Two would-be suicide bombers arrested in Karachi

KARACHI: Two suspected suicide bombers were apprehended from Karachi’s Sohrab Goth area on Monday, television reports said.
Police confirmed they had recovered suicide jackets and bombs from the suspects.
Moreover, the Interior Ministry has requested leaders of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to take caution during their movements due to threats against them.
The ministry’s report sent to the MQM said that there were threats against the top leaders of the party, including Farooq Sattar, Babar Ghauri, Haider Abbas Rizvi, Mustafa Kamal and Faisal Sabzwari, television reports quoted sources as saying.

Tony Blair's sister-in-law converts to Islam

LONDON: The sister-in-law of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has converted to Islam following a visit to Iran, claiming she is a “proud member” of the Muslim community.
Lauren Booth has given up alcohol and pork, prays five times a day and has not ruled out wearing a burqa in the future, she told The Mail on Sunday newspaper.
The 43-year-old journalist and reality television contestant underwent the religious conversion on her return to Britain following a visit to the holy Iranian city of Qom six weeks ago.
She said that when she was in Iran, “I sat down and felt this shot of spiritual morphine, just absolute bliss and joy.”Speaking to the newspaper after a multi-faith Global Peace and Unity Event in London on Saturday, Booth said: “What I wanted to share with you today is that I am Lauren Booth and I am a Muslim.
“I always felt that the Ummah (Muslim community) is a very loving, peaceful place and I am proud to be a member of it.”Booth, who works for the English language Iranian news channel Press TV, has frequently criticised her brother-in-law, accusing the former leader of being biased towards Israel and the United States in his role as Middle East peace envoy.
She wrote a scathing open letter in last month's far-left newspaper Morning Star.
“Personally I've never understood this fear of 'political Islam',” she wrote. “It seems to me that religious people should always be educated on world events rather than kept in ignorance. Like, say, Midwest Christian Zionists in the US.”After attending a rally in Iran to mourn Palestinian deaths in cities including Rafah and Nablus, Booth wrote: “Do you recognise these place names, Tony?
“As Middle East envoy, you really should. Israel has massacred children in all of these cities. Didn't you know?”She was refused entry to Israel and Egypt after travelling from Cyprus to Gaza on an activist ship which was protesting the blockade of Palestinian territory.
Religious enlightenment is not unknown in the family with brother-in-law Tony converting to Catholicism in December 2007.Booth is the half-sister of Blair's wife Cherie, who is a human rights lawyer. – AFP

Karzai admits receiving 'bags of money' from Iran

KABUL: Afghan president Hamid Karzai admitted Monday that his chief of staff had received “bags of money” from Iran but insisted the payment was transparent and a form of aid from a friendly country.
Cash payments “are done by various friendly countries to help the presidential office and to help the expenses...” said Karzai at a press conference in Kabul.
The New York Times reported Saturday that Karzai's chief of staff, Umar Daudzai, has been receiving regular cash payments from Iran, which is trying to expand its influence in the presidential palace in Kabul.
“The government of Iran has been assisting us with five or six or seven hundred thousand euros once or twice every year, that is an official aid,” said Karzai.
“He (Daudzai) is receiving the money on my instructions,” he added.
The newspaper, citing unnamed Afghan officials said the payments total millions of dollars and go into a secret fund that Daudzai and Karzai have used to pay Afghan lawmakers, tribal elders and even Taliban commanders to secure their loyalty.
“It's basically a presidential slush fund,” one Western official is quoted by the paper as saying. “Daudzai's mission is to advance Iranian interests.” – AFP

Gas load shedding schedule for Punjab announced

LAHORE: Sui Northern Gas (SNG) announced a three-month gas load shedding plan for Punjab on Saturday. According to the schedule, there will be three-day a week load shedding for industries and two-day a week load shedding for CNG stations. The schedule will be implemented from today.

The management of the SNG said that the decision was taken after the closure of the Zamzama gas field to ensure gas supply for houses.

During the load shedding period, fertilizer factories will face 45 days of gas load shedding whereas industrial and commercial customers will face gas load shedding till February next year.

According to the management, factories across Punjab have been divided into four zones.

Multan and Bahawalpur industries will experience gas load shedding from 29th to 30th October. The factories of Lahore, Shaikhupura and Faisalabad region will experience gas load shedding from 1st to 3rd of November. All CNG stations across Punjab will close for two days a week.

However, the Punjab CNG association said that the decision was taken without their advise and they would protest the decision by going on strike if it is not withdrawn.

SC admits petitions against NAB chairman’s appointment

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Saturday admitted the petitions filed against the appointment of Justice (Rtd) Deedar Hussain Shah as Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for hearing.

Petitions against the appointment were filed by Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Adovcate Shahid Orakzai.

The petitioners had challenged the appointment and requested the apex court to declare it illegal.

The Supreme Court will hear the petitions on Monday.

Twelve militants killed in Orakzai airstrikes

PARACHINAR: Airstrikes killed 12 suspected insurgents in the Orakzai tribal region on Saturday, a local government official said.

The helicopter gunships targeted two suspected militant hide-outs in the region.

The day before, a roadside bomb blast killed six paramilitary soldiers in Orakzai, where the army has waged an offensive against the Taliban.

Local government administrator Aurangzeb Khan said Saturday's airstrikes also wounded six militants.

Independent confirmation of the strikes and death toll is nearly impossible because access to the conflict zone is restricted. — AP

One killed in Narowal fireworks factory blast

LAHORE: At least one person was killed in an explosion at a fireworks factory in Punjab’s Narowal city on Saturday, police said.

The explosion occurred at around 9:30 am, DPO Narowal said.

A fire broke out in the shop after the explosion.

Rescue 1122 sources said the explosion was so powerful that it blew up the factory’s ceiling.