PTI, MQM lawmakers extend support to Musharraf: Aide

LAHORE: Lawmakers belonging to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) approached the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) and assured their extensive support for party head Pervez Musharraf — to be extended at the “right time.”

Details of the meeting were disclosed by political advisor and close aide of Musharraf, Chaudhry Sarfraz Anjum Kahlon.

Kahlon said that several senior lawmakers including representatives of PTI and MQM had privately conveyed their dismay over Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s stance on Musharraf and had provided assurances of extensive support for Musharraf.

Court clears Chandy in palm oil import case

The Kerala High Court yesterday dismissed petitions of opposition leader V S Achuthanandan and former bureaucrat Alphons Kannanthanam to against Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in the 1992 palm oil import case.

Upholding the trial court decision, the high court also wondered if the petitioners were trying to delay the trial and making political capital out of it. The court also observed that the petitioners did not approach any court after it was taken up for trial in 2004.

Manmohan Singh condemns 'cowardly attack' on armymen in Srinagar

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday condemned the militant attack in Srinagar in which five army personnel were killed, and said the "cowardly attack" would not deter the security forces engaged in bringing peace and order to the Kashmir Valley.

Six people were injured in the attack which took place when militants opened fire on an army convoy on the outskirts of the city ahead of the prime minister's visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

Uttarakhand chopper crash: all 20 on board feared dead 12 bodies found

Dehradun: On the morning after a tragic helicopter crash in which all 20 people on board, including five Indian Air Force personnel, are feared dead, Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne is in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand and said, " Our rotors will not stop turning. We owe it to those who lost their lives in this rescue op."

The Air Chief landed in Dehradun this morning and then reached Gauchar, the hub of relief and rescue operations, to boost the morale of his men engaged in their largest-ever rescue mission. At Gauchar, the Indian Air Force's helicopters took off on their rescue sorties on schedule this morning.

Seven killed, 12 injured in Karachi blast

KARACHI: Seven people were killed and 12 others sustained injuries in a bomb explosion at Burns Road, Karachi, Express News reported on Wednesday.

Police said Sindh High Court Justice Baqar Maqbool’s convoy was the target of the attackers. They added that explosive material was planted on a motorbike.

Police and rescue personnel have reached the area and injured – including Justice Maqbool – have been shifted to nearby hospitals. The affected area has been sealed for initial investigation.

Militants Incident - Attack an attempt to malign Pakistan: NA

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Sunday unanimously passed a resolution to condemn the ghastly terror attack on foreign tourists in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB ), terming it a deliberate attempt to undermine Pakistan’s image internationally and portray it as an unsafe place for foreign tourists.

The lawmakers called for a new national security policy to tackle the growing menace of terrorism effectively. At the onset of proceedings, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told the House about the shocking incident in Gilgit-Baltistan and said that he has suspended the region’s chief secretary and IG. Following a lengthy debate on the tragic incident, the House adopted the resolution moved by Deputy Parliamentary Leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Shah Mahmood Qureshi on behalf of all the parliamentary parties, severely condemning the act of terror.

Afghanistan Taleban --Taliban Vows To Continue Fight Despite Peace Negotiations

Kabul : The Taliban militants group in Afghanistan on Friday vowed to continue to its insurgency activities until all their demands are not met and US forces left Afghanistan.

Follow up:

Taliban said that the opening of new political office in Qatar as an evidence of their success on the battlefield. A local Taliban fighter in Zherai district of southern Kandahar province quoted by AFP said, “We welcome the opening of the Taliban office in Qatar, and we are happy about it.”

Terrorism - Major terror attacks on foreigners in Pakistan since 9/11

LAHORE: The recent killing of nine international tourists at the base camp of the world’s ninth tallest mountain of Nanga Parbat near Gilgit by Taliban to avenge the death of one of their leaders killed in a drone strike, is not the first time when foreigners, their worship places, business houses, work places, embassies and other installations have been targeted in Pakistan since the September 11, 2001 episode.Here follows a time-line of some of the most widely reported attacks on foreign nationals:

According to CNN, on February 22, 2002, the famous “Wall Street Journal” reporter, Daniel Pearl, was kidnapped and murdered in Karachi by Khalid Sheikh Muhammad and company. The American journalist was beheaded.

Militants Incident Gilgit incident terrifies foreign tourists

LAHORE: Already wary of non-professional tourist guides, touts and the ever-deteriorating law and order situation in Pakistan, members of reputed international travel forums like Couch Surfing, Hospitality Club, Virtual Tourist and the Thorn Tree Lonely Planet etc have reported that following the killing of foreign trekkers near Gilgit late on Saturday night, the local police had not allowed vehicles carrying foreigners to proceed up the Karakoram Highway (KKH) from the checkpoint near Dubair, about 20 minutes north of Bisham, after 4 pm on Sunday.

The KKH, dubbed as the eighth wonder of the world due to its high elevation, is the highest paved international road in the world. It connects China’s Xinjiang region with Pakistan’s Gilgit–Baltistan across the Karakoram mountain range through the Khunjerab Pass, at an elevation of 4,693 metres.

Militants Incident - Jundullah also claims responsibility;

GILGIT, June 23: ..... Jundullah, another militant group with a track record of attacks in Gilgit-Baltistan, was the first to say it was behind the incident

“These foreigners are our enemies and we proudly claim responsibility for killing them, and will continue such attacks in the future,” Jundullah spokesman Ahmed Marwat told Reuters by telephone.

The attackers beat up the Pakistanis who were accompanying the tourists, took their money and tied them up, a local government official said.

Militants Incident - TTP claims responsibility for killing tourists in Gilgit-Baltistan

ISLAMABAD: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility on Sunday for the killing of nine foreign tourists and their guide in Gilgit-Balitistan.

