DINA for the issue of November 19, 2011

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D A W N I n t e r n e t N e w s A l e r t
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November 19, 2011 Saturday Zilhaj 22, 1432
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The DAWN Internet News Alert (DINA) is a free daily news-service
from Pakistan's largest English language newspaper, the Daily
DAWN.

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(c) Pakistan Herald Publications (Pvt.) Ltd., Pakistan - 2011

The link at the end of each extract can be used to access the
complete story on DAWN - the Internet Edition.


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Haqqani has right to clarify position: PPP
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By Syed Irfan Raza
ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: The Core Committee of ruling Pakistan People's Party met in the presidency on Friday and decided that Pakistan's Ambassador to Washington Husain Haqqani should be given a chance to give his version on the issue of a memorandum given to then US military chief Mike Mullen on behalf of Pakistani government.

"The meeting noted that Ambassador Husain Haqqani has been called in Islamabad to give his viewpoint to the country's leadership on the controversial memo...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/19/haqqani-has-right-to-clarify-position-ppp.html


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Gilani asks opposition not to overblow memo issue
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By Raja Asghar
ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: As the ruling coalition seemed to be closing up its ranks against new political challenges, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani angrily told the opposition in the National Assembly on Friday not to overblow what his government calls a fabricated memorandum critical of Pakistan's military leadership sent this summer to then US military chief and to better wait for an explanation sought from the country's ambassador to Washington.

Some members of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), including opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, seemed to have eagerly swallowed the poorly drafted memo and claims by its author, a Pakistani-Aemrican businessman, that he acted at the behest of Ambassador Husain Haqqani as they demanded a joint session of parliament to clear up what one of them called "clouds hovering over Islamabad"...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/19/gilani-asks-opposition-not-to-overblow-memo-issue.html


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PML-N seeks memogate probe commission
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Dawn Report
LAHORE, Nov 18: The PML-N urged the Supreme Court on Friday to set up a commission to investigate the issue of a secret memo to former US military chief Mike Mullen because it had been proved that such a letter could have been written only by someone in a government authority.

The demand was made by the chief of the party, Mian Nawaz Sharif, in a statement and by deputy Secretary-General Ahsan Iqbal at a press conference...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/19/pml-n-seeks-memogate-probe-commission.html


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Afghans not serious about improving ties: Khar
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By Baqir Sajjad Syed
ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: Frustrated with Kabul for not 'reciprocating' its desire to mend ties, Islamabad on Friday said allegations by the Afghan leadership reflected their non-seriousness about improving bilateral relationship.

"Can we overextend our arm without it being reciprocated? No country which is serious about improving ties with another country will continue to make recriminatory comments against that country," Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said at a press conference with visiting German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/19/afghans-not-serious-about-improving-ties-khar.html


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Haqqani books seat on flight for Pakistan
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WASHINGTON: Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani is likely to leave for Islamabad on Friday evening to brief President Asif Ali Zardari and other officials on the memo controversy that has strained relations between the military and civil establishments.

Sources at the embassy said he already had booked a seat on a Friday evening flight. Although the ambassador was scheduled to meet US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Marc Grossman, on Friday evening, the meeting has been rescheduled on Mr Haqqani's request. They are now meeting in the afternoon, so that the ambassador could take the flight to Islamabad...
http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/19/haqqani-books-seat-on-flight-for-pakistan.html


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Man holding American nationality found dead
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By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Nov 18: The body of a man holding dual-nationality was found in an apartment here on Friday morning.

Forty-year-old Moidul Salam is believed to have been killed in a grenade explosion in a room in the Rao Israr Apartment in Gulistan-i-Jauhar's Block-13...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/19/man-holding-american-nationality-found-dead.html


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Information minister of Sindh resigns
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By Imran Ayub
KARACHI, Nov 18: Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon resigned from the provincial cabinet on Friday after meeting President Asif Ali Zardari.

A day earlier, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had objected to Mr Memon's journey to London along with former home minister Dr Zulfikar Mirza...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/19/information-minister-of-sindh-resigns.html


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Pakistan take lead in series
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DUBAI, Nov 18: Pakistani bowlers held their nerves to stop a threatening Sri Lankan team to win the third day-night international by 21 runs here on Friday to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

Umar Gul (3-48) bowled well to make sure good work by spinners Saeed Ajmal (3-42) and Shahid Afridi (2-42) did not go waste as they dismissed Sri Lanka for 236 at Dubai stadium...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/19/pakistan-take-lead-in-series.html


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Fighting in Fata claims 23 lives
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Dawn Report
KALAYA / PARACHINAR, Nov 18: Twenty-two militants and a security man were killed in gun-battles and shelling in parts of Orakzai and Kurram tribal regions on Friday, officials said.

Earlier this week security forces backed by heavy artillery and combat helicopters launched an offensive against militants in upper tehsil of Orakzai Agency...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/19/fighting-in-fata-claims-23-lives.html


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Rental plant returns Rs4.5bn, SC told
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By Nasir Iqbal
ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: The Supreme Court was informed on Friday that the Reshma Rental Generation Ltd had returned, without any mark-up, over Rs4.5 billion that had been advanced to it as 14 per cent mobilisation fund for setting up a power plant.

A report, submitted by the Director of Finance of Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco), in the Supreme Court on Friday, said that the Reshma plant had deposited Rs4.576 billion, but without any mark-up...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/19/rental-plant-returns-rs45bn-sc-told.html


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Decision on allocation of imported gas put on hold
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By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: The government has decided to put on hold a decision about allocation of gas proposed to be imported from Iran to the power sector till the completion of the project, according to a senior government official.

The proposed 750mmcfd (million cubic feet of gas per day) Iranian gas would be allocated to Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited on a 65:35 per cent basis, Petroleum and Natural Resources Secretary Ejaz Chaudhry told Dawn on Friday...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/19/decision-on-allocation-of-imported-gas-put-on-hold.html


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Outsiders, contract workers given key posts in passport department
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By Iftikhar A. Khan
ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: The authorities in interior ministry and establishment division have allocated key positions on deputation in the immigration and passport department in and outside the country to about a dozen contract employees and those from other ministries in blatant violation of rules, a document available with Dawn has revealed.

Interestingly, almost all these 'favourites' were originally hired for the machine readable passport (MRP) project launched in 2004, but they have been working in various diplomatic missions abroad and passport offices in the country against the posts for which they lacked required expertise...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/19/outsiders-contract-workers-given-key-posts-in-passport-department.html


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Burka-clad foreign men held
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By Abdus Salam
BANNU, Nov 18: Four burka-clad men of foreign origin were detained at a check-post in the Frontier Region Bannu on Friday, officials said.

Dressed as women, the men were coming to Bannu from North Waziristan by car. They were detained during checking of vehicles at the Saidgi post. Security forces also seized a laptop and some currency from the possession of burka-wearing foreigners...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/19/burka-clad-foreign-men-held.html


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Karachi Stocks Up 57.11 Points:
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KARACHI, Nov 18: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 11970.53, up 57.11 points.
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Forex Update:
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KARACHI, Nov 18: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 87.3 to the US Dollar in the open market.
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