Pakistan

• 1. Pak Alienating Neighbors, World Powers (March 12, 2007)
  Despite signs of souring relations with Tehran and strained relations with Washington, Pakistan has asserted that it will not allow its territory to be used by the U.S. for anti-Iran operations.<More>

• 2. China, Sri Lanka Deal to Develop Hambantota (March 05, 2007)
  Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse visited China and signed a landmark deal allowing Beijing to develop a harbor, bunkering system, and tank farm in Hambantota district in a "friendship city relationship.<More>

• 3. India is Pneumonia Capital (March 05, 2007)
  A World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reported that India has 44 million pneumonia cases making it the pneumonia capital of the world.<More>

• 4. Pakistan, Turkey Initiative on W Asia (February 08, 2007)
  Visiting Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Turkish counterpart Ahmet Necdet Sezer reveled plans to work together to bring peace to the West Asia "and the Muslim world."<More>

• 5. Bhutto to Return? (February 06, 2007)
  Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in a self-exile in the United Kingdom is reportedly planning to return to Pakistan in October or November of this year to challenge the army's rule.<More>

• 6. Pak Mulls Emergency Option (February 05, 2007)
  Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is considering an option to postpone elections by declaring emergency.<More>

• 7. US Anti-Proliferation US Law (January 30 , 2007)
  The Democrat controlled US Congress passed a new law that will require the US President to take “punitive action” against nations with dubious proliferation records or those that cooperate with those that proliferate.<More>

• 8. Pak Hurdles on SAFTA (January 25, 2007)
  Hailing Afghanistan’s entry into the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), an Indian official complained about Pakistan’s refusal to implement South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) which impeded regional trade.<More>

• 9. “Progress” in Indo-Pak Talks (January 17, 2007)
  Urging analysts to take a “holistic view of relations with Pakistan,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh guardedly said the 3 year old peace process was making “progress” but acknowledged that it was “premature” to conclude to claim success. <More>

• 10. Indo-Pak MoU on Power Devolution (December 28, 2006)
  India and Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to share and learn from experiences of both nations on devolution of power to grass-root levels hoping that these low-hanging fruits will pave way for lasting peace.<More>

• 11. Pak Says N-sites Can Withstand Strike (December 27, 2006)
  Marking the 130th birth anniversary of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, President Pervez Musharraf asserted that his nation will continue to invest in defense capabilities and that its “nuclear and missile power” are protected even from a “nuclear attack.”<More>

• 12. Indo-Pak Joint Sir Creek Survey (December 23, 2006)
  In the two days talks over Sri Creek beginning this weekend, India and Pakistan are working out a mechanism for the 2nd survey of Sir Creek targeted for completion next March to enable an easy and conflict free demarcation of the maritime zone.<More>

• 13. No Shortcuts in Kashmir (December 21, 2006)
  Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf proposed a “four point solution” to resolve the Kashmir dispute that includes Indian troop withdrawal, self-governance for Kashmiris, joint supervision by the three sides, and maintaining current borders in exchange for giving up claim to Kashmir.<More>

• 14. Taliban Is a Virtual Mini State in Pak  (December 14, 2006)
  Finally, Western media has woken up to the dangers of the peace pact between Pakistan and the local Taliban in the North West Frontier Province and the New York Times (NYT) reported about a resurgent Taliban supporting Indian concern for this development.<More>

• 15. Pak Emergent Defense Player (December 13, 2006)
  With nuclear-test imposed sanctions being lifted and being conferred a major non-NATO ally status Pakistan is being viewed as a serious emergent buyer as it now has access to weapons, aircraft, and missiles. Its export in the USD 3 trillion arms market is only USD 200 million but is expected to grow.<More>

• 16. Is Baglihar Hydro Project Viable? (December 08, 2006)
  The World Bank (WB) appointed arbitrator rejected Pakistan’s demand that India scrap the Rs 5,200 crore (USD 1.1 billion) 450 megawatt Baglihar hydro-electric power project across the Chenab in Doda district but asked for a reduction of dam height by 1.5 meters.<More>

• 17. Iran’s Proposed Price Rejected (November 29, 2006)
  In rare unity, India and Pakistan have rejected a proposal by Iran–appointed consultant with new pricing for the USD 7 billion Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline project because “certain parameters given by Iran, was not acceptable to India and Pakistan.”<More>,/p>

• 18. Role of Siachen and Indo-Pak Talks (November 28, 2006)
  Visiting Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri met Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee and reiterated that Indo-Pakistan relations were “very important” but observed that the two sides needed to “develop a level of trust.”<More>

• 19. Bush Wants WMD Deals Stopped (November 21, 2006)
  Fearing further North Korean (NK) proliferation missiles and nuclear weapons, like the Nodong missile to Pakistan (now being paraded as Ghauri) in return for nuclear weapons technology, the US said that it considered these transfers “a grave threat.”<More>

• 20. Pak Tests Ghauri V Missile (November 17, 2006)
  Pakistan Defense Ministry announced that it test-fired its 1,300 kilometer nuclear-capable missile Hatf-V codenamed Ghauri-V and as part of “a training exercise held to test the operation readiness of a Strategic Missile Group equipped with Ghauri missile.”<More>

