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.

We don't want Taliban Law - Afghan women protest

KABUL — As per breaking news, dozens of young women braved crowds of bearded men screaming "dogs!" on Wednesday to protest an Afghan law that lets husbands demand sex from their wives. Some of the men picked up small stones and pelted the women. "Slaves of the Christians!" chanted the 800 or so counter-demonstrators, a mix of men and women. A line of female police officers locked hands to keep the groups apart.

The warring protests highlight the explosive nature of the women's rights debate in Afghanistan. Both sides are girding for battle over the legislation, which has sparked an international uproar since being quietly signed into law last month.

The law says a husband can demand sex with his wife every four days, unless she is ill or would be harmed by intercourse. It also regulates when and for what reasons a wife may leave her home without a male escort.

Though the law would apply only to the country's Shiites, who make up less than 20 percent of Afghanistan's 30 million people, many fear its passage marks a return to Taliban-style oppression of women. The Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan from 1996-2001, required women to wear all-covering burqas and banned them from leaving home unless accompanied by a male relative.

Governments and rights groups around the world have condemned the legislation, and President Barack Obama has labeled it "abhorrent." Afghan President Hamid Karzai has remanded the law to the Justice Department for review and put enforcement on hold.

A host of Afghan intellectuals, politicians and even a number of Cabinet ministers have come out against the law. But those who decry the legislation face quick criticism from conservative Muslim clerics and their followers, as Wednesday's protests showed.

"You are a dog! You are not a Shiite woman!" one man shouted to a young woman in a head scarf.

The woman, who held a banner reading "We don't want Taliban law," replied quietly: "This is my land and my people."

The demonstrators chose a risky spot to hold their protest — in front of the mosque of the legislation's main backer — and were easily outnumbered by supporters of the law. They said many women had been stopped on their way to the protest.

In the end, more women demonstrated in favor of the law than against it: A few hundred Shiite women marched with banners to join the angry men. They blamed foreigners for inciting the protests.

"We don't want foreigners interfering in our lives. They are the enemy of Afghanistan," said 24-year-old Mariam Sajadi.

Sajadi is engaged to be married, and said she plans to ask her husband's permission to leave the house as put forth in the law. She said other articles — such as the one allowing husbands to demand sex — have been misinterpreted by Westerners prejudiced against Islam. She did not elaborate.

On the other side of the shouting, Mehri Rezai, 32, urged her countrymen to reject the law.

"This law treats women as if we were sheep," she said.

Both sides say they're defending their constitutional rights — but Afghanistan's constitution is unclear. It defers to Islamic law as the highest authority, but also guarantees equal rights for women.

Abbas Noyan, a Shiite lawmaker who opposes the law, said he is hopeful it will be changed. But others are less sure, and even the country's minister of women's affairs, who is female, has declined to comment on the law.

New York-based Human Rights Watch maintains that the judicial review ordered by Karzai is unlikely to be truly independent because those leading the process come from a conservative Shiite background.

Breaking News - Unforgetable Injustice from Taliban

Kandhar - As per breaking news updates, SHAMSIA Afghan schoolgirls blinded in Taliban acid attack. Two men on a motorcycle used water pistols to spray acid on girls walking to school Wednesday in the southern Afghanistan. City of Kandahar blinding at least two of them, resources esolgsmnews. Is this the right act from Taliban who tried to stop girls from going to school?? Is Islam allows to do such kind of acts to punish someone??? Is Islam stops women to study??? Are Taliban's promoting the true Islam??? Are they providing the true image of Islam?? These are the question who showing the true face of Taliban's. This video is as old as like that video which recently came out by a private channel, in which a 17 years old girl was publican punished by Taliban in the name of Islam. Is there any right of Taliban to rule in the world in the name of Islam???

