धोनी को आउट करने के लिए की बेईमानी

ब्रिजटाउन, गुरूवार, 30 जून 2011( 13:32 IST )

भारत और वेस्टइंडीज के बीच मौजूदा टेस्ट सिरीज में खराब अंपायरिंग को लेकर विवाद में नया मोड़ आ गया जब पता चला कि दूसरे मैच के पहले दिन महेंद्र सिंह धोनी को नो बॉल पर आउट दे दिया गया।

इससे एक बड़ा विवाद पैदा हो सकता है। टीवी रिप्ले को यह जांच करने के लिए कहा गया है कि फिडेल एडवर्डस की वह गेंद दिखाई गई थी या नहीं जो नो बॉल थी। इसकी जगह कोई वैध गेंद तो नहीं दिखाई गई ताकि धोनी को आउट करार दिया जा सके। धोनी को जमैका में पहले टेस्ट में भी नो बॉल पर आउट दिया गया था।

दूसरे मैच में एडवर्डस के 15वें ओवर और पारी के 59वें ओवर में धोनी ने मिडऑन में शिवनारायण चंद्रपाल को कैच थमाया।

धोनी पैवेलियन की ओर जाने लगे जब अंपायर इयान गूड ने उन्हें रुकने के लिए कहा। वे तीसरे अंपायर से जानना चाहते थे कि गेंद नो बॉल तो नहीं थी। रिप्ले में बताया गया कि एडवर्डस का अगला पैर क्रीज के भीतर था लेकिन यह वही गेंद नहीं थी बल्कि पिछली वैध गेंद थी जिसे टीवी रिप्ले पर दिखाया गया ताकि धोनी को आउट दिया जा सके। असली गेंद वाकई नो बॉल थी।

उस समय भारत का स्कोर पांच विकेट पर 167 रन था। धोनी के आउट होने के बाद पूरी टीम 201 रन पर सिमट गई।

भारत ने शुरू से अंपायरों के फैसले की समीक्षा प्रणाली खास तौर पर ट्रैकर सिस्टम का विरोध किया है। धोनी के विकेट की दशा में प्रसारक के लिए रिप्ले दिखा रहे प्रोड्यूसर ने एडवर्डस की नो बॉल की जगह गलती से कोई दूसरी गेंद दिखा दी।

भारतीय टीम सुरेश रैना (53) को गलत आउट दिए जाने से पहले ही खफा थी जिसने वीवीएस लक्ष्मण (85) के साथ पांचवें विकेट के लिए 117 रन जोड़े।

अंपायर असद रऊफ ने रैना को कैच आउट करार दिया जबकि फारवर्ड शॉर्टलेग पर गेंद रैना के दस्तानों से नहीं बल्कि जांघ से टकराकर गई थी। रैना फैसले के विरोध में खड़े रहे जिसकी वजह से उन्हें मैच फीस का 25 प्रतिशत जुर्माना भरना पड़ा।

पहले टेस्ट में धोनी ने सार्वजनिक तौर पर कहा था कि अंपायरों के छह फैसले उनकी टीम के खिलाफ गए हैं। ये सभी फैसले अंपायर डेरिल हार्पर से जुड़े थे। हार्पर ने भारतीय टीम के विरोध के बाद तीसरे और अंतिम टेस्ट में अंपायरिंग से इनकार कर दिया। (भाषा)

Source:
http://msnyuva.webdunia.com/sports/cricket/1106/30/1110630024_1.htm

We are not anti-Tata: WB govt

Kolkata, June 28 (PTI) The West Bengal government today submitted before the Calcutta High Court that it was not against the Tatas but in favour of farmers and employment generation.

Contesting the Tata Motors Ltd prayer that the Singur Rehabilitation and Development Act 2011 be declared unconstitutional, senior counsel for the government Saktinath Mukherjee submitted before Justice Saumitra Pal that the government was answerable to the people as 1000 acres of fertile land was taken away, but not used for the purpose it was acquired for.

Mukherjee submitted that in a letter dated September 28, 2010, TML had told West Bengal Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBIDC), the state nodal agency, that it had shifted the Nano car plant to Gujarat and on their future plan for the land at Singur they stated their inability to give any assurance.

There was nothing against the Tatas, but the state was only concerned about generating employment for which the land had been acquired and leased out to TML, he stated.