Postmortem of the tourists confirmed that their deaths were caused by firing.

The incident took place near a camp base, where the tourists were staying.

TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan called The Express Tribune and said the group’s faction named Junud-e-Hafsa carried out the brutal attack.

Musharraf - Pakistani premier says military ruler who ousted him in coup should be tried for treason

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s premier says the military ruler who ousted him in a coup over a decade ago should be tried for treason.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif spoke in parliament Monday as the Supreme Court held a hearing on a possible treason case against Pervez Musharraf.

The former military ruler can only be tried for treason if the federal government presses charges against him.

Militants Incident One security man killed in Bannu

BANNU: At least one security man was killed and two others were injured in a militant attack in the Frontier Region of Bannu District on Sunday, official sources said.

According to the officials, a security forces’ vehicle was targeted with a remote-controlled bomb in Khawa Khawar area of Bannu, killing one security person and injuring two others. The casualties were shifted to a nearby hospital. Security forces later launched a search for the militants.

Afghanistan Polity Jobs, not bullets, in Afghanistan

The writer is the deputy chief of mission of the Afghan Embassy in India, who formerly served as Afghanistan's deputy assistant national security adviser

In complex post-conflict environments such as Afghanistan, security and development needs are intertwined. Without addressing both at the same time, it would be hard to ensure an environment that enables sustainable economic growth. In other words, bullets alone cannot remedy Afghanistan's current situation. In fact, as former U.S. President Bill Clinton once said, "it's the economy stupid," something that is even more relevant in the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan Taleban - Afghan endgame: Baradar doing more for peace in captivity, say officials

ISLAMABAD: While Kabul may have been seeking the release of Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar to expedite the Afghan peace process, Islamabad appears to have its reasons to keep Mullah Omar’s former second-in-command in custody at this stage.

Follow up:

Background discussions with officials familiar with the reconciliation efforts have revealed that Baradar was instrumental in bringing the Taliban leadership to the negotiating table. According to a senior foreign ministry official, Baradar had been quietly communicating not only with the Taliban leadership but also with US and Afghan officials over the past few months.

Afghanistan America India - Kerry seeks India role on Afghanistan

NEW DELHI: US Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday urged a greater role for India on Afghanistan and climate change as he sought to revive stuttering cooperation between the world’s two largest democracies.

Follow up:

On his first visit to India as the top US diplomat, Kerry tried a few words in Hindi, pressed his hands in a traditional namaste greeting and quoted Mark Twain who said the diverse land was the sole country all people want to see.

Economy - IMF Three IMF installments worth $263 million due on June 28

Pakistan has to repay as much as $263 million (equalling Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) 175.6 million) against the Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) and Extended Credit Facility (ECF) to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by June 28.

Follow up:

The upcoming payments, which include two instalments of SBA and one instalment of ECF, is likely to result in a drastic cut in the country's fast depleting foreign exchange reserves, already hit by rising foreign debt payments and slow inflows of foreign funds.

Musharraf - Collaborators may also face the court, say legal experts

ISLAMABAD : As Pakistan will mark the first of its kind treason trial of an army general, the sword also hangs on the heads of many collaborators of former army chief General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, legal and constitutional experts say.

Treason trial against Musharraf’s collaborators will be initiated under clause 2 of Article 6. If a court decides to go ahead with the trial, many high-ranking officials will then be answerable, experts add.

‘Opening a Pandora’s box’

“This case will open a Pandora’s box,” says senior lawyer SM Zafar. “Musharraf’s collaborators will be tried under Article 6 of the Constitution. I also mentioned names of several high-ranking officials who could possibly be Musharraf’s collaborators in this unconstitutional act,” Zafar added.

Gilgit Baltistan -- Nanga Parbat massacre: Thousands protest against the ‘unprecedented’ incident

GILGIT: Thousands of people participated in a demonstration in Chilas town on Monday against the vicious massacre of foreign tourists near the base camp of Pakistan’s second highest peak – Nanga Parbat.

Follow up:

“We strongly condemn the brutal act which defamed the entire country especially Diamer valley,” said Taifoor Shah, a local leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, as he addressed the rally.

Tourism is one of the main sources of income for locals. Those committing such crimes want to deprive people of livelihood, pointed out Shah.

Gilgit Baltistan - Gilgit Baltistan: You have taken away our livelihood

Yesterday was a sad day for Pakistan. 10 foreigners, who were in Nanga Parbat to witness first hand the country’s beauty, were murdered in cold blood, allegedly to avenge a death caused by drone strikes.

Follow up:

How these innocent travelers are related to drone strikes is beyond me.

You know what is even sadder? Reportedly, local tour guides have started to receive emails from tourists who were to visit the area in July and August. They do not wish to visit Pakistan anymore; they have requested for the cancellation of their reservations.

Power -- Power sector: Prime minister apprised of features of new energy policy

ISLAMABAD : Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif chairing a meeting to review the country’s new energy policy on Monday said that transparency will be maintained at all levels in the implementation of the new energy policy.

Follow up:

He said efficiency, transparency and provision of maximum relief to the common man should be the hallmark of new energy policy, which would be announced after completion of a consultative process with stakeholders, including all federating units.

Kashmir Manmohan PM to reach out to Valley with a clutch of development plans

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be landing at his familiar destination of Kashmir tomorrow with a bagful of developmental plans that would give the Valley an unhindered access to the rest of the country round the year and also lighten the dark houses in this power starved state.

Follow up:

Notwithstanding the attacks by militants on the Army and the paramilitary forces in Srinagar, inflicting few casualties on them, the Prime Minister would be connecting himself directly with the “aam adami” (common man) who is looking forward to development. The violence is the handiwork of those who want to derail the progress of Kashmir and show that the Valley is still conflict-ridden.

