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CNews World  ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani have strongly condemned the suspected suicide blasts at the shrine of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (Data Darbar) in Lahore on Thursday night, which caused loss of lives and injuries. The President in his message expressed deep grief and shock over the loss of precious human lives and injuries, caused by this heinous act of terrorism. He said such acts of terrorism cannot dent the government’s resolve to fight the menace of terrorism and militancy to the end. The President said the attack on a sacred religious place and targeting the devotees clearly shows that terrorists have no respect or consideration for any religion and faith. Targeting the sacred shrine which has sentimental value for Muslims all over the country, he said, clearly reflects that the terrorists have no consideration for any religion, faith or belief. These terrorists neither respect human values nor care for human li...

CNews ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has been elected as the 12th President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan with thumping majority. He received 479 electoral votes out of total 702 votes of the Electoral College. His contenders Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui received 153 votes while Mushahid Hussain Syed got 43 electoral votes. It is worth mentioning here that 352 votes were needed for the election of the President. The voting for the election of the president held in the Parliament House for National Assembly and Senate; and in the four provincial assemblies today (Saturday) from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. There were three candidates contesting the presidential election including ruling coalition backed Asif Ali Zardari, PML-N nominated former Chief Justice Supreme Court of Pakistan Justice (retd) Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui and former ruling party PML-Q’s secretary general Mushahid Hussain Syed. In Parliament (National Assembly + Senate), 436 members cast their votes out...

CNews RAWALPINDI: Leader of the House in Senate Raza Rabbani Saturday said that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) unanimously decided to field party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari to contest the presidential election. Addressing a press conference here flanked by various party leaders including Khurshid Shah, Sherry Rehman, he said PPP never deceived the people of Pakistan. He said it was the first time in the history of Pakistan that the efforts led by the coalition parties under the leadership of Asif Ali Zardari sent home the dictator of the time. Raza Rabbani said that all the members of PPP parliamentary parties decided with consensus that Zardari should contest presidential elections. He said Asif Ali Zardari would be the next president of Pakistan and all coalition partners have been informed in this connection. "Mr Asif Zardari has accepted to contest the election for the office of president of Pakistan after the party unanimously drafted him to do so," PPP deputy secretary...

CNews KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, has hailed the nomination of Asif Ali Zardari for the office of President of Pakistan. In a statement here on Saturday, he congratulated Asif Zardari on his own behalf as well as on behalf of people of the province of Sindh. Qaim Ali Shah said Asif Ali Zardari will win by a very large margin. He said after the election of Zardari the democratic process would become complete and the constitutional institutions would be strengthened. The Chief Minister also thanked the members of the Sindh Assembly with whose cooperation the resolution for the nomination of Zardari as presidential candidate was passed by the House unanimously. He said after the election of Zardari, the country will enter into a new democratic era. Qaim Ali Shah said the country needs a person like Asif Ali Zardari so that with his political sagacity and far-sightedness there is political stability and the country's ...

CNews ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf will address the nation today at 1pm in which he is expected to resign, according to reports.Some sources confirmed to CNews News that president could announce his resignation in today’s address to the nation. “President Musharraf has made up his mind to resign before the impeachment motion is tabled in the assembly,“ sources confirmed.According to CNews News correspondent, some friend countries were trying to broker a deal to protect and save President Musharraf. “President Musharraf has agreed to resign on the condition that he would be given indemnity and would not be tried, sources said. Sources further said the president would address the nation as part of understanding. When contacted by CNews News, President’s spokesman Rashid Qureshi said President would not resign and added he was unaware of any decision regarding resignation. However, he later confirmed that President Musharraf would address to the nation at 1pm afternoon today.Acco...

CNews ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Q Secretary General, Mushahid Hussain has said that President Musharraf has only two options—first, he should face the impeachment or resign and go home. Mushahid Hussain said that if the President brings into play 58-2(b), then the people, establishment and the political forces would not support him. He said that the President had been a commando and he would not get afraid instead he would dig in and fight and whatever decision comes to the fore should be accepted. Muslim League-Q Secretary General said that the Army should be kept away from the impeachment matter and it should be solved constitutionally.

CNews RAWALPINDI: President Pervez Musharraf has held an important meeting with Ch. Shujaat Hussain, Pervaiz Elahi and Hamid Nasir Chatha in which he gave the indication to foil the impeachment move.According to sources, the president said it was government’s democratic right to present the impeachment bill while its defence was his right. He vowed to foil any move to sideline him.

