Briefs

Saudi King Salman meets clerics

Monitoring Desk

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman met clerics from both sects of Islam during his recent visit in the country’s Eastern Province. The meeting with clerics and religious leaders on Sunday came as the king was visiting the region in order to launch several mega projects aimed at development in the fields of housing, culture and knowledge. King Salman also inaugurated the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, which will be an extension of Saudi Aramco’s corporate vision and a continuation of its work to create a knowledge society.

Trump to meet with Petraeus, Corker, Romney

WASHINGTON: US President-elect Donald Trump this week will meet with retired US General David Petraeus and US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, as well as hold a second meeting with 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, Trump’s transition team said. Trump will meet with former CIA Director Petraeus on Monday, and with Corker and Romney on Tuesday, Trump aides told reporters on a conference call. All three have been floated as potential picks to be Trump’s secretary of state.

Levies man killed in FR Bannu attack

By our correspondent

BANNU: Unidentified gunmen on Monday shot dead a member of the Levies force in Bakakhel area here, police sources said. They said that the masked gunmen opened fire on Havaldar Noor Zaman in Bakakhel, Frontier Region Bannu.The accused managed to escape. The body was shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital for autopsy, police said.

Tea-seller’s son from
Shangla district included in Under-19 cricket team

By Sarfaraz Khan

BISHAM: The son of a man running a tea stall in Lahore’s Anarkali bazaar and belonging to Shangla district has been selected in the under-19 Pakistan cricket team.

Though Zaid Alam was born in Lahore, his father Alam Khan belongs to Bela village in Puran tehsil in Shangla. His father is a ‘chaiwala’ but he allowed Zaid Alam to devote time to cricket to fulfill his passion. Zaid Alam, who had been playing cricket for the Lahore region, will represent Pakistan in the under-19 Asia Cricket Tournament in Sri Lanka in December.  Zaid Alam is 10th grade student at the Government Boys School, Qilla Lakshman Singh in Lahore. Initially, 35 players were selected.

Pope is accused of ‘betraying Jesus Christ’

over possible deal with China

Monitoring Desk

China’s most senior Catholic has blasted the Pope for a potential rapprochement between the Vatican and Beijing comparing it to striking a deal with Adolf Hitler or Joseph Stalin.

Cardinal Joseph Zen, the former bishop of Hong Kong, said any agreement the church makes with China would be ‘betraying Jesus Christ’ amid a thaw in more than six decades of bitter relations.

The state-controlled China Catholic Patriotic Association still controls the church and controversially appoints bishops without any input from the Vatican meaning sermons could be marred with rhetoric from the Communist Party. And Cardinal Zen, 84, said that at any agreement where Beijing would have a hand in approving clergy would be ‘a surrender’. ‘Maybe the pope is a little naive, he doesn’t have the background to know the Communists in China,’ Zen said at the Salesian school in Hong Kong where he teaches. 

FC kills two extremists in Dera Bugti

DERA BUGTI: The Frontier Corps (FC) killed two extremists, held two others with arms and destroyed five hideouts of militants during operation Monday.Spokesman of FC said the paramilitary force conducted operation against extremists in Sartif area of Dera Bugti. After exchange of fire, the FC killed two extremists and arrested two others with weapons. Five hideouts of the extremists were also destroyed by the FC during the operation. The terrorists killed and arrested were involved in terror activities collecting extortion money and other criminal activities, the FC spokesman stated.

Hospital OPD made polling station

KARACHI: Ignoring the plight of patients, the Election Commission Monday turned a government hospital into a polling station for NA-258 by-elections.The outdoor patient department (OPD) was closed and the election commission staff took over the main reception to distribute ballot papers. Reportedly, no prior notice was issued regarding the move. Police and Rangers personnel were deployed both inside and outside the polling stations. Out of 287 polling stations, 68 have been declared highly sensitive, while 219 polling stations were regarded sensitive. A seat was vacated by former PML-N MNA Hakeem Baloch, who resigned from the party and joined the PPP.

Nine injured in Mohmand accident

By our correspondent

GHALLANAI: Nine persons, including a woman, sustained injuries in a road accident in Pandiali tehsil in Mohmand Agency on Monday, official sources said. They said a passenger vehicle was heading to Peshawar from Mian Mandi when the vehicle overturned in Karapa area. As a result, nine persons, including a woman, sustained injuries. The injured including Din Muhammad, Majid Gul, Shehzada, Tahir Zaman, Gul Mukhtiar, Nasir and Fazal Rabi were taken to the Agency Headquarters Hospital in Ghallanai wherefrom two of them were taken to a hospital in Peshawar due to their precarious condition.

BANNU: Unidentified gunmen on Monday shot dead a member of the Levies force in Bakakhel area here, police sources said. They said that the masked gunmen opened fire on Havaldar Noor Zaman in Bakakhel, Frontier Region Bannu.The accused managed to escape. The body was shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital for autopsy, police said.