From Iraq to Afghanistan, U.S. Foreign Wars Not Going According to Plan
by William Pfaff

In Iraq, tension was reported to be increasing between the Americans and the Iraqi military and security forces, who were supposed to take over the Americans' responsibilities. Move to another front: Pakistan-Afghanistan. Here there was also supposed to be a straightforward job to do: drive the Taliban out of Afghanistan, into the Tribal Areas of the Pakistan border. There, the Pakistan army, with American urging and help, would defeat and disarm them.

Events in Middle East & Central Asia Challenge U.S's Conventional Assumptions
William Pfaff

Three recent developments in the Muslim Middle East and Central Asia challenge Washington's conventional assumptions about Pakistan, the Taliban, Lebanon and Iran.

Obama's Moment in South Asia
International Current Events, News & World Affairs

Afghanistan and Pakistan are at the very top of President Obama's list of foreign and security priorities. The U.S. military has embraced this new emphasis, as indicated by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Adm. Mike Mullen's recent statement that the war in Afghanistan is now more important than the struggle in Iraq.

The increased emphasis on Afghanistan and Pakistan is laudable, because what happens in these two countries is critical in determining the future of extremism and terror -- a defining security challenge of our time.

Fighting Extremism with Democracy in Pakistan
International Current Events, News & World Affairs

Pakistan opposition leader Nawaz Sharif is seen by many -- including, reportedly, officials in the Obama administration -- as the man who can possibly help unite Pakistanis against the scourge of Talebanization threatening the South Asian nuclear-armed nation.

In this interview Sharif says that national consensus on strengthening the rule of law, must be part of a multi-pronged strategy to address the root causes of Taliban extremism.

Cambodia Deja Vu: The Invasion of Pakistan
International Current Events, News & World Affairs

39 years! And here we are again. The United States, despite its plan to deploy nearly 70,000 troops this year in Afghanistan, finds itself and its NATO allies in danger of defeat by the Taliban guerillas. U.S. bombing, with remote-controlled "drones," of the Pakistani Tribal Territories has killed many people but has had no decisive effect on the fighting in Afghanistan.

Pakistan: Suspected drone strike kills 4
A suspected drone strike killed at least four people in a mountainous border region where the Taliban has long operated, Pakistani officials said Thursday.

On the Taliban trail in South Waziristan
Take a trip to Pakistan's tribal district of South Waziristan these days and there's no guarantee you won't get hurt, kidnapped or something worse.

Hillary Clinton urges openness between U.S., Pakistan
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday she did not come to Pakistan for "happy talk."

Clinton has tough sell in repairing scarred relationship with Pakistan
Just a few hours after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Islamabad, a massive car bomb exploded in a crowded market frequented by women in the northwest city of Peshawar, a two-hour drive away.

Helicopter crash in Pakistan kills 3
Three people were killed Saturday when hostile fire caused a Pakistani military transport helicopter to crash, Pakistani officials said.

Explosion outside Pakistan restaurant wounds 9
At least nine people were wounded in an explosion outside a restaurant in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, police and hospital officials said.

Seven dead in latest Pakistan violence
Bombings across Pakistan on Friday killed at least seven people and wounded 24, officials said.

Pakistan says rebel blamed in Iran attack is in Afghanistan
Pakistan denied Wednesday that it is harboring a Sunni rebel leader accused of orchestrating a suicide attack in neighboring Iran.

Battle rages over Pakistan militant stronghold
Heavily armed militants put up a fierce fight on Tuesday to protect a Taliban stronghold in South Waziristan, Pakistan's military said.

Schools across Pakistan close after deadly suicide blasts
Pakistani authorities have closed all educational institutions across the county until at least the end of the week, following twin suicide bombings at an Islamic university Tuesday.

Petraeus, Kerry visit Pakistan as military battles militants
The top U.S. military commander for the Middle East and Central Asia visited Pakistan on Monday as the Pakistani army battled Taliban militants in the country's northwest, U.S. Embassy officials said.

Pakistani forces capture village in Taliban stronghold
Pakistani soldiers and militants battled Saturday in the country's vast tribal region, with more than a dozen insurgents killed in airstrikes, at least four soldiers slain in skirmishes and a key village seized by troops, the military said.

