Breaking News - Pakistan sees friends’ $5 billion pledge as political boon

LAHORE: According to breaking news, Pakistanis see the $5 billion aid pledges made by donor countries in a conference in Tokyo as “a development [that] has as much political as economic significance in bolstering a beleaguered civilian government”, the Washington Times reported.

Ashfaq Hassan Khan, a former chief economic adviser in Pakistan, told the newspaper that the funds were a “significant achievement”.

“Firstly, Pakistan got $5.28 billion instead of $4.25 billion, which it asked for from the friends of Pakistan... Secondly, the pledges have come as a big message from the world that it is genuinely interested in Pakistan’s stability and progress and it is willing to cooperate,” he told the Washington Times. “I think the announcement of assistance to Pakistan is more of a political importance than it is of economic significance.”

The newspaper said the pledges “reflect international concern about expanding Taliban influence in Pakistan. Militants exploiting economic discontent and unemployment have moved in recent months far beyond Tribal Areas on the border with Afghanistan to Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous state”.

In approving new aid at the Tokyo conference, “the participants... noted concern about the security situation in Pakistan and the impact on development, the investment climate and growth”, co-chairs Japan and the World Bank said in a statement.

“Aid is to be targeted at health, education, governance and building democracy,” the Washington Times said. “Pakistan is also seeking to build hydroelectric dams, roads and other projects aimed at improving security along the Afghan border.”

Zafar Moeen Nasir, chief economic researcher at the state-run Pakistan Institute of Developmental Economics in Islamabad, told the Washington Times the new aid would “help compensate Pakistan for $35 billion he said had been lost due to the country’s participation in the war against the Taliban and Al Qaeda”.

“I think the pledges at Tokyo are indications that US and other friends of Pakistan want Pakistan to be a stable country,” he told the newspaper.

However, Abdul Mateen, a former Pakistani diplomat at the United Nations, said he was “not optimistic that the money would solve Pakistan’s fundamental economic problems”.

“Aid and assistance is only good if it is spent productively, as it generates resources, skills, learning and so on,” he said. “Unless it leads to development, the aid or loan is dysfunctional. The pledges made at Tokyo for Pakistan would give the country relief and even growth but would not insure development, which is badly required.”

Political and security analyst Hassan Askari Rizvi welcomed the emphasis on building the capacity of Pakistani institutions in the new US administration’s reviewed policy for the region. “The American administration is trying to complement the use of force with socioeconomic diplomacy,” he told the Washington Times.

The Obama strategy “is also better than past policies because it is the product of more consultation with Pakistanis at both official and non-official levels”, the newspaper quoted him as saying.

Shafqat Mahmood, a former senator, said the motive remains “securing the American homeland as well as US forces in South Asia and the Middle East from Muslim extremist attacks. Pakistan will get assistance only if it implements US aims”, he said. “It is not radically different strategy as may be perceived,” he told the Washington Times. “Rather, its focus is quite narrow. It means Americans think foreign elements are there and Pakistan must ensure that they should not be a threat to US interests in the region.”

Tahir Amin, chairman of the International Relations Department of Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad, agreed. The new policy “is still focused on military force and drone attacks,” he told the newspaper. “The most sad aspect of the Obama strategy is that it is focused on American interests without taking into consideration that of Pakistan. It seems the strategy calls for imposing an American mission on Pakistan while it has put the Kashmir issue on the back burner.”

Amin said the fallout of the new strategy would be “negative for both the US and Pakistan”.

“Intending or otherwise, the implementation of Obama strategy would push Pakistan towards chaos as acts of terrorism would proliferate in the length and breadth of the country, and this has very much started happening. For Americans, it would cultivate far deeper antagonistic feelings in Pakistan,” he told the Washington Times.

Retired Lt Gen Talat Masood, a security analyst, said the most important aspect of the shift is that “Pakistan has been looked at as part of a much greater zone of conflict, not as an individual issue”. He said the strategy “also shows more sensitivity to Pakistani concerns over US infringement on its sovereignty”, according to the breaking news.

Breaking news - Today Pakistan missed 12 'O Clock

Pakistan - As per breaking news, for the third time 12 : 00 a.m will not struck in the history of Pakistan after entering in this new century. Pakistan Government taken this decision to save light and to overcome the problems of light in Pakistan and to reduce the loadshedding. This step was also adopted by Musharraf Government and now present Government also going to follow this. Today at 11:00 p.m on 15 April, 2009 all official and private clocks will not see the 12 : 00 a.m in Pakistan. The time will run one hour before the usual time currently running. The time will remain 1 hour ahead from 15 April, 09 to 15 October, 09.
The WAPDA officials told that this step will help us to save more light and then we will be able to overcome the loadshedding in Pakistan. Because this step will help everyone to use the daylight instead of using the artificial light.
Time will be changed at 11 : 59 p.m to 1 : 00 a.m and 12 : 00 a.m will not struck here in Pakistan.

