Lahore, Aug 27 : After the lone Swiss money-laundering case against PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari was withdrawn on Monday, the Swiss court hearing the case has handed the seized money, over 60 million dollars, to the Swiss government.

The prosecution lawyer said that the account holder’s name was confidential and could not be disclosed.

The case was withdrawn as the Pakistan government had withdrawn its earlier allegations against Zardari, the Daily Times quoted the lawyer as saying.

Islamabad - At least seven people were killed and about 20 injured when an explosion ripped through a hotel near Pakistan's capital Islamabad, officials said Wednesday.

The blast which occurred late Tuesday severely damaged the roadside hotel in Sihala area.

"The preliminary investigations indicate that 3 to 4 kilograms of explosives was used in the bomb," said Ahmad Latif, a senior police officer.

He said seven people died and 20 were injured. All of the victims were civilians.

Islamabad, Aug 27 : Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam (JUI) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who has gained bargaining power vis-à-vis the PPP by criticizing its Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari ahead of September 6 presidential poll, has reportedly demanded of the PPP-led federal coalition government to revive Friday as weekly holiday instead of Sunday.

Fridays were declared as weekly holiday by PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to appease the religious dominated PNA movement of 1977, but it was later reversed to Sundays by the Nawaz Sharif government in late 1990s.

Peshawar, Aug 27: Pakistan security forces claimed to have killed a top Taliban commander in Swat last evening, though a spokesman for the extremist organisation maintained that he died when his pistol misfired.

Security officials said that Ikramuddin, a close associate of Baitullah Mehsud, was killed following a clash in Chota Kalam area of Kabal tehsil, reported the Daily Times.

However, Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said Ikramuddin died accidentally when he fired his pistol.

Lahore, Aug 27 : Reacting to the recent press reports appearing in the British media that PPP Co-chairman and presidential hopeful Asif Ali Zardari had suffered from mental illness till last year, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to London Wajid Shamsul Hasan has stated that Zardari was now “fit and keeping well”.

Wajid said that Zardari had subsequent medical examinations and his doctors had “declared him medically fit to run for political office and free of any symptoms.”