Karzai raises concerns with Pakistan over attacks

KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Tuesday that he had expressed “deep concerns” to his Pakistani counterpart about deadly rocket attacks launched across the Taliban-troubled border.
Around 200 Afghans protested in the capital on Saturday against the attacks which have fanned tensions between the neighbours at a time of flagging Western support for the long war with the Taliban.
Speaking at a press conference in Kabul alongside British Prime Minister David Cameron, the Afghan leader said he had raised the sensitive issue with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari at a recent meeting.
“The shells and artillery fired from Pakistan territory to Afghanistan have led to the death and injury of a number of our citizens,” Karzai said.
“I have been very clear on the position of Afghanistan… We expressed the deep concerns of the people of Afghanistan and asked for an immediate stop to the shelling from Pakistani territory.” Karzai said Afghanistan would not retaliate.
Pakistan disputes the Afghan version of events and says it has not fired deliberately on its neighbour’s territory and says it is contending with Taliban attacks from Afghanistan.
The Pakistan army admits only that its security forces may have fired a few accidental rounds into Afghanistan while pursuing militants across the porous 2,400 kilometre (1,500 mile) border.
Pakistan said Monday that dozens of Taliban infiltrated from Afghanistan to attack a check post, killing one soldier.
There are Taliban strongholds on both sides of the border, but Afghan and US officials want Pakistan to do more to eradicate militant sanctuaries in its semi-autonomous tribal belt that is used to launch attacks in Afghanistan.
Cameron, appearing with Karzai, struck a diplomatic note over the issue and said Britain backed an improvement in Afghanistan-Pakistan relations.
“Now is the time for Pakistan and Afghanistan to sit and meet and talk on how we are to ensure what we need to do,” he told reporters.

Court summons PCB on Kaneria case

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday summoned cricket authorities to explain why they have not cleared leg-spinner Danish Kaneria to play after he was released without charge in a spot-fixing case.

Kaneria and fellow Essex bowler Mervyn Westfield were arrested last year on charges of spot-fixing during a Pro40 match against Durham in 2009. Kaneria was later released without being charged but Westfield faces criminal proceedings.

Kaneria featured in Pakistan's Test series against England last year but has not been selected since for international matches because he has not been formally cleared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

His lawyer Farogh Naseem told that the PCB has been summoned to appear in court on July 26, after the 30-year-old went to court last week in a bid to revive his international career.

"I have given every document to the PCB but they are not clearing me. I have committed no crime and that's why Essex police and my county have cleared me in that spot-fixing case," Kaneria had told.

"My priority is to play for Pakistan but I don't know for what crime I am being punished by the PCB. Every time they announce a squad and every time they give contracts to players, they say Kaneria is not cleared."

The wily leg-spinner has taken 261 wickets in 61 Tests, besides taking 15 in 18 one-day internationals.

The PCB was forced to form an integrity committee by the International Cricket Council after a separate spot-fixing case in England last year ended in lengthy bans for Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer.

Zafar Qureshi suspended again; notification issued

ISLAMABAD: Additional Director General FIA, Zafar Qureshi has been suspended once again and the notification to this effect has also been issued,

Only a few days back the Supreme Court had ordered reinstatement of ADG FIA Zafar Qureshi to investigate into the NICL corruption case.

According to sources, explanation had been called from Zafar Qureshi for issuing statements to the media.

It has also been learnt that the decision of suspending Zafar Qureshi once again was taken following a meeting of Pervez Elahi and Rehman Malik with the Prime Minister

Qaeda propaganda website shut down

LONDON: A website that served as Al-Qaeda’s main channel for spreading its ideology has been shut down by a Western intelligence agency.

The al-Shamukh forum was used by the group to issue official statements.

But the website is now completely crippled after its address was revoked and then its contents were deleted from the server that hosted it in Malaysia.

Last year al-Shamukh replaced an earlier forum, al-Faloja, which was also used to distribute propaganda and martyrdom videos. This week’s apparent attack leaves al-Qaeda without an official communications channel online.

The apparent sophistication of the attack on al-Shamukh prompted claims that hackers working for Western intelligence agencies were responsible. 

Shahbaz meets Dr Sattar in London

LONDON: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has held a meeting with Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) convener Dr. Farooq Sattar, Geo News reported Monday.