• 21. Pakistan Changes Hudood Ordinances (November 17, 2006)
  After years of global and national criticism over laws governing rape, Pakistan ’s National Assembly adopted the Women’s Protection Bill 2006 even as religious fundamentalists allege that the change will make the Islamic nation a “free sex zone.”<More>

• 22. Army’s “No” to Siachen Deal (November 13, 2006)
  After sending several signals and veiled messages, the Indian Army finally came out and said it is opposed to demilitarization on Siachen citing potential takeover of heights by Pakistan or China and thereby scuttling any political temptation to reach a deal.<More>

• 23. Foreign Secretary Level Talks Resume (November 13, 2006)
  Indian and Pakistani Foreign Secretaries will resume talks in New Delhi November 14-15 and analysis and news reports indicate and Islamabad is insistent that Kashmir remain the core issue while New Delhi says that terrorism is the core.<More>

• 24. Siachen on Indo-Pak Agenda (November 08, 2006)
  Responding to Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri's statement that the two countries were close to an agreement on Siachen, an External Affairs spokesperson said that Pakistan is aware of India ’s “terms on which an agreement can be reached.”<More>

• 25. Speculation on Balanced Baglihar Dam Verdict (November 08, 2006)
  India and Pakistan is to meet the independent World-Bank (WB) appointed expert adjudicating on the Baglihar Dam dispute this week and the report is stated to favor Pakistan on the height of the Dam and India on the presence and location of sluice gates.<More>

• 26. Chinese Delegation Clarifies NK Stance (October 26, 2006)
  After meeting with North Korean (NK) leader Kim Jong-Il, a Chinese delegation confirmed that he did not plan on a second nuclear test, did not apologize for the test, and is willing to return to negotiations if certain financial concessions were made.<More>

• 27. Pak Disputes Baglihar Dam Report  (October 23, 2006)
  Pakistan disputed a report in the Indian media citing independent Swiss experts arbitrating the Baglihar Dam issue conclusion that upheld Indian position as “misleading” and accused that the “honour code of confidentiality” has been broken.<More>

• 28. Corporate Military in Pakistan (October 14, 2006)
  Many analysts are now accusing the Pakistani military for developing strong commercial interests to create an oligarchy of serving and retired officers to control banks, transport, road building, communication, and construction businesses worth billions of dollars.<More>

• 29. US Promises to Upgrade Pakistan F-16s (October 06, 2006)
  The row over the stripped down version of avionics and fighter systems on the 18 new and upgraded second-hand F-16s seemed to have blown over with Pakistan agreeing to the terms and signing the letter of acceptance in Rawalpindi.<More>

• 30. Pak Delays F-16 Deal (September 26, 2006)
  Accusing the US of stripping down the F-16s to less than effective and imposing unacceptable conditions for usage, Pakistan has delayed signing the Letter of Acceptance (LoA) for the USD 3 billion deal till December 31, 2006.<More>

• 31. Torture, Censorship, and Repression in ‘Azad’ Kashmir (September 26, 2006)
  Human Rights groups say that in so-called ‘Azad’ (free) Kashmir , largely closed to international and independent scrutiny, the Pakistani Government represses democratic freedom, stymies the press and media, and uses torture as instrument of administration.<More>

• 32. New Life to IPI Project? (September 20, 2006)
  After meeting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Havana summit, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he is willing to rework the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipeline once the feasibility study is complete.<More>

• 33. Manmohan-Mush Peace Dialogue in Havana (September 13, 2006)
  Rejecting domestic opposition, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh revealed that he will discuss terror with Pakistan on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Havana and sources say that stalled talks may be resumed soon.<More>

• 34. Pak-Taliban Peace Pact (September 08, 2006)
  Pakistan announced that it had arranged a peace pact with the Taliban is seen by many as an admission by the Pakistan Army of its inability to control the region by brute force methods it employs against opponents and having lost hundreds of soldiers.<More>

• 35. Baloach Leader Bugti Suspiciously Killed (August 30, 2006)
  Rebel Baloach leader and popular face of opposition against Pakistan military in the tribal areas, Nawab Akhbar Bugti, has been killed in suspicious manner leading to widespread protests against President Pervez Musharraf’s dictatorial rule.<More>

• 36. Pak Navy’s “Offensive punch” (August 14, 2006)
  Claiming to not have “offensive designs,” Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf revealed plans that his country was following a strategy of “offensive defensive deterrence” and strengthening its armed forces<More>

• 37. India to Raise Pak Trade Curbs at SAARC (July 28, 2006)
  Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath told the Parliament that he will raise the issue of import restrictions by Pakistan at the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit early next month in Dhaka.<More>

• 38. Pak Says Baloach Unrest Crushed (July 25, 2006)
  >Several newspapers in Pakistan ran reports quoting unnamed officials claiming that the insurrection in Baloachistan has been crushed and blaming India for arming, funding, and helping that movement—Baloach rebels have dismissed the report as wishful thinking.<More>