Ajay Kaul And Rezaul H Laskar In Islamabad

Stories by Ajay Kaul And Rezaul H Laskar In Islamabad

Gilani wins trust vote, says Parliament is supreme

Gilani wins trust vote, says Parliament is supreme

Rediff.com   16 Jan 2012

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday called on the military and judiciary to defend democracy and not to "pack up the system" as Pakistan's beleaguered government got a morale booster when Parliament passed a pro-democracy resolution.

Pak Parliamentary committee issues summons to Mansoor Ijaz

Pak Parliamentary committee issues summons to Mansoor Ijaz

Rediff.com   16 Jan 2012

Hours after controversial Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz failed to turn up before a judicial commission probing the memo scandal, a Pakistani parliamentary committee on Monday summoned him to appear before it on January 26.

PPP, coalition partners say Gilani should appear before SC

PPP, coalition partners say Gilani should appear before SC

Rediff.com   16 Jan 2012

Hours after Pakistan Supreme Court on Monday issued a contempt notice to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, the leaders of ruling coalition decided that he should appear in the apex court on January 19 in the matter relating to reopening of corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Pakistani Taliban denies reports of Hakimullah Mehsud's death

Pakistani Taliban denies reports of Hakimullah Mehsud's death

Rediff.com   16 Jan 2012

A day after reports that Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a United States drone attack in North Waziristan, the militant group has said he is alive and the speculation about his death was a ruse to locate his whereabouts.

Gilani says no to retracting statement against military

Gilani says no to retracting statement against military

Rediff.com   15 Jan 2012

Pakistan's beleaguered Prime Minister on Sunday defiantly rejected the Army's demand that he retract his criticism of the military, a day ahead of the crucial Supreme Court hearing relating to graft cases which could have a decisive bearing on the current crisis gripping the nation.

Pakistan: Militants storm police compound, 3 killed

Pakistan: Militants storm police compound, 3 killed

Rediff.com   14 Jan 2012

Three heavily armed militants were killed after they stormed a district police chief's office in northwest Pakistan on Saturday, triggering a two-hour standoff with security forces, during which nine persons were injured. Two of the attackers detonated their suicide vests inside the police compound at Dera Ismail Khan while one more was gunned down by security forces. Police officers said they believed between five and eight militants were involved in the assault.

'Pak Army will stand by SC in standoff with govt'

'Pak Army will stand by SC in standoff with govt'

Rediff.com   13 Jan 2012

The Pakistan Army's top commanders have decided to throw their weight behind the Supreme Court in its standoff with the civilian government over the memo scandal and the revival of high-profile graft cases, according to a media report on Friday.

Kayani meets top commanders amid political crisis in Pak

Kayani meets top commanders amid political crisis in Pak

Rediff.com   12 Jan 2012

Pakistan Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani held a key meeting with top commanders on Thursday against the backdrop of an escalating row with the civilian government over the memo scandal.

Pakistan Senate election on March 2

Pakistan Senate election on March 2

Rediff.com   12 Jan 2012

Elections to 50 seats of the 100-member Senate will be held on March 2, Pakistan's Election Commission on Thursday announced.

Pak dismisses Musharraf's suggestion, says no ties with Israel

Pak dismisses Musharraf's suggestion, says no ties with Israel

Rediff.com   12 Jan 2012

The Pakistan government on Thursday dismissed former President Pervez Musharraf's suggestion that the country should be open to the idea of establishing relations with Israel, saying such a move could not be considered as it did not recognise the Jewish state.

Pak court admits plea to prevent sacking of Kayani

Pak court admits plea to prevent sacking of Kayani

Rediff.com   12 Jan 2012

A Pakistani court has admitted a petition seeking to block any attempt by the government to sack army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Inter Services Intelligence chief Lieutenant General Ahmed Shuja Pasha over the memo scandal. The petition filed by lawyer Maulvi Iqbal Haider was accepted by the Islamabad high court on Wednesday. Haider asked the court to restrain the president and prime minister from taking any action against the army and ISI chiefs.

Pak army changes commander of Rawalpindi based unit

Pak army changes commander of Rawalpindi based unit

Rediff.com   11 Jan 2012

The Pakistan Army on Wednesday changed the commander of a Rawalpindi-based unit that has traditionally played a vital role in military coups as army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani gathered his key aides to assess an escalation in tensions with the civilian government.

Pak scribe murder: No one named in panel's report

Pak scribe murder: No one named in panel's report

Rediff.com   11 Jan 2012

The Pakistani judicial commission that probed the abduction and murder of journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad has not held any institution or individual responsible for the crime, according to media reports on Wednesday.

Blast in crowded market kills 20 in northwest Pakistan

Blast in crowded market kills 20 in northwest Pakistan

Rediff.com   10 Jan 2012

A powerful bomb blast ripped through a crowded market in the restive Khyber tribal region of northwest Pakistan on Tuesday, killing at least 20 people and injuring over 30 others, officials said. The bomb was planted in a pick-up truck that was parked at a stand for trucks and buses at the market in Jamrud, one of the main towns of Khyber Agency. All the people sitting in the truck were killed instantly when the bomb went off, witnesses and officials said.

Mehran base was left unprotected despite forewarning: Report

Mehran base was left unprotected despite forewarning: Report

Rediff.com   9 Jan 2012

Pakistani authorities failed to protect the Mehran naval airbase in Karachi from a terrorist attack last year despite having knowledge since 2009 of al-Qaeda's plans to attack the National Defence University in Islamabad and naval installations.

India a 'status quoist' country: Tharoor

India a 'status quoist' country: Tharoor

Rediff.com   5 Jan 2012

The civil-military imbalance in Islamabad is a key factor impeding India-Pakistan relations despite a large constituency for peace in both countries, former Indian Minister Shashi Tharoor said in Islamabad on Thursday.

Pak panel seeks access to documents found at Osama's compound

Pak panel seeks access to documents found at Osama's compound

Rediff.com   4 Jan 2012

A commission investigating Osama bin Laden's presence in Pakistan and the covert United States raid that killed him has asked the government to give it access to 1,87,000 documents, including diaries and letters, found at the slain Al Qaeda leader's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Khar hopes 'positive' trend in Indo-Pak relations continue

Khar hopes 'positive' trend in Indo-Pak relations continue

Rediff.com   3 Jan 2012

Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Tuesday expressed hope that the positive trends seen in Indo-Pak relations in 2011 would continue this year to boost the agenda of development and prosperity in the region.

Sherry Rehman to leave for Washington next week

Sherry Rehman to leave for Washington next week

Rediff.com   3 Jan 2012

Pakistan's new envoy to the United States, Sherry Rehman, is set to reach Washington on January 9 to occupy the position that was vacated by Husain Haqqani after he was linked to the Memogate scandal.

Will not stop fighting Pakistani forces: Pak Taliban

Will not stop fighting Pakistani forces: Pak Taliban

Rediff.com   3 Jan 2012

The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan has said it will continue carrying out suicide attacks and targetting Pakistani security forces despite joining other militant groups in a pledge not to kill innocent people or to resort to kidnappings for ransom.