ISLAMABAD: The Tehrik Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has made a conditional ceasefire offer to the Pakistan Government which envisages an end to Pakistan’s participation in the Afghan war and the reshaping of the Constitution and foreign policy according to the Quran and Sunnah. The offer was made to this correspondent in a letter sent by Punjab TTP Amir Asmatullah Muawiya and was endorsed by the spokesman of the TTP Ehsanullah Ehsan in a telephonic call from an unknown place. The letter calls for repeal of all laws in Pakistan which are repugnant to Islam and says the Constitution should be re-written in the light of the Quran and Sunnah. Ehasnullah Ehsan in his telephonic message to this correspondent after the TTP proposal was received said it had the full backing of the TTP and it should be considered as the TTP position. The News.
LANDI KOTAL/CHARSADDA: A security man and a teenage girl were killed and four persons including two children received injuries in three separate incidents in Khyber Agency on Wednesday, sources said. They said that a soldier of Mehsud Scouts was killed when militants attacked a checkpost in Sial Khan Kallay of Akkakhel area in Bara. The assailants managed to escape after the incident.
In Jamrud, a teenage girl was killed when security forces raided a house in Ghundi Abdalkhel area. Local sources said that forces raided the house of Tila Baz to arrest him for his alleged contacts with militants. A teenage daughter of Tila Baz was killed in gunfight between the inmates of the house and security forces, they added.
Meanwhile, two women and as many children were injured when a mortar shell hit a house in Sipah area of Bara on Wednesday. Sources said that the wife of Maseeth Khan and wife of Bashar Khan along with two children identified as Asim and Asad were injured when a mortar shell fired from an unknown direction hit the house of Maseeth Khan.
Meanwhile, militants blew up the vacant house of a former parliamentarian in Sipah area of Bara on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday. Dawn.
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain has restricted his movement after instructions from the Awami National Party leadership during a meeting held in the aftermath of assassination of Bashir Ahmed Bilour in a suicide attack last week. Mr Hussain, who remained on terrorists’ hit-list for his determination to carry out the government’s anti-militancy struggle, told Dawn on Wednesday that he had restricted his movement after orders from the party high command. “I am a worker of the ANP and bound to obey its directives. The party leadership told me it doesn’t want to lose me and therefore directed me not to go on scheduled visits,” Mr Hussain said. The information minister said that a meeting held under party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan on Tuesday had strictly asked him to stay away from addressing public meetings in his home constituency ahead of coming general election. Dawn.
PESHAWAR: Suspected militants blew up a government primary school for boys at Mushtarzai village on the outskirts of Peshawar on Wednesday evening. An official of Badhber police station said that militants planted a time device inside the school that went off at 7pm. The blast damaged the building of the school, he added. The official said that the watchman of the school had so far not been contacted as he was not present at the time of blast. The blast caused no loss of life, he added. He said that it was a school for boys, however, girl students were also enrolled in its initial classes because girls school was located away from the area. Another blast took place on Canal Road near Pawaka village in the limits of Peshtakhara police station on Wednesday morning. Dawn.
GHALANAI: The elders of Khwezai tribe on Wednesday demanded early resumption of work on development schemes in light of the elimination of militancy in Mohmand Agency. The demand was made during a jirga here in Bahi Dag area. Political agent of Mohmand Agency Dr Amber Ali Khan, Mohmand Rifles commandant Colonel Mushtaq Hussain, assistant political agent Biazai Ghazai Nawaz, Khwezai tehsildar Nawab Khan and Biazai tehsildar Riaz Khan were also in attendance. During the jirga, the Khwezai elders assured the political administration and security forces that their tribesmen would play the due role in restoration of peace in the area. Dawn.
