Unfulfilled promises led country to present crisis: Nawaz

Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-N Chief Nawaz Sharif Sunday said the country would not have faced crisis had the President Asif Zardari fulfilled promises.

He was addressing a public meeting arranged here at Raiwind Farm today to mark completion of 10 years of bloodless military coup by General Pervez Musharraf.

“Today the people are asking as to how and why the country plunged into the swamp of crisis,” Nawaz Sharif said.

He assured of his full support to the present government towards resolving the problems being faced by the country. “All the problems must be resolved at the level of centre and all the political parties should play their role in this regard”.

The PML-N Chief said instead of restoration of judiciary a few of the deposed judges was reappointed. “They (the deposed judges) were not restored …. they were humiliated,” he complained.

Regarding tribal unrest, he said that his party supports resolution of the issue through dialogue.

Pakistan expects India to abide by water agreements: Zardari

President Asif Ali Zardari has said that Pakistan expects India to abide by international agreements on sharing of water in the Indus River system. “ Pakistan would be paying a very high price for India 's move to block Pakistan 's water supply from the Chenab River . Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured me in our meeting in New York that his country is seriously committed to our water sharing treaty. We expect him to stand by his commitment,” President Zardari said here on Sunday.

No rift between army, government: Ahmed Mukhtar

Federal Defence Minister, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar has said the Pakistan army remains alert to any border violation and that there is no rift between the government and army. Talking to media here, Mukhtar said the government and Pak army share complete unanimity of views as regards retaliating any border violation.

Gunship raid kills 35 militants in Orakzai

Pakistani helicopter gun ships on Sunday bombed a meeting of Taliban militants in Orakzai tribal region, leaving 35 fighters dead, security officials said.

The attack in the northwestern district of Orakzai agency came two days after a suicide bomber killed at least 40 anti-Taliban tribesmen at a tribal gathering in the same district.

Among the dead in Sunday's attack were two Taliban commanders and about 12 potential suicide bombers, officials said.

‘Helicopter gunships carried out a successful raid at a militant hide-out in Orakzai district killing 35,' a senior security official told AFP.

Separately, a paramilitary official confirmed around a dozen potential suicide bombers were among those killed.

‘The raid was carried out after ground intelligence that the Taliban were meeting and their commanders and potential suicide bombers would be there,' he said.

Government and intelligence officials in the region said at least three militant hideouts were destroyed.

Residents said 15 civilians were also wounded in the strike. It was not possible to get independent confirmation of the incident. Orakzai, a mountainous area which is the only one of the tribal regions that does not share a border with Afghanistan , has previously been relatively unaffected by Pakistan 's battle with militants.

Across the tribal belt, the government has tried to enlist tribesmen to back its military operations against al Qaeda and Taliban extremists based near the Afghan frontier.

Taliban rebels have killed dozens of tribal elders they accuse of backing the government using roadside bombs, executions and, less frequently, suicide bombings.

Most of their attacks have however targeted security forces. In September, Taliban militants beheaded two police recruits one week after abducting 25 of them from Orakzai.

President Zardari's state visit to China to open up new horizons for bilateral strategic partnership

Amidst new challenges looming over this region, Asif Ali Zardari will embark on his first bilateral official visit to Beijing from October 14 to 17 after assuming the office of President of Pakistan. The visit will be a giant leap forward towards invigorating Pak-China comprehensive strategic partnership, opening up new horizons of cooperation in line with convergence of views and mutuality of interests.

Nato not losing Afghan war, commander says

Nato is not losing the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan , but there are not enough troops to provide sufficient security for the people, the commander of international troops in Afghanistan said on Sunday.

"We are not losing in Afghanistan ," General David McKiernan told a news conference. But, he said, "we have insufficient security forces here to adequately provide for the security of the people of Afghanistan ."

The commander of British troops in Afghanistan , Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith, last week said Nato was not going to win the war, but the aim was to reduce the insurgency to a level where it could be managed by Afghan forces. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates dismissed the British brigadier's comments as "defeatism".