According to sources, both the leaders met here at the British parliament and both the leaders ate together.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the joint diplomatic meeting of CommonWealth.

Afrasyab Khattak, Rana Sanaullah and Khurram Dastagir were also present on the occasion. 

35 killed in Bolivia cold snap

LA PAZ: Freezing temperatures in Bolivia killed at least 35 people, and forecasts expect conditions to worsen in the coming days.

Fog and snow has descended on the Bolivian capital in a cold snap that has killed at least 35 people.

The poor area of El Alto, which sits at much higher elevation than the rest of La Paz at 4,000 metres above sea level (13,100 feet), has been the worst hit.

Authorities at the Fight Against Crime Special Forces said at least 33 people have died in El Alto's impoverished suburbs alone.

Residents in El Alto blame climate change for the harsh conditions, which buildings and heating systems in the area are not prepared for.

Homeless people who can't bundle up against the cold and have only blankets to protect themselves from the freezing temperatures are those most at risk from hypothermia.

The health ministry also reported 40,000 new cases of respiratory illnesses per week since the cold snap started.

Temperatures have dived to minus five degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit) in La Paz and the local weather services says the mercury will continue to drop in the coming days

Terrorism biggest challenge for Pakistan: Admiral Bashir

KARACHI: The 95th passing out parade for officers of the Pakistan Naval Academy took place on Monday, Geo News reported. Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Nauman Bashir was the chief guest.

While addressing the gathering of naval officers, he said that Pakistan is facing many challenges and terrorism is at the top of the list of challenges.

Ninety four officers including seven women were commissioned during the passing out parade and the Naval Chief said that the inclusion of women in the Pakistan Navy is a testament to their hard work and perseverance. 

Transformers 3 breaks box office record

LOS ANGELES: Transformers 3 is not only winning over audiences and breathing new life into 3D it’s also breaking box office records. Box Office Tracker Exhibitor Relations is showing that the third film Dark Of The Moon will bring in over $100million by the 4th of July making it the largest holiday box office on record.

3D Box office take has been on the slide over the last while with Green Lantern taking the hardest hit with less than 40% of its revenue coming from 3D ticket sales. Transformers 3D on the other hand has seen over 60% of its revenue come from 3D ticket sales.

Without question Transformers will become a billion dollar franchise in the next month if things keep up as they are at the box office

Aamir Khan's Delhi Belly in only two days more than 15 million kabzns

Mumbai:   Bollywood's Mr. Perfect 'Aamir Khan puthis hand in the project helps ensure its successand is the latest example of his home production'Delhi Belly, Aamir Khan Productions, the film, though made ​​in Amer Khan, instead his nephewImran Khan has done, but Aamir Khan's greatpublicity for the film release there as well at the box office thlkh making just two days, 15 million more than kabzns have. Aamir Khan's productioncompared the B Productions film 'Budha's your father, Amitabh Bachchan, Delhi belly, despite the presence of only 4 million compared to thebusiness can.

Pakistan 'kills 40 militants' in tribal belt

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani troops backed by jets and helicopter gunships have killed 40 militants in a restive tribal area bordering Afghanistan in the past three days, a military commander said on Thursday.

Brigadier Aftab Ahmad said that his forces had destroyed 17 militant hideouts in the Baizai region under his command in the lawless tribal area of Mohmand.

"Militants were regularly attacking our posts on the Afghanistan border at Shonkari and Mithai and also targeting goods vehicles going to Afghanistan," he said.

Ghalanai is the main town in Mohmand, where Pakistan has recently stepped up raids on militant hideouts, as it faces American pressure to conduct a separate offensive against the al-Qaida-linked Haqqani network in North Waziristan.

"An operation was launched three days ago with the support of army aviation aircraft, helicopters and fighter jets. We killed at least 40 militants," Ahmad said.

Maqsood Hussain, a government official in Baizai, confirmed the raids and casualties, but it was not immediately clear how the Pakistani officials reached the body count of 40.

Mohmand is one of seven districts in Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal belt, where Taliban and al-Qaida-linked militants have carved out strongholds used to plot attacks on Pakistani, Afghan and Western targets.

Washington has called the tribal belt the most dangerous place on Earth and the global headquarters of al-Qaida.

Pakistan has been under huge American pressure to do more to destroy militant sanctuaries since US Navy SEALs found and killed Osama bin Laden in the Pakistani military town of Abbottabad on May 2.