Pakistan faces new wave of Taliban attacks
Pakistan's army chief briefed the country's top leaders Friday on the tenuous security situation as the government combats a new wave of attacks believed to have been orchestrated by Taliban militants.

Obama signs $7.5 billion Pakistan aid bill
President Obama signed legislation providing an additional $7.5 billion in assistance to the Pakistani government.

Militant attacks kill at least 30 in Pakistan
Militants launched a string of bold strikes in Pakistan on Thursday, leaving at least 30 police officers and civilians dead, authorities said.

Senators respond to Pakistani protests, explain aid bill
The chairmen of the House and Senate committees on foreign relations Wednesday provided a written explanation of the $7.5 billion Pakistan aid bill, a response to Pakistani protests of U.S. meddling in its affairs.

Analysis: U.S.-Pakistan relationship like uneasy marriage
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi made the rounds in Washington just as President Obama's national security team shifted its attention to Pakistan.

41 dead in Pakistan Swat Valley blast
At least 41 people were killed and dozens wounded in a blast Monday at a security forces checkpoint in northwest Pakistan, authorities said.

Pakistan arrests suspected mastermind behind U.N. strike
The suspected mastermind of the suicide strike on the offices of the U.N. World Food Programme in Islamabad has been arrested, Pakistan's interior minister said on Friday.

Suicide bomb blast kills at least 49 in northern Pakistan
A suicide car bomb in a bustling market in the Pakistani city of Peshawar killed at least 49 people Friday, a government official said.

Commentary: U.S.-Pakistan goals coming into alignment
It hasn't been too often in the past couple of years that you could write about good news from Pakistan. But if there is a silver lining to the atrocities that have plagued the country in the past several years, it is the fact that the Pakistani public, government and military are increasingly seeing the jihadist militants on their territory in a hostile light.

Top U.S. security officials share Afghan-Pakistan border concerns
As President Obama huddles with key military advisers to talk about a strategy in Afghanistan, top officials charged with protecting the homeland on Wednesday pointedly stressed the danger from terrorists in the Afghan-Pakistan border area.

Sources: 4 killed in missile strike in Pakistani tribal area
Four people were killed Tuesday night in a suspected U.S. missile strike in Pakistan's tribal region, according to a Pakistani intelligence official and a local government official.

Source: Deaths rise in alleged drone attack
The death toll rose to seven on Friday in an apparent drone attack in northern Pakistan's tribal region, an intelligence source said.

Pakistan arrests top Taliban commander
Pakistan has arrested a key militant commander suspected of launching suicide attacks in the country's northwest, Pakistan's army announced Monday.

Militant commander dies in custody in Pakistan
A notorious Pakistani Taliban commander with a reputation for beheading opponents has died in custody, a Pakistani military official said.

Suicide attacker kills two in Pakistan
A suicide attacker blew himself up at an army checkpoint in northwest Pakistan, killing two security forces and wounding four people, a military source said.

39 killed in Pakistan market car bombing
At least 39 people were killed Friday morning when a suicide car bomb exploded near a crowded market in northwest Pakistan, police said.

Terror cell leader arrested in Pakistan
Authorities arrested a commander of a terror cell in Pakistan and captured dozens of suspected militants as part of an ongoing offensive in the country, military officials said Wednesday.

Flour giveaway in Pakistan turns into deadly stampede
The death toll from a stampede during a flour giveaway in Karachi rose to 18 Tuesday, police said.

Four dead in suspected drone attack in Pakistan
An apparent drone attack on Monday killed four suspected militants in northern Pakistan, an intelligence source said.

Suspected U.S. drone kills 4 in Pakistan
A suspected U.S. drone strike in northwestern Pakistan has killed at least four people, a Pakistani intelligence source said.

Dozens killed in Pakistan fighting
More than 50 suspected militants in the northwestern Pakistan's volatile tribal region have been killed by military forces on Saturday, Pakistani sources said.

Pakistan minister escapes assassination attempt
Pakistan's religious affairs minister escaped with a minor injury in an attack that killed his driver Wednesday.

