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Wednesday, 19 June 2013

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US applauds Pakistan’s genuine support for Afghan peace process -

WASHINGTON, June 18 (APP): The United States on Tuesday praised Pakistan’s “genuine and constructive” support for the Afghan peace process, as Washington welcomed the opening of the Afghan Taliban office in Qatar as an “important first step in the long and complex” process of reconciliation to end the conflict in Afghanistan. Commenting on the Taliban announcement of opening their office in Doha a development which coincides with transfer of security responsibility to Afghan forces across their landlocked country - a senior U.S. administration official said it represents an “important first step towards reconciliation .”

Upcoming CPC campaign a “thorough cleanup” of undesirable practices -

BEIJING, June 18 (APP): Xi Jinping, leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said Tuesday that the CPC’s upcoming year-long campaign will be a “thorough cleanup” of undesirable work styles such as formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance. “The main task of the campaign focuses on building work styles,” Xi, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, said at a high-profile tele-conference held to deploy the campaign, said Xinhua news.

Pakistan seeks talks to address issue of damage-dealing drone strikes -

UNITED NATIONS, June 18 (APP): Pakistan has called for steps to protect children in situations of armed conflict, while stressing the need for negotiations to address the issue of damaging effects unleashed by drone strikes. Pakistan believes that the use of armed drones violates sovereignty, causes civilian casualties, and puts communities at risk of reprisal attacks, Ambassador Masood Khan told the UN Security Council on Monday. "Drone strikes radicalize disaffected communities and increase the number of terrorists. Urgent and intense negotiations are needed to address the issue of armed drones," the Pakistani envoy said in a debate on Children in Armed Conflict.

George Mason University welcomes Pakistani NUST team -

FAIRFAX (Virginia), June 18 (APP): George Mason University on Monday welcomed a group of Pakistan faculty from National University of Sciences and Technology at the start of a three-week course that aims at sharing best practices in teaching and research.Dr. Peter N. Stearns, Provost and University Professor, Dr. Mark R. Ginsberg, Dean College of Education and Human Development, Prof. Anne Schiller,Vice President for Global Strategies, Siddique Sheikh, Member GMU Board of Visitors (director), Dr. Eirini Gouleta, Associate Professor International Education, and Dr Hmood Ur Rehman, Head, Department of Electrical Engineering, NUST, and leader of the Pakistani team, addressed the inaugural reception. Ambassador-at-Large Riffat Mahmood and Mrs. Shaista Riffat Mahmood also attended the event.As part of the continuing partnership, a George Mason University delegation would visit the NUST in a few months and attend a convention as well.

China rejects spy claims against Snowden -

BEIJING, June 18 (APP): A Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman described as “sheer nonsense” claims that a former U.S. intelligence contractor who is hiding in Hong Kong was an agent of China.Spokeaperson Hua Chunying made the comment at a daily press briefing Monday after former U.S. vice president Dick Cheney expressed suspicion Sunday that Edward Snowden chose Hong Kong because he was an agent of China.“This is sheer nonsense,” Xinhua news quoted Hua.The 29-year-old former CIA-employee fled Hong Kong on May 20 after exposingtwo classified U.S. National Security Agency surveillance programs, one collecting U.S. phone records and the other mining Internet data.In Hong Kong, he provided The Guardian with top-secret documents that has led to a series of revelations about the extent of U.S. surveillance, to which several nations, including U.S. allies, have demanded explanations.

Sport News

Match officials for Champions Trophy semis announced

KARACHI, June 18 (APP): The International Cricket Council (ICC) Tuesday announced the match officials for the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy. England will take on South Africa in the first semi-final on Wednesday at The Oval.The on-field umpires appointed will be Kumar Dharmasena and Rod Tucker, with Bruce Oxenford and Steve Davis third and fourth umpires, respectively.
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Pakistan hockey training camp commences

KARACHI, June 18 (APP): Training camp of Pakistan probables in preparations for Hockey World League began here at Hockey Club of Pakistan (HCP) Stadium on Tuesday.Former Pakistan captain and Olympic half back Waseem Ahmed did not report for training as he was getting treatement after an accident, Manager/Chief coach Akhtar Rasool told APP during team’s afternoon training session.
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CNS Open set new mark with Rs 5.1 mln prize money

KARACHI, June 18 (APP): The 18th edition of Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Golf Championship will be staged at Karachi Golf Club from June 27 to 30, Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF) announced on Tuesday.“CNS will surpass Pakistan Open Golf prize money of Rs five million by one lakh”, Vice President of PGF Taimur Hassan Amin told APP.This is richest-ever prize money ever offered in a domestic golf event”, he added.

