India-Pakistan: Hand of Friendship - Huffington Post (blog)
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India-Pakistan: Hand of Friendship
Huffington Post (blog) This is not the first time an Indian Prime Minister has extended a "hand of friendship" towards Pakistan, nor is it the first time Dr. Manmohan Singh has done so. Prime Minister Nehru repeatedly offered his hand of friendship and so did his successors … VIEW: Of religion and national pride —Yasser Latif Hamdani Arch-rivals' win creates ripples in Indian venues |
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WASHINGTON: The US State Department said it received word Monday that Libya has dropped recognition of its ambassador in Washington after he defected to the opposition, and replaced him with a regime supporter. “We were informed by the government of Libya that they have withdrawn their recognition of their ambassador, Ambassador (Ali) Aujali. He no longer represents Libya’’s interests in the United States,” department spokesman Philip Crowley said.”So now there is a charge d”affaires at the embassy who has been authorized by the government of Libya to represent its interests,” Crowley told reporters.Crowley said it was important for the US government to maintain communication links with Colonel Moamer Kadhafi’’s regime because such communication may prevent further bloodshed.He also said that the US State Department was reaching out to Libya’’s opposition.He would not say whether it was communicating with Aujali, even though he said “perhaps now from a de facto standpoint, Mr. Aujali is part of the opposition.”Crowley added: “We are reaching out to contact individuals in Libya who are in active opposition to the Kadhafi government. That is a process ongoing. “I”m not going to say we talked to this person but not that person, but that the outreach that the secretary indicated yesterday is under way.” (AFP)
KARACHI: The prices of local stocks at Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) witnessed slight recovery on Monday after falling to a near three-month low the previous trading session, although investors remained cautious about U.S-Pakistan relations, dealers said.The Karachi Stock Exchange’’s benchmark 100-share index ended 0.59 percent, or 65.70 points, higher at 11,289.22,recovering from its lowest close since Dec. 1, on turnover of86.23 million shares.”Investors accumulated shares in an oversold market, however investors are still cautious on concerns for Pakistan and US on the unresolved Raymond Davis case,” a dealer at KSE said.Davis, allegedly a CIA contractor, is being held in prison after shooting dead two Pakistanis in the city of Lahore last month in what he said was an attempted robbery.The United States says Davis is protected by diplomatic immunity, while Pakistan says the courts must decide. The case has inflamed anti-American sentiment in Pakistan. Dealers said investors also feared foreign selling due tothe global sell-off in equity markets following the crisis in Libya.The Karachi Stock Exchange has a small market capitalisation and the selling of only $2 million to $3 million amid a lack of buyers could spark a sell off or large percentage swing, analysts said. Dealers said there was also political uncertainty regarding a possible increase in localfuel prices expected to be announced later in the day.Pakistan’’s government bowed to political pressure last month and reversed a decision to increase fuel prices, a move likely to further widen the country’’s budget deficit. It haskept the fuel prices unchanged since November 2010.