The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Pakistan

  • Pakistan bomb strikes procession

    Pakistan bomb strikes procession

    …Kills seven

    A roadside bomb has killed at least seven people near a Shia Muslim procession in north-western Pakistan.

    BBC says the attack took place in the city of Dera Ismail Khan, a stronghold of Sunni Muslim militant groups.

    More attacks are feared in the coming days as Shia Muslims mark the climax of the holy month of Muharram.

    Pakistan is suspending mobile phone coverage in several major cities after a series of bomb attacks on Shias, detonated by mobile phones.

    One report said that four children were among those killed by the device on Saturday, set off by a television remote control device due to the mobile phone block.

    A total of 17 people were wounded in the attack, Reuters reports.

    Hardline Sunnis have threatened more attacks as the Shia mourning month comes to a climax.

    More than a dozen people have already been killed this week observing Muharram.

     

  • Nigeria to get direct flights to Pakistan

    Nigeria to get direct flights to Pakistan

    Nigeria and Pakistan may soon commence direct flights, going by the ongoing talks between both countries.

    President Goodluck Jonathan and his Pakistani counterpart, Asif Zardari, on Wednesday held bilateral talks in Islambad, Pakistan.

    Jonathan departed Abuja Tuesday night for Islamabad to attend the summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of Eight Developing Nations (D-8).

    At the bilateral, the two leaders agreed to energise the Nigeria-Pakistani Joint Commission to promote trade relationships between the two countries.

    Consequently, a bilateral air service agreement between both countries was signed.

    The agreement, according to both countries, would translate into direct flights between the two countries.

    Though there are other areas of cooperation between both countries, especially in the area of security, the two leaders insisted that the air services and banking are areas that need more attention.

    “The distance between the two countries is not a barrier. Both countries are doing a lot in military and security matters,” the President said.

    Jonathan arrived the military Airport base in Islamabad at about 1.30pm local time with some top government officials.

    He was received at the airport by Pakistani officials and the Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Ambassador Dauda Danladi, among others.

     

  • Nigeria to partner with Pakistan on textile industry

    Nigeria to partner with Pakistan on textile industry

    The Federal Government is exploring ways of partnering with Pakistani entrepreneurs to revive the ailing textile industries in the country, a top official has said.

    Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Dauda Danladi, disclosed this in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital on Wednesday.

    NAN reports that President Goodluck Jonathan is in Islamabad to attend the eighth-summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of Eight Developing Countries (D-8) being hosted by Pakistan, the third largest exporter of cotton materials in the world.

    The envoy said Nigeria would exploit the opportunities and the knowledge base of Pakistan especially in the area of textile manufacturing.

    “We are already in touch with the Pakistani Chamber of Commerce and we are looking at the possibility of a joint-venture between the industrialists here in Pakistan and the textile industry in Nigeria.

    “Interestingly, Pakistan does not produce cotton, it imports cotton for its textile industry.

    “We have the capacity and the manpower to produce cotton in Nigeria. I think all that is required is the technical competence and the financing. This we can tap from Pakistan which is the third largest textile exporter in the world.

    “And what we are going to do is to impress on the major industrialists here in Pakistan to come to Nigeria, see areas of collaboration with some of our textile companies and see how we can resuscitate the textile industry,’’ Danladi said.

     

  • Jonathan off to Pakistan

    Jonathan off to Pakistan

    President Goodluck Jonathan will leave this night for Islamabad, Pakistan, to attend the summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of Eight Developing Nations (D-8).

    Jonathan, according to a statement by his media aide, Dr. Reuben Abati, would be accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru, Minister of Trade and Investment Olusegun Aganga and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

    President Jonathan will hold bilateral meetings with the Presidents of Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey, Iran and Egypt, whose countries also belong to the D-8.

    Other D-8 nations are Bangladesh and Indonesia.

    He returns on Friday.