Pakistan Air Force VVIP Boeing 707 sold for only Rs8.4 million

ISLAMABAD: An audit report by the Ministry of Defence has revealed that a VVIP Boeing 707 of the Pakistan Air Force was sold for just Rs8.4 million.
The sale which took place in 2008 was not in consultation with the Finance Division. The plane was sold to a private individual without an auction. Documents provided by Pakistan Air Force stated that the Boeing 707 was in good condition. Neither the book value nor the purchase price of the plane was provided for the audit.
According to Air Force officials, the case was reviewed in the Air Headquarters before the aircraft deal and it was suggested to the Lahore Air Force base that the aircraft should be auctioned.
The audit calls for the Ministry of Defence to probe the sale of the plane and hold those responsible accountable.

PML-F rejects army operation in Karachi

KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) leader Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi (Pir Pagara) endorsed the targeted action in Karachi and rejected the demand of army operation in Karachi, Geo News reported.
Addressing a press conference here, Rashdi said had the army been called in Karachi then other cities might also demand the same, adding that calling military in the megapolis would harm the democracy.
Criticizing the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), He said that PPP won by-polls as it was ruling the Sindh and the by-elections were an experiment for PML-N. He further said that Victory and defeat, both are the part of politics and it shouldn't be taken on heart.
The PML-F leader called all the parties to take decisions that would strengthen the federation, urging the federal government to resolve the issues according to the constitution.

Pakistani Taliban deny secret peace talks with govt

MIRANSHAH: A spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban on Saturday denied media reports that the government was holding peace talks with the insurgent group.
Shahidullah Shahid, main spokesman for the umbrella Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group told news AFP that no contacts had been made between the group and any government official.
“I categorically deny the holding of peace talks on any level between the Taliban and Pakistani government,” Shahid told AFP from an undisclosed location.
“No contacts have even been made between us, nor have we received any offer to initiate peace talks” Shahid added.
Information Minister Pervez Rashid had earlier told Dawn that the government was in secret talks with the Taliban.
“Unofficial talks between the government side and Taliban are in progress,” Rashid told Dawn on Friday.
Rashid said the government's main objective was to restore peace and it would do everything possible to achieve that.
“We have to rid the country of the menace of terrorism for which all options would be utilised,” Rashid was quoted as saying.
The BBC Urdu, quoting an unnamed senior government official and a Taliban commander, had also reported the beginning of peace talks.
“It is complete propaganda, the government must make it public if it has any proof of any such talks,” Shahid said.
The reports of peace talks emerged almost two weeks after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made an offer to the extremists in his first televised address to the nation since taking office after winning elections in May.
The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan last Saturday 'removed' a key commander for welcoming Sharif’s call for dialogue.
Asmatullah Muawiya, the head of the Punjabi Taliban, had said the prime minister had shown maturity.

Indian army kills five near Kashmir border

SRINAGAR: The Indian army said Saturday it killed five suspected militants in northern Kashmir near the Line of Control (LoC), the heavily militarised de facto border dividing the disputed Himalayan territory between India and Pakistan.
An Indian army spokesman claimed the alleged militants were infiltrating from Pakistan-administered Kashmir into Tangdhar on the Indian side, 180 kilometres northwest of the region’s main city of Srinagar, when they were killed.
Indian “soldiers fired upon a group of militants who were seen moving in the area during the night. Five bodies and six automatic rifles were recovered from there after firing from the militants stopped,” Col Rajesh Pandey told news agency AFP.
AFP said the incident could not be independently verified.
According to the Pakistani state-run news agency APP, Indian troops killed at least four men in a siege and search operation in Tangdhar area of Kupwara district.
The incident comes a day after Indian police and troops claimed to have killed five other suspected militants in a forested area of Kangan, near Srinagar.

