Latest News

• Pakistan's Rupee Strengthens for a Fifth Week Against Dollar - Bloomberg
• Pakistan army practises shooting drone aircraft - International Herald Tribune
• Blast at Funeral Kills 8 in Northwest Pakistan - Voice of America
• US Strike Reportedly Killed Five in Pakistan - New York Times
• US, Pakistan share drone data: general - Pakistan Dawn
• Pakistan jets kill 14 Taliban militants: official - AsiaOne
• Pakistan protests over US missile strikes - Reuters
• Pakistan PM assures top security to save India series - AFP
• Bomber attacks Afghan compound - BBC News
• Pakistan Says NATO Afghan Supply Lines Will Stay Open - Voice of America

Geo News

• Al-Qaeda can use banned militant outfits for terrorist acts: Rehman Malik
• Boy returns after languishing in Indian jail
• Security forces kill 22 militants in Bajaur
• Security beefed up for foreign diplomats in Peshawar
• Geezer blast in Rawalpindi injures 2
• Army exercises attack to down drones
• Two militants killed in Bajaur
• COAS to brief PM on operation in tribal areas
• DIK blast claimed 10 dead: NWFP Minister
• Munaf Kalia, Javed Khanani remanded to FIA

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Business News

• FoP members oppose idea to
• No tax on agri sector on cards: Naveed Qamar
• Tarin calls for equitable distribution of wheat to provinces
• Who will be the next SBP governor?
• Technology-based companies not labour intensive: GM Nokia
• WAPDA criticised for upsetting wheat targets
• Oil dips under $50, investor confidence sinks
• KSE insipid as hopes of bailout package fade
• New Re1, Rs2 aluminium coins
• PSO to commercialise petrol pumps throughout country

Top Stories

ISLAMABAD: The IMF deal will bring the consumers, subscribers and provincial governments on a collision course after its hidden conditions will be revealed.

The major controversy is about the interest rate to be paid by Pakistan. The standby facility being offered is said to be the highest ever on a soft-loan mark-up of 3.51 to 4.51 per cent agreed to by any country for foreign currency bailout.

Pakistan has never obtained structural adjustment facility loan or balance of payment assistance on mark-up rates higher than 3 per cent. Continue reading ‘Deal has many hidden conditions’

KARACHI: Pakistan on Saturday formally announced subscribing to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) loan plan to avert the financial crisis.

Speaking here at a press briefing, Finance Adviser Shaukat Tareen said the move followed talks with multilateral donor agencies and friendly countries that were willing to help only after Pakistan gets an IMF endorsement.

“We don’t want to hide anything and everything will be in print once the IMF board approves the programme,” he said, adding that this would be for the first time in Pakistan’s history that its home-grown plan will be adopted by the Fund.
Continue reading ‘IMF to lend $7.6 bn to Pakistan’

Fashion Cards

This is the promo of Royal TV's exclusive program The Insider hosted by renowned journalist Khalid Minhas
   

Pakistan News

Govt. to reinstate 1996’s sacked employees with all benefits: Sherry

Federal Cabinet Wednesday decided in principle to reinstate all government employees sacked after dismissal of Pakistan Peoples Party’s government in 1996. All those employees who were provided employment by PPP during 1993‑96 and removed from service later, would be reinstated with seniority and back financial benefits, said Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman.
Continue reading ‘Govt. to reinstate 1996’s sacked employees with all benefits: Sherry’

Karzai Seeks Saudi Help With Taliban

KABUL, Afghanistan — As the Afghan war intensifies and American commanders call for increased troop levels, President Hamid Karzai said on Tuesday that he had sought the intercession of the Saudi royal family to bring the resurgent Taliban to peace negotiations.

But there was no immediate indication that the Taliban was ready to talk or that negotiations had begun.
Continue reading ‘Karzai Seeks Saudi Help With Taliban’

Pakistan hotel bomb halts British Airways flights

British Airways has suspended all flights to Pakistan after the bombing of the Marriott hotel in Islamabad, an airline spokesman confirmed this morning.

“The safety of our customers, crew and aircraft is of paramount importance,” a BA spokesman said.

The last flight to Islamabad, the only Pakistani destination served by BA, left yesterday.
Continue reading ‘Pakistan hotel bomb halts British Airways flights’

Pakistan may move WB against India over Chenab water

Pakistan will seek arbitration by the World Bank over India’s alleged violation of the Indus Water Treaty India if New Delhi did not concede the breach of the pact, a report said today.
Islamabad had claimed that, in “gross violations of the Indus Water Treaty,” India reduced the water flow to fill up the Baglihar dam lake in Jammu and Kashmir, causing to a “loss of agriculture” for farmers in Pakistan.
Continue reading ‘Pakistan may move WB against India over Chenab water’

Asif Ali Zardari’s official profile

Following is the official profile of President-elect Asif Ali Zardari who won the presidential election with an overwhelming majority on Saturday from the parliament and the four provincial assemblies.

Profile of Asif Ali Zardari:

PPP Co-Chairman Senator Asif Ali Zardari was born on July 26, 1955 in a prominent Baloch family from Sindh. He is the son of veteran politician Mr. Hakim Ali Zardari.

