Footprints: Waiting for Guru Ji's Miracle

You can see it in the distance long before you actually arrive; its distinctive shape nestled majestically among fields of green. One of the most sacred sites in Sikhism, Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur is revered by Sikhs and Muslims alike. Every year in September, and then again in November, hundreds of Sikh pilgrims from around the world come here to pay their respects. The gurdwara lies on the road to Shakargarh, outside the town of Narowal. As the crow flies, it is just a few kilometres from the border with India. It’s nearly four in the afternoon; the sun is making its descent and a cool breeze blows across the plain of Kartarpur. The green fields sway in the breeze as we make our way towards the abode of Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion. An unexploded bomb that was supposedly dropped on the gurdwara in the 1965 war is mounted on a pedestal just outside the main entrance. A plaque next to the display proclaims it to be a ‘Miracle of Wahe Guru Ji’ (the Sikh word for the Supreme Being). As we walk into the main courtyard, a man offers us a plastic cap; it is disrespectful to enter with your head uncovered. We wash our feet in the water reservoir and step onto hallowed ground. There is a small group of sightseers: women and children from the nearby town, labourers from the next village and a few farmers from the adjoining fields. Inside, we see a large group of men huddled around someone wearing a turban and sporting a backpack. This is Gulzar Singh, a ‘guest’ from Brisbane, Australia. He chats affably with local men in his pidgin Punjabi and offers sweets to children. Gulzar was one of the hundreds of Sikh pilgrims who came to Pakistan for Jorr Mela, the recently-concluded celebrations to honour Guru Arjun Dev Ji, the fifth Sikh guru. Most pilgrims head to sites in Lahore, Nankana Sahib or Hassanabdal. Kartarpur is not on the pilgrim trail for this time of year. But Gulzar says he’s happy he came. “This place is quite well-kept. It could use some TLC, but under the circumstances, this is very impressive.” The circumstances he refers to date back to the time of partition. Kartarpur was originally a part of Gurdaspur, one of the controversial border towns that was said to have been awarded to Pakistan in the June 3 plan, but taken away by Cyril Radcliffe, the cartographer of partition. This arbitrarily drawn line not only distanced hundreds of thousands of Sikhs from Baba Guru Nanak for many decades to come, it also split Darbar Sahib from Dera Baba Nanak, the shrine dedicated to the first Sikh guru. Both lie on either side of the River Ravi that runs through this area. But barbed wire and fences cannot deter devotion. To cater to devotees, Indian authorities have constructed a Darshan Sathai, or look-out point, right on the border. From here, the faithful can pray, ask for absolution, seek penitence or guidance from Baba Nanak or peer at his elegant abode through binoculars. Atypically for such a key religious site, the six men charged with the shrine’s upkeep are not practising Sikhs. Anil is a Christian youth from a nearby village. He and two others are charged with keeping the shrine spotless. The gardener is a Muslim, so is the man who cooks langar every day. Food is available to visitors round the clock, no matter who they are. A quaint garden adjoins a small cottage just outside the entrance to the gurdwara. These are the quarters of the shrine’s keeper, Gobind Singh. His brother, Ramesh Singh Arora, recently made history by becoming the first Sikh member of the Punjab Assembly. Over tea and biscuits, Gobind tells us he is happy with the support the government and the Auqaf department provide for the shrine’s upkeep. But when asked about the visa-free corridor, he shrugs and says: “That is a matter for the governments to decide.” Gulzar, who has visited Sikh shrines in India before, is pleasantly surprised by this camaraderie. “There are no issues here; everyone eats together, prays together and laughs together. One can’t imagine doing this in India.” I ask him if he has been to Dera Baba Nanak. “No,” he says longingly, “but if I could just walk there right now, I would.” This is no idle boast. Sikhs on both sides of the border have been pressing for the creation of a visa-free corridor between the two shrines since 1998, which will allow pilgrims from India to walk to Baba Guru Nanak’s shrine. On Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s recent visit to New Delhi, Sikh organisation Dal Khalsa called on both leaders to talk about the issue and work something out. But so far, the issue seems to be on the backburner for both sides. “We want Kartarpur to become an international point. Opening up the border would put this place on the map. It would be a great boon for all Sikhs, not just those in India or Pakistan,” Gobind Singh says. Gulzar, the pardesi, agrees. “Both India and Pakistan should work towards a common good. Tourism, foreign investment; these are things both countries desperately need. If by some miracle Darbar Sahib is opened up, peace between the two neighbours may yet be within reach.” Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2014

‘Orderly’ evacuation turns into chaos

Anwarzeb was on his way back home taking with him kids excited to spend summer vacation in their village Paryat in Razmak. Instead, he found himself trudging the road back to Mirali and onwards to Bannu, with tired, exhausted and weary children. “We were caught in the curfew and when it was lifted we were told to turn back. We spent the night on the road with no food and no water. Our women are in the village and here we are. I don’t know how we got here.” The ‘orderly’ evacuation from the troubled North Waziristan has turned into chaos. The relaxation in curfew to allow tribesmen to leave the battle zone has caused an exodus. Even those whose areas have not been marked for the operation are leaving, mainly due to poor communication and information dissemination by the authorities. People in Razmak, Shawa and Spinwam, which are in the combat plan, are leaving. Lack of information has led to fear, compounded by long curfews and food shortages. This, say officials, has added to the workload of the processing staff and caused inordinate delays. Several dozen checkposts along the road from Mirali to Bannu slow down movement. A journey which in normal times would take an hour and fifteen minutes is now taking eight to nine hours. And there is no transport available. Quarrels at Bannu Stand among desperate tribesmen to rent a vehicle to pull out their near and dear ones from Waziristan are common scenes. Resultantly, a passenger van that would normally charge Rs7,000 for a single trip is now hard to get for Rs35,000. The exodus is visible. All of a sudden in two days, the figures of tribesmen leaving Waziristan have doubled to 140,000. The projection for North Waziristan IDPs has now been revised upward from 200,000 to 300,000. People on foot, women and children in tow, dragging their cattle and those riding motorbikes carrying luggage on their back, all trying to get out and arrange a vehicle to take out their families still stuck out there. Thursday was supposed to be the day for the people of Miramshah to leave but authorities were still grappling with those leaving the militant-infested Mirali. There is a long queue of vehicles, thousands of them, trailing for several kilometres at Saidgi checkpost waiting to be allowed to get out of North Waziristan. Thus, those stuck in Miramshah, hoping and waiting for vehicles to pick them up and evacuate still have had to spend long agonising hours in the regional headquarters with nearly no food. Worse, those leaving do not know their destination. The few lucky ones who had got out earlier have rented houses in Bannu, pushing rents up to Rs30,000. The poorest of the poor with women and children are reluctant to go to the well-guarded but desolate camp. Only five of the over 100,000 people who have fled Waziristan have gone to the tented camp. There is a run for shelter, wherever it can be found, in mosques and, if lucky, in schools. They are heading in all directions, largely to Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki and Karak – creating a huge challenge for the authorities for the disbursement of smart cards. Tragically, nowhere the groundswell of support that was witnessed during and after Operation Rah-i-Rast in Swat is visible for the new IDPs from Waziristan. There is just one relief camp set up by Al-Khidmat Foundation of the Jamaat-i-Islami and a few local individuals offering cold water and sharbat to the thirsty on the 40 kilometre stretch from Saidgi to Bannu. There is a seemingly general apathy. “You don’t see the heart-wrenching images of the children, the old and the women to arouse public support. These are the children of a lesser god,” said one senior official who has served in Waziristan. “Who cares about Gul Mohammad when you have Gullu Butt hogging the limelight?” Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2014

Zarb-i-Azb: 20 militants killed, 150,000 civilians evacuated

Zarb-i-Azb: 232 militants killed, 20 hideouts... by dawn-news BANNU: Pakistan's military gunship helicopters pounded militant targets in North Waziristan tribal region on Friday, killing up to 20 suspected rebels, as the number of civilians fleeing an expected ground offensive passed 150,000. Nearly 100,000 people have left North Waziristan tribal area, on the Afghan border, this week after the military launched a long-awaited assault against Taliban hideouts. The authorities eased a shoot-on-sight curfew on Wednesday to give civilians a chance to leave before troops began a full-blooded ground operation. A senior security official told AFP that gunship helicopters targeted militant hideouts in an early morning raid in Kutabkhel area of Miramshah, the main town of North Waziristan, killing up to 20 militants. A local intelligence official also confirmed the attack and casualties. The military offensive began last week after a bloody and dramatic attack on Karachi airport earlier during the month brought an end to months of largely fruitless government efforts to negotiate a peace deal with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Washington has long demanded action against militant hideouts in North Waziristan, which has served as a rear base for insurgents battling US-led forces in Afghanistan. The area, one of seven semi-autonomous tribal regions on the Afghan border, has been an important base for the TTP, which has killed thousands in bombings and gun attacks during its seven-year insurgency. The fighting also triggered a huge exodus of civilians from North Waziristan into Bannu, Peshawar and Kohat and across the border into Afghanistan. “Some 157,000 people have arrived in Bannu from different areas of North Waziristan,” Arshad Khan, director general of the Fata (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) Disaster Management Authority, told AFP on Friday. Registration points and camps have been set up to deal with the influx of people in Bannu, but many prefer to travel on to stay with relatives in other areas. Thousands of people including women and children were seen travelling to Bannu by foot on Friday morning.

