Pakistan must show it wants Afghan peace: US

KABUL: Washington’s special envoy to Afghanistan said on Monday that Pakistan must prove it wants an end to the war by preventing militants from hiding out on its soil and enabling those who launch attacks on the Afghan side of the border.
Marc Grossman, US special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, said in Kabul that discussions among Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States being held this week in the Afghan capital are important to coordinate efforts to find a political resolution to the nearly decade-long war.
He said they also are an opportunity to clearly convey to Pakistani officials that part of their responsibility for bringing peace is to stop supporting insurgent safe havens and those who attack Afghans and international forces in Afghanistan.
“We’ve been pretty clear that going forward here, we want the government of Pakistan to participate positively in the reconciliation process,” Grossman said at a news conference. “Pakistan now has important choices to make.”
Grossman and representatives from more than 40 nations are attending a meeting of the International Contact Group. The group’s 11th meeting comes after President Barack Obama announced last week he was ordering 10,000 US troops home by year’s end; as many as 23,000 more are to leave by September 2012. That would leave 68,000 US troops in Afghanistan.
The 33,000 total to be withdrawn is the number Obama sent as reinforcements in December 2009 as part of an effort to reverse the Taliban’s momentum and hasten an eventual political settlement of the conflict. The US and its allies plan a full combat withdrawal by the end of 2014.
Michael Steiner, German representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, said at the news conference that the international community’s engagement will not end in 2014, when Afghan security forces are to have the lead responsibility for security across the nation, a process he said is on track.
“I think we have a strategy which is working despite the difficulties we have,” Steiner said. “I am not painting here any illusions. We will have problems ahead. But I think we have a realistic strategy.”
Separately, the UN World Food Program announced Monday it will cut food assistance to more than 3 million Afghans in about half the country’s 34 provinces because of a shortage of money from donor nations.
The UN agency said it had planned to help feed more than 7 million people in Afghanistan this year, but a shortage of donor funds means only 3.8 million people will be helped through meals provided at schools and training and work programs. It said it needed an additional $220 million to continue its work in Afghanistan at the level originally planned.
The program will focus food assistance on helping the most needy Afghans, especially women and children, said Bradley Guerrant, the agency’s deputy country director.
“We are working hard to raise the funds needed to restart these activities as soon as we can,” he said.
Also, two roadside bomb blasts killed seven civilians Monday in Ghazni province in eastern Afghanistan, the Interior Ministry said. A vehicle struck one of the bombs in Qarabagh district, killing four civilians, including two children, the ministry said. Another vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Ghazni city, killing three civilians

Israel approves plan to repel new Gaza flotilla

JERUSALEM: Israel’s security cabinet on Monday ordered the navy to stop an international aid flotilla from breaching a naval blockade on the Gaza Strip, but also to avoid clashes with activists on board.
“Members of the (security) cabinet decided today following a debate on the flotilla that the state of Israel will be determined in stopping the flotilla’s arrival in Gaza,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.But forces would be ordered to do so “with minimal confrontation, as far as possible, with those on board the ships,” it said without giving further details.  Also on Monday, Netanyahu said a threat to punish foreign journalists in the convoy by barring them from entering Israel for up to 10 years would not be carried out.
The premier’s office said he had been unaware of the original warning.
“When this was brought to the prime minister’s attention, he ordered that normal procedures taken against infiltrators and those entering illegally not be applied to journalists,” the statement said.
Netanyahu also said he would allow reporters to accompany the naval vessels sent to intercept the flotilla “in order to allow transparent and trustworthy coverage of the events.” Organisers said that between 30 and 50 journalists were expected to sail with the flotilla.
The closed-door cabinet meeting was the second session on the flotilla in as many days.
On Sunday, ministers in the forum were briefed on the military’s preparations for the 10-ship convoy which is expected to set sail from Greece later this week.
During the meeting, ministers decided not to allow the ships to anchor in Gaza, although they would be allowed to unload their cargo at the Israeli port of Ashdod or Egypt’s El-Arish port for checks, media reports said.
If no weapons or ammunition were found, the cargo would be transferred to the Gaza Strip.
Public radio said Cairo had already agreed to allow the ships to dock at El-Arish which lies some 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of the Gaza border.
In Greece, organisers said they would try and rendezvous their boats off the coast of Crete on “Thursday or Friday” and then head for Gaza.
(Thursday or Friday, nine or 10 boats should meet up in the Libyan Gulf,( Vaguelis Pissias said at news conference.
(We really hope that despite the pressure from Israel and other countries, the Greek authorities are not going to stop us leaving.” Israel Hayom newspaper quoted navy chief Eliezer Marom as telling ministers that his men were better prepared than they were last May, when marine commandos stormed the lead ship of a previous flotilla, killing nine Turkish nationals.
“Our forces are ready to stop the flotilla and not to allow the ships to reach Gaza,” an unidentified political source also told the paper.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and several international leaders have urged the flotilla not to set sail, and Washington has warned US nationals not to join the attempt to break the Israeli embargo.
Some 350 pro-Palestinian activists from 22 countries including Canada, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy and Spain are set to join “Freedom Flotilla II” in a bid to break Israel’s five-year blockade on Gaza where 1.5 million Palestinians live.
Israel first imposed a blockade on the enclave in 2006 after militants there snatched Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in a deadly cross-border raid. He is still being held.
A ban on civilian goods and foodstuffs was eased last year but many restrictions remain in place.
Around seven of the vessels due to join the flotilla are already docked in Greece while several other will join them later, media reports said.
But the Mavi Marmara, the Turkish-owned ferry where the bloodshed took place last year, will not take part in a move welcomed by Israeli officials that has helped ease fears in Israel of a violent confrontation, the Haaretz newspaper reported on Monday.
Organisers said the boats would set sail from various Greek ports this week, and were to give further details at a news conference in Athens later on Monday.
Two cargo vessels will carry medicines, a fully-equipped ambulance and cement.
Last week, Washington slammed the flotilla plans as “irresponsible and provocative,” saying all aid to Gaza could be delivered through Ashdod.