“I want to leave,” Kaka tells Real Madrid

MADRID: Real Madrid midfielder Kaka has said he is looking to agree a move away from the Spanish giants before the transfer window closes on September 2.
The Brazilian has failed to make much of an impression in the Spanish capital since his 68 million euro ($89 million, #56 million) move from AC Milan in June 2009 in what was then a world transfer record.
It had been hoped that the appointment of his former boss at Milan, Carlo Ancelotti at the Bernabeu may have been able to inspire him to rekindle his old form, but the signing of Isco and the imminent arrival of Gareth Bale has instead seen him slip further down the pecking order.
“I want to leave,” he told reporters after scoring twice in Real's 4-0 friendly win over Deportivo la Coruna on Thursday.

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--> --> --> --> --> --> “I think it is the right moment for me and for the club to leave in an amicable fashion.“I have spoken with Ancelotti and the club so everyone knows. My father (and agent) is speaking now with the club to try and resolve the situation.
“Things are now difficult for me to get into the team and the club know what I want.
“It is my obligation to work and continue training, but my father is already working to see if anything comes up.”
The 31-year-old has been an unused substitute in both Madrid's first two La Liga matches and his desire to leave is even more immediate given that the World Cup will be played in his homeland next year.
He hasn't been called up by Luis Felipe Scolari since March and missed out on the Confederations Cup success back in June.

Eight newly appointed SHC judges take oath

KARACHI: Eight newly appointed additional judges of Sindh High Court (SHC) took oath on Saturday.
The oath taking ceremony was administered by Chief Justice of SHC, Justice Mushir Alam.
Justice Shaukat Ali Memon, Justice Ashraf Jehan, Justice Shahnawaz Tariq, Justice Abdul Malik Gaddi, Justice Nazar Akbar, Justice Muhammad Junaid Ghaffar, Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput and Justice Hasan Feroz are the new additional judges who took oath.
The ceremony was attended by Judges of the Supreme Court, Sindh High Court, representatives of the Bar Association and senior lawyers, among others.
President Zardari, whose five-year-tenure ends in September, had approved the recommendation of the Parliamentary Committee for the appointment of the eight additional judges in SHC on Thursday.

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--> --> --> --> --> --> With the induction of the new additional judges, the total strength of judges at SHC has increased to 32.

250kg heroin seized from Pakistani container in Colombo

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan customs agents claim to have seized 250 kilograms of heroin worth $19 million from a container sent from Pakistan, in what an official says was the largest-ever stock of heroin nabbed in South Asia.
Customs director Mali Piyasena says the heroin was found Friday at a terminal in the capital, Colombo. The heroin was concealed inside 17,500 small grease cans packed into a large container sent from Karachi.
Piyasena says a Pakistani national and three Sri Lankans were arrested in connection to the seizure and will be handed over to the police narcotics division after the completion of a customs investigation.
He says it was the largest-ever haul of heroin seized in South Asia.
Officials say Pakistan is primarily a transit country for opiates and heroin produced in Afghanistan and over 200 tonnes — estimated to be worth between $25 and $30 billion — annually passes through Pakistan “safely”.
According to a report published in Dawn, Pakistan customs officials say between 210 and 240 tonnes of heroin was smuggled from Afghanistan and reached the global market after passing through Pakistan in the year 2011.

Suicide attack kills six in southern Afghanistan

KABUL: Up to six Afghans and 20 others were wounded in a suicide attack outside a bank in southern city of Kandahar, on Saturday.
“The attack took place in the city of Kandahar near the New Kabul Bank branch,” said Javed Faisal, the spokesman for the Kandahar provincial government.
He added that both police and civilians waiting to collect their wages were among the victims.

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--> --> --> --> --> --> A statement from the Kandahar media office stated that the initial death toll showed six dead and 20 wounded. According to the statement, most of the victims were civilians. However, Kandahar police spokesman Ahmad Zia Durrani, gave the toll as five people killed and 22 wounded.
He added that seven of those injured were police officers and the rest were civilians.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
Taliban insurgents are often blamed by Aghan officials for similar attacks across the country.
They have been waging war against the US-backed government of President Hamid Karzai for more than a decade.
Southern Afghanistan is considered a hotbed of the Taliban rebellion, with a strong Taliban presence in Kandahar province.

