Nisar hints involvement of foreign handlers in Islamabad standoff

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Monday hinted at some foreign handlers of Muhammad Sikandar, main character of the Islamabad standoff, as he revealed complexity of the drama staged on August 15 at Jinnah Avenue and assured to take the investigation to a logical conclusion.

The issue is not so simple. This incident points towards involvement of some officials and sensitive institutions and international mobsters. There are some handlers of Muhammad Sikandar and we shall unearth this conspiracy.

Fazl warns of protest against potential delay in D I Khan/Tank by-poll

D I KHAN: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman Monday said that by-elections on NA-25 D I Khan/Tank would not be allowed to be postponed on the pretext of security reasons being expressed by certain quarters to the Election Commission.

Some political forces in the constituency, keeping in view the popularity of the JUI-F candidate, were seeking ways to run away from polling.Speaking to APP, the JUI-F chief said, We will not allow anyone to postpone polling in the constituency. If any attempt is made to put off the polls, the party would strongly resist it, he added.

Nawaz vows to eradicate terrorism, improve economy

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday expressed resolve of the government to eliminate terrorism, improve economy, address power crisis and pursue good neighbourly relations with all countries of the region including India for regional peace and prosperity.

The premier, in his first official televised address to the nation, said Pakistan today was facing serious challenges like terrorism, endangering the very survival of the country and worst kind of power shortfall that has paralysed the national economy.

Egypt must get back to 'inclusive approach': US

WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel urged Egypt's military rulers to take an inclusive approach to governing after security forces killed hundreds of supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi.

Hagel reiterated Washington's appeal for dialogue amid ongoing bloodshed in Egypt but acknowledged that US influence over events is limited.

The interim government of Egypt must get back to an inclusive approach to reconciliation in Egypt, Hagel said during a joint news conference at the Pentagon with his Chinese counterpart, General Chang Wanquan.

Asfandyar vows to defeat PTI in KP by-polls

PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan on Monday said since PTI chief Imran Khan has been keeping his silence over the deteriorating law and order situation, therefore he will face a historic defeat in the August 22 by-polls.

Addressing a public gathering at Nishtar Hall in Peshawar, he said in the aftermath of Bannu jailbreak, Imran Khan had said that ANP lost the right to rule the province. What does Imran have to say now about his right to rule the province after D I Khan jailbreak, he questioned.

Men behind Nanga Parbat massacre arrested

GILGIT: The Diamer Police on Monday claimed a major breakthrough in the investigation of the Nanga Parbat massacre by arresting over 20 attackers following a targeted operation.

The Nanga Parbat massacre took place in late June this year when ten people including foreign climbers and a Pakistani cook were gunned down at the base camp.

We have arrested some 20 men in connection with the killings of locals and foreigners. We reached the hideouts of the terrorists involved in the assassination of security officials, foreign tourists and sectarian killings on Karakoram Highway and Naran-Kaghan road (Lolo Sar) after tremendous efforts, Superintendent of Police Diamer District Muhammad Navid said.

Indian army told to retaliate to Pakistan border firing: Antony

NEW DELHI: India's army will take all possible stepsto counter any ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the border between the two countries, the Indian defence minister said Monday, warning not to take New Delhi's restraint for granted.

Skirmishes have erupted across the heavily militarised Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border in Kashmir, since five Indian soldiers were killed earlier this month in an ambush which India has blamed on the Pakistan army.

By-polls to be held as scheduled: secretary ECP

ISLAMABAD:The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decided on Monday to hold the upcoming by-polls on August 22 as per schedule setting aside concerns over terrorism and the flood-hit areas,  reported.

Moreover, Secretary Election Commission Ishtiaq Ahmed said that armed forces personnel would be deployed at polling stations designated as 'sensitive' and 'most sensitive.'Addressing a press conference after attending a high-level meeting, during which issues like terrorism and the recent floods were discussed, the election commission's secretary said that armed forces personnel would be deployed 4,526 polling stations to be held in 42 constituencies of the country.

Sindh Assembly passes Local Government Act 2013

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly passed a new bill proposing changes in the local body government today amid chants of shame, shame made by the opposition.

Opposition leader Sardar Ahmed of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) strongly protested against the bill, claiming that it was not the same bill which was shown to the opposition.

In response to Ahmed's statement, PPPs Nisar Khuhro declared that the opposition was simply opposing for the sake of opposing, which prompted MQM lawmakers to stand up and loudly protest.

Egypt's Mubarak will be freed soon, lawyer says

CAIRO: Hosni Mubarak, the former Egyptian president overthrown in an uprising in 2011, will be released from jail soon after a prosecutor cleared him in a corruption case, his lawyer and a judicial source said on Monday.

Mubarak, 85, was arrested after he was ousted. In scenes that mesmerised Arabs, the former leader appeared in a court-room cage during his trial on charges that ranged from corruption to complicity in the murder of protesters.More than a year on, the only legal grounds for Mubarak's continued detention rest on another corruption case which his lawyer, Fareed el-Deeb, said would be settled swiftly.

PM for expediating flood relief activities

LAHORE: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif directed on Sunday the Punjab government to utilise all possible resources for accelerating relief activities in the flood-hit areas.

The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction over the measures being taken by the Punjab government for providing relief to flood affected people, during a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif.The Punjab chief minister briefed the Prime Minister regarding flood situation and relief activities in the province and informed the premier that all the available resources were being utilised for the rehabilitation of flood affected people.

