Pakistan crumble on final day to hand Australia win

MELBOURNE: Pakistan lost seven wickets on the last day of the Boxing Day Test match to hand Australia a 170-run victory and 1-0 lead in the three-match series on Wednesday.
The positive intent shown by Pakistan’s batting line-up on the previous day was replaced by reckless shot-selection in the morning of the final day as Australia’s under-pressure spin bowler Nathan Hauritz claimed his first five-wicket haul.
Starting the day on 170-3, Pakistan lost two wickets on consecutive deliveries in the first over of the day by Mitchell Johnson when Umar Akmal and Misbah-ul-Haq were dismissed in similar fashion, caught-behind. Kamran Akmal, however, denied Johnson a hat-trick and went on to support his captain for another 15 overs before he was stumped off Hauritz trying to launch one into the stands.
Mohammad Aamer, who came in next, then provided a hat-trick opportunity to Hauritz when he was caught at leg-slip on his first ball. It was Abdur Rauf this time to deny another Australian hat-trick when he survived the over, only to be dismissed in the next by Doug Bollinger. Yousuf, meanwhile, reached his 32nd Test half-century, fending off the Australian attack from one end while wickets fell regularly at the other.
Yousuf was eventually undone by the off-spinner in his first over after lunch, edging a flighted delivery. He scored 61 runs in his three-and-a-half hour stay at the crease. Saeed Ajmal, who hung around long enough with Yousuf to see off the first session, became Hauritz’s fifth scalp when skied one over midwicket and hand victory to the hosts.

Shane Watson, now a regular opener for Australia, was named man of the match for his contributions of 93 and 120 as the hosts ended a year that saw them lose their top Test ranking, with what captain Ricky Ponting called one of their "best Test wins."
Pakistan captain Yousuf admitted his side did not bat well in the first innings on what was a good wicket.
The second Test starts on January 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Brief scores
First innings
Australia: 454/5 declared (S. Katich 98, S. Watson 93, M. Hussey 82) (M. Asif 2-86)
Pakistan: 258 (Misbah-ul-Haq 65*, U. Akmal 51) (D. Bollinger 3-50, M. Johnson 3-36)
Second innings
Australia: 228-8 (S. Watson 120*) (M. Aamer 5-79)
Pakistan: 251 (M. Yousuf 61) (N. Hauritz 5-101)
Result: Australia won by 170 runs
Man of the match: Shane Watson (Australia)
Series: Australia lead 1-0

23 killed, provincial governor wounded, in twin Iraq attacks

RAMADI, Iraq: Twin attacks in the western Iraqi city of Ramadi on Wednesday killed 23 people and wounded 30, including the governor of Anbar province, the city's main hospital said.

The first attack struck near a security checkpoint at a road junction leading to the governorate offices in the centre of the Anbar provincial capital at around 9:30 am (0630 GMT).

A separate bombing 30 minutes later at the entrance to the governorate building some 200 metres (yards) away hit the convoy of governor Qassim Mohammed Abid as it was leaving, wounding him.

“The latest toll is 23 dead and 30 wounded,” said a doctor at Ramadi General Hospital, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“The governor is wounded. American forces came and took him for more treatment.” The US military did not immediately confirm that its troops took Abid to a US-run hospital when contacted by AFP.

A source at the hospital said that, after the first attack took place near the provincial headquarters, the governor came out from his office to inspect the damage. It was then that the second attacker struck.

One of the attackers was a man working as a bodyguard for the governor, Al Iraqiya state television reported. Police said that governor Mohammed seemed to be the target of at least one of the attacks.

Wednesday's attacks mirrored coordinated bombings in Ramadi on October 11, when 19 people were killed and more than 80 wounded.

At the time, a bomb went off at midday (0900 GMT) close to the offices of the provincial governor in a civilian car park, speeding the arrival of firemen and police.

A second car bomb then exploded, leading police to seal off the area, which was littered with body parts.

Shortly afterwards at Ramadi General Hospital, where victims had been rushed for treatment, a suicide bomber struck.

Ramadi, 100 kilometres (65 miles) west of Baghdad, was a key insurgent base in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of 2003.

Anbar, Iraq's biggest province, became the theatre of a brutal war focused on the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi, while several towns along the Euphrates river valley became insurgent strongholds and later safe havens for fighters.

But since 2006, local Sunni tribes have sided with the US military. Daily violence has dropped dramatically as Al-Qaeda fighters have been ejected from the region.

Although attacks have dropped markedly across the country compared to last year, violence remains high by international standards.

And while November saw the fewest deaths as a result of violence of any month since the invasion, December has seen higher death tolls, notably as a result of December 8 bombings in Baghdad that killed 127 people.

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan claim Karachi bombing

KARACHI: Pakistan's Taliban on Wednesday claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed 43 people in Karachi, and threatened more attacks.
“My group claims responsibility for the Karachi attack and we will carry out more such attacks, within 10 days,” Asmatullah Shaheen, one of the commanders of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), or Taliban Movement of Pakistan, who spoke by telephone to a Reuters reporter in Peshawar.
The prospect of more violence comes at a tough time for embattled President Asif Ali Zardari. He already faces political pressure because corruption charges against some of his aides may be revived.
And Zardari has yet to formulate a more effective strategy against the Pakistani Taliban, despite relentless pressure from Washington, which wants his government to root out militants who cross over to attack US and Nato-led forces in Afghanistan and then return to their Pakistan strongholds.
The scale of his challenges was clear on Monday, when a suicide bomber defied heavy security around a Shia procession, killing 43 people and triggering riots.
In a sign of mounting frustrations, Pakistani religious and political leaders called for a strike for Friday to condemn that attack, one of the worst in Karachi since 2007.
The bloodshed illustrated how the Taliban, whose strongholds are in the lawless northwest, have extended their reach to major cities in their drive to topple the government.
“The bombing itself was bad enough, but the violence that immediately erupted was also very well planned,” said Sunni scholar Mufti Muneebur Rehman, who blamed Pakistani authorities for the chaos.
“We want the government not only to compensate those killed in the attacks, but also those who lost their livelihoods, and so we are calling for a complete strike on Friday,” he said.
The Taliban campaign and their hardline brand of Islam — which involves public hangings and whippings of anyone who disobeys them — angered many Pakistanis.
But the Karachi bomb suggested growing violence has raised suspicions of Pakistan's government.
“The government is using the Taliban as an excuse for everything that is happening anywhere in the country,” said Noman Ahmed, who works for a Karachi clearing agency.
“The organised way that all this is being done clearly shows that the terrorists are being sponsored either by the government itself or some other state that wants to destabilise Pakistan.”
Security policy
Pakistan's all-powerful military sets security policy. So the key gauge of public confidence may be how the army's performance is viewed. In the 1980s, Pakistan's army nurtured militant groups who fought Soviet occupation troops in Afghanistan. The Taliban emerged in the 1990's after a civil war in Afghanistan.
Now Pakistan's army faces home-grown militants.
“I don't buy that foreign hands are involved (in the Karachi attack). They're domestic elements. They're those who were nurtured, trained and protected in late 1990s,” said Sajid Ali Naqvi, head of the influential Shias' Islami Tehrik movement.
The bombing was one of the bloodiest in Karachi since an October 2007 attack on former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on her return to the country that killed at least 139 people.
Shia leaders, as well as Karachi's dominant Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) political party, backed the strike call, which could bring the teeming city of 18 million to a standstill.
The high-profile bloodshed had all the hallmarks of the Taliban, who often bomb crowded areas to inflict maximum casualties. The blast led some Pakistanis to conclude that several hands must have been involved.
“The Taliban, or whoever is behind this, cannot do it without the support of a government,” said Shahid Mahmood, whose perfume and watch shops were torched in the riots.
“They know that Karachi is the heart of Pakistan and if it goes down, the country will go down.”

