Islamabad, Oct 26 : US special forces have started training a Pakistani paramilitary unit how to fight the Taliban and al Qaeda, hoping to strengthen a key front-line force as violence surges on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border.

The start of the programme has not been officially announced, but Pakistan Army officers confirmed on Saturday that 32 Americans were training 116 senior personnel of the Frontier Corps in the restive region.

The officials said the course included classroom and field sessions, and the mission would last for around six months.

Lahore, Oct 26 : Sacked Pakistan cricket team coach Geoff Lawson has refused to leave Pakistan until the PCB pays all his dues.

Geo News quoted sources as saying that Lawson was in contact with the Australian High Commission.

PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt said the board would review Lawson’s agreement on Monday and would pay him any remaining dues, the Daily Times reported.

Islamabad, Oct 26 : Indus Water Commissioner (IWC) Jamaat Ali Shah has said Pakistan will approach the World Bank and receive compensation from India for obstructing water flow from the Chenab River and defects in the design of the Baglihar Dam.

Talking to Indian journalists at the Indra Gandhi Airport before his departure to Pakistan, Jamaat Ali Shah said he visited the district Doda of Jammu and Kashmir and found several defects in the Baglihar Dam.

“Talks at length were held with my Indian counterpart but I am not satisfied with it,” he said.

Islamabad - Pakistani army troops killed at least eight rebels Sunday as they continued with their push to root out Islamist militants in the restive Bajaur tribal district bordering Afghanistan, media reports said.

Ground troops backed by helicopter gunships and artillery pounded militant positions in the Tang Khata and Chaharmang areas of Bajaur, which is considered a stronghold of al-Qaeda and Taliban militants, the private Aaj television channel reported.

Onboard Air India One, Oct 26 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has assured Pakistan of getting International Monetary Fund (IMF) help to bail it out from the present financial crisis.

Extending support to Pakistan in getting the funds, Dr. Singh said, "I wish the new democratic government in Pakistan well. We would like them to succeed. Pakistan is in serious difficulties. It is going to the IMF. We will support Pakistan getting help from the IMF."

The assurance given by Dr. Singh during a news conference on board his special aircraft on his way back to New Delhi from China is seen as another confidence building measure to foster ties between the two countries.

Islamabad, Oct 26 : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said that he sees no judicial crisis in the country except a few deposed judges issuing political statements, and gave a veiled warning of bringing them into politics if they did not stop doing so.

Zardari said he sees no judicial crisis and anything of the sort. But he did advise the deposed judges, the number of which he counted as only four including the big gun, not to throw a political challenge to the government, The News reported.