ISLAMABAD, AUG 10 (DNA) Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan Chief of Air staff has greeted nation on the occasion of Independence Day. In his message issued on Saturday he said “14 August reminds us of the epic struggle and firm resolve of our illustrious predecessors, who relentlessly pursued their sole objective  of achieving a separate homeland”.The air chief added, they stood by the indigenous freedom movement of Kashmiri people.“I assure you that PAF is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and manned with professionally sound personnel.

ISLAMABAD, AUG 10 (DNA) –Newly-arrived High Commissioner of Australia Dr. Geoffrey Shaw has greeted Pakistani nation on the occasion of Eid ul Adha.

In his message on Saturday Dr Shaw sent his warmest wishes to all Pakistanis this week as on both auspicious occasions of Eid-ul-Adha and Independence Day.

“My best wishes to all Pakistanis this week as you celebrate both Eid-ul-Adha and Independence Day. These two important days remind me of the bonds of friendship between Australia and Pakistan”.

WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States Dr Asad Majeed Khan has said, India’s move to revoke the status of occupied Kashmir could lead to a serious escalation.Speaking on Bloomberg Markets: The Close Khan said the US and only the US could do to defuse the situation.“Kashmir even according to India’s own constitution has enjoyed a special status. What India has done is to unilaterally change the status of the territory which is recognised by the entire international community including the United Nations as a disputed territory and we as a party to that dispute have a serious issue with what India has done,” Khan said.

KARACHI: Heavy rain with thunder lashed Karachi on Saturday turning the weather pleasant.

Downpours were reported in Defence, Clifton, Model Colony, Shahrah-e-Faisal, I I Chundrigar, Malir Cantt, Landhi, Gulshan, Johar and adjoining areas.lower outages hit Liaquatabad Sea One Area, North Nazimabad, Tariq bin Zayd Society, North Karachi, New Karachi, Shadman Town, Surjani, Phelwan Goth, Safoora Goth, Defence and Scheme 33 and other areas.The MET Office in its weather warning for Sindh had said a well-marked monsoon low-pressure had formed over North Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas which is likely to move westwards and reach Indian Gujrat region, causing rain in most of the parts of Sindh.

ISLAMABAD, AUG 9 (DNA) -Fulfilling the mandate of the leaders between two countries to broaden the scope of the Indonesia-Pakistan Preferential Trade Agreement (IP-PTA) and following up on the implementation of the IP-PTA Amendment Protocol, the delegations of Indonesia and Pakistan have begun the first negotiation on the Indonesian Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) -Pakistan Trade in Goods Agreement (IP-TIGA) in Islamabad, Pakistan.The Indonesian delegation (Delri) at this meeting was chaired by the Director of Bilateral Negotiations, Ni Made Ayu Marthini, while the Pakistani delegation was led by the Joint Secretary (FTA Wing) of the Ministry of Commerce of Pakistan, Shafiq A. Shahzad.

The Secretary-General has been following the situation in Jammu and Kashmir with concern and makes an appeal for maximum restraint.The position of the United Nations on this region is governed by the Charter of the United Nations and applicable Security Council resolutions.The Secretary-General also recalls the 1972 Agreement on bilateral relations between India and Pakistan, also known as the Simla Agreement, which states that the final status of Jammu and Kashmir is to be settled by peaceful means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.The Secretary-General is also concerned over reports of restrictions on the Indian-side of Kashmir, which could exacerbate the human rights situation in the region.