DINA for the issue of January 22, 2012

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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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January 22, 2012 Sunday Safar 27, 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 - 2012

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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Ijaz lawyer links trip to assurance by army chief
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By Nasir Iqbal & Baqir Sajjad Syed
ISLAMABAD, Jan 21: Saturday saw a tense build-up to Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz's arrival in the country for appearing before the commission investigating the memo case.

The day began with a meeting called by Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq to finalise arrangements for Mr Ijaz's security...


http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/22/ijaz-lawyer-links-trip-to-assurance-by-army-chief.html


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Sindh loses Rs10bn to 'ghost workers'
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By Shamim-ur-Rahman
KARACHI, Jan 21: A verification exercise conducted in collaboration with Nadra has revealed the existence of thousands of "ghost employees" in Sindh government departments.

Disclosing this at a press conference here on Saturday, provincial Information Minister Shazia Marri said the government had so far lost over Rs10 billion on account of salary payment to these non-existent employees...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/22/sindh-loses-rs10bn-to-ghost-workers.html


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CJ reiterates support for democracy
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By Tahir Siddiqui
KARACHI, Jan 21: Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry reiterated on Saturday that the judiciary was trying to establish democratic and parliamentary norms in the county and had never tried to assume the role of the executive or the legislature.

"We respect the integrity and independence of every institution. The role of judiciary is not that of an opposition to the legislature or the executive. However, in cases of actions in utter violation of legal or constitutional norms, the judiciary has to exercise its power of judicial review," he said in an address to lawyers after administering oath to the newly-elected body of the Karachi Bar Association at the Sindh High Court...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/22/cj-reiterates-support-for-democracy-2.html


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Snow blankets Quetta
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By Saleem Shahid
QUETTA, Jan 21: The Quetta valley and northern Balochistan received snow on Saturday, disrupting life in these areas.

The provincial capital saw its first snowfall after four years. An eight-inch layer of snow blanketed most city areas...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/22/snow-blankets-quetta.html


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Karachi killings
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Private television channels quoted the Chief Justice as expressing disappointment over the government's action on recommendations given by a special bench of the Supreme Court to stop killings and kidnappings in Karachi.

The court had held special hearings in the city after a wave of target killings and kidnappings by rival gangs in July and August terrorised the populace...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/22/karachi-killings-3.html


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Coordinated attacks, gunfights kill 162 in Nigerian city
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KANO (Nigeria), Jan 21: Bomb attacks targeting security forces and gun battles killed at least 162 people in Nigeria's second-largest city of Kano, sources said, as bodies littered the streets on Saturday.

A curfew was imposed on Kano in Nigeria's mainly Muslim north after it exploded into violence on Friday evening, with eight police and immigration offices or residences targeted...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/22/coordinated-attacks-gunfights-kill-162-in-nigerian-city.html


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New guidelines affect foreign investment
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By Parvaiz Ishfaq Ranamonths
KARACHI, Jan 21: A stringent security clearance policy adopted by the interior ministry for prospective foreign investors or companies prior to getting registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) is taking its toll over direct foreign investment (DFI) in the country.

According to corporate consultants, six months ago the ministry widened the scope of security clearance by asking foreign companies, directors and even the foreign directors who get re-elected on boards of companies to get prior clearance and NOC. In the past the conditions were restricted to security service companies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) having foreign funding or involving foreigners and companies having Indian nationals...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/22/new-guidelines-affect-foreign-investment.html


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Colonel among three Germans held
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By Ali Hazrat Bacha
PESHAWAR, Jan 21: A house located in University Town was raided on Saturday and three German citizens were taken into custody for their alleged involvement in 'suspicious activities', police said.

The suspects, who were interviewed after reports they were living in the house on the Park Lane Street illegally, failed to produce documents validating their stay in Pakistan...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/22/colonel-among-three-germans-held.html


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Pir Pagara elected Functional chief
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By Mansoor Mirani
KHAIRPUR, Jan 21: Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi, the eighth Pir Pagara of Hur Jamaat, was unanimously elected president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional at a meeting of its central council in Pir Jo Goth on Saturday.

Ninety-one members of the council offered condolences on the death of Pir Pagara Shah Mardan Shah and discussed a one-point agenda of electing a new president of the party...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/22/pir-pagara-elected-functional-chief.html


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Grossman in Kabul; Karzai meets Hekmatyar's delegation
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KABUL, Jan 21: US envoy Marc Grossman arrived in Kabul on Saturday for talks with President Hamid Karzai on preliminary peace negotiations with the Taliban.

"The United States stands ready to assist in any way we can an Afghan-led reconciliation process to find a peaceful end to this conflict," he said in a statement...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/22/grossman-in-kabul-karzai-meets-hekmatyars-delegation.html


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Taliban video speaks of 'revenge on military'
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DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Jan 21: Fifteen soldiers stood blindfolded, handcuffed to each other on a barren hilltop as one of their bearded Taliban captors held an AK-47 rifle and spoke with fury about revenge. He left no doubt what would come at any second.

The Taliban kidnapped the paramilitary troops on Dec 23 from near the country's tribal areas to avenge military operations...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/22/taliban-video-speaks-of-revenge-on-military.html


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Officer killed in Kurram mine blast
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By Our Correspondent
PARACHINAR, Jan 21: A security official was killed and two personnel were injured in bomb blasts in Kurram Agency on Saturday.

Sources said Lieutenant Atta Muhammad died when a landmine planted by militants on a dirt track exploded in Talai area...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/22/officer-killed-in-kurram-mine-blast.html


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US links Grossman's visit to Pakistan's assent
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By Anwar Iqbal
WASHINGTON, Jan 21: US special envoy Marc Grossman will go to Pakistan when the Pakistanis are ready for talks with the United States on a multi-faceted bilateral relationship, says the State Department.

Mr Grossman, who is now in the region, wanted to visit Pakistan for consultations on exploratory talks with the Taliban but Islamabad asked him to postpone the visit...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/22/us-links-grossmans-visit-to-pakistans-assent.html


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Taliban move to rein in masked kidnappers
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By Pazir Gul
MIRAMSHAH, Jan 21: The Taliban have warned masked men belonging to various Jihadi groups against detaining people on suspicion of spying, said a pamphlet distributed in Miramshah, the headquarters of lawless North Waziristan Agency.

Different militant groups in North and South Waziristan Agencies, including the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, recently formed a Shura-i-Muraqebah to address local people's grievances...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/22/taliban-video-speaks-of-revenge-on-military.html


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Landmine blast kills 13 Indian policemen
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PATNA (India), Jan 21: Suspected Maoist rebels triggered a powerful landmine on Saturday, killing 13 policemen in eastern India. At least two policemen were injured in the explosion that blew up their minibus in Jharkhand state, police superintendent G.K. Rath said.

The policemen had conducted a routine search for rebel hideouts in a remote, densely forested region and were returning from the operation when the blast occurred...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/22/landmine-blast-kills-13-indian-policemen.html


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Islamists grab over two-thirds of seats in Egypt elections
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CAIRO, Jan 21: Egypt's Islamists led by the once-banned Muslim Brotherhood clinched two thirds of seats in parliament in historic polls after the ouster of strongman Hosni Mubarak, official results showed on Saturday.

The Brotherhood that fought the election through the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) won 235 seats in the new People's Assembly, or 47.18 per cent, electoral committee head Abdel Moez Ibrahim told a news conference, giving the final results from marathon polls...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/22/islamists-grab-over-two-thirds-of-seats-in-egypt-elections.html


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