Feb 05, Colombo: The High Commission of India is participating in the Deyata Kirula mega exhibition in Sri Lanka opened from yesterday through Feb 10 in Kandy.

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday summoned National Assembly session on February 8.

This will be the 19th session of the lower house, which will commence on Monday at 4pm.

According to sources, the session is likely to continue for 18 days. However, a final decision in this regard will be made by House Business Advisory Committee.

KARACHI: Another bomb has been recovered from the premises of Jinnah Hospital here, police said today.

The bomb was planted in a TV set, which was identified by the security personnel present in the hospital.

The bomb disposal squad has been called to defuse the bomb.

It may be reminded that at least 10 people died and more than 50 sustained injuries in a powerful bomb blast at Jinnah Hospital.

Feb 05, Colombo: The European Union has decided to suspend the Generalized System of Preference plus (GSP+) trade facility to Sri Lanka due to the country’s poor human rights record, the AFP news agency reported.

LAHORE: Renowned Shia cleric Allama Hasan Zafar Naqvi, announcing a 40-day nationwide mourning, demanded the judiciary to take suo moto notice of the deadly terror attacks.

Addressing a news conference in Lahore on Friday, he called on all people to maintain calm and exhibit patience. ?What is the connection of martyrs with the US drone strikes,? he asked the champions of Islam.

He said there was no justification for the acts of terrorism, in which both Shia and Sunni people embraced martyrdom.

Naqvi was of the view that the agents of imperialist forces were behind this carnage. He said the country was united from Parachinar to Karachi.

He said that Taliban were carrying out terrorist activities across the country and were targeting every section of the society.

?Had the Sindh Government punished the accused of Ashura tragedy, this would not have happened?? he concluded.

KARACHI: The Awami National Party Sindh has strongly condemned the Karachi blasts that killed at least 20 people.

ANP Sindh President Shahi Syed expressed sympathies with the relatives of blasts? victims and announced 3-day mourning.

KARACHI: Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Ali Mirza, denouncing the deadly bomb blasts in Karachi, has termed it an attack against the country?s stability.

Speaking to newsmen here on Friday, he said no conclusion could be made about the blast till the completion of inquiry.

?The perpetrators of the blats are enemies of Pakistan,? he said.

On this occasion, he also called on people to remain peaceful and don?t observe strike, which he said could hamper the investigations.

The provincial minister also announced financial help for the injured and martyrs of the blasts. The families of dead will get Rs500, 000 while Rs100, 000 will be paid to the families of wounded people, he announced.

KARACHI: The Shia Ulema Council on Friday announces to observe three-day mourning against two bomb blasts that killed at least 20 people in Karahci.

On the other hand, Pasban-e-Aza and Jafria Alliance have appealed to people to maintain calm.

Feb 05, Vavuniya: Sri Lankan troops and police teams conducting search operations have found large stocks of explosives at different locations in Northern Sri Lanka, the Media Center for national Security said.

KARACHI: At least 25 people were killed and 100 other wounded on Friday after two bombs planted on motorcycles struck a bus at Shahra-e-Faisal and Jinnah Hospital in Karachi.

Women and children were among 12 people killed when a motorcyle packed with explosives rammed into a bus of mourners travelling on Shahra-e-Faisal to join a procession at the end of the holy month of Muharram.

A second bomb attack took place near the emergency ward at Jinnah Hospital, where the dead and wounded were being rushed, killed another 13 people.

Witnesses and officials said the bus was packed with mourners heading to a religious procession to mark the last day of Muharram in Karachi.

The attacks were carried out by suicide bombers on motorcycles, a bomb disposal official said.

“Both of the blasts are of the same nature. Both were suicide and both were on motorcycles,” Munir Ahmad Sheikh, told Geo.

“In the first attack, the bomber hit the bus. In the second attack, the bomber sitting on a motorcycle exploded himself,” he added.