ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chief, Imran Khan, has charged that the rulers are silent over conspiracies to divide the country, as the

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A former Pakistani intelligence chief confirms that the infamous US security contractor Blackwater (now known as Xe Services LLC) is involved in the US missile attacks on northwestern Pakistan.

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NEW YORK: International Monetary Fund (IMF) hinted that Pakistan?s inflation rate will be increase from 9 to 11 percent for current fiscal year.

In an analytical report, IMF has increased the inflation rate for Pakistan from 9 percent to 11 percent for current fiscal year. The increased in the target has been made keeping in view increment in the crude oil prices and rise in power tariff. The economic growth rate will be 3 percent whereas threats to economic progress will also remain same.

The report added that there is increment in flow of remittances in Pakistan therefore, it is expected that current accounts deficit will be decline from 4.7 percent to 4.2 percent.

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SARGODHA: At least four people died while several others sustained injuries when a Karachi-bound Millat Express collided with a truck near Sargodha on Sunday.

The incident took place at railway crossing No 86.

According to eyewitnesses, several labourers were on board in the truck when it hit the train.

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ISLAMABAD: The controversy over the reappointment of SC judge Khalilur Rehman Ramday took another twist on Saturday as the former Chief Justice of Pak

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CAPE TOWN: The gun attack on Togo?s team bus in Angola before the start of the African Nations Cup will have no impact on the World Cup in South Afric

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KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari said on Sunday that Britain and Pakistan needed
to work closely to further strengthen their partnership in various areas particularly in trade and investment and educational development with a view to eliminating militancy and terrorism from Pakistan and promoting peace and security in the region and the world.

He said this during meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband who called on him Sunday evening here at Bilawal House shortly after the President returned from a two-day visit to Syria.

Spokesperson of the President, former Senator Farhatullah Babar said that matters relating to the forthcoming London Conference on Afghanistan, bilateral issues and regional issues, the ongoing fight against militancy and the second Pak-EU Summit also figured in the meeting.

President Asif Ali Zardari said that any initiative on Afghanistan should ensure Afghan ownership of the process as well as territorial integrity of the country, national reconciliation and peace and stability and that its soil was not used against any of its neighbours.

The President said that an important issue was that of border management between Pakistan and Afghanistan in which the international community could be of great help.

He underlined the need for setting up Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) in the tribal belt with the facility to export the manufactured goods to the markets of European Union countries. This, the President said, will help address the issues of poverty and unemployment in the Tribal Areas as an adjunct to stabilizing and managing the border.

The President also called for Afghan peace and integration programme which offered incentives to the over two million Afghan refugees in Pakistan to return to their country.

In the bilateral issues, the President also underlined the need for reducing the time span for the processing of Pakistani visa applications particularly that of students and businessmen as well as addressing the perception of discrimination in the issuance of British visas.

He said that it was generally complained by Pakistani citizens that their passports had been retained for too long for visa processing during which period they could not undertake any foreign travels and they wanted that the passports be returned to them while the visa applications were being processed.

The President said that after building national consensus on war against militancy the democratic Government had moved forward and achieved significant successes during the past months in the fight against militancy.

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DHAKA: The countdown for the 2011 Cricket World Cup has begun officially with the unveiling of the trophy at a ceremony in the Bangabandhu Conference Centre in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is hosting the tournament jointly with India and Sri Lanka.

Sharad Pawar, the chairman of the 2011 Cricket World Cup Central Organising Committee, formally handed over the trophy to the presidents of the relevant cricket boards: AHM Mustafa Kamal of Bangladesh; Shashank Manohar of India; and Somachandra de Silva of Sri Lanka.

International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive officer Haroon Lorgat was also present at the ceremony.

The tournament will begin on February 17, 2011, with Bangladesh hosting the opening ceremony.

India will host 29 matches of the 14-nation tournament at eight venues; Sri Lanka will host 12 matches at three venues; and Bangladesh will host eight games at two places.

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LAHORE

PAKISTAN Muslim League-Quaid central leaders Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain have said that the ruling party which i

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DHAKA: World cricket chiefs on Saturday expressed satisfaction over the preparations for next year?s World Cup to be jointly hosted by India, Sri Lank

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