Rain in Some Area of Karachi

KARACHI: Citizens of Karachi were treated to some drizzling on Thursday that turned the weather pleasant after days of scorching heat



Drizzling was reported from the city’s Malir, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Aisha Manzil, Karimabad, Garden, Shah Faisal Colony, Gulistan-i-Jauhar and North Karachi areas.

Light rain was also experienced on Shahrah-i-Faisal and other parts of the provincial capital whereas heavy showers were also reported from several localities in the city.

Twin Blast In Peshawar Death Reached to 22

PESHAWAR: At least 22 people including a child were killed and 47 others sustained injuries in a powerful blast near Badaber police station, Geo News reported.

Police said militants targeted security forces convoy in the attack.

The dead and injured have been rushed to Lady Reading Hospital. Condition of six injured is said to be critical.

Police and Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) have cordoned off the area.

Deputy Commissioner Peshawar Javed Marwat has confirmed that 20 people have been killed and 47 wounded in the attack.

Hospital sources said 18 bodies and 32 injured were present in the hospital.

Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) said that at least 40 kg explosive material was used in the attack.

Ten nearby shops and vehicles were badly damaged.

Security forces have launched search operation in the area, Marwat added.

 The car bomb was parked in a market packed with the general public. When the FC convoy comprising of three vehicles passed by, the bomb exploded and hit a vehicle in the convoy," police official Shafiullah Khan told AFP.

"But many civilians were killed and wounded in the attack because there was a big rush in the market at the time," he added.

"So far, we have reports that two Frontier Corps soldiers have been injured. We don't know about any other losses," a military official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Twin blasts kill 2 in Quetta’s Hazara Town 17 killed

QUETTA: At least two persons were killed and several others wounded when two back-to-back bombs struck Hazara Town in Qeutta on Sunday, police say. 

The blasts took place near an Imambargah in Aliabad locality of Hazara Town

According to Rescue teams 17 peoples Were killed and 44 people are  injured which were shifted to Bolan Medical Complex. 

Meanwhile, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a probe into the attack.

Quetta: blast in Aliabad Area 15 injured in Hazara

QUETTA: Fifteen people were injured in a blast in Aliabad area of Hazara Town here on Sunday, Geo News reported quoting rescue sources.



The injured have been rushed to Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Bolan Medical Centre and Civil Hospital.

Committee to propose steps for Aafia’s repatriation

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has formed a committee to make recommendations to the cabinet to facilitate Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s repatriation to Pakistan, said an official announcement on Saturday.

However, the composition of the committee remains a mystery with even the interior ministry’s spokesman unaware about it.

“I am not aware of the composition and do not even know if such a committee has been formed,” Interior Ministry spokesman Umar Hameed said.

Dr Siddiqui, declared by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as the most wanted female terrorist facilitator, is serving an 86-year prison term in the US.

Dr Siddiqui and her family have denied all allegations levelled by the US against her, including a murder attempt during her days in the US army base at Bagram, Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, an official told Dawn that composition of a task force on missing persons had almost been finalised, adding a formal announcement to this effect was expected next week.

The task force will prepare a list of missing persons after holding deliberations with security agencies, their families and human rights organisations and propose ways and means for their early return.

The task force will also look into the recommendations prepared by a commission on missing persons headed by retired Justice Javed Iqbal. The interior minister said the task force must be in place by next week for preparing a transparent policy in the light of the Supreme Court’s orders on the issue. He said processing of mercy petitions should be restarted and all processed cases be sent to Aiwan-i-Sadr for decision.

The minister asked Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Secretary Younus Dhagha to step up investigation into the recent murder of 11 tourists at the base camp of Nanga Parbat and keep him posted about the progress.

Minister for power to visit India

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Saturday that he had decided to send the water and power minister to India to explore potential areas of cooperation between the two countries.

Speaking to members of the Pak-India Joint Business Council at the Prime Minister’s Office, he said: “We are facing acute electricity shortage and any assistance in the power sector will help us in addressing the problem.”

Expressing satisfaction over the visit of Indian businessmen under the auspices of the council, Mr Sharif said: “It is reassuring that both sides are sitting together and talking to each other.” He said his government was pursuing investor-friendly policies.

The prime minister said it had always been his endeavour to bring the two countries closer to each other so that they could benefit from each other’s experience.

He said his party had pursued a policy of friendship and cooperation with India during its previous stints in power and the same policy of amity would be followed this time to promote peace and prosperity in the region.

Indian members of the council informed the prime minister that India could be of great help in providing support in medical science, higher education and technical and vocational training.

The meeting discussed non-discriminatory market access and agreed that the industrialists of both countries should be provided a level-playing field.

MQM chief Altaf is back

KARACHI: Few hours after announcing his surprise resignation as the chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Altaf Hussain withdrew his earlier decision on the appeal of his party workers.

Earlier, Altaf Hussain, the founder of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, resigned as chief of the party in the wee hours of Sunday. Following his announcement, hundreds of MQM workers gathered at Nine Zero in Karachi's Azizabad area, requesting the MQM leader to take back his resignation.

After receiving emotional appeals by party workers, Altaf retracted his decision of leaving reins of the party. Following his latest decision, celebrations erupted at Azizabad, which is the MQM stronghold.

Hussain had earlier said that he was voluntarily handing over all authority and responsibilities as party leader to the MQM's Rabita (Coordination) Committee.

Speaking to media via telephone from UK, Hussain said Scotland Yard police had raided his residence some days ago and had seized some material, following which he decided to voluntarily step down as party leader on moral grounds.

Hussain said he would not seek legal counsel or a solicitor but would plead his case himself if he were to be produced in court in the Imran Farooq murder case. He said that he would accept any decision by the courts.

Dr Imran Farooq was one of the founding members of the MQM, then known as the Mohajir Qaumi Movement. The party later transformed into the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the largest political party in Karachi.

Farooq, who had also been living in exile in London since 1999, was stabbed to death on his way home from work in Green Lane on Sept 16, 2010 outside his residence.

Recently, the London Metropolitan police had stepped up investigation into the murder, and police searched two residential properties in London earlier this month as part of the ongoing probe. It conducted several raids, arrested some eight suspects, questioned several people and scanned through thousands of documents.

Sunday’s announcement came as a shock to party workers and supporters as Altaf Hussain has served as the chief of the MQM ever since its inception in 1984.

In his telephone conversation with media, Hussain called on his party workers "to stay united, and to continue the struggle that he had once started."

He also urged his party workers to accept all decisions by the MQM's Rabita Committee in the same manner that they acted upon his directions.