Mukherjee pleaded that the only issue was returning 400 acre to unwilling farmers, while TML was welcome to set up the plant in the remaining 600 acre, but it did not happen.

Noting that nobody asked TML to go away from the state, he said that the government was not against industrialisation, but was pro-farmer. .

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/not-anti-tata-wb-govt-152900492.html

Deve Gowda family has amassed Rs.1,500 crore assets: BJP

Bangalore, June 28 (IANS) Karnataka's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tuesday alleged that former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda's family has amassed known assets of Rs.1,500 crore through corrupt means.

'The estimated worth of the known assets owned by the Gowda family, including (former Karnataka chief minister) H.D. Kumaraswamy is about Rs.1,500 crore. The family owns 320 acres of 'benami' (in fake or others names) land - 240 acres in and around Bangalore and 80 acres at their home town Holenarsipur (in Hassan district),' the BJP said in a booklet containing a chargesheet against the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) leader's family.

Besides huge tracts of land, houses, commercial complexes and residential sites, the Gowda family members had floated 24 companies, it said.

Deve Gowda has four sons, two of whom are in politics, and two daughters.

Gowda, Kumaraswamy and Gowda's elder son H.D. Revanna, the JD-S leader in the state assembly, have been on the warpath against Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa ever since he took over as BJP's first chief minister in south India in May 2008.

The trio, especially Kumaraswamy, have been frequently releasing documents charging Yeddyurappa with corruption and illegal land acquisition.

'Gowda and his family members are known to be political opportunists, putting themselves and their personal interests above the state, the party and their allies. Former state chief ministers such as Ramakrishna Hegde, S.R. Bommai, J.H. Patel, S.M. Krishna and Dharam Singh have been victims of the family's machinations,' party spokesperson Nirmala Sitaraman told reporters at the chargesheet's release.

Accusing Kumaraswamy of recklessly recommending mining leases and clearing several files in haste during the last 15 days of his 20-month tenure as chief minister of the JD-S-BJP coalition government in October 2007, the chargesheet said Gowda junior had denotified lands en masse and granted hundreds of sites to his kith and kin.

'Though the family and its party (JD-S) were punished by the people in the 2008 assembly elections and subsequent polls, they have refused to accept the mandate and instead have been attempting to destabilise, malign and stall the functioning of the democratically-elected popular government,' Sitaraman alleged.

Urging the family to come clean on the sources of their disproportionate wealth, JD-S state unit president K.S. Eshswarappa said the Gowdas own an explanation to the people as to how they have accumulated such huge assets by misusing their political power to enrich themselves.

Within an hour of releasing the chargesheet, Kumaraswamy hit back at the BJP and dared its government to initiate action against his family instead of leveling what he termed wild allegations.

'This government has not found any evidence of illegal activity by our family. If it has any morality left, it should prosecute us,' Kumaraswamy told reporters at Mandya, about 80 km from Bnagalore.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/deve-gowda-family-amassed-rs-1-500-crore-150425644.html

Cannot afford to match India militarily: Pak Defence Minister

Islamabad: Pakistan cannot afford to match the induction of modern weaponry by India, which possibly has a greater capacity to sustain a war, Pakistani Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar has said.

“If we only try to match them (India) militarily and buy the sort of armament which they have, we will probably not be able to afford it,” Mr. Mukhtar said.

Explaining his contention, he noted that India’s economy is “six to seven times bigger than” Pakistan’s and its trade volumes were “five to six times greater.”

“The capacity of India and Pakistan to fight was for 20 to 22 days. Now India has inducted a lot of armaments, may be they can last for 45 days, we will not be able to do so,” Mr. Mukhtar said in an interview to BBC Urdu.

He was responding to a question on whether the projection of India as Pakistan’s greatest enemy was the root of the country’s problems.

Mr. Mukhtar noted that the two countries were taking steps to improve relations in the aftermath of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

“Slowly the process of meetings has started. People are going across the border. Nobody had ever thought they could walk suitcase in hand to Amritsar via Wagah but that is the reality now and it is happening,” he said.

This was happening, he said, “in spite of the fact that wars were fought, there were problems on the border and the Mumbai incident”.

Asked why an incident like the Mumbai attacks occurred whenever relations improved between the two countries, Mr. Mukhtar said: “It is very unfortunate that such incidents happen and they should not happen. But there are players who are behind these incidents.”

