afghanistan articles

Friday, 19 July 2013

Nawaz meets British FM; Pakistan’s role against terror lauded

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met with British Foreign Minister William Hague in Islamabad on Thursday and discussed bilateral relations and regional situation, DawnNews reported.

Nawaz Sharif said that “Pakistan is with the international community to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan”.

The Supreme Court on Thursday quashed the Medical Council of India's (MCI) notification for holding common entance tests for MBBS, BDS and post-graduate medical courses.

A three-judge bench by a 2:1 verdict held that the MCI notification was ultra vires of the Constitution.

The apex court, however, made it clear that its verdict will not affect the admissions which have already taken place.

Alleging that Modi had been playing divisive politics which could spell disaster for the country, Hariprasad said BJP's national election campaign committee chairman should be blessed with good sense to refrain from such kind of politics.

A day after Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi offering pujas at Sri Jagannth Temple at Puri, Congress today prayed that the Lord give "Sad Budhi" (good sense) to BJP leader.

"I pray that Lord Jagannath give 'Sad Budhi' to Modi so that he will not attempt to divide the country in the name of religion," said B K Hariprasad, the AICC general secretary in-charge of Odisha.

Jammu: Six people were killed when the BSF fired at protestors outside their camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban district today. Several people were also injured in the incident.

Ramban is 151 km from the state's winter capital Jammu. Minister of State for Home Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo, who was rushing to the spot along with DGP Ashok Prasad, confirmed the death of four persons. He said a large number of people have been injured and rushed to different hospitals.

Bangladesh leader sentenced to death for war crimes

DHAKA: A Bangladesh court Wednesday sentenced a senior leader of the country’s largest Islamic party to death for crimes committed during the 1971 war.

Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, 65, was found guilty of five charges, including abduction and murder, and was sentenced to death by the much-criticised International Crimes Tribunal.

“In three out of five charges he was given the death sentence,” the country’s junior attorney general and prosecutor MK Rahman said.

KARACHI: Ayla Musharraf, daughter of former dictator on-trial Pervez Musharraf, is reportedly facing threats to her life according to a notification provided by the Home Department to the government of Sindh , reported Express News on Wednesday.

The home department was informed by intelligence agencies that banned terrorist organizations have drafted a plan to target the former dictator’s daughter in Karachi.

SRINAGAR: Four policemen and an undertrial were among six persons injured on Wednesday in a grenade attack by militants on a police vehicle in Batamaloo area of the city.

Militants lobbed a grenade on a police vehicle carrying an undertrial at busy Batamaloo bus stand around noon, police said.

The grenade landed and exploded inside the vehicle, resulting in injuries to four policemen and the undertrial Shakeel Ahmad Khatana, police said.

At least six mediators have been killed by pro-government militiamen in the Syrian province of Homs, reports say.

The men were reportedly trying to broker talks between Sunni Muslims and members of the minority Alawite sect in the area when they were shot dead.

Patna: 22 children have died in Bihar, allegedly as a result of food-poisoning from the free mid-day meal provided at their school near Chhapra in the central part of the state, 60 kilometres from the state capital Patna. Most of them who died were younger than 10.

Another 35 children have been admitted to the Patna Medical College Hospital.

The mid-day meal caused severe food poisoning, said sources.

London: Lieutenant General (retired) Kuldip Singh Brar was followed before his throat was slashed with a knife in a premeditated revenge attack in London, a UK court was told on Tuesday.

78-year-old Mr Brar, who commanded the Operation Blue Star in 1984, was on a private visit to London with his wife Meena when the suspected Khalistan sympathisers attacked the couple.

He sustained serious injuries while his wife escaped unharmed and was instrumental in raising an alarm to call the police.

West Indies were unusually generous in the field but their batting showed signs of returning to form and Sunil Narine roared back to his best as they overcame Pakistan in Providence to level the series at one-each. West Indies themselves had been helped by a sloppy effort from Pakistan's bowlers, who conceded a whopping 38 extras in a low-scoring game.

