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| November 26, 2007 | Monday | Ziqa’ad 15, 1428 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
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Musharraf to become civilian ruler Thursday ISLAMABAD, Nov 26 (AFP) - Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf will take an oath of office as civilian president Thursday after quitting as army chief, his spokesman Maj General (retd) Rashid Qureshi said in the first official schedule for the end of military rule. Musharraf will hang up his army uniform on Wednesday, a day before taking the oath for a second five-year presidential term. “President Musharraf will take the oath as a civilian president on the 29th and he will pay farewell visits to various military headquarters on the 27th and 28th,” spokesman Rashid Qureshi told AFP. Top military spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad said that Musharraf would officially step down as army chief on Wednesday. (First Posted @ 19:04 PST Updated @ 20:18 PST)
Benazir files nomination papers; ready for Sharif alliance LARKANA, Pakistan, Nov 26 (AFP) Benazir Bhutto said Monday she was ready to form an alliance with Nawaz Sharif as she filed her papers to contest upcoming general elections. “We are ready to forge an alliance with all moderate political parties,” she told reporters in Larkana. “We welcome Nawaz Sharif's return to Pakistan. It will strengthen the democratic and political culture.” “We are concerned that elections will be rigged but we don't want to leave the field empty,” she explained. Benazir said an alliance of moderate parties was also being pushed by the United States. “In the past the United States would support dictatorships but now it is supporting democratic forces, which is a sign of encouragement for all the democracy-loving people,” she added. (Posted @ 14:40 PST)
Nawaz Sharif vows he won't work with Musharraf LAHORE, Pakistan, Nov 26 (AFP) - Former Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif vowed Monday never to work with President Pervez Musharraf in government and demanded an end to emergency rule before elections. As he filed his nomination papers for January 8 general elections, he urged people to “wake up” and protest against Musharraf's “dictatorial regime.” ”My party will not become part of any coalition government under President Musharraf in future,” he told reporters. “We believe that any government serving under Musharraf will be illegal and undemocratic. “I would like to reiterate my conviction that martial law and dictatorship are not in the country's interest.” Sharif said the vote would only be acceptable if Musharraf lifted his state of emergency and withdrew an order suspending the constitution. He also called for the reinstatement of top judges sacked for refusing to endorse the emergency. “I call upon the people to wake up, rise to the occasion. They should come out on the streets and struggle against the dictatorial regime,” Sharif told reporters inside a courthouse in Lahore where he filed his papers. He said he was in favour of boycotting the general elections but steered clear of ruling out his participation, saying he would consult with other parties first. He said that if Benazir Bhutto decided on a boycott, “then our party can launch a joint struggle.” Both opposition leaders say they are filing nomination papers because the deadline for registration is midnight Monday, even if they decide to pull out later. (First Posted @ 15:25 PST Updated @ 19:48 PST)
Pakistan steps up Swat assault, kills 20 rebels PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Nov 26 (AFP) - Pakistani troops backed by gunship helicopters stepped up an offensive in the northwestern Swat valley Monday, killing 20 pro-Taliban militants including three commanders, officials said. Troops flushed out militants from several more mountain strongholds in Swat, a scenic tourist spot where followers of cleric Maulana Fazalullah had seized large swathes of territory since July, the army said. “This is an intensification of the operation that we have started in Swat,” chief military spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad told AFP, referring to attacks on militant positions that began last week. “A total of 20 militants were killed in today's operation,” Arshad said. He said ground troops were starting to play a