Awaz Apni

Amagazine ISLAMABAD: The members of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security refused to take briefing from US ambassador over Nato planes violations of Pakistani airspace.Talking after the session, the Committee head Raza Rabbani said the US ambassador wished to brief the committee over violations of Pakistani airspace by Nato planes; however, the committee members deemed it not appropriate and suggested that if US ambassador wishes to brief, then the Foreign Ministry is the suitable forum for her to do the same.Raza Rabbani said the first phase of the committee session completed, where Home Ministry, Foreign Ministry and Defence Ministry and DG ISI gave briefings.While in the second phase of meeting, NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani will brief the committee over the situation in FATA; afterwards, the committee will set out preparing recommendations.The next session of the committee will be held on December 22 or 23.

CNews Karachi: our President Mr. Asif Ali Zardari chaired a high level meeting to decide that Karachi’s local administration should start registering all people coming to Karachi, as well as tenants of the city, at police stations and adopt better and modern methods for making the city more secure. The directive is an effort to enhance the security of Karachi. While today Governor Sindh Ishrat ul Ibad was actually more direct and mentioned that this effort is to control the influx of immigrants specially coming from the NWFP and FATA areas. Some how this new decision seems to have been to appease the MQM lobby in its recent surge to de-Talibanize Pathanization Karachi

CNews RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS)General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Wednesdays said that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country will be defended at all cost and no external force is allowed to conduct operations inside Pakistan. He was commenting on the recent incident where innocent civilians were killed in a cross-border raid by the Coalition Forces. He said that the rules of engagement with the Coalition Forces are well defined and within that, the right to conduct operations against the militants inside own territory is solely the responsibility of the respective armed forces. "There is no question of any agreement or understanding with the Coalition Forces whereby they are allowed to conduct operations on our side of the border", says an ISPR press release issued here . Referring to his meeting with United States senior officers on USS Abraham Lincoln on 27th August, he said that they were informed about the complexity of the issue that requires...

CNews RAWALPINDI: President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday said that peace and development in the backward areas of FATA should be in line with the wishes of tribal people, who want to see the region come at par with other developed areas of the country. He made these remarks while talking to a delegation of FATA MNAs who called on him here. The President, however, emphasized that this was possible only when there was total peace and harmony in that area. The President underscored the need for strengthening the local political and administrative structure. He said the government should clarify its policies considering prevailing challenges in the country as soon as possible. The President said it rests with political government to decide whether to take any military action in tribal areas or not. The President said price-hike, law and order, economic and political instability were main challenges country was facing at the moment. They said that effective social service delivery should b...

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 PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said tribal history is replete with great traditions and the tribes gave sacrifices for independence of sub-continent. Adding a jirga at Governor House here, it was these tribes who laid down their lives for freedom from Dogar Raj, and gave Qauid-e-Azam their unconditional support and they are still sacrificing for Pakistan, adding Pakistan takes pride in its tribes as they defend Pakistan frontiers. Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani and Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti were present on the occasion. He said government is facing problems, of them, the greatest are terrorism and extremism and government needs cooperation from tribal areas people. He urged the tribal people to extend their support to government so that the peace could be restored in the areas. He said, ‘the government is aware of your problems and is trying to solve them’, adding the education in the tribal areas is 23 percent and healthcare facilities are unsatisfactor...

CNews ISLAMABAD: Advisor to Prime Minister on Interior Affairs, Rehman Malik has said that security has been put on high alert across the country after the Karachi blasts.Talking to media here at Parliament Lodges, Rehman Malik said law and order situation across the country particularly in FATA will be reviewed in a couple of days.He said important evidence have been collected regarding the alleged group involved in the Karachi bombings but these cannot be disclosed to media.The Advisor said the aim of recent Islamabad blast was to target police while the blasts in Karachi were aimed at triggering ethnic violence. But the conspiracy was foiled with the stand taken by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain as well as the Chief of Awami National Party (ANP) Asfandyar Wali, he added.He said allegations regarding Pakistan’s involvement in Indian Embassy in Kabul are completely baseless.

CNews KARACHI: President Pervez Musharraf said that he remained silent purposely for a few months but he is not afraid of anybody as he has been in the army. He underwent offensive training and not defensive.Addressing at a ceremony of the business community in Karachi on Friday, he said that Pakistan is passing through a crisis and there is a grave situation in the country.He said that the country is facing the extremism, economic and political crisis and we have to work above our interests for the cause of the country and the nation.The president said that as a Pakistani, this is his duty to save the country and we have to work on ‘first of all Pakistan’.President Musharraf further said that foreign militants and armed Talibans are hidden in FATA who are involved in terrorism in the country and Afghanistan.He said that the present government has continued to implement his policies and if the Talibanisation is not checked to spread in the urban areas then Lal Mosques would be started ...

CNews ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf underlining Pakistan's commitment to a closer and broad-based relationship with the United States on Friday reiterated the country's firm resolve to fighting terrorism and extremism. He also underscored the importance of a comprehensive, multi-pronged counter-terrorism strategy. The President was talking to a three-member Congressional delegation led by Congressman Gene Green that called on him in Rawalpindi today. Discussions covered bilateral relations, including matters relating to economic and counter-terrorism cooperation, says a foreign office statement issued here. The President appreciated the Congressional support for Pakistan's counter-terrorism initiatives, such as the establishment of Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs), FATA Development Plan and FC capacity building. He underlined the need for greater market access for Pakistani products in the U.S. The visiting Congressmen conveyed their support for a strong and...

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 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is holding general elections for 839 seats of the national and provincial assemblies and at least 81 million voters will exercise their rights of franchise by casting votes across the country. Polling for 268 seats of the national assembly and 570 seats of the provincial assemblies kicked off at 8.00 A.M. Monday morning, which will continue without any break until 5.00 P.M. in the evening. All arrangements have been finalized for making the election process transparent and peaceful. Secretary Election Commission Kanwar Dilshad announced to postpone the polling in NA-37 Parachinar-2. Earlier, the election was postponed in NA-42 Tribal area VII in view of the bad law and order, while in NA-119 Lahore-II due to the death of a candidate Tariq Banday and in NA-207 Larkana cum Shikarpur due to PPP Chairperson Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's murder in suicide attack. Elections would be held later on in these constituencies. In four Punjab Assembly constituencies—PP171,...