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N NEWS Friday, 5 July, 2013
five soldiers killed iN Nwa sUicide bombiNg
Nawaz on Sino-Pak friendship:
Nothing’s gonna stop us now!
MIRANSHAH ONLINE
At least five security personnel were killed and three were injured in a suicide attack at Bowia checkpost in North Waziristan on Thursday. According to security officials, the suicide bomber ran an explosives-laden vehicle into the security checkpost, leaving five security personnel dead. At least three others were seriously injured, they added. Only a few days back, terrorists targeted a security forces convoy in the same agency, killing four security personnel. It was not known exactly who was involved in Thursday’s attack, but in the past Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has been behind such incidents and claimed responsibility. Waziristan lies in the northwestern semi-autonomous tribal belt area, which the US considers the main hub for Taliban and al Qaeda. 2 key TTP commanders killed in Peshawar oPeraTion: Two key Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commanders were killed in a successful operation by security forces in Peshawar on Thursday, security officials said. The security officials told a private TV channel that the security forces were conducting a search operation in the Frontier Region of Peshawar near Mattani when they clashed with the militants, leaving one security official and two militants dead. The officials identified the two key militant commanders as Roohul Amin and Adnan alias Hurera, both TTP commanders. The operation followed a late night attack by dozens of suspected Taliban militants on a security checkpost in Shamshato area near Peshawar Frontier Region (FR), killing six Frontier Constabulary (FC) soldiers and leaving 12 others injured.
BEIJING: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before their meeting on Thursday. ONLINE
PreMier Meets chinese President Xi, says he has faith in china’s continued suPPort to Pakistan BEIJING APP
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RIME Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday met Chinese President Xi Jinping and the two pledged to carry forward their nation’s all-weather friendship to new heights. During the meeting, both leaders had discussion on bilateral and other issues of concern. Nawaz said in fact
Premier Li Keqiang, during his visit to Pakistan, had expressed the desire that he should first visit China as Pakistan’s prime minister. Nawaz said he had fulfilled the desire of Premier Li as it was an honour for him to visit the friendly country that was a source of strength for Pakistan. The PM told President Xi that Pakistan was faced with numerous challenges and it had an uphill task to pull the economy out of the current difficulties. He said that this was a difficult time, yet he was committed and determined to surmount all challenges. Nawaz said he was fully cognizant of the internal security situation in parts of the country and the government was working out a strategy to improve it. He pointed out that his country had to address the economic challenges in tandem with internal and regional security issues. Nawaz said the failure to adders these issues was not an option for him and Pakistan be-
lieved that China would stand by its friend and neighbour in the hour of need. Chinese President Xi Jinping recalled his earlier meeting with Nawaz in 2010. President Xi said that he had great and happy memories of that meeting and the issues discussed at that time. "I have great liking for you and your brother," said Xi in a lighter tone. The Chinese president said, "We are proud that you have chosen China for your first overseas visit.” "Pakistan is a great country and we have enormous love and affection for it", he added. He hoped the visit would prove fruitful as a lot of homework had been done by both the countries. He expressed the hope that tangible outcome would emerge in the coming days. Both sides are expected to commit themselves for the implementation of various projects and further bolstering their multifaceted cooperation.
Nisar warNs of ‘direct staNdoff’ with Us over droNes ISLAMABAD APP
Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan on Thursday said continuation of drone attacks in Pakistan could lead to a “direct standoff” between Pakistan and the United States. "We have categorically conveyed to the US authorities through the ambassador that this standoff could have serious implications on withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan as well as post-withdrawal scenario," he told reporters at the ministry. Nisar said drone attacks were not only violation of the country's sovereignty but were also resulting in collateral damage that was not acceptable at any cost. "The US must consider whether such attacks would be affordable for them. They will have to mend their ways they have been pursuing since the last seven years," Nisar said. Regarding the initiation a trial against former president Pervez Musharraf under Article 6, Nisar said the special committee had started its work and the report would be produced before the Supreme Court. Lauding the sacrifices rendered by the Pakistan Army in its fight against terrorism, he said there was no conflict between the political government and the armed forces. To a question, Nisar said the government had decided to convene a meeting of the heads of all political parties in parliament on July 12 to formulate a comprehensive national security policy to bring peace and overcome terrorism. The interior minister said he would telephone all leaders and announce a final schedule of the meeting, adding that all chief ministers, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani and heads of all law enforcement agencies would also be invited to the meeting. However, he said the formulation of national security policy was a complicated task and it might take sometime to finalise. Nisar said three task forces had been formed to look into the issues of national security, missing persons and return of Dr Afia Siddiqui which would submit their reports within two weeks. He said a wide ranging revamping would be done in all attached departments of the Interior Ministry and officers with good repute will be posted in the field to improve the situation. The interior minister expressed his concern over the coup in Egypt and said democracy should flourish at any cost and that there must be rule of law. To another question regarding law and order in Karachi and Balochistan, Nisar said the government had a clear policy on the issue and Frontier Crops and Rangers were working under the control of respective provincial governments which were responsible to maintain law and order.
