SECURITY
Six Abducted Workers of Polish Company Recovered from SWA
South Waziristan Agency: The six abducted Pakistani workers of a Polish oil and gas surveying company, who were kidnapped from FR Dera Ismail Khan six months ago, have been recovered. Political Agent of the South Waziristan Zafar Islam Khattak said that the workers were recovered with the help of local elders. Radio TNN, Khyber News, Dawn
Eight Suspects Arrested, Arms Recovered in Khyber Agency
Khyber Agency: Eight suspected people have been arrested during a search operation in Khyber Agency. According to political administration Khyber Agency, arms and ammunition were also recovered from them. Khyber News
Organizational Rivalries within Jamat-ul-Ahrar Revealed
Peshawar: It has been revealed that the proscribed militant outfit Jamat-ul-Ahrar has been divided at organizational level. The sources have been claiming that the group has been segregated in two or more splinter groups. Moreover, Umar Khalid Khurasani, the commander militant outfit, has lost its grip over the affairs of the militant outfit. Akhbar-E-Khyber
Two Levies Officials Suspended over Dargai Firing Incident
Malakand: Deputy Commissioner Malakand, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, has suspended Levies circle officer and moharrar nominated in a case of firing on protesters in Dargai. Arrest warrants of Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) executive engineer and line superintendent have also been issued in the same case. The protesters set on fire the WAPDA office after which the Levies officials and security men at the power house opened aerial firing to disperse the protesters. Two protesters were killed in the firing. Radio TNN, The News
Search Operation at Peshawar
Peshawar: Security forces conducted a search operation in different areas of Peshawar. During the search operation heavy weapons and ammunitions were recovered. Several suspected criminal were also arrested. Akhbar-E-Khyber
POLITICAL
Fata Political Alliance to Hold Sit-Ins after Eid against Delay in Reforms
The Fata Political Alliance announced to hold series of protest sit-ins in every tribal agency, Peshawar and Islamabad against delay in the implementation of reforms in Fata after Eid-ul-Fitr. Chief of the alliance, Sardar Khan said that the federal government had deliberately delayed the reforms process only to appease its allies – the JUIF and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party. Dawn, Akhbar-E-Khyber
FATA Reforms Bill to be approved soon: Jhagra
Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, KP Governor, said that the government would soon pass Federally Administered Tribal Areas’ reforms bill through the parliament. The government was committed to introduce FATA reforms in the country. He further said that the delay in reforms was due to consultation process for the reforms as the government wants to create political consensus over the reform package. He further added that ways of communication will be improved in FATA. Khyber News, Akhbar-E-Khyber
Nasir Afridi has been appointed a Parliamentary Leader
Nasir Afridi has been appointed as FATA Parliamentary Leader. Six members of independent group have removed Shah Ji Gul Afridi from this post. He belonged to Bara, Khyber Agency. Akhbar-E-Khyber
JIT Receives Records of Hudaibya Mills Case
The Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has submitted records of the Hudiabya Mills to the Joint Investigation Team probing allegation of money laundering by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s family. Fallowing the October 1999 military coup, Gen Musharraf had implicated Nawaz in three corruption cases, including Hudaibya Paper Mills Case. Dawn
JI Threatens to Quit Government
The Jamat-i-Islami in KP has warned to quit the Pakistan Tehrek-i-Insaf-led ruling coalition in KP if the government does not seek the consent of the relevant seminary boards before amending the law on the societies’ registration. The government has planned to bring amendment to the Societies Act, 1860, under which NGOs, seminaries, and other bodies are registered. Dawn, Akhbar-E-Khyber
It is better to Quiet Politics then to Quit PPP: Karia
PPP, Central Punjab President, Qamar Zaman Qaria, has denied that he or any other office barrier is quitting the party. He further said that it was better to quit politics than quitting PPP. All reports regarding quitting the PPP are false and baseless. Dawn
Mashal Father Wants Case Transferred to High Court
Expressing satisfaction over the report of Joint Investigation Team, Mashal Khan father has demanded transfer of the case from Mardan to Peshawar High Court. He also demanded provision of counsel on government expenses and putting names of the key university officials on exist control list till the final verdict. Dawn, The News
