Australia will spend millions of dollars on urgent food aid to Pakistan, Zimbabwe and North Korea, the foreign minister said.
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RAWALPINDI: Three vehicles loaded explosive material have been seized from Dhoke Kala Khan area of the Rawalpindi and four suspicious persons have been arrested, the sources said.About 1100 Kg explosive material was found in the three vehicles, however, explosive material has been defused, the sources said.The held suspicious persons have been shifted to unknown place for the interrogation, the sources said. They also revealed that the held suspicious persons have made important disclosures.The held suspicious persons have confessed that the vehicles loaded with explosive material were set to explode, the sources said.One vehicle was set to explode at presidential camp, the other at Musharraf House and a guest house portion was planned to be blown up by blowing up the third vehicle, the sources claimed.
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KARACHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the names of umpire and referee to officiate in the Asia Cup from June 24 in Pakistan.Mike Procter of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees will oversee the matches staged in Lahore while Alan Hurst, also of the Elite Panel, will supervise the matches to be played in Karachi.The ICC-appointed on-field umpires will be Simon Taufel and Brian Jerling of Elite Panel, and Ian Gould and Tony Hill of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires.Appointments for the second round matches will be announced in due course.Asia Cup Match Referees Mike Procter (Lahore) and Alan Hurst (Karachi) June 24 Bangladesh v UAE, Lahore ODI Simon Taufel , Ian Gould; Pakistan v Hong Kong, Karachi (ODI) Tony Hill and Brian Jerling June 25 Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, Lahore (ODI) Simon Taufel, Ian Gould; India v Hong Kong, Karachi (ODI) Tony Hill and Brian Jerling June 26 Sri Lanka v UAE, Lahore (ODI) Simon Taufel , Ian Gould; Pakistan v India, Karachi (ODI) Tony Hill and Brian Jerling.
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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan— Al Qaida’s claim Thursday that it was behind this week’s bombing of the Danish embassy here has exposed the deadly grip of terrorism on Pakistan and is likely to strain U.S. relations with the country, analysts said.
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NOTTINGHAM: Kevin Pietersen’’s 115 rescued England from a top-order collapse on the first day of the third and final Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge here Thursday. At stumps England, who shortly after lunch slumped to 86 for five, were 273 for seven. Their recovery was built around a sixth-wicket stand of 161 between Pietersen and wicket-keeper Tim Ambrose (67) who came in following noughts from struggling batsmen Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood. But, frustratingly for England, Ambrose was out before the close, caught behind off seamer Iain O”Brien, whose figures of four for 61 in 20 overs were his best in Test cricket. Stuart Broad was 15 not out and James Anderson one not out.
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Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Spanta criticises Pakistan for negotiating peace deals with pro-Taleban militants.
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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday said the government was committed to regularize contractual employees and that is why those working in grade 1 to 15 have been made permanent.Replying to points of order of various members in the National Assembly, the Prime Minister said it is part of PPP’’s manifesto to secure the employment of the people.He said none of the contractual employees were recruited during his party’’s tenure and lamented that these people were suffering a situation of uncertainty over the last eight to nine years.In response to a point raised by a member to regularize the services of PIA contractual employees, he said a cabinet committee has been formed for the purpose.The Prime Minister said many perks and privileges were involved for those working in grade 16 and above and the committee will also decide about them.On the question of wheat shortage in the country, he said the government has enhanced its support price, adding that Sindh and Punjab has already procured 80 percent of grain from farmers through PASSCO.He said inter-provincial ban on wheat movement has also been lifted.The Prime Minister in response to a point from a member said that hewill ensure that there is no more shortage of wheat in district Hangu.Akram Masih Gill called for representation of minorities in the cabinet to which Prime Minister said it will be done as the cabinet is yet to be expanded.Gilani said minority ministers have already been included in provincial cabinets.MQM member Khush Bakht Shujaat raised the issue of consistent power outages in Karachi and said as a result the people were protesting on the streets.Prime Minister Gilani said he was cognizant of the problem and has taken various measures like conservation and setting of clocks one hour forward.He said more electricity is being brought into the existing infrastructure and Karachi will be given extra 1000 megawatt of electricity.He hoped that with the melting of snow on mountains, the situation will improve greatly and added that he has instructed to distribute evenly the load shedding time for all cities.
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Pakistan News
ISLAMABAD: British Foreign Minister David Miliband telephoned the Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to exchange views on matters of bilateral and mutual interest. They discussed progress on the Composite Dialogue with India which they agreed was moving in a positive direction. Foreign Office Spokesman Muhammad Sadiq giving details of the telephonic conversation said, the Foreign Minister David Miliband reiterated his support for Pakistan’’s multi-pronged strategy to combat terrorism and extremism.Foreign Minister Qureshi said he was going to Afghanistan tomorrow to deliver a message of cooperation.Foreign Minister Miliband said he is looking forward to meet Foreign Minister Qureshi on the margins of International Conference in Support of Afghanistan in Paris later this month.
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Pakistan’s army is “fighting bravely” against terrorism, the top-ranking U.S. military officer said after a visit to the country to discuss joint efforts against the Taliban and al-Qaida.
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(RTTNews) - Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Rangin Spanta on Thursday criticized Pakistan for seeking peace deals with pro-Taliban militants, saying that such moves would threaten his country’s security.
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