'Assassination of Pak minority affairs minister organised by Ilyas Kashmiri'

ISLAMABAD: The assassination of Pakistan's minority affairs minister Shahbaz Bhatti was organised by al-Qaida-linked militant commanderIlyas Kashmiri and the perpetrators of the crime are currently in Dubai, his brother Paul Bhatti has said.

"The investigations into the murder of my brother Shabhaz are finally on the right track: it is the work carried out by the Taliban and Islamic fanatics. Now we are waiting for the capture of the perpetrators of the crime, who are in Dubai," Paul said.

An inquiry commission set up by interior minister Rehman Malik had concluded following investigations that the murder was organized by al-Qaida's 313 Brigade, also known as the "ghost army" and led by militant commander Ilyas Kashmiri, he told Agenzia Fides, a Catholic news agency.

According to the commission's report, the 313 Brigade commissioned a Taliban commander from Punjab province, Asmatullah Mawaia, to eliminate Shahbaz.

The plan was then executed by elements of the Tehrik-e-Islami extremist group along with a faction of the Ghazi Force, Paul said.

The interior minister had "announced an international arrest warrant" for the perpetrators, said Paul, currently special advisor to the Prime Minister for religious minorities.

Shahbaz was gunned down near his residence in the heart of Islamabad on March 2 as he was driving to work.

He was the second senior leader of the ruling Pakistan People's Party to be assassinated for opposing the controversial blasphemy law. 

US rejects demands to vacate Pakistan drone base

WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD: The United States is rejecting demands from Pakistani officials that American personnel abandon a military base used by the CIA to stage drone strikes against suspected militants, US officials told Reuters.

US personnel have not left the remote Pakistani military installation known as Shamsi Air Base and there is no plan for them to do so, said a US official familiar with the matter, who asked for anonymity to discuss sensitive material.

"That base is neither vacated nor being vacated," the official said. The information was confirmed by a second US official.

The US declaration that drone operations in Pakistanwill continue unabated is the latest twist in a fraught relationship between security authorities in Washington and Islamabad, which has been under increasing strain for months.

Regarding the Shamsi base in particular, Pakistani officials have frequently suggested it is being shuttered, comments that may be aimed at quieting domestic opposition to US military operations using Pakistani soil.

Earlier this week, Pakistani defense minister Ahmed Mukhtar told the Financial Times that Pakistan had already stopped US drone operations there.

On Thursday, Mukhtar told Reuters: "When they (US forces) will not operate from there, no drone attacks will be carried out."

He said Islamabad had been pressuring the US to vacate the base even before the May 2 commando raid in which US Navy SEAL commandos killed Osama bin Laden. After the raid, Mukhtar said, "We told them again."

A senior Pakistani military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added that when US forces first launched counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan, Pakistan "provided Americans two bases in Jacobabad and Shamsi. Jacobabad base has been vacated for long time ago, but Shamsi is still with them."

"They are vacating it," the official insisted. "Shamsi base was for logistic purpose. They also used it for drones for some time but no drones have been flown from there."

Different stories 

The official said no base in Pakistan was presently used by the Americans for drone operations. But he did not give a precise date for when drones supposedly stopped operating from Shamsi.

The US officials disputed that account. If anything, the Obama administration is moving to a counter-terrorism strategy based more on drone strikes and other covert operations than on deploying large numbers of troops.

On Wednesday, John Brennan, president Barack Obama's top counter-terrorism advisor, promised that in the tribal regions along the Afghan/Pakistan border, the U.S. would continue to "deliver precise and overwhelming force against al-Qaida."

"And when necessary, as the President has said repeatedly, if we have information about the whereabouts of al- Qaida, we will do what is required to protect the United States -- as we did with bin Laden," Brennan said in a speech.

Pakistani officials have faced fierce criticism for tacitly allowing the CIA to conduct drone operations on Pakistani soil. Allegations that civilian bystanders have been killed in drone attacks have only compounded the political problems facing Pakistani authorities.

Brennan rejected suggestions that U.S. drone attacks had caused numerous civilian casualties, claiming that the US had been "exceptionally precise and surgical" in its operations. "Not a single collateral death" had been caused by US counter-terrorism operations over the last year, he said.

US officials have said that since the United States in July 2008 greatly increased the rate of drone-borne missile strikes against suspected militants along the Afghan/Pakistan border, the number of civilian deaths caused by such attacks has totaled under 40. Some Pakistani officials and human rights activists have claimed the death toll is much higher. 

MQM against joining bid to topple govt

ISLAMABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has reacted positively to Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif’s statement welcoming it into an ‘opposition alliance’, but has said it is not ready to join any move to topple the government.
“We recognise PML-N’s mandate and will definitely cooperate with the party on the opposition benches in parliament, but we do not believe in plans to topple governments to achieve certain political goals,” MQM spokesman Wasay Jalil said while commenting on Mr Sharif’s indirect offer to the party to join an anti-government alliance.
Talking to Dawn on Sunday, Mr Jalil said the MQM had not received any formal offer from the PML-N, adding that the media would be informed about the party’s decision whenever such an offer was received.
He said the PML-N was the largest opposition party and the MQM was ready to work under it on the opposition benches.
The PML-N chief, talking to reporters after presiding over a party meeting in Lahore on Saturday, had expressed readiness to join hands with the MQM while “welcoming” it into what he called a grand political alliance “to rid the nation of the present government”.
Mr Jalil categorically stated that there had been no thinking in the MQM that the government should be removed before completing its term. However, he said, the party would continue to play its role of a ‘constructive’ opposition party.
The MQM spokesman said his party had always criticised wrong steps and policies of the government even when it was part of the ruling coalition. And now when the MQM is in the opposition it will continue to do the same with the support of other opposition parties.
When his attention was drawn to his party’s bitter relations with the PML-N in the past, he said MQM had nothing personal against anyone.
He, however, said the PML-N owed an answer to the nation as well as the MQM about its role during an army operation carried out in 1992 when Mr Sharif was the prime minister.
Mr Sharif’s statement came a day before the departure of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for London on a week-long visit amid speculations that he might meet MQM chief Altaf Hussain. A PML-N spokesman, however, said no such meeting was scheduled in London.
Meanwhile, official sources said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had handed over the additional charge of the Ministry of Ports and Shipping, earlier held by MQM’s Babar Ghouri, to Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain, indicating that this time the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has little hope of MQM returning to the government.
The MQM, which announced quitting the PPP-led coalition governments at the centre and in Sindh last week in protest against its alleged role in the postponement of elections on the two seats of the AJK Legislative Assembly in Karachi, has already submitted an application to the National Assembly speaker and the Senate chairman for allocation of seats on opposition benches.

200 injured at rally against Italian high-speed rail link

CHIOMONTE, Italy: Around two hundred people, mainly police officers, were injured as officers clashed with masked protesters at a rally against a high-speed rail link in northern Italy Sunday, police said.
Clashes between protesters and police left at least 188 officers and about a dozen demonstrators’ hurt, said officials, after a small group stormed a tunnel which was part of the work site at Chiomonte, west of Turin.
Scuffles between protesters and a heavy police presence continued throughout the day, with a steady exchange of tear gas, stones and molotov cocktails.
Police arrested at least five people and Italy’s President Giorgio Napolitano condemned the violence.
Police blamed the trouble on hundreds of masked leftist “black block” extremists from Italy and neighbouring countries.
Protest organisers said tens of thousands of demonstrators had gathered peacefully from surrounding regions to stop the construction of the planned tunnel in the Susa valley.
But a small band broke away from the main group of protestors to enter the gated work site guarded by hundreds of police, who put the number of demonstrators at about 6,000.
The project, agreed by Italy and France in 2001, would slice three hours off the current seven-hour train journey between Paris and Milan. But the development has provoked fierce opposition, not least among 23 local mayors.
In a statement, President Napolitano condemned what he said was the work of groups “trained in illegal violence.” He was joined by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and figures across the political spectrum.
Police were out in force on Sunday as authorities had expected more trouble from radical groups within the protest movement after similar clashes last week.
Twenty-five policemen and four protestors were slightly injured on June 27 when a demonstration at the same spot turned violent and police responded with tear gas.
Before Sunday’s events, the leader of the “No Tav” (No to the high-speed train) movement, Alberto Perino, said demonstrators would have “bare hands and clean hands, against those whose hands are neither bare nor clean”.
Work on the main 58-kilometre (36-mile) tunnel, of which 12 kilometres are in Italy, is scheduled to begin in 2013 and due to go into service around 2023.