News latest breaking stories : Journalism is Unsecured in Pakistan

Esolgsmnews--------News latest breaking stories

(Quetta)----According to news latest breaking stories, A private t.v channel's reporter Musa Khan Khail killed by some unknown terrorists while he was going to the way toward matta which is under control of Talibans.As per news latest breaking stories, this is the first unexpected reaction came after the agreement to impose Shariah system between govt. and talibans. As per sources and news latest breaking stories, when everyone was happy and celebrating for the Shariah system is going to impose and according to the news latest breaking stories, President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari also showed his willingness upon Shariah system imposing in Swat Valley for peace purpose, but suddenly the killing of a journalist made everyone sad,unhappy and sorrowful.
According to news latest breaking stories Musa Khan Khail was a brave journalist and he kept reporting while the circumstances was abnormal and unsecured in Swat Valley. He joined the private channel 'Geo' on 21 May, 2007.
According to last received news latest breaking stories President Asif Ali Zardari,Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and all political parties,groups and also unpolitical persons hardly condemned for this kind of terrorism. As per news latest breaking stories, Ministry of Information Sherry Rehman stated that Government of Pakistan will totally support Musa's family.
As per news latest breaking stories, Musa Khan Khel's brother and his closest friend said that he was not having any enemy in his life, but he was getting threats from last three or four days and as per advise of his closest friend to report to police, he showed ignorance.
All journalists and journalism associations announced for a protest call till the arrest of criminals.
As per news latest breaking stories jounalists and all journalism associations stated that this is fourth time as a journalist killed, which is an open attack on jounalism freedom and it will not be beared now.