Shortly after news of the announcement on TV channels around 5 am, a large number of party workers and supporters were started gathering at the MQM's 'Nine Zero' headquarters in Karachi as well as offices in other parts of the country. The members have requested Altaf to take back his resignation.

Addressing MQM workers in a telephonic speech at 10 am from London, Altaf said until the Imran Farooq murder case investigation was not completed; the party’s Rabita committee would manage MQM affairs.

Moreover, he added that he was being dragged unnecessarily in the investigation of Imran Farooq's murder, adding that it was a conspiracy hatched against him by the British government.

On this occasion, MQM workers chanted slogans and appealed to Altaf to take back his resignation.

Chinese mountaineer narrates dramatic escape

ISLAMABAD: It was his four years in the military that helped Zhang Jingchuan survive the terrorist attacks on mountaineers at the Nanga Parbat base camp that left 10 of his colleagues dead last Saturday.

The Chinese citizen left Pakistan on Wednesday after sharing his incredible story with the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP).

“We were asleep when they came for us. They dragged us all out and tied up our hands. We were then made to get down on the ground on our knees. After they searched everyone, the massacre began. The shot was aimed at my head but it missed. And I began to run towards the valley,” Zhang Jingchuan told the ACP in brief comments, adding how the military training had helped him stay alert and not lose presence of mind.

“Survival in the wilderness or under such circumstances is part of training of soldiers. Zhang Jingchuan is a martial artist that was probably why he was quick to react, seeing an opportunity to somehow untie his hands and run for his life after the bullet missed his head,” explained ACP President Col Manzoor Hussain.

According to the ACP spokesman, Karrar Haidri, Zhang Jingchuan returned to the base camp after hiding for more than an hour and made a call for help.

He had contacted his agency, the Seven Summit Treks in Nepal, which then got in touch with famous mountaineer Nazir Sabir, the owner of Nazir Sabir Expeditions, which was managing one of the four expeditions on the Nanga Parbat.

The ACP said after Nazir Sabir approached the military, helicopters reached the base camp, 4,800 metres high, at around 6am to 7am.

The only Pakistani murdered at the base camp was Ali Hussain, a cook and a high-altitude porter from Hushe village.

The sole bread earner of his family, Hussain left behind his five year-old son and two daughters.

According to the ACP, three climbers from the Polish Alpine Club — Adam Stadnik, Boguslaw Magrel and Wlodek Kierus - who were climbing the Nanga Parbat at the time of the attack had also told various sources the nightmarish experiences.

“The camp was surrounded, all climbers were dragged out of their tents, bound, robbed and then shot,” the ACP quoted Boguslaw Magrel writing in a blog.

The ACP said there were about 50 or so climbers from Pakistan, Ukraine, and international teams consisting of climbers from Russia, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Azerbaijan.

Another team of Ukrainian and Slovak climbers along with Sherpas from Nepal had brought with them mountaineers from China and a climber from Turkey.

Col Manzoor Hussain, the ACP president, explained that the expeditions had started arriving in the area weeks back and had been getting acclimatised.

“The Chinese were part of the Nazir Sabir Expedition and had arrived late on June 19 and were still at base camp I. The other climbers who were at the base camp that night and were killed were those who were unwell or had set up base camp II farther up the route and had returned to rest,” said Col Hussain, explaining how the climbers would often establish base camps higher on the mountain but descend to the previous camp as a technique to gradually get used to the thin air at the high altitudes.

After a sleepless night, the climbers were flown to Gilgit in helicopters and brought to Islamabad in a C-130 aircraft.

However, most of the climbers who had to abandon their summit after the incident updated their blogs, urging discretion especially when terrorist elements had targeted foreign tourists in Pakistan.

Nonetheless, the ACP said the Romanians on the Rupal side, the highest rock and ice wall in the world, of the Nanga Parbat were still climbing and had reached 7,200 metres a few days ago on the 8,126 metres high peak.

After managing to equip the route and camps for a summit push, the team started descending to lower camps.

The team was now for a clear window to continue the climb and make a summit push. An official decision on the matter was awaited.

KPK to supply power to whole country in five years: Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would generate sufficient electricity in the next five years to meet the energy needs of the country.

He assured that the PTI would establish an exemplary government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and introduce a model of good governance for other provinces to follow. Imran said that the PTI government would eliminate the class-based education system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and introduce a uniform education system, syllabus. He vowed to remove dichotomy from the education system in the province.

Imran said the PTI provincial government would establish an independent accountability institution to ensure transparency and accountability in the province. He said that there is an immense need to devise a common national agenda and ensure national reconciliation to form a counterterrorism strategy.

Khaibar Pakhtunkhwa government eyes troop withdrawal from Swat

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI)-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is seriously working towards a plan for the army’s withdrawal from Swat – but unfortunately, security imperatives make completely withdrawal an impossibility.

The coalition government has so far discussed the proposal with military leaders, and have also informed the public in Swat of their plan, according to senior minister in the coalition government and central leader of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Sirajul Haq.

“First this issue (of withdrawal) was discussed in a meeting of political leaders of the coalition parties of PTI, JI and Qaumi Watan Party as well as other parties,” Haq said, adding: “The idea is to withdraw the security pickets which are causing hurdles in the revival of normal life in Swat.”

According to the minister, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak held a meeting with the Peshawar Corps Commander to discuss the issue: “The corps commander said that if the police and local administration can take over the responsibility of maintaining law and order, they are ready to withdraw from there,” he explained.

Mohammad Roshan, who heads the NGO Swat Participatory Council, told Dawn.com via telephone from Mingora, “It is generally known in Swat that the government is working on this kind of plan ... and a debate of sorts has started in Swat society on whether the army should stay or withdraw from the valley.”

On the other hand, security experts say that the complete withdrawal of the army from Swat is not an option. “The army has plans to construct a cantonment in Swat …100 percent withdrawal is not a possibility,” said analyst Hassan Askari.

The PTI-led government’s determination seems to be based on a prevalent unease in the rural and urban areas of the scenic valley against the heavy presence of the army which has stalled the revival of the economy and daily routines in general.

“We want to create a comfortable situation for the people…..they are facing a lot of hardships because of security check posts in the area,” Haq clarified.

Roshan Khan told Dawn.com that the people of Swat’s frustration arises from the trouble caused by security check posts and search operations and because economic activity has not been revived following the operation. Hazir Gul is an chief executive of an NGO working on agriculture projects in Swat in collaboration with the government of Pakistan and USAID, which goes by the name of Karawan. Gul explained that agricultural activity has failed to pick up in the valley, primarily on account of strident security checks and the terrible conditions of the transportation system, that was destroyed in the military operation.

