New York, Feb 17 : Pakistani immigrants from the Swat Valley living in the United States say some of their families are being singled out for threats, kidnapping and even murder by Taliban forces, who view them as potential American collaborators and lucrative sources of ransom.

Some immigrants also say they, too, have been threatened in the United States by the Taliban or its sympathizers, and some immigrants say they have been attacked or kidnapped when they have returned home, the New York Times reported.

Islamabad, Feb 17 : Pakistan Government's decision to impose Sharia in areas of Swat Valley in order to strike a peace deal with militants is a wrong precedent and will not be able to calm the conflict, according to observers.

Islamabad's faltering military campaign in Swat has been put on hold, and the militants have agreed to a tentative ceasefire. The government decision has set a worrying precedent - one that will surely displease some US officials who want Pakistan to take a harder line against militants, Time magazine reported.

Lahore, Feb 17 : Four Pakistan cricketers whose contracts have been `suspended' by the Indian Premier League (IPL) have appealed to President Asif Ali Zardari to compensate them for the loss in earnings brought about by the government's decision to not allow them to travel to India to take part.

Though the federal sports ministry had allowed the players to travel across the border for the tournament, the Foreign Ministry barred them from doing so, reportedly over concerns about the players' security in India.

Peshawar, Feb. 17 : Pakistani critics of the NWFP Government-Pakistan Taliban deal to introduce a new sharia law in the Swat Valley, have claimed that this a dangerous concession to extremist insurgents who have terrified inhabitants of the valley for months.

According to a report in the Washington Post, the bombing of girls'' schools, beheading of policemen, whipping criminals in public squares and assassinating Awami National Party activists is not acceptable to many of these critics.

Karachi, Feb 17 : Pakistan's chief selector Abdul Qadir has said that he will give Shoaib Akhtar a fair hearing before taking a decision on whether the fast bowler is ready for a return to international cricket during next month's one-day series in Bangladesh.

Qadir said that he is not fully aware of Shoaib's form and fitness and will like to meet the pacer soon to hear him out before a decision is made to recall the player.

Islamabad, Feb 17 : Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that non-state actors were involved in the Mumbai terror attacks, adding that he is not embarrassed as the Pakistan Government is clean.

Replying to a question about the Mumbai carnage, Qureshi said the government had condemned the incident from day one and had condoled with those who had lost their near and dear ones in it.

He said the government had carried out its investigation but the dossier given to them by India was `very inadequate and sketchy'.