By Anwarullah Khan
Rejecting a Wall Street Journal report, Pakistan army on Tuesday said no understanding had been reached between Islamabad and Washington on a joint operation in North Waziristan. A military official, however, said coordinated actions on respective sides of the Pak-Afghan border, being part of routine, should not be mistaken for “joint operations”. He said that targeted action in Operation Tight Screw by Pakistan army against militants in the North Waziristan was an on-going process. “This is being undertaken for some months now to squeeze terrorists and there is no new operation as claimed in the (WSJ) report. When, where and how to carry out operation within our territory is up to Pakistan alone to decide,” the official said, reiterating Pakistan’s already stated policy. The WSJ had reported that the US and Pakistani officials were considering joint counter-terrorism campaigns in Afghanistan and Pakistan, saying the move would mark an upturn in cooperation after more than a year of “rancorous” relations. The Frontier Post, The Nation, The News, Dawn, Daily Times.
The Political Administration has handed over salaries of 500 Local Khasadar Force to the Aman Committee of Baizi Tribe and the official employees were deprived of the salaries. Sources said that the Aman Committee constituted to establish peace and force out anti-state actors from the area but on the other hand they deviated its duties and destroying the area. They blamed the Aman Lashkar for irritating the people without any known reasons. The local people expressed displeasure over the Local Administration performance in this issue who gave the control of distributing salaries among Local Forces to Aman Lashkar and despite delivering the salaries to the forces directly to Khasadars they handed over to Lashkar. The Frontier Post, The News.
Two tribesmen sustained critical wounds when a roadside bomb went-off in Tehsil Mamond of Bajaur Agency here on Tuesday. According to officials, the bomb was planted on roadside in village Gardi Bagh, which was blasted by miscreants with remote control device, critically injuring two tribesmen and were rushed to hospital. The bang of explosion was heard in one kilometer radius. The Bajaur Levy rushed to the spot and started investigation. No group has claimed responsibility. The Frontier Post, The News, Daily Times.
A roadside bomb apparently planted to target the vehicles supplying supplies for the Nato forces in Afghanistan went off without causing any harm on Tuesday, tribal sources said. The sources said the explosives had been planted on the Jamrud Bypass Road leading to the Khyber Terminal in Khyber Agency where the paperwork for containers transporting supplies for foreign forces in Afghanistan is processed. The loaded trailers then proceed through mountainous Khyber Pass to Torkham border before crossing into Afghanistan. The News.
A member of the Frontier Constabulary was wounded when the militants attacked a security post in Sheikhan village bordering Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency, on Tuesday. A police official said a group of the militants attacked the security post in Sheikhan early in the day. A soldier of the FC was injured in the attack, he said, adding the security forces retaliated and forced the attackers to flee the area. The Khyber Agency based militants often target the security posts in the suburb of the provincial metropolis. The News.
Siraj Ud Din, Nawaf Khan
