DADU: Manchhar Lake soared past its extreme 121-foot level, posing massive threat to Bhan Saeedabad, Geo News reported Wednesday.

Ural Head was breached to dilute the water pressure at the Lake and let the lake water stream into River Indus, raising the outflow to 10,000 cusecs with inflow from MNV Drain at 28,000 cusecs.

The Lake overflow has put at stake Tehsil Sehwan city of Bhan Saeedabad with a population of 250,000 people.

A temporary protective embankment is being built to save Tehsil Sehwan city of Bhan Saeedabad from the flood situation.

According to the Irrigation Department, the water from the Lake would be let out into Indus Link by causing a cut in MNV Drain?s Zero Point. A three-member commission has struck final decision in this connection. Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah will formally announce it today.

Meantime, the torrents from various canals of the Lake have inundated at least 60 villages and crops standing on several acres of land.

Meantime, floodwater-besieged Juhi is cut off from the rest of the country on the consecutive tenth day today.

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PARACHINAR: At least seven more people were killed in fresh clashes in Shalozan area of Kurram Agency, as overall death toll mounted to 36 in clashes that continue unabated for two weeks now, Geo News reported Wednesday.

According to sources, two belligerent tribes are locked in clashes over water dispute in Kurram Agency area of Shalozan.

The recent scuffle between the factions killed at least seven and injured 11 others, raising the overall death toll to 36.

Kurram Agency?s Political Agent Syyed Musaddiq Shah said the efforts are afoot to herald peace in the area and put a halt to the dispute, as the negotiation process with tribal veterans at work, is underway.

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ISLAMABAD: Higher Education Commission (HEC) tendered a deadline to universities to complete the process regarding verification of the degrees and certificates by September 24, Geo News reported Wednesday.

According to sources, the HEC directed all the universities to complete the verification process of the Parliamentarians? degrees by September 24.

Meantime, the number of fake degrees soared to 51.

According to sources, the Commission has received at least 375 degrees after verification by the universities with the matter relating verification of 17 degrees is under hearing at courts.

It should be mentioned here that this is fifth time when the universities have been given deadline in connection with the verficiation process.

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LONDON: Britain and Denmark urged the European Union to grant trade concessions to Pakistan to help it overcome devastating floods.

“We have both been advocating … that the EU can do more to give market access for goods from Pakistan to European markets,” British Foreign Secretary William Hague said after talks with his Danish counterpart Lene Espersen, adding that both countries would be pushing the case at an EU summit in Brussels this week.

“We see completely eye to eye on this … We need Pakistan to help develop a more stabilised economy in the long run, and this goes through more trade,” Espersen told reporters.

The EU has been divided on the issue but, spurred into action by the floods, now appears likely to grant concessions, which will above all boost market access for Pakistani textiles.

Britain and Germany, which both have thousands of troops fighting insurgents in neighbouring Afghanistan, back concessions, but southern European states with textile industries that compete with Pakistan’’s have blocked them.

EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels last Friday asked EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht to draw up a plan for approval by leaders at Thursday’’s summit that would seek a World Trade Organisation waiver worth at least 230 million euros ($292 million) for Pakistan, EU diplomats said.

Pakistan would also benefit from a review under way of the EU’’s Generalised System of Preferences-Plus (GSP+) — a trade support mechanism — due to be completed in January, they said.

Hague said he did not believe trade concessions should be made conditional on Pakistan doing more to tackle Islamist militants.

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MIRANSHAH: US drones fired off a volley of missiles targeting Al-Qaeda linked fighters in a tribal area of northwest Pakistan Wednesday, killing at least 12 militants, security officials said.

The pre-dawn attack — the third in less than 24 hours — was directed at the Haqqani network, a Pakistan-based group which is one of the toughest foes for foreign forces in neighbouring Afghanistan.

“Several US drones fired seven missiles at two militant compounds early this morning, killing at least twelve militants,” a senior security official told media. “The missile strike targeted militants of the Haqqani network.”