Pakistan face improbable task on final day

MELBOURNE: Pakistan's bid to script an improbable win in the first test against Australia looked all but over as they ended day four 170-3 with the target still 252 runs away. Pegged on the back foot, the tourists will look to anchor down and salvage a final day draw.

They would, however, take confidence in the fact that two of their most competent batsmen, Mohammad Yousuf and Umar Akmal (easily the most reliable in the side with only three tests under his belt), are at the crease offering gritty resistance. Yousuf stood on an assured 45 off 70 balls while Akmal raced a flowing 27 from 34 balls punctuated with five boundaries. Pakistan's survival and any hopes of sneaking to victory, however slim they may be, will depend on how long the 19-year-old bats.

Before Pakistan found themselves in that precarious position, it was a day of contentment and relief for the home side as Shane Watson, starting the day on 64, registered his maiden test hundred and in the process became the first Australia batsman to score a century since August of 2009.

For Watson, who has been on the brink with scores of 96 and 89 in the recently concluded Frank Worrell Trophy, it wasn't without incident though. For him Santa Claus did not appear out of a chimney but stood at gully in the form of Pakistani fast bowler Abdur Rauf as he played a streaky cut on 99. Rauf, clearly full on mid-break goodies, fell like an oak tree to his right as the ball thudded into the outer portion of his palms before landing on the grass. As Watson completed the single, MCG stood up in ovation, his parents tearful in joy.

The all-rounder stood at an unbeaten 120 as Australia declared at 225-8. Mohammad Aamer was the strikeforce for Pakistan picking up his first five-wicket haul for 79 hard-to-come-by runs. Touching speeds of 150 kph, he easily the most exciting bowler of both the sides. His ability to seam the ball at high pace, coupled with stinging bouncers and well-disguised slower balls earned the praise of the century-maker Watson.

Mohammad Asif was economical and Saeed Ajmal far too quick and flat to get any spin on the ball. The two managed one wicket each.

The target of 422, when Ricky Ponting declared with 45 overs remaining in the day, seemed an uphill task for the Pakistani batsmen. They were soon down in the dumps when the opener Imran Farhat fell in the seventh over with the score on 18. Salman Butt combined with Faisal Iqbal to put on 62 at a healthy rate of just under four an over before the former was trapped LBW by an incoming Mitchell Johnson delivery. Nathan Hauritz rattled Iqbal's off stump with one that turned sharply after hitting a crack. Iqbal scored 48 to add to his first innings score of 15 and his fate it seems likely hangs in the balance if reports suggesting a Younis Khan call up are true.

If the Hauritz square-turner is anything to go by the final day could well see the home side canter to a win. Pakistan will have to better the best fourth-innings total at the MCG to win a match by nearly a 100 runs.

Secret files show British caution over Bhutto execution

LONDON: Britain was wary of exerting heavy pressure on Pakistan not to execute Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the father of late prime minister Benazir Bhutto, in 1979, secret files released Wednesday showed.
Then British premier James Callaghan remained on warm, personal terms with General Zia ul Haq, whose regime hanged Bhutto two years after a 1977 coup.
Although Callaghan did warn Zia against executing Bhutto, other documents reveal that British officials earlier saw it as an internal matter, and for a while, did not even believe it would happen.
Bhutto, founder of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), was hanged in Rawalpindi jail on April 4, 1979 for the murder of a political opponent.
The former premier's trial was condemned by some observers as unfair and was subject to a lengthy appeal process.
When Bhutto was first sentenced to death in March 1978, a senior British diplomat in Islamabad wrote in a telegram to London that life imprisonment, not the death sentence, seems “the most likely outcome”.
Meanwhile, Foreign Office diplomats appeared to be focusing on commercial deals between the two countries, including for buses and tractor production.
Callaghan seemed more worried than officials, on top of a document about one such deal, he wrote: “What does FCO (Foreign Office) propose to do about Bhutto?”His foreign secretary David Owen met Zia's foreign affairs advisor Agha Shahi two days after the death sentence was passed on Bhutto.
Owen told him: “This was an internal matter for the Pakistan government and my concern was with the effect on Anglo/Pakistan relations as a result of public reaction amongst the many here who might feel offended,” according to a note he sent to Islamabad afterwards.
In April 1978, Zia handwrote in green ink a personal letter to Callaghan which showed his confidence that, whatever happened to Bhutto, ties between Britain and Pakistan would not be affected.
“I feel convinced, that the abiding nature of our ties, and friendship will withstand the stress of an agonising moment,” Zia wrote.
That friendship was in evidence when, in September that year, Callghan sent Zia a congratulatory message as he took over as Pakistani president, having previously been chief martial law administrator.
But in February 1979, Britain believed an execution was imminent and sent a telegram from Callaghan to Zia urging clemency.
In it, Callaghan recognised the “many and grave difficulties” Zia faced “with which, if I may say so, you have the sympathy and good wishes of many of your friends in this country as well as elsewhere in the world.”
But he warned that executing Bhutto would be “a grave shock to Pakistan's many friends here”.
“As a soldier yourself you will, I know, remember the truth of the old saying that the grass grows swiftly over a battlefield, but never over a scaffold,” he added.
That same month, Foreign Office minister Evan Luard met Bhutto's son Mir Murtazar Bhutto, who asked if Britain could do anything more to prevent his father's execution, such as suspending aid.
Luard “did not see there was much else we could do”, adding that “blatant pressure” could be “counter-productive”, an official record said.
“We would have to wait and hope for good news during the next few days,” he added.
The day before Bhutto's execution, Callaghan contacted Zia as he made a final decision on the prisoner's fate.
“To decide on the life and death of a human being is a heavy burden to add to the heavy cares of office and I pray that you will be given wisdom in your task,” Callaghan wrote.
“I cannot believe that an execution will encourage that underlying sense of duty which every country needs”.
But he added that he wrote in a “spirit of friendship and mutual respect”.
The documents were released by the National Archives in London under laws which allow the disclosure of classified files to the public after 30 years

‘Destabilising Karachi amounts to destabilising Pakistan’

KARACHI: Interior Minister Rehman Malik appealed for calm on Tuesday in Karachi, where shop owners surveyed gutted premises a day after a suicide bomber killed at least 40 people and triggered a city-centre riot.
The bombing of a Shia procession in Karachi underscored multiple security challenges facing Pakistan.
“I appeal to the people of Karachi to remain peaceful. This is the economic hub of Pakistan,” Rehman Malik told reporters after attending the funeral of a paramilitary soldier who authorities said pounced on the suicide bomber.
“Anybody trying to destabilise Karachi is actually destabilising Pakistan,” Malik said.
Malik had also ordered a thorough inquiry into the incident.
Speaking after the funeral prayers at the Polo Ground, the minister said experts were analysing the CCTV footage of the blast.
He said the face of the suicide bomber can clearly be seen in the video and authorities were doing their level best to identify the man.
Malik said people who set fire to shops, markets and vehicles after the blast were among the terrorists. He pointed out that arsonists had equipment on hand to set fire to buildings moments after the blast took place.
The minister also urged political leaders to overcome their differences and unite in order to save Pakistan. He also asked the citizens of Karachi to remain calm and cooperate with law enforcement agencies.

Australia in command after early collapse in 2nd innings

MELBOURNE: Australia are in commanding position gaining a lead of 307 runs over Pakistan after an early collapse in their second innings on the third day of the first Test match here at the MCG on Monday.

