DINA for the Issue of March 01, 2012

----------------------------------------------------------------
D A W N I n t e r n e t N e w s A l e r t
----------------------------------------------------------------
March 01, 2012 Thursday Rabi-us-Sani 7, 1433
----------------------------------------------------------------
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:

e-mail webmaster@dawn.com
WWW http://dawn.com
fax +92(21) 35693995
snail-mail DAWN Media Group,
Haroon House, Karachi 74200, Pakistan

(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.


-----------------------------------------------------------------
Restriction-free trade with India after Dec
-----------------------------------------------------------------
By Mubarak Zeb Khan
ISLAMABAD, Feb 29: The federal cabinet on Wednesday flung open the doors for trade with India by raising the number of items that can be imported from the country from 1,946 to almost 5,600.

The decision overruled reservations of the ministries of textile and industries which had been pushing for restricted trade with India to protect domestic manufacturers...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/01/restriction-free-trade-with-india-after-dec.html


----------------------------------------------------------------
Army offers help in sectarian killings probe
----------------------------------------------------------------
By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Feb 29: Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani offered on Wednesday cooperation in the investigation into Tuesday's sectarian killings on the Karakoram Highway by gunmen in military uniform.

The army chief, who visited Skardu and forward locations at Minimerg and Domel sectors in Gilgit-Baltistan, received a briefing from local commanders on the incident and directed them to help the Gilgit-Baltistan government in maintaining security...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/01/army-offers-help-in-sectarian-killings-probe.html


----------------------------------------------------------------
Tough US warning on Iran gas pipeline
----------------------------------------------------------------
By Anwar Iqbal
WASHINGTON, Feb 29: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned on Wednesday that the Iran gas pipeline project was "inexplicable" and could invoke US sanctions that would further 'undermine' Pakistan's 'already shaky' economy.

Earlier, Congressman John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat, drew Secretary Clinton's attention to the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project during a congressional debate, reminding her that the State Department's proposed budget for 2013 included roughly $1 billion to help Pakistan address its energy challenges...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/01/tough-us-warning-on-iran-gas-pipeline.html


----------------------------------------------------------------
Prices of petrol, CNG raised; HSD unchanged
----------------------------------------------------------------
By Khaleeq Kiani
ISLAMABAD, Feb 29: The government increased on Wednesday prices of all petroleum products, except high-speed diesel (HSD), and compressed natural gas (CNG) with immediate effect.

However, the price of HSD will remain unchanged till June 30...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/01/prices-of-petrol-cng-raised-hsd-unchanged.html


----------------------------------------------------------------
Meeting at Presidency discusses Pak-US relations
----------------------------------------------------------------
By Syed Irfan Raza
ISLAMABAD, Feb 29: A high-level meeting held in the Presidency on Wednesday evening reviewed Pakistan-US relations against the backdrop of the situation in Balochistan, Afghanistan and Iran.

President's spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the meeting attended by President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani had taken stock of the Pak-US relations. Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Ambassador to the United States Sherry Rehman were present...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/01/meeting-at-presidency-discusses-pak-us-relations.html


--------------------------------------------------------------
Request for Musharraf warrant sent to Interpol
--------------------------------------------------------------
By Malik Asad
ISLAMABAD, Feb 29: The Federal Investigation Agency sent on Wednesday a formal request to Director of Interpol, Pakistan, to issue red warrants for former president and army chief Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf who is an accused and proclaimed offender in the Benazir Bhutto assassination case, Dawn has learnt.

FIA's Special Prosecutor Mohammad Azhar Chaudhry confirmed that the formal process had begun to bring back the former army general...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/01/request-for-musharraf-warrant-sent-to-interpol.html


-------------------------------------------------------------
Electricity from Iran frees Makran of loadshedding
--------------------------------------------------------------
By Amin Ahmed
ISLAMABAD, Feb 29: The Makran division of Balochistan has become free of loadshedding and there will be no power shortage in the area for next five years, thanks to another 35MW of electricity now being supplied by Iran.

