India(CAI) Karachi(KCA) Agree On Cotton Trade

KARACHI PAKISTAN News: Cotton Association of India (CAI) and Karachi Cotton Association (KCA) have reached an agreement to abolish all existing barriers in way of cotton trade between two neighbours.

President CAI Dheran N Seth visited KCA here on Saturday wherein he called on President KCA Sohail Naseem.

During the sitting, the heads of two cotton associations resolved to mutually resolve disputed issues instead of taking them up before International Cotton Advisory (ICA).

The meeting also decided to hold visits of members cotton associations from two sides on regular basis.

PCB Announces World Twenty20 Squad

LAHORE, Pakistan News: Pakistan has announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming World Twenty20 tournament to be played in the West Indies.

Chief selector Mohsin Khan announced the squad at National Stadium Karachi and informed that naming a captain “is the domain of the PCB chairman (Ijaz Butt)” who will name the skipper later.

Squad
1 Abdul Razzak, 2 Saeed Ajmal, 3 Muhammad Hafeez, 4 Shahid Afridi, 5 Kamran Akmal, 6 Omer Akmal, 7 Umer Gul, 8 Misbah-ul-Haq, 9 Muhammad Asif, 10 Khalid Latif, 11 Salman Butt, 12 Hammad Azam, 13 Fawad Alam, 14 Muhammad Amir and 15 Yasir Arafat.

India Says Open to New Talks with Pak

NEW DELHI : India signalled on Friday it was open to a new round of talks with Pakistan, raising fresh hopes of a thaw in relations after last month’s official dialogue between the nuclear-armed rivals produced no breakthrough.

The two nations’ top diplomats — their foreign secretaries — met in New Delhi for their first official talks since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, but just agreed to “keep in touch” without mentioning if there would be another round of talks.

What followed the meeting was a bout of acrimonious exchanges between the two sides over what the focus of the dialogue was — India on terrorism, Pakistan on the disputed region of Kashmir — worsening the atmosphere for any future talks.

“We tried to make a beginning with the foreign secretary talks, but nothing came out of it am afraid,” India’s Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram told a conference in New Delhi.

“But I am told we are still open to another round of talks between the foreign secretaries.”

An easing of tension between the neighbours is important for stability in Afghanistan, where India and Pakistan have long battled for influence, complicating efforts by the United States to defeat militancy in the region.

Gunmen Target US Charity in Pakistan, Five killed

MANSEHRA, Pakistan News: Militants stormed a building used by a US-based charity in Pakistan on Wednesday, sparking heavy clashes with police and killing at least five people, police and an aid worker said.

The gunmen attacked offices of World Vision near Oghi town, in Mansehra, a relatively peaceful district of the North West Frontier Province, where Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked militants have carried out multiple attacks.

Police said five people were killed, including two women, but an aid worker told media on condition of anonymity that six World Vision staff died and six were seriously wounded, with staff still trapped in the besieged building.

“They opened fire and also exploded hand grenades,” senior police officer Waqar Ahmed told media by telephone.

“So far we have confirmation about the deaths of five people, including two women,” he said, giving no further details.

An aid worker confirmed that a group of militants had attacked the World Vision office early Wednesday, unleashing heavy gunfire and sparking a battle with police, who rushed to the site.

“Five staff from World Vision are dead, six are seriously injured. More information is coming. The staff are trapped in the office,” he said.

Hockey World Cup: Pakistan Beat Spain by 2-1

NEW DELHI: Pakistan defeated Spain 2-1in their second match in the FIH hockey World Cup here on Tuesday.  After being beaten by India in their first match, Pakistan showed good spirit this time despite a tense contest between the two countries.

Rehan Butt got Pakistan lead in the 30th minute and Pakistan were leading 1-0 when the first half ended.

However, Spain equalled the score in the second half when David Alegre netted in the 65th minute but just two minutes before the end, young Abdu Haseem Khan deflected the penalty-corner hit by Sohail Abbas and Pakistan emerged victorious in the end.

Pakistan will play their next match on Thursday against England who have so far won their both matches – against Australia and South Africa.

Pak, India Foreign Secretaries Hold Talks

NEW DELHI : Pakistan and India held their first foreign secretary-level talks at Hyderabad House in Indian capital on Thursday.

Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and his Indian counterpart Nirupama Rao met one-on-one in New Delhi for nearly 90 minutes, before being joined for further discussions by their delegations.

The two foreign secretaries, the most senior civil servants in their foreign ministries, shook hands as they met at Hyderabad House, a former princely palace in the heart of the Indian capital.

“I look forward to our talks,” Rao told reporters, while Bashir said he hoped for “a very good, constructive engagement.”

Top leaders from both countries have since met several times during regional conferences, but Thursday’s meeting marks the first real move towards normalisation.

Bashir met with senior Kashmiri leaders on Wednesday, signalling Islamabad’s intention of keeping Kashmir on the talks agenda.

Indo-Pakistan F-S Talks Begin

NEW DELHI: The foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan met Thursday in New Delhi for the first official talks between the rivals since the 2008 Mumbai attacks which derailed their peace dialogue.

The Pakistani delegation, comprising eight members, is headed by Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir.

Earlier, talking to media before the commencement of talks, Salman Bashir said all longstanding issues including Kashmir Row, Terrorism, Water Distribution, Insurgency in Balochistan and others will come under discussion.

He said terrorism is an international menace, which needs to be encountered at all levels.

The spokesman to Foreign Office Abdul Basit, on the occasion, said no agenda has been set for the talks therefore every issues will be discussed.

He said we are going to hold talks with a positive approach, adding that Pakistan has shown seriousness in taking concrete actions against accused of Mumbai attacks.

Later, Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao shook hands with her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir at a former princely palace in the centre of the Indian capital.

“I welcome the foreign secretary of Pakistan Salman Bashir to New Delhi this morning and I look forward to our talks,” Rao told reporters.

India broke off a slow-moving peace process with Pakistan after the attacks on Mumbai in November 2008, which left 166 people dead. New Delhi blamed militants based in Pakistan.

Bashir said he looked forward “to a very good, constructive engagement”.

Indo, Pak Talks, India Rejects Third Party Mediation

NEW DELHI, News Updates: India has rejected any third party mediation in talks with Pakistan, adding that the dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad will only be at the bilateral level.

On Tuesday, addressing the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Islamabad would welcome any role given to China to bring down tensions between India and Pakistan because of the trust and confidence it enjoyed with its close ally.

“It is for the Indians to decide if they would be comfortable to have China talking as a third party to bridge the gap. As far as Pakistan is concerned, they (China) have a blank cheque,” he said at the Chinese think tank.

In response to queries on Qureshi’s statements, Antony said, “We are not in favour of involvement of any third country in our talks. It is only bilateral. Our basic policy is we don’t want interference from any country in our bilateral talks with Pakistan.”

Reacting to Qureshi’s comments, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said India and Pakistan were both important, friendly neighbours of China. He said China supported and welcomed the improvement in relations between India and Pakistan and backed efforts to settle their outstanding issues through dialogue.

Pak Has To Seriously Address Terror Threat: Indian President

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Foreign Secretary- level talks, India on Monday said it is ready to explore a “meaningful” relationship with Pakistan if it seriously addresses the threat of terrorism and stops terror acts against this country.

“India is ready to explore a meaningful relationship with Pakistan if Pakistan seriously addresses the threat of terrorism and takes effective steps to prevent terrorist activities against India,” she said.

India is expected to focus on terrorism during the parleys. The composite dialogue between the two countries was stalled in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

The President said infiltration of terrorists from across the line of control in Jammu and Kashmir has gone up.

“Government remains vigilant against all forms of challenges posed by terrorism. Zero tolerance of terrorist activities is our principal policy. We have to keep constant watch and innovate against global terrorist

Pak Cricket Team Arrives Home

DUBAI: Pakistan cricket team has arrived home after playing a 2-match T20 series against England in Dubai.

Players belonged to Lahore including Shoaib Malik, Saeed Ajmal, Abul Razzaq and Imran Farhat arrived in Lahore from Dubai on Monday morning.

Manager Yawar Saeed, who was also along with players, said he was satisfied over the performance of team.

Captain Shoaib Malik and All rounder Abdul Razzaq, on the occasion, talked to media.

Both players were pleased with their performances against England in Dubai and hoped to carry on in positive shape.

To a question, Shoaib Malik said he was overjoyed over captaining national team, terming the responsibility as nothing short of an honour.

Shahid Khan Afridi can prove a better skipper national cricket team, he told media.

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