DINA for the issue of December 09, 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 09, 2011 Friday Muharram 13, 1433
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The DAWN Internet News Alert (DINA) is a free daily news-service
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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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Afghan border to get air defence weapons
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By Iftikhar A. Khan
ISLAMABAD, Dec 8: The government has decided to deploy air defence weapons on the country's border with Afghanistan to pre-empt fresh attacks as it re-evaluates the strategy for safeguarding its western borders from air raids, the Director General of Military Operations told the federal cabinet and the Senate's defence committee on Thursday.

"After the Nov 26 Nato attack on two military checkposts in the Mohmand Agency, we fear an attack from the western border. Hence a decision has been taken to deploy air defence weapons in that region," a participant of one of the briefings told Dawn...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/09/afghan-border-to-get-air-defence-weapons.html


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Parliamentary panel seeks record of pacts with US
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By Baqir Sajjad Syed and Ahmad Hassan
ISLAMABAD, Dec 8: As the Parliamentary Committee on National Security resumed its deliberations for reviewing the country's relations with the United States, the Foreign Office made it clear on Thursday that the level of relationship was not being reduced.

"We are streamlining the cooperation," Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said in reply to a question...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/09/parliamentary-panel-seeks-record-of-pacts-with-us.html


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PPP leaders asked to close ranks
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By Khawar Ghumman
ISLAMABAD, Dec 8: The pensive-looking PPP leaders, some of them called from their home constituencies for an unscheduled emergency meeting on Wednesday that was jointly chaired by young party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, were asked to close their ranks in the face of growing challenges for the Pakistan People's Party.

The meeting took place at the Prime Minister's House amidst a growing controversy surrounding President Asif Zardari's sudden departure to Dubai for medical reasons (the government is yet to disclose the exact nature of his illness)...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/09/ppp-leaders-asked-to-close-ranks.html


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Zardari recuperating in hospital: spokesman
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By Amir Wasim
ISLAMABAD, Dec 8: President Asif Ali Zardari's condition was improving in a Dubai hospital, his spokesman said on Thursday.

However, conjectures in Islamabad about his departure continued, though in a less hysterical tone than on Wednesday...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/09/zardari-recuperating-in-hospital-spokesman.html


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34 Nato trucks gutted in attack
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QUETTA, Dec 8: Militants destroyed at least 34 trucks in a rocket attack on a Nato terminal on Thursday, police said.

Some 44 oil tankers and goods trucks were parked in the temporary terminal in Quetta after the authorities shut down supply lines for Nato forces in anger at cross-border air strikes which killed 24 soldiers...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/09/34-nato-trucks-gutted-in-attack.html


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CJ takes attorney general to task over statement
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By Nasir Iqbal
ISLAMABAD, Dec 8: Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq came under fire in the Supreme Court on Thursday for his statement that he did not represent the federal government at the last hearing on PML-N's petitions on the memo affair.

A nine-judge larger bench will take up the matter on Dec 19...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/09/cj-takes-attorney-general-to-task-over-statement.html


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Nawaz opposes military solution to crisis
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By Our Staff Reporter
LAHORE, Dec 8: Putting his weight behind the political process, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif opposed on Thursday military solution to the existing crisis.

"The country cannot afford martial law and the media, nation and politicians must join hands to pre-empt any such possibility," he said while talking to a group of journalists. He said rumour mills were working overtime and creating confusion among the people, adding that any attempt to create a Bangladesh model (military and technocrats jointly ruling the country) would not be accepted in Pakistan and the political process must continue...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/09/nawaz-opposes-military-solution-to-crisis.html


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Govt failed to protect human rights workers, says report
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By Our Staff Reporter
LAHORE, Dec 8: Throughout the year 2010 and early 2011, the government failed to provide a safe and enabling environment for human rights workers who continued to be victims of killings and abductions.

The Annual Report 2011 of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, launched by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan on Thursday, points out that perpetrators of violence were rarely brought to justice...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/09/govt-failed-to-protect-human-rights-workers-says-report.html


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Electricity subsidy on tubewells goes; meters to be installed
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By Khaleeq Kiani
ISLAMABAD, Dec 8: The federal cabinet decided on Thursday to withdraw electricity subsidy on agriculture tubewells across the country and to install energy meters at all tubewells to ensure an optimum recovery of electricity cost.

The decision will apply to Balochistan too...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/09/electricity-subsidy-on-tubewells-goes-meters-to-be-installed.html


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Zardari to return soon, says Clinton
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By Anwar Iqbal
WASHINGTON, Dec 8: President Asif Ali Zardari received a rare public support from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday who said the United States expected the Pakistani leader to return to his duties in full health.

A transcript released in Washington quoted her as telling reporters in Brussels that she knew President Zardari would soon return home...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/09/zardari-to-return-soon-says-clinton.html


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Afghanistan told to shun blame game
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KABUL, Dec 8: Afghanistan and Pakistan were locked in a war of words on Thursday over a shrine bombing that killed at least 55 people in Kabul on Tuesday and which the Afghan government blamed on a Pakistani militant group.

Islamabad called for an end to the blame game after Kabul demanded action against the group, Lashkar-i-Jhangvi...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/09/afghanistan-told-to-shun-blame-game.html


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Karachi Stocks Up 129.73 Points:
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KARACHI, Dec 08: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 11413.62, up 129.73 points.
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Forex Update:
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KARACHI, Dec 08: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 89.7 to the US Dollar in the open market.
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