WASHINGTON: Ex-Pakistan leader Pervez Musharraf hit out Sunday at Afghan President Hamid Karzai for forging a training alliance with India, saying Islamabad had offered him similar help but been rebuffed.

“We’ve opened up all our training institutions free of cost. Come to Pakistan and we’ll train you. Not one has come. What is his game?” Musharraf told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS program.
Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan as a military dictator and later as a civilian president between 2001 and 2008 said he had been “bending backwards”for Karzai to send people to Islamabad instead of New Delhi.
He said that a phased pullout of US troops from Afghanistan, which is due to be completed by 2014, had pushed Karzai closer to India.
“India is certainly, certainly doing that. And unfortunately, the Afghan government is going along,” the former general said, adding that countries in the region are seeking to to fill the void left by America.
“I mean I know that diplomats, intelligence personnel, military men, security people go to India for training,” he said.
The former Pakistan leader however praised Karzai for recently stating that Afghanistan would back Pakistan if the United States were to launch a military attack on the latter, a prospect which Musharraf dismissed.
“I think it’s totally preposterous to imagine this kind of thing,” Musharraf said. “And then I thank him that this is the first time he’s made a pro-Pakistan statement.”
Musharraf, who has lived in exile since stepping down in 2008 but hopes to launch a political comeback next year, has previously insisted that Islamabad’s historic rival India is trying to turn Afghanistan against Pakistan.
India has given more than $2 billion in aid to war-torn Afghanistan and signed a strategic partnership with Karzai earlier this month.

SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has visited Afghanistan, her office said Monday, and days after three of her nation’s troops were shot dead by a rogue Afghan soldier who fired on a parade.

Gillard made the unannounced stopover in the war-torn Central Asian nation, where she met President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, on her way back from the G20 leaders’ meeting in Cannes, France.Addressing soldiers on Sunday in the restive southern province of Uruzgan, where most of Australia’s 1,550 troops are stationed, Gillard acknowledged the loss of three of their colleagues on October 29.
Seven other soldiers were wounded in the incident, which was Australia’s worst since three commandos were killed in a helicopter crash in 2010.
“When I started planning this trip I didn’t realise that it would be in the shadow of very deep sadness,” Gillard said in comments quoted in The Australian newspaper.
“I know the way you feel that sense of loss is with a spirit of determination about your mission.”
But she said Canberra was determined to continue its engagement in Afghanistan, where so far 32 Australian soldiers have been killed.
“We are determined, as you are, to see this mission through. And we know that in order to see the mission through we’ve got to combat, from time to time, fear,” Gillard said.
The prime minister also traveled to Kabul where she met Karzai and opened Australia’s new embassy.
“We came to Afghanistan and we have found some tremendous days of sorrow, but we have also found a great friendship,” Gillard said in opening the new mission which she added was a symbol of Australia’s commitment, ABC reported.
“We do intend to stay engaged here with you, in a spirit of friendship, for the long term.”
Australian troops were first deployed to Afghanistan in late 2001 before being pulled out in 2002.
Australians were redeployed to the war in 2005 and have been training Afghan soldiers in Uruzgan.

Nation celebrating Eid-ul-Adha with religious zeal toda

ISLAMABAD - 7th November 2011

Eid-ul-Adha is being celebrated today all-over Pakistan, including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan with great religious zeal, fervor and festivity.Eid congregations will be held all-over Pakistan. Special arrangements had been made to offer Eid prayer across the country. On the occasion, special prayers will be offered for the progress and prosperity of the country, unity of the ‘Ummah’, solution of their problems and liberation of Muslim territories, including occupied Kashmir. Eid al-Adha or “Festival of Sacrifice” or “Greater Eid” is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to God, before God intervened to provide him with a ram to sacrifice instead. It is celebrated annually on the 10th day of the 12th and the last Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah of the lunar Islamic calendar. The feast starts after the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. The date is approximately 70 days (2 Months & 10 days) after the end of the month of Ramadan, Ritual observance of the holiday lasts until sunset of the 13th day of Dhu al-Hijjah. Meanwhile foolproof security measures have been adopted on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha. Policemen have been deputed outside the bazaars, shopping centres and sensitive public and private buildings. Strict security measures had also been adopted outside the ‘Eidgahs’, while police kept patrolling.

BAGHDAD: Police say three roadside bombs have killed six people at a market in central Baghdad at the beginning of a Muslim festival.

