Foundation stone laid for Diamer-Bhasha dam

CHILAS: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said here on Tuesday that the $12 billion Diamer-Bhasha dam on the Indus would produce 4,500MW of electricity and store over 8 million acre feet of water and help meet the country’s future power and agricultural requirements.

Speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the world’s highest concrete dam, he said he had undertaken consultations with various quarters to ensure that the project did not suffer the same fate as the Kalabagh dam which had fallen victim to political bickering.

The prime minister praised the local people who would have to sacrifice their ancestral land for a great national cause. But, he said, the project would play a great role in alleviating their sense of deprivation.

The prime minister said the vision of late prime ministers Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Banazir Bhutto was being carried forward and the dam was the result of that vision. He recalled the political reforms the two leaders had introduced, particularly the 1974-75 Northern Areas Framework Ordinance.

He praised the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir and their political leadership for their united stand in favour of initiating the project.

The prime minister said matters relating to land compensation had been settled by a committee and any other issue cropping up would be resolved in consultation with the local leadership.

The prime minister said that China would construct the 165-km Jaglot-Skardu and 135-km Jaglot-Sazin roads.

On this occasion, Mr Gilani announced Rs300 million grant for Diamer and said an engineering faculty would be set up at the KKH University which would be eventually upgraded to an engineering university.

He ordered the work on a cadet college in Chillas to be speeded up and announced an additional amount of Rs1 billion for the government of Gilgit-Baltistan for immediate overhauling of the KKH and other roads.

The prime minister directed Wapda to initiate work on upgrading the DHQ hospitals in Chilas and Skardu and a public school in Ganche.

He said talks were also under way with the governments of Afghanistan and Tajikistan for construction of a road to provide connectivity with Central Asian Republics.

Former federal minister for water and power Raja Pervez Ashraf told PTV that the government had already earmarked Rs16 billion in the budget for the Diamer-Bhasha dam which would be completed in 10 years, adds APP.

Source: Dawn.com

Obama Okayed recent drone strikes in NSC meeting

WASHINGTON: The Obama administration has launched the opening salvos of a new, more aggressive approach toward an Afghan insurgent group it asserts is supported by Pakistan’s government, senior administration officials said and a US newspaper Washington Post reported.

The decision to strike Miran Shah was made at a National Security Council meeting chaired by President Obama two weeks ago and was intended to “send a signal” that the United States would no longer tolerate a safe haven for the most lethal enemy of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, or Pakistan’s backing for it, said one of several U.S. officials who spoke about internal deliberations on the condition of anonymity.

A CIA drone strike Thursday killed three members of the Haqqani network, including a senior official, and additional strikes Friday left four insurgents dead. The attacks in Pakistan were carried out near Haqqani headquarters in the North Waziristan capital of Miran Shah, a city rarely targeted in the past because of the difficulty of finding well-concealed insurgent leaders and the possibility of civilian deaths in an urban area.

Early Saturday, drone-fired U.S. missiles hit a compound in neighboring South Waziristan, killing at least three militants, the Associated Press reported. Pakistani intelligence officials said the militants belonged to a group led by Maulvi Nazir, who is accused of working with the Taliban and al-Qaeda to direct cross-border attacks in Afghanistan.

The strikes were made possible by focusing intelligence collection to “allow us to pursue certain priorities,” the official said. The senior Haqqani figure, Janbaz Zadran, was selected along with other targets to “demonstrate how seriously we take the Miran Shah” threat.(Geo.tv)

US think-tank urges Obama to freeze Pak aid

WASHINGTON: A US think-tank has urged Obama administration to freeze its aid to Pakistan until the country took actions against perpetrators of the US embassy attack in Kabul and helped shut down the Haqqani network.

The Heritage Foundation also asked the administration to back Congress on conditioning all US aid to Pakistan on certain counter-terrorism benchmarks. But the report warned that while this would be “a welcome tactic, it may be insufficient”.

The foundation demanded that the Obama administration designate the Haqqani network a foreign terrorist organisation. It argued that failing to do so after the Sept. 13 attack on the US embassy in Kabul would signal America’s weakness and invite additional attacks on its interests in Afghanistan.

The report also proposed establishing a congressional commission to oversee US relations with Pakistan. “Congress should investigate Pakistan’s role in fomenting the insurgency in Afghanistan and the extent to which its actions were preventing the US and Nato from achieving their security objectives in the region,” the report added.