Breaking News - $500 Million Loan received

KARACHI -- According to breaking news, Pakistan has received a $500 million loan from the World Bank to help stabilize its economy, an official at the country's central bank told esolgsmnews Tuesday.

This loan is interest-free and for 35 years, said the State Bank of Pakistan one of higher officials, who didn't want to be named, latest news.

The loan is provided from the bank's International Development Association aimed at helping protect the poor and improving the country's competitiveness by shoring up the financial sector and cutting barriers to starting a business.

"Besides this, the arrival of inflows from the International Monetary Fund and Asian Development Bank amounting to $1.44 billion in coming days will help strengthen the rupee," Mr. Imran stated as per breaking news.

"The loan from the World Bank will help contain the current account deficit, which in the year ended June 30, 2008, ballooned to more than $14 billion, putting immense pressure on the country's forex reserves," stated by Mohammed Imran, head of research at First Capital Equities Ltd., a Karachi-based brokerage house.

But, in order to help exports, the central bank may not allow the rupee to rise, Mr. Imran more added.

The International Monetary Fund's executive board approved a disbursement of $847.1 million of a loan to Pakistan, as the country's growth outlook worsened, at Monday.

The additional access to funds follows the first review of the $7.6 billion, 23-month standby facility the IMF granted Pakistan in November, bringing the total disbursements under the program to $3.9 billion.

According to the more breaking news, Pakistan has experienced severe external and internal shocks in the past year and is confronting a very difficult macroeconomic situation, according to World Bank. The rise in international oil and food prices sharply inflated the country's import bill and the subsequent slowdown in the global economy dampened demand for Pakistan's exports.

Also, political turmoil and uncertainty affected investor confidence which, together with macroeconomic imbalances, led to capital outflows, the World Bank said in a press release here on March 27.

As per news latest breaking stories, according to latest State Bank of Pakistan data, the country's foreign exchange reserves rose to $10.161 billion in the week ended March 14 from $10.053 billion the previous week.

Story "Zardari vs Long March" - Reactions "Channel Bans and Resigns"

According to news latest breaking stories, once upon a time there was a party and its workers, who worked hard, scarified and fought against a unconstitutional ruler of a state, who came into rule through unconstitutional way and ruled unconstitutionally on that state known as "Pakistan" & name of ruler was "Musharraf". According to news latest breaking stories, he tried to be a king. He ruled on this country using unconstitutional powers, so he not only ruled but he also used these powers for his own purposes and to save his rule and for this he adopted a unconstitutional way and seeded a trend to slave Judiciary with the thinking that "HIS BREAD IS BUTTERED ON BOTH SIDES". But as per news latest breaking stories, a person rose his voice against this ruler known as "Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry". But as per news latest breaking stories, when this party who also rose voice against this ruler with the help of the other parties and heroes of our story known as "Lawyers" came into power by elected way and their Government given a name as "Democracy", but even after sacrificing its great leader. Instead of learning through the sacrifices of the party's leaders, they also started ruling like that ruler against which they fought and scarified. This party is non other but "PPP" & it nominated its leader known as "Zardari " and speciality of this person is "corruption expert". As per news latest breaking stories, a party which was based on a structure in which its many great leaders blood was included. But very easily after forgetting all these sacrifices they not only adopted the policies of that ruler but also protected that ruler constitutionally. As per news latest breaking stories, the ruler of this party "Zardari " was thinking that now "HIS BREAD IS BUTTERED ON BOTH SIDES" as like the previous ruler was thinking. As per news latest breaking stories, after seeing this the heroes of the story once again came into story and started protesting against this Government. But Government takes it lightly and says "we are elected". No one can do anything. But this ignorance of Government gives an interesting turn to the story and this protest takes the shape of "Long March" and it takes the shape of war against the ruler of the country and many parties starts taking part in it and then Government of Pakistan feels pressure, but Government still refuses to show this pressure. But as per news latest breaking stories, suddenly it comes out that one person in this Government wakes up and says we are wrong and going to wrong way and decides to take part in the protest with the heroes of story. Government takes action and starts arresting the heroes of our story with this thinking that protest will be stopped, but what happens??? It gives a unexpected reactions to Government and instead of stop it rises more. As per news latest breaking stories, this leaves a great impact on the minds of the sleeping leaders and another important person of this Government & she decides to wake up and comes out from the rule. According to news latest breaking stories, this important person is "Sherry Rehman " and it is on the important post in the state known as "Information Minister" in Pakistan. But why she goes out from the rule???? The reason was this time again the ruler of Government decides to attack on the freedom of "Journalism" and orders to ban TV channels who are trying to convey the truth to the people and barring the unconstitutional policies of that ruler and ruler thinks that after doing this he can overcome all the situation and can save its power of rule. But as per news latest breaking stories, there is one thing which ruler not know that whenever a ruler tries to go against the freedom of sayings, the people of this country always wakes and once they wake up, no one can do anything. So moral of the story according to current circumstances "HE WHO DIGS A WELL FOR OTHER OFTEN FALLS INTO IT" and "HE WHO HAS GOD ON HIS SIDE HAS EVERYTHING".

