DINA for the Issue of February 17, 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 17, 2012 Friday Rabi-ul-Awwal 24, 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 - 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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Ahmadinejad gets assurance: Gas, power projects to go ahead
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By Baqir Sajjad Syed
ISLAMABAD, Feb 16: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was assured by Pakistani leaders on Thursday that they remained committed to the gas pipeline and electricity import projects despite international sanctions on his country.

Although he couldn't get a firm timetable for making the energy projects operational, he appeared to have been satisfied with pledges of speeding them up and, in return, offered to enhance bilateral trade to $10 billion in a couple of months...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/ahmadinejad-gets-assurance-gas-power-projects-to-go-ahead.html


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Contempt case against Gilani: Evidence in four volumes submitted to court
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By Nasir Iqbal
ISLAMABAD, Feb 16: Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq submitted to the Supreme Court on Thursday evidence relating to the contempt of court case against Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. The documents comprised 469 pages in four volumes. But there was no list of prosecution witnesses.

The documents will be formally displayed before a seven-judge bench headed by Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk on Feb 22 in the absence of prime minister's counsel Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/contempt-case-against-gilani-evidence-in-four-volumes-submitted-to-court.html


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Ijaz claims to have met Zardari, Pasha and Shaukat Aziz
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By Malik Asad
ISLAMABAD, Feb 16: Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz, a central character in the memo controversy, has revealed that since 2003 he had met President Asif Ali Zardari, ISI Director General Ahmed Shuja Pasha, former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and former ISI chief Ehsanul Haq.

In his testimony submitted to the memo commission on Thursday through his counsel Akram Sheikh, Mr Ijaz said he had met the four Pakistanis in addition to former ambassador Husain Haqqani...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/ijaz-claims-to-have-met-zardari-pasha-and-shaukat-aziz.html


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Karzai seeks help for Taliban talks
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By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Afghan President Hamid Karzai sought help from the government of Pakistan and religious parties on Thursday for advancing peace talks with Taliban in his country and said their assistance was of 'critical' importance for the success of the process.

Mr Karzai, who is on a three-day visit to Pakistan to attend a trilateral summit, met Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari and interacted with Jamaat-i-Islami leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed and JUI-F Senators Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Gul Nasib, who have been associated with Afghan jihadi groups...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/religious-parties-leaders-contacted-karzai-seeks-help-for-taliban-talks.html


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US drones kill 21
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By Pazir Gul
MIRAMSHAH, Feb 16: Missiles fired by US drones rained on suspected militant targets in North Waziristan on Thursday, killing at least 21 people.

According to sources, six people were killed and two others injured when two missiles slammed into a compound in the village of Spilga near Miramshah. The identities of the persons who died could not be ascertained...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/us-drones-kill-21.html


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Liberal visa policy in final stages: Indian minister
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By Mubarak Zeb Khan
ISLAMABAD, Feb 16: A liberal visa regime between Pakistan and India is in final stages to facilitate movement across the border of people, especially businessmen.

Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, who is leading a large business delegation, said here on Thursday that the new visa regime would be for all people...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/liberal-visa-policy-in-final-stages-indian-minister.html


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Pakistan military slams rights group
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ISLAMABAD, Feb 16: Pakistan's military on Thursday assailed the US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) which has accused its personnel of acting like a state within a state.

On Jan 30, HRW condemned the impunity of Pakistani intelligence services over the murder of a journalist, Saleem Shahzad, who was killed after writing about links between Al Qaeda and rogue elements in the military...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/pakistan-military-slams-rights-group.html


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Pakistan on money-laundering blacklist
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PARIS, Feb 16: An international money-laundering watchdog added Pakistan, Indonesia, Ghana, Tanzania and Thailand on Thursday to its blacklist of nations that had failed to meet international standards.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has found that those five countries are flaunting recommendations made to them towards fighting money-laundering and financing terrorism, its executive secretary, Rick McDonell, said...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/pakistan-on-money-laundering-blacklist.html


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Bomb blasts rock Quetta, Sibi
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By Saleem Shahid
QUETTA, Feb 16: Two bomb explosions rocked Quetta and Sibi on Thursday.

An explosion in front of the excise and taxation department's office on Sariab Road smashed its windows and damaged a car...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/bomb-blasts-rock-quetta-sibi.html


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US urges Pakistan to restrain Hafiz Saeed
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By Our Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Feb 16: The US State Department strongly urged Pakistan on Thursday to prevent Hafiz Saeed from moving freely in the country, freeze the assets of the groups associated with him and stop allowing Lashkar-e-Taiba from acquiring weapons.

The State Department, however, welcomed the trilateral summit of Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, saying that it was in keeping with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's new Silk Road initiative...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/us-urges-pakistan-to-restrain-hafiz-saeed.html


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Lashkar chief's son dies in suicide attack
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DIR KHAN TOWN (Upper Dir), Feb 16: A son of a pro-government elder was killed and five people were injured when a suicide bomber detonated explosives here on Thursday.

A man also suspected to be a bomber managed to escape...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/lashkar-chiefs-son-dies-in-suicide-attack.html


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Taliban reject Karzai claim
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ISLAMABAD: The Taliban say there has been no secret three-way discussion with the US and Afghan governments, countering the Afghan president's claim that such talks have taken place.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai told The Wall Street Journal in an interview published on Thursday that a three-way session was held last month...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/taliban-reject-karzai-claim.html


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'Divorce' not an option in ties, says US
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By Anwar Iqbal
WASHINGTON, Feb 16: Divorce is not an option with Pakistan, says the US State Department while stressing the need for re-establishing a relationship that is passing through a difficult patch.

"Divorce is not an option with Pakistan. We have strategic interests in common; we have a lot of work to do together," said the department's spokesperson Victoria Nuland...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/divorce-not-an-option-in-ties-says-us.html


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Afghanistan and US in secret talks with Taliban: Karzai
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KABUL, Feb 16: The US and Afghan governments have begun secret three-way talks with the Taliban, Afghan President Hamid Karzai told The Wall Street Journal.

Mr Karzai's government had previously been excluded from early, exploratory contacts between the Taliban and the United States, with the militants seen as resisting the involvement of a local administration they regard as a puppet of Washington...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/afghanistan-and-us-in-secret-talks-with-taliban-karzai.html


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Karachi Stocks Up 93.20 Points:
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KARACHI, Feb 16: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 12404.24, up 93.20 points.
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Forex Update:
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KARACHI, Feb 16: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 91 to the US Dollar in the open market.
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