7 killed during raid on militant hideout in Afghan capital

By RAHIM FAIEZ and MATTHEW PENNINGTON
KABUL, Afghanistan -- Hundreds of intelligence agents on Wednesday raided the hideout of militants with suspected links to an attack on President Hamid Karzai, as the Afghan capital was sucked deeper into the war against the Taliban.(The Washington Post)

Pakistan Coalition in Talks on Judges

By SALMAN MASOOD Leaders of Pakistan’s governing coalition are holding talks over whether and how to restore the high court judges ousted by President Pervez Musharraf in November. (The New York Times)

Pakistani government gambles on peace talks with militants

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- As power shifts in Pakistan from U.S. anti-terrorism ally President Pervez Musharraf, the new government is gambling on peace talks with Islamic militants to push back the tide of violent extremism. (The New York Times)

Pakistan's Moment

By Yousaf Raza Gillani
Pakistan must take this opportunity to fight terrorism its own way.(The Washington Post)

Editorial: Making Their Own Mistakes

Pakistan’s new leaders will need to do a better job than Pervez Musharraf in monitoring developments along the border. (The New York Times)

U.N.'s Envoy To Afghanistan Sees Threats To Progress

By Karen DeYoung
A fragmented international effort and weak government in Kabul have combined to endanger everything that has been accomplished in Afghanistan since the ouster of the Taliban nearly seven years ago, the new U.N. envoy to Afghanistan said yesterday.(The Washington Post)

Karzai Is Safe After Fleeing Gunfire at Event

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Suspected Taliban militants unleashed automatic fire at a ceremony attended by the Afghan president. (The New York Times)

Try 'Pakistan First'

By Jim Hoagland
Two words that should be the basis of of the Democrats' terrorism strategy.(The Washington Post)

Pakistan Is at an Impasse Over Reinstating Judges

By Candace Rondeaux
ISLAMABAD, April 26 -- After weeks of deliberation, Pakistan's newly formed coalition government appears to have reached an impasse over its month-old promise to reinstate dozens of judges fired last year by President Pervez Musharraf.(The Washington Post)

Book Suggests Brothers Death Changed Bin Laden

By REUTERS LONDON (Reuters) - A new book looks at Osama bin Laden through the prism of his family, and suggests that the death of his extrovert playboy brother Salem in a 1988 plane crash was an important factor in his radicalization. (The New York Times)

Pakistan Says It's Near a Deal to End Fighting With Militants

By ISMAIL KHAN and CARLOTTA GALL A 15-point draft of the accord, which was shown to The New York Times, would lead to the gradual withdrawal of the Pakistani military from part of the tribal region of South Waziristan. (The New York Times)

Taliban Leader Calls Cease-Fire Within Pakistan

By Candace Rondeaux and Imtiaz Ali
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, April 24 -- A top Taliban leader in Pakistan with links to al-Qaeda has ordered his followers to stop attacking Pakistani forces in the country's troubled northwest region as he negotiates a deal with the new government to end months of political violence, according to Taliba...(The Washington Post)

Bush official gives cautious support to militants accord

By BARRY SCHWEID
WASHINGTON -- A drive by Pakistan's new government to talk peace with Islamic militants on Wednesday gained the Bush administration's cautious support.(The Washington Post)

Judges issue won't break Pakistan coalition: Sharif

By Kamran Haider
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Leaders of Pakistan's ruling coalition vowed on Tuesday to honor a commitment to reinstate judges dismissed by President Pervez Musharraf and said any differences over the issue would not break their alliance.(The Washington Post)

Pakistan frees pro-Taliban leader, makes peace with group

By RIAZ KHAN
PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- Pakistan freed a pro-Taliban cleric and quickly signed an accord with his hard-line group Monday, the first major step by the new government to talk peace with Islamic militants and break with President Pervez Musharraf's policy of using force.(The Washington Post)

U.S. Military Seeks to Widen Pakistan Raids

By MARK MAZZETTI and ERIC SCHMITT The move has been rebuffed over fears that attacking Pakistani radicals may anger the new government.(The New York Times)

UK foreign secretary backs Pakistani talks with militants

By RIAZ KHAN
PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- Britain's foreign secretary extended support Sunday for the new Pakistani government's plans to negotiate with militants and agreed that economic development was key to battling pro-al-Qaida and pro-Taliban sympathies.(The Washington Post)

Bhutto widower: Pakistan coalition cant yet oust Musharraf

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistan's new government is avoiding a showdown with President Pervez Musharraf because it lacks the support needed to impeach him, the head of the ruling coalition's leading party said in remarks released Saturday. (The New York Times)

Pakistan's ambassador held by Taliban: TV

By Augustine Anthony
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan, who went missing in February in the Khyber region, appeared on Arabic television on Saturday saying he was being held by the Taliban and urged Islamabad to meet their demands.(The Washington Post)

US, Pakistan say Taliban commander killed in shootout

By RIAZ KHAN and PAMELA HESS
PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- A Taliban commander blamed for the deadliest attack on U.S. troops since they entered Afghanistan in 2001 has been killed in a shootout with security forces in Pakistan, American and Pakistani officials said.(The Washington Post)

