Pakistan in US missile refit row

Washington has accused Pakistan of illegally modifying a US-supplied anti-ship missile, US media say.

The US believes the Harpoon, sold to Pakistan by the Reagan administration, has been altered for land-based use, the New York Times reported.

Islamabad says the accusations are "incorrect and based on wrong intelligence", Pakistani media say.

The US protested to Pakistan's PM in June, the Times said, fearing increased tension with Pakistan's rival, India.

The Times quoted a senior US administration official as saying: "The focus of our concern is that this is a potential unauthorised modification of a maritime anti-ship defensive capability to an offensive land-attack missile."

The paper said it had been told there was a secret missile test on 23 April.

It said it was feared the missile would be a significant addition to Pakistan's military arsenal, allowing its small navy to strike at land-based targets.

The alteration, if proved, would be a violation of the US Arms Control Export Act.

The paper said the revelation came at a "delicate" time, as Congress mulled an administration request for $7.5bn (£4.6bn) in aid to Pakistan over the next five years.

Pakistan's foreign ministry on Sunday "categorically rejected" the accusations in the article.

The Associated Press of Pakistan also quoted Pakistan's ambassador to the United States, Hussain Haqqani, as saying the claims were incorrect.

"We will make sure that the US understands the correct picture and we will fight back periodic efforts to falsely blame Pakistan, which remains a critical US ally in fighting terrorism," Mr Haqqani said.

"Instead of false accusations, US media should help Pakistan secure the help it needs to fight our common enemy, viz terrorism."

India has not responded officially to the row but ties with Pakistan remain delicate in the wake of last year's insurgent attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai.

The nations have fought three wars since Partition in 1947.

Article source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8229466.stm

3 more US banks shut down

NEW YORK: The US regulators have announce to shut down three more banks after they failed, bringing the total to 84 so far this year, as the industry continues to grapple with deteriorating loans on their books.

Regulators shuttered Affinity Bank of Ventura, California, Bradford Bank in Baltimore, and Mainstreet Bank of Forest Lake, Minnesota.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp on Thursday said that assets of these banks valued at $1900 million and volume of accounts was $1700 million.

These banks were sold to new investors for $446 million.

Article Source: http://geo.tv

Angelina Jolie: wanted again

Timur Bekmambetov seems prepared to defy all sense of consistency in order to enable Angelina Jolie to revive her role as Fox for the sequel to "Wanted". Viewers of the first film will no doubt remember the beautiful actress' rather spectacular death right at the end. She took a bullet to the head in broad daylight. However, Bekmambetov, who is directing again, has told MTV that he and his scriptwriters have "found the reason for her to come back" and that it will involve the baths of wax seen in episode one.

Anyway, is it strictly necessary for the laws of plausibility to be adhered to for a film like "Wanted 2"? For people who liked the original, it was probably less down to the depth of the script and more for the depiction of violence and, to be fair, the high visual quality. For those who didn't like it, no doubt they will abstain from the sequel anyway, with or without Angelina.

source: arabia.msn.com

So called "free media" SILENT on SAAD KHAN tragic death

In their quest to produce a western-style adventure and thrill-based reality show in Pakistan, but poor, substandard and possibly lack of safety arrangements led to the death of its participant Saad Khan, victim’s cousin Mansoor Khan told Aarpix.

Saad lost his life during the recording of the reality show when host Amina Sheikh (model for Clear Shampoo) challenged him to an underwater performance contest. Saad Khan apparently lost his control and shouted for help but lack of safety and lifeline measures failed to rescue him and the young man, a father of four lost his life, report said.

The blame goes to the producers (sponsors?) of the show Unilever Pakistan and Mindshare, for hiring such a sub-standard team and having made cheap arrangements that became the cause of the death, said Aarpix.

To what extent the private TV channel where the reality show was to be run is involved in its making is also not clear.

For now, the mainstream media has rejected to air any such news as they get a fair amount of advertising revenues from Unilever, Aarpix commented, adding, the spokespersons of the two companies have been shamelessly calling the incident a mere accident.

Mansoor Khan, the cousin of the victim has demanded that “all concerned people of Unilver Pakistan and Mindshare must be put behind bars.” He wants that the culprits who gambled with the life of his cousin must be brought to justice.

It is not known if the commonly practised concept of establishing life and accident related insurances for participanting individuals and workers of the reality show were in place during its filming and recording. No independent verification of the said report has been possible yet.

Meanwhile, details of the unfortunate incident continue to tweet on the internet sociables like Twitter, Facebook, etc..

COURTESY: despardes.com

Kerry-Lugar Bill to be approved by September

ISLAMABAD: Former US vice Secretary of State for South Asia, and Economic and Developmental Aid for Pakistan, Rabin Raphael has announced that the Kerry-Lugar Bill would be approved by the American Senate by September.

Talking to media on Friday after round table talks in the American Embassy, he said that his appointment for managing the affairs in Pakistan pertained to oversee a coordinated disbursement of aid supplied to Pakistan under USAID and Kerry-Lugar schemes.

He said the reason for disbursement of non-military aid to Pakistan was to help Pakistan attain economic and developmental prosperity, help restructure the much damaged energy sector, cater to health, education, construction of highways and provision of basic facilities to masses.

He strongly refuted the notion of appointing an American inspector general to monitor the execution of American aid disbursement; however, he stressed for increased transparency, sincerity and honesty coupled with sheer objectivity in utilizing this aid; which was also the prime reason for his current visit, and stressed for enhancing the accountability process.

Answering a question about the 5-year $1.5 billion annual, Kerry-Lugar aid for Pakistan, he assured that it would be approved by the American Senate in September.

Also assuring the approval of reconstruction zones’ bill for FATA and tribal areas, he said that these bills would also be approved, and assured minimizing any non-developmental expenditure in these projects.

He expressed his deep affirmation that he would strive for better relations with Pakistan, and see to the full compensation for Pakistan’s daring struggle in the war against terrorism.—Online