Islamabad: The High Commissioner to Pakistan Philip Barton assured Britain’s full cooperation in countering extremism and terrorism from Pakistan during a meeting with Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid yesterday.
The two discussed ways to counter the problem of extremism by using various tools, including mass media, sources said.
Pakistan has sacrificed a lot in the war against terror and it must be duly recognised by the international community, said the information minister. Regarding the ongoing military operation against foreign and local militants in North Waziristan, Rashid informed the British envoy that the operation was supported by all democratic forces in the country.
The minister said Pakistan’s valiant security forces were highly capable of defeating terrorists operating in the tribal areas.
Islamabad to auction ‘sukuk’
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s central bank will auction a three-year local currency sukuk, or Islamic bond, more than a year after it last issued such an instrument, adding a much needed liquidity management tool for domestic Islamic banks.
The central bank did not give a target size for the sukuk, which will be backed by motorway assets in Punjab province and use an ijara structure, a Shariah-compliant sale and lease-back contract. No date for the sale was announced. Pakistan issued a $438m three-year sukuk in March last year, using a similar structure.
A local currency sukuk would be welcome by the country’s five full-fledged Islamic banks and 15 others offering Islamic finance services, as a key tool to help manage their short-term liquidity needs.
8 members of family shot dead
Islamabad: At least eight people including two women were killed when unknown armed men barged into a house and opened indiscriminate fire yesterday in Hangu town, northwest of Pakistan. Police said that a woman also sustained injuries in the attack and was shifted to a hospital for treatment.
The police took the bodies into custody and launched an investigation into the matter. AGENCiES
