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Karachi twin blasts claim 22 lives
Pak leaders meet after
offer for talks
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Assembly Tenure Maoists hint at extension Despite mounting pressure from national and international community to draft the new Constitution by May 28, the single largest party the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists at the Assembly has given a clear message that they may not be able to meet the deadline set by the Interim Constitution.
3 Indians killed in mishap
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Karachi twin blasts claim 22 lives
Karachi, February 5 The explosion targeting the bus occurred on Shahrah-e-Quaideen, a key thoroughfare in the city, at 3.05 pm local time. Provincial Health Minister Sagheer Ahmed said 12 people were killed and 50 injured in the attack. TV news channels quoted witnesses as saying that a motorcycle-borne suicide bomber rammed the bus. However, Karachi police chief Waseem Ahmed said initial investigations had indicated that an explosive device planted in the motorcycle was triggered by remote control as the bus was passing by. The second blast occurred around 5 pm outside the emergency ward of the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre Hospital, where most of the dead and injured of the first attack were taken. The Geo news channel quoted officials and witnesses as saying that 10 people were killed and several others injured in the second blast. Several ambulances were also damaged in the attack. Over 200 people, most of them relatives of the injured in first blast and rescue workers, were present outside the hospital at the time of the explosion, the cause of which is yet to be ascertained. Karachi police chief Ahmed appealed for calm and urged Shia mourners to go ahead with the main procession marking the 'Chelum' or 40th day of the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain. He said the blast targeting the bus, which was carrying mourners, including women and children, had occurred at a considerable distance from the venue of the main procession and might have been aimed at diverting the attention of the security forces. Security personnel cordoned off the area and gathered the pieces of the motorcycle believed to have been used in the attack. Health Minister Sagheer Ahmed expressed fear that the casualties could rise. This was the second time that militants had attacked a Muharram procession in recent weeks. On December 28, a bomb explosion in the main Muharram congregation killed 45 people and led to widespread rioting. Today's blast took place despite heavy security arrangements in the city. — PTI
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Pak leaders meet after
offer for talks
Islamabad, February 5 The meetings involving President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani were held on Thursday evening, hours after it was made known in New Delhi that India had formally proposed talks with Pakistan. Zardari and Kayani first held a one-on-one meeting and Gilani joined them later. Zardari subsequently hosted a dinner that Qureshi also attended. The meetings, at which issues relating to national security and the ongoing drive against extremism and militancy were also discussed, gained “added significance” as they “took place in the backdrop of the latest Indian offer of talks”, Dawn reported on Friday. A presidential spokesperson, however, refused to comment on the meetings. “But political observers are attaching importance to the meetings at a time when India has formally proposed foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan. The presence of the foreign minister indicated that the Indian offer of resuming dialogue with Pakistan must have figured prominently in the discussion,” Dawn noted. The foreign office, meanwhile, said on Thursday it had sought clarifications from New Delhi on the proposal for talks. A senior foreign ministry official told Dawn that clarifications had been sought about the content and agenda of the proposed talks. “If India dispenses with its traditional inflexibility, there is a possibility of moving ahead,” foreign spokesperson Abdul Basit said. — IANS
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Assembly Tenure Despite mounting pressure from national and international community to draft the new Constitution by May 28, the single largest party the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists at the Assembly has given a clear message that they may not be able to meet the deadline set by the Interim Constitution. In response to a query asked by the journalists at a press meet organised by the Maoists to unveil the Central Committee meeting of the party yesterday, Maoists Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, alias Prachanda, said if the Constituent Assembly fails to finalise the draft of the new Constitution, the tenure can be extended by six months in accordance with the political consensus. In accordance with the existing constitutional provision, the Constituent Assembly will have to draft the new Constitution and enforce by May 14. Despite the fact the thematic committees that were assigned to draft the preliminary concept papers of the Constitution had already delayed in furnishing their reports within stipulated time frame. Besides, the major political parties are yet to reach a consensus and sort out the contentious issues to be included in the Constitution like fundamental principle of the Constitution, governance system, electoral system, model of federalism and sharing powers and natural resources among the provinces. The main opposition party in the Parliament, which has been carrying out street protests mainly against the government and India for the last nine months in the pretext of the establishment of civilian supremacy and national independence, has decided to pacify its protests expecting that the recently formed High-Level Political Mechanism may address their problems. It has also decided to concentrate on peace process and Constitution drafting process instead of taking to the street for the next three months. During the period, the Maoists, however, will launch door-to-door campaign to educate the people about their agenda.
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3 Indians killed in mishap
Manila, February 5 Chief Superintendent Roberto Damian, a regional police commander, said the Indian nationals died on the spot. He identified the victims as Kumar Sandeep, Joginder Singh and Sangeet Sharma, who was driving the vehicle. Damian said police officers were investigating the accident to determine what caused the collision and who was at fault. —
DPA
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Laser therapy to destroy fat Tooth enamel defects
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