Posts Tagged ‘pakistan’

Japan Send Helicopters To Help Pakistan

Japan said Thursday it will send a military helicopter unit to assist with relief efforts in Pakistan following the devastating floods.
Defense Toshimi Kitazawa ordered the armed forces Thursday to prepare for sending in response to a request by the Pakistani government, his ministry said in a statement.

Japan is expected to send a unit of six transport helicopters and 300 troops for the relief mission, Kyodo News agency reported.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Katsuya Okada told reporters that the advance team of about 20 employees were to leave for Pakistan on Thursday.

Okada said that Japanese troops are likely to work in southern Pakistan, where security situation is relatively stable, to provide food and medicines, and transport people in the international relief effort.

“We also bear in mind the importance of Pakistan in addressing the issues of Afghanistan, which is considered a hotbed of terrorism,” said Okada.

He said that the United States also “unofficially” asked Japan to provide assistance to Pakistan.

The Japanese government fact-finding team visited Pakistan from Friday to assess the needs of the country, the security situation and other conditions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Tokyo has already sent 14.4 million dollars as emergency assistance to help Pakistan cope with the disaster.

Pakistan suffered its worst floods in 80 years from the end of July, with millions of people affected by the flood, which prompted the United Nations Ban Ki-moon to urge the world to increase international assistance.

Millions Of People Without Assistance In Pakistan Floods

Millions Of People Without Assistance In Pakistan Floods:Many of the estimated 20 million people affected by floods in Pakistan has not yet received any aid, despite growing international efforts to provide emergency assistance, the UN said Tuesday, as officials warned that the swollen river Indus could burst its banks again next few days.

In a country reeling under one of the worst in the world of natural disasters, testing already shaky government as well as the United States wants to focus on the war against al-Qaida and the Taliban. About a fifth of the country has been affected after the floods began three weeks ago.

Local charitable organizations and international agencies rushed food, water, shelter and medical care for the most affected areas in the north-west and the Punjab and Sindh provinces. But aid agencies and the British government, complained that the international response to the disaster was not polite.

Many victims living in temporary camps along with their cattle, or in flooded towns and villages.

“The vast geographical extent of flooding and the affected population has meant that many people have still not reached with the assistance they desperately need,” the UN said in a statement.

World Body also noted that the number of children and nursing mothers, victims and the growth of cases of diarrhea “indicate a clear risk of malnutrition among the affected population.”

The floods killed about 1500 people and inundated 1.7 million acres (700,000 ha), wheat, sugarcane and rice crops, resulting in the prospect of food shortages in the coming months in an already poor nation. Food prices have risen sharply across the country since the beginning of flooding.

The province of Sindh said the flooding likely within the next 24 to 48 hours.

“The next two days are crucial for the safety of people,” said Minister of Irrigation in Sindh, Jam Saifullah Dharejo.

New Delhi Warned Pakistan Against Carrying Out Any Terrorist Act

Minister of External Affairs, Master of Science Krishna said that India had conveyed to Pakistan that any further terrorist attack in India, stemming from Pakistani territory would cause enormous damage to the process of normalization.

Replying to questions in Rajya Sabha on his recent visit to Pakistan, Mr. Krishna said India also called for a credible and decisive action against terrorist groups and their leaders, such as Hafiz Saeed, who continue to incite violence against India.

Mr. Krishna said the Delhi told Pakistan that such things will not help reduce the deficit of trust between the two countries. He said that the obligations on the part of Pakistan not to allow territory under its control to be used for any terrorist activities against India in letter and spirit will be the biggest confidence building measure.

Stating that India was willing to discuss any issue with Pakistan, said Mr. Krishna India’s approach step by step to expand the dialogue on all issues of mutual interest.

Floods Threaten Power Plants In Pakistan

Massive floods in Pakistan threatens the power plant, forcing units to close in a country suffering from a crippling energy crisis, officials said Friday.

“The flood water reached to the boundary wall of 1200 MW plant Côte Addu Power Company on Thursday evening, Director General of State Power Co., Pakistan, Mohammad Khalid.

“Now, only three of the 12 are working and produce only 300 megawatts of electricity,” Khalid. But the water recedes, “he said.

Khalid said that in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, three grid stations in Dera Ismail Khan, Swat and Shangla were closed by floods.

Two private power plants produce 350 megawatts each are also closed for excess water in the courtyard of one plant, he said.

Sohail Tipu, a senior official in the central province of Punjab, said the city of Côte Addu was cut off due to flooding, and that the Government was making “every effort” to save people.

Ukraine produces only about 80 percent of electricity it needs, which led to massive power outages and street protests against the government in the summer.

2010 Matric Result Announced Today,Bise Lahore

2010 Matric Result Announced Today,Bise Lahore:Result, the average school (maturity) Annual Examination, 2010 will be announced at the same time all 8 councils of the region on Wednesday (today).

Unlike in previous years, not mega ceremony conducted by any board in this year’s award position of the owners due to floods in various parts of the province.

According to tradition, as a rule, Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, serves as the chief guest at the results and prize distribution ceremony of the Board of intermediate and secondary education (BISE), Lahore, while other ministers chair the ceremony in other sections.

As the joint ceremony under the chairmanship of Chief Minister on August 14 or later, rewarding position holders.

Lahore Board of intermediate and secondary education will announce the result at its Lawrence Road Consideration of the cluster center.

2010 top ranking marks in exam.She  taken 1017 marks.

