Pakistan’s Swat Refugees Need Food Aid; Holbrooke Pledges Help (Bloomberg)

June 4 (Bloomberg) — Pakistan needs more aid to feed people who fled clashes between the army and Taliban in the Swat Valley, the United Nations said, as U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke pledged more American funds to the South Asian nation.

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Mingora to be cleared of militants in 2 weeks: Gen. Ejaz

MINGORA: The General Office Commanding Swat Major General Ejaz Awan in Mingora has calimed clearing the area of arms and weaponries within next two weeks, Geo news reported on Wednesday.Talking to a foreign news agency, he said the search operation lodged by army is still underway featuring the clearance of under land tunnels and weapons.The internally displaced persons from Mingora would start returning to their homes from June 17th, General Officer Commanding Swat, Major General Ejaz Awan said on Wednesday. He said that armed forces will stay in the valley for one year and community police is being prepared to maintain law and order situation. All facilities in Mingora would be restored by June 17th, he added. General Awan said that fifty percent of Swat had been cleared of militants. He said that the gas supply to Matta, which was disrupted during the military operation by blowing up gas pipeline in Mingora by militants, had been restored and electricity would also be restored in next 24 hours. Ejaz Awan said that the process of repatriation of affectees would start after all the community services were restored in the area. “Victory in the operation would not be declared until top Taliban commanders were not killed or arrested”, he said, adding, the armed forces will remain in Swat for one year so that the Taliban might not organized again. He said that community police, comprisinglocal people, elders and district administration officials would be introduced in Mingora so that could control law and order situation in the area.

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Blast in Ferozkhel destroys six shops

FEROZKHEL: At least six shops were destroyed when a blast ripped through them here in Ferozkhel, political administration said Thursday.No report regarding any casualties has yet been received.

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4 perish in Karachi shooting

KARACHI: At least four people were killed including a woman while two persons sustained injuries during firing incidents at various localities of metropolis on Wednesday, Geo news reported.Unknown militants opened fire at a 35-year-old woman in Malir locality, killing her on the spot who was later identified as Seema wife of Anwar. Meanwhile in Shah Faisal colony, unidentified armed men, riding motorcycle, shot dead a 35-year-old man Yaseen Ali son of Syed Ali whose dead body was shifted to Civil Hospital, police sources said.A 28-year-old youth was gunned down in Korangi locality number two while another incident of firing occurred in Landhi locality wherein, 30-year-old Adeel was killed by anonymous offenders when he was present outside his home, police sources added.Two more people were shot injured in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Moch Goath localities who were taken to Civil Hospital for medical aid, sources maintained.

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Forces to continue efforts for Razmak students

PESHAWAR: Political Agent Mutahir Zeb said the political agents, forces and the tribal veteran have not let up their efforts for the recovery of abducted students of Razamak Cadet College, sources said Thursday.He said the forces conducted operation in Garium and recovered at least eight vehicles.

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Unpaid guard commits suicide

LAHOREA YOUNG guard committed suicide after he was denied two-month salary by his security agency in Allama Iqbal Town area the other day. br

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Sharma helps India win over Pak in T20 warm-up

LONDON: Brilliant batting from Rohit Sharma saw defending champions India to a crushing nine-wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan in their ICC World Twenty20 warm-up match at the Oval here on Tuesday. Sharma made 80 and shared a huge first-wicket stand of 140 with left-hander Gautam Gambhir (52 not out) that got India to the brink of their 159 target. It needed a fine catch in the deep by Ahmed Shehzad off Mohammad Amir, one of seven bowlers used, to end Sharma’’s innings of 93 balls with two sixes and nine fours. But India still won with three overs to spare. India, who lost to New Zealand by nine runs in their previous warm-up match, were again without star batsman Virender Sehwag because of a shoulder injury. But such was Sharma’’s form, Sehwag was barely missed as Pakistan suffered a second heavy warm-up defeat after their 59-run loss to South Africa. This match was a repeat of the 2007 final which India won by five runs in a thrilling contest in Johannesburg. But here a capacity crowd had to be content with Indian excellence alone.Fast bowler Ishant Sharma led the India attack with one for 18 in three overs as they restricted Pakistan to 158 for six in 20 overs. Pakistan lost three wickets with their score on 45 and it needed an unbroken stand of 45 between Misbah-ul-Haq (37 not out) and Yasir Arafat (25 not out) to give them some hope of staying in the game. India, chasing 159 for victory, saw Sharma loft Arafat for six and pull Amir for four. Meanwhile Gambhir weighed in with the occasional blazing hit, pulling leg-spinner Shahid Afridi to the mid-wicket boundary during his 45-ball fifty. Unusually for a warm-up, this game was being played in front of a 23,000 sell-out crowd. After Pakistan captain Younus Khan won the toss and batted in overcast conditions, India saw Praveen Kumar bowl Shehzeb Hussain for nought with the fifth ball of the match.New batsman Kamran Akmal struck several stylish boundaries but his exit sparked a collapse that saw three wickets lost with the score on 45. Akmal was brilliantly run-out by Suresh Raina’’s diving underarm direct hit and three balls later Raina was involved again when he caught Shehzad off Ishant Sharma.Afridi can turn any match with his destructive batting but next ball he was out for a golden duck, caught behind off Irfan Pathan. A composed stand of 50 in 45 balls between Younus and Misbah-ul-Haq repaired some of the early damage before Younus was stumped for a run-a-ball 32 off Harbhajan Singh.India begn the tournament proper against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge on Saturday while Pakistan face hosts England at The Oval 24 hours later.

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Having no ID cards, IDPs

RawalpindiInternally displaced persons (IDPs) are shifting to Rawalpindi in large numbers from camps in Mardan, Peshawar and Attock, complaini

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Punjab to raise agri tax issue

LAHORE PUNJAB Finance Minister Tanveer Ashraf Kaira Wednesday said the province was collecting tax from farmers and the agriculture tax was no

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LSE continues to fall

LAHORE: The Lahore stock market fell for the sixth consecutive day on Wednesday, declining 52 points amid a reduced trading volume.The LSE 25-

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