Civilians, fleeing from a military operation in North Waziristan tribal agency, carry their belongings as they arrive in Bannu district on June 20, 2014. — Photo by AFP Women were sitting along the roadsides as vehicles and passenger vans kept moving at a snail's pace in long queues. nteractive map produced by: Sana Malik | Mahnoor Bari | Gulzar Nayani Data gathered from ISPR and Dawn

Pashto singer Gulnaz shot dead in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Pashto singer Gulnaz alias Muskan was killed in the Gulburg area of Peshawar Cantt. Police said unidentified gunmen entered the house of Gulnaz also known as Muskan and shot her dead. The family of the deceased singer said four people had come to the house and after a verbal scuffle had opened fire on Gulnaz. She was shifted to the hospital but succumbed to her injuries. The police have registered a case on a complaint by Gulnaz’s brother Sadaqat. The singer originally hails from Par Hoti area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mardan district. Police has launched an investigation into the murder. AFP has reported police station chief chief as saying that Gulnaz had married three times and had some personal enmities. However, attacks against female singers are not uncommon in KPK. A young actress suffered burn injuries in June last year when she had acid hurled at her while she was sleeping. The 18-year-old, known as Bushra and popular in the northwest for her film, television and theatre appearances, was attacked at her home in the town of Nowshera. Another popular Pakistani singer Ghazala Javed, 24, was shot dead by gunmen as she left a beauty salon in Peshawar two years ago over a dispute with her ex-husband.

Shandur polo festival starts tomorrow

CHITRAL: The three-day Shandur polo festival will be held on the scheduled date on June 20 (Friday) despite boycott of the event by the Gilgit-Baltistan team. Talking to Dawn, on Wednesday, Chitral deputy commissioner, Aminul Haq, said that the provincial government had decided to hold the event on its scheduled date keeping in view the enthusiasm of the game lovers and arrival of tourists to the venue in large numbers. Mr Haq said that the festival might be a low profile affair this year due to boycott of the Gilgit-Baltistan team, but it would still provide the level of entertainment and joy the people had been waiting for, for so long. Meanwhile, president of district polo association, Shahzada Sikandarul Mulk, dispelled the impression that the absence of GB team would render the event less interesting for the fans. “Eight teams from across the district are participating in the event, which means that the fans will have four thrilling matches to watch and be entertained,” he said. Meanwhile, the tourists have started reaching here to travel onward to the Shandur polo ground to witness the event. The administrations of a number of leading hotels in the city, including PTDC hotel, told Dawn that they almost had all their rooms booked. However, they said a fraction of tourists had cancelled their bookings over the decision of the GB government not to send its team to the event. Meanwhile, the district police claimed to have made foolproof security arrangement to ensure safety of the participants of the event. DPO Ghulam Hussain said under a special security plan, 1,200 personnel had been deployed at the venue and on the roads leading to Shandur. Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2014

Fazl, Achakzai call on PM to discuss Lahore clash, N Waziristan

ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) president Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai on Thursday made separate calls on Prime Minister Nawaz sharif and discussed the overall political situation in the country. "Maulana Fazlur Rehman had a meeting with PM Nawaz Sharif and urged him to look after internal displaced persons (IDPs) of North Waziristan (NW)", a spokesman for JUI-F Jan Achakzai told Dawn.com. The spokesman said during the meeting the situation in North Waziristan and the Lahore incident came under discussion and that Fazlur Rehman urged the PM to hold an independent inquiry into the Model Town deaths.
Nawaz sharrif Meeting by dawn-news JUI-F chief complained to the PM for the non-provision of portfolios to the party’s ministers, DawnNews added. Mehmood Khan Achakzai during his meeting with the PM also discussed the political situation and military operation in NW and assured his party's full support to tackle militancy and terrorism. Following the clash, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif also called on the PM and presented a detailed report on the issue. The PML-N leadership also summoned a high level meeting with the central leadership today to discuss the political situation in the country as well as the military operation in North Waziristan.

SC suspends IHC’s decision to halt Lucman from hosting programmes

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday suspended the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) decision to restrict the TV anchorman Mubashir Lucman from conducting any programme. A three-member bench headed by Justice Nasir Malik was hearing Mubashir Lucman’s plea against IHC’s decision. Advocate Irfan Qadri said that the decision was suspended on the basis of the fact that Lucman's point of view was not heard before the imposition of the restriction on him to conduct any programmes. The court also issued notices to the respondents including Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Geo/Jang group, Attorney general of Pakistan regarding Lucman’s case for deriding the superior judiciary. The TV anchorman had been accused to have engaged in a character assassination campaign against former chief justice of Pakistan Justice (r) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. Lucman was also alleged to have discredited Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja while he was hearing a case in relation to the conduct of a television channel. Previously, IHC had put a restriction on Lucman from conducting any programmes on the basis of a petition filed by the Lal Masjid Shuhada Foundation.

Gen Raheel meets Chief of Air Staff

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif visited Air Headquarters in Islamabad on Thursday and called on Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, according to a statement issued on the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) website. The statement added that progress of the ongoing operation 'Zarb-i-Azb' was reviewed and matters of mutual interest were discussed in the meeting. The Pakistan Army said last week it had launched a comprehensive operation against local and foreign militants in North Waziristan, sealing it off and requesting the Afghan National Army to plug possible escape routes across the border. “On the directions of the government, the Armed Forces of Pakistan have launched a comprehensive operation against foreign and local terrorists who are hiding in sanctuaries in North Waziristan. The operation has been named Zarb-i-Azb”, head of the Inter-Services Public Relations, Maj. Gen. Asim Bajwa, said in a statement. Azb was the name of the sword of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). Operation Zarb-i-Azb: Interactive map Latest: Around 30,000 soldiers involved in operation - over 200 insurgents killed.

Balochistan cabinet approves budget outlay of more than Rs215bn

QUETTA: The Balochistan cabinet on Thursday approved a budget outlay of more than 215 billion rupees for the financial year 2014-15 as compared to last year’s Rs98.395bn total outlay, according to budget documents received by Dawn. The meeting of the provincial cabinet was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch. In an effort to improve governance, the Balochistan government has also banned the purchase of luxury vehicles as well as visits of legislators and bureaucrats to foreign countries through government funds. Despite the financial constraints and backwardness of the province, the government increased the non-development expenditures from Rs154 billion to Rs164 billion. However, the government increased the funds for the public sector development programme from last year’s Rs43.913 billion to Rs50.742 billion this year. Last year’s infighting among the coalition partners over attractive portfolios caused a six-month delay in the formation of cabinet in Balochistan. The provincial government could not complete the development projects owing to delayed formation of the cabinet. “Government could not use more than Rs2 billion for development projects”, a well-placed source in the Balochistan government told Dawn. Moreover, Chief Minister Balochistan Dr Malik Baloch told Dawn.com that the funds would not lapse and a mechanism was prepared to re-use it upon completion of ongoing projects. In view of the worsening law and order situation, the Balochistan government has also increased the budget for law and order from Rs16 billion to Rs17.25 billion, the document said. Similarly, the coalition government has also decided to increase compensation for the victims of terrorism from Rs2 million to Rs4 million. The government also increased the salaries and pensions of government employees by 10 per cent. According to the budget documents, the government has given priority to education and health sector and 25 per cent funds were allocated for the education sector.