He did not give details about such elements but said some of them had been arrested and put on trial.

Matters would improve when “we decide that religion and politics should not be mixed together”, he said. “Let them go side by side. There should be no restrictions on religion which is between me and my God.”

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/cannot-afford-to-match-india-militarily--pak-defence-minister.html;_ylt=AurPoPIUAMCDAtatu.G4Qj_QscB_;_ylu=X3oDMTNjOWFocTJyBHBrZwMwNTM2YTk2NC1iYzlhLTMzZTUtODljMC01ODY4MTc4OGI0ZDAEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01lZGlhU2VjdGlvbkxpc3QEdmVyAzQ5NmI4YjI2LWExODQtMTFlMC1hNjMyLTdmMzlkOTNjYzVlOQ--;_ylg=X3oDMTJ0ZDMyMnNzBGludGwDaW4EbGFuZwNlbi1pbgRwc3RhaWQDNDM2MmZjZTItYjA5ZC0zMzg2LWFhNTEtOThkYzcyYTkwNDQwBHBzdGNhdAN3b3JsZHxhc2lhBHB0A3N0b3J5cGFnZQ--;_ylv=3

Will expose Mayawati govt, says Digvijay

New Delhi: Stepping up his attack on the ruling BSP in Uttar Pradesh over the CMO murder issue, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh today said his party will "expose" the Mayawati government, while making a fresh demand for a CBI probe into the incident.

"We will expose the Mayawati government. This corruption trail is also reaching her door...Mayawati should order a CBI inquiry into the case (CMO murder case).

"There have been three murders related to the office of Lucknow Chief Medical Officer. Mayawati has expelled two ministers saying they committed mistakes. But it was never told what those mistakes were," Digivijay told reporters here after a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

A party delegation from UP led by Digvijay met the Prime Minister and apprised him of the situation in the state.

Digvijay said corruption is at its peak in UP and his party will expose the menace by launching campaigns in every district of the state.

The delegation, which included UPCC chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi, CLP leader Pramod Tewari and INTUC representatives, met the Prime Minister to request him to reconsider the Cabinet decision to sell Scooter India Limited.

The Cabinet on May 25 had said the government will disinvest its 95 per cent share in Scooter India limited (SIL), which is going in loss since 2002.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/expose-mayawati-govt-says-digvijay-104200974.html

Rs.1 mn reward for police for solving J. Dey murder

Mumbai, June 27 (IANS) The Maharashtra government Monday announced a cash reward of Rs.1 million for the Mumbai police Crime Branch team which solved the murder case of journalist Jyotirmoy Dey.

Home Minister R.R. Patil said that the police worked very hard to crack the case since Dey was gunned down June 11.

'The police spared no efforts in tracking down Dey's killers and have done a highly commendable job,' Patil told mediapersons at his office Monday afternoon.

Paying rich compliments to the police, Patil said the home department would give a cash award of Rs.1 million to the Crime Branch team which managed to solve the murder case.

After encountering several blanks in the past 17 days, the Mumbai police finally succeeded Sunday night in solving Dey's killing by nabbing seven persons in connection with the murder.

Police have said that they belong to the Chhota Rajan gang, which is believed to have masterminded the killing.

However, the motive behind the killing still eludes the investigators, police said.

Working as Editor (Special Investigations) with city tabloid Mid Day, Dey was shot near his residence in Powai, north-east Mumbai, June 11, sending shockwaves among the media fraternity all over the country.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/rs-1-mn-reward-police-solving-j-dey-120222114.html

Kashmir problem is Nehru's special gift to India: Advani

New Delhi, June 26 (IANS) As India and Pakistan restored peace talks over pending issues including Kashmir, veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Sunday slammed the country's first political family of late prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru whose 'lack of courage' led to the Kashmir issue remaining unresolved.

In the latest entry on his blog, http://blog.lkadvani.in, the BJP leader also slammed late chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah whose ambition to be the leader of independent Kashmir also contributed to the issue.

Advani said neither the government of Nehru in New Delhi nor the government of Abdullah in Srinagar believed that Jammu and Kashmir needed to be fully integrated into the Indian union.

'In the case of Abdullah, the problem was his ambition to become the unquestioned leader of a virtually independent Kashmir. In the case of Nehruji, it was a matter of lack of courage, firmness and foresight,' Advani said.

