PESHAWAR: Terrorists carried out an attack on the judicial complex in Peshawar on Monday. At least four people died in the attack, while 29 were injured. A suicide bomber, posing as a local clerk, threw a grenade in the court room of additional sessions judge Kulsoom Azam before blowing himself up. A second bomber was shot dead by security forces and the suicide jacket was defused by bomb disposal squad. The attackers stormed the crowded court complex in the city of Peshawar, less than two months before expected national elections. A security guard who was injured told AFP how the two young men had tried to get past his checkpoint. The Express Tribune, The News, The Frontier Post, Dawn.
PESHAWAR: Citing what they believe to be the non-serious attitude of the security forces and government, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) announced on Monday that it was postponing the peace talks. In an eight minute video released by the TTP from an undisclosed location, its spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed that the security forces and government are not serious about the peace dialogue, which is why the TTP have decided to postpone the peace talks. With masked armed men standing behind him, the TTP spokesperson further demanded that the people not participate in the public gatherings and rallies of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami national Party (ANP), claiming both of these parties are on the TTP’s (hit) list. The Express Tribune, The News, The Frontier Post.
PESHAWAR: The South Waziristan chapter of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to make arrangements for those displaced from the agency to participate in the polls. Roughly 30,000 families from Shawwal, Mir Ali, Data Khel, Miranshah and Razmak are languishing in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in different parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), said PML-N SWA Secretary Ghazi Khan Mehsud at the Peshawar Press Club (PPC) on Monday. The IDPs should be included in elections so they can play their role in restoring peace and democracy in the war-riddled agency, said Mehsud. The Express Tribune, The News, Dawn.
PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan on Monday vowed to bring to justice the culprits behind the attack on the judicial complex. Justice Khan made the statement while speaking to journalists at the Lady Reading Hospital where he was visiting victims of the brazen attack which left four people dead and nearly 47 injured, including lawyers and litigants. The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) also issued a statement strongly condemning the incident and announced to boycott court proceedings (except in urgent matters) across the country on Tuesday (today). The Express Tribune.
BARA: Clashes between banned militant outfits Ansarul Islam (AI) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) continued for the fifth consecutive day in the troubled Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency on Monday. Locals said TTP militants allowed Khujal Khel tribesmen to bury the bodies of those killed during the fighting which include AI chief Samar Gul and his nephew. AI spokesperson Sadat Afridi said they have secured the Haidar Kandao check post after overpowering TTP in Bar Qamber Khel area, while TTP has regained control in Bhutan Sharif, Ziarat Sar and Machapura areas. The Express Tribune, The News, Dawn.
WANA: The political administration in South Waziristan has completed the survey of the houses destroyed during conflict in the Sarwakai area, officials said on Monday. Talking to reporters, the Political Officer, Hamidullah Khan said 1, 380 houses destroyed in Sarwakai were registered in the survey launched on the directives of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shaukatullah. He said the two survey teams went from house to house to document the loss of the returned displaced families in the target area. The News.
PESHAWAR: Determined students from Khyber Agency attempt daily commute to Peshawar despite militancy and military operations in the agency. Others relocate there, living in temporary shelter, bearing tumultuous weather – all in the name of education. Fata Secretariat Director Planning and Development Shahenshah told The Express Tribune, 1,500 out of 2,000 displaced female students have been transferred from the Government Girls High School Kanlanga, Bara to Al Khalil Model School in Sarband outside Peshawar. The Express Tribune.
PESHAWAR: A Shia lawyer was gunned down by unidentified men in Pahripura on Monday morning. The police said Advocate Syed Zaheer Abbas, a resident of Wadpaga, was on a motorcycle with his assistant Syed Ghulam Nabi Shah when two armed motorcyclists opened fire on them. The attackers escaped after the assault. “They sprayed bullets at the two men, killing Zaheer Abbas, and leaving his assistant seriously injured,” said a police official. Syed Ghulam Nabi Shah was shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) where his condition was said to be critical, he added. “Both the advocate and his assistant belong to Shia families, which is why they have been attacked,” claimed the police official, adding that an FIR has been registered. The Express Tribune, The News, Dawn.
