ISLAMABAD: The third Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA) has concluded in Islamabad with agreement on several vital projects to promote regional development and stability. Later briefing newsmen along with Afghan Finance Minister Kaka Jalil Shams, the Minister of State for Finance and Economic Affairs Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar said Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to modernize border management infrastructure at Torkhan.

The two countries also agreed to take comprehensive measures for harmonizing customs rules and expedite signing of Free Trade Agreements, as well as ECO trade agreement and SAFTA. The Minister of State said on the sidelines of RECCA, Pakistan and Afghanistan began discussions on the new trade agreement in the light of Memorandum of Understanding signed in Washington recently. She said the two countries presently have a bilateral trade of 1.2 billion dollars and the trade agreement would go a long way in formalizing trade between the two countries.

In the energy sector, the two countries agreed to establish Trans-Afghanistan Energy Corridor for providing electricity from Kyrgyzstn and Tajikistan to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The World Bank has reiterated its support for the project.

Afghanistan welcomed Pakistani offer of one thousand scholarships. Other countries participating in the conference also expressed their resolve to support skill development in Afghanistan so as to create productive employment opportunities for Afghan people.

The initiatives agreed upon during the conference in the communication sector includes extension of rail link from Chaman in Pakistan to Kandhar in Afghanistan. The European Union expressed its willingness to sponsor feasibility study of railway across Afghanistan linking major destinations within that country.

Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar said during Business to Business meeting organized on the sidelines of the conference, interest was shown for projects worth ten billion dollars. The Afghan Finance Minister said the conference produced positive results both for his country and Pakistan. He said the understanding arrived at the conference would help forge regional cooperation and help achieve the cherished objective of peace and prosperity.

On this occasion the Islamabad Declaration was unanimously adopted which reiterated the commitment of the regional countries and development partners for continued cooperation with regards to Afghanistan’s economic growth through rehabilitation and reconstruction process. Finally it was decided that the next Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan will be held in Turkey. NNI

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office said on Thursday Pakistan has not granted transit trade rights to India under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in Washington last week. Pakistan and Afghanistan inked MoU to review a transit trade agreement signed by the two countries in 1960s. Reports suggest that the MoU will also allow India to export goods to Afghanistan via Pakistan land route. The reports have led to a debate in Pakistan and business groups and opposition parties are demanding parliamentary discussion over the MoU.

Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said that Pakistan and Afghanistan have signed the MoU to conclude a trade agreement by the end of the year. “Details have yet to be finalized and during negotiations Pakistan will not agree to any provision or arrangement that is not in its national interests,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman said Pakistan is cognizant of its interest and knows how to protect them. To another question about Indian refusal of visa to Pakistani journalists interested to cover Indian elections, the spokesman said Pakistan believes that such interaction between the two people and especially media is important towards enhancing understanding.

Asked to comment on Bangladesh’s demand for apology from Pakistan over alleged atrocities in 1971, the spokesman said under the tripartite agreement signed by Pakistan, Bangladesh and India in April 1974, the issue stands settled. He said the then Minister of State for Foreign Affairs had stated that Pakistan condemns and regrets any crime that may have been committed.

The spokesman said Pakistan attaches immense importance to its brotherly relations with Bangladesh and wants to move ahead for the sake of mutual benefit. He told a questioner that during Pakistan-China strategic dialogue in Beijing yesterday, China reiterated its strong support for Pakistan’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. China assured its full support to Pakistan in addressing the challenges that the country is facing today especially the humanitarian crisis of IDPs.

To a question the spokesman said Pakistan has always underlined the imperative of having holistic and regional approach to address the challenges facing the region. He said there is now strong realization in Washington and other capitals of the world that we need to adopt regional and holistic approach for the purpose. Asked to comment on reports that Pakistan was seeking drone technology from the United States, he said the matter is still under consideration. NNI

ISLAMABAD: The geo-political and geo-strategic situation of Pakistan and Afghanistan offers enormous opportunities for regional cooperation as both countries provide a strategic and social-cultural connect to South Asia and Central Asia. This was stated by Minister of State for Investment Saleem H. Mandiwala while addressing the Business Conference on the sideline of 3rd Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan here on Wednesday.

