PAF base in Kamra attacked

Seven heavily armed militants stormed the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) Minhas airbase at Kamra during the early hours of Thursday, sparking an intense gun battle lasting almost five hours.
The militants were said to be armed with automatic weapons, grenades and suicide vests. Intense exchange of fire between militants and security forces ensued after the attackers infiltrated the base located in Attock, Punjab.

PAF officials confirmed that all seven attackers had been killed. One Pakistani soldier also lost his life in the attack, confirmed officials.

Afghan police commander, officers defect to Taliban

HERAT: An Afghan police commander and 12 junior officers have defected to the Taliban after poisoning seven comrades, government officials in the western province of Farah said on Tuesday.

The commander, named only as Mirwais, was in charge of a checkpoint in the Bala Boluk district when he and his unit defected to the Taliban and handed over their equipment and weapons, including military vehicles.

"He was a police commander for a checkpoint in Shewan village. He joined the Taliban with a Humvee, a Ranger (SUV), radios and 20 guns," said Abdul Rahman Zwandai, a spokesman for the Farah governor.

The seven police were poisoned because they refused to join the rebellion, he said. All were taken to the Farah hospital and an investigation would be launched.

Farah, bordering Iran, is one of western Afghanistan's most insecure provinces, although the west is relatively secure compared to insurgent strongholds in the east and south.

The defection was the first time that police had joined the Taliban and taken so much equipment with them, Zwandai said, and will worry Western backers looking to hand security to Afghan forces by the end of 2014.

But national intelligence officials denied reports in some Afghan media that two members of the country's High Peace Council, which leads government efforts to reconcile with the Taliban, had also defected to the insurgency.

"I'm not sure anyone from the HPC would have joined the Taliban," said National Directorate of Security deputy spokesman Shafiqullah Tahiri.

Mohammad Hashim Grani, who heads the Peace Council in southeast Zabul province, said earlier this week that HPC members Mawlavi Mohammad Aziz and Mawlavi Mohammad Zeba were still backing the government, despite going missing amid Taliban claims they had defected.

"They are in villages to infiltrate the Taliban and meet more and more people," Grani said. "Very soon they will turn back."

Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani premier Raja Pervez Ashraf said this week during talks in Kabul that Peace Council head Salahuddin Rabbani would soon travel to Pakistan for talks on the stalled Afghan peace process. (Reuters)

MQM delegation meets ANP leaders

ISLAMABAD: A delegation from the MQM met with ANP leaders here on Wednesday.

Speaking to the media following the meeting, MQM leader Farooq Sattar said action should be taken against criminals in Karachi.

Sattar added that the ANP had been invited to MQM headquarters nine zero and contact between the two parties would continue.

Sattar told reporters that the government's writ should be established in Karachi.

ANP leader Haji Adeel also stated that indiscriminate action should be taken against mafias and criminals in Karachi.

He added that meetings between the ANP and MQM were an important step for the country.

No one is safe in Balochistan: CJ

ISLAMABAD: During proceedings of the Balochistan law and order case, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry remarked that no one was safe in the province as people were being killed irrespective of their sect.
A three member bench heard the law and order case on Wednesday and was informed by the Advocate General (AG) that the situation only affected 200 out of the provinces 6.5 million residents. The AG further said that writing that there was a failure in maintaining law and order was not possible.
Justice Khilji Arif remarked that it seemed like the administration had given up on law and order in the province and asked if the provincial government could not maintain peace what was the responsibility of the federal government?
The lawyer for the federation replied that the federal government could not take any steps in the province.
The President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Yasin Azad said the Balochistan issue was getting out of hand and no one wanted to talk about the real issues in the province.
The lawyer for the agencies said the FC would implement orders, to which the Chief Justice said that the FC should give in writing when it will produce the missing persons.

Three killed in different firing incidents in Karachi

KARACHI: Three people were shot dead in different incidents of firing in the metropolis on Thursday, Geo News reported.

Two people were killed by unknown gunmen in Ilyas Goth area of Liaqatabad. According to police, the incident is a result of rivalry between two groups who are allegedly involved in drug trafficking.

Two people were also injured in a separate firing incident in C-One area of Liaqatabad.

