Identities of four foreign tourists killed in Pakistan determined

Source : APA

Ten foreigners were among 11 people killed in a pre-dawn attack in Pakistan's northern area of Gilgit-Baltistan on Sunday, said P Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, APA reports.

The identities of four foreign tourists have been determined and they includ nationals, one Chinese American and one Nepalese, said the minister, addi nationality of the remaining six are yet to be determined. The spokesman a Embassy in Islamabad confirmed that a US citizen was among the dead. Ea minister said that five Ukrainians were also killed in the attack.

The assault happened at the base camp of Nanga Parbat, the world's ninth mountain, in Gilgit-Baltistan. There were conflicting claims of responsibility A Pakistani militant group known as Jundullah, with a track record of attack province, was the first to say it was behind the raid. Later in the day, the Te Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the murder in an announcement m spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan.

India warns Pakistan of massive retaliation even in case of midget strike

Source : Pakistan News

New Delhi, Apr. 30 (Xinhua-ANI): India has warned Pakistan of a massive retaliation even if there is a midget nuclear strike by the neighboring country, local media reported Tuesday.

"India will not be the first to use nuclear weapons, but if it is attacked with such weapons, it would engage in nuclear retaliation which will be massive and designed to inflict unacceptable damage on its adversary. The label on a nuclear weapon used for attacking India, strategic or tactical, is irrelevant from the Indian perspective," 'The Times of India' quoted Shyam Saran, the convener of the National Security Advisory Board, as saying.

Slamming Islamabad for its role in the Mumbai massacre, in which over 170 people were killed by 10 Pakistani militants in November 2008, Saran said "What Pakistan is signalling to India and to the world is that India should not contemplate retaliation even if there is another Mumbai because Pakistan has lowered the threshold of nuclear use to the theater level. This is nothing short of nuclear blackmail, no difference from the irresponsible behaviour one witnesses in North Korea."

Issuing a stern warning to Pakistan, the former Indian foreign secretary added "A limited nuclear war is a contradiction in terms. Any nuclear exchange, once initiated, would swiftly and inexorably escalate to the strategic level. Pakistan would be prudent not to assume otherwise as it sometimes appears to do, most recently by developing and perhaps deploying theater nuclear weapons."

India and Pakistan are arch-rivals and have fought at least three major wars over the disputed territory of Kashmir in the last 60 years. (Xinhua- ANI)

Blast injures 13 in SW Pakistan

Source : Xinhua

ISLAMABAD, April 24 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 people were injured when a bomb went off outside a hospital in Pakistan's southwest Quetta city on Wednesday morning, local media reported.

Geo TV said that the incident happened at about 8:10 a.m. ( local time) in Satellite town area located at southwestern suburbs of Quetta, the capital city of the country's Balochistan province.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Fayyaz Sumbul said that the bomb was detonated by a remote controlled device and an estimated 2 to 3 kg of explosive materials were fixed on a bicycle parked near the hospital.

The injured people were shifted to hospital where one of them was reported critical.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

Police and paramilitary troops cordoned off the area and kicked off investigation into the incident.

Wednesday morning's blast is the fifth of its kind in Quetta over the last 14 hours. Last night, eight people were killed and 45 others injured when four blasts including one detonated by a suicide bomber, rocked the city.

Police said that the most serious blast in the current string of bombing in the city happened at the Nechari Road area last night, when a suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into the check post of Frontier Constabulary (FC), killing eight people including a security man and injuring 32 others.

Pakistan: US drone strike in South Waziristan kills five

Source : The Muslim News

PESHAWAR, (Dawn): Missiles fired from US drone aircraft killed at least five people on Wednesday in Babar Kot’s Sararogha village, ar of South Waziristan.

According to official sources, US drone strike fired two missiles on a compound, owned by Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants.

The strikes destroyed the compound completely.

http://dawn.com/2013/04/17/us-drone-strike-in-south-waziristan- kills-four

Pakistani ex-President Musharraf disqualified for elections

Source : Xinhuanet

ISLAMABAD, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Courts in Pakistan have disqualified former President Pervez Musharraf for contesting parliamentary elections for suspending the constitution and imposing emergency in 2007 during his rule, lawyers said Tuesday.

Musharraf wanted to stand for a National Assembly seat from four constituencies including capita Islamabad but his nomination papers were rejected by the election authorities.

He had filed appeals against rejections of papers by the local election authorities in three areas Karachi, Kasur in Punjab province and Islamabad, but his appeals were also rejected in the Electio Tribunals, comprising judges of high courts.

Musharraf's papers were only accepted in the northern Chitral district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, however, his political rivals had challenged acceptance of papers.

A three-member Election Tribunal on Tuesday accepted objections by Musharraf's rivals and disqualified him for contesting election from Chitral.