Pakistan: Militants suffer heavy casualties as fighting rages
Fighting raged Tuesday between security forces and militants in northwestern Pakistan, leaving 43 militants dead and two commanders captured, authorities said.

Pakistan rejects claim it modified missiles
Pakistan on Sunday rejected a report in The New York Times that said it illegally modified U.S.-supplied anti-ship missiles to make them capable of striking land-based targets.

Attack on Pakistan police center kills 18 officers
At least 18 officers were killed Sunday in a suicide attack at a police training center in Mingora in Pakistan's northwest, officials said.

21 dead as suicide bomber strikes in Pakistan
At least 21 people were killed and 27 wounded in a suicide bombing Thursday in Pakistan, near its border with Afghanistan, officials told CNN.

Pakistan: Arrests thwart Karachi attacks
Pakistani authorities have launched a massive crackdown on terror groups that they say were planning numerous suicide attacks, including in the country's largest city of Karachi.

Pakistan foils suicide terror plot, minister says
Pakistani forces in the last month foiled a planned attack on the parliament building, the intelligence agency and other federal institutions, the country's interior minister told CNN Sunday.

Drone attack kills 19 in Pakistan
At least 19 people were killed after missiles struck three homes in a village in north-west Pakistan, intelligence officials and local residents said Saturday.

Abducted French tourist released in Pakistan
A French tourist who was taken hostage in Pakistan on May 23 was released Friday, the French government said.

Missile strike kills 12 in Pakistan
At least 12 people were killed after missiles struck three homes in a village in Pakistan, local intelligence sources said.

6 killed, 10 wounded in Pakistan blast
Six people were killed and 10 wounded in a car bomb blast in Pakistan's troubled northwest Monday, officials said.

Pakistan launches global manhunt for Mumbai suspects
Pakistan has launched a global manhunt for 13 fugitives wanted in connection with last year's terror attacks on the Indian financial capital of Mumbai.

About 200 arrested in violence against Christians in Pakistan
About 200 people have been arrested in a flare-up of anti-Christian violence in Gojra that left seven dead, a government minister said Monday.

Pakistan: Police patrol streets after Christians murdered
Security forces patrolled the streets of the eastern Pakistan city of Gojra on Sunday, one day after seven people were killed and 20 injured when Muslim demonstrators set fire to houses in a Christian enclave and fighting broke out, authorities said.

6 killed in Pakistan as Muslims burn Christian homes
Six people were killed in Pakistan on Saturday when Muslim demonstrators set fire to houses in a Christian enclave and fighting broke out, local police said.

Al Qaeda priority: Western targets
Between late July and early December of 2008 four members of a Belgian-French group returned to Europe from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region.

New Yorker says he would have been suicide bomber
A New York man who pleaded guilty in January to charges of aiding al Qaeda was ready to be a suicide bomber for the organization, but was told he needed more religious instruction, according to a document obtained by CNN on Thursday.

U.S. envoy told: Pakistan drone strikes not working
Controversial unmanned aircraft strikes against targets in Pakistan's restive tribal region are not working, the country's prime minister has told the Obama administration's point man for the region.

Bombers dressed as women kill three Afghan officers
Seven suicide bombers dressed as women targeted Afghan police officers about 60 miles from the capital on Tuesday, a police commander said.

India, Pakistan to resume peace talks
The prime ministers of India and Pakistan on Thursday vowed not to link action on terrorism with their peace talks, which had been derailed by last year's attacks in Mumbai.

Al Qaeda message urges Pakistanis to back militants
The people of Pakistan must back Islamic militants to counter the influence of the United States in their country or face punishment from God, Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda's second in command, said in an audio message released early Wednesday.

Explosion kills 11 in Pakistan
Eleven people -- including eight children -- died in an explosion Monday morning in eastern Pakistan, a hospital official said.

Taliban 'Radio Mullah' hurt in Pakistan offensive
A key commander of the Pakistani Taliban has been wounded in the ongoing military offensive in northwest Pakistan, a military spokesman said Wednesday.

26 dead in Pakistan helicopter crash
A military helicopter crashed Friday in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least 26 security personnel on board, the Pakistani military said.

