Islamabad - Pakistan's historic eastern city of Lahore has long been known as the country's cultural capital, with dozens of theatres, film studios, fashion houses, historical sites and exotic food.

But it is now being turned into a new battleground by Islamic militants who have already gained control over large areas in the north-western regions of the nuclear-armed Islamic state.

Islamabad, Mar. 30 : United States Ambassador to Pakistan, Anne W Patterson, has revealed that 50 million dollars in aid, meant for the rehabilitation and development work in Swat and Northern Areas, were lying unused at the US embassy in Islamabad.

The News quoted Patterson, as telling the former PPP senator Enver Baig that the huge amount, readily available and exclusively meant for the rehabilitation and development of the troubled areas, was being wasted because no one in concerned quarters was interested.

Islamabad, Mar. 30 : Pakistan has pointed towards a probable foreign involvement in the attack on the police training camp in Lahore earlier today.

Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Interior Affairs, Rehman Malik said the attack has been carried out by the jihadi outfits and a foreign hand could not be ruled out.

"Today's incident is part of terror wave exists in the country which begun from NWFP. This is an attack against country's sovereignty," The News quoted Rehman, as saying.

Islamabad, Mar. 30 : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has formally lifted Governor's Rule in Punjab by signing a summary on the advice of Prime Minister Yousuf Raja Gilani.

After a late night meeting with Gilani, Zardari signed the summary to lift governor's rule, The Dawn reports.
 
A presidential spokesman told media that Zardari and Gilani "discussed political situation in the light of president's address to the joint session of Parliament on Saturday."

Islamabad, Mar. 30 : Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said that the State carried out the Lal Mosque operation.

In July 2007, around Lal Masjid area of Islamabad, a confrontation between Islamic militants and Pakistan Government broke out.

"Only 93 people were killed in the operation," The News quoted Musharraf, as saying.

Speaking to reporters before leaving for China here, he said: "Pakistan is facing a grave threat of extremism and terrorism."

Islamabad  - Islamist militants on Sunday kidnapped 11 tribal policemen following an attack on a checkpoint in Pakistan's troubled north-west near the Afghan border, an official said.

The gunmen forced the Khasadar policemen to surrender all weapons after laying siege to the Shin Qamar post in Khyber tribal district, a hub of militant activity.

"They pushed the Khasadars into their vehicles and sped away," said Manzoor Ahmed, an official of the local administration.

According to Ahmed, one abductee managed to escape from the militants' custody and reached to safety later in the day.