MIRANSHAH: The volatile North Waziristan Agency has been under curfew for almost one week that has caused an acute shortage of edible items in the tribal region. Tribal elders said they were law-abiding people and appealed to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of the Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif to take note of their sufferings. The News, Daily Mashriq.
PESHAWAR: The Afghan Taliban have refuted reports by sections of the media that they have authorizedMulla Abdul GhaniBiradar to hold peace talks with the Afghan government. A statement issued by the Taliban-led Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan said certain media organisations quoting unknown sources had reported that Biradar had been deputed to talk to the Kabul regime. It said Biradar was still detained in Pakistan without charge, was under restrictions and was unable to visit his family and friends. It stressed that he had not been tasked to hold peace talks with the government in Kabul. The News.
LAKKI MARWAT: Police with the help of armed villagers on Sunday launched operation in Takhtikhel village for the safe recovery of two kidnapped persons. Official sources said that eight armed men believed to be militants kidnapped three villagers from ShakhQuli Khan village near Naurang town on Saturday night. “One of the kidnapped man identified as Sifatullah managed to escape from the captivity of the captors and informed the villagers about the incident,” .District Police Officer Bashar Khan Wazir said that heavy contingent of police and tribesmen were in the border villages to tighten noose around the kidnappers and ensure recovery of the kidnapped men.He said that several suspects had been arrested in the operation and expressed the hope that the kidnapped villagers would soon be recovered. The News, The Dawn.
MINGORA:PakhtunkhwaMilliAwami Party (PkMAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai Sunday linked restoration of peace in Pakistan to durable peace in Afghanistan. Speaking at a public rally in Khwazakhela, the PkMAP chief said that Pakhtuns were not terrorists but were the victims of terrorism. “Under a conspiracy terrorism and the subsequent war against terror had been brought to the Pakhtun, which had not only affected their culture, social institutions and economic conditions,” he said.He said that despite being part of Pakistan, Pakhtun had been denied full rights as citizens. “The proponents of democratic values and real democracy should ensure equal rights to the people of all the federating units for making Pakistan a strong country,” he claimed. He said people of all the provinces should have control over their own resources, which would pave the way for a prosperous and develop Pakistan. The News, The Dawn.
PESHAWAR: Volunteer polio vaccinators have backed away from the next immunisation drive in Khyber Agency after the murder of anti-polio campaign supervisor Ghilaf Khan on Saturday in Jamrud. Without their assistance, thousands of children will remain unprotected against the crippling virus. Volunteers and Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) staff have been gripped by fear after Ghilaf was targeted, DrUsmanAfridi, field supervisory medical officer for the EPI. Express Tribune.
PESHAWAR:The Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) passed a resolution on Sunday urging the federal government to further pressure the US on the issue of drone strikes inside Pakistan’s borders. The jirga was held at the Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) provincial headquarters with DPC head and JamiatUlema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) chief MaulanaSamiulHaq chairing the event. Senior leaders of the constituent parties and organisations of the DPC were in attendance. Express Tribune, The Dawn, Daily Mashriq.
PESHAWAR: Protests against Nato supplies are taking a toll on trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with unlawful checks on loaded trucks and containers damaging business, say traders. The Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) was signed in 2010 and was made operational in 2011. The agreement facilitated Afghan trucks to transport their export to India via Pakistan. The Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry was also set up to facilitate bilateral trade. Express Tribune.
PESHAWAR / JAMRUD:DrAmjidTaqweem, who was kidnapped three weeks ago from Hayatabad, Peshawar, was recovered on Saturday from Ali Masjid area of Jamrud tehsil in Khyber Agency. A political administration official wishing to remain anonymous confirmed the recovery of the kidnapped doctor. He said the political administration of Jamrud, under the supervision of Additional Political Agent Jahangir AzamWazir raided a home in Angoor Ada, in Ali Masjid. The officials managed to safely recover Taqweem. Express Tribune.
