DINA for the Issue of February 24, 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 24, 2012 Friday Rabi-us-Sani 1, 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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Cases against exiled Baloch leaders to be withdrawn
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By Iftikhar A Khan
ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: The government has decided to withdraw cases against Baloch leaders living in exile, the interior minister said on Thursday.

The decision meant that cases against Brahamdagh Bugti, Harbayar Marri and other Baloch leaders living abroad would be quashed in line with the government's policy of reconciliation, Rehman Malik told reporters after chairing a meeting on the Aghaz-i-Haqooq-i-Balochistan package...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/24/govt-offers-jobs-other-incentives-cases-against-exiled-baloch-leaders-to-be-withdrawn.html


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Haqqani spoke of call from US to GHQ, says Ijaz
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By Malik Asad
ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: Pakistani-American Mansoor Ijaz's non-revelations continued on Thursday.

In his testimony, he said that he delivered the memorandum to admiral Mike Mullen, the former US military chief, after he was convinced that former ambassador Husain Haqqani enjoyed the support of President Asif Ali Zardari on the matter. Ijaz, however, alleged that Mr Haqqani and his counsel wanted to conceal the facts at present...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/24/haqqani-spoke-of-call-from-us-to-ghq-says-ijaz.html


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Jamaat factor in saga of the missing
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By Kalbe Ali
ISLAMABAD: He has been there every day since the protest began in front of the Parliament House on February 15. Holding a large portrait of his brother, Rizwan, he sits there quietly till the sun sets when he leaves only to return the next day.

"This is my only hope; I pray that Almighty may soften the hearts of the authorities that have been holding my brother for ten months now," Mansoor Tayyab tells visitors at the protest camp set up by Amina Janjua's Defence of Human Rights organisation. With a small, neat beard, Mansoor Tayyab is pale man who is quiet and reserved to begin with...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/24/jamaat-factor-in-saga-of-the-missing.html


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Plane crashes into house; pilots killed
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By Muhammad Faisal Ali
LAHORE, Feb 23: A two-seater light plane on a training flight crashed into the lawn of a house in Model Town here on Thursday, killing a woman pilot and her trainee.

Witnesses and police said the plane had circled three times before coming down with a bang onto a car porch-cum-lawn of the house. No one on the ground was hurt...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/24/plane-crashes-into-house-pilots-killed.html


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Pakistan too vital to be shunned, says Clinton
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LONDON, Feb 23: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said after a meeting with Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar here on Thursday that Pakistan was too important for her country to turn its back on.

Ms Clinton and Ms Khar spoke for an hour and a half on the sidelines of a conference on Somalia, in the first step towards thawing relations that were frozen in November when US air strikes killed 24 Pakistani soldiers...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/24/pakistan-too-vital-to-be-shunned-says-clinton.html


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Peshawar car bomb blast claims 15 lives
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By Ali Hazrat Bacha
PESHAWAR, Feb 23: At least 15 people, including two children, were killed and 38 injured when a car bomb went off in a busy bus stand on Kohat Road on Thursday.

According to Peshawar police chief Syed Imtiaz Altaf, the bombing appeared to have been carried out in retaliation for a military operation under way in Khyber Agency...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/24/peshawar-car-bomb-blast-claims-15-lives.html


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US delegation tells Gilani: Both US parties oppose Balochistan resolution
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By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: A visiting US Congressional delegation assured Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday that both Republicans and Democrats were united in opposing a resolution about Balochistan in the House of Representatives.

"The Congressmen categorically stated that Republicans and Democrats, as well as the US government, were against the resolution tabled… at the sub-committee level. US supported Pakistan's security and territorial integrity," Prime Minister's Office said in a statement issued after the bipartisan delegation led by David Dreier, who heads the powerful House Rules Committee, met Mr Gilani...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/24/us-delegation-tells-gilani-both-us-parties-oppose-balochistan-resolution.html


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Balochistan police may assume Levies functions
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By Syed Irfan Raza
ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: The government is considering placing Balochistan's districts under police control by replacing the current Levies system.

According to sources in the interior ministry, the plan to reintroduce police system is being considered on demand by Baloch leaders who want withdrawal of paramilitary forces from the province. Under the new system 'B' areas (where the law and order is maintained by the local militia) will be converted into 'A' areas...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/24/balochistan-police-may-assume-levies-functions.html


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17 Taliban killed in air strikes, say officials
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By Our Correspondent
KALAYA, Feb 23: Jets bombed militant hideouts in tribal areas early on Thursday, killing 17 Taliban militants, officials said.

The aircraft targeted hideouts in the Upper Orakzai area and destroyed four compounds in the rugged terrain near the Afghan border...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/24/17-taliban-killed-in-air-strikes-say-officials.html


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Pakistan draw first blood in T20 series
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DUBAI, Feb 23: Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal bowled superbly to inspire Pakistan to an eight-run victory over England in the first Twenty20 international here on Thursday.

World champions England looked to be cruising to a target of 145 following a quick 33 from the in-form Kevin Pietersen and Ravi Bopara's 39 but man-of-the-match Gul dismissed Jos Buttler and Samit Patel with successive deliveries in the 18th over to give Pakistan hope...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/24/pakistan-draw-first-blood-in-t20-series.html


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Economic managers pledge to keep policies unchanged
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By Khaleeq Kiani
ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: A day before repaying $400 million to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), managers of the country's economy said on Thursday that despite severe political pressures they would try to ensure that economic stabilisation achieved in difficult times was not compromised.

During a background briefing to journalists, the government's team of economic experts confirmed that losses due to deficiencies in the power sector were over and above the 3.1 per cent fiscal deficit recorded in the first seven months of the current fiscal year...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/24/economic-managers-pledge-to-keep-policies-unchanged.html


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Karachi Stocks Down 89.84 Points:
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KARACHI, Feb 23: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 12513.83, down 89.84 points.
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Forex Update:
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KARACHI, Feb 23: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 91.1 to the US Dollar in the open market.
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