They were 111 for three when the third day’s play ended with opener Shane Watson (64) and Michael Clarke (21) at the crease.

When Australia started their second innings with a lead of 196 runs, Pakistan fast bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif struck early blows by dismissing three top order batsmen opener Simon Katich (2), captain Rickey Ponting (12) and Michael Hussey (4) for only 40 runs on the board.

Then, Clarke joined Watson to rescue and both gradually took out their team out of trouble. They have so far added 70 runs for their fourth wicket unbeaten partnership.

Earlier, Pakistan resumed at 109-4 this morning and were all out for 258 in reply to Australia's 454 for five declared in the first innings.

The tourists lost five wickets in the afternoon session after going into lunch at 190 for five, and were in danger of not passing the follow-on mark when the lower order slumped to 220 for nine.

However, they succeeded in avoiding the follow-on, thanks to Misbah-ul-Haq’s fighting unbeaten innings of 65.

Teenage batting sensation Umar Akmal (51) looked like the only person who could breathe life into the day, smashing 19 runs from one Peter Siddle over.

He brought up his half century when Johnson replaced Siddle, but then lost his head and his wicket slashing a wide ball straight to Ricky Ponting at slip

Suicide attack in Karachi

KARACHI: A bomb attack ripped through a procession of Shias on Karachi's M A Jinnah road on Monday, killing 20 people and wounding at least 40 others, police and hospital officials said.
The worshippers were commemorating Ashura, the holiest event on the Shia Muslim calendar, and the parade in Karachi was the biggest in Pakistan.
Pakistan had deployed tens of thousands of police and paramilitary forces, fearing sectarian clashes or militant bombings would target Shia processions.
“It was a suicide attack,” Karachi city police chief Waseem Ahmed told DawnNews.
“Twenty people have been killed and around 40 were injured,” Ahmed said.
Saghir Ahmad, health minister in the government of southern province Sindh, said at least 15 people were killed, but said more than 60 were wounded.
Witnesses said pandemonium broke out after the explosion, with angry mourners throwing stones and firing bullets into the air, restricting the movement of ambulances and sparking calls from the authorities for calm.
Fire broke out after the blast, fanning thick smoke into the sky, and people were running in all directions, an AFP reporter said.
“I appeal on people to vacate the area. This will help us rescue the injured,” said the Karachi police chief.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani swiftly condemned the blast and also appealed on the masses to remain peaceful, his office said.
In Karachi, more than 50,000 Shias had poured into the streets to commemorate Ashura.
“It was a huge explosion. We have reports that a lot of people have been injured. I am on site and I appeal to the people to be calm,” Raza Haroon, a cabinet minister in the provincial government of Sindh, told a private television channel.
It was the second bomb attack to mar Ashura commemorations in Pakistan after a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a main Shia mosque in Pakistani-administered Kashmir, killing seven people late Sunday.
Sectarian violence periodically flares in Pakistan between Shias and Sunnis.
Explosives planted in a gutter ripped through an Ashura procession in Karachi on Sunday wounding 17 people, officials said.

Ten killed as suicide attack hits Shia procession in Karachi

KARACHI: Ten people were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a Shia procession on Karachi's M.A. Jinnah on Monday, CCPO Waseem Ahmed said.
Meanwhile, hospital sources confirmed that 19 people were killed in the incident.

Witnesses also said there were several casualties. The injured were being shifted to the Jinnah and Civil hospitals.

Television pictures showed a big cloud of smoke over the scene and television reporters said angry worshippers attacked a media vehicle.

The police was urging civilians to move away from the site of the blast.

The procession continued to move forward despite the explosion.

This was the third such incident in the city in the last 48 hours that left several people injured.

Earlier, on Sunday, 30 people including three policemen were injured when a low-intensity bomb exploded during a Muharram procession near Qasba Mor in Orangi town.

Similarly, a procession in Paposhnagar was targeted on Saturday when a Muharram procession was passing through. The incident left 13 people injured, mostly women and children.

Detained Americans had nuclear power site map

LAHORE: Police reported that the five Americans detained in Sargodha earlier this month had a nuclear power site map in their possession. It is still being determined whether they had planned to attack a complex that houses nuclear power facilities, DawnNews reported.
Senior police officials have said that the men had a map of the Chashma Barrage, a complex that along with nuclear power facilities houses a water reservoir and other structures.
An official stressed that the Americans were not carrying a specific map of a nuclear power plant, but a map of the whole Chashma Barrage.
It was also reported that the detained men had also exchanged emails regarding the area.
FBI agents were granted some access to the men, who are being held in Lahore. The agents were looking into what potential charges the five could face in the US.

Karachi blast leaves four people injured

KARACHI: At least four people have injured in a low intensity blast in Karachi.
         
According to CCPO Karachi the blast, which occured in Qasba Colony area, was a low intensity blast and that further investigation is underway to ascertain the nature of the explosion. The injured who sustained minor injuries have been shifted to Abbasi Shaheed hospital.
Soon after the incident eranged mob smashed window panes and pelted on veheicles.
Police and Rangers have been deployed around the area, and are carring out strict nab checking.

Benazir Bhutto's death anniversary

Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in Rawalpindi on Dec. 27, 2007. Supporters of Pakistan People’s Party and her family members pray and light candles on her second death anniversary around the country.

Iconography of Karbala

The following pictures are from a procession taken out in remembrance of the Karbala tragedy on the eve of Ashura in Karachi on Wednesday. Dawn.com takes a look at the various symbols prevalent in Muharram processions in Pakistan. Feature by Salman Siddiqui. Photos by WhiteStar/Fahim Siddiqi.

Zuljenah is the name given to Imam Hussain’s horse, which according to Shia believers, stayed by his side until the very end. Artist Naheed Raza also uses Buraaq, the half-woman, half-horse creature in her paintings, which according to Islamic tradition Prophet Mohammad rode upon during his journey to the heavens. The Buraaq in Pakistani art is similar to the Zuljinah, Imam Hussain’s horse, in the sense that both are usually depicted making an ascent towards the skies. Another artist Anjum Ayaz says that there appears to be no clear distinction between the two horses in our art scene.

Renewed clashes reported in Iran

Iranian security forces and opposition activists have clashed in the centre of the capital Tehran, according to reformist websites and witnesses.

Some reports say shots have been fired in the air to disperse demonstrators.
The opposition had been planning to use Shia religious festivals this weekend to show their continued defiance of President Ahmadinejad's government.
Tensions have risen since influential dissident cleric Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri died a week ago aged 87.
Clashes were reported after his funeral in Qom, and in other cities since then.
Police chief Esmail Ahmadi Moghaddam has been quoted as warning that police would crack down hard against any attempts to use Shia religious processions to stage fresh protests against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government.
Opponents insist there was massive rigging when Mr Ahmadinejad was re-elected in June - a charge he rejects.

Australia dominate Boxing Day

MELBOURNE: Openers Shane Watson and Simon Katich fell agonisingly short of centuries, but put Australia in a commanding position against Pakistan in the first Test at the MCG. The Aussie run spree was aided in large part by some shoddy fielding by the visitors.

Australia were 3-305 at stumps on the first day after Watson (93) and Katich (98) posted a stand of 182 and captain Ricky Ponting proved he had recovered from his elbow injury from last week, with 57 from 60 balls. 

Michael Hussey finished 37 not out and nightwatchman Nathan Hauritz five not out.

Pakistan started the day on the back foot, with the in-form leg-spinner Danish Kaneria ruled out with a finger injury while Abdur Rauf was favoured over the ‘off colour’ Umar Gul.

Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamer, Abdur Rauf and Saeed Ajmal looked good prospects on the bouncy Melbourne pitch, bowling some probing lines and bottling the scoring after the home side won the toss and elected to bat.

Fielding reprieves broke the stalemate, first when Katich was dropped at eight by Umar Akmal at gully off the bowling of Aamer, followed by Misbah-ul-Haq flooring a harmless Watson edge off a Saeed Ajmal doosra while the batsman was on 43.

This triggered an Aussie roller-coaster that powered the home side to 182 in 60 overs. The Pakistani bowlers looked clueless in the face of some aggressive stroke play and the fielders rolled around like moss. At one point, it seemed the day would end without any wickets falling but clearly Simon Katich or Shane Watson or both for that matter weren’t in the mood to further disappoint the Paksitani fans.

In a bizarre incident which saw both men stranded at the striker’s end it came down to the third umpire to decide which batsman he was going to send off. Upon close scrutiny by the television cameras it was clear Watson was the victim of an ill-judged call from striker Katich that, for once, found an alert fielder in the covers. ‘Kato’ followed Watson to the shed soon after and undoubtedly the two would have had a few words on the mix up. The only consolation Katich could have offered Watson would have been the fact that he too did not register a century after getting so close.

This brought Captain Ricky Ponting to the crease, determined face and arm-guard on display. He proved his ‘shortcomings’ were only a mere glitch as he smashed seven boundaries en route his 50^th half-century. He fell to Asif in the slips on 57.

At the end of the day the Pakistani bowlers will argue their good work was undone by the fielders but pitch maps would indicate that they bowled way too short to trouble the batsmen, as is the case with most sub-continental sides touring Australia.

They are up against a potential mammoth if nightwatchman Nathan Hauritz, who’s looked pretty comfortable so far, and Michael Hussey continue to bat the way they have. With Michael Clarke, Marcus North, Brad Haddin to follow it seems highly unlikely the Australians will be bowled out anytime soon on the second day which would put immense pressure on the visiting batsmen when they take their guard.

Amir Khan to visit Pakistan next month

KARACHI: The British-born Pakistani boxing sensation Amir Khan, who rose to fame after being crowned WBA world light-welterweight champion on July 18 this year, will be visiting Pakistan with his parents from Jan 5 to 10, Dawn has learnt.

Though the itinerary of his maiden visit to Pakistan is being chalked out, Amir will show his world-title belt to the people particularly, the youth, to inspire them towards the sport. He will also share his success with people of the country.

The proposed visit has been arranged by a London-based businessman Dalawar Majid Chaudhry.

Born in Bolton on Dec 8, 1986, the 5’10” pugilist defeated Andrean Kotelnik at the age of 22 to land WBA world light-welterweight title.

Previously, Amir was in the lightweight division where he held the Commonwealth and WBA international titles. He was also the youngest British Olympic boxing medallist when he won a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics.

Sixty injured as Indian police stop Kashmiri Shia procession

SRINAGAR: At least 60 mourners were injured on Saturday when police used batons, firing in the air and tear gas to break up a procession by hundreds of Shia Muslims in Indian-administered Kashmir's main city, officials said.
During the first Muslim month of Muharram, Shias across the world mourn the death of the Prophet Mohammad's grandson Imam Hussein in the Iraqi city of Karbala in the year 680.
But in Kashmir, Muharram processions and public gatherings by separatists have been banned since a rebellion against Indian rule broke out in 1989.
“More than 50 people were also detained,” police officer Ali Mohammad said.
Saturday's procession in Srinagar was headed by members of Ittihadul Muslimeen Jammu Kashmir, part of the region's main separatist alliance, the All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference.
Stone-throwing Shias clashed with police in several parts of Srinagar after the procession was stopped, forcing police to fire tear gas shells, witnesses said.
The mourners were beating their chests with their fists, and chanted “La ilaha illalah” (There is no god but Allah).
“We strongly condemn the police brutality,” said Moulana Abbas Ansari, a leading Shia priest and chief of Ittihadul Muslimeen.
The injured included at least six photojournalists, police said.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority state since an anti-India insurgency broke out two decades ago.

PPP, MQM leaders meet, discuss concerns

KARACHI: Promising crackdown against loan write-off beneficiaries, Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Saturday said all politicians should voluntarily declare their loan status. He was addressing the media along with Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Farooq Sattar after a meeting between MQM and PPP leaders at Bilawal House in Karachi.
Farooq Sattar said the MQM delegation shared its concerns with President Zardari over target killings of MQM workers. He said 11 party workers were killed in this month so far, while a total of 69 workers were killed in 2009.
He also said both sides showed resolve to strengthen the country’s democratic institutions.
The issue of local bodies’ election will be decided in future meetings, Sattar further said.
Meanwhile, the Interior Minister said politicians should voluntarily declare that they have never had their loans written off.
He also said Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar's name ended up on the Exit Control List (ECL) due to a technical problem

Christmas in Karachi

Today, Pakistani Christians, who comprise less than five per cent of the population, celebrate Christmas in churches throughout the country. Karachi's Holy Trinity Church, known for its unusually tall steeple, held midnight Mass on Christmas Eve as well as morning Mass on Friday. Dawn.com visits the church to join in the celebrations.–Photos by Eefa Khalid & Mariam Anwar.

Farhan and Zoya retain squash titles

KARACHI: Fourth seed Farhan Zaman of the Navy survived a scare when he whipped second seeded Waqas Mehboob (NWFP) in five games to retain boys U-19 crown in the second PST Roshan Khan Junior Open squash championship at the PN Roshan-Jahangir Squash Complex on Thursday.

Farhan, 18, who stunned top seed Shaikh Saquib (Punjab) in the pre-final on Wednesday, registered 11-9, 11-9, 11-13, 8-11, 11-9 victory over his opponent which lasted 39 minutes.

Similarly, defending champion and top seed Zoya Khalid lived up to her top billing imposing 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7 victory over second seed Rushna Mehboob in all-ZTBL final to retain the girls U-19 title.

Nasir Iqbal of the PAF took 20 minutes to overcome NWFP’s Salman Mohib 11-6, 11-7, 11-2 to claim boys U-17 title. He had won the boys U-15 title in the inaugural edition.

Prodigy Bilal Zakir (PAF), the second seed, dropped second game while chalking up 11-8, 8-11, 11-4, 12-10 victory over top seed Ali Bokhari (Punjab) to grab boys U-15 title.

Israr Ahmed (Punjab) and Ahsan Ayaz (PAF) annexed the boys U-13 and U-11 titles respectively.

The girls U-15 title went to PAF’s Saadia Gul who edged past Sindh’s Faiza Zaffar 11-8, 6-11, 13-11, 11-7 in the final.

At the outset, Farhan seized a commendable 2-0 lead over Waqas in the best of five final taking the first and second games 11-9, 11-9 in seven minutes apiece but was not convincing as he faltered by hitting the tin time and again and saw the lead slipped from his hands. He led 6-1 in the first game.

However, Waqas took advantage of his opponents’ unforced errors and minimised the lead. He drew level at 9-9 before Farhan won the opener 11-9. Similarly, both were tied 6-6 and 9-9 in the second before Farhan consolidate his position winning 11-9.

Waqas, who won the boys U-17 crown in the inaugural event, fought back with vengeance and neutralised the lead taking the next two games 13-11 in 10 minutes and 11-8 in seven minutes.

Farhan, however, opened the fifth and deciding game in convincing fashion and surged to 6-0 lead before wrapping up the game 11-9 in eight minutes.

Farhan received a purse of Rs15,200 and winners trophy while Waqas took home Rs10,400 and runners up trophy from Sindh Sports Minister Dr. Mohammad Ali Shah.

