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| April 02, 2007 | Monday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 13, 1428 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Thousands of Pakistani tribesmen enlist to fight militants WANA, Pakistan, April 2, (AFP) Around 5,000 tribesmen gathered in a Pakistani border area Monday to enlist for ongoing battles against foreign Al-Qaeda militants, officials and witnesses said. The jirga or tribal assembly was called by a pro-government chief and former Taliban commander following two weeks of pitched battles in the South Waziristan region during which more than 200 people have died. The Pakistani government says the efforts to drive the Uzbek, Chechen and Arab militants from the area show the success of Islamabad's peace deals with formerly Taliban-supporting tribesmen .“We should fight against the foreigners as one nation. They have created so many problems for us,” witnesses quoted the tribal commander, Mullah Nazir, as telling the gathering. Officials say the foreign insurgents, who are accused of leading attacks on NATO and US forces in Afghanistan, number around 500. Most fled Afghanistan after the 2001 fall of the Taliban regime. Nazir and other chiefs said they would gather a tribal army known as a lashkar on Tuesday morning in Wana to fight the foreign militants. They called on tribesmen in the neighbouring towns of Tank and Dera Ismail Khan, which are officially outside the semi-autonomous Pakistani tribal belt, to join in. The council also warned local tribesmen not to support foreigners or else their homes would be burnt, they would face a one million rupee (16,394 dollar) fine and they would be expelled from the area, a local tribesman told AFP. Meanwhile, the main bazaar in Wana was shut on Monday and intermittent heavy weapons fire could be heard in the distance. Tribesmen have captured some of the foreign militants' forward positions, a security official said. Militants fired three rockets at a paramilitary camp in Wana early Monday but there were no casualties, the official said, adding that one rocket damaged the boundary wall of a public school. (Posted @ 15:15 PST)
Shaukat Aziz arrives in Delhi for SAARC summit, to hold talks with Indian counterpart NEW DELHI April 2 (APP) Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, who arrived here Monday for the 14th SAARC summit, said that the regional platform is very important for promoting harmony, peace and development in the region. Talking to reporters aboard the plane en route to the Indian capital, he said Afghanistan's admission to SAARC is a significant boost to the regional forum, of which Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka are already members. He said with observer association of European Union, Korea, China, Japan and America with it the regional association has become more important and would be able to promote cooperation and development in the region. The Prime Minister said he would discuss all important issues with Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, including the core issue of Kahsmir. He said the issues of Sir Creek, Siachin would also be discussed during the bilateral meeting. The Prime Minister said the Pakistan-India dialogue process had been moving in positive direction and expressed the hope that with a “will” to act the leaders of both the countries would continue the peace process through dialogue. Shaukat Aziz said during his stay in New Delhi he would also meet other leaders attending the SAARC summit, besides holding “an important meeting” with the Kashmiri leaders on the sidelines. (Posted @ 20:02 PST)
Scores detained ahead of Pakistani judge protests ISLAMABAD, April 2 (Reuters) Pakistani police Monday detained scores of opposition activists, including Qazi Hussain Ahmed, chief of opposition alliance Mutehda Majlis-i –Amal and president of Jamaat-i-Islami who has been confined to his home in the capital, a day ahead of opposition protests against President Pervez Musharraf's suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. “Despite these detentions and arrests, we will hold a protest. If the government tries to stop us then the responsibility for any law and order problem will lie with the government,” said the spokesman, Shahid Shamsi. The spokesmen for the party of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif said their supporters would be joining the protests. Many activists had gone underground to avoid being picked up in advance. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday decided to try seven government and police officials seen as responsible for manhandling Justice Chaudhry when he refused to use an official car to attend the first hearing of his case on March 13. (Posted @ 16:26 PST)
