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| April 25, 2006 | Tuesday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 26, 1427 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Pakistani gunships in action after convoy ambushed PESHAWAR, Pakistan, April 25 (Reuters) Pakistani army helicopter gunships hit suspected pro-Taliban militant positions on Tuesday after a military convoy was ambushed in mountains close to the Afghan border, officials said. Military spokesman Major-General Shaukat Sultan said at least one soldier had been killed and several wounded in the ambush on Monday. Security officials in Miranshah, the main town in the North Waziristan tribal region, had said earlier that four soldiers and three militants were killed in the clash. "Security forces are responding," Sultan said on Tuesday morning. Security officials said helicopter gunships were in action in the area, but there were no fresh reports of casualties. ( First Posted @ 10:20 PST Updated @ 14:20 PST)
President administers oath to new ministers ISLAMABAD, April 25 (APP): President General Pervez Musharraf Tuesday administered oath to six federal ministers and three ministers of state. Those sworn in as ministers are: Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani, Senator Saleem Saifullah Khan, Senator Nilofar Bakhtiar, Engineer Amir Muqam, Sumaira Malik and Zahid Hamid. Those sworn in as ministers of state are: Senator Kamal Ali Agha, Khalid Ahmad Khan Lund and Prof. Mushtaq Victor. (Posted @ 14:20 PST Updated @ 16:45 PST)
Pakistan cabinet reshuffle ISLAMABAD, April 25, (AFP) Portfolios of the new ministers sworn in to Pakistan cabinet Tuesday are: Mohammad Ali Durrani(Information vice Sheikh Rasheed who gets Railways); Saleem Saifullah (minister for inter-provincial affairs), Nilofar Bakhtiar (tourism), Amir Muqam (political affairs), Sumaira Malik (women and youth affairs) and Zahid Hamid (privitisation and investment). Kamal Ali Agha, Khalid Ahmad Khan Lund and Mushtaq Victor were sworn in as ministers of state. The federal cabinet comprising 59 ministers, including six women, was sworn in in September 2004 when Shaukat Aziz became the prime minister after the resignation of Zafarullah Jamali. (Posted @ 21:20 PST)
10 killed as chairlift cable snaps in n-west Pakistan PESHAWAR, Pakistan, April 25 (AFP) At least 10 people were killed Tuesday when the supporting cable of a chairlift they were travelling in snapped in Pakistan's quake-hit mountainous region, police said. The chairlift slammed into a pillar in Batagaram district, 400 kilometers north of Peshawar, police officer Habibur Rehman said. "All 10 onboard the chairlift died instantly," he said. Chairlifts are important means of transportation for villagers in the region. Batagaram was devastated by a massive earthquake on October 8 that killed more than 73,000 people in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. (Posted @ 21:25 PST)
Suicide bomber kills 10 in Sri Lanka army blast COLOMBO, April 25 (AFP) - A female suicide bomber blew herself up killing at least 10 bodyguards and critically wounding Sri Lanka's army chief Sarath Fonseka here Tuesday, police and doctors said. The attack was inside the sprawling high-security military compound in Colombo. Doctors said at least 10 people were killed and 11 more wounded in the powerful blast. They said lieutenant general Fonseka was in a "critical condition" following shrapnel injuries to his chest and abdomen.(First Posted @ 14:25 PST Updated @ 16:00)
Kasuri for package approach on civil nuclear energy BERLIN, Apr 25 (APP): Visiting Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri Tuesday called for a package approach by the Nuclear Suppliers Group countries (NSG) in extending civilian nuclear cooperation to Pakistan and India to ensure that regional strategic balance remains undisturbed. He was talking to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Foreign and Security Policy Advisor, Dr. Christoph Heusgen who called on him today. Dr. Heusgen, said Germany had many questions on the US-India nuclear civilian cooperation agreement. It would seek answers to those questions at the Nucleer Suppliers Group meeting. Referring to his meeting with Kasuri, he said it provided a good opportunity to obtain first hand perspective of Pakistan on the issue. On Pakistan-India relations and Kashmir dispute, Kasuri said the confidence building measures and ongoing composite dialogue had improved the environment but no concrete progress had been made on the Kashmir issue, which rendered the peace process very fragile. (Posted @ 21:00 PST)
Akhtar Rasool resignes as Hockey chief selector LAHORE, Apr 25 (APP): Chairman, National selection Committee of Pakistan Hockey Federation, Akhtar Rasool Chaudhary on Tuesday resigned from the post in the backdrop of hockey team's poor performance in the WorlCup Qualifying round in China recently. (Posted @ 21:00 PST)
