Japan To Send Helicopters To Help Pakistan
August 19, 2010
Japan said Thursday it will send a military helicopter unit to assist with relief efforts in Pakistan following the devastating floods.
Defense Toshimi Kitazawa ordered the armed forces Thursday to prepare for sending in response to a request by the Pakistani government, his ministry said in a statement.
Japan is expected to send a unit of six transport helicopters and 300 troops for the relief mission, Kyodo News agency reported.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Katsuya Okada told reporters that the advance team of about 20 employees were to leave for Pakistan on Thursday.
Okada said that Japanese troops are likely to work in southern Pakistan, where security situation is relatively stable, to provide food and medicines, and transport people in the international relief effort.
“We also bear in mind the importance of Pakistan in addressing the issues of Afghanistan, which is considered a hotbed of terrorism,” said Okada.
He said that the United States also “unofficially” asked Japan to provide assistance to Pakistan.
The Japanese government fact-finding team visited Pakistan from Friday to assess the needs of the country, the security situation and other conditions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Tokyo has already sent 14.4 million dollars as emergency assistance to help Pakistan cope with the disaster.
Pakistan suffered its worst floods in 80 years from the end of July, with millions of people affected by the flood, which prompted the United Nations Ban Ki-moon to urge the world to increase international assistance.
The Militants, Police Clash In Peshawar, Khyber
August 18, 2010
The militants attacked police posts in Pakistan in the northwest and killed two civilians working in the fight against the Taliban, police said medium.
With militants killed two of the first members of the militia in the area of Peshawar Adezai, as they headed to pray at the mosque Tuesday night, said Liaquat Ali Khan, police chief of Peshawar.
Within a few hours after dozens of militants from the Khyber tribal region attacked police posts in the area Sarband Peshawar. The two sides exchanged fire for about an hour before the militants retreated into Khyber, said Khan.
He said several militants were killed, but there were no police casualties.
Clashes rebels offer are not abandoning his campaign against the state, despite the floods, which affected about 20 million people – or 1 in 9 Pakistanis.
”When the police forces are engaged in search and rescue operations on the flow of affectees, gunmen tried to exploit the situation to attack Peshawar, but the police forces are fully alert and vigilant,”said Khan.
1 More Dead In Karachi Target Killings
August 17, 2010
One person was killed in the incident of premeditated murder in Karachi on Tuesday, television reports quoted sources as saying.
Unidentified gunmen opened fire on a Maulana Furqan, when he was on his way home after the imam during prayer Fajr.
Furkan was taken to hospital but died of his wounds shortly after it was reported that.
‘Parliament With Unlimited Powers Can Secularise State’
August 16, 2010
Supreme Court hearing petitions to challenge the 18th Amendment, on Monday.
17-judge full court headed by the Supreme Court Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, heard petitions challenging certain provisions in the amendments.
During the hearing, federal lawyer said that the parliament’s powers are limitless.
In response, Chief Justice Iftikhar said that the unlimited powers may secularise the country.
In addition, Justice Khalilur Ramday Rahman said that the parliament has limitless powers.
3.5 Million Children At Risk Of Deadly Diseases
August 16, 2010
According to UN estimates, up to 3.5 million children are at high risk of deadly water-borne diseases in Pakistan following the devastating floods in the country, the UN envoy said Monday.
Maurizio Giuliano, spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that the World Health Organization is also preparing to provide aid to tens of thousands of people in the case of cholera.
The World Health Organization is preparing to help nearly 140,000 people in the event that any of cholera, but authorities have not informed us of any case is confirmed.
“Up to 3.5 million children at high risk of deadly water-borne diseases including diarrheal diseases, such as watery diarrhea and dysentery, he said, estimating the total number at risk of such diseases, for 6 million.
Typhoid, hepatitis A and E are also concerns, he said.
“What concerns us most of the water and health. Clean water is essential to preventing deadly water-borne diseases. Water during floods, badly polluted. There is a shortage of clean water,” he added.
Ocha said he feared that Pakistan is on the verge of “a second wave of death”, if more donor funds are justified.