Sherry Rehman Decided to Resign from Zardari Government - News Latest Breaking Stories

(Islamabad) - According to news latest breaking stories, the information minister "Sherry Rehman" decided to resign after banning t.v channels in Pakistan. According to news latest breaking stories, 1st banning Royal TV channel and after that suddenly banning Geo TV channel in many cities of Pakistan, Sherry Rehman decided to resign and presented her resignation before Prime Minister of Pakistan "Yousaf Raza Gilani". As per news latest breaking stories, Prime Minister refused to accept this resignation. As per news latest breaking stories, its the second resignation came out from a official person of President Zardari Government.

The 1st person was Senator Raza Rabbani. According to more news latest breaking stories, another worker of PPP belonging to Gujranwala also resigned from party of Zardari saying "This is not the party of Bhuttos". According to news latest breaking stories, Sherry Rehman presented its resign because of disagreement from Zardari policies against Media. Every political worker, political leader and all the peoples of Pakistan strictly condemn against this attack on freedom of Media. According to other news latest breaking stories, All Journalism Associations will protest against this at 3:00 p.m Today.

Why became Necessary to Attack on Sri Lankan Team? News Latest Breaking Stories

News latest breaking stories - (Lahore) - As per news latest breaking stories everyone is well aware that Sri Lankan Team came into Pakistan for its tour to play series with Pakistan at that time when no one was ready to come here in Pakistan for tour because they were claiming that there is much terrorism in Pakistan. As per other news latest breaking stories, when Sri Lankans were thinking on this matter that they should go to play with Pakistan or not then suddenly at that time news comes out in all media especially in Indian media as Times of India and other newspapers that Indian Government is stating that we have cancelled the tour to Pakistan so Sri Lanka should also cancel its tour to Pakistan. But it is the greatness of Sri Lankans that they even decided that we will play in any condition. But at last that happened which should not be happened ever. As per news latest breaking stories, Six persons from Elite force died, two players of Sri Lankans wounded. A great 'Salami' should be presented to all that five real persons who died but saved the name of Pakistan and a 'salami' should also be given to the driver of the player's bus that he used his mind on the right time and flied the bus away from that terror at right time, as per latest news breaking stories.
But now here is a question rises again that even who is behind of all this and what was the need of this?? So let's take a look on every matter.

As per news latest breaking stories, everyone knows well that terror came in Pakistan when Mr. Musharraf was ruling here, before that no one was knowing what is a blast and how terror happens? So why this terror came here in the period of Musharraf??
Then answer can be given easily that this is a reaction of those people who think that a Muslim country can not go side by side with other non Muslim countries as America, Israel and such of all countries. There is unlimited hate in Muslim countries for these countries. And why this hate is that everyone knows that they are introducing Muslim against policies day by day, as per news latest breaking stories. So when Mr. Musharraf given his hand to America for friendship it filled up much anger in the hearts of pure religious minded persons in Pakistan. As per news latest breaking stories, they tried much to protest against this and said to Government to keep away from America and its partners but it was useless. Then they decided to finish this with the weapon. So they started on it and now we are on that stage where Pakistan even lost everything in that department in which no one can think about it.
So there can be three types behind this terror, we will discuss all step by step:

1. Taliban
2. Deccan Mujaheddin
3. Raw

1. Taliban : As every one knows and also current news latest breaking stories says that Swat operation has been stopped and the chairman of 'Nafazay Sharia Muhammadi' Sufi Ghulam Muhammad struggling for imposing 'Sharia Rules' in Swat for peace and they efficiently agreed Taliban to not raise weapons again, as per news latest breaking stories. We want peace and going to impose shariah from 15 March,09 by Government of Pakistan in Swat. So we can say it very clearly that Taliban can be behind this.

