CNewsworld's Blog

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Voting underway in PP-160

GEO 436 LAHORE: The by-elections vote in Lahore constituency of PP-160 is underway under stringent security, as the candidates of Tehreek-e-Insaaf and Jamaat Islami alleged administration for pressurizing voters to support PML-N's candidate, Geo News reported Thursday. On some points in the constituency, the polling was halted for a little while on reports of fake votes. PML-N candidate Rana Mubashir had to quit on fake degree of graduation. Polling started at 8am to continue without any interval till 5pm. There are at least seven independent candidates besides Malik Saiful Maluk of PML-N, Malik Jahangir Hussain Bara of Jamaat Islami and the PTI's Malik Zaheer Abbas. The PPP did not field its candidate vis-e-vis PML-N's candidate under an agreement of Charter of Democracy. At least 187,937 voters are eligible to cast their votes at 145 polling stations including 40 stations declared as sensitive. To ensure law and order, the Rangers have been deployed in and outside the polling stations with Quick Response Force put on high alert. Also, some people have been nabbed from a polling station for casting fake votes.

By-elections in PP 160 being held today

GEO 436 The by-elections for Punjab Assemblys constituency PP-160 are being held today for which all the preparations have been completed. Fifty six polling stations of the constituency have been declared susceptible. The seat fell vacant after disqualification of PML-N MPA Rana Mubashar for keeping a fake degree. PML-Ns Saif ul Maluk and Zahir Abbas Khokhar of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf along with JUIs Jahangir Hussain Bara are running for this Punjab Assemblys seat. The polling will begin at 8 am and will continue non0-stop till 5 pm today. The total count of voters in the constituency is 187,930 and 145 polling stations have been set up for them. The candidates of all three parties are also related to each other. The analysts claim that there will be a tough competition between PML-N and PTI candidate.

Medvedev: New technologies would open access (AP)

GEO 436 USA: AP – Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s daylong tour of Silicon Valley Wednesday started with a “tweet” — his first — and ended with a declaration of optimism that his country also would be able to adopt a high-tech economy that would give everyone a chance to succeed.

Germany, Ghana qualify for last 16

GEO 436 JOHANNESBURG: Germany reached the last 16 of the World Cup on Tuesday with a 1-0 win over Ghana but the west Africans also qualified as Group D runners-up after Australia beat Serbia 2-1. Germany will play arch-rivals England in Bloemfontein on Sunday for a place in the quarter-finals, while Ghana face the United States in Rustenburg on Saturday. Mesut Ozil’’s left-footed drive into the top corner on the hour-mark at Soccer City proved enough to carry Germany into the knockout round as group winners with six points, followed by four for Ghana. In Nelspruit, a Tim Cahill header and Brett Holman’’s long-range shot gave Australia a 2-0 lead, but Serbia hit back when Marko Pantelic knocked in a rebound in the 84th minute. But Pantelic missed a clear chance to equalise in the dying seconds – it was a costly miss as a draw would have carried Serbia through to the last 16 instead of Ghana by virtue of the number of goals scored. Australia also finished on four points, but their challenge was fatally undermined by the 4-0 thrashing by Germany in their first game.

British general in interim charge of NATO Afghan force: govt

GEO 436 LONDON: British Lieutenant General Nick Parker has taken interim command of NATO’’s Afghan forces following the departure of US General Stanley McChrystal, Downing Street said Wednesday. The decision came in a conversation between British Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama, after the president relieved McChrystal of his duties, said Downing Street in a statement. “Pending General (David) Petraeus’’s confirmation by Congress, the British Deputy Commander of (NATO’’s International Security Assistance Force) ISAF, Lt Gen Nick Parker, has assumed command,” said the statement.