role in the assaults for the first time, although he added that only one battalion -- at least 800 soldiers -- was involved so far. Provincial government spokesman Amjad Iqbal said troops inflicted heavy casualties on Monday, killing three of Fazlullah's commanders. They included a close aide of the cleric's named as Khan Khatab, who was in charge of militant operations in the troubled towns of Matta and Kabal, the scenes of some of the fiercest fighting. Iqbal told reporters in the valley's main town of Mingora that gunship helicopters destroyed eight vehicles in which militants were fleeing, killing all those inside. He said security forces dislodged militants from several areas and were making steady progress in Kabal and the nearby Shangla hills, which overlooks a key route to China. At least 2,400 displaced people have been accommodated in several government run schools in the area, Iqbal said. Authorities allowed a four-hour break in the curfew slapped on the area on Saturday, Iqbal said, although restrictions were not relaxed in three of the most troubled villages. “There are militants there and we don't want to provide them an opportunity to escape,” he added. Bazaars, schools and banks remain closed since last week, Clashes between the security forces and Fazlullah's men have left more than 250 militants dead since last week, the army says, as well as six troops. (First Posted @ 14:05 PST Updated @ 21:44 PST)
Front-rank politicians among 200 file nominations papers in upper Sindh SUKKUR, Nov 26 (APP) Former speaker of the National Assembly (NA) Illahi Bux Soomro, former Federal Minister Ghous Bux Khan Mahar, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Islamuddin Shaikh, Manzoor Hussain Wassan, Syed Saddaruddin Shah Rashdi and Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh were among over 200 candidates who filed nomination papers for the National and Provincial assembly seats in different districts of Sindh on Monday. (Posted @ 17:20 PST)
Fazl files nomination for NA-24 D.I.Khan DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan, Nov 26 (APP) Central President of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) and General Secretary of MMA, Maulana Fazlur Rehman has termed the APDM's call for boycotting forthcoming general elections as against wishes of masses. Talking to newsmen after submitting nomination papers for NA-24 (Dera Ismail Khan) on Monday, he said people wanted their representatives in the assemblies and the boycott of polls is not a correct decision. The APDM should not take any decision, which has no support of masses and not leave the arena for candidates of other parties, he argued. (Posted @ 17:04 PST)
Last date for filing of nomination papers in Swat, Shangla, North Waziristan, Kurram extended till Dec 6 PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Nov 26 (APP): The Election Commission of Pakistan has extended the last date for filing of nomination papers for National and Provincial Assembly seats in Swat, Shangla,'North Waziristan and Kurram Agency up to Dec 6. However, polling in these areas would be held on January 8 as notified earlier, says an ECP press release.The candidates intending to contest elections from PF-80, PF-81, PF-83 PF-84, PF-85, PF-86, NA-29 and NA-30 in Swat district, PF-87, PF-88, and NA-31 in Shangla district, NA-40 in North Waziristan and NA-37 and NA-38 in Kurram Agency could file their papers till Dec 6. According to revised election schedule for these areas, scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on Dec 7 and 8. Appeals against nomination papers could be filed till Dec 12. Decisions on these appeals will be made on Dec 14. The last date of withdrawal of nomination papers is Dec 15. Final list of candidates will be issued on Dec 16. (Posted @ 17:02 PST)
Benazir files nominations for NA-207 LARKANA, Pakistan, Nov 26(APP): Benazir Bhutto on Monday filed nomination papers for National Assembly seat of Larkana NA-207( Old Larkana-IV)for General Elections-2008. Her nomination papers will be scrutinized on November 29. Benazir filled three nominatiotion papers separately. Hundreds of leaders and workers of PPP accompanied Benazir Bhutto. Mohammad Anwar Bhutto, Haider Ali Soomro, and Khursheed Ahmed Junejo also filed their nomination papers for NA-207(Old Larkana-IV) as covering candidate of Benazir Bhutto. (Posted @ 16:58 PST)
