UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan never approved American drone strikes on its territory, a top Pakistani diplomat told a UN committee Friday, saying such attacks violated international law and must be stopped. “No explicit or implicit consent, approval, or acquiescence has been given by the government of Pakistan for drone strikes,” he said as two UN experts, in their reports presented to the Third Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee, called for greater transparency on part of the United States in the use of the weapons. The Nation.
ISLAMABAD: Jemima Khan and the Brave New Foundation released their latest documentary film, Unmanned: America`s Drone Wars. It tells the story of Tariq Aziz, a 16year-old soccer and Lady Gaga fan, who attended an anti-drone conference in Islamabad in 2011 because he was concerned about the deaths in his area. Seventy-two hours later, he was killed by a US drone. No explanation was given for his death and none was needed as the profiling for terrorists seems to be, as far as the documentary portrays, as all encompassing as male, between the ages of 14 and 60 in Waziristan, or in other cases simply for being seen as moving in the region. Dawn.
WASHINGTON: Congress for the first time will hear testimony from survivors of a U.S. drone strike, in a briefing Tuesday organized by Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla). The Frontier Post.
ISLAMABAD :Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid Saturday said that statement about drone attacks which was linked with Prime Minister had already been rejected and Imran Khan should have to avoid doing politics on this issue. The Nation.
KHYBER AGENCY: Local tribesmen have demanded directorate of FATA Health to take action against the menace of increasing number of stray dogs in bazaars and hospitals as it had become an endless headache for tribesmen in their respective areas. The Frontier Post.
KHAR: Bajaur Agency Political Agent Syed Abdul Jabar Shah on Sunday said his administration was committed to providing basic facilities to the people of far-flung and militancy hit areas.He was speaking at the ceremony to inaugurate the newly rehabilitated road in Regi Bilalabad village of Mamond tehsil. USAID provided funds for the road.He asked elders to continue supporting the administration in maintaining peace in the region Dawn.
FR KOHAT: Security forces arrested a terrorist after seizing 13,300kg explosives in Darra Adamkhel area of Frontier Region, Kohat on Saturday. Dawn.
ISLAMABAD (INP): Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has directed the interior Minister that all political parties be taken into confidence with regard to the progress of dialogue with the Taliban. The Prime Minister expressed these views in a meeting with Interior Minister Ch. Nisar Ali Khan who called on him at the Prime Minister’s House on Saturday. The Frontier Post.
KABUL (REUTERS): Afghanistan will demand an explanation from Pakistan on the whereabouts of former Taliban second-in-command Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar when the leaders of both countries meet next week to discuss how to end years of insurgency,
an Afghan official said on Saturday. The Frontier Post.
PESHAWAR: Improvements recorded in business activities after Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf took reign of power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa proved a short-lived affair as a result of the recent flurry of terrorist activities, according to businessmen. The recent spate of bomb blasts in Peshawar that left 139 people dead and scores of othersinjured,according to businessmen, took the situation `back to square one` with trade and business activities dipping down to the pre-May 11 election level. Dawn.
LANDI KOTAL: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Engineer Shaukatullah has said the government would hold dialogue with the Taliban despite recent acts of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially in the capital city of Peshawar. `The federal government had declared the policy to initiate the process of dialogue with Taliban groups operating in Fata after the all parties conference gave it the mandate for it but the acts of terrorism carried out by either a third force or militants themselves in the days ahead caused a serious setback to the process. Such acts have created misunderstandings between the government and Taliban and could also damage the mutual confidence,` he told Dawn. Dawn.
PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government should not pressurise the federal government for holding peace talks with Taliban. Dawn.
PESHAWAR: Militants blew up a government-run girls` school in Bannu district and targeted a private school in Peshawar on Saturday. Also in the day, Bannu police foiled a bid to bomb a local primary school. However, no damage to public life was reported in such incidents. Dawn.
