ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - A suicide bomber detonated a dump truck packed with a ton of explosives outside the Marriott in Pakistan’s capital Saturday, setting off a fiery blast that shattered the luxury hotel, killed at least 42 people and wounded hundreds, officials and witnesses said.

The targeting of the American hotel chain was one of the largest terrorist attacks ever in Pakistan and came at a time of growing anger in Pakistan over a wave of cross-border strikes on militant bases by U.S. forces in Afghanistan. At least one American was killed and several were wounded.

The five-story Marriott had been a favorite spot for foreigners as well as Pakistani politicians and business people to stay and socialize in Islamabad despite repeated militant attacks on it. The bomb went off close to 8 p.m., when four restaurants inside would have been packed with diners at the hour that Muslims break their daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan.

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ISLAMABAD : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani called on the President Mr. Asif Ali Zardari at the Aiwan-e- Sadr this evening. Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kiyani was also present.

Private TV channel reports that the troika discussed such important matters of national and international interest, like war against terrorism, tribal areas’ crisis, and situation arising out of current threats to National security and integrity from the current aggressive American attitude. It was agreed on principles that Pakistan’s territorial integrity took precedence over all other matters, and there would be no compromise over National integrity and Pakistan would assure that only its forces conducted any operation against elements operating within its borders. There was a consensus over the fact that Pakistan’s military and civilian government had the similar agenda over the issue. Sources have revealed that President’s recent forthcoming visit to America and his expected meeting with Indian PM, Manmohan Singh and Afghan president Hamid Karzai also came under discussion. Later on the President hosted Iftar in honour of the Prime Minister and the Army Chief.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan hockey team will visit India next year to participate in the four nations hockey tournament in the city of Jallandhar.

Pakistan Hockey Federation Secretary former Olympian Asif Bajwa said PHF had received the invitation from Indian Hockey Federation for participation in the 4-nation international hockey tournament at Jallandhar.Bajwa said he would also try to arrange regular annual hockey test series between Pakistan and India.He stressed that Pakistan and India should regularly play matches between themselves. Other teams to compete are hosts India, Netherlands and Olympic champion Germany.

09/09/08  ISLAMABAD :Newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari was set to be sworn in to office on Tuesday.Zardari secured a large win in a poll among lawmakers on Saturday and will become the 14th president. The inauguration will take place in a closely-guarded ceremony at Aiwan-i-Sadr (President House) in Islamabad around 1pm (0700 GMT), officials told AFP.The Afghan president Hamid Karzai will attend the event, in which chief justice Abdul Hameed Dogar will administer the oath as government leaders, military top brass, judges, diplomats and high-ranking civil servants look on. A guard of honour comprising the three armed forces will then welcome Zardari on the lawn of the presidential palace, completing a spectacle expected to be broadcast live to the nation.

“It is a very significant day in the history of country and it is the victory of the people and the mission of Benazir Bhutto shaheed (martyr),” said Farzana Raja, an MP and senior Zardari aide ahead of the ceremony.

Security around President House, which is situated in the already high-security zone of Islamabad, has been further fortified ahead of the inauguration, officials said.Zardari will speak to reporters later Tuesday and is expected to outline his vision for Pakistan, including his plans to counter extremism and turn around an economy beset by rampant inflation and a plunging stock market. As co-chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Zardari already heads a fragile coalition government which, although still in office, recently lost the backing of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s party. As president, Zardari gains the right to dismiss governments and appoint leaders of the military, which has ruled Pakistan for half of its 61-year existence.

08/09/08  ISLAMABAD: After nearly 32 days two leaders of main political parties Presidents elect Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif will meet today in Islamabad. The official purpose is to exchange greetings.PML-N delegation will go to Islamabad to congratulate President Elect Asif Ali Zardari which would be the first meeting between two leaders since August 7, when they had signed an agreement for restoring judges.

According to sources, Nawaz Shrif will be accompanied by PML-N Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, General Secretary Iqbal Zafar Jhagar and Acting Parliamentary leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.President elect Asif Zardari has already invited PML-N chief to attend oath-taking ceremony.

PML-N chief will leave for Lonon on Tuesday to meet his ailing wife who is going through a treatment in London.Although meeting between two leaders seem to be a formal however political circles say both leaders cannot ignore judges issues since PML-N chief determine to restore remaining judges.Political circles says some ice has broken between two leaders since PML-N left coalition and contested against Asif Zardari in the Presidential elections.

