PESHAWAR: Blaming the Pakistan government for the killing of Hakimullah Mehsud in the US drone attack, the Taliban on Sunday announced they would not hold any peace talks with the government and threatened to avenge the killing of their leader. The Frontier Post, The Nation, The News.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is to review its relationship with the United States, the prime minister`s office said on Sunday, following the killing of Taliban leader Hakeemullah Mehsud in a US drone strike. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif`s office said he would chair a meeting on the consequences for ties with Washington. There was no indication when it might take place. Another source said that the prime minister was expected to make a policy statement on the situation arising out of the killing of Hakeemullah Mehsud in the National Assembly on Monday. A single drone strike had sabotaged the proposed talks needed to end bloodshed in tribal areas and KP, he said. The Frontier Post, Dawn.
WASHINGTON: The US has responded to accusations from Pakistan that a drone strike that killed Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud had destroyed the country’s nascent peace process. Meanwhile, a US lawmaker whose committee oversees the intelligence community defended the drone strike that killed Hakimullah Mehsud and said it would help keep American troops safe. The News.
ISLAMABAD: The Jamiat Ulema-iIslam-F asked the government on Sunday to convene another all-party conference to review the situation in the wake of the killing of TTP chief Hakeemullah Mehsud in a US drone attack, whereas Jamaat-i-Islami called for permanently stopping Nato supply. Dawn.
MIRAMSHAH: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has appointed Asmatullah Shaheen Bhittani, the head of the Supreme Shura, as the interim leader to head the group, a spokesman said on Sunday. Former TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud was killed along with four cadres in North Waziristan Agency near the Afghan border on Friday. Shahidullah Shahid, the central spokesman for the TTP, said a permanent replacement had not been chosen yet. “Asmatullah Shaheen Bhittani, the head of the Supreme Shura, has been appointed as temporary head of the TTP,” Shahid said, adding that prayers for Hakimullah were still going on. The Frontier Post, The Nation, The Express tribune, Dawn.
PESHAWAR: The telephone exchange building in the Meli Khel area of Peshawar was blown up in a bomb explosion on Monday. The building was empty and therefore there was no loss of life. The Express tribune.
MANSEHRA: Appearing firm on his party’s stance of blocking Nato supply routes, Chief Minister (CM) Pervez Khattak announced the provincial cabinet will endorse the resolution on the matter. The resolution is expected to be tabled on today (Monday) and adopted unanimously by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly. “We will block Nato’s supply at every cost; a cabinet meeting has been convened for Monday.” The K-P Assembly will adopt a unanimous resolution against the movement of Nato supplies, added Khattak. The Frontier Post, The Express tribune, The News, The Nation, Dawn.
PESHAWAR: As the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly is set to meet today to review the killing of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan chief and closure of Nato supply routes, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government is likely to enjoy the backing of opposition parties. The Express tribune.
PESHAWAR: Two more cases of polio have surfaced in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and the tribal areas. With these, the total number of children infected in 2013 rises to 56, just two less than the figure which loomed over the country in 2012. The Express tribune, The Frontier Post, Dawn.
PESHAWAR: Lacklustre attitude of the United States towards anti-polio programme has been hampering polio eradication efforts by Pakistan, especially in Federally Administered Tribal Areas, as one fresh polio case each was reported in North Waziristan and Peshawar on Sunday, officials said. According to the officials, the government had started talks with Taliban in North Waziristan a week ago and their response in the first round of talks was extremely positive, but the attack had spoiled everything. Dawn.
MANSEHRA: Jamaat-i-Islami, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has declared Hakeemullah Mehsud and his associates killed in the recent drone strike as martyrs and demanded of the federal government to end its strategic alliance with America. `Those killed in the recent drone attack are martyrs as they were eliminated when they were in the process of dialogue for permanent peace in Pakistan. Dawn.
PESHAWAR – Spokesman FATA Democratic Movement (FDM) Gul Nawaz Khan said that despite the lapse of 66 yeas since independence the constitution of the country could not extended to FATA while the tribal people have been left on the mercy of terrorism and laws of FCR. In a statement issued here on Sunday, he said that political administration, politicians, army and judiciary are equally responsible for the miseries of tribal people. He said that there is no representation of tribal people in the provincial assemblies while it has also been ignored in local bodies’ elections, which is totally injustice with people of FATA. The Nation.
PESHAWAR: In order to protest the US drone attacks in tribal areas, Jamaat-e-Islami district Peshawar chapter announced to block NATO supply route on Kohat road on November 08, 2013. The Nation.
ORAKZAI AGENCY: At least six people including two alleged attackers were killed and two others injured in a hand-grenade attack on a tribal jirga in Orakzai Agency on Sunday.