U.S. Lacks Anti - Terrorism Plan In Pakistan: Report

By REUTERS WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has failed to eliminate the terrorist threat in Pakistan's tribal areas and has no comprehensive plan to do so, U.S. government investigators said on Thursday. (The New York Times)

Pakistans Sharif seeks parliament seat

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- A spokesman for Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says Sharif will run for parliament in June. (The New York Times)

Pakistan has effective nuclear command: PM

By Zeeshan Haider
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan has an effective command and control structure for its nuclear weapons and they are fully safe and secure, the country's new prime minister said on Thursday.(The Washington Post)

U.N. Inquiry Urged for Bhutto Death

By SALMAN MASOOD Pakistan’s new parliament passed a unanimous resolution urging the government to approach the United Nations for an investigation into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. (The New York Times)

Olympic torch gets friendly welcome from Pakistan government

By SADAQAT JAN
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- The Olympic torch came to Pakistan early Wednesday for what the pro-China government hoped would be a festive and trouble-free leg of its world tour.(The Washington Post)

Pakistan Coalition Partners to Meet Over Differences

By REUTERS ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Leaders of Pakistan's new coalition will meet this week to settle differences over the restoration of judges dismissed by President Pervez Musharraf who could reopen legal challenges to his rule. (The New York Times)

Pakistan's Musharraf pushes for China oil pipeline

BEIJING (Reuters) - Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is pushing a proposal for gas and oil pipelines between his country and China to bolster bilateral ties, he said on Monday, during a visit that has highlighted security concerns.(The Washington Post)

Musharraf Allies Reject Coalition Offer

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) -- A party allied with President Pervez Musharraf has spurned an offer to join Pakistan's new coalition government, officials said Sunday. (The New York Times)

Group Urges Pakistan Detainees Freed

By SADAQAT JAN
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan's new government must immediately release dozens of people who were secretly detained by spy agencies as part of President Pervez Musharraf's cooperation with the U.S.-led war on terrorism, human rights activists said Sunday.(The Washington Post)

Afghan Suicide Blast Kills 3 Indians, 1 Afghan

Afghan Suicide Blast Kills 3 Indians, 1 Afghan By REUTERS KABUL (Reuters) - A suicide bomber killed three Indian road engineers and an Afghan in southwestern Afghanistan on Saturday in the second deadly attack on road builders in a week. (The New York Times)

Pakistan Moves to Lift Media Curbs

By PAUL ALEXANDER
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan's new government introduced a bill Friday to lift curbs on the media, its first legislative move to loosen controls imposed by President Pervez Musharraf under a state of emergency.(The Washington Post)

Musharraf Urges Pakistan Lawyers Against Anarchy

By REUTERS ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday called on lawyers opposing his rule to stop spreading anarchy as tensions flared in the country just days after a new government made up of his opponents took office. (The New York Times)

Pakistan PM Warns of 'Dictatorship'

By PAUL ALEXANDER
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan's prime minister warned Thursday that dictatorship threatened the country's newly restored democracy as mounting unrest revitalized the allies of embattled President Pervez Musharraf.(The Washington Post)

Pakistan court acquits Bhutto's widower in murder case

KARACHI (Reuters) - A Pakistani court acquitted Asif Ali Zardari, widower of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, in the murder of his estranged brother-in-law on Tuesday, his lawyer said.(The Washington Post)

Set to Return, Chief Justice Creates a Test for Pakistan

Set to Return, Chief Justice Creates a Test for Pakistan By JANE PERLEZ The restoration of the Supreme Court chief justice, dismissed by President Pervez Musharraf last year, has become the first real test of the new government’s democratic principles. (The New York Times)

Pakistan's nuclear command stays unchanged: official

By Zeeshan Haider
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The command and control system for Pakistan's nuclear weapons will stay unchanged under the country's new government, made up of opponents of President Pervez Musharraf, an official said on Tuesday.(The Washington Post)

Pakistan Vows No Talks With Terrorists

By STEPHEN GRAHAM
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan's new government will not negotiate with terrorist groups as part of its effort to pursue talks with Islamic militants, the foreign minister said Monday.(The Washington Post)

First Chapter: 'Reconciliation'

By BENAZIR BHUTTO “As I stepped down onto the tarmac at Quaid-e-Azam International Airport in Karachi on October 18, 2007, I was overcome with emotion.” (The New York Times)

US Deaths in Afghanistan, Region

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS As of Saturday, April 5, 2008, at least 422 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defense Department. The department last updated its figures March 29 at 10 a.m. EDT. (The New York Times)

Pakistan Arrests Four Turkish Al Qaeda Suspects

By REUTERS QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani security agencies have arrested four Turks with suspected links to al Qaeda, intelligence officials said on Friday. (The New York Times)

Pakistan Judge Scraps Travel Plans

By MATTHEW PENNINGTON
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan's deposed chief justice has scrapped plans to address lawyers' associations across the country and press for his restoration following his release from house arrest last week.(The Washington Post)