He added, “Maize is a major crop in Swat which remained banned in the initial four years following the military operation … Last year the security forces lifted the ban on Maize, but the farmers have so far failed to revive maize cultivation to the full.”

This has given rise to the feeling that the withdrawal of troops from Swat is a must if the government wants to restore normalcy to Swat Valley.

Ajmad Ali, a senior Editor of local Swat newspaper Daily Chand, said that the government is right in working on the plan to withdraw troops from Swat: “I think it will be good if the government let’s the local administration and police handle the security and administrative situation in Swat … because we understand them and they understand us, they are familiar with our culture, they are our own people,” he said.

The provincial government, however, is not proceeding without caution. “We are not in a hurry. We will be discussing this with the army and the federal government – we know that law and order has to be maintained at every cost,” Haq emphasised.

And what about the reaction of the army itself to this proposal? Askari is of the opinion that the army will ask the provincial government to put forward an alternate security plan. “There are reports of militant presence in the vicinity of Swat valley, and there is a strong possibility that they will regroup if the army withdraws from Swat,” he said. Secondly, Askari added, a civil administration’s capacity to maintain law and order in the valley is doubtful: “The civil administration has failed to demonstrate its ability to maintain law and order in the valley,” the security analyst stressed

PPP reveals 'understanding' with PML-N that CJP will go on leave after restoration

ISLAMABAD: Khursheed Shah on Friday revealed that the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) had an understanding with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) that the chief justice of Pakistan would go on leave if he were restored.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, the opposition leader said that the PPP had no objection to the judges' restoration. He said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should not have formed a committee on Swiss cases. "The matter is before the court. We will face it there. The judiciary should deliver justice indiscriminately," he said, adding "it seems that the chief justice is waiting for his retirement as there is no progress in Bhutto murder case".

On the question of appointment of Muhammad Mian Soomro as NAB chief, Shah said it could be controversial. He said that trying Pervez Musharraf for November 3, 2007 emergency instead of October 12, 1999 martial law was like pardoning someone for murder and punishing them for baton charge. However, in a clear deviation from its demand to start the trial from October 12, 1999 coup, the PPP showed its readiness to support the government if it tried Musharraf for his November 3, 2007 act of imposing emergency.

Shah, however, feared the erstwhile military dictator might be absolved of the charges against him in the court, proved innocent and leave the country. "Go ahead and investigate him (Musharraf) for November 3 acts if you want, we will support you, but then what if he manages to leave the country," the opposition leader asked. Shah said the constitution was not suspended through the imposition of emergency on November 3, 2007, as it was on October 12, 1999.

He also lashed out against the government on the issue of previous government's writing of a letter to the Swiss authorities on cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. He said his government did not take up any case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during its time if power and remarked that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief has been trying to dig out evidence against President Zardari for 16 years but has found nothing. He also asked why the court was not taking up the pending Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case

Lawyer says Supreme Court proceedings might influence FIA probe against Musharraf

ISLAMABAD: The counsel for former army chief Pervez Musharraf has expressed his apprehension that the Supreme Court's ongoing proceedings might influence the FIA team's investigations against his client.

Malik Qamar Afzal, one of the counsels for Musharraf, requested the bench to dispose of the matter on Friday, but the bench observed that they would like to provide equal opportunities to all the petitioners and respondents in the matter.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, on Friday observed that fair and free trial would be ensured in the current matter, as it was the fundamental right of Pervez Musharraf under Article 10A of the constitution.

Attorney General Munir A Malik did not attend Friday's proceedings due to prior commitments, while the deputy attorney general told the bench that it was reported in the media that the verdict had been reserved.

The counsel for Musharraf, Ibrahim Satti, said he thought that the hearing had been adjourned.

At the beginning of the hearing, the bench was informed that Attorney General Munir A Malik was busy in cases before the chief justice of Pakistan's bench since morning, and was not likely to be available for the day. The deputy attorney general cited some media reports in the matter, saying there was an impression that the court had reserved its judgement in the matter.

Raja Ibrahim Sati, another counsel for Musharraf, said that he thought that the hearing had been adjourned, upon which Justice Jawwad S Khawaja observed that the case hearing was being conducted almost on a daily basis.

During the proceedings, Malik Qamar Afzal pleaded to deliver verbal arguments in the instant matter, but the bench turned down his request.

The bench ruled, "Malik Qamar Afzal, ASC [advocate Supreme Court] wishes to make oral submission, which prima facie, do not appear reasonable because we are adjourning the case, however, still, if he wishes to make submissions, let him do so by filing a formal civil miscellaneous application."

PM Nawaz approves 'panacea to Pakistan's energy ills

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday said that new energy policy which is to be announced soon would turn out to be the panacea for the country's energy problems.

"People and economy have suffered badly at the hands of crippling power crisis. It is high time that prudent and consistent policies were pursued to come out of this morass," the prime minister said while chairing a high level meeting at the Prime Minister's Office to give final touches to the new power policy. The meeting not only discussed the broad contours of the new energy policy but also analysed the minute details threadbare.

It also decided that the new power policy would be announced shortly by the prime minister. The new national energy policy envisages increasing electricity generation to 26,800MW; reducing average electricity rates by more than 30 percent; achieving zero load shedding; encourage huge public and private investment and import of electricity from India, Iran and Central Asian states in three years.

According to draft of the policy, circular debt would be ended immediately while payments for furnace oil would be made within 60 days, while cost of electricity generation and transmission losses would be reduced. Import of electricity from Iran would be continued and new agreements would be signed to import energy from Turkmenistan and India. An increase in price of gas for all sectors, excluding domestic consumers, is also part of the draft of new energy policy. The supply of gas to CNG sector would be stopped in phases and would be provided to the power sector. Moreover, priority would be given to the construction of hydro, coal and biogas power projects.

Those who attended the meeting included Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervez Rashid, Minister for Petroleum Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Dr Musaddiq Malik, Shaukat Fayaz A Tarin and other stakeholders from private and public sectors.

The PML-N government had earlier this month said that it is fully aware of the negative impact of electricity load shedding on trade and industry and revealed that the Planning Commission is developing short-, medium- and long-term plans to overcome the energy crisis. Federal Minister for Planning and Developing Ahsan Iqbal, while talking to members of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), had said that overcoming the energy crises was the topmost priority of the government and it would use all options to minimise ill effects of energy shortage on business and economy.