Unidentified miscreants targeted two men in a passenger bus moving from Karachi to Hyderabad at Teen Hatti area. As a result of the assault, one man died on the spot while the other was critically wounded, the bus conductor told Geo News.

The two men had got on the bus from Baloch Para.

The target killing incident took place in the Jamshed Quarter police station limits.

11 year old girl assaulted in Gujranwala

GUJRANWALA: An eleven year old girl working as a maid was assaulted and then thrown on the road. Her arms and legs were broken; she had received wounds to the head and had burns all over her body.

The girl was found in critical condition near a gutter line by Edhi workers who took her to the district headquarters hospital.

When conscious the girl revealed that she had been working as a maid for a year and a half however authorities have not been able locate her family nor the house she was employed at.

The Child Protection Bureau Gujranwala has taken the girl into their custody.

Mazhar Majeed appeals against fixing verdict

LONDON: Sports agent Mazhar Majeed jailed over a cricket fixing sandal has appealed against his conviction.

Majeed was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison. Three Pakistani cricketers also received custodial sentences at London's Southwark Crown Court in November over a scandal that rocked world sport.

Former Test captain Salman Butt was jailed for two and a half years for his role as the "orchestrator" of a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in the 2010 Lord's Test against England.

Mohammad Asif, the former world number two Test bowler, was sentenced to

12 months.

Mohammad Amir, who had been tipped to become one of the all-time great

fast bowlers, was sentenced to six months.

All three players are serving five-year bans from cricket imposed by the

International Cricket Council (ICC).

Amir and Butt failed in an attempt to have their sentences reduced at

the Court of Appeal in November.

US drone attack kills eight in North Waziristan

MIRAMSHAH: At least eight persons were killed and several others injured when a US drone attacked a house in North Waziristan Agency on early Saturday morning, Geo News reported.

According to sources, two missiles hit and destroyed the compound in

Shawal area, some 70 kilometres (45 miles) west of Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan.As a result of strike, the compound was completely destroyed and eight people were killed and several others wounded.

Four drones were flying in the area after the missile attack as a result rescue work was also delayed.

The identity of those killed could not be ascertained yet

Normalcy returns to Lyari

KARACHI: Life in Lyari was troubled when security forces launched an operation against criminal elements in the area more than a week ago, but now the local residents have breathed a sigh of relief after the operation was halted for 48 hours, Geo News reported Saturday.

Business activities started to resume today while the schools were also open. The electricity supple was suspended in the area after miscreants damaged supply lines by hand grenades and rocket launchers at Cheel Chowk. Some houses were also damaged during the battle that forced the residents to migrate to safer areas.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik had announced on Friday that soon a major operation would be launched against criminals in Lyari, hours after the Sindh police chief Mushtaq Shah said the weeklong operation in the area was being halted for 48 hours.

“It [the weeklong action] was not exactly an operation; rather, it was a targeted attack to capture certain criminal elements taking refuge in the area,” Malik told a press conference at the Central Police Office.

The announcement comes amid a growing criticism of the police operation that left at least 30 people dead and scores injured in Lyari, a stronghold of the ruling Pakistan People Party, over the past eight days.

“This time around, a lot more people will be accompanying the police,” said Malik, who was flanked by Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Shah and various high-ranking officials of District South.

The interior minister said that at present the majority of criminals were residing in Lyari and, if a comprehensive operation took place in the area, it would “completely clean Karachi of criminals.”

“At present, there are 200 criminals in Lyari, including members of proscribed organisations taking refuge in the area,” he said, referring to Al-Qaeda, Jaish-e- Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sepah-e-Sahaba and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).

IG Mushtaq Shah said the police were very much capable to handle the situation in Lyari and said it was not at all a “professional mistake.” “We will definitely go after them. Maybe within 48 hours,” he added cautiously before walking out.

IG Shah said that the Sindh government had decided to provide facilities to the public, as the operation had left the people of Lyari facing extreme food shortages.

PTI, PML-N to stage rallies today

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) has finalised preparations to stage a march in support of the judiciary here today (Sunday), a day after the PML-N held an impressive public meeting in Taxila.


Banners and portraits of Imran Khan and local leaders have been displayed at prominent intersections and market places to highlight the significance of the proposed event.


