Pakistan Post: Urdu Columns

Showing posts with label Urdu Columns. Show all posts

Monday, 7 September 2009

Marketplace of traitors in Pakistan

Posted by Electro Fan at 14:36 . Monday, 7 September 2009

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Labels: Urdu Columns

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Jangle 08 March 2009 - Javed Choudhary

Posted by Electro Fan at 07:41 . Sunday, 8 March 2009

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Labels: Urdu Columns

IMF says Pakistan has met initial targets

Posted by Electro Fan at 08:42 . Friday, 30 January 2009

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Labels: Misc, Urdu Columns

WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund said on Thursday that data indicated Pakistan had met its end-December targets under its 23-month IMF funding programme, suggesting the government was making some headway in its balance of payments crisis.

"Initial developments under the programme have been positive," IMF spokesman David Hawley told a regular news briefing.

"The foreign exchange rate has appreciated somewhat and preliminary information suggests that end-December targets for net international reserves and net domestic assets at the State Bank of Pakistan were met," he added.

Asked if Pakistan's reserves had increased, Mr Hawley said he did not have reserve figures.

Earlier on Thursday, the State Bank of Pakistan announced that its foreign exchange reserves rose $260 million to $10.21 billion in the week ending Jan 24. This, however, includes $500 million from China to help rebuild reserves, which had declined to dangerously low levels last year.

Responding to another question, the IMF spokesman said no date had yet been fixed for sending an IMF mission to Pakistan for reviewing the programme. "The next assessment will take place in the first programme review which is scheduled to be completed by March," he added.

Earlier media reports, however, suggested that IMF and Pakistan officials might meet in Dubai between Feb 14 and 24.

Pakistan and the IMF agreed on a $7.6 billion loan deal in November to steady the country's finances and stave off a balance of payments crisis and possible default on its foreign debt.

At the time, the Pakistani rupee had fallen sharply against the dollar and the country's stock market dived after foreign investors took flight amid a global credit crisis that had heightened Pakistan's economic woes.

The next talks with the IMF will focus on the second tranche of $775 million.

Pakistan territory not used for Mumbai attacks: Shamsul Hassan

Posted by Electro Fan at 08:41 .

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Labels: Misc, Urdu Columns

LONDON: Pakistan high commissioner in Britain Wajid Shamsul Hassan has said that the planning of Mumbai attacks was not hatched on Pakistani soil.

In an interview to Indian television, Wajid Shamsul Hassan has said that the report on the dossier that India has sent to Pakistan on the Mumbai attacks is in its final stage which is likely to absolve Pakistan of involvement in the strikes on Mumbai.

"Pakistani territory was not used so far as the investigators have made their conclusions. Pakistan territory not used. It could have been some other place. Not the UK as well. Because these were the two places I was concerned about. They categorically informed me that the territories were not used for planning this operation," said Wajid Shamsul Hassan.

His comments follow media reports that quote government sources saying Pakistani territory was not used to prepare and plot the Mumbai attack.

Three security force men killed in Malakand bomb assault

Posted by Electro Fan at 08:40 .

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Labels: Misc, Urdu Columns

Three security men were killed and seven others wounded Friday in remote-controlled bomb attack on a security forces convoy in neighboring area of restive Swat.

According initial report, a planted bomb hit forces' convoy at Jalala area of Malakand agency killing at least three cops and injuring seven others.

The corpses and injured were immediately rushed to nearby hospital while, the forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation.

Meanwhile, some three people were killed in recent incidents of violence in neighboring Swat, reported ARY OneWorld.

In Chaharbagh, law enforcement agency's personnel shot dead two people on violation of curfew, while another civilian was killed when a mortar hit his house in Mingora.

Military gunship helicopters also pounded militants' hideouts in Chaharbagh, however, no casualties were reported so far.

Nawa-i-waqat columns - Aftab Iqbal - 26 Jan, 2009

Posted by Electro Fan at 02:18 . Monday, 26 January 2009

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Labels: Urdu Columns

Japan will give $480 mln to Pakistan

Posted by Electro Fan at 07:22 . Wednesday, 21 January 2009

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Labels: Misc, Urdu Columns

Pakistan said it will receive $480 million in financial aid from Japan during the current fiscal year ending June 30.

