Uzbek fighters claim involvement in Karachi airport attack

ISLAMABAD: Uzbek fighters were involved in the attack on Karachi airport that killed 37, insurgent sources said Wednesday highlighting how the Pakistani Taliban can draw on international militant networks to carry out major attacks. The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), an Al-Qaeda affiliate that has been mainly based in Pakistan's tribal belt since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, claimed the “martyrdom” of 10 of their fighters during this week's assault in a statement posted on various Taliban-linked websites. The attack extinguished a nascent peace process and raised questions about how the Taliban were able to penetrate the airport serving Pakistan's economic hub. “At midnight of Monday ten brave martyrdom seeking Mujahids of Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan wearing their explosive-filled vests attacked a very special section of Karachi International Airport of Pakistan,” the English-language statement attributed to IMU said. The page included photographs of 10 black-turbaned fighters wearing green tunics and white trainers while carrying assault rifles, in what appeared to be a snowy mountainous region. The statement added that this operation was carried out as the revenge to the latest full scale bombardments and night attacks with fighter jets by the Pakistan Army. The Pakistani Taliban's main spokesman confirmed that Uzbek fighters were involved in the attack but did not say how many. Shahidullah Shahid, the Taliban spokesman said: “Yes, the attack on the Karachi airport was a joint operation of TTP and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. “The foreigners are also our Muslim brethren and we all are Muslim Mujahideen. So we can't elaborate on how many Uzbeks and how many Pakistanis participated in this action,” he added. An intelligence official in Islamabad added that Karachi-based investigators also suspected the attackers included Uzbeks. Ten heavily armed militants laid siege to Karachi airport throughout Sunday night and the early hours of Monday morning in one of the most brazen attacks on a key installation in recent years. Security analyst Imtiaz Gul said IMU fighters had migrated to Pakistan's tribal areas after being forced to flee from Afghanistan following the US-led invasion. “They have been under the protection of the Pakistani Taliban for some time. The Uzbeks are dependent on them for shelter and survival and are used as their foot soldiers in operations,” he said.

Qadri wants revolution to change govt

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri on Sunday called for changing the government and the prevalent system through revolution, calling the present set-up ‘unconstitutional’. “We are in favour of revolution instead of changing the government within the parliament as the house has been elected in violation of Article 218, Clause B of the Constitution,” Mr Qadri said while addressing protest rallies in different cities of Punjab, including Lahore and Rawalpindi, through video-link from Canada. He said there was no democracy in the country and the parliament was being run in an unconstitutional way, adding that such a government should be immediately replaced by one that turns the country into a welfare state. “People are feeling insecure as the law and order situation has deteriorated. They are committing suicide and even selling their children for bread. A total of 50,000 people have died during the last few years but neither the present nor the previous governments have taken responsibility,” he said. The PAT chief said that for 42 years, three PPP governments and three PML-N administrations had ruled the country, but never did any good for the people. He said there was no merit in the country. “The poor have become poorer while the rich richer. The ruling elite have built palaces in Raiwind whereas the poor do not even have shelter from scorching heat and chilly winter,” he said. Mr Qadri said the ruling elite did not want to empower the common man which was why it was against creation of new provinces. “There is a dire need to create 30 new provinces in the country to transfer power to the grass roots,” he said. He said education and health were responsibility of the state and the constitution clearly defined it as such. “But, we spend a meagre amount on education while provision of health facilities is still a dream in the country,” he said. “To end corruption, unemployment and inflation, there is a dire need to launch a movement. The people of the country will launch this movement and the rallies in Punjab prove that the days of the present system and ruling Junta are numbered,” he said. Mr Qadri said he would soon return from Canada to lead a movement against the government and to change the system. “I will soon start a movement for the welfare of the people and improvement of the system where people can live in a safe and secure environment and enjoy all basic rights as enshrined in the constitution,” he said.

Info minister dubs Taliban, Imran, Qadri 'strategic partners'

ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Pervez Rasheed on Wednesday lashed out against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) head Tahirul Qadri and Taliban, calling them ‘strategic partners’. Talking to the media in the capital, he said that while the Taliban attacks defence institutions, Imran Khan attacks democracy and Tahirul Qadri targets the constitution. He said earlier that Imran was only an ideological ally of the Taliban but now both he and Qadri have become strategic partners of the Taliban. He vowed that the government will combat all three. Rasheed added that the government has kept doors open for groups that believe in peace talks, but that those who choose the gun will be dealt with in the same manner. He added that the state’s complete powers would be used against terrorists, and that it is the government's top priority to eradicate those who are targeting educational institutions. It is the responsibility of the government to make Pakistan a secure state, he concluded.

With militants in disarray, is it time for action?

PESHAWAR: Months of behind-the-curtain efforts to drive a wedge between Khan Said and the Mullah Fazlullah-led Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan are bearing fruit. Khan Said overcame his reluctance and bade adieu to a militant network that has wreaked havoc across the country. But what next? Khan Said alias Sajna’s exit from the TTP had been in the works even before the start of now-doomed peace talks, but contrary to expectations what happened afterwards has made the militant scene in Pakistan more perplexed and complicated. Militants now stand divided in geographical and ideological terms. Geographically, the so-called pro-government groups, Sajna included, now hold sway over the southern tip of the tribal region; North and South Waziristan. Two such groups in the southern tip, of Commander Nazir and Hafiz Gul Bahadur, already have peace agreements, besides the not-so-hostile Punjabi Taliban. Sajna is expected to sign up soon, after the dust settles down and he vanquishes his weak rival, Shehryar Mehsud. On the northern tip of this geographical divide is the entire lot of anti-government militant groups: Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (Bajaur), TTP (Mohmand), TTP (Swat), TTP (Orakzai) and TTP (FR Peshawar). Ideologically, the so-called pro-peace groups have made an effort to move away from their more radical former brothers in faith to embrace a more near-encompassing approach, signalling their aversion to bombing of shrines and targeting of mashaikhs. This is in sharp contrast to the militants in the northern flank of the tribal region who have been bombing shrines and targeting religious figures from other sects. The division, analysts say, is along the Punjpeeri and Deobandi schools of thought. The Deobandis are holding sway in the south, the Punjapeeris in the north. In ideological terms, say the analysts, it is more akin to the raging debate between Al Qaeda and the Islamic state in Iraq and the Levant, each accusing the other of deviating from the principles of Jihad. Also, in geographical terms, with Sajna’s exit, the TTP which since its inception in December 2007 had been headquartered in South Waziristan and later North Waziristan, will now have to find itself a new place to hoist its flag. Where to? No one has a clue. With much of the leadership of what remains of the TTP and its leadership sitting on the other side of the Durand Line, its headquarters and its several shuras would either have to be relocated to Afghanistan or to their fast-expanding new base in Khyber’s Tirah Valley. Where does this leave Sajna and his fighters? He is gunning for Shehryar Mehsud and his men – the last obstacle to tighten his grip over the Mehsud hinterland. Shehryar – now the only Mehsud commander worth his name left in the TTP – is fast losing men and with them his options. He will either have to submit to Sajna or perish – the ruthless tribal reality. Sajna’s revolt against the TTP has spawned three parallel militant command leaderships for Pakistan to deal with. Sajna, the unrivalled Mehsud commander in South Waziristan, with the largest number of fighters in tow; Hafiz Gul Bahadur, the most influential commander in North Waziristan; and the stridently anti-government and more ruthless Abdul Wali alias Umar Khalid Khurasani, who is fast overshadowing Mulla Fazlullah to emerge TTP’s de facto chief. From the security establishment’s point of view, Khurasani is Hakeemullah in the making. With his network spread almost all over the country, including Karachi, Islamabad and Peshawar, Khurasani with the help of other hardliner groups presents today a more dangerous challenge to Pakistan than any other group. Efforts are now under way to cobble together an alliance of Sajna, Gul Bahadur and Commander Nazeer Group in Wana led by Bahauddin. Sajna is already believed to have sent a message to Gul Bahadur to lead the campaign to rid North Waziristan of anti-state foreign and local militants to avert a possible military operation in the restive region. Ironically, Sajna has the largest number of foreign fighters with him but they are believed to have little interest in Pakistan and want to fight the war against foreign forces in Afghanistan. Also, weighing in is Haji Sher Mohammad, the grandson of the legendary anti-British fighter, Mirza Ali Khan aka Faqir of Ipi. The word is that foreign fighters, mainly Uzbeks and TTP militants in Mirali and Miramshah, would be asked to either abide by local laws and live peacefully or leave the area. The bombing runs over Mirali and Miramshah have already had an impact. Locals say most foreign fighters in Miramshah and Mirali have moved to the thickly afforested areas of Dattakhel and Shawal in North Waziristan, Lower Kurram, Upper Orakzai or their new redoubt in Tirah. This leaves the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and there is no sign of them relinquishing their abode in Mirali. IMU statements chastising local tribesmen for hoisting Pakistani flags in Mirali following recent bombings and countering them with hoisting black flags makes it abundantly clear that they are in no mood to shift. In the other hand, if assertions by government officials have anything to go by, Uzbek fighters seem to have teamed up with Khurasani’s TTM to unleash a series of terror attacks in the country. The big question now is: will the government order military action in North Waziristan? As if the Washington’s pressure was not enough, Beijing too has joined the long queue of nations to demand action against its own brand of militants, they believe, are operating from safe havens of Waziristan. Considerable troops and assets have been deployed to carry out the job in Mirali and Miramshah and if some officials are to be believed a decision in principle has already been taken at the military level, the only wait is for the political leadership to blow the whistle. But two things can pre-empt the action. One, the fast-approaching Ramazan due to begin later this month and there isn’t much time left to carry out and finish the job before that. So, if it doesn’t happen in the next few days, chances are, it may happen after Eid, that is, if the current spate of terrorist attacks continues and no new effort is undertaken to restart the stalled peace process with the northern fringe of militants’ bloc led by Fazlullah. Second, the military commander in Peshawar has already given the Sher Mohammad-led jirga 15 days to try their luck and get Gul Bahadur to kick foreign militants out of North Waziristan. So any military action may have to wait, until at least June 21, unless of course the government reneges and go for action in the face of relentless attacks and mounting public pressure, Ramazan or no Ramazan. As one senior security official put it: “If there ever was a moment when conditions were right for a military operation, when militants were isolated, weakened and in disarray and when the public support was right behind, it is this moment. If we are worried about blowback, then we have two options: either bleed slowly and die or get up and finish the job.” “We have had several misses and false starts before but we can’t afford to lose this one,” he argued. But the question is: Will Prime Minister Sharif oblige or procrastinate – as usual. Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2014