Darren Bravo provided the stability at the top of the order and, though Pakistan's naggingly accurate trio of spinners choked the scoring in the middle overs, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard played some big shots towards the end of the innings to lift West Indies to a competitive 232 on a slow surface.

The United States has flatly denied "rumours" from Islamabad that it had discussed the possibility of civil nuclear energy cooperation with Pakistan, but said it was supportive of Islamabad's efforts with its energy problems.

"We'd seen those rumours, but I can confirm there was no discussion of civilian nuclear technology," State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell told reporters Wednesday when asked about such reports from Islamabad citing official source.

Melbourne: A couple has been sentenced by an Australian court to nine months in jail for a racial attack in which a Sikh taxi driver's turban was ripped off.

Angeline Kim Sollitt, 44, and Michael John Arbouin, 40, were handed down the nine-month prison-term for the "unprovoked" and "malicious" attack on taxi driver Jagroop Singh, 'NTNews' reported.

"The turban is the crowning glory of the Sikhs. For Sikhs, the head and the turban are sacred, they must not be touched or insulted in any way," Judge Stephen Southwood said.

Shots fired at Union Minister AH Khan Chowdhury in West Bengal

Malda: Union minister AH Khan Chowdhury was fired at while moving in an open jeep in the Malda district of Bengal today.

The Congressman, who is the junior minister for health at the Centre, is reported to be safe.

Mr Chowdhury is the MP from Malda South and was campaigning in Kaliachak for the panchayat elections being held in the state, when five shots were allegedly fired at him.

Yet another prisoner escapes from Karachi court

KARACHI: Yet another prisoner escaped from Karachi’s city court on Tuesday, Express News reported.

This is the third incident of suspects escaping from the court premises in July.

According to initial details, the prisoner was brought to the court for a hearing.

Earlier on July 13, two terror suspects who were alleged members of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) escaped from the same court. They were believed to be involved in bomb attacks on Muttahida Quami Movement’s (MQM) offices during the general elections. After a court hearing was adjourned, the prisoners managed to flee easily while the CID police officials were taking them back to the jail.

Ahmedabad: Two pen drives with conversations between BJP leader Amit Shah and senior police officers - in which they allegedly discuss the investigations into the fake encounter killing of college student Ishrat Jahan -have been submitted by the CBI to the Gujarat High Court.

Jammu: Pakistan-based militant groups have intensified their infiltration attempts along the border and around 300 militants continue to be active on the other side of the Line of Control (LoC), just along the Jammu region, the Army today said.

However all those infiltration attempts have been successfully foiled by the troops at the border, General officer commanding (GoC) 16 corps Lieutenant General DS Hooda said, while giving out the figures.
He said the militants are now changing the tactics and targeting Army posts at the LoC in a desperate bid to carry out infiltration.

The Congress today said that the entry fee of Rs. 5 for a Narendra Modi rally in Hyderabad next month reflects his market value.

Union Minister Manish Tewari tweeted that tickets for even flop films sell for Rs. 200-250. Later, he said, "It's now become very evident that the BJP has decided to impose a listening tax... When will they impose a speaking tax?"

ISLAMABAD: Presidential elections have been scheduled for August 6 by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and a letter was sent to the Chief Election Commissioner Fakhrudin G Ibrahim in this regard, sources told Express News on Tuesday.

The chief election commissioner of Pakistan approved the date for presidential elections. According to the official schedule, the last day to submit presidential nomination papers will be July 24.

New Delhi: For an actor like Salman Khan, who has been doing action scenes in Bollywood for almost two decades now, it was matter of bad timing that resulted in him facing an injury while shooting for Sohail Khan’s much-hyped ‘Mental’.

On Monday afternoon, Salman was performing an action scene, and thus, sprained his ankle and hurt his right toe.

New Delhi: Rahul Dravid, captain of Rajasthan Royals, has recorded his statement with the Delhi Police in the IPL spot-fixing scandal and will be made a prosecution witness.

According to media reports, the special cell of Delhi Police went to Bangalore on July 10 and under section 161 of the CrPC, Dravid’s statement was recorded.

Besides Dravid, Rajasthan Royals coach Paddy Upton will also be made a prosecution witness once he returns to India.