Senator Asfandyar Wali files nomination papers for NA_12 Swabi PESHAWAR, Nov. 26 (APP): ANP President Senator Asfandyar Wali Khan Monday filed nomination papers for the national assembly seat NA-12 Swabi Monday morning. Addressing party workers, he later said the general elections were a contest between ideologies instead of personalities. He said political alliances were decided by the central leadership of the parties while election alliances were made by the provincial leadership. (Posted @ 19:24 PST)
Ch. Shujaat files nomination papers for NA-112 SIALKOT, Pakistan, Nov 26 (APP): President Pakistan Muslim League-Q, Chaudary Shujaat Hussain filed his nomination papers for NA-112, Sialkot, here Monday. Later, talking to reporters he strongly refuted possibilities of any alliance with PML-N and PPPP. (Posted @ 18:42 PST)
Sharifs file election papers LAHORE, Pakistan, Nov 26 (AFP) Former premier Nawaz Sharif Monday filed his nomination papers for January 8 general elections in a local court. Dozens of supporters showered Sharif with rose petals as he arrived. His brother Shahbaz Sharif also filed his nomination papers. The crowd outside the building chanted “Go Musharraf, go!” as Sharif brothers left the building after filing their papers. Pakistan's attorney general Malik Mohammad Qayyum said earlier however that Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted by Musharraf in 1999, is likely to be barred from the contest because of previous convictions. (Posted @ 18:40 PST)
Qazi Hussain submits papers for NA-5 Nowshera PESHAWAR, Nov 26 (APP): MMA President and Chief of Jumait-e-Islami Qazi Husain Ahmad on Monday filed nomination papers for NA-5 Nowshera district. Qazi Hussain Ahmed was elected as member national assembly from NA-5 Nowhsera and Lower Dir in 2002. He later retained NA-5 Nowshera seat. (Posted @ 21:52 PST)
Cricket-Malik expected to be fit for second test NEW DELHI, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik is expected to be fit for the second test against India in Kolkata on Friday after twisting his ankle in a game of soccer following the first test loss on Monday. A team official told Reuters a scan had shown the injury was not serious. “Malik has a grade one sprain, but the team management feels he will be fit for the second test,” he said. (First Posted @ 15:10 PST Updated @ 22:10 PST)
Former Balochistan governor’s cousin Tehsildar shot dead QUETTA, Pakistan, Nov 26 (PPI): Unidentified gunmen killed Asghar Mengal, the tehsildar of Dasht, in broad day light in Balochistan capital Quetta Monday. The deceased who is a cousin of former governor of Balochistan Amirul Mulk Mengal was passing through Dr. Bano Road when armed men sprayed bullets on his car and killed him and the driver , while a passerby was also injured. Police attributed the killing to old enmity. Separately, a policeman was injured in a firing incident on Samungli Road. (Posted @ 22:02 PST)
New riots shock France PARIS, Nov 26 (AFP) - A French judge ordered a manslaughter inquiry on Monday after the death of two teenagers in a crash with police sparked a night of rioting in a flashpoint Paris suburb. In the six hours of clashes that followed gangs of youths shot at police, torched some 30 cars and looted shops and buildings. Twenty-five police and one firefighter were injured, officials said. Calm was eventually restored just after midnight. A state prosecutor said she had ordered an internal police investigation for “involuntary manslaughter and failure to assist persons in danger” following the deaths of the two teenagers. (Posted @ 21:34 PST)
5 killed, more than 15 injured as 5 vehicles collide MURIDKE, Pakistan, Nov 26 (PPI): Five persons including 3 women were killed and at least 15 others injured as 3 cars, a police van and a passenger bus collided near Kala Shah Kaku Inter-change on Motorway in central Punjab province early Monday morning. The accident occurred during heavy early morning fog which reduced visibility, police said. (Posted @ 21:06 PST)
Ali Ahmed Kurd files nominations to contest Rashid ISLAMABAD, Nov 26 (APP): Ali Ahmed Kurd, prominent lawyer has filed nomination papers to contest elections against former federal minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed. Kurd, who has been in detention since Nov. 3 declaration of emergency, was brought from Jhelum jail to Rawalpindi under police escort where he filed nomination papers with the Returning Officer for NA-55 and NA-56 Rawalpindi, a private TV channel reported. The jail authorities paid his nomination fee, it added. (Posted @ 20:38 PST)