PM stresses for vibrant, peaceful South Asia NEW DELHI, April 2, (APP) - Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Monday expressed the hope that his visit to New Delhi will further strengthen bilateral ties between Pakistan and India, bring the two countries closer together and lead to the resolution of all issues so that our people could live in peace. He was speaking at a dinner hosted by Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi Shahid Malik at Pakistan House. Besides members of the Pakistan delegation, the dinner was also attended by prominent Indian politicians including former Prime Minister I. K. Gujral, Leader of Opposition L. K. Advani, Foreign Minister Parnab Mukerji, former Foreign Minister Natwar Singh and leaders of Indian civil society. (Posted @ 23:54 PST)
Two dead in US University shooting SEATTLE, Washington, April 2, (AFP) - A woman and a man were killed Monday in a shooting at the University of Washington in the US northwest, campus police said. Gun shots were heard in the morning in the Gould Hall building of the school's Seattle campus, police said. No further details were immediately available. (Posted @ 23:34 PST)
Eleven wedding guests killed in India road accident LUCKNOW, India, April 2, (AFP) - Eleven people people were killed and another 12 injured by a speeding bus as they waited on a pavement for transport to a wedding in northern India Monday, police said. “The accident happened when the bus lost control,” police spokesman told AFP in Lucknow. (Posted @ 23:12 PST)
Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with China: President RAWALPINDI, April 2 (PPI) - President Pervez Musharraf Monday said Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with China. Talking to Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhao Xing, he said China is an important country in the region and is playing its vital role in security and peace in the region as well as in the world. The President referred to various development projects undertaken in Pakistan with the Chinese assistance particularly the joint production of JF-17 Thunder fighter plane and Gwadar Port which is hallmark of friendship between the two countries. The Chinese Foreign Minister said his country is proud of its friendship with Pakistan and will continue its cooperation with Pakistan in different fields to further expansion of their broad based relations. (Posted @ 22:52 PST)
Cricket: Bangladesh make 174 against New Zealand ST JOHN'S, Antigua, April 2, (AFP) - Bangladesh made 174 all out off 48.3 overs in their World Cup Super Eights match against New Zealand at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium here Monday. Brief score: Bangladesh 174 in 48.3 overs (S Styris 4-43, J Oram 3-30) (Posted @ 22:06 PST)
Olmert ready to meet Arab leaders to discuss Saudi peace plan JERUSALEM, April 2 (AFP) Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Sunday that he was ready to attend a summit with Arab leaders to discuss a Saudi-drafted peace plan and called on Arab nations to convene such a meeting. “I am announcing to the heads of the Arab states on this occasion that if the Saudi king initiates a meeting of moderate Arab states and invites me and the head of the Palestinian Authority in order to present us the Saudi ideas, we will come to hear them and we will be glad to voice ours,” Olmert said. “I invite all the heads of the Arab states, including of course the Saudi king whom I consider a very important leader, to hold talks with us,” he told a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Jerusalem. “I think it is time to make a momentous effort in order to give a push to the diplomatic process,” he said. (Posted @ 09:00 PST)
88 dead in spring floods, avalanches across Afghanistan KABUL, Afghanistan, April 2 (AP) Avalanches and floods triggered by heavy rains and spring snow melt have killed another 37 people in Afghanistan, the U.N. said Monday, bringing the weather-related death toll across the country to 88. Nineteen of the country's 34 provinces have been inundated, according to the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development. (Posted @ 20:18 PST)
Kasuri-Mukherjee talks cover whole range of bilateral ties NEW DELHI, April 2 APP: Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said all bilateral issues were discussed during his meeting with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee here Monday. Talking to the media here, he said, “Things are moving in the right direction and we should look at them in a positive manner.” He said dates for holding meetings under the Pakistan-India composite dialogue had been agreed and the two countries “know what to do. Kasuri said there were some differences on South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA), pointing out that every country had its own viewpoint. He however noted that Pakistan's trade with India had been increasing. To another question on the issue of terrorism, he said all the SAARC countries were unanimous on eliminating this menace. (Posted @ 20:14 PST)
