HANGZHOU (China): Pakistan and China on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding for construction of Bunji dam in northern areas of Pakistan. The agreement was signed between Pakistan’s Ministry of Water and, Power and China Three Gorges Project Corporation. Chairman Board of Investment Saleem Mandviwala and Li Yang’an, signed the MoU for their respective sides. President Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan’s ambassador in China Masood Khan and senior Chinese officials witnessed the signing ceremony. Masood Khan…
Posts published in “Uncategorized”
STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN OFFICE, WASHINGTON, JULY 29 MR. CROWLEY: We have Special Representative Richard Holbrooke here back from his trip to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Brussels. And we thought he would be gracious with his time – to kind of give you an update on the situation in both countries, both as we deal with the current situation in Pakistan and also head towards the election in Afghanistan in about three weeks time. Richard, thanks for…
GILGIT, July 27: The Northern Areas Legislative Assembly will not be able to discuss the budget for the region as after dissolution of the cabinet there is no one to present the budget for 2009-10 in the house. Speaking at a session of the assembly on Monday, Nala Speaker Malik Mohammad Miskeen said that since the treasury members were no more advisers after dissolution of the cabinet, there would again be seat management in the…
By Khalid Mustafa ISLAMABAD: The $11.3 billion Diamer-Bhasha Dam has hit snags due to 100-kilometre realignment of the Karakoram Highway (KKH), as the National High Authority (NHA) has jacked up its cost projections by a whopping 45 per cent, which is sure to increase the project cost manifold. As a result, sources said, the Wapda had decided to go the course alone and show the door to the NHA. Wapda has also conveyed to the…
By Abbas Ali GILGIT-BALTISTAN is a simmering cauldron of discontent. The continued deprivation of political, economic and human rights is driving the people of this strategic northern end of Pakistan to desperation. They have been fighting for their rights not just since 1947, when they won liberation from Dogra rule, but since Dogra occupation of 1848. A brief review of history will be in order to understand the current hostile attitude of the people towards…
Washington—The United States is installing radiation detectors at Pakistani ports to check proliferation of nuclear material and weapons of mass destruction to and from the country, a top US official on nuclear security has said. “We do work with Pakistan with the Department of Homeland Security, on Secure Freight Initiative, in putting radiation detectors in their ports. One port is done. Karachi is the second port. We’re negotiating that type of work”, said Thomas D’Agostino,…
ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Water Kamal Majidullah on Friday shocked the authorities concerned and development planners when he vehemently opposed the construction of $11.8 billion Diamer-Bhasha Dam in a meeting of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP), The News has learnt. The meeting was chaired by Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Sardar Aseff Ahmad Ali.The regime, since long, has been claiming that work on the dam portion will kick off in the current…
GILGIT: The murder of Sadiq Ali is a worst example of state terrorism, said central spokesman of the Balawaristan National Front, Safdar Ali. In a statement here, he said the rulers were trying to create a Balochistan-like situation in Gilgit-Baltistan which will never be allowed to materialize. He said the death of Sadiq Ali during the custody of law enforcers was a condemnable act. According to Safdar Ali, another youth Ashiq Hussain is also in…
By Our Correspondent SKARDU: Chairman Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement Manzoor Hussain Parwana has said closing the doors of economic development on the people of Gilgit-Baltistan is tantamount to their economic murder. He said the government of Pakistan should take immediate measures to open the old trade routes from Skardu to Kargil, Ishkoman to Tajikistan and Astor to Srinagar. He said at present Karakoram Highway was the only route of economic activity between China and Pakistan but…
GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan is a disputed area and its final destiny is yet to be decided in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations. Therefore, to launch any mega project in the region is a violation of the international laws. Despite opposition by the people of the region, the government of Pakistan seems hell-bent on construction of the dam. This is being done despite that fact that the World Bank has already refused to provide…
By A Correspondent ISLAMABAD: Efforts are underway to amalgamate and make Gilgit-Baltistan a part of Pakistan and in this regard a committee formed under the directives of the prime minister and the cabinet division has intensified its efforts and asked the ministry of Kashmir affairs and northern areas (KANA) to arrange a briefing on the matter. Highly informed sources say earlier the officials concerned of the KANA division had made it clear on the federal…