Pakistan: At least 1 dead as motorcycle bomber hits bus
A suicide bomber on a motorcycle struck a Pakistani Defense Ministry bus Thursday, killing at least one person and wounding 29 others, Rawalpindi police and medical officials said.

Sources: U.S. resumes Pakistan drone flights
The U.S. military in recent weeks has resumed flying unmanned reconnaissance drones over Pakistan's tribal regions to help provide critical intelligence to Pakistan's security forces, two U.S. military officials confirmed to CNN Tuesday.

Bridge blast wounds eight in troubled northwest Pakistan
An explosive detonated under a bridge, injuring five civilians and three policemen Monday morning in northwest Pakistan, police said.

Hidden crisis haunts Pakistan fighting
Piled high with food, Minhaj Bahdar rides a rented motorbike back to his family's temporary sanctuary away from the fighting between Pakistan's army and the Taliban.

Suspected drone attack kills at least 5 in Pakistan
A suspected drone strike on Pakistan's border with Afghanistan killed five to seven people Thursday, intelligence sources said.

13 killed in separate attacks in Pakistan
Thirteen people were killed and 20 more were wounded in separate attacks in Pakistan on Sunday, officials said.

Suspected suicide blast kills 40 at Pakistani mosque
A suspected suicide attacker detonated his explosives at a mosque in northwestern Pakistan during Friday prayers, killing at least 40 people and wounding dozens of others, a local police official said.

Blasts in northwest Pakistan kill 8, including children
A series of explosions in northwest Pakistan killed eight people Thursday night, and two suspected militants died in a gunbattle with Peshawar police on a rooftop, authorities said.

Pakistan: Trio held after deadly blast kills 27
Three suspects were arrested after an explosives-packed van reduced a police building to rubble Wednesday in eastern Pakistan, killing 27.

French national kidnapped in Pakistan
A French national was kidnapped early Saturday afternoon in southwestern Pakistan, police in Pakistan said.

Pakistani refugees block main road over conditions
Hundreds of refugees on Wednesday blocked a main road in northwest Pakistan, to protest living conditions for some of the 1.5 million Pakistanis forced to flee their homes in the past three weeks.

Pakistan denies increasing capability to make nukes
Pakistan's information minister denied accusations Wednesday that his country is expanding its capability to produce nuclear weapons.

Pakistan govt.: More than 1,000 militants killed in NW offensive
A military offensive to rid Pakistan's northwest of al Qaeda and Taliban fighters has killed more than 1,000 militants since it began in full force earlier this month, the country's interior ministry said Sunday.

Pakistan claims dozens of militants killed
Violence echoed across a volatile Pakistani province and an adjacent tribal region on Saturday, with dozens reported killed in the latest military push, a drone strike, and a car bombing targeting a school bus.

Senator: To get funding, Pakistan must commit to Taliban fight
Pakistan should commit to increased fighting against the Taliban on the border area it shares with Afghanistan if it wants more defense funding from the United States, a key senator said Thursday.

U.S. sends emergency aid to Pakistan
The United States is rushing emergency aid to Pakistan -- an initial $5 million -- to help people uprooted by the fighting against extremists, according to the State Department.

John King: Party politics and press parties
It was an odd Washington weekend: a Sunday of sober talk about the challenges ahead in Afghanistan and Pakistan following a more relaxed Saturday night.

Displaced Pakistanis crowd camps as they flee fighting
A family of 18 Pakistani men, women and children trudges down a dirt road toward a refugee camp.

Prime minister: Pakistan fights for 'honor and dignity'
Pakistan's prime minister formally renounced a peace agreement with Taliban militants Thursday night and announced "decisive steps" to expand the battle in the country's northwest.

Civilians told to flee ahead of Pakistan offensive against Taliban
Some 500,000 civilians are expected to flee Pakistan's Swat Valley, heeding a government evacuation order issued Tuesday ahead of an expected military offensive in the Taliban-dominated region.

Pakistan kills more militants in new action
Pakistani security forces say they have killed at least 16 militants overnight in the country's volatile tribal region.

Nations with worst religious tolerance named
A U.S. government panel listed 13 countries Friday as "egregious" violators of religious freedom.

