DINA for the issue of January 3, 2013

	Thursday 3rd January 2013 | Safar 20, 1434
The DAWN Internet News Alert (DINA) is a free daily news service from Pakistan’s largest English language newspaper, the Daily DAWN.
Taliban’s truce offer: Army advises govt to thrash out strategy By Baqir Sajjad Syed ISLAMABAD, Jan 2: Although the army generals will discuss the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) ‘peace offers’ at a corps commanders’ meeting to be held on Friday, they want the political leadership to formulate a response to the militants’ suggestion for a ceasefire.	For suggestions and comments: Email: webmaster@dawn.com Website: http://dawn.com Fax: +92(21) 35693995 Karachi Stocks Down 304.88 Points: KARACHI, Jan 02: At the close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 16489.99, down 304.88 points. Forex Update : KARACHI, Jan 02: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 97.8 to the US Dollar in the open market.
Cellphones to be blocked today By Our Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Jan 2: Mobile phone service will be suspended in several cities and districts of the country from 8am to 11pm on Thursday as part of security plan for Chehlum. The cities and towns where the service will be blocked include Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Multan, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Hyderabad, Dera Ismail Khan and Bannu.
Troop deployment at sensitive poll stations By Iftikhar A. Khan ISLAMABAD, Jan 2: A special meeting held at the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday to discuss security-related issues for general elections came to the conclusion that the army would be deployed at sensitive polling stations only. The ECP in principle decided to allow candidates to bring along armed private security guards to polling stations.
‘PML-N to thwart plot to delay elections’ By Our Staff Reporter LAHORE, Jan 2: The PML-N has termed the slogans of accountability and reforms a plot to delay general elections and vowed to thwart the conspiracy. “An attempt is being made to get the elections postponed under the cover of slogans for (electoral) reforms and accountability (of politicians),” Nawaz Sharif was quoted as having said at a meeting of PML-N elders held at his Raiwind residence on Wednesday.
PAC asks FBR to make names of tax defaulters public By Khawar Ghumman ISLAMABAD, Jan 2: The Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly directed the Federal Board of Revenue on Wednesday to make the names of all major tax defaulters public. Presided over by Nadeem Afzal Gondal, a meeting of the PAC unanimously decided to ask FBR Chairman Ali Arshad Hakeem to provide next week a list of all those civil and military bureaucrats, landlords, businessmen and owners of media houses, who were not paying taxes.
IB funds not meant for toppling Punjab govt, Suddle tells SC By Nasir Iqbal ISLAMABAD, Jan 2: A letter by former director general of the Intelligence Bureau Dr Shoaib Suddle has changed the complexion of a case relating to withdrawal of huge funds from the bureau’s account. In the letter which was not made public, he confirmed before the Supreme Court on Wednesday that the government had withdrawn Rs400 million but not for using to topple the Shahbaz Sharif administration in Punjab.
Gunmen kidnap 7 soldiers ISLAMABAD, Jan 2: Gunmen kidnapped seven soldiers from a bus on Wednesday, military officials said. The gunmen took the seven soldiers and let go a sweeper on the bus with them, a military official said. The gunmen were wearing military uniforms, other sources said.
$3.5bn expected from US for Diamer-Bhasha dam By Khaleeq Kiani ISLAMABAD, Jan 2: As electricity shortage increased to about 5,000MW on Wednesday despite reduced winter demand, the United States has agreed to provide $3.5 billion for the $14.5bn Diamer-Bhasha dam project. The ministry of water and power informed the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Water and Power that the government had been requested to postpone the payment of $4.5bn interest during construction and waive taxes and duties on import of machinery and equipment for the project.
Malik fails to persuade Altaf against joining march By Azfar-ul-Ashfaque KARACHI, Jan 2: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has declined to give an assurance to President Asif Ali Zardari’s pointman, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, about not taking part in Jan 14 march on Islamabad in support of the electoral reforms agenda of Tehrik-i-Mihajul Quran’s patron-in-chief Dr Tahirul Qadri. But he dispelled a perception that his party was going to quit the PPP-led coalition government at the centre and in Sindh.
Fazl not clear about forces behind Qadri By Our Correspondent QUETTA, Jan 2: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said it is not clear on whose agenda Dr Tahirul Qadri is working and urged state organs to clarify their positions in this regard. Commenting on the slogan of “save the state, not politics” raised by the Tehrik-i-Minhajul Quran chief, he said that state without politics was a flawed concept.
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