POL, CNG prices increase from today

High speed diesel exempted

Islamabad—The Ministry of Finance has approved the summary envisaging increase in prices of all petroleum products except high speed diesel. The government has decided to increase the prices of petrol by Rs1.41 per litre and of compressed natural gas (CNG) by Rs1.29 per kg from July 16 for the next fortnight. According to sources, the new price of CNG in region-I (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Potohar and Balochistan) will now stand at Rs78.65 per kg and in region-II (Punjab and Sindh) at Rs71.92 per kg.

Keep them away from extremely sensitive nuclear matters

As the dual nationality issue has taken the entire country into its grip with proponents and opponents making arguments in their favour, the Supreme Court rightly took notice of the situation and suspended membership of a number of Parliamentarians as under the Constitution, holder of dual nationality cannot hold any public office. After this development, the government came out with the Dual Nationality Bill to protect some of the senior members of the ruling party.

No solution from outside on Kashmir: Obama

Washington—Ruling out any solution from “outside” to the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, US President Barack Obama on Sunday underlined that disputes between India and Pakistan can only be resolved by the two countries themselves. Welcoming the Indo-Pak dialogue process, he said, “It is not the place of any nation, including the United States, to try to impose solutions from the outside. “That said, nations must meet their responsibilities and all of us have a profound interest in a Pakistan that is stable, prosperous and democratic.”

Sen Paul eyes floor vote stripping Pak aid if Dr Shakil not released

Washington—The case of Shakil Afridi, the Pakistani doctor imprisoned after helping the CIA track Usama bin Laden, hasn’t fallen by the wayside just yet. Sen. Rand Paul claims to have enough support to force a vote on the Senate floor later this month on a bill stripping Pakistan of U.S. aid unless Afridi is released, Foxnews reported Sunday.

Japan airlifts aid to floods trapped people

Tokyo—Troops on Sunday airlifted supplies to thousands of people cut off by landslides and torrential downpours that have killed at least 24 in southwest Japan as meteorologists warned of further heavy rain. Television footage showed soldiers loading food, water and medical sup-plies onto military helicopters to send them to mountainous areas in Yame, Fukuoka prefecture on Kyushu island.

Mortar attack kills four in Khyber Agency

Peshawar—A mortar shell landing at a house in the Khyber Agency Sunday early morning killed four of a family including three kids. Besides, two other members of the family sustained serious injuries. There were conflicting reports as to weither the mortar was fired by the militants or the projectile came from the security forces but missed its target and hit the civilian population.

Syria denies using heavy weapons

Damascus—Syria on Sunday denied U.N. claims that government forces used heavy weapons during a military operation that has brought widespread international condemnation against President Bashar Assad’s regime. Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi said the violence Thursday was not a massacre, but a military operation targeting armed fighters who had taken control of the village of Tremseh.