China's Signs Deal with Russia For 150 Fighter Jet Engines: Report

Russia's top jet engine-maker has signed an agreement to supply over 100 high powered engines for China's new fleet of fighter jets, but Beijing is yet to ratify the deal as it is apparently miffed by some stiff conditionalties of the deal, a media report said.

"The contract will involve 140 to 150 engines, but it has not been confirmed by authorities in Beijing," Alexander A Drozhzhin, the head of press for SALUT, a top Russian company that manufactures engines for the Su-27 aircraft, regarded as the fourth generation fighter aircraft was quoted as saying by China's state-run Global Times.

According to US media reports, the Russian state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport (ROE), announced in July a sale of 123 SALUT-made AL-31FN turbofan engines to China for USD 500 million.

The engine is a variant of that used in the Su-27 and Su-30MKK/MK2 fighter jets and is designed to be used on China's single-engine J-10 fighter jet, Drozhzhin said.

The reported deal involves the third series of the AL-31FN, which have a maximum thrust of 12,500 kilogrammes and 2,000-hour service life.

Businessmen Win Gen Kayani’s Support

KARACHI:Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Wednesday night directed Director-General Rangers Sindh Ejaz Chaudhry to ensure safety of the business community and address their concerns.

He issued the order following a meeting with a 30-member delegation of the business community at the Corps Commanders Headquarters in Karachi. The delegation included presidents of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry and heads of various industrial zones.

During the one and a half hour long meeting, the businessmen expressed their concerns regarding the law and order situation. They demanded a permanent role for rangers in policing, establishment of new rangers pickets at key locations in industrial zones and certain constitutional changes that would ensure speedy trials of criminals in the courts.

According to KCCI President Muhammad Saeed Shafiq, it was an important session for the business community “because it is only the army chief who can ensure that our concerns are addressed.”

Sindh Floods: How You Can Help! PKKH

One year after the worst flooding disaster in the history of the region, more floods triggered by heavy rains have devastated parts of Southern Pakistan. About a million people have been affected and tens of thousands have lost their homes in this region which has still not recovered from last year’s floods.

The MERE LOG Project launched by PKKH last year raised over US$ 110,000 last year (around Rs 10 million). Our volunteers worked on ground with Doctors Worldwide (DWW), Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), Pakistan Army and Muslim Aid UK, providing rescue boat services, warm meals, medical assistance and temporary shelters for the victims of the 2010 floods all over Pakistan. Pakistanis from around the world put their trust in us to help our people and may Allah SWT accept our efforts.