KKH opens for all kinds of traffic GILGIT, April 2 (APP): Karakuram Highway which was blocked in Bersim and Hotar points of Kohistan district of NWFP due to landslides has been opened for all kinds of traffic. However, PIA flights for Gilgit from Islamabad remained suspended due to inclement weather. (Posted @ 20:10 PST)
India, Pakistan to discuss frontline glacier this week NEW DELHI, April 2 (AFP) - Top defence officials from nuclear-armed south Asian rivals Pakistan and India are to meet Friday and Saturday, most likely in Islamabad, for fresh discussions on the 6,300-metre (20,800-feet) Siachen glacier for talks on possible troop cuts at the world's highest frontline, an official said Monday. (Posted @ 19:58 PST)
Hockey: Olympian Khalid Mehmood becomes new PHF secretary KARACHI, April 02 (PPI): Former Olympian and chief selector Khalid Mehmood was Monday appointed as the new secretary of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF vice fellow Olympian Akther-ul Islam who resigned last monthy saying he did not want to be rubber stamp secretary of the PHF. In a media briefing after the PHF Congress and Council meeting following the polls, PHF president Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali said that Gulfaraz Ahmed Khan was elected PHF Treasurer while Akhlaq Usmani (Punjab) and Ramzan Jamali (Sindh) were chosen as associate secretaries Jamali said former Olympian Islahuddin Siddiqui has been retained as chief coach. (Posted @ 18:36 PST)
SC adjourns hearing of petitions regarding SJC composition ISLAMABAD, April 2 (APP): A three-member bench of the Supreme Court Monday directed the court office to club the two petitions regarding composition of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and fix the case for hearing within one week. One petition had been filed by Barrister Zafarullah Khan, on behalf of the Watan Party, and another by Barrister Dr.Farooq Hassan on behalf of the Adliya Bachao Committee and two others. The petitioners have raised various constitutional and legal questions about the composition of the Supreme Judicial Council. (Posted @ 17:56 PST)
SC dismisses NAB appeals against SHC decision overturning conviction of former naval chief, another retired officer ISLAMABAD, April 2 (APP): A three-member bench of the Supreme Court Monday dismissed National Accountability Bureau (NAB) appeals against a Sindh High Court judgement that set aside conviction of former naval chief Admiral (r) Mansoorul-ul-Haq and ex-commander in navy Ashfaq Beg by an accountability court. The SC bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi, Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad and Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed heard the appeals. Both retired officers were convicted by an accountability court and sentenced to seven-year imprisonment along with fine of US $ 2 million each, but on their appeals the Sindh High Court had set aside the convictions. The SHC decision was challenged in appeals filed by NAB at the Supreme Court. The top court upheld by the decision of the provincial high court after hearing arguments of the counsels of NAB and the respondents. (Posted @ 17:50 PST)
Britain agrees to discuss with Iran ways of avoiding disputes over waters in northern Gulf LONDON, April2 (AP) Britain has agreed to discuss with Tehran ways of avoiding disputes over contested waters in the Persian Gulf, an official said Monday, as Iran state-run radio cited what it called “positive changes” in the British position. Diplomats have agreed to discuss how to avoid such situations in the future during negotiations to win the release of 15 sailors and marines seized by Iran on March 23, the British official said while speaking on condition of anonymity in line with government policy. (Posted @ 17:46 PST)
Taliban deploy thousands of suicide bombers - commander SPIN BOLDAK, Afghanistan, April 2 (Reuters) Thousands of Taliban suicide bombers have been deployed across Afghanistan to attack Western troops and the government, the group's military chief said on Monday. Speaking to Reuters by satellite phone from an undisclosed location, Mullah Dadullah, the Taliban's military head, said the Islamic guerrillas had the ability and the weapons to fight foreign troops for a long time. “We have sent thousands of Taliban suicide bombers to all Afghan cities for attacks on foreign troops and their Afghan puppets,” Dadullah said. “And we will turn our motherland into the graveyard of the U.S forces and their families should wait for their dead bodies. The Taliban's war is only for the freedom of Afghanistan from the enemies of Muslims.” Afghan defence ministry spokesman Zahir Azimi dismissed Dadullah's comments as psychological tactics. (Posted @ 17:44 PST)
Death penalty sought for Iraq's ”Chemical Ali” BAGHDAD, April 2 Reuters) Iraqi prosecutors sought death penalty for Saddam Hussein's cousin, widely known as Chemical Ali, when they presented closing arguments on Monday in a trial for genocide against ethnic Kurds in the late 1980s. Ali Hassan al-Majeed and five other former senior Baath party officials are on trial for their role in the 1988 Anfal campaign. (Posted @ 17:22 PST)
