Pakistan facing challenges of terrorism, extremism: Shahbaz Sharif

LAHORE : Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan is passing through the most critical phase of its history and facing challenges of terrorism and extremism. 

Four Naval personnel martyred, 56 injured in terrorism acts on Naval buses in Karachi

Karachi :  At least four personnel of Pakistan Navy embraced martyrdom and 56 others injured when terrorists separately blasted two Navy buses with bombs planted near them on road side Tuesday in Karachi.

Iranian Consul General stresses for promotion of mutual

LAHORE : The Iranian Consul General MuhammadHussain Bani Assadi has said that Pakistan and Iran has thepotential to cater to each other's needs provided the businesscommunity in the two countries has exposure to the availableopportunities. 

President Zardari urges businessmen, entrepreneurs recommend measures to revive economy, contain inflation, promote growth, jobs creation

Islamabad : President Asif Ali Zardari urged businessmen and entrepreneurs to recommend solid measures to revive economy, contain inflation, promote growth and jobs creation in the country.

International Hockey optimism return to Pakistan this year : Asif Bajwa

Lahore : Pakistan Hockey Federation Secretary Asif Bajwa Tuesday expressed optimism that international hockey will return to the country this year.

Rehman Malik says “good clues” found in Naval buses blasts in Karachi

Karachi : Interior Minister Rehman Malik says “good clues” found in twin blasts targetingPakistan Navy buses Tuesday in Karachi in which four Navy personnel embraced martyrdom and 58 others injured.“We have found good clues and hopefully will nab culprits,” he said at news conference with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah Tuesday at CM House after presiding high level meeting on law and order. IG Police Sindh Fayyaz Leghari, CCPO Karachi, Rangers Sindh, intelligence officials were also present.

Rehman Malik categorically denies ISI role in politics

Karachi : Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik Tuesday categorically denied that Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) has any role in national politics, saying it (ISI) was "courageouslyfighting against terrorists and anti-state elements."

Prime Minister Gilani approves posting, transfer of top officers

Islamabad : Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani Tuesday approved posting and transfer of sixofficers with immediate effect for which notifications were issued by  Establishment Division.

President Zardari strongly condemns bomb blast on Navy buses in Karachi

Islamabad : President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned bomb blast on Pakistan Navy buses that caused loss of lives and injuries to many Tuesday in Karachi.

PM Gilani strongly condemns violent attack on Navy Buses

Islamabad :  Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has strongly condemned the violent attack on Navy Buses inKarachi Tuesday resulting in loss of innocent lives and injuries to many. 

Kamran Akmal denies Zulqarnain’s ‘match fixer’ allegations against father-in-law

Islamabad : Discarded Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has denied runaway cricketer Zulqarnain Haider’s claims about the involvement of his father-in-law in gambling.

Pakistan-India talks on relaxed visa regime in May-June

New Delhi : Pakistan has proposed to India two sets of dates - last week of May and first week of June - for holding a meeting of the Joint Working Group to carry forward the process of having a relaxed visa regime.

Constructive engagement with India vital for good ties : PM Gilani

ISLAMABAD : Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said on Tuesday that constructive engagement with India was vital for both the countries to move towards the goal of establishing good-neighbourly relations.

PM Gilani demands concret evidence to nail ISI

Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has asked opposition lawmaker Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to produce irrefutable and concrete evidence to enable him to take the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency to task for alleged misdemeanours.

Replying to Nisar Ali Khan's charge made in the National Assembly on Tuesday, Gilani said that while his government fully respects the reservations voiced by opposition leader against the ISI, no action could be taken against the latter without substantial error-free evidence.

Osama bin Laden did not escape to Pakistan, but headed north: GITMO documents

London : A secret intelligence report compiled by officials at Guantánamo Bay has claimed that Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden did not escape to Pakistan, but headed up north in December 2001.

ISI being wrongfully defamed internationally: Rehman Malik

Karachi : Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Tuesday angrily rejected documents leaked by the whistle-blowing web site WikiLeaks showing the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in bad light.

Cricket : Shahid Afridi urges his players keep good form going

Glos Islet, St Lucia : Skipper Shahid Afridi urged his players to keep their good form going after they got 2-0 lead over West Indies with a seven-wicket win in second one-day cricket international here. Chasing a target of 221, opener Ahmed Shehzad returned to form with 102 as tourists got home with two overs to spare. Pakistan now have chance to seal five-match series in Barbados on April 28.

Political parties invited to discuss National Economic Agenda

Karachi : The senior leadership of the country's major political parties is meeting on Friday in Islamabad to discuss the possibility of agreeing to a minimum framework for developing a consensus on a National Economic Agenda.

