Shura to change meeting site, Drone flights force TTP intermediaries

Miranshah- As US drones flew above them, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) intermediaries and the Taliban political Shura (advisory council) changed their meeting place to a different location.

The second phase of talks between the TTP negotiators and the Taliban political shura began today.

The TTP intermediaries had left Islamabad and reached North Waziristan to meet the shura on March 14, 2014.

Coordinator of TTP committee Maulana Yousaf Shah, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Professor Ibrahim and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) district chief Maulana Abdul Hai had traveled to North Waziristan via a special helicopter.

The purpose of the visit was to decide the timing and venue for face-to-face talks between the new government negotiators and the TTP.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had said that formal talks with the TTP would begin the moment the timing and venue for the dialogue was decided.

The government had formed a new committee on March 12, 2014, to hold direct talks with the TTP as part of efforts to end years of violence that has plagued the country.

Ports and Shipping Secretary Habibullah Khattak would head the four-member committee which will include Fata Additional Secretary Arbab Arif, Additional Secretary to Prime Minister Office Fawad Hassan Fawad and Former Diplomat Rustam Shah Mohmand, who was in the previous negotiating team as well.

Amin Fahim says Thar drought not caused by his son, strikes back

HALA- Pakistan People’s Party leader Amin Faheem has rejected the notion that drought in Tharparkar was caused by his son. He said that an investigation should be carried out before leveling allegations over the situation. Fahim said that his Sarwari Jamaat will not tolerate mudslinging. He said that Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah should remember that he had worked under him for five years as a subordinate.

China's satellite finds ´floating objects´ in Malaysia jet hunt

BEIJING: China says that one of its satellites has detected three large "floating objects" in a region of the sea where it suspects the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 had an accident.



China´s state science and technology administration said Wednesday that a Chinese satellite had seen the objects in a "suspected crash sea area" on the morning of March 9, adding that the images were being analysed.



The suspected objects were found at 105.63 degrees longitude East and 6.7 degrees latitude North, the administration said on its website.



It added that the objects were spread across an area with a radius of 20 kilometres (12 miles), in sizes that appeared to be 13 x 18 metres, 14 x 19 metres and 24 x 22 metres.

Drone use down in Pakistan, up in Afghanistan: UN

GENEVA:The number of U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan plunged last year amid growing care to avoid civilian deaths, but the death toll in neighboring Afghanistan continues to rise, the United Nations´ special investigator on counterterrorism said Wednesday.



Ben Emmerson says that for the first time in nine years no civilians were reported killed in 2013 in Pakistan´s Federally Administered Tribal Regions, or FATA, a semi-autonomous area along the 2,600-kilometer (1,600-mile) Afghanistan-Pakistan border where militant groups operate.



The U.N. special rapporteur, a British lawyer who reports to the 47-nation Human Rights Council and the U.N. General Assembly, told reporters in Geneva there has been "a very significant de-escalation" of U.S. armed drone use in Pakistan´s FATA region, down to 27 strikes last year from a peak of 128 in 2010.



But he said the picture is uglier in Afghanistan, where drone strikes and civilian deaths resulting from their use are intensifying.



In Afghanistan, he said, the number of civilian casualties from drone strikes last year rose to 45 dead and 14 injured, triple the rate experienced in 2012.Emmerson said Yemen had suffered around 500 civilian casualties from drone strikes since 2009, largely because of incompetent targeting.



It doesn´t have to be that way, he said. "In principle, at least, technology which allows military commanders to observe a target 24 hours a day in almost real time is capable of reducing those risks," Emmerson said.



"But that depends on a combination of different forms of intelligence ... and on responsible operational decisions being taken.



"Before his press conference, Emmerson reported to the Geneva-based council on the civilian toll from drone attacks, chiefly carried out by U.S. forces, and called for more independent investigation.



He examined about 30 drone strikes involving civilian casualties committed by American, British and Israeli forces in Afghanistan, Gaza, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen.



He said the U.S. military had reduced the frequency of drone attacks, and limited them to high-value targets, because of growing criticism in Pakistan and abroad.

Special Court Upholds Decision:Musharraf treason trial

ISLAMABAD: The special court hearing the high treason case against General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has upheld its decision to present the former president on Friday.



The former president will be indicted when he appears before the three member special court bench.



During today's proceedings, Anwar Mansoor Advocate, the former general's counsel said he could not give arguments on the petition owing to sickness. The doctors had advised him rest for few days as he was diagnosed with food poisoning, he added.



Security



Pervez Musharraf will be provided foolproof security comprising 1,500 personnel.



Only cleared personnel will be deployed as part of Musharraf’s personal security detail. All individuals including female journalists will have to go through a security check before entering the courtroom.



Mobile phones, tablets and laptops will not be permitted inside the court premises.



ISI Officials Brief Special Court



ISI officials provided an in-camera briefing to the special court regarding security threats faced by Musharraf. Officials said a normal phone call was intercepted which revealed that the former president may be attacked. According to ISI officials, threats are communicated to the Interior Ministry as a measure to alert law enforcement agencies.

Devoted to overcoming challenges: Prime Minister

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says the government is committed to resolving issues through dialogue.



The prime minister met a delegation of the All Pakistan Ulema Council here on Thursday. The prime minister urged Ulema (religious scholars) to play a positive role in improving Pakistan’s credibility.



The prime minister told Ulema that he was devoted to overcoming the challenges faced by Pakistan. Prime Minister Sharif said the government was playing its role for peace and harmony and Ulema from all sects should do the same.

Lala Textile Spring Summer Blossam Lawn 2014 Vol 1