Hamid Karzai due in Pakistan Today

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan New: Afghan President Hamid Karzai is arriving in Pakistan today on a two-day visit. During his stay, Karzai would meet with President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani.

According to diplomatic sources, Pakistan would discuss India’s interference in Balochistan and security of Pakistanis present in Afghanistan with Karzai, while the latter would likely to raise regional strategy, and issues of 2 million Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan.

Sources added that the Afghan President would also seek shifting of arrested Taliban leader Baradar. It would be Karzai’s first visit to Pakistan after being elected President for the second term.

Islamabad and Delhi May Lay Out Talks Agenda Today

NEW DELHI: Indian and Pakistani officials are likely to meet on Monday to decide the agenda of bilateral talks proposed by India over a year after the terror attacks on Mumbai. New Delhi’s offer of talks comes after global powers endorsed an Afghan plan to seek reconciliation with the Taliban in which Pakistan will likely play a key role.

Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will meet Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India to agree on “where to talk, when to talk and what to talk”, a foreign ministry official said. India has offered “open-ended talks on all outstanding issues affecting peace and security”, emphasising counter-terrorism. Pakistan has called for resumption of the broader peace process called the “Composite Dialogue” on a range of issues, including Kashmir.

“This is abject surrender to Pakistan,” said Prakash Javdekar of India’s main opposition Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. “The unanimous position in India was there will be no talks with Pakistan unless there was credible action against the Mumbai attackers.”

New Delhi’s talks offer comes in part due to US pressure to reassure Pakistan so that it can focus on fighting the Taliban and al Qaeda on its western border with Afghanistan. Many in India also see the strategy of “coercive diplomacy” against Pakistan failing to get any more concessions on acting against the Mumbai attack planners, even as global sympathy for the attacks wanes with time. But any progress is likely to be slow. “Expect incremental progress but no breakthrough,” Lalit Mansingh, India’s former foreign secretary, told Reuters.

Security Guard Killed in the Suicide Blast in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan News Update: A Navy official Ashraf has been killed and three others injured in a suicide attack at the entrance of Naval Headquarters in sector E-8 in Islamabad.

According to sources, a suicide bomber aged between 16 to 17 years blew up himself when Naval guards stopped him at the entrance of the Naval Headquarters. DIG Islamabad Bin Yameen has confirmed that it was a suicide attack. The blast shattered the windowpanes of nearby building and vehicles. Security forces have cordoned off the area and emergency has been imposed in Islamabad hospitals after the incident.

Increase in U.S. Troops in Afghanistan Could Spread to the Extremists in Pakistan: PM Gilani

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan News Update: Prime Minister, Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that the increase in US force in Afghanistan might lead to the spill over of militants in Pakistan and make the situation worse confounded and, therefore, the western countries should evolve a joint strategy against the Taliban on Pak-Afghan borders.

In an interview with German Press Agency ahead of his first visit of Germany as the prime minister, Gilani stressed that Obama Administration would have to formulate Pak-Afghan strategy in consultation with Pakistan.

Responding to a question he said, ‘We have highlighted our concerns about possible increase in US forces in Afghanistan,’ said Gilani. ‘Our fear is that if they increase troops … the militants might spill over to Pakistan.’

The prime minister said that Pakistan was taking an all out action against the terrorists, which was being recognized also, however, more co-operation of the world community was required.

Prime Minister, Yusuf Raza Gilani will proceed on a four-day visit to Germany on November 30 according to the schedule.

Balochistan Package Tabled in Parliament

ISLAMABAD,Pakistan News Update: Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan Package has been tabled in the joint session of National Assembly and the Senate.

The Head of package-preparing Committee Mian Raza Rabbani announced the package in the joint session of the Parliament. He said the package comprises four parts, i.e. constitutional, political, administrative and economic recommendations.

However, he said the package is not a substitute for provincial autonomy, adding the national history in connection with provincial autonomy is rather bitter and those who raised their voice in past demanding their rights were termed as defectors.

Mian Raza said the dialogue process would be initiated with all political forces in the province and the exiled people would be offered passage for homecoming.

