DINA for the issue of March 7, 2014

	March 7, 2014 | Jamadi-ul-Awwal 5, 1435
The DAWN Internet News Alert (DINA) is a free daily news service from Pakistan’s largest English language newspaper, the Daily DAWN.
Pakistan sheds light on defence talks with China, S. Arabia By Our Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD: Pakistan shed on Thursday rare light on its ongoing discussions with China and Saudi Arabia on defence cooperation. The government has been pursuing plans for a “new era in strategic partnership” with Saudi Arabia, which it wants to be anchored in time-tested defence relationship. Plans are also afoot for expanded defence cooperation with China.	For suggestions and comments: Email: webmaster@dawn.com Website: http://dawn.com Fax: +92(21) 35693995 Karachi Stocks up 320.54 Points: KARACHI, March 6 : At the close of trading, the KSE-100 index was 26842.53, up 320.54 points. Forex Update : KARACHI, march 06 : The Pakistani Rupee was traded at 103.25 to the US Dollar in the open market.
Sharif asks Taliban to condemn acts of terror By Syed Irfan Raza ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif informed Taliban’s negotiators on Thursday that the government would form a new committee in a couple of days for holding direct talks with the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. Sources told Dawn that the prime minister asked the TTP to disassociate itself from splinter groups involved in recent terrorist activities and also condemn their acts of violence and expose them so that peace process could go ahead.
Fast-track dialogue planned, says Nisar By Raja Asghar ISLAMABAD: Now it will be direct, fast-track peace talks with Taliban militants for which a new government committee will meet the other side next week, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told the National Assembly on Thursday. But he said an existing policy to target the centres of militant groups opposed to dialogue and engaging in violence would continue.
Famine-like situation in Thar after severe drought Dawn Report KARACHI / MITHI: Most areas of Sindh’s Tharparkar district are facing a famine-like situation and at least 32 malnourished children are reported to have died. About 175,000 families are reported to have been affected and some of them have been forced to leave their homes and move to barrage areas. According to a report received on Thursday, PPP patron-in-chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has expressed concern over the situation and ordered the Sindh government to immediately launch a relief operation. He has set up a special committee to monitor the situation.
Islamabad judge killed by bodyguard’s panic firing ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan stunned the National Assembly on Thursday with the information that an additional district and sessions judge killed during a gun and suicide bomb attack on Islamabad’s district courts complex on Monday was the victim of claimed panic firing by his own bodyguard inside a bolted retiring room. He said the guard had confessed to police that three bullets fired by him in panic from a 9mm pistol after an attacker’s suicide bomb blast near the court room killed judge Rafaqat Ahmed Khan Awan – one of 12 fatalities in one of the capital’s worst terrorist carnage in recent years that also wounded 28 people.
CONFUCIUS COMES TO KARACHI By Maleeha Hamid Siddiqui “YES, who would like to come forward and name parts of the body in Chinese,” asks the cheerful bespectacled instructor. A stocky woman, swathed in a dupatta and shawl, gets up from her seat with a paper sketch of a boy clutched in her hand and walks towards the white board festooned with Chinese New Year red and gold buntings. Pointing to the forehead, she says: “Sir, this is ya chi.” “Nahin, it is called tou,” interjects Quratulain, sharply correcting Talat before the instructor can. “Eyebrows are yan jing.” “No! Mei mou,” says the class of eight students in unison.
‘Pakistan ready to host students’ ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office said on Thursday the government was ready to host the 67 Kashmiri students expelled by the Indian university for cheering Pakistani team in an Asia Cup match with India. “There were reports that some 67 Kashmiri students were expelled. …but if these Kashmiri students wish to come and pursue their studies in Pakistan, our hearts and our academic institutions are open to them,” Spokesperson Tasneem Aslam told a news briefing.—Staff Reporter
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