2. Deccan Mujaheddin : Whenever terror happened anywhere in Pakistan, one party known as Deccan Mujaheddin always accepted the responsibility when they were behind any terror, but this time no response from there, as per news latest breaking stories.

3. Raw : Why Raw? As it is described before that as per news latest breaking stories, when Sri Lankans decided to come in Pakistan then Indian Government tried its best to stop them and stated that Sri Lankans should cancel the programme as we have cancelled. So Sri Lankans didn't accepted their opinion and this can be one reason from both sides. 1st side is Sri Lankans not accepted their decision and 2nd is to show the world that India tried its best to stop the Sri Lankans.
As per news latest breaking stories, other thing everyone knows very well as Indians having much hate against Pakistan after the Taj Hotel terror and they are thinking that ISI or Pakistanis done this which is not even near any reality. But Indians wanting to level the score.
So as per news latest breaking stories, at the same time when Sri Lankans decided to come in Pakistan it gave a chance to Indian Agency to not only level the score but also take revenge from the Sri Lankans for not accepting their opinion and the third thing to make Pakistan a hateful country internationally and this was the best chance to do the things. So to complete the plans, action was taken and result is there. Its a great true that 'Whatever man thinking never happens' happens only that which God wants. So this time also happened that which God was wanting. Lahories proved again that Pakistanis can gave his souls but can never let down their guests ever.

Mystery behind disqualification of Sharif's : News latest breaking stories

Pakistan : As per News Latest Breaking Stories by esolgsmnews, President Asif ali Zardari is the person who is well known as 'Ten Million Man' by all the world, also indicated in the newspapers of Europe before taking oath as President of Pakistan. As per news latest breaking stories records, It became much necessary for Zardari to gain confidence of major parties (as MQM, Sharif League etc.) of Pakistan to come in power. As per news latest breaking stories & record shows, MQM is having a major hold on Karachi, an ex capital of Pakistan, while on the other hand PPP is also having major hold in sindh, Province of Pakistan.




Therefore, it took no time for PPP to make Government with the help of MQM in Sindh. According to news latest breaking stories, but on the other side Sharif party is having hold in all Punjab in majority, therefore sharif's party made Government in Punjab with majority. Now the thing before Zardari was that as Punjab is the major part of Pakistan from all the side regarding all productions & resources then "how is it possible to get hold in Punjab from all the sides"? So therefore, after completing the process of gaining confidence of sharif's party, he appointed a person as the Governor of Punjab without having a meeting with sharif's party, which is much hateful for all sharif's party members & this created a wave of worry & seeded distance between both parties. The purpose of appointed this person was to use it on the time when it will be needed. On the other side Zardari refused to fulfill all the promises done with sharif after coming in power with sharif. When Sharif saw that now it is not possible that zardari is going to fulfill promises then sharif and his party decided to take part in 'Long March' with the Lawyers who are struggling for the rehabilitation of Judges. As per news latest breaking stories, when lawyers were preparing for 'Long March' it was not looking that it will be successful but after the decision of sharif and its party to take part, it seemed that it is going to be a 'Million March'. This was a huge wave of worry for zardari. So then he decided to use the person to whom he appointed. First he disqualified sharifs from the judges of supreme court so that no body can blame him & then he gave all the power to Governor of Punjab 'Salman Taseer' for two months under the act of 234. So that as per our news latest breaking stories, PPP can bring his own chief minister in Punjab also. On the other hand he is also thinking that if his party will not be able to bring his chief minister, which is now bound to show the majority of the party members in Punjab, which not seems possible this time for PPP, he will then say to 'Salman Taseer' to resolve the Assembly. So that opportunity for new elections could be gain.

Pakistan PM Disbands Task Force on Employment

Esolgsmnews Current :

ISLAMABAD :-- Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday ordered dissolution of the Task Force on Employment.ccording to news latest breaking stories immediate lifting of ban on hiring and recruitment in the all government services. According to newsg he told that this step to disband the task force comes in the process of numerous complaints and reports in the media about the gross violation of recruitment policies and laid down procedures.
Reversing government’s earlier decision of setting up the task force, PM Gilani ordered lifting of ban on hiring and recruitment in the government services and winding up of the task force to ensure merit and transparency in line with government’s desire for good governance and to overcome unemployment.
On the other hand Punjab Government also took a great step and lifted the ban on hiring in all the government sectors from grade 1 to grade 4. CM of Punjanb Shahbaz Sharif ordered hiring on contract basis in government services from grade 1 to grade 4 on immediate basis.

