Jannat

APS

Cast: Emran Hashmi, Sonal Chauhan, Samir Kochar, Javed Shaikh, Vishal MalhotraDirector: Kunal DeshmukhRatings: ***
More, more, more...The motto of motorised materialism seems to have overtaken contemporary life. Everyone wants the good things in life in the shortest time possible. The acquisitive spirit has seldom been defined with such economy of storytelling as in "Jannat".Not surprisingly, a lot of Mahesh Bhatt's latest exposition on the excesses of materialism is shot in shopping malls, expensive restaurants and posh stadiums where money flows like unadulterated honey. And when our hero sees the love of his life staring at a diamond ring he walks into the showroom and breaks the display window.Get what you want by force and forget those homilies that papa preached at the dinner table about the virtues of honesty. "Honest money means hard work and little reward," says a wry character in "Jannat". He's obviously not read Ayn Rand.Sanjay Masoom's scathing dialogues scamper across the film's lush skyline to create a language of wannabes who would stop at nothing to get that new villa on the Gold Coast.Let's then applaud one more moral fable from Bhatt's sensible stable."Jannat" tells us to waste not, want 'nought'...By all means covet the zeroes on that pay cheque. But don't forget that if you run after the zeroes your life ends up in the zero zone.Forty years ago in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's "Satyakam" Dharmendra had refused to succumb to all the temptations of materialism that were strewn in his path to salvation. Lying dying of cancer, he's asked by his wife: "Finally what do you have to say about your life of integrity?""I've lived," Dharmendra says at the end of "Satyakam".Can Emran Hashmi (playing the small-time wheeler dealer who turns into a cricket match-fixer, criminal and moral transgressor) turn around before his gruesome death to say he has lived?Yes, Arjun (Emran) has loved. At heart "Jannat" is a dark tragic love story. While the girl's innocence and the man's corruptible countenance resembles "Kalyug", the whole dilemma of the beloved being instrumental in destroying the criminal hero echoes "Gangster".Both "Kalyug" and "Gangster" were superior in content and treatment. Debutant director Kunal Deshmukh cannot escape the clichés on existentialism that have come to surround Bhatt's cinema...the morally conflicted Shakespeare-meets-James Hadley Chase hero, the independent-minded strong and value-based heroine, the hero's trusted and loyal friend(Purab Kohli in "Woh Lamhe", Shaad Randhawa in "Awaarapan", and now Vishal Malhotra), the ideologue father whose principles are held up to ridicule until the hero discovers the hard way that dad's remedies are the best to deal with ethical ambivalence.These lingering leitmotifs get a renewed, if not luminous, life in every Bhatt production. But "Jannat" lacks the resonance and staying power of some of Bhatt's earlier films about crime and punishment from "Naam" to "Gangster".Cleverly and cautiously Deshmukh's film brings in the cricket element, which has audiences ignoring the pitfalls of rejuvenating Bhatt's age-old iconoclasm. The stock footage of real-life cricket matches are used well and sparingly in the plot. The stress, as ever in Bhatt's saga of our stressful times, is on the clashing colliding crisscross of human relationships.Emran's father's sequence in his son's luxurious bathroom where he comments on the basket of soaps is a whammer. But the wheeling dealing in the greenroom and clubs with cricketers of indeterminate nationality behaving like debauched goblins smacks of amteurishness. The murder of the Australian coach turns the Bob Woolmer scandal into a climactic add-on. May his soul rest in peace.But what stays is the protagonist's passion for money as opposed to his love for Zoya(Sonal Chauhan). The end-game where the engagement ring is juxtaposed against the gun is arresting in more ways than one. While Emran interprets the over-reaching get-rich-quick schemer's part with a native cunning, one misses that suave and smooth transitions in the character that perhaps a Naseeruddin Shah or even a Shahid Kapoor would bring on the table.But Emran is charming enough to let the protagonist's journey from a chawl to Cape Town look interesting. He's constantly getting author-backed roles of the angst-ridden social outcast (a garage-sale version of Amitabh Bachchan) which he plays with a fair amount of sensitivity.Debutant Sonal has much more to do than be the decorative doll she seems equipped to be. She's the weakest link in the powerplay where the politics of the playing field is extended to an engrossing exposition of greed atonement. Some of the supporting cast, especially Jawed Shaikh as the cricketing don and Abhimanyu as his silent henchman, come to grips with their characters better than you would expect in a film that has scant space for anyone except the man who would be king.APS

Bobby Deol stays away from manipulative people

APS

Mumbai: Actor Bobby Deol, who has always been rather laid back in life, says he tries to stay away from people in the film industry who manipulate and backstab.
"I'm sure there's jealousy and negativity in every profession. In the film industry, you see people manipulating and backstabbing. It used to disturb me earlier. But now I'm conditioned to the people and circumstances around me. I try to stay away from such people," Bobby told IANS.He also says he likes portraying people who are not like him."I like playing people who are not like me. For example, I always play a rich guy. But I'm not rich in real life!"The actor suddenly finds himself inundated with work."I've several releases coming up. Am I tired? No, just apprehensive about how people will react to so many of my films tumbling out."He recently shot for a film in Chandigarh with director Sangeeth Sivan, the man who styled the comedy "Kya Kool Hain Hum". "Yes," says Bobby, "But before that he did 'Zor' with my brother Sunny. So we know each other from much before. Like me he's a softie at heart. He did one actioner with my brother. Now he's doing one with me."Nana Patekar is Bobby's co-star in the yet-untitled film by Sivan. "I had heard so many stories about him. But he's very chilled out. Actually, I get along with everybody. Nana is a very unique actor. I also worked with Zarina Wahabji for the first time. She's such a warm and caring person. We had a great time. Also, I was doing an action flick after so long."Bobby is also game for playing negative characters. "See I've played ruthless killers in 'Bicchoo', 'Badal' and 'Soldier'. My character in 'Shaka Laka Boom Boom' was a musician who's so much in love with his music that he was willing to go to any lengths for his passion. Only at the end of the journey does he realise how wrong he was."Bobby was fascinated by the evil character. "He was like a small kid who says, 'I want, I want' without seeing how rude that child seems. I guess I'm a child at heart. But I don't have that mean streak."One person Bobby loved working with was Shaad Ali in "Jhoom Baraabar Jhoom". "He's such a chilled out guy. He treats everyone, from actors to spot boys, equally well. We've known each other for years. I didn't feel the least awkward being directed by him." APS

I've apologised to Shah Rukh over blog: Amitabh

APS

Mumbai:Superstar Amitabh Bachchan is enjoying his blogging experience and "the ugly abuses, the healthy criticism" that come along with it. The Bollywood icon has clarified that his remarks about Shah Rukh Khan's quiz show on his blog were misinterpreted by the media and he has apologised to the actor since then.
“I narrated on my blog what transpired during one my meetings with TV heads, who had come with proposals to me to do a show for them. I asked them questions on the viability of game shows. They described to me the falling ratings, which included shows done by me and by others as well,” Amitabh, who is currently in Cannes with his family, explained in a telephone interview with IANS.He added: “I merely transferred these talks to my blog purely to seek opinion, not glory, and the next thing I read is that it is an attempt on my part to show Shah Rukh in poor light, which was entirely incorrect and a load of rubbish. I have since, on my blog, apologised to Shah Rukh and those offended by this wrong assumption. “I will apologise to Shah Rukh a hundred times if there is an iota of doubt in his mind about my conduct and behaviour towards him.”On visiting Cannes, he said the family was there to be with daughter-in-law Aishwarya, who is a brand ambassador of L'Oreal, and to spend quality time with one another. “We went to the opening with her (Aishwarya) and a few films together, but mostly it is to be with family because we've all been away from each other for a long time in different parts of the world. It's lovely to just be together and catch up, before we drift away to our respective schedules,” Amitabh said.Excerpts from the interview:Q. Are you in Cannes? Are you representing a film? A. Yes I am in Cannes and with the family. This is a private visit and there are no films I am representing. I believe there was an article criticising us for not visiting the India pavilion. Well, firstly, this is a private visit and moreover, no one has invited us. And secondly, I am a little wary of government invitations. They invite you to be chief guest at a function and when you arrive there, tell you you are not invited. We are here to be with Aishwarya, who is here in an official capacity as brand ambassador for L'Oreal. We went to the opening with her and a few films together, but mostly it is to be with family because we've all been away from each other for a long time in different parts of the world. It's lovely to just be together and catch up before we drift away to our respective schedules.Q. How satisfying has the experience of blogging been so far?A. It has been a most wonderful experience and I have wondered why this was not known to me earlier. The speed of communication the world over, the responses to my thoughts, the adulation and endearment expressed by well-wishers, the ugly abuses, the healthy criticism, the demand for more on my father's works … all of it has been educative and awe-inspiring. It has been like talking to each one of them personally. Q. Is it very time consuming?A. It is time consuming because I read all the messages myself and I write my blog personally too. I have not permitted the server to allow comments to go through a 'moderator' because I want a fair, democratic approach to be practised. To cope with this I sleep a little less perhaps to make time for those who write.Q. You seem to have become far more frank and forthright, far less diplomatic than you used to be.A. Maybe. I think it comes from the knowledge that what you write or express has the ability to go to the reader without dilution or moderation. The absence of the middleman helps in the purity of my output. I try to be as honest as I can in my outpouring and yes they may seem to be more frank and forthright and less diplomatic.As I spoke in my last blog of Day 28(i), words and expressions can get twisted and misinterpreted and can cause unwanted hurt or a misunderstanding. A twisted thought could create an avalanche of negativity … I would hate that to happen and whenever it has, I have not hesitated to tender an apology or to correct myself if I have done wrong. Q. Your comments on Shah Rukh's TV show have been discussed widely. Do you feel your comments could've had an impact that perhaps exceeded your intentions?A. Exactly. I narrated on my blog what transpired during one of my meetings with TV heads, who had come with proposals to me to do a show for them. I asked them some genuine questions on the viability of game shows. They described to me the falling ratings, which included shows done by me and by others as well … I merely transferred these talks to my blog purely to seek opinion not glory, and the next thing I read is that it is an attempt on my part to show Shah Rukh in poor light, which was entirely incorrect and a load of rubbish. I have since, on my blog apologised to Shah Rukh and those offended by this wrong assumption. I will apologise to Shah Rukh a hundred times if there is an iota of doubt in his mind about my conduct and behaviour towards him. Q. What expansion plans do you have as a blogger?A. The blog will shortly become a part of the website that is under construction. The website will be more encompassing - my father, mother, Jaya, Abhishek, Aishwarya, Shweta or any other family member or non-member for that matter who wishes to contribute to it, will have a presence. Matter containing my father's works will be prominently displayed. His repertoire is vast and of immense literary value and I wish to give it its pride of place.Q. It's being said in a section of the press that the blog is a commercial enterprise and that you're being paid a hefty amount to keep it interesting.A. I repeat here again that the blog is not a commercial venture and I have not been paid this ridiculous amount of money to write it. I am merely using the facility of the server provided by bigadda.com to carry my blog.

