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| September 20, 2007 | Thursday | Ramazan 07, 1428 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Pakistan sets presidential election for October 6 ISLAMABAD, Sept 20 (AFP) - Pakistan's election commission Thursday set October 6 as the date for a presidential poll in which President General Pervez Musharraf will seek re-election in uniform. “Nominations must be filed by September 27, the scrutiny of the nomination papers will be on September 29, and October 6 will be the election,” the commission's secretary Kanwar Dilshad announced. The election is by a ballot of Pakistan's parliament and its four provincial assemblies, which have all been in place since 2002. Opposition parties have called for President Musharraf to seek re-election from a new parliament instead of the outgoing assemblies and have also threatened to resign from the assemblies if he does not quit his military role before a vote.” “God willing, we will re-elect him, we have got the majority, we have got the strength,” Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani told AFP. The Supreme Court is currently hearing a series of legal challenges against Musharraf's dual role and his eligibility to stand in the election. Pakistan People's Party was not immediately available for comment on the election schedule. But the All Parties Democratic Alliance, a grouping of other opposition parties including that of ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, said it was moving a new appeal in the Supreme Court against the election schedule. The Supreme Court Court Bar Association, which has opposed Musharraf since his confrontation with the chief justice, said it would protest in front of the election commission on September 29 when the nominations are scrutinised. “The outgoing assemblies have no right to impose a military dictator on us for another five years,” association president Munir Malik told a press conference in the Supreme Court building.(Posted @ 16:40 PST)
SC continues hearing in dual offices case ISLAMABAD, Sept 20 (PPI) - A nine-member larger bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Rana Bhagwandas Thursday continued hearing on a set of constitutional petitions against holding of dual offices by President General Pervez Musharraf and his candidature for presidential election for the second term. It will resume hearing on Friday.The bench dismissed a civil miscellaneous application filed by Hamid Khan, counsel for Pakistan Tehree-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan seeking permission to make the Election Commission of Pakistan a party in the case. Hamid Khan concluded his arguments today.During the arguments of Hamid Khan, Justice Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi observed that the Parliament was shifting its burden on the Supreme Court. Justice Falak Sher observed that the Parliament should itself withdraw Article 270-AA of the Constitution that deals with the powers and mandates of the President. Earlier, Justice Javed Iqbal said that whenever a dictator ceased the political power, people distributed sweets and politicians welcomed him. “You are engaged here in legal niceties while the political parties are engaged in dialogue for power sharing, and the people are running from pillar to post for Atta”, the judge remarked. Senior counsel of Pakistan Lawyers Forum A.K Dogar initiated his arguments, which would continue Friday.(Posted @ 20:30 PST)
Bomb explodes outside hotel in Swat, police officer killed, four wounded PESHAWAR, Sept 20(AP): A bomb exploded outside a hotel in Swat on Thursday, killing one police officer and wounding four of the guards, police said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. (Posted @ 12:18 PST)
Benazir Bhutto paints self as leader of moderate middle over extremism WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (AFP) Exiled former premier Benazir Bhutto promised in an editorial in The Washington Post Thursday to be a standard-bearer for moderation over extremism, as she plans to return home. “I am returning to Pakistan on October 18 to bring change to my country. Pakistan's future viability, stability and security lie in empowering its people and building political institutions. My goal is to prove that the fundamental battle for the hearts and minds of a generation can be accomplished only under democracy,” Benazir wrote. “Extremism looms as a threat, but it will be contained as it has been in the past if the moderate middle can be mobilized to stand up to fanaticism. I return to lead that battle,” she pledged. (Posted @ 14:13 PST)
Cricket-Pakistan beat Bangladesh in Twenty20 World Cup Cape Town, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Pakistan beat Bangladesh by four wickets in the Twenty20 World Cup Group F match in Cape Town on Thursday. Pakistan progress to the semi-finals. Bangladesh are eliminated. Scores: Bangladesh 140 all out (J. Siddique 71), Pakistan 141-6(Posted @ 20:10 PST)
