Asian Lite News Archive

Category: PAKISTAN

  • Lakhvi leads luxurious life in Pak jail

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      Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi has been living a luxurious life in a jail in Pakistan’s Rawalpindi city, with access to mobile phones and internet and receiving scores of visitors every day. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operations commander Lakhvi is one of the main suspects behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks in which over 160…

  • Pakistan army chief warns India

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    Days before the visit of Indian Foreign Secretary S.Jaishankar, Pakistan Army Chief Gen.Raheel Sharif warned India of a “befitting response” to any provocation along the Line of Control (LoC). “Let there be no doubt that any provocation along LoC and Working Boundary would meet a befitting response,” he said . The army chief was speaking…

  • ISIS serious threat to Pakistan:FS

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        Shortly after Pakistan Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan denied the presence of the Islamic State (IS) in South Asia, particularly Pakistan, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry has said the militant group poses a serious threat to the country. “The government is on alert to the IS threat in the region,” Chaudhry said…

  • Lahore suicide bombing kills 8

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      At least eight people were killed and several others, including a child, injured in a suicide bombing in Pakistan’s Lahore city, with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claiming responsibility for the terrorist attack. Officials said the attack targeted the Police Lines but the security measures forced the bomber to detonate his explosives prematurely, Dawn reported.…

  • Pakistan optimistic on dialogue with India

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      Pakistan stands for “meaningful and serious dialogue” with India, a top official has said, after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif. Reacting with “cautious optimism”, Sartaj Aziz, the advisor on foreign affairs and national security, said India took the step due to persuasion by the UN and some…

  • Modi has a cricket diplomacy with Sharif

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      In a display of “cricket diplomacy”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi  spoke to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif as well as leaders of some other SAARC nations to convey his best wishes for their teams in the ICC World Cup 2015 and said Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar would visit the countries, including Pakistan, soon. Shortly…

  • Pakistani Taliban attack kills 20

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      At least 20 people were killed and over 50 others injured when Pakistani Taliban militants attacked a Shia mosque in Peshawar city during Friday prayers, sparking protests across cities, police and hospital officials said. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack, Dawn reported citing an email sent by the group. Heavy firing…

  • Obama calls Nawaz to improve India ties

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    Two weeks after his visit to India, President Barack Obama telephoned Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and told him that the US supports efforts by India and Pakistan to improve ties. “The president discussed his recent visit to India, and noted the US supports all efforts by both nations to improve ties,” said a White…

  • Pakistan is increasingly isolated

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      Pakistan is increasingly feeling isolated globally and in South Asia too, a commentary in a newspaper said, calling for a re-think on the country’s foreign policy. “Thanks to obstinately sticking to obsolete and self-serving paradigms, winds of change have largely eluded Islamabad,” Arif Nizami, editor of the Pakistan Today, wrote in the daily. “India…

  • ‘Sholay’ to release in Pakistan

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    The cult classic “Sholay”, an action adventure Bollywood movie circling around two petty thieves hired by a police officer to exact revenge on a ruthless bandit, is set to release in Pakistan, 40 years after hitting Indian theatres. The release of the Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra-starrer, directed by Ramesh Sippy, in 1975 proved to be…

  • Will continue supporting Kashmiri ‘struggle’: Sharif

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      Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed that Pakistan would continue its political and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri people “in their struggle for freedom and right to self-determination”, Pakistani media reported. Sharif was addressing the legislative assembly of “Azad Kashmir”, or Pakistan-held Kashmir, in Muzaffarabad on the occasion of Kashmir Day. The prime minister…

  • Imran Khan demands speaker’s suspension

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    Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan demanded suspension of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq till investigation is completed into the alleged rigging in the National Assembly constituency-122 in the 2013 general elections. During a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (Retd.) Sardar Mohammad Raza, Imran Khan said his party has also requested the CEC to form…