He said the current volume of trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan stands 1.23 billion dollars which is expected to increase further in the years to come with the expansion of trade. The Minister said Pakistan intends to boost trade and business activities and in this regard a number of MOUs have been signed. Referring new trade and transit agreement recently signed between the two countries in Washington, he said it will increase trade with Afghanistan and boost economic activities.

He said Pakistan has been spending three hundred million dollars in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and to improve health and education sectors besides construction of Torkhum-Jalalabad Highway. He said Pakistan is engaged in building a parallel carriageway.

He said currently Pakistan is constructing the two hundred bed Jinnah General Hospital and Thalacemia Centre in Kabul. Another hospital in Logar and a Kidney Centre in Jalalabad will be setup besides a hostel in Kabul.

The Minister said Pakistan has also announced one thousand scholarships for Afghan students and proposed setting up of model villages for Afghan returnees for skill development. He said Pakistan is the most important and pivotal country in the regional scheme of expanding opportunities and its contribution is viable and sustainable to achieve the common goals towards economic interdependence and individual progress. NNI

WASHHINGTON: President Asif Ali Zardari and his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai here Saturday held a joint meeting with the President of World Bank Group and pledged to improve regional economic cooperation. It was agreed that the two countries will facilitate electricity trade between the Central and South Asia. They viewed the development of CASAREM and its first project, the CASA 1000 project as central to the facilitation of regional electricity trade. As a first step in the development of CASAREM, the CASA 1000 Project will allow the export of existing surplus hydropower from Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic to South Asia during the summer months.

The two Presidents noted that, together with the government of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic, functioning Inter-governmental Council has been established in 2007 and Secretariat in 2008 with the objective of developing CASAREM and the CASA 1000 Project. They further noted that the four governments signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) in August 2008 that expresses their mutual commitments to CASAREM and CASA 1000.

In recognition that the development of a regional electricity market would be beneficial to them and to the region as a whole, the two Presidents agreed to continue to strengthen their bilateral cooperation with Tajikistan and Kyrgyz Republic in the development of both CASAREM and its first project, CASA 1000.

In this connection, it was agreed that they would instruct their representatives to take further steps that may be necessary to ensure the effectiveness and enforceability of the IGA and will endeavor to complete all actions pertaining thereto on an urgent basis.

It includes determining economic viability of the project and tariff estimation and signing of the Joint Development Agreement (JDA), preferably during the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECC-A) to be held in Islamabad on May 13-14. This will facilitate the further development of the various commercial agreements and the selection and contracting party on international competitive bidding basis.

The two Presidents noted their appreciations for the technical assistance being provided by the World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC) through IFC Infra Ventures, Islamic Development Bank, and Asian Development Band and support of the United States for the development of CASAREM and CASA 1000 Project. They affirmed their intent to seek financing from these international finance institutions for the CASA1000 project.

The two Presidents recognized that the completion of CASA 1000 “which is being designed to accommodate an expanded volume of power in the future “ will catalyze additional energy investments and trade both in the four CASA countries as well as the region and that it could have a positive demonstration effect for other regional infrastructure projects between their two countries, such as the up-gradation of Peshawar-Kabul road and the Peshawar-Kabul Rail link.-APP

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has nominated Robert Blake as the Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian affairs dealing with India and Pakistan. He will replace Richard Boucher, who has been frequently visiting Pakistan where he was given access to the country’s top leadership and became involved in the country’s internal matters. A Foreign Service officer since 1985, the veteran diplomat was also Deputy Chief of mission at the US Embassy in New Delhi from 2003 to 2006 besides serving at the US Embassies in Tunisia, Algeria, Nigeria and Egypt.

It was not clear whether Blake, who is currently the US ambassador to Sri Lanka, would be in same position as Boucher since President Obama has appointed a high-level special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan-Richard Holbrooke.

Blake will hold the new office after the US Senate confirms him. As a US Assistant Secretary to South Asia, Blake will also deal with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

He also has held a number of positions at the State Department in Washington. Besides earning a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College in 1980, Blake acquired a Masters in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in 1984. Under his current service as the Ambassador to Sri Lanka, the veteran diplomat asked that Lankan officials to rescue the civilians from LTTE. The rebel group is engaged in civil war for the past 26 years.