World Bank to provide $ 1.4 billion this year

The World Bank has pledged to provide $ 1.4 billion support for Pakistan in the current year which can be front-loaded to fast track investment projects and budgetary lending. The amount includes $ 600 million for investment portfolio and $ 800 million for budget support as macroeconomic stabilization program moves forward.

Nawaz calls for nation's pledge to halt dictatorship

PML-N Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif has called upon the entire Pakistani nation to make firm resolve for halting the way of dictatorship forever. He was addressing a big public meeting held here Sunday in connection with observance of Black Day against over-throwing of N-League's elected government by the then General Pervez Musharraf on October 12, 1999.

Troops kill six freedom fighters in IoK

Troops have shot dead six freedom fighters during gunbattles in Indian occupied Kashmir , including LoC, police said on Sunday.

Four freedom fighters were killed in northern Kupwara and southern Poonch districts, both bordering AJK, a police statement said.

Two more freedom fighters were killed in Pulwama district, about 30 kilometres (18 miles) south of occupied Srinagar .

"The mandate given by the people of Kashmir through massive demonstrations was not for talks but for the right to self-determination and freedom from India ," freedom leader Syed Ali Geelani said. The nearly two-decade old insurgency against Indian rule has left more than 43,000 people dead.

Asfandyar left for London on scheduled private visit

Central Information Secretary, Awami National Party (ANP) Zahid Khan said here on Sunday that Asfandyar Wali has left for London on a scheduled private visit along with his family.

Talking to APP, he dispelled the impression that the ANP chief left the country quitely for London . To a question on the expansion in cabinet he said whenever the government would approach them they would decide about the new ministries.

Leading Iran reformist to run in 2009 presidency vote

A leading Iranian reformist said on Sunday he would to run in next year's presidential election, challenging conservative President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who is widely expected to seek a second four-year term.

Former parliamentary speaker Mehdi Karoubi told a news conference he would be a candidate in the June 2009 vote, Iranian news agencies reported. Karoubli, a cleric, is the first major political figure to declare his candidacy.

"After a lot of negotiations and consultations I announce my readiness to compete in the election," the ISNA news agency quoted him as saying.

Karoubi said earlier this year Iran should be ready for talks with its foes, particularly the United States . Washington and Tehran have not had diplomatic ties for almost three decades and are locked in conflict over Iran 's nuclear programme.

North Korea vows to disable nuclear plants after deal with US

North Korea said on Sunday it would resume work to disable plutonium-producing nuclear plants and readmit UN inspectors after the United States removed it from a terrorism blacklist.

South Korea said Washington 's move had put the nuclear disarmament process back on track, after a six-party deal appeared close to collapse, but a Japanese minister strongly criticised the US decision.

"As the US fulfilled its commitment to make political compensation and a fair verification procedure...the DPRK ( North Korea ) decided to resume the disablement of nuclear facilities in Yongbyon and allow the inspectors of the US and the IAEA to perform their duties," a foreign ministry spokesman said.

The North had stopped work to make the Yongbyon plants unusable and begun work to reactivate them because of the dispute over nuclear "verification" inspections and its inclusion in Washington 's terrorism list.

The US State Department said the North had agreed to verification of all of its nuclear activities, including an alleged covert highly enriched uranium programme and suspected proliferation.

CDA to execute Ghazi Barotha water project soon

Capital Development Authority is soon executing the Ghazi Barotha Water Supply Project (GBWSP) costing Rs 47 billion to overcome water shortage in Rawalpindi and Islamabad . This was stated by Tariq Mehmood, new chairman of CDA while briefing the media here on Saturday.

He said that the authority has submitted the feasibility report of the project to Indus River System Authority (Irsa) for approval. He said that CDA is trying to remove the concerns of different quarters, including Sindh, NWFP and especially Irsa, which are not in favour of sharing water with the twin cities as the provinces are already running short of water to meet the irrigation needs.

