Former Afghan President seeks truce

The ousted Afghan President, Burhanuddin Rabbani, has urged the Taleban movement to cease military actions during the holy month of Ramadan and set up a joint commission of religious scholars to solve all issues.

Mr Rabbani -- who's in Islamabad for talks with the Pakistani authorities -- told the French newsagency AFP that Pakistan should persuade the Taleban to start peace talks.

He said his visit was aimed at removing mutual misunderstanding and open up contacts with Islamabad.

Mr Rabbani also said the northern opposition alliance was planning to appoint Haji Qadeer, a former governor of the eastern province of Ningarhar, as its Prime Minister to replace Abdur Rahim Ghafoorzai, who was killed in a plane crash earlier this year.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service