I will definitely marry Farhan - Ayesha Takia

Ayesha Takia has been in the news of late for more reasons than one — her alleged liposuction procedure to get into shape, for setting up a boutique hotel in Goa with boyfriend Farhan Azmi, and also her impending marriage to him later in the year.
The pretty actress, who has finally shed all those extra kilos she had piled on, is now looking svelte and sexy.
Refuting all the rumours about her liposuction rumours Ayesha says, "There has been a lot of talk about my liposuction of late. I just decided to hit the gym and lose all the excess weight I had put on and I even set up a gym in my house. I am taking great care of what I eat and I really don’t know where all these liposuction rumours came from!" she says.
So when does she plan to get married to Farhan? "We have been in love for two years now and I have never denied that. But there’s time for our marriage and I will most definitely be getting married to him! Though it’s not anytime soon. We are just planning to set up our hotel and hopefully it will be ready by next season. I will let everybody know when I am getting married. I am busy with my business plans," she adds.
Ayesha’s last few films have not done so well at the box office. "Yes, they have not but I am looking ahead to great films this year. I am being selective about the films I am doing now. There is E. Niwas’ De Taali, Ahmed Khan’s Paathshala, Nagesh Kukunoor’s Tasveer and Boney Kapoor’s Wanted. De Taali is all set to release. I loved the tagline of the film which says "Fall in love with friends". It’s a lovely film on friendship. The chemistry between all of us actors is great too. Also I am working with my favorite actor Ritesh, who is a pretty crazy character in the film. We were a young bunch of people on the sets and we had great fun together," smiles Ayesha.

Textile Exhibutation

Punjab to give Iftikhar Chaudhry CJP protocol: Sanaullah

LAHORE: The Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Tuesday said Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry would be given the protocol due to the Chief Justice of Pakistan while in Punjab.Speaking to the media, Sanaullah said the Nov-3 steps were illegal and unconstitutional.Sanaullah added that the PPP is onboard with the PML-N over the Punjab government's decision to give Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry full protocol during his stay in the province.He said the judges were restored so the salaries are being paid to them. “Asif Zardari’s decision to pay salaries to the judges endorses our position on the issue,” he added.

بش انتظامیہ فوری طورپر صدر پرویز مشرف کی حمایت ترک کرکے نئی پالیسی اپنائے ۔رپورٹ

اوٹاوہ۔ کینیڈا کے ایک معروف اخبار کی رپورٹ کے مطابق بش انتظامیہ کی طرف سے پرویز مشرف کو بچانے کی پالیسی غلط ہے امریکہ کو فوری طور پر صدر پرویز مشرف کی حمایت ترک کردینی چاہیے کیونکہ صدر پرویز مشرف نہ صرف پاکستان میں جمہوریت کو سبوتاژ کررہے ہیں بلکہ وہ اس خطے میں مزید امریکہ کے مفادات کی حفاظت کرنے کے قابل بھی نہیں رہے ہیں ۔ رپورٹ میں کہا گیا ہے کہ واشنگٹن صدر پرویز مشرف کو اس لیے اہمیت دیتا ہے کیونکہ وہ پاک افغان سرحد پر واقع قبائلی علاقوں میں دہشت گردی اور انتہا پسندی کے خلاف امریکی جنگ میں بڑھ چڑھ کر تعاون کرتے ہیں ۔ اور اسی وجہ سے صدر پرویز مشرف کو بیرونی مالی ا ور سیاسی امداد مل رہی ہے ۔ رپورٹ میں کہا گیا ہے کہ اب یہ بات واضح ہو چکی ہے کہ جوپالیسی صدر پرویز مشرف نے پاکستان کے اندر اختیار کی اس سے نہ صرف وہ پاکستانی عوام میں سب سے ناپسندیدہ شخصیت بن چکے ہین بلکہ اس پالیسی کے نتیجے میں امریکہ کی مخالفت میں بھی بے پناہ اضافہ ہو گیا ہے ۔ رپورٹ میں مزید کہا کہا گیا ہے کہ امریکہ کے لیے یہ سب سے موزوںو قت ہے کہ وہ صدر پرویز مشرف کی حمایت فوری طورپر ترک کرتے ہوئے ان کی پالیسی کو بھی تبدیل کرے ۔ رپورٹ کے مطابق امریکہ نے پاکستان میں صدر پرویز مشرف کی مقبولیت میں کمی کے بعد جو منصوبہ انتخابات کے بعد کا سوچا تھا وہ اسی وقت دم توڑ گیا تھا جب بے نظیر بھٹو کو ایک انتخابی جلسہ کے بعد قتل کردیا گیا تھا ۔ رپورٹ کے مطابق امریکہ کی طرف سے اس منصوبے کا اصل مقصد صدر مشرف کو پاکستان میں امریکی مفادات کے تحفظ کے لیے اقتدار میںر کھنا ہے اور اب بھی امریکہ اسی منصوبے پر دوبارہ عملدرآمد کرنے کی کوششیں شروع کر چکا ہے جس کے مطابق پیپلزپارٹی اور مسلم لیگ(ن) کے اتحاد میں دراڑیں ڈالنے کی بھرپور کوششیں کی جا رہی ہیں اور ججوں کی بحالی کے لیے دو دفعہ تاریخوں کا اعلان کرنے کے بعد اس پرعملدرآمد رکوا کر (ن) لیگ کو حکومت سے الگ کرلیا گیا ہے۔ رپورٹ کے مطابق ان تمام کوششوںکے باوجود صدر پرویز مشرف اس وقت اپنی متنازعہ پالیسیوں کے باعث پاکستان کی سب سے غیر مقبول شخصیت بن چکے ہیںا ور ا نہی کی پالیسیوں کی بدولت اس وقت امریکہ بھی پاکستان کے اندر عوام میں سب سے غیر مقبول ملک بن چکا ہے اس لیے امریکہ کو چاہیے کہ وہ فوری طورپر صدر پرویز مشرف کی حمایت ترک کردے اور نئی پالیسی اپنائے ۔

پاکستان بھارت جامع مذاکرات شروع ، پاکستان نے ٩٩ بھارتی قیدی رہاکرنے کااعلان کر دیا