Gullu Butt overshadows budget session

ISLAMABAD: It was a day for voting on the government’s budgetary demands in the National Assembly on Wednesday but Gullu Butt of Lahore overshadowed the first part of the session. At least it seemed so for every now and then some MNA, mostly from the opposition benches, would stand up and ask the ruling PML-N to disclose the identity of Gullu Butt, the man caught on video by television channels smashing private cars during the bloody police crackdown on Allama Tahirul Qadri’s followers outside his Minhajul Quran Secretariat in Lahore the previous day. No sooner Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was finished with the formality of seeking approval of his ‘demands for grants’, three opposition woman MNAs sprang to their feet to demand the treasury benches to tell if Gullu Butt was a PML-N worker as speculated. Dr Shireen Mazari of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf, Dr Nafeesa Shah and Shazia Marri of the PPP, all in one voice raised queries about Gullu Butt, whom media have reported an office bearer of the local PML-N chapter. Dar claims he doesn’t know any Gullu or Ullu Butt Dr Nafeesa Shah was spot on when she asked the government to clear its position with regard to the Lahore incident and Gullu Butt because, “front pages of today’s newspapers show as if battlefield has shifted from North Waziristan to Lahore where police have killed people in broad daylight.” The politician from Sindh said if this was the government’s plan to beef up national internal security, then the opposition was right in demanding cuts in the budgetary allocations the government has included in the budget in the name of security. Though she wasn’t allowed time to speak, Dr Mazari of the PTI demanded a statement on Gullu Butt from the government side. Dr Mazari claimed that Mr Butt had vandalized private vehicles on the instructions of the provincial government. Ms Marri too wasn’t provided time by the speaker. She wanted a statement on Gullu Butt by some government minister. The house should be informed about the whereabouts of Gullu Butt. Sheikh Rashid of Rawalpindi equated the Lahore incident with the famous Jallianwala Bagh massacre under the British rule when British army opened fire on peaceful protesters back in 1919 in Amritsar. According to Mr Rashid this time the Punjab government had made a major crime which it wouldn’t be able to wish away. Dr Muhammad Azhar Khan Jadoon of PTI lawmaker from Abbottabad, informed the house how a child in his family surprised him with a question about Gullu Butt. “The child asked me whether as a sitting member of the National Assembly I am more powerful than Gullu Butt and frankly speaking I have no answer to his innocent querry.” If this trend continued, next generation will fantasize Gullu Butts than law-abiding citizens of the country, warned Mr Jadoon. However, in response Senator Dar angrily retorted, saying, once the Punjab government had constituted a judicial commission to investigate the incident, legislators sitting in the house should wait for its outcome. “I don’t know who is this Gullu or Ullu (owl) Butt, however, since a judicial inquiry is underway everybody should wait for its findings.” The MQM members of the National Assembly attended the session with black armbands, as the party had declared one day mourning to protest the Lahore incident. Unlike routine days, on Wednesday opposition front rows of the National Assembly were empty as main leadership of the PTI was in Lahore to show solidarity with Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT). Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2014

Gullu Butt sent on 14-day judicial remand

LAHORE: Gullu Butt, the baton-wielding man seen damaging vehicles in Lahore, was presented in a court for the second time on Thursday and was sent on a 14-day judicial remand. Butt appeared in court for the second time today under heavy police security and was sent on a 14-day judicial remand by the judicial magistrate, before who he was presented, after a request was submitted by the police. Later he was shifted to a hospital to undergo medical tests for the wounds received during the thrashing earlier during the day. Hospital authorities released Butt's medico-legal certificate according to which none of his bones were fractured. Earlier during the day, on his first appearance in court, Butt had fallen unconscious after being mobbed and assaulted in police custody by a crowd outside the court. Handcuffed Butt was on his way to be presented in court regarding the Model Town incident when the scuffle broke leaving unconscious. CCPO Lahore told Dawn that Butt had only sustained minor injuries and after provision of medical treatment had been shifted to an undisclosed location due to security concerns. Moreover, lawyers said that Butt should have been charged under anti-terror clauses and the 'bailable charges' filed against home were not acceptable. Butt, also known as Sher-i-Lahore, came into the limelight after he was caught on cameras brazenly damaging several vehicles in the presence of police, during the clash between Pakistan Awami Tehreek workers and police in Lahore's Model Town on Tuesday. Prior to the hearing, Butt was being kept at some location on Raiwind Road. According to law, he should have been locked up in Faisal Town police station. Police say he was kept at an undisclosed location for people might have attacked him in the lockup. Faisal Town Police Station In Charge Sanaullah and investigation officer Rafique denied the arrest of Butt. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had directed the inspector general of police to arrest Butt.

Operation Zarb-i-Azb requires national unity: PM Nawaz

ISLAMABAD: Under the supervision of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the leadership of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) met on Thursday to discuss the ongoing military operation 'Zarb-i-Azb' and the Lahore Model Town episode. The prime minister said that operation 'Zarb-i-Azb' requires national unity and added, "A peaceful environment in the country would benefit the soldiers fighting in the North Waziristan tribal area." He expressed confidence that militants would lose this war and added that the internally displaced persons from North Waziristan would be provided with every facility in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Meanwhile Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s briefing on the Lahore Model Town tragedy also came under discussion. The chief minister instructed the attendees not to compromise on justice. During the meeting, it was expected that the names of those responsible for carrying out orders to open fire at the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) supporters would be disclosed, but no such details emerged. However, the PML-N leadership collectively condemned the episode that resulted in the death of PAT supporters. Chief Minister Shahbaz said the provincial government would investigate the incident and those responsible for it would be brought to justice.

SC orders formation of national council for minorities' rights

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) on Thursday ordered for the constitution of a national council of minorities' rights. The function of the said council should be to monitor the practical realisation of the rights and safeguards provided to the minorities under the constitution and law, stated the decision. The council would also be mandated to frame policy recommendations for safeguarding and protecting minorities’ rights by the provincial and federal governments. The apex court also ordered the formation of a special task force to protect minorities’ worship places, saying, “Special Police Force [to] be established with professional training to protect the places of worship of minorities.” The proposed task force would devise a strategy to ensure protection of minorities’ rights. In a detailed 32-page decision, Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jilani ordered federal and provincial governments to ensure a quota of minorities in employments in all services. The order further stated that law enforcement agencies should swiftly take action on cases pertaining to the rights of minorities. “In all cases of violation of any of the rights guaranteed under the law or desecration of the places of worship of minorities, the concerned Law Enforcing Agencies should promptly take action including the registration of criminal cases against the delinquents,” said the chief justice. Lives and possessions of minorities are to be protected as per law, it said. The federal government was also ordered to take notice of negative propaganda in this regard on social media. “The federal government should take appropriate steps to ensure that hate speeches in social media are discouraged and the delinquents are brought to justice,” mentioned the decision. Know more: Offence against any religion to be dealt under blasphemy law: CJ The apex court also ruled that social and religious tolerance is needed to be taught on school and college levels. There should be no discrimination in educational institutes on religious basis. “Appropriate curricula be developed at school and college levels to promote a culture of religious and social tolerance,” said the CJ. The said rulings were made in the detailed decision on a suo moto case pertaining to the suicide bomb attack on a church in Peshawar in 2013 that had claimed 80 lives and regarding threats being given to Kalash tribe and Ismailies in Chitral.

No link between military operation and drone attacks: FO

ISLAMABAD. Pakistan on Thursday condemned recent drone strikes that took place near Miramshah in North Waziristan, and said there was no connection between the strikes and ongoing military operation. Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam in her weekly briefing said Pakistan condemned the recent incidents of US drone strikes that took place near Miramshah in North Waziristan during the early hours of Wednesday. She said there was no link of these drone attacks to the military operation in North Waziristan and that it was completely misleading and wrong to attach these strikes with the ongoing operation. The spokesperson added that Pakistan regarded such strikes a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. She also said these strikes also had a negative impact on government's efforts to bring peace and stability in Pakistan and the region. Referring to previous statements and efforts of Pakistan on the drone issue, the spokesperson said Pakistan had agitated the issue at various international fora and presented and passed a number of resolutions against drone strikes. She said a resolution, sponsored by Pakistan, was also passed by the Human Rights Council on drone strikes and that Pakistan had also taken up the issue of drone strikes with US officials at various levels to lodge its protest. In response to an other question about the military operation in North Waziristan and contact with the Afghan leadership, the spokesman said Pakistan has conveyed to the Afghan leadership that this operation was the need of the hour and to purge the area from extremist and terrorist elements. She said there was a need for better border management and parallel steps on the other side so that no terrorist could escape into Afghanistan. She said Pakistan has emphasised that there should be better management across the border this time and the Afghan government should also take adequate steps so that there could be no disturbance and interference from Afghan side in this operation. Responding to a question about asking the Canadian government to stop Dr Tahir ul Qadri to travel to Pakistan as he is Canadian citizen, the spokesperson said although there were international norms in this regard but Tahir ul Qadri was also a Pakistani citizen, therefore, this law was not applicable. Commenting on the forthcoming visit of Advisor to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz to the Russian federation, the spokesperson said he will attend a conference but he will also meet his Russian counterpart during this visit and discuss bilateral relations and regional situation. The spokesperson said Pak-Russian ties had been on a positive trajectory in the last few years and these relations in different sectors were improving. She said Sartaj Aziz will discuss with he Russian leadership to find ways and means to further improve these ties, especially in trade and economic sectors. Replying to a question on latest situation in Iraq, the spokesperson said, “We are concerned about escalation of violence in Iraq.” She said “Pakistan wants stable, peaceful and calm, not only in Iraq but also in the region.” The spokesperson said Pakistan's envoy in Baghdad had informed that all the Pakistanis living in Iraq were safe and sound as they were living away from the disturbed areas. Replying to a question, the spokesperson said there were 281 Pakistani in different prisons of China. She said 90 percent of these Pakistani prisoners were held on charges of drug and illegal trade activities while very few were in the jails on the charges of illegal entry or stay in China. On the question of any contact between Pakistan and India, the spokesperson said two sides were in contact with each other.

