Kerry hopes drone strikes to end ‘very soon’
Islamabad: US Secretary of State John Kerry has said that America has made significant headway in its drone campaign and hoped the strikes in Pakistan, a major irritant in bilateral ties, could end “very soon”. “I believe that we’re on a good track,” Kerry said in an interview on Pakistani television. “I think the program will end as we have eliminated most of the threat and continue to eliminate it”.
Pak Sc not satisfied with Imran’s response
Islamabad: Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Friday described responses submitted by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan as “insufficient” to a contempt notice and directed him to file another reply by August 28. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry heard the case against the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf chief. The apex court had issued a notice to Khan, asking him to explain why action should not be taken against him for contempt of court for making derogatory remarks about judges during a recent interaction with the media.
UKDalit groups mobilise over caste law delay
london: Dalit groups in the UK are mobilising forces once again to protest against the Cameron Government’s move to delay the implementation of an anti-caste legislation by two years, affecting at least 400,000 people in the country. The British Parliament had voted for caste-based discrimination to be outlawed within an amendment to the Equality Act 2010 in April this year, marking a major victory for rights campaigners who had fought a protracted battle for a change in the law.
Monk held for ‘fabricating self-immolation’
Beijing: A Buddhist monk has been arrested in China for allegedly “fabricating” the suicide of a Tibetan herdsman into a case of self-immolation protesting against Chinese rule in Tibet. Cerzha, 25, a Tibetan monk in Qumarleb County in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu in Qinghai Province, was arrested by police and faces charges of inciting sedition, the Yushu prefectural public security bureau said.
3 journalists shot dead in Philippines
Manila: Three journalists have been gunned down in the Philippines in its worst spate of media killings in nearly four years, police and rights watchdogs said. The latest victim, freelance news photographer Mario Sy, was killed in front of his wife and child late Thursday by two suspects who broke into his home in the southern city of General Santos, police said. The attack followed the shooting deaths in Manila on Tuesday of two columnists.
Ban on YouTube to stay: PAkistan tells court
Peshawar: Pakistani authorities have told a court that the ban on YouTube cannot be lifted until a mechanism is put in place to permanently block blasphemous contents on the popular video-sharing website. The federal Information Technology Ministry conveyed its position to a division bench of the Peshawar High Court on Thursday. The court was hearing a petition filed by lawyer Mina Muhibbulah Kakakhel, who challenged the nearly year-old ban on YouTube.
Pak proposes dates for talks on Wullar Barrage
Islamabad: Amidst indications that the composite dialogue with India would "resume soon", Pakistan on Friday said it has proposed dates for talks on the Wullar Barrage and Sir Creek issues. "There are indications that the composite dialogue will resume soon. The leadership of the two countries has already expressed the desire to see improved relations between the two countries," Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Chaudhry said.