Suicide attack on funeral prayer in Lower Dir leaves 27 dead

At least 27 people nave been killed and more than 50 sustained injuries in a suicide attack in the Jandul area during funeral prayers of a local tribal elder Bakhat Sultan here on Thursday.

Supreme Court reserves verdict in Karachi violence case

The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan has reserved its verdict in suo moto case on unrest in Karachi here on Thursday as the counsel of the federation Babar Awan completed his arguments.

US threatens unilateral operation inside Pak territory over failure of action against Haqqani Network

United States has warned Pakistan that the US will not allow to continue the attacks on US forces from Pakistan-based insurgents like the Haqqani Network.

Talking to media US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that Pakistani government has so far failed to take action against the Haqqani Network, adding that now US itself would take action to stop such kind of deadly attacks.

MQM will not leave PPP: Altaf assures Zardari

LONDON/ISLAMABAD: MQM chief Altaf Hussain made a telephonic call to President Asif Ali Zardari and inquired about his health.

As per Farhat Ullah Babar, Presidency spokesman, President thanked Altaf Hussain for inquiring about his health.

Abbottabad Commission records statements of intelligence, police, local witnesses

ISLAMABAD: The Inquiry Commission on Abbottabad Operation recorded statements of officers of police administration, intelligence and local witnesses of the area in Abbottabad on Thursday, says a press statement.

Pakistan deeply concerned over terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has expressed its deep concerns, apprehensions over sanctuaries, safe havens of terrorists on Afghan side of border, from where regular attacks were being launched on Pakistan.

Karachi be declared Madina tul Amman: Ejaz Virk

ISLAMABAD: Muhammad Ejaz Virk, member of NA standing committee on interior has sent his proposals on how to establish peace in Karachi and Balochistan to Parliament special committee for peace.

Kayani conferred prestigious Spanish award

RAWALPINDI: The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Ashfaq Parvez has been conferred ‘The Grand Cross of Military Merit’ on behalf of King of Spain in recognition of Pakistan army’s contribution in the fight of against terrorism.

CID police arrest target killer

Acting on a secret tip, the CID police, raided Pak Colony, and arrested a dangerous target killer, affiliated with a political party.

SSP, CID Sindh Fayyaz Khan, led the raiding party, and after a police encounter held near Abbas hotel, arrested Mairaj alias ‘the butcher’, s/o Ameer Bakhsh involved in heinous crimes of extortion, target killings and murder attempts.

Closure of edu institutions: Health experts term Shahbaz’ decision bizarre

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has set an unprecedented and bizarre example of its kind in the epidemiological disease control amongst about 110 countries of the globe where Dengue Fever is endemic.

This year’s flood damage bigger than last year’s: CDC

ISLAMABAD: Cotton Development Commissioner (CDC), Khalid Abdullah has said recent damage is bigger than last year’s floods.

He said about 2.7 million cotton bales worth Rs.3.5 billion were destroyed during recent flash floods in Sindh province as about 23 cotton growing districts of the province were badly affected due to torrential rains.

Wasan rejects claims of Mirza for issuing 300,000 arms licenses

KARACHI: Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wasan said that the claims of former Sindh senior minister Zulfiqar Mirza regarding issuing 300,000 arms licenses are wrong.

Judgement in suo motu case of Karachi violence reserved

KARACHI: Supreme Court (SC) Karachi registry has completed the hearing and reserved judgment in suo motu case of Karachi violence.

A 5-member bench of SC presided over by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Ghulam Rabbani, Justice Amir Hani Muslim, Justice Anwar Zahir Jamali and Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani heard the suo motu case in Karachi registry.

CJP remarked situation is worsening day by day. “We have told repeatedly that every unconstitutional process should cease to exist. We want to tell all that nothing is acceptable other than rule of law and democracy in this country”, he further remarked.

20 killed, 35 injured in suicide attack during funeral payer in Lower Dir

LOWER DIR: At least 20 people were killed and 35 others injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up during funeral prayer near Jandol, the main town of tribal agency, officials said.

NDMA outlines Sindh’s destruction in aftermath of floods, rains

KARACHI: NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) has released details of destruction and after effects of floods and rains in Sindh.