Lawyers of the rival candidates said that Musharraf had abrogated the constitution and that he is also facing cases in courts and is not-eligible to stand for the parliamentary seat.

They also argued that Chitral is a peaceful area and Musharraf' s election could create law and order problem.

Pakistani Taliban in a video have warned to attack Musharraf.

Mushararf, who ruled Pakistan 1999-2008, was disqualified a day after he announced election manifesto of his All Pakistan Muslim League party.

Legal experts say that Musharraf has the right to appeal in the Supreme Court.

Musharraf admits to a secret drone deal with US: report

Source : thenews.com.pk

ISLAMABAD: According to American news channel CNN, former president Gen (Retd) Pervez Musharraf has acknowledged that his government secretly struck an agreement with US regarding drone strikes in the tribal areas of Pakistan.

This is the first time a top past or present Pakistani official has admitted publicly to such a deal, the news channel said.

In an interview this week in Islamabad, Musharraf insisted Pakistan's government signed off on strikes "only on a few occasions, when a target was absolutely isolated and no chance of collateral damage", said the CNN report.

The US news channel added that still, his admission that Pakistani leaders agreed to even a limited number of strikes runs counter to their repeated denunciations of a program they long claimed the United States was operating without their approval.

The report further said that the drone strikes -- which the nonpartisan public policy group New American Foundation estimates have killed at least 1,990 people in Pakistan, including hundreds of civilians -- are unpopular in Pakistan.

Suicide attack on army check post kills 5 in NW Pakistan

Source  :  Trend.Az

At least five soldiers were killed in a suicide attack on an army check post in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of North Waziristan on Saturday night, said an Army statement.

Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the mouthpiece of Pakistan army, said in a brief statement that a suicide bomber rammed his explosive- laden vehicle into an army check post in Miran Shah, capital town of North Waziristan, on Saturday night, Xinhua reported.

The check post was completely destroyed in the attack, said the statement, adding five troops were killed in the blast.

The statement failed to give further details.

Some local media reports said that the attack killed six people and wounded 18 others.

No group has taken the credit for the attack.

Bordering east Afghanistan, North Waziristan is one of the seven tribal areas in northwest Pakistan, which is believed to be one of the havens for militants of various groups.

4 Killed in US Drone Strike in Northwestern Pakistan

Source  :  Fars News Agency

TEHRAN (FNA)- At least four people were killed and one other was injured in a US drone attack in Pakistan's Northwestern tribal region of North Waziristan.

According to the reports, the US unmanned plane on Thursday night targeted a house in Datta Khel area of North Waziristan, Pakistan's restive tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

The drone fired two missiles at the house that killed four people present inside while leaving one other injured, Xinhua reported.

The strike destroyed the house completely besides making cracks in the nearby buildings.

Soon after the attack local people rushed to the site and started rescue work as there is no official rescue service available in the area.

Thursday's strike is the second in the current month. Earlier on March 10, a US drone targeted a house in the Tehsil Boya area of the same region and killed two persons.

It is also the 10th strike of its kind in Pakistan's Northwestern tribal areas since the start of the current year, killing 64 people in total.

Pakistan has been protesting and expressing its reservations over such attacks, terming them as the violation of its sovereignty

Pakistan - Six army officers involved in abductions: DIG CID Balochistan

Source  :  Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Submitting a progress report regarding the missing persons, DIG CID Balochistan has told the Supreme Court that six army officers are involved in the abduction of missing persons in Balochistan.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Balochistan on Wednesday submitted a report on missing persons before a three- member bench, which was hearing Balochistan law and order case.

According to the report submitted by DIG CID Feroze Shah, 10 military personnel are accused of abducting the missing persons. “Some 18 missing persons had returned home safe and sound but 48 people are yet to be traced,” he said. “Following the statements of 12 missing persons after they returned home the Balochistan police asked the Frontier Corps to trace the whereabouts of the accused army men including two Lt colonels, six majors and two subedars”, said the report submitted by the DIG in the SC.

The report further states that the FC personnel assured that they would extend full cooperation for the completion of investigation and the recovery of the missing persons. According to FC, some of the officers did not belong to the organisation and others had gone back to Pakistan Army.

Security forces continue operations in S. Pakistan

Source :  KUNA

ISLAMABAD, March 20 (KUNA) -- Several suspects were arrested in an operation launched by paramilitary in Karachi city of southern Pakistan on Wednesday. According to the media reports paramilitary cordoned the Musharraf Colony area of the city and blocked all the entry and exit points. A house-to-house search operation has started and many suspects have been arrested so far. Meanwhile, security forces conducted an operation to arrest criminals and militants in many parts of Karachi city after a blast hit Abbas Colony blast and killed 48 people. A wave of violence struck the city as an aftermath of this operation. Security forces arrested over 100 people many of whom were found wanted criminals and militants. (end) sbk.nfm KUNA 200947 Mar 13NNNN

Bomb kills three in southern Pakistan

Source : Trend.Az

A bomb blast killed three people and injured five others in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi early Friday, police said, dpa reported.

