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| December 22, 2006 | Friday | Ziqa’ad 30, 1427 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Pakistan, India hold maritime border talks; swap prisoners ISLAMABAD, Dec 22 (Reuters) Pakistan and India on Friday discussed modalities for conducting a survey into the disputed Sir Creek estuary, which flows into the Arabian Sea between the Pakistani province of Sindh and the Indian state of Gujarat. The talks were cordial and friendly and the meeting expressed satisfaction over the progress achieved, the Pakistani Ministry of Defence said in a statement. The talks continue on Saturday. Pakistani authorities released 70 Indian fishermen on Friday, and are to hand them back to India on Saturday. India set free 24 Pakistani prisoners on Friday along with three children, as well as 30 Pakistani fishermen. But the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement that "India has confirmed the national status of 412 Indian fishermen but is disappointed that Pakistan has decided to release only 50 of them". (First Posted @ 14:30 PST Updated @ 22:00 PST)
Singapore to run Pakistan's new Gawadar sea port ISLAMABAD, Dec 22 (AFP) Pakistan has decided to give the management control of its Gawadar deep-sea port in Baluchistan province to the Port of Singapore from next year, a cabinet minister said Friday. "Today Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz approved a summary to hand over the management of Gwadar port to Port of Singapore," Federal ports and shipping minister, Babar Ghauri, said. "We have formed a committee which will negotiate with Port of Singapore and within 15 days the port would be handed over to them," Ghauri said, adding that the port is expected to be operational by March. When asked why China was not given the management of the port, Ghauri said "China did not apply" for it when international tenders were called. (Posted @ 22:12 PST)
Protest rally against Women Protection Bill held in Islamabad ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Dec 22 (AP) More than 5,000 supporters of Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal rallied in Islamabad Friday to protest against the passage of the Women’s Protection Bill in the parliament. ``The National Assembly illegally approved it,'' lawmaker Mian Aslam told the rally. (Posted @ 22:02 PST)
Yasin urges India to cooperate in composite dialogue process ISLAMABAD, Dec 22 (APP): Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Yasin Malik, Friday urged the Indian leadership to respond positively to Pakistan’s approach in making the composite dialogue process result oriented. In a telephonic interview to a private television channel, he said the process of economic progress in the region cannot take place until the issue is amicably solved. (Posted @ 20:18 PST)
PM Aziz sees massive economic cooperation with UAE ISLAMABAD, Dec 22 (APP): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday predicted further growth in economic relations between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. Talking to UAE Labour Minister, Dr Ali Bin Abdullah Al-Kaabi, who called on him today, the prime minister said Pakistan regards UAE and other Gulf Cooperation Council countries as its vital strategic partners. Aziz said Pakistan remains keen to export its trained manpower to UAE so that it could take part in its ongoing development process. The UAE minister said his visit would strengthen the longstanding relationship between the two countries. (Posted @ 20:14 PST)
US-Syria talks key to ending Lebanon crisis: think-tank BRUSSELS, Dec 22 (AFP) The United States must change policy and reach out to Syria if the crisis in Lebanon is to be resolved, according to the International Crisis Group think-tank. "Washington's strategy of pressure, isolation and implicit threats of regime change has backfired," the Brussels-based group said. (Posted @ 19:50 PST)
Police find car packed with explosives in southeast Iran TEHRAN, Dec 22 (AFP) Iranian police found a car packed with 52 kilograms of explosives in Sistan-Baluchestan province Friday, the ISNA news agency said. (Posted @ 19:48 PST)
Pakistani tribal policeman killed in drive-by shooting MIRANSHAH, Pakistan, Dec 22 (AFP) Suspected militants killed a tribal policeman and injured two others Friday in a drive-by shooting near Spalga village in North Waziristan tribal zone, officials said. (Posted @ 19:46 PST)
Two civilians killed in occupied Kashmir crossfire SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, Dec 22 (AFP) Two people were killed and seven others injured Friday in a gunfight between suspected militants and Indian troops in Sopore town, police said. (Posted @ 18:08 PST)
