ISLAMABAD: Chairman Parliamentary Committee on National Security Raza Rabbani has said that the committee has forwarded its recommendations to the Prime Minister and Foreign Office.

Speaking to newsmen outside the Parliament House in Islamabad Thursday, he said the committee has urged the United States to review its policy about Pakistan.

A meeting has also been called on Jan 25 to review the implementation of the given recommendations, he said.

Rabbani said the national security committee has made eight recommendations, which were drafted after briefing of DG ISI and Foreign Office. He said no compromise would be made on the country?s sovereignty while private security contract should be reconsidered.

The foreign office and military officials have informed the committee that no pact was signed with the US regarding drone strikes, said Rabbani.

He further said Pakistan needed to make efforts for restoration of peace in Afghanistan while there was also need to improve atmosphere of trust between the two countries.

The recommendations say that no compromise will be made about the country?s atomic program. The committee has also called on the international community to play its role for resumption of composite dialogue with India.

Senator Rabbani stated that current foreign policy would be different from the past.

To a question about new US screening system, he said that nation has rejected it.

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HOBART: Australian batsmen dominated the first day?s play after losing three early wickets in the third and the final Test here at the Bellerive Oval on Thursday.

Captain Ricky Ponting and middle-order batsman Michael Clarke cracked hundreds to take Australia to a formidable 302-3 after losing three early wickets for 71 runs.

Both batsmen added 231 runs for an unbeaten fourth wicket partnership.

At stumps, Ponting was batting on 137 while Clarke remained not out on 111 and they cracked 17 and 11 boundaries, respectively.

Both are celebrating a welcome return to form after weathering difficult summers and an indifferent start to their innings.

The Australian captain had yet to score when he was dropped on the boundary by Mohammad Aamer off the bowling of Mohammad Asif in the first session.

Clarke lunged and missed repeatedly at Asif outside off stump early in his innings but could not get an edge and managed to play himself into form the day went on.

Asif trapped Simon Katich (11) in front with the score on 28, but his extended appeal was turned down by umpire Asoka de Silva. However, he gave him out after the Pakistanis asked for a review and were successful.

Watson (29) was caught at point by Imran Farhat from the bowling of Umar Gul (1-36) with the score on 52.

Aamer made up for his dropped catch by having Michael Hussey (6) caught by debutant wicket keeper Sarfraz Ahmed and Australia were struggling at 3-71.

Earlier the captain had won the toss and chose to bat on a wicket that had some life in it.
Pakistan made four changes, bringing in Sarfraz, Aamer, Shoaib Malik and Khurram Manzoor in place of Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Sami, Misbah-ul-Haq, respectively while Australia brought Simon Katich back from injury.

Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Simon Katich, Shane Watson, Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Marcus North, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Peter Siddle, Doug Bollinger. 12th man: Clint McKay.

Pakistan: Mohammad Yousuf (captain), Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Khurram Manzoor, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed, Mohammad Aamer, Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Danish Kaneria. 12th man: Faisal Iqbal.

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board Thursday named squad for ODI and Twenty20 series against Australia.

Struggling Misbah-ul-Haq has been dropped from the squad while former skipper Younis Khan has been recalled.

Pakistan and Australia will start the five-match one-day international series on January 22 in Brisbane.

According to the selection committee, Khurram Manzoor, Misbah-ul-Haq, Danish Kaneria, Muhammad Sami and Faisal Iqbal will be replaced by former captain Younis Khan, Fawad Alam, Shahid Afridi, Rao Iftikhar, Khalid Latif and Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan.

While Muhammad Yousuf will continue to lead the side in one-day series. Shahid Afridi will be the captain for Twenty20 encounter.

Muhammad Yousuf and Younis Khan will not be the part of T20 squad.

Dashing all-rounder Imran Nazir will join the squad for only Twenty20 clash.

Squad: Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Muhammad Yousuf, Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal, Saeed Ajmal, Muahammad Asif, Umar Gul, Shoaib Malik, Muhammad Amir, Sarfraz Ahmed, Fawad Alam, Younis Khan, Rao Iftikhar, Khalid Latif and Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan.

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Pakistan News

KARACHI: The Karachi Stock Exchange witnessed another dry session on Thursday, however, benchmark-100 index added nominal 18 points to close at 9,802 points.

The local bourse kept moving in both directions throughout the session. Investors remained bullish in fertilizer, banking and telecom stocks while index managed to close above 9,800 psychological barrier.

Market turnover stood at 163 million shares while FFBL was crowned as the volume leader with the trading of over 25 million shares. It gained Rs1.37/share to close at Rs28.95.

Meanwhile, junior KSE-30 index closed at 10,359 points with a gain of 49 points.

Market experts said technical correction could be seen at 9,800 levels.

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Cricketer turned politician Imran Khan called Thursday for the army to withdraw from Pakistan’s tribal areas and for talks with the Taliban, warning that the country faced “catastrophe” otherwise.

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TIMERGARA: Twelve-year-old Meena Gul, now in the custody of the Dir Lower Police as a suspected would-be bomber, made explosive disclosures on Wednesd

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KARACHI: Zubyr Soomro was elected as Chairman of Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) for the term commenced from January 01, 2010.

The unanimous decision was taken at the first meeting of re-constituted Board of KSE, which was held today.

Zubyr Soomro is a career banker having worked for 36 years with Citibank across multiple boundaries, roles and assignments.

Earlier, one re-elected and four newly elected member directors of KSE took charge for the new term along with 4 non-member directors nominated by Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), while 4 member directors and 4 non-member directors from the previous Board stood retired with effect from December 31, 2009.

The five elected directors of KSE for the new Board include Abid Ali Habib, Muhammad Yasin Lakhani, Dawood Jan Mohammad, Mohammad Munir Khanani and Abdul Majeed Adam; whereas, the SECP?s nominated directors on KSE?s Board for the current term are Zubyr Soomro, Farrukh S. Ansari, Farrukh Viqaruddin Junaidy and Muhammed Farhan Malik.

It may be noted that Adnan Afridi has been the Managing Director of the Exchange since October 2007.

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ANKARA: Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has said that it is the collective responsibility of all the political parties of Pakistan to make effor

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Pakistan News

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Nazar Mohammad Gondal on Wednesday said the recently-introduced Seed Amendment Bill seeks certain

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Karachi

The Mauripur Investigation police have arrested two suspects reportedly involved in the murder and rape of a minor girl reported last

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