Moderate Polling in 3rd phase Lok Sabha Elections

New Delhi: Polling in the third phase of elections to Lok Sabha began on a moderate note on Thursday during which the fate of prominent leaders such as Sonia Gandhi, L K Advani and H D Deve Gowda will be decided.

Voting began this morning in 107 constituencies spread across nine states and two union territories in the third round of the five-phased elections and would end at 1700 hrs.

A total of 1,567 candidates, including 101 women, are fighting for 107 seats in this phase. Polling is also underway for the 32-member Sikkim legislative Assembly.

Over 14.4 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise across 1.65 lakh booths, where ballots would be cast electronically.

While Congress president Sonia Gandhi is seeking re-election from Rae Bareli, one of the traditional constituencies of the Nehru-Gandhi family, Advani, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, is bidding to hold on to the Gandhinagar seat as he has done in every election since 1991.

Prominent candidates in the fray in the third phase include former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, JD-U chief Sharad Yadav, Congress' Milind Deora, Priya Dutt and Jyotiraditya Scindia and former Karnataka chief minister S Bangarappa.

Tight security arrangements have been put in place to thwart any untoward incident.

Polling for 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be completed at one go. Besides Gujarat, polling will be held in 16 seats in Madhya Pradesh, 15 in Uttar Pradesh, 14 in West Bengal, 11 each in Bihar and Karnataka, 10 in Maharashtra and one each in Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

UP Chief Minister Mayawati was among the early voters who cast their ballots in the third phase of polls.

Accompanied by senior BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra and party candidate from Lucknow Akhilesh Das Gupta, Mayawati cast her vote at Lucknow's Montessori College.

Sikkim has 32 assembly seats, of which one is reserved for the Sangha monks, who number 3,058.

The results will be out on May 16. The five-round general elections began on April 16 and so far elections have been completed to 265 Lok Sabha seats of the 545-member lower house of Parliament.

Elections are held to only 543 seats, as two members are nominated from the Anglo-Indian community.

This news published by www.zeenews.com

Barack Obama says waterboarding was torture

Washington: President Barack Obama said Wednesday night that waterboarding authorized by former President George W. Bush was torture and that the information it gained from terror suspects could have been obtained by other means. "In some cases, it may be harder," he conceded at a White House news conference capping a whirlwind first 100 days in office.

Obama also expressed much greater optimism now than a month ago that Chrysler could remain a "going concern," possibly without filing for bankruptcy or with a "very quick" one. Obama did not say so, but Italian automaker Fiat Group SpA is expected to sign a partnership agreement with Chrysler LLC by Thursday as part of negotiations to keep the struggling U.S. automaker alive without bankruptcy protection.

The president gave assurance that one way or another Pakistan's nuclear arsenal would not fall into the hands of Islamic extremists. He said he was confident "primarily, initially" because he believes Pakistan will handle the issue on its own. But he left the door open to eventual U.S. action to secure the weapons if need be.

The prime-time news conference was the third of Obama's presidency and the first not dominated by a recession that has thrown millions of Americans out of work.

At a town-hall style meeting in Missouri earlier in the day, as well as in the White House East Room, Obama said progress has been made in rebuilding the economy, yet more remains to be done.

"You can expect an unrelenting, unyielding effort from this administration to strengthen our prosperity and our security — in the second hundred days, and the third hundred days, and all the days after," he said in opening his news conference.

He called on Congress to enact his ambitious all-at-once agenda, including education spending to produce a better-trained work force, greater support for renewable energy development, a high-priced system for companies to buy and sell rights to emit dangerous pollutants, a vast expansion of health insurance and new rules to rein in the riskiest Wall Street behavior.

Though Obama's most notable legislative triumphs to date have been enacted on party-line votes, he said he remains eager for bipartisan cooperation with Republicans. But, he said, "I can't sort of define bipartisanship as simply being willing to accept certain theories of theirs that we tried for eight years and didn't work and the American people voted to change."

Obama said Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's switch from Republican to Democrat wouldn't automatically change the math on legislation because of Specter's independence, nor give him a "rubber-stamp Senate." Specter gave majority Democrats 59 votes in the Senate, pushing them one step closer to the 60 needed to overcome Republican filibusters.

