PROVIDENCE, Guyana: Mahela Jayawardene hit a brilliant hundred to guide Sri Lanka to set Zimbabwe a difficult target of 174 runs in the World Twenty20 Group ?B? match here at the Providence Stadium on Monday.

Jayawardene became the fourth batsman in T20 international cricket, third in the World T20 and second in the current tournament to make a century.

The former captain, opening the Sri Lankan innings, scored exact 100 runs from 64 balls with four sixes and ten fours.

Jayawardene’’s hundred came just a day after India batsman Suresh Raina scored 101 in a World Twenty20 group match against South Africa in Saint Lucia.

After captain Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and decided to bat first, Sri Lankan batsmen made 173 for seven in the allotted 20 overs.

However, only two Sri Lankan batsmen besides Jayawardene got into double figures. Thissara Perera made 23) and Chamara Kapugedera scored 13 as extras were 14.

Sri Lanka, who needed to win to qualify for the second round Super Eights after losing the tournament opener to New Zealand by two wickets, suffered a huge blow before play began when star off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a groin injury.

Suraj Randiv came in for Muralitharan and Thissara Perera, a medium-pace all-rounder replaced Chanaka Welegedara.

This was the first match of this World Twenty20 proper for Zimbabwe, who defeated both reigning champions Pakistan and Australia in warm-up fixtures.

Teams
Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara (captain, wk), Dinesh Chandimal, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Sanath Jayasuriya, Thissara Perera, Suraj Randiv, Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis

Zimbabwe: Brendan Taylor, Hamilton Masakadza, Tatenda Taibu (wk), Craig Ervine, Elton Chigumbura, Charles Coventry, Greg Lamb, Graeme Cremer, Prosper Utseya (captain), Ray Price, Christopher Mpofu.

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MIRAMSHAH: A U.S. drone strike killed four militants in a Pakistani tribal region near the Afghan border Monday, Geo News reported Monday.

The latest strike came when a top U.S. general arrived hereto discuss the countries” efforts in the war against extremists.

The missile strike underscored U.S. confidence in the much-criticized tactic, despite recent video footage that shows the Pakistani Taliban chief may not have been killed in a similar attack in January as earlier thought.

The three missiles were fired minutes apart at a moving vehicle in the Marsi Khel area in North Waziristan, said two intelligence officials who confirmed the death toll on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.

North Waziristan has long been a haven for militant networks battling American and NATO forces across the border in Afghanistan. In recent months, it has also been something of a hide-out for Pakistani Taliban leaders who have fled an army offensive in their previous stronghold, South Waziristan.

The Pakistani Taliban, while linked to the Afghan Taliban and al-Qaida, have primarily directed their attacks at targets inside Pakistan, making them a priority for the army.

The Pakistani army has held off on waging an offensive against the other networks that are based in North Waziristan, despite U.S. pressure. In the meantime, the U.S. has used missiles to target militant hide-outs there dozens of times in recent months.

In mid-January, Pakistani and U.S. officials said they believed a missile strike had killed Hakimullah Mehsud somewhere along the border of North and South Waziristan. But last week, Pakistani officials said they had reversed that assessment, and over the weekend two videos appeared suggesting Mehsud was still alive.

In one of them, he says he is speaking on April 4 and denies the “propaganda”” that he”d been killed.

Pakistan officially protests the strikes as violations of its sovereignty, but is believed to secretly aid them. The U.S. rarely discusses the drone-fired strikes, a covert program.

U.S. Central Command chief Gen. David Petraeus was in Pakistan on Monday meeting with Pakistani army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. According to an army statement, the two “discussed matters of professional interest.””

Also Monday, Pakistani security forces clashed with militants in two other parts of the tribal belt, leaving 29 militants and two soldiers dead, officials said.

Army commandos backed by artillery and mortar fire killed 18militants in Bajur, a tribal region where the military had twice declared victory over Taliban insurgents.

