DINA for the issue of June 2, 2014

	June 2, 2014 | Sha'baan 3, 1435
The DAWN Internet News Alert (DINA) is a free daily news service from Pakistan’s largest English language newspaper, the Daily DAWN.
Little to celebrate as parliament begins its new year By Raja Asghar President Mamnoon Hussain’s address to a joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate to open the new parliamentary year also comes three days before Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government is to complete its first year in office and seems embroiled in dire issues both inside and outside parliament.	For suggestions and comments: Email: webmaster@dawn.com Website: http://dawn.com Fax: +92(21) 35693995
Revenue, GDP growth targets missed By Khaleeq Kiani ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar will launch on Monday the Pakistan Economic Survey 2013-14, which is expected to be a mixed bag of missed targets and improved performance in various sectors. The three-time finance minister would, however, like to play up the ‘better than last year’s performance’ aspect and will be looking to build on hopes for ‘beginning economic revival’ going forward.
Nargis Sethi takes ‘power’ By Khawar Ghumman ISLAMABAD: Nargis Sethi, once dubbed Pakistan’s most powerful woman, is back in the limelight. She will now be a key part of the government team that is responsible for reining in loadshedding, as the new secretary of the Ministry of Water and Power. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif decided to make the appointment over the weekend, inducting her into a top-level team that includes Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Federal Minister Khawaja Asif, Minister of State Abid Sher Ali, a parliamentary secretary and a special adviser.
TAMING THE ECONOMY By Farhan Bokhari WHEN Finance Minister Ishaq Dar rises on the floor of parliament on Tuesday to deliver his annual budget speech, Pakistanis will be certain to hear a rich dose of good news surrounding the country’s economy. It will be another insightful moment to witness the now all-too-familiar gap between a powerful set of dismal realities across Pakistan versus the mood in the power corridors of the capital city. That the slide of the rupee has been reversed and liquid foreign currency reserves continue to recover, are bound to form an important bedrock of Mr Dar’s message. He had taken it upon himself to halt the slide of the rupee when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returned to Islamabad just last year.
Taliban term prisoner swap ‘big victory’ KABUL: Taliban supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar on Sunday hailed the release of five senior militants in exchange for US soldier Bowe Bergdahl as a “big victory”. On his part, US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel expressed the hope that release of Sergeant Bergdahl would lead to direct US talks with the Afghan Taliban.
Modi appoints former spy as security adviser NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chosen a daring former spy as his national security adviser. The choice of Ajit Doval, alongside former Indian army chief General V.K. Singh as a federal minister for the northeast region, underscores plans to revamp national security that Modi says became weak under the outgoing government.
Modi lauds his decision to invite Saarc leaders By Our Correspondent NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised his decision to invite South Asian leaders to his swearing-in as a well-timed move, and urged academics to record his amazing electoral victory as a feat comparable to Tony Blair’s and Barrack Obama’s success stories. Visiting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters for the first time after becoming prime minister, Mr Modi noted that people had a lot of expectations from his government and it was the duty of his government to keep pace with their aspirations.
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