Operation launched in central Kurram

PARACHINAR, July 3: A military offensive has been launched against militants in central tehsil of Kurram Agency and families have started fleeing the conflict zone, sources said.
A senior official in Peshawar confirmed that a ‘full-fledged operation’ had been launched in the valley on Sunday.
Two weeks ago, the government had notified 80 square kilometres of the area in central Kurram as conflict zone.
“I have no specific details, but operation has started in the mountainous area,” the official said.
Central Kurram is adjacent to Tora Bora, reportedly the stronghold of Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. Militants having lost their positions in Waziristan and other parts of Fata and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have set up their sanctuaries in Central Kurram.
The sources said that troops had been dropped from helicopters in Manato and Zaimukhet and army and paramilitary forces, backed by air force, were conducting a joint operation in the area.
They said that thousands of troops were taking part in the operation.
The military offensive has triggered displacement as large numbers of families have started moving to lower part of the tehsil where a relief camp has been set up at Durrani area.
The Fata Disaster Management Authority has set up two registration centres where 500 displaced families have enrolled
themselves so far.
According to official estimates, over 4,000 families are likely to flee their homes because of the military operation.

Bomb kills 20 in northern Nigeria: military source

KANO: A bomb blast at a police beer garden killed at least 20 people Sunday in the troubled northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, a military source and a witness said.

"The bomb was planted at the middle of the 'mammy market' and at least 20 people have been killed and several others seriously injured from the explosion," said an army officer who prefered not to be named.

The so-called mammy market beer gardens are open air pubs and eateries found around police or military barracks and are open to both security personnel and civilians.

Commander of a special military crack unit deployed a week ago to curb the unrest in the area, Brigadier-General Jack Okechukwu Nwaogbo confirmed the attack, but was unable to immediately give details of casualties.

"There has been a bomb explosion at a market belonging to the police in Wulari area of the city. I'm right now at the scene," Nwaogbo told AFP on the phone from Maiduguri.

It was just the latest in a series of attacks in the troubled region.

An attack on a civilian beer garden in the same city last Sunday, left at least 25 dead

Ali Zafar hottest new face in India

LAHORE: Hero of Bollywood film "Tere Bin Laden", Ali Zafar has become the hottest new face in India for the year 2010.

According to the details, a poll seeking hottest new face in India was conducted by daily newspaper Times of India. Almost 3 lakhs and 43 thousand people participated in the poll.

Ali Zafar gained popularity in India after the success of his debut movie Tere Bin Laden.

According to the poll results, another debutant Ranveer Singh who played as a leading character in the film "Band Baja Baraat" stood second.

Shahbaz invites MQM, others to form grand alliance

LONDON: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif Sunday said all political parties including Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were invited to be a part of a grand opposition alliance, Geo News reported.

In his interaction with media men at Heathrow airport in London, Shahbaz Sharif said that N-League was ready to engage in dialogue with other parties without any condition.

“Pakistan is going through its worst phase and there is need for all the parties including MQM to put their heads together,” he argued.

He said all the parties including MQM were invited to form a grand opposition and that there was no condition for the parties to come to the negotiation table. It is time to protect the existence of Pakistan which requires practical steps, he added.

Shahbaz Sharif said the purpose of his London tour was to enhance the trade cooperation.

On the occasion, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah welcomed MQM's joining the opposition.

He said the importance of joint opposition cannot be denied.

Rana said there had been massive rigging in the elections of Azad Kashmir and demanded reelection for the region.

'Disengaging Pak post 26/11 an error'

NEW DELHI: The Indian government has admitted that its policy of not engaging with Pakistan - post 26/11 - may have been wrong. Outgoing Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said this in a TV programme.

Nirupama Rao said: "I think you have to look at policy making in a dynamic way. I don't think you are making a policy in a laboratory. You take into account the surrounding environment, you take into account a success approach or not. Did that approach yield too many dividence? Well you have to make assessment of that. I think the decision to re-engage with Pakistan and to talk about the issues that divide us, that created a gulf between us, that reduce the trust deficit as the two Prime Ministers said. I think it is a very realistic approach in dealing problems with Pakistan".

 

Anil Kapoor's missing from Mission Impossible 4 trailers

MUMBAI: Anil Kapoor's much-discussed role in Mission: Impossible 4 – Ghost Protocol has turned out to be a damp squib for the actor's fans when the first trailers of the Tom Cruise-starrer were leaked online. 

