The Afghanistan government will engage with Taliban elements which are not part of the Al Qaeda network as it continues its military campaign against extremism and terrorism, President Hamid Karzai said on Wednesday. "We believe that while we are continuing our campaign against extremism and terrorist networks, the Al Qaeda and its associates, we will also seek means other than a military campaign to bring stability to Afghanistan and to Pakistan by extension," he said.
At least 13 people, including women and children, were killed and nine others injured on Thursday in a powerful explosion outside the home of a provincial minister in Quetta and a landmine blast in Kurram tribal area, the latest in a slew of terror strikes across Pakistan.
A group of 141 Indian fishermen were released by Pakistani authorities from a jail in the southern port city of Karachi, completing the process of freeing 442 fishermen who have completed their prison terms. The fishermen, freed from Malir Jail, will cross over to India via the Wagah land border on Tuesday.
Lakhvi's lawyer Khwaja Sultan, who has been accused by the prosecution of filing numerous petitions to delay the trial, told PTI that his client would not approach the Lahore High Court for bail.
Pakistani authorities issued orders for the release and repatriation of 442 Indian fishermen in the wake of a case filed in the Supreme Court regarding their unlawful detention.
A Pakistani anti-terrorism court conducting the trial of seven suspects charged with involvement in the Mumbai attacks reserved till Monday, its decision on a bail petition filed by Lashkar-e-Tayiba operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.
Officials of the home and prisons departments of Punjab province and the local police force were quoted by the Daily Times newspaper as saying that there would be a "gradual" release of the detainees in the next few days
The Indian government has not yet been formally asked to start supplying the aid and the Foreign Office spokesman said the matter is still being discussed. "We are working on it and the decision will soon be made public," spokesman Abdul Basit said.
Pakistan slammed Afghan National Security Advisor Rangin Dadfar Spanta for alleging that the country and its military intelligence were linked to terrorists, saying it would not be "distracted by such unfair remarks".
India and Israel are the only two countries whose aid workers will not be granted special visas by Pakistan to join relief efforts for the millions of people affected by the country's worst floods.
Authorities in northwest Pakistan have launched a crackdown against banned terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Tayiba that are engaged in relief efforts for flood victims and closed down 16 camps set up by these organisations.
Pakistan's Shahbaz air force base in southern Sindh province, which is home to the country's newest F-16 jets, is 'controlled by the United States', a senior official has said. Health Secretary Khushnood Lashari made the stunning claim about the Shahbaz airbase in Jacobabad area during an appearance before the Standing Committee on Health of the Senate or upper house of Parliament on Wednesday.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna had conveyed the offer of aid to his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi during a telephone conversation on Friday.
Days after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed willingness to consider autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan on Thursday said such measures would not help resolve the vexed issue and harped on the 'right to self-determination' for the Kashmiris."It is important to first acknowledge and summon the courage (to say) that the Jammu and Kashmir issue is there and it can't be addressed unless it is properly diagnosed and a proper prescription is given," said a spokesperson.
Gilani said Pakistan wants "good neighbourly relations with India" and would like both sides to "address all issues and disputes between them peacefully".
Upping the ante, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said he is unwilling to travel to New Delhi for talks unless India is prepared to hold a "meaningful, constructive and result-oriented" dialogue to resolve outstanding issues.
Pakistan's leading newspapers have lamented that the Indo-Pak foreign ministerial-level talks have produced nothing but a promise for more talks.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna called on Asif Ali Zardari and discussed the issue of terrorism, with the Pakistani President stressing on timely intelligence sharing between the two countries to prevent acts of terror. Krishna, who met Zardari and discussed issues of bilateral concern.
Pakistani Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira dismissed as "baseless propaganda and assumptions" India's allegation that the Inter-Services Intelligence was behind the Mumbai attacks. "When the two Foreign Ministers are meeting, such allegations should not be made," he said during an interaction with a group of Indian journalists, a day ahead of a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan.
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Tuesday, that he was hopeful that the upcoming meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan and India will pave the way for "progress of structured dialogue".
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