But the party change would "liberate" Specter to cooperate with Democrats more than he has in the past, Obama said.

The president also said he was "absolutely convinced" he had acted correctly in banning tough interrogation techniques including waterboarding, which simulates drowning, and in making public the Bush administration memos detailing their use on terrorist suspects. "Not because there might not have been information that was yielded by these various detainees ... but because we could have gotten this information in other ways, in ways that were consistent with our values, in ways that were consistent with who we are."

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Taliban Killed A Couple For Adultery Caught On Camera

Taliban gunmen have been filmed executing a surprised couple whom they repeatedly shot for the alleged crime of adultery.

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Karachi violence claims 27 lives

KARACHI: At least twenty seven persons were killed and several injured while dozens of vehicles were set on fire in various areas of the metropolitan on Wednesday.

The violence erupted in Surjani, Khawaja Ajmer Nagri, Zarina Colony, Al-Falah Market, Drig Road, Gulistan-e-Johar and Cantt areas.

One person Jumma Khan was killed in Surjani town while another unidentified person was also shot dead in Khawaja Ajmer Nagri during a cross fire between two groups. The bodies were shifted to Abbassi Shaheed Hospital.

The area was tensed as miscreants set ablaze at least nine vehicles including two passenger coaches in Khawaja Ajmer Nagri.

An official of Khawaja Ahmer Nagri said that Sindh Rangers have arrived in the area to control the law and order. He said firing was still continued between the two groups in the area as Rangers was trying to clear the area.

Two people were killed and four injured in Al-Falah Market of Haidri area when unknown armed men opened indiscriminant fire.

Taking notice of the Karachi violence, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has summoned an immediate report on Karachi violence, while governor Sindh Dr. Ishrat Ul-Ibad has issued strict orders to the law-enforcement agencies to tackle the miscreant elements of the city.

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First round of US-Russia arms treaty talks in May

ROME: Russian and US officials will meet in Moscow next month for the first round of negotiations to replace a Cold War-era nuclear arms control treaty, the Russian foreign ministry said Monday.

The two sides "agreed to organise the first round of negotiations of the two full delegations between May 18 and May 20," the ministry said in a statement.

Earlier this month US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev pledged to seek a successor agreement to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) by the time it expires in December.

The dates for the talks were set during the first official contact in Rome on Friday which aimed to pave the way for opening negotiations following instructions from the US and Russian leaders.

The Russian foreign ministry said the Rome meeting took place in a "constructive atmosphere".

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov will also discuss START during a meeting in Washington on May 7 and again on May 19 in Brussels as part of the Russia-NATO talks, the US ambassador to Russia John Beyrle told Echo of Moscow radio.

Negotiations on the treaty -- seen as a cornerstone of strategic arms control -- made little progress under former US president George W. Bush.

Signed in 1991, START placed strict limits on the number of missiles and warheads in the US and Russian nuclear arsenals, leading to steep reductions in the nuclear arsenals of both sides. But the agreement expires on December 5 of this year.

Russian officials have given out mixed signals on the country's readiness to respond to Obama's call for major arms cuts and eventually a nuclear-free world.

"As the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon, the United States has a moral responsibility to act," Obama said in a speech in Prague on April 5. "We cannot succeed in this endeavour alone, but we can lead it."

Last Monday Medvedev stressed on a visit to Helsinki the importance of arms reduction, suggesting both Moscow and Washington could cut their weapons stocks with a new treaty.

"In this treaty, which should replace the START treaty, it is necessary to limit the delivery systems of the nuclear warheads and not only the quantity of warheads themselves -- taking into account intercontinental ballistic missiles, and submarine-based ballistic missiles and heavy bombers that carry nuclear means," he said.

Medvedev said it was important to prevent the placing of strategic weapons outside national borders or in space and added that countries should not be able to build up conventional forces to compensate for cuts in nuclear ones.

Last week the head of the Russian general staff, Nikolai Makarov, also said Moscow is prepared to "significantly" cut its nuclear arsenal if a deal is reached with the United States.