Input from Agencies

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday called for developing a comprehensive regional strategy and approach to tackle the menace of terrorism, as also endorsed by the strategic review by the United States. “It is time that we all recognize that terrorism has roots across the region. A regional strategy therefore needs to be developed,” the President stressed.
He was addressing the participants of a two?day conference of Pak?Afghan parliamentarians, experts and editors here at the Aiwan?e?Sadr. The conference, being organized by South Asia Free Media Association, begins in Islamabad on Tuesday.

President Zardari said the strategic review by the U.S. has endorsed the need for a regional approach and a comprehensive strategy that also includes development, as a key element.“This is a welcome development. Hopefully it will herald in change,” he added.

The President said the countries in the region must work together to halt the free flow of weapons, drugs and money, adding, “this must be done through verifiable means and based on consensus.” President Zardari said Afghanistan and Pakistan face the common challenge of fighting terrorism and extremism.

“Together we must meet the challenge. We are determined to reverse the tide of terrorism”.

President Zardari said that the democratic Government has a long term vision of peace and prosperity for the whole region. He said that since assumption of power by the democratic Government in Pakistan, relations with Afghanistan have been transformed. He pointed out that Pakistan and Afghanistan share not only a common history and understanding but also a common future.

The President said the two countries have immense potential to develop and can become a vehicle for promotion of regional trade and economic development. He, however, regretted that due to problems like terrorism and extremism the potential remains untapped and they have to go to the world with begging bowl.

The President said it is unfortunate that the land of Sufis and saints is seeing violence like what happened in Lahore today. “We will have to stand together to fight the threat,” he added. President Zardari said the democratic Pakistan will always be a friend of Afghanistan.

The President recalled his meetings with President Karzai including when President Karzai attended his inauguration as the President of Pakistan in September, then in Istanbul in December on the occasion of the second summit in Turkey. The President also recalled his visit to Kabul in January last and said during his visit to Afghanistan a Joint Declaration on “Directions in Bilateral Cooperation” was concluded.

He complimented SAFMA for taking the timely initiative and hoped the participants will discuss all the issues during their deliberations over the next two days and will make recommendations for building long term partnership between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Earlier, in his speech the leader of 52?member Afghan delegation Amanullah Paiman, who is Deputy Speaker of Afghan lower house, said the two countries should sink their differences to foil designs of the enemies. He said parliamentarians of the two countries can help a lot in fostering relations between the two countries.

Secretary General of SAFMA Imtiaz Alam said the conference is aimed at promoting long term partnership between Pakistan and Afghanistan in different fields including security, economy, education, culture and media. Later, the President hosted a dinner in honour of the participants of the Conference.-APP

SRINAGAR: Amid growing tension in Indo-Pak relations following Mumbai and Lahore attacks, Kashmir is back on international agenda since various foreign groups have once again started to play their role in resolving the longstanding Kashmir issue.

The European Union (EU) delegation visited Kashmir a few days back and interacted here with cross sections of people including chairmen of both the factions of Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. The delegation suggested to the separatist leaders to restart the dialogue process with New Delhi.

The delegation during their visit said that they had come here with the intention to see the ground situation after the assembly elections so that they can form policies for the EU. The delegation left for Muzaffarabad to meet with the political leadership of Pakistan administered Kashmir. Their visit is significant in the sense that EU played a significant role for initiating a composite dialogue process between New Delhi and Islamabad to resolve the Kashmir issue peacefully.

Again when the composite dialogue process got derailed after Mumbai blasts, the EU has intensified its efforts to suggest to New Delhi to restart the dialogue process with the separatist leaders despite Indian leadership claims that high voter turnout in the assembly elections proved that people ignored the poll
boycott call of the separatists.

Another important conference sponsored by Pugwash is being held at Islamabad to push for restart of peace process between the two countries. The mainstream leaders of the state, including Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti also attended the conference. After the assembly elections, this
is the first meeting in which both separatists and mainstream leaders are sharing the same platform.

In her speech during the conference, Mehbooba said that assembly elections had set stage for the solution of Kashmir solution. She also said that post election scenario has created an enabling environment for peaceful and amicable settlement of Kashmir issue.

