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Masood Pak envoy to UN, Riaz Mohammed Khan new foreign secy

    Islamabad: Pakistan has appointed its Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan as its permanent envoy to the UN headquarters in Geneva. According to The News, Masood's appointment is part of a move by Pakistan to reshuffle important posts and portfolios in its foreign office services. Also Pakistan's ambassador to China, Riaz Mohammad Khan is scheduled to take over the post of foreign secretary from Riaz H Khokhar tomorrow. Khan is expected to take care of Pakistan's foreign policy. It's understood that Khokhar being a senior diplomat will be soon given a responsibility abroad. Khokhar will as per the protocol introduce Khan as the new foreign secretary to the guests at a reception at the Foreign Office this evening. Also Pakistan's ambassador to Turkey, Sher Afgan will take over the responsibilities of newly created post of special secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and will be in-charge of all administrative functions.

Chandrika challenges JVP to quit (Go To Top)

     Colombo: Sri Lanka President Chandrika Kumaratunga has challenged the radical Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the major ally in her government, to quit the government if they don't agree with her policy and strategies. ''This is a joke. We cannot take the country forward like this. They are fighting over a word in the agreement with the LTTE. They can (JVP) leave the government if they wish to,'' the Daily Mirror quoted Chandrika as saying in her address to a public rally at Nittambuwa in the Gampaha district on Sunday. She said that JVP continuously made threats over one or the other issue. When Kumaratunga was about to strike a deal with LTTE, the JVP threatened to bring down the government over a "word" in the agreement. The ruling coalition partners don't see eye to eye on many issues ranging from peace process, privatisation to the post-tsunami relief supply. Showing her unhappiness over hurdles created by her partners, she said, "it appears that our people will kill me before Prabhakaran does." If the JVP accepts the President's challenge and quits the ruling coalition, then the government would be sort of thirty numbers in the parliament to ensure its survival. Chandrika might be banking on the assurance from the main Opposition United Natioanl Party (UNP) and the four-party Tamil National Alliance (TNA), who have pledged their support to the President if the JVP quits.

Rains claim 300 lives in southwest Pak (Go To Top)

    Pasni: Pakistan has stepped up the search and rescue operations for tens of thousands affected by flash floods caused by heaviest rains in the country in two decades, in which close to 300 people have been killed. Army and navy helicopters scoured the area affected by a dam burst near the coastal town of Pasni where at least 87 people were killed and up to 2,000 went missing after a dam burst. More than 20,000 people have been affected by subsequent flooding in Pasni, which lies about 800 km (500 miles) south of Quetta, provincial capital of southwestern Baluchistan province. Officials said thousands of soldiers were ferrying people to safety across the Pasni district where two more small dams burst late on Saturday flooding about 20 villages. A provincial official said 200 people had been killed in Baluchistan alone.

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