Up to 2 kilogrammes of explosives were detonated outside the office of a cable television operator in Landhi area of the country's biggest city and commercial centre, police officer Naeem Broka said.

There was no immediate indication that the business was targeted, as the owner "has denied receiving any threats," Broka said.

A police officer was among the dead, but it was not clear whether he was on duty at the time.

An employee of the office was about to check an unattended bag when the bomb went off, an unnamed witness was quoted as saying by television reports.

The explosion appeared to have been triggered by remote control, Broka said.

Karachi has a long history of ethnic, criminal and political violence, which has seen a spike in recent months.

Suicide bomber kills 2 in northwestern Pakistan

Source : LBCI News

A police official says a suicide bomber has blown himself up near a police van in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least two people.

The official, Zaheer Khan, says Tuesday's attack in the district of Bannu in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan also wounded at least 10 people.

He says initial reports suggest the attacker was on foot and targeted a police van near a police station.

Khan says rescuers were transporting the dead and injured to a nearby hospital.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but suspicion fell on Pakistani Taliban who often target police and security forces deployed there.

The district of Bannu is located just outside the North Waziristan tribal region where several Pakistani, Afghan and al-Qaida-linked militant groups are based.

Quetta bombing: Countrywide protests enter third day

Source : The Express Tribune

Families of the Quetta blast victims continued their sit-in for the third day in Hazara Town and Alamdar Road on Tuesday, refusing to bury their loved ones, Express News reported.

To express solidarity with the Shia Hazaras in Quetta, several protests and sits-in across the country also continued after the government failed to fulfill the demands of the Hazara community.

In Lahore, many roads were blocked, including the GT Road and motorway interchanges, causing inconvenience to transporters. A sit-in was also being held at Shahdara Chowk.

The Majlis-e-Wehdat-e-Muslameen (MWM) members continued their sit-in outside Governor House in Lahore, demanding those involved in the blast to be arrested.

Streets in Karachi also remained deserted while private schools were closed. Several areas, including Ancholi and Ayesha Manzil, were blocked as protesters burnt tyres. Shia Ulema Council and MWM in Karachi said that they would continue with their sits-in till their demands are met.

Awami National Party’s (ANP) Ameer Nawab and Bashir Jaan came to the sit-in in Karachi to express solidarity with the protesters.

In Patel Para protesters opened fire at the police after the funeral was held for one of the four people killed in last night’s firing in the area. The police resorted to aerial gunfire and shelling to disperse the protesters.

On February 16, a massive bomb ripped though a busy market in a Shia Hazara neighbourhood of Quetta, killing more than 80 people and injuring nearly 200.

Pakistan tests another nuclear-capable missile

Source : Pakistan News

Islamabad, Feb. 15 (Xinhua-ANI): Pakistan on Friday tested a missile that can carry nuclear warheads, the second such test in a week, the military said.

"Pakistan today successfully test-fired the Short Range Surface to Surface Ballistic Missile Hatf II (Abdali), as part of the process of validation of land based ballistic missile systems," an army statement said.

Hatf II (Abdali), with a range of 180 km, can carry nuclear as well as conventional warheads with high accuracy.

The test was witnessed by Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Khalid Shameem Wynne, Director General Strategic Plans Division Lieutenant General (Retd) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai, Commander Army Strategic forces Command, Lieutenant General Tariq Nadeem Gilani, senior officers from the strategic forces and scientists and engineers of strategic organizations.

The president and prime minister of Pakistan have congratulated the scientists and engineers on this outstanding achievement which consolidates Pakistan's deterrence capability both at the operational and strategic levels, the statement said.

It was the second missile test by Pakistan in a week.

On Monday, Pakistani military said it had conducted a successful test fire of a short range Surface to Surface Missile Hatf IX (NASR), which has a range of 60 km and can carry nuclear warheads.

Pakistan, which tested nuclear tests in 1998 in response to Indian tests, has several missile series. (Xinhua-ANI)

Pakistan Taliban says American, British fighters killed

Source : Pakistan News

ISLAMABAD (AFP) - The Pakistani Taliban have included a Briton and an American in a slideshow of fighters killed in battle that also eulogises Al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden.According to the US monitoring service SITE, the 12-minute, 56-second video was posted on jihadist websites on February 6 and was prepared by Umar Studio, the media wing of Pakistan's umbrella Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) faction.It identifies the American by the name of Inaam and the Briton as Abbas, whom SITE said had been identified by the TTP in a prior video as Omar al-Britani and who gave a speech in English.No date ..

Pakistani leader to talk with Afghan Taliban in Qatar

Source : Pakistan News

Pakistani political leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman has gone on a "private visit" to Qatar to hold talks with the Afghan Taliban, a media report said Sunday.

Rehman, the chief of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F), was playing a "pivotal role" in the Afghan peace process, party leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmed was quoted as saying by the Dawn.

Ahmed said the use of force was not a solution to the conflict between the Taliban and the military, and urged them to sit on the negotiating table to restore peace in the region.

The leader also urged the Pakistani government and the army to take seriously the offer for talks by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.

JUI-F spokesman Abdul Jalil Jan, however, only said that Rehman had gone abroad on a "private visit".

Western media reports say the US is in contact with the Taliban in Qatar to persuade the outfit to initiate negotiations with the Afghan government, as Washington prepares for the withdrawal of troops by 2014.

Another party leader, Sirajul Haq, said the Pakistani government was looking towards the US for a "signal" after the negotiation offer by the Taliban.

"The government is not sincere in peace negotiations and is waiting for dictation from Americans," he said.

He said if the US could hold talks with the Taliban, there was no reason why Pakistan could not do so.

6 killed in U.S. drone strike in NW Pakistan

Source : Xinhua | English.news.cn

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- At least six people were killed and two others injured on Friday evening as a U.S. drone attacked a house in the northwestern tribal region of Pakistan, local media reported.

Local Urdu TV channel Express News reported that the unmanned aircraft targeted a house in the Babar Ghar village that lies at the border of North Waziristan and South Waziristan, Pakistan's two volatile tribal regions bordering Afghanistan.

According to the reports, the drone fired two missiles at the house and killed six people inside besides injuring two others.

The house was completely destroyed in the attack.

Local people rushed to the site and pulled out the bodies and injured from the rubbles.

Friday's attack is the 8th of its kind in Pakistan's northwestern tribal areas since the start of the current year. So far this year at least 53 people have been killed in such strikes.

Nothing can stop Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline

Source : Islamic Invitation Turkey

Pakistan Ambassador to Tehran says nothing can prevent the progress of the multi- billion-dollar Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project.

Khalid Aziz Babar said on Wednesday that based on an agreement signed between the two parties, the gas pipeline must be completed by December 2014 and after its completion, gas transfer from Iran to Pakistan will start.

On January 29, an Iranian deputy oil minister said Tehran would finance and help build the 700-kilometer tranche of Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline on the Pakistani side.

“Aside from a 250-million-dollar loan, Iran will also provide the supplies and equipment necessary for the construction of the part of the pipeline on Pakistani soil,” Javad Owji, who is also managing director of the National Iranian Gas Company, said.

This is while Pakistan has constantly dismissed rumors that it might pull out of the project amid efforts by the United States to convince the country to abandon the pipeline.

The pipeline, projected to cost about USD1.2-1.5 billion, would enable the export of 21.5 million cubic meters of Iran’s natural gas to Pakistan on a daily basis.

Iran has already built more than 900 kilometers of the pipeline on its soil.

Pakistan Warns US Not to Cross Red Line

Source : Fars News Agency

TEHRAN (FNA)- Pakistan's ambassador to the United States blasted the Obama administration for continued drone strikes in Fata, calling the violation a "red line" that should not be crossed.

At a breakfast meeting with the Christian Science Monitor staff, Sherry Rehman said that drones strikes were "a clear violation of our sovereignty and a violation of international law" that threatened stable relations between the two governments, Dawn reported.

She rejected persistent media reports that Pakistan tacitly approved the strikes while denouncing them publicly as untrue. "Let me assure you that since we have been in government, there has been no quiet complicity, no question of wink and nod," she said.

The United States has launched hundreds of drone strikes in Fata, killing dozens of militant leaders. Pakistan says that the drones also have killed a large number of innocent civilians.

Pakistan warns that the civilian deaths are counter-productive as they increase public sympathy for the militants and wants the United States to stop the strikes.

The drone strategy "creates more potential terrorists on the ground and militants on the ground instead of taking them out," the ambassador said. "We need to drain the swamp, but instead it is radicalising people."

Ambassador Rehman complained that the United States had failed to appreciate Pakistan's domestic terrorism problems and counter-terrorism operations, which have cost nearly 50,000 military and civilian lives and billions of dollars in expenditures and lost income over the past decade.

Afghanistan, Pakistan leaders in UK for talks

Source : The Daily Star

LONDON: The leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan are due to hold talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron in London on the Afghan peace process.

Cameron initiated the meetings with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari last year, aiming to boost cooperation between the countries and promote regional stability.

The talks are expected to focus on preventing a Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan when British and other NATO troops withdraw from the country next year.

Cameron plans to dine with Karzai and Zardari at his country residence Chequers later Sunday, before holding formal talks with both leaders and their top officials early Monday.

Downing Street says the trilateral meeting will include Afghan and Pakistani army and intelligence chiefs for the first time.