Dr Shahzad Wasim, who was once a close aide of ex-President General (R) Pervez Musharraf, also put up his portraits at various points across the federal capital.


The PTI chairman Imran Khan will lead the march from China Chowk to D-Chowk, where he will speak to the participants. Other senior leaders including Javed Hashmi and Shah Mehmood Qureshi are also expected to speak on the occasion.


During a recent news conference, the PTI chief had announced to hold the solidarity march in the federal capital in support of the Supreme Court and its Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.


“The rulers are by design flouting the apex court's judgments and orders to hide their corruption and push the country towards chaos and anarchy,” asserted PTI central spokesman Zahid Hussain Kazmi while talking to The News here.


The PTI spokesman reiterated his party's stance that after the Supreme Court conviction of Gilani, he was no more the chief executive of the country. He is not even an MNA now after his conviction. He must go home he asserted.


Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will hold a massive rally against the prime minister in Gujranwala.

Addressing a press conference, PML-N leader Zaeem Qadri and Khurram Dastagir announced to hold rally against the prime minister here

Power outage delays 30 operations at JPMC

KARACHI: Due to suspension of electricity supply at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi for several hours, 30 operations were delayed in the main operating theater, Geo News reported Friday.

According to sources, the patients were severely disturbed as the electricity of the hospital was suspended at 8 am. The standby generator of the hospital was also not functioning that deferred at least 30 operations.

Joint Deputy Director JPMC, Dr Seemi Jamali told that the supply was resumed after two hours but the reason of the outage is still unknown

Pakistan deports Bin Laden’s family to Saudi Arabia

ISLAMABAD: Government of Pakistan has deported Osama bin Laden’s family to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia following the orders of the court,  News reported Frday.

Since the al Qaeda leader’s killing in Abbottabad by American Special Forces almost a year ago, his next of kin were under house arrest in Pakistan.

The Ministry of Interior, which was responsible for the family, issued a statement saying it had "passed orders for the deportation of 14 members of OBL family in pursuance of the Court orders".

"The family was kept safe and sound in a guest house ...They have been deported to the country of their choice, Saudi Arabia, today," it added.

According to latest reports, a chartered plane with bin Laden’s widows and children on board took off from Islamabad airport early on Friday morning.

The move ends months of speculation about the fate of the family, who were detained by Pakistani security forces after the May 2 raid.

"Yes, they're being deported to Saudi Arabia," said Aamir Khalil, the family lawyer. "It is a special flight, and they're looking to depart in the next hour and a half or so."

At the guesthouse in Islamabad where the family was being held, a white minivan pulled up to take them to the airport, where a charter flight was waiting. The women refused to enter the van with a crush of media around it, so officials covered its windows with plastic sheets.

Earlier this month, a court sentenced the women to 45 days in prison for entering Pakistan illegally. It ordered their deportation after the prison term, which began on March 3 when they were formally arrested.

Once outside Pakistan, the family could reveal details about how the world's most wanted man was able to hide in Pakistan for years, possibly assisted by elements of its powerful military and spy agency.

Any revelations about ties to bin Laden could embarrass Pakistan and anger Washington, which had been hunting bin Laden since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

Pakistani officials describe bin Laden's long presence in the hill-town of Abbottabad as a security lapse and reject suggestions that members of the military and intelligence service were complicit in hiding him there.

Operation against criminal elements in Lyari

KARACHI: Three people have been injured in the Agra Taj Colony area of Lyari as the operation against criminal elements continues.

Earlier when the early morning operation began, rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) were fired at security personnel during an early morning search operation in Lyari’s hostile pockets.

Sources say when the police, backed by Frontier Corps, tried to penetrate the strongholds of warring gangsters during the predawn hours they were met with severe resistance.

A volley of RPGs and heavy arms' fire forced the security personnel to retaliate, sources added.

“The thunder of guns shook us out of sleep only to plunge us into fear”, a local resident told Geo News.

Shots fired form both sides took toll on the vehicles, which were being used as covers as shards of shattered windscreens could be seen all over the place in the battle zone, said an eye witness giving an account of the armed combat.

Taliban gunmen attack Bannu jail, nearly 400 inmates escape

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Nearly 400 prisoners escaped from a jail in northwest Pakistan early on Sunday after it was attacked by militants armed with guns and rocket propelled grenades, a senior police official said.

