Hong Kong, Feb. 9 : The Hong Kong-based International Risk says in a review of terrorism trends in Asia, published today, that the terror threat in South Asia is set to intensify this year, particularly in the wake of rising tensions between India and Pakistan.

Washington/Islamabad, Feb. 9 : There has been considerable adverse reaction in the West to the Islamabad High Court's decision to free tainted Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan from five years of house arrest for selling nuclear secrets.

However, according to Pakistani officials, an agreement has been reached between Khan''s lawyers and the government to limit his movements and monitor his telephone calls, visitors and activities.

The ministry has also agreed to prohibit his travel abroad, but will provide him all security.

Karachi, Feb. 9, : The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday appealed to batsman Mohammad Yousuf to snap his ties with the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) and rejoin the national team.

"If he decides to end his association with the ICL, I will see he is selected again for Pakistan the next day," PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt said.

Mohammad Yousuf had claimed last year that he had been shabbily treated by former captain Shoaib Malik and this had forced him to join ICL.

Washington, Feb. 9 : An Islamabad-based defense analyst, Ayesha Siddiqa, has said the United States has very few options in Pakistan.

Speaking ahead of the visit of Richard C. Holbrooke to Pakistan, the Washington Post quoted her as saying: "It (the United States) could increase economic aid rather than military aid to its ally, or resurrect George W. Bush''s ''with us or against us'' rhetoric and put greater pressure on Pakistan to deliver."

Islamabad, Feb. 9: Pakistani Senator Envar Baig has asked the Pakistan Cricket Board(PCB ) chairman Ijaz Butt to resign immediately.

In a parliamentary committee meeting on sports, presided by Senator Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry, Butt failed to satisfy the committee on Javed Miandad''s resignation.

According to The News, when the committee asked Butt to explain the terms on which Miandad''s appointment was made, Butt said Miandad had neither signed a contract nor had he received a check.

Butt admitted that Miandad''s appointment without a contract was his biggest mistake.

Islamabad, Feb. 9 : The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting has called on the federal government to immediately ban the broadcast of Indian television channels in Pakistan.

According to The News, the committee asked the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to ban all Indian channels on cable in the country.

Monday's missive came almost two months after the PEMRA had instructed cable TV operators to stop transmitting 30 foreign TV channels, most of them Indian.