News latest breaking stories : Swat Valley will see Shariah Syatem

Esolgsmnews : --- News latest breaking stories

According to recent news latest breaking stories, in a highly positive move, Pakistan has rightly entered, again, into a deal with Taliban movement in tribal zones to establish Shariah system in Swat Valley of the country for peace purpose. According to the most recent upcoming news latest breaking stories as peace deal made, Pakistan has agreed to enforce Islamic law in the Swat Valley - a part of the country as part of a peace deal with the Taliban movement that has announced a10-day ceasefire. As other news latest breaking stories says, Observing that Islamic law is within the framework of Pakistan, the US has refrained from making any comment on the peace deal between Islamabad and a Taliban-linked group for enforcing Shariah law in the Swat Valley. "As I understand it, Islamic law is within the constitutional framework of Pakistan. So I don't know if that is particularly an issue for anyone outside of Pakistan to discuss, certainly not from this podium," As per news latest breaking stories, State Department spokesperson Gordon Duguid, refraining from passing any comment on the peace deal with the Taliban militants, when pressed by the western media to hit both Taliban and Pakistan. Duguid said: "We've seen these sorts of actions before. What is, of course, important is that we are all working together to fight terrorism, and particularly to fight the cross-border activities that some Taliban engage in attacking in Afghanistan." Many countries like “secular” India are keen to see Pakistan divided and fight bloody wars amongst its splinter groups. USA wants to “fulfill” the Indian dreams in troubled Pakistan. One does not if the Taliban movement seems to have become a threat for the Pakistan army like the Mukti Bahini in then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1971. But a furious Taliban leadership has decided to send their fighters to Islamabad as a reaction to the army operations in the Swat valley on the troubled border with Afghanistan. As per news latest breaking stories, the Taliban have already started painting walls in Islamabad with its threats, compelling the administration in the capital to erase these messages quickly. Swat was a princely state till July 28, 1969. The Islamic state of Swat was established in 1849 by Sayyed Akbar Shah. The state of Swat was kept in abeyance from 1863 to 1926, but Sharia law prevailed through Qazi courts during this period. The courts were restored by the British in 1926. Qazi courts operated till 1969 when Swat finally became part of Pakistan. Residents of Swat think it was easy to get justice before 1969 through the Qazi courts. The Taliban have exploited the delay in justice. The ANP swept the 2008 election with the slogan of peace and justice and now rules the NWFP in collaboration with the Pakistan People's Party. As per news latest breaking stories, the ANP leadership seems to have convinced President Asif Ali Zardari to promulgate the Sharia regulation in Swat and the promulgation will be announced in a few days. Washington is in touch with Islamabad administration to “do something” about this. According to news latest breaking stories, in the past, when former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf entered into a peace agreement with the militants in the tribal areas of the country bordering Afghanistan, the US at a later stage was very critical of such a pact. Annoyed with the peace move by Pakistan with the “sworn enemy” of USA, the US-led NATO worked against the deal and made that collapse on its own with subversive mission of NATO. However, the agreement failed to yield the desired results. On the other side as per other news latest breaking stories, meanwhile, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO which has 55,000 troops deployed in Afghanistan expressed concern over the Pakistani truce with the Taliban militants. “Without doubting the good faith of the Pakistani government, it is clear that the region is suffering very badly from extremists and we would not want it to get worse." It could mean NATO is waging an anti-Islamic war in Islamic world. US President Barack Obama] has approved the deployment of 17,000 additional troops in Afghanistan. "This increase is necessary to stabilize a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, which has not received the strategic attention, direction and resources it urgently requires," Obama said. Immediately, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced the deployment of more than 12,000 troops to Afghanistan. This includes 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, consisting of 8,000 Marines and 5th Stryker Brigade of 4,000 soldiers. Such an announcement was being anticipated for the past several days, even though Obama also talked about withdrawal of forces. Recent news latest breaking stories says, the US President, however, clarified the surge of troops in Afghanistan does not pre-determine the outcome of Afghan strategic review, which is currently being done by his administration. Instead, Obama argues, it will further enable our team to put together a comprehensive strategy that will employ all elements of our national power to fulfill achievable goals in Afghanistan. .But his duality was discerned even before taking over presidency, Obama had announced his intention to increase the US troops in Afghanistan as he believes the main threat to the United States comes from the safe haven of the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. Genocides by US-Pakistan military in tribal areas have annoyed the Taliban. Many religious scholars in Islamabad want an Islamic government in Pakistan. Many in Pakistan support the Taliban even in the capital and they have warned against "collaborators" of the 'pro-American Zardari government' which they consider not different from the previous Pervez Musharraf regime. The Taliban in Swat and Bajour are strong now. The Taliban have accused some "militant" leaders in the tribal areas and some leaders of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, the Harkat-ul Mujahideen and the Hizbul Mujahideen of trying to stop youngsters from fight against Pakistani forces. As all news latest breaking stories says, US-Pakistan tried all tricks to silence the Taliban movement, after US-led NATO destoryed Afghanistan and dethroned the Talban government. NATO War on Islam complicated situation both in Afghanistan and Pakistan and has forced the Pakistan government to take some extreme steps against the Taliban in Darra Adamkhel and Swat, but failed. Some diplomatic sources have revealed that Pakistan is now ready to release some arrested Taliban fighters in exchange for the Polish engineer and another kidnapped Chinese engineer, but the US raised some objections and the deal was not finalized. The Pakistani authorities successfully negotiated the release of kidnapped Pakistani diplomat Tariq Azizudin in 2008 and the release of kidnapped army personnel in 2007 by releasing some Taliban fighters. This time, US pressure complicated the situation. Though it confronts an East Pakistan-like situation from Darra Ademkhel to the mountains of Swat, the Pakistan army is not ready to surrender despite the fact that India is once again trying to exploit the situation by using threatening language against Islamabad. A top army officer linked with the “operation” in Swat said the "situation in Swat is much more complicated than East Bengal in 1971 where we were fighting against Indian-sponsored secular insurgents. The local population in East Bengal was fully supporting the insurgents, but the ground reality of Swat is not very different. Taliban are demanding the enforcement of Islamic law in Swat and all the local political leaders are supporting this demand under public pressure. Other news latest breaking stories says, Afghanistan's Ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Khaliq Farahi was kidnapped last year and has still not been found. On the side news latest breaking stories says that the Pakistani authorities are conducting a big search operation not only for him, but also for Iranian diplomat Heshmatollah Attarzadeh who was kidnapped from Peshawar last year. After the army intensified its operations in Swat, half a million people (the region has over 1.5 million population) have left the area in the last month. It appears, the Shariah move by Zardari regime is not for shaping any Islamic way of life, but to close down the rival organizations demanding Islamic format plus spirit in the country by silencing the Taliban movement and to resume the same policies that to appease the anti-Islamic nations and forces around the world. North West Frontier Province Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti of the Awami National Party, Governor Awais Ghani and the army high command have strongly recommended that the federal government enforce long pending Sharia regulation, which will be called Nafaz-e-Adal regulation. Swat district police officer Dilawar Khan Bangash said the Taliban will have no justification to fight the state after the enforcement of Islamic law in Swat. It is learnt that prominent rebel leader Maulana Sufi Muhammad of the Tehrik-e-Nafaze Shariat Muhammadi has assured the ANP leadership that he will start a long march from Dir to the Swat valley after the imposition of Sharia law. He will appeal to his son-in-law Maulana Fazalullah and other Taliban leaders to lay down their arms or face terror operations against them. Going by what the NATO says as per news latest breaking stories, the Swat Sharia move by Pakistan government is a temporary and tactical effort to silence those who seek a truly Islamic state but the ultimate goal should be to send out all foreign forces from Pakistani soil, allowing the leadership to embark upon Islamic rule in this Islamic state. This is where the Zardari government should focus on hereafter. Swat should also remain a truly Islamic region to eventually embrace the entire nation and influence the rest of the world. Media have a constructive role in this popular endeavour.