Delhi gang-rape verdict: Teen sentenced

NEW DELHI: An Indian court found a teenager guilty on Saturday of taking part in the fatal gang-rape of a student in New Delhi last December.
The juveniles' court sentenced the teenager to three years in a correctional facility after handing down the first and long-delayed verdict over the brutal assault on a student on a moving bus in 2012.
“He has been held guilty for rape and murder and sentenced to three years subject to review,” Anil Sharma, the chief investigating officer in the case, told reporters outside the court.
The verdict was delayed after a petition was lodged in the Supreme Court by an opposition politician Subramanian Swamy, who argued that those over 16 should be tried in adult courts if involved in very serious offences.
The teenager, who was 17 at the time of the attack, was given the maximum penalty after he was tried as a juvenile. The sentence includes the time he has already spent in custody.
The victim's mother emerged from the court in tears, disbelieving of the sentence.
“He should get an adult sentence,” said the emotional mother.
Her daughter, a 23-year-old physiotherapy student, died of internal injuries after being raped and assaulted with an iron bar allegedly by six men on the night of December 16, 2012.
Her male companion was also beaten up before both were thrown from the bus.
The attack sparked weeks of sometimes violent protests all over the country.
The victim's family had earlier called for the teenager to be given the death penalty, saying the juvenile justice system was too lenient, as it sought to reform rather than punish perpetrators.
Outside the court, up to 20 protesters demanded a harsher punishment, screaming “Hang the juvenile too” and “We want justice.”
A separate trial of the four adult suspects is hearing closing arguments and is expected to come to a decision in the next few weeks. The men face a possible death sentence if convicted.
The fifth adult, the suspected ring leader, died in jail in an apparent suicide soon after his arrest.
National outrage over the attack pushed parliament to pass a new law toughening sentences for rapists.
The Supreme Court this month cleared the way for the principal magistrate, Geetanjli Goel, to deliver the verdict on the juvenile's case.
The juvenile, one of six children, was employed to clean the bus allegedly used for the attack and often slept rough or inside the vehicle, reports say.
He reportedly left his impoverished home in a village in northern Uttar Pradesh state at the age of 11 to live in Delhi, where he worked in a string of menial jobs until landing the job of bus cleaner.
Children's rights groups in response to the sentence, have called for public restraint over the verdict, saying the teenager needed to be given a chance of rehabilitation, adding that India's child protection services had already failed him.

Ten militants killed in Turbat clashes: officials

QUETTA: Frontier Constabulary (FC) claim to have killed ten armed militants in Balochistan's volatile Kech (Turbat) district on Saturday morning. Security forces launched a search operation in the troubled area after the militants attacked their convoy.
An FC official, who requested not to be named, said ten armed militants were killed and several others injured in a fierce battle in Mand area of Kech (Turbat) district.
He said two important commanders of a banned separatist group were also among the injured militants. "Since morning, severe battle is underway," he said.
He however did not confirm whether the injured militants were under the custody of security forces or not.
Both sides were using heavy weapons and more troops were dispatched to the restive Mand area to restore order.
FC Spokesman said forces had launched a search operation in the area following the attack on their convoy. "Forces did not suffer any human loss," he said.
The dead militants were yet to be identified since the search operation was still underway.
The situation turned tense and panic prevailed in the area after armed clashes.
Kech is the hometown of Balochistan Chief Minister, Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch. Armed militants have targeted security forces and pro-government politicians for over seven years.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s resource-rich and largest province by area, suffers from a recent upsurge in sectarian violence and attacks by separatist militants.

