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| February 15, 2008 | Friday | Safar 07, 1429 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
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Pakistan, India agree to increase air links ISLAMABAD, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Pakistan and India agreed on Friday to increase the number of flights and routes between their countries and allow more airlines to operate them. “Both sides expressed satisfaction that the new arrangement would further the objective of facilitating people to people contact, business and trade activities,” the two countries said in a statement. At the moment, only one airline from each country operates between the Pakistani cities of Lahore and Karachi and the Indian cities of Mumbai and New Delhi. Aviation officials agreed after two days of talks in Pakistan to add India's Chennai and the Pakistani capital Islamabad as destinations and to increase the number of flights from each side every week to 28 from 12. Each side can designate three airlines to operate on the agreed routes, they said. The agreement would enable the countries to link their capitals by air. Up to now, people traveling between the two capitals have had to go via Lahore. (Posted @ 18:46 PST)
Gen Kayani satisfied over deployment of Army for conduct of peaceful polls ISLAMABAD, Feb 15 (APP): Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Friday expressed satisfaction over the pace and manner of Army's deployment for maintenance of law and order in the country for the forthcoming general elections, strictly in accordance with the dictates of the constitution. Chairing a high level meeting in General Headquarters, which undertook a detailed overview of Military's deployment, he reiterated the necessity and importance of holding peaceful elections and asked all segments of the society to help Army and Law Enforcement Agencies to maintain law and order on this occasion. He expressed confidence that the nation will unite for a stable and peaceful Pakistan. (Posted @ 19:20 PST)
10 militants held in Karachi ahead of Pakistan election KARACHI, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Pakistani police have arrested 10 militants in Karachi, who are suspected of planning terror attacks during next week's general election, Sindh Home Minister Akhtar Zamin told Reuters on Friday. “These militants were ex-members of different banned militant outfits who had now formed a new group,” he said but did not say when the men were detained. Zamin said police seized explosives, electrical circuits, compact discs and other material from the militants. “They may have been planning to attack some political leader, or carry out other acts of terror during the election, and to destabilize the peace of the country,” he said. (Posted @ 16:35 PST)
Fair, free polls must for Pakistan: Amin Fahim HYDERABAD, Pakistan, Feb.15 (PPI): Senior Vice Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party Makhdoom Amin Fahim Friday said it was responsibility of government to hold free and transparent elections and warned that if elections were not held accordingly it would be dangerous for democracy. Talking to newsmen he said threats to politicians, bomb blasts and suicide attacks have now become a fashion. He said he was also getting threats. We are democratic people and believe in democracy, he said. Replying to a question about judiciary, he said the matter should better be left for the next parliament to decide. (Posted @ 20:24 PST)
Nawaz seeks support for Pakistan’s prosperity ATTOCK, Pakistan, Feb 15 (PPI)- Chief of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif Friday appealed to the masses to vote for his party to revive the era of prosperity. Addressing an election meeting here he asked the people to reject PML-Q saying that “Q” league gave nothing to the masses but lawlessness, poverty and price hike. Nawaz Sharif promised reinstatement of deposed judges, put the country on the track of development and prosperity and to recover money looted by the rulers. (Posted @ 20:12 PST)
Fazl addresses election meeting DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan, Feb 15 (APP):Chief of his own faction of Jamiatul Ulema-i-Islam and central General Secretary of MMA, Maulana Fazl-ur- Rehman Friday said that PPP (P), PML (Q) and PML (N) have a single agenda: protection of vested interests of the West. Addressing a tribal jirga at Shorkot at which the elders of the Wazir, Mahsud, Akakhel and Akhroti were present, he demanded that the on-going operations in the tribal areas should be halted immediately and peaceful settlement of the problem should be sought through negotiations and through jirgas. He said his party has always advocated for the cause of the tribal areas and felt that tribal people can maintain peace in their areas by keeping an eye over the extremist elements. Senator Saleh Shah and former MNA Maulana Mairajuddin were also present on the occasion. (Posted @ 19:42 PST)