The foundation also advised Obama administration to step up drone attacks inside Pakistan. It pointed out that increased tempo in drone strikes in Pakistan’s tribal areas had severely downgraded the Al Qaeda leadership and disrupted its ability to attack the US.

“Washington should pursue the same kind of aggressive drone campaign against the Haqqani network,” the report demanded.

The foundation also issued a fact-sheet to back its claim that the Obama administration needed to have a plan ‘B’ for dealing with Pakistan if it continued to ‘defy’ Washington.

The fact-sheet described Pakistan as “the main obstacle to progress in Afghanistan” because it “proxies conducting brazen attacks on US interests”.

The report claimed that the Haqqani network, which the former military chief Admiral Mike Mullen called a ‘veritable arm’ of ISI, was based in Pakistan and was planning and carrying out attacks at US interests in Afghanistan.

The foundation also urged the White House to change its Afghan strategy, noting that President Obama’s aggressive withdrawal plan to remove 33,000 troops from Afghanistan by next September only “reinforces the Pakistani view that the US will turn its back” on the region. “We cannot afford to leave a void the Taliban can again fill. We should make clear that US will remain engaged.”(The News Pk)

Post mortem of drowned sisters underway

KARACHI: Post mortem of the three sisters, who drowned in a water tank near their home on Saturday in Orangi Town, is underway in Abbasi Shaeed Hospital gere, Geo News reported.

According to SP SITE Shahjahan Khan, the three deceased girls were identified as 14-year-old Samira, 12-year-old Uzma and 6-year-old Nisha. All were daughters of Sher Mohammed and two of the three daughters were handicapped.

The witness said that they were foaming at the mouth when they saw girls’ dead bodies at 4 am.

A relative told Geo News that they slept after dinner and when they got up in the morning, they came to know about girls’ drowing.

Police said that the initial investigation suggests that the girls died because of drowning, however, it is too early to assert any thing about the cause of death.(The News Pk)

Awlaqi son among militants killed in Yemen strikes: tribe

ADEN: A son of US-born al Qaeda cleric Anwar Al-Awlaqi was among seven suspected jihadist militants killed in a trio of apparent US air strikes in Yemen, a member of his tribe said on Saturday.

“Abderrahman Anwar al-Awlaqi was killed in the raid,” the tribal source told AFP, adding that he had received confirmation from the militant-controlled Yemeni hospital where the dead and wounded from Friday evening’s strikes were taken.

Awlaqi himself was killed in a US drone stike on September 30, which US President Barack Obama hailed as a “major blow” to al Qaeda worldwide.

US intelligence officials believe Awlaqi was linked to a US army major charged with shooting dead 13 people in Fort Hood, Texas, and to a Nigerian student accused of trying to blow up a US airliner on December 25, 2009.

He was also believed to be the leader of external operations of al Qaeda in the Arabian Pensinsula.(AFP)

‘US air’ strikes kill seven ‘Qaeda militants’ in Yemen

ADEN: Apparent US air strikes killed seven suspected al Qaeda militants in southern Yemen, one of them the media chief of the jihadist network’s regional affiliate, a local official said on Saturday.

The Yemeni defence ministry confirmed the deaths but insisted that Friday evening’s strikes in Shabwa province, a militant stronghold east of the main southern city of Aden, were carried out by its own forces.

“Three strikes, apparently American, which were launched against positions held by al Qaeda militants in Azzan, one of the group’s bastions, killed seven of them, including the Egyptian, Ibrahim al-Banna’a,” the local official said.

One of the strikes hit a mosque near the apparent primary target of the strike, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A number of suspected militants were also wounded and were taken to Azzan hospital, which is under the control of the militants, he added.

The Yemeni defence ministry confirmed that Banna’a was among seven suspected Qaeda militants killed, adding that he was wanted “internationally” for “planning attacks both inside and outside Yemen.”

Banna’a was “in charge of the media arm of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula” and was one of the group’s “most dangerous operatives,” the ministry added.

Yemen routinely denies that the United States carries out offensive operations on its territory, insisting that it plays a purely logistic and intelligence role in support of Yemen’s own counter-terror operations.(Dawn.com)

US missiles kill six in South Waziristan

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A US missile strike killed at least six suspected militants in northwestern Pakistan near the Afghan border Saturday, two Pakistani intelligence officials said, in the third such American missile attack in as many days.

