UK, Pakistan set up joint task force on education

October 10th, 2009 NEW YORK - Investigations being carried out into the massive Al-Qaeda backed bombing plot has revealed that Najibullah Zazi, the airport shuttle bus driver arrested earlier, had traveled to Pakistan with another two men, Zarein Ahmedzay, and Adis Medunjanin. The two men, one of whom attended Flushing High School with Zazi, have denied their involved with the Al Qaeda, saying they didn't have any role in the bombing plot.

October 7th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Terming the Kerry-Lugar Bill a 'milestone' in Pak-US bilateral relations, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has asked all critics of the 1.5 billion dollar annual assistance package to first read the Bill. Addressing a joint press conference with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Washington, Clinton said the focus of the Kerry Lugar Bill would be to improve education, health and other basic amenities in the troubled nation.

September 20th, 2009 LONDON - Pakistan and Britain have decided to create a joint task force to reform the education system in the Islamic country, Geo TV reported Sunday. The decision was taken during a meeting here Saturday attended by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, among others.

September 10th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - At least eighteen Islamic seminaries in Islamabad have refused to register themselves with the government, claiming that they will cooperate only if they are contacted through the madrassah body, known as the Tanzeemul Madaris. Official sources told the Dawn, that 122 madaris or religious schools have been registered with the capital's district administration.

August 31st, 2009 LONDON - A contestant on a Pakistani reality TV show died while meeting a challenge for the show, a spokeswoman for the show's sponsor has revealed. Fareshte Aslam, the information officer for Unilever Pakistan, said that Saad Khan was swimming across a lake in Bangkok with a 7 kg backpack, when he shouted for help and drowned.

June 3rd, 2009 CANBERRA - Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's senior national security adviser, Duncan Lewis, has been asked to head a new task force to examine and respond to race-related violence against Indian students in the country. The task force conducted its first meeting on Tuesday night.

June 2nd, 2009 US Navy: Anti-pirate task force disarms 10 piratesDUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The international anti-pirate task force patrolling the Gulf of Aden intercepted 10 suspected pirates and disarmed them on Tuesday, said a U.S. Navy statement.

May 28th, 2009 LONDON - Pakistan may acquire three Type 42 Batch 3 destroyers from Britain after they are retired from the Royal Navy (RN). Pakistan is also in discussion with the United States to acquire FFG 7 frigates.

May 24th, 2009 TEHRAN - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said his country, Afghanistan and Iran need to evolve a joint strategy to solve their border-related probelems. Addressing a trilateral conference, Zardari said the global downturn has impacted Pakistan and Afghanistan most.

May 8th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to form a joint border security force. Addressing a press conference, the Interior Ministers of Pakistan and Afghanistan also said that both the countries would exchange prisoners.

May 7th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan will focus on ramping up indigenous capabilities and entering joint ventures with foreign manufacturers to ensure its air force acquires the latest equipment, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Thursday. Speaking to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) chief, Air Chief Marshal Qamar Suleman, Gilani said the government would also provide the necessary resources for upgrading its professional capabilities, APP reported.

April 27th, 2009 LONDON - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has cancelled a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Brown, who arrived in Pakistan this afternoon after talks in Afghanistan, told reporters on the plane that he would hold a meeting with President Zardari.

April 7th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistani and American officials on Tuesday jointly reiterated that there was a need for trust between both countries to counter the al Qaeda and the Taliban threat. Visiting US Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard C Holbrooke, and Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen told reporters here that they had fruitful meetings with the Pakistani leadership,including President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, and added that they taken cognizance of Islamabad's objections on alleged drone attacks mounted by the United States on suspect terrorists and terror hideouts in Pakistan's tribal badlands.

April 7th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - US special envoy to Pakistan Richard Holbrooke Tuesday said the two countries had parallel interests in fighting the war against Al Qaeda and Taliban militants concentrated along the Afghan border. 'The United States and Pakistan face a common strategic threat, a common enemy and a common challenge and, therefore, a common task,' Holbrooke told reporters at a joint press conference with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

March 6th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - A Pakistan Air Force jet Thursday crashed near the garrison city of Rawalpindi, killing the pilot, a media report said. The Mushak jet crashed in the Pindi Gheb area of Attock district in the eastern Punjab province, the private Dawn News TV channel reported.