The assembly election reflects the aspirations and views of all the communities, regions of the State. This institution is morally, politically and legally empowered to represent all stake-holders within the state in a dialogue process that aims at finding a permanent and lasting resolution to the problem, she observed. The former president of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf is also arriving in New Delhi today to attend a programme.

During the programme, he is expected to meet with the chief minister Omar Abdullah and other political leaders including some separatists of the state. They are among other things also to discuss the political developments in the state. Musharaff is expected to brief Indian leaders about his four point formula regarding the solution of the Kashmir issue. The four point formula has already being appreciated by various separatist leaders besides those at New Delhi.

The conference has provided yet another chance to chief minister to explain the autonomy resolution of his party and to convince Indian leadership about it’s important. The then NDA government had rejected the autonomy resolution despite it was passed in the state legislature. NC believes that restoration of internal
autonomy or pre 1953 position is the best possible solution to the Kashmir issue.

These important deployments about the solution of the Kashmir issue had almost got sidelined because of Mumbai and Lahore attacks. This is quit contrary to the past whenever there was a forward moment about the Kashmir it used to generate a debate and interest among people and political circles here.

It is expected that both Mehbooba and Omar will take up the issue of these conference in the coming parliamentary elections to convince people that their parties are serious about resolution of Kashmir issue.-SANA

Pakistan Times is elated to release an exclusive interview of Madam Ajeet Cour with special courtesy to Dhaka based Weekly Blitz. Madam Ajeet Cour 74-year-old Founder-President of Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature; which has been working tirelessly, with total passion, dedication and devotion, since 1987, to create cultural connectivity in the SAARC region. SAARC FESTIVAL OF LITERATURE is being held at Agra, the city of Taj Mahal, over four days, 13-16 March, 2009.

I was in fact invited by esteemed Ajeet Cour to attend this Festival; unfortunately my prior commitment did not allow me to be on this event. I sincerely appreciate her efforts for organizing this event for only artists and writers can play role in diffusing tensions in SAARC region. In this regard i am really grateful to Mr. Frank Huzur who played a positive role in conducting this interview.

Profile: Ajeet Cour was born on November 16, 1934 in Lahore, Pakistan. Having begun her writing career as a romantic, she has matured into a realist. Her short stories portray the unequal situation of women in human relationships, suffering from under-privileged positions in relation with their husbands and lovers. Throughout her works she projects a woman’s failure to find a home instead of merely a house.

More recently Ajeet Cour has emerged as a crusader for women’s issues in perceptive columns displaying a courage of convictions. Readers eagerly look forward to her reportage of cultural events. She has many awards to her credit including Shiromani Sahitkar Award, 1979; International IATA Award, 1984; Sahitya Akademi Award, 1985; Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad Award, 1989; Punjabi Sahita Sabha Award, 1989. At present she is chairperson, Academy of Fine Arts and Literature, New Delhi. The Library of Congress has twenty-one works of her in its collection.

Lets discover what she bears in her heart and head:

How does it feel to orgainse a literature festival of writers of SAARC region in the aftermath of Mumbai terror attacks?

Ajeet Cour: The tragic incidents of unprecedented horror in Bombay have pushed all of us in the creative fraternity, particularly the sensitive fiction writers and poets, artists and academics, social philosophers and peace activists and journalists of both Pakistan and India, in deep depression. There was unbelievable outpouring of anger and hatred, first against our own government followed by contempt against our immediate neighbour. But I honesty feel that when the river is in flood, and the winds are howling, blowing in the opposite direction, that is the time for creative and sensitive people to hold hands and swim against the current. Writers have been putting their pen to paper against terrorism in Great Britain and the USA. Penning protest literature against the cancerous menace in Saarc societies has never been felt more than now.

We feel all of us the creative fraternity of the neighbouring countries, should put in more effort, be more genuinely aware of the turbulences, and should own our responsibility to have serious deliberations about the issues of fundamentalism and terrorism, and recognise the evil design of forces, which manufacture terrorism.

At a time when public sentiment is hostile towards Pakistan, how difficult and challenging it is to convince authors, poets and artists of Pakistan to participate in the 29th SAARC Festival of Liteature?