He noted that an amount of Rs 225 billion has been allocated to energy sector in the budget and its positive impact would start emerging in the coming months. Iqbal said that the government would make business-friendly policies so that private sector could assume bigger role in the economic development of the country.

Imran Farooq’s widow appeals to Altaf Hussain to take his decision back

LONDON: Dr. Imran Farooq’s widow Sunday urged upon the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)’s Quaid to take back his decision to voluntarily relinquish the party leadership on moral ground.
The widow of Imran Farooq, Shumaila Imran on behalf of herself, her kids and in the name of her martyred husband appealed to Altaf Hussain to withdraw his decision to step down from the party leadership.

She said, “Me, my kids and the nation is with Altaf Bhai. I love Quaid Altaf Hussain—Altaf Hussain is our leader and will remain our leader---she is deeply hurt by the decision of Altaf Hussain.”

Stop conspiracy to implicate me in Imran Farooq's murder: Altaf Hussain

LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Quaid Altaf Hussain Sunday demanded that the conspiracy to involve him in Imran Farooq’s murder must stop arguing that had he not tolerated opponents how could Amir and Afaq remained alive thus far.

Addressing MQM workers at 90, Altaf Hussain said that Scotland Yard and Metropolitan police raided, cordoned off, searched his London house for several hours and took away many things but despite my request they didn’t provide any list of the materials seized.

Altaf Hussain voluntarily steps down as MQM leader after London raids

LONDON: Deeming a recent police raid on his apartment as a disgrace to his reputation, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader, Altaf Hussain, has announced to voluntarily relinquish the party leadership henceforth.

"Metropolitan Police raided my house and took away many things. When the home of a person, who also happens to be the political leader of millions, is subjected to such an investigatory action, then it becomes imperative for him to step down on moral grounds"

Altaf Hussain's statement comes at a time when British Prime Minister, David Cameron, is vising Pakistan. Cameron called on President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday and will hold a meeting with Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif today (Sunday).

He said he was renouncing the leadership of his party since New Scotland Yard ransacked his house in North West London and seized many items/documents in connection with Dr Imran Farooq murder case investigation. He said whatever happened called into question the name of the leader of his stature.

"I am abdicating my responsibility as the Quaid-e-Tehreek. I am transferring my powers to MQM Coordination Committee", said he.

He said that if a court of law took up Dr Imran Farooq murder case then he would not engage any lawyer, solicitor, or barrister, rather he would fight his case himself.

"I would plead my case personally and embrace the ruling of the honourable court openheartedly regardless of which way it goes", he added.

Vowing to continue his Haqparastana (righteous) struggle Altaf advised his followers to stay committed no matter what happened.

"Hold your heads high and repose your full trust in the party leadership", said Altaf Hussain.

Following their party leader's announcement, throngs of shocked party workers, supporters, sympathizers showed up at the MQM Headquarter 'Nine Zero' in Karachi and other parts of the country.

According to sources, at the moment, the workers are chanting slogans to express their solidarity as well as allegiance to Altaf Hussain's leadership demanding him to withdraw his decision.

The sources added that the MQM Coordination Committee London and Karachi chapters are constantly in touch since his announcement, however an official statement regarding Altaf Hussain’s decision was yet to be issued.

More than a week ago, Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command Unit searched two North West London "residential addresses" for 55 hours with one of them belonging to Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief, Altaf Hussain.

The New Scotland Yard, which raided the houses, rooted both the apartments during the painstaking search and confiscated many important documents.

According to sources, Altaf Hussain is the proprietor of one of the two houses, however the details of the ownership of the other apartment are yet unknown.

Dr Farooq, the former convener of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was stabbed to death outside his home on 16th September 2010 as he was returning home.

The UK police is investing the murder of Dr Farooq case on several lines, including one strong line of investigation that Dr Farooq was in discussions with his colleagues and members of the public to start his own independent political career.

These searches were carried out under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE).

Subsequently London police arrested a British man of Pakistani origin questioned him for 34 hours before he was released on bail.

Pakistani stocks lower, rupee weakens, Over night rise

KARACHI: The benchmark 100-share index of Pakistan's Karachi Stock Exchange closed 0.05 per cent lower on Friday. The index fell 9.65 points to 21,005.69.



Activity was slow on the last trading day of the 2013 fiscal year. Index heavy weight Muslim Commercial Bank and Oil and Gas Development Co Ltd again fell, forcing the benchmark index to close in negative territory.

Muslim Commercial Bank Ltd fell 2.35 per cent to 242.75 rupees, while Oil and Gas Development Co Ltd was down 0.42 per cent to 228 rupees.

The rupee ended weaker at 99.40/99.50 against the dollar, compared to Thursday's close of 98.89/98.95.

Overnight rates in the money market rose to 9 per cent from Thursday's close of 8.75 per cent.

Four-member FIA committee to probe Musharraf treason case

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's federal government has moved one step closer to putting former military dictator General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf on trial for treason, by appointing a committee to investigate him for subverting the constitution.

Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan informed the National Assembly on Thursday that a four-member committee of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had been constituted to probe treason charges against the former military chief.

Nisar said the investigating team comprises of two directors and two additional director-generals of the FIA, and that the team would complete its investigations over treason charges against Musharraf and submit a report to the government soon.

He added that the committee would hold meetings with him on a weekly basis.

Ppposition member and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senior leader Makhdoom Amin Faheem said Article 6 of the Constitution should be applicable on everyone from October 1999 onwards. He said that applying the law only to the former dictator's November 2007 actions was tantamount to double standards.

Faheem said his party had supported Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's announcement to try former President Musharraf in the high treason case, adding that it was for the first time in the country's history that the government has moved the court on Article 6.

He further said that justice should be served and accountability should be carried out across the board.

Speaking to a private television channel earlier on Wednesday, Faheem had said that the apex court should have also taken up the 1977 coup by former military dictator Zia ul Haq.

Another opposition member of the National Assembly, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, said that Article 6 should be applicable to all who committed treason 1956 onwards.

Speculation has been rife during the past two days over the seriousness of the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) government in pursuing the treason cases against Musharraf.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing of the treason case against the former military dictator for an indefinite period to hold consultations over setting up of a special court to hear the case against the ex-army strongman.

The apex court also rejected a plea to order the formal arrest of Musharraf citing that no formal charges against the former president had been put before the court.

Earlier during the hearing , Attorney General Munir A. Malik submitted the government’s line of action in the case which said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had ordered the FIA to conduct an inquiry into the actions of Musharraf on November 3, 2007, the day when he held the constitution in abeyance and imposed emergency in the country, sacking dozens of judges of the superior courts.

