ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani Thursday ruled out US win in Afghanistan without Pakistan?s help and that US attitude of imposing restrictions on Pakistan after striking a deal with India is unacceptable.
He said this while addressing the National Assembly session in Islamabad.
The Prime Minister admitted that despite 60-year long relations with the US, trust deficit exists between the two countries.
He said the US has been told that drone attacks proves to be counter-productive because they only incite tribesmen to take up militancy and join the extremists. ?The whole world has realized that the strikes by unmanned aircrafts incite negative sentiments,? he added.
The Premier said efforts are being made to persuade the US on the matter of drone strikes.
?We have made it clear and continue to convince the US that Pakistan needs trade and not aid,? he told the house.
He said Pakistan is not in favour of building relations with anyone at the expense of country?s integrity. We want relations with international forces on equal level.
The US has also been conveyed the concerns of Pakistanis regarding Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and tried to convince it to release her to gain popularity in Pakistan. He said a lawyer has been appointed for Dr. Aafia.
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KARACHI: Despite cold weather and considerable low demand of electricity in the city, 4 to 5 hours of unscheduled power cut continued in Karachi.
As per KESC sources, city?s total demand of electricity is 1,400 mega watts while 1,100 mega watts is being supplied.
The power shortfall has increased to 350 mega watts due to the closure of KANUPP, while city?s residential, industrial and financial areas are facing 4 to 5 hours of unscheduled load shedding.
Sources further said power supply from various IPPs to KESC has stopped. Moreover, two units of Bin Qasim Power Plant have been closed for maintenance purpose while Defence Desalination Plant is also closed due to technical problems.
KESC is getting 400 mega watts from WAPDA, 50 mega watts from rental power plants while company?s own power generation has reduced to 475 mega watts.
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KARACHI: Absence of certified warehouses in the country is a big problem in the way of launching the trading of full-range agricultural products on th
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PESHAWAR: Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF), a media watchdog, has urged the Pakistani authorities to explain as to what happened to a freelance journali
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U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty says it is starting to broadcast to the tribal areas of Pakistan in efforts to provide an alternative to Islamic extremists stations in the border region with Afghanistan.
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ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Thursday said that evidence about involvement of banned outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi in Karachi?s Ashura blast had been found.
A joint syndicate of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Jhanvi and al-Qaeda was carrying out terrorist activities in the country on foreign directions.
Speaking at the National Assembly?s session, he said that the connection between blast and incidents of arson was being examined. He said that inquiry team was holding investigation about the whole episode.
The City Government, police and rangers tried their best. However, adequate quantity of foam required to control the blaze was not available.
The interior minister said that it was jointly decided that strict action would be taken against all the criminal elements irrespective of their political association.
Criminal elements were present in Lyari, Baldia, Sherpao Colony and Orangi Town, he said and added that only two houses were raided in Lyari.
He assured that target killings would end in Karachi after taking necessary measures along with provincial government.
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RAWALPINDI: A meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee was held at Joint Staff Headquarters in Chaklala Thursday.
The meeting was chaired by General Tariq Majid, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) and was attended by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of the Army Staff, Admiral Noman Bashir, Chief of the Naval Staff, Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, Chief of the Air Staff, Director General Inter Services Intelligence, Director General Strategic Plans Division, Acting Secretary Defence, Secretary Defence Production, Director General Joint Staff and other senior military officials from three services.
The committee undertook a comprehensive review of the national security scene, taking stock of the evolving internal and external challenges and the contemplated response.
The deliberations focused on, interalia reshaping regional dynamics, implications of the revised US strategy for Afghanistan, impact of increased instability in Afghanistan, situation along the Eastern Borders, developments in the Indian Ocean Region and the tenuous specter of regional strategic balance.
The developmental aspects of the Armed Forces also came under the discussion.
The committee deliberated in detail complexed internal security situation and reviewed the ongoing national effort against terrorism and violent extremism including the progress of military operations in the tribal regions and measures for consolidation of the successfully recovered areas especially the rehabilitation of the displaced persons and the affected population.
It also expressed satisfaction on the state of preparedness of the armed forces and had a deliberate discussion on various measures for effectively dealing with the assessed security challenges confronting the country.
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Karachi
Millions of rupees have been embezzled in the process of ?repairing? tenders of the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) fire depart
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LAHORE
DR Abdul Qadeer?s befitting and timely rebuttal to the comments of the Indian Army chief was actually a job that should have been done b
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ISLAMABAD: Senators have demanded that the president and the prime minister should not undertake visits to the United States till the US government wi
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