ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Defence claimed on Wednesday that US drone attacks over the pastfive years had resulted in 67 noncombatant deaths, while 2,160 terrorists were killed by the much-criticised America`s weapon of choice against terrorism. Importantly, the defence ministry said in a written statement in Senate that the collateral damage caused by the drone strikes had reduced to nil since 2012. Dawn, The News.
KHAR: The federal government increased compensation amount for the heirs of killed Levies personnel in tribal areas from Rs500,000 to Rs3 million, said MNA Shahabuddin Khan here on Wednesday. Talking to journalists, he said that that the new `Shuhada` package for Levies force would be implemented next month under which the family members of every Levies man killed would be given Rs3m by the government.Mr Khan said that government recognised the role of Levies personnel against militants. The whole nation was proud of Levies Force for its efforts in restoration of peace in Fata,he added.`The new package is for the heirs of all Levies personnel, who were killed during the war against terrorism in tribal areas,` the lawmaker said. Dawn.
LADDAH: Five soldiers were killed and another was injured when a roadside bomb hit a military vehicle in South Waziristan on Wednesday. Intelligence sources said the vehicle was hit by an IED (improvised explosive device) planted along a road in the Zateri area of Berwand in Sarwekai tehsil. Two soldiers were killed on thespot and three died later, they said. No group claimed responsibility for the attack. Soon after the blast, security forces resorted to intense shelling in the Shamkai area and conducted a search operation.Locals said that during the search operation at least 50 people, among them women and children, were forced to leave their homes along with their cattle. Dawn, The News, The Nation.
MIRAMSHAH: Two schools and a market were damaged when security forces and militants exchanged fire in North Waziristan Agency on Wednesday. Sources said that the clash erupted when militants opened firing on Amin checkpost at 12 noon. The attackers fled after the security forces retaliated, they added. The security men manning the check post used light and heavy weapons and targeted the suspected places. Several mortar shells landed in Miramshah Bazaar, damaging Abdul Manan Market, Alama Public School and a government run primary school for girls. Dawn.
MIRAMSHAH: Three suspected militants were killed when US drones targeted a house and a vehicle in the main bazaar of Miramshah, the administrative headquarters of North Waziristan Agency, in the small hours of Thursday. Sources said that of the two missiles fired by the drone one hit the vehicle and the other landed into the house, reportedly owned by suspected militants. More casualties were feared. The sources said that there was panic among local people after the attack as drones were flying over the area. Dawn, The News.
GHALANAI: People of Mohmand Agency have demanded of the government to provide basic facilities and appoint specialist doctors in the agency headquarters hospital, Ghalanai, so that patients could be provided timely treatment. Talking to Dawn here on Wednesday, they said that the Fata health department had neither provided the required medical facilities nor filled the vacant sanctioned posts of six specialist doctors at the hospital despite repeated complaints. Due to absence of a gynaecologist even routine cases are referred to Peshawar hospitals,` said a resident. The hospital was upgraded to agency headquarters hospital in 2003. Dawn.
LANDI KOTAL: Bullet-riddled body of a private school teacher was found in a playground in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency on Wednesday. Khasadar force officials said that Qisam Gul, teacher of the Khyber Public School, was abducted on Tuesday by some unidentified gunmen from Ghundi Pump House area of Jamrud. They said that his body was left in a playground near Ghundi village which was spotted by local residents who reported the incident to local political administration.The body was later handed over to his relatives who said that they had no enmity with anyone. Dawn.
PESHAWAR: Banned terror outfit, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)’s chief Hakimullah Mehsood has said that sabotaging peace talks with them may lead to severe consequences, media reported on Wednesday. He said that the only way to successful peace talks is by getting out of the US pressure. TTP Chief further said that his organisation is being wrongly portrayed in Pakistani and international media. He said that in the past, the government of Pakistan betrayed Taliban and if such things occur again then situation won’t be any good in the country. Mehsood also claimed that the drone attacks in the country are because of the approval by the Pakistani Government. He said that he will continue to work for the cause of Khilafat e Rashida in Pakistan. The Frontier Post.
KABUL (INP): Afghan President Hamid Karzai Wednesday said that under an agreement with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Afghan Aman Council seeking peace with the Taliban will soon travel to Pakistan for their first meeting with key militant commander Mullah Baradar. The Nation, The Frontier Post, The News.
PESHAWAR (APP): Secretary Social Sectors FATA Dr Aftab Akbar Durrani Wednesday said that efforts were on to address the issue of lifting ban on polio vaccination in North and South Waziristan agencies as bulk of cases have been reported from the region. Talking to APP here in FATA Secretariat, Dr Aftab Durrani said that parliamentarians from North and South Waziristan agencies have been tasked to held meetings with the Taliban leaders with a view to note down their major demands and to come up with the possible solutions that would pave way for lifting ban on polio vaccination. The Frontier Post.
WASHINGTON (NNI): US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee member Congressman Alan Grayson has said that drone strikes in Pakistan could stop tomorrow if the country intends to do so. Had Pakistan wanted and stopped facilitating the US strikes, drone attacks on its territory “could end tomorrow”, BBC Urdu quoted Alan Grayson as saying. The Frontier Post, The News.
PESHAWAR (INP): The Fata Tribunal hearing the case of Dr Shakil Afridi, who helped the CIA track down former Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, sought on Wednesday all record pertaining to the case from commissioner FCR and the political administration of the Khyber tribal region. The Frontier Post.
