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| May 09, 2007 | Wednesday | Rabi-us-Sani 21, 1428 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Ex-PM Nawaz rules out Musharraf deal LONDON, May 9 (Reuters) - Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif said on Wednesday he and fellow exile Benazir Bhutto have ruled out any deal with President Pervez Musharraf. “A deal is not on our cards. We did discuss it and she (Bhutto) said to me she will not enter into any deal with Musharraf,” Sharif told Reuters in an interview. “Any deal with Musharraf at this time by me or Benazir Bhutto or anyone will not bail Musharraf out at this stage. The people wouldn't like it. They think it is Musharraf who is responsible for the present crisis,” he added. Nawaz Sharif said he was heartened to see the public turning out in support of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and hoped Western leaders would take their cue from the growing public outcry. “If the people are coming out on the streets we should be very happy about it. At least there is now an awareness among the people of how important democracy is in Pakistan,” he said. “The West cannot sit as a silent spectator while Musharraf is destroying the institutions of the country. Pakistan needs to send a very clear message to the international community today that enough is enough -- don't support a military dictator who has no respect for the constitution.” The former leader, who has long said he plans to return to Pakistan, said current events might hasten his homecoming. “I have every intention of going back to Pakistan before the elections. A lot of unforeseen developments are now taking place in Pakistan...but I might have to go fairly soon.. it could be weeks,” he said.(Posted @ 19:10 PST)
Pakistan, Czech Republic sign MoUs on trade, science, diplomacy ISLAMABAD, May 9 (APP) Pakistan and Czech Republic Wednesday agreed to enhance cooperation in various fields including trade, science and technology, health and diplomatic relations. The signing of four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the ministries of two countries was witnessed by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and his Czech counterpart Mirek Topolanek at Prime Minister House. The MoUs were signed between the Diplomatic Services Academies, Chambers of Commerce, health ministries and academies of sciences of Pakistan and Czech Republic. Later addressing a joint press conference after holding bilateral talks with Czech premier, Prime Minister Aziz said Pakistan desired to strengthen relations with Czech Republic in various fields including trade, culture and diplomatic relations. Prime Minister Aziz said Pakistan was a fast growing economy and the visit of Czech Prime Minister would give impetus to enhancing trade relations between the two countries. He said the discussions also focused inter-faith and inter-civilization harmony. He said both countries stood for peace and prosperity and wanted to see a better tomorrow for the entire world. To a question on Pakistan's role in bringing stability in Afghanistan, the Prime Minister said Pakistan believed in a strong and stable Afghanistan and was engaged in bringing peace to its neighbouring country through various means. (First Posted @ 11:26 PST, Updated @14:24 PST)
Turkish parliament cancels presidential election ANKARA, May 9 (Reuters) - Turkey's parliament officially halted on Wednesday a presidential election process that triggered a major political crisis and forced the government to call early national polls. The parliament accepted Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul's petition to withdraw from the presidential contest, in which he had been the sole candidate. Gul's withdrawal became inevitable after he failed to win enough backing from the assembly. A new parliament will now elect a president after the July 22 general election. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, who had been due to retire on May 16, will stay on as interim head of state until his successor can be chosen.(Posted @ 17:50 PST)
SC bans comments on CJ's issue being subjudice ISLAMABAD, May 9 (PPI) - The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the print and electronic media, lawyers' community and general public to refrain from comments, discussions and write- ups which are likely to interfere with the legal process, ridicule, scandalize or malign the court, any of its judges or touching the merits of the presidential reference against Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, as the matter is sub- judice before the Supreme Judicial Council and the constitution petitions on the subject are also sub- judice before the full court of the apex court. A press note issued by the Supreme Court said that any violation in this regard will be dealt with under the Contempt of Court law.(Posted @ 16:45 PST)
Qazi Husain addresses Quetta lawyers QUETTA, May 9 (PPI): The mass movement for end to dictatorial rule has begun in the country. We had passed the 17th amendment with the objective that democracy flourishes in the country but General Musharraf violated it. Our target is not withdrawal of Presidential reference but supremacy of constitution and law, freedom of judiciary, end to dictatorial rule and ensuring basic rights to the people. This was stated by president of Mutahidda Majlis- e- Amal (MMA) and Amir Jamaat Islami Qazi Husain Ahmad while addressing lawyers here Wednesday. He said Balochistan is proud that one of its sons Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry raised the voice against dictatorial rule which created a wave of awakening in the country.(Posted @ 20:15 PST)
