Saturday, 28 August, 2021 I 19 Muharram, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 58 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
Situation on Pak-afghan border iS normal and under control: iSPr dg
i
nter-Services Public relations Director General Major General Babar Iftikhar has said the situation on PakistanAfghanistan international border is normal and under control, reported radio Pakistan. Addressing a news conference in rawalpindi on Friday, he said there has been no major incident but we have taken maximum measures and moved our regular troops to the border to cope with any situation. At the outset of his press conference in rawalpindi, he said he would talk about the evolving situation in Afghanistan and the implied national security problems that Pakistan could face, along with the measures the armed forces had taken and would continue to take to “ward off any spillover of insecurity and instability into Pakistan”. the ISPr DG said that the taliban leadership have conveyed that they will not let the Afghan soil be used against any other country. “We have to take them at their word.” He added that Pakistan believes that they will take measures so that the ttP may
not able to operate against Pakistan or any other country. He further stated that the ttP has no organized infrastructure in Pakistan and that is why they are taking refuge in Afghanistan. Prior to the taliban’s takeover of Kabul, the military situation in the war-torn country “unfolded rapidly”, he said, adding that Pakistan had already started taking the measures it needed to guard the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and to ensure security. Pakistan had apprehensions that the situation would unfold in the way that it did and there could be a “spillover”, which is why it took the steps it did, he elaborated. He recalled that Pakistan had started “beefing up” its security since 2014, including Operation Zarb-i-Azb and Operation radd-ul-Fasaad. “the political and military leadership in Pakistan had foresight that something like this (taliban takeover in Afghanistan) could happen. So, despite whatever has happened on that side (Afghanistan), the situation on the Pak-Afghan border is normal and
coronaviruS in
PakiStan
CONFIRMED CASES:
1,144,341
LAST UPDATED AT 11:41 AM ON AUGUST 27, 2021
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
NEW CASES:
95
4,016
RECOVERED:
DEATHS:
1,026,082 25,415 SINDH:
PUNJAB:
427,037
386,578
KPK:
BALOCHISTAN:
159,483 AJK/GB: 31,478/9,795
32,014 ISLAMABAD:
97,956
under control.” “this does not mean nothing can happen but we are prepared and won’t be caught unaware,” he added. Giving the timeline of events as they unfolded in the neighbouring country, the DG ISPr said prior to August 15 — when the taliban entered Kabul — several soldiers belonging to the Afghan national Army entered Pakistan on more than two occasions, seeking safe passage because they feared their posts might come under attack by the taliban. “they were accepted and given safe passage back under military norms,” he added. Pakistan’s armed forces “anticipated the way the situation was going to unfold and the chance of instability” spilling over and moved troops to important border crossings to ensure control, he said. “Seventeen out of 78 border crossings were notified [for enhanced deployment] and all illegal crossings were closed. After August 15, the terminals and border crossings have been kept open. Convoys are also continuously moving on both sides.” the DG ISPr informed the secondbiggest site for evacuation of foreigners from Afghanistan, besides the ones in the neighbouring country, was in Pakistan. So far, 113 flights — both military and commercial — have landed in Pakistan from Afghanistan, he added. “the situation at the Pak-Afghan border is normal and there is no untoward incident,” he said. talking about the impact of the decades-long war in the neighbouring country, Gen Iftikhar noted the “biggest victims” of the conflict, besides Afghans, had been Pakistanis. “We have faced a massive brunt since the Soviets invaded [Afghanistan] followed by the civil war. [More than] 86,000 lives have been lost [along with] rs152 billion in economic losses and counting. News Desk
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16 killed in Karachi chemical factory fire KARACHI staff report
At least 16 people were killed in a factory fire on Friday in Pakistan’s largest city and financial hub, Karachi, raising questions about the industrial safety in a country not new to such accidents. the fire broke out at a multistory chemical factory in eastern part of the city, and most windows of the factory were blocked, police and fire officials said. Many factory workers died after being trapped on the second floor in the fire, which broke out on the ground floor of the three-story factory. “At least 16 people have died in the fire,” Saqib Ismail Memon, deputy inspector general of Karachi’s eastern part, told reuters. Private television channels’ footage showed thick grey smoke billowing out from the top floors of the factory. “the factory had only one entry point, which was also being used as exit, and the roof exit was blocked, which badly hampered rescue efforts,” Mubeen Ahmed, chief fire officer of the fire department, told a Geo, a private television channel. Over 260 workers were burnt alive when a multi-storey garment factory was set on fire in
Biden warns Kabul airport attackers: ‘We will hunt you down’ WASHINGTON ageNcies
President Joe Biden, his voice breaking with emotion, vowed on thursday the United States would hunt down those responsible for twin explosions at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan and said he had asked the Pentagon to develop plans to strike back at them. Biden spoke hours after the blasts killed at least 13 American troops and scores of civilians, the worst day of casualties for US forces there in a decade. Islamic State Khorasan (ISISK), an affiliate of militants who previously battled U.S. forces in Syria and Iraq, claimed responsibility for the attack. “We will not forgive, we will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay,” Biden said in remarks at the White House. He promised US evacuations would continue. “We will not be deterred by terrorists, we will not let them stop our mission. We will continue the evacuations,” he said. Vice President Kamala Harris cancelled her plan to campaign for California Democratic Governor Gavin newsroom,
September 2012 in what became the deadliest industrial blaze in Pakistan’s history. Blazes and accidents are common in South Asia’s factories, many of which operate illegally and without proper fire safety measures. Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah took notice of the incident and directed the Karachi commissioner and the labour department to furnish a report. “How did the incident occur and what safety precautions were being taken?” he questioned. He also instructed officials to provide the best possible medical treatment to the injured and support to the families of the deceased. Speaking to the media, Karachi Murtaza Wahab said that the fire department was alerted of the blaze at 10:09 am and departed a minute later. He confirmed that the fire had been extinguished and cooling efforts were underway, adding that 21 people had been working on the factory’s first floor. He confirmed 10 casualties and cited suffocation as the cause of death. He said that police and the fire department were investigating the incident, adding that the findings would be shared with the media.
more inside
Three men gangrape woman, hold toddler hostage in job scam STORY ON PAGE 03
PM Imran launches roshan Apna Ghar Scheme for overseas Pakistanis who is facing a recall election on September 14, on her way home from a trip to Asia, and will instead return to Washington, her staff said. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters Biden was sticking to his tuesday pullout target for withdrawing US forces, saying he was doing so on the advice of military advisers concerned about more attacks. She said Biden was working to get out every American who wanted out by the deadline. “Our commitment to them does not end,” she said. Biden said he had ordered U.S. military commanders to develop operational plans to strike ISIS-K assets, leadership,
and facilities. “We will find ways of our choosing, without large military operations, to get them,” he said. He appeared to be fighting back tears and his voice cracked with emotion as he talked about the American “heroes” who died. He ordered flags at the White House and public buildings around the country to be lowered to half staff. “It’s been a tough day,” he said. the president said he had told the US military: “Whatever they need, if they need additional force, I will grant it.”
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STORY ON PAGE 03
Pakistan evacuates all its citizens from Afghanistan: Rasheed STORY ON BACK PAGE
ramiz raja, Asad Ali Khan nominated to PCB BoG by PM STORY ON BACK PAGE