Taliban attack on Nato base in Afghanistan destroys 37 trucks

KABUL: Taliban suicide bombers struck Nato fuel trucks at a key border crossing in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday, setting off explosions that destroyed dozens of trucks and triggering a gunbattle with police guards that left all the attackers dead. The attack in eastern Nangarhar province, on the border with Pakistan, began early in the morning, according to a spokesman for the border police in Nangarhar, Idris Momand. Three Taliban bombers targeted a parking lot of the Nato outpost near the Torkham border crossing, a key supply route for the alliance. Momand said 37 Nato trucks were destroyed in explosions set off by the gunbattle with the guards. Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, the spokesman for the provincial governor, said two of the attackers were killed by police while one blew himself up. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said his group was behind the attack. Moreover, Nato helicopters also arrived and were targeting the attackers in the surrounding hills. Most Nato cargo shipments go through the Torkham crossing, toward Pakistan's port city of Karachi. The Taliban have intensified their spring offensive in Afghanistan in a bid to undermine the Western-backed government as foreign combat troops prepare to withdraw from the country by the end of the year. Pak-Afghan border closed The Pak-Afghan Torkham border was closed after Afghan Taliban attacked a Nato terminal on Afghan side near Torkham. The official sources say that scores of containers and oil tankers were burning after the attack but the casualties could not be confirmed right now. The Afghan authorities have completely sealed the border and the clash is continuing

Persecuted Ahmadis seek shelter in China

Beijing: Fleeing discrimination and violence, members of the Ahmadiyya community have abandoned their homes in Pakistan to find an unlikely refuge in China. “Every day I heard the sound of guns,” said a 37-year-old surnamed Saeed of his former home Lahore. “We prayed every day, because we felt something could happen to us at any time.” He is one of hundreds of people who have sought asylum in China in recent years, often from conflict and violence-stricken countries including Iraq and Somalia. The government tolerates their presence but provides almost no support, while human rights groups have, for years, condemned Beijing for deporting tens of thousands of asylum seekers who enter it to escape oppression in North Korea and Myanmar. Around 35 of the almost 500 UN-registered asylum seekers and refugees currently in China are from the Ahmadi sect. They are among the most persecuted minorities in Pakistan, which has banned them from calling themselves Muslims or going on Hajj pilgrimage. In 2010, militants stormed two Ahmadi prayer halls, killing 82 worshippers in gun and grenade attacks, before targeting a hospital where victims were being treated. Ahmadi places of worship and graveyards are regularly desecrated. Even high-achieving Ahmadis have been shunned, including physics professor Abdus Salam, Pakistan's only Nobel laureate. China is regularly condemned by the US State Department for its restrictions on religious freedom, which analysts say are key elements of the tensions it faces in Buddhist-majority Tibet and mainly Muslim Xinjiang. But Saeed, who arrived four years ago, said: “From a security point of view, China is good. “There is almost no terrorism compared to Pakistan, where there is killing and persecution of minorities every day,” he told AFP in a rented apartment in Sanhe, a city outside Beijing where clumps of high-rise apartment blocks overshadow restaurants offering donkey meat burgers. Two of his cousins were killed in the 2010 attack, he added. 'Pakistan was dangerous' The Ahmadi refugees in Sanhe said they paid middle-men up to $3,000 each for Chinese visas – more than twice the average yearly income in Pakistan. Once in China, Saeed said, “You have to do everything for yourself.” He lives off overseas family donations and added: “I don't expect anything from the Chinese. “New arrivals receive no benefits unless the UN grants them refugee status after a gruelling 18-month series of tests and even then China refuses to integrate them, denying them the right to work while they wait for acceptance from a third country, often for years. “In this kind of a situation, you can't enjoy life much,” said Saeed. But teenager Laiba Ahmad, who arrived around two years ago with her mother and several siblings, had no doubts, even though she does not have enough Chinese to attend school. “I am happy here compared with Pakistan,” she said. “Pakistan was dangerous. We could not go outside without our brothers and fathers, if you are a woman especially. “On a recent afternoon around 10 refugees gathered in Saeed's flat for an English lesson. Practising the present tense, they called out descriptions of their jobless lives. “We play football daily,” offered Ahsan Ahmad, 22, who fled Pakistan after his uncles were attacked. “We offer prayer daily,” said another student. Sensitive issues China signed up to the UN's refugee protocol in 1982, but does not have any mechanism to assess their claims, leaving it to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Its Beijing office has only eight permanent staff to cover the world's most populous country. “Sometimes I wonder how these individuals survive... the assistance we provide is barely enough,” said Francis Teoh, senior UNHCR protection officer. China adopted a revised entry-exit law last year which entitles refugees to documentation, but refugees and UNHCR said it has yet to be enforced. Rights groups have previously accused China of taking a harsh stance towards North Korean asylum seekers in order to maintain good relations with Pyongyang. Pakistan has long been an ally of China, which has fought a border war of its own with Islamabad's arch-rival India. “Refugee issues in China are tangled with some of the most politically and strategically sensitive issues in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Lili Song, visiting researcher at Northwestern University's Center for Forced Migration Studies. “There may also be concerns about attracting more asylum seekers,” she added. Saeed left earlier this week with his wife and two-year-old daughter for a leafy suburb in the US, ahead of World Refugee Day on Friday. But others wait on. Yasir Chaudry, 24, a former air-conditioning engineer who left his wife in Pakistan, shares a crumbling apartment with two other refugees who rise in the late afternoon and fill their days surfing the Internet, watching DVDs, or throwing around a frisbee held together with black masking tape. “All I have time to do is think, so I think about bad things, like how my family is not together,” he said. “I didn't want to leave my country. These problems all come into my mind.”

Suspects flee police manhunt in capital’s Bhara Kahu area

The Islamabad police in collaboration with the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) are searching for suspicious people who left Bhara Kahu when a manhunt was launched for suspected terrorists and militants hiding in the locality in November. During the last about one year, police have found that a fairly large number of terror suspects were either given shelter in the area or they lived in rented houses there. On Eidul Fitr day in August last year, a suicide bomber tried to strike a worship place in Bhara Kahu but was shot dead by a security guard. The plan to carry out the attack was prepared by a group of seven terrorists who lived in a rented house in the vicinity. Hammad Adil, another alleged terrorist, was arrested from the area along with an explosive-laden vehicle in the same month. In November, Naseeruddin Haqqani, the elder son of Haqqani network chief Jalaluddin Haqqani, was shot dead at Simly Dam Road. The Haqqani network leader was also residing in Bhara Kahu. During the search operation, the police declared residents of 1,200 houses suspicious. Now their status is being verified from their native districts. But strangely, about 500 houses in the area were vacated by tenants without informing the owners after the police launched the search operation. The police broke into some of the vacated houses and found the household articles of the tenants scattered which showed that they had left in haste. Local residents told the police that majority of the tenants who lived in these houses were males and aged between 20 and 30 years. However, families also lived in a few houses. These tenants had taken the houses on comparatively high rents. They were either students or worked in private companies, the residents said, adding the tenants rarely interacted with others. Besides, most of their visitors came at night. The police have so far collected details about 12,426 houses in the locality. The residents of 1,200 houses were found to be religious extremists, having soft corner for militants or hosted suspicious people from the tribal areas. A police officer said the national identity cards of the inmates who left the area during the last two months had been collected from the owners of the houses and were being sent to Nadra for verification. The CNICs showed that they hailed from Waziristan, Wana, Swat, Hangu, Dir, Parachinar, Orakzai Agency, Kohat and Kuram Agency. Some Afghan nationals were also residing in the area though they did not possess special cards issued by the National Aliens Registration Authority. After verifying the status of the identity cards, the Islamabad police would approach their counterparts in other districts to collect details about these people. Adnan Abbasi, a property dealer in Bhara Kahu, said owners preferred to rent out their houses to settlers because they paid high rents. Raja Akram, another property dealer, said some CNICs submitted by the tenants to the house owners were recently found to be fake by the police. He said the owner of a house at Simly Dam Road complained that the family residing in his house had left without informing him though they had paid the rent in advance. A resident of Athal Chowk added that a couple hired his house on rent promising that a small family would live in it. However, later it was observed that only males were living in the house.