  • Musharraf refused to travel abroad

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    Pakistan has refused to allow former president Pervez Musharraf to visit Saudi Arabia to offer condolences over the death of Saudi King Abdullah, officials said . Musharraf, who faces high treason and several other charges, had sought the government’s permission to go to Saudi Arabia. Musharraf’s name has been placed on the list of those…

  • Pakistan opposes UN Council permanent seat to India

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    Pakistan reiterated its opposition to grant a permanent seat on UN Security Council to India and insisted on reforms to make the forum more democratic. Pakistan contested the Indian move after US President Barack Obama announced support for India to seek permanent Security Council’s seat during his recent visit to New Delhi. Foreign ministry spokesperson…

  • Pakistan wants good ties with India: Sharif

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      Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif  said that he wanted relations with India based on equality and mutual respect, values which are vital for peace in the region, a media report said. In a meeting with Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit here, Sharif said that Pakistan longed for good relations with all countries…

  • Pakistan violate ceasefire in Jammu

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      Pakistan Rangers overnight targeted Border Security Force (BSF) posts on the International Border in Jammu, a source said. “Pakistan Rangers targeted some BSF outposts in R.S. Pura sector of the International Border at 9.30 p.m. yesterday (Tuesday),” a BSF source said here. “They used small weapons and automatics to target our positions,” the source said,…

  • Pakistan plunges into darkness

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      Pakistan faced a major power breakdown early and most of the cities including Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta witnessed a large blackout. The tripping of Guddo power plant in Sindh province transmission lines affected the 500 KW power line from the national grid, forcing Jamshoro and Bin Qasim power stations to shut down. In…

  • Obama, Modi to talk militant ‘safe havens’ in Pakistan

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    By Arun Kumar  With US concerned about ‘safe havens’ in some area of Pakistan where extremists operate in virtual impunity, counterterrorism coordination would be a key topic of discussions between President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Certainly the United States values the counterterrorism coordination relationship that we have with India. And we certainly…

  • Obama warns Pakistan over terror havens

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    Sending a clear message to Pakistan, US President Barack Obama has said “safe havens” of terrorism within that country were not acceptable and described India as a “true global” partner. Obama also called for those behind the Mumbai terror attacks to be brought to justice. “I have made it clear that even as the US…

  • Pakistan to import fuel worth $400 mn

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        Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has ordered the finance ministry to urgently arrange for  $400 million to import petrol and furnace oil for two months in the wake of the fuel crisis that has hit the country, a media report said . Dawn said Sharif asked the finance ministry Thursday to arrange for…

  • Pakistan freezes bank accounts of Hafiz Mohammad

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      In an apparent move towards swift implementation of anti-terror acts, Pakistan Thursday froze the bank accounts of now banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), and restricted its leader Hafiz Mohammad Saeed from foreign travel. “Pakistan took this decision under the UN obligation and not under pressure from any other quarter, including John Kerry,” Pakistan foreign spokesperson Tasneem…

  • Pakistan bans Haqqani network

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      Pakistan has banned the Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) and the Haqqani network after the US insisted it do so, a media report said . “The US has sought a ban on the Haqqani network and the Jamaat-ud Dawa but the matter was being delayed,” Dawn online quoted an interior ministry official as saying The Pakistani…

  • US warning reports baseless: Pakistan

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    Pakistan ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani denounced Indian media reports which alleged a warning, concerning President Obama’s visit to India, was issued by the US to the former. “The Indian media has a tendency to invent and exaggerate things,” said Ambassador Jilani, Dawn reported . “As a matter of fact, US Secretary of…

  • Pakistan extends Lakhvi’s detention

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      Pakistan government extended detention of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi by 30 days under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO), a media report said. Lakhvi has been behind bars since Feb 19, 2009, after an FIR was registered with the Federal Investigation Agency against him for allegedly training terrorists and facilitating the 2008 Mumbai terror attack…

  • Pakistan in fuel crisis

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    Pakistan has a new crisis: widespread fuel shortages that have raised tempers all across the country and forced Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to sack top officials. Newspapers have reported scuffles at fuel stations in major cities as hundreds of cars and two-wheelers lined up for petrol and diesel – only to be told that none…