PCB chairman unhappy with coach Lawson

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ijaz Butt has turned the heat on the team's Australian coach Geoff Lawson, saying he favoured having a home-grown player in charge.

Butt said there were plenty of former Pakistan players capable of coaching the national side. "I would like to go for someone who has played for Pakistan but we will see what the circumstances are. We have a lot of cricketers we can give opportunity to," Butt told reporters in Lahore on Sunday. Butt said he was not impressed with the performance of the team over the last year.

"I don't see any improvement. I will definitely be reviewing the performances of the coach, team officials and players," he said. Lawson told private TV in Toronto, where he is with the Pakistan team for the four-nation Twenty20 tournament, that he had no plans to step aside.

"Why should I quit? I want to complete my contract with the board. I came here to bring about an improvement in the team and I want to continue to do that," Lawson said. "I am a professional coach and I have nothing to do with the changes in the board. I will brief the chairman on what I have done when the time comes."

Asif case adjourned till November

A tribunal in India has adjourned the hearing into doping allegations involving Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Asif until November, his lawyer said on Saturday.

Asif, 25, tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone during the Indian Premier League (IPL) competition held in April-June this year and has since been suspended from all forms of cricket. "It was a preliminary hearing," Asif's lawyer Shahid Karim told reporters.

"The tribunal has adjourned the hearing to four weeks from now. They are yet to fix a date." The tribunal comprised former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Bapat, the former vice chancellor of India 's Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, and lawyer Shirish Gupte.

Pushto film legend Badar Munir dies

Badar Munir, a renowned Pushto and Urdu film actor, has passed away here on Saturday in the age of 67.

He had been suffering from stroke for four years. Munir was brought to a private hospital with complaint of cardiac arrest in Lahore some two days back, where he died.

Munir was born in Swat and belonged to Miankhel tribe. He made his debut in Pushto film, Yosuf Khan Sher Bano, which proved a big hit. His first film ‘Dulhan Aik Rat Ki' as a here also set several new records. Munir then acted in hundreds of Urdu and Pushto movies. He acted in 416 Pushto and Urdu films.

Katrina swears by Akki's script sense

Britain-born Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif, who has given many hits with Akshay Kumar, says she trusts the star's script sense and often follows him into projects.

Katrina's last hit with Akshay was Singh is King.

He has a fantastic script sense. And you know, when he's doing it, it will work. Not that I go blindly into films that feature him. But, yes, he does have a fantastic knowledge of what works at the box office. That explains our success ratio together, said Katrina.

Interestingly, in Vipul Shah's Namastey London, Katrina had the main role while Akshay played the supporting part. The tables were turned in Singh Is Kinng. But Katrina says she wasn't allowed to complain.

Every time I'd start complaining about the size of my role, Akshay would order me to go and stand in a corner and repeat Namastey London five times and be quiet. He's right. He needn't have done Namastey London, which was the girl's story, said Katrina who teamed up with Akshay in Welcome as well.

After doing out and out commercial roles, Katrina changes gear with Prakash Jha's Rajneeti in which she'll go from a young student to a married woman, and beyond.

I didn't think I was ready to do something like this. But then I heard the script and I couldn't resist it. Maybe because Prakashji is such a good narrator, I fell in love with my character, she said.

She feels if Rajneeti works, it will bring an interesting turn to her career.

I'm doing enough hardcore commercial films. At this juncture of my career I can afford to do something that challenges me. As long as the script is entertaining, I'm all for it.

As for my character, she's a light-hearted character to begin with. Later she grows serious and ambitious. If it works, it can do a lot for my career.

Katrina has a spate of releases lined up including Hello, Yuvraaj and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.

Is that a bad thing A lot of my films have run into one another, films that I had committed to way in advance. These are things I can't control. And I really want to do these films. Or I wouldn't be doing them in the first place. However, Katrina won't be taken for granted by people around her. You've to stand your ground. I can't please everyone all the time. I've realised that.