On his maternal side he is the great-grandson of Khan Bahadur Hassan Ali Effendi, the founder of the first educational institution for Muslims in Sindh. The founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was among the prominent students to graduate from the Sindh Madrasa.

Mr Zardari received his primary education at Karachi Grammar School and secondary education at Cadet College Petaro.
Continue reading ‘Asif Ali Zardari’s official profile’

Cricket News

Shoaib in provisional squad for Canada

Shoaib Akhtar, who this week was issued an ultimatum by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has now been included in a preliminary 20-man squad for next month’s Canada Cup Four Nation Twenty20 tournament. It was earlier reported that Shoaib would not be eligible to play in Canada after he was left out of Islamabad’s squad for the upcoming National Twenty20 tournament, but the News, a local daily, said the selectors have included his name for Canadian visa purposes.
Continue reading ‘Shoaib in provisional squad for Canada’

WICB unsure over Pakistan tour

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s latest attempt to fill the void left in their fixture schedule following the postponement of the Champions Trophy could be again set for failure.

The PCB this week sent a formal request to the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) inviting them to play two Tests in the strife-torn nation in November.

And while the chief executive of the WICB, Dr Donald Peters, said he was “hopeful” his organisation could oblige, he indicated a decision to tour could rest in the hands of the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA).

That would cast some doubt over the possibility of the tour going ahead after WIPA voiced its concerns, albeit late on, about sending a West Indies team to the Champions Trophy due to security fears.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board made a formal request for the West Indies to play two Test matches in November,” Dr Peters, who is currently in London, confirmed to PA Sport.

“We now have to wait for approval from the West Indies Players Association and it has to be confirmed by the West Indies Cricket Board before we can confirm the matches will take place.

“I am currently trying to fast-track that process so that we can get that done as quickly as possible and hopefully agree on the tour.

“Whether we can get that approval from the Players’ Association, however, will depend on their analysis of the security situation in Pakistan.”

New Zealand remain concerned over Pakistan security

New Zealand’s cricketers remain concerned over the security situation in Pakistan ahead of next month’s Champions Trophy, players’ association chief Heath Mills said on Saturday.

An International Cricket Council (ICC) taskforce and Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson spoke to the New Zealand squad in Christchurch on Thursday to update them on the state of affairs in the host country.
Continue reading ‘New Zealand remain concerned over Pakistan security’

Junior Asia Cup Hockey Tournament : India humble Pakistan 3-1 in semi-final

LAHORE: India defeated Pakistan 3-1 in the first semi-final of the 6th Men’s Junior Asia Cup Hockey in Hyderabad, India on Wednesday. India were leading 1-0 at half-time.

According to information received here, the Pakistan forwards failed to deliver goods as their efforts fizzled out due to lack of finish. In all it was the hosts’ day as their defender Dewaker drag-flicked to forge India ahead in the 10th minute. Thereafter, the exchanges were fought evenly but Pakistan failed to capitalize on chances that came their way.
Continue reading ‘Junior Asia Cup Hockey Tournament : India humble Pakistan 3-1 in semi-final’

Pakistan demolish China 5-0 in fourth hockey contest

LAHORE: Pakistan demolished China 5-0 in the fourth encounter to win the five-match hockey series in Changzhou (China) on Wednesday. Pakistan are now leading the series 3-1 with the last match to be played on Friday (tomorrow) at the same venue.
Continue reading ‘Pakistan demolish China 5-0 in fourth hockey contest’

Prime Minister performs inauguration of sports complex

KARACHI: Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro Wednesday performed the formal inauguration of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Sports Complex in Clifton here. Sports greats including Jehangir Khan, Hassan Sardar, Hanif Khan, Iqbal Qasim, Salahuddin Sullu also attended the ceremony.

Sindh Governor, Dr. Ishrat-ul- Ebad Khan, provincial ministers and Governor of State Bank of Pakistan, Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, were also present.
Continue reading ‘Prime Minister performs inauguration of sports complex’

Kashmir News

Kashmir bus service resumes

The Kashmir bus service resumed after a lapse of one-week when a bus carrying sixty-one passengers left Srinagar for Muzaffarabad Thursday morning. Officials said in Srinagar, fifty-eight passengers out of sixty-one were stuck up due to suspension of the service as massive agitation gripped the Kashmir valley against economic blockade imposed by Hindu extremists.
Continue reading ‘Kashmir bus service resumes’

Singh says terrorists harming friendship with Pakistan

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Friday that terrorist incidents such as the attack on Delhi’s embassy in Kabul were intended to harm friendship with Pakistan, but he also urged Islamabad to do more to thwart them.

“Our goal in South Asia is to seek a peaceful, stable and prosperous neighbourhood,” Mr Singh said in his traditional address from the 17th century Red Fort.
Continue reading ‘Singh says terrorists harming friendship with Pakistan’

Pushing Kashmir toward Pakistan

Swaminathan S Anklesaria Aiyar
When I first visited Kashmir in 1981, the pros and cons of accession to India or Pakistan inevitably cropped up in conversation. One government official argued that the Kashmiri economy, highly dependent on fruit, had suffered because the state had become part of India rather than Pakistan.
Continue reading ‘Pushing Kashmir toward Pakistan’