Report: Terror attacks up in Pakistan, Afghanistan
Terror attacks have spiked dramatically in Afghanistan and Pakistan as extremists in both countries strengthen their power and expand operations, according to a State Department report released Thursday.

Commentary: Pakistan isn't falling
In the past few weeks as the Pakistani Taliban have marched ever closer to the capital, Islamabad, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has sounded the alarm about the threat posed by the militants, who she said in congressional testimony pose "a mortal threat to the security and safety of our country and the world."

Taliban push Robin Hood image in Pakistan
In radio broadcasts and sermons, Taliban militants have been promoting themselves as Islamic Robin Hoods, defending Pakistan's rural poor from a ruling elite that they describe as corrupt and oppressive.

U.S. 'extremely concerned' about Taliban movements in Pakistan
The United States is keeping a close eye on Pakistan after this week's Taliban surge into the Buner district brought them just 60 miles from the capital, Islamabad.

Analysis: Pakistan, Taliban and nuclear arms
Taliban militants made their deepest incursion into Pakistan this week, seizing control of areas that are a short drive from the capital city.

Q&A: Taliban influence weakens Pakistan
Taliban advances in Pakistan are raising concerns in Islamabad and capitals as far away as Washington.

Taliban claims victory near Islamabad
Taliban militants who implemented Islamic law in Pakistan's violence-plagued Swat Valley last week have now taken control of a neighboring district.

At least 20 killed in Pakistan suicide bombing
A suicide bomber in Pakistan rammed his vehicle into a security forces convoy on Saturday, killing at least 20 people and wounding 15 others, police said.

Donors pledge $5 billion aid for Pakistan
International donors meeting in Japan have pledged more than $5 billion in aid for Pakistan to bolster the country's economy and help it fight terror and Islamic radicalism, officials said.

16 dead in Pakistan suicide bombing
A suicide bombing killed 16 people at a police checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan on Wednesday, police said.

Pakistan militants attack NATO supply trailers
More than 80 militants attacked a supply terminal in northwest Pakistan that serves U.S. and NATO-led troops in Afghanistan, police said.

Three dead in suspected U.S. missile attack in Pakistan
A suspected U.S. missile struck a village Wednesday in Pakistan's tribal region, killing three Taliban militants and wounding four others, according to local officials and media reports.

U.S. to host talks with Pakistan, Afghanistan
Pakistan, the United States and Afghanistan will hold trilateral meetings in Washington next month.

At least 20 feared dead in Pakistan mosque blast
A suicide bombing at a mosque in Pakistan has killed at least 20 people, according to local police.

At least 30 die in Pakistan violence
At least 30 people in Pakistan lost their lives Saturday in two separate suicide attacks and a suspected U.S. missile strike, according to local security officials.

Suicide attack on Pakistan security checkpoint kills 12
At least 12 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack on a security checkpoint in Pakistan's tribal region, a local military official said.

Pakistan's commitment questioned in Senate hearing
Days after President Obama announced his strategy for security in Afghanistan, senior Defense Department leaders told a congressional panel more effort is needed to fight the growing insurgency in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

2 arrested over Pakistan mosque bombing
Two suspects were arrested in connection with the bombing of a mosque that killed at least 51 people, Pakistani authorities said Saturday.

Commentary: Obama anti-terror plan could be doomed to fail
The Obama plan for Afghanistan and Pakistan announced Friday has a great deal to recommend it, with its emphasis on protecting the Afghan population and delivering more aid directly to the Pakistani people instead of to the Pakistan army.

Dozens dead in Pakistan mosque attack
A devastating suicide blast struck a mosque in the strife-torn tribal region of Pakistan Friday, killing at least 51 people and wounding more than 100 others, local officials said.

Suicide bomber kills 11 in Pakistan
A suicide blast in Pakistan's violence-plagued tribal region killed 11 people Thursday, police said.

Gunmen Attack Another Army Officer in Pakistani Capital
The drive-by shooting, which left the brigadier and his military driver injured, was the third such attack against senior military officers in 15 days.

Pakistanis Seek Blame for Bombing
People in Peshawar are reluctant to believe their own countrymen were involved, a week after the blast that killed at least 114.