Kashmir Incident Militants strike again, kill 8 jawans in Valley

On the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir, militants carried out two deadly attacks here in a span of 30 minutes, killing eight soldiers and injuring over 13 others.

The security agencies had an input that militants were planning to carry out a sensational attack in the Valley ahead of the PM’s visit to make their presence felt.

The attack on the Army convoy took place on the Srinagar bypass at Hyderpora around 4.30 pm. Militants, riding a bike, lobbed hand grenades inside an Army truck besides opening indiscriminate fire.

NDFB chairman granted bail

Guwahati: National Democratic Front of Bodoland chairman Ranjan Daimary, the prime accused in the October 30, 2008 serial blasts, has been granted bail by Kamrup District and Sessions court.

Daimary was granted bail yesterday against Rs three lakh, with two sureties of the same amount each.

Daimary was, however, restricted from moving out of Assam without permission. He was also asked and to deposit his passport and driving license.

India beat England to clinch ICC Champions Trophy

BIRMINGHAM: It came down to the proverbial wire, but in the end all of England's melancholic weather and the T20-like drama could not deny India its share of joy in gloomy Birmingham on Sunday. From the start of the Champions Trophy early this month, they had been the team to beat here. In the end, they remained unbeaten.The only coveted trophy missing from India's cupboard - MS Dhoni's too - was finally won in dominating style as they signed off from the United Kingdom on the note that they had signed in. The men in blue had once shared this trophy with Sri Lanka in 2002 after being declared joint-winners because of a final marred by rain, but the result wasn't quite appetite whetting.

BJP prez Rajnath Singh arrives on 2-day visit to Bihar

BJP president Rajnath Singh today arrived here on a two-day visit to bolster the party's preparations for the next general elections post the separation with NDA partner JD(U).

Singh was accorded a warm reception by the Bihar BJP leaders at the Jai Prakash Narayan International Airport, from where he drove to Sanjay Gandhi stadium to address party workers later in the day.

Kerry arrives in India on three-day visit

US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in New Delhi on Sunday to participate in the fourth round of Indo-US strategic dialogue, even as the US announced to invest $100 million in India's burgeoning clean energy sector.

Kerry, 69, accompanied by a high-level delegation arrived here on a three-day visit, the first one after assuming the charge of the state department earlier this year.

Fierce gunbattle in Srinagar ahead of PM's visit,Four awans killed

Four army jawans were killed on Friday in a gunbattle with suspected Hizbul Mujahideen militants in Pulwama district, 45 km south of Srinagar — an incident that gave a blow to chief minister Omar Abdullah’s efforts to revoke the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from Jammu and Kashmir.

BCCI awards Rs.1 crore to each member of victorious Indian team

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Monday announced that each member of the Indian team will be awarded a cash prize of Rs.1 crore for winning the Champions Trophy Sunday night.

Led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India beat England by five runs in a thrilling final at Edgbaston, Birmingham to be crowned Champions Trophy winners for the second time.

Son of Belgian Wahhabi cleric 'Bassam Ayachi' a FSA Terror Commander Killed in Syria

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - A Syrian Arab Army unit killed a notorious foreign terrorist from the FSA called Abdul Rahman Ayachi, the son of a Wahhabi cleric Bassam Ayachi, in Sinjar, near Maarat Noman in Idleb countryside north of Syria in what Nusra Front terrorist organization called ‘Fatah Mubeen’ battles, or ‘Clear Opening!’.

Salman Khan to be tried for culpable homicide in 2002 hit-and-run case

Actor Salman Khan will be tried for culpable homicide for a hit-and-run accident in 2002 in which one person were killed and four were injured in Mumbai.

If convicted for this charge, Mr Khan, who was not in court today, faces a 10-year jail term. He has been given a month to appear in court.

Nelson Mandela in critical condition

OHANNESBURG: Nelson Mandela is in a critical condition, South Africa's presidency said Sunday, a sudden and significant deterioration in the hospitalised hero's health.

“The condition of former president Nelson Mandela, who is still in hospital in Pretoria, has become critical,” said presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj, 16 days after Mandela was admitted for treatment for a lung infection.President Jacob Zuma visited Mandela on Sunday evening and was told by doctors “that the former president's condition had become critical over the past 24 hours.”

DSP traffic; driver shot dead in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Unknown gunmen on Monday shot dead the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) traffic and his driver in Peshawar’s Faqirabad area in a firing incident.

Sources told Dawn.com that gunmen opened fire on DSP Amanullah Khan and his driver Amjad when they were on their way to office on Faqirabad's Dalazak road.

The deceased were subsequently shifted to Lady Reading Hospital.

Nitish Kumar is commander of secular forces: Ajmer dargah chief

PATNA: Chief minister Nitish Kumar, who is looking for expansion of his Muslim vote bank after split in NDA, got a shot in his arm when the religious head of Ajmer Sharif dargah, one of the most important Muslim shrines in the country, praised the CM and called him 'commander' of secular forces.

Killing of foreign tourists: 37 suspects arrested

GILGIT: The security forces have rounded up over 37 suspected persons during the search operation launched in different villages after killing of eleven persons including 10 foreign tourists at a base camp of Nanga Parbat in Diameer district of Gilgit-Baltistan on Sunday.

The suspected persons taken into custody have been shifted to unidentified place for interrogation.

DIG Gilgit-Baltistan told media police, army and scouts are taking part in search operation.

Musharraf to be tried under Article 6 for treason: PM Nawaz Sharif

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif dropped the strongest hint on Monday to file a written request before the Supreme Court to try former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf for treason under Article 6 of the Constitution.