AFP adds: Musharraf's lawyer Ibrahim Satti urged the Supreme Court to give his client a fair trial, accusing the media and Sharif of being biased against him.

“In this background the answering respondent is expecting and having full hope that this bench will safeguard and protect the interest and civil right of him regarding fair trial,” said Satti, speaking in English.

Presiding judge Jawwad S.Khawaja said he would deliberate further on the issue and set no date for another hearing.

Later, the bench adjourned the hearing until further notice, in order to hold consultations with Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry over the constitution of a special court to hear the treason case

Supreme Court to hear treason case against Musharraf on day to day basis

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday cleared the ambiguity by stating that the judgment in high treason case against former president General Retired Pervez Musharraf case was not reserved as carried out by a section of media.

This was stated by a three-judge bench comprising Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Ijaz Afzal Khan hearing the case.

Justice Khawaja remarked that the bench would hear the proceeding of the case on day-to-day basis and would like to provide equal opportunity to the all litigants in the case to argue.

Moving one step closer to putting the former military dictator on trial for treason, the government on Thursday had appointed a four-member FIA committee to investigate him for subverting the constitution.

Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan informed the National Assembly that the committee had been constituted to probe treason charges against Musharraf.

During the course of proceeding at the apex court today, Malik Qamar Afzal, counsel for Musharraf, wished to make oral submissions. However, the bench directed him to file a written submission in a formal application.

Later, the bench was informed that Attorney General Munir A. Malik was busy in case before Bench 1 and thus he would not be available during the course of the day.

Nawaz Sharif finalises new national energy policy

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Friday said that the new energy policy would turn out to be “panacea of Pakistan's energy ills.”

“People and economy have suffered badly at the hands of crippling power crisis. It is high time that prudent and consistent policies were pursued to come out of this morass,” said the prime minister while chairing a high level meeting to give final touches to the new power policy here at the Prime Minister's Office in Islamabad.

The meeting not only discussed the broad contours of the new energy policy, which is expected to be revealed shortly by PM Sharif, but also analysed the minute details threadbare.

The finalised national energy policy is set to increase electricity generation to 26,800MW, reduce average electricity rates by more than 30 per cent, achieve zero loadshedding, encourage huge public and private investment and import electricity from India, Iran and Central Asian states in three years.

Those who attended the meeting include Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervez Rashid, Minister for Petroleum Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Special Advisor to PM Dr Musaddiq Malik, Shaukat Fayaz A. Tarin and other stakeholders from private and public sectors.

Pakistan ranks second in the world for Out-of-school childrens

KARACHI, June 27: Pakistan ranks the second with the most out-of-school children in the world with only Nigeria ahead of it, said a child rights body on Thursday.

In its annual report titled ‘The state of Pakistan’s children 2012’, the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (Sparc) said about one fourth of the 19.75 million children in Pakistan aged five to nine were out of school and factoring in adolescents increased the number to 25 million. Of them, seven million children (aged three to five) had yet to receive primary schooling.

“The country reduced its spending on education from 2.6 per cent to 2.3pc of the GNP (gross national product) over the decade and ranks 113th of the 120 countries on the Education Development Index,” said the Sparc report launched in a hotel here on Thursday.

At the provincial level, Punjab has the highest NER (net enrolment rate) for children in primary schools at 61pc followed by Sindh with 53pc, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 51pc and Balochistan with the lowest at 47pc. Pakistan has an NER of 74.lpc for all age groups enrolled either in primary, secondary or higher education.

Pakistan has the lowest youth literacy rate with 70.7pc. Only 61pc of girls are literate as compared to 79pc boys in the age group of 15-24 years.

Progress has been slowest in low-income countries, especially Pakistan, where only 15pc children received pre-primary education in 2010. It quoted a recent report saying 63pc of children aged three to five years were not receiving any education related to early childhood development.

The country ranks 129th among the 135 countries on the Gender Gap Index 2012 according to the Global Gender Gap Report. Data shows that gender parity for primary schools in Azad Kashmir is close to 1 (0.97). The GPI for Punjab stands at 0.98, in Balochistan it is 0.83 and in Sindh 0.81.

The report said 43pc children born in Pakistan were afflicted with stunting. It was estimated that 21.7pc children were severely and 21.3pc were moderately stunted.

It quoted the United Nations Children's Fund as saying that under five years mortality rate had declined from 122 per 1,000 births in 1990 to 72 per 1,000 births in 2011; far from reaching the assigned target of 52 per 1,000 births as per the millennium development goal.

More than 423,000 children die before reaching their fifth birthday, and almost one in five of these deaths are due to pneumonia.

Pakistan accounted for nearly 30pc of all polio cases recorded worldwide. A total of 142 cases were reported in 2010; 198 cases in 2011. In 2012, the official reports show, 58 cases were recorded, excluding cases in the North and South Waziristan agencies.

It is estimated that 2.1 million cases of measles are reported annually in Pakistan and 21,000 of the reported cases die of complications from the disease. Pneumonia and diarrhoea account for 29pc of deaths among children under five worldwide or more than two million a year; with Pakistan ranking fourth among the countries with the highest prevalence of the disease.

A total of 55 of 96,000 infants, children and adolescents had been identified as HIV positive in Pakistan In 2012, around 5,659 cases of violence against children were reported across Pakistan from January to October 2012. These included 943 murders, 1,170 cases of injuries, 302 of sodomy; 204 of child trafficking, 410 of forced marriages and 164 of Karo-kari (honour killing) incidents, and 260 cases of missing children. Other incidents of violence included 407 cases of sexual assault, 547 torture cases, 323 child suicides, 530 kidnappings and 176 Vani cases.A total of 3,861 cases of child sexual abuse were reported in different parts of the country last year. Most of the cases were reported in Punjab (68pc), followed by Sindh (19pc), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (5pc), Balochistan (3pc) and FATA (3pc).

The report said 197 of the 3,581 victims of drone strikes since 2004 were children.

The participants said children in Pakistan had to cope with a lack of educational opportunities, poor health conditions, a near absence of protection for poor and vulnerable children, miserable conditions in juvenile jails and continued employment of children in hazardous occupations.

Violence against children remains culturally entrenched as children in Pakistan have to cope with physical violence, sexual abuse, trafficking, recruitment in armed conflicts and acid attacks. In the absence of a national database on violence against children, the report relied on secondary sources to give the prevalence of various forms of violence against children.

The story behind Sethi's appointment as PCB chief

When Najam Sethi sat at the International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) Annual Conference in London on Wednesday, he must have felt a little out of place.