U.N. suspends aid work in Pakistani quake area ISLAMABAD, May 9 (Reuters) - The United Nations has suspended aid operations in Bagh district of Azad Kashmir for security reasons after a house where two U.N. staff were living was burnt down on Monday, a U.N. official said Wednesday. Reports said some people objected to the presence of women aid workers and the hiring of women by aid groups. Others have been angered because they failed to get jobs or contracts, aid workers said .“We don't know who did it but there have been a number of disgruntled elements in the community,” a spokeswoman said. Six U.N. agencies and their 83 staff have been withdrawn from the district for an initial two weeks, she said.(Posted @ 20:05 PST)
Hockey: South Korea beat Pakistan 4-2 to reach semis Ipoh, Malaysia, May 9( PPI): South Korea swept to a 4-2 win against Pakistan and joined hosts Malaysia in the semi-finals from Group “B” of Sultan Azlan Shah Cup eight-nation hockey tournament on Wednesday. The match was continuation of Monday's tie that was abandoned following a power failure with the teams tied 2-2. On Wednesday, Pakistanis were more intent on forcing a draw that would have taken them to semi-finals. The negative approach boomeranged on Pakistan as Koreans, despite wasting a penalty stroke, won in a canter, never easing up on pressure that was reflected in six penalty corners they forced on their rivals. In the other match of the day Australia outplayed China 7-2.(Posted @ 19:40 PST)
Bush to veto new Iraq bill: White House WASHINGTON, May 9 (AFP) - The White House warned Democrats Wednesday that President George W. Bush would veto an Iraq funding bill that would bankroll the war in Iraq for just three months. Asked if Bush would veto the House of Representatives bill in its current form, White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters: “Yes.”(Posted @ 19:30 PST)
Pakistan's private Aero Asia airline suspended KARACHI May 9 (Reuters) - Pakistani private carrier Aero Asia International Airlines has been suspended from flying for failing to meet safety standards, the Civil Aviation Authority said on Wednesday. The airline which operated on at least three domestic and three international routes said it had“ decided to suspend our operations temporarily with effect from May 19 till further notice.” “We are in search of newer aircraft and modern-day technology in order to improve our product,” Haider Jalal, managing director of the airline, told a news conference in Karachi. “Aero Asia may restart their operations as and when they so desire, provided they satisfy the CAA on safety-related issues,” a CAA statement said.(Posted @ 19:30 PST)
British troops in Iraq 'until job done,' says departing Blair LONDON, May 9 (AFP) - Outgoing Prime Minister Tony Blair insisted Wednesday that British troops would only leave Iraq when Baghdad judged the time was right. Blair, expected to announce his resignation date Thursday, told the House of Commons, the situation in Iraq was “difficult” but said progress had been made in the south, where Britain has handed over security control in three out of four provinces and Iraqi forces were taking the lead in operations.(Posted @ 19:00 PST)
2 killed in attack on Indian newspaper NEW DELHI, May 9 (AFP) - Two newspaper employees died on Wednesday when their office was set ablaze by supporters of a politician angered by a survey published which showed his popularity was low, a report said. Scores of people armed with stones and petrol bombs attacked the office of Tamil-language daily Dinakaran in the state of Tamil Nadu, and protests also erupted in other parts of the state. The two men -- both engineers -- died of suffocation when they entered the office to save their computers and could not escape because protesters had locked the building, Muthupandi, editor of the daily's local edition, told the Press Trust of India. The protesters were upset over the findings of a survey published by the newspaper that showed little support for their leader M.K. Azhagiri, but high ratings for his brother and bitter rival in state politics. Both political leaders are the sons of Tamil Nadu's chief minister K. Karunanidhi, and are seen as his possible successors.(Posted @ 19:00 PST)
Suicide truck bomber strikes Irbil: 19 killed, 80 injured BAGHDAD, May 9 (AP) - A suicide truck bomb ripped through the Interior Ministry in the relatively peaceful Kurdish city of Irbil on Wednesday morning, killing at least 19 people and wounding 80, Zariyan Othman, Kurdish health minister said. Hamza Ahmed, a spokesman for the Irbil governor's office, said the dead and wounded included police and civilians. In other violence, police found four decapitated heads in the Sabtiyah area north of Baqouba, while the body of a security officer was also found shot in the head and chest in Diwaniyah, 130 kilometers south of Baghdad. Meanwhile, twenty-five bullet-riddled bodies were found in Baghdad. A roadside bomb killed two U.S. soldiers and wounded another southeast of Baghdad, the military said.(Posted @ 18:15 PST)