Asian Table tennis: Pakistan lose both matches BEIJING, Sept 20 (APP): Pakistan Thursday lost their mixed double and men's singles matches at the 18th Asian Table Tennis Championship being held in Yangzhou.. Saadia Falak Sher and Asim Qureshi lost to Japanese pair of Oya and Taseivv 11-9, 11-9, 11-8, while Thailand's number one Sanguansin Phakpoom came from behind to beat Asim Qureshi 11-4, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 and 11-8. In the women's singles Saadia Falak Sher will meet Japan's Kim Kyungah on Sept 22.(Posted @ 19:55 PST)
Bush says US Ag Secretary Johanns resigns WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush on Thursday said Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns would step down amid reports he plans to run for the U.S. Senate sea t from Nebraska. Johanns is the latest in a string of senior administration officials to leave in recent months, following embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and close Bush confidant and political strategist Karl Rove.(Posted @ 19:25 PST)
Commonwealth hails Pakistan vote announcement ISLAMABAD, Sept 20 (AFP) - Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon said Thursday that the announcement of a date for President Pervez Musharraf to seek re-election showed democratic progress in Pakistan. “We also acknowledge ... there are currently actions in the courts pertaining to the election of the President with or without uniform, but this to us is a state of progress,” McKinnon told a press conference. He said that the next four months were “very critical for the future of Pakistan” in the run up to the presidential poll, and to general elections that are due by early 2008, but sounded an optimistic note for the future. “There are enormous challenges in front of you, but I do believe the people of Pakistan are up to meet those challenges,” he said, adding that the “world would be watching.” Mckinnon said that he held meetings with opposition representatives from the Pakistan Muslim League of former premier Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party but did not give details.(Posted @ 19:15 PST)
Four killed in Baghdad blasts BAGHDAD, Sept 20 (AFP) - Four people were killed in two car bomb attacks in Baghdad on Thursday, one of which killed two Iraqi soldiers at a checkpoint in Sadr City security officials said. The bomb that exploded at Sadr City was hidden in a car being towed by a breakdown truck, Another car bomb exploded early morning near a police patrol in central Baghdad, killing one person and injuring nine.(Posted @ 19:10 PST)
All anti-Musharraf politicians are pro-Americans: Ghunwa Bhutto Ratodero, Pakistan, Sept.20 (PPI):- Chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party (Shaheed Bhutto) Ms. Ghunwa Bhutto Thursday said politicians who have formed alliance and have launched movement against Gen. Musharraf were in fact pro-Americans. They are hankering for power and looking towards USA all the time, she said at a public meeting at Garhi Khuda Bux, the ancestral graveyard of Bhutto family, to mark the 11th death anniversary of her slain husband Mir Murtaza Bhutto.(Posted @ 19:00 PST)
Musharraf directs ERRA to accelerate work on development projects RAWALPINDI, Sept 20 (APP):- President General Pervez Musharraf Thursday directed ERRA to accelerate pace of work on the ongoing projects in health, education and infrastructure development in the quake devastated areas of Azad Kashmir and NWFP. Chairing a meeting to review the progress made by Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency, the President also ordered that that pending cases for payment of compensation to the affectees be addressed swiftly. President Musharraf was told that Rs 2.02 billion have been paid to 24,635 eligible beneficiaries and the master-plan for Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot and Balakot cities have been finalised.(Posted @ 18:25 PST)
Pakistan, Uzbekistan sign MoU to increase defence cooperation ISLAMABAD, Sept 20 (APP): Pakistan and Uzbekistan Thursday signed a MoU to increase and intensify defence cooperation between the two countries. Pakistani Defence Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal and visiting Uzbek Defence Minister Ruslan Mirzaev expressed the the resolve to actively pursue the practical implementation of the MoU. Later, the Uzbek Defence Minister along with members of his delegation called on Federal Minister for Defence Production Habibullah Wariach and discussed with him matters relating to defence cooperation.(Posted @ 18:15 PST)
Legislators of APDM parties to resign on Musharraf nomination: Ahsan Iqbal ISLAMABAD, Sept 20 (APP): Federal and provincial lawmakers of parties in the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) would resign when General Pervez Musharraf files his nomination papers for presidential contest, PML-N Secretary Information Ahsan Iqbal told a news conference after a meeting with Commonwealth Secretary General Donald McKinnon Thursday.He said the political situation in the country as well as the presidential and general elections came under discussion during the meeting with McKinnon. He said “we also briefed him about our concerns over fairness of polls under General Musharraf,” and the “illegal deportation” of Nawaz Sharif on his return from exile.(Posted @ 18:00 PST)
Rice says upcoming conference must 'lay foundations' for serious Mideast peace talks RAMALLAH, West Bank, Sept 20 (AP) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday an upcoming U.S.-sponsored Mideast conference must be “substantive,” and that Israel and the Palestinians must draft a document before the meeting that lays “foundations for serious negotiations.” The gathering “has to be substantive and advance the cause of a Palestinian state,” Rice told a joint news conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.. “I think many issues need to be clarified and I think it's the duty of the hosts of the conference,” Abbas told the news conference. In preparatory talks with Israel, the Palestinians have been pushing for a detailed document addressing the core issues ahead of the conference. Israel has said it prefers a more vague declaration, saying it is premature to discuss the thorniest issues at the core of the Mideast conflict. Rice said that whatever the final nature of the document, it must lay “foundations for serious negotiations.”(Posted @ 17:35 PST)
Pakistan's presidential election: electoral college, polling scheme Islamabad, Sept 20 (Reuters)- Pakistan will hold a presidential election on Oct. 6 for which nominations must be filed on Sept. 27, the Election Commission said. The electoral college is made up of members of the two houses of parliament -- the 342-seat lower house National Assembly and the 100-member upper house Senate -- and members of assemblies in Pakistan's four provinces -- Punjab, Sindh, North West Frontier and Baluchistan. The vote will be held at the same time in all of the assemblies, beginning at 10 a.m. (0500 GMT) on Oct. 6. The vote is by secret ballot. The candidate who obtains the largest number of votes will be declared elected president for a period of five years.(Posted @ 17:20 PST)
UAE, Qatar win almost half of London Stock Exchange LONDON, Sept 20 (AFP) - The United Arab Emirates and Qatar are set to own nearly half of the London Stock Exchange, a source said Thursday. The two Gulf states have agreed to buy a combined “48 percent” of the prestigious London market in separate deals, the source said.The state-linked Qatari Investment Authority said it had bought a 20-percent slice of the LSE, Earlier, UAE group Borse Dubai agreed to buy a 28-percent LSE holding from the US Nasdaq stock market as part of a deal to jointly take over Nordic operator OMX. The LSE did not comment on the Nasdaq sale, but welcomed the purchase by Qatar.(Posted @ 17:00 PST)
Bin Laden declares 'war' on Pakistan in new tape DUBAI, Sept 20 (AFP) - Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden declares “war”on Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in a new message to be released by the network's media arm, according to a website on Thursday. “Al-Qaeda will declare war on the tyrant Pervez Musharraf and his apostate army through the voice of the lion, Sheikh Osama bin Laden, God protect him,” according to the site. The threat was dismissed by Pakistan. “We are already committed to fighting extremists and terrorists -- there is no change in our policy,” chief military spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad told AFP. “If someone is hurling threats at us, that is their view. The whole nation is behind us and the Pakistan army is a national institution,” Arshad added.IntelCenter, a US organisation which monitors Islamist websites, said the video or audio message, entitled “Come to Jihad,” was expected to be released by Al-Qaeda's media arm Al-Sahab in the next 72 hours. In another video released by Al-Qaeda's media arm, Al-Sahab, bin Laden's deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri also warned that Musharraf would be “punished” over the killing of a cleric in the storming of Lal Masjid in Islamabad in July. Zawahiri described the Pakistan army as “hunting dogs under (US President George W.) Bush's crucifix.(Posted @ 15:55 PST)
Cricket: Australia beat Sri Lanka to book semis spot CAPE TOWN, Sept 20 (AFP) - Australia beat Sri Lanka by ten wickets in their World Twenty20 Super Eights match at Newlands Thursday. Scores: Sri Lanka 101 in 19.3 overs. Australia 102/0 in 10.2 overs.(Posted @ 16:00 PST)