Pakistan Backs Off Amnesty Bill
The Pakistani government said that it would not push a bill that would shield political leaders from corruption cases, a day after its closest political allies withdrew their support.

Bombers Hit Pakistani Cities as the Army Gains Ground
Suicide bombers attacked two major cities, killing at least 35 people, as the army claimed control of two strongholds in South Waziristan.

Clinton Suffers Barbs and Returns Jabs in Pakistan
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton rolled with the punches this week in a media-saturated tour of Pakistan, fighting the country’s influential media often critical of the U.S. to a draw.

The China List
On his first visit to Beijing, Obama should go beyond the usual list of objectives. The trip provides an opportunity to elevate the U.S.- China relationship.

After 2 Years, a Sign of a 9/11 Suspect
The discovery of the passport of a suspected 9/11 plotter this week in Pakistan was the first concrete proof that the suspect, Said Bahaji, was in Pakistan’s tribal areas.

The Tenacity Question
Military experts say that President Obama is intellectually sophisticated, but they do not know if he has the determination needed from a war president.

Clinton Challenges Pakistanis on Al Qaeda
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton strongly suggested that some Pakistani officials bore responsibility for allowing Al Qaeda terrorists to operate from safe havens along the country’s frontier.

In Military Campaign, Pakistan Finds Hint of 9/11
Pakistani forces fighting the Taliban found a passport belonging to an associate of the hijacker Mohammed Atta.

Clinton Arrival in Pakistan Met by Fatal Attacks
An explosion in Peshawar left as many as 101 dead and underscored the challenges facing U.S. policymakers as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton came to Islamabad.

Clinton Condemns Attack and Hews to Agenda
A bomb attack during the secretary of state’s visit complicated efforts to show Pakistanis that the U.S. relationship is built on more than fighting terrorism.

More Schools, Not Troops
A compelling argument against more troops in Afghanistan rests on this trade-off: For the cost of an additional soldier stationed in Afghanistan for a year, nearly 20 schools could be built.

U.S. Speeds Aid to Pakistan to Fight Taliban
The U.S. has quietly rushed hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of military equipment to Pakistani forces.

Clinton, in Pakistan, Confronts Rising Hostility
The visit comes at a tense moment in Pakistani-American relations, in the wake of a furor over a U.S. aid package.

Pakistan: Militants Threaten "Sovereignty, Integrity of the State"

Rogue Scientist Confirms Pakistan's Involvement in Iranian Nuclear Program

Pakistan Nuclear Sites Under Attack by Terrorists
Even experts are surprised.

Al Qaeda: We Will Use Pakistan's Nukes Against America

The Unthinkable Will Happen!
Nuclear proliferation leading to nuclear annihilation—the once unthinkable becomes the greatest fear of the experts.

Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan Leaders Meet in Tehran

Afghanistan: Taliban Fighters Using American Weapons

A Nuclear Power Is About to Fall to Islamists
Radical Muslims are closer to the nuclear bomb than we’d like: only 60 miles.

Taliban Advances in Pakistan
As the state capitulates, the Islamists press their advantage.

Pakistan: Islamic Terrorists Form Alliance Against Government
How political instability in Pakistan could bring about the worst possible disaster

U.S. to Europe: Please, Join Our Losing Cause
Signs of looming failure in the Afghanistan war

Is Pakistan on the Brink of an Islamist Revolution?
Will the latest upheaval in Pakistan open the door for Islamist nuclear terrorism?

Pakistani Islamists Join With Government Splinter Group
Will the latest upheaval in Pakistan open the door for nuclear Islamist terrorism?

Pakistan Surrenders to the Taliban

U.S. Searches for Alternative Supply Routes to Afghanistan
As Pakistan becomes increasingly unreliable as an ally, the United States must look elsewhere.

Pakistan, India on War Footing
As India and Pakistan maneuver toward war, the U.S. loses out.

The Threat to Afghanistan Supply Lines
Islamist terrorist activity in Pakistan is threatening supply lines that the U.S. and NATO rely on for the war in Afghanistan.

Mumbai: Islamist Victory, U.S. Setback
The Mumbai attack is putting pressure on Pakistan. The Islamists look to come out on top, which is bad news for America.

