‘India essential Afghan partner’

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Arun Nehru [1]

Terming India as an “essential partner” in Afghanistan, the US has asserted that the two countries share the view that the peace process in the war-torn country should be Afghan-led.
“From the US perspective, India is an essential partner in a peaceful, stable Afghanistan and a prosperous Afghanistan,” a senior administration official told reporters on Friday night during a conference call ahead of vice-president Joe Biden’s India trip starting on Monday.

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Teenager raped by 3 in Lahore
Lahore: A 14-year-old Pakistani girl was allegedly raped by three men, who forced her to pay them Rs 40,000 by blackmailing her with a video of the incident, the police said on Saturday.
The girl, a Class 8 student, told the police that she was assaulted when she visited the home of her friend in Kahna area of Lahore. “My friend’s brother, who was alone in the house, locked me in a room. He then called his two friends and they raped me,” she said. The alleged rapists told the girl that they had made a video of the incident and would upload it on the Internet if she did not give them money. According to the police, the girl stole Rs 40,000 from her family and paid it to the alleged rapists. She paid money to the accused on three occasions, Mr Aziz said.
The police have arrested the accused. — pti

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Ex-Laden aide: US tortured me
New York: Lawyers for Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law claimed in court papers on Friday that he was tortured by the US and asked a judge to dismiss the terrorism case against him.
Sulaiman Abu Ghaith’s attorneys said in papers in Manhattan federal court that their client is charged in a flawed document that fails to adequately explain how he was part of a conspiracy to kill Americans. They said the statute of limitations had expired and that he was denied due process.
They also said he was interrogated at length during a 14-hour flight to the US earlier this year. — AP

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28 militants, 6 soldiers killed in Pak clashes
AGe correspondent
Islamabad

At least 28 militants and 6 Pakistani soldiers were killed on Saturday in clashes in the tribal Khyber Agency and Kohat, officials said.
“Twenty-eight militants were killed and six soldiers lost their lives when forces clashed with the militants in Khyber Agency and Kohat,” said a security official.
“Ten extremists were killed when security personnel battled with the terrorists in Akka Khel area of Bara Tehsil and also destroyed their two hideouts. Two security men were also killed,” he said.
“Later 18 militants were killed in the clashes in Kharmatang area of FR Kohat while Pakistan Air Force fighter jets pounded militant compounds and razed two hideouts to the ground,” he added.
During the battle, four security men were also killed,” he added.