Border Complicates War in Afghanistan

By Ann Scott Tyson
SPERA DISTRICT, Afghanistan -- As a cold darkness enveloped the tiny U.S. military camp just inside Afghanistan's border with Pakistan, word spread that Taliban fighters were on the move nearby, planning an attack.(The Washington Post)

Bhutto's Party Woos Musharraf Allies

By MUNIR AHMAD
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan's ruling party said Thursday it has buried its rivalry with a group of former supporters of President Pervez Musharraf, further isolating the U.S.-backed president.(The Washington Post)

AQ Khan Hopes New Govt Will Free Him

By SOHAIL ABDUL NASIR
ISLAMABAD - The father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme, Dr A Q Khan Tuesday said that he had been kept under illegal detention and hoped that the new Government would soon lift restrictions on his movement. “My health is deteriorating and the claims of the Government about my physical well- being do not carry weight”, he said in an exclusive interview with Nawa-i-Waqt. He said that the cardinal cause of his bad health was his solitary confinement.

He refuted the impression that he had been kept under detention due to his security concerns saying, “It is nothing but only a lame excuse by the Government”. During the interview that was conducted through special means he ran out of breath and was finding it difficult to speak fluently. Dr A Q Khan while speaking in a bitter tone, apparently on the attitude of the government, said that the irony of the fate was that he was being kept under solitary confinement.

Today (April 1) was Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan’s 72nd birthday. This correspondent also congratulated him on his birthday that he accepted pleasantly but his tone was not matching with his past determined, confident and vigorous expression.

He said that the stories that were being published in the newspapers regarding his good health were false. Rebutting the government’s given logic behind his detention, he said, “It is simply irrational. I was roaming around the world freely at times when in 1979 numerous fake cases had been registered against me in Holland and I faced no security threat.”

When asked about the true status of his health he replied, “My lower limbs are losing vitality and I am suffering from extreme lethargy”, adding that his blood pressure was going unmanageable day by day. He noted that there was no complication or disorder regarding his urinary system. Dr Abdul Qadir Khan paid special thanks and tributes to Chief Editor Nawa-i-Waqt for his very kind consideration and his efforts to depict the truth through his papers.

Our Staff Reporter from Lahore adds: Lawyers in the city Tuesday celebrated 72nd birth anniversary of Pakistan’s nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan who has been under house arrest since February 2004 and demanded his immediate release.

Dr Khan, who underwent operation in 2006, is again stated to be ill and had been shifted from his residence in Rawalpindi to Karachi last month for treatment.

The Save Judiciary Committee in the Lahore High Court compound has been demanding the release of Dr Khan over more than one year. The committee is recording the period of Dr Khan’s incarceration to alter its protest strategy accordingly. Last year, the committee had held a series of referendum to compare the popularity level of Dr Khan with President Musharraf. The referendum, which gave a high margin of popularity to Dr A Q Khan against General Pervez, was held continuously for about two months in the LHCBA premises in addition to its occasional stage at other places in the city. The committee had also announced Dr Khan its presidential candidate in the last election but it could not go beyond a limit after its demand for releasing him proved unfruitful.

The lawyers celebrated the birthday of Dr Khan at the camp where the advocates praised services of the country’s nuclear scientist and reiterated the demand for his immediate release. Chairman of committee, Abdul Rashid Qureshi said that due to efforts of Dr A Q Khan the defense of the country had become impregnable today. He compared incarceration of Dr Khan with that of posting of Indian nuclear scientist, Dr Abu Kalam as president of the state and lamented the heart tattering treatment the rulers gave to Dr Khan.

The lawyers at the camp cut cake for the health and long life of Dr Khan and demanded through slogans his early release.

Another friend of Dr Khan, Barrister Iqbal Jafree on March 9 last, had also sent a letter to the ministry of human rights to seek release of the scientist or at least permit him to meet with his friends and relations.

Jafree an advocate-turn, artist of international repute, claims his 40-year-old friendship with Dr Khan for whom he had also filed a habeas corpus petition which was, however, dismissed on the ground of locus standi.

Through the letter, Jafree focused on the health of Dr Khan and urged the authorities to set him free for he ‘has done no crime or caused any harm to anyone’. He says even if Khan did anything wrong, it stands pardoned by the president so there was no justification for keeping him under house arrest. He says if fear of Dr Khan’s being kidnapped by any state is hampering his release, then he may be allowed to see his friends and family members. (The Nation, Pakistan)

Army Chief in Pakistan Wins Honor From U.S.

By ERIC SCHMITT The top military honor comes at a time when the U.S. has urged Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani Islamabad to wage an aggressive campaign against militants in the country’s restive tribal areas. (The New York Times)

Opponents of Musharraf Assume Posts in Pakistan

By CARLOTTA GALL A stern-faced President Pervez Musharraf swore in a new cabinet on Monday that was filled with political opponents from the main opposition parties. (The New York Times)

Ousted Pakistan Judge Presses for Return

By MATTHEW PENNINGTON
QUETTA, Pakistan -- Pakistan's deposed chief justice claimed Tuesday that he was still the legal head of the Supreme Court and hailed the election defeat of President Pervez Musharraf's allies as the end of "one-man rule."(The Washington Post)