اسلام آباد ۔ پاکستان اور بھارت کے درمیان منگل کو جامع مذاکرات کے چوتھے دور کے سلسلے میں خارجہ سیکریٹریوں کی سطح پر بات چیت میں حکومتِ پاکستان نے جذبہ خیرسگالی کے تحت 99 قیدیوں کو رہا کرنے کا اعلان کر دیا مشیر داخلہ برائے وزیر اعظم رحمٰن ملک نے ایک بیان میں بتایا ہے کہ بھارت کے وزیر خارجہ پرنب مکھرجی کی پاکستان آمد کے موقع پر جذبہ خیر سگالی کے تحت 96 بھارتی مچھیروں اور 3 سویلین قیدیوں کو رہا کیا جا رہا ہے۔ 18 فروری کے عام انتخابات کے نتیجے میں پاکستان میں قائم ہونے والی حکومت کی بھارت کے ساتھ پہلی بار بات چیت ہورہی ہے۔ منگل کو ہونے والی بات چیت میں بھارتی وفد کی قیادت خارجہ سیکریٹری شیو شنکر مینن جبکہ پاکستانی وفد کی سربراہی سلمان بشیر نے کی خارجہ سیکریٹریوں کے درمیان جن معاملات پر اتفاق رائے ہوگا اس پر دونوں ممالک کے وزراء خارجہ بدھ کو تبادلہ خیال کے بعد اس کا اعلان کریں گے۔پاکستانی وزارت خارجہ کے ترجمان محمد صادق کے مطابق مذاکرات کے ایجنڈے پر آٹھ نکات ہیں جن میں اعتماد سازی کے اقدامات، جموں و کشمیر، سیاچن، سر کریک، وولر بیراج، دہشت گردی اور منشیات، اقتصادی تعاون اور دوستانہ تبادلوں کا فروغ شامل ہیں۔ پاکستان کے خارجہ سیکریٹری سلمان بشیر نے حال ہی میں عہدہ سنبھالا ہے جبکہ بھارت کے خارجہ سیکریٹری شیو شنکر مینن اسلام آباد میں ہائی کمشنر بھی رہ چکے ہیں۔ بھارتی وزیر خارجہ پرنب مکھرجی منگل کے روز اسلام آباد پہنچ گئے اور ان کے پاکستان میں قیام کے دوران صدر پرویز مشرف، وزیراعظم سید یوسف رضا گیلانی، پیپلزپارٹی کے شریک چئرمین آصف علی زرداری اور مسلم لیگ (ن) کے قائد میاں نواز شریف سے ملاقاتیں متوقع ہیں۔ واضح رہے کہ پاکستان کے وزیر خارجہ شاہ محمود قریشی نے جامع مذاکرات سے چند روز قبل پاکستان اور بھارت کے زیر انتظام کشمیر کی سیاسی جماعتوں کے نمائندوں سے مشاورت کی تھی اور انہیں یقین دلایا تھا کہ مسئلہ کشمیر کشمیری عوام کی امنگوں کے مطابق حل کیا جائے گا۔

آئندہ چند روز کے اندر وکلاء تحریک کا فیصلہ کن اور آخری راؤنڈ شروع ہونے والا ہے۔بشریٰ اعتزاز

لاہور۔ سپریم کورٹ بار ایسوسی ایشن کے صدر بیرسٹر اعتزاز احسن کی اہلیہ بیگم بشریٰ اعتزاز نے کہا ہے کہ ان کے شوہر عدلیہ کی آزادی اور آئین وقانون کی بالادستی کی جنگ لڑ رہے ہیں جس پر وہ کوئی سمجھوتہ نہیں کریں گے۔ اس امر کا اظہار انہوں نے ’’ثناء نیوز‘‘ سے گفتگو کرتے ہوئے کیا۔ بیگم بشریٰ اعتزاز نے کہاکہ ان کے شوہر نے الیکشن سے دستبرداری کا فیصلہ بھی معزول ججوں کی بحالی اور پیپلز پارٹی سے اپنی وفاداری کے تحت کیا۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ بیرسٹر اعتزاز احسن عدلیہ کی آزادی اور معزول ججوں کی بحالی کی اصولی جنگ لڑرہے ہیں اور وہ وکلاء وعوام کو مایوس نہیں کریں گے جب کہ پیپلز پارٹی سے ان کی وابستگی بھی کسی شک وشبہ سے بالاتر ہے اسی لئے انہوں نے ضمنی الیکشن نہ لڑنے کا فیصلہ کیا ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ ماضی میں ذوالفقار علی بھٹو کے دور حکومت میں بھی انہوں نے اصولوں پر سمجھوتہ کرنے کی بجائے صوبائی وزارت سے استعفیٰ دینے کو بہتر سجھا۔ بیگم بشریٰ اعتزاز نے کہا کہ مائنس ون یا مائنس ٹو کا فارمولہ وکلاء اور عوام کیلئے قابل قبول نہیں ہوسکتا۔ چیف جسٹس افتخار محمد چودھری کو ہر صورت بحال ہونا ہے ان کے بغیر معزول ججوں کی بحالی وکلاء تحریک کے منافی ہوگی جس پر سمجھوتہ ممکن نہیں ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ وکلاء تحریک کو سول سوسائٹی کی مکمل حمایت حاصل ہے اور آئندہ چند روز کے اندر وکلاء تحریک کا فیصلہ کن اور آخری راؤنڈ شروع ہونے والا ہے۔

کوہاٹ ایف سی ملیشیا کی گاڑی پر ریموٹ کنٹرول بم سے حملہ ‘ ٦ سیکیورٹی اہلکار سمیت ١١ افراد شدید زخمی ۔اپ ڈیٹ

کوہاٹ ۔ کوہاٹ ایف سی ملیشیا کی گاڑی پر ریموٹ کنٹرول بم سے حملہ چھ سیکیورٹی اہلکار سمیت گیارہ افراد شدید زخمی ایک مشکوک شخص گرفتار ۔ تحریک طالبان درہ آدم خیل نے دھماکہ کی ذمہ داری قبول کر لی۔ منگل کے روز 9:50پر کوہاٹ قلعہ نائن ڈپو ہیڈ کوارٹر سے 20 گز کے فاصلہ پر کوہاٹ لیاقت میموریل ہسپتال کے نزدیک مین روڈ پر بنوں سے پارا چنار جانے والی ایف سی ملیشیا کی بس پر ریمورٹ کنٹرول بم سے مقامی شر پسندوں نے حملہ کیا بم ایک بائیسکل پر نصب کیاگیاتھا جو سڑک پر کھڑی تھی جونہی مذکورہ ایف سی ملیشیا کی گاڑی گزری تو سائیکل ایک زبردست دھما کے سے ایف سی ملیشیا گاڑی سے جا ٹکرائی ۔ دھماکہ کی آواز اتنی زوردار تھی کہ کوہاٹ کے طول و عرض میں دور دور تک سنی گئی ۔دھماکے کے نتیجے میں کرم ملیشیا کے چھ سکیورٹی اہلکار لانس نائیک فرید ، نائیک واجد ، سپاہی مشتاق ، بشارت ، عزت خان اور محمد رحیم جبکہ سویلین افراد میں رکشہ ڈرائیور رنگ بادشاہ ، طاؤس خان ، دایان ولی ، امان اللہ اور سپین گل نامی شخص شدید زخمی ہو گئے سیکیورٹی فورسز کے زخمیوں کو ملٹری کمبائیڈ ہسپتال کوہاٹ اور دیگر زخمیوں کو ڈویژنل ہیڈ کوارٹر ہسپتال کوہاٹ کے ڈی اے منتقل کر دیاگیا جائے واردات سے ایک مشکوک قبائلی زخمی کو بھی گرفتار کیا گیا ہے۔ جس کا تعلق اورکزئی ایجنسی کے علاقہ فیروز خیل کے جامع العلوم سے بتایا جاتا ہے۔ حساس ادارے کے اہلکار اور تفتیشی ٹیمیں گرفتار شدہ فرد سے تفتیش کر رہی ہیں جبکہ تحریک طالبان درہ آدم خیل کے ترجمان محمد نے دھماکہ کی ذمہ داری قبول کر لی دھماکہ کے بعد پاک آرمی کے چاک و چوبند دستوں کے نائن ڈیو ہیڈ کوارٹر کوہاٹ قلعہ کے اردگرد پوزیشنیں سنبھال لی اور آنے جانے والے راستوں کو ٹریفک کے لیے بند کر دیا

پنجاب حکومت افتخار محمد چوہدری کو چیف جسٹس اور دیگر سپریم کورٹ و ہائیکورٹس کے معزول ججوں کو حاضر سروس ججز کا پروٹوکول اور سیکورٹی فراہم کرے گی ۔وزیر ق

