"It is interesting that the US claims to want a democratic Pakistan, but whenever there's a congressional delegation that goes to Pakistan, they don't meet their counterparts in the National Assembly. They all want to meet General Kayani and General Pasha, because they understand that's where the power lies," said Christina Fair of the Georgetown University.
Facing his toughest test since becoming Pakistan's prime minister, a defiant Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday brushed aside the demand of protesters asking him to quit saying the country has survived "difficult times" and the current political crisis too shall pass.
Pakistan will acquire at least eight modified diesel-electric attack submarines from China by 2028 in a nearly $5 billion (Rs 33,479 crore) agreement, said to be the biggest arms export deal for the Communist giant.
Faced with allegations that included bribery and violation of sovereignty, Park was accused of colluding with Choi to secure millions of dollars in bribes from the country's biggest enterprises and allowing Choi, a civilian, to interfere in state affairs. Park had apologized, but denied any wrongdoing.
Chairman of National Assembly standing committee on sports, Iqbal Muhammad Khan once again blamed PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt for Pakistan's debacle in England and asked for his removal.
Top Pakistani officials are refusing to disclose how and on what the country's powerful spy agency Inter Services Intelligence spent a whopping Rs 5.55 billion allocated to it during 2007-08. "This is highly sensitive information and hence I can't talk about it at an open forum," Finance Secretary Salman Siddiqui told the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly or the lower house of parliament.
Underlining Pakistan as an important ally of the United States, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said international forces led by America cannot succeed in Afghanistan without Islamabad's assistance. Responding to a point of order raised by Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisat Ali Khan, Gilani said Islamabad would never compromise on the security of the country's nuclear programme. He added that Pakistan will never accept regional imbalance, in an oblique reference to India.
Amid the shouting of slogans against former dictators Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf, the members of the lower house of parliament approved 102 amendments, including several that will transfer powers from the office of the President to the Prime Minister.
A landmark constitutional reforms package aimed at striking down the Pakistani president's sweeping powers and strengthening democratic institutions was tabled in Pakistan's parliament on Friday, with the ruling Pakistan People's Party describing it as a "bill of hope".
Pakistan has always desired a purposeful dialogue with India to resolve outstanding problems, including the core issue of Kashmir, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Tuesday.Qureshi said, Referring to Pakistan's policy on Kashmir, he said, "We want a just and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue in light of the United Nation's resolutions and according to the aspirations of the Kashmiri people," he said.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ejaz Butt resisted a call for his resignation on Wednesday during a parliamentary committee hearing into PCB affairs and the national team's poor performance on their tour to Australia. Head of the parliamentary committee Jamshed Dasti told media he has asked the 71-year-old Butt to resign and let Pakistan cricket move forward under a young leadership.
A new bill passed by the Pakistani parliament may snatch the remote control of the country's nuclear bombs from President Asif Ali Zardari.
Pakistan has reserved four seats for minorities in its Senate whose strength will climb to 104 from 100 under the landmark Constitutional reforms package, a move lauded as "people-friendly" by the community which so far had no representation in the upper house of Parliament.
Match-fixing has returned to haunt Pakistan cricket with the parliamentary committee on sports summoning PCB chief Ejaz Butt, captain Younus Khan and coach Intikhab Alam to seek explanation for the team's Champions Trophy loss to Australia after allegations of deliberate underperformance.
Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan told a parliamentary committee on sports on Monday that he had been unjustly treated by the cricket authorities and the indefinite ban imposed on him after the Australian tour should be lifted immediately.
Crossing a significant milestone, the Indo-French civil nuclear agreement was unanimously adopted by the French Parliament, paving the way for companies to build nuclear power plants in India. The French National Assembly on Tuesday adopted a law authorising the ratification of the Cooperation Agreement between India and France on the Development of Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, a French Embassy statement said. The French Senate had adopted the law on October 15.
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs on Monday issued a four-page policy paper linked to Kashmir.
