Wednesday 20 November 2013

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

US drone strike kills 5 in North Waziristan

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HANGU (Dunya News) – According to initial reports, a US spy plane fired three missiles at Madrisa Dar-ul- Alum Quran (a religious seminary) tehsil Tal of Hangu in North Waziristan on early Thursday morning, killing 5 sutdents a injuring another five.Drone aircrafts are still flying over, spreading panic and fear in the area.Drone missile strikes are very unpopular in Pakistan, but Washington views them as a vital tool in the fight against Taliban and Al Qaeda militants.Ties with Washington will be a key part of Sharifs tenure, particularly as NATO withdraws the bulk of its forces from Afghanistan by the end of next year after more than 12 years of war.

Rawalpindi tragedy: 18 suspects arrested, substantial evidence found

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RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) – Authorities have made significant progress in invetigation of Rawalpindi tragedy and have arrested 18 accused after NADRA identified accused involved in the incident with the help of photos and CCTV footage.According to initial investigation, planning for the incident was done well in advance and most of the culprits were not residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.Police have arrested 18 accused so far. The arrested persons have pointed out 26 other key accused and their arrest is expected within 24 hours. Special police teams have been formed the arrest them.

Opposition to submit requisition for assembly session today

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ISLAMABAD (Online): Opposition parties’ have prepared requisition to summon National Assembly session in order to discuss law & order situation across the country especially after Rawalpindi tragedy, price hike and Prime Minister’s foreign tours. According to reports, members of different opposition parties decided that requisition would be submitted if government not announces to convene assembly session on Thursday.At least 87 members of different political parties including 45 members of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), 34 of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and four members of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) signed the requisition.Two members of Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) and Awami National Party (ANP) each signed the requisition before submission.It is pertinent to mention that requisition would be submitted under Article 54 (3) of the constitution.It has been stated in the requisition that Rawalpindi massacre is unlawful and whole nation is in trauma after the incident while house has not been taken into confidence over PM’s tours so meeting of assembly should be convened immediately to discuss the issues.It is pertinent to mention that assembly meeting is essential to convene within 14 days after submission of requisition.Earlier, Shah Mehmood Qureshi met Shireen Mazari and finalized the issue of requisition.

Imran, Rashid appeal for calm during Fridays protest

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RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) - Awami Muslim League (AML), chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmad called on Pakistan, Tehrik-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan at Bani Gala on Wednesday.Bothe the leaders discussed current political situation in the country, closure of NATO supply and law and order situation.Sh Rashid assured Imran of his participation in Peshawar public gathering. Both the leaders also discussed progress made in the investigation of Rawalpindi tragedy.

US, Afghanistan agree on post-2014 troop deal

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday he had nailed down the terms of a key security pact to govern the presence of US troops in Afghanistan beyond 2014.The hard-won agreement was announced just hours before Afghan leaders were to debate the deal.Afghanistans President Hamid Karzai appears to have bowed to a US demand that American troops not be tried in local courts if they are accused of any crimes, a key sticking point.As we sit here tonight we have agreed on the language that would be submitted to a loya jirga, but they have to pass it, Kerry told reporters in Washington.The draft text, released by Kabul earlier Wednesday, is now set to go before the traditional Afghan assembly known as a loya jirga on Thursday.According to the draft, US forces remaining in Afghanistan to train local security personnel and pursue Al-Qaeda after the bulk of NATO troops leave at the end of 2014 will be subject to American justice.The Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) is seen as vital to security in the war-torn nation, where the Taliban insurgency this year has reached levels of violence not seen since 2010, according to the UN.A similar deal between the United States and Iraq collapsed in 2011 over whether US troops would be answerable to local courts or those in America, leading Washington to pull its forces out.But a draft text published on the Afghan foreign ministry website said Kabul had agreed that the United States should have the exclusive right to exercise jurisdiction over its forces in Afghanistan.Afghanistan authorizes the United States to hold trial in such cases, or take other disciplinary action, as appropriate, in the territory of Afghanistan, it said.According to the draft, the deal will remain in force until the end of 2024 and beyond unless either side terminates it.The issue has dogged negotiations with Kabul, leading some to fear the Iraq zero option would be repeated and the country would plunge deeper into violence as local forces struggle to quell the Taliban.Afghan officials could not be reached for comment on the publication.A spokeswoman for the US State Department stressed that the released text was a draft and final details were still under discussion and could change.It remains unclear how many US troops will stay on after the majority of NATO forces, who currently number 75,000, pull out. That announcement is expected to come separately from US President Barack Obama.Kerry said the remaining troops would have a very limited role, it is entirely train, equip, and assist. There is no combat role for the United States forces.Afghan officials have said up to 16,000 could remain.The draft deal also said that while US military operations against Al-Qaeda may be appropriate in the fight against terrorism, the two sides would cooperate closely to protect US and Afghan interests without unilateral US military counter-terrorism operations.There was no mention however of another sticking point -- on whether US troops will be able to search Afghan homes.Aimal Faizi, President Hamid Karzais spokesman, told reporters in Kabul on Tuesday they had agreed US forces could search homes, but only in extraordinary circumstances where there was an urgent risk to life.

