ISLAMABAD: A foolproof security model will be devised for the capital, which will be replicated in other major cities to beef up security in the count

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PESHAWAR: Central Information Secretary of the Awami National Party Zahid Khan has said miscreants are working on a special agenda to sabotage the pea

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KarachiThe Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) has moved the Sindh High Court (SHC) for the attachment of more than 100 unauthorized con

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UNITED NATION: In his maiden address to the General Assembly of United Nation here on Thursday, the President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari has categorically asked justice for the assassinated Benazir Bhutto.President Asif Ali Zardari declared Pakistan will not let its territory be used by terrorists for attacks against its own people or against its neighbours, nor will it allow violation of its territory or sovereignty by any country.He said that the world is looking forward to enjoy justice with the help of United Nation, however U.N has to prove itself being eligible justice provider by helping Pakistan soon discover those who hatched the conspiracy to slay Benazir Bhutto.Addressing the 63rd UN General Assembly, the President vowed to use all resources to eliminate the terrorists and said Pakistan must fight this epic battle together as allies and partners. But at the same time, the President said “We cannot allow our territory and our sovereignty to be violated by our friends.” Declaring himself being a democratic head of the state, Zardari questioned the entire world to stand united with Pakistan to combat against terrorism. President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan will work together with its neighbor Afghanistan, and the NATO forces stationed there, to ensure security of the common border. “Let it be clear to the terrorists lurking in their caves plotting their next assault on humanity. If necessary, we will confront evil with force - our police, our army and our air force. We will turn the power of the state against the stateless terrorists. We will turn the power of justice against the chaos of anarchists. We will turn the power of right against the darkness of evil,” President Zardari said. He said better relations between Pakistan, Afghanistan and India would help create the regional environment that is more conducive to reducing militancy in our region. He said, “We will continue the composite dialogue with India so that our outstanding disputes are resolved. Whether it is the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir, or cooperation on water resources, India and Pakistan must accommodate each other’’s concerns and interests; we must respect and work with each other to peacefully resolve our problems and build South Asia into a common market of trade and technology. President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday called on the United Nations to “move forward quickly” in investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to identify the “bloody hands” that took her life.”We paid a political price at home for coming to the UN and not conducting the investigation at home,” he said in his maiden speech to the U.N. General Assembly, referring to Pakistan’’s request for a probe by the world body in July.”But we wanted this investigation to be credible and independent and representing this respected institution’’s commitment to the victims of terrorism,” he said.So far, the UN has not established an international commission to probe Ms. Bhutto’’s murder and its spokespersons have said that consultations were taking place with the Government of Pakistan.”If the president of a country and his children cannot get justice through the United Nations, how would the poor and the dispossessed around the world find reassurance that the U.N. is capable of protecting the weak and the suffering?” Zardari said in his impassioned speech.”In the name of humanity and in the name of justice, move forward quickly on the investigation of the assassination of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, so the people of Pakistan and the world will know once and for all, whose bloody hands took away one of the greatest women of history,” President Zardari said.He described Benazir as a brave woman who understood the dynamics of the region and the world, the interrelationship between politics and economics, social injustice and political dictatorship.President Asif Ali Zardari said the nation still does not know what forces and institutions were involved in the heinous crime.”Who plotted and planned and coordinated and trained and paid for the murder of my wife and my nation’’s beloved leader?” Zardari said.He said a UN investigation into the murder of their leader would reassure the people of Pakistan that the international community cares about them, that the UN’’s charter of justice is more than rhetoric. “We owe it to her. We owe it to history,” Zardari said.Zardari recalled the grand welcome of three million to the return of democracy as Benazir returned to openly confront the forces of terror. He said she had been telling for years the world leaders that dictatorship fuels extremism and poverty fuels fanaticism.He said Benazir Bhutto understood that democracy was not an end, but a beginning; “that a starving child has no human rights; that a father who could not support his family was someone ripe for extremism.”The President said the Bhutto Doctrine of Reconciliation focuses on the dual mission to combat dictatorship and terrorism, while promoting social and economic reform and justice for the people of Pakistan.”The Bhutto doctrine of Reconciliation is a road map not only to a new Pakistan, but to a new era of peace and cooperation between East and West, between peoples of all faiths, a roadmap that if followed will avoid the clash of civilizations and clash of religions that is the terrorists” ultimate goal.”President Zardari described the Bhutto Doctrine as the new century’’s equivalent of the Marshall Plan that saved Europe after World War II. “Bhutto Doctrine’’s pillar is that of an economically viable Pakistan that will be the centerpiece of the victory of pluralism over terrorism.”He said the doctrine will ultimately prove to be as critical to the victory of freedom in this country as Marshall Plan was critical to the triumph of liberty in the last.”Ours is a Doctrine of Reconciliation. Theirs is the Doctrine of Death,” President Zardari said.He said Benazir’’s killers thought her elimination would end her dream of a democratic Pakistan and the Balkanization of our region would enable the forces of darkness to prevail.The President said the nation rallied in the aftermath of Benazir Bhutto’’s brutal and tragic assassination.”If al-Qaeda and the Taliban believed that by silencing Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, they were silencing her message they were wrong.”"We have picked up the torch and will fight against terrorists who attack us, and fight against terrorists who use our territory to plan attacks against our neighbours or anywhere in the world.”

