Karachi, Jan. 17 : The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Party has claimed that banned religious organizations in Pakistan were busy recruiting minors for Jihad (holy war) and using them as suicide attackers.

According to a press release by the London based secretariat of the movement's investigation committee (IC), various banned organizations are involved in persuading minors and youngsters for Jihad and after keeping them at various offices, they are sent to Waziristan for training.

Karachi, Jan. 17 : A day after the crackdown on terrorist groups and people involved in extremist activities, Pakistan has now banned several publications of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and other organizations for fanning sectarian hatred intended to outrage religious feelings of the Muslims.

According to The Nation, an official statement issued by the Sindh government said that it has proscribed several weekly and monthly publications of Jamaat-ud-Dawa Pakistan containing material which is objectionable, and provocative.

Karachi, Jan. 17: The cash strapped Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has now been implicated in a new scam in the form of faulty insurance deal resulting in a whopping Rs 60 million loss.

According to The News, PCB's chief operating officer (COO) Saleem Altaf has made allegations against the previous management of the board for being responsible for a shady insurance deal.

Altaf said that former PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf and ex-COO Shafqat Naghmi were involved in the fraud which resulted in a massive loss.

Karachi, Jan. 16 : Following receiving details by International Cricket Council (ICC) about the detention of fast bowler Mohammad Asif in Dubai, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formed a three man committee to inquire into the whole issue.

"A three-man inquiry committee appointed by the Board will soon begin its investigations against the pacer, who is currently suspended by the Board," The News quoted a PCB spokesman, as saying.

The ICC had also asked the PCB to explain its stand and future course of action in the issue.

Karachi, Jan. 16 : As Pakistan prepares to host Sri Lanka in a much needed one-day international series, coach Intikhab Alam has said that his side will offer a tough fight to the islanders, and hoped that it continues the winning streak from where it left in the last series against the West Indies.

Alam said that it was very important for Pakistan to win the home series after it swept the three match series against West Indies, 3-0, in November last year.

"It is also important for us to win the series after having done well against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi," The News quoted Alam, as saying.

He asked the Shoaib Malik led squad to play like a cohesive unit, and ensure that the series is pocketed by the home team.

Karachi, Jan. 15 : There seems to be an unending list of troubles for Pakistani pacer Mohammad Asif, as just a day after the Pakistani senators demanded a life ban on the bowler, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has received a copy of the report released by the Dubai authorities regarding Asif's detention there over possession of opium.

The report was sent by the International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat, along with an enquiry about the PCB's future course of action on the issue.