Pak protests against drone strikes Senior US diplomat summoned to FO STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD—Foreign Office on Thursday summoned a senior American diplomat to protest against US drone strikes in the country’s tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office spokes-man, the US Embassy in Pakistan was “démarched on recent drone strikes in North Waziristan.” Pakistani officials told the diplomat, who was not identi-
fied, that the attacks were unacceptable, unlawful and a violation of the country’s sovereignty. “A senior US diplomat was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and informed that the drone strikes were unlawful, against international law and a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty,” said an official statement. “It was emphatically stated that such attacks were unacceptable.” The latest drone attack in North Waziristan came Tuesday when an unmanned American
CJ annoyed over Balochistan situation
SC declares Islamabad Safe City Project null and void
Q UETTA —Chief
ISLAMABAD—Supreme Court
LAHORE: Makeshift slum home of nomadic people along River Ravi submerged in the flood water.
Heavy rains wreak havoc, 14 dead Major rivers in medium flood
Karzai telephones Raja ISLAMABAD—President of Afghanistan, Mr. Hamid Karzai telephoned Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf today and extended Eid greetings to him. Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf thanked the Afghan President for his call and extended Eid greeting to him as well. During the telephonic conversation both the leaders reiterated their resolve to work for peace and stability in the region. While talking to Mr. Hmid Karzai, the Prime Minister said that his government was firmly committed to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan. Emphasizing that interaction between the two countries should continue to further improve the existing brotherly relations, the Prime Minister said he was looking forward to meeting him in the near future.—NNI
STAFF REPORTERS LAHORE—At least 14 people were killed as monsoon rains wreaked havoc in northern areas and eastern Punjab. The Disaster Management (DM) authorities Thursday said that more than thirty people have been reportedly killed since rains started early this week, dozens wounded, and more than a hundred have been rendered homeless in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and Kashmir. The Metrological Department (MD) has forecast more heavy rains in Kashmir, Punjab, Islamabad, and KP. Earlier, a warning of flash floods was issued. The rains will continue for two more days, said the MD in its weather forecast report. Meanwhile, media re-
Nawaz calls Nisar for consultations STAFF REPORTER
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE—Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) President Nawaz Sharif has summoned leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Ch Nisar Ali Khan on Friday for important consultations on political situation in the country general elections, apWELLINGTON—The bodies before pointment of caretaker prime of the three New Zealand minister, creation of two new soldiers killed in Afghanistan provinces in Punjab and on have been brought home. Sardar Zulfikar Khosa issue. Corporal Luke Tamatea, Mian Nawaz Sharif will Lance Corporal Jacinda Baker reach Lahore today . Nawaz and Private Richard Harris Sharif telephoned Nisar Ali arrived in New Zealand South Khan from Hajaz to reach Island city of Christchurch on Lahore on Friday. Thursday afternoon for an emotional and sombre military ceremony. Military chiefs, comrades and family members watched on from the tarmac as the caskets were covered in the New Zealand ensign. Members of the three grieving families were the first allowed on to the aircraft. K ABUL —Even as the AfThe soldiers, all members ghan government says that of the Second First Battalion, it would take new measures were killed instantly in a to counter a wave of deadly roadside bomb blast in insider killings of Western Afghanistan five days ago. troops by Afghan security The army paid their forces, President Hamid respects as pallbearers carried Karzai’s office asserted for the bodies out in a sombre the first time that foreign ramp ceremony.—NNI spy agencies were behind most of the attacks, putting it directly at odds with NATO’s assessment of the crisis. After a special meeting of the president’s secu-
Three New Zealand soldiers bodies reach home
ported that several villages were inundated in Punjab and KP districts. Hundreds of poor people were forced to spend days in open fields as their homes had been destroyed in floods. The recent wave of rainfall resulted in increase in the flow of water in certain rivers. According to details, floods have been observed at Marala on River Chenab and at Baloki on River Ravi. In River Chenab at Marala, the inflow of water was 126,860 cusec. The total inflow of water in River Ravi was 54,450 cusec. IRSA sources said the inflow of water at Tarbela in River Indus was 2,56,000 cusec while the outflow of water was 1,40,000 cusec. In River Jhelum, inflow of water in River Jhelum at Mangla
was 62,980 cusec while the outflow was 13000 cusec. Inflow of water in River Sutluj at Sulemanki was 16,487 cusec. In Lahore, the Federal Flood Commission (FFC) Thursday said preventive measures must be taken in order to avoid losses as flash flooding is expected in various areas of the country. A spokesman of FFC said from medium to high flash flooding is expected in Kabul‚ Kurram‚ Gambila‚ Swat rivers and their tributaries due to moderate and heavy rains. Chairman National Disaster Management Authority directed provincial disaster management authorities to be ready to cope with any eventuality. According to Met office‚ seasonal low lies
PPP, MQM bodies meet
‘LG system bill to be finalised soon’ STAFF REPORTER KARACHI—The Core Committee of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) met at Chief Minister House here on Thursday to discuss the draft on Local Government (LG) system. According to Provincial Minister for Local Government, Agha Siraj Durrani said that the bill on local government system would soon be finalised. Peer Mazhar-ul-Haq and Agha Siraj Durrani from PPP attended the meeting while Dr. Farooq Sattar, Kanwar Naved Jamil and Wassay Jalil represented MQM.
