Islamabad, Feb. 18 : Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai will visit Islamabad for top-level talks on Thursday, the Pakistan's Foreign Ministry stated on Wednesday.

"I can confirm that Mr. Karzai is coming to Pakistan on a short visit tomorrow (Thursday). Mr. Karzai will meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani," foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Basit was quoted by The Dawn, as saying.

Karzai is expected to talk about strengthening diplomatic ties with Islamabad.

Lahore, Feb. 18 : Notwithstanding the recent tension between India and Pakistan, trade through the Wagah was on an upswing between July 2008 and January 2009 as Pakistan imported goods worth 31 million dollars from India during this period.

Last year, the import of goods was worth 20 million dollars in the same period.

Pakistan mainly imports fruits and vegetables through the Wagah border such as tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, cotton, maize, and meat products.

Islamabad, Feb. 18 : Pakistan has formally requested India to hand over Ajmal Amir Kasab, the "prime suspect" in the Mumbai terror attacks, to facilitate the successful prosecution of the other accused who had been arrested in Pakistan.

Islamabad - Thousands of people on Wednesday held a peace rally in Pakistan's militancy-plagued Swat valley, two days after a radical cleric signed a controversial deal with the government to end violence in the region, locals and police said.

"More than 15,000 people joined our peace march," said Amir Izzat, the spokesman of cleric Maulana Sufi Mohammad, who led the rally. A local police official put the numbers at around 10,000.

The marchers, carrying black and white flags, paraded through Mingora, the main town in Swat, where jubilant crowds lined the streets to greet them.

Karachi, Feb. 18 : A historical temple of `Lord Shiva' has been illegally captured by some builders in the Jamshed Town area of Karachi.

According to The Daily Times, the temple which was built in the late 1930's, was spread over two acres of land. Now, only a small piece of land is with the temple trust, while the rest has been captured.

Several attempts have been made to take the temple's property back from the land grabbers, but without success.

Islamabad, Feb. 18 : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said Pakistan is facing a difficult situation as terrorist groups want to impose their agenda across the country, thus posing a direct threat to democracy.

Speaking on the occasion of first anniversary of the general election here, Zardari urged his countrymen to unite and fight against the threat.