LHC discards appeal against death sentence of GHQ attack mastermind

RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi division bench of the Lahore High Court on Monday discarded an appeal against the death sentence of Aqeel Ahmed alias Dr Usman, the man convicted for the 2009 attack on the Army General Headquarters (GHQ), DawnNews reported.

The intra-court appeal was heard by a bench comprising Justice Mazhar Iqbal and Justice Ibadur Rahman Lodhi.During the hearing, the court declared that the government had not yet decided on the implementation of capital punishment, adding that the appeal would be heard after the government makes a decision on the matter.

Bank deposits decrease

Bids worth Rs186.76 billion were accepted by the central bank during an auction of T-bills of various tenors held on August 6.

Of the total, three-month T-bills fetched Rs170.97 billion (bn) at a cut-off yield of 8.9872 per cent, while six-month T-bills fetched a sum of Rs15.79bn at 8.9836 per cent. Total bids received were of a face value of Rs188.96bn. No bids were received for 12-month T-bills, while non-competitive bids had amounted to Rs13.44bn.The State of Bank of Pakistan also conducted its open market operations (OMO, mop up) in the three-day repo contract on August 13. Four bids were received with total amount offered at Rs15.5bn, within a range of rate of return of 8.5-8.6 per cent. Of these, three bids were accepted for a total amount of Rs9.5bn, at a rate of return of 8.5 per cent.

Rupee slides against dollar, euro

The rupee continued to lose ground against both the dollar and the euro last week amid dull trading.

On the interbank market, the rupee commenced last week by shedding 38 paisa on the buying counter and 37 paisa on the selling counter to close the day at Rs102.68 and Rs102.72, from Rs102.30 and Rs102.35 at the close of the prior week ended August 7.However, the rupee managed to gain one-paisa against the dollar on the buying counter and another two-paisa on the selling counter in the second trading session to trade at Rs102.67 and Rs102.70.

Stocks rise as investors speculate about monetary policy decision

The stock market was abuzz last week over what the upcoming August monetary policy statement has in store. Is the State Bank of Pakistan likely to jack up the discount rate?

Strong arguments were presented by pundits and participants on both sides. The anticipations of the two groups were poles apart. Farah Marwat, an analyst at JS Global, was sure that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) would maintain status quo in its monetary policy, which is likely to be announced this week. However, Zubair Ghulam Hussain, head of sales at Foundation Securities, was equally confident that a raise of 50 to 150bps in the discount rate was on the cards.

Afghanistans attorney general sacked over secret Taliban meeting: official

KABUL: Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, has sacked his attorney general of almost five years, after the chief law officer held an unsanctioned meeting with Taliban peace negotiators in the United Arab Emirates, a senior Afghan official and a legislator told Reuters on Monday.

Attorney General Muhammad Ishaq Aloko met members of a Taliban peace negotiation team in Dubai, despite being told by the Presidential Palace not to attend the meeting, the official said.

Bugti murder case: ATC orders authorities to produce Musharraf on Sept 10

QUETTA: During Mondays hearing of the Akbar Bugti murder case, an anti-terrorism court in Quetta ordered the authorities to produce before it former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, the main accused in the case, on September 10 as it adjourned the matter to the said date, DawnNews reported.

ATC judge Ismail Baloch was hearing the case relating to the murder of Baloch nationalist leader Akbar Bugti.During the hearing, the judge expressed displeasure at the team investigating Bugti's murder over their failure to produce Musharraf for the hearing.

Two FC personnel among three dead in Quetta violence

QUETTA: Armed militants killed two Frontier Corps (FC) personnel and injured another one in Sariab road area of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan on Sunday evening, police said.

Shabeer Ahmed, a police official told Dawn.com that two armed militants opened fire at the checkpost of FC in Sariab road area of Quetta.

He said one FC personnel was killed on the spot, whereas another succumbed to injuries on the way to the hospital.

Ahmed said one attacker was also killed when FC personnel retaliated after the attack. He said another attacker was arrested alive in an injured condition and was shifted to an unknown location for interrogation.

Police and FC personnel were quick to reach the scene and the area was subsequently cordoned off. Security was tightened on Sariab road as an investigation into the incident is now underway.

The injured FC personnel was rushed to combined military hospital for medical treatment. Senior doctors were called on emergency basis to provide timely treatment to the injured soldier.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. However, Ahmed suspects Baloch separatists were behind the attack.

Sariab road is considered to be one of the sensitive areas of Quetta city. Targeted killings and bombings in the area is order of the day.

Apart from police, FC personnel have also been deployed on the road to maintain order.

This incident has occured two days after militants attacked Jaffar Express and killed four passengers in Mach area of the troubled Bolan district.

Court orders suspect in ephedrine case to surrender

ISLAMABAD: A special court for the control of narcotic substances on Saturday dismissed an application of Khushnood Akhtar Lashari, the former principal secretary to prime minister, against ex parte proceedings in the ephedrine case and asked him to surrender to avoid confiscation of his property.

In April, the court had issued perpetual warrants for Mr Lasharis arrest after declaring him a proclaimed offender.

Nawaz to address nation tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is scheduled to make a formal speech to the nation on Monday, Dawn has learnt.

A senior official at the Prime Minister House told Dawn that arrangements for Mr Sharif146s address had been finalised and his speech was being given final touches.

In his first address to the nation since his election to the office of prime minister in June, Mr Sharif is expected to apprise the nation of the challenges being faced by his government in tackling crucial issues like terrorism, energy crisis and revival of the countrys economy.