Govt to inject 3,511mw into national grid dar says finances for all aPProved Projects should be tiMely arranged ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on approved five development projects in energy sector amounting to Rs 1303.0 billion. The ECNEC met at the Prime Minister's Office with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the chair. The meeting approved K-I and K-II Nuclear Projects situated in Karachi (Province Sindh, generation capacity 2200 MW, cost Rs 958729 million) Nandipur (Province Punjab, generation capacity 425 MW, cost Rs 57380 million), Neelum-Jhelum hydro electric project (AJK, generation capacity 969 MW, cost Rs 274.0 billion). In his opening remarks, Senator Ishaq Dar said that ECNEC is a premier constitutional body where all projects amounting to more than
Water and PoWer Ministry told to coMPlete transMission lines in tandeM With Project one billion are approved. The minister said that the previous practice had been that anticipatory approvals were given by the finance minister for approval of projects, discretion that he would like to dispense with and would like every project to be discussed in this forum before it is approved. The minister said that this would mean that more frequent meetings of ECNEC would be held. The minister said that finances for all the approved projects should be timely arranged and their monitoring would be carried out regularly so that they do not suffer or delayed from want of resources. The projects should be completed on schedule so that its benefits and value for the money are achieved. He said that the gov-
ernment had taken a bold decision to settle the circular debt which stood at Rs.503 billion and has already paid Rs 322 billion to private power producers while the remaining would be settled within announced time. This measure would add 1700MW of electricity to the national grid. The IPPs have been mandated to use coal instead of oil and bring about the change in the next 18 months which will bring down the average cost of power production. Dar said, “Today's meeting is important because we are taking up energy projects with the total generation capacity of 3511MW which when completed would not only be a substantial addition to the national grid but also produce electricity at low cost.” The minister said that 15 years back the energy mix was 75 percent based on cheap fuel and 25 percent on costly oil whereas it has now totally changed to 25 percent based on cheap fuel and 75 percent on furnace oil. Dar informed the participants that the prime minister had decided that future energy projects should be undertaken with the view that they can
be completed within the shortest possible time and produce power at low cost. While discussing the Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Electric Project which has been approved at revised cost of Rs 274.0 billion against the previous cost of Rs 84.0 billion, the meeting decided that a probe into the huge cost overrun and delay in the project should be made and submitted so that responsibility can be fixed. Similarly, the Ministry of Water and Power was also directed that the transmission lines should be completed in tandem with the project. The project would generate 969MW power by constructing a concrete gravity dam on Neelum River at Nauseri District Muzaffarabad. NeelumJhelum Hydro Power Project will help generation of cheap electricity for people as envisioned by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. A Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP) of nearly 425-525MW capacity comprising of 3(03) NOS gas turbines and 1(01 NO) original cost of Rs 22,335 million are revised and approved steam turbine unit at the existing site of Nandipur small hy-
dropower station where sufficient land and infrastructure is available was also approved by the ECNEC. The project is proposed to be funded from PSDP/GENCO's own resources. The ECNEC approved Karachi Costal Power Project (Unit-I&II), with the generation capacity of 2117 MW each. The total cost of Karachi Costal Power Project (Unit-I&II) is estimated Rs 958,729 million. This project located in Karachi, Sindh would go a long way in meeting the uninterrupted energy requirement of the south of the country. The ECNEC approved the project of Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite (PRSS) located in Sindh and Punjab with cost of Rs 19695.0 million. The Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite project is part of National Satellite Development Programme for space technology and its application will be in Pakistan, institutional capacity building of SUPARCO and relevant organizations. PRSS will carry optical pay load that will produce high resolution earth images with stereo capabilities. APP