Syed Ali Gilani Placed Under House Arrest

Srinagar : In occupied Kashmir, the authorities placed the veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani under house arrest on Tuesday.

Hajj Scam : Kazmi granted bail

Islamabad : A court in Islamabad granted bail to Former Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi in the Hajj scam case on Wednesday.

Hockey : Talks on for India, Pakistan series

New Delhi : Hockey federations of India and Pakistan are in talks to revive the bilateralseries, subject to the clearance of both governments, a senior Indian hockey official said.

PM Gialni directs early provision of requisite funds for AJK ongoing development schemes

Islamabad : Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani directed the concerned for early provision of requisite funds for AJK ongoing development schemes.

Swiss government donates 10 helicopters to Pakistan for rescue & relief operations

Multan :Swiss Charge D'affair Mr. Nicolas Plattner has disclosed that his government has donated ten surplus Alouette-III Helicopters along with spare parts and associated kits to Pakistan for non-combat search and rescue missions as well as for humanitarian assistance in future relief operation.

Qaim Ali Shah warns action against criminals irrespective of their political links

KARACHI : Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah Wednesday warned stern action againstcriminals and lawbreakers irrespective of their political linkages, so as to improve law and order situation in the province, especially Karachi.

89 Indian fishermen to be released on April 15

Karachi : A total of 89 Indian fishermen to be released on April 15 from Malir Jail in Karachi will be taken to Lahore by buses and handed over to Indian authorities at Wagah border, said member Indo-Pakistan Judicial Committee on Prisoners Justice (retd.) Nasir Aslam Zahid.

President to take up duty issue with Turkey : Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig

LAHORE : Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig in a letter toPresident Asif Ali Zardari advised to take up the matter ofadditional custom duty imposed from 24th July 2011 by Turkey on theimport of Pakistani textile products. As per the decision there willbe additional 18% custom duty to be charged on the import of denimfabric from Pakistan, making total duty 24.5% instead of original 6.5%.

Cricket: Waqar Younis wants PCB to look other than uninterested Javed Miandad

Karachi : Pakistan cricket team coach Waqar Younis is not happy in the manner the PCB has been pestering Javed Miandad to take up the job of a batting consultant when the legendary batsmanis not too keen on it.

Government given last chance in Rehman Malik case

THE Lahore High Court on Tuesday gave last opportunity to the federal government and Chairman Senate to file replies by April 20 in connection with a writ petition, seeking disqualification of Rehman Malik as Senator on the basis of his removal from service.

UAE clearance too late for banned Mohammad Asif

KARACHI: Pakistan said Tuesday that paceman Mohammad Asif had been given permission to play in the United Arab Emirates, though the dispensation counts for little given his seven-year international ban.

Javed Miandad visits conditioning camp

KARACHI: Former captain Javed Miandad visited a two-day conditioning camp at the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore, which started on Tuesday.

US general warns expansion of Lashkar-e-Taiba

WASHINGTON: A top US general expressed concern to Congress on Tuesday about the expanding reach of the Pakistani banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Pakistan, US discussing reduction in US operatives

WASHINGTON: United States on Tuesday said that it is negotiating a possible reduction in US intelligence operatives and special operations officers in Pakistan.

Thankful to be opted to plead ZAB reference: Babar Awan

ISLAMABAD: Law Minister Babar Awan, who resigned from ministerial post to plead reopen case of former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (ZAB), has said that he would have resigned being the Prime Minister of Pakistan to avail this golden chance to reveal to the world what cruelty was perpetrated upon Quaid-e-Awam ZAB, Geo News reported.

Pakistan, India impasse unlikely to end soon: Pentagon

WASHINGTON: The current impasse in ties between India and Pakistan is unlikely to end soon given the fragile government in Islamabad, which is overshadowed by powerful military which heavily influences policies on Kashmir and Afghanistan, a top Pentagon has said.

US Drone Strike: 6 Killed in Pakistan

 U.S. drone aircraft fired four missiles in Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal region on Wednesday, killing six militants, days after the head of the country's intelligence agency called for an end to the strikes that have caused deep anger.

