ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top security adviser said Thursday that his country would review relations with the United States after the withdrawal of Nato-led coalition forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2014. Advisor to Prime Minister on National Security Sartaj Aziz, while addressing a seminar in Islamabad, said that uncertain situation in Afghanistan is a great challenge but Pakistan is committed to working sincerely to bring peace to that country which is vital for overall progress of the region. He said that Pakistan had no favorite in Afghan presidential elections to be held in April next year. He said that Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to check uncontrolled movement on their border and nobody will be allowed to travel between the two countries without valid papers. The News.
ISLAMABAD: Condemning Wednesday’s drone strike that hit an area near Miranshah in North Waziristan, Pakistan said the US has a method which is fundamentally flawed and illegal even for a positive purpose, and cannot be justified. The News, Dawn, The frontier Post, Daily Mashriq.
LANDIKOTAL: Killing of two colleagues in Khyber Agency and fear of being attacked by the militants, around 400 polio volunteers announced breakup from the regular polio staff while eight other regular Health Department employees have submitted their applications for long leave, health officials said on Thursday. Agency Surgeon Dr Samin told The News that he had received several applications, asking for leaves without pay, transfers and some have asked their premature retirements. He said that 400 volunteers, hired on daily wages, had informed the health department officials that they would not participate in the upcoming polio campaigns. The News.
PESHAWAR: A senior member of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Mohammad Hashim Khan, was shot dead in Miranshah, North Waziristan Agency on Thursday.Tribal and Taliban sources said Hashim was residing in a building when unknown people arrived there and gunned down him. The Taliban had no idea as to who would have killed him. The News.
HANGU: A police patrol van escaped a roadside blast in Azeemi Banda area here on Thursday, official sources said. The sources said the blast occurred as soon as the police van appeared on the road. However, no damage was done to the van. The police launched search after the blast.Arrested: The police arrested an alleged murderer of two persons on Thursday, official sources said. The sources said that two persons, including a woman, were killed in Bahadur Banda last week. The police had started investigation into the murder and arrested an accused Munir. The News.
GHALLANAI: The tribal elders in Halimzai tehsil of Mohmand Agency Thursday asked the government to take steps to halt drone strikes in tribal areas. The demand was a made at a jirga, which was attended by the elders belonging to Kadikhel, Kamali Haleemzai, Hamzakhel and Walibaig tribes. The News.
MANSEHRA: Urging the government to stop operation in North Waziristan Agency, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Syed Munawwar Hassan Thursday asked the government to call an all parties conference to discuss terrorism, growing inflation and foreign policy in a bid to pull the country out of the prevailing mess. The News, Dawn.
PESHAWAR: All the three men died in US drone strike in North Waziristan Agency on Wednesday night were stated to be foreigners, probably Arab nationals. Taliban sources said the drone had fired two missiles and hit a small house at Qutabkhel village cited five kilometers southeast of North Waziristan’s headquarters Miranshah. It was first attack by the CIA-operated spy plane in December in the volatile North Waziristan tribal region. Tribal sources said armed men, believed to be militants, as usual arrived in the village after the drone strike and held siege of the targeted compound. “They themselves pulled out bodies of the slain men from rubbles of the building and immediately taken them to an unknown place,” a resident of Qutabkhel village said on telephone. The News.
PESHAWAR : Pakistan Tahrik-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Thursday defended his party’s stance against the US drone strikes in Pakistan and reaffirmed his resolve to continue struggle till these were stopped. Speaking to media representatives after inaugurating the Right to Information office here at Tasneem Plaza in Peshawar cantonment, he said protest against drone strikes would continue until these were stopped. “Peace cannot be attained till the drone strikes are completely halted in Pakistan,” said the PTI chief. He said his party’s stand on drone strikes and blockade of Nato supplies was very clear. PTI’s sit-in to block Nato supplies will continue till achievement of desired results. The frontier Post.
PESHAWAR: A young man was killed and another injured over women dispute in the jurisdiction of Faqeerabad Police Station on Thursday. Police said that one Farhad informed police in Lady Reading Hospital that he along with his friend Sikandar son of Muhammad Saeed were on the way to home on motorcycle when they reached to Patang Chowk situated in Faqeerabad, four men identified as Jan Ali, Qurban, Islam Sher and Hasan intercepted them and opened fire, resultantly, his friend was died on the spot while he received severe injuries. Locals of the area shifted them to Lady Reading Hospital while the killers managed their escape good from the scene of crime. The frontier Post.
PESHAWAR: Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shaukatullah has revealed that Pakistanis may face a complete travel ban for Hajj and Umrah due to failure of the country to contain the spread of the poliovirus. In an exclusive chat with The News, he revealed that during the last 18 months, Pakistan had infected many other countries with the poliovirus. He feared that the Saudi government might impose complete travel ban on Hajj and Umrah of our people. The News.
