DINA for the Issue of February 04, 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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February 04, 2012 Saturday Rabi-ul-Awwal 11, 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.

We encourage comments & suggestions. We can be reached at:

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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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PPP, PML-N move closer on polls law
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By Raja Asghar
ISLAMABAD, Feb 3: In pursuing an apparent new peace with the opposition, the government informed the National Assembly on Friday the two sides were discussing ways to ensure the next elections were free and fair, for which a constitution amendment bill saw
a potentially gainful delay for the third day running.

The chief whip of the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Khursheed Ahmed Shah, talked only about the independence of the Election Commission when he referred to unspecified measures being negotiated mainly with the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), which had on Thursday cited stronger guarantees for free elections as a condition to support the government bill whose original draft seeks only to validate over 20 post-Eighteenth Amendment by-elections...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/04/ppp-pml-n-move-closer-on-polls-law.html


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Taliban kill eight soldiers
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By Hussain Afzal
PARACHINAR, Feb 3: Eight paramilitary soldiers were killed and three others injured when militants attacked a checkpost in Kurram lower tehsil on Friday.

Officials claimed that 24 attackers were killed when troops fired back...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/04/taliban-kill-eight-soldiers.html

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Firm offers to set up refinery in Balochistan
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By Saleem Shahid
QUETTA, Feb 3: An investors group will establish an oil refinery at a cost of $600 million in Balochistan's coastal Gaddani area, the chief executive of Biko Oil and Petroleum Group (Pakistan) said in a meeting with Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani on Friday.

"Our group will also invest Rs5.5 billion in another project in connection with movement of cooking oil through Balochistan," Amir Abbasi said. He emphasised the need to build road infrastructure in Lasbella district so that the province attracted more investment...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/04/firm-offers-to-set-up-refinery-in-balochistan.html


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Gilani sees conspiracy to scuttle Senate election
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By Zaheer Mahmood Siddiqui
LAHORE, Feb 3: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said the Senate elections will be held on schedule even though conspiracies are being hatched to get them stopped.

Talking to reporters before inaugurating the Business Express at Lahore railway station on Friday, he said the possibility of early general elections could be discussed after the presentation of the fifth budget by his government...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/04/gilani-sees-conspiracy-to-scuttle-senate-election.html


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Unanimous adoption of amendment likely
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By Ahmad Hassan
ISLAMABAD: Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan announced on Friday his party had decided to support the 20th Amendment Bill after a 'positive response' to some conditions he had set for its unanimous adoption.

Talking to reporters after holding talks with a government team led by Syed Khursheed Shah, he said three of his demands had been accepted. The government side, he said, had sought time to get an assurance from the prime minister about consultations with him for setting up an interim government although it was not required under the 18th Amendment...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/04/unanimous-adoption-of-amendment-likely.html


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Announcement
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THE offices of Dawn will remain closed on Sunday (Feb 5) on account of Eid Miladun Nabi. Therefore, there will be no newspaper on Monday. The offices will also remain closed on Feb 4 only in Sindh as a special case because the provincial government has declared Saturday as a public holiday. Arrangements have, however, been made to bring out the newspaper on Sunday...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/04/announcement-6.html


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Imran urges Supreme Court to stay by-elections
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By Nasir Iqbal
ISLAMABAD, Feb 3: PTI chief Imran Khan and a television anchor separately approached the Supreme Court on Friday, the former asking for staying the Feb 25 by-elections for the national and provincial assemblies and the latter seeking an order against holding Senate elections on March 2.

In a miscellaneous application, Imran Khan requested the Supreme Court to ask the Election Commission to suspend its Jan 27 notification through which it had announced the schedule for the by-elections...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/04/imran-urges-supreme-court-to-stay-by-elections.html


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Some respite for seven civilians facing court martial
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By Baqir Sajjad Syed
ISLAMABAD, Feb 3: The surviving seven civilians who were once charged under the Army Act with conspiring to attack military personnel and installations no longer face court martial, according to a security official.

Instead, they are likely to be tried for suspected involvement in an attack on a military convoy in tribal areas as they serve internment under a special counter-terrorism law...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/04/some-respite-for-seven-civilians-facing-court-martial.html


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Congress slams Aiyar on Pakistan TV show
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By Jawed Naqvi
NEW DELHI, Feb 3: India's ruling Congress party on Friday disapproved of party leader Mani Shakar Aiyar appearing on a Pakistan TV talk show in which Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, participated through a phone link, the Press Trust of India said.

"I don't know the (details)...I certainly think propriety would require that such situation should be avoided...unless trapped in a situation," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/04/congress-slams-aiyar-on-pakistan-tv-show.html


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MQM ready for polls on 24-hour notice: Sattar
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By Our Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Feb 3: The MQM was ready to participate in elections on a 24-hour notice, said the party's parliamentary leader Farooq Sattar, although he also said he was not implying that the elections would be held in a few days.

Addressing Pakistani journalists in Washington, Mr Sattar said members of the ruling coalition had decided to set a timetable for the general election after the Senate elections due in March...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/04/mqm-ready-for-polls-on-24-hour-notice-sattar.html


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Afghan forces should not enter Pakistan: CIA chief
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By Anwar Iqbal
WASHINGTON, Feb 3: CIA Director General David Petraeus has told a congressional committee that he believes Afghan forces should not enter Pakistan to destroy the sanctuaries that the Taliban leaders allegedly enjoyed in that country.

"With respect should the Afghan forces be allowed to go, well, I think that's obviously a question for Afghanistan, but I think they probably have sufficient fights on their hands without invading the soil of another country, even as significant as is the threat that is posed by some of these safe havens across the border," he said...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/04/afghan-forces-should-not-enter-pakistan-cia-chief.html


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Tentative accord at UN on Syria
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By Masood Haider
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 3: After days of intense and gruelling negotiations, diplomats here said that the latest version of a European-Arab draft resolution endorsing an Arab League plan which does not include reference to the Syrian president stepping down paved way for an agreement.

However, the diplomats here remained weary whether Russia would go along with the watered-down language...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/04/tentative-accord-at-un-on-syria.html


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Karachi Stocks Up 52.84 Points:
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KARACHI, Feb 03: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 11982.62, up 52.84 points.
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Forex Update:
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KARACHI, Feb 03: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 90.8 to the US Dollar in the open market.
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