Also, it has been recommended to present to the fore the list of missing people and they would be brought to the courts, adding the package recommends that those missing people would be set free who have no cases against them.

The joint session of the Parliament was held here today at 3.00 p.m. for approval of Balochistan package.

President Asif Ali Zardari under the article 54(1) of the Constitution summoned the joint session of the Parliament to discuss the package for the uplift of Balochistan.

Balochistan Package Will be Presented in Parliament Today

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan News Update: The joint session of the Parliament is being held here today (Tuesday) at 3.00 p.m. for approval of Balochistan package.
President Asif Ali Zardari under the article 54(1) of the Constitution has summoned the joint session of the Parliament to discuss the package for the uplift of Balochistan.

According to the sources, Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani to present the ‘Aghaz-e-Haqooqe Balochistan’ package.

Before the joint session the meeting of all the parliamentary parties’ representatives would be held with Speaker National Assembly Dr. Fehmida Mirza in the chair.

Parveen Shakir be Remembered

KARACHI, Pakistan news update: 24th November, is the birthday of legendary Urdu poet, Parveen Shakir. She started writing at an early age, initially under the pen name of Beena, and published her first volume of poetry, Khushbu, to great acclaim, in 1976 and won Pakistan’s Adamjee Award.

She received two undergraduate degrees in English literature and linguistics.

She was Urdu poet, teacher and a civil servant of the Government of Pakistan. Shakir was born on 24th November, 1952 in Karachi.

She was a teacher for 9 years before joining the Pakistan Civil Service, where she served in the Customs department.

In 1986, she was appointed second secretary, CBR in Islamabad.

In 1990, she taught at Trinity College, Connecticut, USA, and then did her masters in public administration at Harvard University in 1991.

She married Naseer Ali, a doctor by profession, whom she later divorced. Parveen was killed in a car-truck collision in Islamabad on December 26, 1994, when she was only 42. With the premature end of her poetic career, Urdu poetry suffered an irreparable loss. She is survived by her son, Syed Murad Ali.

Her poetry was a breath of fresh air in Urdu poetry. She used the first-person feminine pronoun, which is rarely used in Urdu poetry even by female poets. The feminine perspective of love and the associated social problems were her theme. Critics compare her poetry to that of Iranian poet Forough Farrokhzad.

Her first book, Khushboo, won the Adamjee Award. Later she was awarded the Pride of Performance.

She subsequently published Sad-barg (Marsh Marigold), Khud kalami (Conversing with the Self), Inkaar (Refusal), Maah-e-Tamam (Full Moon) and Kaf-e-Aa’ina (The Edge of the Mirror), all to great acclaim.

PM Asks World to Pressure Pakistan Attackers 26/11

Washington: news update, Warning of “phenomenal consequences” if the advance of terrorists in Pakistan was not controlled, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked the world community to pressurise Islamabad to do much more to bring to book those responsible for the “horrible” 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
“We don’t want Pakistan to fail and emergence of democracy in Pakistan is something we welcome,” he said at the Council on Foreign Relations, a leading US think tank Monday. “But at the same time we have to recognise that there are forces at work in Pakistan that are with terrorists.”

“At least until now they were active only in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Now I think they hold direct on grip in several parts of mainland Pakistan.

“If that process is not controlled, it has I think phenomenal consequences for the security and stability of Pakistan as well as our own security,” he added.

Asked if he regretted not taking the military option in retaliation against the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the prime minister said he resisted enormous pressure at that time “and I think the decision that I took was balanced and right decision”.

“As regards future, I hate to speculate and sincerely hope that that sort of eventuality does not arise,” Manmohan Singh said. “And that’s why I believe world community has an obligation to impress upon Pakistan that it must use all its influence to curb the power of terrorist groups.”

The prime minister said Pakistan had done something to control the activities of Taliban terrorist groups in FATA, but “it has not acted as it should have acted in bringing the terrorists elements who are using their territory to target our country”.

Nor has Pakistan used all its machinery to bring to book all those murderers and those who perpetrated the horrible crime in Mumbai, he said, urging the world community to pressurise Pakistan to bring to book all those who are responsible for it.

