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| August 24, 2007 | Friday | Sha’aban 10, 1428 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
President Musharraf consults legal experts for possible future strategies ISLAMABAD, Aug 24: President Pervez Musharraf consulted prominent legal experts here at the presidential camp office Friday to seek their help in handling legal and constitutional problems created as a result of judicial crisis with an objective to devise an elaborate strategy for his future line of action. Sharifuddin Pirzada, Attorney General (Retd) Justice Abdul Qayyum, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Muhammad Ali Durrani and others attended the meeting. (Posted @ 21:16 PST)
SC issues show-cause notice to Sher Afgan over alleged contempt ISLAMABAD, Aug 24 (APP) A six-member bench of the Supreme Court on Friday issued a show-cause notice to Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Sher Afgan Niazi for allegedly using derogatory remarks against the judiciary. The bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry directed the minister to submit a written reply within two weeks over his comments on private television channels following Thursday's verdict in Sharif brothers’ case. The court has asked the minister to explain as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him under contempt of court laws. The Chief Justice took suo moto notice of the minister's remarks Friday morning and later the six-member bench issued the show-cause notice after a brief hearing. The bench also issued a notice to Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum, who was already present in the courtroom in another case. It asked the Attorney General to prosecute the case as Prosecutor General of the Federation by virtue of his office. Malik Qayyum told media representatives that after the minister's written reply the court would determined whether it was satisfied or not. In case the court was not satisfied contempt proceedings could be initiated, he added. The bench included Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan, Justice Faqir Mohammad Khokar, Justice M. Javed Buttar and Justice Nasirul Mulk. (Posted @ 18:30 PST)
Nawaz Sharif can be arrested on return: Malik Mohammad Qayyum ISLAMABAD, Aug 24 (APP) Attorney General Justice (r) Malik Mohammad Qayyum said Friday that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif can be arrested on his return in violation of the undertaking to remain out of Pakistan for a period of ten years. Talking to media representatives in his office at the Supreme Court premises, he said if one party did not abide by the agreement then the other was also not bound to honour it. (Posted @ 19:52 PST)
Pakistan says 250 militants killed in one month ISLAMABAD, Aug 24 (AFP) Around 250 militants and 60 Pakistani troops have been killed in just over one month of fighting near the Afghan border, the military said Friday. “Some 250 militants have been killed in operations in the tribal districts in the past four to six weeks,” chief military spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad told AFP. Arshad said the militants who were killed included some foreigners. He said most of the deaths among the security forces occurred in suicide attacks and roadside bomb explosions targeting their convoys. (Posted @ 17:54 PST)
Suicide attack, roadside bomb kill six soldiers in northwest Pakistan MIRAN SHAH, Pakistan, Aug 24 (AP) Suspected militants drove an explosive-laden car into a military convoy and detonated a roadside bomb in northwestern Pakistan Friday, killing six soldiers and wounding five more, officials said. The suicide car bomber struck on a road near Miran Shah, the main town in the North Waziristan tribal region, killing five soldiers, a local security official said. Hours later, a roadside bomb went off near another military convoy in the nearby village of Razmak, killing at least one soldier, said the official. Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Waheed Arshad confirmed the attacks and casualties. The official, requested anonymity, said troops rushed from Miran Shah to the scene of attacks, and that authorities were trying to cordon off the area to catch any accomplices. The dead and injured were taken to a nearby hospital, he said. Earlier Friday, rebels fired several rockets at a military checkpoint in Miran Shah, wounding two soldiers, the official said. Troops responded with mortars, rockets and assault rifles. (Posted @ 16:44 PST)
Civilians evacuated from besieged Lebanon camp NAHR AL-BARED, Lebanon, Aug 24 (AFP) The families of Fatah al-Islam militants besieged in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared in Lebanon were evacuated by the army Friday, opening the way for a possible final military assault. “The civilians, 26 women and 33 children, are in our custody,” an army spokesman told AFP. A spokeswoman for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said among the group were two children and three women injured Friday in an explosion inside the Nahr al-Bared camp. The military agreed to a temporary truce Friday with the Fatah al-Islam fighters to allow the civilians to leave the camp. (First Posted @ 16:02 PST Updated @ 21:10 PST)