He said that Article 370, which gives a special status to Jammu and Kashmir in the Indian constitution, had 'emboldened' secessionist forces in the state to carry out their 'poisonous propaganda that (Kashmir's) accession to India is not final and that Kashmir, in particular, is not a part of India.'

Advani wrote that India had lost two opportunities to settle the issue once and for all with Pakistan -- one in the 1947 war when Nehru ruled the country and the other in the 1971 Bangladesh war when Nerhu's daughter Indira Gandhi was at the helm.

'Our countrymen should know that the Kashmir problem is Nehru family's special 'gift' to the nation,' he wrote in a sarcastic vein.

'Nehruji's blunder was totally avoidable. The consequences of this 'gift' are Pakistan's export of cross-border terrorism and religious extremism, thousands of lives of our security personnel and civilians and tens of thousands of crores of rupees spent on military and paramilitary defence.'

The BJP leader's comments come days after India and Pakistani in foreign secretary level talks in Islamabad discussed a range of issues relating to peace and security, Jammu and Kashmir and the promotion of trade.

Advani also warned against giving any autonomy to the state because 'the implications must be understood'.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/kashmir-problem-nehrus-special-gift-india-advani-124157511.html

BJP leader ploughs field in Moradabad to protest fuel price hike

Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh), June 26(ANI): To protest steep hike in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (cooking gas), diesel and kerosene prices, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi furrowed field with buffaloes-driven plough in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad district on Sunday.

The Centre on Friday hiked the price of diesel by three rupees a litre, kerosene by two rupees a litre and LPG by 50 rupees a cylinder.

"The Central government is shamelessly hiking the prices of diesel and LPG gas every month. The common man and farmers are suffering every month.

But despite this, this government is forcing the farmers to close down tractors to help the fuel mafia," Naqvi said.

He threatened to dump large number of gas cylinders into the Congress party office as a mark of protest.

"The inflation-hit people have closed down their tractors and emptied LPG gas cylinders. We are going to present them to you (the government) which may used by the Prime Minister (Dr. Manmohan Singh) in his office or by Sonia Gandhi (Congress chief) in the Congress office. Sonia Gandhi may use it to run her stove or burn the Congress office," he added.

Since it was first elected in 2004, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh government has more often than not refrained from pushing through tough reforms in favour of pleasing its predominantly rural voter base.

Diesel is the most widely used transport fuel in India and powers tractors and irrigation pumps for farmers in one of the world's biggest producers and consumers of grains and sugar.

Since the government agreed in principle to lift fuel costs a year ago, international crude prices have soared 39 percent, swelling the money spent on subsidising fuel prices to a country with 500 million people living in poverty.

Petrol prices, which largely affect more affluent Indians, have gone up about 23 percent since they were freed a year ago.

With inflation above nine percent and domestic fuel costs up nearly 13 percent on the year, raising prices would immediately hit the UPA coalition's core voters among India's poor, who live on less than the cost of two litres of diesel a day.

According to official estimates, the public sector oil companies are currently losing 490 crore rupees per day on sale of petrol and diesel, kerosene and LPG cylinder at current prices. (ANI)

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/bjp-leader-ploughs-field-moradabad-protest-fuel-price-142324243.html;_ylt=AiPiEPuhLORIYq5XuYgZAb_FscB_;_ylu=X3oDMTNhdG85dTU0BHBrZwMxNTg5YzJjNy03MDRlLTMyNTEtYWQyNy01NDVkMjU2NmEyNWEEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01lZGlhSnVtYm90cm9uBHZlcgNmOTM4ZjAxMC05ZmZmLTExZTAtYjdmZi0wMjM0NWJlYzQ3N2E-;_ylg=X3oDMTF2MXZhcW0yBGludGwDaW4EbGFuZwNlbi1pbgRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANuYXRpb25hbHxwb2xpdGljcwRwdANzZWN0aW9ucw--;_ylv=3

J. Dey murder case cracked, seven held

Mumbai, June 27 (IANS) Seven people have been arrested in connection with the killing of senior journalist Jyotirmoy Dey, a top police officer said here Monday.

'Yes, the information is confirmed and we shall inform you with details later,' Additional Commissioner of Police Deven Bharti told IANS.

The seven suspects, nabbed from various parts of Maharashtra late Sunday, will be produced before the metropolitan magistrate court in south Mumbai around noon.