Detailing the harrowing after effects of intermittent rains and floods in Sindh while talking to media, the spokesman NDMA, Irshad Bhatti informed that 7,520 suffered snakebites, 616500 were affected by eyesore, 560,000 were afflicted with skin diseases, 7,50,000 suffered from cholera, 2,70,000 had respiratory problems, while 1,85.000 were victims of malaria.

Politics against national interest of country unacceptable, says Gilani

CHARSADDA: Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani Thursday made it clear that PPP believed in politics of reconciliation urging politics against national interest of country must be halted as country was passing through difficult times.

SC seeks daily report on Bhatta extortion

KARACHI: A Larger Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan headed by Mr. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry – the Chief Justice of Pakistan, while reserving Judgment in Suo-Motu Case of the Karachi law and order situation has sought report from CCPO Karachi on daily efforts made for the restoration of peace in the city.

7 polio cases reported in Peshawar in 2011: Hoti

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has said that as many as seven cases of polio have been reported in the province so far during the current year, out of which five are being attributed to the refusal of administering anti-polio vaccines to the children.

The general masses, government functionaries,

Farzana terms ADB support vital for socio-economic uplift

MANILA: Federal Minister and Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Farzana Raja has termed the support of Asian Development Bank (ADB) vital for economic as well as human development initiatives aiming to improve the lives of marginalized segments of society.

She said this during a high level meeting with President ADB Mr. Haruhiko Kuroda and the other top management of the Bank. Secretary BISP Mr. Sher Khan, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Philippines Mr. Mohsin Razi, Alternate Executive Director for Pakistan Mr. Siraj Shamsuddin, Director General Center and West Asia Regional Department, Mr. Juan Miranda were also present on the occasion.

Schools for girls to be set up in all UCs: Babak

PESHAWAR: Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education, Sardar Hussain Babak has said that all those union councils of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which have no girls’ middle and high school would soon get one middle and high school each for girls.

12-member Sri Lankan doctors team to visit hospitals

LAHORE: A 12-member Sri Lankan Doctors Team would visit different hospitals in Lahore and review on the spot medical facilities and environment being extended to the dengue fever patients.

FO says remarks of Leon Panetta about unilateral action inside Pak territory out of line

Pakistan has said that remarks of US Defence Secretary about unilateral action inside Pakistan is out of line with the type of cooperation between the two countries on counter-terrorism.

All institutions including judiciary should work within domain of constitution for rule of law in country: Asma

President Supreme Court Bar Association Asma Jehangir has said that all the institutions including the judiciary should work within constitutional domain for rule of law in the country.

Dengue claims 5 more lives in Lahore

Dengue fever has claimed five more lives on Thursday in Lahore raising the overall death toll from the virus to 26.

Aitzaz says SC & HC judges’ can not perform official duties till two years after retirement

Former president of Supreme Court Bar Association and leader of People’s Party Chaudhry Aitzaz Ashen has said that any judge of Supreme Court or High Court can not perform official duty fro two years after the retirement , adding that the position of the NAB chairman will be considered as official duty.

Commenting on the reports of appointment of justice (retd) Javed Iqbal as Chairman NAB, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan said that in the absence of NAB chairman the NAB has practical existence.

JSQM leader, 25 suspects arrested in Karachi

Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) Chairman Bashir Khan Qureshi was detained by the Rangers during a search and raid operation in Karachi, meanwhile police has arrested 25 suspected persons including many target killers here on Thursday from various parts of the city.

Democracy imperative for peace, stability & development: Fehmida

Dr. Fehmida Mirza, Speaker, National Assembly has said that political leadership should forge unity and join hands in order to take Pakistan out of the present quagmire. She said this in her statement on the International Democracy Day being commemorated worldwide under the auspicious of United Nations on Thursday.

Pak army rescue operation continues in flood-afected area of Sindh; establishes additional medical camps

Relief and Rescue operations continue by Pakistan Army troops in flood affected areas and establishing Army Relief Camps and additional medical camps in flood affected areas of Sindh.

UNDP calls for inclusion of youth in democratic processes

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through the Netherlands supported Strengthening Democracy through Parliamentary Development (SDPD) project, organized a panel discussion entitled “Youth Inclusion and Democracy”

Govt spending huge funds on orphans, widows & flood affected people of KP: Dr Arbab

The Federal Minister for Communications Dr. Arbab Alamgir Khan Khalil has said that the present democratic government is spending huge funds on orphans, widows and flood affected people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under Benazir Income Support Program.