LAHORE

AN ACCOUNTABILITY court on Wednesday extended physical remand of former President Bank of Punjab Hamesh Khan for 14 days to National Ac

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ISLAMABAD: In a major development, the United States has initiated a process to revise the model of bilateral investment treaty (BIT) with Pakistan af

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JOHANNESBURG: Lionel Messi conjured a spellbinding opening to the World Cup highlighting Argentina’’s 1-0 win over Nigeria in their Group B match at Ellis Park Stadium here on Saturday.
The world’’s best player was in irresistible form as the two-time world champions dominated Nigeria, but only had Gabriel Heinze’’s sixth-minute goal to show for their superiority in an exhilarating spectacle before 55,686 noisy fans.
Messi taunted the Africans with his mesmerising skill and virtuosity and was denied his first goal at South Africa 2010 only by the acrobatic saves of Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama.
With coach Diego Maradona prowling his sideline technical area for the whole match, Argentina could not find the second killer goal as the uninhibited Nigerians came close several times in the second half to grabbing an equaliser.
It was a rasping Messi volley tipped over the bar by Enyeama that indirectly led to the only goal in the opening minutes.
Sebastian Veron’’s corner picked up unmarked Heinze hurtling in late and the Marseille defender headed powerfully past Enyeama to send the large contingent of Argentine fans wild.
Argentina had numerous scoring chances, none more so than Messi’’s charge on goal nine minutes from time.
Yet again he was thwarted by Enyeama’’s blocking feet to keep the Nigerians in the game.
On another occasion Carlos Tevez triggered a counter-attack from deep inside his own half in the 65th minute and set up Messi only for him to shoot agonisingly past the post with Enyeama beaten.
Left-back Taye Taiwo came closest for Nigeria in the second half with his thumping volley just fizzing past the far post on 71 minutes.
But the Nigerians made the openings only to spoil their chances with errant finishing with Hoffenheim’’s left winger Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi going close on a couple of occasions in the first half.
Argentina’’s Newcastle United defensive midfielder Jonas Gutierrez and Nigeria midfielder Lukman Haruna picked up yellow cards in the match.
Argentina have won all three of their matches with Nigeria at the World Cup after winning 2-1 at the 1994 tournament in the USA - Maradona’’s last international appearance as he was then sent home in disgrace for failing a drugs test - and 1-0 at the 2002 Korea/Japan edition.
Nigeria’’s last victory at the World Cup was back in 1998 when they beat Bulgaria 1-0 and since then the Super Eagles have lost five games and drawn one.

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LAHORE: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Saturday said the government would take action wherever its writ is challenged.

Responding to reporters” queries after addressing the 2nd Convocation at King Edward Medical University (KEMU) here he said, “We have commitment and the will to fight terrorism and extremism.”

To another question, Gilani welcomed the chief justice of Pakistan’’s remarks that there is no threat to the system. “We honour his opinion,” he added.

Pakistan wanted cordial and better relations with all its neighbours whether it is India or Afghanistan and wanted to resolve all mutual issues through dialogue, which is the way forward, he responded to a questioner.

At recent SAARC Summit in Bhutan, he said that his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh agreed to resolve all issues between Pakistan and India including Kashmir, Sir Creek, water and Siahchin through dialogue.

To another query, the Prime Minister said that he had directed the Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister to settle down the water dispute between Punjab and the Indus River System Authority in an amicable manner.

Replying to a question, Gilani refuted a media report, saying that he had never uttered any statement in the National Assembly that MNA Jamshaid Dasti should not be arrested.

However, some other member on a point of order had expressed the resolve that they would not let it happen, he maintained.