Bus bomb kills 16 in Sri Lanka on Buddhist holiday COLOMBO, April 27 (AFP) - At least 16 people, including three children, were killed and 25 wounded when a bomb ripped through a crowded bus in eastern Sri Lanka Monday, officials said. Passengers were getting off the vehicle to be checked by troops manning a road block when the blast occurred outside the town of Ampara, 350 kilometres east of Colombo, a local police officer said. “The bomb went off just at the Kondawattuwan check point,” the police officer said. Tigers denied involvement in the attack Meanwhile, Sri Lankan jets and helicopter gunships carried out night-time bombing raids against Tiger rebel positions over the weekend. (First Posted @ 13:00 PST Updated @ 17:18 PST)
21 workers executed outside Baghdad, suicide attack kills 12 in Kirkuk BAGHDAD, April 2 (AFP) - Suspected militants executed 21 workers north of Baghdad and killed 12 people in Kirkuk on Monday. Travelling in three minibuses, the 21 Shiite workers drove straight into an ambush on the main road out of Baghdad to neighbouring Diyala province. In Khalis in the same province, a roadside bomb killed five people and wounded 23, including 16 women, on Monday, police said. On Monday, in Kirkuk, a suicide bomber blew up a truck near a primary school and police station killing 12 people, including a baby. Another 178 people were wounded in the blast that caused extensive damage at a time when US troops were reportedly visiting the police station, Kirkuk district police commander Major General Torhan Yussef Abdul Rahman said. Another two civilians and an Iraqi soldier were killed in bombings in south Baghdad. (Posted @ 17:16 PST)
18 districts without electricity as 4 more towers blown QUETTA, April 2 (PPI): Electricity supply in 18 districts of Balochistan has been suspended as four more towers of high tension transmission line in District Bolan were damaged in bomb blasts in the wee hours Sunday. Suspected militants blew up three towers of 220 kv double circuit transmission line and one tower of 132 kv transmission line at Khajoori (District Bolan) about 10 Km from Mach along Quetta -Sibi section of national highway. Consequently, electricity supply to 18 districts including Quetta was suspended i. However partial supply to Quetta was arranged . Sources said repair of transmisison line had already begun and by Monday afternoon we would be in a position to supply electricity for 8 to 20 hours a day. (Posted @ 17:14 PST)
PM Aziz for joint efforts to defeat enemy of Islam, country ISLAMABAD, April 02 (PPI) Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Monday called for joint efforts by the government, society and religious scholars against the elements who are creating negative thinking in the name of Islam and bringing bad name to country and religions. Addressing the concluding session of National Seerat Conference in Islamabad he said their voice should be raised against the elements, who are misled and creating negative thinking. The Prime Minister said Islam abhors violence and preaches peace, brotherhood, tolerance and harmony and we should not let anyone to do wrong things in the name of Islam. He said the government has initiated reforms of country's Madaris and so far thirteen thousand Madaris have been registered. (Posted @ 17:12 PST)
Foreign ministers meet before South Asian summit NEW DELHI, April 2 (AP) The foreign ministers of eight South Asian nations met Monday to prepare for a regional summit on Tuesday and Wednesday in which terrorism will be a key topic, and welcomed Afghanistan into the group. The agenda items include cooperation against terrorism, the establishment of a South Asian university and a regional food bank, and implementation of a regional free trade agreement, an Indian External Affairs Ministry statement said. Representatives from China, Japan, South Korea, the United States and the European Union will attend the summit's opening and closing sessions and some meetings as observers. SAARC officials also have cleared the way for Iran's admission as an observer, and that proposal now awaits the approval of the foreign ministers and leaders. The grouping was set up in 1985 to promote economic cooperation. Progress, however, has been slow because of rivalry between India and Pakistan. (Posted @ 16:18 PST)
Five AU soldiers killed in Darfur - spokesman KHARTOUM, April 2 Reuters) Unidentified gunmen killed five African Union (AU) peacekeepers in the Darfur region of western Sudan, the deadliest single attack against the force in one day since late 2004, an AU spokesman said on Monday. The five were guarding a water point near the Sudanese border with Chad when they came under fire on Sunday, Four soldiers were killed in the shooting and the fifth died of his wounds on Monday morning. Three gunmen were also killed, he said. (Posted @ 15:50 PST)