It is pertinent to mention that if convicted, Musharraf can face a possible death penalty or life imprisonment.

Addressing the National Assembly (NA), Nawaz Sharif said that the former president had committed treason by abrogating the Constitution and he should be tried under the law.

Narendra Modi is our flag-bearer: Parkash Singh Badal

MADHOPUR (PATHANKOT): Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday made a full-throated declaration of support for BJP election campaign committee chairman NarendraModi saying the NDA was a united and ShiromaniAkaliDal would contest the 2014 LokSabha polls under Modi's leadership.

"Punjab and I feel it's a privilege to have you addressing your first rally after taking charge. You are our flag-bearer now," the Akali patriarch said at a rally to mark the 60th 'martyrdom day' of Jan Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.

Ten Islamist militants get death in Bangladesh

Ten militants of a banned Bangladeshi Islamist outfit were sentenced to death on Thursday by a fast-track court here after they were found guilty of involvement in a deadly suicide bombing in 2005 that claimed eight lives.

The court handed down death penalty to 10 operatives of the banned Islamist outfit Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) for the 2005 suicide bomb attack that killed eight people, including lawyers, at suburban Gazipur.

Pakistan defends allocation of funds to Jamaat-ud-Dawah

LAHORE: The government of Pakistan's Punjab province has justified its allocation of over Rs 61 million to the largest centre of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah, saying the funds are needed to continue the services being provided to people by the facility.

A spokesman of the Punjab government said the Punjab government had taken "administrative control of the welfare institutions being run by (the JuD) in compliance with Security Council resolutions of the United Nations".

Naya Pakistan?: PTI MNA calls for Mumtaz Qadri's release

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA called for the release of Malik Mumtaz Qadri, the man who gunned down Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer in 2011.

PTI MNA from Mardan, Mujahid Ali Khan made the demand during a debate on the budget in the National Assembly.

Khan had won the NA-11 seat in the May 11 elections.

Medical subsidies for needy Singaporeans who fall ill from the haze: PM Lee

Singapore's prime minister has warned that the haze engulfing the city could last for weeks, as air pollution in the city-state soared to record levels.

At 13:00 local time (05:00 GMT) Singapore's pollution standards index reached 371, breaking all previous records and reaching hazardous levels.

The haze is caused by illegal forest fires in Indonesia's Sumatra island.

Tauqir Sadiq voluntarily surrenders

Former chairman of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) Tauqir Sadiq – the principal accused in a multibillion-dollar scandal – is expected to return to Pakistan shortly after he voluntarily surrendered himself, documents available with The Express Tribune revealed.

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials said that a special team will leave for Abu Dhabi soon to bring the former Ogra chairman back after completing the legal formalities. The development comes after an Abu Dhabi court ordered deportation of Tauqir Sadiq on June 3.

Thousands feared dead in Uttarakhand floods

The Himalayan tragedy continued to unfold today with fears that thousands of pilgrims staying in 90 rest houses may have been washed away in flash floods even as rescue operations were today stepped up with additional IAF choppers pressed into service to evacuate stranded people in Kedarnath area.

In its report to the Union Home Ministry, the State Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre has said that casualties in the affected areas may run into thousands with about 90 'dharamashalas' (rest houses for pilgrims) swept away in the flash floods. However, the toll has been kept officially at 150.

Army to stay in Waziristan till peace restored: Kayani

SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: Pakistan Army will stay in Waziristan till complete peace is restored, said Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani on Thursday.

According to a Radio Pakistan report, Kayani said “the army is engaged in the area to bring peace and provide protection to the people so that they could live peacefully.”

Kayani was speaking during the inauguration ceremony of 50-kilometre-long road from Wana to Angoor Aadda.

No US-Taliban talks scheduled: State Department

The United States has not scheduled talks with the Taliban, the State Department said, after reports that discussions with the Afghan insurgent group could begin this week in Qatar.

"Reports of a meeting being scheduled or on the books aren't accurate," spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters, saying Washington had "never confirmed" the date and place of any specific meeting.

Rain horror in north India, 182 dead, thousands missing

Close to 63,000 people remained stranded or cut off in rain-ravaged Uttarakhand on Wednesday as the toll touched 150 and the rain finally let up after three days, helping authorities step up rescue and relief operations.

However, with 400-odd roads and 21 bridges washed away and vast swathes of land under water, it remained an uphill task.

The number of dead in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh - where many rivers are in spate - stood at 18 and in Himachal Pradesh at 14, according to reports.

Shia school van driver shot martyred in Karachi

Shiite Syed Imran Abbas, 32, was martyred when terrorists of Sipah-e-Sahaba opened fire on a school van in New Karachi.

The terrorists are believed to have been lying in wait for the school van and opened fire on it when it arrived. The driver, Shiite Syed Imran Abbas, was killed as a result. His body has been shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

Militants kill 6 soldiers in Pakistan

Six soldiers were killed and two more injured when militants ambushed an army patrol on the outskirts of Peshawar in North-west Pakistan, security sources said on Thursday.

The patrol was passing through the Mattani area on the outskirts of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa capital when it was attacked by a group of militants at 10 pm on Wednesday.

Somali Islamist rebels attack UN base, 22 dead

MOGADISHU: Islamist militants carried out a deadly assault on the main UN compound in the Somali capital on Wednesday, dealing a blow to fragile security gains that have allowed a slow return of foreign aid workers and diplomats.

The assault, claimed by Islamist group al Shabaab, began before midday when a car bomb exploded outside the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) base. Rebel gunmen forced their way into the compound and fought with security guards.

LK Advani meets RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

New Delhi: After repeated postponements, Bharatiya Janata Party patriarch LK Advani finally met Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday here.