Not Afraid of Accountability: Nawaz
Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, said that people were hatching conspiracies against his government. He further said that we were not afraid of accountability. We had been held accountable in the past too and were facing accountability as well. According to him, the development projects under his government would continue until the last day. The News, The Express Tribune, Akhbar-E-Khyber
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
Corps Commander approves to Reconstruct Degree College in South Waziristan
Lt Gen Nazir Ahmed Butt, Corps Commander Peshawar, has given approval to reconstruct the Saam-Kanigaram Degree College destroyed during militancy in South Waziristan Agency (SWA). During his visit to South Waziristan Agency, he inaugurated the Army Public School Kanigaram and approved the construction of hostel for the school. He also approved Rs 3 million in cash to improve facilities at the school and construction and extension of Kotkai-Karama-Kanigaram Road. Radio TNN
Record Rs 250 billion Allocated for FATA Uplift: Ameer Muqam
PML-N provincial president, Ammer Muqam, rejected the claim of rival parties that the federal government has neglected FATA in the federal budget 2017-2018. He insisted that the center allocated record 25% (250 billions) of the total development budget for schemes in FATA. According to him annual fund for FATA has increased from Rs 21 billion to Rs 27 billion. Dawn, Akhbar-E-Khyber
Government Approved Billions for Choice KP Areas
The government has opened the floodgate of public money for uplift schemes in KP and Islamabad in an apparent bid to grab a bigger share of seats in both provincial and National Assembly when the 2018 polls are held. The government has approved over Rs 2.2 billion worth of development projects for 23 National Assembly Constituencies. Dawn
No Special Budget for Karachi in PPP Govt’s Election Year Budget
The Pakistan People’s Party in Sindh chose not to give any special package for Karachi in its budget for financial year 2017-18. Sindh Chief Minister, Murad Ali Shah, announced hefty funds for development of Hyderabad, Mirpur Khas, Shaheed Benazirabaad, Larkana and Sakar divisions, but did not give an exact figure for development of Karachi. Dawn, Tribune
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Threats of Retaliation Traded with India
As tension along the line of control in Kashmir heightened, Pakistan and India threatened each other with strong retaliatory measures. Directorial General of Military Operations, Major Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza and his Indian counterpart Lt Gen A.K Bhutt had an unscheduled hotline contact, on Pakistan’s request, over recent ceasefire violations that resulted in the deaths of several civilians. Dawn
Pakistan Origin Man Named as London Attacker
British police name two of the three attackers who killed seven people near the London Bridge. One of the attackers was Khurram Shezad Bhutt, a British citizen, who was born in Pakistan. According to the security officials, he was involved in the attacks. Dawn
No Plan to Cut Ties with Qatar
According to Nafis Zakaria, Foreign Office Spokesperson, Pakistan has no immediate plans to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar fallowing the surprise severing of ties with Qatar by Saudi Arab and five others Middle East nations. Dawn
Qatari Prince Rejects JIT Three Options
Qatari Prince, Hamad Bin Jasim, rejected the three options put forward by Joint Investigating Team. He said that he couldn’t appear before the JIT probing the panama case saying that he was busy, could not record his statement through a video link, and he was also not ready to record his statement by JIT in Qatar. Akhbar-E-Khyber
Pakistan and India to Officially Join SCO at Astana Moot
Pakistan and India will officially join as members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization during a meeting to be attended by Chines Prisedent, Xi Jinping in Astana, Kazikistan. They will become full members during 17th Meeting of Council of Heads of States of the SCO. The News
Pakistan Attends Kabul Process
Senior foreign ministry officials Represented Pakistan at an international conference, “Kabul Process”, aimed at finding a political solution to the lingering conflict in Afghanistan. Delegates from USA, India, China, Iran, Russia, Central Asian, and European countries are gathered in Kabul to discuss the current Afghan situation. The Express Tribune
