Pakistan’s central bank tightens forex rules (Reuters via Yahoo! Singapore News)

KARACHI, July 9 (Reuters) - Pakistan’s central bank said late on Tuesday it was tightening up regulations on foreign exchange transactions in measures analysts said would provide some protection to the rupee which has fallen 18.3 percent this year.

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US faces dilemma as Pakistan grapples with rising militancy (AFP via Yahoo! News)

The United States is facing a major dilemma as ally Pakistan grapples with surging militant violence fueled by groups who may also have a hand in Afghanistan’s worsening security crisis, experts say.

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Gates optimistic that Iraq troop cutbacks will continue

WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressed optimism Tuesday that US troop cutbacks will continue in Iraq, saying the transition of control to Iraqi security forces was going well. “As the Iraqi security forces get stronger and get better then we will be able to continue drawing down our troops in the future,” Gates told reporters during a visit to Fort Lewis, Washington. He said the process of giving Iraqi forces primary responsibility for security was “well underway and, based on everything I”m hearing, we”ll be able to continue,” he said. “And however long that takes really will depend on the situation on the ground. But things are going very well at this point,” he said. There are currently 146,000 US troops in Iraq, down from nearly 170,000, according to the Pentagon. The size of the force is expected to shrink to about 140,000 troops by the end of the month when the last of five “surge” brigades is out of the country. General David Petraeus, the US commander in Iraq, then has another 45 days in which to assess the security situation and decide whether deeper cuts can be made.

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US mum on Kabul blaming Pakistan (Hindustan Times)

The US has declined comment on reports about Afghanistan pointing an accusing finger at Pakistan for Monday’s attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, saying it will work with authorities there to determine what happened.

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Pakistan blasts bring criticism for government (AP via Yahoo! News)

Pakistan’s new government was accused Tuesday of lacking the resolve to stem militant activity after a spate of bombings in the country’s capital and its main commercial city.

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Pakistan News

Punjab, NWFP to discuss strategy tomorrow

LAHORETo avert any flour crisis in the near future, the food ministers and secretaries of Punjab and the NWFP will hold a meeting on Thursday

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Karachi blast effort to disrupt peace: Asfandyar

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) Asfandyar Wali said on Tuesday that Karachi was the biggest city of the country and the blasts wer

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Shahbaz forms committee to monitor ATA cases

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif has constituted a committee for proper application and enforcement of the Anti-Terrorism Act-1997 in

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Pakistan News

India Probes Afghan Bombing as Pakistan Denies Role (Update2) (Bloomberg.com)

July 8 (Bloomberg) — Indian officials arrived in Afghanistan to investigate a suicide bombing at their embassy that killed at least 40 people, as Pakistan denied its intelligence services were involved in the attack.

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Pakistan, Malaysia to expand ties

KUALA LUMPUR: Pakistan on Tuesday showed its readiness to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Malaysia for visa abolition on diplomatic and

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Pakistan News

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