Pakistan and Iran will finalize the $7.4 billion gas pipeline project in a few days, a senior government official said on Tuesday. Talking to IRNA, Managing Director of Pakistan Inter-State Gas System and special envoy on IPI project, Hasan Nawab said that a high-level delegation led by Advisor to Prime Minister on Petroleum Dr Asim Hussain is scheduled to visit Iran on May 22 to hold talks on gas pipeline project with Iranian officials.
He said that the delegation will be staying in Tehran for three days and will give final touches to the IPI agreement.
“The obstacles in the project have been removed and we want to finalize the project in this visit”, he said. “Every thing is settled only the final document has to be signed”, Hasan Nawab added.
He said that Pakistan is very keen on the project as it will open more avenues of peace between Iran and Pakistan.

KARACHI: The Special Investigation Unit (SIU), Karachi, has foiled plans for major terrorist activities in the city by capturing six militants belonging to al-Qaeda and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from an inn in Sohrab Goth, sources said on Friday.

During a raid on a tip-off, five suicide bombing jackets, more than 10 kilogrammes of C-4 explosive material, several guns, a large quantity of ammunition and electronic items were also recovered, the sources added.

There were reports that after the military operation in Swat, Buner and Dir, the militants, belonging to al-Qaeda and the TTP, came to Karachi to disturb the peaceful environment of the city by launching suicide attacks on Ulema, Imambargahs, important installations and killing personnel belonging to the Karachi Police and intelligence agencies.

The sources said Capital City Police Officer Waseem Ahmed, taking note of the presence of militants in the city, directed SSP Raja Omer Khattab of the SIU Karachi to dismantle the network of terrorists.

Intelligence sources said during the investigation, SSP Khattab was tipped off that the militants were present at an inn near a petrol pump situated near New Sabzi Mandi, Sohrab Goth. The police raided the area and after a brief encounter arrested Abu Huzefa, Hafiz Saeed, Haris and others.

The militants were shifted to an unknown location for interrogation. During the course of investigation, it was uncovered that the militants belonged to al-Qaeda and the TTP and had received training in Afghanistan to carry out bombings and other terrorist acts.

The intelligence sources said after the military operation in Swat and elsewhere, the militants, belonging to various outfits, came to Karachi from South Waziristan, Swat, Miranshah and Buner. They were directed to generate funds for organisations fighting in the tribal areas by robbing banks, moneychangers, jewellery markets and kidnapping millionaire businessmen for ransom.

They added the police found a list of Ulema who were on their hit list. The militants had gathered information about the Ulema and their addresses. The police also found a list of police officers who were to be their targets — SSP Mohammad Farooq Awan, SSP Raja Omar Khattab, SSP Khurram Waris, SSP Mohammad Fayyaz Khan, DSP Chaudhry Amir Hameed, DSP Chaudhry Safdar and others.

The militants had also gathered information about addresses and vehicles of officers belonging to the Sindh Police and intelligence agencies, as they had made a crackdown against their organisations in the past. Senior police officials will hold a press conference in a few days to announce details obtained during the investigation.

J.A.P accounced with great sorrow the sad demise of Father of Moulana Ali Murtaza Zaidi. Namaz-e-Janaza will be held after juma prayers at Masjid Khair-ul-Amal Ancholi F.B. Area # 20 after Namaz-e-Zoharain. J.A.P

ATHENS: Greek police fired tear gas Thursday at hundreds of Muslim immigrants in Athens protesting reports that an officer had torn up Holy Qura’n during an identity check the day before.

Around 1,500 demonstrators marched through the working class district of Kypseli towards the Omonia Square in the city centre, where there were scuffles with officers and tear gas was fired, said police.

Some demonstrators also threw dustbins and stones at the police station in Kypseli district, injuring one officer and damaging a car. Officers fired tear gas to break up the crowd.

Demonstrators said that on Wednesday, as police officers stopped four Syrian immigrants to check their papers, one of the officers had torn up Holy Qura’n and stamped on it.

But after word spread of the alleged incident, the local Muslim immigrant community, mainly from Afghanistan and Pakistan, organised Thursday’s protest.

Immigrants rights groups have called another protest for Friday. Police said they had opened an investigation into the affair

BEIRUT: Vice President Joe Biden, the most senior U.S. official to visit Lebanon in 26 years, met President Michel Suleiman on Friday, 16 days before an election that may shift power away from a Western-backed coalition.

Lebanese vote on June 7 in a poll that pits an alliance including Hezbollah.

Hezbollah criticised Biden’s visit, which followed one by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in April, as meddling in Lebanon, and denounced U.S. support for its arch-foe Israel.

“The high American interest in Lebanon raises strong suspicion as to the real reason behind it, especially since it has become a clear and detailed intervention in Lebanese affairs,” Hezbollah said in a statement.

Biden, who visited Serbia and Kosovo earlier this week, was also due to meet Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri before joining Defence Minister Eliasal-Murr for an announcement on U.S. military aid to Lebanon.

PESHAWAR: A car bomb exploded on Cinema Road in Khyber Bazaar area of Peshawar, killing 10 people and injuring dozens others, police said on Friday.

The dead and injured were rushed to the city’s hospitals where emergency was declared.

The hospitals’ administration confirmed that more than 50 injured were brought to the hospital, some of them in very critical condition.

According to the CCPO Peshawar, more than 75 people sustained injuries in the blast.

The cinema building nearby shops were badly damaged in the blast. Several cars and other vehicles parked on the road were also damaged.

The blast was very loud and was heard in many parts of the provincial capital.