Local administrator Iqbal Khattak said troops surrounded militant hide-outs in Ghundo village near Khar, Bajur’’s main town. The commandos staged the deadly raid after using mortars and heavy artillery to hit the sites.

Pakistan’’s paramilitary forces spearheaded an offensive in Bajurin fall 2008. Although on two occasions the military has said the Afghan border area is cleared, sporadic violence still occurs.

In a clash in Orakzai tribal region, where troops also are pursuing an offensive, 11 insurgents and two soldiers died, local official Samiullah Khan said. The fighting occurred in the Stur Khelarea of lower Orakzai.

Access to the tribal regions is restricted, making it difficult to independently verify the information.

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ISLAMABAD: In a strange move, the government has been trying to keep the identities of members of the six-member second Joint Investigation Team (JIT)

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ISLAMABAD: Government’’s top lawyer here Monday apprised the Supreme Court that a three-member Judicial Commission, headed by a retired judge of apex court and two retired judges of High Courts as its members, has started functioning to probe missing persons issue.

Additional Attorney General (AAG) K.K. Agha told a three-member bench of Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Muhammad Sair Ali and Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali that the Commission would be headed by its Chairman justice retired Kamal Mansoor Alam and assisted by two members, justice retired Miss Nazeer Iqbal of Lahore High Court and justice retired Fazal ur Rehman of Balochistan High Court.

He said a notification has already been issued by the Ministry of Interior and it was hoped that it would be more accessible for relatives of missing persons.

He said its proceedings would be made public.

The bench in its order directed Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ask its ambassadors abroad, especially minister in Thailand to expedite their efforts for release of Pakistani nationals and submit comprehensive report within fortnight.

It also directed for taking up Lal Mosque missing persons” issue at the upcoming Judicial Commission meeting in Islamabad.

At the outset of proceedings, Ikram Chaudhry, senior counsel, termed the outcome as satisfactory and requested the Court to keep a check on certain aspects.

He claimed that according to reasonable estimates about 300 to 400 people had gone missing during Lal Mosque operation.

He said it would be difficult to relatives of missing persons to assist Commission unless complete data was provided by the government.

Justice Javed Iqbal remarked that as per report submitted about Commission and its working mechanism, it would function on judicial lines.

He hinted that the apex court would not completely disassociate itself from overall supervision.

“Lets Commission complete its task. It has been constituted with set mechanism. There would be no interference from this Court,” he told the affected parties.

Regarding exact figures of missing persons Justice Javed remarked, “There were exaggerated figures submitted with Supreme Court, sometimes, it runs into thousand, on other, it will account for hundreds.”

He observed that so far number of missing persons in Balochistan province was concerned, the government functionaries had contradicted these claims.

“It is the most burning issue of the day. Judicial Commission is tasked to deal with the issue exclusively,” he observed.

He also advised Amna Masood Janjua, chairperson Defence of Human Rights, to console relatives of missing persons with the outcome.

Justice Sair Ali told Amna that Commission did not fall within their scope as it would be a powerful separate body.

Sindh Home Secretary Kamran Dost apprised the bench that out of nine chronic cases of missing persons, six had been traced out.

He apprised that Hafiz Mohammad Chan had links with disbanded Lashkar-e-Jhangivi, Abdul Kareem had close relations with Yousuf Ramzi and Khalid Sheikh while Sikandar Malah was associated with a banned outfit.

AAG Agha to bench’’s query told that since last proceedings not a single missing person was traced out.

He said that situation varied on basis of provision of adequate information. There was difference between missing persons and those cases of forced disappearance.

Justice Javed observed that Balochistan issue was the most burning one and the government had to take political measures to resolve issues.

“I don”t want to comment, but you have to put extra focus on Balochistan. Situation there is not so good and out of many issues, the missing persons issue there is vital one,” he advised AAG.