See your Result here: http://www.biselahore.com/

Pakistan Trade Deal a Major Step, Says Afghanistan

KABUL: landlocked Afghanistan, on Monday said the transit deal with neighboring Pakistan, which finally gives him access to the sea and markets in India was an important step towards the development of the region and improve trade.

The agreement, signed late Sunday, and has also received enthusiastic support from the United States, which hopes it will bring the two closer to combat militants operating on both sides of the border and help the fight against the Taliban led insurgency in Afghanistan.

“(President Hamid) Karzai … congratulated the people of both countries in signing the agreement and called it an important step for regional trade and ways of its development,” his office said in a statement after the pact was signed late on Sunday.

Afghanistan has long demanded that its trucks are allowed to transport goods to India via Pakistan through sensitive land route Wagah. It also gives him access to the sea, Afghan officials.

The Pakistani government said the deal transit trade, in turn, will allow Pakistan to export their goods to Central Asia via Afghanistan. Nevertheless, he noted that India would not be allowed to use Pakistani land route for trade with Afghanistan.

“It was decided that no Indian exports to Afghanistan will be allowed through Wagah”, Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement, referring to the border crossing between the Pakistani city of Lahore and Amritsar in India.

Statement by the U.S. Embassy called the transit trade is one of the most important achievements of the two countries for almost 50 years, and their most important bilateral economic agreements.
It must be ratified by the parliaments of two countries.

More exports will contribute to the fight Karzai, the Taliban insurgency by improving economic conditions, an important task for Washington, it looks like next July, President Barack Obama’s 2011 target date for beginning the withdrawal of U.S. troops.

Almost 50 per cent of trade in Afghanistan is from 5 neighbors – Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan, more than $ 1 billion a year.

It comes ahead of an international conference in Kabul on Tuesday, at which donor countries and the Karzai government will try to pave the way forward for conflict-affected countries.

Afghanistan expects its strategic geographical position give regional transit hub for trade with Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and China if the country becomes stable.

American officials say that the new agreement will reduce the average cost of transit between the two countries twice, reduce the cost of imports and exports more competitive, but also helps the employment prospects on both sides of the border.

Hillary Clinton Opens Pakistan Talks With New Aid Projects

Islamabad,: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton opened a high-level talks with Pakistan on Monday announced several new projects for assistance to improve water supply in the country, energy and health.

These projects are part of more than $ 7.5 billion aid effort to convince Pakistanis that Washington was not only focused on supporting the country’s struggle against the Taliban and al-Qaeda militants, but also to improve the lives of ordinary citizens.

The aim is to reduce the high level of anti-American sentiment in the country, providing more opportunities for Pakistan’s cooperation with Washington’s attempts to turn around the war in neighboring Afghanistan.

”We know that there is a belief held by too many Pakistanis, that America’s commitment to them begins and ends with security,”said Clinton. ”But security is only one part of this vital partnership. We share with Pakistan, the vision of a future in which all people can live safe, healthy and productive life, the benefit of their communities, and maximize their God-given potential.”

Clinton said the U.S. will complete the two hydroelectric dams to supply electricity to more than 300,000 people living in areas near the Afghan border, will repair or build three hospitals in central and southern Pakistan, and begin a new initiative to improve access to clean drinking water in country.

These projects and others are focused on stimulating economic growth will cost about $ 500 million and will be funded through legislation approved by Congress three times the non-military assistance to 1.5 billion dollars per year for 5 years. The initiatives mark the second phase of the project began in the new and enhanced strategic partnership.

The announcement of new projects on the next day after the U.S. successfully prodded Pakistan and Afghanistan to seal the landmark trade agreement that was reached after long years of negotiations. The agreement, which eases restrictions on cross-border transportation, must be ratified by Parliament on the Afghan and Pakistani cabinet.

U.S. officials said they believe that this will greatly enhance the ties between the two countries, promoting development and revenue on both sides of the border, as well as contribute to the fight against extremists.

Despite these initiatives, Clinton faces challenges to attract more Pakistani cooperation in the offensive against militants who use their safe havens in Pakistan to launch cross-border attacks on NATO troops in Afghanistan.

Many analysts believe that Pakistan does not want to target Afghan Taliban in the country, with whom he has a historical connection, because they can be useful allies in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of international forces.

Bomb Blast In Hyderabad

Bomb Blast In Hyderabad:Various people were injured in the Hyderabad area Halanaka, when the explosion occurred in a truck, Media quoted the police said Monday.

Blast site, which is a commercial area, littered with blood and splinters from a nearby mosque, suffered a greater extent.

SSP Special Branch said the explosion occurred in a truck that was parked at the truck stand here.

Injured have been shifted to hospital.

In an interview with Media, RPO Hyderabad Leghari said the eight wounded were transferred to the civil hospital, while five others moved to a new local hospital. Four people were injured are in critical condition.

Leghari said the bomb disposal Squad is to determine the causes of the explosion, and the nature of the explosion is still unconfirmed.

RPO said that the incident can not be termed as terrorism-related incident.

By Media correspondent, the tanker was parked near the truck exploded.

According to police sources, at least 13 people were injured in the explosion.

Militants Killed In Swat

Militants Killed In Swat:Four militants were killed during security forces operation in different areas of Swat.

According to official sources, four militants were killed during exchange of fire between security forces and militants in Miandam area in tehsil Khawazakhela. Forces also recovered rifles, grenades and knives from their possession.

On the other hand, security forces in Peochar area in tehsil Matta killed a militant whereas unknown gunmen shot dead two persons in tehsil Kabal.