Anil is missing from the video which has Cruise and other characters. The buzz is that none of the frames in the trailer have even a glimpse of the actor and the actor has a two-minute scene in the film itself. If that is the truth then it would be very sad for this to happen to an actor of Anil's calibre after making a Hollywood debut in Slumdog Millionaire.

Expensive CNG to put thousands’ jobs at risk

KARACHI: Chairman All Pakistan CNG Association, Ghayas Abudullah Paracha Sunday expressed fear that thousands of people associated with CNG industry would be rendered jobless if CNG was made expensive, Geo News reported.

Talking to Geo News, Paracha said deliberate attempts were being made to destroy CNG industry.

“There are 3300 CNG stations across the country and if CNG was made expensive it would render thousands of people jobless,” he expressed his concern and asked the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo motto notice of the matter.

He warned that if the government went ahead with its intended plans a country-wide wheel-jam strike would have to be undertaken

Time for mid-term polls over: Gilani

MULTAN: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Sunday rejected Opposition's call for mid-term polls and said it was time for local government elections in the country.

Talking to newsmen here, he said, "the government has got passed its fourth budget and will request the PML-N leadership to prepare for the next elections as the time for mid-term polls is over."

He said the Opposition was not giving a tough time to the government as the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) had the support of people.

The prime minister said Shaheed Benazir Bhutto had given the vision of politics of reconciliation, foreseeing that in future only coalition governments would be formed and that no single party would be in a position to take majority of seats in the Parliament.

He said from day one, he believed in the politics of reconciliation, which brought about benefits as the government succeeded in unanimous passing of 18th and 19th Constitutional Amendments and approval of 7th National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.

Prime Minister Gilani said he was pleased that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) accepted their viewpoint regarding reconciliation politics by stating that it was ready to talk to the MQM (Muttahida Qaumi Movement).

"Without reconciliation, politics can not succeed in the country. We will continue our politics of reconciliation," he added.

To a question, the PM clarified that the government did not allow use of Pakistan's airbases to the United States for drone attacks.

The previous government had allowed use of airbases for surveillance purposes only, he added.

He said the government had taken up the issue of incursions from Afghans inside Pakistan's territory and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and the Foreign Secretary visited Kabul to discuss the issue.

The Pakistan government protested over border violations and took up the matter with the Afghan government at diplomatic level, he said and added, "Our understanding with the Afghan government has improved and we are making them realize the sensitivity of the situation."

To another question, Gilani said the MQM remained an important ally of the PPP and it supported the government on all important national issues, including 18th and 19th Constitutional Amendments and NFC Award.

As member of the Implementation Commission on Constitutional Reforms, Dr Farooq Sattar worked with Senator Raza Rabbani and was present at the meeting in which the Commission gave a report to the Federal Cabinet, he added.

The Prime Minister said Multan would get all facilities being accorded to a big city.

He said all the political parties were united on the national issues.

He said the government had to face the most difficult challenges and the restoration of Constitution was not an easy task. "The credit goes to PPP government that it restored the Constitution of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to its original form", he added.

He said in the past, the PPP never talked of Seraiki province but as more people were raising demand for the new province, therefore President Asif Ali Zardari formed a committee of the party to look into the issue.

He said the PPP never beleived in hollow slogans and would implement this demand of the people.

The prime minister said billions of rupees were spent on electrification of villages which resulted in more demand, and thus power shortage in the country.

The government is working on short, medium and long term projects of three to ten years to meet energy demand, he said and added 2000 megawatts had been added to the national grid and 2000 megawatts more would be added to the system.

He said Thar Coal Project, Diamer Bhasha Dam, TAPI and joint gas and electricity projects with Iran were in pipeline to overcome energy shortage.

The people understand these are not mere promises as the government will have to go for elections, he added

Thaksin party wins Thai election by a landslide

BANGKOK: Thailand's opposition won a landslide election victory on Sunday, led by the sister of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a triumph for red-shirt protesters who clashed with the army last year.

Exit polls showed Yingluck Shinawatra's Puea Thai (For Thais) party winning a clear majority of parliament's 500 seats, paving the way for the 44-year-old business executive to become Thailand's first woman prime minister.

"I'll do my best and will not disappoint you," she told supporters after receiving a call of congratulations from her billionaire brother, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and lives in Dubai to avoid jail for graft charges that he says were politically motivated.