Peaceful strike observed in Karachi KARACHI, Dec 22 (PPI): All major trade markets and shopping areas remained closed on Friday in Karachi due to a strike call given by the Majlis Tahaffuz-e-Hudood Allah (MTHA) against the passage of a women protection bill in the parliament. Public transport on all major roads of the metropolis remained thin. Heavy contingents of security men were deployed at sensitive points of the city, including Sohrab Goth, Nazimabad, Lasbella, SITE Area, Banaras chowk, Quaidabad, and Shamzai Chowrangi. Protestors had blocked the Banaras Chowk area earlier in the day. A few peaceful demonstrations were held outside mosques in some areas of the city. However, no untoward incident was reported in the city till filing of this report. (Posted @ 18:06 PST)
Government committed to support IT sector: PM Aziz ISLAMABAD, Dec 22 (PPI) Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday said that the government is committed towards supporting the information technology sector of the country. Addressing the launching ceremony of the National Information Communication Technology Research and Development Fund here, he said the fund, which amounts to rupees four billion rupees, would provide an enabling environment for IT deployment, exploitation and utilization of ICT in the country. (Posted @ 18:04 PST)
Bomb blast kills five Afghan police KABUL, Dec 22 (Reuters) A remote-controlled bomb targeting an Afghan police convoy killed five policemen in Uruzgan province on Friday, a provincial government official said. Earlier in the day, a suicide bomber trying to assassinate a member of parliament killed one civilian and wounded seven in Kabul, police said. (First Posted @ 12:15 PST Updated @ 16:42 PST)
British troops seize Iraqi police chief BAGHDAD, Dec 22 (AFP) More than 1,000 British troops carried out a dawn raid in Basra city Friday and seized seven suspects, including an Iraqi police chief, accused of leading a death squad that slaughtered 17 police trainers last October. (Posted @ 16:40 PST)
British airline plot suspect slams 'injustice' in Pakistan court RAWALPINDI, Pakistan, Dec 22 (AFP) A Briton held in Pakistan for alleged involvement in a plot to blow up transatlantic jets said Friday the accusations against him were false as he appeared in a Session Court in Rawalpindi. "They are just shifting me from one court to another…there is no case," said Rashid Rauf. The judge later said that Rauf's trial on impersonation and fake identity card charges would begin on January 5. (Posted @ 16:32 PST)
Cricket-World drug body appeals against Pakistan dope ban u-turn KARACHI, Dec 22 (AFP) The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said Friday it has filed an appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport(CAS) in Lausanne, (Switzerland), against Pakistan's decision to lift doping bans on fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Asif. (Posted @ 16:28 PST)
Cricket-Pakistan's Abdul Razzaq set to miss South Africa series KARACHI, Dec 22 (Reuters) Pakistan all rounder Abdul Razzaq has been ruled out of the first two tests in South Africa because of fitness concerns and appears likely to miss the entire series, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official, Saleem Altaf, said Friday. Razzaq injured a calf muscle in the final one-day international against the West Indies in Karachi on Dec.16. (Posted @ 16:25 PST)
US, Iraqis in 'broad strategic agreement': Gates BAGHDAD, Dec 22 (AFP) US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday the United States and the Iraqi government are in "broad strategic agreement" on how to bring security to Baghdad, and that their generals would work up a specific plan. Winding up a three-day visit for a first-hand assessment of the situation, Gates said he would report to President George W. Bush as early as this weekend on his findings and impressions. "This is a very difficult situation," Gates said. "But I believe based on what I have heard and seen both from American commanders and the Iraqis that things are moving in a positive direction." Gates said the Iraqis had put forward concrete plans for restoring security, but gave no details. (Posted @ 14:35 PST)
NKorea nuclear talks end, no further meeting set BEIJING, Dec 22 (AP) North Korea nuclear talks ended Friday without any immediate breakthrough and no further meetings were scheduled, a Japanese official said. (Posted @ 14:20 PST)