PPAF disburses Rs 29 million as housing compensation among quake affectees ISLAMABAD, April 25 (APP): Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) has started first phase of reconstruction in earthquake affected areas by disbursement of approximately Rs 29 million as first tranche of housing compensation of Rs. 75,000 each to some 400 people at village Ghaniabad of Union council Thub (District Bagh).These disbursements are a part of the US $ 100 million, World Bank financed reconstruction and rehabilitation programme of PPAF to be carried out in 34 union councils of AJK and NWFP. (Posted @ 20:55 PST)
Gunmen kill senior Baghdad judge BAGHDAD, April 25 (Reuters) - Gunmen killed a senior judge in Baghdad on Tuesday, Interior Ministry sources said. judge Ibrahim al-Hindawi, head of the main court responsible for the western Karkh sector of Baghdad, was gunned down in the insurgent stronghold of Amiriya. There were no further details. (Posted @ 20:50 PST)
Sri Lanka confirms air and naval attacks against Tigers COLOMBO, April 25, 2006 (AFP) Sri Lanka carried out air and naval strikes against Tiger rebels Tuesday to deter them from "further provocative actions" following an assassination bid against the army chief, a senior official said. The head of Colombo's peace secretariat said the LTTE had fired "a few shells" at military facilities in the district of Trincomalee after a suicide bomb attack at Colombo's main military base. "This evening the LTTE also dropped a few shells into naval camps in Trincomalee," he said. "The airforce and naval action is to deter and contain the LTTE from carrying out further provocative attacks." (Posted @ 20:50 PST)
Two women presidents call for female successor to Kofi Annan HELSINKI, April 25 (AFP) - Two women presidents, Tarja Halonen of Finland and Vaira Vike-Freiberga of Latvia, said Tuesday they wanted to see a woman succeed Kofi Annan as secretary general of the United Nations."It has been time for a long time for a good woman," Halonen told reporters amid speculation that she may be interested in the post, in spite of her recent re-election to a new six-year presidential term. Vike-Freiberga, who has openly expressed her interest in the job, noted that while "the quality of the candidate should be the prime consideration ... womankind, constituting half of the world population, after 60 years of male rule certainly should have a priority above all consideration." (Posted @ 20:50 PST)
Six workers of mobile firm shot dead in Iraq KARBALA, April 25 (AFP) Six employees of an Iraqi mobile telephone company were gunned down west of Karbala, bringing to 12 the number of people killed Tuesday in attacks across Iraq. Elsewhere, a father and his 10-year-old daughter were shot dead in Baquba, and near Balad, two Iraqi army soldiers, who were guarding an oil pipeline, were shot dead by armed men in two vehicles, said a police officer. In Baghdad's Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City, a bomb exploded in a minibus, killing one person and wounding five, the interior ministry official added. And in Mahmudiyah, just south of the capital, a teacher was shot dead, police said. Five policemen were also wounded in two separate bombings in northern Baghad. Defence ministry spokesman General Abdel Aziz Mohammed told reporters insurgents carried out 469 attacks last week of which "17 were car bombs, including four suicide car bombings." In those attacks, 123 people were killed and 153 wounded, he said. Security forces also killed six suspected insurgents and arrested 240 others, he added. (Posted @ 14:40 PST Updated @ 20:30 PST)
India rebuilding air base in Tajikistan: diplomat DUSHANBE, April 25 (AFP) India is helping rebuild an air base in Tajikistan, an Indian diplomat to the Central Asian state said Tuesday, amid unconfirmed reports that the country is planning to base fighter jets here. "There are several Indian specialists who are carrying out reconstruction work at the Aini aerodrome," an Indian diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP. "First there has to be rebuilding, then we can talk about whether there will be Indian planes here or not," the diplomat added. The Indo-Asian News Service reported last week that the Indian Air Force was planning to deploy MiG-29 fighter jets at the Aini base, some 20 kilometres west of Dushanbe. Authorities in Tajikistan and India have denied the reports. (Posted @ 20:20 PST)
Hamas says Saudi pledged $90 mln aid to Palestinians DOHA, April 25 (Reuters) Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar said on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia has pledged $90 million in emergency aid to the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority. He told reporters in Doha that Kuwait has also pledged $7.5 million to the government. (Posted @ 20:15 PST)
Insurgents cripple Iraq oil sector -inspector BAGHDAD, April 25 (Reuters) Insurgents have succeeded in crippling Iraq's energy industry, oil ministry's inspector general said on Tuesday. "It has been going on for two or three years now without stopping. Actually it (the rebel campaign) has increased. They have always succeeded in attacking very sensitive sites," Ali al-Alaak told Reuters in an interview. "Every time we fix the problems because of those attacks, the next day or a few days later they can attack the same site." Asked if rebels had crippled Iraq's energy industry, he said: "Yes". (Posted @ 20:10 PST)