PPP Sindh rejects MQM's allegations

KARACHI: Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon rejected the accusations leveled by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) saying they are false and have no basis, 

The minister said the MQM's allegations were false and we would reply in detail. PPP was following the policy of reconciliation, he said.

'MQM is consulted on every issue and the decision to quit governments is taken in haste.'

MQM quits, Sindh Governor also resigns

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has decided to quit from the Pakistan People's Party led governments in centre and Sindh, senior MQM leader Farooq Sattar told the media on Monday.

Sindh Governor Dr. Ishrat ul Ebad Khan would also quit from the office of Governor Sindh, he said.

The longest serving Governor in the history of Pakistan has sent his resignation to President Asif Ali Zardari. Dr. Ishrat Ul Ebad Khan took oath of office of the Sindh Governor on Dec 27, 2002.

“The MQM leadership reached the conclusion that it is no longer possible for the party to continue functioning as part of the Pakistan People's Party-led coalition governmnet, keeping in view its undemocratic and dictatorial attitude," he said.

He said PPP was unwilling to mend its ways leaving MQM with no other option but to quit the coalition government, adding that from now on MQM lawmakers in federal and provincial assemblies would sit on opposition benches.

“MQM ministers were powerless and not allowed to work independently,” Farooq Sattar said and added that issues were raised in core committees with the PPP leadership on regular basis but to no avail.

Rehman Malik told MQM to stay away from the Azad Jammu and Kashmir assembly's Karachi seat and even threatened to postpone elections, MQM leader said.

MQM today also filed a petition in the Sindh High Court (SHC) against the deferment of June 26 scheduled Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) elections for the Karachi seats, which is expected to be placed for hearing tomorrow.

Shujaat calls Altaf

ISLAMABAD: PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Husain telephoned Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain and sought time to resolve issues, 

Altaf asked Chaudhry Shujaat to join MQM on opposition benches, while PML-Q leader sought 12 hours to bridge the differences.

Paula the Octopus in action for women's World Cup

BERLIN: During last year's World Cup in South Africa, Paul the Octopus shot to fame for his accurate match predictions, so for the women's competition starting in Germany on Sunday, step forward ... Paula.

The tentacled tipster was put through her paces on Friday in Konstanz in southern Germany, but made the shock choice that Canada will win Sunday's opening match against the hosts in Berlin.

The octopus, whose gender is actually unknown, had to choose between two compartments in a plastic box in its tank, one with a Germany flag and one with a Canada one, with each containing a tasty morsel.

The prediction is a bold one as Germany, whose women are hoping to win their third consecutive World Cup, have never lost any of their previous nine matches to Canada.

Paula, however, is only one of eight salty soothsayers housed at eight different Sea Life centres in Germany competing to become the official successor to British-born Paul, who lived in an aquarium in Oberhausen.

All eight will be asked to predict the outcome of all Germany's matches in the June 26-July 17 women's competition.

While Paula and an eight-legged colleague in Munich both backed Canada on Friday, the fishy forecasters in Berlin, Koenigswinter and Oberhausen plumped for Germany, making the combined predictions 3-2 in the hosts' favour.

But the method of enticing the underwater oracles to predict the winner proved to be far from fool-proof -- three octopuses in other locations in Germany snubbed the treats on offer and ignored both boxes.

This was determined by aquarium officials to mean that they expect a draw.

Meanwhile one-year-old African elephant Nelly got in on the forecasting act at the Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen, near Hanover, by predicting a win for Germany after opting to kick a ball into the Canada net when given a choice.

But it is all a far cry so far from last summer's performances by Paul -- who has become something of an icon here -- after he kept a clean sheet in the men's competition in South Africa.

He correctly foretold the outcome of all Germany's games, even a defeat to Serbia in the group stage and to Spain in the semi-finals, as well as Spain's eventual victory in the final.

In the process he cost bookmakers a fortune and won worldwide fame, with rolling news channels in Germany carrying live coverage when he was asked to choose -- as they did with Paula on Friday.

Paul died aged nearly three in October, sparking hundreds of messages of condolence from his fan club on social networking website Facebook, whose ranks have more than tripled since his death to more than 200,000.

FBI looking to restock its '10 Most Wanted' list

WASHINGTON: With the death of the world's most wanted, Osama bin Laden, and the arrest of Boston crime figure James ‘Whitey’ Bulger on Wednesday, the FBI's ‘10 Most Wanted’ list has a couple of vacancies. 

And it's not immediately clear who will fill the gap. An FBI spokesman said the bureau was trying to find replacements, but did not yet know who they would be.

Started in 1950 by the FBI's first director, J. Edgar Hoover, the list is "designed to publicize particularly dangerous fugitives who might not otherwise merit nationwide attention," according to the FBI website.

To choose the replacements for bin Laden, whose face on the 10 Most Wanted list now has a red "deceased" stripe across it, and Bulger, whose mugshot now reads "captured," the FBI's 56 local offices submit their "candidates" to the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division.

According to the FBI's website, the nominees are reviewed by special CID agents, and ultimately forwarded to the FBI director, who gives the final approval. To be chosen, the individual must have a lengthy criminal record or be considered particularly dangerous.

The FBI must also believe their capture will be aided by the extra publicity the list provides.

A minimum reward of $100,000 is offered for any information leading to the arrest of any of the fugitives. Bin Laden merited a $25 million reward, and Bulger, who was added to the list in 1999 at the age of 69, a $2 million reward.

Among the remaining Ten Most Wanted are Jason Dereck Brown, accused of murder and armed robbery. According to the Most Wanted list, Brown speaks fluent French and has a masters degree in international business.

Robert William Fisher is also on the list, wanted for allegedly killing his wife and two young children, then blowing up the house in which they lived.