Social media | Analysis: With no rules of engagement

With no rules of engagement, social media platforms provide a larger canvas of information. - Illustration by Mahjabeen Mankani RAGING with an overflow of information and photographs, Twitter must have had a busy past Sunday night as terrorists stormed Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport in a siege that lasted well into the next day. Social media pundits, official sources, journalists, first-hand eyewitnesses and the Pakistani Taliban could be read providing a detailed minute-by-minute account on the audacious attack. Tweets, videos and photographs (#KarachiAirportAttack) detailing the attack unfolding (militant numbers, attack location, ammo, planes attacked) meant the ‘news’ you read for over 24 hours was sourced from friends, colleagues, journalists, and state and security accounts. It was shared consistently by Facebook and Twitter news consumers though it was often difficult to verify facts, let alone regulate accounts of the Taliban and their sympathisers as they posted their apocalyptic version. If you were concerned about flights suspended or distressed by reports citing a plane hijacked and another on fire, then @AirportPakistan was accurate with information. Syed Saim A. Rizvi (@saim_rizvi) on the stranded Emirates airline provided gripping eyewitness updates: “… think some local airline got hijacked by terrorists... I can see army jawan are on run way now”. Three minutes later another tweet: “… they fire rocket launchers — may Allah protect my country and all passengers and people who are on the board as well on the floor.” He tweeted about panic on board the flight that had MQM parliamentarian Dr Farooq Sattar. The Telegraph’s Pakistan correspondent tweeted he’d spoken to Sattar. Rizvi was retweeted in the hundreds, but journalist Ali Chishti (@akchishti) anxious about his mother trapped inside the terminal, shared 140-word updated reports that were accurately chilling and on-spot. One of them retweeted 300 times: “8 confirmed terrorists in #Karachi Airport now. They are moving with commando precision. They are on CCTV now”. A welcome first was the official stream of tweets by Maj Gen Asim Bajwa, DG ISPR, confirming the number of dead terrorists, though perhaps prematurely tweeting that the airport had been cleared by 2pm on Monday — militants attacked the ASF camp on Tuesday afternoon. His tweets substituted in the early hours for an immediate press conference or an ISPR statement on the operation. “It was comforting to know the DG ISPR was on Twitter to provide information on the attack, but then we know he won’t give a backstory. You don’t expect him to say there’s been an intelligence lapse at the airport. That information won’t come from an official source on social media,” media practitioner Afia Salam says. With no rules of engagement, social media platforms provide a larger canvas of information and if you’ve been a user long enough, it becomes easier to screen information or ask the right questions. “Tweets can’t be regulated for misinformation, but then an uninformed person won’t go on Twitter in an instance like this. Key is to ask questions when unsure and to use Twitter intelligently,” she adds. “After the first instance of smoke billowing through the skies, Twitter users were tweeting that a plane had caught fire. If that had happened, it’s natural logic that the plane would have blown up.” Using the internet to support terrorist activities, spread militant propaganda, train recruits and finance terror plots is an art perfected by the Taliban whose parallel war on social media platforms clearly reiterate their anti-state narrative. More lately, their extremist mindset produces an existential threat to journalists. This is what happens in the midst of wars when both sides resort to spreading their narrative. Various TTP accounts were allegedly live-tweeting the airport attack in Pashtu (@Muheb_TTP) with Umar Media’s (official TTP media wing) Facebook page claiming that six terrorists had attacked the airport. Official sources claim 10 militants had attacked the cargo terminal which prompts terrorism analyst Mohammad Amir Rana to explain that the Taliban deliberately put out incorrect information to lend credibility to their cause. Six militants holding a supposedly well-guarded airport hostage for 24 hours is certainly troubling and humiliating. “Using social media as a platform to disseminate information is not new as the Taliban have used various media during the Soviet war for propaganda purposes. The question is how reliable is the information disseminated on Twitter and Facebook,” he says. After the attack, the Twitter handle @omarkhorasani1 showed the user threatening ‘hateful journalists’ for their ‘shameful’ and ‘partial’ reports. Explaining that @omarkhalidkhorasani1 is an account managed by the TTP Mohmand faction, where they are known to claim responsibility for attacks and distribute press statements, researcher Zia Ur Rehman points out that there are various Twitter accounts managed by different TTP factions. On Facebook, it is apparent that several TTP-linked pages post messages, upload videos, and even interact with followers. It has been obvious for quite some time now that while news has a place in social media, the authenticity of content is debatable because of rapidly generated reports. As citizen journalists, Twitter and Facebook users are not bound to recheck their facts. “Social platforms are going to complement and not take over the older news media outlets. There is that group of people who shuffle between the two. Social media platforms are information-based and not knowledge platforms. And they could be propaganda-driven which means for credibility one would pick the traditional medium,” Ms Salam says. Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2014

‘The last message we received from him was “I’m at a safe place, don’t worry about me’’’

KARACHI: “If they had done something earlier in the night, my son would have been alive today,” is the first thing Inayatullah Safdar’s mother, Erum, says on seeing a reporter step into her room. On Tuesday morning charred remains of the seven cargo workers were retrieved from the cold-room facility 26 hours after they took refuge there when the airport came under attack. The families said that it was only after they staged a protest near the Star Gate that the authorities finally listened to their incessant pleas. Most of them stood there till late in the night as huge flames engulfed the warehouse “leading up to the cold-room facility in a corner”. Sitting in a corner, huddled closely with her mother, Inayatullah’s sister refused to speak at first. The mother continued repeating that “it was pure negligence”. Living in Malir 2, Khokhrapar, the family was not done with the funeral rites till late afternoon and were waiting for their relatives to arrive. Father of two, Inayatullah had been heading the administrative sector of the cargo area for six years. This is not the first tragedy for the family as Inayat’s father died in a similar way inside a ship a few years ago. Two blocks away from Inayat’s home, 26-year-old Nabeel Ahmed’s family continued receiving relatives, friends and colleagues in their two-room apartment in Saudabad, Malir. Nabeel was the first one to inform his family about an attack inside the airport. On Sunday, at 11:05pm, Nabeel’s sister Sana received a text message from him asking her whether there was a report of an attack by militants on TV channels. “We got worried because at the time not a single news channel had reported anything,” his sister said. Fifteen minutes later the news filtered in that the airport was in fact under attack by militants who were trying to get close to the planes parked on the tarmac.

