Sunday 9 February 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

IMF hints Pakistan on track for $550 mn loan tranche

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DUBAI (AFP) - Pakistan was on track to receive a third loan tranche worth $550 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) this year, the Washington-based lender indicated Sunday, saying the nation's economic recovery was gathering pace.The IMF approved a $6.7 billion bailout loan package for Pakistan in September last year to help the struggling nuclear-armed country achieve economic reforms, particularly in its troubled energy sector.The IMF... is encouraged by the overall progress made in pushing ahead with policies to strengthen macroeconomic stability and reviving economic growth, IMF's Jeffrey Franks said after talks with Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in Dubai.The IMF said Pakistan's economy was picking up, with growth expected to reach about 3.1 percent in 2013/14 compared to its earlier estimate of 2.8 percent.Cash-strapped Pakistan, plagued by a bloody homegrown Taliban insurgency, is battling to get its shaky economy back on track and solve a chronic energy crisis that cripples industry. The IMF made an initial payment of $540 million, and in November fund officials said during a monitoring visit that Pakistan was broadly on track with reforms.In December, Pakistan received $554 million as a second tranche of the loan.Franks said IMF's executive board would tentatively in late March consider whether Pakistan was qualified to receive the third tranche.

Three gas pipelines blown up in RYK

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RAHIM YAR KHAN (Dunya News) - According to details, some unidentified miscreants blew up three gas pipelines in Basti Abdul Hamid near Rahim Yar Khan on Sunday night.A huge fire erupted after the explosions which quickly spread to the nearby locality as a result a woman died.The explosion caused a massive shortfall in gas supply several cities of Punjab, including Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan.According to the SNGPL officials, the fire at the three bombed gas pipelines had been extinguished gas supply would be restored within 36 hours.

Hundreds evacuated from Syria's Homs on eve of talks

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DAMASCUS (AFP) - Aid teams evacuated hundreds of exhausted civilians from besieged Homs city Sunday, as Syria's regime and rebels again accused each other of violating a truce ahead of new peace talks.The evacuation of 420 of the 3,000 trapped people, who had been reduced to living off little more than olives and herbs after more than 600 days under siege, came as representatives from both sides converged on Geneva.Damascus' delegation and members of the opposition began arriving for a second round of the so-called Geneva II talks scheduled to begin on Monday.Sunday's evacuation from Homs was the second in three days after a UN-brokered truce for besieged districts of Syria's third city began on Friday.Five men were killed when one besieged district was hit by mortar fire during Sunday's evacuation, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.They were the latest deaths in a nearly three-year conflict that has killed 136,000 people and displaced millions.Four hundred and twenty besieged people came out today from the Old City districts of Homs, and the operation is still under way, Homs governor Talal al-Barazi said.Television footage showed women, children and elderly men getting off the buses that brought them out of the besieged areas.They appeared visibly exhausted and frail, in a video broadcast by Beirut-based channel Al-Mayadeen. Children, carried by their parents, looked pale.The civilians were aided by UN staff and Syrian Red Crescent volunteers amid a strong Syrian army presence.We had nothing. All the children were sick, we even had nothing to drink, said one exhausted woman, her three children standing round her.State television said the operation took place under fire from armed terrorist groups -- regime terminology for rebels.But the Britain-based Observatory echoed claims by activists that at least five people were killed in shelling that targeted the besieged district of Qarabis.Activists accused pro-regime militiamen in neighbourhoods bordering the besieged districts, who opposed the truce, of firing the mortar rounds.Shelling also targeted an aid convoy entering the besieged districts on Saturday in an attack that killed five residents and wounded 20, the Observatory said.