Seventeen killed in Afghan unrest KABUL, April 2 (AFP) Fresh clashes in southern Afghanistan left three policemen and at least 13 Taliban dead while a man was killed Monday, officials said. Taliban fighters stormed a police checkpoint on a key road between the southern capital Kandahar and the town of Spin Boldak early Monday, police said. “Three police were killed and two wounded,” Kandahar province police chief said. ”Six more Taliban were killed Sunday in an Afghan and NATO military sweep of the Zahri district in Kandahar province,” he said. Also Sunday, warplanes from NATO's ISAF bombed a house used by militants in the province of Zabul killing seven Taliban, a district commander said. Exchanges of gunfire erupted between opium farmers and police in three districts in eastern Nangarhar province Monday, wounding six locals and seven policemen, the provincial police spokesman said. The governor of one of the districts, Charparhar, said one person was also killed in the fighting. (Posted @ 14:50 PST)
Twelve Afghans killed in land dispute KABUL, April 2 (Reuters) Afghan tribesmen quarrelling over land used machine guns and pistols in a clash Monday that killed at least 12 people, lawmakers said. The central government has dispatched police to quell the clash in Logar province to the south of the capital, Kabul, they said. (Posted @ 14:10 PST)
Death toll in Pakistan avalanches climbs to 40 CHITRAL, Pakistan, April 2 (AFP) An avalanche obliterated mud-brick houses in northern Pakistan early Monday, killing 10 people and bringing the death toll from recent snowslides to more than 40, officials said. Monday's avalanche happened in Mumi village, some 25 kilometres northwest of Chitral, the region's main town, local mayor Sartaj Ahmed Khan said. (Posted @ 12:00 PST)
Eight killed in fresh Sri Lanka violence COLOMBO, April 2 (AFP) Gunmen have shot dead eight civilians in separate incidents in Sri Lanka's northern and eastern regions, police said Monday. Gunmen believed to be from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) killed six construction workers and wounded two more in the eastern district of Batticaloa late Sunday, the defence ministry said. It said two more civilians were shot dead by suspected Tiger rebels in the northern town of Vavuniya, also Sunday. (First Posted @ 09:35 PST, Updated @ 12:10 PST)
At least 15 dead after Solomons quake WELLINGTON, April 2 (AFP) More than 15 people were killed in the area of the Solomon Islands closest to the epicentre of an 8.0 magnitude earthquake that triggered a tsunami Monday, a provincial leader said citing reports. “Reports have come in that more than 15 people died, just around Gizo,” Western Province premier Alex Lokopio told Radio New Zealand. He said there was a desperate need for emergency supplies in the affected area following the tsunami, which followed the earthquake centred under the sea just 45 kilometres from Gizo. Lokopio said most of the government buildings and businesses in the town were destroyed, along with houses in low-lying areas. (First Posted @ 08:25 PST, Updated @ 11:40 PST)
Tractor-trailer without brakes kills nine people in northern Mexico MONTERREY, Mexico, April 2 (AP) A tractor-trailer lost its brakes and killed nine people as it plowed through a residential area in this northern industrial city Sunday. The driver of the rig towing two trailers loaded with 60 metric tons of steel tubes lost control of the vehicle on a major avenue of the Monterrey suburb of Santa Catarina and crashed into pedestrians, cars, dozens of buildings, utility poles and traffic lights before coming to a halt, the civil protection director of Santa Catarina said on Multimedios TV. (Posted @ 09:30 PST)
Police report killing 21 al-Qaida members near Syrian border BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 2 (AP) Iraqi security forces clashed Sunday with al-Qaida fighters near the Syrian border, killing at least 21 members of the organization, police said. The fighting, near the town of Qaim in Anbar province began after midnight and lasted several hours, said a police official in the city, 320 kilometres west of Baghdad. (Posted @ 09:15 PST)
British soldier killed in Basra LONDON, April 2 (AFP) A British soldier died Sunday of gunshot wounds from small arms fire in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, the defence ministry said. (Posted @ 08:50 PST)
Six US soldiers killed in Iraq BAGHDAD, April 2 (AFP) Six more US troops have been killed in action in Iraq, the military announced Sunday, adding that a seventh had died in a non-combat incident. Two soldiers were killed and another two wounded when a roadside bomb detonated near their unit southwest of Baghdad Saturday, the military said. “Four additional soldiers were killed when a second improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near a separate unit responding to the initial IED strike southwest of the Iraqi capital April 1,” it added. A marine also died Sunday “in a non-combat related incident in Al-Anbar province” west of Baghdad. (Posted @ 08:50 PST)
