DINA for the issue of December 08, 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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December 08, 2011 Thursday Muharram 12, 1433
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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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Zardari in Dubai, rumours in Islamabad
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By Syed Irfan Raza and Khawar Ghumman
ISLAMABAD, Dec 7: The suspense was of the highest order and worthy of a Hollywood thriller.

President Asif Ali Zardari's health and his fate kept the nation on tenterhooks all day on Wednesday; the clouds of uncertainty and ambiguity that had descended on Islamabad on Tuesday evening had not lifted 24 hours later despite telephone calls galore; talk show storms and a spate of press releases from the government side...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/08/zardari-in-dubai-rumours-in-islamabad.html


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Bilawal and Gilani chair PPP meeting
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ISLAMABAD, Dec 7: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani jointly presided over a meeting of senior leaders in Islamabad on Wednesday evening.

According to the president's spokesman Farhatullah Babar, the meeting discussed issues related to the air strikes in Mohmand, the coming Senate elections and implementation of the party's pledge for a Seraiki province...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/08/bilawal-and-gilani-chair-ppp-meeting.html


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Pakistan's help sought
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BRUSSELS, Dec 7: Nato Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen urged Pakistan on Wednesday to cooperate with military operations in neighbouring Afghanistan despite a cross-border Nato strike last month that killed 24 Pakistani troops.

The attack sparked fury in Pakistan, which blocked ground supply routes for Nato forces in Afghanistan and pulled out of Monday's international conference on Afghanistan in Germany...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/08/pakistans-help-sought.html


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National Finance Commission meeting likely on 16th
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By Khaleeq Kiani
ISLAMABAD, Dec 7: The reconstituted National Finance Commission (NFC) is expected to hold its twice-postponed meeting on Dec 16, reopening at least two settled issues — collection of sales tax on goods and services by a federal agency and Sindh's demand to make revenue generation a key determinant of provincial shares along with payment of around Rs300 billion arrears.

President Asif Ali Zardari had reconstituted the NFC in August for five years to work out the eighth award for distribution of resources among federal and provincial governments. Its first meeting was scheduled for Nov 16, but postponed to Nov 21 and then rescheduled for Dec 16...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/08/national-finance-commission-meeting-likely-on-16th.html


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Iranian security men kill 3 fishermen
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By Saleem Shahid
QUETTA, Dec 7: Three Pakistani fishermen were killed and two others injured when Iranian security personnel opened fire on a boat in the open sea near Jiwani on Tuesday, according to a source in the maritime security agency.

Eight fishermen and the vessel were taken to Iran after the firing, the source added...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/08/iranian-security-men-kill-3-fishermen.html


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Malik has good word for Ulema, Taliban
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ISLAMABAD, Dec 7: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Wednesday praised the efforts of law enforcement agencies and Ulema for ensuring normality during Muharram after the first 10 days of the month passed off without any major act of terrorism.

Mr Malik, in a bizarre gesture, thanked even the Taliban for not doing anything to cause panic...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/08/malik-has-good-word-for-ulema-taliban.html


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US sure Zardari's Dubai trip is for treatment
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By Our Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Dec 7: The United States said on Wednesday it had no concerns about a possible soft-coup in Pakistan as it believed that President Asif Ali Zardari's travel to Dubai was health-related.

At the White House, Press Secretary Jay Carney wished President Zardari a speedy recovery. "We have no concerns, we think it is health-related," said State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner when asked if the US was concerned about the possibility that Mr Zardari's travel to Dubai was linked to a soft-coup in Pakistan...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/08/us-sure-zardaris-dubai-trip-is-for-treatment.html


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US advises Pakistan not to vacate border posts
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By Our Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Dec 7: The United States has said that vacating Pakistani military posts along the Afghan border can increase the risk of Nov 26 like incidents when 24 Pakistani troops were killed in a Nato air raid.

At a regular briefing in Washington, Pentagon officials hoped that Pakistan would soon resend troops to the border posts it vacated earlier this week. "We are aware that Pakistan has decided to remove some of their liaison officers from some of the border coordination centres," said Navy Captain John F. Kirby. "This is certainly Pakistan's right. We hope those liaison officers can resume their duties soon in as much as their presence is designed to help us reduce the risk of another such incident occurring."..

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/08/us-advises-pakistan-not-to-vacate-border-posts.html


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Azam Swati quits JUI-F, Senate
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By Ahmad Hassan
ISLAMABAD, Dec 7: Mohammad Azam Khan Swati, a senator from the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), resigned as member of the Senate and of the party on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had sacked Mr Swati as federal minister for science and technology last year following his wordy duels with the former religious affairs minister, Hamid Saeed Kazmi, who is now in jail over the Haj scam. The JUI-F had quit the coalition government in protest against the decision...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/08/azam-swati-quits-jui-f-senate.html


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11 killed as van's CNG cylinder explodes
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By M. Hussain Khan
HYDERABAD, Dec 7: At least 11 people were burnt to death when a compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinder of a van exploded near a filling station on the National Highway in Matiari on Wednesday.

The deceased included three siblings – 11-year-old Maryam, nine-year-old Owais and six-year-old Talha. Their father, Abdul Khaliq, a resident of American Quarters Hyderabad, was injured and brought to the Civil Hospital here...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/08/11-killed-as-vans-cng-cylinder-explodes.html


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State dept defends Pakistan aid amid calls for review
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By Our Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Dec 7: The US State Department has defended American aid to Pakistan following new calls from lawmakers for a review of whether economic and military assistance to the country was serving US national interests.

The Obama administration believed that US assistance to Pakistan benefited the United States by strengthening Pakistani democratic institutions and boosting the Pakistani economy, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/08/state-dept-defends-pakistan-aid-amid-calls-for-review.html


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Three PML-Q leaders, one PPP man join PML-N
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LAHORE, Dec 7: Former MNA Safdar Shakar and MPAs Mazhar and Arif Gill of the PML-Q from Faisalabad and local PPP office-bearer Usman Kharal joined the PML-N on Tuesday.

PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif welcomed them to his party. He said the PML-N would hold public meetings to expose the wrongdoing of the PPP-led government which, according to him, had become a problem and burden for the people...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/08/three-pml-q-leaders-one-ppp-man-join-pml-n.html


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FO asks for evidence
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday asked Afghanistan to provide evidence to support accusations that Lashkar-i-Jhangvi killed 55 mourners in the Kabul attack.

"Lashkar-i-Jhangvi is a banned organisation. We would encourage Kabul to share with us evidence, if any, through official channels," foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit told AFP by text message.—AFP..

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/08/fo-asks-for-evidence.html


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Karzai points finger at Pakistan
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KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday blamed Pakistan's outlawed Lashkar-i-Jhangvi group for a bomb at a Kabul shrine which killed 55 people, demanding justice from Pakistan, his spokesman said.

"The president said he blamed the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-i-Jhangvi," said Aimal Faizi...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/08/karzai-points-finger-at-pakistan.html


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Fai pleads guilty to working for ISI
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By Anwar Iqbal
WASHINGTON, Dec 7: A US-based Kashmiri leader Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai pleaded guilty on Wednesday to federal charges of lobbying for Kashmir without registration and spying for the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence).

Mr Fai also acknowledged receiving money from the Pakistani spy agency through clandestine routes and causing revenue losses...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/08/fai-pleads-guilty-to-working-for-isi.html


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Karachi Stocks Down 111.62 Points:
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KARACHI, Dec 07: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 11260.59, down 111.62 points.
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Forex Update:
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KARACHI, Dec 07: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 89.8 to the US Dollar in the open market.
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