Awaz Apni

Breaking news LONDON: Britain plans to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan next year, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said on Sunday, as pressure mounts to end British involvement in the costly and unpopular war. Some 500 troops are due to be repatriated by the end of this year, leaving around 9,000. Hammond said he expected thousands of those remaining to go home in 2013, but not the majority, indicating a maximum withdrawal of around 4,500 personnel. All British combat personnel are due to be withdrawn by the end of 2014. "I would expect it will be significant, which means thousands, not hundreds, but I would not expect it to be the majority," Hammond told the BBC, after being asked about troop withdrawals next year. At least 424 British troops have been killed in Afghanistan since the 2001 US-led military invasion, yet stability has remained elusive and violence high. Meanwhile Britain, like other NATO members, has slashed it...

Pakistani officials, diplomats and spokespersons do not consider the otherwise mind-boggling conditions included in the just passed Kerry-Lugar aid bill in the US Senate as of any serious significance but they are not prepared to state on record that all Pakistani stakeholders, the Army, the intelligence agencies, the people of Pakistan, have been taken into confidence, or even told before hand, that such conditions were being imposed. The Secretary of State has to issue a certificate on these sensitive subjects before each instalment of the US aid is to be disbursed and Pakistanis are wondering how all, or any, of these conditions will be met, if at all. The Secretary of State, under the direction of the president, has to certify to the appropriate congressional committees that: 1. the Government of Pakistan is continuing to cooperate with the United States in efforts to dismantle supplier networks relating to the acquisition of nuclear weapons-related materials, such as provid...

Kerry Lugar Bill PDF Version 111TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. ll To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2009 through 2013 to promote an enhanced strategic partnership with Pakistan and its people, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES llllllllll Mr. KERRY (for himself and Mr. LUGAR) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on llllllllll A BILL To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2009 through 2013 to promote an enhanced strategic partnership with Pakistan and its people, and for other purposes. 1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Enhanced Partnership 5 with Pakistan Act of 2009’’. 6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 7 Congress makes the following findings: 8 (1) The people of Pakistan and the United 9 Stat...

The number of UK troops killed on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 stands at 126, after a Royal Marine from 45 Commando was killed by a blast in the Kajaki area of Helmand Province. Of all those killed, 27 died from accidents, illness, or non-combat injuries, according to the Ministry of Defence. Details of fatalities are in the table below. The entries are arranged by date, with the most recent at the top. NAME INCIDENT PLACE DATE Explosion Helmand Kajaki area 24/11/08 Dura, Krishna- bahadur Hostile: Explosion: Vehicle struck by an explosive device First fatal attack on a Warrior tank Helmand Musa Qala region 15/11/08 Dunstan, Neil Explosion: Vehicle struck by an explosive device Explosion while on joint patrol with Afghan forces Helmand Gamsir district 12/11/08 McKibben, Robert ...