U.S. air strike, rebel attacks kill 13 in Afghanistan KABUL, April 25 (Reuters) An air strike by U.S.-led forces in southern Afghanistan, a Taliban assault on a police station and a roadside bomb attack on a military convoy left 13 people dead in escalating violence, officials said on Tuesday. Four Afghan soldiers were killed during a U.S.-led operation against Taliban and al Qaeda guerrillas in Kunar province on Tuesday when their convoy was bombed near the border with Pakistan, provincial governor Assadullah Wafa said. On Monday, U.S.-led forces launched an air strike on a suspected Taliban camp in the Lashkar Gah area of Helmand province killing three fighters, the U.S. military said in a statement. Also on Monday, Taliban guerrillas attacked a police station in the Mianishin district of Kandahar province. They killed one police officer, but lost five of their own men, a provincial official said. (Posted @ 13:00 PST Updated @19:50 PST)
Mild tremor felt in Islamabad, Abbotabad ISLAMABAD, April 25 (APP): A mild tremor measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale shook Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Ybbotabad Mansehra and adjoining areas, however there was no immediate report of any damages. According to the US Geological Survey the tremor at 1428 hours was located 80 km NNE of ISLAMABAD at a depth of 10 km. (Posted @ 19:50 PST)
Five members of family killed in road accident LAHORE, April 25 (APP) Five members of a family were killed in a car-trailer crash at Manga Mandi by-pass near here on Tuesday. The victims were going by car to Sialkot from Multan after attending a wedding ceremony. At Manga Mandi by-pass the car rammed into a trailer. Four brothers and their mother died on the spot. (Posted @ 19:40 PST)
Pakistan stresses resolution of outstanding disputes ISLAMABAD, April 25 (APP): Pakistan on Tuesday said resolution of all outstanding disputes including Jammu and Kashmir was vital for lasting peace and security in the region, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar said while talking to K.C. Singh, Additional Secretary of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. He said both countries should strive to avoid arms race and instead free the resources for socio-economic development. The Indian delegation is in Pakistan for the fourth round of Pakistan-India talks on Nuclear-CBMs. The talks will be followed by the third round of Conventional CBMs talks on April 27. (Posted @ 19:35 PST)
Five including suspected Afghan bomber killed in Pakistan QUETTA, Pakistan, April 25 (AFP) A suspected Afghan bombmaker and four members of his family were killed and two other family members were injured when an explosive device he was building blew up in their home on the outskirts of Quetta, Balochistan police chief Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob said Tuesday. The roof of the house collapsed after the blast, he said. Police found a timer and other material for making bombs. The suspect, Kamaluddin, an Afghan national, was wanted by police following intelligence reports, Yaqoob said. Two days ago an Afghan carrying explosives was injured when a bomb he wanted to plant in a passenger bus went off prematurely, the police chief said. Police detained Mohammad Saeed, of Zabul province, who "confessed" that he had recently crossed the border to set bombs in Quetta. (Posted @ 19:25 PST)
Six killed, 28 injured in occupied Kashmir SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, April 25 (AFP) Six people were killed Tuesday in separate shooting incidents in occupied Kashmir while 28 people, including eight children, were hurt in a landmine explosion and a grenade attack, police said. Eight people were injured Tuesday when their jeep ran over a landmine in Lolab area of Kupwara district, police said. In Tral, 40 kilometers south of Srinagar, 20 people were injured when a grenade was hurled at security forces. "Some of the injured are in critical condition," a police spokesman said, adding the injured included eight children. In Doda district suspected rebels killed two policemen and also shot dead a civilian in Pulwama district who they suspected of being an informer. Separately, Indian troops shot dead three rebels in separate gunbattles in the districts of Doda, Udhampur and Baramulla on Tuesday, police said. Kashmir is in the grip of a 16-year-old freedom movement that has left more than 44,000 people dead by official estimates but twice that much by independent sources. (Posted @ 19:15 PST)
Iran ready to transfer nuclear technology: supreme leader TEHRAN, April 25 (AFP) Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tuesday that the Islamic republic was ready to share its nuclear technology with other countries, state media reported. "The nuclear capability of Iranian scientists is one example of the numerous scientific movements in the country, and the Islamic republic is ready to transfer this experience and the technology and knowledge of its scientists," the leader was quoted as saying. The comment was made in a meeting with visiting Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir. (Posted @ 19:00 PST)
