Asif Ali Zardari to take oath of President today :

ISLAMABAD: Asif Ali Zardari will take oath of his office as Pakistan’s new head of state today at the Aiwan-e-Sadr here.

Chief Justice, Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar will administer the oath at a grand ceremony. Afghan President Hamid Karzai will attend the ceremony on the special invitation of President-elect Asif Ali Zardari. Following the oath the President will meet the guests being drawn from all sections of society. He will be presented a guard of honour by a contingent comprising the three armed forces. Asif Zardari will address a press conference and present to the nation his vision to take Pakistan forward, strategy to counter terrorism and to strengthen the economy. It will be followed by the courtesy calls by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, member of the federal cabinet, Chairman Senate, Chief Justice, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and the three services chiefs, besides meeting the staff of the President House.

Bush: Pakistan has 'responsibility' to battle extremists

WASHINGTON: US President George W. Bush was to describe Pakistan Tuesday as a major war on terrorism battleground, like Afghanistan or Iraq, and urged Islamabad to shoulder its "responsibility" to fight extremists.

Bush, in remarks prepared for delivery to the US National Defense University and released by the White House late Monday, was to say all three countries "pose unique challenges for our country" in the worldwide conflict. "They are all theaters in the same overall struggle. In all three places, extremists are using violence and terror in an attempt to impose their ideology on whole populations," Bush said in the advance text. His message came amid media reports of multiple strikes inside Pakistan recently by US or international troops based in Afghanistan, which accuses its neighbor of abetting or at least turning a blind eye to cross-border violence. "Defeating these terrorist and extremists is in Pakistan's interest because they pose a mortal threat to Pakistan's future as a free and democratic nation," Bush said in the prepared remarks.

"Defeating these terrorist and extremists is also Pakistan's responsibility because every nation has an obligation to govern its own territory and make certain that it does not become a safe haven for terror," he said. Bush, who leaves office in late January, said the United States and NATO would help Pakistan battle extremists, and expressed sorrow for any loss of innocent life, amid complaints in Pakistan and Afghanistan of civilian deaths.

Attacks on Pakistan soil not to be tolerated: Malik

ISLAMABAD: Advisor to Prime Minister on Interior, Rehman Malik, has said that NATO attacks on Pakistani soil cannot be tolerated.

Speaking to the media after an Iftar reception at his residence here on Monday, Rehman Malik said that NATO forces attacked inside Pakistani territory in response to provocations from FATA.Malik told the media that four suicide bombers along with 9 accomplices have been arrested since the bomb blast at Wah Cantt, adding that this was a great achievement.He said all of the detained suicide bombers and their accomplices belong to South Waziristan.

Price floor at KSE to remain intact at 9,144 level :

KARACHI: Members of the Karachi Stock Exchange have decided to keep the price floor intact at index level 9,144.However, the formal decision is to be finalized at KSE’s board meeting on Tuesday.

The KSE management had fixed a lower price cap on August 27, to arrest the meltdown in share prices and that cap was expected to be removed by September 6. However, market sources say the floor is not likely to be removed before the first week of October – and until a host of measures are taken to ensure price stability. These likely measures include a commitment by NIT to start buying through the equity market opportunity fund – while transactions such as share buy-outs are also on the cards.Market analysts say the extension in floor is going to frustrate investors – especially foreign investors who are reportedly seeking a quick exit from the market.

Bush to keep troop levels in Iraq for '08 :

WASHINGTON - President Bush is expected to keep U.S. troop levels in Iraq near their current level through the end of the year, then pull home up to 8,000 combat and support troops by mid-January, The Associated Press has learned.

Embracing the recommendation of military advisers, Bush will likely maintain 15 combat brigades and thousands of support forces through the final full year of his administration, according to officials familiar with Bush's expected announcement Tuesday.
It could well be his final major decision on the U.S. troop posture in Iraq as president.