MIRAMSHAH: Two people were injured when an artillery shell hit a house in MananKot area near Mirali as the North Waziristan tribal region remained under curfew for the sixth day on Sunday. Locals said security forces, backed by artillery and helicopter gunships, fired back after terrorists attacked a convoy in MananKot. The convoy was coming to Miramshah from Bannu.One shall hit a house, causing injuries to two people. Their names could not be ascertained. Curfew continued to be in place in North Waziristan forcing people belonging to the troubled region to remain stranded in Bannu. The Dawn.
PESHAWAR:Awami National Party has urged the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan to put their heads together to devise a joint strategy for restoring lasting peace in the militancy-stricken region. Addressing a ceremony held in connection with the first birth anniversary of Bashir Ahmad Bilour at Nishtar Hall here on Sunday, ANP leader AsfandyarWali Khan advised the rulers of both the countries to stem the tide of terrorism through a comprehensive strategy. Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Haji Mohammad Adeel, AmeerHaider Khan Hoti, MianIftikharHussain, Bashir Ahmed Matta and Abdul LatifAfridi also spoke on the occasion. `We too want an end to drone attacks but we are also opposed to the movement of militants alongside the Pakistan`s border and their sanctuaries in tribal areas, Mr Khan said. He said that it was not understandable that on one hand Imran Khan condemned violation of airspace by the US while on the other he was silent on territorial violation of the country. The Dawn, The Frontier Post.
PESHAWAR: A leading trader Haji Lal Mohammad commonly known as Haji Kabul Khan was shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside his residence at Nishtarabad area here on Sunday night. Police said that unidentified motorcyclists opened firing on the trader when he stepped out of his car outside his residence. He was taken to Lady Reading Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.An official at Gulbahar police station told Dawn that they shifted the body to the mortuary of Khyber Medical College for autopsy. He said that police would register FIR in the light of the statements to be given by the family members of the deceased. The Dawn, The Frontier Post.
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Police claimed to have killed a militant and arrested three others during an encounter here on Sunday. Police also recovered six hand grenades, four pistols and hundreds of rounds from the possession of the arrested militants. Officials said that police got information about the presence of suspected men in the sugar cane fields in Zamirabad area. Police reached the area and challenged the suspects but they opened firing on the law enforcers, they added. Officials said that police retaliated and the encounter continued for four hours. A militant identified as RoshanMahsud was killed in the encounter while his three accomplices were arrested. The Dawn.
PESHAWAR: A police mobile was partially damaged in roadside bomb blast occurred in Mashogagar area of Budhber on Sunday. However, no causality was reported in the blast. Police sources said that unidentified miscreants planted explosive material in roadside, targeting police van in Mashogagar area. The bomb exploded with big bang; however, fortunately, no causality was occurred in the blast while the police van was partially damaged. Cops reached to spot soon after the incident and cordoned off the area. Bomb Disposal Squad said that two kg explosive material was used in the blast. Cops conducted search operation in the area but no arrest was made during operation. The Frontier Post.
PESHAWAR: The Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) funded, Economic Revitalization of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA (ERKF) Project has decided to support the affected shopkeepers of September 30th, 2013 blast ofQissaKhwani Bazaar, Peshawar. The ERKF project is providing grants to rehabilitate and upgrade businesses affected due to insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas of Pakistan. The deadly blast at the business hub of Peshawar city, QissaKhwani bazaar had left more than 40 people dead is still fresh in minds of the people. The affected people are awaiting compensation in order to rehabilitate their businesses at the level as before. The Frontier Post.
Peshawar:The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its coalition partners’ set-in against the US drone has completed one month to today (Sunday), as demonstrators vowed to continue the protest till the end of drone strikes in the tribal areas. Besides PTI, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and AwamiJamhooriItehad (AJI) workers, a large number of tribesmen on Saturday participated in the sit-in here at Hayatabad tool plaza. Daily Mashriq.
Peshawar: All FATA Teacher Association organized a meeting at Supumagai Hotel in Peshawar. Many a teachers from KPK and Fata participated in the meeting. The teachers from the North Waziristan revealed that few prejudiced elements are misusing the name of FATA for their personal interest who have nothing to do with the dilemma the teachers are facing in western border of Pakistan. Daily Mashriq.