Kidnapping of a UN Oficial in Pakistan

trattorini tagliaerba usati Updates :

ISLAMABAD : An American who is a United Nations official and fatally shot his driver yesterday kidnapped by a gunmen in southern Pakistan. Trattorini tagliaerba usati, according to Pakistani police officials, the latest in a recent series of high-profile kidnappings and targeted hits on foreigners.
According to the Pakistani police in the southern city of Quetta, an unknown number of gunmen ambushed the car of United Nations official person John Solecki, the chief of the UN refugee office in the province of Baluchistan, about 8:30 a.m morning, soon after he left home for his office. Hashim Raza, the car's driver was killed almost instantly, said Khalid Masood, a senior police official in Quetta.
It was unclear early yesterday whether Solecki was wounded in the attack. Few details were immediately available about Solecki, but Pakistani authorities said he is an American citizen who has worked in Quetta for about two years at the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Confirmation for the kidnapping of a UN officials also came out and Amena kamaal a UN spokeswoman confirmed it that a foreign official who worked for the organization since early 2007 was abducted in Quetta yesterday. But Kamaal said she was unable to release further details about the official's background or the attack pending notification of the man's family.
Lou Fintor, a spokesman for the US Embassy in Islamabad, said the embassy was aware of the abduction but could not comment.


A Pakistani paramilitary soldier stood guard near the site where an American UN official was kidnapped yesterday. (Picture by Associated Press)

India ready to resolve issues with pakistan through talks: Mukherjee

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National Security is our First priority as Whole. PM Pakistan

Esolgsmnews :

ISLAMABAD : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani stated on Friday that we will not compromise with anyone on National Security Issues, trattorini tagliaerba usati updates. No one will be allowed to challenge the writ of the Government at any cost. These views were expressed by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani during his meeting with Head of ISPR Lt General Ahmed Shuja Pasha on Friday.
It is a core need of hour to Defeat Extremists in Tribal Areas said that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.According to PM hope that with the passage of time, situation in Tribal Areas would come over normal.

No compromise will be made to use our Soil for Nefarious Designs, PM held.Pakistan wants good relations with all Countries including India thick and thin. He assured that sooner or later International Community as well as India will be disclosed on Investigation Report on Mumbai Attacks.

Pakistan Appreciates Obama

Esolgsmnews Breakings :

ISLAMABAD : Pakistan Presidency appreciating statement came out on Obama's thinking in a new ways, worldharvestpc.com updates. Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari appreciates and welcomes US President Obama's new thought on going forward with the people of Muslim World with mutual interest and respect.

"His Slogan of 'change in USA and World' by the US president Barack Obama of commitment to high ideals and values would raise hope for a better future for the peoples of the world and will bring them to the new horizon of bright future and success," the statement quoted Zardari as saying.

On the other hand Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani also quoted a statement in his message to Obama that "In upcoming future time strong cooperation and friendship between our people will not only continue to gain in strength in future but also bring a positive change in not only USA and Muslim World but also in the whole world.

A senior leader in the fundamentalist Jamaat-i-Islami Khurshid Ahmad also stated that Obama's move towards suspending cases before Guantanamo Bay was appreciating act.

Many other senior leaders of Islamic parties appreciated and welcomed Obama's new ways to deal with Muslim World.

A-Year-On-to-Bhutto

News Latest Breaking Stories :--------

According to recent and most news latest breaking stories, earlier this month, as I drove past the spot where Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on Murree Road near Liaquat Garden in Rawalpindi on December 27, 2007, I thought of how much had happened since that tragic evening. She had returned, against the advice of many friends, to a violent and fractious Pakistan because she felt that her presence was key to the restoration of democracy in her homeland. I knew that road well. Decades earlier I used to turn there on to College Road, on my way to the neighboring Gordon College. Many of Gordon College student demonstrations for democracy in 1968 crashed into the police barricades at that spot, sources news latest breaking stories.

Those were Halcyon Days compared to what Pakistan is now going through. A year after her much-foretold death, Ms. Bhutto's Pakistan is wracked by political turmoil and economic uncertainty. It is relying on the world to bail it out again. Yet the answers to its problems lie inside Pakistan. Unless Pakistan settles the wars within and coalesces around its political center, it faces a bleak future and risk of foreign intervention. This is the challenge facing its fledgling civilian government. The world must help it succeed, reports simonsgirls.com updates.