Pakistan was already getting 35MW of electricity from Iran, but after the increase in the capacity of the transmission lines, the power supply has been doubled to 70MW from Feb 26, a spokesman for the Ministry of Water and Power told Dawn on Wednesday...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/01/electricity-from-iran-frees-makran-of-loadshedding.html


--------------------------------------------------------------
Power tariff raised by 30 to 72pc for Wapda companies
--------------------------------------------------------------
By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Feb 29: The power tariff has been increased by 30 to 72 per cent for different categories of consumers and different regions with effect from March 1.

A notification to this effect for distribution companies of Wapda was issued on Wednesday by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/01/power-tariff-raised-by-30-to-72pc-for-wapda-companies.html


-------------------------------------------------------------
Pirates held Iranian, Pakistani sailors as slaves
--------------------------------------------------------------
COPENHAGEN, Feb 29: The Iranian and Pakistani crew of a hijacked cargo ship were treated like slaves by Somali pirates before their release in a deadly rescue operation, Denmark's navy said on Wednesday.

A spokesman for the Danish navy, which carried out the dramatic rescue, said it was not clear that the pirates had any idea how to navigate the Iranian vessel which they had been using as a mother ship...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/01/pirates-held-iranian-pakistani-sailors-as-slaves.html


--------------------------------------------------------------
Pakistani CIA prisoner pleads guilty
--------------------------------------------------------------
GUANTANAMO BAY US NAVAL BASE (Cuba), Feb 29: A former CIA "ghost prisoner" who grew up in the Baltimore area admitted to a US war crimes court on Wednesday that he was an Al Qaeda money courier and martyr-in-training now prepared to help prosecute other terrorism suspects.

After nearly nine years in US custody, Pakistani native Majid Khan appeared in public for the first time at a top-security courtroom on the Guantanamo Bay US naval base in Cuba.—Reuters..

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/01/pakistani-cia-prisoner-pleads-guilty.html


--------------------------------------------------------------
SC wants decision on Reko Diq appeal by Saturday
--------------------------------------------------------------
By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Feb 29: The Supreme Court ordered the secretary (minerals) of Balochistan on Wednesday to decide by March 3 an appeal moved by Tethyan Copper Company Pakistan (TCCP) against the rejection of a mining lease at Reko Diq.

"The decision on the appeal at the earliest is important for the reason that the International Chambers of Commerce (ICC) has allowed 15 days to the Balochistan government to nominate an arbitrator in respect of the observation made by the Supreme Court," observed a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. The case will be taken up on March 5...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/01/sc-wants-decision-on-reko-diq-appeal-by-saturday.html


-------------------------------------------------------------
President to address joint session on March 17
--------------------------------------------------------------
By Ahmad Hassan
ISLAMABAD, Feb 29: President Asif Ali Zardari will address a joint sitting of parliament on March 17 for a record fifth time.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Khursheed Shah told reporters on Wednesday that a National Assembly session would be convened on March 9 and it would last till the holding of the joint session of two houses of parliament on March 17...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/01/president-to-address-joint-session-on-march-17.html


--------------------------------------------------------------
IJI funding case statements missing
--------------------------------------------------------------
By Nasir Iqbal
--------------------------------------------------------------
ISLAMABAD, Feb 29: The Supreme Court has decided to recommence hearing in an open and transparent manner the long pending petition of Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan about the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) bribing politicians. Earlier hearings on the petition were held in closed-door sessions.

As the proceedings began on Wednesday, the court expressed surprise that statements of the main characters recorded earlier during in-camera hearings were missing...

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/01/iji-funding-case-statements-missing.html


--------------------------------------------------------------
Karachi Stocks Up 121.94 Points:
--------------------------------------------------------------
KARACHI, Feb 29: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 12861.16, up 121.94 points.
--------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------
Forex Update:
--------------------------------------------------------------
KARACHI, Feb 29: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 91.1 to the US Dollar in the open market.
--------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------
*DINA*DINA*DINA*DINA*DINA*DINA*DINA*DINA*DINA*DINA*DINA*DINA*
--------------------------------------------------------------
To subscribe or unsubscribe to this mailing list, please fill the form located at: http://www.dawn.com/alerts
--------------------------------------------------------------