Lahore, Feb. 27: A day after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood claimed that he had asked Washington to let Islamabad handle the drone attacks on militant hideouts inside its territory, the United States has said that the issue of drone attacks was not discussed with Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani.

Talking to mediapersons after holding talks with General Kayani, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said: "The issue of drone attacks inside Pakistan did not come under discussion during the meeting."

General Kayani also met the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Mike Mullen.

Mullen said that the talks helped US to understand the intricacies of the Swat peace deal.

Pak Prez joins hands with Mush's PML-Q

Even as Pakistan was plunged into fresh turmoil on Thursday with PML-N cadres protesting the Supreme Court order barring the Sharif brothers from contesting polls, the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led by president Asif Ali Zardari decided to join hands with the Pervez Musharraf-backed Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid) to form governments at the centre and in Punjab province.

Zardari's slain wife Benazir Bhutto had, in a letter, named PML-Q's parliamentary party leader Pervez Elahi as one of her "would be assassins".

Karachi, Feb. 27: The first Test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka may have ended in a tame draw after batsmen of both teams plundered over1500 runs, but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has ruled out launching a enquiry into why a flat pitch was prepared.

PCB chief Ijaz Butt said he had consulted chief pitch curator Agha Zahid, but denied ordering an enquiry into the issue.

"Soon after returning to Lahore, I had a heart-to-heart with him. He has given me a detailed explanation and has assured that there will be a better wicket for the next match," The News quoted Butt, as saying.

Former Pakistan's Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League (N) Chief Nawaz Sharif said today, the people would not accept the Supreme Court ruling. He said no undemocratic action would be tolerated and the mandate of the people should be respected.

Addressing a massive public rally here, Nawaz said Pakistan is passing through hard times because of verdicts of the PCO judiciary.

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari had deceived the nation and did not honour his commitments, The News quoted, Nawaz as saying.

Islamabad, Feb. 26 : Legal experts have warned that the Supreme Court's order to ban the Sharif's -Nawaz and Shahbaz from contesting elections, will precipitate a major political crisis in Pakistan.

But they also said that the ruling was as per law.

"The courts in the country were independent and the SC verdict that disqualified the Sharif brothers was in accordance with the law," The Daily Times quoted Barrister Ahmad Raza Qasuri, as saying.

Qasuri expressed his lament over court verdict being viewed as a 'biased' one.

Senior lawyers Khalid Ranjha and SM Zafar also that the verdict could create a difficult political situation in the country