Asif Ali Zardari becomes the President of Pakistan today after winning the presidential election. He secured 479 votes out of 702. His opponents, Retired Chief Justice Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui received 153 elctoral votes and Senator Mushahid Hussein received 43. Asif’s victory in three provinces is overwhelming, especially in Sindh where his opposing candidates couldn’t get a single vote. Only in Punjab Assembly Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqi is able to get more votes than Asif.The vote by the two houses of parliament and four provincial assemblies forms the 1,170-member, but 702-vote, electoral college. According to a Dawn update:

‘Asif Ali Zardari secured 281 votes out of the 426 valid votes polled in the parliament,’ chief election commissioner Qazi Mohammad Farooq said. He has secured 458 out of 702 electoral college votes, according to partial Election Commission results.

Asif Zardari is the 13th President of Pakistan. The ones who have been President before him include: Iskandar Mirza, Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry, Zia-ul-Haq, Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Waseem Sajjad, Farooq Laghari, Waseem Sajjad, Rafiq Tarar and Pervaiz Musharraf. Waseem Sajjad has twice been the President of Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari has been elected as new president of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on Saturday. Asif Ali Zardari is Pakistan`s 11th since 1956, when the country became a republic, excluding acting presidents.
The voting process was held through a secret ballot by the two chambers of the national parliament, the National Assembly and Senate and the four provincial assemblies.

Chief Election Commissioner, Justice ® Qazi Muhammad Farooq conducted the proceedings as Returning Officer for election to the Office of the President. At the Parliament House, members from both the Houses, Senate and National Assembly, cast their votes to elect the President, being the Electoral College for Presidential election.

The contest was between Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Justice ® Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and Mushahid Hussain Syed of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q).

Chief Election Commissioner and Returning Officer briefed the members of Senate and National Assembly about the voting procedure before the start of the polling and their names were called according to alphabetical order for voting.

The Chief Election Commissioner nominated Justice Syed Zahid Hussain, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Chief Justice of Sindh High Court, Justice Jehan Zaib Rahim Acting Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court and Justice Amanullah Khan, Chief Justice of High Court of Balochistan as Presiding Officers for the provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan respectively.

Security has been beefed up across Pakistan and newly elected President is expected to take oath today.

Earlier, Pakistani lawmakers began voting Saturday in a presidential election to elect 14th president of the country. Four hundred and forty-two members Senate and National Assembly are casting their votes.

Chief Election Commissioner and Returning Officer Justice(R) Qazi Muhammad Farooq has briefed the members of Senate and National Assembly about the voting procedure before the start of the polling.

The named are being called according to alphabetical order for voting. Three candidates Co-Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party Asif Ali Zardari, Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui of Pakistan Muslim League-N and secretary general of Pakistan Muslim League-Q Mushahid Hussain Syed are contesting the election.

Members of Senate, National and provincial assemblies are casting their votes. Polling station for Senate and National has been set up in Islamabad. Other five polling stations have been established in Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi and Quetta where chief justices of High Courts are presiding officers.

Presidential Electoral College comprised of Senate’s 100 members, National Assembly 342, Punjab Assembly 371, Sindh Assembly 168, Frontier Assembly 124 and 65 members of Balochistan Assembly. There are 65, 65 vote count for four provincial assemblies therefore total 702 votes would be counted.

Polling has begun at 1010 am which would continued till 3:00 pm without break.

06/09/08  ISLAMABAD: The polling for the election of the country’s 14th president (including the caretakers), being contested by the three candidates, is progress at the Parliament House, while the Senate members have already cast their votes.

Prior to the polling in the parliament, Chief Election Commissioner and Returning Officer, Justice ® Qazi Muhammad Faruque briefed the Senate and National Assembly members about the procedures of the process of casting votes and said that the members would be called in chronological order of the English alphabets.

People’s Party Co-Chairman, Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)’s candidate Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui and Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam)’s Secretary General, Mushahid Hussain are vying for the presidential slot, according to the Election Commission’s released list of candidates.

Senate, National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies members are casting their votes in the presidential election underway. First of all, the names of the Senators were called in the Parliament House for voting and later followed the National Assembly members, who are still casting their votes. Polling kicked off this morning at 10.10 A.M., which would continue without break until 3.00 P.M. in the afternoon, while the voting process continuing in the four provincial assemblies of the country also.

Returning Officer, Chief Election Commissioner will announce the results of the presidential election this evening and, thereafter, the notification of the successful candidate will be issued. The newly elected President will take oath of his office today.