Rice calls Iraq `worth the investment,' says U.S. ready to elect black president WASHINGTON, Dec 22 (AP) Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told The Associated Press on Thursday that Iraq is ``worth the investment'' in American lives and dollars and said the United States can still win a conflict that has been more difficult than she expected. In an interview she also said election of a black president no longer would be impossible in the United States. Rice was asked whether an additional $100 billion the Defense Department wants for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars might amount to throwing good money after bad in Iraq. ``I don't think it's a matter of money,'' Rice said. ``Along the way there have been plenty of markers that show that this is a country that is worth the investment, because once it emerges as a country that is a stabilizing factor, you will have a very different kind of Middle East.'' (Posted @ 14:20 PST)
Four US troops die from injuries in western Iraq BAGHDAD, Dec 22 (AP) Three Marines and one U.S. sailor have died from wounds sustained from enemy action in Iraq's western Anbar province Thursday, the military said Friday. (Posted @ 14:20 PST)
At least five dead in Malaysian floods as evacuations continue KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 22 (AFP) Floods in Malaysia have killed at least five people, officials said Friday, as continuing heavy rains spread to six states and forced nearly 80,000 people to abandon their homes. (Posted @ 11:00 PST)
Suspected Tamil rebels attack government's security posts, two wounded COLOMBO, Dec 22 (AP) Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels attacked two government security posts in northern Sri Lanka late Thursday, wounding two security officers, the Media Central for National Security said Friday. (Posted @ 10:30 PST)
NATO ex-commander warns on Pakistan border WASHINGTON, Dec 22 (AFP) Militants are still entering Afghanistan from Pakistan, despite a deal between Islamabad and tribal chiefs meant to cut down the incursions, NATO's former top General warned Thursday. General James Jones, who handed over to General John Craddock as Supreme Allied Commander Europe this month, said the Western alliance's political leadership would raise the issue with Pakistan unless things improved. Jones said during an appearance at the Atlantic Council of the United States think-tank, he had discussed the situation frankly with General Ehsan Ul Haq, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Pakistan's military staff last month. "I told him that the returns did not really look too encouraging, given the porous nature of the borders and some very physical evidence that fighters were still coming across and returning rather freely across the many border crossings that are there," Jones said. "I think that from the political side that NATO will be heard through the Secretary General on this issue if it continues to be a significant problem," said Jones. "The problem of the Taliban is not an Afghan problem alone. This could be a Pakistani problem if Afghanistan doesn't work out the way we want it to." However, Jones said that he had been convinced of Haq's "earnestness and sincerity" to work with the Western alliance, and said several initiatives involving NATO, Pakistan and Afghanistan would be put in place over the winter. (Posted @ 10:00 PST)
One dead in inter-Palestinian clashes in Gaza City GAZA CITY, Dec 22 (AFP) Clashes broke out early Friday between Hamas fighters and armed members of a powerful family clan in Gaza City, with at least one person killed and one wounded, witnesses said. At the same time, Hamas fighters picked up at least five members of the clan, witnesses said. (Posted @ 09:40 PST)
SKorean leader says US wrecked hopes of NKorean nuclear deal SEOUL, Dec 22(AFP) South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun has accused the United States of wrecking last year's agreement to scrap North Korea's nuclear programmes by simultaneously imposing financial sanctions. Roh, in strongly-worded comments reported in Friday's media, also suggested the US Treasury and State Departments are split in their approach to the sanctions, which have become a key sticking point in this week's nuclear negotiations. "With a conspiracy view, you may say (the two US departments) were playing games," he said, according to an official transcript of his speech delivered Thursday. (Posted @ 09:40 PST)
Karachi Stocks down 29.12 points: KARACHI, Dec 22: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 9893.99, down 29.12 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 16:04 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, Dec 22: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 61 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 16:04 PST)
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