"He told me that there is still much hard work ahead of us," she told reporters.

With nearly all votes counted, Yingluck's party won a projected 261 seats with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's Democrat Party taking 162, according to the Election Commission.

Abhisit conceded defeat. "I would like to congratulate the Puea Thai Party for the right to form a government," he said.

Exit polls by Bangkok's Suan Dusit University showed Puea Thai doing even better, winning 313 seats compared to just 152 for the Democrats, dismal enough to threaten Abhisit's job as party leader.

Yingluck's supporters were jubilant, erupting in roars and cheers as television broadcast the exit polls.

"Number one Yingluck," some shouted. "Prime Minister Yingluck" screamed others, as party members slapped each other on the back.

"Yingluck has helped us and now Puea Thai can solve our problems and they'll solve the country's problems," said Saiksa Chankerd, a 40-year-old government worker.

The results were a rebuke of the traditional establishment of generals, old-money families and royal advisers in Bangkok who loathed Thaksin and backed Abhisit, an Oxford-trained economist who struggled to find a common touch.

"People wanted change and they got it," said Kongkiat Opaswongkarn, chief executive of Asia Plus Securities in Bangkok. "It tells you that a majority of people still want most of the things that the ex-prime minister had done for the country in the past."

The size of Puea Thai's victory could usher in much-needed political stability after six years of sporadic unrest that featured the occupation of Bangkok's two airports, a blockade of parliament, an assassination attempt and protests last year that descended into chaotic clashes with the army.

"Chances of blocking Puea Thai in the near term are severely limited," said Roberto Herrera-Lim, Southeast Asian analyst at political risk consultancy Eurasia Group. "The instability everyone has been worried about now looks less likely. The military will have to be pragmatic now."

RED SHIRT VILLAGES

Yingluck was feted like a rock-star by the red shirts who designated entire communities in Thailand's rugged, vote-rich northeast plateau as "red shirt villages" to help mobilize supporters, each festooned with red flags and Thaksin posters.

"This win is very important because it will determine Thailand's destiny," said Kwanchai Praipana, a red-shirt leader in Udon Thani province, where the movement had set up hundreds of red villages in recent weeks.

The red shirts accuse the rich, the establishment and top military brass of breaking laws with impunity -- grievances that have simmered since the 2006 coup -- and have clamored for Thaksin's return.

Thaksin said he would "wait for the right moment" to come home. "If my return is going to cause problems, then I will not do it yet. I should be a solution, not a problem," he told reporters in Dubai.

Thaksin, a former telecommunications tycoon, scored landslide election wins in 2001 and 2005 and remains idolized by the poor as the first politician to address the needs of millions living beyond Bangkok's bright lights.

Yingluck electrified his supporters, ran a disciplined campaign and promised Thaksin-style populist policies, including a big rise in the national minimum wage and free tablet PCs for nearly one million school children.

Abhisit had warned of instability if Yingluck won, blaming the red shirts for unrest last year in which 91 people, mostly civilians, were killed. They cast Thaksin as a crony capitalist, fugitive and terrorist who condones mob rule.

But Abhisit's denial that troops were responsible for a single death or injury last year was mocked even in the Democrat stronghold of Bangkok. A web-savvy generation could, with a few mouse-clicks, watch videos on Youtube showing military snipers firing on civilians, eroding his credibility.

Abhisit's backers want Thaksin to serve a two-year prison term. They dismiss Yingluck as a simple proxy for her brother.

Throughout the six-week campaign, the two sides presented similar populist campaigns of subsidies for the poor, improved healthcare benefits and infrastructure investment including high-speed rail systems across the country -- a style of policymaking known in Thailand as "Thaksinomics."

The clear majority should make it easier for the opposition to execute those promises but could also fan inflation if they pursue a plan to lift the minimum wage to 300 baht ($9.70) per day -- a roughly 40 percent increase.

The election is Thailand's 26th since it became a democracy in 1932, ending seven centuries of absolute monarchy. Since then, it has seen 18 military coups or coup attempts.

Opinion polls had predicted Puea Thai would win about 240 seats, short of a majority. In that scenario, smaller parties would have been crucial, possibly helping the Democrats stay in power if they had managed to form a coalition government.