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed Congress leader Sajjan Kumar's plea challenging framing of murder and rioting charges against him in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case relating to the killing of six people in Sultanpuri area here.

Justice Suresh Kait had reserved the order after hearing all the parties in the case. The court, which was to pronounce its order on April 29, had deferred it saying further hearing is required in the case.

Sajjan Kumar contested the trial court order, which in July 2010 framed charges against five accused, including him, for the murder of six people after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

QUETTA: At least seven people, including four members of the Shia Hazara community, were shot dead Monday in separate incidents of violence in Quetta, the capital of militancy-hit Balochistan province.

Gunmen opened fire at a vehicle in Quetta, killing four men belonging to the ethnic Shia Hazara community. In a separate incident later at night, gunmen on a motorcycle shot dead three and injured another person in the city’s Khudaidad Chowk area.

DHAKA: Police fired on Jamaat-e-Islaami demonstrators in southwestern Bangladesh on Tuesday killing two, amid a nationwide strike in protest at the conviction of a top JI leader Ghulam Azam for war crimes.

Protesters from the JI party went on the rampage in the streets of Satkhira district, attacking a police officer, district deputy police chief Tajul Islam said.

FAISALABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said here on Monday that unlike the previous government, his government would not adopt double standards on the issue of drone attacks. The previous regime used to criticise drone attacks, but silently supported them, he said.

“We hope that drone attacks will end in the days to come,” Mr Sharif said in an address to industrialists, exporters, traders and media personnel.

Not satisfied with the CBI’s version that charge sheets had been filed only against five police personnel in connection with the police lathi charge on advocates in the Madras High Court premises on February 19, 2009, the Madras High Court on Monday asked the investigating agency as to whether the constables alone were responsible for the incident.

When a petition seeking the appointment of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident came up before a Division Bench, Mr. Justice Dhanapalan orally observed that the counter only reflected the stand of the State police.

CAIRO: Hundreds of Islamists loyal to deposed president Mohamed Morsi clashed Monday with security forces as they rallied for his return, after a US envoy urged Egypt's army-backed leaders to end violence.

The demonstrators cut off the October 6 bridge across the Nile in the heart of Cairo, before the security forces fired tear gas to drive them back, an AFP correspondent reported.

The pro-Morsi protesters, who had turned out in their thousands after the Ramadan iftar meal to demand his return, responded by hurling rocks at the security forces, who again dispersed them by firing tear gas.

Yoga Guru Ramdev said he would not contest the general elections scheduled next year but would help Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi become the next Prime Minister.

"I will not contest the Lok Sabha elections nor will I hold any top post," Ramdev, who was here to address the youth wing of his organisation, told reporters here.

"But I will help Narendra Modi become the next Prime Minister of the country," he said.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan plans to form a "working group" this month to hold peace talks with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other Islamist militant groups, in an effort to end continuous violence in the country, according to a media report.

The working group is expected to be announced after an all-party conference scheduled to be held later this month to build a consensus on the proposed national security policy, The Express Tribune reported on Monday.

9.7 million to leave city during Idul Fitri

More than 9.7 million people are expected to leave Jakarta for their respective hometowns to celebrate the upcoming Idul Fitri holiday, which falls on Aug. 8 and 9, an official says.

Jakarta Transportation Agency head Udar Pristono said during a leadership meeting at City Hall on Monday that the number was 8.6 percent higher than the 9 million people who left the capital during last year’s Idul Fitri exodus.

“We predict that there will be 7.2 million vehicles, comprising 5.8 million four-wheel vehicles and 1.4 million motorcycles, leaving the city,” he said.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar advised Narendra Modi today to "mind your language," adding his voice to the chorus of criticism against the Gujarat chief minister for his remark at a rally that the ruling Congress "hides behind a burqa of secularism" when in trouble.The burqa is a veil worn by Muslim women. Mr Kumar said in Patna today, "if women of one community wear the burqa, then why is somebody objecting to that. Even Hindu women follow this system of covering their head."

Pakur, Jharkhand: In a shocking incident, four minor girls were allegedly raped by a gang of more than 20 people in Pakur district in Jharkhand.