Cricket-India's selectors blame Chappell for World Cup debacle MUMBAI, May 9 (Reuters) - India's cricket selectors have blamed ex-coach Greg Chappell for the disastrous World Cup campaign. “Greg could not understand Indian cricketers' psyche. He was more like a schoolmaster than a friend,” selector Ranjib Biswal told news channel Headlines Today on Tuesday, in a programme where four of the five selectors discussed the team's problems. “Greg wanted to show everybody he is the boss. He was not happy with anybody,” another selector Bhupinder Singh added. “There were instances when Chappell was not talking to senior players for four or five days. He was not on talking terms with Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh. It happened in South Africa (previous tour).” Bhupinder also spoke of factionalism in the team.(Posted @ 18:00 PST)
U.S. says helicopter killed 5 bystanders in Iraq BAGHDAD, May 9 (Reuters) - A U.S. attack helicopter killed five bystanders including two children when it fired on insurgents north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said on Wednesday. “It's traumatic and entirely unfortunate that this happened,” spokesman Lt-Col Mike Donnelly said by telephone, adding an investigation had been opened into how the civilans could have been killed.(Posted @ 18:00 PST)
Three killed in Afghan suicide attack KHOST, Afghanistan, May 9 (AFP) A suicide attacker blew himself up in a village market in southeastern Afghanistan’s Paktika province Wednesday, killing three civilians and wounding another seven, a provincial governor said. (Posted @ 14:02 PST)
Kashmir: Mirwaiz looks to N. Ireland example SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, May 9 (AFP) – Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Chairman of the All-Parties Hurriyet Conference, said Wednesday he hoped India and Pakistan would learn from the Northern Ireland power-sharing deal. “The pact offers a big hope to the people in other conflict zones, including Kashmir,” he said. “I think India and Pakistan should take a cue from the recent pact and try to move fast towards resolving the dispute over Kashmir,” Mirwaiz told AFP in an interview.(Posted @ 17:30 PST)
Cheney meets Iraqi leadership BAGHDAD, May 9 (AFP) -US Vice President Dick Cheney, on a surprise visit to Baghdad on Wednesday, held talks with General David Petraeus and US Ambassador Ryan Crocker before meetings with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, top government ministers and President Jalal Talabani. “I have enjoyed a good meeting with the prime minister this morning,” he said during a brief joint public appearance with Maliki. Cheney said he and Maliki had focused on issues such as “the Baghdad security plan, which is an ongoing operation against the terrorists, as well as the political and economic issues that are before the Iraqi government.” Maliki called the meeting “positive and serious” and said it had laid “the foundation for practical steps” for tackling security issues and domestic political problems.(Posted @ 17:05 PST)
Three US soldiers killed in Iraq BAGHDAD, May 9 (AFP) - Three more US soldiers have been killed in separate attacks in Iraq, the military reported on Wednesday. A roadside bomb killed two soldiers southeast of Baghdad on Tuesday while another was shot dead in the restive Diyala province northeast of the Iraqi capital. Four other soldiers were wounded in the Diyala incident.(Posted @ 17:00 PST)
Four Iraqi journalists shot dead near Kirkuk KIRKUK, May 9 (Reuters) - Four Iraqi journalists were killed when gunmen opened fire on their car near Kirkuk on Wednesday, police said. One of them was the well-known director of a local media organisation which publishes several newspapers. It was unclear if the shooting was random or because the four were journalists. Iraq is the most dangerous country in the world for reporters. The Vienna-based International Press Institute said in April that 46 journalists were killed last year in the country, of whom 44 were Iraqis.(Posted @ 16:35 PST)
PAF launches anti bird menace drive KARACHI, May 9 (APP): Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has launched a campaign against the 'bird menace' in Karachi region. At a Press briefing Wednesday. Air Officer Commanding, Southern Air Command, Air Vice Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, said in recent months the PAF lost two fighter aircraft in Karachi area due to 'bird strike'. The pilots managed to divert the aircraft away from the civil population before ejecting safely. AVM Qamar said the main reason of the bird menace was improper waste disposal management in Karachi and urged sincere efforts of the concerned agencies especially in the vicinity of the PAF bases Masroor (Mauripur) and Faisal (Share Faisal) and the Jinnah International Airport. The leftover food and the waste should be disposed of properly and away from the precincts of the runways.(Posted @ 16:30 PST)
Seven troops killed in Thai south NARATHIWAT, Thailand, May 9 (AFP) - Seven soldiers were killed Wednesday in a bomb attack by separatist insurgents near a school in Narathiwat province in Thailand's restive south, military and police said. Earlier Wednesday, a 39-year-old Muslim villager was killed in a drive-by shooting in Yala province, police said, while in nearby Pattani a 51-year-old Buddhist hospital worker was shot dead in a similar attack. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont announced Wednesday that he would lead a delegation of ministers to the Muslim-majority south this weekend in the latest bid to quell escalating unrest. Surayud insisted that his government would not bow to the demands of hundreds of protesters, who are currently blocking a regional highway in Yala to demand that authorities free 24 suspected insurgents. (Posted @ 15:51 PST)