The officials said four missiles slammed into a compound near the border town of Angore Adda in the South Waziristan tribal region. The strike was targeting fighters of Maulvi Nazir, a militant commander who is accused of working with the Taliban and al-Qaeda to direct cross-border attacks, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Nazir is believed to have an agreement with Pakistani authorities that they will leave him alone so long as his men refrain from carrying out attacks on Pakistani soil.

Since 2008, Washington has regularly used drone-fired missiles to target insurgents and their hideouts in Pakistani tribal regions where local and Afghan factions like the Haqqanis and al-Qaeda men are hiding. US officials do not acknowledge the CIA-led program publicly, and Pakistan protests the strikes, which are unpopular.

Saturday’s strike was the latest in a string of missile attacks targeting the militant-infested border region.

On Friday, US missiles killed four unidentified people in the North Waziristan tribal region. A day earlier, a missile attack in North Waziristan killed Janbaz Zadran. US officials say Zadran was a top commander in the Haqqani network and had helped orchestrate attacks in Kabul and southeastern Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, police said Saturday they had arrested a Russian and two nationals from Azerbaijan in Lakki Marwat, a town located near North Waziristan.

It was not clear how the men reached the region, which is off limits to foreigners, and authorities said they were still investigating to determine whether the men had any links to militant groups.(DAWN.COM)

Gilani renews talks offer to ‘angry Baloch’

QUETTA: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani renewed on Tuesday his offer of dialogue to ‘angry’ Baloch leaders and said he was even ready to go to their doorstep to listen to their grievances.

Talking to reporters after attending a passing-out parade at the EME Centre of Baloch youths inducted into the army after completion of training, Mr Gilani said: “Angry Baloch leaders are our brothers and we are ready to go to their doorstep to resolve issues through dialogue.”

He said he had asked Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani to hold talks with angry Baloch brethren, adding that the government would remove the sense of deprivation among the people of Balochistan and bring them to the national mainstream.

However, he said, some elements wanted to create unrest and fan hatred in Balochistan, but no-one would be allowed to subvert peace in the province. “I appeal to those creating disturbance to adopt the path of peace and pave the way for speedy development of Balochistan.”

He said the country was facing a difficult situation because some people had taken the path of terrorism and were tarnishing the image of Pakistan and Islam. “The agenda of these people is not the agenda of Pakistan.” The prime minister said those who did not accept the government’s peace offer must understand that they would delay the process of development and prosperity in Balochistan. “They can create hurdles, but cannot deprive the people of their rights and stop development.”

Mr Gilani said he was dissatisfied with the law and order situation in the province and had directed the provincial government to maintain peace in Balochistan. He also asked the provincial administration to submit a report regarding alleged involvement of foreign hands in the unrest in Balochistan.

Answering a question about recovery of bullet-riddled bodies of Baloch political activists, he said the provincial government had been asked to look into the matter. Another important issue is that of missing persons and the government is trying to solve this problem. A commission on missing persons headed by a senior judge of the Supreme Court is working on it.

About relations with Afghanistan, Mr Gilani said Pakistan had cordial ties with that country and was working to evolve a joint strategy to fight terrorism.

He said Pakistan had already offered help in investigation into the assassination of Prof Burhanuddin Rabbani which had affected the peace process in Afghanistan.

Pakistan-US relations, he said, were being improved and strengthened. “These relations are moving in a positive direction.”(Dawn.com)

Wasim, Waqar, Ijaz, Moin also fixed matches: Majeed

LONDON: Mazhar Majeed, a sports bookie, claimed that spot/match fixing was a 'centuries' old practice and named former Pakistan cricket stars Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Ijaz Ahmed and Moin Khan as alleged participants.

The sports agent accused of taking bribes to fix matches said Australian cricketers were "the biggest" culprits and that some of Pakistan's best-known former players were involved in betting scams, a London court heard on Monday.

Naming famous former Pakistan national cricketers, Mazhar Majeed said in the recording: "It's been happening for centuries. It's been happening for years. Wasim, Waqar, Ijaz Ahmed, Moin Khan - they all did it."

Prosecutors allege that Majeed conspired with Pakistan's former Test captain Salman Butt, 27, and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif, 28, and Mohammad Amir, 19, to fix parts of the Lord's Test between England and Pakistan last August.

Butt and Asif, who are standing trial, deny conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments.