But he added that it was important to "make careful calculations" and see whether Washington was ready to reciprocate.

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Modi’s Role in Post Godhra Riot, SC Order to Investigate

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the role of 64 people, including that of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the post-Godhra riots cases.

The apex court order was passed in response to a petition filed by Congress parliamentarian Ehsaan Jaffery.

The court asked the SIT to submit the report within three months.

The order came over two months after Gujarat High Court judge A. S. Dave declined to hear a SIT petition that challenged the anticipatory bail granted to State Minister Maya Kodnani and the former VHP leader Jaydeep Patel in connection with the Godhra case.

“Not before me. The case will now be transferred to the court of another judge and the date of hearing would be decided later,” Justice Dave said without giving any reason.

The SIT had moved the Gujarat High Court and challenged the anticipatory bail granted by a lower court to Kodnani and Patel, in the post-Godhra and Naroda Gram riot cases.

The Supreme Court had constituted a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to re-investigate the post-Godhra communal riots.

The SIT is reinvestigating into nine post- Godhra riot cases and was expected to submit its report to Supreme Court by February 15.

Several prominent leaders like, Maya Kodnani of BJP and Jaydeep Patel of Vishwa Hindu Parishad are at the center of investigation, following many witnesses naming them in their statements in the Naroda Gam riot case.

The SIT had filed a 300-page supplementary chargesheet against 24 people in the Naroda Gam case in which 11 people, belonging to the minority community, were killed by a mob during the riots.

The accused include Fula Vyas of VHP, local BJP leader Jitendra Patel and ex-BJP municipal councillor Ashok Patel.

The SIT has also filed a second charge sheet in Naroda Patiya case against 15 accused, where over 80 people were killed during the Godhra riots.

The third chargesheet in the Gulburg society case, named some VHP and BJP leaders in the list of absconders among the 14 accused, where 38 people were killed.

The five-member SIT team is headed by R. Raghavan, and includes former Deputy General of Police C.D. Satpathy and three Indian Police officers — Geetha Johri, Shivanand Jha and Ashish Bhatia.

Each chapter in the report is being carefully drafted and separate reports are being prepared for each of the nine cases.

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Taliban have been able to regroup: Petraeus

MANHATTAN, Kansas: Gen David Petraeus said that a comprehensive approach is required to win the war in Afghanistan, with support from NATO and Pakistan.

In an interview before delivering a lecture at Kansas State University, the head of the U.S. Central Command said insurgents and the Taliban have been able to regroup and find safe havens, including the tribal areas along the Afghan border with Pakistan.

"The enemy is resilient and as is the case has sanctuary across the border and is able to reconstitute itself," Petraeus said.

He said it would take a comprehensive approach outlined by President Barack Obama, along with coalition partners and Pakistan, to regain territory controlled by the Taliban.

Petraeus said it is critical to get the Pakistan military to focus less on India and more on defeating insurgent groups. He said a major offensive under way in the northwest region was a start.

"The threat posed by the extremists internal in Pakistan is the most serious to the existence of Pakistan," Patraeus told the audience attending his Landon Lecture. "There has to be a transformation, much like the U.S military."

Petraeus said it will take effort to build a legitimate Afghan government and an economy that isn't reliant on illegal narcotics. A comprehensive approach with more U.S. and international civilian authorities assisting the Afghans is necessary to build these institutions, he said.

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KSE aftershocks knock down over 250 points

KARACHI: Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) this morning struck by initial shock continued witnessing a series of aftershocks, which knocked down at the end of the day overall a substantial over 250 points.

Analysts said that the Taliban factor, like other sectors of the economy, eating away the vitality of the market and the investors fearing further deterioration in law and order situation shunned taking any new position instead preferred for unloading their stocks and minimizing the losses.

KSE-100 index reeling down 261 points pegged at 7360.

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46 militants killed in Lower Dir operation

DIR: Security forces killed at least 46 militants in a ground and air operation against Taliban in the troubled Lower Dir on Monday, the military said.

After a stiff encounter with the militants, the security forces have regained the control of Lal Qila and flushed out the militants from Maidan valley, district Lower Dir.