The cargo complex destroyed by the fire that erupted in the wake of the militant attack on Karachi airport on Sunday night.—Online “The last message that we received from him was that ‘I’m at a safe place, don’t worry about me’. We had been in contact with him till 4:15am. After that his mobile phone went off,” added his sister. From inside the cold-room facility, Fareedullah Humayun was constantly in touch with the head of the workers union, Yunus Khan. Speaking by telephone, Yunus told Dawn that he was on leave and was trying to help those trapped inside. “Fareedullah told me that there were three terrorists inside the import operation warehouse which houses the cold-room facility. The warehouse is roughly 400 metres long, full of raw material, chemicals, machinery and medicines. There were 12 people from the cargo department inside the warehouse at the time — four of them managed to escape, one is still missing, and seven of them ran towards the cold-room storage,” he said. Through the phone calls, Yunus continued giving directions to Fareedullah until one of the suicide bombers blew himself up. The terrorists, he said, were constantly firing into the air and at anyone they thought posed a threat to them. “Fareedullah was also injured and told me that he slipped while running away from them. Of the three terrorists, one was shot by an ASF commando; another ran out, while the third one with a suicide vest blew himself up at around 3am, because of which the chemicals inside the warehouse caught fire. I lost touch with Fareedullah soon after that.” When Fareedullah didn’t receive his phone till 4:30am, Yunus went towards the warehouse with a few men to inquire what was happening.

Pictures and ID cards of the victims of the cargo complex fire on display on Tuesday. —Online “There are two warehouses right next to each other. One is used for import operations and the other for delivery. The import operation warehouse caught fire. From there it engulfed the entire cold-room facility near it in flames, from where it went towards the delivery warehouse.” The CAA director general, retired Air Marshal Mohammad Yusuf, however, said in a press statement that “the bodies were recovered from the warehouse and not from the cold-room facility”. But the family members of the victims refuted his statement calling it “a face-saving measure by them”. The families of the workers having learnt of the fire tried to get inside the facility, but were stopped by security personnel. “We understood that they had a bigger menace to deal with. But we were also pleading with the authorities to at least get the Civil Aviation Authority to do something,” said Sana. Yunus added that after an hour-long wait they managed to get inside. “There were 10 fire tenders standing there, but as much as they tried to extinguish the fire, it aggravated further.” On Tuesday morning, when the bodies of the seven workers were taken out, they were burnt beyond recognition. “We could only recognise three — Saifur Rehman from his height, Nabeel Ahmed from the chain he wore around his neck, and a slightly burnt picture of Inayatullah in his upper pocket helped us recognise him,” he added quietly. Furthermore, when the bodies were taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre’s mortuary the doctors there gave them three choices. “Wait for the DNA samples report, which takes 21 days; bury the bodies near one another while waiting for the DNA reports, as we were told all of them were Muslims, so it shouldn’t matter who buried whom; to recognise the bodies — which is the most arduous task in such circumstances,” said Yunus. All the family members decided to bury the dead and are now waiting for the DNA reports. “As much as I hate myself for saying this, but who will help me run my household after Nabeel?” said his sister. “I’ll have to wait for the DNA samples report. This is the only proof I have that my brother is dead.” Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2014

Army resolves to intensify air strikes against militants

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Army on Wednesday decided to intensify air strikes on militant hideouts in the wake of recent attacks across the country. The decision was taken by the Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif during a meeting of the Formation Commanders at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. In the meeting it was also decided to track down terrorists and monitor their movements across the country. To dismantle terror networks, the army resolved to coordinate closely with intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The half-yearly meeting was attended by all Corps Commanders and Formation Commanders, where comprehensive briefings on the security situation of the country as well as professional matters relating to the military came under discussion. It also reviewed the goals achieved in North Waziristan and Tirah Valley. The army chief said the sacrifices rendered by those in the war against terrorism would not be in vain. The participants were briefed on targets of recent air strikes. It was also decided that the Airport Security Force (ASF) would be trained by the military in order to counter future attacks.

5 simple makeup tricks to make small eyes look bigger

Do you get jealous when you see those big anime eyes on Japanese cartoons? Worry no more as given here are 5 ways that could help you turn your small eyes into large beady eyes. Here’s what you can do. Curl your lashes: The best way to make your eyes look bigger is to curl your eyelashes and apply mascara. Use eye shadow: Use a highlighter just below your eyebrow. Blend it in with the shadow by applying it to the inner corners of the eyes Apply mascara on your bottom lashes: Adding mascara to the bottom lashes can give an enlarged look to the eyes. Keep your eyebrows shaped: A slight arch to your brows will make your eyes look larger. Try false lashes: False lashes can look beautiful and natural and you can trim them according to your face type.

Get rid of body pain by pressing these pressure points

Acupressure therapy is used unknowingly many a times, like when you put pressure on your head to curb headache or when you press your hands and legs. For any kind of pain there are certain points, which if pressed can give instant relief. Constant research on Acupressure therapy has revealed that all small and big diseases involving pain can be held back by applying pressure on the right points. We bring to you spots you can press to get rid of various kinds of body pain. Neck and Back pain: To curb this pain, apply pressure on the toes and fingers of the feet from the root to the tip. Apply pressure in between two fingers at roots where they begin from the feet. Press the root portion of the thumb. Shoulder and Arm pain: To curb this pain press the little finger and the finger next to it in a circular motion. Also put pressure on the outer part of the toes of both feet.

'Made in Munger' AK-47's quality stuns Delhi Police's Special Cell

Munger (Bihar): The Special Cell of Delhi Police has recovered a 'Munger-made' AK-47 rifle from a gang of alleged illegal arms suppliers along with 30 pistols and as many spare magazines in a seizure which could set alarm bells ringing in the security establishment. What would add to the worries of the authorities is that a locally-made AK-47 has been recovered for the first time in the national capital and its quality is as good as that of the original. The AK-47 and other weapons were made in Munger in Bihar and were being allegedly smuggled by three men - identified as Shamim (46), Vijay Pal (32) and Taslim (36) - all residents of Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar. Following a tip-off, they were arrested on Sunday by Special Cell sleuths from Bhagat Singh Park in the Yamuna Vihar area here at about 5 pm, the police said. After an in-house study into the growing use of sophisticated firearms over the last few years revealed that most illicit weapons were manufactured in Munger and being smuggled into Delhi, the Special Cell has been working to prevent this illegal trade. It recovered 196 illegal weapons last year and 35 gunrunners were arrested while this year, 90 weapons have been seized and around 20 persons arrested in this connection. "This is the first time since the Special Cell started work on 'Operation Munger' that an improvised AK-47 rifle has been recovered. The craftsmanship can be judged by the fact that the recovered weapon is exactly like an original AK-47 assault rifle," said Special Commissioner (Special Cell) SN Shrivastava. Along with the AK-47 and its magazine, 30 semi-automatic pistols and an identical number of spare magazines have been recovered from the accused. Some of the seized pistols are engraved with a 'Made in Italy' mark while the rest bear 'Made in USA' marks. One white-coloured Tata Indigo car, which was being used to move the weapons, has also been recovered. Shrivastava said that a disturbing piece of information which emerged during the interrogation of the three accused is that the kingpins of the trade are working to set up a 'Mini Munger' in Delhi by bringing 'craftsmen' to the national capital and manufacturing weapons here given the 'hurdles' in smuggling the same from Munger to Delhi-NCR. He added that police are probing this angle as well. The accused have said that an AK-47 is made only on demand and the one recovered from them was meant for a high-profile gangster of western UP. "They had procured the AK-47 at around Rs. 2.5 lakh and it was to be sold at Rs. 2.8 to 3 lakh," said an official.

Another shocker: Woman raped by auto driver in Ghaziabad

New Delhi:In another shameful incident that sent shockwaves across the region, a 30-year-old woman was allegedly raped by an autorickshaw driver in the Vijay Nagar area in Ghaziabad on June 10th evening as per local police. As per police, the victim was standing outside Ghaziabad railway station when the accused Golu arrived on the spot in his autorickshaw. "The victim boarded his autorickshaw. Thereafter, Golu's friend Nitin also got on the auto. The woman told police that Golu took her to Nitin's house and raped her there while his friend waited outside," said a senior police officer. The accused, identified as Golu, has been arrested for allegedly committing the rape while his friend, Nitin, has been held for helping in the crime. The duo also allegedly threatened the woman with dire consequences if she spoke of her ordeal to anyone, police said, adding that it was the victim who had registered the case against the duo.