Karachi Stocks up 5.54 points: KARACHI, April 02: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 11277.13, up 5.54 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, April 02: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 60.68 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
Latest News on April 01, 2007
At least 29 dead in Pakistan avalanches CHITRAL, Pakistan, April 1, (AFP) - Avalanches in remote northern Pakistan have left at least 29 people dead with another 13 still missing, police said Sunday. In the worst case, snow buried 26 houses in the village of Washik Chitral Tor late on Saturday, local police official Ali Khan said. “Twenty-four bodies have been taken out from the snow and rubble, 13 others were still missing and six others were pulled out alive,” Khan said, updating an earlier toll. (First Posted @ 16:18 PST Updated @ 20:26 PST)
Pakistani soldiers killed in fighting between foreign militants, tribesmen April 1, (AP) - Pakistani security forces were caught in the firing line in clashes between foreign militants and tribesmen in northwestern Pakistan, leaving four soldiers dead, officials said Sunday. The fighting between suspected Uzbek militants and Pakistani tribesmen erupted on Friday in South Waziristan, a tribal region on the border with Afghanistan, and has left dozens dead on both sides. (Posted @ 17:32 PST)
Cricket: McGrath overtakes Waseem Akram's World Cup wickets record ST JOHN'S, Antigua, April 1 (AFP) Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath beat Wasim Akram's record of 55 World Cup wickets here on Saturday. McGrath pulled level with the great Pakistan left-armer when he clean-bowled Shahriar Nafees in the Super Eights match against Bangladesh. He then took his 56th to set the new mark when he forced Aftab Ahmed to serve up a catch to Nathan Bracken in the sixth over of the match which had been restricted to 22 overs a side due to rain at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. The 37-year-old then went to 57 when he had Mohammad Ashraful caught by captain Ricky Ponting as the veteran paceman finished with 3-16 to help set up what proved to be an easy 10-wicket win. “Wasim Akram was one of the best bowlers of all time so to go past him is something pretty special,” said McGrath who was given the new ball by Ponting after the skipper had won the toss and put the opposition into bat. “Bangladesh had to come out and score quick runs so I tried to mix it up and get a few in the right area and they all came out pretty well.” (Posted @ 10:15 PST)
President urges ulema and scholars to play due role in presenting real picture of Islam ISLAMABAD, April 1, (APP) - President General Pervez Musharraf Sunday highlighting the importance of following the religion in letter and spirit to revive past glory and Islamic renaissance urged ulema and scholars to play their due role in projecting the real and true image of Islam. He was addressing the inaugural session of National Seerat Conference in connection with Eid Milad un Nabi. The President underlined that justice, tolerance and moderation lie at the core of Islamic teachings. “Islam teaches us the lesson of tolerance, brotherhood, endurance and fortitude to live with harmony, “he said. He said some elements have hijacked Islam who are against enlightened and moderate aspect of the religion and were misguiding the people and creating unrest in the Ummah. (Posted @ 22:56 PST)
US jet fighters violate Iran's airspace: military TEHRAN, April 1, (AFP) - US warplanes have violated Iranian airspace in the southwestern oil-rich province of Khuzestan, Al-Alam Arabic language news satellite channel quoted a local military chief as saying on Sunday. “Two US aircraft trespassed into Iranian airspace northwest of (the southwestern port city of) Abadan before flying southwest into Iraq,” a local Revolutionary Guards commander in Abadan identified only as Colonel Aqili was quoted as saying on the channel's website. (Posted @ 22:40 PST)
Pak-India PMs meeting on SAARC summit sidelines has great significance: Kasuri ISLAMABAD, Apr 1 (APP) - Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri Sunday said that upcoming meeting between Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of SAARC summit in New Delhi would have great significance. Talking to a private TV channel, he said both the prime minsters would definitely review the whole peace process during the meeting. (Posted @ 22:28 PST)