Joint statement with Israel on peace process within reach WASHINGTON, Nov 26 (AP) - An elusive joint Israeli-Palestinian statement on the contours of future peace talks is within reach, a senior member of the Palestinian delegation said Monday, hours before a high-stakes international conference on the Mideast was to open. “We will reach a joint paper today or tomorrow,” Yasser Abed Rabbo, a senior aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, told The Associated Press. “There is a persistent American effort to have this statement.” “We're confident there will be a document and we'll get to Annapolis in good shape on that,” but bargaining may continue behind the scenes on Tuesday, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. (Posted @ 20:28 PST)
Imran says his party against participation in elections ISLAMABAD, Nov 26 (APP): Chairman of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan said Monday his party was against taking part in the forthcoming general elections under the existing conditions. “This would have been the first election that PTI would have fought while fully prepared, but we have decided to boycott it and urge other parties not to participate if the pre-Nov 3 position is not restored,” he told a news conference. He said PTI would not go for elections even if all political parties decided to contest the polls. The PTI chief said the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) had taken a principled stance to boycott the upcoming general elections if held under emergency. He hoped former premier Nawaz Sharif would also not contest the elections. (Posted @ 19:22 PST)
Israeli fire kills three Palestinians in Gaza GAZA CITY, Nov 26 (AFP) Israeli troops killed three Palestinians and wounded four Monday in two separate incidents in the north of the Gaza Strip, medics and the army said. Soldiers opened fire and shot dead two Palestinians near the border fence separating the strip from Israel, the army said. Earlier an Israeli air raid killed a Hamas militant and wounded four others, also in northern Gaza, medics and the group said. (First Posted @ 16:38 PST Updated @ 18:04 PST)
Eight killed in Afghan blasts KABUL, Nov 26 (AFP) Two separate bomb blasts blew up vehicles in Afghanistan Monday, killing four Afghan soldiers and four civilians, officials said. Afghan police said meanwhile that US soldiers had mistakenly shot dead a policeman late Saturday. (First Posted @ 11:10 PST Updated @ 18:00 PST)
Afghan air strikes kill 80 Taliban KHOST, Afghanistan, Nov 26 (APP/AFP): Around 80 Taliban were killed in a series of air raids by ISAF near eastern Afghanistan's border, officials said Sunday. About 65 rebels were killed in a single air assault late Saturday in Paktia province on a “large group of Taliban,” said Din Mohammad Darvish, a spokesman for the local administration. Four others were killed in a second assault targeting a vehicle carrying rebels in Patan district, and four in a nearby area, he said. Another three were killed in an air strike near Gardez, he said. “Altogether 76 Taliban were killed in separate air strikes by coalition forces,” Darvish said. (Posted @ 17:34 PST)
Pakistan Navy commissions PNS Zarrar KARACHI, Nov 26 (APP): Pakistan Navy Ship Zarrar, the first of Multi Role Tactical Platform (MRTP-33), was commissioned into Pakistan Navy at an impressive ceremony at PN Dockyard on Monday. The Attack Craft acquired from Turkey is planned to be fitted with requisite guns and missiles commensurate with its role of coastal defence/offensive operations, says an ISPR (Navy) press release. (Posted @ 17:26 PST)
39 crew of Indian fishing boats apprehended in Pak waters LAHORE, Nov 26 (APP): Maritime Security Agency (MSA) in a combined operation with Pakistan Marines, apprehended seven Indian fishing boats along with 39 crew members for fishing illegally in Pakistani waters. The boats were apprehended about 25 nautical miles inside the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Pakistan on Sunday. Theyhave been handed over to the Docks Police station in Karachi. (Posted @ 17:18 PST)
