PESHAWAR (March 15, 2010): Fighter planes bombed Taliban positions in the north-west on Sunday, killing 16 militants and destroying three hideouts, a government official said. Militants have gone on the offensive again after a recent lull in violence, challenging government assertions that an assault in the militant stronghold of South Waziristan had dealt a major blow to al Qaeda-backed Taliban.

ISLAMABAD (March 15, 2010): Increasing loss of life and scarcity of resources are major discouraging factors for Qaumi Lashkars, constituted to help security forces in war against terror, said Dr Murtaza Mughal, President Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) here on Sunday.

ISLAMABAD (March 15, 2010): President Hamid Karzai telephoned President Asif Ali Zardari Sunday night and thanked him and the government of Pakistan for the warm hospitality accorded to him and his delegation during his recent visit to Pakistan. President Karzai appreciated Pakistan's resolve to fight militancy to the finish and expressed the hope that together they will triumph against this menace.

WASHINGTON (March 15, 2010): The Obama Administration's Special Representative Richard Holbrooke Sunday described improvement in US-Pakistan co-operative relations a "very big step forward" as he applauded Islamabad's successes against local and Afghan Taliban and noted that al Qaeda along the Pak-Afghan border region faced "fantastic" pressure.

ISLAMABAD (March 15, 2010): A recently-launched photo-book about Kashmiri refugees' life in camps of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has generally been welcomed as an effort to make the people in the migrant camps be seen and be heard.

OCCUPIED SRINAGAR (March 15, 2010): Six policemen were hurt Sunday when suspected militants attacked their patrol with a grenade in Occupied Srinagar, a police spokesman said. It was the third assault in ten days on police in Occupied Srinagar. Two policemen were killed in the previous two attacks.

ISLAMABAD (March 15, 2010): Federal Minister for Environment Hameedullah Jan Afridi has said that Pakistan has a strong cultural heritage, which would be a driving force for people to strive for a strong and stable Pakistan. "Pakistani culture is our identity and we should feel proud of it," the Minister said while addressing the gathering at a painting exhibition of famous artist Musawar Munir, held at Lok Versa, on Sunday.

MULTAN (March 15, 2010): Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that the government's two-year performance is highly satisfactory, as PPP formed the government under very critical circumstances. He said that development projects are being speedily completed, which is the result of positive policies of the government.

LAHORE (March 15, 2010): A non-partisan 'Council of Parliamentarians' (COP) has been formed to help the government solve the political, economic, water, energy and other chronic problems confronting the nation, and to mobilise public opinion to work for unity, progress, prosperity and integrity of Pakistan, being above party politics.

LAHORE (March 15, 2010): Punjab Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday speaking at the Mufti Muhammad Hussain Naeemi Seminar in Jamia Naeemia said that Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) had refused to accept foreign diktat and stood strong and resolute before Musharraf. The Chief Minister averred that if this was the stance of Taliban, then they should not carry out terrorism in Punjab.