11 dead, 1,200 injured as heavy snow hits Japan

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TOKYO (AFP) - The heaviest snow in decades in Tokyo and other areas of Japan has left at least 11 dead and more than 1,200 injured across the country, reports said Sunday.As much as 27 centimetres (10.6 inches) of snow was recorded in Tokyo by late Saturday, the heaviest fall in the capital for 45 years, according to meteorologists.The storm hit Tokyo on the eve of its gubernatorial election.Observers say the weather may affect voter turnout in the city of 13 million people. As of 6:00 pm (0900 GMT) turnout was down more than 10 percentage points from a previous poll during the last mayoral election.As a depression moved along the Pacific coast Saturday, the northeastern city of Sendai saw 35 centimetres (13.8 inches) of snow, the heaviest in 78 years.Local media said at least 11 people have been killed with one person also in critical condition in snow-linked accidents -- mostly crashes after their cars skidded on icy roads.In central Aichi prefecture, a 50-year-old man died after his car slipped on the icy road and rammed into an advertisement steel pole, a local rescuer said.Public broadcaster NHK reported at least 1,253 people were injured across the nation, many of whom had slipped on the ground or fallen while shovelling the snow off their roofs.More than 20,000 households were without electricity early Sunday while airlines cancelled more than 400 domestic flights a day after over 740 flights were grounded.Nearly 5,000 people were stranded at Narita airport Saturday as traffic linking the airport to the capital was disrupted, NHK said.Further snowfall is expected Sunday in the northern part of the country, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Roadside bomb kills 8 Afghan soldiers: official

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KABUL (AFP) - A roadside bomb ripped through an Afghan army vehicle in southwestern Afghanistan on Sunday and killed eight soldiers, officials said.The vehicle was hit in the Dilaram district of Farah province, said defence ministry spokesman General Zahir Azimi.Mohammad Sarwar Sebat, the governor of neighbouring Nimroz province, told AFP the soldiers were transporting ammunition to Farah from their base in Nimroz when the blast struck them.The governor said the remote-controlled bomb killed five soldiers and three officers.No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but roadside bombs have been the weapon of choice for Taliban insurgents in their 12-year battle to topple the US-backed central government.Afghan forces have been playing an increasing role in the fight against the Taliban as US-led NATO soldiers progressively pull out.More than 50,000 NATO combat troops still in Afghanistan are due to leave by the end of the year, and will leave the huge task of providing security to local forces.

Pakistan has no favourites in Afghanistan: Sartaj

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ISLAMABAD (Online): Prime Minister’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz said Pakistan will continue to support Afghan-owned reconciliation process for peace and stability in the region.Addressing a function in Islamabad on Sunday‚ he said Pakistan has no favourites in Afghanistan. The Advisor said after the withdrawal of NATO forces‚ neighbouring countries will have an important role in the development of Afghanistan.He said China has also an important role to play in the development of Afghanistan. Sartaj Aziz said‚ on the request of President Karzai and Afghan Peace Council‚ Pakistan has taken several steps for establishing peace in Afghanistan.Replying to a question‚ he said destiny of the region will change with the implementation of Pak-China Economic Corridor project.