Yingluck said her party was in talks with Chart Thai Pattana, a smaller party with a projected 20 seats, to join hands in parliament and provide some breathing space.

Swat more peaceful than Karachi: Haji Adeel

PESHAWAR: ANP Central Vice President Senator Haji Adeel on Sunday said that today Swat is more peaceful than Karachi and anyone cane visit the valley without fear.

He said that devolution process adopted by government will strengthen provinces and empower people and termed it success of democratic forces.

Talking to journalists here, Senator Haji Muhammad Adeel said that forefathers from day one had struggled for provincial autonomy and devolution of federal ministries to provinces is part of the matchless struggle of ANP.

Khyber Pakthunkhwa had great potential to generate hydel power, which has the capacity of producing 44000 MW electricity to cater the agriculture and industries besides people needs.

He said that magistracy system has already been revived in Punjab, Balochistan and KPK and its revival in Sindh would also help people with great extent.

The ANP leader said that today Swat is more peaceful than Karachi due to ANP government bold polices and sacrifices of security forces, people of Swat.

He said that a visitor can't face fear while going to Swat. He said ANP will continue to work for peace in Karachi and would resist elements trying to disrupt peace of the port city.

He demanded from the election commission to reconstitute constituencies. The ANP leader expressed the hope that bureaucracy would extend full support to provincial government in wake of devolution of ministries.

He said that hurdles in way of government in wake of devolution of federal ministries would not be tolerated.

Shaw's Sun Protective Kapoor Asian vegetarian personality as the most attractive

Shaw's Sun Protective Kapoor Asian vegetarian personality as the most attractive

Harry Porter yz trip coming up to film a new video came to light at

Los Angeles ... Herr A. Potter ride yz the comingde A. film Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 new videos surfaced here. Film in this part of Herr A. Poe trapny friends Hermione Grangerand Ron Weasley with krflm Te ka-You cancomplete the villain Voldemort will appear. thlkh bemaking two films in the world to film the trip up tothe yz pndr minutes will be released on the LAfreeway.

15 and 96 percent gas price increase proposal sent to the Prime Minister

Islamabad. . . . . Prime Minister from 15 to 96percent increase in gas prices has sent theproposal. The oil and gas sources 15 per cent fordomestic users, 18.44 percent for the industrial sector, 36.26 percent for power plants to increasegas prices tjuyzhy . CNG sector, 69 percent of gascost 96 percent increase is proposed for thefertilizer factories.

Moon does not appear to be perika almazm ykm Travel

Karachi. . . . . Lunar month of Sha'ban AH 1432was not almazm ykm month will be Monday 4 July.Meteorological Department Karachi office of MuftiMuneeb-ur-Rehman, chairman of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee meeting chaired by. The hilalcommittee members, Department of Meteorologydirector Ziauddin Khan, Ghulam Murtaza and Navycommander, Chief space manager spark strengthof the partnership. the Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehmanwhile talking to media after the moon visible fromany part of the country did not receive the Visibility.So it was decided unanimously that non ykm AH 4July 1432 will be held Monday.

Monaco's Prince of the South African swimmer love marriage

Monte Carlo. . . . . Catherine mydltn in Britain as a girl and got kushzadh, munuku in Prince Albert took his long-time prymyka kuzndgy kasathy. Prince Albert II of the South African swimmer sarlyn cover stock yesterday took him by marrying Princess. Long after the royal shehnais pleasures of family gatherings and happy people do kaahtmam. dcz the UK and the Duke of Cambridge's official visit to Canada, Canada Day concert in the British royal family would welcome a couple of people and concerts kuhzarun I put out. 

Atta ur Rahman in Larham valley Malakand

Collected thousands of dollars in aid to win the marathon unknown dog.

Maryland men while participating in the marathon... then everyone will see the dog along with thehumans taking part in a marathon, this is probably the first of its kind. Horde County State of Marylandin the last days marathon held in which raceparticipants with a dog also joined. Dozer calledthe dog house from the front as the raceparticipants through the beginning of its ownersface left and joined. many points on the dog's regular marathon route running was seen as the end point at 2 hours, 14 minutes to reach the dog'sregular media coverage was. where nasrf themarathon organizers, the dog races to finish themedals awarded, while the raising of funds was made for an online page. media fame in the story of the dog's marathon in the interest of mostpeople to express support for more than 13hzardalr which will be dedicated to a cancercenter.