According to the description on the FBI website, Fisher "has a noticeable gold crown on his upper left first bicuspid tooth" and "may walk with an exaggerated erect posture and his chest pushed out due to a lower back injury

Kadhafi agrees to stay out of Libya talks: AU panel

PRETORIA: Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi has agreed to stay out of negotiations on ending his country's four-month conflict, African leaders said in a communique after talks Sunday in South Africa. 

The African Union panel on Libya "welcomes Colonel Kadhafi's acceptance of not being part of the negotiations process," the statement said, without elaborating.

AU peace and security commissioner Ramtane Lamamra read out the communique but refused to take questions.

'Dabangg' wins six awards at 'Bollywood Oscars'

TORONTO: Screen tough guy Salman Khan's corrupt cop romp "Dabangg" (Fearless) won a clutch of awards including best picture at the "Bollywood Oscars," held late Saturday for the first time in North America.

The film directed by Abhinav Kashyap won in the hugely important music categories for best female playback singer, best male playback singer and best music direction, as well as best screenplay.

Actor Sonu Sood also picked up the award for best performance in a negative role as the evil head of a regional political party in the film. He thanked his mother when accepting the award.

"My Name is Khan" followed with four nods for best story, best lyrics, best director for Karan Johar and best actor for Shah Rukh Khan's portrayal of a Muslim suffering from Asperger's syndrome who is detained at a US airport after his disability is mistaken for suspicious behaviour. The making of the film was "emotional and therapeutic," Johar said after the win, adding it taught him "restraint and love."

Tens of thousands of fans swarmed Toronto's Rogers' Centre stadium for the 12th annual Indian International Film Academy awards, and another 700 million were expected to have watched it on television.

Shah Rukh Khan, Anil Kapoor ("Slumdog Millionaire") and the Deol family were among the dozens of Bollywood superstars in attendance, along with Oscar-winners Hilary Swank and Cuba Gooding Jr.

Salman Khan, however, could not make it to Toronto as he was reportedly shooting his next film "Bodyguard," a romantic action movie with Kareena Kapoor. "I love you so much," screamed Mamta Sharma over and over, after winning the award for best female playback singer for the song "Munni Badnam."

A tense moment followed when a fan grabbed Shah Rukh Khan onstage, leading the "King of Bollywood" to complain that the man was hurting his leg. "This is the problem, only men grab my thighs," Khan joked as his assailant was escorted off stage

Pakistan firing missiles into Afghanistan: Karzai

KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai accuses Pakistan of firing 470 rockets into two of its eastern border provinces in a three-week barrage.
Afghan security forces said Sunday that 36 people have died in the barrages, which hit civilians in areas where Nato forces have withdrawn.
After the civilians fled, Pakistani Taliban came in and occupied the cleared areas, Afghan border officials said.
Afghan security officials say joint Nato and Afghan border units have fired back into Pakistan. Nato and Pakistan military officials, however, have denied any knowledge of border skirmishes.

Four cops among six hurt as ‘seized explosives go off’ in Multan

MULTAN/LAHORE: The blast at Qadhafi police post here on Sunday which left at least six people including four policemen injured took place when fireworks and explosive material placed inside the post went off, Dawn learned reliably.
Sources privy to the investigation of the incident told this reporter that a large quantity of fireworks and other explosives which were placed in storeroom of the police post exploded with a big bang.
They said apparently the incident happened owing to police negligence as fireworks and other explosives, possibly seized from anti-social elements, were not disposed off.
The blast at the post of New Multan police station was initially termed a terrorist attack by some police officials who claimed it was caused when explosives fitted on a motorbike parked along the outer wall of the post were detonated.
District Coordination Officer Zahid Zaman also initially told some TV channels it was a suicide terror hit.
The blast that was so intense that it was heard several kilometers away from where it occurred partially damaged an outer wall of the police post and an adjacent house.
Three of the injured, who were shifted to Nishtar Hospital immediately after the blast, were identified as policemen Khadim Hussain, Irshad Ahmed and Qaisar Abbas. The three other injured people, Danishwar, Sajjad and Imran, were in the police lockup adjacent to the storeroom where the blast occurred.
According to hospital sources, two of the injured policemen, Khadim and Irshad, were in critical condition.
Ruling out the possibility of explosive material planted outside the post, Civil Defence District Officer Shahid Pervez said as the debris of the collapsed wall fell outside the building it showed the blast occurred inside the post.
He said that judging from the intensity of the blast it could be estimated that some seven to eight kilogram explosive material caused it. He, however, said the explosives were not in the form of finished devices used by terrorists to cause maximum number of casualties.
Gulgasht SP Atif Khan said that initial inspection of the site showed the blast occurred inside the post. He, however, said investigation was no to ascertain what caused the blast.
New Multan police station SHO Gulzar Tulla denied presence of any explosive material inside the post. However, he was not sure what actually caused the blast.
According to a news website, police have taken a bearded man in custody in connection with the blast. It also said that security at the post situated on Lahore-Multan National Highway was poor.