Olympics: Matthias Mayer wins men's Olympic downhill

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ROSA KHUTOR (AFP) - After a 10-year wait, Austria finally won men's downhill gold on Sunday, helping to erase the embarrassing memory of Vancouver, when the team failed to secure a single Olympic medal.With few successes in other sports, Austria has long relied on alpine skiing to bring home glory, and the downhill -- the sport's blue-riband event -- has always been the biggest prize. But until 23-year-old Matthias Mayer stormed through the finish line Sunday at Rosa Khutor to nab gold, the alpine nation suffered through an 11-year dry spell on the men's side. The last Austrian to win a downhill at an Olympics or world championships was Michael Walchhofer in St. Moritz in February, 2003. Even worse, the men's team failed to bring home a single medal of any colour from the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver -- a disaster for home fans and media alike, making Sunday's win all the sweeter. After so many years to get Olympic gold in the downhill again is really special, Austrian ski federation sports director Hans Pum told AFP. It wasn't going so well for us in the downhill but we knew we had a strong and young team and Matthias has got stronger and stronger, you could see that in the last few races.That he carried it through like this, it shows incredible mental strength and I'm happy for him.I'm happy for the whole team and for Austria of course but mostly for Matthias, he rejoiced. For men's ski coach Mathias Berthold, Sunday's gold was a boon for a team weighed down by expectations. It's always great to have such a start at a big event. It takes some of the pressure off of people who will come later, like Marcel (Hirscher), Benni (Raich) or Mario Matt, he said of his top slalom racers. I was quite confident going into the Olympics. But a start like that, this is maybe something we didn't expect.At world championships on home snow last year, the Austrian men's failure to climb on the podium in either speed event -- downhill and super-G -- had the press baying for blood before overall World Cup winner Hirscher redeemed the team with slalom gold. 2012 World Cup downhill winner Klaus Kroell also recalled the expectations and disappointments of four years ago. In Vancouver, it was really tiring for everyone as there were no medals and we were constantly asked about it, he told AFP. Now it's been dealt with. We have gold already after the first race. I hope we can get a few more. Mayer himself said he knew how important his performance would be before he started. As an Austrian you always know when you start and if you win a race that it will be highly valued in Austria, said the youngster, who has only been racing at World Cup level since 2011 and was not a favourite going into the Olympics. So it's often difficult for young racers, you often feel the pressure, or sometimes not. Today I didn't and that's why I was successful.For Berthold, who urged his team all season to raise their act, there was finally a sense of redemption about this precious first Olympic gold. We had very good races but we didn't win (in recent seasons).With (World Cup downhill) Kitzbuehel and now here, we've won the two most important downhills. And that's fantastic.

Olympics: Loch retains Olympic luge title

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ROSA KHUTOR (AFP) - Germany's Felix Loch retained his Olympic luge singles title at the Sochi Games on Sunday.The 24-year-old upset Russian Albert Demchenko's hopes of becoming the oldest ever Olympic individual champion at the age of 42.Loch -- an eight-time world champion, four each in singles and teams -- finished with a combined time of 3min 27.526sec after the four runs.But it still left him one Olympic gold medal short of his coach Georg Hackl, who won three in a row from Albertville in 1992 to Nagano in 1998.Yet Loch insisted he is not trying to compete with Hackl, who also won silvers in Calgary in 1988 and Salt Lake City in 2002.I try to go my own way and leave my own footprints, he said.Demchenko, the world champion in 2004/05, was 0.476sec behind with double Olympic champion Armin Zoeggeler of Italy third at 1.271sec.It was very difficult, in Russian territory, against Russia and against Armin, added Loch. I'm so relieved now.Demchenko said he would be a coach by the time the next Olympics comes around but he suggested that Loch was more than merely in a class of his own.In sliding sports to be winning by four tenths of a second after only three runs is impossible, he said.Demchenko had posted the fastest time in the first run but finished more than three tenths behind Loch in the second, with the German extending his lead over the final two runs.When the Russian began his final run, a firework display began outside the venue but Demchenko failed to light up the home hopes as he lost more time on the eventually winner.Zoeggeler, 40, who won his third bronze having also taken a silver in Nagano, set a record as the first man to win medals in six different Winter Olympics.But he said: This will definitely be my last.