Reply to Ch Nisar about his statement will be given in parliament: PM Gilani

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said he will give reply to Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in parliament about his statement.

Pakistan wants sustainable, constructive engagement with India: President Zardari

ANKARA: President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan has a clear strategy on how to tackle terrorism adding that dialogue is the only way to normalize relations with India.

Supreme Court adjourns NRO hearing till tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court on Tuesday refused the repeated appeal by the Additional Attorney General K.K Agha to allow Dr Khalid Ranjha to counsel the case for federation in place of Kamal Azfar, and adjourned the hearing till April 14, a Private Channel reported.

Doctors’ job security to be ensured: PM Gilani

ISLAMABAD : Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani has said that doctors’ employment job security would be ensured and they would be provided better opportunities for promotion.

HEALHT: 400000 Pakistanis suffers from Parkinson’s disease

Karachi :  There are an estimated 400,000 people suffering from Parkinson’s disease in Pakistan and over 6 million worldwide.  

5828 Pakistani nationals evacuated from Libya

ISLAMABAD : The Froriegn Office said on Tuesday that 5828 Pakistani nationals evacuatedfrom Libya have returned to Pakistan According to a statment issued here,

Pakistan-France bilateral Political Consultations held

ISLAMABAD : Pakistan and France held bilateral political consultations in Islamabad Tuesday, and discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to bilateral relations, the regional situation, the European Union, the United Nations and the evolving global scenario.

Sport: Pak beat Afghanistan in SAARC Baseball Cup

LAHORE : Pakistan outclassed Afghanistan 21-1 inthe inaugural match of the first SAARC Baseball Cup-2011 thatcommenced at the Punjab Stadium here on Tuesday.

CNG stations to observe strike in Punjab today

LAHORE : The CNG station owners will observecomplete strike in Lahore and other parts of Punjab on Wednesday(today) against the gas loadshedding. The Petrol pump retailers willalso close their outlets as token strike on the occasion.

Kabab Frosh arrested for using anima fate instead cooking oil

Peshawar :  The district government Peshawar had already stopped the use of animal fate for cooking of Kabab. Even then as per public complaints regarding use of animal fate by certain Kabab Farosh on Charsadda Road.

74 arrested by FIA, Coast Guards joint action

GWADAR :  Seventy four persons were arrested in a joint action by Coast Guards and FederalInvestigation Agency (FIA) near Pasni Tuesday.According to details,

Bhutto case: Law Minister Babar Awan quits his ministerial post to plead ZAB case)

Islamabad : Federal Law Minister Dr Babar Awan resigned to plead the presidential reference about the retrial case of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.Federal Law Minister Babar Awan presented his resignation to the Supreme Court on Wednesday so it could not become hurdle for him pleading ZAB case.

Pakistani netted with Rs.3 m worth heroin in Colombo

Colombo : A Pakistani national was arrested in Colombo yesterday for attempting to smuggle heroin worth over three million rupees which he swallowed after packing it neatly into 48 condoms, the police said.“

6,000 unemployed youth to receive training in Malaysia

Karachi  : Under the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Youth Development Programme, provincial department of transport will send 6,000 unemployed youth to Malaysia to attend a training course whichwill eventually help them in finding jobs there,

New UNICEF Representative for Pakistan

Islamabad : Mr. Dan Rohrmann has presented his credentials to the Government of Pakistan as the Representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Pakistan.

Experts show concern on sufferings of patients of Alzheimer disease

KARACHI : Experts from medical profession and pharmaceutical industry shared their researches and experiences relating to the Alzheimer disease at a seminar, organized at the Universityof Karachi by local NGOs -- Inner Wheel Club of Karachi and Mera Ghar -- at the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) premises.

Efforts on to resolve political issues through reconciliation: Sharmila Farooqui

Karachi : Pakistan Peoples’ Party Women Wing Sindh Information Secretary Ms. Sharmila Farooqui said on Wednesday that the present government was committed to take all coalition partners onboard besides redressing the grievances of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz(PML-N) and the Awami National Party (ANP) through its reconciliation policy.