US drone kills four ‘foreign militants’ in North Waziristan

PESHAWAR/MIRANSHAH: A US drone targeted a vehicle in North Waziristan tribal agency on Saturday, killing four suspected militants said to be of Turkmen origin.
According to local security officials and intelligence sources, the drone fired two missiles around 12:30 pm at a vehicle near a seminary in Hesokhel Musaki village in Mirali, around 40 kilometres east of Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan which is said to be a stronghold of Taliban and al Qaeda-linked militants.
Multiple sources said four suspected were killed in the missile strike which destroyed the vehicle and severely damaged the walls of the seminary.
Intelligence officials said the four men were identified to be militants from Turkmenistan.
They said the funerals of the four were later offered in Mir Ali Tehsil and their bodies buried at the local graveyard.
Local militant sources said the four foreigners, said to be members of the Islamic Movement Turkmenistan (IMT), were affiliated to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction of Taliban militants.
Bahadur is one of the most powerful militant leaders in the North Waziristan border region, and is known to have links with foreign militant groups.
He runs a coalition of various outfits in the tribal agency and is has close relations with the Haqqani group since the Soviet invasion. Reports suggest he is presently responsible for providing logistic support and other facilities to the Haqqani group.
US drone attacks are deeply unpopular in Pakistan, but Washington views them as a vital tool in their fight against Taliban and al Qaeda militants in Pakistan’s semiautonomous tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan.
The Pakistani government has repeatedly protested against drone strikes as a violation of its sovereignty.

CM Punjab approves Quaid-e-Azam Park development plan

LAHORE: Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif while chairing a high level meeting of the Punjab Energy Council in Lahore on Saturday, approved the master plan for the development of the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park, DawnNews reported.
The park, funded by Chinese company TBEA, is to be constructed in Cholistan near Yazman and is 30 kilometres from Bahawalpur.
The solar project, which is to be set up on 5,000 acres, would produce 1,000 MW when completed.
The CM said that the first phase would be the development of eight projects of 50 Megawatts each.
He ordered the upgrading of the transmission line and the development of an infrastructure grid to hurry the developmental process.
He also approved the use of water from a canal near to the area for the project's development.
CM Sharif was hopeful that the project would ensure continuous production of energy for the province.

Shehzad, Misbah push Pakistan to 260

HARARE: Steady half-centuries from Misbah-ul-Haq and Ahmed Shehzad allowed Pakistan to apply a late flourish and reach a competitive score in the third one-day international against Zimbabwe in Harare on Saturday.
Misbah's 67 was particularly crucial to the Pakistani cause, as he battled through some early challenges before helping to lift his side to a total of 260 for six.
The series decider had been cast into doubt after Zimbabwe's players threatened to boycott the match over unpaid salaries and match fees, but the home side took the field after setting a new ultimatum for the first Test on Tuesday.
For a side with off-field distractions, the Zimbabweans started surprisingly well in the field after Brendan Taylor had won the toss and asked Pakistan to bat on a slow surface.
The tourists made a cautious start with openers Shehzad and Nasir Jamshed putting on 66 for the first wicket at a slow pace, and the innings became stilted when Jamshed departed and Mohammad Hafeez was forced to retire hurt soon after.
When Shehzad fell to part-timer Hamilton Masakadza for 54 in the 33rd over, Pakistan had just 119 on the board but Umar Amin lifted the scoring rate with a brisk 33.
Misbah reached fifty from 74 balls before opening up, while Sarfraz Ahmed and the returning Hafeez also weighed in as a late flurry brought 94 runs in the last 10 overs.
Lineups:
Zimbabwe: Brendan Taylor (captain), Hamilton Masakadza, Vusi Sibanda, Sean Williams, Sikander Raza, Malcolm Waller, Elton Chigumbura, Prosper Utseya, Tinashe Panyangara, Tendai Chatara, Shingi Masakadza.
Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Nasir Jamshed, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Amin, Shahid Afridi, Sarfraz Ahmed, Abdul Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan.

