The two foreign ministers announced the talks at near simultaneous briefings following a telephone conversation.

“The foreign minister of Pakistan has invited me to go Islamabad on the 15th of July,” India’s Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna told reporters.

“I am planning to visit Islamabad and I am looking forward to these talks,” he added.

India hoped the talks would be “helpful in building trust between the two countries,” he added. “Let’s hope that these efforts will be fruitful.”

During discussions in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu late last month, the prime ministers of both countries agreed that their foreign ministers would meet soon to draw up a road map for future talks.

India broke off a comprehensive peace dialogue with Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks in November 2008 that left 166 people dead.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi described his conservation with Krishna Tuesday as “very good”, quoted him as saying “he would be delighted to visit” and that July 15 was a “mutually convenient” date.

“We were both of the opinion that great responsibility has been given to us to carry forward the process, to bridge the trust deficit and create an enabling environment to carry forward the process,” Qureshi said.

“I think we’ve had a good discussion and we will build it from here…recognising the fact that it isn’t going to be easy, recognising the fact that there are no quick fixes, but sincerity is there,” he said.

Qureshi said the home ministers of India and Pakistan would meet on the sidelines of a regional conference in Islamabad on June 26, and that he planned to visit New Delhi for a following round of talks after the July meeting.

Since the Mumbai attacks, India has repeatedly rebuffed Pakistani calls for a resumption, insisting that Islamabad had not done enough to bring the Pakistan-based militants that India blames for the carnage to justice.

The foreign minister meeting will essentially be “talks about talks”, or discussions about how to reopen the stalled comprehensive dialogue.

Contact between the estranged neighbours has intensified in recent months, seen partly as a result of US pressure for a solution in the volatile region, and partly a drive by India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

In February, the two sides managed a meeting between their senior foreign ministry officials, which resulted in a vague pledge to keep the doors to dialogue open.

The meeting between Singh and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, dubbed the “Thimphu thaw” in the Indian media, was seen as a move forward.

The July talks will be the third major contact between the countries in six months.

The bitter South Asian rivals have fought three wars since the subcontinent’s 1947 partition.

Famous singer Adnan Sami Khan and his newlywed wife Zoha Faryadi calls on Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Nawaz Sharif. Adnan Sami offered Nawaz Sharif to sing along side him in his upcoming songs.
Speaking to the media after the meeting Adnan Sami said that he came to Lahore on special invitation of Nawaz Sharif and they only discussed music and did not hold any political conversation.
“Another purpose of the visit was to show Lahore to Zoha so that she can witness the norms and traditions of Lahore.” Sami added. “Love has no boundaries and I wish Shoaib and Sania good luck for the days ahead,” Sami said He said that the Pakistani artists traveling to India are demonstrating their solid skills and capabilities.

The death on Tuesday brings to 138 the number of international soldiers who have died during the Afghan conflict so far this year.

NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said the soldier died when an improvised explosive device (IED) blew up in southern Afghanistan.

The Taliban weapon of choice, IEDs are homemade bombs that are cheap and easy to make and are taking the majority of foreign troop lives in Afghanistan.

Military planners have said they expect an escalation of deaths and injuries among foreign troops as deployments surge to a peak of 150,000 by August with a US-led counter-insurgency strategy aimed at ending the war as soon as possible.

An independent website on casualties puts the number of foreign troops killed from January to March last year at 78.

The United States, with the bulk of the burden in Afghanistan, has lost 85 soldiers this year, the site says. Of the total 520 foreign soldiers killed last year, 316 were American, it says.

ISAF did not release the nationality of the latest fatality.

Sania Mirza however, refrained herself from adding anything on the furor which the news of her marriage has caused. “We are getting married. We are not also making any political statement or anything on (Indo-Pak) relations. It’s a simple matter. We are getting married. We are very, very happy and our families are very happy,” she said.
On the question about since when was she dating Shoaib, Sania said the matter was personal. “I’m not going to answer nor will Shoaib be comfortable answering personal questions,” she said.
She further informed that after marriage, she would settle in Dubai. “Shoaib is a resident if Dubai which I will also become. I will continue to have the passport of India, though. I will continue playing for India and Shoaib will play for Pakistan,” she said.
Sania said though she will miss her friends & family, since Dubai has ‘so many Pakistanis and Indians living there, I would feel better.’ Asked who she would support in case of an India-Pakistan cricket match, she said, “I will obviously support India but I will also support my husband.”
To a question, she said she would continue to hold Indian passport and was looking to play for India in the 2012 Olympics.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has written letters to the Swiss government for re-opening the Swiss cases and cases against Malik Qayyum in pursuance of SC’s NRO verdict.

The sources in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) said the report comprising all the record would be presented to the Supreme Court (SC) a little later.

The NAB spokesman said the SC verdict is being put into action as it is, adding all the measures have been taken in complete accordance with the SC verdict.

The directives have been issued also to re-open the cases against Malik Qayyum, former Attorney General, the NAB spokesman said adding reference against him has been prepared.

Justice Javed Iqbal said the conventional thana culture could not be changed with putting an end to the political interference.

The Inspector General said the media quite exaggeratingly showcased police in a manner that they were Indian army.

A three-judge SC bench headed by Justice Javed Iqbal heard the suo motu case of police torture.

The court directed Punjab Attorney General to issue notices to the DIGs and SPs of the areas where these incidents occurred.

Justice Sair Ali said the police involved in the manhandling should be treated as they treated others.

Justice Tariq Perviaz said Public Safety Commission should be abolished if it entails no benefit.