Tennis: Italy, Australia, Germany into Fed Cup semi-finals

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PARIS (AFP) - Italy kept their Fed Cup title defence on track Sunday, downing the United States to join Australia and Germany in the semi-finals of the women's tennis competition.Karin Knapp claimed the decisive third point for Italy, giving them an unbeatable 3-0 lead with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over American Alison Riske.The holders won't know their opponents for the April 19-20 semi-finals until Monday, after rain in Seville forced decisive matches in Spain's clash with the Czech Republic to be pushed back with the hosts holding a 1-0 lead.Both Italy and the United States were without their top players for the tie on an indoor hard court in Cleveland, Ohio.Italy, seeking a fifth Fed Cup in nine years, were without Sara Errani and Flavia Pennetta, while the United States were without injured stars Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens.But Knapp, ranked 40th in the world, came through with two victories. She opened the tie with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 win over Christina McHale on Saturday, when Camila Giorgi crushed US teen Madison Keys 6-2, 6-1.In the meaningless doubles match, Keys and Lauren Davis teamed up to beat Nastassja Burnett and Alice Matteucci 6-2, 6-3 and prevent the whitewash, giving Italy a final 3-1 triumph.US captain Mary Joe Fernandez opted to substitute Riske for Keys in Sunday's reverse singles, hoping her more aggressive style would prove troublesome for the Italian.Instead, Knapp broke Riske seven times, and while the Italian's nerves got the better of her in her first two chances to serve for the match, she finished it off in style with a love game punctuated by a service winner on her first match point.I got a little bit nervous, Knapp admitted. I got a little bit of emotion. At the end, the last game, I served again better. I think this was the key.In Hobart, Australia ensured their place in the next round for the first time in 21 years with a crushing Samantha Stosur-inspired 4-0 defeat of Russia.The 2011 US Open champion added to her Saturday singles win when seeing off FedCup newcomer Victoria Kan 6-2, 6-3 in Sunday's opening rubber to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead.Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua sealed a 4-0 clean sweep over the Russians with an emphatic 6-1, 6-3 doubles win over Irina Khromacheva and Valeria Solovyeva.We're still in it, so we have a chance to win it, Stosur said of Australia's prospects of claiming the title for the first time since 1974.First though they will have to overcome Germany, waiting for them in the semis.The Germans, who were last crowned champions in 1992, qualified 3-1 after Angelique Kerber defeated Slovakia's Australian Open runner-up Dominika Cibulkova 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) in the first of the reverse singles in Bratislava.Kerber had already beaten Daniela Hantuchova 7-6 (11/9), 6-1 in the second of Saturday's two singles, after Andrea Petkovic had saved a match point en route to a 1-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 win over Cibulkova.It was tough, so I was just trying to play point-by-point. I think I played well, I moved well, I mixed it up well, sometimes aggressive, sometimes defensive, and I'm so happy that we're now through, Kerber said.Slovakia picked up their point courtesy of Jana Cepelova and Magdalena Rybarikova's 4-6, 6-3, 10-7 doubles win over Julia Goerges and Anna-Lena Groenefeld. This is the first time Germany have graced the last four since 1995.

Football: Messi double takes Barca back to top of La Liga

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MADRID (AFP) - A double from Lionel Messi guided Barcelona back to the top of La Liga as they came from behind to beat Sevilla 4-1 in atrocious weather conditions on Sunday.Alberto Moreno had fired Sevilla into a deserved early lead, but Barca were level in controversial circumstances when Alexis Sanchez bundled home Messi's free-kick from an offside position.Messi then took over with a wonderful half-volley to give his side the lead at half-time.The Argentine produced another fine finish 11 minutes after the restart before Cesc Fabregas rounded off the scoring three minutes from time.The Spanish champions now lead a three-way tie at the top of La Liga on goal difference with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid also on 57 points.To have the opportunity to recover and regain the lead just a week after losing it is reassuring, said Barca boss Gerardo Martino.We start again now and we will see which of the three teams make a mistake first. We hope it won't be us again.Martino was also pleaed by his side's reaction after a dreadful opening in which they could easily have conceded three times.We played badly for the first 20 minutes. I wouldn't say the first-half was the worst we have played this season because we improved towards half-time and the equaliser had a calming effect on us.In the second-half I could see the team was playing better and in the last half an hour in particular we managed to control the game well.Sevilla went in front on 15 minutes when Moreno's low strike was deflected past Victor Valdes by his own defender Marc Bartra.Carlos Bacca was then unlucky to see his glancing header come back off the base of the post before Ivan Rakitic fired wide from close range with only Valdes to beat.Barcelona were handed a lifeline 10 minutes before half-time when the assistant referee failed to spot that Sanchez was in an offside position as he turned Messi's free-kick into the net via his back.However, there was no doubt over Barca's second as a flowing counter-attack from the edge of their own box ended with Messi volleying home his first goal from open play in 10 league games.Sevilla had a series of opportunities to equalise at the beginning of the second-half as Vitolo shot wide when clean through before Kevin Gameiro also fired off target after Valdes had parried Bacca's curling from range.The hosts were made to pay for their profligacy when Messi produced another precise left-footed finish in off the inside of the post from Andres Iniesta's pass.Substitute Denis Cheryshev had another guilt-edged chance to give Sevilla hope 17 minutes from time, but he fluffed his lines allowing Valdes to smother.And Fabregas showed the Sevilla forwards how it should be done with a composed chipped finish over the stranded Beto from Sanchez's cut-back.