Taliban bombing kills two military officers near Rawalpindi

RAWALPINDI: Two military officers were among five people killed Wednesday when a Pakistani Taliban suicide bomber hit their twin cabin vehicle on Fateh Jang road near Rawalpindi, Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Asim Bajwa said. Zahir Shah and Arshad, both Lieutenant-Colonels were killed in the blast, Bajwa said on micro-blogging website Twitter. Three civilians also died in the attack. The attack was carried out when the officers were on their way to a military installation near Fateh Jang at 9: 20 am, military sources told Dawn. Initial reports said the blast was carried out by a suicide bomber. Military helicopters were called in at the spot soon after the attack to move the dead and injured to a hospital. Meanwhile, other helicopters were called in to carry out a search operation in the area. The area had been cordoned off by security forces personnel and evidence was being collected from the location. A spokesman for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack. TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said the suicide bombing near Fateh Jang was carried out by TTP attackers to protest "the killing of seven TTP activists in Karachi" and "the killing of Taliban prisoners in jail". The bombing which comes in the wake of military action and airstrikes in the North Waziristan tribal region. The attack is also likely to cast another blow to the currently hampered peace process with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The two parties had even managed to agree on a ceasefire which lasted for 40 days but wasn’t renewed in the wake of bomb blasts in parts of the country.

Targeted operation to be launched by Rangers, police in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to carry out a ‘targeted operation’ in the capital to eliminate terrorist elements, DawnNews reported. To wipe out sleeper cells of terrorists following the commencement of a military operation in North Waziristan, a door-to-door search operation is expected to be launched in Islamabad which will act on intelligence reports. Rangers and police personnel would conduct the targeted operation, however, troops of the Pakistan army would remain on standby for their support. The operation would be initiated from the suburbs of the federal capital. According to sources, there were intelligence reports that militants have some strong connections in Turnol and Bhara Kahu areas, adjacent to the capital city. Earlier this month, two Lieutenant-Colonels were killed in a suicide blast in the Turnol area near Fatah Jhang. Similarly, during a search operation previous year, the police declared residents of 1,200 houses suspicious in the Bhara Kahu area. The initial focus of the targeted operation would be Bhara Kahu and Turnol suburbs of the capital, however operation would encompass entire Islamabad city.

Zarb-i-Azb operation: 23 militants killed in fresh strikes

ISLAMABAD: At least 23 more suspected militants were killed in the ongoing Zarb-i-Azb operation launched by the Pakistan Army in North Waziristan tribal region, according to a statement issued by the Inter Services Public relations (ISPR) on its website. At least 15 suspected militants were killed in Zartatangi mountain heights, east of Miramshah are in North Waziristan tribal region late on Wednesday when one of the main suspected communication centers of militants was targeted by Cobra gunship helicopters of the Pakistan Army. Meanwhile, eight Uzbek militants who were planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on Miramshah-Mirali road were also killed near Miramshah by military snipers. Security forces were also cordoning off residential areas sheltering suspected militants in North Wazirstan tribal region. The military also claimed that several attempts by militants to flee from the cordoned off areas were foiled. The ISPR statement further said that the evacuation of civil population from Miramshah and Ghulam Khan areas of the region had begun today, adding that check points had been established at various places where internally displaced persons IDPs were being provided all administrative support incl food items and medicine by security forces. Moreover, an IDP camp was established at Bannu while the number of registration points at Saidgai post were increased to 20, including 10 for men and women, for speedy and organised evacuation. The army launched its long-awaited major operation 'Zarb-i-Azb' in the tribal region a week after an attack on the airport in Karachi, deploying troops, tanks and jets to the area in the crackdown on the Taliban and other militants. Operation Zarb-i-Azb: Interactive map Latest: Around 30,000 soldiers involved in operation - over 200 insurgents killed.

Bilateral ties with India on the basis of mutual trust: Sartaj

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said that Pakistan looks forward to opening a new chapter in its bilateral relations with India based upon mutual trust and cooperation. "This would entail a fresh and constructive approach towards resolving all our outstanding issues, including the Kashmir dispute," the foreign office spokesperson quoted Sartaj Aziz who had addressed an OIC contact group on Kashmir held in Jeddah. "It is important to remind ourselves, that despite decades of suffering and suppression by India, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have not given up their hope or struggle. The draconian laws put in place by the Indian government have not been able to extinguish the flame of self-determination in the people of Jammu and Kashmir," Aziz told the meeting. On the status of elections held in Indian-occupied Kashmir, Aziz said as in the past, once again, India conducted elections in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, in its efforts to convince the international community that the Kashmiris are participating in the political process. "However, the fact that the voter turnout was a mere 15 per cent in the valley is conveniently sidelined by the Indian media. An overwhelming majority of the Kashmiris in effect, rejected these elections and Pakistan maintains that elections are no substitute for a free and impartial plebiscite held under the UN auspices," Aziz said. He called upon on the international community to come forward to redeem its promise to the people of Kashmir. "Pakistan is committed to finding a just and peaceful resolution to the issue of Jammu and Kashmir on the basis of the UN Security Council resolutions and in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people. We will continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support to the people of Kashmir," Aziz said. "Pakistan, therefore, stands ready to discuss all issues between our two counties, in a spirit of cooperation and sincerity, including the issues of Jammu and Kashmir," Aziz concluded.

Sri Lanka police arrest 49 over religious riots

ALUTGAMA: Sri Lanka's police arrested 49 people overnight over deadly anti-Muslim riots in a tourist region where Buddhist hardliners have set shops and homes ablaze, a senior officer said Wednesday. Both Buddhists and Muslims were arrested during a police crackdown in the southern resort towns, where two nights of violence have left four people dead, the officer said. “We have already arrested 49 and remanded 25 of them and further arrests will take place today,” Sri Lanka police spokesman Ajith Rohana told AFP. A curfew was also lifted in the mainly-Muslim towns of Beruwala and Alutgama, where followers of the extremist Buddhist Force, or BBS, went on the rampage on Sunday and Monday nights. Hundreds of troops have been deployed to help police contain the violence, which erupted after a BBS mob marched in Alutgama on Sunday, with clashes breaking out as it claimed its procession was stoned by Muslims. Residents have said authorities did little to stop the violence, which saw dozens of shops and homes torched by mobs armed with guns, petrol bombs and knives. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, one of the world's top Islamic bodies, urged authorities to investigate the violence and take action against those responsible. OIC Secretary General Iyad Madani said he hoped “every possible effort would be exerted by the Sri Lankan authorities to prevent a further escalation of violence”. “While appealing for calm and peaceful relations between the communities, Mr Madani urged the authorities to enforce the rule of law, investigate the incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice,” an OIC statement said. The attacks are the latest in a series of religious clashes to hit the island following unrest in January and last year, when Buddhist mobs attacked a mosque in the capital Colombo. Muslims make up about 10 per cent of the 20 million population, but are accused by nationalists of having undue influence in the Buddhist-majority country. The United States has led international condemnation of the violence, while Western embassies in Colombo have advised their nationals holidaying in the area to stay indoors.

Tribunal to determine those responsible for Lahore tragedy: PM

ISLAMBAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, while expressing grief and sorrow over the Lahore tragedy, assured that legal action would be taken in the light of the Lahore High Court’s tribunal findings against those responsible for this incident. "Tribunal under a high court judge has already been set up to determine those responsible for the incident," Sharif said in a statement issued from Dushanbe where he is on a two-day state visit. However, the premier also warned that no one would be allowed to put the internal security and peace of the country at stake. He said those responsible for the loss of precious lives could not escape punishment and added that no one could disrupt the law and order situation of the country. "Pakistan is, at present, fighting two wars. On one hand, our armed forces are fighting the menace of terrorism and on the other hand, we are putting the collapsed economy back on track," PM Sharif said. Members of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) were among the seven people killed during a clash between PAT protesters and policemen in Lahore on Tuesday. HRW urges inquiry into Lahore incident Pakistan should launch a judicial inquiry into police shootings of protesters in Lahore fully and impartially and investigate the possible unnecessary use of lethal force, Human Rights Watch said. Brad Adam, Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, said that Pakistani authorities needed to explain why police officers found it necessary to fire live ammunition directly into a crowd of protesters throwing rocks. “There are a lot of dead and wounded people in Lahore today, and no clear reason why.” “Pakistan’s security forces have a history of using excessive force against civilians with impunity,” Adams said. “A transparent and impartial investigation into the Lahore shootings is necessary to prevent even greater distrust of the security forces.”

Gunmen kill 7 of a family in Hangu

PESHAWAR: Two women were among seven Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) killed in Hangu when unidentified gunmen opened fire on them Wednesday. According to police, unidentified men trespassed into a house and killed the seven people. One woman was said to be injured. The victims were IDPs of the Ali Khel tribe in Orakzai Agency. The First Information Report (FIR) of the incident stated that the incident could be of sectarian nature. Ali Khel is a mixed Shia-Sunni tribe and its members are scattered across the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. It is also a pro-government and anti-Taliban tribe whose members have been targeted by militant groups in the past. Fleeing IDPs As military planes continued to attack suspected militant hideouts in North Waziristan, evacuation of thousands of civilians from affected areas has become a major challenge for the government. A handout issued in Peshawar said that the district administration would make school buildings of the Elementary & Secondary Education Department in Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Tank, Karak and Hangu districts available for accommodating IDPs from areas affected by the military operation.

21 dead in Nigeria football viewing centre blast: hospital source

KANO: At least 21 people were killed when an explosion ripped through a viewing centre showing World Cup football in Damaturu, northern Nigeria, a medical source told AFP on Wednesday. “We received 21 dead bodies and 27 injured victims from the blast,” the source at the Sani Abacha Specialist Hospital after the explosion in the Nayi-Nama area of the city on Tuesday night. Local residents said the bomb appeared to have been hidden in a motorised rickshaw outside the venue, where crowds had gathered to watch tournament hosts Brazil play Mexico on large screens.

Musharraf's name on ECL: SC fixes June 23 to hear govt challenge

ISLAMABAD: A five judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Nasirul Mulk, is scheduled to hear on June 23 the government’s plea challenging the Sindh High Court's ruling which ordered the removal of Pervez Musharraf's name from the exit control list (ECL). Earlier today, the apex court disposed of a government request calling for an early hearing of the plea filed against the SHC’s decision. A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Tasadduq Hussain Jillani, heard the request calling for an early disposal of the challenge against the lifting of travel restrictions on Musharraf. The bench fixed the hearing of the challenge for June 23 and disposed of the second plea for an early hearing saying no further discussion was needed on the subject. Last week, the SHC had struck down the travel restrictions on Musharraf and had said that the ex-army strongman will have to wait for two weeks to find out if he could actually travel abroad. The high court had suspended the operation of its judgment for 15 days enabling the federation to file an appeal in the Supreme Court. Special court records interior secretary’s testimony The special court constituted to try Musharraf for treason recorded the testimony of Interior Secretary Shahid Khan on Wednesday. The three-judge special court, headed by Justice Faisal Arab of the Sindh High Court, has been hearing the treason case against the former army strongman. Khan told the court that he had been instructed by the federal government on June 26, 2013 to register the case against the former president. He added that the case was registered following investigations carried out by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The interior secretary said that five charges were levelled in the case in light of the FIA’s investigation. The special court had directed Khan to produce the original letter from the Prime Minister House in this regard which the interior secretary failed to do, saying the letter may be in possession of the Supreme Court. Subsequently, the court adjourned the hearing to June 24.

First US executions carried out since botched lethal injection

WASHINGTON: US states overnight Tuesday carried out the first two executions since a botched lethal injection in Oklahoma in April, after last minute appeals were denied. One execution was in Georgia and the other in Missouri. Both were also by lethal injection. In the first of them, Marcus Wellons, 58, convicted of the 1989 kidnapping, rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl, was put to death shortly before midnight in the southern state of Georgia, a spokesman for the prison system said. In the second case, John Winfield, 43, convicted of killing two women, was executed in the central state of Missouri, state prison system spokesman Mike O'Connell said. They were the first since the botched April 29 execution in Oklahoma. A third execution was also scheduled for 6:00pm (2200 GMT) Wednesday in the southern state of Florida. US states using the death penalty have faced crises over shortages of lethal injection drugs after European suppliers stopped supplying pentobarbital for use in executions. The shortages have prompted prison departments in the 32 states that still allow the death penalty to seek new supply sources or new drug protocols. In Oklahoma in April, Clayton Lockett, a convicted killer and rapist, was put to death by lethal injection in a process that took 43 minutes, well over the expected time of a little over 10 minutes. He was seen writhing in pain in a spectacle that drew widespread condemnation, even from President Barack Obama. Since then each execution slated to take place had been delayed as states reviewed their execution procedures.

Gen Raheel meets Afghan ambassador at GHQ

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan Janan Mosazai, held a meeting with Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif at General Headquarters, on Wednesday. "During the meeting, ongoing operation in North Waziristan Agency and matters of mutual interest including measures to improve security along Pakistan – Afghanistan border, were discussed," a short statement issued from Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. During the meeting General Raheel took up the matter of cross border terrorism at Pak-Afghan border. He also asked Afghan defence authorities to destroy Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts in Afghanistan's Kunar and Nuristan provinces where fleeing Taliban militants from Pakistan and getting shelter and support and carry out attacks on Pakistan border areas. Sources said this is the first diplomatic contact by Pakistan Army with Afghanistan since formal military operation in North Waziristan tribal region was launched on Sunday. Afghan ambassador assured that Afghanistan would extend full cooperation to Pakistan in its ongoing operation against militants in NW region and that the message to destroy the hideouts would be conveyed to top Afghan defence authorities.

Militants lay siege to Iraq's largest oil refinery

BAGHDAD: Militants laid siege to Iraq's largest oil refinery Wednesday, threatening a facility key to the country's domestic supplies as part of their ongoing lightning offensive across the country, a top security official said. He said fighters of the al Qaeda-inspired Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant began their attack on the Beiji refinery, some 250 kilometers north of the capital, Baghdad, late Tuesday night. The attack continued into Wednesday morning, with fighters targeting it with mortar shells. A small fire started on the facility periphery, he said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to journalists. The Beiji refinery accounts for a little more than a quarter of the country's entire refining capacity, all of which goes toward domestic consumption for things like gasoline, cooking oil and fuel for power stations. At the height of the insurgency from 2004 to late 2007, the Beiji refinery was under the control of Sunni militants who used to siphon off crude and petroleum products to finance their operations. Any lengthy outage at Beiji risks long lines at the gas pump and electricity shortages, adding to the chaos already facing Iraq. Farther north in the city of Tal Afar, fighting raged Wednesday between government troops and Islamic State fighters who captured the city on Monday, chief military spokesman Lt Gen Qassim al-Moussawi told The Associated Press. He had no other details, but state television late on Tuesday aired footage of army troops and armed volunteers disembarking from a transport C-130 aircraft at an airstrip near Ta Afar. Tal Afar is close to the Syria border and its capture strengthens the Islamic State's plan to carve out an “Islamic emirate” that covers territory on both sides of the territory. The Sunni militants of the Islamic State have vowed to march to Baghdad and the Shia holy cities of Karbala and Najaf in the worst threat to Iraq's stability since US troops left. The three cities are home to some of the most revered Shia shrines. The Islamic State also has tried to capture Samarra north of Baghdad, home to another major Shia shrine. Some 275 armed American forces are being positioned in and around Iraq to help secure US assets as President Barack Obama considers an array of options for combating the Islamic militants, including airstrikes or a contingent of special forces. The White House has continued to emphasise that any military engagement remains contingent on the government in Baghdad enacting political reforms and ending sectarian tensions, which had been on the rise even before the Islamic State's incursion last week, with thousands killed since late last year. Republicans have been critical of Obama's handling of Iraq, but Congress remains deeply divided over what steps the US can take militarily. Even lawmakers who voted in 2002 to give President George W Bush the authority to use military force to oust Saddam Hussein have expressed doubts about the effectiveness of drone airstrikes and worry about Americans returning to the fight in a country split by sectarian violence. “Where will it lead and will that be the beginning or the end?” Sen Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said, when asked about possible US airstrikes. “We don't know that. This underlying conflict has been going on 1,500 years between the Shias and the Sunnis and their allies. And I think whatever we do, it's not going to go away. “ During the United States' eight-year presence in Iraq, American forces acted as a buffer between the two Islamic sects, albeit with limited success. But US forces fully withdrew at the end of 2011 when Washington and Baghdad could not reach an agreement to extend the American military presence there. Iraq has the world's fifth-largest known crude oil reserves, with an estimated 143 billion barrels, according to the US Energy Information Administration. It produced some 2.58 million barrels of oil day in May, according to the Oil Ministry. The price of oil eased slightly Tuesday after the US said it was deploying a small group of troops to Iraq, which helped soothe fears somewhat over the prospect of disruption to crude supplies. The attack on Beiji likely will affect trading Wednesday. Iran vows to defend Shia Holy sites in Iraq Iran's president vowed on Wednesday to defend Shi'ite holy sites in Iraq. Speaking on live television to a crowd, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani made the clearest declaration yet that Tehran was prepared to mobilise. “Regarding the holy Shia shines in Karbala, Najaf, Kadhimiya and Samarra, we announce to the killers and terrorists that the big Iranian nation will not hesitate to protect holy shrines,” he said. He said many people had signed up to go to Iraq to fight, although he also emphasised that Iraqis were prepared to defend themselves: “Thanks be to God, I'll tell the dear people of Iran that veterans and various forces - Sunnis Shias and Kurds all over Iraq - are ready for sacrifice.” Millions of Shia pilgrims visit Iraq's holy sites each year. Iraqi government forces are holding out against Sunni fighters in the city of Samarra north of Baghdad, site of one of the most important Shia shrines. The Sunni fighters have vowed to carry their offensive south to Najaf and Kerbala, seats of Shia Islam since the Middle Ages. Situation in Iraq shows signs of 'civil war': Saudi foreign minister Saudi foreign minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said on Wednesday that the deteriorating security situation in Iraq shows signs of a “civil war”. “This grave situation that is storming Iraq carries with it the signs of civil war whose implications for the region we cannot fathom,” he told a gathering of Arab and Muslim leaders in Jeddah. The advance of Al Qaeda-linked militants stunned the Shi'ite-led government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki last week, whose forces quit several northern Iraqi towns.

Karzai says Afghanistan will not be a repeat of Iraq

KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai has dismissed suggestions that his country could descend into the same chaos as Iraq when US-led troops pull out and leave the national police and army to impose security. Both countries have been at the centre of US wars, and are plagued by insurgencies fighting against local security forces trained by the American military. The seizure of several major cities by jihadist rebels has taken the Iraqi government by surprise and alarmed the international community, leading to fears that Afghanistan could one day face the same fate. “Never, not all,” Karzai told the BBC when asked whether what was happening in Iraq could happen in Afghanistan. In an interview released on Wednesday, he said the Al Qaeda militant group no longer had a presence in Afghanistan. Karzai will soon step down, ending his rule, which began in 2001 when a US-led invasion ousted the Taliban regime for sheltering Al Qaeda leaders behind the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. The Nato combat mission in Afghanistan will end in December after 13 years of fighting the Taliban insurgency. The next president will be under pressure to open talks to bring peace, and Karzai said he was in daily communication with the Taliban. “There is even an exchange of letters, meetings, and desire for peace,” he said. Both candidates to succeed Karzai have vowed to sign an agreement to keep some US troops in the country after this year — in contrast to a similar deal that broke down in Iraq, leading to a complete US troop withdrawal. But Washington recently said only 10,000 US troops would remain next year and all would be pulled out by the end of 2016.

Overloaded boat sinks off Malaysia, 34 Indonesians missing, three dead

KUALA LANGAT: An overloaded boat carrying suspected illegal Indonesian immigrants sank as it left Malaysia's west coast early on Wednesday, and at least three passengers drowned and 34 were missing. The boat, whose passengers included women and children, sank at the mouth of a river shortly after midnight as it left Malaysia's Carey Island, likely bound for Indonesia's Sumatra island, officials and witnesses said. Police said the boat lacked safety equipment such as life jackets, but that rescuers were still holding out hope of finding more survivors. The boat went down in shallow water close to shore. “It is likely that survivors could have swum ashore and went into hiding since they have no legal documents here,” said Mohammed Hambali Yaakup, head of operations in the area for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA). Hambali said he could not confirm reports that a people-smuggling gang had been involved with the boat. All 60 survivors have been arrested under immigration laws, he said. Malaysia, one of Southeast Asia's wealthier economies, has long been a magnet for illegal immigrants from Indonesia and other poorer countries in the region. Many undocumented Indonesians work in Malaysia's extensive oil palm plantations, a mainstay of its economy. “This was an illegal boat and all the passengers were Indonesian,” Mohamad Zuri, another MMEA official told Reuters. Police said two bodies had been recovered. A Reuters reporter saw three bodies — two on the deck of a rescue boat and another washed up on shore. Rescuers were scouring the area for survivors and had deployed a helicopter, one large ship and eight smaller boats in the operation, officials said. Despite periodic crackdowns on illegal workers, Malaysia is home to an estimated two million undocumented immigrants or about seven per cent of its 29 million population. The question of migrant workers has long been a touchy issue in Indonesia. Both candidates in a July 9 Indonesian presidential race have said that Indonesian workers overseas, often doing menial labour, need better protection.

UK envoy assures support to Pakistan in countering extremism

ISLAMABAD: The British High Commissioner to Pakistan Philip Barton assured Britain’s full cooperation in countering extremism and terrorism from Pakistan during a meeting with Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid on Wednesday. The two discussed ways to counter the problem of extremism by using various tools, including mass media, sources told Dawn. Pakistan has sacrificed a lot in the war against terror and it must be duly recognised by the international community, said the information minister. Regarding the ongoing military operation against foreign and local militants in North Waziristan, Rashid informed the British envoy that the operation was supported by all democratic forces in the country. The minister said Pakistan's valiant security forces were highly capable of defeating terrorists operating in the tribal areas, adding that there was also a need to counter the extremist narrative by educating people. Barton assured the UK's full support in countering the extremist narrative and said the media could be used for the purpose of educating people at grass root level.

Sussex paceman Naveed Arif gets life ban

LONDON: Former Sussex and Pakistan A bowler Naveed Arif was banned from cricket for life on Wednesday after being found guilty of match-fixing. Arif pleaded guilty to six breaches of the English Cricket Board (ECB)'s anti corruption code in connection with a 40-over fixture between Sussex and Kent in August 2011. The ECB banned the 32-year-old Arif from playing, coaching or participating in any form of cricket which is recognized or sanctioned by the ECB, the ICC or any other national cricket federation. “Today's announcement sends out a very clear message that the ECB has a zero-tolerance approach to corruption in cricket and that it will root out and punish those who pose a threat to the game's integrity,” ECB chief executive David Collier said. Arif, a left-arm seamer, joined Sussex in 2011 and spent two seasons with the south coast county. He expressed his regret and apologised for his actions in a statement through his lawyers. “Mr Arif regrets his conduct which has let himself, his teammates, Sussex County Cricket Club and the cricket fraternity down,” the statement said. “He is deeply ashamed of his actions and, consequently, bringing the game of cricket into disrepute. These actions were unacceptable and Mr Arif has no excuses." According to ESPN cricinfo, Arif has played for the Gujranwala Cricket Association, Sialkot, Sialkot Stallions and Sussex. Pakistani cricket chiefs last month publicly disowned Naveed Arif, who was then suspended by the England and Wales Cricket Board on charges of match-fixing. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) head Najam Sethi said they had “no relations” with Arif, who was chargedwith six offences relating to a 40-over game between Sussex and Kent in August 2011.

Opposition stages walkout from NA over attack on MQM lawmaker

ISLAMBAD: Members of opposition parties on Wednesday staged a walkout from the National Assembly against the firing incident in Lahore during which Tahira Asif a Member of National Assembly belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was injured today. The Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), a coalition party of the PML-N led government, had also joined the oppositions walkout from the National Assembly. Condemning the firing incident, the Leader of the Opposition Syed Khurshid Shah belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said that it was difficult to understand that unknown persons opened fire on a female parliamentarian of the MQM in Iqbal Town who was visiting Lahore to condole the death of PAT workers. MQM MNA Asif Hasnain said that the condition female parliamentarian of his party was critical as a significant amount of blood had bled from the gunshot wounds. The incident was a targeted attack while the police officials were claiming that it was happened due to the robbery incident, according to Hasnain. Awami Muslim League (AML) leader Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said that some hidden hands were trying to create difficulties for the government. He further alleged that the police officials were trying to change the medical reports of yesterday’s incident of Lahore. “It was first time in my political history that the present government killed women in Lahore,” he alleged. Rasheed also demanded of the women rights organisations to come out for the protests against the killings of women in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) tenure. Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar said that the incident appeared to be a pre-planned scheme against democracy in the country. He said that around eight people lost their lives in firing incident while unknown persons opened fire on a women parliamentarian today in Lahore and such incidents should be condemned at all levels. “We should seriously think about the ongoing incidents which could be dangerous for the democracy in Pakistan,” the federal finance minister added. Dar said that he also discussed the details of the incident with the secretary of the Punjab Chief Minister and that he was informing the National Assembly after receiving the report in this regard. Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq said that he was in contact with the hospital administration and the police officials regarding the incident of firing on the MQM legislator.

At least 41 devotees die at Sehwan Urs during past four days

DADU: At least 41 devotees died at various places of Sehwan Sharif due to heat stroke and other reasons during the past four days while many others also fell unconscious in the extreme weather. The mercury rose to 50 degree Celsius in Sehwan Town and its surrounding areas on Wednesday killing at least 16 devotees due to heatstroke at various places on the eve of second day of 762nd annual Urs of Suifi saint of Hazrat Qalandar lal Shahbaz. Moreover, the bodies of six persons, aged between 30 to 65 years, who who had died of heatstroke were found by Edhi volunteers and were not identified. In another incident, two more devotees drowned at Sapna lake. At least nine devotees died of heat stroke and two more had drowned in water of Indus River on Tuesday, the first day of annual Urs celebration of Hazrat Qalandar Lal Shahbaz. The bodies of the deceased were brought at Taluka Hospital Sehwan by volunteers and social activists. A day before starting annual urs of lal Shahbaz on Monday, five devotees had died of the extreme heat in various areas of Sehwan while three dead bodies of unidentified devotees also were found by Edhi volunteers. The bodies were shifted to Taluka Hospital Sehwan Sharif. Two days before starting of annual Urs of lal Shahbaz on Sunday, three persons had lost their lives to the excruciating heat in the region. Chairman mela (festival) committee, who is DC Dadu, Sohail Adeeb Bachani said that a site was proposed for burial of dead bodies of unknown devotees of lal Shahbaz, those died in heatstroke and other reasons. He said that the local Edhi center with help of police had buried three bodies and the process of burying more people was underway. An official of Edhi center Sehwan Ghulam Shabbir said that the bodies of devotes who had been identified were sent to their native homes whereas the dead bodies of unidentified persons were lying at Edhi center Sehwan and Taluka Hospital Sehwan.

Lahore clash: Who caused the bloodshed?

LAHORE: Who ordered the firing on the supporters of Dr Tahirul Qadri in Model Town? As the question was repeatedly asked on Tuesday, there was no straight answer from the police. No immediate action against policemen leading the operation suggests that the ‘top man’ of the province might have given the ‘go-ahead’. Senior police officers associated with the anti-encroachment operation in and around Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) chairman Tahirl Qadri’s residence and near-by Minahjul Quran Secretariat adopted a defensive strategy. They put the entire blame on the PAT activists for resisting the drive and attacking policemen. Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Chaudhry Shafique Ahmad told reporters at the Central Police Office that police remained defensive for several hours against PAT activists. The incident came at a time when its chairman had already announced his June 23 Pakistan visit for a series of demonstrations countrywide. This made it easy for PAT workers to project the raid as politically-motivated. However, the police officers leading the operation denied any pre-planned move against the PAT. They claimed they were assisting City District Government of Lahore (CDGL) officials in removing barriers from roads leading to the PAT premises. The anti-encroachment action in this case came at an odd moment, at midnight contrary to the routine morning raids. The CDGL staff was accompanied by the police in large numbers which was also unusual. Interestingly, in this instance not even a single police official was immediately held responsible for mishandling and criminal negligence. This is contrary to the past practices when the chief minister had ordered summery suspension of officers accused of negligence or excess. According to a neighbour, he had been seeing barriers and bunkers outside two PAT places for the last three years or so. He said policemen were also routinely seen guarding barriers. A police source, who was present at the crime scene, told this reporter that PAT activists first pelted CDGL and police officials with stones to resist the removal of barriers and then some gunshots fired in air by PAT activists present in bunkers forced the policemen to run away. He claimed later on the directive of a senior police officer, police began straight fire on PAT workers. The source added some seven or eight divisional SPs were also seen commanding the force with divided strategy as some put focus on straight fire and others insisted dispersing activists through other means. The CCPO, now made OSD, claimed that they held two negotiations round with the chief security officer of Minahjul Quran Institute in the morning, asking him to remove hurdles on their own. PAT activists deployed at roofs and bunkers again started firing at police and CDGL officials. He claimed activists also used patrol bombs against police, but police kept showing patience. He said police resorted to baton charge and used shelling which helped CDGL officials to remove hurdles. Mr Ahmad, who initially claimed that killings might be the result of firing by PAT activists, later said he could not determine at this point who killed who, adding the judicial inquiry and police investigation would fix the responsibility. Inspector General Mushtaq Sukhera said a three-member departmental committee had been constituted to determine criminality of any police official. Faisal Town police lodged a case against seven nominated people, including general-secretary Khurram Nawaz Gandapur and Sheikh Fayyaz and CSO Altaf Shah, eight unidentified gunmen and hundreds of unidentified workers. The case was lodged under Sections 302/34, 324, 353, 148,149, 290, 291 of Pakistan Penal Code and 7-Anti Terrorism Act. Responding to a question as to why a case was not lodged against police, the IG said police would also take action on receiving application from aggrieved families of PAT. Police took 53 PAT activists into custody during clash and claimed to have seized two Kalashnikovs, three pistols and 33 empty shells from the crime scene. Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2014

Twitter restores access to 'blasphemous' content in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Twitter has restored access inside Pakistan to dozens of tweets and accounts, after blocking them last month following official complaints about “blasphemous” content, in a move hailed by free speech activists. The microblogging site said it had changed its May 18 decision — to restrict access to the material from within Pakistan in order to comply with local laws — after the government failed to provide sufficient clarification. “On May 18, 2014, we made an initial decision to withhold content in Pakistan based on information provided to us by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority,” the Internet company said in a statement posted on the Chilling Effects Clearinghouse website. “We have re-examined the requests and, in the absence of additional clarifying information from Pakistani authorities, have determined that restoration of the previously withheld content is warranted. The content is now available again in Pakistan. “Chilling Effects is a collaboration between several US law schools which monitors attempts to suppress online content. Twitter works in partnership with the site to publicise requests to withhold its content. Most of the offending material concerned anti-Islam accounts, but the accounts of three US porn stars were also listed. Sana Saleem, a co-founder of the Bolo Bhi non-profit group that advocates free speech, said: “We're very glad Twitter has reversed its decision and not gone the Facebook route. “There was significant pressure and so we're very happy. We've also been talking with them.“ Facebook earlier this month blocked the popular page of a liberal Pakistani band Laal at the request of the government, angering activists campaigning against censorship. Days later it reversed its decision. Saleem and other organisations have questioned whether the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has the constitutional authority to forward such requests to foreign Internet companies, and have called for greater judicial oversight. She added that the process was open to abuse and was used to suppress political criticism. “We have an extremely weak legal framework and it's used to limit dissent, or things like blocking Wikipedia pages on breast cancer. “

MQM female MNA shot, injured in Lahore

LAHORE: A Member of National Assembly belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Tahira Asif, was shot and injured on Wednesday in Lahore, DawnNews reported. The lawmaker was rushed to Shaikh Zayed Hospital from where doctors had initially said that the condition of the female lawmaker was critical as a significant amount of blood had bled from the gunshot wounds. Tahira Asif is reportedly out of danger now as the surgery she went under is completed and will be moved to a post-surgery ward soon. SP Iqbal Town added that Asif had received two bullet wounds. Other eyewitnesses claimed that the MNA was wounded while resisting a robbery attempt. Meanwhile, MQM chief Altaf Hussain issued a condemnation statement against the incident and appealed to the public to pray for the well being of the injured MNA. He also claimed that the attack on the MQM lawmaker had taken place according to a planned conspiracy and said that police was trying to portray the incident as a mugging attempt. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif taking notice of the incident and sought a report Inspector General of Punjab police. Moreover, Provincial Information Minister of Sindh Sharjeel Inam Memon also issued a condemnation message against the incident.

Shahbaz takes notice of reports alleging 'police tampering'

LAHORE. Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif took notice of media reports alleging that police officials are trying to exert pressure on medical officers responsible for compiling reports of those injured in the violent clash between Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers and police in Lahore, Dawn News reported on Wednesday. DawnNews quoted relatives of the wounded as saying that officials from Punjab police were caught putting pressure on medical superintendents at Jinnah hospital to alter the reports being compiled regarding the severity of their injuries. The police said they were at the hospital to inquire about the well-being of the patients, not to manipulate medical reports. Members of the PAT were among the seven people killed during a clash between PAT protesters and policemen in Lahore on Tuesday. Following the police attack on the workers of PAT and Tehreek Minhajul Quran (TMQ), the party activists in Rawalpindi and Islamabad took to the streets to protest the killings. In a press conference after the violent clash, Shahbaz Sharif said he will resign if found responsible for the deaths.