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The Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians, a group hastily crafted to circumvent possible disqualification of the Benazir Bhutto-led PPP, presented its registration papers to the election commission (EC) here yesterday for the general elections in October.

According to a report in the New York Times, "Pakistan, a nation not entirely sure of its bearings, is awash in anti-Western polemics. In a country where Christian churches are being stoned because Washington is in charge of the war, there is a daily diet of visceral anti-Americanism and crude anti-Semitism in the press, both English and Urdu".

The latest discussions have also concluded with a fresh understanding for preparatory work to demarcate the border in the first step for the future construction of border posts on both sides. These discussions are now expected to be carried forward during the next round of talks between senior officials in Tehran.

President Pervez Musharraf vowed yesterday he would curb the extremist religious "minority" in Pakistan and strengthen the moderate majority that backed his decision to join the international war on terrorism in Afghanistan.

Japanese Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka met Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf here yesterday and reassured him of Tokyo's economic and political support to the frontline state in the war on terrorism, officials said.

Pakistan must unite to reject and defeat terrorism which poses a threat to the country's independence, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Sunday.

Pakistan plans to call for bids from international telecom firms on June 10 for a 26 per cent controlling stake in Pakistan Telecommunication Co Ltd.

Two Pakistani intelligence officers killed in blast

Pakistan's fallen nuclear hero Dr. Adul Qadeer Khan yesterday "voluntarily" confessed to proliferating nuclear technology in a statement read out by him on state television and implored the "traumatised nation" to pardon him.