JHANG, Pakistan (Reuters) – When Maulana Ahmed Ludhianvi greets supporters on the Pakistan election trail, he opens his pitch with the kind of promises to the poor that any other politician might make.

But behind the reassuring rhetoric lies what his opponents believe is a dangerous agenda – to gain a foothold in parliament and further his designs to oppress Pakistan’s Shi’ite minority.

JHANG, Pakistan, April 21 (Reuters) – When Maulana Ahmed
Ludhianvi greets supporters on the Pakistan election trail, he
opens his pitch with the kind of promises to the poor that any
other politician might make.

But behind the reassuring rhetoric lies what his opponents
believe is a dangerous agenda – to gain a foothold in parliament
and further his designs to oppress Pakistan’s Shi’ite minority.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Nearly 100 percent of young Pakistanis are pessimistic about the future and believe their country is headed in the wrong direction, a survey released on Wednesday found.

A British Council study, entitled “Next Generation Goes to The Ballot Box”, also showed that only one in five young adults expect their economic situation to improve over the next year.

KABUL (Reuters) – Afghanistan is shocked by Pakistan’s “complacency” in the nascent Afghan peace process and is ready to work without Islamabad’s help on reconciliation, Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin told Reuters on Wednesday.

It was the first time Afghanistan has suggested the possibility of going it alone without its neighbour. Regional power Pakistan is seen as critical to stabilising Afghanistan because of its long ties to insurgent groups.

KABUL (Reuters) – Afghanistan is shocked by Pakistan’s “complacency” in the nascent Afghan peace process and is ready to work without Islamabad’s help on reconciliation, Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin told Reuters on Wednesday.

It was the first time Afghanistan has suggested the possibility of going it alone without its neighbor. Regional power Pakistan is seen as critical to stabilizing Afghanistan because of its long ties to insurgent groups.

MAIDAN SHAHR, Afghanistan (Reuters) – The Afghan policeman manning a checkpoint glances at the snow-covered mountains that are home to Taliban fighters and predicts what would happen if elite U.S. forces leave Wardak province, seen as the gateway to the capital of Kabul.

“The Taliban will take over in one day,” Mohammad Jamil says. “They are nearby.”

MAIDAN SHAHR, Afghanistan (Reuters) – The Afghan policeman manning a checkpoint glances at the snow-covered mountains that are home to Taliban fighters and predicts what would happen if elite U.S. forces leave Wardak province, seen as the gateway to the capital of Kabul.

“The Taliban will take over in one day,” Mohammad Jamil says. “They are nearby.”

ISLAMABAD, March 6 (Reuters) – Pakistan has reached a
critical balance of payments situation and will need another
package from the International Monetary Fund before the end of
the year to avert a crisis, one of the biggest lenders to the
country said on Wednesday.

The Asian Development Bank’s country director, Werner
Liepach, also told Reuters in an interview Pakistan will need up
to $9 billion from the IMF to shield the economy.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan has reached a critical balance of payments situation and will need another package from the International Monetary Fund before the end of the year to avert a crisis, one of the biggest lenders to the country said on Wednesday.

The Asian Development Bank’s country director, Werner Liepach, also told Reuters in an interview Pakistan will need up to $9 billion from the IMF to shield the economy.

KABUL (Reuters) – A top Afghan peace negotiator said he was cautiously optimistic about prospects for reconciliation with the Taliban and that all sides now realised a military solution to the war was not possible.

Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai also told Reuters that the Kabul government hoped to transform the Afghan Taliban, who have proved resilient after more than a decade of war against U.S.-led NATO and Afghan troops, into a political movement.