Islamabad, Jan. 3 : Pakistan has arrested a former Taliban spokesman, who was released by Afghanistan in 2007 in exchange for a kidnapped Italian journalist.

The Dawn quoted security officials as saying that Ustad Mohammed Yasir was detained in Peshawar, near the Afghan border.

Yasir was Taliban leader Mullah Omar''s spokesman after the regime''s fall in Afghanistan in 2001, an official said Saturday.

He said Pakistan first arrested Yasir in 2005 and sent him to Afghanistan, where he was released along with four other Taliban figures for journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo.

Islamabad, Jan. 3 : A leading daily in Pakistan has contradicted the statement of a Foreign Office spokesman which said that Pakistan has no terrorist infrastructure on its soil.

According to an editorial in `The News' the statement of the official was no were near the reality. The fact that Pakistan provided a safe haven to the terrorist groups and that its territory is being used as a breeding ground of these outlawed groups can not be denied.

Islamabad, Jan. 3 : The Pakistani Taliban has announced the enforcement of sharia in the Shakai, Sheikhan and Mulakhel areas of Hangu District within a month of a similar `enforcement' in Orakzai agency of the North Western Frontier Province.

Reports reaching here from Hangu said that Taliban were using loudspeakers in mosques to announce the decree and asked people to bring their issues to `Taliban Islamic courts' for their resolution.

According to the Daily Times, the new Taliban laws don't allow women to visit bazaars. They can only go out for medical treatments, but only if they are accompanied by a male elder of the family.

The Taliban has imposed a complete ban on TV and CDs and video centres in the lower agency.

Islamabad, Jan. 3: Pakistan has once again assured the world that it is devoted towards fighting extremism and maintaining peaceful relations with all its neighbours.

Pakistan Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman met British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Robert Brinkley and stated that "Pakistan is steadfast in its commitment towards elimination of extremism and for maintaining peaceful relations with all its neighbors."

Talking about the step that Pakistan has taken to counter terrorism, Sherry said: "Pakistan is aggressively pursuing its own counter-extremism agenda while at the same time also co-operating with the international community in its efforts against terrorism."

Islamabad, Jan. 2 : Pakistan looks to strengthen the capability of its air force amidst rising war fears with India. Pakistan is ready to start serial production of multi-role fighter aircraft (JF-17 Thunder) in collaboration with China.

Chairman of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Air Marshal Khalid Chaudhry said that the PAC has set up a factory for initiating the serial production of JF-17 Thunder aircraft.

Islamabad, Jan.