  • Pakistan plan to ban Haqqani Network

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      US has welcomed a reported step by Pakistan government to ban the Haqqani Network, blamed for attacks on American and NATO-led forces in Afghanistan, media reported. “We welcome reports that the government of Pakistan plans to outlaw the Haqqani Network,” Xinhua quoted US State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf as saying. “It is an important…

  • Musharraf indicted in murder case

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    An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Pakistan’s Quetta city  indicted former president Pervez Musharraf in a case related to the murder of Balochistan leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti in 2006, Dawn reported. Despite the ATC’s repeated orders, the former military dictator did not appear in the court Wednesday. In the court, Musharraf’s counsel Zeeshan Cheema submitted…

  • Pakistan backing proxy war in Kashmir

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    Indian Army chief General Dalbir Singh said Pakistan was supporting a proxy war against India in Jammu and Kashmir and the security challenges were growing due to the “active border”. Addressing the annual press conference ahead of Army Day, Gen. Dalbir Singh said the border with China was peaceful and confidence-building measures have been effective.…

  • Pakistan hangs seven more convicts

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      Seven more convicts were hanged in Pakistan taking the total number of executions to 17 since December last year, a media report said. The hangings took place in Karachi, Sukkur, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi jails, Dawn online reported. The executed terrorists were Behram Khan, Shahid Haneef, Muhammad Talha, Khaleel Ahmed, Zulfikar Ali, Mushtaq Ahmed and…

  • Sartaj Aziz accuse India for attacks

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    Pakistan prime minister’s key advisor Sartaj Aziz has said India is using the Afghan soil to carry out attacks against Pakistan. However, Indian involvement had decreased since the adoption of a joint Pakistan-Afghanistan policy to not let their respective territories be used against each other, Dawn online cited the prime minister’s advisor on National Security…

  • Peshawar school resumes classes

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    The army-run Peshawar school which was ravaged by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan a few weeks ago resumed its classes, a media report here said. Students and teachers returned to the Army Public School Monday weeks after the mid-December terror attack claimed 148 lives, including 132 schoolchildren, Geo TV reported. Meanwhile, the structure of the school has been…

  • ? Kerry to discuss India-Pak tensions with Sharif

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        US Secretary of State John Kerry, who will arrive here on a two-day official visit Monday evening, will raise with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif the issue of prevailing tense situation between India and Pakistan, Geo News reported. During his strategic talks with the Pakistani leadership, Kerry will raise the issue of tense situation…

  • Imran Khan marries Reham Khan

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    According to a Daily Mail report, Imran Khan confirmed that he has secretly married a former BBC weather girl Reham Khan days after his family said he had denied it — provoking a furious reaction from his sister. Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan has said he would announce plans of his marriage soon and that he has nothing…

  • Pakistan parliament approves military courts

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    Pakistan’s National Assembly  approved the 21st Constitutional Amendment to pave the way for the establishment of military courts whose foremost aim is to deal strictly with terrorists. A two-thirds majority voted in favour of the amendment, Geo News reported. The 21st amendment to the constitution would provide constitutional cover to the trial of offences related…

  • US concerned over rising India Pak tension

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      The US  expressed concern over rising India-Pakistan tensions and the exchange of fire along the working boundary, which claimed four Pakistani civilian lives, Geo News reported . Washington encourages Islamabad and New Delhi to engage in a dialogue. “We certainly remain concerned and watch over tensions along the border. We encourage dialogue between the…

  • BSF trooper killed in Pak shelling

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      A BSF trooper was killed in mortar shelling by Pakistan on the international border in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. The Border Security Force (BSF) constable – identified as Devinder Singh of the 9th battalion – was killed in shelling by the Pakistan Rangers on Khawada post, a police official said here.…

  • Pakistani boat carried suspected terrorists: Parrikar

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      The occupants of a Pakistani vessel that blew up and sank off the coast of Gujarat were “suspected terrorists”, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said here. “I think they were suspected terrorists as they committed suicide. A normal boat even carrying drugs can surrender,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an event. “Why would…

