SECURITY

Drone Strike Kills TTP Commander among Five in Shawal

North Waziristan Agency: At least five people including Abdullah Kashmiri a commander of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP) were killed in a US drone missile attack in Shawal (Gorwek) area of North Waziristan Agency. The drone attack targeted a house near Pak-Afghan border in Garvik area of Shawal. Khyber News, Akhbar-E-Khyber

India Violates LoC Truce during UN Men`s Visit

Muzaffarabad: In a fresh ceasefire violation, Indian forces resorted to firing at a time when a two-member United Nations team was on a visit to the Khanjar (Baghsar) sector of AJK`s southernmost Bhimber district. The vehicle was carrying Maj Emmanuel from the Philippines and Maj Mirko from Croatia of the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) when Indian troops opened fire at around 2pm. Dawn, The News, Khyber News

Two Taliban Hanged for Role in Peshawar School Attack

Islamabad: Two Pakistani Taliban were executed for their involvement in the 2014 terrorist attack on a school in Peshawar, which claimed the lives of over 145 people, mostly the children. The Army said that military courts had sentenced the two terrorists Attaullah and Taj Mohammad to death for their role in the dastardly attack. Pakistan has executed nearly 450 people, mostly convicted criminals, since it lifted a moratorium on the death penalty following the attack on the Peshawar school. Dawn , The Express Tribune , Khyber News

Physical Remand of Two Terrorists Granted

Faisalabad: Anti-Terrorism Court Special Judge Khalil Naz granted physical remand of two terrorists till May 31.The CTD produced Sheikh Tayyab and Hussain Ahmad, members of a banned organization, before the court and demanded their physical remand. Earlier, the CTD had arrested the accused persons from the suburbs of TT Singh and had recovered explosive material from their possession. The News

Polio Supervisor Killed in Bannu

Bannu: Unknown motorcyclists killed a polio supervisor in the main bazaar of the Bannu district. Polio supervisor Raibullah, resident of Kotka Hayat Kale, Kurram Ghari, was sitting in his shop at Sher Qadir Market at Peepal Bazaar when motorcyclists opened fire at him that resulted in his death on the spot. Police have registered a case. The News

Two Chinese Kidnapped from Quetta

Quetta: Two Chinese working in Pakistan were kidnapped by armed men pretending to be policemen around midday Town in Quetta today. They were dragged into a vehicle without number plates by three unknown men. One Chinese woman managed to escape as the men began firing in the air to scare off onlookers. A passer-by, Muhammad Zahir, was shot as he tried to prevent the abduction. No groups has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. The News

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

India may Launch Aggressive Actions in Pakistan: US Spies

US intelligence chiefs have warned Congress that India may launch aggressive actions inside Pakistan on the pretext of stopping cross-border attacks and that the ongoing exchange of artillery shells across the Line of Control (LoC) may lead to a direct conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors. The warning given at a US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Tuesday afternoon followed alarming statements from New Delhi and Islamabad, threatening attacks and counterattacks. Dawn

Pakistan, Afghan NSAs Discusses Cross Border Attacks

The National Security Advisor of Pakistan Nasir Janjua met Afghanistan NSA Haneef Atmar and discussed border issues including cross border attacks and building of military bases along the Pak-Afghan border. Pakistan’s National Security Advisor Nasir Janjua met his Afghani counterpart at Moscow on the sidelines of the 8th Russia Security Conference. Khyber News

POLITICAL

Fata Reforms Implementation to Ensure Rights of Tribal People: Rabbani

Chairman Senate, Raza Rabbani, said that the implementation of Fata reforms would ensure basic and legitimate rights of tribal people adding that reforms in tribal areas were the need of the hour. He further said that implementation of Fata reforms would give the tribal people basic and legitimate rights and would bring reforms in the tribal belt according to wishes and desire of their people. Radio TNN, Akhbar-E-Khyber

Dr. Shakil’s Petition against Conviction Adjourned

The Federal Administrator Tribal Areas Tribunal adjourned to July 27 the hearing into Dr. Shakil petition against the upholding of his convection by an appellate forum for having links with militants. The tribunal also adjourned the hearing into a petition filed by the administration of Khyber Agency against the reduction of the sentence.  Dawn

Bajaour Admin Directed to Expedite Disposal of Cases

FATA Tribunal Chairman, Sange Marjan Khan, has directed the officials of political administration to expedite disposal of cases of local tribal people. According to him, the main job of FATA Tribunal was to ensure transparency in disposal of cases of Tribal people. Dawn

FATA should be merged with KP

Saleh Muhammad, member of PTI, said that FATA should be merged with KP in the best interests of Tribal region. He further said that FCR should be abolished and its place should be taken by core democratic values. Without democratization Tribal region will not be mainstreamed with the rest of the country. On the other hand, Station Commander, Karnel Zaidi, said that people belonging to FATA have proved their excellency in the field of education as well. Akhbar-E-Khyber

Tsunami of change in Sindh soon, says Imran

Sukkur: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairperson Imran Khan vowed to unleash a `tsunami` of change in Sindh and drive out the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) which, he claimed, had not been able to change anything for the better in the last 20 years. Speaking at a public gathering in Kandhkot, the PTI chief said it was a shame that 20.5 million children were still out of school because their parents could not afford to educate them. Dawn

 SOCIO-ECONOMIC

JI Launches Project for Welfare of Widows in Kamarkhel

The Jamaat-e-Islami FATA youth wing president Shah Jehan Afridi has initiated a project ‘Zama Khor (my sister)’ in Kamarkhel area of Khyber Agency to help the widows of the area. Under the project, every widow of Kamarkhel area will be given Rs2,000 monthly assistance. In the first phase of the project, 100 widows were given financial assistance. The local people appreciated the step of JI for helping the needy people of the area. Radio TNN

Photo exhibition on Sustainable Development Goals opens

Karachi: The photo exhibition `Pakistan Sustaining Development: Human Stories through Photography`, comprising 102 photos divided into collections representing each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, opened at the Sadequain Art Gallery. The SDGs are aimed at ending poverty, fighting inequality and injustice, and tackling climate change by 2030. Dawn, The News

Rs100bn Loans for Small Farmers

Lahore: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif presided over a meeting which reviewed in detail new financial year budget 2017-18, especially priorities of the agriculture sector. The CM said the national economy could be set on solid foundations by promoting agriculture sector. He said more resources would be allocated for providing relief to the farmers in the budget.  He said Rs100 billion interest-free loans would be offered to small cultivators through a transparent mechanism. Dawn

Work Inaugurated on Bahrain-Kalam Road

 Peshawar: Adviser to Prime Minister Amir Muqam has said reconstruction of roads in the scenic Swat valley would promote tourism in Malakand division. He was speaking at a ceremony held to inaugurate work on the 23-kilometre Bahrain-Kalam Road in Mankiyal in Swat. Mr Muqam, who was also provincial president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, said that Rs11 billion would be spent on completion of the project. Swat district nazim and officials of National Highways Authority were also present on the occasion. Dawn