Some who fled the jail in the town of Bannu, near tribal areas close to the Afghan border, were militants, an intelligence official said.

According to Bannu Jail Superintendent around 500 militants attacked the prison in the wee hours.

One inmate who escaped was on death row for involvement in an attempt to assassinate former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, a second police official said.

Pakistan's al Qaeda-linked Taliban movement, which has close links to al Qaeda, said its fighters mounted the assault, which triggered clashes. Several people were wounded.

"We have freed hundreds of our comrades in Bannu in this attack. Several of our people have reached their destinations, others are on their way," a Taliban spokesman said.

The claim could not be immediately verified.

A police official identified one of the inmates who escaped as a "dangerous prisoner" named Adnan Rasheed who took part in one of the attempts to kill Musharraf.

"He was a mastermind in (one of the attacks) on Musharraf. These people came for him and took another 383 people too," the official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Police and intelligence officials said only some of the prisoners who escaped were militants.

"Dozens of militants attacked Bannu's central jail in the early hours of the morning, and over 300 prisoners have escaped," senior police official Mir Sahib Jan told Reuters.

"There was intense gunfire, and rocket-propelled grenades were also used."

Paramilitary troops and security forces surrounded Bannu Central Jail. Of a total 944 prisoners in the jail, 384 escaped, said another police official.

Militants apparently targeted six jail blocks in the attack, he said

Siachen tragedy: US, Norway, China teams reaching site today

SKARDU: The search and rescue operation for retrieving Pakistan Army soldiers and civilians trapped in the Gayari sector avalanche is continuing at full speed.

Rescue teams from the US, Norway and China will be arriving in Siachen on Sunday as the weather is said to be clear.

German and Swiss experts had pointed out three preferential spots, where rescue work is underway. The experts have advised using traditional digging tools instead of deploying heavy machinery at these probable points.

Over 550 persons including Army soldiers, locals and foreign experts are participating in the search and rescue operation, while eight US experts besides Norway and China rescue teams arriving in Sunday would join in the operation at Gayari sector providing their professional expert assistance

Coordinated suicide attacks rock Afghanistan

KABUL: Suicide bombers struck across Afghanistan in coordinated attacks Sunday, with explosions and gunfire rocking the diplomatic enclave in the capital as militants took over a hotel and tried to enter parliament.

Taliban insurgents claimed the attacks in Kabul with a spokesman saying by mobile phone text message that "a lot of suicide bombers" were involved.

Outside the capital, attackers also targeted government buildings in Logar province, the airport in Jalalabad, and a police facility in the town of Gardez in Paktia province.

Witnesses said suicide bombers had taken over the newly-built Kabul Star hotel, which was reportedly on fire in an area which includes a major US military base, the United Nations office and the presidential palace.

The area was sealed off by security forces.

Several other attackers tried to enter the Afghan parliament but were engaged by security forces and driven back, an official said.

They had taken cover in a building near the parliament and fighting was ongoing, parliamentary media officer Qudratullah Jawid told AFP.

Kabul police chief Mohammad Ayoubi Salangi told AFP at least one attacker had been killed as fighting raged in several locations in the capital.

"Near the parliament, the first floor of a neighbouring building has been taken by police and one terrorist is dead," he said.

In two other areas of the city militants had taken positions in tall buildings and "are firing", he said.

A police spokesman said the areas under attack were the diplomatic enclave of Wazir Akbar Khan in the centre, parliament in the west and District Nine in the south.

South of Kabul in Logar province, several suicide attackers entered government buildings, including the offices of the provincial governor, police headquarters and a US base, deputy provincial police chief, Raees Khan told AFP.

In eastern Afghanistan two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the gates of Jalalabad airport, wounding several people, General Jahangir Azimi, the airport's head of police said.

In Gardez, also in the east, multiple Taliban gunmen -- believed to be armed with suicide vests -- launched an attack on a police training centre, Rohullah Samoon the provincial spokesman told AFP.

They occupied a building overseeing the facility and opened fire with machine-guns, he said, wounding four civilians.

As the Kabul attacks began, several large explosions and bursts of gunfire were heard near the United States embassy.