According to security sources, reportedly 46 militants were killed in last two days operation including their important commanders Maulana Shahid and Qari Quraish. The operation has been code named as "Toar Tander-I"

Before start of this operation by security forces, District Lower Dir was in a state of lawlessness. Militants were constantly attacking the security forces and government official and had closed the roads for movement of government and FC convoys.

The militants were involved in the killing of DPO Dir along with other policemen, ex District Nazim Alam Zeb and killing of 11 kids with toy bomb.

They were also abducting law abiding citizens at will and asking for huge ransom to their advantage.

In this backdrop, on the request of provincial government and people of Dir Frontier Corps NWFP launched operation Toar Trander-I on April 26.

On the first day of the operation three major encounters were carried out by FC with militants between Islamdarah and lal Qila. The final encounter was at Lal Qila and surrounding areas in which Maulana Shahid and his associates were engaged and overcome.

The militants used heavy weapons including mortars, snipers and PRG-7. Security forces were supported by Armour, Artillery and Aviation.Troops of the Frontier Corps fought with courage and caused immense damage to the militants. On April 27 search and cordon operation were conducted in Maidan Valley.

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Britain And Pakistan Resolve to Fight Terror war jointly

ISLAMABAD: Britain and Pakistan Monday expressed a firm resolve to jointly fight against terrorism.

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani addressing a joint press conference along with his visiting British counterpart Gordon Brown, said Pakistani nation is united in the battle against terrorism.

“Britain and Pakistan will jointly fight the menace of terrorism,” he said.

“Britain and Pakistan will jointly fight the menace of terrorism,” he said.

PM Gilani said Pakistan will continue to play its part toward stabilizing Afghanistan.

To a question, he said nothing could be said about Usama Bin Laden’s staying alive or dead.

Replying another question regarding the issue of Pakistani students in Britain, the Pakistani Prime Minister said the matter came under discussion during his meeting earlier with his British counterpart Gordon Brown.

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Seven fans hurt in Talladega car crashed

NASCAR car crashed

Seven fans were injured after Carl Edwards’ car crashed against the catch fence following contact with Brad Keselowski on the last lap of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Track officials confirmed that eight people were treated, although one of them was for a medical condition and not as a consequence of being hit by debris from the violent impact that Edwards’ car made with the fence a few metres short of crossing the finish line.

Edwards got turned sideways by eventual race-winner Brad Keselowski after he tried to block an overtaking move by the 25-year-old. The Roush Fenway driver’s car became airborne and was then hit by Ryan Newman’s machine, sending it towards the grandstands.

The catch fence was severely damaged in the incident but still held up well and prevented the car from getting into the stands.

“After the incident that occurred on the last lap, we are treating approximately eight patients from injuries received from flying debris; the injuries appear to be minor and non life-threatening,” said the track’s medical director Dr Bobby Lewis.

“One female patient is being transported by air, because of traffic, for further evaluation and treatment.”

Later in the evening a track spokeswoman confirmed that six of the patients had been released, while two of them were seeking further treatment with their own local physicians after being evaluated for possible minor fractures in extremities.

The woman who was airlifted to a local hospital sustained some facial injuries and is believed to be the one most seriously affected.

Edwards walked out of the crash without injury and eventually ran across the finish line on foot.

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7 killed Al Qaeda Suspects in Iraq: US Forces

TIKRIT, Iraq: Seven suspected al Qaeda insurgents were killed in clashes with US forces in a largely Sunni Arab province of Iraq, the US military said on Monday.

Iraqi police in the area said Iraqi forces allied with the Americans were involved and that clashes continued throughout Sunday in the town of Dhuluiya, 70 km (45 miles) north of Baghdad. They put the death toll of the gunmen at nine.

Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Jassim, a police official in Dhuluiya, said the fighting began early on Sunday and resulted in the arrest of 17 suspected militants, four of them non-Iraqi Arabs. Four suspected insurgents were wounded.

"Coalition forces killed seven armed terrorists and detained one suspect during an early morning operation to capture a suicide bombing cell hiding in a palm grove near Balad," said U.S. press officer Lieutenant John Brimley.