The jury at Southwark Crown Court was played covert recordings of meetings between the agent and former News of the World journalist Mazher Mahmood, who was posing as a rich Indian businessman organising a proposed cricket tournament in the United Arab Emirates.

Majeed met Mahmood at a west London restaurant on Aug. 18last year -- the first day of Pakistan's Oval Test against England -- and, after the meal, discussed match-fixing in the undercover reporter's car, the court was told. (Reuters)

Waseem Akhtar calls for Mirza's house arrest under MPO

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Member National Assembly (MNA) Waseem Akhtar demanded to put former Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza under house-arrest on Monday.

Akhtar asserted that Mirza should be put under house-arrest under Article 16 of Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) adding that Mirza wants to disrupt peace in Karachi with the help of bandits.

He also requested President Zardari to resolve issues between Mirza and Rehman Malik.

Meanwhile MQM chief Altaf Hussain appealed in a statement to his party workers to remain calm and peaceful despite Mirza’s heated statements.

Earlier on Sunday after a trip from overseas, Mirza launched into a diatribe against the MQM, just three days after it formally rejoined the ruling coalition led by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

He addressed a press conference at the Peoples Stadium in Lyari lashing out against MQM chief Altaf Hussain and calling the PPP-MQM coalition a conspiracy to break up the country.

Mirza blamed the MQM for several crimes in Karachi including murder, extortion, robbery and even rape. He claimed that he would ‘expose’ the MQM taking ‘evidence’ he has against the party and its chief to courts in the United Kingdom.

This Articel Orignaly Published at Express Tribun

Army ready to counter cross-border attacks

MANGLA: Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said on Thursday that the army had made all arrangements to counter any terrorist attack from across the Afghan border.

Talking to journalists after watching Al Samsaam-IV, a joint military exercise with Saudi land forces near Jhelum, he expressed the hope that no such attack would take place.

Gen Kayani said Saudi Arabia had played an important role to maintain peace and stability in the region, especially in Afghanistan, and it still had a role in the neighbouring country and in regional security.

He said he had confidence in Pakistan Army that it was capable of defending the country.

In reply to a question, he said the army had achieved success against terrorists in Swat, Malakand and Waziristan, but there was no military solution to every problem.

He said the civil administration should take charge in areas which had been cleared by the army because it could not stay in any area permanently.

The army chief said the joint military exercises with Saudi Arabia were aimed at enabling the two forces to benefit from each other`s experience in counter-terrorism operations.

Terming Saudi Arabia a most important country for Pakistan, Gen Kayani said alongside government-to-government relations, the people of both the countries also enjoyed good brotherly relations.

Saudi Land Forces Commander Lt-Gen Khalid bin Bandar bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud said joint ventures like this would enhance the combat preparedness of the troops of both countries.—APP

MQM back in govt

KARACHI: For the umpteenth time, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has rejoined the federal and provincial governments and decided to help the Pakistan People’s Party solve the many problems that ail the country.

At a joint press conference with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad announced on Wednesday night that Muttahida ministers would resume their responsibilities.

He added that the chief minister would decide portfolios for MQM ministers.

The MQM left the coalition on June 27 in protest against the postponement of elections on two seats of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

Most of the portfolios held by 14 MQM ministers in the provincial cabinet before June 27 were subsequently allocated to other MPAs. The MQM also had one adviser to the chief minister.

However, in the federal cabinet, the three ministerial positions held by as many Muttahida MNAs were not handed over to others.

The press conference was preceded by 90-minute negotiations where the finishing touches were put to the agreement — unexplained, like previous deals — between the PPP and the MQM.

President Asif Ali Zardari, MQM supremo Altaf Hussain and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani were consulted by the governor.

Standing around the chief minister and the governor were Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah, Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wasan and Local Government Minister Agha Siraj Durrani of the PPP and Dr Farooq Sattar, Dr Sagheer Ahmad, Adil Siddiqui and Waseem Aftab of the MQM.

Governor Ibad said that Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik — whom he praised along with Babar Awan for his peacemaking role — was supposed to attend the press conference, but could not do so on account of some other engagement.

He said the president — whose Aug 19 remarks on challenges facing Pakistan were alluded to — and the prime minister remained in contact with the MQM chief, who decided in the national interest to help the government face the challenges.

Without explaining why, Governor Ibad said the decision to rejoin the ruling coalition was a difficult one for the MQM. Read more

ISI arranged `talks between US officials and Haqqanis`

WASHINGTON: US officials recently held secret talks with the Haqqani network and this meeting had been set up by Pakistan`s Inter-Services Intelligence agency, the US media reported on Wednesday.