On Wednesday, the meet between the duo was deferred after the BJP leader conveyed that he was "unwell".
Bhagwat and Advani couldn't meet on Tuesday either, as was expected.

Nitish wins trust vote after BJP walks out

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has won the floor test in Bihar Assembly on Wednesday, with the JD(U) securing 126 votes in its favour.

Congress, CPI, LJP and some Independents voted in favour of the confidence motion moved by Mr. Kumar. Twenty-two MLAs from Lalu Prasad's RJD and two Independents voted against the motion.

Floods claim 138 lives in north India

Flash floods and landslips triggered by the monsoon fury left eight more persons dead, taking the number of people killed in calamity-hit Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh to 138 even as 2,700 pilgrims and locals were rescued from Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts.

The weather cleared in most places in the north making it easier for rescue personnel to launch operations for those stranded, especially in Badrinath shrine where 12,000 pilgrims are still stuck.

India to take up with Pak financial aid to JuD: Khurshid

India today said it will take up with Islamabad the allocation of over Rs 61 million in Pakistan's Punjab province budget to a centre of Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the parent body of terror group LeT that had carried out the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

"I can't comment on what the state government in Pakistan is doing. Whatever comes to our knowledge and is a concern for our security will be taken up with Pakistan federal government," External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said.

Ahmadi man killed ‘because of his faith’

LAHORE:A member of the Jamaat-i-Ahmadia was shot dead in Green Town, allegedly because of his faith.

Four armed teenagers entered Jawad Karim’s house on Monday and shot him dead. They then walked away from the scene, said Imtiaz Adnan, Karim’s brother and a witness to the incident.

Kashmir Politics - Little chance of third front coming up: Azad

Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today said Narendra Modi, who has been elevated as the chief campaigner of the BJP, has strengthened the Congress and is turning out to be a danger for the opposition right-wing party.

“I think Modi is a danger for the BJP,” Azad told reporters on the sidelines of a function in the city here.

The Union Health Minister, who has held several high profile posts in the Congress, said Modi’s elevation to head the 2014 election campaign for the BJP has already caused a split in the BJP-led alliance. “With Modi’s arrival (elevation), the Congress has strengthened and the BJP has split and its alliances have broken,” he said.

Myanmar urged to resolve barriers to investment

The United Kingdom’s Trade and Investment Minister Stephen Green, on his first visit to Myanmar, stressed four key areas Myanmar needs to improve to receive more foreign investments.

Lord Green said the UK recognises the attractiveness of Myanmar market but the key hindrances for foreign investments are the corruption and lack of transparency, physical and technological infrastructure inhibiting free flow of information, under-developed banking systems and insufficient qualified labours in the country.

“I understand Myanmar government is focusing on these issues to attract highest quality investments. UK government and businessmen fully support it,” the minister said at Traders Hotel Yangon on Thursday.

Afghanistan Pakistan Karzai - Pakistan Army And Intelligence Seek Influence In Afghanistan: Karzai

Kabul : Afghan president Hamid Karzai once again criticized Pakistan’s military and intelligence agency for their efforts to weaken and make Afghanistan unstable using religious extremists as a tool.

Follow up:

President Karzai has said that Afghanistan will never complain from the people of Pakistan since they shared their home and food with the Afghan people during holy war and emigration times.

Afghanistan America -- Afghan-US Security Agreement Talks To Begin In Few Days: MoFA

Kabul : Officials of the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Sunday said that the fourth phase of talks about the Afghan-US Security Agreement will begin within few days in Kabul.

Follow up:

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, the Foreign Ministry Spokesman Janan Mosazai said that the Agreement will be finalized after the fourth phase of talks ends. He also mentioned that a Jirga (traditional gathering) will be organized for the people of Afghanistan to discuss the agreement.

Afghanistan Politics - Ahadi Named To Run For President

Kabul : Key political parties have agreed to field Anwarul Haq Ahadi, the Commerce and Industries Minister, as their joint candidate in next year’s presidential elections, a reliable source said on Sunday.

Privy to a meeting held Friday at the residence of Haji Mohammad Muhaqqiq, the Wihdat Party leader, the source said General Dostum, the Uzbek leader, not present at the meeting, endorsed the decision when informed through the telephone. Besides Mohaqqiq, the meeting was also attended by Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal, the economy minister and the chief of a moderate faction of the Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan, former interior minister Hanif Atmar, and Anwarul Haq Ahadi. Wolesi Jirga (lower house member) Faizullah Zaki spoke on behalf of Dostum, the source said on condition of anonymity.

Afghanistan Taleban - Taliban Leader Soften Stance In Peace Talks

Kabul : A top Taliban leader, who served as finance minister in Mullah Omar's regime, Mutasim Agha Jan, said that the insurgent group is ready to negotiate a peace deal with the Afghan government.

Speaking exclusively to TOLOnews in the Turkish capital, Ankara, Mr Agha Jan said that Afghanistan will succeed in its peace mission and the Taliban is ready to negotiate if the involved parties are honest in their commitments. Mr Agha Jan said that the Taliban is not looking at a return of an 'Islamic Emirate' in Afghanistan, adding that any government system should be formed on the basis of public votes.

Afghanistan Army -- In significant milestone of 12-year war, Afghans poised to take lead for security

JALALABAD, Afghanistan — One of the most significant turning points in one of America’s longest and costliest wars is imminent: Afghanistan’s fledgling security forces are taking the lead for security nationwide, bringing the moment of truth on the question of whether they are ready to fight an insurgency that remains resilient after nearly 12 years of conflict.

