastic bag filled with wads of euro bills and handed it to Daudzai, according to the report.

Twin blasts heard in Kabul as Afghan jirga opens

KABUL: Two blasts rocked Kabul Wednesday as President Hamid Karzai delivered a speech at the opening of a “jirga” at which 1,600 delegates will discuss making peace with the Taliban.

A French news agency photographer said at least one rocket landed near the Intercontinental Hotel, not far from the huge air-conditioned tent where the three-day assembly of political, community and religious leaders is being held.

Karzai broke off his speech to say: “Someone is trying with a rocket perhaps.”

“Don”t worry about it, let”s proceed,” he told the delegates, who broke into applause.

In his speech, Karzai condemned the Taliban, who are waging an insurgency against Karzai”s government and have not been invited to the jirga.

Gunfire erupts near venue of Afghan peace jirga

KABUL: Gunfire erupted on Wednesday near the site of a peace jirga in the Afghan capital attended by President Hamid Karzai and hundreds of tribal elders and notables, witnesses and officials said.

Gunfire happened soon after three rockets landed near the vicinity of the conference. Karzai left the venue in an armed convoy as helicopters hovered above.

Chaman border opens for traffic

CHAMAN: After successful talks between Frontier Corps officials and tribal elders, Chaman border was opened for general traffic, thus ending the 3-month long blockage.

According FC spokesman, Chaman border was closed for all kind of traffic due to security reasons.

However, about a week ago, different political and religious groups had to launch a protest against the blockage.

As a result, the FC officials, local politicians, tribal elders and traders sat together and held successful talks, leading to opening of the border.

Three Tribal Leaders killed in Blasts in Bajaur

BAJAUR, Pakistan News : Two remote controlled bombs planted by militants exploded in the tribal region of Bajaur on the Afghan border on Sunday, killing three tribal elders and wounding two relatives, a government official said.

According to the sources, the local leader was targeted by the planted bomb near his house in Tehsil Salarzai that killed him and injured two others also. Injured have been shifted to the hospital, while two dead bodies have been found from Mamond according to local sources.

---

Three Tribal Leaders killed in Blasts in Bajaur was first posted on January 3, 2010 at 8:02 pm.

PM Gilani Meets President Hu Jintao

BEIJING: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday met Chinese President HU Jintao to discuss bilateral relations.

Prime Minister Gilani during the meeting will invite China for investment in Pakistan. The two leaders will also discuss regional peace and fighting against terrorism.

Earlier in a meeting with a delegation Gilani stressed the need for greater cooperation between the defence industries of Pakistan and China as an important step to fortify the all-weather strategic partnership.

The Prime Minister expressed these views in his meeting with Chen Qiufa, Administrator of China’s State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND) who led a delegation of China’s defence-related companies.

Prime Minister Gilani told the delegation that Pakistan attached great importance to its relations with China and wanted to further expand and promote bilateral cooperation particularly in the field of defence production.

---

PM Gilani Meets President Hu Jintao was first posted on October 13, 2009 at 5:22 pm.

Terror Rule Ends in Malakand: CM NWFP

MATTA: Chief Minister of NWFP Amir Hyder Hoti has said that Malakand division has been cleansed of terrorists.

Talking to tribal elders at Matta Hoti said that his government will not take a sigh of relief without crushing the last terrorist from the region.

HOti said the masses, people’s representatives, military and other security forces jointly fighting against terrorists.

“Still some pockets of terrorists exist in the region,” he added.

---

Terror Rule Ends in Malakand: CM NWFP was first posted on October 13, 2009 at 5:46 pm.