Grandson of Bugti dies in clash at dance party

KARACHI: A grandson of the late Nawab Akbar Bugti and five other people were killed and six injured in what police described as an armed clash during a dance party in a DHA bungalow after Saturday midnight.
Police said the bungalow in DHA Phase VII, Khayaban-i-Rahat, had been rented by one Faisal and the party had been organised by a person named Saif.
The organisers had sought security assistance from a political party.
Talei Bugti, police said, entered the bungalow after agreeing to leave his armed escort outside. Clifton SP Tariq Dharejo said: “The shootout began after a heated argument between Mr Bugti and the organisers first inside the bungalow and later outside.”
Mark Joseph, Kamran Shafi, Dr Iqbal and Kamran Gul died on the spot while Mr Bugti who suffered gunshot wounds in the chest was taken to a private hospital where he died.
Another injured man, Ziauddin, died in a hospital on Sunday afternoon.
According to a law-enforcement official, the party was well organised with paid entry. The organisers had made arrangement for valet parking.
The official, who visited the house after the bodies and injured had been removed said there were spots of blood all over the place because the injured might have rushed inside. There were traces of blood in the swimming pool as well.
The arrangement for the party, he said, was quite elaborate with two bars and a DJ system.
He said the owner of the bungalow, Nasir Khan, was there when the firing took place.
He told police that he had rented the premises to Faisal and Saif for the night for Rs20,000.
The SP was not sure if any weapon had been seized from the place or from some people detained by police. “We are verifying” details, he said.
Another police official claimed that the sound system and some cars and motorcycles had been impounded from the premises.
Spent bullet casings of 9mm pistols and AK-47 rifles had been found, police said.
Although police claimed to have detained nine suspects from the place, sources said no-one involved in the firing as among them. The source said a number of injured people and four bodies had been taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre at about 3am.
According to hospital sources, almost all of them had been hit by bullets fired from a close range.
The funeral prayers of Talei Bugti were held in Sultan Masjid and he was buried in the Phase IV graveyard.
Although the organisers claimed that they had the Defence Housing Authority’s permission to hold the party, law-enforcement officials said the permission was for a private party, not for a commercial event.
Gizri police registered an FIR on Sunday night under Sections 302 (premeditated murder), 324(attempt to murder), 147 (punishment for rioting) and 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons) of the Pakistan Penal Code on behalf of the state against Arif Roger and others.

India’s opposition leads to rejection of EU tariff deal

ISLAMABAD: The European Union has failed to get approval at the World Trade Organisation from member nations, especially India, for granting trade preferences to Pakistan on 75 items, it is learnt.
A senior government official told Dawn: “We have been informed unofficially by EU trade officials that the preferential trade package announced last year for Pakistan is a gone story.”
He said the EU officials were of the view that the issue would no more be pursued at the WTO because India was not allowing the adoption of the package.
The EU had announced to give a time-bound duty-free access to Pakistan for 75 items to compensate losses caused by last year’s devastating floods. The package was scheduled to come into effect in January this year.
The EU had recently approached the WTO to seek a waiver for one year on trade preferences to Pakistan on these products amounting to almost 900 million euros.
A trade source said the EU itself did not appear to be interested in pursuing the issue. “EU doesn’t care much about us,” he commented.
A source in the WTO secretariat confirmed that there would be no fresh initiative from the EU to persuade India to agree to allow the
preferential package.
He said the seeking of a waiver from WTO members was a request which would be kept lingering on unless withdrawn or approved. So technically it would be wrong to say that the EU had withdrawn the preferential package because there was no deadline for the waiver, he added.
A source in the commerce ministry said apart from India’s opposition the issue was handled badly by the government, especially the commerce ministry. The ministry is virtually being run by a secretary who is most of the time on foreign visits with the prime minister or the president.
The WTO wing at the ministry has also been abandoned because it has no boss to deal with such issues or give feedback to the Pakistan’s WTO mission in Geneva.
It is said the commerce minister seldom visits his ministry and therefore, everything is referred to the secretary.

Kashmir polls leave major parties at loggerheads

ISLAMABAD: Election for the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly raised the political temperature across the country, with three main parties accusing each other of rigging and poll-related clashes claiming lives of two political workers.
The Pakistan People`s Party (PPP) accused the Punjab government of using its administrative machinery, holding presiding officers hostage and creating rumpus in order to manipulate polling for all nine seats in the province.
The N-League levelled similar allegations against the PPP and claimed that the elections had been held on bogus voter lists.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) boycotted the polls in an aggressive manner and threatened to again part ways with the ruling coalition.
The party decided to file a petition in the Supreme Courts of Pakistan and the AJK against postponement of election in some constituencies on the pretext of law and order.
The AJK election commissioner postponed the polling for LA-37 (Valley 2) — one of two seats in Lahore – because of poor security situation. Elections for LA-30 (Jammu) had been postponed earlier.
“We are being asked by party workers to leave the government,” MQM leader Zahid Mehmood said.
When asked about media reports that MQM leaders in the federal cabinet had presented their resignations to party chief Altaf Hussain, he said: “No, it has not been done so far.”
But he hinted that MQM leaders could resign from the cabinet in two or three days. “We had rejoined the government recently because we wanted to safeguard democracy, but the regime has proved that it has nothing to do with democracy,” he said.
Mr Mehmood alleged that Interior Minister Rehman Malik had put pressure on the MQM for adjustment on several seats in Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab where, he said, there were strong possibilities of victory of the party`s candidates. “Mr Malik asked the MQM to cede the LA-30 and LA-36 seats,” he claimed.
PML-N leader Siddiqul Farooq alleged that in order to manipulate the polls, the PPP had made three voters` lists and “the fourth list, which was handwritten, was distributed among workers and polling staff on the election day”.
“Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Mazoor Wattoo, had accepted that voter lists were bogus and agreed at a recent meeting that the date of the election would be extended for 10 days to ratify them. But the polls were held with the same bogus lists,” he said.
Mr Farooq alleged that a cell set up in the presidency and comprising Mr Malik, Mr Wattoo and PPP leader Babar Awan was supervising the rigging.
He said offices of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) remained open for the whole day on Sunday so that PPP`s voters could get their national identity cards to cast votes.
“But unfortunately there was no prior official announcement about the opening of Nadra office and thus workers of PML-N and other parties could not benefit from the facility,” he said.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said she had no information that her party and its coalition partners, including the MQM, had any understanding for the elections.
She said complaints were being received about rigging in different areas of Punjab. “In Delaywala in Headmarala police limits, MPA Rana Iqbal and his son stopped polling for half an hour and manhandled the PPP agent,” she claimed. The Kashmir Affairs minister accused Punjab police of stopping Rangers from discharging their duties.
He alleged that PML-N workers had captured all polling stations at 8am. “The credibility of polling for nine seats in Punjab is dubious,” he said.
“The PML-N has violated the sanctity of elections and undermined our efforts to show the world free, fair and transparent elections for the AJK Legislative Assembly,” he said.
An activist of N-League was reportedly killed in a clash with PPP workers in Samani valley of Bhimber district.
PPP`s information secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira said PML-N workers had attacked Zikria Butt, media adviser to Punjab PPP chief Raja Riaz. “The PML-N should accept the result of the elections,” he said.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Punjab Governor Latif Khosa told journalists that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had refused to attend a telephone call made by the governor. According to later reports, Mr Sharif called Mr Khosa and discussed the law and order situation during polling in the province.