Baghdad bears brunt as Iraq attacks kill 49

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BAGHDAD (AFP) - A wave of attacks, most of them car bombs targeting Shiite neighbourhoods of Baghdad, killed 49 people on Wednesday in the latest bout of deadly violence to hit Iraq.The bombings and shootings, which also wounded more than 100 people, came amid a protracted surge in bloodletting just months ahead of a general election that has forced Iraqi officials to appeal for international help in combating the countrys deadliest unrest since 2008.At least eight explosions, including seven car bombs, went off mostly against Shiite Muslim neighbourhoods of the Iraqi capital, killing 36 people and wounding nearly 100, security and medical officials said.They came after similarly coordinated bombings in Baghdad on Sunday killed 21 people, and pushed the death toll for November above 300.Wednesdays attacks struck in areas ranging from the citys main commercial district of Karrada to the predominantly Shiite neighbourhood of Shaab, as well as Sadriyah, one of Baghdads oldest districts.One car bomb also went off in the Sunni-majority neighbourhood of Adhamiyah in north Baghdad, the officials said.The blast in Karrada struck near a car dealership as Shiites were gathering to mark the anniversary of the death of a venerated figure in Shiite Islam, when Sunni militants often step up their attacks.We were cooking and giving food on the anniversary of the death of Imam Hussein, said Ahmed Abu Ali, an employee of the Al-Baldawi car dealership.Many people were gathering at the dealership and suddenly a car blew up 20 metres (yards) away, said the 40-year-old, clad in a traditional black Arab robe.Even if they bomb us and try to stop us, we will not stop commemorating the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein.Security forces imposed tight restrictions in areas hit by the attacks, in many cases barring journalists from filming or taking photographs at bomb sites.No group immediately claimed responsibility for the violence, but Sunni militants linked to Al-Qaeda often set off coordinated bombings across Baghdad, typically targeting Shiites, whom they regard as apostates.In a separate attack in the normally peaceful northern Kurdish city of Sulaimaniyah, gunmen assassinated President Jalal Talabanis chief bodyguard, a police spokesman said.The trio of attackers entered Colonel Sarwat Rashids home and shot him three times in the head in front of his wife.Authorities were still investigating the motive behind the attack.Talabani has for nearly a year been recovering in Germany from a stroke and Rashid had been due to leave Sulaimaniyah to visit the president, whom he had served as head of personal security since 1994.Multiple separate attacks in Baghdad and the main northern city of Mosul, along with bombings in Abu Ghraib and Buhruz, left a dozen others dead.North of Baghdad, near the Diyala provincial capital of Baquba, police found the bodies of three men killed by gunshots to the head and chest.The unrest is part of a surge in bloodshed that has pushed violence to its highest level since 2008, when Iraq was recovering from the worst of its Sunni-Shiite sectarian war.Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has called for Washingtons help in the form of greater intelligence sharing and the timely delivery of new weapons systems.But diplomats and analysts say the government is not doing enough to address the root causes of the unrest, particularly frustration within the Sunni Arab minority, which complains of mistreatment by the Shiite-led authorities.With elections due on April 30, officials fear the level of violence could rise further as militants seek to destabilise the country ahead of the polls.In addition to failing to stem the bloodshed, authorities have also struggled to provide adequate basic services such as electricity and clean water, and corruption is widespread.