Pakistan wants peaceful solution to Syria crisis

ISLAMABAD: Advisor to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has said that Pakistan wants a solution to the Syra crisis through peaceful means.
Giving a Policy Statement in National Assembly on Friday, the Advisor focused on Pakistan's relations with Afghanistan, India and United States and
voiced Pakistan's stance on ongoing strife in Syria.
He reiterated Pakistan's stance of non-interference and commitment to continue role in regional peace having cordial relations with neighboring countries.
"Afghanistan is important for Pakistan and we always desired peace and smooth transition over there," Aziz remarked.
"Afghanistan is passing through two pronged transition; military transition and political transition and its peaceful culmination is important for us."
In this regard he mentioned withdrawal of US and NATO troops as well as presidential election in Afghanistan next year.
"These changes will be challenging. If smooth transition is not reached, it will result in civil war which is also not in our benefit."
About Pak-India relations, the Advisor mentioned to dialogue process of 1999 and 2004 that he said was hampered due to military takeover of 1999 in Pakistan and Mumbai incident of 2008. "But, we have again started back channel diplomacy for composite dialogue. Both the Premiers also contacted twice on phone."
He added the escalation at Line of Control affected this process as India had been changing stance on the incident on LoC and did not accept Pakistan's offers for joint investigation as well as through UNMOGIP. Pakistan had also offered to strengthen the DGMOs contact and abide by the ceasefire accord of 2003.
But, he regretted the contradictions in India's viewpoint as well as lack of unanimity and said, India repeatedly claimed that Kashmir is a bilateral issue despite that there are numerous UN resolutions on Kashmir to settle the issue according to aspirations of Kashmiri people.
"Even if Pakistan tried to resolve the issue bilaterally, what was the progress. We did not receive an encouraging response from India. Is it not responsibility of international community to pay heed to these problems. They need to understand ground realities between the two nuclear powers of the region," he said.
Speaking on Pak-US relations, he said, relationship between the two countries has been going up and down on the see-saw of warmth and stalemate. When the United States needs us they bring warmth to relations. But, when their purpose is served, they start giving cold response.
In this regard, he mentioned different era of changing dimensions of bilateral relations, but stated, "our government successfully made US Secretary of State John Kerry to believe that Pak-US relations could not be seen through the Afghan lens."
He said both the countries have formed six working groups to complete the task for better relations. "We expect strategic dialogue next year and a meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and US President in New York next month. Our priority of relations with United States is trade and not the aid."
On drone attacks, he said, UN Secretary General during his visit to Pakistan had acknowledged out stance and the US authorities will also be asked next month to stop drone attacks.
Discussing the ongoing strife in Syria, the Advisor said Pakistan is concerned of this wave in Muslim countries that has cost the lives of over 100,000 military personnel and civilians in Syria alone during last two years.
"As the US is preparing for aerial strikes within Syria, Pakistan believes that it will make the situation more concerning."
On the issue of using chemical weapons by the Syrian establishment, he said, Pakistan does not support use of chemical weapons but thinks that report of the UN Mission already present in the country should be waited.
Sartaj said Pakistan's stand on Syria is based on principles of international law and UN Charter to respect territorial integrity of Syria; the policy of non military or otherwise intervention and interference; settlement of dispute; and transition or transfer of power through peaceful means.

