Awaz Apni

CNews WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Sunday granting asylum to embattled Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf was not currently under consideration by the United States."That's not an issue on the table, and I just want to keep our focus on what we must do with the democratic government of Pakistan," Rice told foreign news channel on Sunday when asked if Washington would give the Pakistan president asylum.She spoke as Pakistan's ruling coalition readied impeachment charges against Musharraf and gave him two days to step down.Asked if it would be in the best interest of Pakistan to have Musharraf resign, Rice said: "This is a matter for the Pakistanis to resolve."We have been supportive of democratic elections that took place in Pakistan. In fact, advocated for them."She said the United States had showed its support for the new government, citing President George W. Bush's recent meeting with Pakistani premier Yousuf Raza ...

CNews BEIJING: President Bush on Monday sharply criticized Moscow's harsh military crackdown in the former Soviet republic of Georgia, saying the violence is unacceptable and Russia's response is disproportionate.The United States is waging an all-out campaign to press Russia to halt its retaliation against Georgia for trying to take control of the breakaway province of South Ossetia.Bush, in an interview said, "I've expressed my grave concern about the disproportionate response of Russia and that we strongly condemn the bombing outside of South Ossetia."On Sunday, Vice President Dick Cheney said that "Russian aggression must not go unanswered, and that its continuation would have serious consequences for its relations with the United States."The crisis over South Ossetia appeared to ebb as Georgian troops began retreating and honoring a cease-fire, a claim Russia disputed. U.S. officials said Moscow was only broadening its retaliation against Georgia fo...

CNews WASHINGTON: A Pentagon report said Friday that the growth of Al-Qaeda safe havens in Pakistan's tribal areas is "troubling" and warned it may take Pakistan several years to turn around the situation.The report to Congress by the US Department of Defense said Pakistan increased its troop levels in the border areas by 30,000 last year, and made "significant and costly" efforts to eliminate safe havens."It is troubling that despite these efforts, safe havens in the FATA have grown in recent years," the report said. The Pentagon report noted that 700 Pakistanis have been killed in suicide attacks since July 2007.It said "Al-Qaeda and other violent extremists continue to hide out in the FATA, where they are able to recruit, train, and target US and western interests, including plots against Europe and the US homeland."Madrassas, or Islamic religious schools, "continue to promote jihad and martyrdom, and provide potential operatives for ...

CNews WASHINGTON: The White House has said that the United States wants to work with all branches of the Pakistani government to defeat terrorism in Fata, which remains a major source of concern for all. At the State Department, spokesman Sean McCormack underlined Washington’s support to the new Pakistani government, pointing out that the US “worked with Pakistan on a plan to help Pakistani civilians strengthen democratic institution,” and “to uphold the rule of law.”Earlier this week, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice not only declared an unequivocal support to the new civilian government but also said that “Pakistan now will need to find a way to have very solid civilian control of the armed forces.”At the White House, spokesman Tony Fratto stressed the same point in a different way, making it clear that the United States no longer has favourites in Pakistan.“We expect to continue to work in cooperation with the entire government of Pakistan to get after terrorism in the Fata re...