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Wednesday, 19 June 2013

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US applauds Pakistan’s genuine support for Afghan peace process -

WASHINGTON, June 18 (APP): The United States on Tuesday praised Pakistan’s “genuine and constructive” support for the Afghan peace process, as Washington welcomed the opening of the Afghan Taliban office in Qatar as an “important first step in the long and complex” process of reconciliation to end the conflict in Afghanistan. Commenting on the Taliban announcement of opening their office in Doha a development which coincides with transfer of security responsibility to Afghan forces across their landlocked country - a senior U.S. administration official said it represents an “important first step towards reconciliation .”

Upcoming CPC campaign a “thorough cleanup” of undesirable practices -

BEIJING, June 18 (APP): Xi Jinping, leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said Tuesday that the CPC’s upcoming year-long campaign will be a “thorough cleanup” of undesirable work styles such as formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance. “The main task of the campaign focuses on building work styles,” Xi, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, said at a high-profile tele-conference held to deploy the campaign, said Xinhua news.

Pakistan seeks talks to address issue of damage-dealing drone strikes -

UNITED NATIONS, June 18 (APP): Pakistan has called for steps to protect children in situations of armed conflict, while stressing the need for negotiations to address the issue of damaging effects unleashed by drone strikes. Pakistan believes that the use of armed drones violates sovereignty, causes civilian casualties, and puts communities at risk of reprisal attacks, Ambassador Masood Khan told the UN Security Council on Monday. "Drone strikes radicalize disaffected communities and increase the number of terrorists. Urgent and intense negotiations are needed to address the issue of armed drones," the Pakistani envoy said in a debate on Children in Armed Conflict.

George Mason University welcomes Pakistani NUST team -

FAIRFAX (Virginia), June 18 (APP): George Mason University on Monday welcomed a group of Pakistan faculty from National University of Sciences and Technology at the start of a three-week course that aims at sharing best practices in teaching and research.Dr. Peter N. Stearns, Provost and University Professor, Dr. Mark R. Ginsberg, Dean College of Education and Human Development, Prof. Anne Schiller,Vice President for Global Strategies, Siddique Sheikh, Member GMU Board of Visitors (director), Dr. Eirini Gouleta, Associate Professor International Education, and Dr Hmood Ur Rehman, Head, Department of Electrical Engineering, NUST, and leader of the Pakistani team, addressed the inaugural reception. Ambassador-at-Large Riffat Mahmood and Mrs. Shaista Riffat Mahmood also attended the event.As part of the continuing partnership, a George Mason University delegation would visit the NUST in a few months and attend a convention as well.

China rejects spy claims against Snowden -

BEIJING, June 18 (APP): A Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman described as “sheer nonsense” claims that a former U.S. intelligence contractor who is hiding in Hong Kong was an agent of China.Spokeaperson Hua Chunying made the comment at a daily press briefing Monday after former U.S. vice president Dick Cheney expressed suspicion Sunday that Edward Snowden chose Hong Kong because he was an agent of China.“This is sheer nonsense,” Xinhua news quoted Hua.The 29-year-old former CIA-employee fled Hong Kong on May 20 after exposingtwo classified U.S. National Security Agency surveillance programs, one collecting U.S. phone records and the other mining Internet data.In Hong Kong, he provided The Guardian with top-secret documents that has led to a series of revelations about the extent of U.S. surveillance, to which several nations, including U.S. allies, have demanded explanations.

Sport News

Match officials for Champions Trophy semis announced

KARACHI, June 18 (APP): The International Cricket Council (ICC) Tuesday announced the match officials for the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy. England will take on South Africa in the first semi-final on Wednesday at The Oval.The on-field umpires appointed will be Kumar Dharmasena and Rod Tucker, with Bruce Oxenford and Steve Davis third and fourth umpires, respectively.
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Pakistan hockey training camp commences

KARACHI, June 18 (APP): Training camp of Pakistan probables in preparations for Hockey World League began here at Hockey Club of Pakistan (HCP) Stadium on Tuesday.Former Pakistan captain and Olympic half back Waseem Ahmed did not report for training as he was getting treatement after an accident, Manager/Chief coach Akhtar Rasool told APP during team’s afternoon training session.
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CNS Open set new mark with Rs 5.1 mln prize money

KARACHI, June 18 (APP): The 18th edition of Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Golf Championship will be staged at Karachi Golf Club from June 27 to 30, Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF) announced on Tuesday.“CNS will surpass Pakistan Open Golf prize money of Rs five million by one lakh”, Vice President of PGF Taimur Hassan Amin told APP.This is richest-ever prize money ever offered in a domestic golf event”, he added.

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Pakistani-Americans hail voting rights move

WASHINGTON, Feb 16 (APP): The Pakistani-American community has welcomed the Election Commission of Pakistan’s move, allowing the large diaspora the right to vote in future elections. The leaders of the community and political activists called the Election Commission of Pakistan’s announcement this week a historic step in the right direction for both democracy in the country and overseas Pakistanis, who number more than five million. “It is a very good news. Overseas Pakistanis make enormous contribution to development of Pakistan and for the welfare of their compatriots back home. We remain dedicated to the strengthening of the solidarity and integrity of our motherland,” said Shafqat Tanveer, president of Pakistan Peoples Party, USA.

The Pakistani diaspora, he said, actually deserves reserved seats in Pakistan’s parliament and “we remain hopeful that the day is not far off when this demand would also be met.”
Muhammad Siddique Sheikh, a Virginia-based business leader who is a director of the Overseas Pakistanis Board, said the cheerful development is the result of concerted efforts.
“We have been voicing support for this right for Pakistani expatriates since it gives them a sense of participation in the country’s political and democratic process,” he said.
Sheikh said the Overseas Pakistanis Board has been urging the government and also talked to the embassy for this right to vote for overseas Pakistan. “The expatriates send huge sums of foreign exchange back home and increase business prospects --- this political right will certainly encourage them to work more for the betterment of the country,” said Sheikh, who is founder of Pakistan-American Business Association.
Applauding the decision, Mossadaq Chughtai, a prominent community leader, said the Pakistanis living abroad should cast their ballot in big numbers and help their countrymen make right choices for a successful democratic future.
“I hope that the Election Commission will also ensure that integrity and sanctity of the ballot is respected by devising a voting method that conveys the voice of the overseas Pakistanis,” added Chughtai, who is a director of the Pakistani-American Leadership Center, which works on the Capitol Hill.
Chughtai also appreciated Pakistani ambassador Sherry Rehman’s pledge to be receptive to ideas of the Pakistani-American community towards their well being as well as improvement in Pakistan-US relations.

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