Nuclear talks begin, Iran warns of limits

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GENEVA (AP) - A new round of Iran nuclear talks began in fits and starts Wednesday, with the two sides ending a first session just minutes after it began amid warnings from Irans supreme leader of red lines beyond which his country will not compromise.Still, both sides indicated a first-step agreement was possible on a deal to roll back Irans nuclear program in exchange for limited sanctions relief, despite strong opposition from Israel and unease in both Congress and among Iranian hard-liners.President Barack Obama appears determined to reach such an agreement, which could be a major step toward reconciliation between the United States and a former ally that turned adversary after the Islamic Revolution of 1979.But Americas longtime allies Israel and Saudi Arabia fear a deal will fall short of ending the Iranian threat and that a resurgent Iran will transform the balance of power in the Middle East.A senior U.S. official said Wednesdays brief plenary was only a formality and that bilateral meetings would continue through the evening to try to hammer out the first steps of a deal. She demanded anonymity under U.S. government briefing rules.However, there was also tough talk, reflecting tensions from nearly a decade of negotiations that have begun to make headway only recently.While voicing support for the talks, Irans supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, insisted there are limits to the concessions Tehran will make. And he blasted Israel as the rabid dog of the region comments rejected by French President Francois Hollande as unacceptable.French spokeswoman Najat Vallaud-Belkacem told reporters in Paris that such statements complicate the talks, but France still hopes for a deal and its position has not changed. At the previous round earlier this month, France said it wanted tough conditions in any preliminary deal with Iran, and those negotiations then ended with both sides speaking of progress but continued differences on a final agreement.Khamenei gave no further details in a speech to a paramilitary group aimed at both placating hard-liners and showing his backing for the Iranian officials meeting with international negotiators in Geneva. But his mention of Irans nuclear rights was widely interpreted as a reference to uranium enrichment.For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed ahead with criticism of what he asserts is a deal in the making that will give Iran too much for too little in return.Netanyahu, in Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin, renewed his demand for a full stop to all Iranian nuclear programs that could be turned from peaceful uses to making weapons.He said that Israel wants to see a negotiated settlement, but added that it must be genuine and real.Israel believes that the international community must unequivocally ensure the fulfillment of the U.N. Security Councils decisions so that uranium enrichment ends, centrifuges are dismantled, enriched material is taken out of Iran and the reactor in Arak is dismantled, Netanyahu said, referring to Irans plutonium reactor under construction.Putin had no public reaction to Netanyahus comments. We expect that mutually acceptable solutions will be found shortly, he told reporters.If the talks produce a deal to freeze Irans nuclear efforts, negotiators will pursue a more comprehensive agreement that would ensure that Tehrans program is solely for civilian purposes. Iran would get some sanctions relief under such a first-step deal, without any easing of the harshest measures those crippling its ability to sell oil, its main revenue maker.Iran has suggested it could curb its highest-known level of enrichment at 20 percent in a possible deal that could ease the U.S.-led economic sanctions.But Iranian leaders have made clear that their country will not consider giving up its ability to make nuclear fuel the centerpiece of the talks since the same process used to make reactor stock can be used to make weapons-grade material.Details of sanctions relief being discussed have not been revealed. But a member of Congress and legislative aides on Wednesday put the figure at $6 billion to $10 billion, based on what they said were estimates from the U.S. administration.The aides and the member of Congress demanded anonymity because they werent authorized to divulge the estimate publicly.The senior U.S. administration official declined comment beyond saying that envisaged sanctions would give Iran only limited relief and they could be rolled back if Iran reneges on terms of any initial deal.