A key leader of this faction, Sirajuddin Haqqani, had earlier told the BBC that the US had approached him about joining the Afghan government.

The US State Department, when asked to comment on the reports, said any group which wanted to engage with the US in Afghanistan must give up violence and should be willing to work with the Afghan government.

“We insist, as do the Afghans, that anybody who is reconciled or who is pursuing reconciliation has to renounce violence,” said State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland when asked to comment on the reported contact with the Haqqani group.

“They have to abandon their ties, cut their ties with Al Qaeda, they have to abide by the laws and the constitution of Afghanistan, including respecting the rights of women and ethnic minorities,” she added.

“Now, I`m not going to talk about any specifics and meetings and this and that. Within that umbrella this is an Afghan-led process,” said the US official when a journalist asked her to confirm or deny if Washington had held talks with the Haqqanis.

“I will say to you, again, what we`ve been saying for some two weeks very firmly with regard to the Haqqani network. Job one in our relationship with Pakistan is for us to work on the terror and the problem that they are posing to Pakistan, to the US, to Afghanistan,” she added.

“If a person had been or were a member of the Haqqani network but then renounced violence and met the criteria that you`ve had for now quite a long time, they might be able to be part of reconciliation?” asked a journalist. “Again, these are the Afghans` criteria, these are our criteria, but I`m not going to comment on any specific conversations that are going on under that umbrella. But those are the criteria that we require, yes, and the Afghans require,” said the US official.

Earlier Wednesday, the US media reported that American officials had secretly met leaders of the Haqqani network during this summer, despite their reservations about the group`s link to Al Qaeda. Read more at Dawn.com

Afghanistan says Rabbani’s killer was Pakistani

KABUL: Afghanistan said on Sunday that the suicide bomber who assassinated Afghan peace negotiator Burhanuddin Rabbani was a Pakistani national.

Tensions between the neighbours have been rising amid allegations from Afghan officials that Pakistan and its powerful ISI intelligence agency masterminded Rabbani’s assassination and are seeking to destabilise Afghanistan.

An investigative delegation established by President Hamid Karzai said evidence and a confession provided by a man involved in Rabbani’s killing on Sept. 20 had revealed that the bomber was from Chaman and the assassination had been plotted in Quetta, both on the Pakistani side of the border.

“It proves that the assassination of Professor Rabbani was hatched in Quetta and the man who carried out the suicide bombing is a Pakistani national,” the delegation, led by Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak, said in a statement issued by the presidential palace.

“The documents and evidence in hand, details of other accomplices and their phone numbers have been handed over to Pakistan to make arrests,” it said.

Rabbani’s killing derailed efforts to forge dialogue with the Taliban to end the 10-year war, and raised fears of a dangerous widening of Afghanistan’s ethnic rifts.

The High Peace Council, which Rabbani headed, reiterated earlier comments by Karzai that negotiations should continue, but with Pakistan, rather than the Taliban.

“For the groups that are tired of conflict and want to end the killings and destruction inside the country, peace efforts must continue,” the council said in a separate statement issued late on Sunday.

“But because of those who hide in Pakistan with no known address, who send killers (to Afghanistan), we must negotiate with Pakistan instead.”

Hundreds of Afghans took to the streets of Kabul on Sunday to condemn recent shelling of border towns by Pakistan’s army and accuse the ISI of involvement in Rabbani’s killing.

This Articel Orignaly Published at AP Dawn.com

NATO presses Pakistan on 'terrorist' safe havens

BRUSSELS: NATO’s chief piled pressure on Pakistan on Friday to step up the fight against “terrorists” enjoying safe havens in the border region with Afghanistan.

Amid growing US pressure for Pakistan to take action against al Qaeda-linked extremists, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen called for a “positive engagement” from Islamabad to ensure stability in Afghanistan.

“We encourage the Pakistani military and the Pakistani government to do its utmost to fight extremism and terrorism in the border region,” Rasmussen said at a defence forum hosted by the European Policy Centre think tank.Read more

ISLAMABAD:Covert agreements with US be made public: Nawaz

Dawn.com: PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif asked the government on Friday to disclose terms of engagement with the United States under which the so-called war on terror was being fought.

He said at a press conference that the nation had the right to be informed about the covert agreements.

