SECURITY
Two Militants Killed in North Waziristan Clash
North Waziristan Agency: At least two militants were killed and a soldier sustained injuries during a clash in North Waziristan Agency. The security forces were on routine patrol in Garyom area of Razmak tehsil when militants opened fire on them. The security forces retaliated and targeted hideouts of militants through gunship helicopters after the incident. Radio TNN
Mastermind of Three Suicide Attacks Arrested
Quetta: Law enforcement agencies have arrested the alleged mastermind of three suicide attacks which claimed lives of 195 people, mostly lawyers and police personnel. This was disclosed by Baluchistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti while addressing a press conference. He said security forces arrested Saeed along with his two aides in Quetta. Dawn , The Express Tribune
Suspected Militant Killed During Search Operation
Khuzdar: A suspected militant was killed during a search operation in Surab area of Kalat. Security forces said. The Frontier Corps personnel, while conducting a search operation on the outskirts of the town, came under fire to which they retaliated. The counteraction resulted in death of one of the suspects. The body was shifted to the hospital, but the identity of the deceased could not be ascertained. Dawn
ISPR Denies Posts Destroyed in Cross-LoC Shelling
Rawalpindi: A statement by Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, the Chief of the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), said that none of the posts had been destroyed in shelling from across the Line of Control (LOC). It added that Pakistani forces had not targeted civilians living across the de facto border. Indian claims of destroying Pakistani post along LoC in Nowshera sector and firing by Pakistan Army on civilians across LoC are false, said Maj Gen Ghafoor in a tweet. Dawn
POLITICAL
Imran Submits Offshore Company’s Record in SC
Islamabad: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar expressed wonder that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was questioning the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) while rejecting the allegations of foreign funding. The CJP gave the observation while heading a three-member SC bench, which heard PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi’s petition seeking disqualification of PTI chief Imran Khan for concealing offshore companies and receiving foreign funds. The PTI chief submitted offshore company’s record and details of the purchase of Bani Gala land and bank accounts. The News
Nisar Rejects Criticism over Social Media Crackdown
Islamabad: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan rejected opposition’s criticism and PTI’s threat of protest over FIA’s crackdown on social media activists for anti-army propaganda. Addressing a press conference, the Minister assured that no restrictions were being imposed on social media. However, he added that no one would be allowed to use social media for propaganda against national institutions including army and judiciary and for blasphemous content. Khyber News
Ex-MNA from Peoples Party joins PTI
Islamabad: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) received a major jolt in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when its key leader and former MNA Noor Alam Khan announced his decision to join the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Noor Alam Khan announced the decision during a news conference with PTI chairman Imran Khan at his Banigala residence. Dawn
Fata Political Alliance Protest Delay in Reforms Implementation
The All Fata Political Parties Alliance staged a protest demonstration against federal government’s decision to delay the much-awaited Fata reforms for an indefinite period. The protesters said that the protest demonstration was against the federal government as well as against those who opposed the Fata reforms process. Radio TNN, Akhbar-e-Khyber, Dawn
JUI-F Terms Fata-KP Merger Part of Western Agenda
Mufti Abdul Shakoor, JUI-F Fata chapter Ameer, termed the Federally Administered Tribal Areas merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a part of the Western agenda and announced to stage a thanksgiving rally on June 18 to celebrate the blockage of Fata reforms bill in the National Assembly. He further said that his party would not accept any other solution to Fata problems rather than holding a referendum to decide the fate of tribal areas. Radio TNN, Dawn
Committee under Mullah Nazir Banned Political Activities
A peace committee under the influence of Mullah Nazir Group of Taliban, with the help of political administration and military authorities, has banned political activities in South Waziristan Agency. The peace committee comprised of 120 members, out of which 100 are associated with Mullah Nazir Group. The committee has warned of extreme consequences to those parties who would not comply with the orders. Akhbar-e-Khyber
Commanders Moot Stresses Need for FATA Reforms
A conference of Pakistan Army’s commanders has stressed the need for introducing Reforms in Post-conflict FATA. The conference deliberated upon the situation in FATA and impending FATA Reforms, reiterated requirements of the reform process in line with aspirations of the people of FATA. Dawn
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
Last Anti-Polio Drive before Ramazan Break Inaugurated
Aseefa Bhutto Zardari opened a five-day polio vaccination campaign at Shah Faisal Colony health centre on Tuesday. She administered oral polio vaccine drops to children and distributed gifts among them. As many as 2.3 million children under the age of five would be vaccinated during the campaign in all six districts and 188 union councils of the city. There will be approximately 13,000 teams with 5,000 police officials for providing security cover. The News
KP Legislates to Create Watchdog for Private Schools
Peshawar: In a long-awaited move, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly legislated for the establishment of a regulator for private schools in the province. The proposed law, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Private Schools Regulatory Authority Act, 2017, was tabled by elementary and secondary Education Minister Mohammad Atif Khan. The law empowers the authority to register and regulate private schools, supervise their curriculum, scheme of studies, academic schedules and co-curricular activities, and observe summer, winter, spring and other vacations in private schools as being marked by schools in public sector. Dawn
Sports Activities Get Momentum in FATA with Return of TDPs
After the return of TDPs, the political administration, FATA Secretariat and people in their private capacity are organizing sports tournaments and festivals in FATA in which the local players are participating vigorously. For the first time in the history of FATA, sports competitions among the students of different madrassas (religious seminaries) were organized in Haleemzai tehsil of Mohmand Agency. Radio TNN
First Cash Assistance to Secondary Girl Students using Biometrics in FATA
The World Food Programme (WFP) has launched its first cash-based assistance for secondary school girls in Pakistan and is using biometric attendance data for the first time as part of its support to the FATA Secretariat education programme. WFP Country Director Finbarr Curra, said that we are proud to support the FATA Secretariat whose education agenda recognizes the importance of girls’ education in society. This programme will encourage girls to continue their study to secondary level and help keep them in school. Radio TNN
Governor Hails Progress in Fight against Polio in FATA
Engr. Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor, has appreciated the tremendous progress made in the fight against Polio in FATA, resulting in no polio case during 2017. The governor directed the political agents and agency surgeons to ensure that not a single area in FATA was left without polio teams. Further, he said, access of independent monitors to entire FATA should also be ensured besides keeping check on the quality of campaigns, especially in the far flung and bordering areas of FATA. Khyber News, Akhbar-e-Khyber
Education should be the First Priority in Post-Conflict North Waziristan Agency
Abdul Khalil, Chairman Waziristan Action Committee, said that in post Zarb-e-Azab operation in North Waziristan educating the conflict inflicted children should be our first priority. He further said that such type of modern education should be implemented in North Waziristan which should be in the reach of every common man. Education is the key to defeat militancy and religious extremism particularly in post-conflict zones. Akhbar-E-Khyber
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
US Proposes Converting Military Financing for Pakistan into Loans
The Trump administration proposed converting the US foreign military financing (FMF) for Pakistan into a loan guarantee but has left it to the State Department to make a final decision. Director Mulvaney stated that the FMF funding for Pakistan would be provided in the form of a loan guarantee. This is one of the options that the administration had explored in its internal deliberations, but the request itself does not make that determination. Dawn
PM Wants to Take Ties with Saudi Arabia to New Heights
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are time-tested and they have grown with the passage of time. He said that Pakistan wants to take these relations with Saudi Arabia to new heights. He was talking to the son of the King, Prince Faisal, who is also Governor of Madina Munawara. The prince came to see off the prime minister at the Prince Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz International Airport. The News