Villagers informed the police that more than 20 people raped the minors last night, Superintendent of Police (SP) Y S Ramesh told reporters.

QUETTA/ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Quetta on Monday ordered the authorities to produce former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf before it in a case pertaining to the murder of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akber Khan Bugti, DawnNews reported.

During the hearing of the Bugti murder case, Balochistan’s former interior minister Aftab Khan Sherpao appeared before the ATC.

JAKARTA: Seventeen people were killed in a stadium stampede after spectators rioted to protest a local boxer's loss in a championship match in eastern Indonesia, officials said Monday.

Youth and Sports Minister Roy Suryo said the victims — 11 of them women — were trampled to death as about 1,500 spectators scrambled out the overcrowded stadium to escape the riot that broke out just before midnight Sunday.

Kota Lama Sport Stadium has a capacity of 500 to 600, he said.

DHAKA: A Bangladeshi court on Monday found a top Jamaat-e-Islaami (JI) leader guilty of masterminding atrocities during the 1971 war of independence against Pakistan and sentenced him to life imprisonment, as violence broke out across the country between police and his supporters.

Six cops arrested after Pak Taliban militants escape custody

Karachi: The mysterious escape of five undertrials including two militants of the Pakistani Taliban from the courts here this week has led to the suspension and arrest of six police officials of the CID.

The six officials of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) were sent on a two-day judicial remand by a magistrate today following their arrest after two militants of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Ghulam Ishaq and Nazrab Khan managed to escape from the city courts yesterday.

They escaped soon after a key witness picked them out from an identification parade in a case involving bomb blasts in Karachi's Orangi Town.

Johannesburg: Egypt's prosecutor has ordered the freezing of assets belonging to 14 top Islamists, as part of an investigation into deadly violence.

Judicial sources said that the order by public prosecutor Hisham Barakat affects nine Muslim Brotherhood leaders, including the group's general guide Mohamed Badie.

According to News24, the order will also affect five Islamists from other groups, including ex-militant faction Gamaa Islamiya.

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday said that the Congress party should not be under the impression that the death of Ottavio Quattrocchi, the main accused in the Bofors, will cover the scam.
Speaking to mediapersons here, BJP spokesperson Vijay Sonkar Shastri said that the Bofors scam is a big scar on the political face of the country.

"Congress should not have this misconception that this issue is over because this case is a scar on the face of political history of India. And as far as Quattrocchi is concerned, the CBI is yet to give him a clean chit till date." he said.

CAIRO: Egypt announced a criminal investigation on Saturday against deposed Islamist President Mohamed Mursi, with prosecutors saying they were examining complaints of spying, inciting violence and ruining the economy.

Egypt's first freely elected leader has been held at an undisclosed location since the army removed him from power on July 3, but has not yet been charged with any crime. In recent days, Washington has called for him to be freed and for the authorities to stop arresting leaders of his Muslim Brotherhood.

Georgetown: All-rounder Shahid Afridi returned to international cricket with a blistering half century and a career-best 7-12 as Pakistan recorded a thumping 126-run victory over West Indies in the first one-day international on Sunday.Afridi, recalled after missing last month's Champions Trophy due to poor form, scored 76 off 55 balls to pilot Pakistan to 224-9. Afridi then skittled West Indies out for 98 in 41 overs to record the second-best ever bowling figures in one-day internationals after Sri Lanka's Chamina Vaas' 8-19 against Zimbabwe in 2001.

BSP chief Mayawati announced that strict action would be taken against party MP Vijay Bahadur for defending Modi's comment.Yesterday Mayawati criticised Mr Modi, saying, "My party strongly condemns the examples given by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. He should study the Constitution properly because it is based on secularism and not on Hindutva."

Pune: An aggressive Narendra Modi used an hour-long speech in Pune to declare the battle for 2014 open, ripping into the ruling Congress for its economic policies and accusing it of "hiding behind a burqa (veil) of secularism every time it is in trouble."

Mr Modi was on Sunday addressing his first public rally after being elevated as the BJP's election campaign speech. He was also speaking just two days after a controversial interview to news agency Reuters where his analogy of a puppy when talking about the deaths in the 2002 Gujarat riots has drawn much flak from political rivals.

