Unfazed by the demands from the estranged ally PML-N and the influential lawyers movement, Pakistan's ruling PPP has decided against re-instating deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhry to his previous post and said he will have to work under the incumbent if re-appointed.

Officials of the University of Peshawar have said the directive is in line with Pashtun culture but the students have criticised it, saying it is discriminatory. Girl students in all departments and colleges affiliated to the university have been warned that they will face fines if they do not wear chaaders or gowns on campus

Pakistan's ruling Pakistan People's Party chief Asif Ali Zardari appears set to sweep Saturday's presidential poll and would be expected to tackle problems like rising militancy and economic malaise after his election.Sources said that Zardari expects to poll over 60 per cent of the 700 members in the electoral college, in an election necessitated by former President Pervez Musharraf's resignation on August 18.

'If I am elected president, one of my highest priorities will be to support the prime minister, the National assembly and the senate to amend the constitution to bring back into balance the powers of the presidency and thereby reduce its ability to bring down democratic governance,' Zardari said in an Op-Ed piece in The Washington Post.

The report by the standing senate committee on national security and defence criticises the Canadian government for procrastination in implementing and maintaining disaster readiness programs across the country, leaving Canadians vulnerable to natural and man-made disasters.

"I don't have anything for you on Pakistan, except to say that obviously we are working very closely with the civilian government there," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.

At least 20 people, mostly women and children, were killed on Wednesday when United States-led coalition forces in Afghanistan carried out a cross-border attack in Pakistan's restive tribal belt, prompting Islamabad to condemn it as a 'provocation and gross violation' of its territory.Witnesses said the attack occurred before dawn, when three or four helicopters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's forces landed in Angoor Adda area of South Waziristan tribal agency.

Indian-American Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, in spotlight as attention focuses on his state's response to Hurricane Gustav, has said thousands of people who had left their homes following evacuation orders may be able to return in the next few days."People should be able to return home over the next several days. Within 24 hours of telling us they're ready, we can reverse the trains and buses and planes that took them out of harm's way," Jindal said.

Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani escaped an assassination bid in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.According to reports, two bullets were fired upon Gilani's motorcade. But the Pakistan PM escaped unhurt.

At least 65 Tamil Tiger rebels and three soldiers were killed as Sri Lankan troops continued their offensive on the heartland of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, claiming that they have captured major portions of the key Mallavi town in Kilinochchi.Security forces marched into the town after heavy overnight fighting, which spilled over to today morning as government troops cleared major portions of the small town.