McChrystal dismissal causes unease at NATO

GEO 436 BRUSSELS: General Stanley McChrystal’’s replacement caused unease among some NATO allies Wednesday, concerned that it sends a bad signal after he masterminded a strategy to tackle the Taliban in Afghanistan. NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen had on Tuesday backed the alliance’’s commander in Afghanistan, amid a storm over an interview in which McChrystal criticised the White House. “We are in the middle of a very real conflict, and the Secretary General has full confidence in General McChrystal as the NATO commander, and in his strategy,” Rasmussen’’s spokesman had said. But on Wednesday US President Barack Obama decided such insubordination could not be tolerated and McChrystal duly resigned. Rasmussen swiftly sought to assure that McChrystal’’s strategy would survive his departure. “While he will no longer be the commander, the approach he helped put in place is the right one. The strategy continues to have NATO’’s support, and our forces will continue to carry it out.” Rasmussen stressed in a statement. “The Afghan people should have no doubt that we will continue to carry out our mission in partnership with them,” he added. In private, several NATO delegations in Brussels had expected McChrystal’’s removal, deeming his position untenable after Rolling Stone magazine published an interview in which he and his aides derided top administration officials and spoke dismissively of Obama. However there was regret that he had been left with no choice but to go just because of some ill-judged remarks to a reporter. German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg told German television that McChrystal was “a guarantor of the new strategy in Afghanistan,” before the announcement of the US general’’s resignation. Zu Guttenberg warned that NATO forces were facing a “very tough summer” and that the alliance needed steady leadership during a potentially very bloody period.

UK announces Â£50mn grant for militancy-hit areas

GEO 436 ISLAMABAD : British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, William Hague informed the Prime Minister that his Government had announced an assistance package of 50 million Pounds for stabilization and reconstruction of the areas affected by militancy on Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has expressed his confidence that the overall Pakistan-UK relations and multifaceted cooperation, particularly in the fields of social sectors, defence, trade, investment and economic assistance will attain new heights under the new British Government. The prime minister was talking to British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, William Hague, who along with his delegation called on him here at the former’’s Chamber in the National Assembly Secretariat on Wednesday. The prime minister while congratulating the Conservative Party on its victory in the recently held general elections in UK, termed it gratifying that seven British nationals of Pakistan origin had been elected to the House of Commons and Baroness Saeeda Warsi had been appointed a member of the Cabinet as well as the Chairperson of the Conservative Party. He hoped that members of the British Parliament of Pakistan origin as well as one million strong Pakistani community in the UK would continue playing their important role as a bridge between the two countries to bring them ever closer. PM Gilani apprised William Hague of the plan prepared by the Government of Pakistan for the sustainable development of FATA region over the next nine years and of development and reconstruction strategy for Malakand and Swat regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He underlined the imperative of making rehabilitation and reconstruction of Malakand and Swat regions as the model project for winning the hearts and minds of the militancy affected people. The prime minister stressed the need for Donor Countries delivering on their pledges made in Tokyo, last year to achieve that objective. While dilating on Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the position of his Government that Afghan society needs to re-establish its own equilibrium. The envisaged reconciliation and reintegration process should be Afghan owned and Afghan led, he added. He, however, reiterated his Government’’s full support to such an Afghan led effort. Gilani also noted that the period of extension in stay of 3.5 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan had already expired and the relevant UN agencies and international community must now take the required steps for their repatriation to their homeland. He called for introducing of biometrics system, in the meanwhile on Pakistan-Afghanistan border to check the infiltration of un-desirable elements in to both sides. The premier reaffirmed that Pakistan was desirous of friendly, good neighbourly and cooperative relations with India and resumption of the peace process between the two countries through a constructive and result oriented dialogue to resolve all the outstanding issues like Kashmir, Water dispute, Sir Creek, Siachen as well as terrorism. He hoped that the talks between the two Foreign Secretaries on Thursday and between the Home and Interior Ministers over the weekend would pave the way for resumption of long awaited peace process between the two countries. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in his response said that the new British Government wanted to put a new momentum in Pakistan-UK relations by focusing on the sustained broad term ties in the areas of trade, investment and economic cooperation. William Hague assured the Prime Minister that Pakistan could count on UK’’s support in the European Union for the market access as his Government fully recognized Pakistan’’s growing economic difficulties in its role as the frontline state in the war against terror. The UK would remain steadfastly by Pakistan side and help it in every possible way to meet its challenges, he added. UK would keep assisting Pakistan in its endeavours to fight the menace of extremism and terrorism through provision of assistance for eradication of illiteracy and alleviation of poverty. He underlined that UK was actively involved with Pakistan in this regard through the Joint Education Task Force and would be contributing 250 million Pounds for improving literacy and by providing 320 million Pounds to Pakistan as budgetary support for poverty alleviation over the next three years” period.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Wednesday, June 23, 2010