  • Kashmir border calm after shelling

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    The Jammu and Kashmir border was quite, a day after Pakistani shelling killed two Indian soldiers and a civilian and forced hundreds to flee their homes along the frontier. Although no firing or shelling was reported Sunday, frightened villagers chose to stay away in makeshift camps in Samba and Kathua districts where they have been…

  • We want good ties with Pakistan: Rajnath

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      India wanted good relations with Pakistan, which should not resort to ceasefire violations, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said. “Pakistan is our neighbour and we want good relations with all our neighbours,” Rajnath Singh said, responding to a media query on the repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan. “But the Pakistan government should also take initiative…

  • Pakistani boat explodes and sinks after chase

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     A suspicious Pakistani fishing boat exploded into a ball of fire off the Gujarat coast and sank after it was intercepted by the Coast Guard, the government said . The dramatic incident took place on the night of Dec 31-Jan 1, and the Coast Guard’s Deputy Director General K.R. Nautiyal said he suspected “something serious”.…

  • Pakistan hits out at Indian ‘hype’

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    Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi was sent to 14 days’ judicial custody in an abduction case by a court here Thursday, even as Pakistan termed “unfortunate” the “unnecessary hype” created by India over the issue and also questioned lack of action in the Samjhauta blast case. The judicial remand order came as Lakhvi’s…

  • India, Pakistan exchange list of nuclear installations

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      India and Pakistan  exchanged the list of their nuclear installations and facilities under an agreement that bars them from attacking each other’s atomic installations. “India and Pakistan today exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the list of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack…

  • Lakhvi challenges judicial remand

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    Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur Rahman Lakhvi challenged his two-day judicial remand in an abduction case. Lakhvi’s counsel Rizwan Abbasi petitioned a district and sessions court, saying a false FIR had been registered due to pressure from India. A court in Islamabad Tuesday sent Lakhvi to two days judicial remand in the abduction case a…

  • Lakhvi back in detention

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      Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi was sent to two day judicial remand in a fresh case Tuesday, a day after India protested his imminent release. Lakhvi was detained late Monday after he was booked in the abduction case, a media report said Tuesday. He was produced in a court here. During the…

  • Lakhvi’s detention order suspended

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    The Islamabad High Court (IHC)  suspended the detention of Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur Rahman Lakhvi. Justice Noor-ul-Haq Qureshi passed the order, Geo News reported. Lakhvi had moved the IHC against the government’s decision on his detention. On Dec 19, Lakhvi was detained under the maintenance of public order, a day after he was granted…

  • Ban Ki-moon urges Pakistan to end executions

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    United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on the Pakistan government to bring an end to the executions of convicts and restore a moratorium on the death penalty. On Dec 25, Ban spoke over the phone with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and reiterated his condolences to the people, government and communities affected by…

  • Peshawar school attack facilitator killed

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    A militant commander who facilitated the Peshawar school attack was killed by security forces in Khyber Agency late  night. The militant commander, Saddam, was also said to be the mastermind behind the 2013 attack on a polio team in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in which 11 security personnel were killed, Dawn online reported. A Khyber Agency official…

  • US concerned over Lakhvi bail

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      The US is concerned over the bail granted to Mumbai terror attack accused Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi, a Pakistani newspaper reported . The State Department also said that the resumption of hangings of terrorists sentenced to death in Pakistan was an internal matters for that country. State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said Washington was concerned…

  • Time for extraordinary measures: Sharif

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      Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that the country is facing an unusual situation and if strong measures are not taken, it will be unacceptable for the nation. Addressing a session of the national parliamentary leaders which is under way here, the prime minister said he was pleased with the fact that all the…

  • Pakistan’s new anti-terror plan in pipeline

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    A working group of parliamentary parties in Pakistan suggested measures ranging from formation of military courts to anti-terrorism council as part of the nation’s efforts to combat the scourge of terrorism which has devoured the lives of more than 50,000 people in the country. The working group came up with 21 recommendations, The News International…