Golf: Tiger Woods' niece wins Australian Masters

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BRISBANE (AFP) - Tiger Woods' niece stepped out of her superstar uncle's shadow on Sunday by winning the biggest tournament of her career at the Australian Ladies Masters.Cheyenne Woods, who is the daughter of Tiger's half-brother Earl Dennison Woods, held off a strong challenge by Australian amateur Minjee Lee (278) to card a final-round four-under-par 69 and complete a 16-under 276 total for victory.While Woods, 23, won a minor event early in her professional career in the United States, Sunday's victory on the Ladies European Tour at Royal Pines on the Gold Coast was easily her most significant so far.The American, whose grandfather Earl Woods -- Tiger's father -- was her first coach, was rock-solid throughout her final round, firing five birdies and just one bogey, and she choked back tears during her victory speech.This is a huge accomplishment for me, said the world number 363, adding that she hopes her breakthrough will move the conversation beyond merely her surname.I've been pro for two years and, for the majority of it, people just think of me as Tiger Woods' niece so now I have a game of my own and I have a title now, a win, which is exciting, she said.It's nice now to say to people that I can play and I'm not just a name. Growing up with the last name of Woods, there's a lot of expectations and pressure and spotlight on you but I always knew that I was able to win.I always knew I'd be able to compete with these ladies so now it's kind of a weight off my shoulders because now everybody knows not just me.The win earned her a two-year exemption into Ladies European Tour events -- and a Twitter shout-out from her famous uncle.Way to go Cheyenne Woods 14-time major champion Tiger Woods tweeted. A great win and accomplishment. I'm so proud of you.A victory in next week's US LPGA-sanctioned Australian Open would also earn Cheyenne Woods exemption into that tour.

Pietersen axed over Cook concerns: ECB

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LONDON (AFP) - Kevin Pietersen's England career was brought to an end due to concerns about his support for captain Alastair Cook, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) revealed on Sunday.Pietersen confirmed that he would no longer play for England last Tuesday after the South Africa-born batsman was left out of the England squads for the tour of the Caribbean and the ICC World Twenty20.At the time, the ECB would only cite the need for a new team ethic and philosophy in the wake of the 5-0 Test series defeat in Australia.However, following calls for an explanation from players including former England captains Ian Botham and Michael Vaughan, the ECB issued a joint statement with the Professional Cricketers' Association.The ECB recognises the significant contribution Kevin has made to England teams over the last decade, the statement read.He has played some of the finest innings ever produced by an England batsman. However, the England team needs to rebuild after the whitewash in Australia.To do that we must invest in our captain Alastair Cook and we must support him in creating a culture in which we can be confident he will have the full support of all players, with everyone pulling in the same direction and able to trust each other.It is for those reasons that we have decided to move on without Kevin Pietersen.Pietersen, 33, bowed out as England's record scorer across all formats of the game, with 13,797 runs to his name.However, his strong personality made him a divisive presence in the England changing room.He fell out with two head coaches in Peter Moores and Andy Flower and was also briefly dropped in 2012 after it emerged that he had sent text messages criticising then England captain Andrew Strauss to South African players.The ECB went on to address accusations emanating from social media that Pietersen had been forced out of the England squad by figures from within the camp.Allegations have been made, some from people outside cricket, which as well as attacking the rationale of the ECB's decision-making, have questioned, without justification, the integrity of the (former) England team director (Flower) and some of England's players, the statement added.It is important to stress that Andy Flower, Alastair Cook and (wicketkeeper) Matt Prior, who have all been singled out for uninformed and unwarranted criticism, retain the total confidence and respect of all the other members of the Ashes party.These are men who care deeply about the fortunes of the England team and its image, and it is ironic that they were the people who led the reintegration of Kevin Pietersen into the England squad in 2012.Speaking before the ECB explained its reasons for deciding to jettison Pietersen, Strauss had expressed a belief that trust was the critical issue.Without trust, the team environment is stillborn. It is for this reason that Kevin Pietersen's international career had to be brought to an end, Strauss wrote in British newspaper the Sunday Times.The media have been searching for a 'smoking gun'. Everyone is looking for disciplinary problems, bust-ups and character clashes, but they are looking for the wrong thing.The smoking gun is the total absence of trust.