Indian Commerce Secretary says discuss all important trade related issues with Pakistan

Amritsar : Indian Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar who Tuesday crossed into Pakistan withsix-member delegation for April 28-28 talks with Pakistan counterpart Zafar Mehmood said "I am going to Islamabad with an open mind and would discuss all important issues related to India, Pakistan trade."

President Obama reviews United States, Pakistan cooperation in war on terror

Washington : United States President Barack Obama reviewed the cooperation between the USand Pakistan in the ongoing war on terror.

After 500 die, Nigeria holds another election

UYO, Nigeria – Hundreds of poll workers fled their jobs and tens of thousands of displaced Nigerians had nowhere to cast ballots as gubernatorial elections went ahead Tuesday despite violence after the presidential poll earlier this month that left at least 500 people dead.

Afghan forces recapture 65 from Kandahar jailbreak

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – Afghan forces have recaptured at least 65 of the prisoners who escaped from the south's largest prison, the government said Tuesday as it scrambled to recover from the massive security breach that allowed 480 inmates to be spirited out in a stunning jailbreak.

Leaked files: Gitmo inmate informed on 123 others

 LONDON – Leaked U.S. military documents reveal that a Guantanamo Bay detainee was freed after informing on 123 other prisoners, despite concerns about the reliability of his evidence, a British newspaper reported Tuesday.

Police rescues 51 migrants in Mexican border city

MEXICO CITY – Mexico's federal police rescued 51 people, including six Chinese and 18 Central American migrants, who were captive in the same border city where more than five dozen people were freed last week, authorities said Monday night.

China warns against "interference" ahead of U.S. rights talks

BEIJING  – The Chinese government warned on Tuesday against using human rights disputes as what it called a tool to meddle, ahead of talks with the United States that will focus on complaints about Beijing's crackdown on dissent.

Heavy fighting in Misrata and Libyan mountains

TRIPOLI  – Troops loyal to Muammar Gaddafi extended their campaign to pound Berber towns in Libya's Western Mountains and battled rebels around the port of the besieged western city of Misrata.

12 Indonesians stand trial over sectarian murders

SERANG, Indonesia  - Twelve Indonesians stood trial Tuesday over the gruesome mob slaying of three minority Islamic sect members, the worst in a recent spate of hate crimes in the mainly Muslim country.  

UN chief says no probe into Sri Lanka mass killings

UNITED NATIONS  - UN chief Ban Ki-moon has said he cannot order an international probe into the killing of tens of thousands of civilians during Sri Lanka's final assault on Tamil separatists in 2009.  

NATO kills 'number two most-wanted' in Afghanistan

KABUL  - NATO troops in Afghanistan said Tuesday they had killed a Saudi described as an "Al-Qaeda senior leader" who was their number two most-wanted insurgent in the country.  

6.3-magnitude quake hits Indonesia

CILACAP, Indonesia - A 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit Central Java on Tuesday, around 120 kilometres southwest of Cilacap at a depth of 24 kilometres (14.9 miles), according to local officials.  

Three bomb blasts hit northeastern Nigeria on voting day

KANO, Nigeria  - Three bomb blasts hit the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri as the country prepared to vote in governorship elections on Tuesday, police said, but no casualties were reported. 

Kadhafi defiant despite NATO bombs, rebel gains

MISRATA, Libya  - Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi remained defiant on Tuesday after his compound was hit by NATO bombs and rebels in Misrata said they had pushed his troops out of the besieged city.  

Qaeda post-9/11 plotters held in Guantanamo: WikiLeaks

WASHINGTON  - A small group of Al-Qaeda operatives was plotting chilling follow-up attacks after September 11 before they were detained at Guantanamo, leaked documents on the US facility revealed Tuesday.

Fresh bomb blasts as Nigeria votes in wake of riots

KANO, Nigeria  - Fresh bomb blasts jolted Nigeria on Tuesday as the country went to the polls for state governors' elections, the last of three landmark ballots that have already triggered deadly unrest.  

France urges UN, EU to take 'strong measures' against Syria

PARIS  - France is urging the United Nations and the European Union to take "strong measures" against Syria to halt its violent repression of political protests, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.  

Egypt says Iran ties will not undermine Gulf security

KUWAIT CITY - Visiting Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf on Tuesday vowed that his country's possible ties with Iran will not undermine security of oil-rich Arab states in the Gulf. 

Medvedev proposes new global convention for nuclear safety

CHERNOBYL, Ukraine  - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday he had drawn up proposals for a new convention on nuclear safety, 25 years on from the Chernobyl disaster.  