No one hurt in British Embassy protest in Tehran LONDON, April 1, (REUTERS) - A demonstration outside the British Embassy compound in Tehran caused no injuries or damage, a British Foreign Office spokeswoman said on Sunday. Witnesses heard several small blasts and saw smoke rising from inside the compound during a protest over 15 detained sailors and marines. “There is a demonstration,” the spokeswoman said. “There is no damage and no one hurt.” (First Posted @ 18:22 PST Updated @ 22:12 PST)
Eid Milad-un-Nabi celebrated with great religious fervour PESHAWAR, April 1 (APP) - Eid Milad-un-Nabi (SAW) was celebrated through out Pakistan on Sunday with great religious fervour. Seerat functions, naat mehfils and special prayers were held and large processions were taken out through out the day. Large scale illuminations of public and private buildings, public places and shopping centers etc highlighted the occassion. (Posted @ 21:36 PST)
Eid Milad-un-Nabi in occupied kashmir; many arrested for taking out procession ISLAMABAD, Apr 1 (APP) - In occupied kashmir indian police disrupted a big Eid Milad-un-Nabi procession at Abi Guzar in Srinagar and arrested a large number of people on sunday. Another procession was taken out from Gawkadal area of the city, which concluded peacefully at Naqashbandh Sahib. (Posted @ 21:14 PST)
Two truck bombs kill 2, wound 17 at Iraq army base MOSUL, Iraq, April 1, (REUTERS) - Two suicide truck bombs killed two people and wounded 17 when they exploded at an Iraqi army base east of the northern city of Mosul on Sunday, police said. The two dead were civilians while most of the wounded were soldiers. Clashes had broken out in the Sinaea area where the explosions occurred, they added. (Posted @ 20:56 PST)
62 killed in attack on Darfur tribe KHARTOUM, April 1, (AFP) - At least 62 people were killed and 21 wounded in an attack on an Arab tribe in the war-torn Dafur region of western Sudan, according to a toll given by the victims' relatives on Sunday. (Posted @ 20:02 PST)
Turkish Interior Minister leaves after four-day visit ISLAMABAD, Apr 1 (APP) - Turkish Minister for Interior, Abdul Kadir Aksu, left here Sunday for his country after a four-day visit to Pakistan. (Posted @ 19:44 PST)
Romanian PM reshuffles cabinet, Democrats ousted BUCHAREST, April 1, (REUTERS) - Romania's centrist Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu reshuffled his two-year-old centrist government on Sunday, leaving ministers from main coalition partner, the Democrat party, out of the cabinet. (Posted @ 19:08 PST)
7 police killed, 4 wounded in ambushes by suspected Taliban in southern Afghanistan KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, April 1 (AP) Suspected Taliban insurgents ambushed two convoys of Afghan police, killing seven policemen and wounding four others in violence-plagued southern Afghanistan, an official said Sunday. Taliban ambushed one convoy patrolling Saturday night in the border area between Spin Boldak and Shorawak districts, said Kandahar provincial police chief Esmatullah Alizai. One policeman was injured in the ensuing clash, he said. A second police convoy coming to help the first was also ambushed, and seven policemen were killed and three others wounded, Alizai said. (Posted @ 10:40 PST)
Iraq death toll jumps 15 percent in March BAGHDAD, April 1 (APP/AFP) At least 2,078 people died in Iraq last month, 15 percent more than in February despite a massive security crackdown in Baghdad, the epicentre of violence, a security official said on Sunday. On average, 67 people died across the country every day in March, compared to 64 in February. Civilian deaths topped the toll with 1,869 Iraqis killed in insurgency and sectarian bloodletting in March, compared to 1,646 in February. Another 2,719 civilians were wounded last month, compared to 2,701 in February. In March, 165 Iraqi policemen were killed against 131 the previous month, while 44 Iraqi soldiers died compared to 29 in February, the official said. In March, 277 Iraqi policemen and 51 soldiers were wounded against 147 and 47, respectively during February. The official said the death toll among militants had fallen to 481 in March compared to 586 killed the previous month. The US military also lost 85 personnel in March, taking to 3,244 an AFP tally based on Pentagon statistics as of April 1, compared to 3,159 on February 28. (Posted @ 12:15 PST)
Pakistan urges Iran to release British sailors ISLAMABAD, April 1 (AFP) A senior Pakistani lawmaker has called on Iran to free 15 British sailors and marines as a “humanitarian gesture,” saying they should not be blamed for the policies of their government. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Secretary General of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League and head of the Pakistani parliament's foreign relations committee, said the 14 men and one woman should not be punished for the “mistakes and wrong policies of their government.”His comments to Iran's ambassador, Mashallah Shakiri, were released by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League in a statement. Sayed urged Iran to seek the “moral high ground and defuse tension in the region by this humanitarian gesture.” (Posted @ 12:15 PST)