For someone accustomed to holding his own as one of Pakistan’s savviest media personalities, the discomfiture of performing as Acting Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in the company of well heeled chief executives of other full member countries would have been daunting.

These chief executives are required to deal with contentious issues, which necessarily bring into play in-depth knowledge, sharp skills to demonstrate viability of ideas and a certain ability to negotiate for a favourable response, especially when an issue goes down the voting route.

Sixty-five-year-old Sethi’s second consecutive high profile but non-career positioning following a just concluded stint as the caretaker Punjab chief minister is a subject ofintense speculation and scrutiny.

Unlike the chief minister stint, which had a mandatory limit, controversy over his nomination as PCB chief is likely to accompany him wherever he goes until he calls time or a gavel clinches the issue before that — as is often the case these days in Pakistan.

The Islamabad High Court is already seized of the matter. A petition has been filed by Abdullah Tahir, an amateur cricketer and law graduate, seeking Sethi’s removal, on grounds that his appointment is a violation of the PCB constitution.

The IHC has quite a task at hand since it was only recently that Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqi suspended the previous chairman, Zaka Ashraf, in response to a petition challenging his “dubious” election under the new PCB constitution and ordered the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination to appoint an interim chief in his stead.

The commotion surrounding Sethi’s new role is not without basis. For starters, even though the job is temporary, the veteran journalist has never been considered to have intricate knowledge of the game, much less having played at the highest level.

To be sure, there have been administrators before him, who have made the count with or without experience, but Sethi has never held a post associated with a sport touted as second religion in this part of the world.

Intriguing appointment

This brings into sharp focus the intriguing appointment made by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif — himself an inveterate cricket-lover, who overlooked the credentials of someone as erudite as the Cantabrigian Majid Khan, a former Pakistan captain and an astute cricket administrator.

The perception that Sharif didn’t want Majid to hold fort because he is related to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman (PTI) Imran Khan doesn’t stick because the two cousins are estranged with Majid not having spoken to Imran after the then-skipper first dropped his maternal cousin from a Test eleven on the 1982 English tour.

A source privy to the surprise development confided to Dawn.com, on condition of anonymity, that the ‘out-of-the-box’ appointment has come at the request of a leading media house eying lucrative broadcast rights of Pakistan’s forthcoming cricket series. The current ruling party is said to have long benefited from its popular reach.

What this will do for the interests of Pakistan cricket is a moot point. Transparency International Pakistan has, through an official communication, even urged the ICC to take notice of the appointment that it says is unlawful under the PCB constitution, which stipulates that only board members can elect an acting chairman in the event of the post falling vacant for more than 45 days.

After initially pledging to sort out the mess at the PCB and pleading for time, Sethi is now vowing to vacate the “temporary” slot once he is through with the ICC conference ending Saturday, approving the team for the tour to the West Indies and conducting the election of a full-time chairman.

That Sethi has been ill-at-ease in the new role is evident from his admission of being a little lost with the rather large PCB empire — more than 900 employees weighing down the Titanic, and whose departmental heads notoriously work at cross purposes.

Pakistan engaged Taliban to get talks back on track

ISLAMABAD- June 27: Pakistan remains engaged with the Taliban to put the Doha process back on track after the controversial opening of the insurgent group’s Doha office that deadlocked efforts for peace in Afghanistan.

A Pakistani official told Nation news on Thursday that negotiators were talking to the Taliban leadership to persuade them to get on with the talks with the Americans and the Afghan government.

“The process is continuing. In fact it is in everyone’s interest that the process remains alive,” the official said.

Taliban had initially agreed for talks with the US and Afghanistan’s High Peace Council on Pakistan’s prodding, but the row over the name of the office used in the opening ceremony and raising of a flag at the Doha office angered the Karzai government which cancelled the visit of its negotiators to Qatar and suspended talks with the US on a bilateral security arrangement.

Later, the Afghan government agreed to join the Doha process following US efforts to salvage the talks, but Taliban leaders have yet to come up with their formal response.

A transcript of an interview of a spokesman for the Taliban office in Doha, Dr Mohammed Naeem, posted on the group’s website indicated that the insurgent leadership was moving towards the start of talks both with the US and the Afghan government.

“Talks will be conducted with all sides involved in Afghanistan… meetings will be held with all Afghans according to the exigency of situation,” Dr Naeem said.

However, Taliban intention to use the office for “improving relations with the world countries” and their insistence on the controversial name could still prove to be sticking points for the beginning of the dialogue.

American sources say that Taliban, after 18-month-long talks on Doha office, had agreed that they would neither pose themselves as a government in exile – as they had tried to suggest by adopting the name of Political Office of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan – or use the office as an embassy for reaching out to other countries.

The sole purpose of the office was to facilitate a political settlement of the Afghan war.

Among the other conditions agreed by Taliban, American sources say, was that they would meet the Afghan High Peace Council and sever relations with Al Qaeda.

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Chaudhry said at his weekly briefing on Thursday: “We have affirmed our commitment to consider all possible measures that we believe would contribute to the reconciliation process in the larger interest of peace in Afghanistan.”

Pakistan, he said, considered these talks as an important step towards national reconciliation in Afghanis-tan.

US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan James Dobbins earlier this week visited Pakistan and sought Islamabad’s continued support for the troubled peace process.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, after his meeting with Ambassador Dobbins, called President Karzai to reiterate Pakistan’s support for the process.

About the role played by Pakistan in the opening of Doha office, Mr Chaudhry said: “Doha process was facilitated by stressing on all stakeholders the need to hold dialogue to reconcile their positions in the interest of bringing lasting peace to Afghanistan.

Former South African President Mandela's condition improves, but still critical

PRETORIA: A gravely ill Nelson Mandela showed tentative signs of improvement Thursday as South Africa-bound US President Barack Obama led a chorus of support for the “hero for the world”.

South African President Jacob Zuma, who had abruptly cancelled a trip abroad to be near the 94-year-old anti-apartheid icon, reported he “remains critical but is now stable”.

“He is much better today,” Zuma said in a statement without giving more details. “The medical team continues to do a sterling job. We must pray for Tata's (father's) health and wish him well.”Grandson Mandla Mandela said the Nobel Peace laureate's fate “lies with God and our ancestors”.

“Every improvement in my grandfather's health is cause for celebration.””He is a personal hero,” said US President Barack Obama, who is due to fly into Pretoria later Friday.