لاہور ۔ پنجاب حکومت معزول چیف جسٹس افتخار محمد چوہدری اور سپریم کورٹ و ہائیکورٹ کے دیگر معزول جج صاحبان کو 24 مئی کو فیصل آباد اور اس کے بعد لاہور میں وکلاء کنونشن کے موقع پر آئین کے تحت ان جج صاحبان کو مکمل پروٹوکول اور سیکورٹی فراہم کرے گی جبکہ وکلاء تحریک کے دوران لانگ مارچ سمیت ہر ایونٹ کے موقع پر وکلاء کو ہر ممکن سہولت فراہم کی جائے گی ۔ اس امر کا اظہار صوبائی وزیر قانون رانا ثناء اللہ خان نے پنجاب اسمبلی میں پریس کانفرنس سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے کیا ۔ رانا ثناء اللہ خان نے کہا کہ مسلم لیگ (ن) چیف جسٹس افتخار محمد چوہدری اور سپریم کورٹ و ہائیکورٹس کے ججوں کے معزولی کے 3 نومبر کے فیصلے کو غیر آئینی اور غیر قانونی سمجھتی ہے اور پی سی او کے تحت حلف اٹھانے والے ججوں کو تسلیم نہیں کرتی ۔ لہذا فیصلہ کیا گیا ہے کہ چیف جسٹس افتخار محمد چوہدری اور معزول کئے جانے والے دیگر تمام ججوںکو آئین کے تحت انہیں سیکورٹی اور پروٹوکول فراہم کیا جائے گا ۔ چیف جسٹس افتخار محمد چوہدری کا وہی پروٹوکول ہو گا جو آئین و قانون کے تحت ایک چیف جسٹس کا ہونا چاہیئے کیونکہ آئین کے تحت انہیں معزول نہیں کیا گیا اور ہماری نظرمیں وہ آج بھی حقیقی چیف جسٹس ہیں ۔ پیپلز پارٹی کو اس فیصلہ سے متعلق اعتماد میں لینے سے متعلق سوال کے جواب میں انہوں نے کہا کہ اس فیصلہ پر ہمیں پیپلز پارٹی کی حمایت حاصل ہے کیونکہ ججوں کی بحالی کے حوالہ سے مسلم لیگ (ن) اور پیپلز پارٹی کے موقف میں کوئی فرق نہیں ہے تاہم ان کی بحالی کیلئے طریقہ کار پر اختلاف ضرور ہے ۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ وفاقی حکومت تو ان ججوں کو تنخواہ دینے کی پیش کش بھی کر چکی ہے ،تنخواہ صرف حاضر سروس ججوں کو ہی دی جا سکتی ہے ۔ اس سوال پر کہ کیا اس فیصلہ سے صدر کے پنجاب میں نمائندے گورنر پنجاب اور پنجاب حکومت کے درمیان مزید فیصلے پیدا نہیں ہوں گے اورکیا وہ اس اقدام کو روکنے کیلئے اپنا کردار ادا نہیں کریں گے ۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ ججوں کی بحالی کوئی غیر آئینی مسئلہ نہیں ہے اس لئے کسی کو بھی اس میں رکاوٹ نہیں ڈالنی چاہیئے ۔ انہوں نے بتایا کہ پیپلز پارٹی کے ساتھ مسلم لیگ (ن) کے بیشتر اختلافات کو دور کیا جا چکا ہے ۔ باقی ماندہ اختلافات دور کرنے کیلئے دونوں جماعتوں کی جانب سے 3`3 ارکان پر مشتمل سردار ذوالفقار علی خان کھوسہ کی سربراہی میں کمیٹی تشکیل دی جا چکی ہے ۔ انہوں نے بتایا کہ اگر چیف جسٹس کے پروگراموں پر متعلقہ بار ایسوسی ایشن سیاسی رہنماؤں کو شرکت کی دعوت دیں تو اسے قبول کرنے میں کوئی قباحت نہیں ہے لیکن ماضی میں ایسے پروگراموں میں سیاسی رہنماؤں کو شرکت کی دعوت نہیں دی گئی تاہم مسلم لیگ (ن) کے ورکرز چیف جسٹس اور دیگر معزول جج صاحبان کا بار ایسوسی ایشن کی باؤنڈری وال کے باہر بھرپور استقبال کریں گے ۔ ایک اور سوال کے جواب میں انہوں نے کہا کہ گورنر پنجاب سلمان تاثیر سے مسلم لیگ (ن) کا کوئی بڑا اختلاف نہیں ہے تاہم جب وہ نگران وزیر تھے اس دوران کچھ مسائل ضرور پیدا ہوئے ۔ اس سوال پر کہ پنجاب حکومت کی معزول ججوںکو پروٹوکول دینے کی پالیسی ایوان صدر سے ٹکراؤ نہیں ہے ۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ جب 3 نومبر کا اقدام ہی غیر آئینی اور غیر قانونی تھا تو پھر ٹکراؤ کیسا ۔ ایک اور سوال کے جواب میں انہوں نے کہا کہ معزول ججوں کی بحالی کیلئے مسلم لیگ اپنی صوبائی حکومت سمیت کوئی بھی قربانی دینے سے دریغ نہیں کر ے گی ۔ ان سے پوچھا گیا کہ کیا صدر مشرف کو بھی پنجاب حکومت سیکورٹی اور پروٹوکول فراہم کرے گی ۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ جب وہ یہاں آئیں گے تو اس کا فیصلہ بھی کرلیا جائے گا ۔وزیر اعلی پنجاب کی جانب سے گورنر ہاؤس نہ جانے سے متعلق سوال پر انہوں نے کہا کہ پیپلز پارٹی اور مسلم لیگ (ن) اتحادی ضرور ہیں لیکن یہ کوئی ڈسپلن فورس نہیں ہے ہماری اپنی سیاسی سوچ اور اپنا منشور ہے جس پر ہم اپنے اپنے طریقے سے عمل پیرا ہیں ۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ ایوان صدر نے 18 فروری کے انتخابات کے نتائج کو ابھی تک تسلیم نہیں کیا حالانکہ جنرل (ر) پرویز مشرف انتخابات سے پہلے اعلان کر چکے تھے کہ اگر ان کی حامی جماعتیں الیکشن ہار گئیں تو وہ مستعفی ہو جائیں گے ۔

ملکی حالات خراب کرنے میں پڑوسی ممالک کاہاتھ ہے، مشیر داخلہ

قبائلی علاقوں میں فوجی آپریشن کے دوران گرفتار ہونیوالے بے گناہ افراد کو رہا کر دیا جائیگا
رحمان ملک کی گورنر ہاؤس پشاور میں محسود قبائل جرگہ سے ملاقات کے بعد میڈیا سے بات چیت
پشاور ۔ وزیر اعظم یوسف رضا گیلانی کے مشیر برائے داخلہ رحمن ملک نے کہا ہے کہ قبائلی علاقوں میں فوجی آپریشن کے دوران گرفتار ہونے والے بے گناہ افراد کی رہائی جلد عمل میں آئے گی جبکہ محسود قبائل کے علاقوں میں بند شاہرائیں بھی جلد کھول دی جائیں گی۔ مشیر داخلہ جنوبی وزیرستان کے محسود قبائل کے پینتالیس رکنی امن جرگہ سے ملاقات کے بعد میڈیا سے گفتگو کر رہے تھے ۔ جس نے گورنر ہاؤس پشاور میں ان سے ملاقات کی ملاقات میں گورنر سرحد اویس احمد غنی بھی ان کے ہمراہ تھے ۔ مشیر داخلہ نے کہا کہ قبائلی علاقوں میں آپریشن کے دوران ہونے والے نقصانات کے ازالے کے لئے احکامات جاری کر دیئے گئے ہیں۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ ملک کے حالات خراب کرنے میں پڑوسی ممالک کا ہاتھ ہے ۔ لیکن قبائلی خود کش حملہ آوروں کے بجائے حکومت کا ساتھ دیں۔ اس سے پہلے پینتالیس رکنی امن جردگہ اراکین نے گورنر ہاو?س پشاور میں گورنر سرحد اویس احمد غنی اور مشیر داخلہ رحمن ملک سے بات چیت کی ۔ جس میں قبائلی علاقوں میں پائیدار امن کے قیام اور اصلاحات کے حوالے سے مذاکرات کئے گئے ۔ جرگہ میں بے نظیر بھٹو شہید اور فوجی آپریشن میں جاں بحق ہونے والے فوجی اہلکاروں اور دیگر افراد کے لئے فاتحہ خوانی بھی کی گئی۔

پاکستان اور بھارت کا جامع مذاکرات پر ہونے والی پیشرفت پر اظہار اطمینان ، مذاکرات کا سلسلہ آگے بڑھانے پر اتفاق ، مشترکہ بیان جاری