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Pakistan News

LAHORE: Advocate General Punjab on Thursday assured the Lahore High Court that no more workers of the PML-Q in Gujrat would be arrested till the fina

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BANGKOK: Novak Djokovic made a winning return after a four-year absence from the Thailand Open, powering into the quarter-finals 6-1, 6-3 over German Simon Stadler on Thursday. The Serb set up a Friday match with Swedish sixth seed Robin Soderling, a winner over Teimuraz Gabashvili of Russia 6-1, 6-3. Top seed Djokovic played the event in 2004, losing in the first round as a teenage wild card, but he returns as one of the best players in the world. “That was one of my first ATP events, I”m very glad to be back as the number three player in the world. It’’s really enjoyable,” he said. Djokovic swept through the opening set in 22 minutes against an opponent ranked 141 who came in with only five ATP matches this season. Djokovic’’s momentum slowed only slightly as he lost serve for 0-2 in the second set, but he quickly earned a break back and added another break in the seventh game on his run to the finish. The Australian Open champion won his 56th match of the season as he seeks a fourth title in 2008. “I”m surprised how well I played in the first set,” said Djokovic. “In the second I had some difficulties but overall it was a good performance.”

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KARACHI: Due to increasing price hike, there has been a remarkable decline seen in the sale of furniture in the city due to which economic hardships of some 100,000 families associated with the furniture industry have been increased.The Market Alliance Association chief Ateeq Mir told Geo News that the furniture industry remained under pressure during the past four years and in the current year from January todate, there has been a 50 per cent rise in the prices of furniture owing to which sale of furniture has almost been stopped.He said that people were purchasing less furniture for marriages while its sale for daily usage has almost stopped.He told that the prices of raw material have been increased to a great extent in which wood price went up by 300 per cent while price of steel has been increased by 50 per cent and prices of chip board, glass, foam, plywood and hardware have been increased by 30 per cent.Ateeq Mir told that there are 32 furniture markets in the metropolis and some 100,000 people are working at 5,000 shops.He told that the decline in the sale of furniture was affecting the employment of these people.

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LONDON: Oil prices dropped further Thursday on falling demand for crude in the United States, the world’’s biggest consumer of energy, amid a global economic slowdown, traders said.New York’’s main contract, light sweet crude for November delivery, dropped 1.37 dollars to 104.36 dollars a barrel.Brent North Sea crude for November delivery shed 1.16 dollars to 101.29 dollars a barrel. “Oil was lower with markets still under pressure from concerns about lower demand growth, especially while the US government’’s bailout plan remains uncertain,” said Sucden analyst Michael Davies.Crude prices had ended slightly lower on Wednesday after the US government reported a sharp drop in consumption, stoking worries about energy demand.Americans on average consumed 19.5 million barrels of oil a day over the past four weeks, down 5.3 percent from the same period a year ago, the Department of Energy said in a report.

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KARACHI: The foreign exchange reserves of the country declined by $89.2 million to remain at $8.82 billion.According to State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the foreign exchange reserves of the country reached the level of $8.82 billion in the week that ended on September 20.A break up of the foreign reserves shows that the SBP holds $5.40 billion while $3.41billion are with the commercial banks.According to Governor SBP Shamshad Akhter, the foreign exchange reserves would not be allowed to drop below two months import bills. For this purpose, SBP has purchased dollars on large scale.

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MADRID: Barcelona defeated Real Betis 3-2 in the Spanish football league match on Wednesday while Real Madrid beat Sporting Gijon 7-1. The match between hosts Barcelona and Real Betis was very interesting and Barcelona players had to toil hard for gaining success over the visitors.Samuels Eto”o from Barcelona made the first goal in the 17th minute and his teammate Gudjohnsen in the 22nd minute to provide an excellent start to their team.Real Betis fought back well in the second half and with the help of two goals from Luciano Monzon and Jose Mari, equaled the match.However, the final and decisive goal of the match was scored in the 80th minute by Eidur Gudjohnsen and thus Barcelona emerged victorious by 3-2.In other match at Madrid, Real Madrid trounced Sporting Gijon 7-1 with the help of a fine hat-trick from Rafael Van der Vaart.Besides, Raul made two goals while Gonzalo Higuain and Arjen Robben netted one goal each.

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