The bench also expressed its dissatisfaction over Pakistan Missions abroad in securing release of jailed Pakistani nationals.

It said a quite number of expatriates could not be released in Thailand on account of non-payment of fines.

The bench asked AAG to take up the matter with the government there under any Protocol or agreement through diplomatic channels.

To Ikram Chaudhry’’s concerns over slow proceedings by police, Justice Javed remarked “In certain cases police lack capability, in others capacity while sometimes, it finds no access.”

The hearing was adjourned till May 17.

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KARACHI: The Karachi Stock Exchange’’s benchmark 100-share index (KSE-100) fell in dull trading on Monday and dealers said investors were likely to be cautious until there is clarity on the fifth tranche from the International Monetary Fund or until the budget is announced.

KSE-100 index ended 0.37 percent, or 38.66 points, lower at 10,389.46.

Volume was 67 million shares, compared with 96.88 million shares traded on Friday.

“Today’’s volume at KSE was the lowest in 2010,” said Mohammed Sohail, chief executive at Topline Securities Ltd.

Net foreign portfolio outflow of $710,949 on Friday also prompted selling by local investors, dealers said.

Dealers said investors were cautious as they were waiting for the approval of the fifth tranche from the IMF.

The IMF board will likely meet in mid-May to consider the next tranche of Pakistan’’s $11.3 billion loan, a source close to talks between IMF officials and the government said last month.

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LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday expressed anger over Deputy Attorney General Tanveer Hashmi during the hearings in President Asif Ali Zardari’’s dual office case, Governor Punjab’’s eligibility case and the case regarding use of the Presidency for political activities till May 17.

The bench was displeased when DAG asked the court to adjourn the hearing because Attorney General was busy in Supreme Court and could not come.

Full bench gave the government one last chance to submit its reply by May 17 in the case regarding President Zardari’’s dual office.

Attorney-General Anwaarul Haq has been asked to appear in the next hearing or send a representative.

In its remarks, the court’’s full bench said that the federal government seemed to have made a joke out of the court’’s proceedings through its non-serious attitude.

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ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Monday lashed out at the incumbent government, saying if the affairs are continued to be run in the present manner then the whole parliament should be sent home.

Addressing the NA session here on Monday, Ch. Nisar said government?s expenditure on its advertisement campaign will be reviewed at a meeting of Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

He said the real need is to implement the 18th amendment rather than its repeated mention.

The Opposition leader said: ?General Kayani tried to pull the Army out of the politics and to set a new dimension for it.?

Latter, MNA?s of Pakistan Muslim League-N staged a walk out from the assembly to protest against the recent price hike of the petroleum products by the government.

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Pakistan News

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has impressed upon the need for ROZs (Reconstruction Opportunity Zones) legislation in order to enable goods manufactured in special Pakistani zones find easy access to world, especially the EU and the US markets.

The president said that ROZs would be effective tool to give people hope for the better through creation of jobs and other economic opportunities, on one hand, and to address the issue of trust deficit, on the other.

He said this during his meeting with Congressional delegation headed by Representative Howard L. Berman, Chairman House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) at Aiwan-e-Sadar on Monday.

The president informed the delegation that during his recent tour to Khyber Pukhtoonkhwah and his meeting with the tribal elders, people asked him about the progress made in this regard. He called upon the visiting delegation to use their influence in expediting legislation on ROZs.

The president appreciating the role of security forces in the war against militancy said that our security forces have rendered great sacrifices against the militants and are acutely aware of their responsibility to uphold the highest standards of professional conduct.

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ISLAMABAD: US Central Command chief Gen. David Petraeus held a meeting with Pakistan Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani here on Monday.

According to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the visiting US General David Petraeus along with COAS Gen. Kayani also witnessed training exercise underway near Kharian.

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GROS ISLET, Saint Lucia: Afghanistan coach Kabir Khan invited cricket?s leading nations to help his side build on their remarkable rise following thei

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