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NEW YORK: Microsoft founder and head of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates Thursday appreciated the tremendous success of Pakistan in eradication of polio virus from the country over the past four years. He called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on the sidelines of 72nd session of the UN General Assembly in New York. While commending Pakistan's efforts in this connection, Bill Gates said that he would stand with Pakistan and pledged all support for polio eradication from the country. He expressed his desire to work in the country to raise the status of a common man. The prime minister briefed Bill Gates on the measures taken by his government in the national fight against the deadly polio virus. Prime Minister Abbasi said federal government along with all provincial governments have collectively involved in efforts for polio eradication. He said all resources at federal and provincial levels were being fully utilized for achieving a polio free Pakistan and ...

MIRANSHAH: Pakistan's former flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Khan Afridi on Thursday said he wants to set up a cricket academy in Karachi but got no response from the Sindh government when he sought its help in this regard. Afridi, who played a match organized by the Pakistan army in North Waziristan, shared his future plan with senior journalist Hamid Mir. Asked why the Sindh government failed to respond to his request, the former captain said the Sindh government might not be interested. “I had requested Sindh government for a cricket academy, but received no response. My plan is to build an academy where English, mathematics and other subjects will also be taught along with cricket,” he said. He said he intends to select 50 to 60 youngsters from across the country and bring them to his academy where they would receive education and cricket training. Hamid Mir also called on Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to heed the request made by Afrid, who if requested, would even trave...

QUETTA: Baloch nationalist leader Nawabzada Ghazeen Marri was arrested from Quetta Airport as he arrived in Pakistan ending his 17 self-exile. Ghazeen Marri, son of veteran Baloch nationalist leader Kharbakhsh Marri, returned home from the United Arab Emirates through private airline and was taken into custody at the airport upon his arrival. Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti dispelled the notion that the return of Nawabzada Ghadeen Marri was part of any deal, saying the Baloch leader would be presented before a court to get remand. According to police officials, Marri was arrested in the murder case of Justice Nawaz Marri who was killed on January 7, 2000. Strict security arrangements were made in the provincial capital ahead of his arrival. Arbab Tahir, lawyer for Ghazeen Marri, termed the arrest as illegal since his client was granted protective bail.

CHAMAN: At least one person was dead and 22 others, including security personnel injured when a roadside explosion occurred near their vehicle at the Pak-Afghan border here on Monday evening, levies sources said. Risaldar Zarak Khan said that the security forces’ vehicle was heading towards the Bab-e-Dosti when a suicide bomber approached it and blew himself. The dead and the wounded had been shifted to hospital, he said, adding that condition of five of the injured is critical. The border had been closed and the area was sealed following the blast. It is feared that the death toll may climb further. Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri has strongly condemned the blast, voicing regret over the loss of life. He directed to provide the best possible medical care to those injured in the blast.

NOWSHERA: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari addressing a workers convention here on Monday claimed that efforts were being made to weaken his party. The former president said: “The PPP is a nationwide party with its presence in all four provinces,”. “Efforts are being made to weaken our party but we are not afraid [to face this] because we preach love and democracy.” Zardari while addressing the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said “KP should not lose hope”, adding the PPP would unite the political forces of the province to bring an end to all issues. He added: “In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, we will form government in the 2018 general elections and bring youth forward.” Previously, Zardari had said that he had told former prime minister Nawaz Sharif that he would do politics not in the first four years of the government but in the final year before the 2018 general elections. The former president also discussed with the crowd in Peshawar the recent ...

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah is poised to visit Gaza for talks, a senior official said Monday, after Hamas agreed steps towards resolving a decade-long split with its West Bank-based rival Fatah. Hamas announced Sunday it had agreed to demands by president Mahmud Abbas´s Fatah party to dissolve what is seen as a rival administration in Gaza, while saying it was ready for elections and negotiations towards forming a unity government. Hamdallah plans to travel to Gaza City to meet Hamas officials and assert the government´s control over ministries, Nabil Shaath, a senior advisor to Abbas, told journalists in the West Bank city of Ramallah, as a first step towards implementing a larger agreement. "We await the first steps on the ground. We want to see Mr Hamdallah received by Hamas, the door to all the ministries open," he said. "That really could happen in the next 24 hours." Abbas´s internationally-recognised Palestinia...

RAWALPINDI: A delegation comprising members of Defence Committees of the Senate and National Assembly headed by Senator Lt Gen (Retd) Abdul Qayyum visited the GHQ on Monday. An ISPR statement issued here says the delegation laid wreath at GHQ’s Shuhada Monument and was given a detailed briefing on evolving security environment including situation on the borders and Pakistan’s Army efforts for peace and security. The delegation also had an interactive session with General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the Chief of Army Staff. The session concluded with a resolve to continue our struggle against the menace of violent extremism through a synergetic, whole-of-the-nation approach based on the principle of “collective potential and shared responsibility”.