By worldharvestpc.com, today, Pakistan is run by civilians. But the parliamentary system that had been hijacked by the military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, and converted into a presidential one remains unchanged. Power continues to flow not from the Prime Minister but from the President. Ms Bhutto's signed compact (Charter of Democracy) with the other leading party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that called, among other things, for the complete restoration of the judiciary has been shredded. The coalition of her center-left Pakistan Peoples' Party with Sharif's center-right Pakistan Muslim League (N) is no more, partly as a result of the time bombs that General Musharraf planted when he brought the PPP into power under political deals that wiped clean all charges against its leadership and by removing the top layer of the judiciary in November 2007 for the second time in one year. The PPP fears that a restored judiciary under the former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary would overturn many of those deals creating chaos. Mr. Sharif refuses to compromise on this issue. The PML (N) controls the Punjab, Pakistan's economically powerful province. The PPP has the center. This standoff threatens the political stability of the country.

President Asif Ali Zardari, who inherited the political mantle of his wife, Ms. Bhutto, has continued the Musharrafian alliance with the United States against the terrorists and militants that threaten Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas bordering Afghanistan and increasingly are operating in the hinterland. He also continued the Musharraf policy of making peace overtures to neighboring India and offered even to forego a first nuclear strike in case of a conflict between the two rivals. But, despite his attempt at producing a consensus among the political parties in parliament against terrorism, most parties on the right wing of the political spectrum have started backing away from that stance. And the recent Mumbai terror attacks that are being linked to Pakistani militant groups have brought India and Pakistan to the edge of another conflict.

The economy is still in tatters. Distracted by political wrangling soon after the February 2008 elections, the new government failed to concentrate on the rapidly deteriorating economic situation until late in the year. The spike in global fuel and food prices added to its woes. Foreign exchange reserves have plummeted from a height of $16 billion to close to $3 billion. Food prices are up nearly 50 percent. Energy and water shortages persist. A program with the International Monetary Fund, once pronounced anathema by Mr. Zardari, is now in force. And Pakistan is holding its collective breath for the countries that it calls "Friends of Pakistan" to actually come forward with vast amounts of financial aid. Absent a robust and growth-oriented economic program and an improved security situation, such aid may not be forthcoming. These countries will likely wait for the IMF program to take root. Donors are also wary of dealing with a sprawling government of some 60 cabinet members, most of whom are eminently unqualified for their respective tasks, and represent parochial interests rather than a cohesive central policy.

On the security front, 2008 may prove to be as violent as 2007, when nearly 60 suicide bombings took place inside Pakistan, most against the armed forces. Adding to the volatile mix is the re-emergence in force of the Punjabi Sunni militant groups such as the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and the Lashkar-e-Tyaba that even threaten the state that once sponsored their help for the Kashmiri Mujahideen. The army, overstretched in the region bordering Afghanistan, cannot be deployed in a major operation inside Punjab. Without army action, these groups will continue to flourish. There is no police force worth the name that could be used in controlling these elements and de-weaponizing Pakistani society. More important, there is no public debate on what sort of society Pakistanis want to create over 61 years after becoming an independent state. Nor is there any sign of such a debate taking place in the near future.

Now, with India increasing the pressure on Pakistan to act against the militants that India alleges were behind the Mumbai attacks, and garnering international support for that cause, Pakistan faces the possibility of military action on its eastern frontier. If that happens, the Pakistan army will be thrust once more into the political vortex. Then, if the political center does not hold, history may well repeat itself and the army may be "asked" by the people to take charge once again. If that happens, Ms. Bhutto will have died in vain.

Shuja Nawaz is the author of Crossed Swords: Pakistan, its Army, and the Wars Within (Oxford University Press 2008) and the forthcoming FATA: A Most Dangerous Place (CSIS, January 2009). He can be reached at www.shujanawaz.com

Nokia-Maps-under-fire : News latest breaking stories

New Delhi, : As news latest breaking stories says, Nokia Maps came under fire for showing Kashmir as part of Pakistan. The largest mobile handset manufacturer in the world that controls around half mobile handset market in the country was attacked for showing the disputed Kashmir region as Pakistani territory, news latest breaking stories reports.

Nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) activists torched a large Nokia showroom in central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, worldharvestpc.com.