Pakistan police arrest another suspect in Benazir Bhutto case ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Pakistani police arrested on Friday another suspect in connection with the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, a senior police investigator said. “Yes, we have arrested a suspect and we are interrogating him,” said the investigator, who declined to be identified. He identified the suspect as Abdul Rashid but declined to give further details. A private TV channel said Rashid was suspected of providing “arms and ammunition” to those involved in the attack. Police said that besides the bomber, identified as Saeed, alias Bilal, four other militants were present in and around the venue of the rally in Rawalpindi. Two militants, Hasnain Gul and Rifaqat, were arrested last week while two others at the scene of the attack were still at large, police said. Earlier, authorities had arrested two suspects including a 15-year-old-boy who admitted being a back-up suicide bomber if the Rawalpindi attack had failed. (Posted @ 18:34 PST)
PPP will try to remove Musharraf after next week's elections ISLAMABAD, Feb 15 (AP): Pakistan People’s Party(PPP) would try to remove President Musharraf if it wins next week's parliamentary elections, Babar Awan, a member of PPP’s central executive council, told The Associated Press Friday. ''The ouster of Musharraf will put Pakistan back on the track of real democracy,'' Awan said. ''We will win if the elections are not massively rigged,'' Awan said. While Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) rejected Musharraf's warning, saying it would stage nationwide protests if it believes the election was manipulated. ''We know Musharraf wants to rig the elections,'' said senior PML-N member Siddiqul Farooq. ''If he did it, we will force him to quit through street protests.'' In Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack criticized Musharraf's suggestion that he would not tolerate protests after the election. ''People have the right to peacefully protest and to peacefully speak out on their opinions regardless of whether those opinions are supportive of a government,'' he said. ''Our view…is that they should devote their energies to ensuring that this is the kind of election in which the Pakistani people can have confidence,'' McCormack added. (Posted @ 11:55 PST)
Soldier killed in clash with militants in Darra Adam Khel ISLAMABAD, Feb 15 (AFP): A Pakistani paramilitary soldier was killed and another wounded Friday in a pre-dawn gunbattle with militants in the northwestern region of Darra Adam Khel, the army said. The army said the casualties happened when paramilitary troops had an “exchange of fire” with militants at a security post in the region shortly after midnight. “Fire was retaliated. However, casualties of miscreants could not be ascertained,” an army statement said. (Posted @ 13:10 PST)
Pakistan SC adjourns hearing of appeals in Justice Iftikhar manhandling case ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Feb 15 (APP): A sixteen-member full court of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar Friday adjourned the hearing of appeals in the case related to manhandling of Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry by the Islamabad police to a date in office to be later notified. Dr.Khalid Ranjha appeared before the court as counsel of the appellant and requested the court to accept unconditional apology of all the seven condemners who were sentenced under contempt law by a three-member bench of the Supreme Court which was suspended later till the final decision. The manhandling took place while Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was on his way from his official residence to the Supreme Court on March 13 to attend proceedings of the Supreme Judicial Council against him in a reference filed by the President under Article 209 of the Constitution. The seven officials -- Inspector General of Police Islamabad, Chaudhry Iftikhar Ahmed, Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Khalid Pervez, Deputy Commissioner, Muhammad Ali, Senior Superintendent of Police Capt. (Retd) Zafar Iqbal, Deputy Superintendent of Police I/9 Circle, Jameel Hashmi, Inspector Rukhsar Mehdi (SHO Kohsar Police Station) and ASI Muhammad Siraj -- remained present in the courtroom during the proceedings of the court. The full court observed that it was a matter requiring further hearing to decide under which laws the appeals as well as review petitions would be heard. (Posted @ 19:52 PST)
