SECURITY
Mob Protest over Blasphemy Turns into Gunfire Exchange
Lasbela: A 12-year-old boy was killed and three police officials were seriously injured when unruly mob turned violent and resorted for gunfire in the industrial town of Hub. The mob was protesting against the sharing of alleged blasphemous content by a member of a minority community. The demonstrators then blocked the main Quetta-Karachi National Highway, burning tires and placing barricades, suspending all traffic between Balochistan and Sindh. Dawn, The News
Ahmadi Community Member Killed
Rahim Yar Khan: Armed assailants shot dead a man belonging to the Ahmadi community on Zahirpir-Khanpur Road. Reports suggested Basharat Ahmad, 59, a resident of Khanpur’s Green Town area, was on his way home on a motorcycle when unidentified assailants fired at him near a filling station. Jamaat-i-Ahmadiyya Pakistan spokesperson Saleemuddin condemned the attack and protested against the propagation of hate material against the community. Dawn
Militants Held in Sialkot
Sialkot: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police arrested two suspects in Sialkot from Daska General Bus Stand during a search operation. They were activists of banned Islamic State. The officials said the suspects, identified as Shahzada Naveed Husain and Muhammad Shoaib, were planning to attack sensitive installations. Police seized 1.5kg explosives, detonators and prima cord from them. Dawn
Suspected Militant Possessing Hate Literature Held
Bahawalnagar: CTD officials arrested a suspect Liaquat Ali, a resident of Minchinabad, on Dahranwala Road in Bahawalnagar and recovered hate literature from him. Dawn
Three TTP Terrorists Hanged after Trial in Military Court
Rawalpindi: Three hardcore terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), who had earlier been tried by military courts, were executed. The three were involved in committing heinous offences, including killing of innocent civilians and attacking security personnel, the Inter Services Public Relations said. Dawn, The Express Tribune
Policemen on Patrol Duty Ambushed
Shikarpur: A policeman was shot dead by two armed men in an attack and counterattack that took place at Abidal Shaakh (water channel). According to the police version of the incident, two policemen riding a motorcycle signalled the two suspects, also riding a motorcycle, to stop during their routine patrolling duty. The suspects, however, took out their weapons and fired on the policemen, killing one of them. The other policeman retaliated killing one of the attackers and injuring the other who escaped. Dawn
Peasant and Son Killed in Slumber
Khairpur: A peasant and his son were gunned down by unidentified armed men who stormed into their house in the Keti Zaman Shah area of Khairpur District. The attack was carried out at night while the victims were sleeping. Police sources have not ascertained the motive behind this attack as yet. Dawn
Search Operation in Kurram and Orakzai Agencies
During search operations carried out in Kurram and Orakzai Agencies, sleeping cells of militants have been destroyed. Huge weapons and ammunitions were also recovered. The operations were conducted in Darwata and Aka Khel areas. Akhbar-e-Khyber
Suspected Militants Arrested during Search Operation in Khyber
Khyber Agency: Security forces has conducted search operation in Khyber Agency during which various suspected militants has been arrested. Weapons and ammunitions belonging to militants were also confiscated. Akhbar-e-Khyber
POLITICAL
FATA Political Alliance Joins Parliamentarians on FATA Reforms
FATA Political Alliance vowed to participate in all Parties Conference, called by FATA parliamentarians on FATA reforms, to be held on May 6. The alliance asserted to demand the implementation of FATA Reforms in post-conflict era without any delay. According to them, its implementation is in the interests of the nation and that of Tribal people. Akhbar-e-Khyber
Public Perceptions on FATA Reforms not Taken on Board
Political analyst, Shahabuddin, said that the federal government has adopted top-down approach in formulating FATA Reforms instead of bottom-up approach. He further said that without taking the common people on board the reforms will not succeed in post-conflict FATA. Akhbar-e-Khyber
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
“Punjab can benefit from Sweden’s Technology,” says Shahbaz
LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif says Punjab can benefit from Sweden`s hi-tech technology to generate power from waste. Mr Sharif said this at a seminar on `Smart cities by Sweden` presenting sustainable urban solutions by Swedish companies for Pakistan by the embassy of Sweden to Pakistan, the Swedish Trade and Invest Council and the Swedish Business Council in Pakistan at a local hotel. Dawn
Government Failed to Rehabilitate TDPs from North Waziristan Agency
Jungraz Khan, the spokesperson of PPP in FATA, said that federal government has failed to integrate and rehabilitate the TDPs from North Waziristan Agency in the post-conflict period. He further said that conflict inflicted people from Waziristan are still living in camps. Akhbar-e-Khyber
NWA’S Displaced Tribesmen Demand early Repatriation
The conflict torn families belonging to Dande and Darpakhel areas of North Waziristan Agency demanded return to their homes before the start of census. Tribal elders demanded from government that their homes should not be demolished. Tribal elder Malik Ashraf Ullah, accompanied by other elders, said that more than 2400 families of Dande Darpakhel area had migrated to other parts of the country during military offensive in the agency in 2014. Akhbar-e-Khyber
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
German Representative Discusses Pak-Afghan Border Management
Islamabad: German Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Sabine Sparwasser acknowledged the Pakistan Army`s contributions to regional peace and stability. Ambassador Sparwasser was talking to Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. Matters of mutual interest, including regional security issues with emphasis on the Pakistan-Afghan border management, were discussed during the meeting, an Inter Services Public Relations press release said. Dawn
China Refuses to Mediate over Kashmir Issue
Chinese Foreign Minister has said that China would continue to follow the policy of non-interference and would not play the role of mediator between Pakistan and India over the longstanding Kashmir issue. The statement comes two days after a Chinese daily suggested that China could perform this role of mediation. The Express Tribune