In Jabalpur a large number of BJP activists gathered in the city and burnt down the mobile handset shop.
According to simonsgirls.com updates Bhartiya Janta Party activists not only torched the shop but also destroyed a large number of hoardings in prominent areas of the city and other towns in the state. The activists urged authorities to take action against Nokia for indulging in "anti-national" activities. The protesters also clarified that they would intensify their protests should the authorities not take up the matter and if a case was not registered.

Other news latest breaking stories, the Nokia showroom owner later accused the BJP activists of deliberately attacking the shop and said that he had nothing to do with the new application developed by the company "This software is developed by Nokia. This is the problem of Nokia and we are not concerned with it as we are merely shop owners, not the client of the company. But, the manner in which the mob entered and started torching the shop is bad," said Rafiq Khan, the Nokia showroom owner.

FM: Pakistan-not-to-tolerate-surgical-strike-by-India

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Kashmir-as-part-of-Pakistan-Nokia-Maps-Showing

India : Irate Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists barged into a Nokia Priority outlet in Jabalpur to protest against the depiction of Kashmir as Pakistani territory in Nokia Maps, a mobile navigation software.

As soon as the word spread on the depiction of the state as a part of Pakistan, a mob of protesters turned up, destroyed property, and burnt mobile phones worth thousands of rupees.

They also burnt hoardings that were placed outside the retail store. The activists urged authorities to take action against Nokia for indulging in "anti-national" activities. The protesters also clarified that they would intensify their protests should the authorities not take up the matter and if a case was not registered.

The shop-owner, however, says that burning a Nokia dealer's shop to protest against an issue with an application developed by Nokia was uncalled for. Nokia on its part has tendered an apology and expressed regret for the error, and has added that it was an older version of Nokia Maps that had lead to this issue. Additionally, Nokia also clarified that Nokia Maps sources all maps and imagery from Navteq Inc. who have obtained approval from authorities for developing international maps depicting the coastal and international boundaries of India.

Nokia Maps come preloaded on certain handsets and offers maps of over 200 countries across the globe.

ICC-keeping-an-Eye-on-Pakistan-Security

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The International Cricket Council said Tuesday to our sports news reporters that it will continue to monitor the security situation in Pakistan before the ICC Champions Trophy in September 2009.

"Security would have to be assessed on an ongoing basis anyway as we move towards the ICC Champions Trophy in 2009. We would have done that had India toured Pakistan," ICC spokesman Sami-ul-Hasan told our sports news reporter.

India canceled its planned tour of Pakistan following deadly terrorist attacks in Mumbai linked to Pakistan extremists.

Other teams have also refused to tour Pakistan this year due to security concerns. Australia postponed its scheduled tour in March while the ICC Champions Trophy was deferred for a year after five teams — Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand and the West Indies expressed reservations about security.

At October's ICC executive board meeting, Pakistan was retained as the venue for next year's ICC Champions Trophy to be staged between Sept.24-Oct. 5. The event has been reduced to 12 days and is most likely to be staged in one city.

"In case of concerns, it was always agreed the matter could be addressed by the ICC Board as the timing of the event drew closer.The next scheduled ICC Board meeting is due to take place in Perth, Australia on Jan. 31- Feb. 1," ul-Hasan said.

"The event remains in Pakistan unless the ICC Board decides otherwise and so it is premature to speculate on that issue at this stage," he added.

The ICC said it would separately be assessing security arrangements for match officials.

India-Pakistan-retreat-into-security-of-distrust

By Simon Cameron-Moore and Bappa Majumdar

ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The time-out called by India in its peace process with Pakistan gives the two countries a chance to salvage the gains of the past four years from the bitter aftermath of the militant attack on Mumbai.

Analysts say there was no way a Congress-led government, with voters baying for a retaliatory strike and an election due by May, could behave in Gandhian fashion by carrying on talks after militants from Pakistan killed 179 people in Mumbai.

India is well disposed toward the nine-month-old civilian government of President Asif Ali Zardari, but distrust of the Pakistani military has become more acute than when former army chief Pervez Musharraf was running the country.

Zardari's soft words over the Kashmir dispute and his stated preference for a no first use accord on nuclear weapons have gone down well with the Indian leadership.

"They are delighted that Zardari has gone the extra mile in the last few months," said Najam Sethi, a respected Lahore-based Pakistani political analyst and newspaper editor, after a visit to New Delhi.

"Their problem is that public opinion being what it is in the wake of Mumbai, I think a decision has been taken that there should be a pause until the next government comes in."

By declaring a "pause" on Tuesday, analysts say Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee had effectively asked the Pakistani leadership to choose what matters more to them: peace or protecting jihadis who want war.