The embassy sounded alarms and warned staff to take cover, AFP reporters heard from their office near the embassy in the Wazir Akbar Khan area, which houses many diplomatic missions.

The incidents come as Taliban militants step up their attacks as part of their annual spring offensive, heralding the so-called "fighting season".

In September last year Taliban attacks targeting locations including the US embassy and headquarters of foreign troops in Kabul killed at least 14 during a 19-hour siege.

And in August, nine people, including a New Zealand special forces soldier, were killed when suicide bombers attacked the British Council cultural centre.

NATO has about 130,000 troops supporting the government of President Hamid Karzai against the Taliban insurgency, but they will pull out by the end of 2014, handing control of security to Afghan forces. (AFP)

Gunmen attack Bannu jail, 400 inmates escape

BANNU: Unknown assailants stormed Central Jail Bannu with heavy gunfire, emptying the jail of its 400 inmates, Geo News reported.

Dozens of police guards and attackers were injured in the cross firing. The injured have been rushed to district hospital.

According to police sources, unknown militants attacked Bannu Central Jail with heavy gunfire. Rocket launchers were also used in the attack.

Jail administration has asked for more police force to tackle the situation. Heavy contingent of FC and army have arrived for police assistance.

Mexicans return beached whale to sea

MEXICO CITY: Volunteers and Navy personnel returned a 12-tonne whale to the sea after it became stranded on a beach in the southwestern Mexican city of Oaxaca, officials said Saturday.

About 150 volunteers worked with over 40 Marines for 12 hours Friday on the Pacific Coast beach to keep the whale alive and maneuver it back into the water.

Local military commanders ordered marine environmental protection officers, underwater specialists and other Navy personnel "to help the whale return to the sea," the Navy said in a statement.

The marines used two patrol boats, a smaller boat and vehicles to move the whale off the beach and back into the ocean.

The nine-meter (30-foot) whale suffered injuries to its right flipper, apparently from lying on its side on the beach, the Navy statement said. (AFP)

Will resist reopening of Nato supply: Fazl

ISLAMABAD: JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said on Friday that his party would continue to resist the reopening of Nato supply.

Speaking to the media, Fazl said Parliaments recommendations did not open the Nato supply rather prohibited supplies to Afghanistan.

Fazl maintained his party would work to stop the reopening of Nato supplies and the recommendations had laid the ground work for a strong foreign policy.

Fazl further said the recommendation to end verbal agreements with the US was included due to the JUI-F.

On Thursday Parliament approved the revised recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security.

Pakistan Army facing difficulties in Gyari rescue operation

RAWALPINDI: Director General Inter Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Athar Abbas Saturday said that Pakistan Army is facing difficulties in Gyari rescue operation due to harsh weather, however 24-hour round the clock operation continued.

Pakistan Army arranged a media briefing regarding Gyari sector calamity. Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Major General Ashfaq Nadeem flanked by DG ISPR briefed the media about the magnitude of the incident and military rescue operations.

He said that Pakistan Air force (PAF) is also making all out efforts for the rescue of Pakistan army soldiers trapped in avalanche.

He said that assistance was also sought from international organizations and friend countries, adding that teams from Germany, Switzerland and China had reached the area.

The DGMO said the American team also reached Pakistan and it would kick off work after the improvement of weather conditions. Gen Nadeem said that a team from Norway would also reach to the area soon.

Replying to a question, he said that 139 people including soldiers and civilians were present in the Battalion headquarters at the time of the incident.

Gen Nadeem said that the magnitude of the tragedy was so big that local rescue facilities in the region were not enough while movement of heavy equipments was also very difficult.

He told as many as 400 troops and some 60 civilians are currently taking part in rescue and search operation.

He said that that some small avalanches had also been falling in the area.

The DGMO said that all entire nation and army was praying for a miracle for the recovery of soldiers alive.

PFDC fashion week opens with catwalks, trend show

LAHORE: The four-day (April 13-16) grand Sunsilk fashion week by the Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC) opened at the Expo Centre in Johar Town on Friday.

This April marks the fifth consecutive PFDC fashion week, the third year of prêt & porter fashion.

The first day was structured into two acts: three ramp shows (each consisting of six designers), and a trends show put together from the works of participating designers.