اسلام آباد۔ پاکستان اور بھارت کے درمیان جامعہ مذاکرات کے چوتھے دور میں پاکستان نے مسئلہ کشمیر کے تناظر میں اعتماد سازی کے ١٥ اقدامات تجویز کیے ہیں ۔تفصیلات کے مطابق مذاکرات میں پاکستان اور بھارت نے جامع مذاکرات کی اب تک ہونے والی پیشرفت پر اطمینان کا اظہار کرتے ہوئے اس مذاکراتی عمل کو آگے بڑھانے پر اتفاق کیاہے ۔ منگل کو پاکستان اور بھارت کے سیکرٹری خارجہ نے اسلام آباد میں جامع مذاکراتی عمل کے چوتھے دور کا جائزہ لیا ۔ سیکرٹری خارجہ سطح پر ہونے والے مذاکرات میں پاکستانی وفد کی قیادت سیکرٹری خارجہ سلمان بشیر جبکہ بھارتی وفد کی قیادت سیکرٹری خارجہ شیو شنکر مینن نے کی ۔ دونوں اطراف نے جامع مذاکرات کے چوتھے دور کے جن امور کا جائزہ لیا ان میں امن و سلامتی ، جموں و کشمیر ، سیاچن ، سرکریک ، وولر بیراج ، دہشت گردی اور منشیات ، معاشی تعاون اور دوستانہ وفود کے تبادلوں کا فروغ شامل ہے۔ دفتر خارجہ کی جانب سے جاری مشترکہ بیان میں کہا گیا کہ مذاکرات دوستانہ اور تعمیری ماحول میں ہوئے دونوں ممالک کے درمیان وزراء خارجہ سطح کے مذاکرات آج ( بدھ ) ہوں گے ۔ مذاکرات میں پاکستانی وفد کی قیادت وزیر خارجہ شاہ محمود قریشی جبکہ بھارتی وفد کی قیادت بھارتی وزیر خارجہ پرناب مکھرجی کریں گے۔

برطانوی دارالعوام میں اسقاط حمل کا دورانیہ کم کرنے کیلئے بل پیش کردیا گیا

لندن ۔ برطانوی دارالعوام میں اسقاط حمل کے قانون میں 20 سالہ تاریخ میں پہلی بار ترمیم کے لیے ایک بل پیش کیا گیا ہے جس پر پارلیمنٹ کے ممبران سے رائے مانگی گئی ہے ۔ تفصیلات کے مطابق برطانوی دارلعوام میں اسقاط حمل کی مدت کو کم کروانے کے لیے ایک بل پیش کیا گیا ہے جس میں ارکان نے پارلیمنٹ سے کہا گیا ہے کہ وہ پارٹی وابستگی سے ہٹ کر آزادانہ طور پر اس بارے میں اپنی رائے دیں ۔ یہ بل ایمبریالوجی اور فریٹلائزیشن بل کے تحت پیش کیا جا رہا ہے جس میں اسقاط حمل کی مدت جو کہ 24 ہفتے تھی کو سولہ ہفتوں تک کم کرنے کی تجویز دی گئی ۔ اس کے علاوہ بل میں ہم جنس پرستی اور جینز کے حوالے سے بھی قوانین شامل ہیں ۔ برطانیہ کی برٹش میڈیکل ایسوسی ایشن نے اس بل کی مخالفت کرتے ہوئے اسقاط حمل کے دورانیے کو کم کرنے کی تجویز کی حمایت کرنے سے انکار کردیا ۔ ادھر پارلیمنت کے تقریبا 86 ارکان نے کہا ہے کہ اسقاط حمل کے دورانیے کو کم کرنے سے بہتر ہے کہ غیر ضروری شرح پیدائش کو کم کیا جائے ۔ اور لوگوں کو جنس کے بارے میں تعلیم دی جائے ۔ ایوان زیریں کے بعد اس بل کو ایوان بالا یعنی’’ ہاؤ س آف لارڈز‘ ‘ میں بھی پیش کیا جائے گا۔ واضح رہے کہ اسقاط حمل کے سب سے زیادہ کیسز برطانیہ میں ہوتے ہیں جہاں 2006 ء میں تقریبا 1 لاکھ 93 ہزار 700 کیسز ریکارڈ کیے گئے ہیں

مائیکرو سافٹ کمپنی (یاہو) خریدنے میں ناکامی کے بعد متبادل ڈیل کی پیش کش کردی

واشنگٹن۔ مائیکرو سافٹ کمپنی نے یاہو کو خریدنے میں ناکامی کے بعد متبادل ڈیل کی پیش کردی ۔ مائیکرو سافٹ کا کہنا ہے کہ اس نے یاہو کو مکمل خریدنے کے بجائے کمپنی کے ساتھ شراکت داری کرنے کی تجویز دی ہے ۔ مائیکرو سافٹ نے یاہو کو خریدنے کے لیے 33 ڈالر فی شیئر کی پیش کس کی تھی جسے یاہو نے رد کردی ۔ گزشتہ کئی ماہ سے دونوں کمپنیوں میں یاہو کی خریداری پر مذاکرات ہو رہے ہیں جو ایک تنازعہ کی شکل اختیار کر گئے ۔ اس نئی پیشکش کے بعد ماہرین تنازعہ کے حل کے لیے پر امید نظر آ رہے ہیں

Today's Photos May 20, 2008

PM arrives in Cairo on day-long visit

CAIRO, Egypt : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani Tuesday arrived in the Egyptian capital after attending three-day World Economic Forum on Middle East in Sharm El Sheikh.
During his day-long visit, the Prime Minister is expected to hold bilateral meetings with government leaders. He will also visit the centuries-old Pyramids, the icon of Egypt.

Pak-India FS review progress on fourth round

ISLAMABAD : The Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India Tuesday expressed satisfaction at the progress made so far in the peace process and towards resolving all outstanding issues.
The meeting precedes the one between Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday to review the fourth round of Pakistan-India Composite Dialogue.
“The talks were held in a friendly and constructive atmosphere,” a statement released by the Foreign Office said.
The two Foreign Secretaries Salman Bashir and Shivshankar Memon, exchanged views on carrying forward the Composite Dialogue process.
The two sides reviewed the progress made in the Fourth Round of the eight segments of Composite Dialogue process and deliberated on how to address the outstanding issues in a more meaningful way.
The talks covered the eight segments of the Composite Dialogue that include Peace and Security, including CBMs, Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Wullar Barrage, Terrorism and Drugs Trafficking, Economic and Commercial Cooperation and Promotion of Friendly Exchanges, the statement said.
The Indian External Affairs Minister Mukherjee will hold talks with Foreign Minister Qureshi and will call on President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Thar Coal project to generate 5000 MW: PM

KARACHI:The government has chalked out a plan to produce 5,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity under the Thar Coal Power Generation Project, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said.
He stated this in a message on the occasion of second anniversary of a magazine Energy Update here Tuesday.
Power generation capacity under the project will be be enhanced to 20,000 MW in the long run.
The Prime Minister said that the country was presently in the grip of a serious power crisis with power shortages of 3,000 MW and this shortage was likely to go up to 4,000 MW next year.
He recalled that the biggest ever investment from the day of establishment of Pakistan in the power sector was made during the previous PPP government.
The Power Policy of 1994 led to an additional 3,078 MW of electricity production, which in return led to $ 3.5 billion investment.
Giving details of the measures being taken on urgent basis, Gilani said the present government has devised and is implementing an ambitious plan to cope with the immediate and future needs of the country in the energy sector.
“During this year, we shall install 2200 mega watt power generation units,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the government was giving equal attention to energy saving. “We plan to save 500 mega watt of electricity through special load management campaigns, thereby scaling down load shedding.”
Moreover, PEPCO has been directed to ensure provision of 10 million energy saver bulbs at an appropriate price to consumers, he added.
He said that he was pleased to learn that the magazine was objective in reporting, open to suggestions and pragmatic in advice to the government, while adhering to healthy norms of journalism. It is encouraging that the “Energy Update” is projecting all aspects of energy sector and highlighting its true potentials in Pakistan as well as abroad, he observed.
The prime minister hoped the national media including the “Energy Update” will support the energy saving campaign and also supplement the government’s efforts to achieve energy security, which is vital for a sustainable growth of the national economy.
“I congratulate the management and the editorial staff of the “Energy Update” on the second anniversary of the magazine and wish them success in future.
Meanwhile, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan in his message said that the government was taking every measure to improve power supply to industry, business as well as household on the one hand, and pursuing the steps for energy conservation on the other hand.
He also acknowledged the role of Energy Update in highlighting the crucial importance of energy in country’s economic development through its candid analysis and objective reporting.
“It is heartening to note that the magazine was also trying to persuade the government by publishing foreign and local technical and research reports on the use and benefits of alternate sources of energy like wind and solar,” said the Governor.

PPP secretary general rules out coalition with PML-Q



ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) secretary general Jehangir Badar has ruled out any relationship with PML-Q to run the business of the government as “it is against the principles and manifesto of the party.”
“This is impossible and the people involved in spreading such rumours are living in fool’s paradise,” said Jehangir Badar, he said while talking to News agency.
The rumours followed the resignations by PML-N Ministers from the cabinet over the issue of reinstatement of deposed Judges.
Badar refused to comment on return of party ticket by President of Supreme Court Bar Association for coming by-elections and said that the party would decide about awarding ticket in constituency NA-155.
He said that the meeting of PPP central executive on May 24 would take up and discuss all issues in detail including relations with PML-N.

Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to be only CJ : Gondal

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Nazar Muhammad Gondal Tuesday said that there will be only one Chief Justice and he will be Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
Talking part in a PTV programme he said that there is no difference of opinion between the PPP and PML N on the restoration of deposed judges including Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and no minus-one formula is under consideration.
There are some differences between the two major coalition partners on the modalities to restore the judges which would be settled amicably, he said.
He said that PPP has rendered huge sacrifices for the cause of democracy and
it will not allow derailment of the process on small issues.
To a question he said that top leadership of PPP and PMLN remain in contact constantly and a meeting may took place between Asif Ali Zardari and Miam Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in the next few days.
“We have learnt a lot from history and we will take the coalition successfully to the next election”, he said and added that there exists strong recognition of this fact on both sides.
He said the concept of deadlines is not part of democratic culture. The issue of judiciary may be resolved prior to the proposed long march of lawyers’ community, he added.
Gondal said that PPP has opted to take the democratic forces like PMLN on board to crete a sense of self reliance among the people by including them in policy making.
The Minister, who also holds the additional charge of Ministry of Food and Agriculture, said the present government has the mandate of the people and it will make all the decisions to provide relief to them.
It was in this direction that the present government enhanced the support price of wheat as a first act in office, he said adding that there will be no wheat shortage situation in the country.
To a question he said that in democracy the existence of difference of opinion is natural.
First time in the country’s history the mainstream political parties have accepted the mandate of each other, he said adding there is no danger to the coalition from the judiciary issue.
The leadership of both the parties have committed time and again that they will move together in the interest of the country and its people and the free media is expected to project this phenomena.

Rahman Malik denies any deal for envoy’s release

ISLAMABAD : Advisor on Interior Rahman Malik has denied that government has freed a Taliban leader for the recovery of kidnapped Ambassador Tarique Azizuddin.
Rahman Malik in a clarification Tuesday said Taliban leader Maulana Ubaidullah has not been freed to secure release of Tarique Azizuddin, and he is still in government custody, Geo TV reported.
He also denied holding talks with the abductors for recovery of the kidnapped ambassador.

Chairman Shell vows more investment for oil, gas exploration in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD : Chairman Shell Company Pakistan Zaiviji Ismail Tuesday called on President Pervez Musharraf and vowed to utilize additional resources for the exploration of oil and gas in the country.
The company’s Chairman said Shell is a major player in energy sector and would continue to fully support the country with all its resources.
Zaiviji Ismail appreciated the leadership of President Musharraf that encouraged more investment for the country.
Chairman Shell said during his four years stay in Pakistan, he found the workers highly intelligent, resourceful and productive, which gave him lot of optimism to further invest in Pakistan.

Five HC judges appointed as Election Tribunals

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan has notified five Judges of High Courts as Election Tribunals to dispose of appeals against the decisions of the Returning Officers.
As many as 10 Judges from all the four High Courts including Lahore High Court, High Court of Sindh, Peshwar High Court and High Court of Balochistan have been appointed as tribunals with the approval of the President.
These tribunals would dispose of appeals against Returning Officers decisions of accepting or rejecting the nomination papers of the candidates vying to contest the forthcoming bye-polls being held in 38 National and Provincial Assemblies constituencies across the country.
According to Election Commission, Justice Mian Muhammad Najam-uz-Zaman and Justice Tariq Shamim, Judges of Lahore High Court have been appointed tribunals for the constituencies; NA-52 Rawalpindi-III, NA-55 Rawalpindi-VI, PP-10 Rawalpindi-X, PP-48 Bhakkar-II, PP-59 Faisalabad-IX, PP-70 Faisalabad-XX, PP-99 Gujranwala-IX, PP-107 Hafizabad-III, PP-118 Manddi Bahuddin-III and PP-124 Sialkot-IV.
Moreover, Justice Muhammad Akram and Justice Hafiz Tariq Nasim, Judges of Lahore High Court have been appointed tribunals for the constituencies NA-119 Lahore-II, NA-123 Lahore-VI, NA-131 Sheikhupura-I, NA-147 Okara-V, PP-141 Lahore-XVIII, PP-154 Lahore XVIII, PP-171 Nankana Sahib-II (Old Sheikhupura-X), PP-219 Khanewal-VIII, PP-229 Pakpattan-III, PP-243 D.G Khan-IV, PP-258 Muzaffargarh-VIII, PP-277 Bahawalnagar-I and PP-295 R.Y. Khan-XI.
In Sindh, Justice Mrs. Qaiser Iqbal and Justice Syed Pir Ali Shah, Judges of High Court of Sindh have been appointed tribunals for constituencies NA-207 Larkana-cum-Shikarpura-cum-Kamber Shahadkot (Old Larkana-IV), PS-30 Khairpur-II, PS-44 Matiari-cum-Hyderabad (Old Hyderabad-II) and PS-62 Tharparkar-III.
In NWFP, Justice Said Maroof Khan and Justice Zia-ud-Din Khattak, Judges of Peshwar High Court have been appointed tribunals for the constituencies; NA-11 Mardan-III, PF-20 Charsadda-IV, PF-45 Abbottabad-II, PF-59 Battagram-I, PF-75 Lakki Marwat-II, PF-81 Swat-II, PF-91 Upper Dir-I and PF-92 Upper Dir-II.
In Balochistan, Justice Muhammad Nadir Khan and Justice Mehta Kailash Nath Kohli, Judges of High Court of Balochistan have been appointed tribunals for the constituencies; PB-9 Pishin-II, PB-32 Jhal Magsi (Old Kachchi-III) and PB-44 Lasbela-I.

Iraqi troops pour into Baghdad Shia stronghold

BAGHDAD - Iraqi troops poured into the Baghdad Shia stronghold of Sadr City on Tuesday without resistance from militiamen who have been fighting deadly street battles with US forces for weeks.
Large numbers of heavily armed soldiers fanned out in Sadr City for the first time in the eight weeks since heavy fighting broke out between loyalists of the anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and American security forces.
Baghdad security officials said they launched "Operation Peace" at dawn to clear the area where mines had been planted by militiamen.
The Iraqi troop action in Sadr City is in line with a truce deal reached earlier this month between the government and Sadr's movement aimed at ending deadly street battles which first erupted in late March.
"Hundreds of Iraqi soldiers are deployed in different sectors of the city," an officer leading a unit of armoured vehicles told AFP. He said troops had already removed several mines from the city.
"The citizens are cooperating with the Iraqi forces, they welcomed our presence. There were no attacks that targetted the Iraqi military. The situation is peaceful."
An AFP reporter in Sadr City said residents were welcoming the soldiers who began spreading out in to the teeming slum district of northeastern Baghdad while American soldiers remain on guard outside.
No gunfire was heard for the first time in weeks, when residents ran the risk of getting caught up in the crossfire between the militia and the American troops.
Streets were crowded with people going about their daily life among the ruins of dozens of buildings which had taken the brunt of the fighting.
Much of the fighting was centred around a huge concrete wall that the US military was building to cut off one third of the Sadr City in a bid to prevent the flow of heavy weapons to the rest of Baghdad.
The Americans had said that they had completed about 80 percent of the work on the wall which became a key issue for the militia men who constantly attacked those working on the construction under tight US protection.
The US military had directed heavy aerial attacks against targets inside Sadr City. Residents claimed that civilians were affected by the firing, but the Americans maintained they used precision bombing to get their targets.
Hundreds of people have been killed in fighting in the Sadr City, home to about two million people, since Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered a crackdown on militias in the main southern city of Basra in late March.
The fighting spread across Shia areas of Iraq, particularly Sadr City, a bastion of Sadr's Mahdi Army militia.
Both US military and Iraqi officials had reported a marked scaling down of violence in Sadr City since the Sadrits entered a truce deal nine days ago that would allow the Iraqi military to enter.
A five-member delegation from the Sadr movement arrived in Sadr City last week to follow-up on implementation of the agreement and said there was good cooperation between the Iraqi forces and the Sadr movement.
The latest military deployment in Sadr City came a day after the Iraqi military carried out search operations in the neighbouring Al-Shaab district and arrested five suspected members of the Mahdi Army.
The army and police cordoned off the entire area for several hours and searched several houses for weapons and ammunition.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (R) meets Spain's Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos in the Secretary's Outer Office at the State Departme

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (R) meets Spain's Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos in the Secretary's Outer Office at the State Department in Washington on Monday.

Eastwood drama with Jolie gets Cannes applause

CANNES, France - 'Changeling,' Clint Eastwood's latest film starring Angelina Jolie, got a warm round of applause Tuesday at its press screening in Cannes where it is competing for the top prize.
The Changeling, to get its official premiere later in the day, tells the story of single mother Christine Collins (Jolie) in 1920s California whose nine-year-old son Walter goes missing.
Months later police turn up with a boy they say is Walter, whom Christine takes home, but she knows in her heart he is not Walter.
Helped by community activist Gustav Briegleb (Malkovich), she battles against all the odds to prove it and in doing so brings down an entire police department.
Eastwood is back in Cannes vying for the Palme d'Or in spite of mixed acclaim here for his 2003 entry "Mystic River."

