Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Sunday that he will welcome Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Pakistan to improve ties between the two nuclear armed rivals.
“I think dialogue is the only way out and will welcome a visit by the Indian Prime Minister to Pakistan. This will improve ties,” he said. Talking to reporters in Lahore, Mr Gilani said, the dialogue between Pakistan and India can be resumed to ensure regional peace. “We are ready for talks. We need to sit together to solve issues. Talks are the only option,” he added. Mr Gilani said the forthcoming talks between Pakistan and India at the foreign secretary-level must be positive.
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Ulfa pro-talks group wants Baruah ousted
Guwahati, Jan. 23: The “pro-talks” group of Ulfa on Sunday demanded immediate suspension of its commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah for taking arbitrary decisions violating the outfit’s discipline.
“At a time when the meeting of the Ulfa executive committee and the general council are about to be held in the backdrop of the overwhelming desire of the people for talks, the recent announcement of Baruah against the talks process is uncalled for,” a pro-talks Ulfa leader, Mrinal Hazarika, told reporters here.
The recent video footage released by the outfit which shows Baruah celebrating Bihu amid slogans against talks, revealed the “true nature of the so called leader”, he said.
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Protesters greet Salman in Jaipur
Age correspondent
Jaipur
Jan. 23: Bollywood star Salman Khan was greeted with protests by the Bishnoi community on Sunday in Jaipur while the star flagged off a marathon.
Bishnoi youth staged a protest and shouted slogans against Salman blaming him for poaching of protected animals.
The police pushed back the protesters and a dozen youth were detained for a while. Salman was accompanied by Rajasthan tourism minister Bina Kak and others. “We came here to protest against Salman Khan, he was involved in hunting, said M.K. Bishnoi.
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6 rebel outfits for boycott of R-Day in N-E
age correspondent
Guwahati
Jan. 23: Security has been intensified across the northeastern states in view of six militant outfits calling for boycott of Republic Day celebrations on January 26.
In a statement e-mailed to this newspaper on Sunday, six militant outfits of the region called for a boycott of Republic Day and also a general strike from 1 am to 5.30 pm on January 26.
The call has been given by the Ulfa, the NDFB, Manipur People’s Liberation Front (MPLF) — comprising several major militant outfits in the state, the Kamatapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), and the Tripura People’s Democratic Front (TPDF).