The Act 1 of week began with the sister duo Nickie Nina’s latest prêt a porter collection ‘Royal Military’. Though Nickie-Nina are better known for their sleek silhouettes and flowing clothes, this collection was a complete diversion from their well-known design sensibility.

The collection encompassed the strength and regal appeal of the military: the cuts and silhouette were inspired by the expert and almost rigid tailoring of military uniforms, as well as the sophistication and elegance of the armed forces. The silhouette was therefore more structured the lines more straight and rigid and the embellishments even more detailed than before. The colour palette was diverse and taken from traditional military shades along with an assortment of military insignia, medals and badges.

Next on the runway was Karachi-based designer Tazeen Hasan with her prêt a porter women’s wear collection ‘Evocative’. The collection is based in chiffons and the cuts are soft and feminine. The embellishments include frilling, interspersed with an extensive use of sequins, bugle beads and floral ornamentation.

Act 1’s second show belonged to the AZZA’s spring/summer 2013 women’s wear collection ‘Inheritance”’ an ode to the creative director, Azeeza Desai Khan’s Indian and Afghani roots. The designer used artisanal textile craft of South Asia through rich embellishments, hand embroideries and silks fused with Western modernized cuts. The collection leveraged dimensional South Asian textiles including pure silks, chiffon, net and organza alongside antiqued gold and silk thread finished embroideries.

Opening for Day 1’s Act 2 was Élan’s collection titled ‘Flights of Fantasy’.

The designer, Khadijah Shah, took her design inspiration from fascination with Chinese designs resulting in her compilation of Oriental imagery put together over the course of several years. The colour palette ranged from popping yellow, pink, lime and electric blue along with neutrals; navy and cream. Khadijah has designed and produced two prints specifically for the collection; a white floral with butterflies and Chinese calligraphy and a cobalt cloud pattern — both uniquely oriental.

Together the prints and plains were subtly colour blocked and juxtaposed to create a refreshing spring palette. For this collection, the designer had also reproduced Chinese art in sequin and cut glass embellishments for different pieces. It was a versatile collection which could be worn in many different ways and to that end there was an array of pants, tops, jackets and dresses that can be mixed and matched and dressed up or down depending on how one chooses to pair them.

Next on the runway was Muse with an Autumn/Winter 2012/13 women’s wear, hitting deep at the feminine heart. The collection consisted of pieces worked with delicate sequins in animal prints, as well geometric patterns. Fabrics used were crepes in powder blue, molten purple, emerald green and black.

The last designer collection on the runway belonged to Mohsin Ali — women’s wear collection ‘Baran-i-Ishq’. Taking inspiration from the joy and rebirth that the season of spring brings, Mohsin’s latest collection celebrated the return of the season with a collection based in chiffon, jamawar and silk.

The first day’s finale was the ‘Trends Show’, which aimed to highlight the trends for the upcoming season through 15 ‘looks’ put together from the works of fourteen participating designers.

Zardari urges Gilani to consult parties over Seraiki province

MULTAN: President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday called upon Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to immediately start consultative process with all the political parties with a view to make a separate Seraiki province in South Punjab.

The president said this during his meeting with a delegation of Peoples’ lawyer forum here.

Spokesperson to the president Senator Farhatullah Babar while giving details of the meeting said that the president was of the view that it was not politics but meant to respect and honour the aspiration of the people of South Punjab who have been feeling deprived for over sixty years and were demanding their just rights.

The president said that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) promised giving identity to the people of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and we fulfilled our promise. Similarly we gave rights to our Balochi brothers and the people of Gilgit Baltistan. Now, he said, we have promised the people of this belt to cater to their aspirations and we would do our best to honour our commitment.

He said that the people of this area have every right to demand and have their own province and the party’s leadership respect their wishes and aspirations.

He said that this was the right time to give what people have been asking for so long. “If giving rights to the people is a crime, we will continue to commit such crimes,” Senator Babar quoted the president as saying.

The president said that meeting the aspirations of the people of South Punjab would further strengthen the federation and not weaken it.

He vowed to give the rights to the people of South Punjab during the tenure of the present government.

The president also said that PM Gilani was being targeted because of his support to the Seraiki province and also for his support to the party’s leadership.

