Pakistan, Britain formally launched enhanced strategic dialogue

Islamabad : Pakistan and Britain Tuesday formally launched enhanced strategic dialogue tostrengthen relations in security, trade, health, education.
Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and his visiting British counterpart David Cameron at news conferenceafter talks covering strategic dialogue and meeting with heads of parliamentary parties, vowed to enhance investments and encourage private sectors to increase annual bilateral trade from 1.2 to 2.5 billion pounds by year 2015.

Cameron termed Pak-UK ties as “unbreakable. We focused on trade, security, education. We agreed on police services, intelligence cooperation, discussed importance of Pak-Afghan relations. UK, Pakistan shared need of peaceful, stable and democratic Afghanistan. Pakistan suffered greatly in tackling terrorism, extremism. There was huge fight being waged by the [Pakistan] government against terrorists. UK had a share in combating terrorism.” Britain will help Pakistan impart education to four million children, train 90,000 teachers.

Britain urges Pakistan, India build on recent tentative steps to better ties

Islamabad : Visiting British Prime Minister David Cameron Tuesday urged Pakistan and India to build on recent, tentative steps toward better relations, saying "time was now ripe for both nations to put their history of war and mistrust behind them."

Musharraf says Pakistan government needs to work harder to combat extremists

London : Former President Pervez Musharraf Tuesday told Sky News that Pakistan governmentneeds to work harder to combat Islamic extremists within its borders.

Pakistan has "no clear path" on fighting militancy: White House

Washington : Pakistan still has no "clear path" to defeat militants on its soil, a new White House report says. It also said the Afghan Taliban had begun targeting civilian targets in recent months and that "heavy fighting" was expected this spring.

Bill Gates telephones President Zardari

Islamabad : Chairman Microsoft Corporation and Bill Gates Foundation Mr. Bill Gates Wednesday telephoned President Asif Ali Zardari.  Spokesperson to the President Mr. Farhatullah Babar said that Bill Gates talked about health related issues in Pakistan particularly the progress made on the Polio

ISSUING DOGRA CERTIFICATES A PLAN TO DIVIDE KASHMIR

In occupied Kashmir, the All Parties Hurriyet Conference (APHC), Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and several other pro-freedom parties have termed the authorities’ order of issuing DograCertificates to the people of Jammu a deep-rooted conspiracy to divide the territory on ethnic lines.

ALI GILANI DEMANDS TROOPS' WITHDRAWAL FROM IHK

In occupied Kashmir, veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani has urged India to withdraw troops from the territory and release all illegally detained Kashmiri Hurriyet leaders and activists.

ICCI strongly condemns govt’s decision to devolve HEC

Islamabad : Higher Education Commission( HEC) has played a  key role in organizing the Higher Education sector in Pakistan which has the lowest literacy rate in the region. HEC programs improved the working of Universities in Pakistan

Pakistan making little progress on insurgents: White House

Washington : The White House sent Congress a progress report of the Afghanistan war, saying Pakistan is making little progress in containing insurgents but acknowledging improved militaryties between Islamabad and Washington.

Mirza orders tight security on highways

Karachi : Taking notice of a sharp rise in the loots on highways, Home Minister Sindh Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza has directed law enforcement agencies to tighten security on the routes used by vehicles to transport medicines,

United States dials back criticism of Pakistan

Washington : A new White House report dialed back harsh criticism of Pakistan for failing to take on al Qaeda and other anti-Western militants, a shift signaling United States doubts that public pressure on Islamabad is working, Wall Street Journal reported.In a report sent to Congress on Tuesday,

Cricket : Kamran, Razzaq, Younis dropped from squad for ODI series against West Indies

Lahore : National cricket selectors Wednesday showed intent to build a new one-day international team by dropping senior players Kamran Akmal, Abdul Razzaq and Younis Khan for upcoming One-day series in West Indies. Experienced pace bowler Umar Gul will not be part of squad  as he optedto take a break.

Govt committed to implement policies, practices to prevent, counter emergence of highly resistant microorganisms: PM Gilani

Islamabad : Pakistan is observing World Health Day under the theme, "Antimicrobial resistance: no action today, no cure tomorrow". By joining hands with the world, our government expresses its commitment to implement the policies and practices needed to prevent and counter the emergence of highly resistant microorganisms by utilizing all the possible resources,

Pakistan's economy faces considerable challenges: Asian Development Bank

Manila : Pakistan's economy faces considerable challenges, and though recently falling, it’s still high inflation may well accelerate, Asian Development Bank (ADB) warned in a new report on Wednesday.