Monday, 24 February, 2014
NEWS
20 afghan soldiers killed in attack ASADABAD: At least 20 Afghan soldiers were killed on Sunday in an attack by Taliban on a checkpoint in Kunar province, close to Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan; Taliban claimed to have captured seven soldiers as well. “The deadly attack occurred in Ghaziabad district,” provincial governor Shujahul Mulk Jalala said. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Following the incident, Afghan President Hamid Karzai postponed a planned visit to Sri Lanka. The violence comes ahead of presidential elections that are due to be held next month. AGENCIES
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mQm holds rally in solidarity with army
counsels’ final word over Zardari tomorrow TALIBAN MERE TOOL TO WEAKEN COUNTRY, SAYS MQM CHIEF ALTAF KARACHI STAFF REPORT ISLAMABAD: The final arguments by legal counsels of both the sides regarding acquittal of former president Asif Ali Zardari in five references being reviewed by accountability court will be held tomorrow (Tuesday). The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has submitted its final draft in this regard, in Islamabad’s Accountability Court (AC). In its detailed draft, the NAB has argued against acquittal of the former president, on the grounds that Zardari could not be acquitted without being indicted; hence Zardari’s plea should be declared null and void and his trial should be maintained, to record all possible evidence and witnesses against him. Former president Zardari faces references like polo ground case, ARY (gold) issue, SGS, RS tractors and Co-techna cases in which Zardari will be presented by his legal counsel Farooq H Naek, while the public prosecutor will be Chaudhry Riaz. During the previous hearing, Farooq H Naek had assured to present his replies in reference to the NAB charges, over which the AC’s Judge Muhammad Bashir had adjourned further hearing till February 24. Zardari has been exempted from court appearances over security concerns, however, he did once appear in the court, challenging former chief of army staff and president, general (R) Musharraf’s confidence over the issue. ONLINE
security institutions working in line with govt policy: rashid
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UTTAHIDA Quami Movement (MQM) held a rally in Karachi on Sunday to show solidarity with the Pakistan Army, rangers and police who are fighting Taliban militants. MQM chief Altaf Hussain on Sunday said the Taliban were being used to destabilise Pakistan. Addressing a solidarity rally, he added that four years ago his statements about the Taliban were not taken se-
RANGERS, POLICE TERM RALLY A MORALE-BOOSTER riously, but now he has been proven right. The MQM chief added that Pakistan’s peace and security were under threat and measures should be taken to safeguard the stability and security of the nation. He said the supporters of Taliban are hypocrites. He said the supporters of Taliban are not friends of Pakistan. He said the government, army and the people have to be on the same page to fight extremism. He said if we are strong internally we can overcome the external threats. The rally took place at Shahra-eQuaideen, where a huge crowd of men,
women and children had gathered. MQM leaders Faisal Sabzwari, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Haider Abbas Rizvi addressed the rally earlier. “This is not a procession of a misguided few, this is a procession of those who have woken up to the situation,” Sabzwari said. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN)’s Nihal Hashmi also addressed the procession. RANGERS, POLICE LAud MQM’S SOLIdARITY RALLY: Terming it a morale-booster, Sindh Rangers and police threw their weight behind the MQM rally staged to show solidarity with security forces. “We hold this endeavour in high regard as it will go a long, long way in boosting the ‘esprit de corps’ of Pakistan’s
sentinels,” a Rangers spokesman said. Praying for the steadfastness of Pakistan’s security forces in the war on terror, he also saluted the MQM Coordination Committee for organising and the participants for making the rally a huge success. Meanwhile, a statement issued by the Sindh Police also praised the rally. “We express our deepest gratitude to all those who showed up at MQM’s rally to express solidarity with security and law enforcement agencies fighting the scourge of terrorism,” the statement said. The statement also read that the Sindh Police would never flinch back from laying down their lives to defeat terrorism. “It is our solemn pledge that this war will reach its logical end with success, come what may,” a police spokesman added.
PTI decides to back army operation IMRAN KHAN IS LIKELY TO URGE TALIBAN TO ANNOUNCE UNCONDITIONAL CEASEFIRE LAHORE STAFF REPORT
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday decided to support possible army operation in North Waziristan Agency. According to a statement, members of the party in a meeting decided to urge the Taliban for an uncondi-
tional ceasefire. According to sources, PTI Chairman Imran Khan, on his return to Pakistan from Britain, would urge the Taliban for a ceasefire. Sources said that the PTI was standing side by side with the Pakistan Army and would support any operation against terrorists in North Waziristan Agency. There has been no statement from Imran Khan ever since he left for London to meet his two sons a few days back. Though there have been rapid developments back home since then. He is expected to return on Monday (today) when the National Assembly as well as the Senate sessions are summoned. However, Shireen Mazari’s only statement was issued on Friday in response to an allegation by Asma Je-
hangir, who said the PTI chief was a Taliban informer. In retaliation, Mazari alleged that Asma worked for certain external forces against Pakistan. “We stand by the military in its fresh drive against Taliban,” said PTI’s Deputy Information Secretary Adnan Randhawa. He said his party was hopeful that the Taliban would soon return to the resumption of dialogue. He said that the PTI stood by its demand that the Taliban should first announce an unconditional ceasefire. Imran Khan has been demanding both the government and the Taliban to announce a ceasefire, but the killing 23 FC personnel by TTP terrorists compelled the party to call for an unconditional cessation of acts by the banned outfit.
JI urges Nawaz to seek Afghan Taliban’s help in peace talks PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information Pervez Rashid Sunday said all the security institutions were working in line with the government policy to prevent acts of terrorism. In an interview to a private news channel, the information minister said there was no difference of opinion between the government and the army about how to deal the terrorists. In reply to a question, he said the armed forces have the capability to destroy all safe havens of the militants to protect the lives and property of the people of Pakistan. Pervez Rashid also said that the militants, through their activities, had targeted religious places, educational institutions, business centres and many other places in the past, which cannot be tolerated. INP
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Munawar Hassan on Sunday urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to seek Afghan Taliban’s help in peace talks. Addressing a meeting of party workers in Peshawar, the JI chief urged the PM to take initiative and called both Taliban designated and government committees to listen to their concerns and viewpoints. The cleric said Pakistan has a bitter experience of army operations, saying that previous actions have turned many parts of the country into ‘Bangladesh’. The JI leader’s views came hours after military jets pounded suspected terrorist hideouts in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency bordering Afghanistan, killing 20 terrorists in early morning strike. On Saturday, nine terrorists were killed and several others injured in shelling by army gunship helicopters on terrorist hideouts in Hangu District, three days after ‘punitive strikes’ left dozens of terrorists dead in North Waziristan and Khyber Agency. Taliban’s chief negotiator Samiul Haq has appealed to the government and banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to announce a ceasefire.
JI’s Professor Ibrahim, who is also part of the Taliban negotiating team, called for a ceasefire and urged the government to refrain from using force.
CMYK
The banned terrorist outfit TTP demanded enforcement of sharia in the country as a condition of peace and ceasefire.