HRW claim obtaining audio of Qayyum stating Pakistan elections will be “massively rigged” WASHINGTON, Feb 15 (AFP): Human Rights Watch claimed Thursday it had obtained an audio recording in which Pakistan's Attorney General Malik Qayyum stated that the elections will be “massively rigged.” ”Just about every political player in the Pakistani elections has already declared in words or deeds that 'good elections' are not going to happen,” said the Center for American Progress, a Washington-based think tank. “The United States must be prepared for deeply flawed results and the risk of ensuing violence,” it said in a commentary Thursday. It called on US policymakers to make “a dramatic shift” in how the United States approaches Pakistan, including recognizing that Musharraf's continued political survival was not a precondition for dealing with militancy. “This is an issue that is obviously going to pose some real dilemmas if the election is seen as unacceptable to the Pakistani people,” said Ashley Tellis, a security expert with the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. In such a scenario, Congress might respond in a way that could “strengthen the objective of building bonds with Pakistan in its entirety but would put at risk a very important relationship that we have with the Pakistani military,” Tellis said. (Posted @ 10:50 PST)
Malik Qayyum denies making 'rigging' comment ISLAMABAD, Feb 15 (AFP): Pakistan's attorney-general Malik Qayyum Friday rejected a statement by Human Rights Watch (HRW) that said it had obtained a recording of him predicting next week's elections will be “massively rigged.” HRW said that in the audio recording Qayyum appeared to be advising an unidentified person on what party the person should approach to become a candidate in the parliamentary poll. “They will massively rig to get their own people to win. If you can get a ticket from these guys, take it,” the voice on the recording says in Urdu. Qayyum said however that the allegation was “ridiculous... a conspiracy against Pakistan” and denied making the comment. “It is a ridiculous allegation, totally baseless. I have never uttered these words,” Qayyum told AFP. “Why should I? The election commission is holding free and fair elections and I support free and fair elections.” The attorney general said his brother was a member of the party of opposition leader Nawaz Sharif “so on the face of it, it is absolutely nonsense”. “I am going to sue this organisation for defaming me,” Qayyum said. (Posted @ 13:20 PST)
Pakistani lawyers campaign for poll boycott LAHORE, Feb 15 (Reuters) - A group of Pakistan lawyers said on Friday they would campaign outside polling stations to try to persuade voters to boycott the Feb. 18 election in protest at the imprisonment of judges and lawyers. “We will set up camps outside the polling station to dissuade voters from the process,” said Ghulam Nabi Bhatti, vice-president of Pakistan's Supreme Court Bar Association. He said lawyers had been holding a series of meetings and distributing flyers and pamphlets to convince people not to vote. Bhatti said a free and fair election was impossible while Iftikhar Chaudhry, the chief justice Musharraf removed, and several other judges were still under house arrest. Pakistan's main opposition parties are contesting the election, but a number of smaller groups have stayed out of the poll and are calling for a mass boycott. (Posted @ 20:40 PST)
Pakistan cartoon protesters burn Danish PM effigy ISLAMABAD, Feb 15 (AFP) - Hundreds of youths rallied in Pakistani cities and burned an effigy of the Danish Prime Minister Friday in protest at the reprinting of a blasphemous cartoon, witnesses said. Chanting “Death to the cartoonist,” protesters in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and other locations demanded that the Pakistani government cut diplomatic relations with Denmark and boycott Danish goods. In Karachi, students staged a rally outside a medical college while another rally by a religious party later burned the effigy of Danish prime minister. In Multan, dozens of students thrashed a dummy of the cartoonist with shoes and then set it ablaze at a demonstration, joined by about 150 local traders. In Lahore, about100 people carrying banners and placards burnt a Danish flag. Five people died in Pakistan in February 2006 during violent protests against the cartoons. (Posted @ 20:38 PST)
Pakistan fighter jet crashes, pilot killed ISLAMABAD, Feb 15 (AFP) - A French-built Pakistan Air Force Mirage fighter jet crashed in central Pakistan on Friday, killing the pilot, an air force spokesman said. The jet came down 30 kilometres southeast of Sargodha city in Punjab province, the site of a major air force base, he said. “The jet was on an operational training mission when it came down apparently due to technical malfunctioning. The pilot embraced shahadat (martyrdom),” he said. Pakistan's air force has ageing French-built Mirages, US F-16s and a large number of Chinese-built fighters in its fleet. (Posted @ 20:32 PST)
Pakistan name football head coach LAHORE, Pakistan, Feb 15 (APP): Pakistan Football Federation Friday named Akhtar Mohiuddin as head coach of the national team which will take part in Second AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers from April 2-6. The camp will be from February 20 to March 31. (Posted @ 19:36 PST)
