Islamabad: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday sought to put his simmering row with the powerful military behind, saying he had criticised the actions of the Army and intelligence chiefs in "unique situations" that no longer prevailed. Referring to his comments about the army and ISI chiefs acting in an unconstitutional and illegal manner in the memo scandal, Gilani said those remarks were made at a time when "there...
09:01 PM, Jan 25, 2012
Beirut: The UN Secretary General on Sunday demanded that Syria's president stop killing his own people, and said the "old order" of one-man rule and family dynasties is over in the Middle East. In a keynote address at a conference on democracy in the Arab world, Ban Ki-moon said the revolutions of the Arab Spring show that people will no longer accept tyranny. "Today, I say again to President (Bashar)...
03:45 PM, Jan 15, 2012
Islamabad: Amidst fears of a military coup in Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari left for Dubai for a one-day visit, according to reports. Senior reporter of Dawn News Mateen Haidar said that Presidential sources have termed Zardari's visit as a private visit. Sources also said that Zardari will meet his children and doctors in Dubai. Sources also indicated that Zardari may meet former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. Meanwhile, responding to...
02:16 PM, Jan 12, 2012
New Delhi: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan lashed out at the Pakistan government led by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, demanding their resignation. He said that early elections were the only way out of the country's current crisis, but also added that he won't support a military coup. "I have been hearing 'go Zardari go' slogans. If you are serious, then resign from the Assembly...
12:49 PM, Jan 12, 2012
Washington: The United States has said it is monitoring the situation in Pakistan and reiterated its commitment to a civilian-led democracy there. The strong statement in support of the civilian government gains significance in the wake of the increased tension between the government led by the President, Asif Ali Zardari, and the Pakistani military led by its Army Chief, Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani. This has given rise to speculation of...
08:47 AM, Jan 12, 2012
Washington: Amid growing tension between the civilian and military leadership in Pakistan, the US has said it had not sought or received any assurances from the Pakistani Army that it would not stage a coup. "I'm not aware that we've sought any assurances, and I don't think we're aware that we've been given any. This is a matter for Pakistani officials and the government leaders there, military and civilian, to...
08:24 AM, Jan 12, 2012
Washington: In 10 years from 1995 to 2005, the military expenditure in South Asia increased by 50 per cent, and one in every 10 military personnel in the world are in this part of the globe, a US report has said. "From 1995 to 2005, the military expenditures of the states of South Asia appear to have risen about 50 per cent in absolute terms and about 23 per cent...
11:11 AM, Jan 11, 2012
New Delhi: Army chief General VK Singh is trying to play down his disagreement with the Defence Ministry over a prolonged and messy age row that threatened to impact his tenure. When asked whether he had any disagreement with the government, Army Chief General VK Singh said, "There is no difference of opinion with the Defence Ministry regarding the age issue." The Army chief remained non-committal on whether or not...
03:43 PM, Jan 10, 2012
Baghdad: Two bombs exploded near Shi'ite pilgrims travelling through Iraq's capital on Monday, killing at least 15 people and wounding 52 others, police and hospital sources said. Thousands of Shi'ites are making the annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Kerbala for the Arbain religious rite amid Iraq's worst political crisis in a year after the Shi'ite-led government moved against two prominent Sunni politicians. The crisis threatens to unravel Iraq's...
02:23 AM, Jan 10, 2012
The United States is boosting its military presence in the Asia Pacific region as it looks to counter China's rising power. President Barack Obama made the announcement following a wide-ranging review into defence spending. China is now reacting to the newly implemented strategy. ...
11:35 AM, Jan 09, 2012
The United States is boosting its military presence in the Asia Pacific region as it looks to counter China's rising power. President Barack Obama made the announcement following a wide-ranging review into defence spending. China is now reacting to the newly implemented strategy. ...
11:17 AM, Jan 09, 2012
New Delhi: In an overnight change of stance, India on Saturday decided to go ahead with sending the military delegation to China as scheduled next week but scaled it down from 30 to 15 after visa was denied to a senior IAF officer hailing from Arunachal Pradesh. Sources said the Staff Officers' delegation will travel to China from January 10 as scheduled as part of defence exchanges programme. However, instead...
02:35 PM, Jan 07, 2012
New Delhi: In yet another provocation, China has denied visa to a senior IAF officer hailing from Arunachal Pradesh, who was to travel as part of a military delegation, after which India put the visit on hold. Group Captain M Panging, based in Northeast, was refused visa by the Chinese embassy without being given any reasons, sources said. Reacting strongly, India put on hold the visit that was to start...
09:30 PM, Jan 06, 2012
Tehran: Iran is planning new military exercises near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, according to a naval commander, after threatening to close the strait and completing another set of maneuvers. One sixth of the world's oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's threat to close the passage if the West imposes sanctions on its own oil exports unsettled an already nervous world oil market. The semiofficial Fars news agency...
03:31 PM, Jan 06, 2012
Washington: US President Barack Obama vowed on Thursday the United States will remain the world's pre-eminent military power even as the Pentagon scales back spending, shrinks the Army and Marine Corps and pulls back from Europe. In a rare appearance at the Pentagon, Obama said the U.S. is "turning a page" after having killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, withdrawn troops from Iraq and begun to wind down the war...
02:11 AM, Jan 06, 2012
New Delhi: General VK Singh on Thursday played down the entire age row episode saying he had no axe to grind with the government. The Defence Ministry has already begun the search for the next Army chief in a bid to avoid any confusion in case General Singh quits or if a court rejects his plea before his official tenure comes to an end. In normal circumstances the name of...
10:26 AM, Jan 05, 2012
New Delhi: The Defence Ministry has begun the search for the next Army chief in a bid to avoid any confusion in case General VK Singh quits or if a court rejects his plea before his official tenure comes to an end. The government says he will retire in April this year, but General Singh is fighting a legal case to have his birthdate moved back one year, thereby giving...
07:34 AM, Jan 05, 2012
New Delhi: In a major setback for Indian Army chief General VK Singh, the defence ministry on Friday rejected his statutory complaint seeking a change in his year of birth from 1950 to 1951 in the official records. The decision by Defence Minister AK Antony on the complaint has made it clear that the Army chief will retire from service on May 31, 2012, sources said. Singh had earlier claimed...
08:43 PM, Dec 30, 2011
Peshawar: Police say a suicide car bomber has attacked a paramilitary camp in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least five soldiers. Police officer Tahir Khan says the attack on Saturday in Bannu town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province also injured 18 soldiers. A spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, Ehsanullah Ehsan, claimed responsibility for the attack. He said they targeted the troops to avenge the killing of a Taliban commander in a recent...
10:47 AM, Dec 24, 2011
Baghdad: US forces formally ended their nine-year war in Iraq on Thursday with a low key flag ceremony in Baghdad, while to the north flickering violence highlighted ethnic and sectarian strains threatening the country in years ahead. "After a lot of blood spilled by Iraqis and Americans, the mission of an Iraq that could govern and secure itself has become real," Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said at the ceremony at...
03:47 AM, Dec 16, 2011