"One suspected terrorist was detained and confirmed that the remaining terrorists were armed with five suicide vests," he said.

He could not immediately confirm Iraqi forces were involved, but most operations against al Qaeda this year have been jointly Iraqi- and U.S-led. Last Wednesday, a teenage suicide bomber killed five people inside a mosque in Dhuluiya.

The violence in Iraq unleashed by the U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein in 2003 has eased but a recent spate of big suicide bombings has demonstrated the ability of militants to still carry out large scale attacks.

Lashkari Raisani to quit Senate and Party office

QUETTA: Senator Nawabzada Lashkari Raisani, the provincial president of PPP, has decided to quit the party’s provincial leadership and the membership of Senate due to differences with the leadership on its Balochistan policy. According to ARY OneWorld Correspondent in Quetta, Lashkari Raisani had expressed reservations with the party leadership over some government matters and was in talks with the leadership for last two months. The party failed to satisfy his reservations and he has decided to resign as the member of Senate and as the president of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Baliochistan. He will tender resignation to the party in coming two days, sources said. According to the sources Lashkari Raisani has played key role in organizing the party in Balochistan.


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Pakistan Still Aiding Kashmir Rebels: India

OCCUPIED SRINAGAR: India's army on Saturday accused Pakistani forces of helping Muslim guerrillas attempting to sneak into its disputed Kashmir region from the Pakistani side.

The Indian army produced a man they said was a Pakistani national who was among 120 people who had infiltrated into the Himalayan region this month, including around 30 militants, 40 porters and guides.

Most of the militants were killed in separate gun battles, Brigadier Gurmit Singh, a senior army officer, told a news conference in Srinagar, Kashmir's summer capital.

"The weapons, communication equipment ... the method of communication between infiltrating militants and the launch pad, it is quite evident that the armed forces across (Pakistan) do support them (militants)," Singh said.

He said large quantity of arms and ammunition, including 30 AK-47 rifles, 13,000 rounds and 245 grenades were recovered from a militant hideout near the Line of Control, a military control line that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

India consistently accuses Pakistan of aiding a violent separatist revolt in Muslim-majority Kashmir, where tens of thousands of people have been killed since a revolt against New Delhi's rule broke out in 1989.

"I was told that there was oppression in Kashmir, I was motivated for joining the jihad and imparted training in Pakistan and sent here to join the other militants," Moieen Ullah, the captured militant, said.

The two countries, who have fought two of their three wars over the disputed Kashmir region that both claim in full but rule only in part, launched a slow moving peace process in 2004.

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Shilpa to Marry Early Next Year

JOHANESBURG: Bollywood heroine Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra who are in South Africa for the IPL tournament may marry soon. The buzz goes that the couple has finally decided to get married in the early next year.

International icon Shilpa and her multi millionaire beau Raj Kundra are owners of the Rajasthan Royals team.

Click To Watch

While their team hasn’t been off to a good start - losing the first match and getting just a point in the second rain-washed match - Shilpa and Raj have a reason to cheer.

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Shoe hurled at Indian PM in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday became the latest victim of a shoe attack during the current election campaign when a computer engineering student hurled a sneaker towards him while he was addressing his first poll rally in Gujarat but it fell way short of the target.

Shortly after the incident at the Tagore hall ground here in the afternoon sent the SPG and other security personnel in a tizzy, the prime minister forgave the youth identified as Hitesh Chauhan, a 21-year-old resident of Bapunagar pursuing a computer course in a local engineering college. Singh did not want the police to register any case against the youth.

"After PM's speech was over, he called me and said don't press formal charges against the boy. I have forgiven him," Congress Legislature Party(CLP) leader Shaktisingh Govil Govil said.

"I have conveyed this to police officials who were present at the meeting venue," Gohil added. The prime minister continued with this speech after the incident.

Chauhan, who was sitting on the front row among the audience, was quickly whisked away by the security personnel for questioning by the crime branch. The motive was known amid reports that the youth flung the shoe to get publicity.