Najeeb Jung takes over as new Lieutenant Governor of Delhi

New Delhi: Najeeb Jung, a former IAS officer, today took over as new Lt Governor of Delhi at a time when the national capital is grappling with a range of challenges including safety of women, regularisation of unauthorised colonies and crawling infrastructure.

62-year-old Mr Jung was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Acting Chief Justice of Delhi High Court BD Ahmed at a function at Raj Niwas which was attended by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, her ministerial colleagues and top brass of Delhi Government and police.

A Twitter account purportedly belonging to terror outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM) has claimed responsibility for Sunday’s Bodh Gaya serial blasts and also warned that the next target would be Mumbai.

More than 12 hours after the early morning blasts, a tweet by @IndianMujahidin — which claims to be the IM’s official Twitter handle — said: “9 Dhamake Humne Karay (We carried out the nine blasts)”.

The tweet about Mumbai —dated July 6, a day before the Bihar blasts — reads: “Hamara Agla Target Mumbai Hai. Rock Sago Toh Rock Lo, 7 days Left (Our next target is Mumbai. Stop us if you can. Seven days left)”.

KABUL: A roadside bomb struck a motorcycle-drawn cart carrying women and children between two villages Tuesday in western Afghanistan, killing all 17 people on board, a grim reminder of the dangers facing Afghan civilians ahead of the 2014 withdrawal of foreign combat troops.

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Engineer Shaukatullah Khan called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday to discuss the law and order situation of KP province and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), DawnNews reported.

According to DawnNews sources, the KP governor met with PM Nawaz in Islamabad. During the meeting, matters pertaining to the law and order situation of KP province were discussed.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislature party leader Hemant Soren has staked claim to form a new government in the 82-member state assembly.

He met Governor Sayed Ahmed on Tuesday evening to do so. Soren handed over a list of 43 MLAs supporting him to the Governor.

The latest development in this regard comes nine days before the six-month period of President's rule ends in Jharkhand. The state was carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000.

Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting has said people responsible for leaking the Abbottabad Commission report will be held accountable.

Talking to the media, Pervez Rashid said they will start by ascertaining if the leaked report is factual to begin with.

On Monday, Al Jazeera had released a leaked report by the Pakistan commission formed to probe the Osama bin Laden raid, carried out by US.

The Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamist Nour Party will be offered ministerial positions in the transitional government, officials have said, hours after the appointment of a new prime minister.

Hazem el-Beblawi, a liberal economist and former finance minister, was named the new prime minister, the presidential spokesman, Ahmed al-Muslimani, said.

Liberal opposition chief and Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei was named vice president for foreign relations, Muslimani said on Tuesday.

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to Congress leader Sajjan Kumar and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on a plea of kin of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims, challenging his acquittal in a case.

A division bench of Justice GS Sistani and Justice GP Mittal has sought response from both SDajjan Kumar and the CBI by Aug 27.
Filing the appeal, Jagdish Kaur and Nirpreet Kaur, who had lost their relatives in the riots, sought the trial court's April 30 judgment in the case be set aside.

Kozhikode: The holy month of Ramzan begins on Wednesday in Kerala with the sighting of the new moon at Wayanad.

During the period, Muslims observe fasting during the day.

QUETTA: A militant commander of a defunct sectarian organisation was killed in an operation conducted by security forces in Mastung district of Balochistan on Wednesday.

An intelligence official told Dawn.com on the condition of anonymity that security forces conducted an operation, which lasted for more than an hour, in Dasht area of Mastung district.

He added that two militants of the banned organisation were picked up during the operation and a huge quantity of arms and ammunition was also recovered.

PTI separates govt, party offices in KP

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has decided to separate party and government offices in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and asked its five party leaders, now in the government, to vacate their positions with immediate effect.

The Central Election Commission of the PTI announced on Tuesday that KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had been asked to vacate the post of party secretary general for the province after assuming the high public office.

Similarly, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, who was holding the position of provincial president, had been asked to quit the party post.

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