Ajeet Cour: It has been difficult and challenging task to engage authors and poets from Pakistan, as much as it has been to convince writers and poets in India to explore the ground of solidarity and engagement. At the outset itself I made it clear to participants from Pakistan that we are meeting to talk peace and hold each other in tight embrace of friendship and conviviality and that Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature will not allow debates and discussions on contentious issues like Kashmir. However, some intellectuals from Pakistan and India took strong exception to my peace pilgrimage in guise of literary debates and wrote to me in protest. I have been forthright in my conviction that contentious issues should be left for politicians to rant and rave about. Writers have unique opportunity to rise above narrow, partisan considerations. It’s high time we seize the historic moment and raise our voice against common enemy of terrorism.

Why did you choose Agra, the city of Taj Mahal (one of seven wonders of the world) as a venue for the festival?

Ajeet Cour: The city of Taj Mahal, Agra, was on my mind for quite some time. I conceived the festival of literature in Agra before mind-numbing terror attacks on Bombay. Since the Bombay attacks have acquired symbolic value for ghastly targeting of heritage hotel like Taj, the venue of Agra acquires more resonance in these times. I am confident the city of Taj will send out the larger message of peace and justice. Peace and justice is the final end of our battles in life. Those who are abandoning non-violence are not only bypassing history, they are freezing and betraying history. The history of Saarc countries has been a history of peace and justice. Writers are coming together to drive home this message hard and fast.

You are organizing writers’ meet of SAARC countries since 1987. What has been, according to you until today, the greatest achievement of your Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature?

Ajeet Cour: Since April 28-30, 1987, I have been working tirelessly with total devotion and commitment. It was the first-ever revolutionary endeavour for cultural connectivity with neighbouring Saarc countries. Until then, writers from Pakistan had found it enormously difficult to get even visa. I ran from pillar to post in the Ministry of External Affairs, convincing recalcitrant minds to allow for the first-ever Indo-Pak Writers Conference. Writers from Pakistan set foot on Indian soil for the first time since the partition of the country in 1947 for the first ever Indo-Pak Writers Conference. My endeavour gradually bore fruits and I succeeded in organizing the first-ever SAARC Writers Conference in April 2000. Now, Foundation of Saarc Writers and Literature is honoured with the unique status of SAARC Apex Body, with exclusive mandate to use the acronym SAARC and the SAARC Logo for all its activities connected with writers and literature, and culture-oriented programmes in all eight SAARC countries. In 1999, I reached out to the writers, scholars, academics, journalists and artists of Afghanistan. Last year in 2008, I have begun to invite writers and poets from Myanmar, too.

India is hosting quite a great number of literary festivals, of late. Jaipur Festival is another one, attracting writers from far and wide. How different would be SAARC Festival of Literature from Jaipur Festival?

Ajeet Cour: Frequency of hosting festival of all hues, cultural and literary, has of course reached new high in recent decade. Festival always make us more wiser. However, I would like to make it clear Jaipur Literature Festival is different from SAARC Festival in its scope and dimensions. The Jaipur Lit. Fest enjoys unprecedented corporate sponsorship, and it is more of a carnival of contemporary literature in English. SAARC Festival, over the years, has given maximum significance to literature in regional languages, literature of the marginalized and those living on the fringe of society. Besides, Foswal festival accords priority to vanishing arts form, folk tales and young writers.

How do you look up to the Government of India in organizing the festival? In these times of terror-stricken streets, how has Government of India responded to your literary initiatives?
Ajeet Cour:—————

You are an eminent fiction writer, by all standards, acclaimed in not only SAARC countries, but also far and wide through translations of your seminal works in Punjabi. Do you go by certain benchmark in promoting writers in the SAARC region?

Ajeet Cour: Like I said earlier, my focus, unflinching focus is to provide platform for writers and scholars, poets and academics, journalists and artists, peace and human rights activists, visual and performing artists, publishers and the literary minds, playwrights and translators of the SAARC region to interact freely with their contemporary neighbouring creative and intellectual fraternity, discussing issues connected with the written word, with history and historical memories, with the anguish of exiles and homelessness, with rootlessness which makes us outsiders, with understanding and respecting the otherness of the others, sharing their common concerns with poverty, illiteracy and hunger, with terror and fundamentalism, with saving the sanctity of the written word, with the marginalized in literature like dalits and ‘Adivasis’: the people with centuries-old oral literature, with the urgent need for peace and tranquility in the region.

