DINA for the issue of November 1, 2013

	November 1, 2013 | Zilhaj 26, 1434
The DAWN Internet News Alert (DINA) is a free daily news service from Pakistan’s largest English language newspaper, the Daily DAWN.
FO disputes defence ministry’s figures on drone deaths By Our Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Oct 31: The Foreign Office said on Thursday that the government was convinced that drone attacks were counter-productive and it (FO) had sought details from the defence ministry about the low non-combatant casualty figure reported in Senate.	For suggestions and comments: Email: webmaster@dawn.com Website: http://dawn.com Fax: +92(21) 35693995 Karachi Stocks Up 465.25 Points: KARACHI, October 31: At the close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 22775.85, up 465.25 points. Forex Update : KARACHI, October 31: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 107.35 to the US Dollar in the open market.
Talks with Taliban under way: PM LONDON, Oct 31: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said dialogue with Taliban has started and hoped that it would progress within the constitutional framework of Pakistan. He was talking to British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg who called on him here on Thursday.
SC wants Karachi cleansed of illicit arms, drugs By Tahir Siddiqui KARACHI, Oct 31: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry observed on Thursday that recent improvements in the law and order situation in Karachi would not sustain unless the city was cleansed of illicit arms and ammunition, drugs and black money. He said black money generated through illegal weapons and drugs trade and evasion of customs duty benefited only anti-social elements which created law and order problems in the city and disturbed economic life of the citizens.
Rs35bn relief for power consumers By Kalbe Ali ISLAMABAD, Oct 31: A relief of Rs35 billion was approved on Thursday for electricity consumers by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), but it will be spread over eleven months. The average per unit benefit to consumers will be around 35 paisa in the shape of reduction in power tariff.
‘Structured, formal’ dialogue with Taliban soon: Nisar By Khawar Ghumman ISLAMABAD, Oct 31: An under-fire Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan insisted on Thursday that the government was in contact with the Taliban and would soon start ‘structured and formal’ talks with them in line with a decision taken by an all-party conference on Sept 9. At a meeting with heads of parliamentary parties, Mr Khan, however, could only confirm off-the-record communication with the militants, suggesting the government has nothing concrete on the issue of talks to share.
Nominal cut in petrol price By Our Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Oct 31: The government on Thursday announced a nominal decrease of 48 paisa in the price of petrol for November in contrast to Ogra’s suggestion of Rs2.48 per litre cut. The price has fallen from Rs113.24 to Rs112.76 per litre. The prices of other petroleum products witnessed a nominal reduction.
ECP defers local govt polls in Punjab, Sindh By Iftikhar A. Khan ISLAMABAD, Oct 31: The Election Commission of Pakistan said on Thursday that local government elections in Punjab and Sindh had been deferred. But the commission announced the poll schedule for Balochistan. At a meeting held for four days the ECP explored different options for getting over 500 million ballot papers printed and for procuring 4.4m magnetised inkpads. The Printing Corporation of Pakistan and Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research informed it that the task would take at least four months.
PHC chief justice questions release of Baradar Bureau Report PESHAWAR, Oct 31: Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Dost Mohammad Khan questioned on Thursday the release of Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and said the federal government had no powers to set a prisoner free without an approval by the court concerned. During the hearing of a case relating to enforced disappearances, the chief justice observed that neither the prime minister nor the president had the powers to release a prisoner through an executive order. “How Mullah Baradar could be released without approval of a court,” he asked.
‘Iran pipeline still possible’ ISLAMABAD, Oct 31: Pakistan insisted on Thursday it was still keen to build a pipeline to bring gas from Iran, despite comments by an Iranian minister that he had no hope for its completion. The $7.5billion project, aimed at easing Pakistan’s chronic gas and electricity shortages, has drawn threats of US sanctions and run into repeated problems.
To subscribe or unsubscribe to this mailing list, please fill the form located at: http://www.dawn.com/alerts
DAWN Media Group, Haroon House, Karachi 74200, Pakistan	Copyright © 2013 Pakistan Herald Publications (Pvt.) Ltd.