Four separatist rebels die in gunbattle in India's restive northeast GUWAHATI, India, April 25 (AFP) At least four separatist communist rebels were killed Tuesday in a gunbattle with troops 50 kilometers south of Imphal, capital of Manipur state in India's insurgency-racked northeast, officials said. The gunfight erupted near Waitu village when troops "came under a barrage of gunfire" from four guerrillas, a spokesman said. The rebels who were in a van then "tried to flee but our soldiers chased them and all four were killed" in the ensuing fighting, he said. The demands of Manipur's at least 19 rebel groups range from greater autonomy to secession. More than 10,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in the state during the past two decades. (Posted @ 19:00 PST)
Number of students from Pakistan to UK increased: UK Deputy HC KARACHI, April 25 (APP) There is a huge increase in the number of students from Pakistan going to Britain to pursue higher education there, British Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi, Hamish Daniel, told APP. last year more than 8,500 students were issued visas. It was a little bit higher a year earlier. "On average we have about 30,000 to 40,000 students from Pakistan in UK at any one time", he remarked. (Posted @) 16:40 PST)
Nine killed by storm in eastern India KOLKATA, April 25 (AFP) - At least nine people were killed and scores injured in a tropical storm that hit Kolkata and surrounding districts overnight, police said Tuesday. The storm, accompanied by rains, snapped power lines and uprooted trees stalling traffic on city roads late Monday, West Bengal state's inspector general of police Raj Kanojia said. Large areas of the city plunged into darkness, and the storm also threw rail and air services into disarray, he said.(Posted @ 16:15 PST)
US favours diplomatic solution on Iran: Rice ATHENS, April 25 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice insisted on Tuesday the United States favoured a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Iran, saying the situation was not the same as in Iraq. "The Unites States of America understand and believe that Iran is not Iraq," Rice said during a press conference in Athens with her Greek counterpart Dora Bakoyannis. "The US president doesn't take any option off the table but we are on a diplomatic course... The agenda is to reinforce our diplomatic efforts," she continued. (Posted @ 16:05 PST)
Abbas vows to prevent civil war among Palestinians ANKARA, April 25 (Reuters) President Mahmoud Abbas vowed on Tuesday to prevent civil war breaking out among Palestinians as tensions rise between his Fatah faction and the Hamas-led government. "Some people may want Palestine to be destroyed, but they will not succeed. We will not permit such destructive clashes. We have red lines and we will not let any civil war occur," Abbas told Turkish reporters during a visit to Ankara. Abbas appealed to the international community that "we don't want financial aid to be cut because it is the Palestinian people who will pay the price".(Posted @ 14:33 PST)
Jordan arrests Hamas activists from Syria AMMAN, April 25 (Reuters) Jordan said on Tuesday it had arrested a group of Hamas activists who were close to staging attacks inside the kingdom. "Security interrogations with the detained suspects had proven they received instructions to execute operations from leaders of Hamas and specifically one of the military officials of Hamas currently based in Syria," a government spokesperson said.(Posted @ 14:30 PST)
ElBaradei's report on Iran will be negative-U.S. BERLIN, April 25 (Reuters) A key report by U.N. nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei on Iran's cooperation with U.N. Security Council demands that it suspend uranium enrichment will be negative, the U.S. ambassador to the IAEA said on Tuesday."Given the announcement they made two weeks ago (about enriching uranium) and given the apparent failure to cooperate further with the IAEA, we can only expect a negative report," he said.(Posted @ 14:30 PST)
PM Aziz calls for vibrant Pak-China economic partnership ISLAMABAD, April 25 (APP): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Tuesday called for strong and vibrant Pakistan-China economic partnership, especially in the field of energy including nuclear power generation. While inaugurating the three-day Pakistan China Energy Forum here, he shared with the participants the government's strategy for development of the energy sector and to ensure sustainable supply of energy to all sectors of the economy.(Posted @ 14:25 PST)
Mine blast wounds eight in Occupied Kashmir SRINAGAR, Occupied Kashmir, April 25, 2006 (AFP) Eight civilians were injured Tuesday when their vehicle ran over a landmine in the northern district of Kupwara, a police spokesman said.(Posted @ 14:20 PST)
Pakistan, India in nuclear talks ISLAMABAD, April 25, 2006 (AFP) Pakistan and India opened talks here Tuesday on nuclear confidence-building measures and minimising the risks of an accidental atomic conflict, officials said. Delegations from the two countries will discuss nuclear issues for two days and then conventional weapons on Thursday, officials added. Ahead of the talks, foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said Pakistan would attend the discussions with a positive frame of mind and make some new proposals, which she did not spell out.(Posted @ 14:20 PST)
