Islamabad, Feb. 2 : The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ruled that though former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been pardoned in the case relating to his disqualification from contesting the by-elections, he still remains an offender.

According to The News, Justice Sheikh Hakim Ali observed that Sharif was still an offender and not eligible to contest the elections.

Earlier, during the hearing, Sharif's lawyer Akram Sheikh argued that the case against his client does not have legality to stand in the court as it was filed three days after the specified time.

Islamabad, Feb 2 : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that his government would this week discuss with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon its progress in requesting the United Nations to probe former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination.

"Very soon we are evolving a strategy for that," Gilani replied, when asked whether his government would convey its request for a probe to the UN Secretary General, who is expected to arrive in Pakistan on Wednesday.

Islamabad, Jan 31: The Pakistan Muslim League-N has accused the PPP-led Government of indulging in a "character-assassination" campaign against its leader Nawaz Sharif.

The PPP-led Government, however, moved quickly to decry such tactics in an apparent conciliatory gesture.

Islamabad, Jan 31 : The civilian and military leadership should make concerted efforts to regain control of the Swat Valley from militants, various defence experts have said.

Most participants at a discussion organised by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) agreed that the current turmoil in Swat was not a struggle for Sharia, but a war perpetrated by anti-Pakistan elements.

They also agreed that the army and the political leadership must act in unison to recapture the territory and authority lost to the militants.

Islamabad, Jan. 31: The Pakistan government has no objection over its cricket players taking part in the Indian Twenty20 cricket extravanza, the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Pakistan sports minister Aftab Jilani said it (Pak Sports Ministry) has no objection to its cricketers competing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

"We feel it's a private league in which Pakistan players compete in an individual capacity," The Daily Times quoted Jilani, as saying.