Is America Partly Responsible for the Mumbai Massacre?
America’s efforts to stabilize Pakistan have failed. Just ask India.

Mumbai Attacks to Strain U.S.-India Alliance?
America’s response to the Mumbai attacks—together with rising antagonism between India and Pakistan—could push India further into the arms of its East Asia allies.

Pakistan Fires at U.S. Forces
Tensions between the United States and Pakistan continue to escalate.

Bomb Rocks Popular Hotel in Islamabad

U.S.-Pakistani Relations in Crisis
Tensions between the United States and Pakistan on how to fight al Qaeda and the Taliban rise to the surface.

Pakistan's Government Collapses
Political chaos and Islamist violence increases in Pakistan.

Pakistan's Ominous Future
Musharraf’s decline and fall leaves a dangerous void in this nuclear-armed Muslim country.

Has a countdown begun in Islamabad?
ISLAMABAD: The crumbling presidential edifice in the bunkered palace with two green flags on the Constitution Avenue is giving rise to numerous storie

SC adjourns hearing of bribe case against Khosa
ISLAMABAD: Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday on Friday observed that he would think over the matter of recusal -- whether he should quit or not from the

Zardari land deal called neat, clean transaction
ISLAMABAD: Faisal Sakhi Butt, who had been named as a key player in the Zardari-Bilawal 300-acre land purchase deal, on Friday broke his silence and i

LI militant held, soldier hurt in Khyber ambush
BARA: Security forces arrested a militant belonging to a banned outfit Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) while a soldier sustained injuries when militants on Frida

Benazir murder case
ISLAMABAD: Former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf is ready to meet the UN investigators probing the assassination of former prime minister Benaz

Sweet and sour
When lawlessness becomes the law, then it is the rule of the jungle, which says might is right. The government is using its political muscle, the judi

Easypaisa bill deposit scheme runs into serious snag
ISLAMABAD: After the eruption of a serious controversy over whether the Tameer Bank had inked a formal agreement with the Iesco for receiving electric

Zardari prefers death to resignation, claims aide
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Zardari is said to have given final touches to a new political script for his own survival. The script has been finalised w

Government lost majority support in NA, says Mushahid
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Sayed said on Friday that the government had lost majority support

Sikhs defy advice to pray in Pakistan
HASAN ABDAL: Roads were closed, shops shuttered and police on guard in Hasan Abdal, as about 2,000 Indian Sikh pilgrims defied advice to honour the fo

The world’s reality and ours
In repeated opinion poll surveys in Pakistan over the last one year, there has been one thing constant - the rising anti-Americanism in the country. A

Seven children orphaned Seven children orphaned in Peshawar tragedy
PESHAWAR: Among the dozen people who went missing and are presumed dead after the devastating bombing of Meena Bazaar is a couple that left behind sev

Adnan loses nine family members
PESHAWAR: Gazing helplessly at the pictures of his parents, tears roll down the cheeks of teenager Adnan Hussain, who lost nine family members in the

Senate panel visits Joint Staff Headquarters
RAWALPINDI: The Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production on Friday visited the Joint Staff Headquarters. The committee was b

US told to release Aafia: Babar
ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday told the National Assembly that it had asked the United States to release Dr Aafia Siddiqui. Responding to

Full court reference for 12 judges
LAHORE: A full court reference of the Lahore High Court on Friday paid tributes to the departed souls of 12 former LHC judges who died during the prev

PML-Q women paralyse Punjab Assembly
LAHORE: PML-Q women legislators paralysed the Punjab Assembly proceedings on Friday as they made it impossible for the treasury to carry out any offic

Govt to give Balochistan provincial autonomy: Gailo
QUETTA: The federal government has agreed to give provincial autonomy to Balochistan, besides giving control on natural resources to the provincial go

Unconstitutional move against govt to be opposed, says STPP
HYDERABAD: Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party (STPP) chief Dr Qadir Magsi on Friday said despite opposing the policies of the PPP and President Asif Zardari,

Geo glimpses
‘Wit Parade part 2’ today KARACHI: ‘Wit Parade’ is a show of fun, dance, music and masti. Enjoy the onstage parody performances of hit songs an

briefs...
Air chief calls on Chinese president BEIJING: Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force here on Friday ca