'I SURVIVED KULLU TRAGEDY'; Student recalls Himachal horror!

Manali: Twenty-five students, who were taking photographs on the bank of river Beas near Thalot on Manali-Kiratpur Highway, 40 kms from Mandi, were washed away last evening when the discharge of water in the river suddenly increased due to release of water from the reservoir of 126 MW Larji hydropower project. A group of 48 students, three faculties and a child of one of the faculty were travelling to Manali when the tragedy struck. In a report published in NDTV, one of the student who was part of the group revealed how his classmates were washed away in mere 10 minutes in front of his eyes. According to Suharsha the students had made there way on top of a rock, in middle of the river, to take photographs by treading on a series of small rocks. Suharsha was upstream and noticed the water levels suddenly rising. He immediately alerted the students on top of the rock about the rising water. Panic gripped as stuck students desperately tried to make their back to the shore. However, they were hindered by the only passage- series of small rocks- and eventually drowned in the strong current of water released from the dam above. As the water level increased, Suharsha, his friends and locals tried in vain to throw ropes and stickes to help the drowning students. Suharsha revealed that he saw 10-15 students drown in front of his eyes. Meanwhile, Suharsha ran towards the dam and alerted an official about the incident. The official told him that they are trying to stop the flow of water. In a related development, Telangana Home Minister Naini Narsimha Reddy and government officials along with a police team today left for Himachal Pradesh in the wake of 25 engineering students from the city being washed away in the Beas river in the hill state. Two teams of NDRF comprising of 45 members each have been dispatched to the mishap site to help local authorities in relief and rescue operations, according to a senior official of NDRF.

SHOCKING STATISTICS: Despite increasing rape-graph, conviction rate is going down!

New Delhi: As the rape incidents are rapidly rising across the country, it is surprising to note that the rate of conviction in the heinous crime is witnessing a decrease. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), around 23,582 cases of sexual violence were registered throughout the country in 2011 with a conviction rate of 26.40%. But in 2012, while the rape incidents grew to 24,923, the conviction rate went down to 24.20%. Five states that took a lead in number of rape cases As per the NCRB, while BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh topped the list of reported number of rape cases by registering 3425 incidents of such nature in the year 2012, Congress-ruled Maharashtra stood at bottom in the list by witnessing 1839 rape cases in the same year. Following are the states that took a lead in registering number of rape cases in 2012: Madhya Pradesh (3425), Rajasthan (2049), West Bengal (2046), Uttar Pradesh (1963) and Maharashtra (1839). Notably, the NCRB data shows Madhya Pradesh has been on top in rape cases since 2008. A total of 2937, 2998, 3135 and 3406 cases of rape were reported from the state in the year 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 respectively. In 2012 also, the state was leading all states with d 3425 rape cases. The NCRB data also makes it clear that no government - be it BJP, Congress, Samajwadi Party or Trinamool Congress - is serious in curbing crime against women. Conviction rate Despite registering highest number of rape cases in the country, Madhya Pradesh has ironically a very low conviction rate. In 2012, the rate of conviction in rape cases in Madhya Pradesh stood at only 19.5 percent, which is much less than the national average of conviction. Although Rajasthan was at number 2 with 2,049 cases of rape, its conviction rate (30 percent) was higher than the national conviction. West Bengal stood third in the number of reported rape cases. Unfortunately, the conviction rate in the state is also less than the national average, even less than Madhya Pradesh. In 2012, the conviction rate in West Bengal stood at only 10.9% percent. In 2010, a total of 2311 cases of rape were reported but next year, it increased to 2363 cases. However, in 2012 it decreased to 2046. In Uttar Pradesh, 1963 such cases were reported in 2012 but the conviction rate was far better than the rest four top states. In 2012, the conviction rate in rape cases in Uttar Pradesh was recorded at 50.3 percent. In Maharashtra, 1839 cases were reported in 2012, but conviction rate was only 16.1 percent. States like Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka and Tripura had less than 20 percent conviction rate. Jammu & Kashmir and Goa have only 7.5 and 8.3 percent conviction rate respectively. States that top in conviction in rape cases Mizoram and Nagaland had the best conviction rate at 82.4 and 72.7 percent respectively. It is noteworthy that the three-member Justice JS Verma Committee, constituted after the gang-rape of a medical intern in Delhi on December 16, 2012, had suggested the judiciary to take suo motu cognizance of such issues and put a set of reforms within the judiciary.

THE TERROR TIMELINE: How Karachi International Airport was taken hostage!

Karachi: In a brazen attack, heavily armed Pakistani Taliban militants launched a major assault on the country's largest airport here in which at least 28 people, including 10 terrorists, were killed before security forces today eventually regained control over the key facility. The 10 militants divided into two groups of five attacked the Jinnah International Airport late last night, resulting in a six-hour gun battle with security forces involving army, paramilitary Rangers, police and Airport Security Force. Explosions and gunfire rang out as the attackers wearing military uniforms and suicide vests, and armed with grenades and rocket launchers attacked the airport in Karachi, Pakistan's biggest city and financial hub. According to reports, eight ASF personnel, two Rangers officials, one police officer and three Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) officials are among the dead. Twenty-eight people, including the 10 terrorists, were killed in the attack, one of the most daring in recent years in the port city. Twenty-four people have also been injured. "The airport has been cleared. The security forces killed seven terrorists while three blew themselves up during the fight," Director General, Rangers, Major General Rizwan Akhtar told media. "Very soon we will hand over the airport to the civilian aviation authority to start its normal operations," he said. Earlier, the military had declared an end to its operation to secure the airport but were forced to relaunch an assault after fresh firing erupted. "All 10 terrorists have been killed, the airport secured and they were unable to damage any aircraft or installations," a spokesman of the military's Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. The terrorists were cornered and shot down after they stormed the old airport terminal building posing as Airport Security Force (ASF) personnel. The ISPR spokesman said that army units from the nearby Malir cantonment base, ASF commandos, paramilitary rangers and police had carried out the joint operation to clear the area. Sophisticated machine guns and rocket launchers were recovered from the slain terrorists who were being identified, he said. The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack. "We carried out this attack on the Karachi airport and it is a message to the Pakistani government that we are still alive to react over the killings of innocent people in bomb attacks on their villages," TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said in a statement to the media. He said that the attack was also carried out to avenge the killing of former TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud in a US drone strike.

Live: Efforts underway to rescue people trapped in Karachi airport cold storage

KARACHI: Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for a brazen terrorist assault on Karachi airport’s old terminal. At least 28 people, including 12 terrorists, were reported dead in what is the first large-scale terrorist attack at the country’s largest airport in years. According to reports, eight ASF personnel, two Rangers officials, one police officer and three PIA officials are among the deceased. 26 people have been injured in the attack so far as well. The military had announced that the attack had come to an end early Monday morning, five hours after militants took siege of the airport. However, firing and blasts were heard from inside the airport hours after the announcement. Large plumes of smoke were seen rising from the runway area of the old airport (also known as the Hajj Terminal), as the airport shut down, passengers were evacuated and the flight schedule was suspended. Pakistan Army troops have been called in to take control of the situation. “A precautionary search operation will take place after daylight and the airport will be cleared for operations, handed back to the Civil Aviation Authority/ Airport Security by mid day,” said DG ISPR Asim Bajwa. June 9, 9:48pm The prime minister has called for the immediate rescue of those trapped in a cold storage in the cargo area, after watching Express News‘ coverage of the victims’ families, who have been protesting at the site of the attack.

June 9, 8:38pm According to our correspondent, the audacious terrorist attack at Karachi’s old airport has dampened the chances of foreign players’ appearance in a local Twenty20 tournament in Karachi next month. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 7:39pm

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 7:34pm Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar has arrived in Karachi. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 7:03pm Relatives of those stuck in the cold storage are protesting at the airport, demanding their immediate rescue, Express News reports. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 6:51pm A worker is trapped under the debris of the roof that collapsed due to a hand grenade attack last night, Express News reports. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 6:44pm Two dead bodies have been found in the cold storage at the cargo area of a private company, Express News reports. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 5:44pm According to Express News, seven cargo workers, who work for a private cargo company, are still missing after the attack on Karachi airport. The brother of one of the missing workers’ said he last spoke with his sibling between 12 and 12:30 pm and that him and other cargo workers hid in the cold storage during the time of the attack. Four of them are believed to be cargo assistants while the other three are believed to be loaders. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 3:54pm Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah has announced that each of the injured will receive Rs0.1 million. The families of the Rangers personal who were killed in the attack will be given Rs2 million and the families of the deceased ASF personnel will receive Rs1 million. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 3:46pm Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif directs Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to reach Karachi. The premier tells the interior minister to meet the high ups of Rangers, police, ASF as well as CAA. Nawaz also asked Nisar to submit a report on how to stop terrorist attacks. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 3:27pm Quoting DG ASF Azam Tiwana Express News reports that the attackers were foreign nationals. He adds that security has been enhanced at airports. Funeral of the martyred ASF personnel has been held. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 2:35pm Flights to Lahore and Dubai are ready for departure. Flights from other cities can land in Karachi Airport. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 2:3opm The airport has been reopened for operations, passengers are receiving their boarding passes, Express News reports. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 2:14pm Two PIA planes were damaged in the attack, Express News reports. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 1:53pm According to the initial report presented to the premier, terrorists entered the airport from two sides and intended to destroy all the planes. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 1:42pm The report of the attack on Jinnah International Airport has been presented to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Director General of Inter Services Public Relations (DG-ISPR) Asim Saleem Bajwa said that the airport has been handed over to the CAA and the Airport Security Force (ASF).
Karachi airport attack: Exclusive eye witness... by TheExpressNews June 9, 12:30pm The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced that the airport will be made operational at 4pm. CAA advises passengers to contact the relevant airlines two hours prior to their flight time. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 12:17pm Rangers spokesperson says that the search operation is complete. The airport has been cleared and declared as safe. “The attack is over and we have cleared the area of all militants,” a spokesman for the paramilitary Rangers, Sibtain Rizvi, told reporters. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 12:07pm Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says the Karachi airport will be made operational soon. Necessary arrangements will be made to facilitate the passengers, he adds. No flight has arrived at the airport for the last 13 hours. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 12:03pm Express News reports that the terrorists entered the airport in two groups wearing ASF uniforms. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 11:59am The attack, which started over 12 hours ago, has claimed around 28 lives but the exact death toll has not been confirmed. June 9, 11:45am A senior intelligence official says it appears militants had aimed to hijack a plane that passengers were boarding at the main terminal, but that when they were repelled they went on the rampage. “The passenger plane at Jinnah terminal was their target and when they failed to reach there they destroyed two private terminals in frustration,” he says. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 11:38am The attackers used factor VIII injections, which aid blood clotting and reduce bleeding, Express News reports. These injections are a medication used in hospitals to control bleeding in people with low levels of factor VIII (hemophilia A). ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 11:29am TTP spokesperson evades comments when asked about Sindh Rangers DG Major General Rizwan Akhtar claim that the attackers looked like Uzbek militants. “We do not make a distinction in Muslims whether they are Pakistanis, Uzbeks, Arabs or Chechans. They all are Mujahideen,” Shahidullah Shahid told The Express Tribune by phone. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 11:21am Umar Media, the official media wing of the TTP, claims on their Facebook page that just six militants had attacked the airport. “The biggest reason for attacking Karachi airport is because it serves as the biggest air logistics centre supplying goods for the Crusaders’ war in Afghanistan and Pakistan,” a statement on their Facebook page claims. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 11:18am Security forces continue to sweep the airport as a security measure while sources say that all attackers have been killed. The airport is expected to be cleared and handed back to the Civil Aviation Authority by 12pm today. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 11:07am TTP spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid promises more attacks in the future. “It’s just the beginning, we have taken revenge for one (Hakimullah Mehsud), we have to take revenge for hundreds,” he says. “We have yet to take revenge for the deaths of hundreds of innocent tribal women and children in Pakistani air strikes,” the spokesperson states. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 10:56am Rangers spokesperson says Karachi airport has been cleared of militants. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 10:49am Exchange of fire comes to a stop at the airport, Express News reports. Meanwhile, aerial firing from security forces still continues. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 10:44am TTP spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid says “this attack was the revenge of martyrdom our leader Shaheed Hakimullah Mehsud and brutal killings of the TTP’s prisoners in jails.” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 10:35am Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, while speaking to Express News, says attacks like the one at Karachi airport are carried out to destroy the image of the country. “This country is facing an internal threat and we need to save this country,” he adds.
Sheikh Rasheed views on Karachi Airport Attack by TheExpressNews “We carried out the attack on Karachi airport to avenge the death of Hakimullah Mehsud,” TTP spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid tells AFP, while dismissing the government’s recent offer of peace talks as a “tool of war”. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 10:10am Sources say that the militants who blew themselves up this morning were between 18 and 19 years of age. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 10:07am Search operation by security forces continues. The two militants that blew themselves up earlier this morning detonated the explosives when they were cornered by the security officials at the Isphani Hanger. Sources tell Express News that more suicide jackets, petrol bombs and other ammunition were recovered from the airport this morning. June 9, 9:45am Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has asked for a report on the attack.

9, 2014. PHOTO: AFP An airport official tells Express News that militants had entered the airport from the ICG gate and killed four ASF officials at the spot. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 9:36am Three blasts heard at Karachi airport at the old terminal. According to sources, two of the militants blew themselves up. Politician Ijazul Haq tweeted: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 9:16am At least 28 people have been killed so far in the attack. Ten militants, eight ASF personnel, two Rangers officials, one police officer and three PIA officials are among the deceased. It is reported that 24 people have been injured in the attack so far. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 9:13am 6 to 7 tanks have proceeded to Isphani Hangar after the firing. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 8:49am Sources say three militants are present at Karachi airport. A high contingent of the Pak Army has reached the site of the firing. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 8:40am Express News reports that some militants are still present at the airport. The number of militants is not known as of yet. June 9, 12:45am Officials are telling The Express Tribune that the terrorists entered the airport from the Isphani Hangar, the aircraft overhaul facility of the airport. The hangar is located right in front of the PIA head office. It is improbable that there were too many employees there when attack occurred. The intensity of the gunfight and bomb explosions shook the entire neighbourhood around the old terminal. The terminal is considered as high security zone as VIPs including the prime minister and president frequently use it. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 12:35am CAA spokesperson Abid Qaimkhani has said he is not able to confirm the extent of the damage to the airport facilities or how many people have been injured or killed in the attack. “All I can say is that a few ASF and CAA officials have been injured.” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 12:25am The Sindh government has declared red alert in the city and emergency has also been imposed in the hospitals of the city. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 12:20am Flights to Karachi have been diverted to other airports of the country. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June 9, 12:10am The Army has been called in to back up security officials.

Karachi attack: Former intl cricketers refuse to play Ramazan matches

KARACHI: Following the terrorist attack at the Jinnah International Airport, former cricketers have refused to come to Karachi to play the Ramazan Cricket Tournament, DawnNews reported. The attack on the airport has affected ongoing and upcoming sporting activities. Talks have been underway to bring in a number of international players to Pakistan for the tournament, most of whom have reportedly excused themselves from participating after the attack on Jinnah International Airport. Those who have refused to take part include former South African opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs and New Zealand’s former strike bowler Jacob Oram. The news has come as a serious blow to the efforts being put in to bring back cricket in Pakistan. Pakistan has not hosted any international matches since the attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and other organisations are active in managing events where former international cricketers can be invited to the country to send a message across the world that Pakistan was a safe place for sporting activities. The recent attack on the airport could roll back the entire process to bring cricket back in Pakistan.

FO rejects Pakistan link to attack on Abdullah

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has firmly rejected allegations of its involvement in the attack on Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah and termed them as irresponsible. "Pakistan is deeply disappointed by such allegations because they serve to vitiate the positive environment created between the two countries through constructive efforts over the past months," Foreign Office spokesperson Tasneem Aslam said in the first ever reaction to such allegations. Regrettably, these allegations fall in the familiar pattern of certain elements in Afghanistan sparing no occasion to malign Pakistan and its security institutions and shifting the blame to others for their own security failures, the spokesperson remarked. "We are sure that neither the Afghan people, nor the international community would be misled by these motivated allegations," the spokesperson commented. She said Pakistan’s interests were not served by disruption of Afghan elections. "On the contrary, a peaceful election and a smooth democratic transition would advance our interest in having a stable Afghanistan. Accordingly, we remain committed to supporting all efforts for a free and peaceful election which includes enhancing security along the Pak-Afghan border," the spokesperson said. Earlier on Friday, Abdullah survived an assassination attempt when two blasts, including a suicide bombing, hit his campaign motorcade in Kabul ahead of next weekend's hotly contested run-off election. The explosion, however, killed 12 people.

Hafiz Gul Bahadur group extends ceasefire to June 20

PESHAWAR: The North Wazristan Taliban Shura led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur has extended the ceasefire till June 20 and also assured the government to carry out probe into the Boya checkpost suicide blast which left at least three FC soldiers and a child dead earlier on Monday. Ahmedullah Ahmedi, the spokesman of North Waziristan Taliban in a statement issued to the media said that after a meeting with the grand jirga of North Wazristan, the shura has decided to extend the ceasefire deadline by ten days. Following massive airstrikes by Pakistani jet fighters that killed at least 60 militants in North Waziristan last month, Taliban commanders met to reconsider a non-aggression treaty with the government. The Taliban group later warned the tribesmen to flee the area by June 10 and also warned to take up arms against the Pakistani security forces. The spokesman also condemned the attack on Boya checkpost on Monday and said the Taliban Shura would probe into the incident and take action against the culprits. Ahmedi further said that the Taliban shura would have more sittings with the jirga during this period to resolve the issue. The statement came days after tribal elders from North Waziristan were asked by Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan and Corps Commander Peshawar Lt Gen Khalid Rabbani to oust foreign militants from their area. The jirga was led by Utmanzai Wazir and Dawar tribal elders – the two main tribes that inhabit North Waziristan – and Haji Sher Mohammad Khan, a descendent of the famous anti-colonial rebel Faqir of Ipi.

Nisar sees foreign, local elements involved in terror attacks

KARACHI: Almost a day after an armed attack on Karachi airport killed at least 29 people including militants, Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Monday night said that foreign as well as local elements were involved in recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan, DawnNews reported. Speaking at a press conference held at the airport here, he said at least 19 security personnel including 11 Airport Security Force (ASF) personnel were killed in the brazen attack. There are reports of 29 others wounded in the attack also, he added. Chaudhry Nisar praised security and law enforcement forces for the successful and timely completion of the operation against the assailants. “Rangers troops reached the airport in seven and armed forces in 10 minutes time,” he said. According to the security officials, the operation was completed by 1:30am to 2:30am as all ten militants were killed by then, said Nisar. They, however, continued the operation for an hour or so to make sure no militants were left hiding in the airport’s premises. The minister said that all national installations remained safe in the attack. However, he added that three aircraft were partially damaged. “The main target of the assailants was to destroy aircraft.” Nisar said every street and corner of the country was at terrorists’ target and urged the security personnel to remain on their toes. Regarding weapons recovered from the attackers, he said there were clues pointing towards the involvement of a country, but this was yet to be verified. The interior minister said that people who went missing during the operation are being located by the security forces and rescuers. Families of seven missing people protest Meanwhile, families of seven airport workers blocked Shahrae Faisal demanding that authorities work towards freeing their relatives who were trapped in cold-storage facilities to escape the carnage, AFP reported. “We are looking into this and according to the families some seven people were trapped inside the cold storage and were in contact with the families on cell phone,” said Abid Qaimkhani, a spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Just another flight, just another night of terror

It was quarter to 11 on Sunday night and our flight back from Lahore had just landed at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport. While we were making our way inside the terminal, to the conveyer belt for our luggage, we heard the first loud ‘boom’. Our luggage never came. What did come, over the course of our over seven-hour ordeal, was the terrifying sound of gunfire, hand grenades (as I learned later) and two extremely loud blasts that made my blood run cold. All this a mere 1.5 kilometres away from where my friend and I sat huddled with 60 other passengers in the domestic terminal. Through the course of the night my emotions kept switching between devastation and resilience. It felt like each shot that we heard was closer than the last, people started to run around, in a disorganised fashion trying to make it to safety – wherever that was at this point. Security personnel began to seal the airport, locking us in while my husband and friends, who came to pick us up, were cordoned off in the parking lot. Through the course of the night most of the ‘reports’ that we received from outside were unfounded and in contradiction to what I was witnessing. For security purposes, I won't get into the details of those events, but it must be said that our media needs to be more careful when reporting incidents where innocent lives face a direct impact of their statements on-air. I didn’t even realise when the first tear rolled down my face, and the flood that involuntarily followed did little to calm me down. There was another couple with two young children was also stranded on the same flight as us. The family had gone to Lahore for four days and had left their car parked at the airport. Right as we landed, her husband had already made his way out to get the car while his wife and kids were in line to grab the luggage and meet him at the pick-up point. That’s when the airport got sealed trapping her in with two young children. A teenage boy tried to pass the time by taking pictures and videos with his smart phone but security personnel immediately stopped him. Slowly, all our phone batteries began to die out. It was the first time I noticed the lack of sockets at the terminal and thus our inability to recharge our phone batteries. Some decided to get entrepreneurial and started charging Rs100 for letting other passengers use their laptops to charge cell phones. Eventually, mobile networks were jammed and electricity was switched off. There was terror, and then there was relief as the undoubtedly loud ‘broom broom’ of cavalry’s tanks reassured me in those moments like nothing else could.

As the hours clocked in, the terminal began to resemble a picnic at the park. Some made a bed for themselves on the conveyer belts while others sat down and were busy munching on snacks. Some were in a corner praying, while a few just sat absolutely still. I, for one, was only focused on getting out of there. It was now almost five hours since I found myself in undoubtedly one of my life’s most traumatic situations.

I was one of the lucky ones. A Corp commander who had just come into the terminal to check on the situation turned out to be a friend of my father-in-law. He made arrangements for all of us to get out of the terminal and head to the parking lot. But just as we were making our way out, we heard two very loud blasts. My first instinct was to freeze but I just grabbed my friend’s hand and along with two ‘jawans’ I ran towards parking lot where I found my husband. Unfortunately, not all of us made it out. Due to the blast some of the others stayed behind in the terminal. I spoke to my father, who had been in a state of constant worry the whole night. We had made a conscious decision not to wake up my mother; the stress would have been too much for her. She did, however, wake up on her own just five minutes before I made it to the parking lot. She was obviously horrified and would have made her way to the airport to extract me herself had I not made it out of the terminal when I did. But our nightmare was hardly over. We were now stuck in the parking lot unable to leave the premises till higher authorities gave clearance that the situation was under control. That took another two odd hours for us to get out of the parking lot and into a massive traffic jam. I finally made it home to no electricity because our area’s underground electricity copper wires had been stolen. Just another day living in Karachi...

‘We reported it blowing up first!’

For those of you lucky enough to have missed out on last night’s live television coverage of the attack at Jinnah International Airport, let me inform you that TV journalism died yesterday. What else would you call the broadcast of a national tragedy – a terrorist attack of this scale – presented in the form of a summer blockbuster film? We know now that 13 security officials and PIA employees lost their lives to this horror. They were either dead or about to die when TV channel reporters were shrieking on their microphones with added sound effects and music in the background. In the marathon live transmissions battling each other for who-can-get-their-ratings-through-the-roof-first, news channel anchors and reporters went berserk, dropping even a veneer of civility. Some reporters went from one body to another shouting: Look at this, here’s an injured security official…And look at this one, he looks like he may be dead already. News anchors were heard half-shocked, half-gloating: We have just shown you live footage of a dead terrorist We’re the first to break this news! Our reporters were the first to tell you a plane has caught fire. As one could expect in this god forsaken country, all of this was being broadcast alongside a parental advisory note labeled ‘not safe for kids’, and a statement reading “we are not letting journalistic ethics out of hand” in our coverage of this event. God only knows what would happen if they did let "ethics" get out of hand. With fire and smoke billowing in the background and inhuman voices screaming on mics, the one thing that just kept going up in this blockbuster was suspense. If reporters could have had their way, I’m pretty sure they would have loved to set up a mic on a militant and ask him about the various motives and philosophy behind this attack, along with the operational game plan and the make and model of every bullet they intended to fire. A lot of you may have heard by now that a certain channel compromised the security operation through their live feed which was giving away the security team’s location. No wonder DG ISPR Asim Bajwa was forced to tweet: AsimBajwaISPR @AsimBajwaISPR Follow #Kci Update:Live coverage of inside airport should stop,hindering operation.Giving away position of assets/troops.Rather helping terrorists Should we call all of this a joke? How do you even categorise this phenomenon? IG Sindh Police seemed to have been in a similar dilemma when this happened: Reporter: “How long will it take to wind up this operation?” IG Sindh: “How am I supposed to answer such a ridiculous question? (Bhai ye kya ahmeqaana sawal hai?)” A certain channel decided it was a great idea to get live updates from a passenger stuck in one of the planes. Reporter: “Please update us on the situation around you.” Passenger: “What can I say, I’m stuck here inside this plane just like all the other passengers. Your guess is as good as mine.” Reporter: “Don’t worry, the terrorists will be captured soon.” So when the reporter found the passenger couldn’t update him, he thought he might as well update the passenger instead? All this while, for the larger part of the nation, sitting glued to their TVs in lounges, it seemed like a bomb was going off every 10 minutes because that was the kind of picture being painting. Quite fittingly for a people always debating if the government will or will not go for an operation against the militants, last night saw several channels in conflict over reports of whether or not the security operation was over. Still others mindlessly droned on and on about whether the attack constituted "a security lapse". One wonders what the word ‘report’ even means to these "journalists". Is it required of a report to have at least one semi-credible source? Because many channels had begun ‘reporting’, before any state body had even hinted at it, that the ammunition was of Indian make. A relatively new entrant in the news channel arena fabricated a report that “terrorists had hijacked a plane”. Another was hell bent all night on a report that one of the planes had caught fire. For five long hours, this was aired on TV before the DG ISPR was forced to tweet once again: AsimBajwaISPR @AsimBajwaISPR Follow #Kci Update:Area cleared.No damage to aircraft, fire visible in pics was not plane but a building,now extinguished.All vital assets intact After which, the channel had the gall and shamelessness to say: “Well, the latest update is, no plane has caught fire.” Or, in other words: Just kidding, no plane has caught fire. We were simply being complete idiots for the last five hours. Where is that thing called ‘PEMRA’ which calls itself a regulatory body? Can we have some action now? Don’t we owe at least an apology to those who sacrificed their lives fighting for us last night? Imagine being their family and watching some nutcase show the dead body of your loved one while gloating, “we showed you this first!” By the way, another tragedy happened yesterday: a bus carrying Shia pilgrims was bombed by terrorists in Taftan, near the Pakistan-Iran border. As many as 24 people died. In sane countries, this would have been considered newsworthy. But on our channels, this news was mostly confined to tickers at the bottom of the screen, while most of the night was devoted to the ludicrous vomit-inducing video coverage of the airport attack. TV journalism really seems dead in Pakistan. And remember, I’ve reported it first.

Death toll from Taftan bombing rises to 30

The death toll from last night’s suicide attack on a hotel hosting Shia pilgrims in Taftan rose to 30 on Monday, Express News reported. Among the 30 people killed in Taftan, 22 have been so far identified as residents of Kohat District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Tirah Valley in Orakzai Agency, relatives of the deceased told The Express Tribune. Speaking from Quetta, Yousuf Bangash, a resident of Kohat, said there were four buses with 210 passengers, who were residing in two hotels, Hashmi Hotel and Syed Murtaza Hotel, when the bombers attacked the pilgrims. He confirmed that 22 of the deceased had been identified and belonged to Kurram Agency, Orakzai Agency in Fata and district Kohat of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. “This includes nine women and a child,” he said while 16 injured people brought to the combined military hospital 14 women and two men. He added that the bodies of the deceased were brought to the hospital where the authorities had informed them they would be flown to Kohat. Khizer, who identified himself as the head of the caravan of pilgrims, said he was lucky to have survived the attack “I cannot say much at the moment,” he said. Khizer along with the bus driver, Layas Khan remained safe in the attacks, but were too shaken up to speak. The death toll was earlier reported as 23 with many injured but 7 more victims succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. Tahafuz-e-Azadari Council has announced a three-day mourning period following the attack. On late Sunday night, a suicide bomber had entered Al Murtaza Hotel in Taftan, a district on the border with Iran, and detonated explosives strapped to his body in the midst of Shia pilgrims, security sources had told The Express Tribune. Levies and Frontier Corps personnel had engaged the attackers in a gunfight. FC spokesperson Khan Wasey had claimed in a statement that one of the bombers was killed by the paramilitary troops. A banned outfit Jaishul Islam had claimed responsibility for the attack. A purported spokesperson for the group, Azam Tariq, had called Quetta-based journalists from an undisclosed location to claim credit for the deadly attack. Sources had said that intelligence agencies had warned of possible attacks on pilgrims one month ago, but the authorities had failed to put in place adequate security to thwart Sunday’s attack. The Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen, Hazara Democratic Party, Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Fiqa-e-Jaferia and Tahaffuz-e-Azadari Council had condemned the attack and called it failure of the government.

Three cops face ire over rape victim’s suicide

SARGODHA: Regional Police Officer Ahmad Ishaq Jahangir has suspended from service the station house officer, assistant sub-inspector and moharrar of Kirana police for showing negligence that resulted in suicide of a ‘rape victim’ and ordered their arrest besides an inquiry against them. The suspended officials are: SHO Mukhtar Ahmad, Investigation Officer ASI Sikandar Hayat and Moharrar Muhammad Waheed. The girl was allegedly subjected to rape on gunpoint by a man who later on continued relations with her for months, assuring her of marriage. When the victim got pregnant, the man refused to marry her. She approached Kirana Police Station to register a complaint but the police favoured the accused and ignored her complaint. She got dejected and committed suicide by swallowing poisonous pills. After her suicide, police entered an FIR in the record with backdate. Police also claimed the arrest of the suspect, adding the girl’s complaint was entertained as soon as she approached them and that she committed suicide due to defamation of her family. The rape suspect, who belonged to a politically influential family, denied the charges, saying that that he was being blackmailed by the girl’s family. Dies A man died due to heatstroke here on Sunday. Muhammad Nawaz, a moharrar at the City Police Station, was on duty at the police station when his condition worsened and he died on the spot. The hot weather, supplemented by up to 13 hours of power outages, is causing health problems for the citizens as several people were admitted to hospitals due to gastroenteritis and heatstroke. Potable Water MNA Chaudhry Hamid Hameed says various development schemes, including one for provision of potable water, are underway in Sargodha. He was inaugurating the upgrade scheme of Sui gas supply in the area of Shamsher Town and adjoining colonies where people were facing low gas pressure. Mr Hameed said a plan for ensuring water supply to 200 colonies at a cost of Rs2.50 billion had been launched. He said the government had provided Rs100 million for completion of a flyover near the district courts. Buried Ghulam Shabbir, a labourer who in a roof collapse incident, was laid to rest here on Sunday. The social workers have demanded an impartial inquiry into the incident, saying that the incident happened due to negligence of the iron merchant associated with PML-N. Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2014

India-China talks make progress despite Tibet distraction

NEW DELHI: If the unusual but little publicised presence of a Tibetan representative at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inauguration was someone’s ploy to stymie Sino-Indian ties, there was no indication of it from the official briefing of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s meetings in New Delhi on Sunday. The Telegraph reported that there was a Chinese demarche over the presence at Mr Modi’s swearing-in last month of the so-called prime minister of the self-styled Tibetan-government-in-exile that operates out of Dharmasala. At best of times this kind of activity by Tibetans in any country is seen as a major provocation by Beijing. The subject did not figure in the official narrative on Sunday which was, therefore, surprisingly forward-looking, even upbeat. According to the Indian foreign ministry Mr Wang held a little over three hours of talks with Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, and she spoke in English, Hindi and a bit of Mandarin to start and close the meeting. Meeting between foreign ministers termed a productive beginning India and China thus discussed all “perennials” of their engagement, including the border issue and economic ties, in Beijing’s first interaction with the Modi administration. India described the meeting between Ms Swaraj and Mr Wang as a “very productive beginning”. Mr Wang, according to the Indian foreign ministry spokesperson, said the new Indian government had “injected new vitality into an ancient civilisation”. Mr. Wang said the international community was closely following developments in India. “The Chinese and Indian dreams have a lot of commonalities, China welcomes the development of India, China supports the development of India, and is ready to engage with the new government of India,” Syed Akbaruddin said, quoting from the meeting. Ms Swaraj, according to the Indian Express, put across the NDA government’s position on all issues of significance, from the complex boundary issue to the lopsided trade relations, from Pakistan ties to the nuclear activities, with “candour”, using expressions in Mandarin to welcome Mr Wang and to conclude the meeting. Ms Swaraj used a mix of Hindi and English to interact with her Chinese counterpart at the meeting, which continued over lunch. The spokesperson described the “tone, tenor and trajectory” of the talks as “cordial, useful, comprehensive, covering all important issues, substantive and productive”. Elaborating, he said: “China is a neighbour with whom we share a long border. Our neighbourhood as you are aware is a major focus of the government’s diplomatic engagement. China is also a major economy and our bilateral economic ties are of a significant magnitude. The perennials of India-China engagement are well known… all issues of significance were raised and discussed in a frank manner.” The spokesperson asserted that Ms Swaraj also made it clear that while there was a determination to add new content and substance to the relationship, respect for each other’s “sensitivities and aspirations” was “essential for expansion of bilateral relations”. On the issue of economic relations, “there was a fairly long discussion. These included specific projects, trajectory of economic ties, potential for tapping opportunities as well as the hurdles being faced in pursuing enhanced economic cooperation.” The Indian spokesperson said the meeting was also “useful” since it helped draw out “possible opportunities for engagement” during the course of the year at high levels -- both in terms of bilateral visits to each other’s countries and meetings on the margins of various meetings that leaders from both countries are likely to participate in. There are at least half a dozen engagements in the next seven months where India’s top leadership will be able to meet their Chinese counterparts. “A Chinese saying goes the journey of a 1,000 miles begins with a single step, and that step was taken today between the new government of India led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chinese government,” said the spokesperson. Meanwhile, some reports said Tibetans staged a protest near Delhi University over the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the Tibet issue with him. The demonstration was held at North Delhi’s Majnu Ka Tila area which is home to substantial Tibetan population. Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2014

TTP claims attack on Karachi airport

KARACHI: Pakistani officials say a brazen five-hour attack by militants on the international airport in Karachi left 28 people, including 10 attackers, dead but police managed to regain control of the terminal. Rizwan Akhtar, the paramilitary Rangers chief, said all 10 “terrorists” who attacked the Jinnah International Airport have been killed. He said Pakistani forces were combing through the terminal and would hand it back to civilian authority later Monday. The attack started late Sunday when gunmen disguised as police guards stormed the terminal after opening fire with machine guns and a rocket launcher. Akhtar said some of the attackers were apparently Uzbeks. The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack all but destroys prospects for significant peace talks with the government of Nawaz Sharif, who came to power last year promising to find a negotiated solution to years of violence. Peace talks between the government and the Pakistani Taliban have failed in recent months, dampening hopes of reaching a negotiated settlement with the insurgency, which continues attacks against government and security targets. Live updates Prime minister's adviser on civil aviation Shujaat Azeem said the airport will be operational at 4 pm. The prime minister has directed aviation and airport authorities to facilitate passengers by providing them all possible facilities. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed airport authorities to reopen the airport for routine operations without unnecessary delay. Mohmand said the government will have to adopt a long-term strategy to tackle the problem of terrorism. PTI-appointed member of the government committee to negotiate with the TTP Rustam Shah Mohmand said any talks for cessation of hostilities with the TTP will now be held on the government's conditions. Those killed included 11 airport security guards and four workers from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). Their bodies were taken to the Jinnah hospital where another 26 wounded people were being treated. Security forces just said they have cleared the Karachi airport of militants nearly 12 hours after the start of a siege that left at least 24 people dead, a paramilitary official said. “The attack is over and we have cleared the area of all militants, and we will hand over the airport to the Civil Aviation Authority at 12.00 pm (0700 GMT),” paramilitary Rangers spokesman Sibtain Rizvi told reporters. Firefighters extinguish fires after militants attack Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on June 9, 2014. — Photo by AFP Firefighters extinguish fires after militants attack Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on June 9, 2014. — Photo by AFP The TTP further said: “It's just the beginning, we have tak

The TTP further said: “It's just the beginning, we have taken revenge for one (Mehsud), we have to take revenge for hundreds.” “We carried out this attack on the Karachi airport and it is a message to the Pakistan government that we are still alive to react over the killings of innocent people in bomb attacks on their villages,” the TTP spokesman said. Shahidullah Shahid moreover dismissed the Pakistani government's peace talks methodology as a “tool of war”. Shahidullah Shahid said the attack was planned much earlier but had been postponed due to the peace talks. The TTP spokesman in a statement issued to the media said that the attack was also carried out to avenge the killing of Hakimullah Mehsud in a US drone strike. “We carried out this attack on the Karachi airport and it is a message to the Pakistani government that we are still alive to react over the killings of innocent people in bomb attacks on their villages,” TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said. Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was revenge for the army's air strikes in areas along the Afghan border where the insurgents are based. Another three rocket launchers, five suicide jackets, 15 petrol bombs and five SMGs recovered from the airport. Doctor Seemi Jamali of the JPMC said so far 18 bodies have been brought to the hospital.

Chaudhry Nisar has summoned a report of the incident from IG Sindh Police. The minister commended security forces on fighting terrorists during the crisis that enveloped the airport in Karachi. Chaudhry Nisar condoled with family members of those killed in the terrorist attack. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan strongly condemned the attack on the airport. Imran Khan said government's policy towards tackling terrorism has failed. Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan said the attack on the airport was a matter of grave concern.

A man watches as smoke rises after militants launched an early morning assault at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on June 9, 2014. — Photo by AFP An AFP reporter at the scene said gunshots could be heard inside the airport and that rangers and elite commandos were rushing inside. “We have relaunched the operation and called in additional troops,” said Sibtain Rizvi, spokesman for the Rangers paramilitary force. A military operation was relaunched at the airport as gunfire resumed several hours after the army announced the end of a militant siege that left 24 dead. President Mamnoon commended the role of security forces during the operation against attackers. President Mamnoon Hussain condemned the attack on the airport saying the cowardly action could not overpower the government's will to counter terrorism. A search operation was conducted by the security forces in the early hours of Monday morning during which five sub-machine guns (SMGs), three suicide jackets, two rocket launchers and 12 petrol bombs were recovered. “The militants appear to be Uzbek,” he said. “Three militants blew themselves up and seven were killed by security forces,” Akhtar said in televised remarks. Akhtar said the attackers were ethnic Uzbeks. Director General of Sindh Rangers Maj-Gen Rizwan Akhtar addressing a press conference claimed that unidentified foreign militants appeared to be involved in the attack. At least 23 people were reportedly killed in the incident, including security personnel. Ten militants were also among the dead. ISPR spokesman Asim Bajwa said the militants "were confined to two areas and eliminated." Bajwa said weapons, live ammunition, including RPGs, were recovered from the militants. Bajwa said that they were wearing large packs on their bodies. He also said that Raheel Sharif "paid rich tribute to all shaheed and injured for their supreme sacrifice". The ISPR spokesman said that Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif "congratulated participating troops for a well coordinated, successful operation eliminating all militants". Some eight to 10 attackers were said to have engaged security forces in a gunbattle. Earlier, Pakistan Army troops were called in to deal with the situation and troops from Malir Cantonment were dispatched, while police commandos and Karachi Rangers were assisting. A huge explosion was heard over two hours into the attack. A second large explosion was heard near the airport workshop. A third massive explosion was heard a further 30-40 minutes in. Huge clouds of smoke continue to dominate the skyline. Intermittent firing took place at the airport, while large plumes of smoke were seen over the cargo terminal. One plane each of PIA and AirBlue, and a cargo plane of a foreign company were reported to have been damaged. A hand grenade attack was also carried out on the Isphani Hanger. Suicide bombers were reportedly part of the militant squad that has infiltrated the airport. Staff was rescued by security personnel and moved to safer areas. Rescue teams were allowed in after being checked thoroughly. Passengers were evacuated and moved to a secure location. Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif called DG Rangers Sindh and asked him to ensure the safety of passengers. All flight operations at Jinnah Terminal were suspended and flights were diverted to other airports. Pakistan correspondent for the Daily Telegraph Rob Crilly reported that he had spoken to MQM leader Farooq Sattar and stated that, "He sounds calm but understandably concerned about being stuck on plane filled with aviation fuel." How they got in The attackers were said to have forged fake ID cards to pose as ASF personnel and had managed to enter the area that way. Broken glass and used gun magazines littered the engineering section where the first exchange of gunfire took place. The militants carried out the attack from three different sides, officials said, while there were reports that two terrorists managed to get inside a plane.