Sudan expels western diplomats KHARTOUM, Aug 24 (AFP) Sudan has expelled European and Canadian diplomats for “interfering in its affairs.” “Sudan has summoned the envoy of the European Commission and the Canadian charge d'affaires and informed them they were considered persona non grata because they interfered in Sudanese affairs,” foreign ministry spokesman Ali al-Sadek told the official SUNA news agency. Minister of State Ali Karti said the two diplomats had been holding what the government regarded as unacceptable contacts with opposition leaders. (Posted @ 20:44 PST)
Al-Qaida suspects assault police checkpoints in Samarra, killing three; U.S. soldier killed Samarra, Iraq, Aug 24 (AP) Sixty suspected al-Qaida in Iraq fighters hit national police facilities in a coordinated attacks in Samarra, sparking two hours of fighting that saw three people killed and more than a dozen insurgents captured, police said Friday. The masked attackers drove into the city at dusk Thursday in about 20 vehicles then split into small groups and assaulted four police checkpoints and a headquarters building, a Samarra police official said. (Posted @ 20:32 PST)
Ghulam Mustafa Khar expelled from PPP LAHORE, Aug 24: Pakistan People’s Party’s Secretary-general Jahangir Badar said Friday at a press conference in Lahore that Ghulam Mustafa Khar had been expelled from the party for breaching discipline, local private television channels quoted Badar as saying. (Posted @ 20:28 PST)
Turkish parliament holds second vote to elect president ANKARA, Aug 24 (AFP) Turkey's parliament held a second round vote Friday to elect a president, but frontrunner Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul was only expected to secure the post in a third ballot next week. Friday's secret ballot started after the 550-seat parliament reached the required quorum, despite a boycott by the main opposition party which argues that a Gul presidency would undermine Turkey's secular system. As with the first round Monday, Gul requires a two-thirds majority to be elected - a result beyond the reach of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), to which he belongs and which commands 340 parliamentary seats. (Posted @ 20:08 PST)
Nine killed in Somalia unrest MOGADISHU, Aug 24 (AFP) Eight people were killed in overnight clashes here between rebels and Somali government forces, police said Friday, as a Somali radio journalist was shot dead in the country's southwest. Somali forces killed seven rebels and lost one of their own in the Thursday night fighting. A police spokesman said the government soldier was killed in an insurgent attack on a police post in the northern neighbourhood of SOS while clashes in a former military camp in the southern district of Shirkole left seven rebels dead. A Shirkole resident told AFP that at least three civilians in his neighbourhood were wounded when an RPG came crashing into a home. Meanwhile Friday Abdulkadir Moalim Kaskey, of Mogadishu-based Radio Banadir, died when attackers opened fire on a minibus in Baradere area in the country's southwestern Gedo region. (First Posted @ 18:58 PST Updated @ 20:00 PST)
Six die as fire races through southern Greece ATHENS, Aug 24 (Reuters) At least six people died and thousands of acres of forest were consumed in blazes racing through Greece's southern Peloponnese Friday, causing one small town to be evacuated, officials said. Firefighters were also battling two fires along the coast near Athens which were threatening homes. Four people were found dead near a hotel north of the town of Areopolis, around 300 km south of Athens, and two firefighters also died, the fire brigade and police said. (First Posted @ 16:10 PST Updated @ 19:42 PST)
Three killed in Thai south NARATHIWAT, Thailand, Aug 24 (AFP) Three people were killed by suspected insurgents in southern Thailand Friday. A 50-year-old high school director was killed in an ambush as he drove home from school in Pattani province. After shooting him, militants set his car ablaze and burned his body inside, police said. In other attacks, a 71-year-oldman was shot dead as he rode his motorcycle to a teashop in Narathiwat and a 49-year-old man was shot dead as he left a mosque following Friday prayers in Yala province, police added. (Posted @ 18:54 PST)
Cricket- India win toss and bat against England BRISTOL, England, Aug 24 (AFP) India captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and elected to bat against England in the second one-day international at Nevil Road here Friday. England: Alastair Cook, Matt Prior (wkt), Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood (capt), Andrew Flintoff, Ravi Bopara, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Stuart Broad, Chris Tremlett, James Anderson; India: Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid (capt), Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Dinesh Karthik, Ajit Agarkar, Piyush Chawla, Ramesh Powar, Rudra Pratap Singh, Munaf Patel (Posted @ 18:50 PST)
Cricket- Rebel league moves court against Indian Board NEW DELHI, Aug 24 (AFP) The battle between the Indian cricket board and a rival league reached the courts Friday with the breakaway group accusing the official body of intimidating its players. The lawsuit was filed by Indian Cricket League (ICL) in the Delhi High Court, a spokesperson of the group confirmed to AFP. The ICL also sought a direction to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to allow it to use stadiums across the country for its tournaments. (Posted @ 18:44 PST)