You have been popular for your creative affinity with former Indian Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh. With his passing away in evening of 26th of November, how do you look back at his legacy and his contributions to your literary and peace initiatives?

Ajeet Cour: The passing away of V.P.Singh left me grief-stricken, tragedy struck me deep within, for it was not an ordinary loss. He was a poet and painter first to me and my painter daughter Arpana Caur. Ever since the inception of Foswal, he was passionately associated with the dream of Foswal. We fought shoulder to shoulder for the rights of displaced, marginalized and tribal. The news of his death in the evening of 26th November 2008 was a bolt from the blue. That it coincided with the deadliest terror attacks on Indian soil, Bombay, further compounded my woes. The Indian media, especially television channels, virtually ignored the news, giving precedence to TRP-boosting hysterical coverage of the terror attacks.

You are hailed as an enthusiastic promoter of young writers of all genres. Are you satisfied with themes and subjects New Age writers are taking up in their literature?

Ajeet Cour: There is a saying in youth we learn; in age we understand. An Irish proverb says praise youth and it will prosper. I am a firm believer in promotion of young writers. In each Festival of literature, I make humble efforts to discover young talents in the Saarc countries. Young writers are dealing into a wide range of themes, though, majority of them are fascinated by exotic themes. I only urge them, exhort them not to forget their roots, for in their roots and civlisational links are buried myriad sources of novel literature. I feel happy over the unprecedented success of young authors like Arvind Adiga and Basharat Peer. More importantly, both these success stories in modern literature are journalist-turned-author. They are setting a promising precedent for a vast crowd of young writers and journalists.

You are inviting writers to talk about their roles in soothing the troubled hearts in conflict zones. You yourself have written about your own experience of that terrorized decade in Punjab, speaking fearlessly about state terror, helping to bring cases of the Supreme Court even and the horrors of massacre of Sikhs in Delhi, Kanpur, and various other cities in 1984. Does conflict and turbulence bring out the best out of a writer?

Ajeet Cour: The age of turbulence has always stirred hearts and minds of sensitive souls. History is replete with scores of precedence when some of best narratives were woven in hours of monumental tragedy. Leo Tolstoy’s epic literature, War and Peace is a tribute to conflict and turbulence in Franco-Russian territory, just as Khushwant Singh’s A Train To Pakistan is a tribute to horrific events of partition. Literature itself is a war between emotion and intellect. Living in the age of terror and conflict does jolt our senses to think through the prism of death and devastation.

A question that left and i leave it for you to decide; can people from all walks of life think similar way?

ISLAMABAD: The government on Wednesday registered cases against 13 peoples including Ajmal Kasab allegedly involved in Mumbai attacks here. According to sources, the cases were registered in the light of investigations conducted by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and recommendations of Defense Committee of the Cabinet. The sources claimed that 3 people were arrested from Karachi out of 13; however, Ajmal Kasab was already in prison in India and 9 others were identified by FIA. The case was registered under Anti-Terrorism Amendment Act.

While Advisor for Prime Minister on interior Rehman Malik Wednesday denied the media repots that Pakistani authorities have registered case against Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving in Mumbai terror attacks. Talking to newsmen Rehman Malik said no case has been registered in this regard. He urged media to avoid overstating the issue.-SANA

[image: New Jersey Blog]

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has felicitated to the newly elected President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. In his message, he said,

“I wish to extend my heartiest felicitations on your election as the 19th President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Your unanimous election is reflective of the trust and confidence that the nation has in your leadership and a tribute to your long and outstanding services to the country”.

He said that peoples of Pakistan and Bangladesh have regained their democratic rights after a relentless struggle and many sacrifices as Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto laid her life for this noble cause.

“I look forward to working closely with Your Excellency to further expand and deepen the mutually beneficial cooperation that exists between our two countries. I am confident that our fraternal relations will continue to strengthen in the years ahead

: he added.