KARACHI: State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has nodded for approval of banking facility to the Internally Dependent Persons (IDPs), sources said on Thursday.According to Emergency Response Unit (ERU), the IDPs, fled Swat and Malakand divisions, are finding it hard to access their money form their bank accounts due to the sabotage of bank records and forcefully closure of many branches of banks by Taliban in their areas.On the recommendation of Chief Secretary NWFP, the central bank has agreed upon the extension of banking amenity to the affectees of military offensive.Following the decision, the IDPs will withdraw their money through cheques, sources added.
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Pakistan temporarily lifts the curfew in large parts of the Swat valley, to allow civilians to flee intense fighting against militants.
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ISLAMABAD: The fire that bought out on Margalla Hills on Thursday evening have yet to be brought under control, Environment Director General Dr. Suleman told Geo news on Friday.The twisted ways and sky-high hills on the way to Margalla Hills have had major contributions in making it difficult for the rescue teams to tame deadly fire, he said.CDA is trying hard to bring blaze under control but any affixed time could not be set in this respect, he added.
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MARDAN, Pakistan — The Pakistani army denies knowing that its war against Islamic militants has caused civilian casualties, but patients and family members at a local hospital told McClatchy Thursday that multiple relatives were killed when the military shelled or bombed their homes.
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NEW YORK: Oil futures ended mixed Thursday as a cautious market digested news of a cut in energy demand forecast by the International Energy Agency amid the global economic downturn. Prices in early trading were down from recent six-month peaks but those in New York firmed up slightly in line with higher US share prices while Brent prices remained weak.New York’’s main futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in June, rose 60 cents from Wednesday to close at 58.62 dollars a barrel. Traders eyed the stock market, which swung higher amid a renewed glimmer of economic optimism, and digested data from this week showing a surprise drop in petroleum inventories.”The inventories were quite bullish yesterday but the market sold off on the stock market selling off. Traders are trying to recover the loss from yesterday,” said Ellis Eckland, an independent analyst. “Crude oil had to close the gap because stock market has rebounded significantly and the dollar is falling,” Eckland said. Brent North Sea crude prices for June fell 65 cents to end at 56.69 dollars in London.The market was cautious after the IEA forecast a drop in global oil demand to a 28-year low, saying optimism about an economic recovery was not reviving appetite for energy.The agency further trimmed its forecast for 2009, which it estimated at 83.2 million barrels per day (bpd), three percent lower than last year, “and the sharpest single year’’s fall since 1981,” in its monthly oil market report.
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DURBAN: Munaf Patel bowled a tight last over under pressure as Rajasthan Royals posted a thrilling two-run victory over Mumbai Indians in an Indian Premier League match here on Thursday. Mumbai needed four runs in the final over to achieve a 146-run target, but seamer Patel conceded just one to boost Rajasthan’’s chances of making it to the semi-finals. Three wickets fell in the last over, including two run-outs. Skipper Sachin Tendulkar hit a solid 40 off 30 deliveries and Abhishek Nayar an 18-ball 35 to raise Mumbai’’s hopes of victory following man-of-the-match Shane Warne’’s triple-strike, but Rajasthan hit back in the closing over. Former Australian leg-spinner Warne finished with 3-24. Mumbai’’s hopes rested on Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya (16), specialist openers batting in the middle order, after three wickets had fallen for 23 runs but skipper Warne removed both the batsmen at the right time. Delhi lead the eight-team tournament with 16 points from 10 matches, followed by Chennai (13/11), Rajasthan (13/12), Deccan (12/11), Bangalore (12/12), Mumbai (11/12), Punjab (10/11) and Kolkata (3/11). The top four sides advance to the semi-finals. Australian opener Rob Quiney and Indian middle-order batsman Ravinder Jadeja earlier boosted Rajasthan with a 61-run stand for the third wicket off just six overs.Quiney top-scored with a 40-ball 51 for his maiden half-century of the tournament, while Jadeja scored 42 off 32 balls.
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The United States has taken the unprecedented step of sharing with Islamabad surveillance data collected by drones flying along over Pakistan, the top US military officer said on Thursday.
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Washington has given Pakistan data on militants in the Afghanistan border area gathered by surveillance drones in Pakistani airspace under an agreement with Islamabad, U.S. officials said on Thursday.
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Pakistan should commit to increased fighting against the Taliban on the border area it shares with Afghanistan if it wants more defense funding from the United States, a key senator said Thursday.
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DURBAN: Rajasthan Royals won the toss and elected to bat first in the day-night Twenty20 International in the second edition of the Indian Premier League here at Kingsmead on Thursday.Morne Morkel has been left out, and Rajasthan have opted for the spinner instead. They have made two other changes. Rob Quiney came in for Lee Carseldine, and Siddharth Chitnis replaced Swapnil Asnodkar. Mumbai has made just one change bringing in Chitnis, a lower-order batsman and offspinner.TeamsRajasthan Royals: Rob Quiney, Graeme Smith, Naman Ojha, Ravindra Jadeja, Yusuf Pathan, Abhishek Raut, Shane Warne, Johan Botha, Siddharth Chitnis, Munaf Patel, Siddharth Tridvedi.Mumbai Indians: Sachin Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya, Jean-Paul Duminy, Abhishek Nayar, Dwayne Bravo, Harbhajan Singh, Ajinkya Rahane, Yogesh Takawale, Dhawal Kulkarni, Lasith Malinga, Chetanya Nanda.
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