Iran says to stop atomic transparency if attacked TEHRAN, April 25 (Reuters) Iran's chief nuclear negotiator said on Tuesday Iran would stop acting transparently over its nuclear programme if it came under military attack. "In case of military action against Iran, Iran cannot be expected to act transparently (over its nuclear programme)," Ali Larijani told a conference on nuclear issues in Tehran. Larijani also said Tuesday that Iran will suspend its relations with the UN's atomic watchdog if sanctions are imposed. (First Posted @ 12:10 PST Updated @ 13:00 PST)
Five U.S. drug enforcement officials killed in Afghanistan plane crash LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan (AP) A plane carrying U.S. drug enforcement officials slammed into tents and mud-brick houses after dodging a truck on a runway, killing five people, officials said Tuesday. Two of the four Ukrainian crew members, including the pilot, were killed, U.S. Embassy spokesman said, while eight of the 13 passengers, 11 Americans and two people whose nationalities were not specified, suffered minor injuries. A Canadian military spokesman said three Afghans on the ground, two of them children, were also killed and five people were still unaccounted for.(Posted @ 12:15 PST)
Sri Lanka "fails to protect Tamils" - rights group COLOMBO, April 25 (Reuters) A U.S. human rights group accused Sri Lanka's government on Tuesday of ignoring attacks on ethnic Tamils, as the army reported more violence and a peace process with Tamil Tiger rebels remained deadlocked.U.S.-based group Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday that members of the largely Sinhalese security forces stood by during ethnic riots that followed a suspected Tiger bomb in Trincomalee two weeks ago, describing President Mahinda Rajapakse's response as "grossly inadequate".(Posted @ 11:34 PST)
Nepal Maoists reject king's address, announce blockades KATHMANDU, April 25 (Reuters) Nepal's Maoist rebels on Tuesday rejected the king's decision to reinstate parliament, said his speech failed to address the demands of protesters and announced a blockade of Kathmandu and district capitals. "This royal proclamation is a sham and a conspiracy against the Nepali people," Maoist leader Prachanda said in a statement. Prachanda called on the Nepali people to continue peaceful street protests until elections were called for a special assembly to write a new constitution. Meanwhile a member of the seven-party alliance said on Tuesday that former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala will head a new government in Nepal after embattled monarch King Gyaendra restored the country's parliament. "All parties have a consensus for him," said Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of the Congress Party of Nepal.(First Posted @ 09:50 PST Updated @ 11:33 PST)
Pakistan cautioned over Mexican-style financial crisis WASHINGTON, April 25, 2006 (AFP) A former World Bank vice-president warned here that Pakistan was facing symptoms that preceded the Mexican financial crisis more than 10 years ago. Shahid Javed Burki, who was in charge of the bank's Latin American division when Mexico was hit by the crisis in 1994, cited the South Asian nation's large current account deficit and what he called excessive speculative business activity and weak banking system. "When I look at all these things (that preceded the Mexican crisis), I can see all of them present in Pakistan today," he told Pakistani central bank governor Shamshad Akhtar at a Washington forum on Monday. Akhtar replied that she was aware of the "downside risks" mentioned by Burki as well as the threat posed by inflationary pressures and escalating crude oil prices that could worsen the country's trade deficit. Burki, citing what he called a "casino culture" prevailing in Pakistan which he said was fuelled by easy credit extended by banks, disputed an assessment by Akhtar that Pakistani banks were in a reasonably good shape. Burki said after the forum that speculative business activity in Pakistan was "being financed by the banks which are doing it on the basis of not enough reflection on their long term health -- which is what I saw in Mexico…," adding that Pakistan's relatively fixed exchange rate system was also under pressure.(Posted @ 10:35 PST)
Communist rebels kill six people in India PATNA, India (AP) Suspected communist rebels dragged six villagers from their homes and shot and killed them Tuesday in apparent retaliation for defying a boycott of local elections in eastern India, police said. Maoist rebels pulled the sleeping men from their homes early Tuesday in Deojora, Bihar state, said a deputy superintendent of police. The rebels also set fire to the bodies before fleeing, he said.(Posted @ 9:40 PST)
Karachi Stocks up 139.62 points: KARACHI, Apr 25: At close of trading the KSE-100 index was at 11942.30 , up 139.62 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, Apr 25: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 60.35 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
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