12 gold miners dead in Guinea after collapse

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CONAKRY (AP) - Residents in a mining town in northern Guinea say at least a dozen people are dead after a landslide in the area where they were searching for gold.Mamadou Diallo, who lives in the town of Siguiri, said Wednesday that eight others were feared dead and five people had been taken to the hospital with injuries.A rescue operation was underway to try and find the eight who remained missing after the collapse early Wednesday but authorities said the hope of finding more survivors was slim.Siguiri is located 435 miles (700 kilometers) north of the capital in this mineral-rich West African country.Expert Mandjan Sano said that most of those searching for gold in the area are artisanal miners who often use outdated techniques that can cause fatal landslides.

12 dead after Algeria World Cup celebrations

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ALGIERS (AP) - Raucous celebrations after Algeria qualified for the 2014 World Cup finals were linked to the deaths of 12 people and some 240 injured, authorities reported Wednesday, as soccer-mad fans poured into the streets and revelers raced their cars and honked.Women ululated in joy and people waved Algerian flags in victory after the North African country defeated Burkina Faso on Tuesday night.In a country where political rallies are ill-attended without some kind of financial incentive, nothing gets people into the streets like a soccer championship, with celebrations for ordinary club championships going on well into the night in some neighborhoods.Most of the injuries and deaths were young men in traffic accidents, according to emergency services, typically from speeding around crowded city streets or the rain-slicked winding roads in the mountains.Five fans were killed when their van slid off the road into a ravine in the mountain town of Bejaia, east of Algiers, while four others died in the southern city of Biskra when two trucks collided, according to a statement from emergency services.In Bouira, southeast of the capital, a vehicle carrying a family skidded off the road, killing a 10-year-old. Eight other passengers, including four children between the ages of 3 and 8, were also injured, said the state news agency.The remaining two deaths occurred in the towns of Tipaza and MSila. Much of the north of the country was blanketed with heavy rains Tuesday, exacerbating the dangers of driving.It is the countrys fourth trip to the World Cup and follows closely on its 2010 appearance in South Africa.Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal and other members of the government lunched with the victorious team on Wednesday. The absence of ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was noted as another sign of his increasing infirmity following a stroke in April.The 76-year-old president was nominated by his party Saturday to run for a fourth term.

Football: Top scorer Messi wins record third Golden Shoe

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BARCELONA (AFP) - Barcelonas Argentine star striker Lionel Messi received his third Golden Shoe award on Wednesday as the top league scorer in Europe for his 46 goals in the 2012-2013 season.At the awards ceremony, Messi, 26, shared credit with his Barcelona team mates, Spanish league champions last season and currently leaders of the table.I am really pleased. It is a really beautiful prize. It is a recognition of the (Barcelona) dressing room and of all that the team has been doing all year, he said.Messi is currently sidelined with a torn hamstring after limping off during Barcelonas 4-1 win over Real Betis on November 10 -- his fourth injury in a year.His club said he could be out of action for up to eight weeks.The Argentina captain said at Wednesdays ceremony that he was getting better little by little and luckily there is no more pain.As for his return to action, it all depends on how things go. I will be back, but I will not put a date on when, he added.My aim is to come back and strengthen my whole body so that nothing goes wrong and I can play without worrying.With 46 goals in 32 league appearances last season, Messi became the first player ever to win three Golden Shoe awards, after bagging it in 2010 and 2012.He was already the only player to win European footballs top individual award, the Ballon dOr, four times.He was handed Wednesdays award by the clubs Bulgarian former star Hristo Stoichkov at a ceremony in Barcelona also attended by team mates including Carles Puyol and Cesc Fabregas.

