Democrats Won Karachi Press Club Polls

KARACHI: The Democrats panel won majority of posts in the elections of Karachi Press Club (KPC) for 2009 held here Saturday.

President-elect Muhammad Imtiaz Khan Faran with 272 votes against Najeeb Ahmed (254 votes), Vice-president-elect Amir Latif with 327 votes against Fazil Jamali (290 votes), Secretary-elect A.H. Khanzada with 297 votes against Ashraf Khan (256 votes) and Joint-secretary-elect Abid Hussain with 314 votes against Rafiq Bashir (229 votes).

All those elected belong to the Democrats.

While for the post of Treasurer, Fahim Siddiqui of The Panel was elected with 295 votes against Anwar Khan (257 votes).

For the 7-seat Governing Body those elected were Idrees Bakhtiar, Naqeeb-ur-Rehman, Wali Rizvi, G.M. Jamali, Azhar Hussain, Noman Rafiq and Akbar Ali. Five of the elected Governing Body members belong to The Democrats.

Bomb Kill 25 Eid Shoppers

PESHAWAR " At least 25 Eid shoppers were killed and over 100 others injured as a bomb exploded in the most-congested locality of Peshawar Friday evening. Another 10 Eid shoppers were killed when a suicide bomber struck in a market in Orakzai Agency earlier in the day.

The high-intensity explosion occurred in front of a hotel, which is surrounded by an Imambargah, plastic factory, scores of shops and residences, in Koocha Risaldar located adjacent to historical Qisa Khawani Bazar here.The authorities so far confirmed 25 deaths and injuries to 138, out of which more than 100 have been admitted in Lady Reading Hospital. The victims included women and children. As a result of the blast, electricity supply all over Qisa Khawani and its surrounding areas got disconnected.

The hotel, Imambargah, plastic manufacturing and storing units, shops and several houses caught fire. The disruption in electricity supply and outbreak of fire in the locality hampered the rescue activities.

Proof of ISI role in Mumbai attacks, India claims

India claims it has proof that Pakistan's powerful military intelligence agency was involved in last week's attacks in Mumbai, Indian newspapers reported Friday. Several newspapers cited sources as saying intelligence pooled with the United States suggested the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had played an active role in training the gunmen who carried out the attack. Investigators now have "the names of the handlers and trainers, (and) the locations where the training was held," The Hindu quoted the unidentified sources as saying.

The Indian Express said intercepts between the gunmen and their handlers showed the use of communication pathways often used by the ISI. India says that the 10 gunmen involved in last week's assault that left 172 people dead, including 26 foreigners, all came from Pakistan. "We are one hundred percent convinced that the Inter Services Intelligence is involved," the India Abroad News Service quoted a highly placed intelligence source as saying. "We are zeroing in on the names of these ISI handlers and will present a fool-proof case (to Pakistan) soon," the source told the agency. The Hindustan Times said Indian officials wanted Washington to hand over any evidence, believing that it would put Islamabad under greater pressure. "We will leave that to the Americans," the Times quoted one official as saying. Suspicion for the attacks has fallen on Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based militant group which has fought Indian control of divided Kashmir and which attacked the Indian parliament in 2001, nearly pushing the two nations to another war.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in Islamabad Thursday in an effort to defuse tension in the region after visiting New Delhi the previous day. Rice said it was crucial for the Pakistani government to provide full and transparent cooperation with the Indian investigations. Asif Ali Zardari said he was determined that Pakistan would not be used to orchestrate attacks or shelter terrorists such as those who committed last week's outrage.

"The government will not only assist in investigation but also take strong action against any Pakistani elements found involved in the attack," Zardari said in an official statement issued after he met with Rice. India has in the past accused the ISI of helping attacks on Indian targets by militants, including July's bombing of the Indian embassy in the Afghan capital Kabul.