Nowhere is that question more pressing than in this city near the Pakistani border, which is the capital of Nangarhar province. In the province, which has a predominantly Pashtun population, the ethnic group that makes up the Taliban, insurgents regularly ambush government forces, blow up the offices of humanitarian organizations, and control parts of a countryside that has seen a spike in opium poppy cultivation.

Balochistan - No end to military atrocities in Balochistan’

GENEVA: The Baloch people continue to face the brunt of a full fledged military campaign by the Pakistan military while the international community seemed unmoved by the atrocities, says Noordin Mengal, a Baloch representative at the UN Human Rights Council who has highlighted human rights issues at international forums.

Speaking at a conference held alongside the 23rd session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Mengal said that the actual gravity of the situation in Balochistan needs to be understood. He said that as we speak, the people of Balochistan continue to bleed, suffer and mourn, as a military operation is ongoing in Balochistan. He said that Pakistan has continuously attempted to subdue the Baloch people’s struggle for their rights and has been usurping the wealth and natural resources of Balochistan.

Economy - Opposition comes down hard on govt over ‘anti-people’ budget

ISLAMABAD: Lawmaker from the opposition benches in the National Assembly on Sunday cursed the government for presenting an anti-people budget.

The bashing received a sharp response from the treasury benches, which justified the budget a result of the “precarious economic situation” it inherited from the previous government.

The government’s ally, JUI-F, also called it a “capitalist budget”. However, it pointed out numerous steps, which it believed were positive for the economic development, and suggested various steps that could improve the budget document.

Army - Military vows to thwart any aggression against country

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has said that the Pakistan Army in coordination with the Navy and PAF is fully configured and prepared to thwart any military aggression against the country.

He was addressing the concluding session of the war game Azm-e-Nau 4 on Sunday which commenced at the National Defence University Islamabad on June 3. The chief of army staff reiterated Pakistan Army’s resolve to meet all future challenges squarely. He also added that the military success depended on being fully prepared, support of the people of Pakistan and other state institutions. Gen Kayani also appreciated the dedication and commitment of all the participants of the war game.

Militants Tehreek-e-Taliban say no peace talks anytime soon

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani Taliban say they will not change their decision of withdrawing peace talks offer to the government for now, as they are still mourning the killing of their deputy chief, Waliur Rehman Mehsud in a US drone strike.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) withdrew its dialogue offer to the new government a day after the TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan confirmed on May 30th that Waliur Rehman Mehsud was killed in the US drone strike in North Waziristan tribal region, along with six other militants.

Ehsan had alleged Pakistan’s cooperation with the US in the drone attacks, an allegation he reiterated on Sunday when asked if the TTP is willing to talk to the PML-N government.

Army --Pakistan Army to pre-empt India 'Cold Start Doctrine'

ISLAMABAD: The concluding ceremony of war games named gAzm-e-Nau 4 took place on Sunday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the war games were meant to operationalise new strategies against the evolving threat.

At the culmination of four years of war gaming and exercises, the Pakistan military has now adopted a "new concept of war fighting" aimed at preempting India Cold Start Doctrine, security officials said here.

Kashmir Panchayat - AJKPC welcomes Rs 420-cr package for panchayats

The All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) has welcomed the package of Rs 420 crore sanctioned by the Central Government for the panchayats of Jammu and Kashmir.

While appreciating the initiative of the Union Government to sanction such a huge amount for the empowerment of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in the state, general secretary of the organisation Anil Sharma said, “All 33,000 panchayat representatives have welcomed the package and are hopeful that the Union Government will use it for the welfare of the panchayats.”

Kashmir Rahul -- Rahul mirrors new image of Kashmir

The days ahead could be decisive ones in Jammu and Kashmir if All India Congress Committee (AICC) vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s message is read between the lines.

The change has to come from within (J&K), and not by the change of the government in Pakistan.

Rahul, during his one-day visit of the state, made it clear that the “change has to come from within”. Now this sort of change is open to many interpretations, but one thing is more than certain that he issued a strong word of caution — that don’t look outside for change in Kashmir, be it towards Pakistan or any other nation.

Kashmir --Kashmiri leader Ansari laid to rest

MUZAFFARABAD, June 16: Abdul Khaliq Ansari, the founder of the Jammu Kashmir Plebiscite Front, was laid to rest in southern Mirpur district on Sunday, a day after his death. He was 87.

Earlier in the day, about 2,000 people attended his funeral at the Quaid-i-Azam Stadium, Mirpur.

Prominent among those who attended the funeral were AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed, former AJK prime minister Barrister Sultan Mahmood, Supreme head of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Amanullah Khan, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation League president Abdul Majeed Malick, AJK Supreme Court Chief Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, PML-N MPA Muhammad Rafique, National Liberation Front chairman Shaukat Maqbool Butt and former ambassador Arif Kamal.

Afghanistan Germany -- German Forces Hand Over Strategic Outpost In Afghanistan

Kabul : Germany’s armed forces have pulled out of a strategic outpost in northern Afghanistan.

The move is part of a gradual hand over of security responsibilities to Afghan troops, which is to be completed by the end of 2014. Bundeswehr soldiers officially handed over control of Observation Post North to Afghan troops in a ceremony on Saturday.

A press statement issued by the Bundeswehr's mission command center in the eastern German city of Potsdam said around 200 German soldiers had been based at the camp, which is now to be manned by 250 of their Afghan counterparts. From Saturday onwards, the Germans who left Observation Post North were to be stationed on the Bundeswehr's main base in Afghanistan at Mazar-i-Sharif.

Afghanistan America US House Votes To End The War In Afghanistan

Washington DC : The US House of Representative on Friday voted to end the war in Afghanistan and passed a resolution which said that the Congressmen would have a chance to vote for any troop presence in Afghanistan after 2014.

