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Pakistan-Afghan Troops Exchange Fire

KABUL (Afghanistan): Afghan and Pakistani troops traded fire with heavy weapons across their border overnight, injuring no one, an official said on Tuesday. The clash occurred near the border between the Afghan province of Nangarhar and Pakistan’s Mohmand agency, said Faizan, a spokesman for the Governor of Nangarhar.

Faizan said that the Pakistanis fired toward an Afghan border post at Anaar Gay, north of the Khyber Pass at 9:30 pm, 11:40 pm and again at midnight on Monday. "Two times they tolerated it, but the third time they answered" with artillery and fire from anti-aircraft guns, Faizan said.

Govt, MMA agree on Wana Affairs

ISLAMABAD: The government and the Muttahida Majlis-e-Aamal [MMA] have agreed on the registration of foreigners in Wana and steps to combat sectarianism and terrorism.

The agreement was reached during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Ch. Shujaat Hussain and attended by top government officials and MMA leaders at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat here.

The two sides agreed on four points: First, registration of foreigners in Wana. Second, stern action against religious seminaries and mosques fanning sectarian hatred and helping terrorists. The use of loud-speakers will be limited to Azan and Jumma Khutbas (Friday Sermons). Third, the governor NWFP, FATA MNAs and local elders will hold consultations to start commercial and trade activities in Wana. Fourth, the MMA will extend complete cooperation to the government in its efforts to end terrorism.

Top MMA leaders including Opposition Leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, MMA Palriamentary Leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed, NWFP Chief Minister Akram Durrani, Liaquat Baloch and Hafiz Hussain Ahmed were invited for the meeting held in connection with the Wana Operation and the government endeavour to deal with terrorism.

Besides Prime Minister Ch Shujaat Hussain, Prime Minister-in-waiting Shaukat Aziz, Ministers Aftab Sherpao, Shaikh Rashid Ahmed, Ijazul Haq, GG Jamal, NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah and the PML Secretary-General, Mushahid Hussain Syed, represented the government side.

Plane interception not to affect Pak-Russia Ties

ISLAMABAD: Spokesman for the Foreign Office Masood Khan on Tuesday said the Pakistan International Airlines [PIA] has been allowed to use Russian air space.

Masood said the misunderstandings of Russian civil aviation authorities regarding use of its air space by the PIA has been amicably resolved. The incident of interception of the PIA’s Manchester bound flight by the Russians was a computer fault, he said. Masood said that the intercepted PIA flight was using relatively new, alternate but pre-planned Russian route.

The incident will not affect the relations of Pakistan and Russia, he said. Relations between Pakistan and Russia will improve by the visit of Foreign Minister Kasuri, he added.

Pakistan and Azerbaijan to Sign Six Documents this Week

BAKU (Azerbaijan): President Pervez Musharraf is due in the oil-rich ex-Soviet republic of Azerbaijan on Thursday for a two-day visit, officials said on Tuesday.

"Azerbaijan is a friendly country to Pakistan and this is a mutual exchange of visits," said a spokesman for Pakistan’s embassy in Azerbaijan. "There is no special agenda, only the strengthening of our bilateral relations... This has been an outstanding visit for a long time," he added. The spokesman would only say that Musharraf would arrive some time this week.

Yet sources in Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said that the Pakistani leader would arrive on July-8 and remain in Azerbaijan for two days.

The spokesman said a package of "five or six documents" on bilateral cooperation was due to be signed during Musharraf’s visit. He said though, that he could not comment on what the documents contained or whether they related to military cooperation.

Japan regrets Indian Missile Test

ISLAMABAD: Japan has regretted the Indian ballistic missile test on July 4 and called upon it to respond to efforts to promote disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

A statement by the director general for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: "The government of Japan expresses its regret that India conducted a ballistic missile test on 4 July, 2004, despite the continued efforts by the international community to promote disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles."