DINA for the issue of December 13, 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 13, 2011 Tuesday Muharram 17, 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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ECC meeting okays urea import: Heated debate on purchase of sugar
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By Khaleeq Kiani
ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: There was a clear division between the political constituency and economic policy at a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet on two crucial issues — purchase of sugar for strategic stocks at abnormally high rates and exemption of tractors from tax.

As the ministers remained engaged in detailed arguments, Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, who presided over the meeting, constituted two separate committees to ward off immediate political pressure...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/13/ecc-meeting-okays-urea-import-heated-debate-on-purchase-of-sugar.html


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Asghar 'endorses' PTI
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By Ahmad Hassan
ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: Veteran political leader Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan announced here on Monday his support to the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) in what he termed its struggle to bring a qualitative change in the country by removing the present rulers and ensuring free and transparent elections.

Speaking at a press conference along with him, PTI chairman Imran Khan came up with a bizarre threat: "I shall not allow polls to be held unless the Election Commission strikes off 35 million fake votes, as ordered by the Supreme Court."..

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/13/asghar-endorses-pti.html


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Envoys initiate process to redefine ties with US, Nato
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By Baqir Sajjad Syed
ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: Pakistani envoys in major capitals around the world at their foreign policy review talks here on Monday worked at identifying different elements of ties with the United States and Nato that need to be redefined.

The 15 envoys at the end of their two-day deliberations will come up with a set of recommendations that will form the basis of future relationship with the US. Notwithstanding the publicly-stated broad scope of the discussions — "deliberating on different aspects of country's foreign policy" — it was evident from the agenda that the proceedings were US-specific...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/13/envoys-initiate-process-to-redefine-ties-with-us-nato.html


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Mirza, Fehmida call on Zardari
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By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: Former Sindh minister Zulfikar Mirza and Speaker National Assembly Fehmida Mirza called on President Asif Ali Zardari in a Dubai's hospital on Monday and inquired after his health, a private TV channel reported.

The president, whose health condition is improving according to his doctors and spokesman, also met some other PPP leaders and workers...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/13/mirza-fehmida-call-on-zardari.html


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SC summons Kasuri in Bhutto reference
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By Nasir Iqbal
ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: The government and the judiciary may be on a 'collision course', according to some analysts, but the mood was congenial in Courtroom One on Monday as the Supreme Court heard the presidential reference on the trial of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

After reaching a consensus, an 11-judge bench decided to summon, in the interest of justice, Advocate Ahmed Raza Kasuri, whose complaint had implicated Mr Bhutto in the conspiracy to kill his father, Nawab Mohammad Ahmed Khan...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/13/sc-summons-kasuri-in-bhutto-reference.html

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PML-Q moves to reverse devolution of education
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By Iftikhar A. Khan
ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: The Senate was locked on Monday in a debate over a proposed reversal of a part of the 18th Amendment, with some arguing that the subject of education should be brought under the control of the federation and others warning of dire consequences if the legislation was touched.

The heated debate started when Senator S.M. Zafar of PML-Q sought to introduce a bill to amend Article 142 of the Constitution to return the subject of education to the federation. Other movers of the bill included Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Wasim Sajjad, making it clear that it represented the party's policy...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/13/pml-q-moves-to-reverse-devolution-of-education.html


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Over 50 found shackled in seminary
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By S. Raza Hasan
KARACHI, Dec 12: More than 50 children and men were found shackled in the basement of a seminary off Super Highway on Monday night.

According to Malir SSP Rao Anwar, police raided Jamia Masjid Zakriya Kondali and recovered people whose ages ranged between 15 and 40...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/13/over-50-found-shackled-in-seminary.html


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Parachinar troubles claimed 1,100 lives
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By Amir Wasim
ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: The members of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Human Rights have been informed during an in-camera briefing by high-ranking officials of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and the intelligence agencies that about 1,100 people have been killed and hundreds of houses burnt in Parachinar in the past five years and that the operation against "non-local militants" is under way, according to sources.

During the briefing on the situation in the violence-hit Parachinar area of Kurram Agency held at the Parliament House here on Monday, the members were told that the Thall-Parachinar Road linking Kurram Agency with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been opened on Oct 30...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/13/parachinar-troubles-claimed-1100-lives.html


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Abbottabad commission summons Wajid
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By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: The commission investigating the US commando raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad has summoned Pakistan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Wajid Shamsul Hassan to record his statement on whatever he knows about the May 2 episode.

According to the press release issued by the inquiry commission after its meeting on Monday, Mr Hassan has been asked to appear before it by the end of the month...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/13/abbottabad-commission-summons-wajid.html


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Three BNP-M men among 4 found dead
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By Saleem Shahid
QUETTA, Dec 12: Four bullet-riddled bodies were found in Khuzdar and Quetta on Monday.

According to sources, Levies personnel took three bodies to Khuzdar District Hospital after receiving a tip about their presence at Zero Point...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/13/three-bnp-m-men-among-4-found-dead.html


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Rs5 note to stay till Dec 2012
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ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: The banknotes of Rs5 denomination will remain in circulation till Dec 31, 2012, the government said on Monday.

According to an official announcement, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has acceded to the request of the public on the recommendations of the State Bank and finance ministry and approved the one-year extension in the deadline for the note's exchange...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/13/rs5-note-to-stay-till-dec-2012.html


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Pakistani family convicted of honour killing in Belgium
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BRUSSELS, Dec 12: A Belgian court on Monday sentenced four members of a Pakistani family to prison for the "honour killing" of their law student daughter and sister, Belgian media reported.

After pronouncing the family members guilty for the shooting death of Sadia Sheikh in October 2007, the jury sentenced father Tarik Mahmood Sheikh to 25 years behind bars, mother Zahida Parveen Sariya to 20 years, brother Mudusar to 15 and sister Sariya to five years...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/13/pakistani-family-convicted-of-honour-killing-in-belgium.html


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Ministry blamed for PR woes
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ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: The National Assembly's Standing Committee on Railways has blamed the ministry of finance for the crisis being faced by Pakistan Railways, saying the problem could have been averted had the ministry released funds in time.

The committee, which met here on Monday, termed the delay in the release of funds to Pakistan Railways a criminal negligence and criticised 'indecisiveness' on the part of the finance minister and secretary finance which had badly affected the performance of the organisation...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/13/ministry-blamed-for-pr-woes.html


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Karachi Stocks Up 12.51 Points:
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KARACHI, Dec 12: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 11,477.12, up 12.51 points.
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Forex Update:
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KARACHI, Dec 12: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 89.3 to the US Dollar in the open market.
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