DINA for the Issue of February 05, 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 05, 2012 Sunday Rabi-ul-Awwal 12, 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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Appeal against contempt charges soon
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By Nasir Iqbal
ISLAMABAD, Feb 4: An intra-court appeal requesting the Supreme Court to suspend its decision of framing contempt charges against Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is expected to be filed in a couple of days.

"We are in the process of preparing the appeal which may take a couple of days more and will be filed instantly afterwards," an associate of Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, the counsel for the prime minister, told Dawn on condition of anonymity...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/05/appeal-against-contempt-charges-soon.html

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PM to discuss Afghan peace in Qatar
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By Baqir Sajjad Syed
ISLAMABAD, Feb 4: With Doha getting ready to host a political office of the Taliban, Afghan reconciliation will be a major theme during Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's visit to Qatar next week for signing energy and investment agreements.

Qataris, desirous of playing the role of a regional peace broker, have appeared to be willing hosts for the proposed Taliban liaison office, which is expected to serve as a base for any talks between Kabul, militants and other stakeholders...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/05/pm-to-discuss-afghan-peace-in-qatar.html

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2 protesters shot dead in Balochistan
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By Saleem Shahid
QUETTA, Feb 4: Two people were killed and four others, including a cameraman of a private television channel, injured in Balochistan's Bakhtiarabad town on Saturday when security forces opened fire on people protesting against the killing of wife, daughter and driver of MPA Bakhtiar Domki in Karachi earlier this week.

A strike was also observed in parts of the province on the third consecutive day in protest against the killing...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/05/2-protesters-shot-dead-in-balochistan.html

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Russia, China veto West-backed UN resolution on Syria
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By Masood Haider
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 4: Russia and China vetoed on Saturday a UN Security Council resolution which backed an Arab League plan for a political transition in Syria as the violence continued unabated in the country.

The other 13 members of the council, including Pakistan and India, voted in favour of the resolution sponsored by Arab and Western nations and aimed at ending the ongoing violence in Syria. The vote was 13 in favour and two against (veto)...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/05/russia-china-veto-west-backed-un-resolution-on-syria.html

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Hina Khar to visit Russia
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ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said on Saturday that Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar would visit Russia next week for holding talks on bilateral relations and the regional situation.

Speaking in Radio Pakistan's programme Naey Ufaq, he said that Pakistan was actively engaged with other countries diplomatically with respect to the emerging situation in Afghanistan...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/05/hina-khar-to-visit-russia.html

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Govt contemplating populist measures before polls?
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By Khaleeq Kiani
ISLAMABAD, Feb 4: The government is putting final touches to a strategy to win hearts and minds of hapless citizens as it appeared to be gearing up for the general election.

Its first tactic is likely to ensure no electricity loadshedding in the coming summer after half a decade of outages in sizzling heat...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/05/govt-contemplating-populist-measures-before-polls.html

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Over 230 massacred as anti-Assad revolt sees bloodiest night
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DAMASCUS, Feb 4: Syrian forces killed hundreds of people in an assault on the city of Homs, activists and world leaders said on Saturday, the bloodiest night of an 11-month revolt against President Bashar al-Assad.

US President Barack Obama denounced the 'unspeakable assault', demanded that Mr Assad leave power immediately and called for UN action against the Syrian leader's 'relentless brutality'...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/05/over-230-massacred-as-anti-assad-revolt-sees-bloodiest-night.html

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Taliban deny Omar wrote to White House
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KABUL, Feb 4: The Afghan Taliban denied on Saturday that the group's leader Mullah Omar wrote to the White House last year.

The White House received a letter in 2011 which purported to come directly from Mullah Omar, asking the United States to deliver prisoners whose transfer is now central to American efforts to broker peace in Afghanistan, an Obama administration official said on Friday...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/05/taliban-deny-omar-wrote-to-white-house.html

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MFN status for India: Apprehensions of Kashmiris should be removed: Fazl
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ISLAMABAD, Feb 4: Kashmir Committee chairman Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that a briefing should be held for Kashmiri leaders to apprise them of the pros and cons of Pakistan's plan to grant the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India.

Talking to reporters outside the Parliament House after a meeting with the Kashmiri leaders on Saturday, he said the committee would request the government to direct the commerce and foreign ministries to brief the Kashmiri leaders on the issue in order to address their apprehensions about enhancing trade relations with India...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/05/mfn-status-for-india-apprehensions-of-kashmiris-should-be-removed-fazl.html

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Slain militant identified as Azeri national
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By Zahir Shah Sherazi
PESHAWAR, Feb 4: An Al Qaeda-linked militant killed during an attack on security forces in central Kurram has been identified as Aslanov Zaur, a national of Azerbaijan.

He was among the six foreign militants killed between the night of Jan 31 and Feb 1 in the Jogi area. Eight security men and 20 militants were killed in the clash...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/05/slain-militant-identified-as-azeri-national.html


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