Islamabad, Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has appealed to people to prevent democracy from being derailed, saying that political stability in the country was critically linked to national security. "The forces of doom and gloom thrive in an environment of chaos, uncertainty and instability. We need to guard against all the forces who are out to derail the system assiduously put in place after a protracted struggle," Ashraf was quoted as saying by the Dawn. "For a country to be able to protect its national security, it is incumbent that every institution works within the constitutional ambit," the prime minister said. On the issue of dialogue with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Ashraf called for preparing a comprehensive strategy for dealing with the terror outfit. "We have to redesign and redefine our military doctrine to achieve this objective," he said. Reminding the army of the importance of political support to its operations, he said: "No military action can succeed alone. Political will and support of the people are critical to its success." Stressing that Pakistan was facing threats from "non-state actors" who were targeting the state's ...
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Islamabad, Acknowledging that some progress had been made in talks between India and Pakistan, both sides Friday said that "much more needs to be done" in the future. The foreign secretaries of both sides, India's Ranjan Mathai and Pakistan's Jalil Abbas Jilani, met here for two hours as a prelude to the talks between India's External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and his Pakistan counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar here Saturday. "The discussions were pretty cordial, frank and positive," ministry of external affairs (MEA) spokesman Syed Akbaruddin told visiting Indian media here Friday. "Both sides acknowledged that some progress has been made but much more needs to be done," he said. Krishna, who is here on a three-day visit to Pakistan, is meeting leaders of various political parties in Pakistan here Friday. He will be calling on Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and President Asif Ali Zardari. After talks with Khar Saturday, Krishna will stop in Lahore Sunday to meet political, business and civil society leaders before flying back ...
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Islamabad, A fake email sent the Pakistani prime minister's media office into a spin, prompting one official to wonder why the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) was using a private gmail id. "It contained no text, just the title 'Prime Minister's Message on Defence Day'," Shafqat Jalil, PMO spokesperson, told Dawn about the email message. "We detected the fake email and immediately informed the media as per the standard operating procedure that Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has not issued any message relating to Defence Day," he said. Pakistan observes Defence Day on September 6. The sender created a fake identity, pmmediaofficer@gmail.com, by adding 'r' to the official email address. PMO issued a press release to warn the media organisations about it. "You are requested to ignore the Prime Minister' message on Defence Day circulated on the fake ID pmmediaofficer@gmail.com. "It has not been issued by this office. Our official email IDs are: pmmediaoffice@gmail.com, pmcampoffice@gmail.com and pmmediaoffice3@gmail.com," said the press release. An official wondered: "Why the Prime Minister's office is using email accounts on the private web gmail." "It ...
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Islamabad, Pakistan's Supreme Court is demanding the country's prime minister appear before it to explain why he has not taken action they've requested looking into corruption allegations against the president. The head of a five-judge panel said Wednesday that Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf must appear August 27. The announcement is part of a long-running battle between the president and prime minister and Pakistan's highest court. The court wants the PM to write a letter to Swiss authorities asking them to reopen an old corruption case against President Asif Ali Zardari. The government maintains that Zardari has immunity from prosecution and so far has resisted writing the letter. The previous prime minister lost his job in June in a similar showdown with the court after refusing to write the letter. ...
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Islamabad, The ruling Pakistan People's Party will not go in for a caretaker set-up if the Supreme Court removes Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, like his predecessor Yousuf Raza Gilani, for not reopening graft cases against the President, a media report today said. "The government will not go for announcing a caretaker set-up for the next general elections even if Prime Minister Ashraf is removed by the apex court," a senior unnamed PPP leader was quoted as saying by the Dawn. Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said the situation was vague at the moment and it was not easy to comment on "ifs and buts". He ruled out the possibility of early elections and a caretaker set-up. "We have so far not even thought about a caretaker set-up," Kaira said. Yesterday, the apex court gave the premier time till July 25 to approach Swiss authorities to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the chief of the PPP. The court had earlier convicted former premier Gilani of contempt and disqualified him after he refused to revive the corruption cases. Sources in the PPP told the Dawn that President Zardari and heads of parties in the ruling coalition ...
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Islamabad, Raja Pervez Ashraf was elected Pakistan's new prime minister on Friday after the Supreme Court dismissed Yousuf Raza Gilani for contempt, the speaker of the lower house of parliament announced. He secured the premiership with 211 votes cast in his favour in the 342-member national assembly, where the main Pakistan People's Party leads a majority coalition, speaker Fehmida Mirza ...
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Islamabad, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf has said the team needs a qualified head coach to win the World Cup. Although he praised Mohsin Khan's as a coach, Ashraf said: "No doubt the team has achieved tremendous success under Mohsin. But we need a qualified coach. Our target is the World Cup for which we want to bring a qualified head coach." The PCB has reportedly interviewed Dav Whatmore for the position and he looks the most likely to get the board's nod. Former fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar, however, has demanded that Mohsin should be appointed as the permanent coach. "Mohsin has gelled the team well. I don't see any reason to remove him and the PCB should make his appointment permanent," Akhtar ...
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