Karachi, Aug 8: The recent sharp rise in inflation, affecting the prices of essential commodities, including food items, in Pakistan, has also affected the sale of Rakhis even as the festival of Rakha Bandhan is almost a week away.

Compared to last year, the prices of Rakhi this year have gone up by 30-50 percent, said Mohan, a Rakhi-seller in Karachi.

The Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan falls on August 16.

Islamabad, Aug 8 : The IAEA Safeguards Agreement announced for India last week will serve as a precedent for other countries, including Pakistan, to enter into similar agreements to meet their energy needs, Pakistan’s foreign office has said.

The IAEA governors had on Friday approved India’s draft plan for inspections of its civilian atomic reactors, a precondition for launching a deal to obtain US nuclear fuel and technology.

Islamabad - Pakistan's ruling coalition said on Friday it was comfortably placed in the parliament to win an impeachment vote against beleaguered President Pervez Musharraf.

"The impeachment requires 295 votes in the 442-member joint session of the both houses of the parliament - National Assembly and Senate. And we have 305 members, which clearly make up for two-third majority," Information Minister Sherry Rehman told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Washington, Aug 8 : In the wake of the impending Impeachment Motion against Pakistan Pervez Musharraf, the US State Department has advised to all the parties involved in the activity to ensure that their actions were consistent with the rule of law and the Pakistani constitution.

Washington, Aug 8 : A top US commander in Afghanistan has reportedly publicly accused Pakistan intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of “complicity” over time with militant groups fomenting violence in Afghanistan.

Lt Gen David McKiernan''s comment reflects growing US frustration over the insurgent violence in Afghanistan, reported The News.

“Do I believe that the Pakistani government must do more? I absolutely do. Do I believe there has been some complicity on the part of organizations such as the ISI over time in Pakistan, I believe there has been,” the paper quoted McKiernan as saying.

Lahore, Aug 8: Like the ten Indian parliamentarians who cross-voted during the July 22 Trust Motion moved by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, ahead of Monday’s Impeachment Motion against Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, it is expected that a large number of Pakistan lawmakers may too cross the floor.

Cross-voting is expected because the numerical margin in the Pakistan Parliament is very close, said an editorial in the Daily Times.