The attack took place in the village of Dargah Mandi village on the outskirts of Miranshah, the main town in the troubled North Waziristan tribal district where US missiles killed 15 militants in two separate attacks Tuesday.

Another security official in Peshawar and a local intelligence official confirmed Wednesday’’s strike and the death toll.

Residents said there was panic in the village as the noise of drones was heard just before dawn.

“As the US drones came over the village people started shouting and running here and there shouting ”run, drones have come,” a local tribesman told media, requesting anonymity for fear militants might harm him.

Created by Afghan warlord Jalaluddin Haqqani and run by his son Sirajuddin, the network is linked to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban and has become a particularly prickly thorn in the side of US-led forces trying to bring security to eastern Afghanistan.

A fresh surge in US missile strikes has killed 69 militants since September 3 in Pakistan’’s northwestern tribal belt, which Washington has branded a global headquarters of Al-Qaeda and the most dangerous spot on Earth.

On Tuesday, 11 militants were killed in a drone attack on the village of Bushnarai in Shawal district, a known stronghold of Taliban warlord Hafiz Gul Bahadur which is populated by Arab fighters.

Another four militants were killed that day in Qutabkhel village south of Miranshah when US drones fired missiles on militant vehicles, officials said.

With Pakistan struggling to cope with devastating floods that have hit 21 million people in the country’’s worst humanitarian disaster, Islamist militant violence has picked up in recent weeks with a wave of major bombings.

The Taliban last week threatened Pakistani security forces with more suicide attacks to avenge US missile strikes, which have become a key tactic in the US-led fight to reverse the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan.

An Islamist militant bombing campaign has killed more than 3,700 people and fanned instability across nuclear-armed Pakistan since July 2007.

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Pakistan News

DADU: Manchhar Lake reached its ultimate level of 121 feet with several villages and crops standing on myriad acres inundated by torrents streaming out from various canals of the Lake, Geo News reported Wednesday.

Ural Head was breached to dilute the water pressure at the Lake, raising the outflow to 10,000 cusecs with inflow from MNV Drain at 28,000 cusecs.

According to the Irrigation Department, the water from the Lake would be let out into Indus Link by causing a cut in MNV Drain?s Zero Point. A three-member commission has struck final decision in this connection. Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah will formally announce it today.

Meantime, the torrents from various canals of the Lake have inundated at least 60 villages and crops standing on several acres of land.

In view massively precarious condition, the Irrigation Department officials are supervising the work regarding raising the bunds from Lake?s Zero Point to RD-100 by two feet with the help of heavy machinery.

A temporary protective embankment is being built to save Tehsil Sehwan city of Bhan Saeedabad from the flood situation.

Meantime, floodwater-besieged Juhi is cut off from the rest of the country on the consecutive tenth day today.

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OTTAWA: Canada said Tuesday it was sending an additional 7.5 million dollars (7.3 million US) to help relief efforts following Pakistan’’s worst floods in 80 years.

The new aid brings Ottawa’’s contribution to 40.5 million dollars (39.6 million US).

Beverley Oda, Canada’’s minister of international cooperation, said the latest contribution makes Canada the fourth largest donor in response to the flood in Pakistan.

“The need for immediate and ongoing humanitarian aid is still very great and organizations on the ground are working tirelessly to provide the essentials to save lives and prevent disease,” said Oda.

“The Canadian government continues to support their humanitarian efforts and help those trying to rebuild their homes and livelihoods. This effort over the short and longer term will require the support of all Canadians.”

The additional funds will be used to support logistics and air transport capacity for the humanitarian response via the UN World Food Programme. They also will help deploy a further 5,000 shelter kits, 3,600 kitchen sets, 2,128 hygiene kits, and 14,000 tarpaulins.

On Sunday, the government of Canada announced the extension of the deadline for its matching funds program in which the state will match dollar for dollar the donations of individual Canadians to eligible charities.

The United Nations has stepped up appeals for aid after its initial call resulted in about two-thirds of the 460 million dollars sought.