Squash Legend Jahangir Khan and PST’s Muhammad Azhar Dean were also present. The PST had lent a financial support of Rs0.5 million as main sponsor of the event.

Results:

Boys U-19 final: Farhan Zaman (Navy) bt Waqas Mehboob (NWFP) 11-9, 11-9, 11-13, 8-11, 11-9.

Boys U-17 final: Nasir Iqbal (PAF) bt Salman Mohib (NWFP) 11-6, 11-7, 11-2.

Boys U-15 final: Bilal Zakir (PAF) bt Ali Bokhari (Punjab) 11-8, 8-11, 11-4, 12-10.

Boys U-13 final: Israr Ahmed (Punjab) bt Zeeshan Khan (PAF) 11-8, 11-3, 11-9.

Boys U-11 final: Ahsan Ayaz (PAF) bt Sumaid Rashid (Punjab) 11-4, 11-3, 11-4.

Girls U-19 final: Zoya Khalid (ZTBL) bt Rushna Mehboob (ZTBL) 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7.

Girls U-15 final: Saadia Gul (PAF) bt Faiza Zaffar (Sindh) 11-8, 6-11, 13-11, 11-7

Four die in suicide attack on Peshawar Mall

PESHAWAR: A suicide bomber blew himself up in the heavily-guarded cantonment area of the city on Thursday, killing at least four people and causing injuries to 24 others.

The bomber was on foot and he ran away when security personnel manning a checkpost asked him to stop.

He detonated the explosives strapped to his body near a missionary school, opposite the offices of the Pakistan International Airlines, on the Mall Road.

Windows of some offices in the nearby State Life building were smashed. The school was closed for Christmas and winter vacations. Police were not sure about the bomber’s real target.

The injured were taken to the Lady Reading Hospital and the Combined Military Hospital. An official of the LRH said five of the injured were in serious condition.

According to police, constable Gul Nawaz from Ormar village near Peshawar and three civilians were killed.

According to bomb disposal personnel, the explosives used by the bomber weighed eight to 10kgs. They said the legs of the bomber had been found.

SSP (Investigation) Ghulam Hussain told Dawn that the bomber had also tied explosives to his legs and appeared to have carried three triggers. He said ball bearings were also found at the site.

“The explosives show that the bombers who have blown themselves up in the city so far belonged to the same militant group,” he said.

People who had gathered at the place said police had fired in the air after the blast. Heavy contingents of police and other security personnel cordoned off the area and stopped traffic on the Arbab Road and Mall Road for some time. All shopping centres and banks in the area and the PIA offices were closed.

Superintendent of Police for Coordination Alam Shinwari said: “Intelligence agencies have told us that there could be more bombings and the number of intending bombers is high.”

The cantonment area, commonly known as Saddar, attracts shoppers from all over the city and is always congested and busy.

This was the second bombing in Peshawar in three days. A suicide bomber had hit the Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday, killing three people, including police constable Riazuddin.

“The threat is now coming from three different regions. It is virtually coming from all directions. These people have dispersed and have formed small cells to attack civilians and law-enforcement personnel,” a security official said.

NWFP Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Husain said frequent bomb blasts had forced people to stay indoors and badly affected the business.

He told journalists that bombers were coming from the Khyber and Kurram agencies and Darra Adamkhel.

Pakistan releases 100 Indian fishermen

KARACHI: Pakistan Friday released 100 Indian fishermen who had been jailed for three years, as a 'goodwill gesture' to India, its South Asian neighbour, officials said. The fishermen were to be released last Wednesday but Pakistani authorities said they had been forced to delay this because New Delhi had failed to make timely travel arrangements for the detainees.
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani ordered authorities to hand over the fishermen on Christmas Eve as a 'gesture' to India, more than a year after ties seriously deteriorated following the Mumbai attacks.
The South Asian neighbours frequently seize each other's fishermen, accusing them of violating their respective zones in the Arabian Sea.
"We have released 100 Indian fishermen who were detained in our jail for the last three years," Ashraf Nizamani, superintendent of the Malir District Jail, told AFP.
"The released fishermen included 91 men and nine boys below 18 years age," Nizamani said.
Two large buses carried them from the jail in this southern port city to the eastern city of Lahore where they were expected to arrive Saturday and be handed over to Indian authorities at the Wagah border post.
Nizamani said nearly 500 Indian fishermen were still being held in his jail.
"Originally, they are sentenced for a month or two by our courts for violating our sea border but since they are foreigners we cannot release them until we receive an official order," Nizamani said.
Authorities in Pakistan estimate that nearly 200 Pakistani fishermen are languishing in Indian jails.
In the past, the two countries have released hundreds of detained fishermen in prisoner exchanges.

Singh’s advisers recommend autonomy for Kashmir

SRINAGAR: High-level advisers appointed by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh are recommending autonomy for Kashmir, where militants have fought for 20 years against rule from New Delhi. Under its accession to India in 1947 upon the country's independence from Britain, Muslim-majority Kashmir was granted autonomous powers over all sectors excluding communications, defence and foreign affairs.
These powers have been eroded over the years. But the advisory group, headed by former supreme court judge Saghir Ahmad, recommended that the prime minister look at various formulations ‘to restore the autonomy to the extent possible’.
The group's report was delivered to the Kashmir chief minister late Wednesday and made public Thursday.
The Kashmir legislative assembly in 2000 passed a resolution favouring full restoration of the state's autonomy. But India's then Hindu-nationalist government rejected the resolution passed unanimously by the assembly.
Autonomy is the main demand of the ruling National Conference, the state's biggest pro-India political party, which had moved the resolution in 2000.
The government has not reacted to the report so far.
‘We will react only after going through the report. It is a long report,’ said Ali Mohammed Sagar, Kashmir's law and parliamentary minister.
Singh had appointed the working group in May 2006 to try to find a permanent solution to the unrest in the scenic Himalayan region, which is split between India and Pakistan.
Most of the militant groups fighting New Delhi's rule want the region to become part of Pakistan. A few support its independence.
India has been dangling the promise of greater autonomy to Kashmiris for many years but the idea has been rejected by the separatists

Battle of rankings on the cards as Pakistan, Australia meet

LAHORE: Australia will need to beat Pakistan comprehensively in the three-Test series starting in Melbourne on Saturday to retain third position on the ICC Test Championship table. Australia start the series with a difference of 33 rating points against sixth-placed Pakistan and the gap means they are expected to win the series convincingly, information provided by the International Cricket Council (ICC) said. Rankings are weighed to reflect the difference. Australia will drop points in case of failure to win comfortably.
While Australia’s 2-0 win will keep them on 116 rating points and a clean sweep will earn them just two rating points; a 1-0 or 2-1 series win will drop it to 115 rating points and behind Sri Lanka when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.
On the other side, Pakistan’s series win will dent Australia’s hopes of narrowing the gap with the front-runners.
A 1-0 or 2-1 series win for Pakistan will drop Australia to 110 rating points, and if the home team suffer three consecutive defeats, they will slip to 107 rating points, just two ahead of fifth-placed England who are involved in a four-Test series against South Africa.
In ICC Player Rankings for Test batsman, Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf is the highest-ranked batsman from either side. He is on fifth position, just 11 points behind Indian opener Virender Sehwag and as many points ahead of Australia’s vice-captain Michael Clarke.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting is in 14th position, his lowest ranking since October 2002. Batsmen outside the top 20 are Simon Katich (21st), Brad Haddin (28th), Kamran Akmal (32nd), Phillip Hughes (34th), Umar Akmal (36th), Imran Farhat (38th) and Marcus North (42nd). Gautam Gambhir of India heads the batting table with Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardena second and his captain Kumar Sangakkara third.
In ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers, second-ranked Mitchell Johnson will spearhead bowling responsibilities as he is the only home team bowler involved in the series inside the top 20. Just outside the top 20 are Peter Siddle on 22nd position, Doug Bollinger in 39th place and Nathan Haurtiz is on 43rd spot.
Pakistan have Mohammad Asif (fifth) and Danish Kaneria (13th) inside the top 20 while Umar Gul is on 24th position. Dale Steyn leads the bowlers chart with Muttiah Muralidaran of Sri Lanka third.
The schedule of the series is Dec 26-30,1st Test at Melbourne Jan 3-7, 2nd Test at Sydney Jan 14-18,3rd Test at Hobart

