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| Nawaz meets Zardari but declines to rejoin coalition |
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Tuesday, September 09, 2008
PML-N Quaid assures president-elect of full support to existing set-up
By Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: In a rare show of political goodwill, PML-N leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday called on President-elect Asif Ali Zardari and congratulated him on his election to the country’s highest office.
But at the same time Nawaz politely declined Zardari’s request to rejoin the coalition government. Nawaz Sharif along with Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif and a seven-member delegation of the PML-N called on President-elect Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minster Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani at the PM’s House on Monday.
It was their first formal meeting after the PML-N pulled out of the coalition over the issue of the restoration of the deposed judges. Sources said Asif Ali Zardari during the meeting invited Nawaz Sharif to rejoin the coalition government while Nawaz Sharif said he would not do so unless the 17th Amendment was repealed and all the deposed judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, were reinstated.
However, Nawaz Sharif assured Asif Zardari that he would continue to extend his full support to the existing set-up, sources said. The president-elect in return assured Nawaz Sharif that he would not allow any provincial government to be destabilised and would continue to promote reconciliation.
Both the leaders agreed on continuing cooperation with each other in defusing tension in the Punjab. The president-elect said that greater political engagement was the top priority of the PPP-led coalition government. “We want to work together with all the political forces and our aim is to strengthen democracy in the country,” he added.
Nawaz Sharif assured him that his party would extend all-out support to the government for the promotion of democracy in the country. Talking to newsmen outside the Parliament House after the meeting, PML-N Information Secretary Ahsan Iqbal said Mian Nawaz Sharif congratulated Asif Zardari on winning the presidential poll and said his party stood by the Charter of Democracy. He said the politics of the 80s and the 90s would not be allowed to return.
Replying to a question, Ahsan said though the PML-N was in the opposition now but it did not mean it was outside the system. “The PML-N will support the government on the issues of reinstatement of the deposed judges, implementation of the Charter of Democracy, repeal of Article 58(2) b and the 17th Amendment,” he added.
He said Asif Zardari has assured them that the Punjab government would not be destabilised at any cost. “The national reconciliation process initiated by Benazir Bhutto would continue,” he quoted him as saying.
“We hope the PPP will accept the PML-N mandate in the Punjab like we have accepted its mandate at the Centre.” In reply to another question, Ahsan Iqbal said the PML-N delegation would also attend the oath- taking ceremony at the President House.
He urged the PPP leadership to take notice of the statements being issued to vitiate the political atmosphere in the Punjab. Other members of the delegation who attended the meeting included Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Javed Hashmi, Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Zafar Iqbal Jhagra.
Leader of the House in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani, Federal Minster for Labour and Manpower Sayed Khursheed Shah, Federal Minster for Information Technology Qamaruzaman Kaira and Federal Minster for Food and Agriculture Nazar Muhammad Gondal were also present during the meeting.
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Three killed as Sh Rashid escapes attempt on life
By Shakeel Anjum
RAWALPINDI: Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief and a candidate for NA-55 (Rawalpindi) by-election Sheikh Rashid Ahmad was wounded, while three people — a guard and two party workers — were killed when four gunmen more |
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12 soldiers killed in South Waziristan
ISLAMABAD: Twelve soldiers embraced martyrdom while two others were injured in a clash with militants during the ongoing operation Rah-e-Nijat in South Waziristan Agency (SWA), the ISPR said on Monday.
S more |
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Plan to attack five-star hotel foiled
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The CIA police here on Monday claimed to have foiled an attack on Americans staying at a five-star hotel and arrested six terrorists, including a suicide bomber.
Addressing a press conference, SS more |
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Govt taking court for a ride
By Ansar Abbasi
ISLAMABAD: She fought her case in the media. She won her battle in the judicial forum too. But still the government is bent on making an example out of her for refusing to follow the illegal dictates of her min more |
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Pakistan against arms race: Gilani
By Azeem Samar
KARACHI: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday said Pakistan does not want to be engaged in an arms race with any country.
Speaking as chief guest at the induction ceremony of second Chinese-m more |
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Punjab-Sindh water row Centre’s intervention sought
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Tension between Punjab and Sindh over opening of the Chashma-Jhelum and Taunsa-Punjnad link canals has touched a new high as the former has sought the Centre’s intervention.
The Punjab has sai more |
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French, Dutch fight over giving LNG to Pakistan
By Khalid Mustafa
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin and his team is all set to thwart the attempt of an unscrupulous combine of oil industry heavyweights and some functionaries of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Re more |
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Nine killed as no let-up in rains
By Nisar Mahmood
PESHAWAR: Nine people were killed and scores of others injured as heavy rains and snowfall lashed various parts of the country for the fourth consecutive day on Monday.
Reports from the Shangla district more |
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Malik orders NUML closure as protest enters 5ht day
ISLAMABAD: The protest of the students of the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) against thrashing of Professor Malik Tahir by Registrar Brigadier (R) Obaidullah Ranjha entered its fifth consecutive more |
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Malik insists no Blackwater in Pakistan
By Muhammad Anis
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik while responding to an accusation from a PML-N parliamentarian told the National Assembly that Blackwater was not providing security to the president and the prime mini more |
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FBR gets list of properties rented out to foreigners
By Hanif Khalid
ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has received list of properties from Foreign Office, which were in use of foreigners in Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore, but these were not shown in annual tax more |
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Repealing of 17th Amendment
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has begun efforts to create consensus on repealing the 17th Amendment before presidential address to the joint sitting of the parliament.
The prime minis more |
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Three suspects held in Mohmand
By our correspondent
GHALLANAI: The security forces arrested three suspected persons during search operation in Safi subdivision of Mohmand Agency, official sources said Monday. The sources said the security forces carried out sear more |
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No presence of Blackwater, DynCorp in Pakistan, NA body told
ISLAMABAD: Secretary Interior Qamar Zaman again negated on Monday the presence of Blackwater, DynCorp or any other foreign security agency in the country. “Neither the Blackwater and the DynCorp nor any other s more |
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Govt urged to take up water issue with India
By Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Q, Parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat while urging the government to take up the issue of ‘water terrorism’ with New Delhi, has question more |
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Avalanche kills 17 Indian soldiers in held Kashmir
HELD SRINAGAR: Seventeen Indian soldiers were killed on Monday in an avalanche that slammed into a group of 70 combat troops at a high-altitude warfare training camp in Kashmir, the army said on Monday.
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Taliban defiant as Afghans flee ahead of assault
KANDAHAR: The Nato commanders urged the Taliban to surrender as troops dug in on Monday for a major assault on their key stronghold in southern Afghanistan, sending thousands of residents fleeing.
The Ta more |
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Plea to freeze foreign accounts
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday ordered the federal government to submit a reply within four weeks on a petition seeking freezing of accounts in foreign banks and recovery of illegal assets accumu more |
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Attack on Sh Rashid
RAWALPINDI: The PML-N candidate for by-polls from NA-55, Malik Shakil Awan, has announced suspension of electioneering for a day to mourn the death of those killed in the attack on the office of his rival, Shei more |
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Indian forces to halt Kashmir rally outside UN office
HELD SRINAGAR: The held Kashmir authorities deployed thousands of police and troops on Monday to prevent a protest outside the UN office here over the recent killing of two teenage boys by Indian security force more |
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briefs...
20 die in Afghan floods, avalanches
KANDAHAR: Twenty people have died in floods and avalanches triggered by some of the heaviest rain and snow in Afghanistan for 50 years, an official said on Monday. At more |
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ISSN 1563-9479 