Islam religion of peace and compassion: Shaukat Aziz ISLAMABAD, Aug 24 (APP) Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Friday said that Islam is a faith of peace, compassion and moderation and teaches tolerance and respect for all beliefs. Talking to the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Ejaz ul Haq, who called on him at the PM's House this morning, the Prime Minister said Pakistan is an Islamic country and the government is taking steps to promote Islamic values and traditions in the society. He said at the same time government is preparing its population to compete in a globalized world and face the challenges posed by it. Aziz said that extremism is one of the major challenges facing Pakistan today and added that Ulema and scholars have a special responsibility to transform Pakistan into a model of Islamic teachings of peace and brotherhood. The Minister briefed Aziz about the Madrassah Reform Strategy and said that the Dar-ul-Ilm project recently approved by the cabinet would provide religious and general education as well as vocational skills training free of cost to children in backward areas of the country. (Posted @ 18:36 PST)
Concerted efforts being made to develop FATA: President Musharraf RAWALPINDI, Aug 24 (APP) President Pervez Musharraf Friday said concerted efforts were being made to bring backward areas of the country at par with the developed ones and record allocations have been made in this regard. Talking to a group of Parliamentarians belonging to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) here at his Camp Office the President said efforts were being made to bring all far flung and backward regions at par with the developed areas of the country. He said high priority was being attached to the socio-economic development in FATA and the resources allocated were being used for the uplift of these areas. Musharraf also impressed upon the need to involve the elected representatives of FATA in the planning and execution of various development projects. The FATA MNAs said foreign elements and miscreants had been rejected by vast majority of peace-loving citizens and there was no place for them in FATA and expressed support for the comprehensive strategy of the government, including development projects, education and generation of employment opportunities to wean away people vulnerable to the influence of extremists and terrorists. (Posted @ 18:28 PST)
Two US-led troops killed in Afghan road accident KABUL, Aug 24 (AFP) Two US-led coalition soldiers were killed and two more were injured Friday when their vehicle overturned in western Afghanistan, the force said in a statement. The soldiers died when their vehicle rolled on a road in the western province of Herat, the statement said. (Posted @ 18:24 PST)
Two Polish mountain climbers killed in Austria VIENNA, Austria, Aug 24 (AP) Two Polish nationals were killed in a mountaineering accident in southern Austria Friday, police said. The victims were part of a group of five Poles who fell into a glacier crevasse on the Grossglockner, Austria's highest mountain, police in the village of Heiligenblut said. Another mountaineer who observed the accident alerted authorities, who recovered all five with the help of helicopters. Two of the three climbers who survived were seriously injured, Austrian broadcaster ORF reported. (Posted @ 18:20 PST)
13 killed as US troops battle Baghdad militants BAGHDAD, Aug 24 (AFP) US soldiers battled fighters in Baghdad Friday, killing 13 people and wounding another 15. US attack helicopters fired on militants in Baghdad's northwestern Shuala neighbourhood in the pre-dawn firefight, killing 13 people, including two women, a medic and security officials told AFP. (First Posted @ 12:10 PST Updated @ 16:48 PST)
Hamas fires shots at Fatah's rally in Gaza GAZA CITY, Aug 24 (AFP) Members of Hamas's Executive Force opened fire at a mass rally by Fatah in Gaza City Friday, an AFP correspondent on the scene said. It was not immediately clear whether anyone was wounded during the protest in central Gaza City, where several thousand Fatah supporters had gathered. Hamas forces detained three photographers at the rally, including AFP journalist Mohammed Abed, witnesses said. They also tried to arrest two cameramen filming the rally for a foreign news agency and a television station, but were prevented by dozens of people who rushed to the scene. (Posted @ 16:30 PST)
Three Britons die in 'friendly fire' in Afghanistan LONDON, Aug 24 (AFP) Three NATO soldiers killed in southern Afghanistan were British and died “in what is thought to have been a friendly fire incident”, the Ministry of Defence in London said Friday. (Posted @ 16:26 PST)
Cricket- Pakistan clears Akhtar of indiscipline KARACHI, Aug 24 (AFP) The Pakistan Cricket Board Friday cleared Shoaib Akhtar of indiscipline and suspended a 5,000-dollar fine, while warning him to stay out of trouble for six weeks. The fast bowler had been fined 100,000 rupees (1,650 dollars) for leaving a training camp in Karachi earlier this month without informing manager Talat Ali, and 200,000 rupees for snubbing a subsequent hearing. Ali said that after a fresh inquiry ordered earlier this week the paceman had been cleared. “Akhtar has been exonerated after a warning as he explained that the entire incident was the result of miscommunication,” said Ali. (Posted @ 16:20 PST)