Govt stabbed MQM in the back: Altaf

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has lashed out at the PPP-led government for postponing the election on three constituencies of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly and urged the judiciary to take notice of the `undemocratic, unethical and illegal act’.
Addressing a workers’ convention by phone from London on Sunday, Mr Hussain said that by `deceiving’ its true ally the government had started the beginning of its own destruction.
He asked the MQM’s coordination committee to complete consultations with workers and office-bearers within a week so that the party could finalise its future course of action.
The MQM had announced boycotting the AJK polls after elections on three constituencies were postponed. The workers’ conventions were held in various parts of Pakistan to seek their opinion in the wake of present circumstances.
Mr Hussain minced no words when he said that the government had stabbed the MQM in the back despite the fact that the party had supported it in even difficult times and nominated Asif Ali Zardari for the office of the president at a time when no one from the PPP was willing to suggest his name. “Was it the crime of the MQM that it had nominated Asif Zardari as president and had unconditionally supported Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani at the time of his election?”
He said the MQM was forced to boycott the elections because of what he called dictatorial steps of the government and added that the government was hiding its `true face’ under the veil of democracy. “This veil should be removed so that people could see their real face.
Although they say they have learnt from their past mistakes but it seems they have learnt nothing,” the MQM leader said
He said the government had made the results of the Azad Kashmir elections unacceptable to the people of Pakistan.
Mr Hussain alleged that some PPP leaders had asked the MQM that if it did not give one seat of AJK assembly from Karachi to them then they would get the elections postponed. “I asked them as to why we give you a seat…have you arrested the killers of Benazir Bhutto,” he said sarcastically.
He announced that a `day of condemnation’ would be observed every June 26 in protest against the alleged illegal and unconstitutional acts of the government.
Mr Hussain asked those representatives of the government who had faith in democracy to raise their voice against this injustice.
He directed the MQM coordination committee to file petitions with courts with a pray to declare the elections null and void and order the authorities to hold it afresh.
He appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan, the chief justice of Azad Jammu and Kashmir as well as the chief justices of provincial high courts to “support the oppressed people against the decision of the present government”

Hot Hindi Remix Dence Song

PPP poised to gain simple majority

MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan People’s Party AJK appeared to have gained simple majority in the AJK Legislative Assembly as unofficial results for 36 of the 37 constituencies for which elections were held on Sunday poured in at late night.
But a private TV channel reported that the PPP leadership had decided to invite the Muslim Conference to form a broad-based government.
According to the channel, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani contacted AJK Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, the chief of the Muslim Conference.
Unofficial results showed that of the 29 constituencies in the AJK territory, the PPP had either won or was leading by a sizeable margin in 18, followed by the MC which had clinched victory in four and the PML-N which emerged victorious in four constituencies (two of them won by its chief organiser Raja Farooq Haider).
One independent candidate also emerged victorious, whereas results in one constituency, LA 17, Poonch-I, were being awaited. According to sources, the situation was tense in the constituency.
In the eight constituencies of Kashmiri refugees in Pakistan, the PML-N won in four, PPP in two and MC in one. An independent candidate also won a seat.
Polling in four constituencies of Kashmiri refugees has been postponed.
Prominent among the winners were Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan and former premiers Sardar Yaqoob Khan, Barrister Sultan Mahmood, Raja Farooq Haider.
PPAJK’s President Chaudhry Abdul Majeed, senior vice-president Chaudhry Mohammad Yasin, secretary general Chaudhry Latif Akbar were also among the winners. However, the defeat was of the party’s vice-president Khawaja Farooq Ahmed was shocking who had fallen victim to intrigues by some of leaders of his own party.
Losers included AJKLA speaker and PPAJK candidate Chaudhry Anwaarul Haq who was defeated by PML-N’s Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, despite having received the backing of AJK President Raja Zulqarnain Khan.
PML-N organising committee’s secretary Shah Ghulam Qadir, who had chosen Neelum Valley to contest this time, instead of his previous constituency in Rawalpindi, lost to PPP candidate Mian Abdul Waheed.
Elections were held amid serious objections raised over flawed electoral rolls and inadequate security arrangements which resulted in violence in several areas, leaving at least two persons dead and scores others wounded.
The Election Commission had postponed on Saturday polling in three of the 12 constituencies for Kashmiri refugees in Pakistan, citing law and order problems and a controversy over nearly 500 votes.
On Sunday, polling in another Kashmiri constituency in Lahore – LA 37 Valley-II – was also postponed by Chief Election Commissioner Khawaja Mohammad Saeed in the wake of serious law and order problems.
Elsewhere, polling began at 8 am but turnout which was low in the early hours picked up in the afternoon.
However, voters and polling agents were heard literally cursing the EC over flawed electoral rolls, which caused inconvenience not only to them but also to polling staff and led to altercations.
In many areas, the lists provided to presiding officers were either incomplete or did not match with the ones held by supporters of candidates outside polling stations.
Although polling in urban areas was by and large peaceful, severe clashes and even exchanges of firing were reported from rural areas, leading to suspension of polling in many stations. Most of the quarrels took place between supporters of PPP and PML-N.
In LA 25, Muzaffarabad-II, a man identified as Mohammad Bashir, reportedly a supporter of independent candidate Chaudhry Shahzad, died in hospital after having suffered stab wounds. Another man was injured in the clash. Police arrested five people from the area.
Another casualty was reported from LA 6, Bhimber-II, in an exchange of fire between PPP and PML-N workers for nearly an hour. The deceased identified as Raja Iftikhar was said to be a PML-N supporter.
However, AJK IGP Dr Tarik Ahmed Khokhar said he was ‘extremely satisfied’ over security arrangements made for the polls.
“Barring a few incidents, the whole process remained extremely peaceful, notwithstanding fears about large-scale violence,” he told Dawn.
EC Secretary Mohammad Younas Mughal told newsmen that polling in the four constituencies of Kashmiri refugees where election had been postponed for different reasons would be held next month.
Our Correspondent adds from Sialkot: PML-N candidate Chaudhry Muhammad Ishaq won by defeating PPP’s Chaudhry Shaukat Wazir Ali in LA-32 Jammu III, Sialkot.
According to unofficial results, Mr Ishaq bagged 24,407 votes against Mr Wazir Ali’s 18,101.
Muslim Conference candidate Sahibzada Hamid Raza got 7,510 votes.
Our correspondent adds from Attock: PML-N candidates were leading against their opponents in LA-35 Jammu & others-6 and Kashmir Vally-5 constituencies of Attock district.
EC spokesman for Attock Syed Zaigham Altaf told newsmen that according to unofficial results, PML-N candidate Raja Muhammad Saddique begged 1,475 votes while PPP aspirant Amin Chughtai got 647 and Sardar Abdul Razzak of the Muslim Conference 30 votes in LA-35.
According to unofficial results, of the 100 votes cast in Kashmir Vally-5, PML-N candidate Bashir Ahmed secured 42 votes while PPP candidate Abdul Salam Butt bagged 40.
Our Peshawar Bureau adds: A scuffle took place between supporters of the PML-N and PPP in the lone polling station in Peshawar set up for the LA-35, Jammu 6 constituency.
No untoward incident took place in other parts of the province.
Polling for LA-41 has been postponed.
Our Staff Reporter adds from Lahore: The AJK Election Commission postponed polling for LA-37 constituency after receiving reports of brawls between PPP and PML-N activists at various polling stations set up in the provincial metropolis.
Clashes were reportedly from polling stations in Qila Luxman Singh, Government Chishtia High School, Islampura, and Home Economics College in Misri Shah.
In Faisalabad, a clash between supporters of PML-N and an independent candidate left two people injured during polling for LA-38 constituency.
In Gujrat, police registered cases against 28 PML-N workers during polling for LA 34 in close contest between a PPP-PML-Q nominee and a PML-N candidate.