China says over 70,000 dead or missing from quake

CHENGDU, China - China raised the number of dead or missing from a devastating earthquake to more than 70,000 on Tuesday, as rescuers found another survivor eight days after the huge tremor hit.
Vice governor Li Chengyu of the southwestern province of Sichuan said the known death toll there alone had now topped 39,500. At least another 500 have been reported killed in neighbouring provinces.
State news agency Xinhua reported that a further 32,000 were still missing.
Authorities had previously said they expected the final death toll to exceed 50,000. The number of injured stands at about 245,000.
Ma Yuanjiang was rescued in Wenchuan county, epicentre of the May 12 quake in mountainous Sichuan, after 179 hours buried in the rubble, state media said.
His rescue came as authorities tried to restore calm in the provincial capital, Chengdu, after tens of thousands rushed into the streets overnight alarmed by a television prediction of another powerful earthquake.
But as darkness fell over Chengdu on Tuesday thousands of residents prepared makeshift shelters to sleep outside, too afraid to stay overnight in their homes.
That, along with fresh aftershocks and forecast heavy rain, compounded the difficulties for military, government and private workers trying to ensure millions of homeless are fed and housed.
Anger was building among bereaved parents in Sichuan over the way many school buildings had collapsed, burying whole classrooms full of children. In one town, in a rare public protest, hundreds demanded punishment for anyone guilty of shoddy construction.
Chengdu residents rushed from their homes before midnight on Monday, alarmed by the prediction of another earthquake after the 7.9 magnitude tremor on May 12.
Hundreds of aftershocks have been felt over the past week, bringing down more buildings and causing landslides. A few hours after the television report, a 5-magnitude tremor was felt.
But on Tuesday, provincial television screened interviews with a series of seismological bureau officials to explain the prediction and calm a jangled populace.
"Just because you can feel aftershocks, it doesn't mean they will hurt you. Of course, that doesn't mean you should stand in harm's way," said Han Weiding, researcher with the local seismological bureau.
The quake warning also prompted panic in neighbouring Chongqing municipality and Guizhou province.
Anger over schools
The pandemonium showed how the main quake and its aftershocks have stretched nerves to breaking point.
"I think the television coverage is overdoing it. They're scaring people," said a hotel worker surnamed Li, who spent the night in a public park.
The most lamented victims of the quake have been the thousands of children who died when school buildings collapsed.
In Juyuan town, hundreds of grieving parents demanded an annual memorial day for their children, punishment of officials or builders responsible for shoddy schools, and compensation.
"How come all the houses didn't fall down, but the school did? And how come that happened in so many places?" demanded Zhao, whose two daughters were crushed to death.
"We want a memorial day for the children, but we also want criminal prosecution of those responsible, no matter who they are."
As China's ruling Communist Party seeks to maintain a staunch front of unity and stability after the quake, the incipient protests by parents could be troublesome, for many of them blame official graft and laxity, more than nature, for the deaths.

Pakistan lifts veil on Waziristan war

SPINKAI RAGHZAI- The hospital was used for assembling bombs and suicide jackets.
The government school in Spinkai Raghzai was used to train young boys to blow themselves up.
There was another class for suicide bombers in Kotkai, a village 20 minutes down a road winding through the Mehsud tribal lands of Pakistan's South Waziristan.
'This is one area where they were training very, very young boys aged between 9 to 13 years,' said Pakistan Army Brigadier Ali Abbas, in a briefing given on a hilltop overlooking Spinkai Raghzai with Kotkai just visible in the distance.
People of villages like these were made to pay for letting militants loyal to Baitullah Mehsud take over their community.
The army ordered them to quit their homes and move to makeshift camps elsewhere, before launching an offensive in January to drive out fighters led by the barely educated former truck driver who late last year named himself leader of the Pakistani Taliban and declared war on the government.
Retreat to the next ridgeline
Out of an estimated 450,000 people living in Mehsud territory some 200,000 are now lodged in camps.
When the tribespeople go back, they'll find crops withering, livestock starving, and villages that need partial rebuilding after the destruction caused mostly by punitive army action.
In Spinkai Raghzai, the army bulldozed the bazaar. It is now literally a road of destruction, but people's houses were untouched except for a couple where arms caches were found.
The army took a small group of journalists in mid-May to the area that saw the fiercest fighting during Operation Zalzala, the Urdu word for Earthquake.
'The Mehsuds are very fierce fighters, their young men are very bold,' said Brigadier Abbas. 'They are the toughest tribe.'
Using helicopter gunships to drive Taliban fighters from positions on the ridges, and three tanks that trundled up the wide, stony, almost dry river bed, the army's 30-km (18-mile) thrust in January cleared the area from Jandola to Kotkai.
The enemy had nearly 600 fighters, armed with assault rifles, anti-aircraft guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.
Only a handful of the hostile fighters were caught, and 25 to 30 killed in the four days of fighting.
The rest melted away over the next ridgeline, protecting the road to Baitullah Mehsud's lairs in Makeen and Ladda.
They left behind truckloads of arms and ammunition, and bomb factories, stacked with tonnes of explosives and thousands of ball bearings used to make suicide attacks more lethal.
Pakistan had reeled from a wave of suicide attacks since mid-2007, including one that killed opposition leader Benazir Bhutto on Dec. 27. After the Waziristan operation, suicide attacks became far less frequent.
Motivated by gore
Before being taken by helicopter to the battleground, the journalists were given a presentation at divisional headquarters in Dera Ismail Khan, on the banks of the Indus river.
Major-General Tariq Khan said his troops had recovered 50 boys whom the militants were training to be suicide bombers.
Many of the boys told the soldiers they wanted to grow up to be doctors or pilots. Khan laconically noted: 'There's some serious disconnect here.'
The journalists were shown a confiscated motivational video for militants, produced under the al Jihad banner, and shot in the Mehsud tribal lands.
One section showed about a dozen young boys in a classroom, all wearing white scarfs denoting their commitment to martyrdowm. Their instructor in the art of suicide attacks was masked, and was flanked by another bearing an assault rifle.
The projectionist failed to hear an officer's order to stop the video there because the next scenes were too gory.
Instead it played on, showing a boy of maybe 10 executing a blindfolded man kneeling on the ground.
The child shoots the man in the head. Urged to finish his victim off, the child fires again, the body jerks.
That scene segues into one of a handful of youths hacking off the head of a trussed-up man in uniform.
One of the butchers then holds the head aloft in triumph.
In the Mehsud lands such barbarity was very real.
Villagers said they would have suffered similar fates if they had resisted the Taliban occupation of their settlements. Some, of course, were willing recruits, others silently acquiesced.
When soldiers liberated the area, Khan recalled, women came out of caves in the hills 'screaming for us to kill these miscreants who had been stealing their children'.
Hostile territory
The army has occupied 400 sq km (150 sq mile) of Mehsud terrain, a parched land of serrated ridges, looming over valleys covered in low scrub near the meandering Tank Zam river.
Baitullah Mehsud, who hails from one of the least prestigious clans of the tribe, succeeded in setting up a state within a state, enforcing Taliban law.
Of the seven semi-autonomous ethnic Pashtun tribal regions, the two most hostile have been North and South Waziristan.
The army had never deployed in these areas until Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters fled there after U.S.-backed forces chased them from neighbouring Afghanistan in late 2001.
Around 25,000 regular army troops are now in the Waziristans, plus the Frontier Corps paramilitary recruited from local tribes.
President Pervez Musharraf became alarmed a couple of years ago that Taliban culture was spreading outside the tribal zone.
Nevertheless, the situation had worsened by mid-2007, until the army regained its grip and drove the Taliban back into the Mehsuds' mountain labyrinth, where Baitullah is now boxed in.
'We have the entire Mehsud territory encircled,' Khan said, adding that the army controlled all movement in and out of the area, and could respond quickly to any threat from its base at Jandola.
A new government, established in March, has engaged tribal elders to persuade the militant leader to cease operations from their territory. Having helped create a stronger negotiating position, the army is leaving it to the politicians.
Its next step will be to allow people in the camps to return to their homes, whereupon the army will pull back to positions occupying heights without being provocatively close to the villages of the fiercely independent tribespeople.