“I think he is a hero for the world, and if and when he passes from this place, one thing I think we all know is that his legacy is one that will linger on throughout the ages.”Obama recalled how Mandela had inspired him to take up political activity, when he campaigned for the anti-apartheid movement as a student in the late 1970s.

He was speaking on Thursday from Senegal, the first leg of an African tour.

As Mandela fights for his life after three weeks of intensive care, South Africans remain braced for the worst. A large number of family members gathered Thursday at the hospital where he was admitted on June 8 with a recurring lung infection.

“I won't lie. It doesn't look good,” oldest daughter Makaziwe Mandela said. But “if we speak to him he responds and tries to open his eyes -- he's still there.

“Anything is imminent, but I want to emphasise again that it is only God who knows when the time to go is,” she told local radio.

Clan elder Napilisi Mandela told AFP late on Wednesday that the former South African president was “using machines to breathe”.

A group of family members on Thursday walked to the wall of messages and flowers where emotional crowds have been holding vigils, offering their prayers for one of the greatest figures of the 20th century.

Supporters, including members of Mandela's African National Congress, sang songs in tribute to the man who led the transition from centuries of white minority rule to landmark multiracial elections.

“There is no sadness here. There is celebration. He is a giant,” said Nomhlahla Donry, 57, whose husband served time with the revered leader.

Trailer crushes three children to death in Muzaffargarh

MUZAFFARGARH (Pakistan) : Three children were killed and another was seriously injured when an over speeding trailer hit them in Muzaffargarh, Geo News reported Thursday.

According to reports, four children became victims of an alleged trailer-tanker race that killed three of them on the spot while the fourth one was shifted to the hospital with serious injuries.

The unfortunate incident occurred in Khangarh area of Muzaffargarh when the four children were on their way to the seminary.


Three bodies and the injured child were shifted to Khangarh Hospital while the driver managed to elude from the scene.

The victims were identified as Bilal, Muhammad Aqeel and Uzma Bibi while Naveed was wounded in the tragic mishap.

Transfer of tourists’ bodies to hometowns from today

ISLAMABAD: The process to send the bodies of foreign trekkers, who were shot dead at the base camp of Nanga Parbat in Pakistan on June 23, to their respective countries will begin from today (Thursday) Geo News reported.

According to Foreign Ministry sources, Pakistan is waiting to receive flights clearance by the respective countries.

Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources Jam Kamal Khan will take the bodies to China while Dr Saeed from Foreign Ministry will fly with the bodies of the tourists to Ukraine and eastern European countries.

It may be mentioned that attackers dressed in police uniforms stormed a base camp at the foot of Nanga Parbat late Saturday, shooting dead ten climbers and a Pakistani guide at point-blank range.

The victims were identified as an American with dual Chinese citizenship, three Ukrainians, two Slovakians, two others from China, a Lithuanian and a climber from Nepal.

Supreme Court concludes Musharraf treason case hearing

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has concluded hearing the identical petitions seeking treason trial of former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf Thursday while the order will be issued later, Nation News

A three-judge SC bench headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja was hearing the case today where the concerned parties completed their arguments. The court is due to issue the verdict later to ascertain if high treason proceedings can be initiated against Pervez Musharraf.

During today’s hearing, Attorney General Munir A Malik told the court that a timeline will be set for the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) team tasked to conduct inquiry into the acts of the former military ruler that led to the imposition of emergency on November 3, 2007.



He also presented a directive to form an investigation team with reference to initiate treason trial against Musharraf.



Ibrahim Satti, who is the counsel of Pervez Musharraf, apprised the bench that his client has objections over the reply submitted by the AG in this regard, therefore, they should be considered.
Justice Khilji Arif responded that he should remain patient as the court will ensure that justice should be served to his client.

AG Munir A Malik told the court that a commission will be formed to ascertain transparency during the investigation and for the purpose of monitoring. He further apprised the bench that Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) holds the authority to initiate probe against Pervez Musharraf for high treason act.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had ordered the home secretary to form an investigation team that will conduct an inquiry into Pervez Musharraf’s November 3, 2007 acts.

The AG told that a special court will be set up soon after the team will conclude the probe while he also presented the directive, ordering the formation of the investigation team.

At one occasion, the judges remarked that the court functions under the law and does not make decisions in reaction.


After hearing the arguments of both the parties, the court concluded its proceedings while the judgment will be issued later.


It may be mentioned that a four-member FIA committee has been constituted to interrogate Pervez Musharraf under article 6 of the constitution.

The committee comprises two additional director generals and two directors. They included Additional DG FIA Khalid Qureshi, Azam Khan, Hussain Asghar and Maqsood-ul-Hassan.

The committee will present its report in shortest period of time.

Five killed, 15 injured in Karachi’s Bilal Colony firing, cracker attack

KARACHI: At least Five persons have been killed and 15 sustained injuries in firing and cracker attack at Korangi Town’s Bilal Colony in Karachi,

According to details, some unknown attackers opened fire at people inside a park in Bilal Colony. Three persons expired and six others sustained injuries in the attack.

DIG (East) Tahir Naveed has told that the killed and injured persons were drug addicts and they were busy in their drug taking activities at time of attack.

When police reached on the spot for probe into the incident, then a cracker blast occurred on the scene and that injured 10 persons including police officials.

The injured and dead bodies were moved to Jinnah Hospital while some local people started protest at the attack site in Bilal Colony.

Pakistani govt has no authority to hold dialogue: Tehreek Taliban Pakistan

PESHAWAR: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed that the government of Pakistan does not have the authority to hold talks.

TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan has said that if the group sees that the elected government is able to take a stand against the country's intelligence agencies, only then will the option of talks be considered. In an email statement issued on Tuesday, TTP Eshan said that the TTP leadership considers Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Muhammad Omar as their supreme commander and has taken an oath of jihad on his hand. "TTP fighters are always ready to obey Omar's commands," he said.

Ehsan accused the media of doing negative propaganda against the Taliban to spread mistrust among its members. He said that some groups in the guise of Afghan Taliban tried to attack the TTP but the interference of Afghan Taliban on the demand of TTP foiled the conspiracy against the latter.

Commenting on the offer to resume peace talks with the newly elected Pakistani government led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the spokesman said the TTP is closely monitoring the policies and activities of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and PML-N in the Centre.

"If we see the that the political government is able to control the intelligence agencies of Pakistan and is capable of taking independent decisions then the TTP could re-think holding peace talks with the government," Ehsan said. He lamented that whenever the TTP and Pakistani government have made progress on holding peace talks the Americans, with the ground support of Pakistani intelligence agencies, have repeatedly killed TTP leaders.