India moves to tighten visa rules, causes confusion

MUMBAI: Plans to tighten rules for Indian visas following the recent arrest of a Chicago businessman alleged to have prior knowledge of the Mumbai attacks have led to confusion and complaints at the height of the tourist season.
Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said on Wednesday there were gaps in the visa system, which were exposed in the case of Pakistan-born David Coleman Headley, accused of making five scouting trips to Mumbai for militant Pakistani groups.
Headley allegedly used his associate's business as a cover during his trips to Mumbai.
'The compelling need to create a fool-proof system cannot be overstated,' said Chidambaram.
A draft for new rules 'for facilitating legitimate travellers and strengthening security' is likely to be ready early in 2010.
Among the new rules is a proposal restricting travellers on long-term tourist visas from entering India within two months of their last departure from India, which has led to a storm of protests.
The plan would be a blow for many tourists who use India as a hub to visit other countries in the region, as well as for some businessmen who use long-term tourist visas for regular trips to India to avoid red tape and paperwork delays.
Foreign missions in India have complained of inconsistency and a lack of clarity in the new and proposed rules.
'These new visa and registration regulations are being implemented inconsistently and are not finalised,' the US Mission in India said in a notice on its website, adding it had received complaints from several Americans about the new rules.
Local media reported British Trade Secretary Peter Mandelson, on a recent visit to India, raised the issue with Chidambaram.
'We understand the Indian government is reconsidering its plans. We have written to the government asking for some clarifications,' a British High Commission official said.
There are signs the government may reconsider. The Indian Express paper reported on Thursday the government will allow foreigners to return to India within two months as long as they make a full disclosure of their travel plans.
The move comes on the heels of limits on business visas earlier in the year: India said those working in the country on business visas needed employment permits, which affected hundreds of Chinese engineers working on power projects in the country.
On the latest proposal, travel firms hopeful of greater tourist arrivals into the country after the economic downturn and the Mumbai attacks last year, are awaiting clarity.
'We have not heard anything yet from the government. A lot of things can change, so we will wait before we issue any guidelines,' said a spokesman for Cox and Kings India.

Zardari, Kayani meet, discuss security

ISLAMABAD: Army chief General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani met President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday and discussed matters of national security with him, DawnNews reported. In the meeting, General Kayani apprised the President about the military's success in the ongoing operation against militants in South Waziristan.
President Zardari and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) also discussed the military's future requirements in its fight against militancy.
Pakistan's military has been battling Taliban militants in the restive NorthWest Frontier Province (NWFP) and the tribal areas. Several militants have been killed and many soldiers have also died during the anti-Taliban drive.

Pakistan not given enough credit, says Mullen

WASHINGTON: Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen has said that Pakistan does not get enough credit for its role in the war against extremists although some of its achievements were ‘pretty extraordinary’.
‘Too many people eagerly and easily criticise Pakistan for what they haven’t done, and when I go to Swat and look at what they did there on the military side I think it’s pretty extraordinary,’ said the US military chief while talking to journalists on Sunday.
A report released on Monday by the American Forces Press Service, noted that last week Pakistani authorities arranged for Admiral Mullen to visit Swat and showed him the areas they had retaken from the Taliban.
‘Swat was in danger, and the Taliban began moving even closer to the Pakistani capital. Admiral Mullen’s visit there showed that the Pakistani military has done a good job of counter-insurgency. The army cleared the valley and is holding it,’ the report noted.
It quoted Admiral Mullen as saying that while Pakistan’s job in Swat was not complete yet, what Pakistanis had achieved so far was remarkable.
The report noted that more than most US officials, Admiral Mullen had a cordial and long-standing relationship with the Pakistani military.
The report pointed out that Admiral Mullen ‘advises patience and humility’ in dealing with Pakistan, a view not shared by some leading Republicans in Congress.
Separately, the Pentagon reported that Admiral Mullen signed guidelines for the US military for 2010, which goes to members of the Joint Staff and informs the joint force.
Al-Qaeda and similar terrorist groups remained the biggest threat to the United States, the admiral wrote in the guidance. ‘The threat is still real,’ he said. Defeating those groups will take more than military power, and the admiral called on the US military to work with other national agencies and international allies to take on the threat.
President Obama’s strategy has the goal of defeating Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan and to prevent the group from threatening America and its allies, he noted.
‘Our main effort now must be to push forces into the theatre as quickly as possible – including shifting the balance of enablers from Iraq,’ the admiral wrote. The enablers include such things as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets, engineers, military police and civil affairs personnel.
All aspects of the joint force needed to act more quickly, he said, urging the Defence Department and the combatant commands to send their very best people to fight the wars.

Suicide bomber targets Peshawar Press Club

PESHAWAR: A suicide bomber on Tuesday attacked a Pakistan journalists' club, killing three people in the first assault on media offices.
Strapped with explosives, the man walked up to the gate of the press club in the northwestern city of Peshawar, where he blew himself up as police stopped him from entering the building, officials said.
'I was coming out of the canteen when I suddenly heard a huge blast. Smoke engulfed the building immediately and when I reached the spot, I saw human organs littered on the ground,' said television journalist Nisar Mohammad Khan.
The force of the explosion blew out the windows at the press club, damaged the guard hut and ripped through nearby vehicles, said witnesses.
'He was stopped by police deployed outside. When the police official started searching him, the attacker blew himself up,' Peshawar police chief Liaquat Ali told reporters at the scene.
Taliban militants, who are powerful in northwest Pakistan, threatened media in Peshawar, said the president of the press club, Shamim Shahid.
'We beefed up security after the threats and people coming to the club were properly checked,' he said.
Doctors at Peshawar's main Lady Reading Hospital said three people were killed - a policeman, a press club employee and a woman.
Doctor Zafar Iqbal said 17 people were wounded and later clarified that an original death toll of four included the bomber.
Police said four journalists were among the wounded.
Bomb disposal squad chief Tanveer Ahmed said most of the casualties were caused by steel pellets and nails stuffed in the suicide bomber's explosives vest.
North West Frontier Province information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain, who visited the wreckage, acknowledged that extra security measures in place for the holy Muslim month of Muharram could not totally eliminate attacks.
'We have already taken special measures in view of Muharram but suicide attacks cannot be totally eliminated such incidents cannot be ruled out in future. But we will continue our struggle against terrorists,' he said.

