It was evident that no preparatory exercise for political and inter-departmental consensus-building in New Delhi before embarking on the trust-building exercise in Islamabad was undertaken.
In a major setback to Pakistan's embattled government, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered a time-bound probe into the memo scandal, a decision that could add more pressure on President Asif Ali Zardari and Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani.
Pakistani people would foil any attempt to overthrow the elected government, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Friday as speculation mounted in the country of possibility of a silent coup.
Diplomatic circles in the US were expecting "low-level participation" by Pakistan in the crucial conference beginning on Monday in the German city, Dawn News channel reported, quoting its sources.
Admitting that the 'memogate' scandal has raised questions about the strength of Pakistan's civilian government and the influence wielded by the powerful military, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said it was "ridiculous" to link President Asif Ali Zardari to the controversial note. questions. It doesn't take much to be able to raise those questions," Khar said. She was responding to a query about the 'memogate' controversy.
Pakistan has agreed in principle to launch a full-fledged military operation against Taliban militants in North Waziristan. But it will be a tough task for the country's army, as the terrain is believed to be the stronghold of numerous Arab, central Asian, Pashtun and Punjabi militants.The military operation may increase the flow of US aid to Pakistan, but the consequences might be unaffordable for the beleaguered country.
Public confidence in the Pakistani national government, which is seen by Pakistanis as too cozy to the US government, has nosedived, reaching a low of 23 percent in March and October 2012, a new US Survey has found.
Pakistan on Friday test fired nuclear-capable Hatf-7 cruise missile with a range of 700 km that can hit targets in India. The test of the "indigenously developed multi-tube" cruise missile system was successful, said a statement issued by the military. The Hatf-7 or Babur missile has stealth capabilities and can carry nuclear and conventional warheads, the military said. The test was witnessed by Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee Khalid Shameem Wyne.
The ruling Pakistan People's Party on Saturday unveiled a package of sweeping constitutional reforms aimed at curbing President Pervez Musharraf's powers, including those of dissolving parliament and appointing the chiefs of the armed forces. The party, however, remained mum on reinstating judges sacked by Musharraf during emergency last year, an issue that has strained ties with coalition partner Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League N, which quit the cabinet.
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".
The ruling Pakistan People's Party's efforts to finalise a constitutional reforms package suffered a major setback after it failed to achieve consensus with the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on the procedure for appointing judges and on renaming the North West Frontier Province.
Pakistan President and PCB Patron-in-Chief Asif Ali Zardari has announced an award of Rs 500,000 for the highest-scorers and top wicket-takers in each game of the ongoing three-match ODI series in India.
As lawyers paralysed the working of courts across the country, Pakistan government has moved to avert a showdown with the judiciary by initiating steps to end the row over the apex court striking down appointments made by President Asif Ali Zardari.
Pakistan expressed concern over what it described as India's "massive" induction of advanced weapon systems and adoption of "offensive" military doctrines and said it would not compromise on the maintenance of a credible minimum nuclear deterrence.
Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh, who is on a death row for alleged involvement in a string of bombings in Pakistani cities in 1990, has signed a fresh mercy petition to be sent to President Asif Ali Zardari.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Wednesday underlined Pakistan's commitment for "friendly, cooperative and good" neighbourly relations with India as she met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi and handed over an invitation to him from Yousuf Raza Gilani.
Former pakistan president Pervez Musharraf has described as a "mistake" his decision to promulgate the National Reconciliation Ordinance, a graft amnesty that was recently struck down by Pakistan's Supreme Court.
Hina Rabbani Khar is set to become Pakistan's first woman foreign minister, with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani recommending her elevation as a full-fledged minister, ahead of the Indo-Pak Foreign Minister-level talks in July.
The new US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson on Saturday promised to promote bilateral ties based on "mutual respect and common interests", soon after arriving to take charge.
Vicky Nanjappa on why the proposed visit of Pakistani judicial commission to India to probe the 26/11 attacks case is in our best interest.
In what could be a prelude to a possible operation in North Waziristan against the Al Qaeda militants holed up there, Pakistani military commanders have met with the President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, a move termed by a leading daily in Islamabad as "far from routine".
