Three policemen shotdead in Karachi

KARACHI:At least three policemen were killed in an attack on a police vehicle in the Patel Para area of Karachi on Sunday morning.

The Superintendent of Police at Jamshed Town told media personnel that unknown assailants sprayed bullets on a police mobile vehicle.Moreover, he said the attack appeared to be pre-planned.
Police subsequently cordoned off the area and investigations into the incident went underway.
The three policemen killed in the line of duty belonged to Jamshed Town police station and were standing guard outside a local hospital when attackers targeted them.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, unknown assailants lobbed a grenade at Gabool park in Lyari, killing at least one person and injuring seven others, including three children and a woman.

England crush Australia in Champions Trophy

BIRMINGHAM: Hosts England got off to a promising start in the Champions Trophy, inflicting a crushing 48-run defeat on their traditional rivals Australia at the Edgbaston Stadium on Saturday night.

After England posted a challenging 269 for 6 through Ian Bell’s elegant 91 runs, their bowlers restricted Australia to 221 for 9.

Australia skipper George Bailey’s battling 55 runs and James Faulkner’s unbeaten 54 went in vain. James Anderson, who became the highest wicket-taker for England in One-Day Internationals during the match with 237, returned with figures of 3 for 30.

Australia needed a good start but failed to get it as England took control. In the sixth over, Stuart Broad made opener David Warner edge to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler for 9. Shane Watson and Philip Hughes put on 30 runs in 8.4 overs for the second wicket when Tim Bresnan bagged the prized wicket of Watson. The bat-pad catch from Watson on 24 was taken by Cook at gully.

New Pakistani government to continue Iran gas project: Minister

ISLAMABAD:The new Pakistani government has reiterated its determination to continue the joint gas pipeline project with Iran saying the issue of energy is Islamabad’s top priority.

“We will continue the work at the gas pipeline because such a vital project cannot be set aside in hard times like the present,” Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal said.
During general elections held on May 11, Pakistan’s Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) secured 176 seats of the 342-member lower house of the assembly.
On June 5, Pakistani lawmakers endorsed PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif as the country’s new prime minister, electing him to an unprecedented third term with 244 votes. “Energy is our first, second and third top priority. Electricity is no longer a mere commodity now; it is a necessity and lifeline,” Iqbal added.

In May, Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid voiced New Delhi’s willingness to reenter negotiations over the gas project that initially was referred to as the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) or Peace Pipeline

Balochistan CM: Dr Abdul Malik elected unopposed

QUETTA: Dr Abdul Malik Baloch was elected unopposed to the slot of Balochistan chief minister on Saturday as no other political party fielded a candidate for the coveted office. The chief minister-elect will be sworn in at 6pm today (Sunday).

Dr Malik was the consensus candidate of a three-party coalition in the Balochistan Assembly that comprises Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and National Party (NP).

Potential candidates were asked to submit their nominations between 10am and 2pm on Saturday. No one but Dr Malik submitted the nomination forms. Subsequently, he was declared elected unopposed.

Speaking to journalists after filing his nomination forms, the chief minister-elect said he would finalise his cabinet soon. He, however, wouldn’t say anything about the possible makeup of his cabinet.

Even though the ruling coalition comprises three parties, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s legislator Abdul Qadoos Bizenjo was elected as deputy speaker of the provincial assembly.

When asked, Dr Malik said the decision was taken by the PML-N because the coalition partners had concurred in their Murree meeting that it would be the PML-N’s prerogative to name candidates for speaker and his deputy.

Dr Malik called upon other political parties to join hands with his administration to steer Balochistan out of crises. He promised to address the sense of deprivation among the people of his province. He conceded that the Balochistan people had been subjected to excesses in the past.

The chief minister-elect also pledged that he would do all he could to address the festering issues of enforced disappearances, kidnapping for ransom and targeted and sectarian violence in the province.

He disclosed that his administration has already devised a strategy to negotiate with Baloch separatist groups. He added that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has assured him that the strategy would be implemented.

Dr Malik said the government would seek input from national and international experts while preparing the provincial budget for fiscal year 2013-14. He also encouraged the youth in Balochistan to focus on education.