A jirga was in session to decide a land dispute between two rival tribes at Top Kalli village in lower tehsil of Orakzai Agency, when suddenly a youngster from one of the tribes hurled a hand-grenade at the jirga members. The Nation.
PESHAWAR: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has warned the federal authorities that the collection of sales tax from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government might lead to halting foreign-funded humanitarian assistance projects in the province. Terming the collection as `unauthorised`, the PDMA said: `The withdrawal of Rs8.16 million from the UNHCR bank accounts is unauthorised and would have negative/adverse impacts on all the donors and there is possibility of the abandonment and stoppage of this project and other projects by the UNHCR and other international donors. Dawn.
KHAR/PESHAWAR: Rockets fired from Afghanistan side of the border landed in Mamond tehsil of Bajaur Agency on Saturday night, leaving a woman injured, said officials of local administration. They said that suspected militants fired rockets from across the border targeting Bandagi, a border village of Mamond tehsil, 30km from the agency headquarters Khar. The officials said that one rocket hit a house of a local tribesman and as a result a 35-year woman identified as Fatima Bibi suffered injuries. She was taken to the agency headquarter hospital, Khar, where her condition was stated to be stable. Dawn.
PESHAWAR: Tribal elders of Mamond tehsil have expressed concern over the attack and vowed to continue fight against militants in the area. In Peshawar, suspected terrorists hurled a hand grenade at the house of a senior doctor in University Town, causing minor injuries to a security guard here on Sunday evening. `No one was inured as people were not present at the time of the attack and it seemed a mere threat,` the official commented and added that a case had been registered at the police station. Dawn.
PARACHINAR: Shortage of doctors at Sadda tehsil headquarters hospital has been hampering patients` treatment, as the hospital is yet to get the desired staff despite being given the category `C` status. Medical superintendent Dr Mohammad Umar said the hospital should be provided the needed staff because transporting patients from Kurram Agency to hospitals in Hangu, Kohat or Peshawar often put their lives in danger. Dawn.
KHAR: The elders of Mamond tribe have asked the local MNA to focus on solution of problems being faced by the tribal people. Talking to MNA Haji Bismillah Khan here on Sunday, the tribal elders said majority of tribesmen of Mamond tehsil lacked basic facilities The elders criticised the MNA and his son Engineer Shaukatullah Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor, for doing nothing for their welfare. Dawn.
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Sunday if the US wanted the elimination of terrorism in the true sense of the word, it would have to support Pakistan’s strategy. In a statement, he said terrorism had caused enormous damage to Pakistan and almost 50,000 innocent citizens, including officials of the armed forces, police, Rangers and security agencies, had lost their lives. “Our economy is continuously under pressure and we are facing difficulties in moving ahead”, he added. The News.
PESHAWAR (INP): At least five people were killed while two others injured in a hand grenade attack in Lower Orakzai on Sunday. According to reports, the hand grenade was hurled when a tribal jirga was in progress. The attack resulted in death of five tribesmen besides leaving two others injured. It should be mentioned that Orakzai is one of the country’s seven semi-autonomous tribal regions in the northwest, where Taliban and al Qaeda-linked militants are said to have carved out strongholds. The Frontier Post.
KARACHI: Just two days after US drone strike killed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan chief Hakimullah Mesud, Pakistan’s grand mufti among several prominent religious scholars and clerics called on government to shut Nato supply and shoot down the US spy planes. The Frontier Post.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan says the latest US drone strike will have a negative impact on the Government ‘s initiative to undertake dialogue with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, state media reported on Sunday. In a statement Foreign Office said that drone strikes violate the country’s sovereignty‚ international humanitarian laws and are counter-productive to efforts to bring peace and stability in Pakistan and the region. The Frontier Post.
ISLAMABAD: Former Afghan Minister for Women Development and first female presidential candidate, Dr. Massouda Jalal said that if Mullah Bradar come to Afghanistan and bring Taliban on negotiation table he could emerge as peace champion. She said that Mullah Bradar was the citizen of Afghanistan and if Islamabad free him, he should be handed to Afghanistan. She said that Afghan High Peace Council have the rules for engaging the Taliban on peace talks adding that Mullah Bradar would be deal according to set rules of the peace council. The Frontier Post.
PESHAWAR: Pakistan Muslim League leader Arbab Khizer Hayat said some elements wanted to put hurdles in the ongoing peace process in the shape of dialogues between Pakistan government and TTP. The faces of such elements would be unmasked very soon. The Frontier Post.
ISLAMABAD: Government has decided to take Shiite parties into confidence for holding talks with Taliban as death of Taliban spermo, Hakimullah on eve of Muharram-ul-Haram created fuss across the country. The Frontier Post.
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor, Engineer Shaukatullah has desired to make all the 26 Model Public Schools in FATA fully functional; complete the under-construction buildings and overcome staff deficiency on priority basis. The Frontier Post.