“Mortality of the prevalence of these diseases increases. We do not have the figures at the moment, but WHO is working around the clock to support the Government to make the numbers,” said Giuliano.
‘India’s aid offer being under considered’:Mr Krishna
August 14, 2010
Pakistan on Friday seemed to know how to respond to the $ 5 million aid offer from India to help it meet its flood crisis.
The proposal was made by Indian Foreign Minister S. Krishna in a phone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Mr Krishna described the proposal as a “gesture of solidarity with the people of Pakistan in their hour of need”, the statement of the Indian High Commissioner here said.
In a statement the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here on appeal, Mr. Krishna did not mention India’s proposal to help. However, sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that he was under consideration.
“We have not rejected the offer immediately, but the decision will be taken soon.
10 People killed In Road Crash In Mach Tehsil
August 13, 2010
At least 10 people were killed and 13 injured when a van collided with a trailer with Mach Tehsil on Thursday.
The accident occurred when the driver lost control of the trailer, police said.
The victims were taken to Civil Hospital Quetta.
Staging area for staff reached the spot and took two cars into custody.
United State Raises Aid, Plans Meeting On Pakistan
August 12, 2010
United States, which on Wednesday raised its contribution to $ 72 million, plans to convert an international conference in Brussels in a session on rehabilitation after the floods in Pakistan.
“Ukraine is faced with an incredible combination of problems,” said U.S. special envoy, Richard Holbrooke. “I know no other country which is faced with more challenges.”
Friends of Democratic Pakistan Group was scheduled to be held in Brussels in October, and U.S. plans to turn it into a conference on the floods, he said. The group was founded in New York in 2008 for the consolidation of democracy in Pakistan and to support social and economic development in the country.
“When the water recedes, we have the monumental task of reconstruction, more Swat last year – the replacement cost will exceed the relief efforts,” Mr. Holbrooke warned.
U.S. Ambassador, who looked very much like while talking about the floods, said that the Obama administration in the daily meetings to review the emergency.
“We know how serious it is. The President (Barack Obama), Secretary (Hillary Clinton), and I know how serious it is. But we have to do some education,” to tell other, “he said.
A special meeting, which includes representatives of the White House, State Department, Pentagon and NATO, reviews daily reports from its embassy in Islamabad.
1,000 People killed In Target Killing In Karachi
August 12, 2010
1,000 People killed In Target Killing In Karachi:Capital Police (CCPO) Karachi, Waseem Ahmed on Thursday showed that more than 1000 people were killed over the past seven months in the city.
Ahmed said that in 1000 more than 200 victims of targeted killings. Police managed to arrest several persons involved in the killings, he added.
The police chief said that more than 300 settlements of the city have been declared sensitive.
We also have information about groups planning of ethnic and religious strife during the holy month of Ramadan, Ahmed warned.
Instructions have been issued to enhance security measures within a month, he added.
U.S. Urges India To Provide Military Aid to Pakistan
August 10, 2010
Senior U.S. defense official sought Tuesday to calm the concerns of India about the U.S. supply of arms to rival Pakistan.
U.S. Deputy Defense Michele Flournoy told reporters in New Delhi that Washington “clearly seen” as those hands are used in Pakistan.
The United States is “aware of these problems, as we take steps to support the equipment for Pakistan’s current counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism purposes,” she said at the end of 2-day trip to India.
Indian Defence Minister AK Anthony said last month that the extent of U.S. military aid to Pakistan was “disproportionate to the war on terror”, for which it was intended.
“We believe that there is every opportunity to divert this sophisticated equipment, for India,” Anthony said during talks with the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen.
India has previously protested the proposed delivery of unmanned U.S. planes to Pakistan.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars since the division of the subcontinent in 1947, and their relationships to suffer from mutual distrust.
Washington regards Pakistan as an integral part of winning the war in Afghanistan, as Taliban and al-Qaida linked insurgents targeting coalition forces to roam the mountainous region separating the two countries.
Pakistan received more than $ 1 billion a year from Washington to combat it by Islamist militants.