The amendment in this regard moved by Congressman Jim McGovern was passed by the House of Representative by 305 to 121 votes. “It is time to end the war in Afghanistan, bring our troops home,” the Congressman said. “I am pleased that Democrats and Republicans were able to come together to adopt an amendment by Rep.

Afghanistan Media WJ Wants “Un-Islamic TV Shows” Banned

Kabul : The Wolesi Jirga (WJ) on Saturday set a one-month deadline for Information and Culture Minister Syed Makhdom Raheen to ban “anti-Islamic broadcasts” by TV channels.

Raheen was summoned to Saturday’s session for what lawmakers called vulgar and un-Islamic programs aired by some TV channels.

“Some people misinterpret the term of freedom of expression and think that they are free to insult anyone or accused anyone of anything and broadcast anything they want,” public representative from western Herat province, Khalil Ahmad Shaheedzada, said. “I can prove that TV channels are one of the reasons for the war in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan Taleban - Over 1000 Taliban Militants Planning Attack On Nuristan Province

Kabul : Taliban militants are preparing to launch a major attack on two main districts in eastern Nuristan province of Afghanistan, local officials said.


According to reports over 1000 Taliban militants are planning to take control of two districts in Nuristan province, and local officials have requested to deploy further troops in this province in order to counter possible militants attacks.

Afghanistan America - Top Senator on Panel Blocks Aid to Afghans

WASHINGTON — President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan may still be getting his monthly cash deliveries from the C.I.A.

But now, until the Obama administration explains the rationale behind the payments, the Afghan government will have to go without $75 million in American aid.

Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, the ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, announced Monday that he was putting a hold on the aid until the White House offered “sufficient assurances” that the bags of cash being delivered to Mr. Karzai by the C.I.A. were not fueling the corruption that pervades the Afghan government.

Afghanistan Army -- Afghan president says his armed forces now taking the lead for security around the country

KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghan President Hamid Karzai says his country’s armed forces are taking over the lead for security around the country from the U.S.-led NATO coalition.

Follow up:

The handover of responsibility on Tuesday marks a significant milestone in the nearly 12-year war and marks a turning point for American and NATO military forces, which will now move entirely into a supporting role. It also opens the way for their full withdrawal in 18 months.

Afghanistan Russia - US will buy Russian helicopters for Afghan military: Pentagon

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon said on Monday it will spend $572 million to buy 30 Russian-built military helicopters that will be used by Afghan security forces.

Follow up:

The Mi-17 helicopters will be used by Afghanistan's National Security Forces Special Mission Wing, which supports counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics and special operations missions.

Jehadis -- Pak: Hafeez Saeed group gets 61 mn from govt

The government of Pakistan's Punjab province has allocated millions of rupees in its budget for fiscal 2013-14 for the largest centre of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah, considered a front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Follow up:

Besides a grant-in-aid of over Rs. 61 million for the JuD centre known as 'Markaz-e-Taiba', the provincial government has allocated Rs. 350 million for setting up a "Knowledge Park" at the centre and other development initiatives.

UK, Swiss announce election support worth nearly Rs 3 billion

The UK government has announced financial support of NRs 2 billion (£14.5 million) for various projects related to the upcoming Constituent Assembly polls in Nepal.

Through the UK's Department for International Development (DFID), the UK is looking to provide an additional £4m to the Nepal Peace Trust Fund. DFID will also support womens' participation, election observation and training for journalists through projects worth up to £2m, stated a press release issued by the Kathmandu-based British Embassy on Monday.

No party on the radar is as victorious as JP- Ameen

Deputy Leader of the Jumhooree Party, Minister of Transport Ameen Ibrahim said that no other party on the radar is as victorious as the Jumhooree Party.

During the campaign visit to K.Huraa by Jumhooree party, while meeting the people of the island Ameen said that as a presidential election is nearby everyone would be thinking which party will be best and who will be the best leader to vote for.

Maldives opens its first trade and tourism promotion office in Kunming
SUNDAY, JUNE 16TH, 2013

Kashmir Gilgit Baltistan PML-N calls for audit of AJK council:

MUZAFFARABAD, June 15: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) chapter of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has demanded of its party’s government in Islamabad to conduct special audit of the AJK Council to bring into open “rampant corruption in this institution at the hands of its in-charge federal ministers and bureaucrats.”

The demand came from PML-N AJK chapter president Raja Farooq Haider at a function held here on Saturday, to mark the joining of PML-N by Chaudhry Abdur Rasheed, a Muslim Conference leader from Neelum Valley, along with his companions. It was also addressed by PML-N AJK secretary general Shah Ghulam Qadir.

Afghanistan Dostum - Governor's Guards, Dostum's Militia Clash In North Afghanistan

Shebergan : The governor of Afghanistan’s northern Jowzjan Province says his house has been attacked by ethnic Uzbek commander Abdul Rashid Dostum's militia.

Follow up:

Governor Mohammad Alem Saee told RFE-RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan that several attackers were injured on June 17 when his bodyguards returned fire.

Heavy rains continue in north India, Uttarakhand worst hit; flood warning in UP, Delhi

Heavy, continuous rains hit life in several north India states and wrought havoc in Uttarakhand where the death toll has reached over 50 while thousands were stranded after landslides, officials said Monday.With more rains expected, the situation is likely to worsen in the hill state while flood warnings have been issued in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

Ten deaths, including five members of a family, were reported from Himachal Pradesh while 1,500 tourists, mainly from West Bengal, remained stranded in remote Kinnaur district after incessant rainfall triggered landslides.Also stranded was chief minister Virbhadra Singh, who was electioneering for the Mandi parliamentary by-poll slated June 23.