India, Pakistan resume peace process

ISLAMABAD - Top Indian and Pakistani foreign ministry officials met on Tuesday to review their four-year-old peace process that has stalled since domestic political turmoil erupted in Pakistan last year.
The nuclear-armed rivals' foreign secretaries' meeting will be followed on Wednesday by talks between Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and his Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
It is the first contact India has had with leaders of a new Pakistani civilian government and analysts in both Pakistan and India said Mukherjee will be sounding out Pakistan's new leaders.
The top civil servants and ministers will discuss their so-called composite dialogue, which covers eight areas including the divided Himalayan region of Kashmir, border disputes, terrorism and drugs and economic cooperation.
No major breakthroughs are expected on their main dispute over Kashmir, but Pakistani analysts hope the talks might set the stage for a visit by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
On Tuesday, Pakistan said it was releasing nearly 100 Indians in its custody to mark the talks.
"On the occasion of the Indian foreign minister's visit (we) are pleased to announce the release of 96 Indian fishermen as a goodwill gesture," an Interior Ministry official said, adding three other civilians would be among those freed on Saturday.
Indian fishermen frequently stray into Pakistani territory and can end up spending years in jail there.
The neighbours launched peace efforts in 2004 after nearly going to war a fourth time over Islamist militant attacks in India linked to a nearly 20-year revolt, which Pakistan sympathises with, against Indian rule in Kashmir.
While ties have warmed, the two sides have made no significant progress on their dispute over the Muslim-majority region they both claim.
Clashes on their Kashmir border this month, including firing on Monday that India said killed one of its soldiers, have underscored just how tenuous the improvement in relations is.
But India did not accuse Pakistan of links to bombs last week in the city of Jaipur that killed 63 people, which Pakistani analysts said was a sign of maturity in their relations.
Kashmir Deadlock
Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has been the architect of Indian policy since he seized power in a 1999 military coup, but February elections brought in a civilian government led by the party of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Musharraf made a range of ground-breaking proposals to end the Kashmir deadlock that has bedevilled ties since the countries' independence in 1947.
He offered to give up demands for a plebiscite in Kashmir, as enshrined in U.N. resolutions, if India agreed to autonomy in its part of Kashmir, in effect giving up Pakistan's claim to the entire region.
But in March last year, Musharraf was engulfed in a political crisis when he tried to dismiss the country's top judge, distracting attention from India and giving it an excuse to stall, Pakistani analysts say.
Some Pakistani critics say Musharraf made too many concessions and the new government should pull back. At the same time, India is under no pressure to make concessions on Kashmir.
But before the lull in peace efforts, the two sides made some progress on border disputes, one over the Siachen glacier high in the Himalayas, the other in the far south, over the Sir Creek on their maritime boundary.
India is also likely to want to know the stand on terrorism of a Pakistani government hoping a peace pact can end violence by al Qaeda-linked militants on its Afghan border.

Seven injured in attack on Pakistani troops

ISLAMABAD - At least seven people were injured when suspected militants detonated a roadside bomb to target paramilitary soldiers in Pakistan's conflict-hit North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) on Tuesday, officials said.
The homemade explosive that was thought to be remotely detonated slightly damaged a military truck in the garrison town of Kohat, located 65 kilometres south of NWFP capital Peshawar.
"Four Frontier Corps personnel and three civilians suffered minor injuries in the explosion that only smashed the vehicle's windscreen," a spokesman for the Pakistan Army said.
Tuesday's attack was the third bombing in the last two days in north-west Pakistan that had seen a resurgence in violence against security forces after a US aerial strike on the house of a militant commander in Bajaur tribal district, killing more than a dozen people last Wednesday.
Though no official responsibility for the roadside bombing was made, pro-Taleban militants earlier claimed a weekend suicide attack on a military-run bakery in NWFP's town of Mardan in which 13 people, including four soldiers, died.
Tehrik-e-Taleban Pakistan (TTP), the local militant umbrella organization, warned the government against using military means against the rebels, saying these could suspend the controversial peace talks between them.
TTP spokesman Maulvi Omar claimed the action in Bajaur could have not been taken by the US military without some support from the Pakistani authorities.
Pakistan's six-week-old government is currently in dialogue with the pro-Taleban fighters in the lawless tribal region bordering Afghanistan to quell militancy that has also crept into other parts of the country.
Both sides have swapped scores of prisoners, including the country's envoy to Afghanistan who was abducted when he was traveling by road from Peshawar to Kabul on February 11.
They are expected to sign a peace deal under which partial withdrawal of government troops from the tribal area is also likely to place.

3rd bomb attack in Pakistan in days, 7 injured

KOHAT - Suspected Islamist militants set off a roadside bomb as a Pakistani military truck was passing on Tuesday, wounding seven people in the third bomb attack in the country in two days.
Pakistan was hit by a wave of bomb attacks last year and early this year, many of them by suicide bombers, but violence fell off sharply after a February election won by parties calling for talks to end Islamist militant violence.
Last Wednesday, 18 people were killed when missiles suspected to have been fired by a U.S. drone struck a house in the Bajaur region on the Afghan border where militants have been known to operate.
Since then, there have been three bomb blasts including a suicide attack on Sunday outside a military training centre in the northwestern town of Mardan that killed 13.
Tuesday's blast was near a military headquarters in the northwestern town of Kohat.
"The bomb was planted on a bicycle and it wounded seven people including four paramilitary men," said police official Ibrahimullah at the site.
There was no claim of responsibility for Tuesday's blast, or one on Monday evening that killed three outside a mosque in Bajaur. But Pakistan Taliban militants claimed responsibility for the suicide attack in Mardan on Sunday.
Pakistan's new government, sworn in at the end of March, has begun a policy of engagement, negotiating through tribal leaders to persuade militants to stop their attacks.
But that has raised concern among Pakistan's allies with troops in neighbouring Afghanistan who fear any peace pact on the Pakistani side of the border will enable militants to focus their attention on attacks in Afghanistan.
NATO's commander in Afghanistan, General Dan McNeill, said this week he was sending reinforcements to the border with Pakistan in expectation that a peace deal on the Pakistani side would see a spike of violence on the Afghan side.

Indo-Pak peace talks set to resume

ISLAMABAD- India and Pakistan are scheduled to resume peace talks Tuesday for the first time since Islamabad's new civilian government took over from military rule.
But analysts said the instability of the new government could hinder progress.
Bombings last week in the Indian city of Jaipur that killed 61 people seem likely to overshadow the talks, to take place in Islamabad.
India has in the past accused Pakistan-based Islamic militants of involvement in such attacks. And incidents in disputed Kashmir, including one on Monday in which the Indian army said it lost a soldier due to firing from the Pakistani side, could also affect the talks.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will meet with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani as well as President Pervez Musharraf.
Pakistan's state news agency reported that Mukherjee might also meet Asif Ali Zardari, the chief of the main coalition party seen as the power behind the prime minister, as well as ex-premier Nawaz Sharif, chief of the junior coalition party.
Pakistan's new coalition government formed by parties that triumphed in February elections that dealt a heavy defeat to allies of Musharraf says it wants to press on with the peace talks that the president began in early 2004.
But a breakthrough in the talks may be hampered by a falling out within the coalition over how to restore Pakistan's judges fired last year by Musharraf.
The new government is so fragile,' said Moonis Ahmar, a Pakistani international affairs analyst. As long as the fragility is there, then it cannot make a decision.'
The negotiations between Pakistan and India are aimed at resolving their conflict over the divided Himalayan territory of Kashmir. So far the talks have diminished the possibility of war, and fostered cultural and transportation links, but achieved little else.
Now there is no focal point and the prime minister is just bogus,' said Pakistani political analyst Talat Masood. He doesn't have the power and everyone is looking over the shoulder to Mr. Zardari or others to Nawaz Sharif.'
Analysts say the talks could lead to easing of travel and visa restrictions but no headway is expected on core issues including the military confrontation in the high-altitude Siachen glacier area, and, of course, Kashmir.
Ashok Mehta, a strategic analyst in New Delhi, predicted little progress partly because India was uncertain if the new Pakistani government would continue Musharraf's policies.

Talks with militants only if they lay down arms, says Pak PM

SHARM EL-SHEIKH — Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani vowed yesterday that his government would not negotiate with militants unless they laid down their arms, amid US concerns over Islamabad’s talks with the Taleban.
‘We will not have a dialogue with militants, we will not have dialogue with extremists or terrorists,’ Gilani told journalists at the World Economic Forum here.
Acknowledging a change in policy to ensue there is a political dialogue in troubled areas rather than unilateral force he said, ‘There should be a political dialogue with those who lay down their arms and want to cooperate with us in combating terrorism.’
Indicating that those areas would receive investment in education and economic development, he added, ‘I think this policy will be acceptable to the United States and they appreciate we are the people actually facing the threat. We have three million Afghan refugees living in Pakistan.’
He sought to dampen speculation on his meeting here with US President George W. Bush. ‘I must tell you we have good relationship with the Unites States, there will be good cooperation in the future and we are committed to fighting terrorism.’ He added: ‘We are not fighting for America, we are fighting our own war — I have lost my own leader Benazir Bhutto because of terrorism.’
Gilani, in his first overseas trip since assuming office, committed to the early reinstatement of the Judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf and dismissed speculation of any pressure being applied by the president.
‘We are committed to an independent judiciary and that is the reason on the very first day I was elected I gave the instruction for all the detained judges to be released immediately.’
He added on the reinstatement, ‘It is our intention, that is Mr Nawaz Sharif's intention, it is very, very clear but we have got to work out the modalities.’
‘We are committed to restoring the original 1973 constitution and there is no pressure absolutely from anybody. I have not accepted the resignations of PML-N ministers who resigned and I send a clear message there will be a stable government.’