Islamabad - A moderate 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck north-western Pakistan on Monday, meteorological authorities said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.

The earthquake, at the depth of 140 kilometres, hit at 8:37 am (0337 GMT), the US Geological Survey said. It was centred 106 kilometres north-west of the town of Chitral.

Pakistan Meteorological Department measured the jolts at 5.7 on the Richter scale, while local authorities did not immediately reported any casualties or structural damages.

Pakistan's north-western regions actively experience seismic activity and a 6.4-magnitude earthquake in late October killed more than 250 in the impoverished Balochistan province.

Islamabad  - The luxury Marriott Hotel in Islamabad reopened on Sunday 98 days after it was completely gutted following a suicide truck bombing that killed at least
54 people.

Business tycoon and hotel owner, Sadruddin Hashwani, lit candles in front of pictures of the victims to mark the reopening, which was also attended by US Ambassador Anne W. Patterson.

Hashwani said the hotel was more secure than ever with the implementation of an elaborate security plan that includes a 4.3- metre-high and 4.6-metre-thick bombproof wall along the facade.

The Marriott served as an oasis for diplomats and Pakistan's elite and was also a favourite with foreigners visiting the violence-hit Islamic country.

Islamabad  - A suicide car bomber on Sunday attacked a polling station in Pakistan's troubled North West Frontier Province, killing at least 30 people and wounding around 20, police said.

The bomber rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into the wall of a government school serving as a polling station in Shal Bande village located 10 kilometres from Dagar, the main town in Buner district.

The intense blast destroyed the school building and several nearby shops where different political parties contesting the by-polls on a National Assembly seat had set up their election camps, said Khan Ghalib, a subordinate of Buner police chief.

Hangu, Dec. 28 : Pak Taliban has announced enforcement of sharia law in the lower parts of Orakzai Agency after just a week of `enforcement of sharia' in the upper parts of the agency.

Taliban were using loudspeakers in mosques to announce the decree and asked people to bring their issues to `Taliban Islamic courts' for their resolution according to Islamic law, the Daily Times reported.

The new Taliban laws don't allow women to visit bazaars, who can only go out for medical treatments, but that too if they are accompanied by a male elder of the family.

The Taliban has imposed a complete ban on TV and CDs and video centres in the lower agency.

Lahore, Dec 28: Pakistan's main opposition parties have said that the death of former premier Benazir Bhutto is an irreparable loss for the country.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif said Benazir spent her life struggling to turn Pakistan into a real democracy.

Islamabad, Dec 28 : If reports are to be believed, Pakistan''s tsunami warning system is far from perfect, due to a lack of coordination between the district, provincial and national disaster management authorities.

According to a report in the Dawn, while Pakistan was spared the destruction of the 2004 tsunami, the country has experienced several earthquakes, some of them devastating.

The country faces a constant risk of experiencing a tsunami if an undersea quake strikes the Indian Ocean close enough to Pakistan''s coast.