Lebanese prime minister ends landmark visit to Syria

DAMASCUS: Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri called on Sunday for a renewal of ties with Syria to the benefit of both states at the end of a fence-mending visit to his country's former powerbroker. It was Hariri's first trip to Damascus since the 2005 assassination of his father, ex-prime minister Rafiq Hariri, a killing that he and his US-backed allies in Beirut blamed on Syria.
Regional commentators, including Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, have hailed the visit as an ice-breaker and step toward healing decades of turbulent ties between the two neighbours.
'We want privileged, sincere and honest relations ... in the interest of both countries and both peoples,' the 39-year-old premier told a news conference in Damascus at the end of the landmark two-day visit.
'We want to build ties with Syria based on positive points,' he added, describing his visit during which he had three rounds of private talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as a 'historic'.
Syria dominated its tiny neighbour for nearly three decades until April 2005 when it pulled out its troops from Lebanon under international and regional pressure, two months after the assassination of Rafiq Hariri.
The two neighbours established diplomatic ties for the first time last year, with Syria opening an embassy in Beirut, while Lebanon opened its mission in Damascus in March.
The US- and Western-backed Hariri said his unity government, which includes members of the Syria- and Iran-backed Hezbollah coalition, wanted to take measures with Damascus to develop these ties.
Assad is also 'very attached to sincere relations based on common understanding' between the two countries and spoke “positively” of problems that still need to be resolved, Hariri said.
Foremost is a plan to demarcate the porous border between the two neighbours, he said.
Hariri, whose US- and Saudi-backed coalition clinched victory in a general election over the Hezbollah-led alliance in June, said Saudi Arabia 'played an important role' in paving the way for his visit to Syria.
But Hariri stressed that he did not discuss with Assad a UN-led inquiry into his father's murder nor the Special Tribunal for Lebanon that has been set up to try the suspected killers.
'The tribunal is doing its work and this is what everybody wishes,' he said.
A UN inquiry said it had evidence that Syrian and Lebanese intelligence services at the time were linked to the killing, but no charges have been brought.
Earlier this month, a Syrian court asked 25 prominent Lebanese, including individuals close to Saad Hariri, to appear for questioning over the murder.
Hariri and his US- and Western-backed allies have in the past blamed Syria for the murder and for a string of subsequent political assassinations in Lebanon. Damascus has denied any involvement.

Kamran’s ton helps Pakistan reach 437 against Tasmania

HOBART: Wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal cracked a brisk century to help Pakistan reach a big score against Tasmania on the second day of their tour game here on Sunday.

Later, Pakistani bowlers reduced Tasmania to 132 runs for six wickets, as the local side is still trailing by 305 runs.

After Salman Butt's solid 153 on Saturday, Akmal increased the pace with 109 off 81 balls as the tourists reached 437 in their first innings.

He was the last man out after hitting three sixes and 17 fours.

The Pakistanis resumed at 270 for four but Umar Akmal (27) and Fawad Alam (33) could only make starts and the best of the bottom four was Umar Gul's five.

Off-spinner Jason Krejza took three for 162 off 28.4 overs.

The Pakistani bowlers enjoyed the conditions with the ball, with Mohammad Aamer striking two early blows in his spell, and when Abdur Rauf chipped in with two of his own Tasmania were 45 for four.

George Bailey steadied things with 50 before being lbw to Saeed Ajmal (two for 56), who had already picked up Tim Paine for 16.

Aamer finished with two for 18 off 10 overs while Rauf had two for 21 off 12 as they made life hard for the locals.

The three-day game, which finishes on Monday, has been a strong hit-out for the tourists ahead of the opening Test against Australia in Melbourne on Boxing Day.

'India not fulfilling commitment to resume talks'

NEW DELHI: Shahid Malik, Pakistan High Commissioner to India said on Sunday that India was not fulfilling its commitment made in the Sharm-el Sheikh joint statement for resumption of talks between Islamabad and New Delhi. The 'diplomatic vacuum' would not help the cause of peace and by not talking to each other, 'we are strengthening the forces which don't want the two countries to make any progress', he said in an interview with Karan Thapar in Devil's Advocate programme on news channel CNN-IBN.
Referring to actions against suspects of Mumbai attacks, he said Pakistan was not slow in taking action. It was 'looking for credible actionable evidence' to ensure that the case is 'fool-proof', the Pakistani envoy said.
Referring to the July 16 joint statement made by Prime Ministers of both countries in Sharm-el Sheikh, Malik said it mentioned that 'the efforts that we are continuing to do in the context of terrorism and the dialogue process, they have to be delinked and they are not to be bracketed.'
He said he was 'referring to the commitment, the agreement the two Prime Ministers made in Sharm-el-Sheikh on July 16 and if you look at the joint statement, it is very clear that dialogue is the only way forward.'
'We were hoping and still continue to harbour hope that the two countries would get down and talk to each other and discuss all the issues,' he said while responding to a question.
Malik said Pakistan has been asking India to initiate dialogue process but there 'there has been no response.'
Pakistan was looking for 'a result-oriented focused dialogue' between the two countries, he said.
Expressing concerns over the two countries not talking to each other, Malik said, 'My worry is that by not talking to each other, we are strengthening the forces which don't want the two countries to make any progress.'
Asked if the two countries were not communicating with each other, Malik said the foreign offices of the two countries were in constant touch over a variety of issues but 'when it comes to holding a structured composite dialogue, yes, that is not taking place.'
Commenting on the present status of the relations between the two sides, Malik said, 'We are at a stage when we are not talking to each other. There is no diplomatic exchange and there is no dialogue.'
When asked Pakistan was not moving fast enough on investigations in the 26/11 terror attack case, Malik said, 'I would not agree with that... FIR was lodged against the seven accused in February, within four months of the tragedy.
'The trial is continuing and as a matter of fact on October 10, a formal trial against the seven accused has begun,' Malik said.
The Pakistani envoy said his country was looking for 'credible actionable evidence against the individuals (so) that our case is fool-proof and we can argue the case and it will strengthen hands of the prosecutors.'
Commenting on India's demand for early justice in the case, Malik said, 'I don't think the Indian audience wants justice of the law of the jungle to prevail. Pakistan surely doesn't.... the accused has every right to put up their own defence.'
Asked what would Pakistan do to convince India about its actions against terror, Malik said, 'I don't have to convince India... If anybody in India expects that we will be able to get up and prosecute a person, that will not help.'
When asked about action taken against Jamaat-ud-Dawa , he said, 'assets of the operatives of the JuD were frozen. There was restriction on their movement. All the practical steps that were required to be taken by the Pakistan government have been taken.'
On Pakistan government not appealing against Hafiz Saeed's release by a Pakistani High Court, he said that the federal and the Punjab governments had appealed against the court order.

Blizzard-like storm slams East US; region snowed in

WASHINGTON: A blizzard-like storm rocked the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Saturday, crippling travel across the region and leaving hundreds of thousands of customers without power.

Five deaths appeared to have been caused by the storm system, which stretched from the Carolinas north to New England and also spread into some Midwestern states. The 16 inches of snow that fell at Reagan National Airport outside Washington was the most ever recorded for a single December day, while about 16 inches had also fallen in Philadelphia.

