Islamabad, Aug 12 : Out of the total 54, more than 30 Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) belonging to the Kings’ Party - the PML-Q - stayed away from their party meeting last evening, thereby giving a big jolt to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf who is facing impeachment proceedings from the PPP-led ruling coalition.

London, Aug 12 : If former Pakistan Army general Talat Masood is to be believed, Punjab Chief Minister and former premier Nawaz Sharif’s brother Shahbaz Sharif is acting as the interlocutor for the coalition federal government in the ongoing negotiations for ensuring a safe exit for President Pervez Musharraf, who is facing impeachment from the coalition government.

“Negotiations are going on for a safe exit to be given to him. Gen Kayani will be meeting Musharraf later this evening. Shahbaz Sharif [Mr Sharif''s younger brother] is acting as the interlocutor for the coalition. I think the Americans and the army are demanding he be given [safe passage]. Impeachment would mean a huge distraction from the war on terror,” The Independent quoted Masood as saying.

Islamabad, Aug. 12 : A Pakistani TV channel has received an audiotape in which Al-Qaeda''s second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri , attacks the country''s leaders and urges Jihad or holy war in Pakistan.

The audoptape, recorded in English was aired by Pakistan''s ''Ary '' TV station. It has not yet been posted to jihadist websites.

Egyptian-born medic Al-Zawahiri explains in the audiotape that it is in English because he does not speak Urdu - the language spoken by most Pakistanis.

The video may have been made to disprove reports that he was killed in a missile strike in Pakistan''s Waziristan tribal area bordering Afghanistan on 23 July.

Sydney, Aug 12 : If a senior Pakistan journalist is to be believed, US President George Bush has given a royal snub to his old time “anti-terror ally” and Pakistani counterpart Pervez Musharraf, by repeatedly failing to respond to the latter’s phone calls over the past few days.

Bush’s ‘ignoring’ attitude is said to be the result of American strategists’ warning that Pakistan''s intensifying political power struggle was ‘imperilling’ the US-led war against al-Qa''ida and the Taliban.

Islamabad, Aug 12 : Pakistan Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, who was considered as a close confidante of President Pervez Musharraf till being appointed in the top Army post, has reportedly conveyed to his mentor that the military (under him) did not want to be dragged into any political controversy, and that it preferred to remain focused on its “professional and constitutional responsibilities”.

New Delhi - Pakistani troops on Monday fired at Indian soldiers across the de facto border that divides the Indian- and Pakistani-administered Kashmir region, the fourth such incident in 14 days, NDTV news channel reported.

Pakistani troops opened fire on Indian posts in the Poonch sector of the line of control that divides the two parts of Kashmir, the report said.

There were no details of whether Indian troops returned fire.