India on Monday hit out at Pakistan for making an "unwarranted" reference to Jammu and Kashmir at the United Nations, asserting that the state was an integral part of the country.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has blamed former President General Pervez Musharraf for the current chaotic scenario in the country and said that he (Musharraf) had done 'colossal damage' to the long pending Kashmir issue.
British Defence and Home Ministers will arrive in Islamabad on Monday for meetings with the top Pakistani leadership to take stock of the regional security situation and the war against terror.
If the Congress decides in favour of mid-term polls, a visit to Pakistan by the prime minister could prove unwise and counter-productive, says B Raman
According to a report in The Dawn, a prestigious Karachi daily, the operation that killed Osama bin Laden was carried out jointly by Pakistan's security forces and the Central Intelligence Agency.An official of the security forces, who is based in Peshawar, told the daily, "It was a joint operation between the CIA and Pakistani security forces."The Dawn quoted the official as saying, "It (operation) was carried out on very precise information."
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has accused the army, which covertly supports the 2008 Mumbai attacks perpetrator Lashkar-e-Tayiba, of playing a double game in the ongoing war on terror, and an "abundance of evidence backs him up," Bruce Riedel, a former Central Intelligence Agency officer, has said.
China has supported its 'all-weather' ally Pakistan's right to use nuclear energy for "peaceful purposes" to overcome its crippling power shortage, a spokesman of President Asif Ali Zardari said today.
Pakistan on Monday said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's remarks, about terror groups planning fresh attacks on India from Pakistani soil, were uncalled for as the two countries were progressing towards better relations. "I think (Dr Singh's) statement was uncalled for and it would have been better if he had not made such a statement because Pakistan and India are moving towards better relations," Minister of State for Information Sumsam Ali Bukhari said.
Pakistani officials have dismissed reports that Prime Minister Gilani has already accepted his Indian counterpart's invitation to watch the semi-final match between the cricket teams of the two countries, saying a decision would be made when the premier returns from a visit to Uzbekistan.
Pakistani officials have dismissed reports that Prime Minister Gilani has already accepted his Indian counterpart's invitation to watch the semi-final match between the cricket teams of the two countries, saying a decision would be made when the premier returns from a visit to Uzbekistan.
Manmohan Singh will be the first Indian PM to travel to Islamabad since 2004. Amir Mir reports
Some people in government circles believe that the rehabilitation of the Katas Raj temple and its holy pond has been ordered in view of the likely visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Chakwal, reports Amir Mir
Jamaat ud-Dawa chief and Lashkar-e-Tayiba founder Hafiz Mohammed Saeed cannot be prosecuted for involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks without 'concrete evidence' against him, Pakistan's top law official said on Wednesday. "The government has the evidence provided by the United Nations Security Council that can only keep Saeed behind bars for a certain period of time under the Maintenance of Public Order law," said Attorney General Latif Khosa.
Setting the stage for a fresh slugfest with an assertive Supreme Court, Pakistan government on Tuesday asked it to review its order for reopening graft cases against the President and said the cabinet has not taken any decision to write to Swiss authorities over the issue.
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is reportedly unhappy with Interior Minister Rehman Malik, a key aide of President Asif Ali Zardari, for announcing some decisions without apprising the cabinet.
The strategy for the next week's US visit of Islam was finalised during a high-power meeting co-chaired on Wednesday by President Asif Ali Zardari and Premier Raja Pervez Ashraf, and attended by Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman Gen Khalid Wynne, army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and the naval and air force chiefs.
The test, conducted at an undisclosed location, was witnessed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman Gen Shamim Hyder Wyyne.
Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh's counsel on Saturday appealed to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari to either pardon him or commute his death sentence to life imprisonment, three days after the Supreme court dismissed his appeal against the capital punishment.
President Zardari is losing political support very fast not only in public but also in Parliament. A majority of the people of Pakistan supported the latest offensive against the Taliban in Swat valley. This offensive displaced about 3.5 million people. More than five weeks have passed and the operation is not yet complete.
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