07 March 2011

"President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday urged the United States to prevent mistrust caused by isolated diplomatic incidents from spoiling ties between the two nations. Relations between Washington and Islamabad have been strained since police arrested Raymond Davis, a US national who has confessed to killing two men in self-defence on a busy street in Lahore on January 27. Revelations that Davis was a CIA contractor have heaped pressure on Zardari’s...

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07 March 2011

"In its first meeting of the year, the Conference on Disarmament (CD) again fell prey to Pakistan’s opposition to the Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT). The resolution on the ‘Programme of Work’ for the commencement of negotiations could not be agreed since the 64-member CD works on consensus. Pakistan’s principal opposition is on the issue of stocks of fissile material, which the treaty in its present form does not...

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07 March 2011

"The emergency needs of women and children have soared this year largely due to last year’s massive floods in Pakistan and earthquake in Haiti, the U.N. children’s fund UNICEF said on Monday as it launched a record $1.4 billion appeal. The sum represents a 21 percent increase over UNICEF’s 2010 appeal, reflecting the growing severity and frequency of natural disasters. 'The past year was one of unprecedented challenges,' said...

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07 March 2011

"Many of the factors that led to uprisings in the Arab world also exist in Pakistan and Afghanistan. But guest columnist Ahmed Rashid says the Taliban, who have escalated violence to unprecedented levels, would harness any revolt in this unstable region. [...] In Pakistan, the Pakistani Taliban - both in the north-west and in Punjab province - are on the offensive. [...] The lack of will and leadership shown by both the Afghan and Pakistani...

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