Skipper Younis struggling to avoid follow-on

KARACHI: The fourth day’s play in first test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka is underway at National Stadium.

Younis Khan's unbeaten ton helped Pakistan fought back to save their first Test against Sri Lanka with a resolute display of batting.

The new Pakistan captain, who came under fire for his questionable fielding tactics that allowed Sri Lanka to amass 644 for seven declared, took his team to safer shores with an unbeaten 149. Misbah-ul-Haq (20) was the other unbeaten batsman. At stumps, Pakistan were placed at 296-3, still 348 runs behind Sri Lanka and needing 149 more to save the follow-on.

Don Gang chieftain amid three bandits killed in Lahore police encounter

LAHORE: Three dacoits including the chief of the Lahori Don Gang were killed in an alleged police encounter at Mughalpura area here. 

Police said that CIA Police Model Town Inspector, Fayyaz heading a police party was taking two dacoits Waqas alias Kachoo and Hafiz Ramzan alias Jani, who were said to be involved in the murder of five persons including over 70 criminal incidents, when near Mughalpura Garfin Ground, their accomplice Mahboob alias Bhola along with his two associates tried to get them free from the police custody by opening volleys of fire, which resulted in the death of his own gang’s members Waqas and Hafiz Rahman on the spot, while in the retaliatory firing of police Mahboob alias Bhola said to be the chieftain of Lahori Don Gang was also killed.

Lahore CCPO a few days ago had disclosed in a press conference the arrests of these accused. 

Blame of Kargil war accepted to save army reputation: Nawaz

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League (N) Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif Saturday said he had been forced to resign as the prime minister but he refused to do so.

Addressing his party’s General Council meeting in Raiwind, Nawaz said hearing this reply General Mehmood and his associates pointed guns at him and an attempt was made to send him to the gallows.

“I was offered to go anywhere outside the country,” he maintained, adding “Three generals including General Orakzai and General Mehmood approached me and asked me to affix my signature on a paper when I refused they started threatening.” 

“We never tried to hijack the plane, as hijacking is only possible from within the plane and not from ground.” 

Nawaz claimed to have taken Kargil blame on his shoulder to save the reputation of army.

PML-N Chief said our government was toppled at a time when the country was making speedy progress. “What was the pressing need to over throw a government which had two-thirds mandate on its side?” he asked.

“Our patriotism was looked at with doubt but at the same time it is also a fact that Pervez Musharraf had to say on record that there is no doubt about Nawaz Sharif’s loyalty to the country,” he said adding “the enemies had to admit that I was a true patriot.”

Nawaz Sharif said instead of betraying the nation it would be a better choice for one to seek forgiveness of the people and go home. Had I been dishonest I would not have gone out to carry out nuclear tests, he clarified.

He revealed that the Kargil operation was planned and executed by the army under the then COAS General Parvez Musharraf’s leadership without his knowledge.

Nawaz Sharif said Musharraf launched the Kargil operation soon after the visit of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Lahore.

Nawaz said he established contact with the then United States President Bill Clinton when Indian PM Vajpayee informed him of the Kargil operation. He said despite his busy schedule, Clinton met wit me (Nawaz). Nawaz said he claimed the blame of Kargil war to save army’s image. 

PML (N) chief said he was fortunate to have loyal workers in the party. About lawyers’ movement, Nawaz said success of this movement would ensure prosperity and security of Pakistan. Nawaz hoped that his party would clinch two-thirds majority in next elections. He said the country was witnessing massive socio-economic turnaround during his tenure as prime minister, he said the toppling of his government was an unjustified act and should not have been undertaken.

44 dead, dozens trapped in Chinese coal mine: state media

BEIJING: Forty-four workers were confirmed dead and dozens were trapped underground after a powerful gas blast early Sunday in a northern China coalmine, state media reported.

The accident occurred at about 2:00 am (1800 GMT Saturday) at a mine in Gujiao city near the Shanxi provincial capital of Taiyuan, when a total of 436 miners were at work underground, Xinhua news agency said. 

The agency earlier reported that 96 were trapped underground. The preliminary death toll of 44 makes this the worst accident reported in China's disaster-prone mining industry in several months.

The mine, which has an annual capacity of five million tonnes, is operated by the Shanxi Jiaomei Group, according to the agency. Zhang Baoshun, the head of the Communist party in Shanxi, told rescuers to take care and avoid getting hurt in the dangerous work of searching for survivors. 

More than 3,000 people died in Chinese coal mines in 2008, according to earlier reports in the state media. However, independent monitors say the real figure is much higher.

IMF concerned over little revenue collection in Pakistan

KARACHI: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Saturday expressed concern over Pakistan’s efforts on revenue collection, with the authorities are saying they were unlikely to meet the annual target, official sources told media.

Pakistan and the IMF on Saturday began talks in Dubai for the release of the $775-million second tranche of the fund’s loan for Islamabad. The sources said the IMF delegation, was, however, satisfied with the overall macroeconomic targets of the country, including the GDP growth rate, the inflation level, tax collection, foreign direct investment, the privatisation process and the export and import targets. 

The meeting between Pakistan and the IMF that started on February 14 and would continue until the 26th, is reviewing the second tranche of IMF’s loan for Pakistan. IMF’s executive board is expected to approve the second installment by March.