Egypt's ex-interior minister goes on trial

CAIRO  - Egyptian ex-interior minister Habib al-Adly went on trial in Cairo Tuesday, accused of having ordered the shooting of demonstrators during protests that toppled the former regime, state media said. 

Pakistan Tennis Federation to invite Sania Mirza for women’s event in proposed “Wagah border match”

Karachi, April : The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) is set to invite Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza for a women’s exhibition match in the proposed Indo-Pak tennis series at the Wagah Border.

Pakistan Tennis Federation plans to hold star-studded tourney to promote tennis in drone-hit Waziristan region

Karachi : The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) is planning to hold a tournament in the war-torn, militant-infested mountainous region of Waziristan, featuring top national players of the country.

Kamran's father-in-law sues Zulqarnain Haider for fixing claims

Karachi : Within a day of touching down in Pakistan after being in hiding for five months in London, runaway wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider has landed in a legal soup with Kamran Akmal's father-in-law filing a Rs 100 million defamation case against him.

Pakistan beats West Indies by 7 wickets to take 2-0 lead in ODI series

CASTRIES, St. Lucia — Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad hit a confident 102 to lead Pakistan to a seven-wicket victory over West Indies on Monday for a 2-0 lead in the five-match, one-day international series.

Pentagon considering providing drone technology to Pakistan: NATO commander

ISLAMABAD: Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kiani has met NATO commander in Afghanistan Gen Patreaus and exchanged views on a set of issues including bilateral relations, war against terrorism, drone attacks and others.

No evidence to link LeT to 2009 attack: DG ISPR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities have no evidence linking the Lashkar-e-Taiba to the 2009 suicide bomb attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul or suggesting that the banned group has "global aspirations", the country’s chief military spokesman has said.

Govt not to compromise on national integrity, defence: President Zardari

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has said government will not compromise on national integrity and defence of the country.

3534 human traffickers arrested in 2009-10: Rehman Malik

ISLAMABAD : Interior Minister Rehman Malik informed the national assembly on Monday that 1755 human traffickers were arrested during 2009 and 1779 in 2010.

Supreme Court orders formation of EC immediately

ISLAMABAD : Supreme Court (SC) directed federal government to formulate the Election Commission (EC) immediately.

Guantánamo Bay files: Pakistan’s ISI listed as terrorist group

LONDON: US authorities describe the main Pakistani intelligence service as a terrorist organisation in secret files obtained by the Guardian.

ISI has no contacts with terrorist groups: (ISPR) Major General Athar Abbass

RAWALPINDI : Director General Inter-Services-Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Athar Abbass has said that Inter-Services-Intelligence (ISI) is a professional organization, which has no contacts with any terrorist group, adding that ISI has no links with the Mumbai terrorist attacks.

Attack on passenger bus in Pakistan kills 13

QUETTA, Pakistan  - Armed men attacked and set fire to a passenger bus in Pakistan's troubled southwest, killing at least 13 people, including women and children, officials said Tuesday.  

Pakistan naval bus attacks kill 4 in Karachi

KARACHI : Bomb attacks hit two buses carrying Pakistani navy officials in Karachi Tuesday, killing four people in the latest sign of rampant insecurity in a nation key to US hopes of beating the Taliban. 

PML-N office ransacked in Karachi

KARACHI : A group of enraged men attacked the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Secretariat Office in Karsaz Karachi here on Monday.

Kayani, Petraeus discuss ways to improve regional security

ISLAMABAD : Gen. David H. Petraeus, Commander of the NATO International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan,

51% Pakistanis blame current govt for frequent electricity load-shedding: survey

ISLAMABAD : Almost 51% Pakistanis blame the current Government for the frequent electricity load shedding as compared to only 22% who thought so in 2009.

Defence Minister condemns attacks on Navy buses

ISLAMABAD : Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar has strongly condemned attacks on Navy buses in Karachi which caused loss of precious lives and injured many.In a messages,

UN Secy General appreciates Pakistan’s significant contribution to UN Peacekeeping Missions

ISLAMABAD : UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon has greatly appreciated Pakistan’s significant contribution to UN Peacekeeping Missions across the world, adding that this has brought credibility to the world body.

Memon says govt. will blow the lid of anti-Pakistan forces

Karachi : Sindh Minister for Information and Archives Sharjeel Inam Memon has strongly condemned blasts in Defence and Baldia areas and has sympathised with the victims’ families.

Pakistan asks India drop opposition to European Union giving duty free access to textiles

New Delhi : Ahead of India, Pakistan Commerce Secretaries’ meeting in Islamabad on April 27-28, Islamabad has asked New Delhi to drop its opposition to the European Union giving duty-free access to textiles in its proposed flood relief package to Pakistan, Indian Express newspaper reportedon Tuesday.