CNews ISLAMABAD: President Musharraf is making his way to dissolve the National Assembly while the ruling coalition has also finalized a charge sheet against the president, according to media reports.Senior journalist Saleh Zafar said President Musharraf had made up his mind to dissolve Assembly as per 58(2) b. Mian Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari agreed on the point that president Musharraf’s recent activities were indicative of his plans to dissolve the assembly. Both political leaders reviewed president Musharraf’s recent engagements during visit to major cities and Rawalpindi camp and his meetings with the leaders of PML-Q, MQM and Pir Pagara group.Ruling coalition government believes most of the crises including wheat, petroleum products and others have been the handiwork of proper planning by President Musharraf and his allies. The planning was done prior to the February election.According to the leaders, President Musharraf increased his contacts with heads of armed forces to give...

CNews ISLAMABAD: An important meeting between Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif started today (Tuesday) at Zardari House.The meeting is expected to mull over the issues including restoring the judges deposed during last year's emergency and the impeachment of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. The meeting between Zardari and Sharif is being described by political observers as a "make or break" situation. Ahead of the talks, Zardari and Nawaz consulted their senior party leaders yesterday.The sources said the ruling PPP is considering asking President Pervez Musharraf to seek a vote of confidence from parliament as an alternative to impeachment, in an apparent effort to placate its ally PML-N and ensure the continuance of their alliance.PPP sources said the move is designed to provide a respectable way out for Musharraf and save the coalition from breaking up.The move will also clear the...

CNews ISLAMABAD: American ambassador to Pakistan, Ann W Peterson Friday met with President Pakistan Muslim League Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Ilahi, at their residence. During the meeting, both the sides exchanged views on the prevailing situation in the country and other issues in detail. They also talked about the present political, social, law and order situation of NWFP, FATA, tribal areas and Balochistan. The meeting continued for an hour in a very pleasant environment.

CNews KARACHI: President Pervez Musharraf said here on Sunday that I strongly condemn suicide attack in Islamabad.We would leave no stone unturned to extinct terrorism from the country distributing the prizes at the closing ceremony of Asia Cup, he assured.

CNews London:MQM Founder & Leader Mr Altaf Hussain has strongly condemned the bomb explosion in Islamabad today causing the loss of valuable and innocent lives as a result. Terming this as an act of terrorism, Mr Hussain said that this is a cowardly, inhuman and barbaric act, which was planned to spread terrorism and to challenge the writ of Government. He has demanded of the President, Prime Minister and the Federal Interior Minister to take firm action to arrest those responsible and to punish them accordingly. Mr Hussain also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family members of those who lost their lives and prayed for the early recovery of those injured as a result. He prayed to Almighty Allah place the souls of the dead in Jannat-ul-Firdous and grant strength to the family members to endure the tragedy.

Police came under attack in suicide blast: Rehman Malik CNews ISLAMABAD: Advisor on Interior to Prime Minister, Rehman Malik has said that blast near Melody Chowk area was suicide attack in which police personnel were targeted. He said the country was passing through critical times and obscurantist elements wanted to create crises in the country.In an exclusive talk with CNews News, Malik said that law-enforcing agencies had been alert since morning and beefed up security arrangements were made for Lal Masjid conference in Islamabad. Interior Advisor said the suicide blast took place after the Lal Masjid moot was over and it targeted policemen standing in front of Aabpara police station. Rehman Malik confirmed the deaths of 8 policemen while 25 others were injured. He said a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has been constituted to probe into the incident. He said morale of law-enforcing agencies was high extremists wanted to destabilize Pakistan. Malik said after PPP led government came...

CNews ISLAMABAD: Governor NWFP Owais Ahmed Ghani called on President Pervez Musharraf here on Saturday at Presidential Camp Office and discussed various issues. Reiterating his resolve to continue the war against terrorism, President Musharraf said the terrorists and extremists elements would not be allowed to hide in any part of the country.President said that to provide the people of FATA and NWFP with a peaceful life, the terrorist elements would be wiped out from the area.The President congratulated him on assuming the charge of his new responsibilities as Governor NWFP and hoped that he would continue to work for the development and socio-economic uplift of the people of NWFP in the same way as he did for Balochistan. The Governor NWFP thanked the President for reposing confidence in him and assured the President that he would do all in his power to come upto the expectations of his countrymen.The President directed the governor to take up steps to ensure peace in the province and...

CNews ISLAMABAD: The Federal Government has decided to have all the commercial markets closed at 7:30 PM with an aim to overcome the ongoing electricity crisis across the country. This was decided at a high level meeting chaired by Caretaker Prime Minister, Muhammadmian Soomro here on Friday. The meeting considered ways and means to conserve energy besides adoption of alternative sources of energy. It was decided to replace the existing lights of President and Prime Minsiter Houses and other such buildings with solar energy or energy savers. Use of gas heaters and geysers be discouraged while those on solar energy be promoted, the meeting agreed. The Prime Minister on the occasion pointed out that the government has to give a heavy subsidy on petroleum products owing to their growing international prices. People should extend cooperation to the government in its effort towards saving energy, he said. The meeting also decided to make functional the Alternative Energy Board and to intens...