'Chennai Express' smashes Indian box office records

MUMBAI: Bollywood movie "Chennai Express", starring Shah Rukh Khan, has smashed box office records in just 21 days since it opened to become the most profitable movie in India, data showed Friday.
The film, which has a typical Bollywood mix of action, romance and comedy, has overtaken previous record-holder "3 Idiots" which appeared in 2009 to collect at least 2.11 billion rupees ($30 million) domestically, according to trade weekly Box Office India.
The co-producers of "Chennai Express", Disney UTV, put the figure at a slightly higher 2.18 billion rupees.
In India, unlike Hollywood, there is no central data service for box office takings so there is often a discrepancy in the figures, but both estimates surpass the domestic collection of "3 Idiots", which made a net total of 2.02 billion rupees.
"'Chennai Express' has broken all records for domestic business and is still gong strong in its theatrical run. A good film, good timing and good luck have contributed to its success," Vajir Singh, editor of Box Office India,
He said sales were buoyed by a number of public holidays in the first three weeks of release and a strong promotion effort by superstar Khan.
Also starring popular actress Deepika Padukone, the film tells the story of a 40-year-old man who gets embroiled in the dealings of a south Indian don when he rescues his runaway daughter from thugs aboard the Chennai Express train to southern India.
Directed by Rohit Shetty, the film was released in more than 3,500 cinemas in India -- more than double the number in which "3 Idiots" opened in 2009.
"We have pushed the film across language barriers into regions like Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala where Hindi is not the primary language. This film has been appreciated by families and has a repeat audience," said Gaurav Verma, director of Indian distributions at Disney UTV.
The film may also break international Bollywood records. It is reportedly the mostly widely released Bollywood film of all time, and has already made $16.8 million abroad in gross box office collections, according to the producers.
"3 Idiots", a coming-of-age comic-drama starring Aamir Khan, collected $23.90 million abroad, according to Box Office India, making it the Indian highest grosser abroad and overall.
In a recent interview with AFP, Shah Rukh Khan said he was not concerned with box office records.
"I cannot be going by that standard. I am the creative guy. I am an actor first and last, I don't think like that," he said.

Ghaus Ali Shah resigns as PML-N Sindh president

KHAIRPUR: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Sindh chief, Ghaus Ali Shah has resigned from his party post, Geo News reported.
Party’s district president Abdul Majeed Shaikh confirmed the resignation of Ghaus Ali Shah and said his differences with the party emerged during the time of presidential election.
Shaikh said Ghaus Ali Shah was out of the country for Umra and would chalk out the future line of action upon his return.

Microsoft joins Google in US spying suit

SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft on Friday said that a battle to shed light on secret US government requests for Internet user data would play out in court after failed peace talks.
Microsoft and Google filed suits in federal court in June, arguing a right to make public more information about user data requests made under the auspices of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
The technology titans agreed six times to extend the deadline for the government to respond to the lawsuits, allowing time for negotiations that "ended in failure," Microsoft general counsel Brad Smith said in a blog post.
"To followers of technology issues, there are many days when Microsoft and Google stand apart," Smith said.
"But today our two companies stand together... We believe we have a clear right under the US Constitution to share more information with the public."
Silicon Valley Internet titans want to be able to provide users with better insight into what information the government gets its hands on.
The issue caught fire after Edward Snowden, a former IT contractor at the National Security Agency (NSA), revealed that US authorities were tapping into Internet user data, sometimes using national security letters that bar companies from telling anyone about the requests.
US officials on Thursday said they would begin publishing annual tallies of national security requests for Internet user data, but that step is not enough, according to Smith.
"For example, we believe it is vital to publish information that clearly shows the number of national security demands for user content, such as the text of an email," Smith said.
He argued that, along with providing numbers of requests, disclosures should provide context regarding what is being sought.
"We believe it's possible to publish these figures in a manner that avoids putting security at risk," Smith said.
"With the failure of our recent negotiations, we will move forward with litigation in the hope that the courts will uphold our right to speak more freely."
There has been a wave of legal action since revelations in the media about the PRISM program, believed to collect vast amounts of phone and Internet data as part of efforts to protect national security. Internet companies have stated they release information only in response to specific court orders, and claim that reports about providing easy access to US authorities are exaggerated.
US authorities insist the surveillance programs are entirely lawful and have helped thwart dozens of terror attacks.

Earthquake kills 1 in China

BEIJING: State media and local officials say an earthquake hit a mountainous area in southwestern China Saturday morning, killing at least one and injuring several more.

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--> --> --> --> --> --> The quake, which measures 5.9 on the Richter scale by China Earthquake Administration and 5.8 by the U.S. Geological Survey, shook several counties in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, including the scenic Shangri-La county.
The official Xinhua News Agency says one person died and three others were seriously injured. China Earthquake Administration reported that there were no fatalities but that six people were injured. Different accounts of casualties are common within the first few hours of a disaster.

China's mountainous areas in its southwest are prone to earthquakes. In May 2008, a powerful quake in Sichuan left nearly 90,000 people dead or missing.