Two students killed, 10 others injured in road accident near Ghotki SUKKUR, Nov 26 (APP) Two students were killed and 10 others injured in an accident at the Qadirpur-Ghotki bypass in Ghotki district, police said. A trailer-truck, on way to Karachi from Lahore, hit a pickup carrying school children at the Qadirpur-Ghotki bypass, killing two students on the spot and injuring 10 others, some seriously, who were shifted to Sukkur, Larkana and Rahim Yar Khan hospitals. (First Posted @ 13:55 PST Updated @ 17:14 PST)
Burst dam kills 10 Chinese villagers BEIJING, Nov 26 (AFP) - Ten people were killed and another 17 injured when a dam surrounding an industrial sludge pond burst, state press said Monday. Up to 33 houses were destroyed when industrial waste products poured into the village in northeastern Liaoning province on Sunday morning, Xinhua news agency said. (Posted @ 16:40 PST)
Bomb explosions kill 1, injure 15 in India's insurgency-hit northeast GAUHATI, India, Nov 26 (AP) - Three separate bomb explosions killed one person and wounded 15 others in India's insurgency-ravaged Assam state, police said. Two bombs exploded Sunday near markets in Gauhati, killing one person and injuring three others, said the state's inspector general of police, R. Chandranathan. The third bomb, in the eastern district of Tinsukia, injured 12 others, police said. In that attack, explosives were placed in a car and the driver jumped from the vehicle as it was moving at slow speed, local superintendent of police P.K. Bhuyan said. The driver then escaped on a motorcycle, he said. (Posted @ 16:36 PST)
Sarkozy signs big deals on China visit BEIJING, Nov 26 (AP) French companies netted Chinese deals for nuclear reactors and Airbus passenger jets worth around US$29.62 billion on Monday, the second day of a state visit by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. In Monday's single biggest agreement, China committed to buying 160 commercial passenger jets from Airbus, which is headquartered in France. The deal is worth around US$14.8 billion. In other agreements, France's state-owned Areva SA finalized a US$11.9 billion (euro8 billion) contract to sell two nuclear reactors to state-run China Guangdong Nuclear Power Corporation. (Posted @ 16:32 PST)
Palestinians not bound by US peace meet: Hamas GAZA CITY, Nov 26 (AFP) Hamas said Monday that the Palestinians would not be bound by any decisions taken at a key US-hosted Middle East peace meeting. “The decisions taken at Annapolis are not binding on the Palestinian people, who have not authorised anyone, either Arab or Palestinian, to erase their rights,” Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum told AFP. Hamas, blacklisted by both the European Union and the United States as a terror group, were not invited to the meeting. (Posted @ 15:30 PST)
Rebels suspected of killing four farmers in Sri Lanka; five rebels killed in clashes COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Nov 26 (AP) Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels fatally shot four ethnic Sinhalese rice farmers in their paddies in northern Sri Lanka Monday, while soldiers killed five insurgents in separate gunbattles, the military said. The gunshot-riddled bodies of the farmers, three men and a woman, were discovered near the farming village of Mahavilachchiya in the Anuradhapura district just south of rebel-controlled territory in the north, the military said in a statement. Separately, army troops and guerrillas fought two gunbattles in Omanthai and Periyathampanai in the northern district of Vavuniya early Monday, killing five rebels, a defence official said. (First Posted @ 12:00 PST, Updated @ 15:15 PST)
Bush launches Mideast peace bid WASHINGTON, Nov 26 (AFP) President Bush Monday launched a Middle East peace initiative ahead of a conference. Bush said Sunday he was “personally committed” to resolving the decades-old Middle East conflict. He will separately host Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas ahead of the peace conference in Annapolis which starts Tuesday. Olmert and Abbas are trying to agree a joint statement to unblock the peace process that has been frozen since Bill Clinton tried to broker a final settlement near the end of his presidency in 2000. Abbas's advisor Nabil Shaath said that “this is an opportunity to return the spotlight to the Arab-Israeli question. ”But major differences remain between the Israelis and Palestinians over core issues like the status of Jerusalem, which both sides claim as their capital, the borders of a future Palestinian state and the fate of Palestinian refugees.” (Posted @ 15:05 PST)