Murray, Federer hail new ATP chief Kermode

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LONDON (AFP) - Britains Chris Kermode took over as the head of international mens tennis on Wednesday after being appointed executive chairman and president of the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals).Kermode, 48, is the man behind the ATP World Tour Finals, which have taken place in London for the past five years, and the tournament director of the Queens Club Championships. He was the unanimous choice of the ATP board.Its a huge honour to have been given the opportunity to lead the ATP during what is unquestionably one of the most exciting periods in the history of mens professional tennis, Kermode said.I look forward to getting started in my new role and to working very hard together with ATP staff, players, tournaments and partners as we look to harness the full potential of our great sport in years to come.Kermodes appointment was acclaimed by both reigning Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and 17-time Grand Slam-winner Roger Federer.Ive known and worked with Chris for many years and he gets on well with the players, said Murray, who is also the current Queens champion.Hes done a great job with Queens and the World Tour Finals and I look forward to working with him in his new role.Federer, the current president of the ATP Player Council, said: On behalf of the players, I am delighted to welcome Chris as our new ATP executive chairman and president.Chris has a lot of experience, having worked in a number of different capacities in tennis over the years, and he has all the attributes required to lead the ATP World Tour forward during this period of unprecedented popularity and success.Kermode will begin a three-year term on January 1 and succeeds Australian Brad Drewett, who died from motor neurone disease in May afterstepping down from his role the previous January.It had been vacant since then.Keromde had a brief playing career, reaching a high of 742 in the world ranking in 1986, before becoming a coach. He went on to work in the film and music industries and also started his own promotion and events company before returning to tennis.

Nadal enters first live poker tournament

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PRAGUE (AFP) - World tennis number one Rafael Nadal, a fervent poker player since a knee injury sidelined him from his day job in 2012, will play his first live poker tournament next month, organisers said Wednesday.Nadal will play in a charity tournament in the Czech capital Prague on December 12 -- part of the European Poker Tour, to be held from December 8 to 18, said online gaming firm PokerStars, with whom Nadal has an endorsement deal.Rafa will play against some of the biggest names on the international professional poker circuit, along with other sporting legends, who will be announced over the coming weeks, the company said.So far the Spanish tennis champ has only played in online poker tournaments.I have been playing poker online for almost 18 months and now Im looking forward to the challenge of playing my first live tournament, Nadal, 27, said in a statement released by PokerStars.Its no secret that I love the competition and thats what I like about poker, he said. Its a game of skill that requires mental strength and the ability to out-think your opponents and in that way there are similarities to tennis.Nadals poker coach, Alfonso Cardalda, recently told journalists in the Czech Republic his trainee had started out with only a basic notion of poker but had made rapid progress thanks to his competitive spirit.Nadal has made a blistering return to tennis from his career-threatening knee injury, winning 10 titles -- including the French and US opens -- in the past 10 months and closing out the 2013 season in the number one spot.

Lance Armstrong settles $3M insurance lawsuit

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AUSTIN (AP) - A day before he was scheduled to give sworn testimony about his use of performance-enhancing drugs, Lance Armstrong reached a settlement on Wednesday with an insurance company that was seeking $3 million in performance bonuses it paid him from 1999 to 2001.Nebraska-based Acceptance Insurance sued Armstrong in Texas earlier this year after he admitted he doped during a career in which he won the Tour de France seven times.Acceptance attorney Mark Kincaid and Armstrong attorney Tim Herman declined to disclose details of the settlement, but both said the case was resolved to the mutual satisfaction of the parties.The settlement means Armstrong will not need to show up for a Thursday deposition in Austin, where he was expected to be asked to detail drug use throughout his career. Although Armstrong has acknowledged drug use in interviews with Oprah Winfrey and other media, he has yet to provide sworn testimony.In an interview published by Britains Daily Mail earlier this week, Armstrong said former International Cycling Union president Hein Verbruggen helped him cover up doping at the 1999 Tour de France, a charge Verbruggen dismissed as a ridiculous story.Armstrongs statements have otherwise lacked many details anti-doping authorities want to hear. Armstrong has said he would consider taking part in international efforts to address drug use, and International Cycling Union President Brian Cookson has said hell be invited to a joint investigation between UCI and the World Anti-Doping Agency.Armstrong has so far refused to provide sworn testimony to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. It was USADAs detailed report in 2012 of drug use by Armstrongs U.S. Postal Service team that led to him being stripped of the seven Tour de France titles he won from 1999 to 2005.The agency, which also banned Armstrong from Olympic sports for life, has said the only chance to lessen the penalty is to answer questions under oath.Betsy Andreu, a key witness against Armstrong and the wife of former Armstrong teammate Frankie Andreu, was frustrated that Armstrong avoided Thursdays deposition.This gets him out of doing what he fears the most, which is going under oath, Betsy Andreu said. He has never answered the questions in depth. Hes always skirted.Acceptance had wanted Armstrong to detail his doping back to the 1995, including who was paid for delivering performance-enhancing drugs, who determined what amount to use and administered them, and who was aware of his drug use. The insurance company also wanted information on when and how Armstrongs closest friends, advisers, ex-wife Kristin Armstrong and his business partners learned of his doping.Armstrong still faces a similar $12 million lawsuit from Dallas-based SCA Promotions company, a case that is now in arbitration. He also faces a federal whistle-blower lawsuit over his teams previous sponsorship with the U.S. Postal Service that could lead to fines in excess of $100 million.Armstrong was questioned under oath by SCA in a 2005 lawsuit, but denied doping and the case was then settled with a $7 million payment to Armstrong.