Four U.S. oil workers kidnapped in Nigeria LAGOS, May 9 (Reuters) - Heavily armed gunmen kidnapped four U.S. oil workers from a barge off the Nigerian coast near a crude export terminal on Wednesday, authorities said. The barge was laying pipelines for a U.S. oil company at its Okan oilfield, said security sources, declining to be identified. On Tuesday, Nigerian rebels blew up three oil pipelines in the Niger Delta, forcing Italian oil company Eni to halt production of 150,000 bpd feeding its Brass export terminal. (Posted @ 15:36 PST)
NATO air raid kills 21 civilians in Afghan south KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, May 9 (Reuters) A NATO air strike killed 21 civilians, including women and children, in Afghanistan's Helmand, the governor of the southern province said Wednesday. The air strike late Tuesday hit houses in a village of Sangin district, where NATO forces have been hunting Taliban militants in recent weeks, he said. (Posted @ 14:02 PST)
Five killed in clashes in occupied Kashmir SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, May 9 (AFP) Two Indian soldiers and three suspected militants were killed in a series of clashes in northern occupied Kashmir, police said Wednesday. Two militants and a soldier were killed in a six-hour firefight in Kupwara district, some 100 kilometres north of Srinagar, late Tuesday, police officer Haseeb Mughal said. Another soldier was killed and four wounded in a clash with militants in occupied Kashmir while troops shot dead a suspected militant in the area. (Posted @ 13:31 PST)
Four arrested over 7/7 London bombings LONDON, May 9 (Reuters) Four people were arrested Wednesday in connection with 2005 suicide bomb attacks on the London transport network, police said. Two men and a woman, aged between 29 and 34, were detained at about 7 a.m. in West Yorkshire, northern England, while the fourth was arrested in the West Midlands. They are being held on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2000. (Posted @ 13:03 PST)
Gaza residents say tanks enter Gaza GAZA, May 9 (Reuters) Gaza residents said Israeli tanks entered the northern Gaza Strip Wednesday. Gaza residents said earlier that eight tanks and two bulldozers entered the strip and took up positions near the town of Beit Lahiya. (Posted @ 11:53 PST)
India tests nuclear-capable surface missile BHUBANESWAR, India, May 9 (AFP) India on Wednesday successfully tested a nuclear-capable ballistic missile from a site in the eastern state of Orissa, defence sources said. The test of the Prithvi-1 (Earth 1) surface-to-surface missile took place at Chandipur-on-sea, about 200 kilometres northeast of Orissa's state capital Bhubaneswar. The 8.5-metre-long missile, which can carry a one-tonne conventional or nuclear warhead, can travel 150 kilometres in five minutes and has a range of up to 250 kilometres. It is designed for battlefield use against troops or armoured formations. An official at the government's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said the test was “part of a continued effort to improve the indigenously-developed missile.” (Posted @ 11:26 PST)
Coalition soldier killed in battle in Afghanistan KABUL, Afghanistan, May 9 (AP) A soldier from the U.S.-led coalition was killed during a battle between suspected Taliban militants and coalition forces in Afghanistan’s Helmand province’s Sangin town late Tuesday, the U.S. military said in a statement. (Posted @ 10:19 PST)
Amtrak train collides with SUV near Modesto, California; killing six MODESTO, California, May 9 (AP) An Amtrak passenger train collided with a compact sports utility vehicle about nine miles northeast of Modesto Tuesday, killing all six people inside the car. None of the 70 passengers or crew members aboard the train travelling from Bakersfield to Oakland was injured, an Amtrak spokeswoman said. (Posted @ 09:39 PST)
Third night of anti-Sarkozy protests in France PARIS, May 9 (AFP) France saw a third consecutive night of protests Tuesday in the wake of Nicolas Sarkozy’s election victory as president. In eastern central Paris, around 150 protestors tried to block access to the Bastille district but were dispersed by a large number of police which arrested several people. In southern Paris’s Grigny suburb one policeman was injured and two people arrested in running battles Tuesday afternoon between police and groups of five or six, police said. Later in the evening there were arson attacks on a garage and a nursery school in the area. In Lyon, a peaceful demonstration during the day involving around 400 people gave way to clashes between around 200 protestors and police after nightfall, fire services said. Several cars were set on fire over a dispersed area. In Villeurbanne, protestors set fire to the local branch of Sarkozy's UMP party. In Toulouse, around 60 protestors held a peaceful demonstration Tuesday but several cars were set on fire in the city’s outskirts, and a car showroom was set on fire during clashes with police. (Posted @ 09:22 PST)
Karachi Stocks up 61.65 points: KARACHI, May 9: At the close of trading the KSE-100 index was at 12393.56, up 61.65 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:25 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, May 9: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 60.7 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:25 PST)
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