Gunmen slaughter 11 relatives of Iraqi journalist BAGHDAD, Nov 26 (AFP) Gunmen in Baghdad killed 11 family members of an Iraqi journalist operating an electronic news website, the journalist Dia al-Kawwaz told AFP by telephone from Amman Monday. “Four gunmen entered my family house in Shab area. Two of my sisters, their husbands and seven children between five and 10 years old were killed yesterday (Sunday) morning,” Kawwaz said. He accused Shiite militiamen of carrying out the killings. (Posted @ 14:05 PST)
20 hurt as bus turns turtle in Sindh SUKKUR, Nov 26 (APP) Some 20 people were injured, many of them seriously, when a bus travelling from Jacobabad to Karachi overturned on the National Highway near Ranipur late Sunday. Area police said the bus overturned when its tie-rod broke. (Posted @ 13:55 PST)
Five drown, 50 missing after Myanmar trawler capsizes DHAKA, Nov 26 (AFP) Five people died and up to 50 were feared missing after a fishing boat from Myanmar carrying 75 people capsized near Bangladesh's St Martin's island, police said Monday. Ten Bangladeshis were on the boat while the rest were from Myanmar. A survivor said the boat had been fishing in the Bay of Bengal and was on its way to Thailand. (Posted @ 13:50 PST)
Rice holds meeting with Israeli, Palestinian negotiators WASHINGTON, Nov 26 (AFP): US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met late Sunday with the heads of Israeli and Palestinian negotiation teams, in advance of Middle East peace talks in Annapolis, Maryland later this week. Rice met Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and former Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qorei to hammer out differences over a joint document to set the framework for their peace negotiations. Bush to kick off intensive talks: President George W. Bush will kick off on Monday three days of intensive diplomacy surrounding a US-sponsored peace conference with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Bush, said Sunday he was “personally committed” to resolving the decades-old Middle East conflict. (Posted @ 09:45 PST)
Three killed, 55 injured in Indonesia earthquakes JAKARTA, Nov 26 (AP): Two strong earthquakes struck eastern Indonesia overnight killed at least three people and injured 55 other people, a senior health ministry official said Monday. Dozens of buildings were destroyed or damaged. The first quake, with a magnitude of 6.4, struck late Sunday just off Sumbawa Island. Several hours later, a powerful aftershock hit the same region. (First Posted @ 09:15 PST) Updated @ 09:46 PST)
India beat Pakistan in first test NEW DELHI, Nov 26 (Reuters): India romped to a six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the first test on Monday, taking the lead in the three-match series.The hosts, chasing a target of 203, coasted to the win with six wickets intact after needing just an additional 32 runs for victory on the fifth day. Sachin Tendulkar was unbeaten on 56 after reaching his 46th test fifty after strike bowler Shoaib Akhtar removed Saurav Ganguly on his overnight 48. (Posted @ 09:45 PST)
Minor earthquake rattles New Delhi NEW DELHI, Nov 26 (AP): A minor earthquake rattled India's capital early Monday morning, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. An Indian Meteorological Department official, who monitors earthquakes, said the 4.3-magnitude quake was only felt in New Delhi and surrounding areas. It struck about 4:43 a.m. (Posted @ 09:40 PST)
Eight Brazilian soccer fans die after stadium bleacher gives way SAO PAULO, Nov 26 (AP): Eight people died Sunday after a section of stands at a soccer stadium in northeastern Brazil gave way as fans cheered at the end of a game, police said. At least nine people fell through a section of the highest bleachers at the Fonte Nova stadium in the coastal city of Salvador, and eight were killed, said the city's federal police. (Posted @ 09:35 PST)
Karachi Stocks up 44.76 points: KARACHI, Nov 26: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 13776.95, up 44.76 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, Nov 26: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 61.35, to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
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