Islamabad, Nov. 9 : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has called for an early start on the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project.

Stating that Pakistan is in dire need of energy, Zardari was quoted by the Daily Times as telling Iranian Ambassador Mashallah Shakiri that every effort must be made to to activate the project.

Ambassador Shakiri apprised Zardari of the developments made so far on the IPI project, and discussed ways to enhance bilateral trade and investment.

Washington, Nov. 9: The Indian Government has reportedly expressed concern over US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief General David Petraeus seeking advise from two Pakistani security consultants - Ahmed Rashid and Shuja Nawaz.

According to the Daily Times, Rashid is an acknowledged authority on the Taliban and Afghanistan, while Shuja Nawaz is the author of a book on the Pakistan Army.

Both have been named ‘consultants’ at the classified review starting in Florida this weekend. The aim is to review the war plans in Afghanistan and Iraq as the Barack Obama administration considers the wisdom of a troop surge in Afghanistan.

Lahore, Nov. 9: Pakistan’s defence forces should be subordinate to the political leadership, according to the country’s Chief of Army Staff, General Asfaq Parvez Kayani.

National Security Adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani revealed General Kayani’s views on the relationship between the defence forces and the civilian establishment in an interview to the Newsweek.

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Kolkata, Nov. 9 : External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday said Kashmir would remain a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan that would be sorted out through dialogue.

Mukherjee''s statement came as a response to the media reports that US president-elect Barack Obama was speculating on appointing former U. S. President Bill Clinton as a special envoy on Jammu and Kashmir.

Lahore, Nov 8: The PCB is learnt to have served a show cause notice on its star batsman Mohammad Yousuf who recently joined the “rebel” Indian Cricket League (ICL).

The Board also asked him to return Rs one crore which it had spent on Yousuf in fighting a legal case on his behalf in India after he rescinded his ICL contract last year to join the Indian Premier League (IPL) promoted by the BCCI. The ICL had then blocked his move (to join (IPL) by filing a beach of contract case in an Indian court.