32% Pakistanis believe USA to be more powerful: Survey

Islamabad : As many as 32% of all Pakistanis believe that USA to be more powerful, whereas 31% hold a similar view about China, showed the result of a survey conducted by Gilani Research Foundation/Gallup Pakistan.In a survey,

Militants kidnap 3 for refusing to fight on their side

BARA: Militants belonging to Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) kidnapped three persons from Speen Qabar area of Bara tehsil in Khyber Agency on Tuesday after they refused to fight against rival Zakhakhel tribe and Tirah-based militant organisation Ansarul Islam (AI), local sources said.

Pakistani-US citizen sentenced to 23-year jail on terrorism charges

WASHINGTON: Dual nationality holder of Pakistan-United States, Farooq Ahmad, was sentenced to 23-years in prison for plotting attacks on subway stations around the US capital with people he believed were al-Qaeda affiliates.

Zulfiqar Mirza not removed on MQM’s demand: CM Qaim Ali Shah

SUKKUR: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Tuesday said that the provincial home minister Zulfiqar Ali Mirza had not been removed on the demand of MQM chief Altaf Hussain but sent on one-month leave.

LHC seeks Interior Ministry’s report on Raymond Davis victim families

Lahore: The Lahore High Court has sought the interior ministry’s report on the whereabouts of missing families of Faizan and Faheem, two Pakistanis shot dead by Raymond Davis, an American national.

‘SBP report has exposed true state of economy’

LAHORE: The State Bank of Pakistan has exposed the true state of the economy of the country in its third quarter report and made it clear to the government that it needs to take some practical steps immediately to redress the problems facing the public and business community in the country.

Petition against HEC’s devolution put off

LAHORE: Justice Sh Azmat Saeed of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday adjourned for an indefinite period the hearing of a writ petition challenging the devolution of the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan,

PM Gilani hopes France will support Pak case for EU market access

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday hoped that France being one of the main trading partners of Pakistan in Europe would continue to support Pakistan’s case in the European Union for greater market access through the WTO waiver, GSP Plus trade concessions and for the start of negotiations on Pakistan-EU free trade agreement.

Supreme Court asks CS to submit report on Balochistan law & order situation

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed Chief Secretary Balochistan to take instructions from the chief minister for addressing issues pertaining to target killings and kidnapping for ransom etc and submit report within two weeks.

8 militants killed in Mohmand shelling

GHALLANAI: Eight militants were killed and 12 others sustained injuries when the jetfighters and gunship helicopters shelled their hideouts in Baizai tehsil of Mohmand Agency on Tuesday, official sources said.

Three kids killed in US troops- insurgents crossfire

KABUL: The office window of the European Union’s special representative to Afghanistan was hit by gunfire Tuesday, officials said. Nobody was hurt in the incident at the high security Kabul compound of envoy Vygaudas Usackas, and it is not known whether the shooting was accidental or deliberate.

SC questions Parliamentary Committee’s role

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the federation to clarify its stance on the role and status of the Parliamentary Committee (PC) vis-‡-vis Article 68.

Punjab CNG stations to go on strike from today

LAHORE: All CNG filling stations in the Punjab will go on strike from today (Wednesday) for an infinite period while owners of petrol pumps will also support this call for one-day and keep the pumps closed in both the federal and provincial capital.

16 Pakistani hostages held by Somali pirates freed

ISLAMABAD: There is great news for the families of 16 Pakistanis and two Iranians, as their loved ones have been freed from the Somali pirates after the Danish Navy carried out an air operation to rescue the Pakistani hostages who have been in the custody of the pirates since the last year.

Pak politics, govt passing through critical phase: PM Gilani

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Tuesday that the polity and administration of Pakistan is passing through a critical phase and committed persons are needed to face the economic and administrative challenges.

HEC stays for time being, thanks to SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) shall continue discharging its functions and duties as it had been doing in the past unless and until a fresh legislation was promulgated.