Booze-up costs Ryder, Bracewell Test spot

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AUCKLAND (AFP) - Troublesome New Zealand cricketers Jesse Ryder and Doug Bracewell are out of the second Test against India, coach Mike Hesson said Monday, as details emerged of a late-night drinking spree.The pair have admitted drinking in a bar just hours before the start of the first Test last week, amid reports they were also involved in a scuffle, with Bracewell now nursing an injured hand and broken foot.CCTV footage has also been released showing Ryder, who has a history of alcohol-fuelled incidents, needing assistance to get into a taxi at 3:00am after the one-day match against India in Auckland last month.The drinking sessions have infuriated the rest of the New Zealand team as they overshadow media coverage of their dramatic 40-run win in the first Test with a day to spare.The fact that we won a Test match yesterday and the fact that the first few questions are based around off-field incidents is clearly an extreme disappointment for the team, Hesson told a press conference.He confirmed that neither Ryder nor Bracewell would be considered for the second Test, although Bracewell was already out of contention because of his injuries.We need to make sure all our players prepare themselves accordingly for Test cricket and at the moment we dont have confidence that thats the case, Hesson said.However, he stopped short of commenting if they will ever play for New Zealand again with Ryder previously expected to be an automatic choice for the World Twenty20 squad to be named this week.Theres an investigation taking place and well let that run its course first before making any bold statements about those sort of things, Hesson said.The free-scoring Ryder, who has only just returned to the international arena after a self-imposed exile 22 months ago to sort out personal issues, has a Test average of 40.93 from 33 innings.Bracewell, who has slipped down the pecking order of New Zealand fast bowlers in the past year, led New Zealand to their first Test win in Australia in 26 years when he took nine for 60 in Hobart in December 2011.

US drone hovers over NWA amid Taliban committee session: Reports

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya Web Desk): Taliban ‘political Shura’ and committee members changed the venue a number of times as an unmanned US drone reportedly hovered in the tribal area, sources said on Sunday.Taliban’s ‘political Shura’ and negotiations committee met at an undisclosed location in North Waziristan for the second consecutive day under Taliban deputy chief Sheikh Khalid Haqqani. Professor Ibrahim, Maulana Yousaf and Maulana Haseeb had informed TTP about the demands of the government committee. TTP had put forward its own set of conditions in response, Dunya News reported.US drone strikes had allegedly jeopardized the negotiations process when Taliban commander Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in one such strike. Pakistan government had strongly protested against the attack terming it a hurdle in the peace process. Following the requests of Pakistani government, United States had reportedly agreed to ‘reduce’ drone strikes amid the negotiation process.

Imran Khan launches 'Greenery to Prosperity' campaign

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PESHAWAR: (Web Desk) -- Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) head Imran Khan on Sunday inaugurated “Greenery to Prosperity” campaign.Under this mega project‚ over two billion saplings will be planted in the province over next five years to counter the challenges of global warming and climatic change.Speaking on the occasion, Imran Khan said that all government-owned rest houses would be commercialized so that their income could be spent for the welfare of people. He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is rich in natural resources and provincial government will initiate projects to utilize these resources.Imran Khan said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would soon start work on micro hydel power projects. “We will generate our own electricity in the province,” he said.To a question, he said that some slaves had held the whole nation hostage for dollars. “Rulers are killing their own people in return for money,” he alleged. “There is no dearth of Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq even today.”PTI Chairman Imran Khan has said US war against terrorism has badly affected Pakistan and its people.
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