US General James called on CJCSC at GHQ

General James N. Mattis Commander US CENTCOM called on General Khalid Shameem Wynne Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) on Sunday. According to Inter Service Public Relation (ISPR), both the leaders discussed various matters of mutual interests and emerging geo–strategic situation in the region. ISPR said that CJCSC Wynne expressed his concern about the negative statements emanating from US. He stressed upon addressing the irritants in the relationship which are a result of an extremely complex situation.

Saudi Arabia gives women right to vote

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has said women will have the right to stand and vote in future local elections and join the advisory Shura council as full members. "Because we refuse to marginalise women in society in all roles that comply with sharia, we have decided, after deliberation with our senior ulama [clerics] and others … to involve women in the Shura council as members, starting from the next term," Abdullah, 87, said in a speech. "Women will be able to run as candidates in the municipal election and will even have a right to vote," he added.

Gilani calls political leaders, discusses security situation

ISLAMABAD:-
                            The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Yousuf Raza Gilani contacted leaders of various political parties in Pakistan on Sunday to discuss the country’s security situation and also the developments in Pak-US relations, DawnNews reported.
According to details, Gilani called the chief of Pakistan Muslim League-N Mian Nawaz Sharif, MQM Chief Altaf Hussain, head of ANP Asfandyar Wali, head of Jamat-e-Islami, Munawar Hassan, JUI Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PML-Q leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed of the Awami Muslim League.
All the leaders were taken into confidence by the prime minister who stated that Pakistan will respond with honesty to the false allegations made by the US.
Gilani said that the US has placed the allegations on the entire population of Pakistan. He said that these allegations will damage the efforts made thus far in the fight against terrorism.
The political leaders assured Gilani that they will cooperate with the government to ensure the nation’s well-being.

Some countries have contact with Haqqani Network

Pakistan News:-

                              ISPR spokesman said that the Inter-Services Intelligence – ISI has contacts with Haqqani Network but it is not mean that Pakistan army support the Haqqani Network.

Major General Athar Abbas give a statement that ISI contacts with the Haqqani Group but it is not mean that they have support the Haqqani Network.

He more added that the contact of any banned group for the sake of peace and it is not mean that they have supporting anyone.

A peaceful tie with adversary group was need for intelligence agencies.

Pakistan is not single country who is contact with Haqqani’s he said he have powerful information that some other countries also contact with Haqqani Network.

Athar Abbas said Haqqani network was based in Nooristan and Kunar provinces of Afghanistan.

He added that any one-sided US operation inside Pakistan would needle severe anti-US reaction.

Kayani calls emergency Corps Commanders meeting

ISLAMABAD:-

                            Pakistan’s army chief General Ashfaq Kayani on Sunday called a ‘special’ meeting of his top commanders to discuss the security situation, the military said, as the war of words with the United States escalated.

The extraordinary meeting of the corps commanders came against the backdrop of sharp US allegations that Pakistan army’s spy agency supported the Haqqani militant group Washington blames for the recent attack on its embassy and other targets in Kabul.

In a terse two-line statement, the military said the commanders would “review (the) prevailing security situation.”

Kayani, who is departing for London later tonight to address the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Royal College of Defence Studies, is chairing the meeting.
“The meeting reflects the gravity of crisis,” retired general, turned security analyst, Talat Masood said.
“They will issue a statement to express solidarity (within the military) and to show that they all are on one page.”
The corps commanders meeting comes a day after Kayani met with US CENTCOM commander General James N. Mattis in Pakistan, but military spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas said the two meetings were “unrelated.”
Contacts with Haqqanis
In an interview with CNN, Abbas acknowledged that army’s Directorate of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) maintained contacts with the Haqqani network, but said that didn’t mean it supported it.
“Any intelligence agency would like to maintain contact with whatever opposition group, whatever terrorist organisation … for some positive outcome,” he told CNN in a telephone interview.
However, he said there was a huge difference between maintaining those contacts to facilitate peace and supporting it against an ally.
In the most blunt remarks by a US official since Pakistan joined the US-led war on militancy in 2001, the outgoing chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, on Thursday testified before the US Senate that the Haqqani militant network is a “veritable arm” of the ISI.
He also for the first time held Islamabad responsible for the Kabul attack, saying Pakistan provided support for that assault.
On Saturday night, Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani rejected US allegations as a sign of American “confusion and policy disarray”.

“We strongly reject assertions of complicity with the Haqqanis or of proxy war,” Gilani said, breaking off from a speech to aid agencies and foreign diplomats on the country’s flood disaster.

Although Pakistan officially abandoned support for the Taliban after the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States in 2001 and allied itself with Washington’s “war on terror”, analysts say elements of the ISI refused to make the doctrinal shift.

Gilani’s Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar told Washington on Friday that it risked losing an ally if it kept accusing Islamabad of playing a double game in the war against militancy, and escalating a crisis in ties triggered by US forces’ killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in an unannounced raid in May.

Security analyst Masood said the sharpened rhetoric between Pakistan and the United States could lead to a “collision”.

One of the options for Pakistan, he said, could be to put pressure on Haqqani fighters to leave Pakistan to avert a confrontation.

“I think both Pakistan and the United States will step back to avoid making things worse.”

Hina Rabbani Khar warned United State

Pakistan News:-

                           Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar warned the United State – US against US sending his military to Pakistan grounds to fight with Haqqani Network.

Foreign Minister said the Pakistan and United State have a commitment and some rules which should not be broken any time.

If US go against the rules and regulation which was signed by both countries so it will be open all doors and options to protect the country.

On the other hand, she is resolute that Pakistan’s policy was to try to find a more serious commitment with the United State and that Hinna Rabbani Khar would like to reject any blameworthiness diversion.

She said if the many goals of United State is not be successful achieved, US don’t make someone a scapegoat.

Khar also warned the United State that is a risk of loss a partner in war on terrorism

Hafeez discusses economic ties with imf, WB leaders

WASHINGTON (Agencies) - Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh has met leaders of major financial institutions during the IMF-World Bank meetings and discussed cooperation for Pakistan’s development.

He held a detailed meeting with David Lipton, who is the first deputy managing director of International Monetary Fund, and discussed various aspects of cooperation with the IMF leader, officials said.

Dr Shaikh also discussed cooperation with the WB team for Pakistan in health, education, infrastructure and economic development areas.

Earlier, the finance minister attended a meeting of Commonwealth finance ministers and spoke about collaboration within the body and its important role in training.

Dr Shaikh met Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, who is chairing the annual IMF-World Bank meetings this year.

The finance minister also met his Saudi counterpart Dr Ibrahim Al Asaf and discussed trade and investment opportunities in Pakistan with him. Both ministers agreed on the need for joint ministerial commission to meet regularly to impart further vigour to bilateral relations.

The Saudi finance minister expressed his country’s interest in investment opportunities in the fields of agriculture and energy. Dr Shaikh appreciated Saudi Arabia’s support for Pakistan on numerous occasions, particularly during last year’s floods.

He also interacted with a number of business leaders and financial management experts of the US and informed them about the state of Pakistani economy and the measures the government is taking to achieve macro-economic stability and reforms in the key sectors.

The finance minister spoke about the privatisation programme and fiscal policies, saying that the government put in place an investment regime that facilitated doing business in the country.

He listed energy, oil and gas exploration, hydro projects, infrastructure and telecommunication as sectors offering vast business promise. Shaikh met representatives of Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Invesco, Goldma Sachs and TIA-CREF and apprised them of business opportunities in Pakistan.

The US business leaders expressed their interest in exploring investment opportunities in Pakistan