Washington, Nov 4: Taking a note of the pathetic condition of the quake-hit in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, the US is learnt to have announced an additional relief of 1.5 billion dollars.

The quake victims have been demanding relief and aid, especially when the winters have already set in. More than 200 people were killed and thousands left homeless when an earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter Scale hit Balochistan last Wednesday.

Announcing the additional aid, the United States’ Organization for International Aid said in a statement that the US will provide this emergency 1.5-billion-dollar aid to Pakistan government immediately. With this the total US aid would aggregate to 2.5 billion dollars.

Islamabad, Nov 4: Amid repeated complaints from Pakistan Information and Broadcasting Minister Sherry Rehman that Pakistan Television (PTV) Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Dr Shahid Masood was not following her official orders, the top PTV man is learnt to have tendered his resignation to take up a new job as “Special Assistant” to Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

A statement issued from the Pakistan PM House said that Gilani had accepted Masood’s resignation and appointed him as his special assistant with the status of a minister of state with immediate effect, reported the Daily Times.

The Cabinet Division later issued a notification in this regard.

Islamabad, Nov 4: The US has reportedly not guaranteed an end to the ongoing drone strikes in Pakistan aimed at Taliban and Al Qaeda militants, even as the leadership in Islamabad apprised US Central Command chief General David Petraeus that it could no longer tell its people to support the US-led war on terror in the wake of frequent violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty through air strikes.

General David Petraeus, who is on an official visit to Pakistan, met a host of Pakistani leaders on Monday. It is his first visit after taking over his new assignment last week.

Miranshah (Pakistan), Nov 4: Pakistani security forces claimed to have killed as many as 18 Taliban in an operation in the Bajaur Agency last evening.

While four Taliban died in artillery shelling in different areas of Mamond tehsil on Monday morning, 14 Taliban were killed in bombing by jet fighters in the afternoon, the Daily Times quoted Pakistan officials as saying.

Lahore, Nov 3 : Senior Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf has flown to India to join the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) despite his selection on Monday in the national team for three one-day internationals.

''He didn''t tell us he was going to India. We heard about it ourselves two hours back. We called up his home and his wife has confirmed he has gone to India to play in the ICL,'' Pakistan Cricket Board operations director Zakir Khan told a news conference on Monday.

Islamabad - Islamabad on Monday asked the new head of US central command, General David Petraeus, to halt airstrikes inside Pakistan, saying these were harming its efforts to fight international terrorism.

"Continuing drone attacks on our territory, which result in loss of precious lives and property, are counterproductive and difficult to explain by a democratically elected government. It is creating a credibility gap", President Asif Ali Zardari told the commander of US forces in the Middle East and Central Asia.