He claimed that in the recent past when the newly elected government and TTP were planning to hold peace talks, prominent leader of TTP, Waliur Rehman was targeted by the US through drone strikes with the help of Pakistani intelligence agencies to sabotage the peace efforts and to make rifts within the TTP ranks. He said it was rumoured on media that TTP commander Hakeemullah Mehsud was involved in the targeting of Waliur Rehman.

The Taliban spokesman said that after the killing of Waliur Rehman, the Shura of TTP unanimously decided to suspend peace talks with the government of Pakistan. He said that 80 percent of information for US drone strikes that target TTP leaders is provided by the intelligence agencies of Pakistan. Ehsan denied involvement of his group's fighters in the killing of two PTI MPAs, saying that the TTP is not involved in the killings, rather indigenous agencies are to be blamed. He said that political parties who were coalition partners in the previous government were targeted because of their wrong policies.

Ehsan said the TTP is neither involved in targeting polio vaccination teams nor has differences with them. He said the group has some reservations regarding the programme and if they were redressed there will be no controversy. He said that polio vaccinators are involved in spying in the guise of polio elimination programme, like in the case of Osama Bin Laden, a reference to American CIA's use of a Pakistani doctor to run a fake vaccine programme in Abbottabad to trace the slain al Qaeda chief.

Eshan asked Mehsud tribe's internally displaced persons (IDPs) to abstain from returning to South Waziristan Agency "because the TTP fighters are still launching successful attacks on the military checkpoints" in the tribal agency. He claimed that the TTP network is present from Kashmir to Khyber and from Karachi to Balochistan, and is successfully operating and launching attacks against the government.

Ehsan also said that the group is against Hamid Karzai, Indian and Pakistani intelligence agencies and it is wrongly being accused of having ties with India or the Karzai government.

The group welcomed the opening of Afghan Taliban's office in Doha for the purpose of bringing peace to Afghanistan and the region. Ehsan said TTP welcomes the decision of opening political office of "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" (IEA) in Doha, adding that the TTP is a branch of IEA.

The spokesman said opening of the office in Doha for peace talks is in the interest of Muslims. Ehsan said

Najam Sethi Said Selectors to be held accountable for results

LAHORE:Pakistan's interim cricket chief, Najam Sethi, said on Monday he would ask the sport's governing body to reduce a five-year ban against promising fast bowler Mohammad Amir for spot fixing

Amir, regarded as hot property in international cricket for his pace and guile, was banned with team-mates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif in February 2011 by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The trio were exposed in a sting operation by now defunct British tabloid News of the World, which saw them promising to bowl deliberate no-balls in return for money in the 2010 Lord's Test against England.

All three and their agent Mazhar Majeed were also jailed in 2011.

Sethi, appointed interim chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday, said he would ask the ICC to reduce Amir's ban at its annual meeting in London starting on Tuesday.

“Amir is our talented cricketer and I will request the ICC that (as) he has spent two and a half years of his ban, was also jailed, so for God's sake reduce his ban,” Sethi told a press conference.

Under the ICC players code of conduct the minimum punishment for such a violation is five years.

Sethi, a 65-year-old journalist who was also interim chief minister of Punjab during a recent general election campaign, replaced Zaka Ashraf after he was suspended on charges of being dubiously elected.

Among Sethi's top priorities: representing Pakistan at the ICC meeting; approving the team for next month's one-day and Twenty20 series against the West Indies; and conducting fair and transparent elections in the PCB.

Sethi refused to take the blame for Pakistan's poor performance in the recent Champions Trophy where Misbah ul Haq's team lost all three group matches, could not score beyond 170 runs in the three games and senior batsmen like Shoaib Malik, Imran Farhat and Kamran Akmal failed miserably.

"I didn't make (choose) the team for Champions Trophy," Sethi said.

He added he will not be interfering in the workings of the national selection committee, but also said there would be accountability for decisions made.

"They (selectors) have to take the responsibility when the team wins or loses,'' he said.

"Similarly the captain, vice-captain, coach and manager will be held accountable."

Sethi said he received numerous telephone calls on Monday from people wanting to get certain players on the team for the tour of the West Indies.

"But I didn't pay attention to anyone because I want the selectors to do their job and hopefully they will finalize the squad in four-five days," he said.

Sethi said he will try to streamline the affairs of the PCB by taking all the stakeholders on board and conduct transparent elections for the new PCB chairman.

"That's my job," he said.

"I have no plans to play a long innings, my program (on private television channel) is scheduled to restart from next month.

He said his aim is "that a new administration comes and runs the affairs of the cricket board in a transparent manner."

Sethi said events such as Saturday's killing of 10 foreign climbers in the north made it difficult to bring international cricket back to Pakistan, a task he said would be for a permanent chairman.

International cricket has been suspended in Pakistan since militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009, forcing the national team to play their home matches on neutral venues.

Sethi said the squad for the upcoming tour of the West Indies would be announced later this week. Pakistan will play five one-day and two Twenty20 internationals in the Caribbean next month.

FIA team to probe Musharraf’s Nov 3 actions

ISLAMABAD: The government submitted its written reply in the Supreme Court regarding its future course of action in initiating a treason case against former president, General (retd) Pervez Musharraf.

The reply was submitted by Deputy Attorney General Muhamamd Ali Zai. The reply states that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed the interior secretary to contact DG FIA for the formation of a high-level investigation team. The team will be tasked with probing the November 3, 2007 actions of Pervez Musharraf.



The notification for the treason case was issued by the prime minister’s principal secretary.



On June 24, Prime Minister Sharif announced in the National Assembly that former president, General (retd) Pervez Musharraf will be tried for high treason under article 6 of the Constitution.



Pervez Musharraf faces charges of abrogating the Constitution of Pakistan and detaining judges of the higher judiciary after imposing emergency on November 3, 2007.

DC, DPO, SHO suspended over Quaid’s residency attack

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister, Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch Wednesday suspended Ziarat Deputy commissioner (DC), District Police officer (DPO) and the Station House Officer (SHO) for their negligence as regards to the attack at the residency of the Quaid-e-Azam.Balochistan government’s handout issued here said that after having received initial investigation report about this horrific incident, the chief minister has suspended the DC Tahir Nadeem, DPO Asghar Ali for their negligence over the attack on Quaid’s residency. Besides, Ziarat SHO, DSP and the two guards at the residency have also been suspended, the handout said.



Balochistan CM said that any laxity in protecting the national assets would not be tolerated and added the historical national assets’ safety would be ensured under any circumstances.