IG Punjab told the court that media exaggerated the chhitrol incidents.

On this, Justice Javed Iqbal told him that court does not intend to dishonor him, urging him to purge his department of black sheep, so that the police image could be improved.

IG Islamabad conceded that manhandling is not the appropriate way to interrogate the criminals, saying the federal police foiled 90 percent potential terror incidents by adopting scientific methods.

Later on, the court adjourned the hearing for three weeks.

THE rioters inflicted deep wounds on the economy of Karachi. They, however, did not succeed in destroying the spirit of resilient business community determined to fight against all odds and revive its activities in the country’s biggest cluster of wholesale commodity businesses.

While demolition, rubble removal and reconstruction of damaged buildings hit by violence on December 28 are in progress, many traders of the locality have resumed their business immediately after the carnage.

The smoke emitting from blackened corners of dilapidated buildings did not stop second/third generation enterprising wholesalers from arranging supplies over mobile phones for their regular customers in different parts of cities.

“Retailers who get their supplies from my shop may sympathise but cannot and will not wait for me to get my shop in order. They need supplies and will get them from some other source if not from me. Sitting here on this rented desk and chair atop what remains of my shop I am arranging for transport to pick goods from the suppliers and deliver them at the doorsteps of my customers. Yes, it will incur me additional cost eating into my profit but I will still be in business”, said Abdul Jabbar, a wholesaler at the plastic market when approached by the scribe on Tuesday, a day after the fire was extinguished.

Not everyone is as lucky. People who owned retail outlets in destroyed markets had no choice but to focus on efforts to expedite the repair of their shops besides arranging for seed capital to get fresh stocks.

“There is so much confusion with Karachi Building Control Authority declaring some buildings dangerous, the infighting amongst different local leaders for status and recognition, anglings of land mafia, and visits of VVIPs for photo sessions, it is hard to contemplate the future. We have engaged labour to demolish the structure that was ground plus one. Where will the money come from for rebuilding, we are not sure?” said Allauddin sitting depressed on the footpath in front of Zamir Estate, where he had his shop named Haji Nooruddin General Store.

Responding to a question about the claim forms circulated by the Sindh government, he expressed frustration. “I have lost all my record, even my medical file. How will I be able to provide supporting documents for a claim for my loss?

According to a rough estimate, at least 4,000 shops in 29 markets were affected on MA Jinnah Road.

A visit to the densely populated area that used to be bustling with business activities is an experience in itself. Now it looks more like a construction site rather than a bazaar or a grand polling station complete with big banners and flags of contestants. At least 20 big camps on the roadside display banners of different layers of government and trade bodies over half a kilometre patch from Boulton Market to Light House.

Some black banners are inscribed with demands of affected traders. The area is currently closed for traffic except for some private vehicles and loaders bringing men and material for reconstruction and related works. There was a mixed view about the role of the government in rehabilitation work. Generally, local and city level business leaders hailed the official response that they said, was more swift and better organised than before. Many people of the area were skeptical.

“So far, four and a half billion rupees has been pledged (Rs3 billion by the federal government, Rs50 million by the Sindh government and Rs1 billion by the US government) and we expect the amount to almost double with the generosity of other provinces and friendly countries.

A separate disaster account has been created and the pledged three billion rupees of the federal government is expected to be remitted to this account this week. The disbursement will start as soon as the verification process of claims of affectees is complete”, said Abul Majid Haji Muhammad, President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who mediated between the victims and the government.

The total loss to property and assets was reckoned to be over Rs30 billion that affected as many as 400,000 people directly and indirectly. The estimate is based on the assumption that each of 4000 shops on an average engaged 10 regular or irregular people.

Insiders told this scribe that the Sindh government has prepared a comprehensive plan to compensate victims on need basis. For recovery of losses, they have been asked to fill a claim form complete with NTN number so that the claims can be counter checked. Besides, the claimants have been asked to get verification from market associations and route their forms through KCCI that has volunteered to act as a go-between.

A senior member of the administration said with limited resources, the government would be able to cover between 10-20 per cent of the losses of traders of the area.

“If the government takes measures to improve the business environment, it would help rebuilding of the damaged markets. He urged the government to arrange for interest-free loans for victims to re-establish their business,” Atique Mir, Chairman Alliance of Market Association told Dawn.

“It would facilitate traders of the area a great deal if the government could persuade banks to give interest-free loans to victims”, he added.

Asif Rashid, President, Boulton Market Association, was all praise for the city government that helped with men and material to restore the biggest plastic market of the region with over 400 shops dealing in raw material and finished plastic products..

“We participated in a joint meeting and decided to be led by a seven-member public- private committee for oversight of rehabilitation work. It was decided that traders will not be asked to shift location of the market and KBCA will be asked to reassess buildings,” he said.

Salim Farooqui, President, Meerat Road Market Association, who advocated the move to seek temporary place for victims in an old graveyard plot near the market was implicated by some leaders to be operating at the behest of land mafia. When confronted, Salim counter-attacked leaders who he alleged were using propaganda to shoot down a viable proposal that could put at least 400-500 small shop keepers on their feet. “They want the graveyard be converted into a parking area. They are resourceful people with narrow mental horizon. Besides, the approach to the ground is a very narrow lane, hardly 10 feet wide, so it cannot be entered by vehicle”, he said.

So far none of the shop owners have fired their workers though premises where they worked are not there any more. It probably indicates their resolve to bounce back and re-establish their businesses on the scale it was before the incident.