As Chauhan began to hurl his shoe in the direction of the Prime Minister who had just started his speech, security personnel grabbed him. The shoe landed several feet away from the stage where the prime minister was seated. The distance between the security railing near where Chauhan stood and the stage was about 100 feet.

PCC President Siddharth Patel alleged that Chauhan is associated with BJP's student outfit ABVP.

Cong seeks Modi's apology

The Congress attacked BJP for the shoe-throwing incident at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's election rally in Ahmedabad and demanded an apology from Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi while BJP condemned the episode.

Congress leaders termed the incident as "absolutely "shocking and astounding" and said that it was a reflection of "hate culture" injected by the BJP.

"All political parties should condemn such acts. This is also reflective of the law and order situation in the state. Gujarat has good people but we also have people like (Narendra) Modi. Nobody should insult the Prime Minister and Modi should apologise for it," Veerappa Moily, AICC media department chief, said.

Priyanka Gandhi, who is touring Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh, said, "There are many ways of seeking redressal of issues. There is a right way and there is a wrong one. This is a wrong way. It is not in our tradition. Our tradition is non- violence. Such action does not befit our tradition".

Party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said, "We have been consistent in condemning this brand of devalued politics. Not only is this condemnable, but this infectious divergence must be rooted out collectively by all political parties".

Maintaining that shoe-throwing at political events was done to garner "cheap publicity", Congress spokesperson Rajiv Shukla sought to suspect a BJP hand in it by saying somebody probably was trying to balance a similar attack against BJP's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani in Katni in Madhya Pradesh.

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Buner Peace Jirga Ends Inconclusive

BUNER: The peace Jirga after several hours of lackluster session ended inconclusive, as Taliban despite invitation preferred abstaining, while the speakers in the Jirga urged upon the government to take practical measures for the enforcement of Adl regulation or else they would be constrained to support the Taliban.

A large number of elders, the representatives of different political parties and Tahrik-e-Nifaz Shariat Muhammadi (TNSM) attended the peace Jirga stretched over several hours here.

Addressing the Jirga, speakers urged upon the government for taking practical measures for the enforcement of Nizam-e-Adl Regulation, otherwise, they would be compelled to support the Taliban.

Awami National Party (ANP) leader, Laiq Badshsh slammed MQM for opposing Nizam-e-Adl. He asked Altaf Hussain, sitting in London without knowing its reality, to desist from opposing it.

Speakers demanded from the government for the appointment of Qazis forthwith. Praying for the enforcement of Nizam-e-Adl and restoration of peace, the Jirga dispersed indecisively.

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Taliban Threaten Two Attacks Per Week in Pakistan

Islamabad: A suicide bombing at a crowded Shiite mosque south of Pakistan’s capital killed 22 people Sunday, the latest evidence of how security in the US-allied nation is crumbling well beyond the Afghan border region where al-Qaida and Taliban fighters thrive.

The violence came as a senior Pakistani Taliban commander said his group was behind a deadly suicide bombing Saturday night in Islamabad and promised two more attacks per week in the country if the US does not stop missile strikes on Pakistani territory.

Sunday’s suicide bomber set off his explosives at the entrance to a mosque in Chakwal city in Punjab province, some 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Islamabad, said Nadeem Hasan Asif, a top security official in the province. The blast killed 22 and wounded dozens, he said.

A little-known group believed linked to the Pakistani Taliban claimed it had staged the attack. Pakistan also has a history of sectarian violence, often involving Sunni extremists targeting minority Shiite Muslims.

TV footage showed pools of blood in front of the mosque. Torn clothes and shoes littered the ground, while at least one car and four motorcycles were damaged. A policeman with bandaged legs and a wounded man wearing a bloodstained shirt were shown on hospital beds crying in pain. A woman standing in the emergency ward of the hospital wailed, “Oh my God! Oh my God!”

Farid Ali said he was leaving the mosque when he felt the blast on his back.

“I saw several people lying dead,” he told Express News TV. “There was blood everywhere.”

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani condemned the attack and directed authorities to “bring the perpetrators to justice.” Such statements from the premier have become a matter of routine in Pakistan, where extremists seem bent on wreaking havoc.