Mumbai Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik is likely to address the media in the afternoon.

Dey, editor (Special Investigations) with Mumbai tabloid Mid Day, was gunned down by unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants near his residence in Powai on June 11 afternoon.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/j-dey-murder-case-cracked-seven-held-050530104.html

Bank sends back Dhoni's cheque due to wrong account number

Ranchi, Jun 25 (PTI) Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni''s cheque of Rs 645 to pay house tax was returned by a nationalised bank due to wrong account number.

The cheque was in favour of Ranchi Municipal Corporation and the payment to be made towards holding tax for Dhoni''s house at Harmu under Doranda circle.

"It was not bounced. The cheque dated March 15 was returned (by the bank) due to wrong account number. It''s a human error," Ranchi Municipal Corporation''s Chief Executive Officer Vinay Chowbey told PTI today.

"We will request the owner of the holding tax (Dhoni) for a fresh cheque," he said without taking the cricketer''s name.

Dhoni''s brother-in-law Gautam Gupta could not be contacted as his mobile phone was switched off.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/bank-sends-back-dhonis-cheque-due-wrong-account-131700556.html

Surat businessman buys Sachin's red Ferrari

Surat, June 23 (PTI) The ''360 Modena Ferrari'', which once occupied pride of place in batting icon Sachin Tendulkar's fleet of premium cars, is now a prized possession of a city businessman.

Jayesh Desai, Chairman of Raj Hans group, said he purchased the car a fortnight ago.

"I have bought the 360 Modena Ferrari car directly from Sachin Tendulkar with all legal documents," Desai told PTI, but declined to reveal the price.

"It was my dream to drive a Ferrari and now my dream has come true," Desai, who has a passion for driving luxury cars, said.

The Ferrari, which was presented to Tendulkar by racing legend Michael Schumacher, will be the first racing car in his fleet of luxury vehicles, Desai said, adding that his latest acquisition was a prized possession as it was owned by the batting great.

"Kindly ask me only about the car and nothing about Sachin," he said when asked if he and Tendulkar were friends or had known each other.

The Ferrari had got mired in a controversy in 2003 after it was reported that Tendulkar had requested for a customs duty waiver despite getting it as a gift and not winning it as a prize in a tournament.

In August 2003, the finance ministry had exempted Tendulkar from paying around Rs 1.13 crore (approximately USD 245,000) towards import duty for the vehicle, valued at Rs 75 lakh (approximately USD 162,600).

The car was gifted to him by FIAT, which manufactures the premium Ferrari cars and endorsed by Tendulkar, after the Indian batting legend equalled Don Bradman''s tally of 29 Test centuries.

Ferrari''s Formula One driver Schumacher presented the car on behalf of the company to Tendulkar when the two met in 2002 at Silverstone, England.

Tendulkar has taken a break from cricket after playing in IPL and is away on a vacation in England with family.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/surat-businessman-buys-sachins-red-ferrari-120000136.html

BJP protests fuel price hike, demands rollback

New Delhi, June 25 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday staged a demonstration here against the hike in the prices of diesel, kerosene and cooking gas, with party leaders demanding a rollback.

'Instead of listening to the complaints of the common man, the government is showing a no-mercy attitude by raising the prices of essential commodities,' said the BJP's V.K. Malhotra, Leader of Opposition in the Delhi state assembly.

'The hike in prices of fuel and cooking gas is unjustified,' he added.

Shouting slogans against the government and asking the people to join in, the party organised the protest at Jantar Mantar at 11 a.m.

'We demand an immediate rollback of this hike,' Malhotra said.

Petroleum Minister S. Jaipal Reddy Friday announced that the price of diesel will be increased by Rs.3 per litre, kerosene by Rs.2 per litre and domestic liquid petroelum gas (LPG) by Rs.50 per cylinder, excluding state levies such as VAT.

The hike came a day after the government announced that food inflation had soared to nearly a 10-week high of 9.13 percent for the week ended June 11.

People voiced their woes after the hike, finding it an additional burden on the house budgets.

'The government says the petroleum companies are incurring a loss, so a hike. What about the loss that we as tax payers are suffering. We can't cut down on our basic needs now,' said a miffed Sumati Dewan, housewife in east Delhi's Laxmi Nagar.