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PORT ELIZABETH: South Korea registered the first win at the 2010 World Cup, a richly deserved 2-0 victory against Greece here Saturday to give them a live chance of achieving their ambition of a last 16 berth.
South Korea, semi-finalists when they co-hosted the competition in 2002, were too quick and too smart for Otto Rehhagel’’s Euro 2004 champions, who were sent packing by goals from Lee Jung Soo and captain Park Ji Sung.
The Asian side grabbed this Group B fixture by the scruff of the neck as early as the seventh minute when Celtic’’s Ki Sung Yueng’’s freekick from beside the left corner flag skimmed over the heads of the Greek defence for Lee to volley in at the far post.
Considering it was Greece with their far superior statures that were supposed to present the setpiece threat the manner of Korea’’s goal will have come as a nasty surprise.
Understandably Rehhagel did not look the happiest person among the crowd at the three-quarter full 42,000-capacity Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in this Eastern Cape port.
The Koreans proceeded to run rings round the Greeks and were close to a second goal in the 27th minute after Park Ji Sung’’s superb through ball found Park Chu Young only for the Monaco striker’’s shot to be deflected over the crossbar by keeper Alexandros Tzorvas.
Rehhagel made one switch at the break, replacing captain Giorgis Karagounis with defender Christos Patsatzoglou.
Seven minutes later Greece, who have never had the pleasure of celebrating a World Cup goal, fell further behind after a masterful charge by the sparky Park Ji-Sung.
The talismanic Manchester United midfielder beat off defenders Avraam Papadopoulos and Loukas Vyntra to slot the ball deftly past Tzorvas, triggering a flurry of flag waving among the Korean fans.
This Group B opener represented a personal milestone for Michael Hester, the first New Zealander to referee a match at the World Cup, and he marked the occasion by dishing out a yellow card to Greek defender Vasilis Torosidis.
Ten minutes from time something unusual took place, Greece had a shot at goal - but Korea’’s veteran keeper Jung Sung Ryong lived up to his nickname of ”Spiderhands” to tip Theofanis Gekas’’s close range attempt over the bar.
Group B favourites Argentina take on Nigeria later on Saturday at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

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LAHORE: The seminar held in commemoration of Dr Sarfaraz Naeemi Shaheed, head of Jamia Naeemia, demanded the sacking of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah for patronizing the banned outfits, Geo News reported Saturday.

The participants of the seminar convened to honor the memory of Dr Sarfaraz Naeemi, martyred in a terror attack, voiced reservations over the fact that assassins of Dr Sarfaraz Naeemi are still at large even after the lapse of an entire year.

Addressing the seminar, State Minister for Information Samsam Bukhari said the issue relating the arrest of Dr Naeemi?s killers pertained to the provincial government; hence, the Punjab government should mull over it.

Bukhari said the office-bearers of the outlawed groups traveled around in the vehicles of certain ministers of Punjab government, triggering the accusations against the provincial government and Rana Sanaullah for affiliations with the terrorists and illegal organizations.

He said Pakistan People?s Party (PPP) never had association with the terror outfits; nor did any such proscribed organization have links with it.

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LAHORE

PUNJAB Minister for Population Welfare Neelam Jabbar Chaudhry has said that, in order to provide better reproductive health services to

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Pakistan News

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has earmarked Rs 6.6 billion for 130 new projects of health sector in Annual Development Program (ADP) 2010-11 showing a raise of 80 percent from the current fiscal year.

Presenting annual budget 2010-11 here Saturday at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Provincial Minister for Finance Engr Humayun Khan said that in view of the significance of the health sector the provincial government has decided to set up 200 peoples” community centers and construct three district headquarter hospitals.

He said that status of three Rural Health Centers (RHCs) would be changed to ”D” hospitals and health information system would be implemented in 12 districts of the province.

Humayun told the house that Emergency and Accident centers would be established at Kohat and D.I. Khan Districts and paramedical institutes would be constructed in Swat and Abbotabad.

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LAHORE

AN ACCOUNTABILITY court on Wednesday extended physical remand of former President Bank of Punjab Hamesh Khan for 14 days to National Ac

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KARACHI: Pakistan?s consumer price index (CPI), the key indicator of inflation, is likely to rise by 13.45 per cent year-on-year in May because of an

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