Today the government has started the destruction, Altaf Hussain

LONDON: MQM Chief Altaf Hussain has said that demand for workers seeking re-election in Kashmir dayrkryn, today's elections against the MQM activist courts kadruazh khtkhtayyn, we were rewarded hard to kasath tougher time in government, the government todayA large gathering of the scene offering was that the title of Karachi and Hyderabad and Lahore directly snagya. Altaf Hussain said that bullying 93 in Naseerullah Babar was current with the cmty stay prbarbartany were , kdaky, we're giving heart kasath prpthrrkh krhkumt, Chief Justice of Supreme Court and the Constitution and laws kanuts jhrlu elections brought into action, the PPP government is roguish, MQM plans to end state repression will never be fulfilled , Kashmiris and their democratic right to undermine democratic rights has been put on the dakh. Altaf Hussain said, but declined azadksmyrantkabat kumskuk bnadyagya, PPP and fought us khagyaap pralyksn kudydyn a seat, the leader of the MQM said that every difficult time in khaym kasath government did the killers bynzyrbhtuky kugrftarkrlya, azadksmyrkaaj kaalyksn prhuahy government power bill, it aurgyrayyny turprgyrqanuny elections are completed, he said the current government is not democratic dictatorship bdtrhy the MQM was kuksmyrantkabat yadtazh of the durrkh kramryt,Current government democratic traditions kajnazh removed, the Axis back knjrghunp kramryt the yadtazh said, next June 26 the day of condemnation turprmnayajayyga current government election boycott prmjburkya, he said kyasdrzrdary kusdart for namzdkrnahmarajrm was hkmranutyrtluaryn tyzkrluhmary chest ready Altaf Hussain said that the elections be held qrardykrdubarh banned, the government will look krzualfqaraly bhtuaurbynzyrky yearning soul, betrayed his alliance government, democratic fkrrkhny rise up against the government's bullying, Altaf Hussain, the Democratic qututhe MQM from the government becomes kind tukdaky aqtdarmyn today are not. 

Remote Chinese region hit by 5.3 quake

BEIJING: A 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck China’s Tibetan-inhabited region of Qinghai Sunday afternoon, the US Geological Survey reported, in an area hit by a devastating quake last year.
The epicentre of the quake was in Yushu prefecture and struck at a depth of 24.8 kilometres (15.4 miles), the USGS said.
Yushu was the site of a 6.9-magnitude earthquake in April 2010 that left nearly 2,700 people dead and more than 12,000 injured, according to state news reports.
The region, situated on the remote Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, is largely inhabited by ethnic Tibetans.
Calls to Yushu government offices on Sunday were not immediately answered.
Xinhua news agency said the epicentre of the quake was about 185 kilometres south of Gyegu town, which was flattened by last year’s earthquake that left more than 100,000 people homeless.
China Central Television said the earthquake was felt strongly in the region, but did not immediately report damages or fatalities.
The quake was not an aftershock related to last year’s temblor, it added.
According to the China Earthquake Network Centre, the quake measured a magnitude of 5.2.