Officials said the bombs, planted on Sunday in different parts of the Iraqi capital’s Shorja market, killed afternoon vendors and afternoon shoppers buying goods for the Eid al-Azha feast.

Police officials said twenty-one people also were wounded.
The casualties were confirmed by health officials. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Iraqi Shia’s mark the beginning of the Eid on Monday, while Sunnis do so on Sunday.
Violence across Iraq has dropped dramatically, but deadly attacks still happen nearly everyday as the US moves to withdraw all of its 33,000 troops from Iraq by the end of the year.

SHARJAH: Left-handers Tharanga Paranavitana and Kumar Sangakkara struck half centuries on Sunday as Sri Lanka bid to level the series with victory over Pakistan in the third and final test.

Paranavitana hit an undefeated 66 on the fourth day to lead Sri Lanka to a second-innings 164-5 at stumps, an overall advantage of 237 runs heading into the final day. Sangakkara was dismissed for 51.Earlier Chanaka Welegedara’s 5-87 helped Sri Lanka seize a first innings lead of 73 after bowling Pakistan out for 340 by lunch at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Opener Paranavitana hit four fours and a six while Sangakkara supplied early momentum by striking two fours and two sixes in 91 balls.
Pacer Umar Gul (2-35) and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal (2-44) were Pakistan’s best bowlers.
Sri Lanka, trailing the series 1-0, got an early boost when Pakistan started the day at 282-6 in pursuit of the visitors’ total of 413. Left-arm seamer Welegedara dismissed Abdur Rehman (3) with the final ball of the first over.
Rehman edged to second slip where Mahela Jayawardene fluffed the chance but Paranavitana at first slip was there to grab the rebound.
Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath (3-85) quickly claimed Gul for 5 caught at mid-off by Angelo Mathews. With Pakistan on 289-8, Sri Lanka sensed a big lead.
But Misbah-ul-Haq stretched his overnight 50 to within sight of a fourth test century and shared a crucial ninth wicket stand of 47 with Ajmal (12 not out).
Misbah was dropped three times in the session, by wicketkeeper Kaushal Silva on 52, Angelo Mathews on 53, and Paranavitana on 66.
Misbah eventually went for 89, top-edging a sweep to provide off-spinner Suraj Randiv his first wicket in the innings. The right-handed batsman struck seven fours and a six off 261 balls.
Welegedara returned to mop up the innings and snare his maiden five-wicket haul in his 14th test.
Last man Junaid Khan (0) had his off stump rattled by an outswinger from the 30-year-old Welegedara.
Pakistan struck early in Sri Lanka’s second innings with success for Gul with the new ball.
Captain Tillakaratne Dilshan edged to third slip where Mohammad Hafeez grasped a low catch at 5-1.
Gul should have added the wicket of Paranavitana soon afterwards but Asad Shafiq grassed a sharp gully opportunity.
Paranavitana struggled to assert himself early but Sangakkara, fresh off a brilliant 144 in the first innings, passed 500 runs in the series before he fell soon after tea after sharing a second wicket partnership of 75 with Paranavitana.
Mahela Jayawardene completed a miserable series when he was leg before wicket to Gul for 20 at 127-3.
With an early declaration on Monday in mind, Sri Lanka tried to up the run rate in the final hour but lost the wickets of Mathews (13) and Kaushal Silva, both lbw to Ajmal playing across the line of off-breaks.
Paranavitana survived to the end with Kosala Kulasekara (4 not out), although the latter was lucky to survive a run out opportunity.
Pakistan won the second test at Dubai by 9 wickets after a drawn first test at Abu Dhabi.

Pakistan army will train Afghanistan Army

According to Afghanistan’s government, on the basis of the agreement signed in this conference, Pakistan army will train Afghanistan army.

According to a British channel, the foreign ministry of Afghanistan has given a confirmation of this agreement.
The Afghanistan’s government has stated that on the basis of this agreement, the armies of these three countries will practice together in a combined form.
Tehmina Janjua, Pakistan’s foreign office spokeswomen had already indicated this.
She said that during this conference, two agreements were signed, one was related to the combine practices of the armies and the other was about training the Afghanistan police forces.

Muslims mark Eid in shadow of unrest

Muslims attend special prayers on the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice) in Tirana. Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha to mark the end of the haj by slaughtering sheep, goats, cows and camels to commemorate Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on God's command.