12.06.2008

News from Pakistan

‘Pakistan mulls downing US drones’

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: Pakistani officials are urging the incoming Obama administration to stop air attacks on Pakistani territory and are even hinting that they might shoot down US drones in its airspace, according to a report published in the Washington Times (WT).

The report said US forces based in Afghanistan had carried out around 25 strikes this year, most of them by drones, in the Pakistani border region. However, a November 19 attack was carried out in Bannu beyond the Tribal Areas, in the settled areas of Pakistan. After the strike on NWFP’s Bannu district, the government summoned US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W Patterson to the Foreign Ministry and lodged a formal protest.

Read full story

Nawaz discusses Mumbai attacks, bilateral ties with German ambassador

LAHORE: German Ambassador Dr Michael Koch met Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Thursday.

Matters of mutual interest to further cement bilateral relations were discussed during the meeting.

Nawaz apprised the ambassador that Pakistan wanted friendly trade, cultural and diplomatic ties with Germany on equal footings.

"Today, there is a dire need that Pakistan and Germany promote bilateral relations by increasing co-operation in all sectors," he said, citing that Pakistan has great potential for investment from Germany.

Read full story

Kissinger says non-state groups carried out Mumbai attacks

No shit. Thanks for the tip, big guy. - Ed.

WASHINGTON: Former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger held non-state groups responsible for last week’s Mumbai attacks, and advocated a regional solution to the problem and United States’ co-operation to address the tense South Asian situation.

“We have an immediate problem and a long-term problem. The immediate problem is that you have all these various groups that are non-state groups but are organised with highly modern equipment and communications that penetrated, in this case, into India,” he told FOX News. He noted that India-Pakistan tensions had been going on for the last six decades. Kissinger urged Pakistan to exercise strict control over its territory and for India to prevent inflaming its Muslim population.

Read full story

No comments: