Burqa-clad gunmen attack Afghan police HQ: security officials

KABUL: Three men wearing burqas attacked a police headquarters close to the Afghan capital Kabul on Friday, officials said, killing one policeman as concerns rise over security ahead of the presidential election. The militants were shot dead when they stormed the police base in Sarobi district, 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of Kabul, after another suicide attacker died when he exploded a vehicle bomb outside the entrance. Taliban insurgents claimed responsibility for the two-hour attack, which occurred in the same district where presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah’s convoy briefly came under gunfire on Wednesday. “Today at about 6:20 am, a suicide bomber driving a minivan detonated himself at the entrance gate of the Sarobi police headquarters,” General Mohammad Zahir, Kabul province’s police chief, told AFP. “Three other terrorists clad in women’s burqas entered the courtyard of the building and started firing and resisting the police and army forces. “As a result of the attack, one officer was killed and three others were wounded.” Male militants have previously used the all-enveloping burqa to disguise themselves and evade security checks in Afghanistan, including in a 2012 attack when four French troops were killed. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the insurgents, who were ousted from power in 2001, were behind Friday’s attack. “The mujahideen fighters were equipped with heavy and light weapons and suicide vests, and caused heavy casualties to the enemy,” he said in an emailed statement. Sarobi, on the main road between Kabul and Jalalabad city, is a volatile district in a region seen as key to protecting the capital. Afghanistan goes to the polls on April 5 to select a successor to President Hamid Karzai, as some 55,000 US-led combat troops pull out of the country after 13 years of battling the fierce Taliban insurgency.

Fahad Aziz torture case: SHC orders inclusion of 4 private doctors to medical board

KARACHI: To ensure neutrality, the Sindh High Court on Friday ordered that the medical board – constituted to prepare a medical report for Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) worker Fahad Aziz – should include four private doctors, Express News reported. MQM barrister Farogh Naseem had stated that the board only has government doctors and submitted a request in the court to include private doctors as well. Aziz was arrested by police on February 8 and was released on bail the next day. Aziz had claimed that he was tortured during police interrogation. He was taken to Darul Sehat Hospital after having been detained by the police for about 10 hours. A few days after the incident, on February 11, MQM had gone to court against, what it called, extrajudicial killings of its workers. The MQM had claimed that around eight party workers have been killed while over 45 have gone missing in the city. On the same day, Sindh High Court Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar had ordered that the First Information Report (FIR) and medical report of Fahad Aziz be presented to the court within 15 days.

How I learned to stop worrying and dismantle the bomb

PESHAWAR: Reading a book will teach you, but the field is where you learn, says AIG Special Branch Shafqat Malik. The head of the bomb disposal unit (BDU) is a chatty, confident chap. It is easy to see where he gets his self-assured demeanour; Malik has been working since the last 27 years – the army, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and now the BDU. Although it was functional before he joined, Malik has in a sense raised the unit to what it is and what he plans for it to become. “It’s the only such unit in the country,” he claims proudly. When The Express Tribune spoke to Malik on the telephone earlier in the year, he had been trying to wrangle with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government to regularise members of his force and give them a service structure so he can incentivise them with promotions. “I worked five years for this, they have finally agreed to a Rs5,000 allowance per person per month but no one has received it as yet.” The rest is still stuck in red tape. From hugging suicide bombers to recreating tricky crime scenes, Malik has been there and thankfully survived. He might come across as a bit of a cocky maverick; there’s also some homage to Sergeant First Class William James from The Hurt Locker, a movie which Malik feels strongly about. “Personality is very important in defusing bombs. Lots of trained people reach bomb sites and lose courage. You need to be very calm and bold,” shares Malik. “Facing death is not so simple. You have to overcome the fear.” Sealed with a kiss It’s a signature, a bomb. Like in a crime show, a letter sealed with a kiss, loaded with DNA. Before a bomb explodes and after, it leaves traces of its makers. The type of device is the first clue. “There are many trends; it depends on the culprits’ logistic capability, what’s in their store, and what accessories they possess.” Malik shares many bombs have remotes, some are timed devices, some have 100 switches, others are in pressure cookers. “Every group has a specific pellet size and trigger systems which could be electric or mechanical. You have to see the grade of explosive used. Then you build a profile.” The next clue lies in how skilled the bomb builder is in his craft, “their expertise”. Malik says you can make out the signature of any group with the right forensic analysis, skills he honed during his time with the FIA, “I can take investigators right to the militants’ door.” A bombing on a Muharram procession in Karachi in 2009 left local authorities flummoxed over the type of device used. “The centre asked me to reinvestigate, ‘Just reconstruct the crime scene, do us that favour’ and so we did at midnight.” It turns out the device was in a box meant to hold a Quran. He explains if there is no crater, if the blast is above surface, the most obvious culprit is a suicide bomber, “but that doesn’t mean it’s always so.” “The bottom line is always your crime scene.” Talking more about signature tells, Malik walks us through a post blast site in Iqbal Town, Lahore in 2008. “We found a suicide bomber’s remains, but he had his chest intact unlike most suicide attackers. But we found them, a local Punjabi group which doesn’t wear jackets but belts.” The Hurt Locker starts with a quote from the book War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, “The rush of battle is a potent and often lethal addiction, for war is a drug.” Talking to the chuckling, cheery BDU head, it makes sense; for to be able to run into the arms of a suicide bomber, one needs more than just good intent – an adrenaline push. “In 2012, the police caught a 12-year-old suicide bomber, Bilal. He hadn’t managed to blow himself up and the police had him pinned to the ground,” Malik saw this unfolding on telly when he rushed to the site as a volunteer, inspired by the hallmark bomb squad movie, again. “I wanted to go save him, of course also myself and others.” After he disarmed Bilal, he hugged the boy. “The media objected to my hugging him,” he recalls, “But I just wanted to check his pockets.” Anatomy of a blast site First responders at a crime scene are very important, explains Malik. “But our scene is always contaminated. “ He says the moment you enter the site, you contaminate it with footprints, with fingerprints; as soon as you touch anything at the scene your trace elements are hard to extract and distinguish. “We have an inner cordon for the epicentre; 20 metres is the outer cordon. The inner cordon should only be entered by forensic experts. You can divide the scene using a grid system, and search it.” With one person commanding the scene, the others just identify things within the grid. “They photograph evidence, they tag things wearing gloves – you always have to wear gloves.” “You swab objects for chemicals, and if you touch anything without protective gear, you cannot undo the contamination.” The aim is to identify the signature to link the scene with the culprit. And then you understand the pattern – the switches, triggers, type of explosives all tell you a tale. The post blast site also poses a risk to one’s life, as Hukam Khan unfortunately experienced. “You are exposed to a possible second device and remnants of explosives.” Malik explains the direction of the interaction of the device and its blowback matter. All these things matter, “because you have to prove yourself in court, weak prosecution is the main reason behind acquittals.” But, he ends on despondent note, “We lack the resources to do all this.” Suit up By early January 2014, Malik shares the BDU had lost over 11 people in under seven years. And he feels more could have been done to save some of those lives. Five thousand bombs had also been defused in this period, including a 4,500kg truck bomb in Karak in May 2013. “People aren’t recognising the BDU, they aren’t considered to be part of the police – if you mainstream them, they will have a budget.” “We need bulletproof vehicles, we get targeted when we travel.” More than recognition, Malik just wants his team, his men to be appreciated because that would be the obvious thing to do. “We play with life and death, why should we beg for medals?” Published in The Express Tribune, February 21st, 2014.

Pindi’s pain is Islamabad’s gain

ISLAMABAD: While the Punjab government may be generous in offering to do the capital’s part in the completing the Metro Bus Project, the latter still needs to pore over its law books to see if it allows a provincial body to carry out development work on federal land. In January, the prime minister (PM) chaired a meeting to finalise the project. The minutes of the meeting say that a decision was taken that the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) will solely execute the project in both cities. The PM’s decision to mandate the RDA with executing the work in Islamabad Capital Territory limits requires approval from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Board, in line with provisions of the CDA Ordinance 1960. “The CDA Ordinance says the capital’s civic agency is responsible to carry out developmental work within ICT limits,” said Habibur Rehman, a former CDA Law director general. Rehman said the ordinance allows other agencies to execute developmental work “with the permission of the competent authority”. The CDA board’s permission is necessary and mandatory for the purpose, Rehman repeated. On the other hand, a law directorate official who declined to be named said that the ordinance puts all development within ICT limits in the CDA’s mandate. “There is no provision for any agency other than the CDA to execute a project.” Talking to The Express Tribune, constitutional expert Senator Raza Rabbani said, “It’s unusual that the Punjab government will carry out a development project in the federal capital. Principally, it’s unnecessary and they should not do so.” However, Rabbani said if the Punjab government insists and the CDA consents to surrender its mandate, there is no harm. A CDA official said that although it has already been delayed, the issue would be brought to the board for approval in the coming days. Last month, the RDA had sought expressions of interest from firms intending to execute hte Islamabad side of the project. The estimated cost of Islamabad’s section is Rs15 billion for a 14.6 kilometre stretch from Faizabad to Pakistan Secretariat, passing through Ninth Avenue and Jinnah Avenue. Under the plan, an additional lane to each sides of the existing Ninth Avenue will be added. “The existing Ninth Avenue has six lanes, three lanes on each side. The Islamabad master plan provides for eight lanes, so the addition of two more will not be a violation of the plan,” said an official. Work will commence in March and is likely to be completed in 10 months. The selected firms will be responsible for undertaking round-the-clock construction work. The major work includes construction of underpasses, flyovers, road work, drainage, and bus stations. The main metro bus system would be supported by the Islamabad Bus Service, which will run on four different routes within Islamabad. The CDA will execute the Islamabad Bus Service project. Published in The Express Tribune, February 21st, 2014.

BDS defuses bomb on railway track in Punjab

RAJANPUR: The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) defused a ten-kilogramme bomb on a railway track near Kot Mithun in Punjab, Express News reported on Friday. A Khushal Khan Khattak Express train was due to pass over this track and was reportedly the target of the bomb. Eye witnesses saw the explosive device and informed the concerned authorities. The BDS was called in to defuse the bomb which was reportedly a remote controlled device. The area was cordoned off and a search operation was conducted. The train was allowed to safely pass over the tracks after the bomb was defused.

Talks called off

ISLAMABAD: The government decided to pull the plug on the moribund peace talks with the Taliban as the prime minister and the military leadership decided that “proceeding with the peace talks amid the bombings and slaughter of soldiers would be injustice to terror victims.” Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar announced the policy decision by the country’s civil-military leadership in a press conference on Thursday. Following a wave of terrorist attacks on security forces, it has been decided that talks will only be held when blood stops spilling, Nisar quoted the premier as saying. “Dialogue and violence cannot take place side by side. The military has been asked to retaliate in self-defence, which is their right. This [self-defence] is the right of the armed forces, which cannot be taken away from them,” he emphatically said. Members of the government’s peace committee were also consulted in this regard, the interior minister added. “We have burnt the midnight oil,” he said, explaining how the government had worked overtime on how to resolve the issue. The statement came after air strikes were carried out on Wednesday night that were authorised by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in which at least 30 militants were killed. Nevertheless, during the press conference, Nisar maintained that since September last year, there had been no military operation. The decision to halt the ongoing talks with the Taliban was taken earlier – even a speech was ready – but the prime minister wanted to give peace talks one more chance, Nisar explained. The premier believes that dialogue is the only way to achieve peace, he said. “But it was regretful that despite the sincerity of the government peace committee, terrorist attacks continued.” Those who were talking about a military operation, why did they not undertake it when they were in power, he questioned the opposition parties. “After coming into power, the prime minister made efforts to create national consensus for achieving peace and the All Parties Conference was held in September.” Appreciating the role of the negotiators, particularly the members of the Taliban committee, he said they played a positive role. “TTP committee members sincerely pursued the peace talks. They were inclined towards bringing peace.” The deadlock in peace talks persists, however, the government’s peace initiative will continue with the militant groups who believe in the dialogue process, Chaudhry Nisar hoped. But, according to him, it would be almost impossible to pursue the peace talks further. Meanwhile, the minister said that coordination had improved among the intelligence agencies. A Joint Intelligence Directorate will be set up to coordinate the work of the 26 intelligence agencies working in the country, he announced. A Rapid Response Force at the federal level would be replicated in the provinces, he said, adding that a helicopter unit would be on-call in case of any untoward incident in the provinces. National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) would be the premier counterterrorism organisation of the country and the Internal Security Policy was ready and it would be approved soon, he declared. Islamabad safe city project After getting clearance from the court, the Islamabad Safe City Project would be launched in the coming weeks in a bid to protect the capital, the interior minister announced. The security forces of Islamabad Capital Territory would be equipped with modern weapons, which were being imported from China. “Some 1,500 security cameras will be installed throughout the city—some of them in Rawalpindi as well to make these cities more secure.” Clarifying media reports about the information ministry’s alert that declared the federal capital “an extremely dangerous” city, Chaudhry Nisar said the threat level to Islamabad has slipped as compared to the previous years. He said the “threat perception” of Islamabad’s residents has also decreased significantly. Karachi, Quetta operations Thousands of target killers have been arrested in the targeted operation in Karachi, Nisar claimed. It will continue to make the city more secure, he added. Similarly, the operation against militants will also continue in Balochistan, but the province, and particularly Quetta, that had been the most troubled, is witnessing less violence as compared to last year, he maintained. Imran Farooq’s murder case The British government has sought legal assistance from Pakistan in Imran Farooq’s murder case, Nisar said. “We’ve referred this request to our legal team and we will give our input to the British government soon.” Published in The Express Tribune, February 21st, 2014.

TTP spokesperson says govt started war, should have initiated ceasefire

NORTH WAZIRISTAN: The government has started the war when they should have initiated a ceasefire, said the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid, and the TTP political shura member Azam Tariq, Express News reported. We have been fighting a defensive war for ten years, the spokesperson said during a press conference, adding that the government should stop this root-out operation immediately. Shahid said that the Taliban still wish to engage in a the peace dialogue to solve the country’s problems. We were ready to talk before and are ready now, he stated. The Taliban’s statements come after the government decided to pull the plug on the peace talks with the Taliban, as the prime minister and the military leadership decided that “proceeding with the peace talks amid the bombings and slaughter of soldiers would be injustice to terror victims.” Following a wave of terrorist attacks on security forces, it has been decided that talks will only be held when the blood-spill stops, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar quoted the premier as saying. At least 30 suspected insurgents were killed and several others injured as military jets and gunships bombed their hideouts in the North Waziristan and Khyber agencies, military sources said on February 20.

Special court rejects Musharraf's request for trial under Army Act

ISLAMABAD: The special court on Friday rejected former president Pervez Musharraf’s request which called for holding his trial in a military court instead of a civilian court, Express News reported. Musharraf had challenged the authority of the special court and had said that he was an on-duty army officer when he took alleged actions for which he was being arraigned. Hence he should be tried under the Army Act. The court verdict said that Musharraf will be tried by the special court as it was constituted specifically for this purpose and that the Army Act does not apply in the case because he was not a military official any more. The bench also ordered the former military dictator to appear before the court on March 11 when it will indict him. “This application is dismissed,” lead judge Faisal Arab said in his concluding remark at the end of the hearing. Musharraf’s lawyer Ahmed Raza Kasuri, while speaking to the media, said the court order was factually wrong because Musharraf was the army chief when he signed the proclamation declaring emergency in the country.
Court order factually wrong: Kasuri by TheExpressNews The three-member special court, let by Justice Faisal Arab, had reserved judgment on the issue of jurisdiction of the court and biasness of the bench on February 18 and announced it today (February 21). Musharraf faces treason charges under Article 6 for suspending, subverting and abrogating the Constitution, imposing an emergency in the country in November 2007 and detaining judges of the superior courts.

Suicide attackers hit Afghan police compound

KABUL: Afghan officials say suicide bombers have attacked a police compound in a mountainous area near the capital, Kabul. Interior Ministry spokesman Seddiq Seddiqi said a suicide car bomber first blew through the gates of the district police headquarters in Surobi. He said that two other attackers, clad in women´s clothing, then opened fire and a gunbattle ensued. Kadam Shah Shaim, division commander of the Afghan Army for Kabul, said that at least one police officer was killed and two were wounded. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in an emailed statement. Surobi, about 45 kilometers (30 miles) east of Kabul, is rife with Taliban activity. (AP)

Pakistan protests to Kabul over FC killings Sartaj Aziz raises issue with Afghan FM in Maldives

ISLAMABAD: Accusing Afghanistan of breaching a recent agreement, Pakistan on Thursday strongly protested and expressed serious concern over the brutal murder of 23 FC men inside the Afghan territory. The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has admitted to these killings and has sunk to the lowest ebb by circulating the footage of the massacred heads of these FC personnel.TTP leader Mulla Fazullah is based in Afghanistan, a fact known well to the Hamid Karzai government and to the Nato forces, which have a hold over this landlocked country. Earlier, Pakistan was unsure as exactly where these gruesome beheadings had taken place, but concerned information was passed on to Sartaj Aziz, the Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs, and he took up the issue with Afghan Foreign Minister Zarar Maqbool Osmani. Both are in the Maldives to attend the Saarc ministerial meeting. Sartaj Aziz reminded Osmani that these killings also breached the agreement made at the Trilateral Summit in Ankara recently, where both the countries had agreed (at the highest level) that they would not only prevent the use of their territory against each other but also take action against the militants engaged in hostile action. “The adviser urged the Afghan government to take prompt action to apprehend and punish the perpetrators of this heinous and inhumane crime,” the Foreign Office said in a statement adding that the Afghan foreign minister promised to convey this message of concern to the relevant authorities in Afghanistan and revert shortly. Earlier, the spokesperson at the Foreign Office in a weekly media briefing had clearly said that Pakistan was not concerned with the reported talks between the Afghan Taliban and Afghan government. “This is Afghanistan’s internal matter. How many are participating, what are their names does not concern us. What concerns us is peace and all efforts at peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. We support that completely,” she said. SYRIA: Pakistan shrugged aside the impression that it had changed its policy towards Syria, saying there was no need for undue concern, as the government did not want a regime change in any country. While on Monday, Pakistan clearly called for the formation of a transitional government body (in Syria) with full executive powers, enabling it to take charge of the affairs of the country; on Thursday, however, the spokesperson clarified that the language used in the recent joint statement with Saudi Arabia, was actually what was contained in the Geneva-I Communiqué (the process through which the Syrian government and the opposition is negotiating). This in itself was a clear contradiction of the government where on the one hand it was clearly stating that it did not want a regime change but the joint statement clearly pointed to one, (regardless that the language was the same as the Geneva-1 Communiqué). “This is something, which is accepted by Syria as well. There is no change in our position in the sense that since the first Geneva Conference on Syria in June 2012, Syria’s own position has also evolved. This process, which is under the UN auspices, was initially rejected by Syria but later on Syria became a part of that. There have been two rounds of discussions between the representatives of Syrian government and the opposition. They have been discussing a transitional government,” she added. The spokesperson said that the reason the second round of talks on Syria broke down was whether President Basharul Asad would be in that set-up or not.“The UN again appealed on Wednesday for the resumption of talks .We would like to see an end to violence in Syria. We do not subscribe to the theory of regime change in any country. Essentially, the people of Syria will talk to one another and work out what kind of set-up they will have in future,” she stated. Saudi Arabia/Iran: The spokesperson said that there was a timeline regarding the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, which had fallen apart. “There were also some other commitments and agreements regarding financing. They have fallen apart; therefore, perhaps we need to renegotiate the timeline as well,” she explained. Regarding the Iranian threats of hot pursuit to recover their border police, the spokesperson said that Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan had a joint border and sometimes some activities happened in this area from all sides. “It is in the common interest of all to curb the activities of criminals, drug traffickers, smugglers, human smugglers and terrorists,” she said.The Iranian government has taken up the issue at high level with the visiting Senate chairman in Tehran, but the spokesperson said this was done in the spirit of ‘cooperation’ and not ‘acrimoniously’. “(In meetings with the Iranian leadership), there was a reference to the historical and religious ties between the two countries by the Iranian president. There was also a desire that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should visit Tehran and that the Joint Economic Commission should also meet. There was an understanding that some elements might be trying to create problems between Pakistan and Iran, and they should be dealt with in a coordinated manner,” said the spokesperson. India: The spokesperson admitted that the government was aware of the fact that Maulana Azhar, heading a proscribed religious outfit, had addressed a public meeting, but she tried to justify it by saying, “This is one time event. He escaped the scrutiny, and he did it, but I am sure you are aware that his organisation is banned in Pakistan and their activities are monitored.” But she also pointed out that there was another part of this question where one should ask how Pakistan was feeling about it. “How Pakistan feels about the very provocative statements made by the Indian Army chief which are coming quite regularly. We would have a position on that but what an individual who belongs to a proscribed entity says should not concern India so much,” she said. Regarding reports of Mast Gul who escaped the Chirrar Sharif incident and is now part of the Taliban, the spokesperson responded, “If this guy has claimed responsibility for the Peshawar attacks, that means he is a threat to Pakistan and Pakistani people. There are many people from proscribed entities who may have escaped to the area of Afghanistan and Pakistan border to avoid action against them. They keep moving here and there. Many of these individuals and organisations are proscribed and obviously whenever they are in the range, action will be taken. However, many of these people somehow keep popping up in other countries also, so there is a need for more cooperation in that respect”.

Terror bid foiled in Karachi; police seize explosive-laden vehicle

KARACHI: Police have seized an explosion-laden vehicle reportedly prepared for targeting a key political or police figure. According to reports, acting on tip of a federal intelligence agency and the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the Sindh Police recovered the vehicle in Mauripur area with 100 kg explosives. Three suspects identified as Humayun, Saeed Ayub and Umar Farooq alias Faridullah were also arrested from the scene. CID officials claimed Faridullah was an expert in preparing explosive laden vehicles for carrying out terror activities. They said the accused was also involved in the Abbas Town blasts.

Infantry troops enter NWA operation areas Air strikes in North Waziristan continue; foreigners among 40 militants killed; three more militants killed in Khyber Agency air strikes

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Army infantry troops, including SSG commandos, have entered the most difficult mountainous region in the tribal areas in search of terrorist hideouts, military sources said. According to sources, after the destruction of arms depots, militants will not be in a position to launch attacks on security forces for a long period. These sources said the bombardment of the fighter aircraft was continuing in North Waziristan tribal region and more militants were likely to be eliminated. Our correspondent adds from Miranshah: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter aircraft pounded suspected positions of militants in the North Waziristan Agency on Wednesday night and reportedly killed 40 militants. Military officials said the jets carried out air strikes following intelligence reports about the presence of senior local and foreign militants in the area.Officials put the number of deaths of militants in these strikes at more than 35 and it was claimed that mostly Uzbek militants were killed. Meanwhile, Reuters, quoting security officials, reported that at least 40 people were killed in the bombing. The jets pounded suspected hideouts in the Khushali village, Mir Ali subdivision, and in the remote Dattakhel area and Shawal Valley, all located in North Waziristan. In Mir Ali, military officials said 15 militants were killed and their sanctuaries were smashed. The dead, they said, included foreign fighters, including Uzbeks, Chechens and Arabs. According to officials, a senior militant commander Abdul Sattar was running one of the four training centres blitzed by the jets in Khushali village in Mir Ali. Local tribesmen in Mir Ali said the jets started bombing around midnight on Wednesday. In Dattakhel, located near the Afghanistan border, the jets targeted four suspected positions of militants but there was no information about any casualty there.Local villagers said the jets bombed four houses where no one was residing for the past few months. Meanwhile, local sources, including officials of the political administration, said a foreign militant known as Tajiki and belonging to Tajikistan was among those killed in the air strikes. They said another foreign militant, Abdul Sattar, who happened to be an Uzbek, was also killed. The third slain foreign militant who was identified was Abu Zubair who happened to be an Arab national. An Uzbeki woman, Bilquis, was also killed in the bombardment. The sources said five militants’ compounds were hit, including two each in the Khushali village and Shawal Valley and one in Dattakhel. They added that the first bombing raid by the two jet fighters was carried out at 12:20am in the Khushali village. They said one of the compounds that was bombed in the Khushali village housed the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters led by commander Jehadyar Mehsud. It wasn’t known if he was killed, but some of his men were reportedly slain in the air strike. In Dattakhel, the sources said a large house owned by a tribesman, Maula Khan, was bombed by the jets. They said five foreign militants were killed and three wounded in the air strikes on this house, a portion of which was being used by the owner, Maula Khan. Sources in the political administration and locals initially gave a count of 15 confirmed deaths in the air strikes. Later, they said not more than 17-18 were killed. The PAF fighter aircraft also flew over parts of North Waziristan on Thursday but didn’t carry out any raids. The air strikes caused concern in North Waziristan and prompted many families to start planning to leave their villages and move to safer places. There were fears that it could be the start of a large-scale military action in North Waziristan following the breakdown of peace talks between the government and the TTP. A large number of families had moved out, mostly from Mir Ali sub-division, due to the previous two rounds of air strikes by the PAF and the army and shifted to Bannu, Karak and other areas. Our correspondent adds from Bara: Three militants were killed and six others were injured when the Pakistan Army’s helicopter gunships hit various targets in Bara Tehsil of Khyber Agency on Thursday, local and official sources said. The sources said that two helicopter gunships pounded the suspected positions of militants in Alamgudar, Mandikas, Nala, Madakhel and Haji Rasool Jan Killay.They said three suspected militants were killed while six were injured in the shelling. Official sources claimed that several hideouts of the militants, including a factory making bombs and improvised explosive devices, was also destroyed in the air strikes. However, this could not be verified independently. Official sources said the hideouts of those militants were targeted who were involved in the recent attacks on cinemas in Peshawar and the assassination of Major Jehanzeb, who was martyred during an ambush in the Frontier Region, Peshawar.The helicopter gunships flew in the area for more than an hour, causing fear among the people who preferred to stay indoors. Muhammad Anis adds from Islamabad: Military sources said that 16 Uzbek terrorists were killed in air strikes in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan on late Wednesday night. “It is confirmed that in the last night (Wednesday) air strikes in Mir Ali, North Waziristan, 16 Uzbek terrorists were killed,” the military sources said.The sources also said that seven terrorists, including three suicide bombers and an important commander, were killed in air strikes in the Khyber Agency on Thursday.

63 suspects held in Karachi raids

KARACHI: Police have arrested as many as 63 suspects from different parts of the city, Geo News reported Friday. Sources said that the suspects were held during raids in Sharafi Goth, Orangi Town and Clifton areas of the metropolis. The sources said that the police carried out the raids following the killings of five people in the fresh wave of violence in the city.

PM, military link resumption of talks with a halt to bloodbath

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Thursday said the Prime Minister in consultation with the military leadership has reached a decision that taking the Taliban peace talks any further would be unfair. Following a wave of terrorist attacks, Nisar said the decision has been taken that talks would only be held when acts of spilling blood would stop. Pakistan’s security forces are undertaking strikes in FATA in ‘self-defense’, which is a right the government cannot take away from the armed forces, he said while addressing a press conference here. The minister said no operation has been conducted in FATA since September last year and the current strikes are being undertaken by the security forces in self defence. Chaudhry Nisar said that the government initiated dialogue process with sincerity and asked the political parties opposing the move as to why they had failed to launch military operation against the militants during their term in the government. Appreciating the role of the committees formed by the government and the Taliban for holding negotiation, he said both played a positive part. Clarifying media reports about information ministry’s alert that declared the federal capital an “extremely dangerous” city, Chaurdhry Nisar said the threat level to Islamabad has slipped down as compared to previous years. He, however, added: “Safe City Project would be launched in coming weeks in a bid to protect the Islamabad city.” The security forces would be equipped with modern weapons which are being imported from China, Nisar said. The Interior Minister further said that targeted operation is in progress in Karachi and Quetta against the militants. The government of Pakistan is making all out effort to protect the whole country, he added.

Strike us once, we will strike twice, Rasheed to TTP

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Pervaiz Rasheed Thursday told the Pakistani Taliban in unequivocal terms that their one strike will be retaliated with two. “If you talk with us, we will respond with greater enthusiasm. But, if you would strike once, we would strike twice,” Pervaiz Rasheed said in a statement, soon after the Interior Minister Ch Nisar announced that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in consultation with the military leadership has linked the peace talks to a halt to the bloodshed. It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets and AH-1 Cobra gunships of Army Aviation bombed militant hideouts in a northwestern tribal district late Wednesday night, killing at least 35 militants. The mastermind behind the 13 February attack on a police bus in Karachi and foreign militant commanders were among those killed. According to sources, Pakistani jets conducted six strikes on suspected militant hideouts in the tribal areas as part of surgical strikes which they said should not be taken as military operation.

China urges US to cancel Dalai Lama meeting with Obama

BEIJING: China on Friday urged US President Barack Obama to cancel a planned meeting with exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. "China is firmly opposed to this," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement on its website. "We urge the US side to treat China´s concern in a serious way and immediately cancel the planned meeting." China calls the Dalai Lama a "wolf in sheep´s clothing" and accuses him of seeking independence for Tibet. Hua said that China had "already lodged solemn representations" with the United States over the planned White House meeting, which was announced earlier by the US. "The US leader´s meeting with the Dalai is a gross interference in China´s internal affairs, a severe violation of codes of international relations and will seriously impair China-US relations," Hua said. Obama last met the Dalai Lama, a fellow Nobel peace laureate, at the White House in 2011 in talks that triggered an angry response from Beijing, which said the encounter had harmed Sino-US relations.

Special Court to decide Musharraf’s pleas in treason case

National Special Court to decide Musharraf’s pleas in treason case February 21, 2014 - Updated 010 PKT From Web Edition 30 2 0 0 [Special Court to decide Musharraf’s pleas in treason case ] ISLAMABAD: The special court, constituted to try former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf on high treason charges, will announce today (Friday) whether it will hear the case or the former strongman will be tried by a military court under army act. Musharraf who appeared before the special court in the last hearing on Tuesday avoided indictment on the request of his legal team, pleading that the jurisdiction of the special court should be decided first and the case be referred to a military court.. The three-member special court bench headed by Justice Faisal Arab and comprising Justice Tahira Safdar and Justice Yawar Ali heard the federation’s appeal for initiating a treason trial against Musharraf for subverting the Constitution while issuing the proclamation of emergency rule on November 3, 2007. The court in its order ruled that they will first decide the application challenging the jurisdiction of this court before further proceedings. The court adjourned the hearing till Friday, ruling that the decision on the two applications, including jurisdiction of the court as well as transferring the trial to a military court, will be announced on February 21.

4 dead, 2 injured in shooting at American Indian center in California

ALTURAS: Four people were killed and two others critically wounded on Thursday when a woman opened fire at American Indian center in California, police said. The suspect, a 44-year-old woman identified as Sherie Lash, also known as Sherie Rhoades, was taken into custody at the Cedarville Rancheria Tribal Office in Alturas, California, a spokeswoman for the Alturas police department said. The two victims who survived the attack, at about 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, were airlifted to hospitals in critical condition, the spokeswoman said. The dead were identified only as two women, ages 19 and 45, and two men aged 30 and 50. It was reported that a knife was also used in the attack. "At this time there doesn´t appear to be any threat to the community," Alturas Police Chief Ken Barnes said, according to the network. Alturas is located in remote northeastern California, about 30 miles south of the Oregon border.

40 militants killed in North Waziristan aerial bombing

NORTH WAZIRISTAN / ISLAMABAD: Fighter jets bombed hideouts of suspected militants in North Waziristan last night, killing 40 insurgents including foreign nationals, security officials said on Thursday. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif authorised the air strikes, a source in his office said – a possible sign he was finally giving in to pressure from the military for tougher military action against the militants. “After restraining the army for three days, the prime minister himself authorised the strikes last night,” the government official told Reuters. An intelligence official said that six different locations were bombed. Another official said among the army’s targets were training camps run by Uzbek and Turkmen fighters. Express News reported that Mir Ali, Shawal and Datta Khel sub-districts of North Waziristan were targeted in the bombardment. According to sources, many of the hideouts, weapons and explosives were destroyed in the blitz. A search operation is ongoing. The morning air attacks came just hours after the army said more than 100 soldiers had been killed by the TTP in the last five months, a rare admission of relatively heavy casualties. The targeted militants were reportedly involved in plotting terrorist attacks in the country including the attack on February 13 on a police bus in Karachi that killed 13 police officials and injured at least 57 others. ‘Ideological war’ Chief of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Mohmand Agency chapter Umar Khorasani said that every action has a reaction, referring to the aerial bombings. He also stated that the use of force cannot stop them and they are not afraid of any power, adding that their war is ideological. Prof Ibrahim condemns bombings Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chapter Professor Mohammad Ibrahim condemned the bombings in North Waziristan. He is one of the members of committee formed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to act as a bridge between the government and the TTP for peace negotiations. On February 19, the TTP had offered to observe a ceasefire to allow the resumption of stalled peace talks, provided security forces stop killing and arresting its members. Aerial strike in Khyber Agency At least seven militants were killed and six others injured in two aerial strikes in Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency, Express News reported on Thursday. In the first strike, around three militants were killed in aerial bombing by security forces. An improvised explosive device (IED) factory was also destroyed in the operation. Helicopters shelled militant hideouts in the Alam Godar area of Bara tehsil in the second strike, killing at least four and injuring six others. Response to terrorism Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif said that necessary steps will be taken to ensure the safety of the citizens of Pakistan. He stated that 175 people had been killed in 40 attacks by militants in the last 17 days and this was the reason why the operation was ordered. Armed forces and security agencies will respond to acts of terrorism, the minister added. In an unusually tough statement, a spokesperson of Nawaz Sharif had said in televised remarks late on February 19 that the army was capable of crushing all enemies. “The prime minister wants to resolve these issues without bloodshed, but if the Taliban continue killing people then we will be left with no choice but to keep our citizens safe from terrorism through any means possible,” Information Minister Pervez Rashid had said

Cylinder blast in Karachi injures 2

KARACHI: A cylinder blast in a factory in Karachi injured two people, Express News reported on Thursday. The explosion reportedly occurred in a factory in the Metroville SITE area. Police confirmed that two person was injured in the explosion. The injured were taken to a local hospital for medical assistance. It was reported that there were 200-250 workers present in the factory at the time of the explosion. Fire brigade sent eight cars to the location of the blast which were able to bring the fire under control under 20 minutes. Previous blasts On February 18, a gas cylinder had exploded near the Steel Town area of the city. No loss of life or injuries were reported in the explosion. On December 21 last year, a 24-year-old man was killed and a passer-by was wounded when a cylinder for pumping gas into balloons exploded near Mukka Chowk in Azizabad. The deceased was identified as Muhammad Ali and used to live in the slum area in Azizabad. The police had said the cylinder was of poor quality and unsafe.

Clash on campus: UoP students sent to jail on judicial remand

PESHAWAR: The eight activists of the Pukhtoon Students Federation (PkSF) who were arrested from University of Peshawar on Monday after a clash with Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba activists were sent to Central Jail Peshawar on a 14-day judicial remand. On Wednesday, campus police presented the students in front of Judicial Magistrate Fayaz Khan and the investigation officer informed the court their one-day physical remand had expired but the police needed further information which is why the remand should be extended for 10 days. However, Judge Khan turned down their request for a physical remand and instead sent the students to Central Jail Peshawar on judicial remand for 14 days. The accused students of UoP were identified as Farman, Ihtisham, Shabir, Zeeshan, Hanif, Kashif, Muhammad Anwer and Shah Hussain. They were charged under Sections 380, 427, 435, 436, 149, 148, 295b and 506 of Criminal Procedure Code. They are accused of arson as well as damaging government property. The conflict between the student wings of the Awami National Party and Jamaat-e-Islami began on February 14, reportedly over the celebration of Valentine’s Day and Haya Day in UoP. Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2014.

Balochistan railway track blown up

DERA MURAD JAMALI: An explosion occurred on a railway track in Mangoli, Balochistan on Thursday morning, Express News reported. Rescue teams are enroute to the blast site, while no loss of life was reported. Trains on that track were diverted to Dera Allahyar and Jacobabad railway stations after the explosion. A few railway tracks have been blown up in the country recently in a series of attacks. Less than a week ago, at least six people – including four children – were killed and more than 35 injured when two coaches of the Peshawar-bound Khushhal Khan Khattak Express derailed after a bomb attack on February 16. The high-intensity bomb was detonated on the tracks near a canal, 15 kilometres away from Thull town of Jacobabad district. On February 5, a six-year-old girl was killed and at least nine others wounded when a bomb tore through a Lahore-bound passenger train near Dhabiji, around 56 kilometres off Karachi. In light of these attacks, the Pakistan Railways police have devised a security plan which includes the patrolling of its tracks to evade terrorist attacks and tighten security of railway stations.

Asghar Khan case: Younis Habib denies making payments to Sharif brothers

ISLAMABAD: In a surprising development in the Asghar Khan case eighteen years later, the PML-N leadership has received an all-clear, after Younis Habib, a key witness in the case, retracted his statement of having paid the prime minister and Punjab chief minister sums of money to run campaigns in the 1990 general elections. Habib says he did not pay any amount from the Mehran Bank accounts to either politician, according to a source. Sources told the Express Investigation Cell that the FIA investigation team, headed by Ghalib Bandashah, approached Habib in Karachi in the last week of January to record his statement. The officials also had the name of ‘Chaudhary Sharif’ – a Jhelum-based hotelier – to suggest to Younis Habib as substitute if he agrees to change his statement to give a safe passage to the politicians. However, the task proved easier for the inquiry panel when Younis Habib agreed to change his previous statement without implicating any substitute having identical name to PML-N leaders. Sources said Habib altered his statement following a series of meetings with the four-member FIA team; he also added a few names of beneficiaries of funds – Yousaf Mamon, for instance, allegedly received Rs20 million for the MQM leadership. Mamon’s name had not been recorded in Habib’s statements prior to this. Bandashah has now been elevated to the position of acting director general FIA; he denied requests for comments on the case. “It is better not to indulge in matters like this (Habib’s statement),” he said, “As it is an extremely sensitive matter and cannot be discussed with the media at any stage.” A few months ago, Habib, in a wheelchair, appeared before a bench of the Supreme Court and testified that he had funded the PML-N leadership in 1990 on the directives of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) in order to ensure a win in the elections. Habib added that Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and at least two dozen other politicians were funded by his Mehran Bank to win the elections against the PPP. He said he gave funds to then-army chief Mirza Aslam Baig as well. Then ISI chief general Asad Durrani testified before the apex court in 2013, confirming that the ISI was involved in the provision of such funds. “I do not care now who says what in this case,” Durrani said when approached for comments on the progress of the case. Additionally, Chaudhary Sharif of Tulip Hotel has denied any direct or indirect role in the case. “I do not want to say much about Younis Habib or his statement as he is not worth mentioning for his treacherous nature,” Sharif said. “I believe this is why FIA officials did not contact me to record my statement.” Speaking with The Express Tribune from Karachi, Younis Habib said he wanted the case of the Mehran Bank scandal to be forgotten. “I have nothing to say regarding my statement except to confirm that I met with a panel from the FIA.” He added, “For the purposes of the media, I will say this story is now over and it should not be commented on anymore.” Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2014.

SC takes notice of TTP threats to Kalash, Ismaili communities

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday took notice of a video clip in which the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) called upon the Kalash and Ismaili communities to convert to Islam or face the consequences, Express News reported. The apex court said the TTP’s statement was against Islam and the law of the country. It urged the government to take measures to protect the minority groups against any onslaught by the TTP. The Supreme Court took notice of the threat after media reported the issue. Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan had made an impassioned plea for protection of the Kalash and Ismaili communities. Also in the Senate, Pakistan Peoples Party lawmakers Farhatullah Babar and Hari Ram had raised the issue of threats by militants to the communities in Chitral valley.

Suicide bomber detonates explosives in Sibi

SIBI: A suicide bomber detonated explosive material in Sibi on Thursday, Express News reported. The explosion took place near the gate of Mela Ground. The bomber reportedly intended to enter the stadium. Security forces have cordoned off the area. Police said that bomber was around 13 years old and walked towards the gate before blowing up the explosives. An annual carnival is due to take place inside the stadium in a few days. Express News reported that this is the first suicide attack in Sibi.

TTP grants authority to decide on ceasefire to Samiul Haq

LAHORE: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) granted the authority to decide on ceasefire to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Samiul Haq (JUI-S) chief Maulana Samiul Haq, , Express News reported on Thursday. Haq is heading the TTP intermediary committee. The JUI-S central information secretary said that if there was a consensus between the government peace talks committee and Haq then a ceasefire can be announced. The TTP had offered on February 19 to observe a ceasefire to allow the resumption of stalled peace talks, provided security forces stop killing and arresting its members. The offer came a day after a four-member government negotiating committee suspended dialogue following a weekend claim by the TTP Mohmand chapter that it has executed 23 kidnapped paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) troops. The government negotiators had set a ceasefire as a precondition for another round of talks.

Indian PM opposes release of Rajiv Gandhi killers

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh denounced plans on Thursday to release former premier Rajiv Gandhi´s killers as contravening the principles of justice. "The release of the killers of a former prime minister of India and our great leader, as well as several other innocent Indians, would be contrary to all principles of justice," he said as his government began a legal challenge to the planned release of seven convicted killers.

When stars explode, it´s a messy business

WASHINGTON: When stars explode, it´s a messy business. But the massive blasts are also useful, seeding the universe with such key elements as calcium, iron and titanium. And with the help of a new high-energy X-ray telescope, NASA said Wednesday astronomers are closer than ever to seeing just what´s going on. "This is helping us untangle the mystery surrounding how stars explode," said Fiona Harrison, principal investigator on NuSTAR, or the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array. Combined with images from another NASA X-ray observatory, Chandra, NuSTAR has created the "first ever map of radioactive material in the remnants of a star that exploded," she told reporters. One of the biggest surprises was that stars, which are spherical objects, do not explode in a circular manner, she said. Rather, it appears that the blast is more lumpy and distorted from the very beginning. "Prior to the explosion, the core of the star literally sloshed about," said Harrison, a scientist at the California Institute of Technology. Astronomers based their findings on the observations of Cassiopeia A, or Cas A for short, a remnant of a supernova 11,000 light years away. The star exploded around 350 years ago, blowing off outer layers with an extreme heat that created even more elements. Cas A has been expanding since the year 1670, propelling debris at a speed of 10 million miles an hour, but never before have scientists been able to glimpse the radioactivity that was produced inside the explosion. "With NuSTAR, we have a new forensic tool to investigate the ashes left behind when this star exploded," said Brian Grefenstette, an astronomer at Caltech. NuSTAR launched in 2012 on a two-year mission, joining the NASA fleet that also includes the Hubble Space Telescope. It is the first orbiting telescope to focus on the high-energy X-rays of the electromagnetic spectrum. Although the Chandra Observatory remains the world´s most powerful X-ray telescope, NuSTAR can monitor a range the older orbiting telescope can´t see. Robert Kirshner, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, described the radioactivity map NuSTAR produced as "pioneering science." "You should care about this," said Kirshner, who was not involved in the project."Stars perform a kind of alchemy where they turn one element into another," he said. "The Earth itself is something that is the residue of this astronomical process," said Kirschner. Star explosions played a key role in the iron used to make cars, the calcium in our bones and the titanium used to manufacture hip replacements, he explained. "So we are all star dust and NuSTAR is showing us where we came from, including our replacement parts.

PAF air strikes on militants’ hideouts kill 35

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani jets bombed militant hideouts in a northwestern tribal district late Wednesday night, killing at least 35 militants. Three foreign and local militant commanders were among those killed. Among those killed was the mastermind behind the 13 February attack on a police bus in Karachi. According to sources, Pakistani jets conducted six strikes on suspected militant hideouts in the tribal areas as part of surgical strikes which they said should not be taken as military operation. "There are confirmed reports of 35 militants including foreigners killed in these air strikes," a senior security official told, adding that the attacks focused on the town of Mir Ali and surrounding areas of North Waziristan. Sources said the first strike killed commander Abdul Sattar when his compound was pounded by the jets followed by a series of strikes on Uzbek, Turkmen, Tajik and Taliban hideouts. The compounds of TTP commander Jihadyar and Abdul Razzak were also destroyed when PAF jets bombarded and killed 15 militants. "Airstrikes were carried out to target militant hideouts with precision. A huge cache of arms and ammunition have also been destroyed," the official said. The sixth strike was conducted in Bara Tehsil of Khyber Agency in which the hideouts of terrorists involved in the attacks on Peshawar Cinemas and Major Jahanzeb were targeted. A bomb making factory and two suicide bombers were killed in the strikes. The strikes were carried out after military leaders took the civilian government into confidence citing potential threats to the people of Pakistan from terrorists holed up in their safe havens in the country’s tribal belt. Moreover, the attacks were aimed at protecting people of Pakistan as the militants were making plans to carry out terrorist attacks. They added that if the government decided to launch an operation, the PAF warplanes will attack the militants in the first phase and other steps would be taken shortly after the weather conditions improve in the mountainous region. Sources told Geo News the recent attacks were carried out on the basis of credible intelligence information and there was no fear of collateral damage. On Wednesday, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) said they were ready to observe a ceasefire to allow the resumption of peace talks, provided Pakistani security forces stopped killing and arresting them. Peace talks between the Taliban and the government, announced on January 29, stalled this week due to a recent surge in insurgent attacks and a claim by a Taliban faction on Sunday that it had killed 23 kidnapped soldiers.

Kabul suicide bomber tries to target hostel, kills one

KABUL: A bomber killed a guard in a suicide attack after a failed attempt to target a guest house used by foreigners in the Afghan capital Kabul on Thursday, police said. The attacker on foot was prevented from entering the guest house, leading him to target a cultural centre next door, said police spokesman Hashmat Stanakzai. "The attacker was stopped by a guard at the entrance (of the cultural centre), but he set off his explosives, killing the guard and wounding four civilians," he told AFP. Body parts of the bomber could be seen at the scene of the attack as police cordoned off the area, witnesses said. No one has claimed responsibility but in the past such strikes have been claimed by the Taliban. The attack is the latest in a series in the city. Last week two civilian contractors working for the NATO force in Afghanistan were killed in a car bomb attack claimed by the Taliban in the capital. An attack on a Lebanese restaurant on January 17th killed 21 people including 13 foreigners. (AFP)

Munawar asks PM to officially announce military op if decided

LAHORE: Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Syed Munawar Hasan stated that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should declare formally if the government had decided over military operation, Geo News reported. Talking to media here Thursday, Munawar Hasan said the premier should also inform who made the decision over the military operation. The government talks team had not any power to boycott the dialogues, JI leader said and added that it was the authority of the government to do so. He said the third party was deteriorating the situation. JI chief said it is the solution of the issue that PM Nawaz Sharif should chair meeting of both the committees, adding if the premier wants he should also called army in the meeting. Munawar Hasan demanded to halt military operation in North Waziristan, saying that military operation was not a substitute of failure of talks.

16 arrested in Rangers raids

KARACHI: Pakistan Rangers Sindh on Thursday arrested 16 accused in different raids and recovered arms from them. Rangers spokesman said targeted raids were conducted in Gulshan-e-Bismillah Chowk, Dawood Goth, Gulshan-e-Bihar, Lyari, Toori, Bangash Colony, Natha Khan Goth, Model Colony and Patel Para areas in wee hours. He said snap checking was also carried out at Bilal Colony and Zamzama area of DHA. He informed that an information driven targeted action was also conducted in Muhammadpur area where an abductees was recovered during the raid. He further said during the raids 16 criminals including members of banned outfits, target killers affiliated with political parties and Lyari Gang War elements were arrested. He said weapons and other mixed ammo were also recovered from their possession. (PPI)

Not disappointed with dialogue process after NWA strikes: Maulana Yusuf

ISLAMABAD: Taliban nominated peace negotiator and coordinator of the team Maulana Yusuf Shah said on Thursday that he is hopeful to yield results through dialogue process even after Pakistan Air Force (PAF) strikes in North Waziristan that killed 35 militants, Geo News reported. While talking to Geo News, Maulana Yusuf said that they are reviewing the situation post NWA strikes and the members of the negotiating team will soon hold consultations over the matter. He stressed on the need to hold joint dialogue for ceasefire and other issues pertaining to national security. Maulana Yusuf said that they want to save the country from devastation that would follow the operation, and said that they want to restore peace at any cost. It is pertinent to mention that PAF jets bombed Taliban hideouts in a northwestern tribal district early Thursday morning, killing 35 local and foreign militants a day after the insurgents offered a ceasefire if the army stopped targeting them, security officials said. The attacks focused on the town of Mir Ali and surrounding areas of North Waziristan. On Wednesday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) peace mediators said they were ready to observe a ceasefire to allow the resumption of peace talks, provided Pakistani security forces stopped killing and arresting them. A huge cache of arms and ammunition have also been destroyed, the official said. Peace talks between the Taliban and the government, announced on January 29, stalled this week due to a recent surge in insurgent attacks and a claim by a Taliban faction on Sunday that it had killed 23 kidnapped soldiers. Government mediators set a ceasefire as a precondition for another round of talks.

Three Indian agents arrested from Kasur

KASUR: Intelligence agencies have arrested three alleged Indian secret agents from Kasur, Geo News reported. According to intelligence sources, Indian passport, currency and arms were recovered from the agents, identified as Kashif, Umair and Shahzad. The intelligence officials have also seized photos of the cantonments and the troops deployed at the boarder from the possession of the Indian agents. They have been shifted to an undisclosed location for investigation.

Armed forces will retaliate against terrorism: Kh Asif

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Thursday that armed forces will respond strongly to malicious acts carried out by terrorists, Geo News reported. The minister assured that the government would take every possible step to safeguard Pakistan and the life of masses. He said national security institutions would retaliate to terrorist activities in an effective and the best possible manner.

Air strikes in Mir Ali after PM approval

ISLAMABAD: The decision to conduct air strikes in North Waziristan was taken by the military leadership after the approval of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Sources said the decision over the attacks on militant hideouts in North Waziristan was made after three consecutive days of meetings between the government and military leadership. However, the government is in favour to continue the dialogue process and the committee has been directed to make contact with Taliban after they stop their terror activities. At least 172 people including personnel of police and army were martyred in 19 days during dialogues with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Pakistani jets bombed militants’ hideouts in a northwestern tribal district early Thursday, killing at least 35 militants. According to the sources, the aircraft bombarded suspected militant hideouts in Mir Ali area of North Waziristan as part of surgical strikes which they said should not be taken as military operation. "There are confirmed reports of 35 militants including foreigners killed in these air strikes," a senior security official told, adding that the attacks focused on the town of Mir Ali and surrounding areas of North Waziristan. Sources told that the first strike killed commander Abdul Sattar when his compound was pounded by the jets followed by the series of strikes on Uzbek, Turkmen, Tajik and Taliban hideouts.

Probe underway to ascertain FC troops killing spot: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Foreign Office informed on Thursday that an investigation is currently underway to ascertain when and where 23 Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were martyred and if necessary, Afghan government would be contacted too, Geo News reported. During the weekly news briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasneem Aslam said Pakistan is facing threats on its eastern and western borders. The spokesperson added that Pakistan will contact Afghan government if the incident of FC personnel killing has occurred in Afghanistan. Moreover, the officials of Pakistan and Iran would meet again today over the abduction of five Iranian guards.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards issue warning over ongoing nuclear talks

VIENNA: Iran and six powers held nuclear talks for a second day Wednesday as the commander of the powerful Revolutionary Guards warned against damaging “national pride” but predicted a “victorious” outcome. Speaking in Iran, Revolutionary Guards commander General Mohammad Ali Jafari warned against crossing “red lines” that would damage the country’s pride. He has previously indicated his opposition to any dismantling of nuclear facilities, even though the chief US negotiator, Wendy Shermann, said Iran “does not need” the Fordo site or a new heavy-water reactor at Arak. Jafari said that Iran “will be victorious either way” in the talks. Michael Mann, spokesperson for the powers’ lead negotiator and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, said the talks in Vienna were “substantive” and “useful”. He declined to comment, however, on the substance of the meetings between Iran with the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany, nor on whether they would continue on Thursday as scheduled, nor on a date for the next round. Ashton is due to chair a meeting in Brussels on Thursday afternoon of EU foreign ministers on the situation on Ukraine. It was unclear if this meant the Iran talks must finish by then. The parties in Vienna hope to create a lasting accord out of the landmark interim deal struck in November, under which Iran agreed to freeze certain nuclear activities for six months. In exchange, the Western governments offered minor relief from a range of punishing sanctions that have cost Iran up to $8 billion per month in lost oil revenues, as well as a promise of no new sanctions. The six-month deal expires on July 20 but can be extended, with the parties aiming to conclude negotiations and implement the final “comprehensive” deal by November. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said late Tuesday that the talks had “started on the right track”. “We have a shared objective, and that is for Iran to have a nuclear programme that is exclusively peaceful,” he said from Vienna in a webcast discussion with Denver University’s Center for Middle East Studies. He said a deal was “totally achievable” but would take more than “one or two sittings” and would require “some innovation and some forward thinking”. Others have been considerably more circumspect about the prospects for a deal that satisfies hardliners on both sides, as well as other countries such as Israel, after a decade of failed initiatives and rising tensions. Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday that this effort would “go nowhere” but that he was not against trying. The aim of the final deal would be for Iran to retain its civilian nuclear programme, but likely on a reduced scale and with enhanced oversight in order to ensure a dash for nuclear weapons is all but impossible. In exchange for a full lifting of sanctions, the powers want Iran’s nuclear programme to be within what the Geneva deal called “mutually agreed parameters consistent with (Iran’s) practical needs” and for a “long-term duration”. Iran has long been suspected of seeking atomic weapons, despite its denials, and the US and Israel — the latter assumed to have a large atomic arsenal itself — have never ruled out military action. Further upping the ante between the two foes, Iran’s foreign ministry on Wednesday blamed a double suicide car bombing near an Iranian cultural centre in Beirut that killed four people on Israeli “agents”

The forgotten values: PakTurk School students expose the wrongs in our society

KARACHI: Students of the PakTurk International School organised an exhibition, titled the Third Eye, at the school’s Gulshan Girls Campus on Wednesday. Over 300 students participated in the exhibition and worked in teams to produce the art pieces. The art pieces featured in the exhibition reflected the forgotten values that once formed the fundamental basis of a society, explained the school’s senior vice-principal, Anbreen Tariq. “It is about the things spoiling our society.” She added that the ‘Third Eye’ aimed to highlight those values that the society does not see or place much importance on anymore.

At the ‘Third Eye’ exhibition at the Pak-Turk International School, students exhibited art pieces based on the themes of what they feel is lacking in our society. The event also included food stalls and dance performances by the students Students of both the junior and senior sections participated in the exhibition, with the works incorporating a mix of colourful mediums. At the exhibition, the students stood by their respective art pieces, clamouring for attention as the visitors went from one piece to another, appreciating the students’ intellect and thoughtfulness. A group of students from grade two had worked on a project about time. The piece they came up with was a cage with a clock and a Barbie doll inside it. “This shows that we can’t hold time,” explained one of the students, adding that the idea behind the piece was that one’s time on Earth is limited and must be appreciated as it could not be bought or prolonged. The event also included games and various activities for the students and visitors, including food stalls serving both traditional Pakistani and Turkish dishes. One of the most attractive features of the event was the traditional dance. One group, dressed in traditional Turkish dances, performed a traditional Turkish dance while a second group performed a Sindhi folk dance, showering rose petals among the audience as they swerved along the floor with clay urns. Aynur Pazarci, the vice-principal of the junior section, explained that though there weren’t many Turkish people in Karachi, the school continued to spread the Turkish language and culture. “After sixth grade, the students are taught Turkish and in one year, they are quite fluent at it. There are three to four thousand common words between Turkish and Urdu so it is not difficult for the students to learn the language,” she said.

What sets the school apart from others in the city is that, apart from teaching the Turkish language, the students are taught the importance of moral values. The exhibition was a testimony to the fact that the students were aware of the many issues faced by society as well as their repercussions.

Shahzaib Bajwa: Visa issue resolved, says brother

WASHINGTON: The visa issue of comatose Pakistani exchange student Muhammad Shahzaib Bajwa has been resolved, according to his brother, Express News reported on Thursday. His brother, Shahraiz Bajwa, also said that the insurance company will pay the medical bills and Shahzaib will be treated in the US. Shahzaib, 20, was spending a semester in an exchange programme at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, studying anthropology and sociology. On November 13, 2013, he and his friends were driving back to the university from Minneapolis when their car struck a deer, his brother Shahraiz had said. What was meant to be an academic semester abroad through a State Department-backed exchange programme has turned into a complex journey through US insurance, medical and visa regulations for the family from Faisalabad. The brother had earlier said that the insurance company was pressing the family to sign off on returning Shahzaib to Pakistan once his visa runs out at the end of the month, threatening not to pay evacuation costs if the family refuses. “My mother is not going to sign because that would be like killing her son with her own hand,” the brother had stated.

25 killed, 241 injured in Kiev clashes

World 25 killed, 241 injured in Kiev clashes By AP February 19, 2014 - Updated 1235 PKT From Web Edition New 0 0 0 [25 killed, 241 injured in Kiev clashes] KIEV: The ministry of health says that 25 people have died and over 240 were injured during the clashes between police and protesters in the Ukrainian capital Kiev. The Ukrainian president is blaming opposition leaders for the deadly violence that has erupted in central Kiev. In a statement published online early Wednesday, President Viktor Yanukovych said that he had already made several attempts to compromise, but that opposition leaders "crossed a line when they called people to arms." Yanukovych said opposition leaders had to "draw a boundary between themselves and radical forces," or else "acknowledge that they are supporting radicals. Then the conversation ... will already be of a different kind."

Gunfire, blasts near airport in C African capital

BANGUI: Heavy gunfire and explosions from rockets and grenades erupted Wednesday at the airport in the Central African Republic´s capital Bangui where protesters have erected barricades against international forces based there, an AFP correspondent said. Bullets whistled past French soldiers guarding the main entrance to the airport, the correspondent said.

US warns of airline shoe-bomb threat

WASHINGTON: US security officials warned Wednesday about a potential shoe-bomb threat on international flights to the United States, local media reported. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a warning to airlines based on "very recent intelligence" considered credible that assailants would try to attack passenger jets using explosives hidden in shoes, NBC television reported. Officials told NBC that passengers may be subjected to enhanced security screenings and airlines will pay more attention to passengers´ shoes. Some airports already require passengers to take off their shoes for security after Richard Reid tried to detonate explosives stashed in his shoes during a Paris-Miami flight just three months after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Terror groups are working on new shoe-bomb designs, according to intelligence collected by the United States and other allies, CNN reported. Officials told NBC the information about the latest threat was not specific to any particular country, airline or time, stressing that there was no indication of a specific plot. DHS officials, who declined to comment specifically about the threat, told CBS television the alert was put out due to an "abundance of caution. "Earlier this month, US security officials warned of explosives hidden in toothpaste tubes."Our security apparatus includes a number of measures, both seen and unseen, informed by the latest intelligence and as always DHS continues to adjust security measures to fit an ever- evolving threat environment," the agency said. On Christmas Day 2009, Nigerian man Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab tried to blow up an airliner as it made its descent into Detroit from Amsterdam, using explosives hidden in his underwear. He was only 23 at the time.

Obama warns of ‘consequences’ over Ukraine violence

TOLUCA: US President Barack Obama urged Ukraine´s government Wednesday to refrain from using violence against peaceful protesters, warning of "consequences" if any further abuses take place. Obama made his remarks during a visit to Mexico as the European Union scheduled urgent talks to mull sanctions in the wake of clashes between police and anti-government protesters in Kiev that left at least 26 people dead. The Obama administration placed 20 top Ukrainian officials on a visa blacklist as it threatened to take punitive sanctions against individuals responsible for the violence. Ukraine´s embattled President Viktor Yanukovych announced a truce with the opposition, which Obama said would be a welcome step toward dialogue if implemented. "We hold the Ukrainian government primarily responsible for making sure that it is dealing with peaceful protesters in an appropriate way, that the Ukrainian people are able to assemble and speak freely about their interests without fear of repression," Obama said. "I want to be very clear as we work through these next several days in Ukraine that we´re going to be watching closely and we expect the Ukrainian government to show restraint, to not resort to violence in dealing with peaceful protesters," he said before talks with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. Speaking later at a press conference alongside Pena Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the end of a North American summit, Obama urged Yanukovych to withdraw riot police and called on the army to remain on the sidelines. He also appealed for "progress" on the formation of a multi-party technical government and adopt reforms needed for free and fair elections next year. "My hope is that at this point a truce may hold," Obama said. "My government and Vice President (Joe) Biden and I personally have expressed to President Yanukovych the need for him to recognize the spirit of the Ukrainian people and work with that, as opposed to trying to repress them," the US leader said. While helmeted demonstrators were locked in a tense standoff with riot police across burning barricades, Obama said the United States also expected protesters to remain peaceful. "We´ll be monitoring very closely the situation, recognizing that with our European partners and the international community, there will be consequences if people step over the line," the US leader said. The crackdown on anti-government protests by security forces on Tuesday triggered a storm of international condemnation, with the 28-nation EU bloc convening urgent talks for Thursday. The unrest was the deadliest since protests erupted in November after Yanukovych rejected an EU pact in favor of closer ties with former master Moscow. Obama acknowledged his "disagreements" with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Ukraine and the conflict in Syria but that he did not see this as "some Cold War chessboard in which we are in competition with Russia."

4th Pakistani interviewed in London money laundering case

LONDON: Scotland Yard has interviewed one more Pakistani in connection with the ongoing investigation into the money laundering case linked to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Imran Farooq’s murder. According to sources, the Scotland Yard interviewed under caution a fourth Pakistani as part of the high-profile money laundering case linked to Dr Imran Farooq’s murder. The man of Pakistani origin, who is in his 50s, was interviewed for seven hours at a Central London police station under caution, sources added.

12 foreign women detained in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has detained a dozen women belonging to Central Asian countries in a bid to arrest two Uzbek women who fled the Islamabad Airport without passing through immigration counter. The FIA raided three addresses in the Sector F-10 Markaz in a bid to arrest the women. According to the officials 12 women belonging to Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine were detained during the raids. They said that some of the detained women were staying in Pakistan illegally after expiry of their visas.

Session judge’s son gunned down in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Unknown gunmen shot dead a son of session judge on Thandi Sarak area, Geo News reported. According to police, the deceased, son of session judge Khalid Hussain Shah, was traveling with his family when his vehicle was intercepted by unknown gunmen. The police said that the gunmen forced him out of the vehicle and sprayed him with bullets before fleeing.