Australia win toss, bat 1st in Ashes opener

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BRISBANE (AP) - Australia captain Michael Clarke won the toss and elected to bat in the first Ashes test against England at the Gabba, an important first call in the series.England is bidding for a fourth consecutive Ashes series win for the first time since the 1800s, having won the last two contests at home and on the previous tour to Australia in 2010-11.Wicketkeeper and vice-captain Matt Prior overcame a calf muscle injury which sidelined him for last weeks tour match in Sydney to take his place in the England lineup.Chris Tremlett got the job as Englands third seamer to support Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad.South Africa-born Kevin Pietersen will be playing his 100th test match for England, while Brad Haddin is playing his 50th test for Australia.George Bailey was making his debut for Australia and was likely to bat at No. 6. The Australians included offspinner Nathan Lyon in the starting XI at the expense of allrounder James Falkner.The toss can be decisive at the Gabba, where the team batting first can set up the test match which a big total if it survives the opening couple of sessions that usually favor seam and swing.The weather conditions were ideal for the opening day, with clear blue skies across Brisbane and temperatures tipped to hit 30 Celsius (86 Fahrenheit).There is rain and storms on the forecast from Friday.The five-test series, starting only a few months after Englands 3-0 win at home, will move to Adelaide for the second test starting Dec. 5, then continue in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.

Afghan delegation in Pakistan for peace talks: official

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KABUL (AFP) - A high-ranking peace delegation from Kabul is in Pakistan to hold talks on kick-starting Afghanistans peace process, an official said Wednesday, but he was unable to confirm whether they would meet militant commander Mullah Baradar.The three-member group representing the High Peace Council (HPC) left for Islamabad for a trip lasting one to two days, Shafiullah Shafi, a member of the council, told AFP.A three-member Afghan delegation headed by Salahuddin Rabbani (HPC chairman) left for Islamabad today, said Shafi.They will talk with Pakistani officials on ways to better help the peace process, he said, adding the meeting had been agreed during last months summit between Afghanistan, Pakistan and Britain in London.The High Peace Council is the Afghan body charged with opening negotiations with Taliban insurgents as US-led NATO forces prepare to withdraw from the country by the end of next year.A statement from the office of Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the end of October said: It was agreed on that a High Peace Council delegation will visit Pakistan and meet with Mullah Baradar in the near future.Baradar was freed from jail in Pakistan in September as part of efforts to boost Afghanistans peace process, but since his release it appears he has been kept under house arrest by the Pakistanis.Afghan officials believe he could encourage Taliban leaders to seek a negotiated settlement to end the 12-year insurgency if he were given full freedom.Support from Pakistan, which backed Afghanistans 1996-2001 Taliban regime, is seen as crucial to peace after NATO troops depart -- but relations between the neighbours remain uneasy.A Taliban office in Qatar that opened in June was meant to lead to talks, but instead it enraged Karzai after it was styled as an embassy for a government-in-exile.
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