MIRANSHAH: In an expected development, the government Wednesday announced indefinite curfew in North Waziristan Agency from today, senior officials said. They said the announcement about the curfew in North Waziristan was made in a meeting held on Wednesday night. Though the officials didn’t give details, the government usually enforces curfew in the tribal region on every Sunday. The decision panicked the tribal people who have started asking as to why the government made the announcement as curfew was clamped in the entire North Waziristan tribal region last Sunday. The News.
ISLAMABAD: Hit by the insurgents badly, the Awami National Party (ANP) has asked the Centre to immediately place the Frontier Constabulary (FC) under the provinces to minimize cross-the-border terrorism. “The provincial control on the FC would considerably cut down ammunition and arms’ influx at the boundaries between settled and tribal belt,” said ANP Senior Vice President Haji Adeel while taking to The News on Wednesday. In the past, he recalled, FC has been under the provinces. “The force is being misused by the Centre while deploying most of its manpower at Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad particularly diplomatic enclave, and many other major cities.” The News.
KARACHI: A suspected target killer belonging to the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) escaped from the lock-up of the Peerabad police station here on Wednesday. Abid alias Chhotu had been arrested after an encounter in Kanwari Colony on December 13. Police claimed to have recovered five hand grenades, a Kalashnikov and explosive material from his possession.
On Wednesday he told a constable on duty at the police station that he wanted to go to the toilet. As soon as the constable let him out of the lock-up, the TTP militant pushed him aside and fled. The News.
GHALLANAI: A senior military official in Mohmand Agency on Wednesday asked the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) to dismantle militants’ network in Afghanistan and check cross-border attacks. Speaking at a jirga in Bhai Dag village in the Khwezai-Baizai area, Commandant Mohmand Rifles Colonel Mushtaq said it was moral responsibility of the Isaf forces to take action against the militants operating on the Afghan side of the border. He said Afghanistan-based Pakistani militants were killing innocent civilians by launching attacks from their sanctuaries in Afghanistan. He said the security forces and political administration in consultation with tribal elders and peace committees had established Qaumi Amn Taron for maintaining peace in Mohmand tribal region. The News.
KHAR: Extending support to the government, the tribal elders of the Utmankhel tribe have announced to make the peace committees active to fight against militancy effectively in Bajaur Agency. The announcement was made in a grand jirga held here on Wednesday and attended by Malik Fida Muhammad, Malik Akbar, Malik Nadir Khan and Malik Khaista Gul. The Political Agent Syed Abdul Jabbar Shah, Commandant Bajaur Scouts Colonel Shakeel Janjua, Assistant Political Agent Khar Asad Sarwar and senior military and political officials attended the jirga Speaking on the occasion, elder of Utmankhel tribe Malik Fida Muhammad vowed to protect state installations. They also pledged not to provide shelter or extend help to the militants. He made it clear that stern action would be taken against those harbouring the militants. The News.
PESHAWAR: As per announcement of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Masood Kausar, the Shakai area of South Waziristan has been formally notified as a full-fledged tehsil. Addressing a joint grand jirga in South Waziristan’s headquarters Wana on December 17, the governor had declared that Shakai would be upgraded to a tehsil. A notification issued by the Fata Secretariat said Shakai tehsil would comprise of Sperkai Sade Khel of Nawaikot, Sperkai Sodan Khel of Zoorkot, Sperkai Sade Khel of Mandata, Khonia Khel Sharmal Khel of Dand, Khonia Khel Amand Khel of Dand, Khonia Khel Chini Khel of Ada Panga, Khonia Khel Potia Khel of Zhawar, Khonia Khel Sikandar Khel of Chaleer, Malik Khel of Monito Miamai of Sangoti, Shodiakai Purkhel of Splay Poran, Shodiakai Machakhel of Mazdak, Shodiakai of Rabot, Mughalkhel, Bizankhel, Hittikhel and Khojalkhel of Sang, Khojalkhel of Lanki Noor, and Khojalkhel Khamrang villages of South Waziristan. The News.
NAWAF KHAN, SHARAFAT ALI CHAUDHARY