Before the hike, oil marketing companies suffered losses of Rs.13.72 per litre of diesel, Rs.26.16 per litre of kerosene and Rs.381.14 per LPG cylinder.

On a daily basis, Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum together incur a total loss of Rs.456 crore on the sale of the three petro-products.

 

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/bjp-protests-fuel-price-hike-demands-rollback-073236848.html

Major quakes strike in Pacific off Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - A major earthquake of 7.4 magnitude struck in the Pacific Ocean more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) west of Anchorage on Thursday, prompting a brief tsunami warning for part of the remote Aleutian Islands chain.

No damage or injuries were reported. The warning, which extended for roughly 800 miles (1,300 km) -- from Unimak Pass, northeast of Dutch Harbor, westward to Amchitka Pass, west of Adak Island -- was canceled after a little more than an hour.

A tsunami wave measuring just 6 centimetres tall was recorded at Nikolski, a tiny Aleut village on the island of Umnak, and a 10-centimeter wave was observed at Adak, said Becki Legatt, a spokeswoman for the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska.

The coast of the entire Alaska peninsula and all of the Alaska mainland were never considered to be threatened.

The quake struck shortly after 7 p.m. local time (0300 GMT) at a depth of about 25 miles (40 km). A second tremor of magnitude 7.2 hit in the same vicinity of the Aleutians a half-minute later, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Quakes of 7 to 8 magnitudes and higher are relatively common in the Aleutians but are generally of little consequence because the island chain is so remote and sparsely populated.

"This is a very seismically active area," said Randy Baldwin, a USGS geophysicist with the National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado.

A tsunami warning means all coastal residents in the warning area who are near the beach or in low-lying regions should move immediately to higher ground and away from harbors and inlets, including those sheltered directly from the sea.

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/major-quakes-strike-pacific-off-alaska-041757992.html

I've come to Pakistan with an open mind: Nirupama Rao

Islamabad, June 23 (IANS) Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said here Thursday she was approaching the two-days of talks with her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir with an 'open and constructive mind'.

'I have come to Pakistan with an open mind and a constructive spirit in order to work towards building trust and confidence in our relationship and thereby leading to an eventual normalization of relations for the well-being and prosperity of our two peoples,' Rao said in her arrival statement.

She reached Islamabad Thursday morning to hold discussions for the next two days, and will return to India Saturday afternoon.

She added that this was an 'important visit as it marks the penultimate leg of the resumed dialogue process before the visit of the foreign minister of Pakistan to India by July 2011'.

Rao said that the discussions would include 'issues that have been mandated to us by our leadership, namely peace and security, including confidence building measures; Jammu & Kashmir and promotion of friendly exchanges'.

'I bring with me the best wishes of the people and government of India for the people and government of Pakistan. We wish to see a stable, peaceful and prosperous Pakistan,' she added.

 

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/ive-come-pakistan-open-mind-nirupama-rao-064346872.html

Mullah Omar sends trusted envoy for Taliban- western officials talks

London, Jun 23 (ANI): Taliban's spiritual leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, who is living in exile in Pakistan, has given his blessing to Afghan peace talks and sent a "trusted envoy" to meet British, American and German officials to stabilize Afghanistan.

Abdul Hakim Mujahid, a former Taliban ambassador to Islamabad and one-time envoy to the United Nations in New York, said Omar had personally authorised his senior aide, Taib Agha, to meet western officials in Qatar.

Taib Agha, worked as the first secretary at the Taleban embassy in Pakistan before he moved to Kandahar to run Mullah Omar's private office.

He further said that the Gulf state was now the front-runner to host negotiations and a Taliban office.

"Mullah Mohammad Omar himself has agreed for a kind of reconciliation. That was the message he sent to the world community by his (envoy]," Mujahid told The Scotsman.

Mullah Omar, the one-eyed Taleban leader, is widely seen as the only person who could authorise a nationwide ceasefire in Afghanistsan, but until now negotiators were unclear if he supported talks.

"The whole legitimacy for resistance here in Afghanistan is in (Mullah Omar's] leadership. If he doesn't agree with the continuation of resistance no one else will have his kind of legitimacy, so therefore you can say his opinion is the most important," said Mujahid.

He said a former Taliban diplomat was arranging "informal meetings" at his home in Qatar. (ANI)

 

Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/mullah-omar-sends-trusted-envoy-taliban-western-officials-053233108.html