Islamabad: Nawaz Sharif, tipped to be Pakistan’s next prime minister, said he would end his country’s involvement in the US-led war on terror if elected. Sharif told the BBC that the move was necessary for peace in Pakistan and elsewhere. Asked if he would take Pakistan out of the war on terror, he said: “Yes, we have to.” But he declined to say if he would stop military operations against the Taliban and Al Qaeda. He said he wanted to work with other countries for peace in the region.
Poll sabotage attempt foiled
Islamabad: Police raided the Rasheed Garhi area of Peshawar on a tip-off that militants were present in a house. The rebels opened fire and killed two cops. Police surrounded the house and launched a counter attack, Dunya News said. A suicide bomber blew himself inside the house, killing a woman and injuring a child as the house collapsed. Police said the miscreants had aimed to sabotage the general election.
German motorist drives for safety
ISLAMABAD: German stunt motorcyclist Steven Hofmann yesterday started his journey from Islamabad to the northern areas via G T Road to create awareness about road safety among motorcyclists, especially the use of the helmet. The drive, from Taxila toll plaza, was organised by National Highway and Motorway Police and crash helmets were distributed among students. Hoffman said his mission to visit Pakistan was to educate motorcyclists.
55,000 hit by thalassaemia
ISLAMABAD: More than 55,000 people in Pakistan are suffering from thalassaemia, Dr Nasreen Qaiser, head of Community Medicine Department at Nishtar Hospital, said, adding cousin marriages were the main cause of the disease which had increased by 30 percent in the last 20 years and out-of-family marriages in at least every third generation are needed to avoid it. Agencies