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No immediate blocking of all unregistered SIMs: Malik L ISLAMABAD—Interior Minister Rehman Malik has revealed that there would have been many acts of terrorism if cellular service was not suspended in four cities of the country on the occasion of Eid. In a Radio Programme entitled ‘Naey Ufaq Programme’, the Interior Minister said the Government had definite information about a conspiracy to destabilize the country and designs of the enemies were foiled through effective coordination among intelligence and law enforcing agencies. Replying to a question he clarified that the Government has no intention of blocking all unregistered SIMs immediately as it would cause inconvenience
to users besides negatively impacting upon the revenue. He said a meeting of all stakeholders would be convened to firm up strategy on how to deal with the issue of SIMs issued against fake identity cards or in the name of someone else. The Minister proposed that SIMs should be verified against thumb impression of the applicants through NADRA database. He said the issue of SIMs would be resolved keeping in view the foreign investment and interests of cellular operators. He‚ however‚ vowed that a mechanism would be devised to ensure that mobile phones are not used as tool for terrorist ac-
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Altaf wants stern SIM cards laws STAFF REPORTER
ONDON—Founder and leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain has asked the federal government and the people at the helm of affairs to make stern laws for the use of mobile phone SIM cards as the mobile phones were being used in terrorism, bomb blasts, kidnappings for ransom and demand for extortion money. He said that it was necessary for checking heinous crimes and incidents and terrorism. He said this while talking to Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik on the telephone. Malik told Hussain that the government had suspended mobile services on the occasion of the Eid in view of the threats for terrorism, and it was very helpful in controlling terrorism.
Afghanistan blames foreign spies for insider attacks rity advisers, Mr. Karzai’s spokesman, Aimal Faizi, said Afghan authorities were studying every known insider attack, also known as greenon-blue attacks. He said that based on interrogations of attackers who had been detained, and other evidence like letters and records of phone calls, the government had concluded that the main culprits in the killings had been put in place by intelligence services from
neighboring countries. He did not name them, but the government frequently accuses Pakistan and Iran of meddling, the New York Times said. “The investigation done so far shows there is infiltration by foreign spy agencies,” Mr. Faizi said. “There is no doubt there is infiltration.” Many Western officials here, and American officials at the Pentagon, were surprised by the government’s
assertions, and some privately sought to discount the spokesman’s remarks. “We don’t have indications that foreign entities are the locus of sponsorship for insider-attack threats,” said a senior Pentagon official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid publicly differing with the Afghan president. The Afghan government allowed that some of the attacks were also mo-
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aircraft fired missiles at a vehicle near the tribal agency’s Shnakhura village, killing five suspected militants and injuring two. The recent spike in drone action has threatens to add tensions to relations between the two allies, just as they appeared to be improving. The covert CIA drone program has drawn strong criticism in Pakistan. Pakistani officials charge such strikes violate their country’s sovereignty. Many Pakistanis complain that the strikes kill innocent civilians.
Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said that protection to public lives and properties should be ensured at all costs and indiscriminate action must be taken against criminals in Balochistan. Chief Justice gave these remarks while reviewing the proceedings on cases of kidnapping for ransom in his chamber at SC’s Quetta registry here on Thursday. He directed for launching search operations and crackdowns against the criminals involved in sabotaging peace of the province and killing innocent citizens and destroying their properties.
CJ Iftikhar Muhammad Chuadhry expressed dissatisfaction over the non recovery of the abducted Dr Ghulam Rasool and said that writ of the government would be established when the kidnapped persons were recovered safely and without payment of ransom. The Home Secretary briefed the Chief Justice on the measures being taken by the provincial government to maintain law and order situation. He said that ongoing law and order situation in Balochistan was adequate and there doesn’t seem writ of the government in the province.—INP
has declared the contract of Islamabad Safe City Project null and void and has ordered National Accountability Bureau to conduct investigations. According to the Supreme Court, the contract is non-transparent and against the rules, so tenders for the contract should be demanded again. According to media reports, the Pakistani government signed a contract worth $ 125 million, that is Islamabad Safe City Project, with Chinese officials, according to which the machines for checking explosive materials at the entrance and exit points of Islamabad were bought but this contract fell a prey to corruption.—Online