Sethi believed both sides wanted to keep the so-called composite dialogue alive as it had been close to settling several territorial disputes before Musharraf's political troubles in 2007 caused both sides to go slow.

On-the-trail-of-Masood-Azhar

World News :

You could say that the father and brother of one of India's most wanted men were my phone friends.

It was February 2000 and I was working on my first book, "173 Hours in Captivity: the Hijacking of IC-814". I was trying to get all information I could on Masood Azhar, the powerful militant leader, who had been freed in Kandahar in exchange for the passengers of the seized Indian Airlines flight.

So I decided: who would be better to tell me about him than his own father, former school teacher Allah Baksh Sabir?

Friends in the Indian security establishment had provided me Azhar's interrogation report, and friends in Pakistan had given me his landline telephone number at their poultry farm-cum-home in the Kaunsar Colony in Pakistan's Bahawalpur town.

I decided not to call him from my home; my phone records could have landed me in jail if someone decided to call me a terror conspirator. So I used to walk up to a PCO near my home in Noida every second day and talk in a hushed tone from a cubicle with the soft-spoken Sabir.

He referred to his own son – India's most wanted man -- as "Maulana saab".

Azhar is part of big family – he has five brothers and six sisters. But four of Sabir's sons had been away for a long time. Azhar was in a Jammu prison, Abdul Rauf Asghar was away in Karachi, young Jehangir Akbar was at a madrasa near Bahawalpur. Ibrahim Athar – the main hijacker – was away planning his mission though the father had told everyone he was on a pilgrimage. It is unclear if Sabir knew the truth.

That left another brother, Mohammed Tahir Anwar, in charge of the poultry and dairy farm, and the ninth-grade student Mohiuddin Alamgir, helping out at home.

The long telephone ring would often go unanswered for some time, and I used to imagine: would it be the old style phone with the dial? Would it be in a big house guarded by armed men? Would the maulana himself pick up the phone one day and would I encounter the voice of the obese, stern-eyed man we had been watching on television for weeks?

I must admit, I kept my name vague and did not reveal I was calling from India.

Azhar was never home. He was busy – he had just formed the Jaish-e-Mohammed militant group.

Over the coming days, Sabir and I began making small talk.

"You know, Maulana saab just got married, a day after Eid … the child teaches in a religious school here."

"Maulana saab has just bought a house in Karachi".

"He has a mobile phone but I don't have the number."

One day I asked: "Are you OK? You don't sound so good." He said: "No, no, just a slight cold, son. How have you been?"

One day Sabir did not pick up the phone; it was a boyish voice instead. I did swift mathematics and intelligent guesswork – and realised it could be the youngest son mentioned on the interrogation report.

"Beta (son), is that Alamgir?"

"Ji!" said the boy, excited that an unknown caller knew his name as well in a famous man's house.

We soon became friends. Alamgir gave Azhar's mobile number, but muddled up one area code, and I could never speak to him.

The book was published, and weeks later I read a newspaper report about a man who featured in it, who had asked for and bought a copy at the famous Mr. Books store in Islamabad: the London School of Economic-educated Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, one of the other two top militants released with Azhar.

After-Dawood-Masood-and-Memon-Pak-denies-India-access-to-Mumbai-attack-mastermind

NEW DELHI: Pakistan has ruled out giving India access to Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhwi, who is learnt to be behind the Mumbai terror strikes. Pak has said that only its authorities can question Lakhwi to ascertain whether he had any link to the attacks.

Pakistan defence minister Chaudhary Ahmed Mukhtar said India's "concerns" can be discussed through a joint investigation mechanism which Islamabad has proposed to be set up to probe the Mumbai attacks.

"May be we can have a joint investigation mechanism and find out who these culprits are," Mukhtar said.

He said Pak officials will question Lakhwi, who was arrested in the crackdown against terrorists, to find out whether there is any linkage to the Mumbai terror attacks.

Lakhwi's name figured during questioning of Ajmal Kasav, the only terrorist caught during the Mumbai attacks, by Indian investigators.

"We do not have to rush into things. We have to move slowly to get hold of the right kind of people who could be involved or are alleged to be involved (in Mumbai attacks).

I really do not know who they are. We are trying to find out. We will find out. There is no reason why we would not find out," he said.

Mukhtar said the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack are "scared" of improvement in relations between India and Pakistan.

"They are scared of these countries becoming trading partners and gaining confidence of each other," he said.

Mukhtar said the meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, discussed the "pros and cons" of incidents "happening around us" and ways to continue the war against terror and to help Pakistan's neighbours fight the menace.