United Arab Immoralates: Saudi Sheikh slaps travelers to Dubai with fatwa

A Saudi cleric has sparked controversy when he issued a fatwa (religious edict) this week barring travel to Dubai because of the spread of “immoralities” there.

Sheikh Mohamed al-Shanar used his Twitter account to answer a question by a woman on whether a woman can visit Dubai without a male guardian.

“A woman asks me if it she may go to Dubai without a guardian. I answer her saying: going to Dubai is forbidden, whether she was accompanied by a guardian or not [because of the spread of immoralities], and sins increase if traveling without a guardian was not a necessity,” the cleric said on his Twitter account.

Wahhabi clerics call to boycott Iranian products

Calls to boycott Iranian products are gaining support in the region after a meeting of leading Sunni clerics in Cairo urged Muslims to declare a jihad against the Syrian regime supported by Iranian and Hezbollah fighters.

A declaration issued by the meeting also called for a boycott of ‘products, companies and interests’ of Iran. Several Kuwaiti supermarket chains have already begun boycotting Iranian goods.

Iraq worshippers killed in mosque blast

A suicide bomber has blown himself up inside a Shia mosque in the Iraqi capital, killing at least seven worshippers, police said.

More than 20 people were wounded in Tuesday's attack in the al-Qahira district of northern Baghdad.

"The suicide bomber detonated himself among the worshippers, who were gathering after the call to prayer," said policeman Furat Faleh, who was near the site of the blast.

Afghan peace council members to talk with Taliban in Qatar: Karzai

Some members of Afghan High Peace Council will travel to the Gulf state of Qatar to hold formal peace talks with the Taliban, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on Tuesday.

"Members of peace council will go to Qatar to initiate peace talks with the Taliban," Karzai told a joint press conference with the visiting NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

Earlier on Tuesday, Afghan local media reported that the Taliban had opened a political office in Qatar earlier in the day.

Putin faces isolation over Syria as G8 ratchets up pressure

Russian President Vladimir Putin faced further isolation on the second day of a G8 summit on Tuesday as world leaders lined up to pressure him into toning down his support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Following an icy encounter between the Kremlin chief and U.S. President Barack Obama late on Monday, the G8 leaders will seek to find resolution to a war that has prompted powers across the Middle East to square off on sectarian lines.

Bangladesh: 5 get death sentence for murdering Hindu leader

Five people have been sentenced to death and three others handed down life term by a Bangladesh court for murdering a Hindu leader 13 years ago. District and sessions Judge of Bagerhat S M Solaiman handed down the sentences in absentia on Wednesday as seven of the convicts were still on the run, court officials said.

Nine people were acquitted in the case.

Prosecution lawyers and police said a manhunt has been launched to arrest the absconding convicts.

Hafeez Saeed group gets 61 mn from govt

The government of Pakistan's Punjab province has allocated millions of rupees in its budget for fiscal 2013-14 for the largest centre of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah, considered a front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Besides a grant-in-aid of over Rs. 61 million for the JuD centre known as

'Markaz-e-Taiba', the provincial government has allocated Rs. 350 million for setting up a "Knowledge Park" at the centre and other development initiatives.

Details of the allocations were presented in budget documents tabled in the Punjab assembly on Monday by the PML-N government led by chief minister Shahbaz Sharif.

Turkey threatens to deploy army to end unrest

Turkey has said it may bring in the army to help end nearly three weeks of nationwide anti-government protests.

The warning came as two major union federations went on strike on Monday over police violence against demonstrators.

The government raised the threat of putting soldiers on the streets after a weekend of violent clashes prompted by the eviction of campers occupying Istanbul's Gezi Park, the epicentre of the protest movement.

Blast in Kabul ahead of NATO handover

An explosion has hit the Afghan capital Kabul near the parliament building, on a day NATO forces formally hand over security to national forces.

Tuesday's blast occurred at around 9am local time in an area called Karta-e Seh, a Kabul police source said.

It came as hundreds of local and international officials gathered on the capital's outskirts ahead of a ceremony to mark the beginning of the final phase of security transition to Afghan forces across the nation.

Heavy rain in north India triggers landslides, floods; toll 22

NEW DELHI: Heavy monsoon rain on Monday wreaked havoc in the hill states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and flooded parts of Haryana where the water level in the Yamuna rose alarmingly, leaving 22 people dead and 1000 stranded.

Afghan police chief survives suicide attack

KANDAHAR: The police chief of Afghanistan’s volatile Helmand province survived a suicide attack on Monday when his convoy was bombed in the city of Lashkar Gah, officials said.

Nabi Ilham’s armoured car was badly damaged by the early-morning explosion in the provincial capital, and three of his guards were wounded.

“At around 7:00 am (0230 GMT) the motorcade was passing through the city. A suicide car bomb targeted it,” Omar Zwak, the provincial governor’s spokesman, told AFP.

Iran elections could be a game-changer: Experts

PARIS: The election of the moderate Hassan Rowhani as Iran’s new president is a game-changer which could set a new tone and soothe tensions with the West over Tehran’s disputed nuclear programme, analysts said.

Dubbed a “sheikh diplomat” for his negotiating skills in tortuous nuclear talks, the moderate cleric raised hopes internationally after he emerged as the victor of the key polls on Saturday.

Imran Khan to take MNA oath on June 19

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (TPI) Chairman Imran Khan will take oath as a member of the National Assembly on June 19 (Wednesday).

“I will be taking oath in NA on 19th and speaking on the budget the same day,” Imran tweeted on Monday.

He has also planned to lay down his policy on national issues particularly on budgetary related matters before the Parliament on the same day. “My address to the Parliament will lay out PTI’s policy on crucial national issues and how the K-P Govt will be a role model of clean, efficient governance,” he added.