'The most unfortunate part is that after precipitating the crisis situation on Tuesday, the government ducked and took help from Saudi Arabia and the UAE to 'de-escalate' the situation.' 'Make no mistake, this fateful move has grave implications.' 'You don't take help from the wolf to guard the sheep, right?' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The Pakistan government has no plans to roll back the country's atomic programme and is committed to maintaining a minimum nuclear deterrence, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Babar Awan said Tuesday. The Pakistan People's Party-led government will not compromise on the country's defence and sovereignty, he said in the National Assembly or lower house of Parliament.
An annoyed Younis Khan on Tuesday quit captaincy of the Pakistan cricket team after being grilled by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Sports, which wanted him to explain the team's performance in the recent Champions Trophy.
Pakistan National Assembly's Standing Committee on Sports chairman Jamshed Dasti has back tracked from his earlier statement in which he had accused the Pakistani cricket team of 'fixing' the ICC champions Trophy matches against Australia and New Zealand.
A tense standoff continued in Pakistan on Saturday as overnight talks between the government and protesters demanding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's resignation made little headway in breaking the political logjam.
The Pakistan government will prosecute former military ruler Pervez Musharraf and his collaborators for "high treason" for violating the constitution by imposing emergency in 2007. The Parliament will pass a resolution to this effect soon, a minister has said.
PCB chairman Ejaz Butt and captain Younis Khan and coach Intikhab Alam will appear before the National Assembly standing committee on sports on Tuesday to respond to the match-fixing allegations labeled against them during the Champions Trophy in South Africa.
After Pakistani Parliament unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the "blasphemous caricatures" published in French weekly satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, dozens marched against the publication in Lahore.
The workers of the airline have been also up in arms, protesting against the decision by the government.
Gautam Gambhir may be a familiar Pakistan nemesis on the field but the aggressive opener threw his weight behind Younis Khan and his men saying it is impossible to believe that they had tanked their matches in the ICC Champions Trophy. Gambhir said it is wrong to blame cricketers of match fixing if they end up on the losing side.
Pakistan skipper Younis Khan said he would not tolerate the slur of match-fixing levelled against him and his teammates and would resign from the captain's job if he felt so.
Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan on Wednesday dismissed match-fixing allegations against the Pakistani team in the Champions Trophy but felt the players were over-confident.
Don't be surprised if Imran invites Modi and other South Asian leaders for his swearing-in ceremony, says Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
Ruling out India's involvement, Pakistan on Thursday suspected al-Qaeda to be behind the audacious attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team as the investigators claimed to have identified the perpetrators.
The Pakistan government has received "credible intelligence reports" confirming the death of local Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud in a drone attack and physical evidence is being collected to validate the claim, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Monday.
The Pakistan government has banned 25 religious and other organisations, including the Jamaat-ud-Dawah, the Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Lashker-e-Tayiba, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.
Younis Khan on Thursday made it clear to the Pakistan Cricket Board that he would withdraw his resignation from the captain's post only if he is retained at the helm till the 2011 World Cup.
Pakistan's parliament on Monday endorsed a move to enforce Islamic laws in the restive northwestern Swat valley, which is largely controlled by the Taliban, and asked President Asif Ali Zardari to accord approval to the measure to usher in peace across the country.The National Assembly or lower house of the parliament adopted a resolution recommending that President Zardari should accord approval to the Nizam-e-Adal Regulation to implement Shariah or Islamic laws in Swat.
The National assembly's Standing Committee on Sports in Pakistan observed that in recent months, India had been trying to isolate Pakistani sportspersons by depriving them a chance to compete in international events.
Describing Mumbai attacker Ajmal Amir Iman Kasab's confession as "doctored", Pakistani authorities have reportedly said the evidence provided by India on the terror strikes is "insufficient" and no action can be taken based on it.
'India, which climbed the escalation ladder first, has climbed down.'
'It remains unclear what Indian objectives have been realised in precipitating the crisis in the first instance last Tuesday,' notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Speaking in the National Assembly during a debate on the Line of Control situation, Aziz said Pakistan is fully capable to defend its border and will not accept any "Indian influence or hegemony" under any circumstances.
Islamic State-linked militants in Algeria have beheaded a French hostage captured over the weekend -- having earlier made threats to kill him if France did not stop bombing targets in Iraq.