Govt to consolidate data about terrorists

ISLAMABAD, June 25: Despite repeated claims by Interior Minister Rehman Malik that all possible measures are being taken to counter terrorism, the government is yet to formulate a consolidated databank on terrorists.
The issue was discussed at a recent meeting of civilian and military law-enforcement agencies, especially those working on terrorism, and they agreed to rope in the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to create and maintain such a databank on a fast-track basis.
According to sources, it emerged during the meeting that various government departments at the national and provincial levels were maintaining data on terrorists for their own use and the information remained fragmented in the absence of a central authority.
Therefore, at the time of need, it becomes very difficult to check the identity of a suicide bomber or terrorist on a speedy basis whether he or she is a Pakistani national or a foreigner. It is a common problem faced by the law-enforcement agencies.
The meeting unanimously approved a proposal for managing consolidated data on terrorists on modern lines under a central authority. The function may be performed by a proposed national counter-terrorism authority (Nacta).
Under the plan, Nadra will have separate databanks on Pakistanis and foreigners suspected or found involved in terrorist
activities.
The practice is common all over the world where one authority manages such information, making it easier for investigators who here have to reach out to many agencies to check identity of terrorists.
The participants recommended reactivation of Nacta on an urgent basis with adequate funding to implement its strategy.
They called for building consensus among stakeholders to make stringent laws on the subject and discussed the creation of a special anti-terrorism force.
The Nacta Ordinance introduced in 2009 is yet to be tabled in parliament, pending approval of the cabinet.
The Federal Investigation Agency’s former director general Tariq Parvaiz was appointed the first chairman of the authority by the interior minister but he resigned after seeing no progress on the ordinance over a year.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had decided at a meeting of chief ministers, chief secretaries and security officers held on July 5 last year after the Data Darbar bomb blasts that Nacta would be reactivated.
The authority was to act as a research organisation and the European Union had pledged 15 million euros for it.
Preparation of a draft to provide a legal cover to it was started. However, discussions and input from various political parties over a year resulted only in a decision to make the prime minister its chairman with the interior minister as vice-chairman.
According to media reports, the Punjab government had expressed reservations over placement of Nacta under the interior ministry and suggested that it should function under the prime minister.
Former FIA DG, Malik Javed Iqbal, who was recently indicted in a contempt of court case, is the new head of Nacta. The Supreme Court questioned his role in investigating the National Insurance Company scam.

Suicide bomber in wheelchair kills two in Iraq

BAGHDAD: A suicide bomber in a wheelchair attacked a police station north of Baghdad on Sunday, killing two people and wounding 17, nine of them policemen, officials said.
“A suicide bomber detonated his explosives vest at the entrance to a police station, killing two civilians and wounding 17 people, including nine policemen in Tarmiyah,” a town north of Baghdad, an interior ministry official said. A defence ministry official confirmed the report.
“The suicide bomber came up to the entrance in a wheelchair,” said Colonel Tawfiq Ahmed al-Jenabi, chief of the town’s police, who added he did not know if the attacker was genuinely handicapped.
Meanwhile, two people were wounded by an improvised bomb that exploded next to a convoy transporting Mohammed Ahmed al-Obaidi, mayor of the town of Al-Riyadh in the restive northern province of Kirkuk.
Obaidi, who escaped unhurt and spoke to AFP after the attack, lost a foot in a similar bombing in June last year.
Twenty-four people were killed on Thursday in three separate attacks in Baghdad, including 21 in a triple bombing at a crowded market, and an American contractor working for USAID whose convoy was hit by an improvised bomb.

Polling for AJK Legislative Assembly elections concluded

MIRPUR: Kashmiris living in AJK as well as different parts of Pakistan on Sunday casted their votes to elect a new AJK Legislative Assembly.
Voting took place in 37 out of 41 electoral constituencies including 29 of AJK and 8 out of all 12 meant for Pakistan-based Jammu & Kashmir refugees in a partially peaceful and smooth manner, officials said.
Elections were postponed in three constituencies including LA -30 (Jammu-I) and LA-36 (Kashmir valley-I) due to worsening law and order situation in Karachi and in LA-41 (Kashmir valley-6) following challenging of voters list related to Khyber PakhtunKhawa province in the court of law.
Similarly, polling in electoral constituency of LA-37 (Kashmir valley) in Lahore was postponed following violent clashes between the workers of PPP and PML-N at the beginning of polling on Sunday morning, AJK Elections Commission sources told APP when contacted.
The polling started at 08:00 a.m and continued till 05:00 p.m without any pause in line with the schedule set by AJK Election Commission.
“There was complete peace and we performed our duties independently without any unrest from any quarter including candidates or their supporters during the polling,” Presiding Officer of the Polling Station set up at Industrial Rest House in the Mirpur city constituency said.
He said, during polling, computerized National Identity Card in original were required to be produced by the voters as the proof of their identification in line with the directives of AJK Election Commission.
The voters were seen moving to the polling stations on their own, however, female voters, in some constituencies, were seen moving through the vehicles belonging to various candidates.
Para-military troops were posted at the sensitive polling stations in all the electoral constituencies to assist the civil administration and police to maintain law and order situation.
A thumping majority of a total of 30,39,926 eligible registered voters (both male and female) moved to 4351 polling stations to exercise their right of vote to elect their representatives for AJK Legislative Assembly, the AJK Election Commission sources said.
Strict security measures were adopted by local administrations in all the electoral constituencies to deal with any untoward incident effectively.
Over 700 polling stations were declared sensitive where extra para-military troops were deployed to assist the local police for dealing with any eventuality.
The polling agents of various candidates and polling staff deployed at various polling stations while talking to batkhela-movies. expressed their complete satisfaction over the voting process.