Earlier, the president also had separate meetings, one with the parliamentarians belonging to South Punjab and the other with the women office bearers of the party belonging to Multan, Khanewal, Vehari and Lodhran districts.

During his meetings, the president said that he felt great pleasure to be present among the representatives of the South Punjab and he would be regularly visiting the belt in future also.

India set to test new long-range rocket next week

NEW DELHI: India is within days of test-firing a long-range rocket capable of reaching deep into Asia and Europe, a move that would bring the emerging power into a small club of nations with intercontinental defence capabilities.

Scientists are preparing to launch the nuclear warhead-enabled Agni V, with a range of more than 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles), between April 18 and 20, a defence ministry official with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Friday. The official asked not to be named.

Only the permanent members of the UN Security Council -China, Russia, France, the United States and the United Kingdom, along with Israel, are believed to have such long distance missiles.

The launch will be closely monitored by India's nuclear-armed rivals China and Pakistan and by Western countries, but is unlikely to draw the kind of criticism aimed at North Korea after its own failed long-range rocket launch on Thursday.

India has a no-first-use policy and says its nuclear weapons and missiles are for defensive purposes only. "India's missile programme is not directed against any country. The missiles are purely for the purpose of deterrence," said Ravi Kumar Gupta, a senior scientist and director at the government-run Defence Research and Development Organisation that developed the rocket.

"No first use has always been our policy," he said. The Agni V is designed to be the most advanced version of the indigenously built Agni series, the defence ministry official said. It is powered by solid rocket propellants and can be transported by road. India has tested several missiles in the past few years as part of its programme which started in the 1960s. (Reuters)

UN chief says North Korea rocket launch 'deplorable'

GENEVA: UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Friday condemned North Korea's rocket launch as "deplorable" and a threat to regional stability.

"Despite its failure, the launch of a so-called 'application satellite' by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is deplorable as it defies the firm and unanimous stance of the international community," Ban's spokesman said in a statement.

North Korea launched on Friday a long-range rocket that appeared to have disintegrated soon after blastoff and fallen into the sea, South Korean and Japanese authorities said.

"The launch is in direct violation of Security Council Resolution 1874 and threatens regional stability," the statement said, referring to a 2009 resolution demanding the state halt further nuclear tests and any launches using ballistic missile technology.

Ban "urges the DPRK not to undertake any further provocative actions that will heighten tension in the region," the spokesman said.

"He reaffirms his commitment to working for peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and helping the people of the DPRK, in particular, by addressing the serious food and nutrition needs of the most vulnerable." (AFP)

Siachen tragedy: Search, rescue operation continues at full pace

RAWALPINDI: The search and rescue operation at Gayari continues at full pace despite severe weather conditions, blizzard and low temperatures.

The spirit of troops busy in rescue operation is high, who are determined to dig out their valiant comrades from tonnes of snow, says a press release issued by ISPR here on Friday.

The low temperature poses serious challenge to the effectiveness of plant equipment too.

Disregarding the difficulties posed by 145 ft high pile of snow in the vicinity and extreme cold at the bottom of excavation, the troops are attempting a horizontal tunnel at the base of main excavation site to access suspected location of a structure to reach out to survivors.

The access tracks have been improved. Some infantry troops grouped into small teams continued to be employed on the periphery for search work. The outflow of water channel remains the same.

AFP adds: Blizzard conditions on Friday hit rescuers searching for people buried by an avalanche at a high-altitude Pakistani army camp as more foreign teams were due in the country to help operations.

A huge wall of snow crashed into the remote Siachen Glacier base high in the mountains on Saturday morning, smothering an area of one square kilometre (a third of a square mile).

Specialist high altitude teams from the United States, Germany and Switzerland are being sent by road and air to the remote site, the military said, while units from China and Norway are due to arrive in Islamabad soon.

Search teams are looking for the trapped soldiers and civilians at six different points on the site, around 4,000 metres (13,000 feet) up in the mountains.

Troops are attempting to dig a horizontal tunnel at the base of the main excavation site to reach what is thought to be one of the camp buildings.

More than 450 rescuers are working in sub-zero temperatures at the site, though experts have said there is virtually no chance of finding any survivors.