KARACHI: At least 15 people including three policemen and activists of political and religious parties were killed in unabated violence in Karachi on Thursday, DNA reported.
According to reports, two policemen were shot dead when they signaled a suspicious vehicle in Shershah area, while another policeman was gunned down in Kharadar.
Three cops among 15 killed in Karachi violence
Three cops among 15 killed in Karachi violence
KARACHI: At least 15 people including three policemen and activists of political and religious parties were killed in unabated violence in Karachi on Thursday, DNA reported.
According to reports, two policemen were shot dead when they signaled a suspicious vehicle in Shershah area, while another policeman was gunned down in Kharadar.
US says Taliban office in Qatar must not be seen as embassy
UNITED NATIONS: The United States said Thursday that the new Taliban office in Qatar must not be treated as an embassy, as Afghanistan angrily condemned the “theatrical” opening of the new mission. The Taliban’s “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” nameplate on the office in Doha has been at the center of a battle between President Hamid Karzai and the United States over US contacts with the Afghan militant group.
Children suffer as Pakistan battles measles epidemic
LAHORE: In the intensive-care ward of Lahore’s Mayo hospital, pale, spotty children cry in the intense heat of the Pakistani summer — victims of a devastating measles outbreak. Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province of which Lahore is the capital, has borne the brunt of the epidemic. It has 18,000 of the 25,000 cases reported around the country by provincial health authorities and more than 150 — all children — of the 495 deaths.
‘Sopranos’ star James Gandolfini dead at 51
LOS ANGELES: Emmy award-winning US actor James Gandolfini, the star of the long-running mafia drama “The Sopranos,” has died at the age of 51 in Italy, his managers said Wednesday. The burly actor, who won three Emmys and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of mob boss Tony Soprano on the HBO series, suffered a heart attack, celebrity website TMZ and industry daily Variety reported.
No US-Taliban talks scheduled: State Department
WASHINGTON: The United States has not scheduled talks with the Taliban, the State Department said Wednesday, after reports that discussions with the Afghan insurgent group could begin this week in Qatar.
“Reports of a meeting being scheduled or on the books aren’t accurate,” spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters, saying Washington had “never confirmed”the date and place of any specific meeting.
Nisar keen to make counter-terror body functional
ISLAMABAD, June 19: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has initiated in-house brainstorming to make the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (Nacta) an effective body of his ministry, a government official privy to the development told DNA.
A fully operational Nacta will be the cornerstone of the new national security plan, the contours of which will be shared with members of the parliament in the coming days, according to the minister.
US preconditions may scuttle talks, says Fazl
ISLAMABAD, June 19: JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has criticised the US and said that stringent preconditions could put Afghan reconciliation process in jeopardy. “Such preconditions can even scuttle the prospects of talks before any meaningful negotiations kick off,” he said. “Instead, the US should take confidence-building measures that will lead to positive sentiments on both sides and will also have positive impacts on the talks’ result.” The Maulana said the US had committed the same mistake when the first Obama administration asked the Taliban to take some measures before any engagement on the pressure of the Congress and other domestic lobbies.
Budget debate from today: No opposition leader in KP Assembly yet
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly is to begin general discussion on the budget for financial year 2013-14 today (Thursday) but Speaker Asad Qaisar has yet to name leader of the opposition in the House. According to the assembly secretariat, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz with 17 members has emerged as the single largest opposition party in the 124-strong House followed by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl with 15 members.
KP govt says: Lawmakers have no business using funds
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Sirajul Haq on Wednesday ruled out any role for the members of the provincial and national assemblies in the use of development funds in future. “We’ve allocated Rs1 billion for the early holding of the local body elections in the province. Once the power is transferred to local bodies, all funds will be used at local level with no interference of lawmakers in their utilisation. Their (lawmakers) role will be limited to legislation only,” he told a news conference at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad.