KALAYA: At least 10 terrorists were killed and six others sustained injuries when the jetfighters of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) blitzed hideouts in Mamozai area of the Orakzai tribal region, officials and tribal sources said on Monday. They said the jetfighters targeted the suspected position of the terrorists, in Chapper area in upper part of Orakzai that is in their control, and destroyed four of their hideouts. Eyewitnesses Ismail Khan and Mirza Khan told reporters that several empty houses of the local tribesmen were also destroyed in the fresh air-strikes. The sources said after the air-strikes the terrorists imposed ban on the movement of the local tribesmen in the area. The News, The Frontier Post, Dawn.
GHALLANAI: A large number of literati attended the book launching ceremony of a poetry collection Jawand da armanonoby the young Pashto poet Asmatullah Hamdard in Mohmand Agency on Monday. The Mohmand Adabi Ghuncha organised the book launching ceremony, which was chaired by noted elder Mian Yousaf, popularly known as Talib Jan as chief guest. The poet also recited poems from his poetic collection and received appreciation from his colleagues.Meenadar Wisal, Imtiaz Ahmad Tanha, Qari Muhammad Naseem, Nazir Ahmad Turab, Abdul Hameed Malang and Saleh Muhammad Saleh also recited their poems. The News.
LANDIKOTAL: The political administration (PA) in Khyber Agency Monday vowed to assist the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in holding free, fair and peaceful elections in the area. Speaking at the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected office-bearers of the Tribal Union of Journalists (TUJ) Khyber Agency chapter, Additional Political Agent, Attaur Rahman said the government had already completed preparation for the elections in the tribal area. He urged the journalists to motivate and encourage the people to take part actively in the electoral process to elect their public representatives. The News.
GHALLANAI: Two abandoned government school buildings were destroyed when bombs planted by unidentified militants went off in Safi tehsil of Mohmand Agency on Monday. A political administration official said two huge explosions were heard five minutes apart early morning in Lakaro area. Paramilitary troops rushed to the site and surrounded the area following the incident, he said, adding that Malik Hashim Primary School for boys and Malik Mojood Boys Primary School were destroyed. Both schools had been previously bombed and were no longer being used due to the deteriorating security situation in the area. The Express Tribune, The Frontier Post.
HANGU: A cell-phone shop was blown up in Karbogha Sharif in Doaba area, official sources said on Monday.The sources said a mobile-phone shop was destroyed when explosive device planted by unidentified persons went off late Sunday night in Karbogha Sharif in Doaba area.The police along with the bomb disposal unit (BDU) reached the spot and collected pieces of evidence. The News.
PESHAWAR: Federal government decided to install 15 Transit Monitoring Stations (TMS) throughout the country to monitor containers and cargo consignment which transport logistics for NATO and ISAF troops stationed in Afghanistan. According to sources, monitoring stations would be installed in Peshawar, Nowshera, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Jamrud and Turkham, however, implementation of solution-based system declared compulsory for the transport companies having bonded carriers license, while under this program the FBR would develop software to strictly monitor the containers. The Frontier Post.
PESHAWAR: A number of tribal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa journalists were facing severe problems due to frequent threats and attacks by unidentified militants. Most of journalists have abandoned homes whereas either they have giving up their profession or going underground for their safety, said speakers of one-day seminar on safety of Pak-Afghan journalists that was held in local hotel of metropolis on Monday. Speakers of the seminar said that 98 journalists have been killed since 9/11 throughout Pakistan; half of them were belonging to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and adjoining Federally Administered Tribal Areas. The Frontier Post.
FRC REPORT
BAJAUR AGENCY: Tribesmen and workers of the various political parties in Bajaur Agency took out a rally to celebrate the dissolution of National Assembly and claimed that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led coalition government done nothing to provide succor to the people, FRC Field reporter learnt. The people across the agency and various political parties in the area welcomed warmly the dissolution of National Assembly and particularly an end of the period of a local MNA Syed Akhoon Zada Chatan. The jubilant tribesmen distributed sweets and took out processions to celebrate the end of PPP led government.
NAWAF KHAN, SHARAFAT ALI CHAUDHARY
