SECURITY
Terrorist Killed, SHO Hurt in Lachi Encounter
Kohat: One terrorist was killed and an SHO injured during a police encounter with a gang in Shahi Banda area of Lachi tehsil in Kohat District. The other members of the group managed to retreat into a jungle taking away their companion injured in the action. SHO Lachi, Afzal Awan, was injured in the fire exchange. The terrorist was identified as Inamullah of Sarak Banda area of Hangu who was wanted by police in target killing, robbery, extortion and kidnapping cases. Dawn
Death for 35 Militants Convicted by Military Courts Upheld
Peshawar: While upholding the capital punishment handed down to 35 militants by the military courts, a Peshawar High Court bench set aside the death sentence of two of the convicted militants and sent their cases to the respective trial courts for the reconsideration of their penalty. Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Ikramullah Khan had reserved judgments during the last three months in 39 petitions challenging convictions of as many militants by the military courts. Dawn
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
Food Security Ministry Seeks Incentives for Farmers
Lahore: The Ministry of National Food Security and Research has sought remissions, concessions and relief for the farmers and incentivizing the value addition in the agriculture sector in the federal budget 2017 18. The ministry has also desired reduction in the cost of production by removing the general sales tax on all fertilizer products. Dawn
North Waziristan Residents seek early Completion of Survey to Ascertain Damaged Houses
Residents of the North Waziristan Agency (SWA) had demanded of the federal government to complete the survey to ascertain the damaged houses and immediately compensate them to reconstruct their houses. They complained that majority of the repatriated families are compelled to live in tents as their houses were destroyed during the military offensive against militants. The affected families feared that the government might not compensate them if they started reconstruction of their damaged houses. Radio TNN
Fata Students Ask Government to Take Notice of Corruption in Fata University
The FATA Students Organization asked the federal government to take notice of corruption and irregularities being carried out in the FATA University. FATA Students Organization president, Zubair Afridi, alleged that the University Finance Officer Asad Jan had appointed his relatives illegally on some posts. He further said that there were no educational activities in the university and that the administration was putting the future of students at stake. Radio TNN, Dawn, Akhbar-e-Khyber
Mohmand Road to be opened to Traffic Soon
The Nahakki tunnel and road in Mohmand Agency will be opened to traffic very soon as 95% work on it has been completed. It is the first ever project launched by Frontier Works Organization in the region. The people of Bajaur, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, and Chitral would benefit from the project. Dawn
Mohmand Admin Promoting Marble Exploration, Business
Marble supply continues from 70% of the reserve in Mohmand Agency while a committee has been constituted for resolution of marble-related disputes to streamline the whole process. Political Agent, Muhammad Aslam Wazir, said that mineral production played a very important role in economic development. He further said that all marble related disputes were being resolved through Jirga of Tribal elders in the area. Dawn
PPP accuses Government of Thrusting Pakistan into a Deep Borrowing Trap
Islamabad: Senator Sherry Rehman of the Pakistan People’s Party expressed concern over the state of the economy and regretted that the government had `run Pakistan into a debt trap deeper than it had ever been in before. This must be the only government which is happy about a trade imbalance, the PPP leader said in a statement while commenting on the Economic Survey released by the government. Dawn
POLITICAL
MQM-Pakistan begs PM, Army Chief for Justice
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has implored the army chief, the prime minister and all other high-ups of the country to do justice to its leaders and workers as enshrined in the constitution of Pakistan. He requested the state institutions to give relief to his party workers who, he alleged, were initially abducted by law-enforcement agencies and later their mutilated bodies were found in bushes. He said the discovery of bodies had upset the entire community. The News
Bajaur Political Alliance Protest Fata Reforms Bill Blockage in NA
The Bajaur Agency Political Parties Alliance staged a protest demonstration in Khar Bazaar against the blockade of Fata reforms bill in National Assembly. Qari Abdul Majeed, president of the political alliance, said that suspending Fata reforms bill proceeding on the opposition of only two lawmakers was against the spirit of democracy. Radio TNN, Akhbar-e-Khyber
Twenty Thousand Levies Forces will be trained for Recruitment in FATA
Arbab Shahzad, member of FATA Reforms Committee, said that twenty thousand levies forces would be trained for deployment across FATA. According to him, it would help to build peace and maintain law and order across FATA. According to him, FCR would be replaced from FATA by Rewaj Act. Akhbar-e-Khyber
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
King Salman regrets Nawaz, Others not given Time to Speak
Islamabad: King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia has apologized to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as well as other leaders for not affording them an opportunity to address the recently held US-Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh. Salman made these remarks during the Summit, as Muslim leaders were expected to present their point of views on the fight against terrorism, especially Pakistan. The News
US Military Aid to Pakistan to have $125m Cut
Washington: The Trump administration may still not convert Pakistan’s military financing into loan but the amount will be reduced to $100 million for the next fiscal year, State Department has confirmed. Last year, Pakistan received $225 million in US foreign military financing (FMF), but this year a reduction of $125 million has been proposed for the first US budget under President Donald Trump. However, the US economic assistance of $200 million to Pakistan will remain unchanged as compared to the last budget. The News
Pakistan must take all Steps for Recovery of Workers: China
A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry Lu Kang said at a regular news briefing in Beijing that Pakistan must take all possible steps for the early and safe recovery of the kidnapped workers. On the afternoon of May 24, two Chinese citizens were kidnapped by militants in Baluchistan. The News, The Express Tribune
Army Chief Likely to Visit Iran Next Week
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa is expected to visit Tehran during next week to take Iran into confidence over the Saudi-led Islamic Military Alliance. According to media reports, General Qamar Javed Bajwa during his visit to Tehran would take the Iranian government into confidence over the objectives of Saudi-led Islamic Military Alliance. He will assure Iran to address its reservations over the military alliance, the reports added. Khyber News