One killed two hurt in Noshki blast QUETTA, Pakistan, Feb 15 (APP)-A young man was killed and two others were seriously injured when an explosive device planted by suspected miscreants went off near a mosque in Killi Qadirabad, a small locality three kilometers from Noshki town in Balochistan province. The blast occurred shortly after Friday prayers, police said. (Posted @ 19:28 PST)
SC dismisses review petition in presidential election case ISLAMABAD, Feb 15 (APP): The 16-member full court of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar Friday dismissed a petition seeking review of the judgement given in November in the presidential election case as well rejection of nomination papers of petitioner Dr. Zahoor Mehdi. The full court heard the arguments presented by the petitioner in person, the federation's counsel Sharifuddin Pirzada, and Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum. Dr. Mehdi had pleaded that there was no need for proposer and seconder for a candidate in the presidential election because this was contrary to provision of secrecy of ballot. (Posted @ 19:24 PST)
Kosovo PM refuses to give independence date PRISTINA, Serbia, Feb 15 (AFP) - Prime Minister Hashim Thaci refused Friday to confirm a date for Kosovo to declare its independence from Serbia, despite high expectations that it will do so this Sunday. Asked at a press conference what the date would be, Thaci -- who had just finished making a statement about the rights of Kosovo's minority Serbs -- replied: “Let's stick to what the press conference is about.” (Posted @ 18:54 PST)
Four killed, 13 injured in suicide bombing at Iraqi mosque BAGHDAD, Feb 15 (Reuters) - At least four people were killed and 13 wounded in Tal Afar, 420 km northwest of Baghdad, when two suicide bombers with explosive vests blew themselves up at the entrance to a mosque during Friday prayers, police said. (Posted @ 18:42 PST)
Quake shakes Mideast, causes injuries in Lebanon BEIRUT, Feb 15 (Reuters) - An earthquake shook the Middle East on Friday, damaging buildings in south Lebanon where three people were injured. The earthquake of magnitude 5.0 had an epicentre 15 km (9 miles) northeast of the Lebanese coastal city of Tyre, and was felt across Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and in the Syrian capital of Damascus. A Lebanese man and two Palestinians were injured in Tyre when a balcony fell on top of them, the Lebanese National News Agency reported. (Posted @ 18:38 PST)
Cricket-Australia beat Sri Lanka by 63 runs SYDNEY, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Australia beat Sri Lanka by 63 runs in a tri-series one-day international at the WACA in Perth on Friday. Scores: Australia 236 from 49.4 overs (Gilchrist 118; Malinga 4-47); Sri Lanka 173 from 45.3 overs (Sangakkara 80; Nathan Bracken 3-21, Mitchell Johnson 3-29) (Posted @ 18:22 PST)
Indian troops martyr two more Kashmiris Srinagar, occupied Kashmir, Feb 15 (PPI) Indian troops martyred two more Kashmiri youth in Pulwama district on Friday. According to Kashmir Media Service, the youth were shot dead by Indian Central Reserve Police Force personnel during a long siege and search operation at Litter village of the district. (Posted @ 17:54 PST)
Eight dead, two injured in Pakistan road mishap MANSEHRA, Pakistan, Feb 15 (APP): Eight persons were killed and two others were seriously injured when a jeep carrying passengers fell into a deep ravine near Balakot in northern Pakistan on Friday. The accident occurred at Kachi Gali when the overloaded Balakot bound jeep fell into the ravine. Seven persons died on the spot while one died on his way to hospital. The injured were rushed to the hospital. (Posted @ 17:50 PST)
Pakistan Navy has made remarkable achievements KARACHI, Pakistan, Feb 15 (APP): Pakistan Navy has a clear and well-defined role of defending the nation's sovereignty and integrity from threats emanating from the sea, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Afzal Tahir told student officers of the Air War College here Friday. Over the years, Pakistan Navy has made remarkable achievements and has now entered a new era of indigenous ship and submarine construction, he said adding that the policy of self- reliance in defence production has improved its image as a credible and reliable maritime force. (Posted @ 17:05 PST)