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Immigrants in Karachi warned to get themselves registered in 30 days

KARACHI, Jan 8 (APP)- Interior Minister Abdul Rehman Malik, on Friday gave 30 days to all foreigners in Karachi to either get themselves registered or face action under Foreigners Act on the expiry of deadline.Talking to journalists after a high level meeting at Headquarters of Pakistan Rangers Sindh which reviewed law and order situation, he said in a population of about 18 million in Karachi, there were 1.6 to 2 million immigrants including Afghans and other nationals. He asked them to get themselves registered within 30 days.

Referring to the blast which took place in a house in Baldia Town, the Minister thanked Allah Almighty that a big disaster was evaded in Karachi. A family from Swat was living at the house where the blast occurred. The explosive blasted accidentally along with two suicide jackets, he added.
He said law enforcers recovered two jackets, 22 grenades, Kalashnikov and its magazines from the debris of house which collapsed due to the blast.
Rehman Malik said people from outside Karachi come and live here in rented houses without their verification. He said he has issued directive that the owner who rented out his house, be arrested.
Regarding ongoing killings in Lyari area, the Interior Minister clarified that the violence sparked off on a girl having illicit relations with a boy Amir. The people murdered them which too was a crime as they were supposed to report the matter to police.
He said in reaction to this, a group attacked and killed some people who too killed some of members of this group in reaction. He said he condemns these acts of reactions, He said that Rangers have been deployed in the area with the instructions to carry out strict checking and take legal action against the gangsters without consideration of their political affiliations.
The Interior Minister described the Karachi tragedy a big national loss and said that anti-state enemies wanted to destabilise Pakistan.
He said the extremists, after hhaving failed in Swat, Waziristan and FATA have now moved to Karachi but their conspiracies will be thwarted.
He requested the media not to brand every act of killing as target killing.
He said today he has held a meeting with the top leaders of PPP and MQM. He said certain forces wanted disintegration of relations between the two parties.
He appealed to every one whether Balochi, Pashto, Sindhi, Panjabi or Urdu speaking, Sunni or Shia, JUI or JI, that this country belongs to them all and they should pursue their people to get united for the sake of Pakistan.
Rehman Malik said that series of conspiracies have been hatched but these would stand unfolded and government will take stringent action against the conspirators.
He admitted that Rangers and Police were slow in the response after bomb blast on Ashura day, but they all acted as per their strength. He said the government is now going for their capacity building.

The Interior Minister said he has received FIA’s interim report but he cannot disclose its contents for the time being. Report on Karachi tragedy has also been finalised and would be made public in few days, he added.
He said no political party had been involved in the Karachi tragedy.
Propaganda in this regard was being carried out in a planned manner so as to create rifts among political forces.
He said these acts were the acts of groups of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi to distract the investigators and the propaganda about political parties involvement was wrong.
The Interior Minister asked the media not to go on partly CCTV clips and the government has developed all the recordings on 52 MB.
Rehman Malik said the new wave of terrorism has to be controlled with the efforts of all.
Replying a question he said reports about Ashura Blast and Boulton Market fire incidents have been completed.
He said he has directed the concerned authorities to carry out a survey and identify the illegal immigrants and those living in rented premises.
He said that immigrants working as domestic servants will also have to get themselves registered otherwise action will be taken against them.
He said the industrialists will also have to abide by Foreign Act in relation to immigrants working in their units.
Mr Malik said that in the process of sale or purchase of properties, the seller and buyer will have to give a declaration that they are Pakistanis and the data so developed would be provided to NADRA.
He said that NARA’s role will be to register the immigrants and issue employment card to them.