NRO put on hold as ‘beneficiaries’ named; Pakistan’s defence expenditure goes up by 20 percent; Reports: Fazlullah in Afghanistan; Clinton: US aims to uproot Al Qaeda; Karzai and Zardari pledge to fight militancy jointly;
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  • The Pakistan government came out with a list of beneficiaries of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), which included federal and provincial ministers and senior officials. The controversial ordinance will cease to operate on November 28 as the government has decided against presenting it in parliament.1 Corruption charges amounting to over Rs. 1000 billion were allegedly dropped as part of the NRO, effectively negating the actions of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).2

    Reports noted that Pakistan’s defence expenditure is likely to rise by over 20 percent, due to the ongoing military operations in South Waziristan, which were over Rs. 40 billion a month.3 Muhammed Fazlulla, the Pakistani Taliban leader is also reportedly in Afghanistan and plotting further attacks against the Pakistan Army. Earlier, speculations were rife that Fazlullah was either seriously injured or killed during the Swat operations in July 2009.4

    US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meanwhile stated on November 15 that the primary objective of US operations in the region was to uproot the Al Qaeda completely. Clinton was reacting to PM Gilani’s statement that Pakistan should be involved in the process of formulation of a new strategy for Afghanistan.5

    President Zardari, in Kabul to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Hamid Karzai, pledged to enhance cooperation in order to jointly fight militancy in the region.6 In other developments, a suicide attack in Peshawar killed at least 20 people and injured over 50.

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