LAHORE: In a bid to counter the subversive drone action, which seemingly torpedoed talks with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the PTI has announced to move to block Nato supplies through Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and introduce resolutions in the National, Sindh and Punjab assemblies for this purpose. Addressing a press conference, PTI chairman said, “We will block the Nato supply line even at the cost of (our) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government as we have already warned to block the route if the US drones sabotaged the talks with TTP”. The Nation, The Express Tribune, Daily Mashriq, Dawn
WANA: The decision to appoint a new Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief has not yet been taken and Majlis-e-Shura will choose the new chief within two to three days, TTP spokesman for South Waziristan Agency Maulana Azam Tariq said on Saturday. Talking to media on phone from an unknown location, Tariq said an appropriate and capable person would be nominated as the TTP chief. He said formal decision in this regard would be taken within next two to three days. The Nation.
PESHAWAR: Security was tightened and the province was put on high-alert on Saturday after intelligence reports speculated a spike in terrorist activities following the killing of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Hakimullah Mehsud in a US drone strike in North Waziristan on Friday evening. The Express Tribune.
MIRAMSHAH: Scores of tribesmen started evacuating their houses and fleeing North Waziristan starting Saturday morning amid fears of worsening law and order. Upon the pamphlet, the families have been asked to leave because of the deteriorating law and order situation after skirmishes took place between the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and security forces few days ago. According to an official of the political administration, around 1,000 tribesmen left the agency along with their families from the areas mentioned in the pamphlet. The Express Tribune.
PESHAWAR: Various political leaders on Saturday feared the killing of local Taliban leader Hakeemullah Mehsud in a US drone attack could derail peace process. They were speaking to reporters during the marriage function of former ISI officer Major (retired) Mohammad Amir`s son, Mohammad Ammar, here. He said the killing of the Taliban leader had limited the prospects of the government-Taliban negotiations. `We advocate peace and talks are the only way to achieve it,` he said, adding that peace was the name of progress, prosperity and development. Dawn.
PESHAWAR: Police on Saturday arrested 44 outlaws, including seven proclaimed offenders, during raids in Daudzai, Mathra and Chamkani areas here.An official said police also recovered arms and ammunitions from their possession and registered cases against them at the relevant police stations. Dawn.
GHALANAI: The elders of Haleemzai and Safi tribes have assured the political administration of their support in restoration of peace in Mohmand tribal region. They announced the decision at a jirga held here the other day attended by tribal elders belonging to Kadikhel, Wali Baig, Hamzakhel, Qandarahi, Masood and Shinwari sub-tribes. They said that Haleemzai and Safi tribesmen had always played their due role in restoration of peace in the area.Dawn.
GHALLANAI: Studnets from Mohmand agency have demanded special package for increase in the amount of scholarship amount. They said that the amount of 1400 they were receiving as a scholarship could not meet their expenses and there is a dire need for its increase. Dawn.
KHAR: Tribal elders and leaders of various political and religious parties in Bajaur Agency on Saturday condemned the US drone strike, which killed Pakistani Taliban leader Hakeemullah Mehsud, and urged the government and Taliban leadership to continue with the peace process in the country. The elders and political leaders said increase in drone strikes in the tribal areas was part of conspiracy to sabotage the government`s peace talks with militants. They said the recent US drone strike had greatly dis-appointed tribesmen, who had pinned high hopes in the peace process. Dawn.
PESHAWAR: A non-governmental organisation has demanded of the government to also give right of access to information to the people of Federally Administered Tribal Areas through a presidential order so that they could also benefit from the Right to Information Act (RIA) 2013 passed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. The demand was raised by the Development, Environment, Legal Aid, Technical Support and Advocacy Association, president Nazlee Sardar while submitting certain recommendations to the provincial government for further improvement of the RIA. Dawn.
PARACHINAR: A woman suffered serious injuries in a landmine explosion in Boshara village near here on Saturday. She was taken to the agency headquarters hospital in Parachinar where one of her legs was amputated. The wife of Noor Khan was outside her home when she was struck by a landmine.-Correspondent Dawn.
ISLAMABAD: Richard G. Olson, the US Ambassador to Islamabad, was `called` to the Foreign Office on Saturday to formally protest the latest drone attacks carried out by Washington just nine days after a meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Barack Obama. The ambassador was called hours after media reports that the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan`s chief Hakeemullah Mehsud had been killed in a drone strike in North Waziristan on Friday. `In order to register our concerns, the US ambassador was called to the Foreign Office by the foreign secretary to register our protest over the recent drone attacks,` an official statement said. `The latest drone strike will have a negative impact on the government`s initiative to undertake a dialogue with the TTP. Dawn, Daily Mashriq.
LANDI KOTAL: Landi Kotal political administration has started exclusive court proceedings involving the local jirga on every Friday to address the longstanding disputes. Telling about the new court arrangements, assistant political agent Tayyab Abdullah told Dawn that the old jirga hall had been converted into a courtroom for the purpose and that he was personally supervising its working on weekly basis. `We have started for the first time regular court hearings on every Friday to ensure speedy disposal of pending cases, he said. Dawn.
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has hinted that the country`s love-hate relationship with the United States could be redefined against the backdrop of the killing of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan chief Hakeemullah Mehsud in a US drone attack. `The Cabinet Committee on National Security will shortly meet to review the entire gamut of relationship and cooperation at all levels with the United States,` the minister told a press conference on Thursday. Hakeemullah`s elimination came at a time when the government was about to open formal peace talks with the Taliban. Dawn, Daily Mashriq.
LADHA / MIRAMSHAH: The banned Tehreek-iTaliban Pakistan (TTP) on Saturday termed Hakeemullah Mehsud`s death in a drone strike on Friday a major setback for `Jihadi groups`. Maulana Azam Tariq, a spokesman for TTP`s South Waziristan chapter, told Dawn that the militants would continue their `Jihad`. `We have faith that hundreds of thousands more Mujahideen will take birth and we will take revenge from America and its associates`. He said the Taliban would appoint a `suitable and competent person` in the next few days to lead the TTP and a meeting of their Shura (council) was in progress. Dawn.
LAHORE: THE quest for succession has begun in earnest and understandably so. Unlike the near-smooth succession of Hakeemullah Mehsud as Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan supremo following the death of Baitullah Mehsud in a drone strike in August 2009, the situation now is less than certain. There is no clear leader to lead the more than thirty militant groups operating in the country`s tribal borderland. The 38-year-old Shabikhel Mehsud from Zhawar, Dwatoi (South Waziristan) is a quiet, soft-spoken militant commander, well-versed in tribal traditions. Several factors can help him gain the TTP leadership. Dawn.
ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday hinted that the talks process could be delayed for few days due to recent drone attacks, which caused killing of five people, including TTP Chief Hakimullah Mehsud in North Waziristan. The Nation.