Most of the militant attacks in Pakistan occur in the northwest, where the Taliban and al-Qaida have strongholds from which they plan strikes on US and NATO forces across the border in Afghanistan. Still, all of the country’s major cities have experienced assaults.

About a week ago, gunmen raided a police academy on the outskirts of Lahore, a vibrant city in the east near the Indian border, killing at least 12 people in a commando-style attack that prompted an eight-hour standoff with security forces.

Late last month, a suicide bomber blew himself up in a packed mosque near the Afghan border at the climax of a Friday prayer service, killing 48 people and wounding scores more in the worst attack to hit Pakistan this year.

Some militant groups that are historically sectarian are believed to have forged ties with the Pakistani Taliban, themselves followers of a harsh brand of Sunni Islam.

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Supreme Court Hears Swat Flogging Case

ISLAMABAD: An eight-member larger bench of the Supreme Court (SC), headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, opened hearing of a suo motu notice on the video footage of a 17-year-old girl being flogged in public by the Taliban on Monday morning.

Besides the CJP, the bench consists of Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan, Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday, Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokhar, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed and Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmed.

The federal interior secretary, in addition to the NWFP chief secretary and inspector general of police will personally appear before the court today. The Chief Justice has ordered federal interior secretary to produce the victim of the flogging before the court.

Strong Earthquake Hits Italy

ROME: A strong earthquake struck Monday in Italy, 60 miles northeast of Rome, and officials say at least 13 people were killed and there were extensive property damage.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake measured 6.3 on the Richter scale, but ANSA said it was a 5.8 quake, centered at L’Aquila. The quake was felt in Rome and elsewhere in central Italy, ANSA said.

The Italian news agency said there were reports of injuries, and a report that firefighters were trying to get some people out of a collapsed house. The quake destroyed several buildings and drove many residents into the streets, and one report said the dome of the Church of the Holy Souls in L’Aquila collapsed.

The quake struck at about 3.35 a.m. (0135 GMT) and was centred in the mountainous Abruzzo region east of Rome.

Residents in many parts of central Italy felt the quake and some ran out into the streets. Residents of Rome, which is rarely hit by seismic activity, were woken by the quake. Furniture rattled, lights swayed and car alarms went off.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake’s epicentre was believed to be some 60 miles (95 km) from Rome and that its depth was 6.2 miles (10 km). It initially put the scale of the quake at 6.7 but later lowered it 6.3.

The quake was the lastest and strongest in a series to hit the l’Aquila area on Sunday and Monday. Earthquakes can be particularly dangerous in parts of Italy because some buildings are centuries-old.

5 Killed in Okara Fighting

LAHORE: Five persons were killed in exchange of fire between two groups in Okara on Monday morning.

At least 20 persons were wounded in the shooting, five of which said to be in a critical state. The injured and dead bodies were being transferred to local hospital. Police have reached in the area to control the situation.

Sonia Gandhi to File Nomination From Raebareli

Lucknow: Congress President Sonia Gandhi will file her nomination from Raebareli constituency on Monday.

During the nomination, the Raebareli MP will be accompanied by son and MP from Amethi Rahul Gandhi and former MP Captain Satish Sharma, party spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh said.

He said Sonia, who launched the party’s election campaign today by addressing three rallies in eastern Uttar Pradesh, will file her nomination at around 11 am.

Her son and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, 38, who is seeking re-election from Amethi, filed his nomination papers for the Lok Sabha seat on Saturday afternoon.

Security High Alert in Islamabad, Rawalpindi

RAWALPINDI: Interior ministry, following the suicide attack on Chakwal Imambargah, has issued orders to security forces in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to be high alert for 24 hours till further orders and to provide additional security for mosques, imambargahs, worship places and religious congregations.

Directives have been given to police and law-enforcing agencies in a circular, received by Rawalpindi regional police officer and Islamabad police, to high alert for 24 hours to control the alw and order situation and overcome the current wave of terrorism.

They have been asked to ensure checking of vehicles and suspect persons on the interior and exterior routes and monitor through security cameras at important places, buildings, roundabouts, bus stands, airports, railway stations while give additional security during the hours of worship in mosques, imambargahs and other worship places.