Suicide bomber kills at least 18 at Pakistani politician’s home

An attacker walked into an open meeting that member of parliament Rashid Akbar Nowani was holding in the courtyard of his home in the central town of Bhakkar, in Punjab province, and blew himself up amid a throng of about 200. Some reports put the death toll as high as 25, with 53 hurt, some critically. Mr. Nowani – from the conservative, mildly Islamist Pakistan Muslim League (N), party of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif – got away with minor injuries to his legs. >>>>>

Wali tipped to be next Pak president

ISLAMABAD – Awami National Party president Asfandyar Wali is tipped to replace Pervez Musharraf who resigned as president on Monday, sources said. Wali is close to coalition partners Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif and will also be acceptable to Maulana Fazlur Rehman. >>>>>

Deadlock and death in inauspicious start to Pakistan post-Musharraf

Post-Musharraf Pakistan got off to an inauspicious start yesterday, after a meeting of the coalition government resulted in deadlock over the key issue of the judiciary, and Taliban militants demonstrated that their violent campaign would continue with a suicide bombing that killed at least 27.

Pervez Musharraf resigned as Pakistan’s president on Monday in order to avoid impeachment following a series of crises, starting with the sacking in March 2007 of the country’s chief justice.  >>>>>

MPs demand Musharraf be tried under Article 6

ISLAMABAD: A majority of the parliamentarians on Monday opposed safe passage for former president Pervez Musharraf and demanded his trial under Article 6 of the constitution.  >>>>>