Two Muslims killed in Thailand's restive south NARATHIWAT, Thailand, April 1 (AFP) Suspected separatists operating in Thailand's insurgency-torn south have shot and killed two Muslim men in separate attacks, police said Sunday. (Posted @ 12:10 PST)
Nepal's parties, Maoists form government KATHMANDU, April 1 (AFP) Nepal's mainstream political parties reached agreement Sunday with former Maoist rebels to form a government and cement a landmark peace deal, officials said. “The eight party leaders during today's session have agreed to give the senior most post (after the prime minister) to the Nepali Congress,” said Amod Prasad Upadhyay, a senior Nepali Congress leader. The wrangling between an alliance of seven political parties and the former rebels over key positions including the deputy leadership post had delayed the formation of the new cabinet, in which the Maoists will hold five portfolios. The government was to be formally approved by parliament on Sunday. “We are all now heading to parliament,” Upadhyay said. (Posted @ 10:55 PST)
Ahmadinejad demands British apology over sailors TEHRAN, April 1 (APP/AFP) President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Saturday again called for Britain to apologise after 15 British sailors were seized by Iran in the Gulf, the state news agency IRNA reported. (Posted @ 10:55 PST)
1 of wedding party killed, 10 including bride injured in road mishap BAHAWALNAGAR, Pakistan April 1 (APP): A man was killed while ten other persons sustained injuries when a bus turned turtle on Bahawalnagar-Fortabbas road here Saturday. According to police, a bus carrying a marriage party was on its way back home when it collided with a tractor trolley and turned turtle. As a result one man died on the spot while ten others including the bride received injuries. (Posted @ 10:45 PST)
Kissinger says military victory not possible in Iraq TOKYO, April 1 (AP) Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who helped engineer the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam, said Sunday the problems in Iraq are more complex than that conflict, and military victory is no longer possible. “A 'military victory' in the sense of total control over the whole territory, imposed on the entire population, is not possible,” Kissinger told The Associated Press in Tokyo. The faceless, ubiquitous nature of Iraq's insurgency, as well as the religious divide between Shiite and Sunni rivals, makes negotiating peace more complex, he said. “It is a more complicated problem,” Kissinger said. “The Vietnam War involved states, and you could negotiate with leaders who controlled a defined area.” However, Kissinger warned that a sudden pullout of U.S. troops or loss of influence could unleash chaos. (Posted @ 10:45 PST)
Israeli PM says open to talks with Syria WASHINGTON, April 1 (AFP) Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Omlert said in comments published Saturday that he was open to peace talks with neighboring Syria after “low-level contacts” between the two countries. “I don't rule out negotiations with Syria. It just needs to be done in a manner that will guarantee that we can move forward rather than get stuck almost in the beginning,” Olmert said in an interview with TIME magazine, published on its website. “We (must) be certain that when we talk about negotiations for peace with Syria that what we have in mind and what they have in mind is broadly the same.”Olmert said he did not take part recently in what he described as “low-level contacts” between the countries. “They weren't serious, and weren't considered so by the Syrians,” he said. However, Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has said he is willing to resume negotiations with Israel, the magazine reported. (Posted @ 10:20 PST)
Bush urges Iran to stand down in British sailor crisis CAMP DAVID, Maryland, April 1 (AFP) US President George W. Bush on Saturday branded Iran's seizure of 15 British navy personnel nine days ago “inexcusable behavior” and demanded their release. But in his first comments on the matter since the sailors and marines were captured in the Gulf, Bush rejected any “quid pro quos” such as an exchange of the Britons for five Iranians seized by US forces in Iraq in January. “It's inexcusable behavior and I strongly support the (British Prime Minister Tony) Blair government's attempts to resolve this peacefully,” Bush said of the crisis. (Posted @ 10:15 PST)
Olympics: Three bodies found in collapsed Beijing tunnel BEIJING, April 1 (AFP) Rescuers have located the bodies of three workers who died when a tunnel collapsed at the construction site of Beijing's Olympic subway line, state press reported Sunday. It brings the confirmed death toll since the collapse Wednesday morning to four, with another two workers still missing. (Posted @ 10:10 PST)
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