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India agrees to more cargo trains to Pakistan
Typhoon fury |
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550 Tibetans detained in Nepal
Mush’s Impeachment
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India agrees to more cargo trains to Pakistan
Pakistan and India have agreed to increase railway traffic between the two countries, Pakistani officials returning to the country after holding talks with their Indian counterparts have said. Talking to reporters at the Wahga border, Railways Operations Director Shafiq-ullah said Indian officials had agreed to increase the number of weekly cargo trains between the two countries to 150 from 60 and run the Thar Express twice every week as well. He also stated Indian railways minister Lalu Prasad Yadav would visit Pakistan in the near future. Benazir’s birth anniversary celebrated
The death sentence of all prisoners in Pakistan would be commuted to life imprisonment as a mark of commemorating the 55th birth anniversary of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani announced in the National Assembly on Saturday. "I believe this will be a befitting tribute to one of the best- known Pakistani leaders recognised internationally for her commitment to peace and democracy," Gilani observed. Members from both sides of the aisle representing all political parties paid homage to Bhutto and counted her sacrifices for the promotion of democracy and strengthening the unity of the federation. Gilani said he had sent a summary to the President for formal conversion of the death sentence into life imprisonment. He also announced 90-day remission of the sentence of all prisoners not involved in heinous crimes. The Prime Minister further announced that the Islamabad International Airport would be renamed as Benazir International Airport. Similarly, the main road linking Rawalpindi with Islamabad that passes through the Liaquat Gardens, where Bhutto was assassinated, would be christened after her. The General Hospital, Rawalpindi, where she was taken after being shot at on December 27 would be named Benazir Hospital. A memorial would be built in Liaquat Gardens on the spot where Bhutto was killed.A special trust had been created in her name in Waziristan for orphans and widows of Pakistan's tribal areas whose relatives had been killed during military operations against militants and Al-Qaida. ‘A.Q. Khan’s case is closed’
A foreign office spokesman has said no foreigner has any access to Pakistan’s nuclear designs, and that Dr A.Q. Khan’s case is closed. Commenting on a news report that the nuclear bomb design in digital format found in the possession of the Tinners of Switzerland was similar to the Pakistani design provided by Khan, the spokesman in a statement here expressed surprise at the speculation while pointing out that no foreigner had access to Pakistan’s nuclear designs. The spokesman said the entire story raised a number of questions. “If Tinners files have relevance to Dr A.Q. Khan, then why were they destroyed? The files should have been shared with Pakistan, if they were genuine and relevant to Dr Khan.” The spokesman said Khan’s case was closed as he did not have any official status and in no manner whatsoever he could indulge in nuclear proliferation. “All relevant information of the case has already been shared with the IAEA and there is no new development in this context,” he added.
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17 killed in Philippines
Manila, June 21 Ten people drowned after the Rifao river overflowed its banks and swept away three houses in a riverside village in South Upi in southern Maguindanao province, provincial administrator Norie Unas said. Five others were missing. “The water is subsiding, but our fear is that there are signs of rains upstream,” Unas said by telephone from Talayan, where a flash flood killed four persons and swept away farm animals. At least 40 persons, who were trapped on an island in the middle of the river, were rescued by police and soldiers, who managed to link a rope between the island and the riverbank, town councillor Justina Betita said. In nearby Cotabato city, a 50-year-old man and his 10-year-old grandson were killed when a landslide buried their hillside shanty, Mayor Muslim in Sema said. In neighbouring Cotabato province, authorities recovered the body of a farmer, one of three persons reported missing. Officials said neck-deep floodwaters had risen further due to a high tide, forcing the evacuation of 5,000 people in Sultan Kudarat township in southern Shariff Kabunsuan province, near Cotabato city. Officials ordered the evacuation of more than 1,17,000 persons from areas prone to floods and landslides in central Albay province. But many returned home by midday today after the typhoon missed the area. — AP
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550 Tibetans detained in Nepal
Kathmandu, June 21 At least four activists were injured during a scuffle between the police and the Tibetan exiles, who were carrying Tibetan flags and “Free Tibet” banners. The road near the Chinese Embassy at Hattisar, near the Narayanhity Palace, was blocked as hundreds of Tibetans staged a sit-in despite tight security in the area. The police intervened as the demonstrators tried to enter the complex. Yesterday, the authorities arrested three senior community leaders for provoking the demonstrations and said they would be imprisoned for a “longer period”. Tibetan activists here said the three — Kelsang Chung, Ngawang Sangmi and Tashi Dolma — were not in any way linked to the Dalai Lama. — PTI
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PML-N ready to move motion ‘any time’
Islamabad, June 21 Senior PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal, a close aide of party chief Nawaz Sharif, told reporters here that an impeachment motion against the beleaguered President "could be moved in Parliament at any time". However, senior PPP leaders have insisted that the coalition does not have the two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament needed to pass an impeachment motion. Iqbal said the PML-N has no objection to most clauses in the constitutional amendment package prepared by Pakistan People's Party to clip Musharraf's wings but had "reservations on those related to the restoration of the deposed judges". — PTI
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Brazil creates new Amazon Indian reservation Judge denies new patent trial for Microsoft Man charged in weapons contracting case Woman who stole from Heston gets 5 yrs in jail 
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Pakistan and India have agreed to increase railway traffic between the two countries, Pakistani officials returning to the country after holding talks with their Indian counterparts have said.