India offers Pakistan joint naval exercises NEW DELHI, Feb 15 (AFP) -- India, which recently staged its first military exercises with China, is ready to carry out naval maneuvers with arch-rival Pakistan, navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta said. He made the offer late Thursday on the sidelines of the inaugural Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) in New Delhi. “It would have followed as a matter of course if they (Pakistan) were here,” he replied to questions on the possibility of a joint naval manoeuvre with Pakistan. However, a first exercise with Pakistan may not happen in Indian waters, the admiral said. “But now I suppose it (exercise) may happen in a third country,” Mehta said.Twenty-six navies have sent senior representatives including Australia, Egypt and France to the forum, seen by experts as an effort by New Delhi to assert its strategic presence. Pakistan, which has never previously held military wargames with India, is represented at the meeting by its envoy in New Delhi and a junior naval officer. India's ties with Pakistan have improved since the two launched a peace process in 2004. In 2006, coastal security agencies from both countries set up a telephone hotline, but bilateral naval contacts remain limited. (Posted @ 16:20PST)
Cricket- England beat New Zealand by six wickets - result WELLINGTON, Feb 15 (Reuters): England beat New Zealand by six wickets on the Duckworth-Lewis method in the third one-day international at Auckland on Friday. Scores: New Zealand 234-9 from 50 overs (Jacob Oram 88, Daniel Vettori 42; Stuart Broad 3-32, Paul Collingwood 3-43); England 229-4 from 44 overs (Ian Bell 73, Collingwood 70 not out). (First Posted @ 10:15 PST, Updated @ 14:35 PST)
Taliban ambush kills four Afghan policemen KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Feb 15 (AFP): Taliban fighters ambushed a police patrol in western Afghanistan, killing four policemen and kidnapping two others, a provincial governor and the militia said Friday. Two more policemen were wounded in the attack late Thursday in Nimroz province, governor Ghulam Dastageer Azad told AFP. A Taliban spokesman, Yousuf Ahmadi, said fighters with his militia had carried out the attack. “We killed four policemen and have taken with us two policemen alive,” he said by telephone. (Posted @ 13:15 PST)
Nine killed in Nepal road accident KATMANDU, Nepal, Feb 15 (AP) A van skidded off a mountain road in western Nepal Friday, killing nine people and leaving 12 others seriously injured, officials said. The driver lost control of the overcrowded van in a remote mountainous area and plunged 30 meters, said Abdul Kalam Khan, chief government administrator in the area. (Posted @ 12:05 PST)
Six police officers wounded in attack by militants in Ingushetia NAZRAN, Russia, Feb 15 (AP): Unidentified gunmen fired at a police vehicle Thursday in Nazran, the main city of Russia’s Ingushetia province, wounding six officers, officials said. The attack occurred as several militants fired at police from a passing car, said Svetlana Gorbakova, a spokeswoman for the regional branch of the Federal Investigative Committee. (Posted @ 10:30 PST)
Hotel blaze kills 11 in eastern China BEIJING, Feb 15 (Reuters): Eleven people were killed and four injured in a hotel fire in eastern China's Zhejiang province early Friday, Xinhua news agency said. The fire broke out at 1:50 a.m. local time in the Chengshuai hotel in Yiwu city and was put out within an hour. Firefighters rescued 23 people, but 11 died in hospital and four were still being treated, Xinhua said. (Posted @ 09:40 PST)
Clinton wins New Mexico caucus after string of defeats WASHINGTON, Feb 15 (AFP): Hillary Clinton got a badly needed piece of good news Thursday with word she had won last week's New Mexico Democratic presidential caucus over her surging rival Barack Obama. Clinton received 73,105 votes while Obama had 71,396 votes in the February 5 caucus that drew record turnout, state Democratic official Brian Colon told a televised news conference from New Mexico. With New Mexico, Clinton now has won party contests in 12 states compared to 22 for Obama. Clinton narrowly trails Obama in the delegate count 1,237 to 1,289, according to the independent website RealClearPolitics. (Posted @ 09:30 PST)
7 dead, 16 hurt in Valentine's Day campus massacre CHICAGO, Feb 15 (AFP): A former student turned a university lecture hall into a Valentine's Day massacre Thursday, killing 6 people and injuring 16 others before turning a gun on himself in the fifth US school shooting in a week, authorities said. Armed with a shotgun and two handguns, he calmly stepped out from behind the curtain at the front of an auditorium just minutes before a geology class ended, officials and witnesses said. Screams filled the hall as he sprayed a hail of bullets from the stage of the auditorium filled with dozens of students at Northern Illinois University. (Posted @ 09:20 PST)
Karachi Stocks up 70.78 points: KARACHI, Feb 15: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 14353.84, up 70.78 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 16:02 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, Feb 15: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 63.2 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 16:02 PST)
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