Palestinian youth killed, two militants wounded in clash with Israeli troops in Gaza GAZA, Sept 20 (AP) Israeli troops operating against rocket squads in Gaza Thursday killed a teenager who health officials and witnesses said was hit by shrapnel from a tank shell, then run over by an army bulldozer. The incident took place during an Israeli incursion into central Gaza. Hamas security forces said dozens of jeeps, tanks and bulldozers moved about 1.5 kilometres into the strip. Earlier Thursday, two Hamas fighters were seriously injured in clashes with Israeli troops in the same area in an exchange of gunfire, Hamas said. (FirstPosted @ 13:55 PST, Updated@ Posted @ 14:33 PST)
Fresh monsoon flooding kills 58 in southern India HYDERABAD, Sept 20(AP): Torrential rains and thunderstorms have killed at least 58 people in southern India, and flooded dozens of villages, officials said on Thursday. Worst hit was the state of Andhra Pradesh where 43 people died over the last four days, said a state government minister. At least 19 were killed by lightning, while the rest died when buildings collapsed, or drowned, he said. Overflowing rivers left some 50 villages under water, while authorities evacuated some 20,000 people from low-lying areas to relief camps. In the neighboring state of Karnataka heavy rains killed 15 people, a senior government official told the Press Trust of India news agency. (Posted @ 13:59 PST)
Sri Lanka's air force bombs rebel ammunition site COLOMBO, Sept 20(AP): Sri Lankan air force jets bombed a major Tamil Tiger ammunition storage site Thursday morning, setting off a wave of explosions in northern Sri Lanka that lasted more than 90 minutes, the air force said. The bombing in northern Sri Lanka, of the underground bunker near Puthukkudiyiruppu, dealt a major blow to the Tigers ability to fight off the military, said an air force spokesman. The bombing set off a series of secondary blasts as the ammunition in the bunker exploded, he said. (Posted @ 13:58 PST)
Taliban attack leaves 24 dead in Afghanistan HERAT, Sept 20(AFP:- A Taliban attack on a police post in western Afghanistan sparked a battle that left at least 20 militants and four police dead, a provincial governor said on Thursday. Dozens of fighters attacked a police position in Badghis province on Wednesday, setting off a three-hour gunfight, governor Mohammad Ashraf Nasiri told AFP. “Twenty militants were killed and nine militants were wounded in the fighting. Four police were also wounded,” he said. (Posted @ 12:48 PST)
New York refuses to let Iran president visit Ground Zero NEW YORK, Sept 19(AFP): The New York authorities on Wednesday rejected a request by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to visit Ground Zero next week, the site of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, police said. “A request earlier this month to permit a visit by Iranian President Ahmadinejad to Ground Zero during the United Nations General Assembly was rejected,” New York Police Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne said in a statement.(Posted @ 09:15 PST)
Six killed in clashes in Turkey TUNCELI, Turkey, Sept 19(Reuters): Five Kurdish guerrillas and a Turkish security official were killed in clashes in southeastern Turkey on Wednesday, army sources said. They said Turkish troops, backed by helicopter gunships, attacked a group of around 30 guerrillas in Sirnak province on the Iraqi border. Meanwhile, a Turkish security official was killed in an attack by Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants on a gendarme station in Anatolian province of Bitlis. (Posted @ 08:55 PST)
Seven dead as tropical storm Wipha sweeps across China SHANGHAI, Sept 20(AFP): Seven people were confirmed dead and three were missing as tropical storm Wipha tore across China, narrowly missing the nation's financial capital Shanghai, state media said on Thursday. Shanghai, a city of 17 million, had been braced for major havoc, closing schools and cancelling some sports events. As of early Thursday, Wipha had left the Chinese mainland via the eastern province of Jiangsu and returned to the ocean, according to the Shanghai Meteorology Bureau. (Posted @ 08:50 PST)
45 killed in Darfur battle KHARTOUM, Sept 19(Reuters): A rebel leader from Sudan's war-torn Darfur region said his fighters defeated a government battalion on Wednesday in a three-hour battle that killed 45 people. Sudan Liberation Army faction chairman Ahmed Abdel Shafie said one of his units attacked government soldiers stationed in the village of Dobow in central Jabel Marra region. (Posted @ 08:50 PST)
Karachi Stocks down 81.89 , points: KARACHI,Sept 20:At the close of trading the KSE-100 index was at 13045.69, down 81.89, points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 13:00 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI,Sept 20: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 60.7 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 13:00 PST)
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