Ban on pillion riding
Karachi The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the provincial law officer to submit a comprehensive report regarding the law and order situati

Retired Army captain shot dead
Karachi Unidentified culprits shot dead a retired captain of the Pakistan Army on Friday night in the jurisdiction of Sharifabad police station

Mir Murtaza Bhutto case
Karachi Mohammed Ali Shah, a member of the medical board pertaining to the murder of Mir Murtaza Bhutto and now the Provincial Minister for Sp

Security firm involved in illegal activities
Karachi The Sindh Home Department has revoked the license of a private security firm, Freedom Security Agency, for indulging in illegal activit

AVCC nabs murderer of businessman
Karachi The Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) of the Karachi Police Friday arrested an accused, who had killed his employer two months back and r

Registration date for KU convocation announced
Karachi Registrar KU Muhammad Rais Alvi has asked the fresh university graduates to submit their Convocation Registration forms latest by Novem

SHC suspends arrest warrant against PTA chairman
Karachi The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday suspended an arrest warrant, issued by an Additional District and Sessions Court on October 31, a

Prolonged power cuts continue
Karachi The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) suffered a power shortfall of 208 Megawatt (MW) on Friday causing several spells of load she

briefs...
Ismail made KES MD By our correspondent Karachi The KES Power Ltd, the parent company of the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KE

First-ever draft submitted to labour ministry
Islamabad Reaffirming government’s commitment to bring laws and regulations relating to home-based workers in conformity with constitutional pr

Task force formed to address problems of traders, shoppers
Islamabad The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has formed a task force to deal with the problems being faced by traders and general public in ci

Tributes paid to film artistes
Islamabad Pakistan National Council of the Arts in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture held a condolence reference at National Art Gallery o

Govt departments asked to tighten security
Rawalpindi The city district government here on Friday directed all local departments to tighten security on emergency basis to avert any terror at

‘Madaris’ graduates may be
Islamabad The Ministry of Population Welfare is contemplating the involvement of graduates of local ‘madaris’ (religious schools) in its public sen

First World War
Islamabad Those television viewers who are observant may have noticed that a number of persons shown on the screen these days are wearing a red po

Create baby’s bedtime routine
Babies are never too young to benefit from a bedtime routine, the US National Library of Medicine says. The agency offers these suggestions fo

Free Haj training
Rawalpindi: The intending pilgrims can receive free Haj training from the Audio-Video Training Centre located here in F-Block, Satellite Town on Sunda

Youngsters urged to join politics to address real issues
Islamabad Terming them the real wealth of the country, speakers urged young parliamentarians to join mass politics in order to address real iss

Shady land deal for prison cancelled
Islamabad Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan has directed the Chief Commissioner Islamabad to cancel the deal for purchase o

Urdu version of ‘We are poor but so many’ launched
Islamabad While demanding recognition of home-based workers as formal workers, the female women based workers urged the government to ratify th

Senate body on defence visits JSHQ
Rawalpindi Senate’s Standing Committee on Defence Defence Production visited Joint Staff Headquarters on Friday, says an ISPR press release.

Specialists dissect National HIV Testing Policy
Islamabad Leading pathologists, microbiologists, haematologists, blood bank experts, clinicians, immunologists and other specialists converged

15,517 employees get themselves registered with FGEHF
Islamabad As many as 15,517 employees have registered themselves in the drive launched by Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEH

RCCI to support govt for uplift of economy
Rawalpindi The Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) has assured the government that it will support all decisions for the uplift

Shortage of dustbins at bus stops
Islamabad Shortage of civic facilities at busy bus stops of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, especially garbage heaps present an ugly l

METRO POST
Adiala Road residents still without water supply I want to remind MNA Malik Abrar and MPA Chaudhry Ayaz about their promise with more than 10,0

Toastmasters Club celebrates 85th anniversary
Islamabad: Islamabad Toastmasters, a local pubic speaking training club, celebrated the 85th anniversary of Toastmasters International on November 3rd

briefs...
Book on health economic planning launched Islamabad: The National Language Authority (NLA) here on Friday launched a book titled ‘Economics a