US defence bill sets aside $1.7bn for Pakistan

WASHINGTON: The US defence budget, approved by Congress on Saturday, includes hundreds of millions of dollars for Pakistan.
The $636.3 billion package, approved by the US Senate by an 88-10 margin, includes two items that will benefit Pakistan: the Pakistan Counter-insurgency Capability Fund and the Coalition Support Fund.
Under the PCCF, Pakistan will receive a total of $700 million. The CSF applies to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Jordan and sometimes Egypt. Pakistan has an outstanding bill of between $1.7 billion and $1.8 billion against this fund.
Pakistani authorities who deal with this process believe that after adjustments, Pakistan should be able to get a little more than a billion dollars from the CSF.
The approval, however, will come after the resolution of the visa dispute. The US State Department said last week that Pakistan had withheld visas for hundreds of US officials and contractors, including some accountants associated with the CSF.
Pakistani diplomats in Washington told Dawn that they hoped the dispute would soon be resolved.
Under the CSF, the United States reimburses Pakistan for fighting militants along the Pak-Afghan border.
Pakistans claims are scrutinized by US accountants in Islamabad and then sent to the Pentagon for further approval.
Meanwhile, the US Congress on Saturday sent US President Barack Obama a massive annual military spending bill for signing that funds current operations in Afghanistan and pays for the troop withdrawal from Iraq.
In a rare weekend vote, the Senate approved the $636.3 billion package by an 88-10 margin. The bill had cleared the House of Representatives 395-34 on Wednesday.
President Obama is expected to send Congress an emergency spending measure of at least $30 billion early next year to pay for his recently announced decision to send 30,000 more US troops to Afghanistan.
The bill includes $101.1 billion for operations and maintenance and military personnel requirements in Iraq and Afghanistan and to carry out the planned withdrawal of all US combat forces from Iraq by August 2010.
The package also funds the purchase of 6,600 new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armoured vehicles configured to better resist improvised explosive devices — roadside bombs used to deadly effect by insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The bill includes $80 million to acquire more unmanned ‘Predator’ drones, a key tool in the US air war in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The spending bill upholds Mr Obamas ban on torture of detainees in US custody, continues a general provision forbidding the establishment of permanent bases in Iraq or Afghanistan, and provides no funds to close the prison for suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay.

Ulema take out peace rally in Islamabad

 ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Ulema belonging to different schools of thoughts took out a peace rally in the federal capital on Sunday.

The participants of the rally, condemning the suicide attacks, said that the suicide bombers have no connection with Islam.

Addressing the participants before the Parliament House, the Ulema said they endorse the decree issued by Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman against suicide attacks. It may mentioned here that Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman had declared the suicide attacks as un-Islamic.

The participants said that they stand by the armed forces of Pakistan and pay tribute to their jihad.

The participants vowed they would continue their efforts to promote peace.

On this occasion, the interior minister said that the people, who were trained for carrying out suicide attacks, are now escaping from the custody of terrorists.

10 cities that skipped the housing bust

Unlike most of the country, these metro areas have enjoyed increases in home prices

No one will succumb to pressure and resign: Taseer

 LAHORE: Governor Punjab Salman Taseer Sunday reiterating Pakistan People’s Party’s stance said no one will succumb to pressure from any side and that no member of his party will resign despite allegations.

Talking to media, Salman Taseer said the democracy will stop to function if people indulged in interfering in each others affairs.

“We have struggled hard for the cause of democracy,” he said, adding, “and now I have become the biggest terrorist just because a number of false cases have been built against me.”

Salman Taseer said justice should not only be for PPP but also for the 160 million people of the country.

Dr. Farooq Sattar, Babar Ghauri not on Exit Control List

ISLAMABAD: A spokesman for the Interior Ministry said that MQM ministers Dr. Farooq Sattar and Babar Ghauri were not on the Exit Control List. 
         
A statement to this effect was issued by the Interior Ministry following the suspension of the Secretary Interior, Chaudhry Qamar Zaman by the Prime Minister. On Friday, the Interior Secretary had stopped the Defence Minister, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar from travelling to China on an official tour.
Earlier, there were reports that the two MQM ministers' names were on the Exit Control List for being NRO beneficiaries.

FBR warns defaulters to clear dues or face action

 ISLAMABAD: Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Sohail Ahmed said that people who have not paid their taxes should clear the dues before December 31 otherwise FBR would take strong action against them.

Addressing the business community at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sohail said entrepreneurs are the partners of FBR in improving country’s economy.

He further said that FBR does not want to cause any undue trouble to anyone, however, non-tax payers should demonstrate a responsible attitude and bring themselves under the tax net.

Drone kills 5 in North Waziristan

MIRAMSHAH: Five people were killed and eight others injured when a suspected US drone fired three missiles on a funeral procession in the Dattakhel tehsil of North Waziristan on Friday.
According to local people, the drones started firing missiles when victims of Thursday’s missile attack were being taken for burial after funeral prayers in Babrak Ziarat near Wazgai village of Dattakhel tehsil.
Nineteen people have been killed and 20 others injured in three drone attacks in the area in two days.
AFP news agency quoting a security official in Peshawar reported that the US drone fired four missiles hitting a house, a compound and some other structures. At least seven militants were killed and five were injured.
‘It looks like some key Taliban or Al Qaeda figures are hiding in this area and that’s why the drones are targeting this area again and again.’
An intelligence official in Miramshah confirmed the death toll and said that eight militants had been injured.
‘Our informers told us that these militants were gathered to attend the funeral prayers of those killed in yesterday’s missile attacks,’ he said.

Butt shines with 153 in tour opener in Australia

HOBART: Salman Butt ensured Pakistan was in good shape after the first day of its three-day tour match against Tasmania at Bellerive Oval on Saturday.

The crafty left-hander smacked 23 boundaries on his way to 153 as he led the tourists to 4 for 270 at stumps on day one.

Umar Akmal (10 not out) and Fawad Alam were the unbeaten pair at the close of play, the latter yet to get off the mark.

On a cool and cloudy day in Hobart, it was the pacemen that had all the luck with the ball.

Tim Macdonald was the best of the Tigers' bowlers with 2 for 40, while in-form quick Brett Geeves was the man good enough to dismiss Butt when he had the opener caught behind.

China's vice-president arrives in Myanmar for talks

 YANGON: Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping arrived in Myanmar Saturday, an official told foreign news agency, for an overnight visit as part of a regional tour as his country's likely next leader.

Xi landed at 2.15pm (0745 GMT) in Myanmar's economic hub and former capital Yangon and was expected to travel to a gem emporium and later pay homage at the sacred Shwe Dagon pagoda, the official said.

Security was very tight around the city and no media were allowed at the airport or at the Sedona hotel where he is staying.

US senate approves 636.3 bln military budget

 WASHINGTON: The US Congress on Saturday sent US President Barack Obama a massive annual military spending bill that funds current operations in Afghanistan and pays for the troop withdrawal from Iraq.

In a rare weekend vote, the Senate approved the 636.3-billion-dollar package, which cleared the House of Representatives 395-34 on Wednesday, by an 88-10 margin.

Obama is expected to send Congress an emergency spending measure of at least 30 billion dollars early next year to pay for his recently announced decision to send 30,000 more US troops to Afghanistan.

The bill includes 101.1 billion dollars for operations and maintenance and military personnel requirements in Iraq and Afghanistan and to carry out the planned withdrawal of all US combat forces from Iraq by August 2010.

The package also funds the purchase of 6,600 new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored vehicles configured to better resist improvised explosive devices -- roadside bombs used to deadly effect by insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The bill includes 80 million dollars to acquire more unmanned "Predator" drones, a key tool in the US air war in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

That campaign deploys unmanned Predator and larger Reaper drones equipped with infrared cameras and armed with precision-guided bombs and Hellfire missiles.

With little public debate in the United States, the pace of the drone bombing raids has steadily increased, starting last year during ex-president George W. Bush's final months in office and now under Obama's tenure.

The spending bill upholds Obama's ban on torture of detainees in US custody, continues a general provision forbidding the establishment of permanent bases in Iraq or Afghanistan, and provides no funds to close the prison for suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Saturday praised the bill's passage.

"In addition to giving our troops a pay raise and funding more than 100 million dollars for operation of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, this bill extends unemployment and makes health insurance more affordable for unemployed Americans," Reid said.

"We're keeping our country safe with critical investments in our defense and giving an important boost to our economy."

Reid took a swipe at rival Republicans, accusing them of "political maneuvering" to slow down passage of the bill in order to delay debating health care reform, the next measure the Senate will be handling.