There was now impeccable evidence that the conspiracy was planned in Pakistan with the active connivance of people still roaming about freely in Pakistan, he said. “Therefore I respectfully respect the world community to use all its influence on powers that be in Pakistan to desist from this sort of behaviour.”

Package Baluchistan Today in Parliament

ISLAMABAD,Pakistan News Update: The joint session of the Parliament is being held here on Tuesday at 3pm for approval of Balochistan package.

President Asif Ali Zardari under the article 54(1) of the Constitution has summoned the joint session of the Parliament to discuss the package for the uplift of Balochistan.

According to the sources, Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani to present the ‘Aghaz-e-Haqooqe Balochistan’ package.

Before the joint session the meeting of all the parliamentary parties’ representatives would be held with Speaker National Assembly Dr. Fehmida Mirza in the chair.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday has called a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Balochistan to give final touches to Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package being presented before the joint sitting of the parliament.

According to a statement, the meeting, headed by Senator Mian Raza Rabbani along with other members of the committee met the Prime Minister and deliberated upon the package prepared by the committee in consultations with all the stakeholders and political leadership of the country.

The Prime Minister appreciated the efforts made by the Parliamentary Committee, and hoped that Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package would go a long way in redressing the grievances and removing the sense of deprivation of the people of Balochistan.

Manmohan Says Willing to Resolve Kashmir Dispute

WASHINGTON News Update: India has enduring civilizational links with Afghanistan. India will continue to assist Afghanistan in building its institutions and its human resources.
With these two sentences, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday threw down the gauntlet to Washington, Islamabad and perhaps even Beijing and other world capitals that India would not be budged from pursuing its interests in Afghanistan — primarily of preventing the country from turning toxic under Pakistan’s malignant influence and American uncertainty.

He said we are ready to settle all disputes with Pakistan including Jammu and Kashmir row.

“The road to peace on Afghanistan will be long and hard. But given the high stakes involved, the commitment of the international community must be sustained by firm resolve and unity of purpose.”

Singh told Washington’s top policy wonks gathered to hear him at the Center for Foreign Relations, amid a continuing review by President Obama about U.S options in Afghanistan.

The remarks were clearly meant for the US President and his principals who have been bashing heads for several weeks now over next steps in Afghanistan amid charges of dithering on the crucial issue. Singh’s advice ahead of his meeting with Obama on Tuesday — Stay the course; we are going to be there.

Singh offered similar advice in an earlier address to US and Indian business leaders that the international community needs to remain engaged in Afghanistan and any “premature talk of exit will only embolden the terrorists.”

On the eve of the first anniversary of the Mumbai carnage, Singh also told the elite gathering, many of them regional experts keen to see India talking to Pakistan, that “for that to happen Pakistan must make a break with the past, abjure terrorism and come to the table with good faith and sincerity.”

He said his government had invested heavily in normalizing relations with Pakistan and “we are ready to pick up the threads of the dialogue including on issues relating Jammu and Kashmir.”

“We should not harbour any illusions that a selective approach to terrorism , tackling it on one place while ignoring it in others, will work,” Singh added.

Clearly, the Prime Minister too has taken a tough stand in the past few days on Pakistan even as Islamabad as reverted to its maximalist position on Kashmir, falling back on the long-lapsed UN Security Council resolution on the subject. The Prime Minister’s conditional offer of talks followed remarks in a television interview over the weekend in which he despaired about who to talk to in shifty Islamabad, where the civilian dispensation seemed to be overwhelmed by the country’s military.

Even on the nuclear issue, a confident Singh indicated India would not be overawed or intimidated by the Obama administration’s non-proliferation initiatives, welcoming talks on fissile material cut off treaty and while steering clear of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Much of what he said before the policy gathering seemed preparatory to his meeting with the US President tomorrow, their first bilateral encounter.

Singh showed the mildest sign of movement in New Delhi’s stand in the climate change talks saying India will not compromise the right of developing countries to develop and lift their populations out of property, but “we will do more if there is global support in terms of financial resources and technology transfer.”

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