Pakistani former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has been killed in a presumed suicide attack. News of her death was confirmed by a military spokesman and members of her Pakistan People's Party (PPP). Ms Bhutto had just addressed an election rally in Rawalpindi when gunfire and an explosion occurred. At least 15 other people are reported killed in the attack and several more were injured. Ms Bhutto had twice been the country's prime minister. She had been campaigning ahead of elections due in January. Nawaz Sharif, also a former prime minister and a political rival, told the CNews her death was a tragedy for "the entire nation". "I can't tell you what the feelings of the people of Pakistan are today," he told CNews News 24 after returning from the hospital where she was brought. The CNews's Barbara Plett says the killing is likely to provoke an agonised response from her followers, especially from her loyal following in Sindh Province.Ms Bhutto was key...

CNews ISLAMABAD: Breakthrough has been reported Thursday in the talks for national consensus between government and Pakistan Peoples Party.According to CNews News the National Reconciliation Ordinance being given final touches under which former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and all other important political leaders will be granted amnesty and all political cases registered against them will be withdrawn. The ordinance will quash all corruption cases registered against politicians and other important persons between 1988 and 1999 period, sources said. The law would benefit Peoples Party that would freely contest the upcoming general elections, sources further said.PPP on its part would not quit the assemblies before the presidential election neither they would participate in the voting. Article 58-2-B of the constitution has not been touched in the dialogue, while to resolve other issues the talks between the two sides would be continued after the presidential election, the sources add...

ISLAMABAD: Federal Railway Minister, Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has said that the General Pervez Musharraf after getting elected as president would have to change his mindset, as he would be the president, not the ruler of the country, who would be then be the prime minister.Talking to Geo News in its morning show ‘Subh Say Geo’, Federal Railway Minister, Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said that the law and order situation during the next elections was feared to deteriorate. He said that the forces active in destabilizing Pakistan wanted to worsen the situation in collaboration with the tribesmen and if during the general elections even one bomb blast occurs, then the disorder would galore.Responding to a question, federal railway minister told that the General Pervez Musharraf after getting elected as the civilian president would have to change his mindset, as he would only be the president and the ruler would be the people’s elected prime minister, who would not be the prime minister like Shaukat Aziz...

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan Saturday approved nomination papers of six candidates including President Musharraf, while the nominations of 37 candidates were rejected. The lawyers have said they will challenge approval of Musharraf’s candidacy in court. The Election Commission held scrutiny of the nomination papers of presidential candidates in Islamabad.The Election Commission approved nomination papers of Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Justice (R) Wajihuddin Ahmed, President Musharraf, his covering candidates Chaudhry Amir Hussain and Muhammadmian Soomro and Amin Fahim’s covering candidate Faryal Talpur.Total 18 nomination papers were submitted for President Musharraf, one in Lahore and 17 in Islamabad. The nomination papers filed in Lahore were rejected. The rival candidates objected over the nomination papers of President Musharraf but the Chief Election Commissioner rejecting all objections approved nomination of Musharraf and declared that he can contest the presidential ...

پاکستان کے صدر جنرل پرویز مشرف کے دو عہدوں کے خلاف آئینی درخواستوں کو پاکستان کی سپریم کورٹ کے نو رکنی بینچ نے اپنے اکثریتی فیصلے میں خارج کردیا ہے۔ نو رکنی بینچ کے چھ ججز نے آئینی درخواستیں خارج کرنے کے حق میں فیصلہ دیا جبکہ تین ججوں رانا بھگوان داس، سردار رضا خان اور شاکراللہ جان نے اختلافی رائے دی۔ نو رکنی بینچ میں شامل چھ ججوں جسٹس جاوید اقبال، جسٹس عبدالحمید ڈوگر، جسٹس فلک شیر، جسٹس نواز عباسی، جسٹس فقیر محمد کھوکھر اور جسٹس ایم جاوید بٹر نے آئینی درخواستیں خارج کرنے کے حق میں فیصلہ دیا۔ سپریم کورٹ کے لارجر بینچ کے فیصلے کے بعد اخبار نویسوں سے بات کرتے ہوئے جماعت اسلامی کے مرکزی رہنما سینیٹر پروفیسر خورشید احمد نے کہا کہ ان کی جماعت اس فیصلہ کے خلاف نظر ثانی کی اپیل دائر کرے گی۔ انسانی حقوق کی تنظیم ہیومن رائٹس واچ نے اپنے بیان میں سپریم کورٹ کے لارجر بنچ کے فیصلے کو مایوس کن قرار دیتے ہوئے کہا ہے کہ اس فیصلے سے پاکستان کے حالیہ سیاسی بحران میں مزید اضافہ ہوگا۔ اس سے پہلے بینچ نے صدر کے دو عہدے رکھنے، سترہویں آئینی ترمیم اور جنرل مشرف کے وردی میں صدارتی انتخاب لڑنے کے خلاف آئینی د...