Malala Yousufzai is seen recuperating at the The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham on Friday. The British hospital treating Malala Yousufzai raised hopes for her recovery on Friday when doctors said she was able to stand with some help and to write. She was unable to talk because a breathing tube had been inserted into her windpipe but she was communicating by writing, said Dave Rosser, the medical director at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. The teenager escaped certain death by a matter of centimetres, with the bullet grazing the edge of her brain, he said. The hospital released first pictures of Malala, in her hospital bed, clutching a teddy bear. Despite the news of Malala’s progress, Mr Rosser warned that she was “not out of the woods yet”, her doctors’ chief concern being an infection in the bullet track through her head. Dawn, The Frontier Post.
Two militants and a security man were killed and two passers-by injured in an exchange of fire at a check post in Civil Colony here on Friday. Security personnel were carrying out routine search at the check post when two militants on a motorcycle opened fire, killing a security man. In retaliatory fire both attackers were killed. Two passers-by identified as Saddam Khan and Syed Wali Khan suffered injuries and were taken to DHQ Hospital at Miramshah. After the incident an indefinite curfew was imposed by Political Agent Siraj Ahmed and security forces, backed by helicopter gunships and artillery, cordoned off the entire area and launched a search operation. Locals said Machas Camp and surrounding areas were pounded with cannon fire and helicopter gunships targeted militant hideouts. Dawn, The News, The Frontier Post.
Three passengers were killed and six others sustained injuries in a roadside blast in Zeridar Killay in lower Orakzai Agency on Friday, local sources said. The sources said that a passenger coach was heading to Kalaya, headquarters of Orakzai Agency, from Dargai area when a remote-controlled bomb planted along the roadside went off near Zeridar Killay at around 1:30pm. Three passengers identified as Liaqat Ali, Ghafoor Hussain and Umar Ali were killed on the spot while Zafar Ali, Noortaj Ali, Gulshan Ali, Naib Ali, Mastan Ali, Kamal Hussain and Maryam Bibi were wounded. They were shifted to the Liaqat Memorial Hospital in Kohat. They belonged to Duranki and Sanikhel tribes. Following the explosion, the officials of the political administration and security forces reached the spot and arrested six suspects during a search operation in the surrounding area. They were shifted to an undisclosed place for interrogation. The News.
Sector Commander (North) of Pakistan Army Brigadier Haider Ali on Friday announced the lifting of curfew in Bajaur Agency around four years after its imposition, saying the move had been made after the restoration of peace and establishment of the government’s writ across the tribal region. Brigadier Haider Ali told reporters here at Scouts Fort that security forces had established the government’s writ in Bajaur Agency after flushing out militants from the inaccessible areas, which were once stronghold of militants. He said curfew was imposed in Bajaur Agency in 2008 after the start of the ‘Sher Dil’ (lion’s heart) military operation against militants. He said curfew was imposed in Bajaur Agency in 2008 after the start of the ‘Sher Dil’ (lion’s heart) military operation against militants.
In Zaridar Kalli village of Oarkzai Agency, a passenger was killed and eight injured after their coach was destroyed in a roadside blast on Friday.
Officials said the coach was bound for Kalaya, agency headquarters, from Dargai area in lower Orakzai Agency. They said militants exploded a bomb by remote control when the coach reached Zaridar Kalli village. Officials said the blast destroyed the coach completely and killed a passenger, Liaquat Ali from Ibrahimzai area, and injured Zaffar Ali, Gulshan Ali, Naib Ali, Noor Taj Ali, Kamaran Ali and Maryam.
In Akora Khattak town in Nowshera district, militants blew up a primary school for girls early on Friday. However, no damage to human life was reported. Officials said Government Primary School for Girls in Shaikhan Kalay area of Mesri Banda was targeted by militants by detonating an explosive device on the premises. Dawn.
Scores of internally displaced persons from Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency on Friday protested at Jalozai camp in Nowshera to protest denial of monthly ration by Provincial Disaster Management Authority. IDP Yar Zaman Malikdinkhel told Dawn by phone from Jalozai camp that PDMA officials had stopped distribution of ration to hundreds of displaced persons though they’re registered with the camp. He said these IDPs had been provided with ration for many months and that suspension of ration supply would stress them out, especially ahead of Eidul Azha. Dawn.
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Barrister Masood Kausar has called for more generous cooperation on part of the international community to supplement the ongoing efforts for bringing rapid stability in Fata. Mr Kausar was talking to the visiting head on economic cooperation and development for Afghanistan and Pakistan Dr Stefan Oswald of Germany, who called on him at Governor House on Friday. Dr Oswald discussed with governor matters pertaining to German support and cooperation for generating economic development activities both in the province and Fata. Matters relating to further expediting pace of work on the ongoing projects mainly concerning to water and health sectors came under discussion. The governor assured every possible support for making this possible. He particularly referred to the dire need for launching economic development support projects in Fata involving the world community. Dawn, The Frontier Post.
The Interior Ministry has issued a high alert to intelligence agencies to prevent terrorists from using mobile phone memory cards as data carriers for an exchange of information. The ministry, in a notification issued to the law-enforcement agencies of the four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, chief secretary of Fata and commandant of FC, said: “Commercial courier services personnel and mail system are being used to transfer the cards to intended recipients.” The use of mobile phone memory cards is more common in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Intelligence and law-enforcement agencies have been directed to create awareness among the masses against malicious trend of the terrorists to transmit such material through SIMs or any other electronic gadgets. The Interior Ministry also directed the Ministry of Postal Services to be more vigilant at all collection and delivery points at all the post offices. The News, The Frontier Post.
Two rockets fired by militants landed here on Friday but no casualties were caused. Assistant Political Agent Fazal Qadir based in lower Orakzai Agency confirmed the incident and said the rockets had not caused any human or material loss.He added that the projectiles landed at the official compound in Kalaya, headquarters of Orakzai Agency, where offices of the political administration are located. The News.
An operation against the militants is likely in Matani and Badaber areas following the recovery of the heads of the slain Superintendent of Police (SP) Rural and a constable of the Frontier Constabulary (FC) on Thursday, a source said on Friday. The police and Frontier Constabulary are preparing for the action in the settled area while the provincial government is looking to seek the help of political authorities and troops in Khyber Agency and Frontier Region of Kohat and Peshawar to take action against the militants attacking Peshawar from the tribal areas. SP Rural Peshawar Khurshid Khan and FC Constable Yar Mohammad were beheaded recently. The police recovered their heads from a veranda in Gulshan Abad area in Matani on Thursday. The News.
With the help of local peace committee members led by Hafiz Gul Ramazan, the political administration on Friday secured the release of 20 labourers from Spinwam area in North Waziristan and handed them over to the Bannu district administration. A few days ago some unknown people had taken these labourers to North Waziristan from Bannu to work there. They were later made hostages and shifted to Spinwam area near the Afghan border. The political administration had approached the peace committee members and sought their help in securing release of the labourers. The News, The Frontier Post.
NAWAF KHAN, SHARAFAT ALI CHAUDHRY