Earlier, a JUI-F delegation, led by Maulana Abdul Wasay, met with Dr Malik and offered him unconditional support for his bid for the office of chief minister. Reportedly, Abdul Rehman Kehtran also pulled out of the race following a meeting with Dr Malik.

Politics of tradition has won: Sh Rashid

ISLAMABAD:

Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid has said that old and traditional politics have won once again and the nation has been defeated.
Speaking in a talk show on a private TV channel on Saturday, he said every party – the ANP, PML-Q, PPP, JI – had complained of rigging in elections 2013.
“Makhdoom Amin Fahim says agencies were responsible, but I think democracy has to step forward now,” he said.
The AML chief said dialogue could be initiated with the Taliban for sake of peace.
“To stop bomb blasts in the country, the government should take action and talk to the Taliban. They can talk with Mullah Omar. He favours Pakistan. If the US forces leave Afghanistan, we have to think on these lines. Directly or indirectly, we have to contact Mullah Omar,” Sheikh added.
He said President Asif Ali Zardari would grant pardon to former PMs Yousaf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervez Ashraf and would leave the President’s Office after some time.
“The policies of Musharraf, Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif are all the same. Everyone is taking his turn. Nawaz wants no opposition leaders from the PTI, he wants PPP as a dummy opposition,” Sheikh said.
“Nawaz has got two-thirds majority for the second time. The situation is tough for him, but he is still heading towards Khunjrab instead of o Karachi. People are dying from Peshawar to Karachi,” the AML chief said.
Sheikh said no investment was coming to the country, the currency was devaluing, reserves were only Rs 6 billion and unemployment was rampant, which together formed the major issues facing the country. - See more at: http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013/06/09/news/national/politics-of-tradition-has-won-sh-rashid/#sthash.vg2JRbUu.dpuf

Germany pledges €93.5m for health, education and energy in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on Saturday revealed that the German government had pledged €93.5m for development in education, health and energy sectors in Pakistan.
Addressing a joint news briefing at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs with Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security Sartaj Aziz, Westerwelle said his government was serious in Pakistan’s economic stability and had pledged €93.5m for the development of education, health and economic sectors.
He said negotiations with the Pakistani administration remained successful during which his government offered friendly constructive cooperation amid enhancing the bilateral ties.
Westerwelle said a number of new ideas was also discussed during his engagement with top Pakistani officials and it was decided that an investment conference be held in Pakistan to attract more investors here.
He said the joint Pak-German forum would be transformed into the Pakistan-Germany Chamber of Commerce that would promote the economic activities between the two countries.
Westerwelle stated that high turnout in the recent Pakistani elections was a big success of the Pakistani people and was an encouraging sign for democracy.
He said his country wanted the South East Asian region to be stable, and welcomed good ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He added that a stable Afghanistan was directly connected to the stability of the Pakistan.
The visiting foreign minister also welcomed good ties between Pakistan and India, saying that it was in the better interest of regional stability.
To a question, he said nuclear disarmament had also been a part of the agenda during the sittings with the Pakistani leadership, “as Germany supports the non-proliferation in the region as shared by US President Obama in his ‘Global zero approach’”.
He said the German government considered the issue of drone strikes important and sensitive for the people of Pakistan.
Neither condemning nor openly supporting drone attacks, the German foreign minister expressed deep sympathies with the families of UN soldiers killed in Afghanista.

Drone attacks simply unacceptable: Nawaz

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Saturday categorically said that the drone attacks must stop as they were violating the country's sovereignty and international laws.

“Drone attacks must stop. We have protested many a time. This is simply unacceptable,” he commented in a meeting with German Foreign Minister Dr Guldo Westerwelle who called on the prime minister along with a six-member delegation at the Prime Minister's House.

During the meeting, the German Foreign Minister discussed with Sharif bilateral relations as well as the prevailing regional situation.

He conveyed his best wishes and on behalf of German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the prime minister.

Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan regarded Germany as a close friend and as the prime minister it would be his endeavor to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.

He hoped that Pakistan would benefit from the technological advancement and economic development of Germany.