The destruction of the govt has begun: Altaf Hussain

KARACHI: MQM Chief Altaf Hussain said that selecting Asif Zardari as President of Pakistan was a mistake. He said that if the MQM was to seperate from the government, then the tenure of the ruling party would come to an end.
“The destruction of the government has begun today,” said the MQM chief.
In a telephonic address to general workers of the MQM in Karachi, Altaf Hussain said that the current democratic government is trying to fool the people of Pakistan.
“The current government is worse than any dictatorship,” said the MQM chief.
“MQM has supported the government through difficult times. The current government has buried democracy,” he said.
Altaf Hussain also called upon the Kashmiri people to boycott the elections in Azad Kashmir.
He also called upon the Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudahry to take notice of the unconstitutional and illegal steps being taken by the government.
The MQM chief stated that the elections in Azad Kashmir should be held again.

Burqa-clad militants kill 7 police in Pakistan siege

PESHAWAR: At least seven policemen were killed Saturday when militants in suicide vests, some of them clad in burqas, laid siege to a police station in northwest Pakistan, police said.
Up to eight militants attacked Kolachi police station near the border with South Waziristan tribal district, using guns and hand grenades to take a group of policemen hostage in an attack that also left five militants dead and seven more police wounded.
“Seven of our policemen were martyred in the attack,” regional police chief Imtiaz Shah told AFP.
Shah said the siege began when attackers dressed in women’s burqas took out guns at the station’s main gate and killed policemen deployed there.
The militants then damaged the boundary wall with hand grenades, enabling more rebels to follow them into the building.
About 17 policemen were on duty at the time and were taken hostage by the militants once they ran out of ammunition, the police chief said.
As security forces were called to the scene and cordoned off the police station, two of the attackers detonated their suicide vests, while three others were shot dead by security forces, Shah said.
“About two to three attackers are left now, and security forces are trading fire with them as they have left the police station building,” Shah said.
 in the attack.
Khan said that since the police station was close to the lawless tribal belt, it was likely that the attackers had come from there. A security official confirmed the attack and casualties.
Television footage showed thick black smoke billowing from the roof of the fortress-like police station and security forces and police firing at militants.
Nearly 4,500 people have been killed across Pakistan in attacks blamed on Taliban and other extremist networks based in the tribal belt since government troops stormed a radical mosque in Islamabad in 2007.

Lebanon: Hezbollah capture of the 3 U.S. spy claims

Beirut: Lebanese Hezbollah organization mujudtyn rhnmahsn Nasrallah claimed that American spies have been caught. Speech TV in Beirut during the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrullah, the company said the three CIA agents were arrested khnathakh grftardu their agents were protected by the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. nsra be good five months before the company said a detective involved in the organizational activities and military capabilities kyagyatha but there was no danger, nor to their Information about the organization was sensitive. He accused Israel of using the CIA agents involved in the Hezbollah, in Beirut, U.S. Embassy spokesman Hassan Nasrallah said the allegations were dismissed by the Sea These are baseless allegations against c ia and not in accuracy. 

Argentina: Women's ashes from the volcano ayntyn not start up

Buenos Aires in Argentina ... Chile volcano pharsya woman rising from the ashes start ayntyn are notmade​​. Maria Irma Mansilla Egyptians are not theintelligent woman who is my neighbor tny phuvolcano in Chile can fly to the mountain ashescollected from their homes and surrounding areasby combining it with sand made ​​ayntyn. Maria'sunique and useful purpose ayjadka your help thepoor by destroying the ashes of the destroyedhouses duba left the building it is. Maria's brightbold move, the head of the mahrsht the volcanoashes made ​​from bricks to human health for thepeople affected as has. Argentina: women of thevolcano's ashes from the ayntyn the right start

Punjab: 90 million ID cards will be a period of thirty June kuktm

Lahore: Punjab 90 million ID card expired three June kuktm will make the NADRA renewal fee of fifty percent increased. Identity cards to the large number Expiration kaanksaf General mnyjrnadrakrnl retired mhmdaqbal the talking was.. He told ID cards After fifty fysdazafy tjdydfys of Rs 200 to Rs 300 has been upgrade. myaadktm massacre by General Manager NADRA NIC bnaskyn huldrpaspurt will not be eligible to vote in elections, nor will they

Dry weather across the country, the problems of load gyraalanyh

Karachi hot and dry weather across the country ....The long and unannounced load shedding is due toserious problems. Sindh urban has not reducedthe intensity of heat. Hyderabad, Nawabshah,Larkana, Jacob Karachi and Sukkur, including theintense heat engulfed. In the meantime, 14 to 16hours long and the load shedding civilian lifeboring have. South usmal eastern Balochistan heatintensity further increased. last day astemperatures fall in the relative temperaturereached 46. on the other hand is a continuingseries of unannounced ludsydng. Multan insouthern Punjab, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh,Layyah, Lodhran, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan,kanyua Ltd. and Vehari in the season dry andwarm. electricity load shedding period, as therelationship is. urban areas 10 rural areas 12-hournon-announced load shedding the karrubarzndgykumatl and kept. kybrpktunkua territories summerload shedding for several hours while wrapped in a user's problems.

Suspension seats for Kashmir's speech against the MQM auٴt

Karachi: Karachi Kashmir independentsuspension seats against the MQM arkaan walkfrom the Sindh Assembly has auٴt. Sindh AssemblySpeaker Nisar Khuhro's presided over the meetingbegan. During the meeting in Karachi Azad Kashmir suspension seats, members of theMQM's deputy parliamentary leader of MQM inSindh Assembly Faisal Sabzwari auٴt speech wassitting in the chair. auٴt speech, talking to the mediathat Pakistan Faisal Sabzwari PPP, MQM wanted to either withdraw from the election to be set.Faisal Sabzwari the Election Commission and thepoor law and order situation in Sindh to the exactrequirements of democratic elections to bepostponed and profits MQM baykat anddemocratic rights of assembly is used. themembers of the PPP in Sindh Assembly, JamMehtab, Ayaz Soomro, Murad Ali Shah andmembers of the MQM symzakrat failed to bring themeeting back .