National interest to determine Pakistan’s ties with US: Gilani

Wants prosperous, peaceful Afghanistan

Quetta—Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Monday said Pakistan-United States relations were multi-dimensional and important and that the country’s national interest would determine ties between the two countries. “We are trying to have an open, transparent, and mutually beneficial relationship with the US based on our national interest,” Gilani said in his address here at the Command and Staff College. Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kiyani and Commandant Staff College Major General Sohail Ahmed Khan were also present on the occasion.

SC suspends Malik’s Senate membership

islamabad—Fallowing Supreme Court’s interim order suspending Rehman Malik’s membership to the Senate, the government on Monday promptly decided to appoint him as Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior Affairs. According to well-placed sources, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, who is presently in Quetta, took prompt decision to make the stop-gap arrangement. Taking the PPP’s apex leadership as well as the allied parties in confidence, the Prime Minister directed the Cabinet Division to issue the notification appointing Malik as Advisor to the PM on Interior Affairs. “The Division is most likely to issue the notification any time from now,” the sources added.

16 killed in NWA drone strikes

Peshawar—The American adventurists in a fresh drone attack in North Waziristan agency killed at least 16 people and seriously wounded several others Monday wee hours. The missile hit was launched on the third consecutive day in the Waziristan agencies and eighth since the NATO conference on Afghanistan in Chicago a few weeks back. Earlier on Saturday as many as two people who were reported to be the important commanders of the Mullah Nazir group of Taliban, were killed when the American CIA operated unmanned planes targeted a vehicle in Khuhsi Khel village some five kilometers west of the Wana City in South Waziristan agency. One of the killed Commanders namely Rehman Ali was the brother of key Taliban commander Malang.

Kohistan carnage SC takes suo motu notice

Islamabad—The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday took suo moto notice of the recently emerged video scandal and the death decree issued to seven persons by a Jirga of Kohistan. During the hearing of Asghar Khan case, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry addressed the attorney general and told him about the Registrar’s notice regarding the Kohistan incident. He instructed the attorney general to find out from Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa about the five girls, who were sentenced to death by the local clerics over dancing in a wedding ceremony along with two men, and inform the court. He also directed him produce all the girls and boys in the court if they are alive.

China cautions citizens against travelling to India

Beijing—In what is seen as a tit-for-tat move, China has cautioned its citizens against travelling to India following protests over the increase in petroleum prices, after New Delhi issued advisories warning its traders against doing business in the Chinese commodity hub of Yiwu. An advisory has been posted on the Chinese Foreign Ministry website as well as Chinese Embassy in New Delhi dated June 1 which warned about travel disruptions due to protests.

NATO strikes exit deal with three Central Asian states

Brussels—NATO has struck a deal with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to remove equipment through their territories as it winds down the Afghan operation, NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Monday. “We reached agreement on reverse transit from Afghanistan with three Central Asian partners: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan,” Rasmussen said at a news conference. “These agreements will give us a range of new options and the robust and flexible transport network we need,” he added, without offering more detail on the accords.

Challenging task for Bajwa as new ISPR boss

Rawalpindi—Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa on Monday took charge of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) replacing Major General Athar Abbas, who is retiring this month. The new military spokesman has taken over this challenging task at a time when there is a sinister campaign going on against Armed forces of Pakistan launched by certain international elements and groups under the patronage of some governments. Similarly, some vested interests within the country are also targeting the armed forces with an agenda to malign it.