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After Baglihar, Pak cries foul on Ravi dyke

     Islamabad: A Pakistani team will leave for India on March 28 to discuss the construction of an embankment along the river Ravi for an alleged violation by India of the Indus Water Treaty as well as the Border Ground Rules, 1961. According to the Daily Times, the three member team headed by Pakistan's commissioner of Indus Waters, Jamaat Ali Shah will also consist of officials from Pakistan's commission of Indus Water (PCIW) and the Punjab Irrigation department and remain in India till April 2. Pakistani officials have said that a construction of the dyke by India would lead to a scenario, where in the event of heavy rain, floodwater would pour across the border into Pakistan and inundate areas deep into central Punjab, compared to earlier instances where regions on the both sides of the border got inundated in the event of such flood. Officials said that following the objections raised by the Pakistan Army's Engineering Corps, Pakistan had formally raised the matter with India, on the grounds that the 15-kilometre structure was illegal. "Pakistan Army's Engineering Corps has taken up the matter with the Pakistani government. Given the issue's sensitivity, Pakistan's Permanent Commission for Water formally protested to the Indian government, claiming that the 15-kilometre structure was illegal. There are concerns that the Pakistani Army will find it difficult to defend the country's western frontier in the event of flooding," the paper quoted a senior government official as saying. An official from the Punjab Irrigation and Power Department said that Pakistan had on its part also decided to construct a dyke along the river to avert potential flooding of Narowal and Lahore, adding that the Pakistani dyke would be built opposite the Indian dyke. "Pakistan has also decided to construct a 15-kilometre-long dyke along the river to avert potential flooding in Narowal and Lahore. The Pakistani dyke will be built opposite the Indian dyke," the official added.

Hackers may have helped Bush win, claims Kerry's wife (Go To Top)

     Washington: If Teresa Heinz, the wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is to be believed, President George W Bush did not win his second term fair and square. Four months after the elections, Heinz is questioning the legitimacy of the polls, saying that it could have been computer hacked. "Two brothers own 80 per cent of the machines used in the United States. They are "hard-right" Republicans, Heinz was quoted as saying by the Seattle Post Intelligencer. "We in the United States are not a banana republic. I fear for 2006. I don't trust it the way it is right now," she added.

PM invites Musharraf and family to watch cricket match (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in Lok Sabha today that he has invited Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf for a visit to watch a cricket match between the rival countries, a step that may accelerate the peace process started by the nuclear-armed rivals a year ago. He also said that peace talks between the countries were "moving forward." "Nothing brings the people of the subcontinent together more than our love for cricket and Bollywood," Singh said. India's prolific film industry is known as Bollywood. On Thursday, Singh said cricket would help move things along. "I have decided to invite Musharraf to come to India and watch the cricket match," Singh said. "I do hope (he) and his family will enjoy their visit to our country." After the current test match in the northern town of Mohali, Pakistan will play test matches in Kalcutta and Bangalore, followed by six one-day international matches.

Sehwag, Sachin help India reach 447/6 at stumps (Go To Top)

     Mohali: Team India lost its way on day three in spite of Sehwag's magnificent 173. Sachin Tendulkar eyeing his record breaking 35th Test ton made a laboured 94 which cost India a lot of time. To make matters worse, the Master Blaster was dismissed just six runs short of his ton. At stumps on day three, India were 447/6 with VVS Laxman batting on 33 and Irfan Pathan on 1. India enjoy a lead of 135 runs. To give Sachin his due, his effort was commendable after coming back from injuries. Perhaps Sachin would have reached the landmark and saved India a lot of time if he had played his natural game. But all that is history now and Sachin will have to wait for the Kolkata Test to create the record. Virender Sehwag did not mope around on day three and slammed his 9 th Test hundred, his second against Pakistan on Thursday. Sehwag got his ton by getting a brace off Hasan. His century came off 129 balls with 12 boundaries and a six. Pakistani pace spearhead Mohammad Sami then struck, and Dinesh Karthik (6) was bundled out, caught by Naved-ul Hassan. All the Pakistani bowlers received a major hammering with medium pacer Abdur Razzaq and Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan being the most expensive.

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