According to official estimates, he said, the country had suffered a loss of $69 billion during the war on terror and sacrificed thousands of lives. “But in return we are getting threats and being treated as an accused.”

He said flawed policies of the government formulated after bypassing parliament were responsible for the current situation. He also criticised the government for ignoring political parties while taking major decisions.

The government’s attitude, he said, encouraged violations of the country’s sovereignty.

Had the government taken a firm stand on the Raymond Davis issue, it would have received support from international community.

He said the CIA operative had been released in a mysterious manner.

He said it was meaningless to talk about self-respect, national pride and sovereignty without breaking the begging bowl.

He called for preparing a consensus economic agenda for 10 to 20 years and proposed an amendment to the constitution to put a bar on taking foreign loans. He said the consensus agenda would be binding on future governments and they would be required to follow it in letter and spirit.

“Anyone deviating from the agenda should be thrown out,” he said.

The PML-N chief said no single political party or individual could steer the country out of the present crisis, adding that only collective efforts could help the country adopt the path of self-reliance and economic stability.

He termed the Abbottabad operation carried out by US Navy Seals to kill Osama bin Laden a violation of national sovereignty and regretted that President Asif Ali Zardari had written an article praising the operation while Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani declared it a great victory.

Answering a question, he said the resolution adopted by the APC was an important message to the United States that the political and military leadership was united on national issues.

He said the people of Pakistan would defend the country’s territorial integrity with the might of a united nation.

“It is not possible to defeat the resolve of 180 million people,” he said.

He described the APC resolution as a test for the government and said he still had doubts if it would be implemented.

He said the government was undermining credibility of democracy just like former military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf had damaged the credibility of the armed forces for the sake of his personal interests.

He said the people of the country were reeling under terrible inflation. Unemployment has touched new levels and the energy crisis was leading to closure of industries. The debt burden has exceeded $60 billion.

Mr Sharif urged the government to mend its ways, take steps to end corruption and implement decisions of the superior judiciary.

Gas explosion in Islamabad hotel injures six

ISLAMABAD: An apparent gas explosion at a hotel in a commercial area of Islamabad on Thursday injured six people, rescue officials said.

While the blast on the Citi Hotel’s fifth floor was still being investigated, senior police official Beni-Amin Khan said the cause was “apparently” a gas leak.

“Apparently, it was caused by a gas leakage,” he said. “There is no smell of explosives and gas is still emitting from one pipe. However, we are still checking.”

Six people were wounded in the blast, but none was seriously injured. The explosion damaged four rooms in the hotel, and video from the scene showed sidewalks littered with shattered glass.

Earlier a powerful explosion at a commercial hotel located in Blue area shook the capital.

According to Express 24/7 correspondent, Sabur Ali Syed said that the blast took place at the six storiedCiti hotel in Blue area of Islamabad.

He said that police had cordoned off the blast site and would be investigating the cause and nature of the blast.

The injured were shifted to PIMS hospital in Islamabad.

This Articel Orignaly Published at Express Tribune pk

‘Tendulkar is a god for the Indian public, not for me’

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar answered Indian criticism over his autobiography and said he would not apologise to anyone adding that Sachin Tendulkar is a god for the Indian public and not him.

During an interview to an Indian channel, Akhtar said his statements relating to Tendulkar concerned a specific series in which the Indian batsman did not perform well. He further added that if India is a democracy then the people of the country should have the courage to listen to the truth.

This Articel Orignaly Published at The news pk

Khar returns from US visit

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has returned on Thursday morning from the United States after attending the United Nations General Assembly meeting, DawnNews reported.

Ms Khar is expected to attend and brief the All Parties Conference (APC) convened by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today to discuss the situation arising out of serious allegations levelled by US officials against Pakistan’s armed forces and the ISI.

She refused to talk to the media representatives after her arrival at the Islamabad airport.

This Articel Orignaly Published at DAwn.com

Cell phones link Pakistan to U.S. embassy attack

CBS News)

The insurgents who attacked the U.S. Embassy in Kabul last week were killed but their cell phones left a trail.

The phones had been used to call Pakistani intelligence operatives before and during the assault. This evidence lies behind the charge made by Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that the Haqqani network is a "veritable arm" of Pakistani intelligence, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports.

The attack on the U.S. Embassy and NATO's Afghan headquarters resulted in a 22-hour firefight - with American troops pinned down on roof tops.Read more at CBS News