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NEWS ANALYSIS - The federal cabinet will be dissolved. The PPP CEC meeting chaired by President Asif Zardari authorized Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to "decide" when to pack up his cabinet and form a new team of "unblemished reputation, integrity, competence and efficiency".
While it had already been decided in principle to dissolve the federal cabinet, the announcement was delayed for a couple of months because the president and the prime minister were not on the same page

SHERGARH - Jamiat Uleema-e-Islam Chief Fazlur Rehman has said staying in the government or otherwise is a secondary issue. "We should have our own priorities before us. To be in or out of government is a secondary issue," Fazlur Rehman said this while talking to his party delegation in Mardan on Saturday.
The delegation comprised provincial media advisor, Faqir ud Din, Saleem Haleemi, Abdul Maula, Muhammad Ali and Haji Ahmad Khan. He underlined that peace could be ensured only if

KARACHI - The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has pinned the permanent reinstatement of over 4,000 workers on a Rs 1.79 per unit tariff increase as well as government institutions clearing the power utility's outstanding dues, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Other demands forwarded by the KESC include the provision of cheaper electricity from WAPDA and ensuring the smooth supply of natural gas from the Sui Southern Company (SSGC), sources told Pakistan Today.
Much of

KARACHI - The Sindh government has started various projects to meet the challenges of natural disasters like earthquakes, floods and droughts in the country and the formation of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) is part of these efforts, Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Information Sharmila Farooqui said on Wednesday.
She said that the country, particularly Karachi, faces the risk of natural calamities like earthquakes and cyclones, however, the government is

ISLAMABAD - Disappointed with the government's lack of commitment to implement the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) proposed reforms agenda within 45 days, the party's leadership has asked its committee to get a positive answer from the government's team or end cooperation if it seems that the government is reluctant to act swiftly.
The PML-N committee, led by Senator Ishaq Dar, told PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday that the government was using "delaying tactics" and

WASHINGTON - Two years after the Obama administration launched a charm offensive with China, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton could not say Wednesday whether Beijing was a friend or foe.
"The reason we're rolling out the red carpet and having President Hu (Jintao) come for a state visit is we think we'll be better to answer such a question as we move forward," Clinton said in an interview with ABC television. "Well, my hope is we have a normal relationship," the chief US

ISLAMABAD - The penalty of Rs 1 million on two private TV channels, Waqt and Samaa, was imposed after giving them ample opportunity to show cause and explain their positions, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) said in a press release on Tuesday.
These channels had projected terrorists and had aired scenes of blood while covering the incident of assassination of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer besides repeatedly airing the interview of the assassin in

LAHORE - A severe cold wave forced most Lahoris to celebrate the New Year and weekend indoors but a few enthusiasts came out on roads to get the best of the winter season. Youngsters performed driving stunts, families arranged indoor dinners while many citizens went to restaurants for having fish and soap.
Fog can prove disastrous for motorists but also brings smiles to faces of children who enjoy the misty season with their own ways. Lahore Grammar School Grade-III student Mohib

LAHORE - Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that his government would stay in power with or without the MQM or any other ally.
Talking to reporters at the Walima ceremony of Hassan Baloch, son of JI leader Liaquat Baloch, Gilani said he had been elected unanimously by parliament and did not see any crisis in the country. The PM said he had cordial relations with PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, who had always shown sagacity.
"I hope Nawaz will not let the democratic system

KARACHI: Things have started to appear ambiguous as the annual election of the board of directors of Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) gets nearer. Various perceptions are currently hovering over the country's largest bourse. According to KSE sources, some 170 active members would be electing five out of nine candidates, most of them new faces, to the directorship of KSE for the calendar year 2011 on December 29.
Zafar Siddiq Moti, Abdid Ali Habib, Haji Ghani Haji Usman, Abdul Majeed

The excessive movement of the MQM on the political front underlines two things: either it is feeling acutely insecure at the hands of its main ally, the PPP, heightened further with the exit of the JUI-F from the coalition or it has a grand design this time to fulfill.
Ever since Fazlur Rehman announced its decision to withdraw his party from the PPP-led government, the MQM is back in action making contacts with everybody from Ch Shujaat Hussain and Salim Saifullah to nonentities

LAHORE: CNG seems to have vanished from Lahore, leaving locals to struggle for gas, as only a few stations in the city are offering gas due to low gas pressure, Pakistan Today has learnt. Tuesday was a CNG day off, as announced by the government, and owing to a low gas pressure the commuters suffered for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday and were seen roaming around deserted gas stations in search of CNG. Most of the CNG stations are non functional because of gas load shedding

LAHORE: The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) would never tolerate injustice with students or teachers and the Punjab government would have to review its policies in this regard, PPP Secretary General Senator Jahangir Badar said on Friday while protesting against police torture of students and teachers outside the Punjab Assembly.
He made these remarks in a press conference at the Lahore Press Club. Badar said that using force could never achieve positive results and baton-charging

LAHORE: Majority of the city's fuel stations stopped selling petrol and diesel around noon on Tuesday in anticipation of a possible increase in prices of petroleum products, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Citizens' problems magnified as CNG stations were also closed due to gas load shedding. Petrol pumps owners expected that Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) will increase the petrol price by Rs 2.5 per litre and diesel by Rs 3 per litre.
Thus, the fuel stations in Model

TEHRAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the best age for girls to get married was between 16 and 18, Iranian newspapers reported on Sunday.
Analysts say such announcements could be part of the government's efforts to gain support among young voters. Iran's parliament in 2004 raised the legally acceptable age of marriage for girls to 15 from nine. "The best age for marriage is between 16 to 18 for girls and 19 to 21 for boys," the Mardomsalari newspaper quoted

ISLAMABAD: The US has warned Pakistan that its failure to go for the much-needed stringent economic reforms, including the expansion of tax base, will result in loosing Washington's backing for Islamabad's efforts to seek financial assistance from international financial institutions (IFIs) and the developed countries.
The current economic crisis confronting Pakistan, US main ally in counter-terrorism efforts, has deeply perturbed the Obama administration and especially

ABU DHABI: Winning the toss and batting first in the two T20s proved fruitless for Pakistan as their batting line up flopped two days running as South Africans completed two easy wins to take the T20 series. With the first ODI of the five match series to be played today at Abu Dhabi, Pakistan team need to seriously do something about their batting.
Pakistan batting is flopping for quite sometime now and they need solidity. Younis Khan will be returning to the side which can