Finance Advisor Shaukat Tarin lauded the Japanese assistance in a meeting with Japan Ambassador in Islamabad Mr. Chihiro Atsumi.

Tarin further said that Japan wants to assist Pakistan in major development projects.

Pakistan Finance Advisor discussed over economic stability and development projects with the Japanese envoy. "The economy has improved after the IMF bailout," Tarin informed the Japanese ambassador.

Obama supports Pakistan economic aid expansion: Hillary

Posted by Electro Fan at 07:19 .

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Labels: Misc, Urdu Columns

WASHINGTON: Assuring lawmakers of President-elect Barack Obama's support for a Congressional measure on three-fold expansion in economic assistance for Pakistan, US Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton has vowed to pursue a 'positive' relationship with Islamabad for addressing the 'tough and complicated' problem of violent extremism afflicting the region.

"Yes, the president-elect does support the legislation that you (Kerry) were part of, Vice President-elect (Joseph) Biden and Senator (Richard) Lugar also. We want to try to begin to some extent to separate our military aid from our non-military aid.

"The tripling of non-military aid is intended to provide resources that will both support the Pakistani people and also give some tools to the democratically elected government to try to start producing results for the people of Pakistan," she told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at her confirmation hearing.

Clinton was asked by Senator Kerry if she could affirm that the new administration remains absolutely committed to the Biden-Lugar measure (now likely to be named Kerry-Lugar) that seeks to enhance economic assistance for Pakistan to $1.5 billion annually over a number of years.

On the military aid aspect of the legislation, she said, the administration wants to look hard and see whether we can condition some of that on the commitment for the counter-insurgency, counterterrorism missions.

"So we certainly are inclined to support, where appropriate, the legislation you are referring to," she added. The New York senator, who has been a member of the influential panel, told her fellow lawmakers that Pakistan faces the complex problem of extremism but its government is determined to curb the menace.

"Pakistan has a particular complexity because of its nuclear weapons capacity. But the democratically elected government has been saying a lot of the right things with respect to the threat posed by extremists and terrorists, particularly along the border and in the Fata region in Pakistan.

"So, I am hopeful that we will have a very active, positive relationship with the new Pakistan government. I know that there is a lot of work being done by the outgoing administration to deepen ties between our country and various institutions in Pakistan," she said. "But this is a tough problem. It is a very complicated problem. It has many dimensions to it. As you pointed out, the relationship with India, the relationship with Afghanistan.

"The role that Iran and others are playing in that region." "We have to approach this with the same level of attention and comprehensive understanding that our military is attempting to do as it ramps up our troop commitment in Afghanistan and works more closely with the government of Pakistan to protect them from violent extremists as well as to root out al-Qaeda and other remnants of the terrorists network so that they don't find safe haven in Pakistan to plan attacks against us or any other country."

Kerry, who has succeeded Vice President-elect Joseph Biden, underscored the need for supporting Pakistan in overcoming its economic challenges. He raised his concern on a number of counts with respect to pursuance of the war on terror in Afghanistan and pointed out the need for clear definition of the US goals.

Clinton sounded agreeable to chairman of the panel Senator John Kerry's call for examining efficacy of targeting and taking out suspected terrorists in tribal areas along Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the face of counterproductive impact of such actions on hearts and minds campaign.

US President Obama to boost US aid to Pakistan by three-times

Posted by Electro Fan at 07:16 .

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Labels: Misc, Urdu Columns

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama on Wednesday announced three-time increase in US non-military aid to Pakistan during next five years.

In his foreign policy document released by the White House today the new US president urged Pakistan to ensure security at Pak-Afghan border.

The document said that the legislation launched by the Vice President Joe Biden will be passed and Pakistan will be granted US$ 7.5 billion during the next five years for construction of roads, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure projects.

The document said that Pakistan would have to ensure security at its border with Afghanistan.