Iraq ex-president dies in Jordan AMMAN, Aug 24 (AFP) Former Iraqi president Abdel Rahman Aref, who was ousted by Saddam Hussein's Baath party in 1968, died in Jordan Friday at the age of 91, his family said. Aref, who had been living in Amman for three years, died of natural causes at Al-Hussein Medical Centre, a military hospital in the Jordanian capital, according to a family source. Aref took part in the 1958 military coup led by his brother Abdel Salam Aref that overthrew the Iraqi monarchy. After his brother died in a helicopter crash, he ruled the country from 1966 to 1968, until he himself was ousted in a Baathist coup and then lived in exile in Turkey before returning in 1979. (Posted @ 16:16 PST)
Militants in north Lebanon reach deal with army to evacuate families BEIRUT, Lebanon, Aug 24 (AP) A deal has been reached with Fatah Islam militants holed up in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr el-Bared in northern Lebanon to allow their families to leave the besieged area, a Muslim clergyman and senior military official said Friday. Sheik Mohammed al-Haj of the Palestinian Scholars' Association said he was contacted Friday by Fatah Islam spokesman Abu Salim Taha, requesting his mediation with the Lebanese army command for a truce to allow the remaining civilians to leave the refugee camp. The senior military official confirmed that a deal has been reached with Fatah Islam fighters to allow their civilian relatives to leave the camp. ''There is an agreement that they (families) come out today... If they're being truthful, we are ready,'' he said, requesting anonymity. Witnesses near the Nahr el-Bared camp in north Lebanon said the army seemed to have halted its bombardment as of Friday morning, suggesting that a truce to evacuate the families may be in place. (Posted @ 16:02 PST)
Pakistan, Britain sign prisoner transfer agreement ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug 23 (AP) Pakistan and Britain signed an agreement Friday to allow inmates in each other's prisons serve their sentences in their home countries. The agreement will allow some of the 428 Pakistanis imprisoned in Britain to serve their time in Pakistan, while seven British citizens convicted in Pakistan can seek transfers to British prisons, officials said. British High Commissioner Robert Brinkley said sending prisoners home would make it easier for them to maintain family ties and remove cultural barriers that can hamper their rehabilitation. ''This is a good agreement because we have a large Pakistani community in the U.K.,'' Pakistani Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao said at a news conference. ''This is for the benefit of their relatives and for them also, that they come back and serve their sentence over here in this environment,'' Sherpao said. (Posted @ 15:50 PST)
Five killed in Mansehra road accident ISLAMABAD, Aug 24 (APP): Five people including two women were killed and 10 others injured when a Gilgit-bound bus collided head-on with a truck at College Doraha area in Mansehra district late Thursday night. The bus driver died on the spot while four others including two women succumbed to their injuries on way to hospital. (Posted @ 11:35 PST)
Salman Khan to be jailed for poaching JODHPUR, Aug 24(Reuters): An Indian court rejected the bail plea of Bollywood star Salman Khan in a 1998 poaching case on Friday, a verdict that would send the actor to jail. Khan was not present in court when the verdict was announced. (Posted @ 11:05 PST)
US, Japan, Australia summit next month TOKYO, Aug 24(Reuters): The United States, Japan and Australia plan to hold their first-ever summit next month to discuss North Korea's nuclear ambitions and China's military build-up, Japanese government officials said on Friday. The three countries' leaders would meet in Sydney on the sidelines of the APEC summit due to open on Sept 8, the officials told Reuters. (Posted @ 11:00 PST)
Bangladesh partly lifts curfew DHAKA, Aug 24(AFP): Bangladesh's government suspended an indefinite curfew for most of Friday easing a clampdown imposed after three days of unrest. “The government has withdrawn the curfew from 0200 to 1600 GMT on Friday,” said a police spokesman. The curfew was imposed in the capital Dhaka and five other cities after rock-throwing youths rampaged through the streets while battling with police. Two professors arrested: Security forces on Friday arrested two professors from Dhaka University, said the university's acting vice chancellor. (Posted @ 09:05 PST)
Car bomb explodes outside Spanish police barracks MADRID, Aug 24(AFP): A car bomb exploded on Friday outside a barracks of Spain's paramilitary Guardia Civil in the northern town of Durango in the Basque region, Spanish media reported citing police sources. Two civil guardsmen received light injuries in the explosion at 0130 GMT, according to a correspondent of the private Cadena Ser radio station in the Basque country. (Posted @ 09:00 PST)
Karachi Stocks up 51.90 points: KARACHI, Aug 24: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 12053.37, up 51.90 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 16:00 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, Aug 24: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 60.9 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 12:00 PST)
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