SECURITY
Seven-Hour Gun Battle Leaves Four Jandullah Militants Dead
Karachi: Rangers carried out a raid on a residential building in the Urdu Bazaar area, which turned into a deadly gun battle and came to an end by midnight, leaving four suspected militants allegedly belonging to the banned outfit Jandullah, including a couple, dead. The crossfire also killed an infant believed to be the couple`s daughter. Dawn, The News, The Express Tribune
Alleged Militant Held in Larkana
Larkana: A militant was picked up from Shaikh Zayed Hospital turning in Larkana in action carried out after secret information about his presence there. He hailed from Rajanpur (south Punjab) and has remained associated with different proscribed organisations, including Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ), and the notorious Chhotu gang. The suspect had received training in Afghanistan. Dawn, The News
Alleged Militant Held in Kashmore
Kashmore: An alleged militant identified as Abid Shah was picked up in an action in Kashmore. Shah was affiliated with the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and was wanted by police in an attack on Khushal Khan Khattak Express in 2015. The case was registered at a Kashmore police station. Dawn, The News
Explosives Unearthed from Graveyard
Sanghar: A sizeable quantity of explosive material, along with detonator, batteries and remote control devices, was unearthed when security agencies personnel dug up a specified place within the Noor Moosani graveyard in Tando Adam as part of an intelligence-based operation. Dawn
14 Killed as Blast Targets Passenger Vehicle in Kurram
Kurram Agency: At least 14 people including four security personnel killed and nine others sustained injuries in landmine blast targeting a passenger van in Gudar area of Kurram Agency. According to the political administration, the van was on its way to Sadda from Gudar area when it ran over a mine planted on the roadside. Search operation was launched after the incident in which no one was arrested. Radio TNN, Dawn
POLITICAL
CSOs, Students Call for Early FATA-KP Merger
Representatives of various civic organizations and students rejected the proposed Riwaj Act and urged the federal government to amalgamate FATA with KP without any delay. According to them, the delay in merger was meant to provide opportunity to the officers in FATA Secretariat to continue the loot and plunder national wealth. Dawn
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
KP Wants Beijing to Open Diplomatic Mission in Peshawar
Peshawar: After inking memorandum of understanding worth $24 billion with neighboring China, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has approached Beijing to open diplomatic mission in Peshawar. Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said that during his meetings with senior officers of the Chinese foreign office in Beijing, he discussed with them establishment of a consulate level office in Peshawar. Dawn
Governor Announces Monitoring System to Ensure Teachers’ Attendance in Fata
Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, announced to initiate an Independent Monitoring System to ensure full attendance of teachers in Fata educational institutions. This system would also help to improve education standard in Fata. Radio TNN
Returning of Conflict Inflicted People from Khyber Agency Continued: FDMA
Khyber Agency: According to FDMA the process of returning of the temporary displaced people from Khyber Agency has been continued up till now. They are facilitated with one time cash payment and food items for six months. This process will end on April 30. According to statistics 91,689 families have been returned into their homes. Akhbar-e-Khyber
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
US Urged to Facilitate Peace in Region
Washington: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has urged the United States to play an effective role in bringing peace and stability to the entire South Asian region, instead of focusing only on Afghanistan. In a series of meetings with senior US officials in Washington, Mr. Dar stressed the need for the United States to play the role of a facilitator of peace in the region. Dawn, The News