Water tanker falls into river; driver, cleaner rescued at Korangi crossing

KARACHI: A speedy water tanker losing control skidded into river at the Korangi crossing, but no loss of life occurred as the driver and the cleaner were rescued on Saturday morning here, Geo News reported.
Rescue teams reaching the scene saved the lives of two persons including the driver of the water tanker, who had sustained minor injuries, sources said.

Balochistan home ministry says a total of 141 Nato containers/tankers looted, torched

QUETTA: Balochistan home ministry said that a total of 141 Nato containers and tankers were looted, torched, seven persons were killed and more than a dozen persons wounded, while unofficial sources claimed that the number of incidents of looting Nato containers and tankers are much higher than the officially released data, Geo News reported.
Sources said that Nato containers and tankers have been carrying supplies for Nato forces in Afghanistan from Karachi port by road to Chaman border in Balochistan for about a decade, but since 2006 onward the incidents of looting and burning of containers and tankers not only started but continued rising in different parts of Balochistan mostly in Khuzdar, Mastung, outskirts of Quetta, Kuchlak, Qila Abdullah, Pishin and adjoining areas. No wonder, Nato looted goods from the containers are seen openly sold in the markets of the cities in the province.
It may be recalled that the former chief minister, Aslam Raisani had admitted in the provincial assembly July 2012 session that he was unable to provide security to the Nato forces transports due to lack of resources.

Delhi teenager student gang-rape case verdict today

NEW DELHI: A New Delhi court is due to hand down its verdict Saturday in the case of a teenager accused of taking part in the fatal gang-rape of a student, which sparked outrage across the country.
The juvenile court has delayed releasing its verdict four times since
finishing the case against the teenager, who was 17 at the time of the brutal assault on a moving bus last December.
The separate trial of four adult suspects is hearing closing arguments and is expected to wrap up in the next few weeks, with the men facing a possible death sentence if convicted.
The fifth adult, the suspected ring leader, died in jail in an apparent
suicide.
If found guilty, the juvenile can be sent to a correctional facility for a maximum three-year term, including time he has already spent in custody.
The parents of the victim have called for their daughter's attackers to be hanged and criticised what they view as the leniency of the juvenile justice system, which seeks to reform rather than punish.
The perceived leniency of the maximum sentence means whatever the result
there is likely to be further anger in India where the suspects, some of whom have been beaten up in jail, are public hate figures.
The Supreme Court this month cleared the way for the principal magistrate, Geetanjli Goel, to deliver a verdict. It was delayed after a petition was lodged by an opposition politician for a review of the juvenile law, arguing suspects aged over 16 accused of serious offences should be tried in adult courts.
Given the number of delays so far, lawyers involved in the case said they were hopeful rather than confident of finally hearing a decision.
"Hopefully, the verdict will be delivered this time," the juvenile's lawyer Rajesh Tiwari told AFP.
The 23-year-old physiotherapy student died of internal injuries after being raped and assaulted with an iron bar on December 16. Her male companion was also allegedly beaten up before both were thrown from the bus.
The crime brought simmering anger about endemic sex crime in India to the boil. Several weeks of sometimes violent protests pushed parliament to pass a new law toughening sentences for rapists, while a round of public soul-searching sought answers to the rising tide of violence against women.
The gang-rape this month of a 22-year-old photographer in the financial hub of Mumbai rekindled anger over women's safety.
The juvenile, one of six children, was employed to clean the bus allegedly used for the attack and often slept rough or inside the vehicle, reports say. He left his impoverished home in a village in northern Uttar Pradesh state aged 11 to live in Delhi, where he took up a series of menial jobs until landing the work of cleaning the bus.
Children's rights groups called for public restraint ahead of the verdict, saying the teenager needed to be given a chance at rehabilitation, adding that India's child protection services had already failed him.
"In fact, every child coming in conflict with the law is a reflection of
the state and society failing that child," Vijaylakshmi Arora, director of policy and research at Child Relief and You, told AFP.