DINA for the issue of December 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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December 19, 2011 Monday Muharram 23, 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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The president is back!
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By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec 18: The mystery surrounding President Asif Ali Zardari's departure earlier this month came to an end on Sunday when he arrived back in the country in the early hours of Monday as suddenly as he left.

The plane carrying the President landed at Air Force's Masroor Base in Karachi past 1am, from where he was taken to his residence, Bilawal House...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/19/the-president-is-back.html


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Tehran reopens trade
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By Saleem Shahid
QUETTA, Dec 18: Iran reopened the trade gate on the Taftan border on Sunday after a three-month closure.

"Iranian authorities have informed Pakistan about their decision to reopen the gate," Chagai Deputy Commissioner Dr Tufail Baloch said, adding that trade activities between the two countries had resumed...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/19/tehran-reopens-trade.html


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Influential figures likely to join PTI
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By Amir Wasim
ISLAMABAD, Dec 18: Imran Khan's campaign will gather more steam when a group of about 30 politicians, including some sitting legislators and former federal ministers, will quit their parties on Monday to join his Pakistan Tehrik-
i-Insaaf, Dawn has learnt.

The members of the group, led by MNA from Rahimyar Khan Jahangir Tareen, will announce their decision to join the PTI at a news conference with Imran Khan at Islamabad's National Press Club, confirmed PTI's newly-appointed information secretary Shafqat Mehmood, who is in the city to oversee arrangements for the event...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/19/influential-figures-likely-to-join-pti-2.html


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'Democracy's future safe': Gilani sees conspiracy against Senate polls
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By Our Staff Reporter
LAHORE, Dec 18: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Sunday that the elements afraid of losing the coming Senate elections were hatching conspiracies against the government. He said these elements wanted to avoid the Senate elections, due in March.

Talking to journalists at the wedding of the daughter of Asma Jehangir, former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, the prime minister said his recent meeting with Chief of Army Staff Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani had been held in the national interest...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/19/democracys-future-safe-gilani-sees-conspiracy-against-senate-polls.html


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'Defenders' vow jihad against West, India
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By Khalid Hasnain
LAHORE, Dec 18: A grouping of right-wing parties swearing by jihad threw their bit into the political furnace in the country with a big public meeting at the Minar-i-Pakistan on Sunday.

The Difaa-i-Pakistan Conference (defence of Pakistan conference) ) was billed as a Jamaat-ud-Dawa-Jamiat-i-Ulema-Islam-S show to protest the western aggression and recent developments in ties with India...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/19/defenders-vow-jihad-against-west-india.html


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Five killed as van catches fire
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By Muhammad Saleem
FAISALABAD, Dec 18: Five people were killed and eight others, including five members of a family, suffered burns when a van caught fire on the Khurrianwala Road here on Sunday.

Reports said the van was on its way to Shahkot from Faisalabad when it caught fire near a CNG station...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/19/five-killed-as-van-catches-fire.html


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200 feared dead as boat sinks off Indonesia
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WATULIMO (Indonesia), Dec 18: More than 200 people were feared dead after a heavily overloaded boat packed mostly with Afghan and Iranian asylum-seekers sank off Indonesia en route to Australia, rescuers said on Sunday.

Australia's government called the sinking "a terrible tragedy", but came under pressure from campaign groups which said its tough approach to refugees was partly responsible for such disasters...

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/19/200-feared-dead-as-boat-sinks-off-indonesia.html

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