The devastating floods have left 10 million people without shelter nationwide, according to UN figures.

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NEW YORK: Rafa Nadal was still beaming about winning the U.S. Open when he spent his final day in New York on Tuesday, posing for photographs and appearing on the morning talkshow circuit, before heading back to Spain.

The world number one was taken on a whirlwind tour of Manhattan on Tuesday, showing off his new trophy to screaming fans in Times Square and on Fifth Avenue and being whisked around the television studios, before preparing to fly back home.

The 24-year-old was all smiles as he waved to the crowds then spoke with media after celebrating his 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-2 win over Novak Djokovic in Monday night’’s rain-delayed final at Flushing Meadows.

“Yeah, it’’s unbelievable for me. It’’s more than I ever dreamed about, that I ever thought I can do,” he told media. “It’’s just an amazing feeling and I”m very happy to have my first U.S. Open in my hands now.”

Nadal was dressed casually in denim jeans and a navy blue polo shirt and was looking remarkably fresh after managing just a few hours sleep from the night before because of all his media commitments after the final.

He said he had celebrated his victory by having a quiet meal with his family, including his coach and uncle Toni, a former international soccer player, who convinced him to focus on tennis.

“It’’s one of my frustrations when I was a kid,” Nadal said. “I love the football, it was my passion. I would have loved to play football, but it’’s impossible to do everything.

“In football, I wasn”t really good, I was a really normal player.”

Nadal had already won Wimbledon, the Australian Open and French Open championships and by adding the one major title that had eluded him, he became just the seventh man to complete a career grand slam.

His achievement, at just 24, immediately reignited the debate about who is the greatest player of all but Nadal, wincing every time the subject is mentioned, remained reluctant to talk about it.

He has always maintained that Roger Federer, with a record 16 grand slam titles, is alone at the top of the mountain. Nadal has nine grand slam titles.

Federer won the U.S. Open five times in a row from 2004-2008 and Nadal, who was once considered a clay-court specialist, said he was happy just to win once on the hardcourts at Flushing Meadows.

“I always saw this tournament as very far for me,” he said.

“This tournament wasn”t the best … and that’’s very emotional for me.?

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DADU: Manchhar Lake burgeoned menacingly towards dangerous 120.8-foot level four inches short of its capacity, Geo News reported Wednesday.

The Lake is receiving over 28,000 cusecs from MNV Drain and discharging meager 6000 cusecs.

According to the Irrigation Department, the water from the Lake would be let out into Indus Link by causing a cut in MNV Drain?s Zero Point. A three-member commission has struck final decision in this connection. Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah will formally announce it today.

Meantime, the torrents from various canals of the Lake have inundated at least 60 villages and crops standing on several acres of land.

In view massively precarious condition, the Irrigation Department officials are supervising the work regarding raising the bunds from Lake?s Zero Point to RD-100 by two feet with the help of heavy machinery.

A temporary protective embankment is being built to save Tehsil Sehwan city of Bhan Saeedabad from the flood situation.

Meantime, floodwater-besieged Juhi is cut off from the rest of the country on the consecutive tenth day today.

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LAHORE: Secretary General Pakistan People?s Party (PPP) Jehangir Badr has said Tuesday former President General Pervez Musharraf could be arrested on his return to country in many criminal cases, Geo News reported.

He said mere raising donations for flood affectees would serve him nothing instead he should come back to make practical steps to help rehabilitate flood victims.

?Quaid MQM Altaf Hussain is propagating nothing but a false and baseless revolution?, he said.

Addressing a press conference here in Lahore, Jehangir urged Sharif Brothers to produce concrete evidences in support of their allegations of preventing relief goods from flood affectees, which they leveled upon Home Minister Abdul Rehman Malik.

?Pro-marshal law elements can scarcely see democracy flourish in Pakistan therefore media must expose such sudden-wealthy elements before public who are engaged in derailing democracy?, he noted.

?Musharraf could be rounded up to face many criminal cases on his return to country including assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto?, he maintained.

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