Shift in Afghan approach: Kabul promised to dismantle TTP safe havens

The new administration in Kabul has assured Pakistan that it will take action against alleged sanctuaries of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates on the Afghan soil in a significant move which suggests increased anti-terror cooperation between the two neighbours.

The assurance came from President Ashraf Ghani during his talks with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief General Raheel Sharif in his just-concluded maiden trip to Islamabad.

A security official while speaking on condition of anonymity said there was a visible shift in Afghanistan’s approach since the new government took over in September this year. “We have had very frank and candid discussions with the Afghan president and he agreed that terrorist sanctuaries will be dismantled on the Afghan side of the border,” he disclosed.

The commitment was given after Ghani was briefed ‘with evidence’ that Pakistan’s ongoing operation in North Waziristan Agency was targeting ‘terrorists of all shades’, including the deadly Haqqani Network. “There is no ambiguity in our policy now. We are treating all militant outfits, including the Haqqanis, as a threat to peace,” the official insisted.

The paradigm shift is apparently attributed to Army Chief General Raheel Sharif who, according to sources, has a clear stance on the war on terror unlike his predecessor.

Officials said the Afghan president welcomed Pakistan’s push against militants and made it clear that his administration would not allow any militant group, including those from the TTP, to find refuge on Afghan soil.

Islamabad has long been seeking decisive action against the TTP sanctuaries in the northeastern Afghan provinces of Kunar and Nuristan. In the past, Pakistan had even accused Afghan security agencies of supporting the TTP and its affiliates to further their interests.

However, with the change of government in Kabul, Islamabad is hoping that Afghan authorities would eliminate TTP ‘safe havens.’

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan remained tense during former Afghan president Hamid Karzai’s 13-year rule. Karzai often accused Pakistan’s security establishment of sheltering Afghan insurgents, a charge Islamabad strongly denies. But unlike Karzai, his successor struck a reconciliatory note during his visit and avoided blame game.

It has been learnt that a considerable progress has been achieved to evolve a new security mechanism under which security forces of the two countries would increase cooperation in the post-2014 scenario.

An official said currently Pakistan, Afghanistan and the US-led Nato forces had a trilateral arrangement to deal with border issues as well as fighting militants. Now the focus has shifted from trilateral to a bilateral approach.

The renewed offer from Gen Raheel to train Afghan security forces is part of that policy that would help strengthen military-to-military ties. The Afghan president is believed to have given a positive response to Pakistan’s offer, which was not accepted previously by his predecessor.

Jhelum rally: Govt gave IB Rs2.7b to sabotage dharna, says Imran Khan

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has alleged that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government had paid the Intelligence Bureau (IB) Rs2.7 billion to sabotage the Islamabad dharna.

“IB’s total budget is Rs200 million while the PML-N gave the agency Rs2.7 billion to flop our sit-ins,” Imran alleged while addressing a huge rally in Jhelum on Sunday. “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took the step just before the start of their sit-in in August,” Imran said and claimed that the government was giving the IB more money to counter PTI’s November 30 rally in the federal capital.

“I’m inviting everybody to Islamabad on November 30. On one side there will be status quo, which consists of people who have become rich after coming to power, and on the other side, there will be us, the people of Pakistan,” he said.

He also alleged that the government was spending Rs10 billion on advertisements in the media and Rs3 billion monthly on ‘propaganda TV commercials’ against the PTI rally.

“The government is recovering this Rs10 billion amount by charging Pakistani people Rs30 as television fee,” he said. Additionally, Rs500 million is being spent on governor houses, police and Nawaz’s foreign tours, he added. “The money you pay in taxes will definitely be stolen if you don’t ask about it.” Imran claimed that after coming to power his government would collect enough taxes that there would be no need to ask for foreign loans.

He promised that if voted to power, his government would ensure merit in each and every sector. “I will neither open bank accounts in foreign countries nor purchase any property outside my country if I become a prime minister,” he claimed.

“Pakistan will become a prosperous country and people from other countries will come here for jobs,” he said, adding that pro-people policies could make the country prosperous.

The PTI chief said Pakistan had enough resources which would be utilized and spent properly on education and health of its people. “Youth is our best resource which should be utilized by creating job opportunities for them,” he said.

Imran criticized the incumbent government for not allowing people to watch Pak-Afghan cricket match played in Islamabad. “They didn’t allow people as they feared to face ‘Go Nawaz Go’ slogans,” he said.

He also lambasted the rulers for appointing Hanif Abbasi, an accused in ephedrine smuggling case, as chairman of Metro Bus project.

He said this country can be changed. It’s a difficult task but not impossible. “This country can change, if 200 honest and talented people are appointed on important positions,” he said.

Giving examples of Japan and Germany, he urged the people to change themselves if they wanted to change their plight.  He also called upon people of Jhelum to give up clan-based politics and cast vote for those who work for their betterment.

He announced to visit Larkana on Friday. “We will stand with the middle class and professional class of Sindh as well as peasants and will break the chain of fear in the people of Sindh,” he said. He said he would break ‘Nawaz-Zardari partnership’ through his continuous struggle.

Pakistan successfully test-fires Hatf-IV ballistic missile

Pakistan conducted a successful test launch of Intermediate Range Hatf-IV (Shaheen 1A) ballistic missile, aimed at re-validating various design and technical parameters of the weapon system, a statement from Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

The missile is capable of carrying nuclear and conventional warheads to a range of 900 kilometres, and is among the most accurate missile systems due to its highly accurate and indigenously developed guidance system.

The launch was warmly appreciated by the President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who congratulated the participating troops, the scientists and engineers on their outstanding achievement.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah, also congratulated the scientists and engineers for their dedication, professionalism and commitment towards achieving Pakistan’s Full Spectrum Credible Minimum Deterrence Capability.

He reiterated Pakistan’s desire for peaceful co-existence in the region, and appreciated the professional attributes of all concerned towards accomplishment of the sacred mission.

Zakaullah also showed his full confidence over the Pakistan Armed Forces’ capability to safeguard security of the Mother Land against any aggression.

The launch, with impact point in Arabian Sea, was witnessed by the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah, Director General Strategic Plans Division, Lieutenant General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Commander Army Strategic Forces Command, Lieutenant General Obaid Ullah Khan,Vice Admiral Zafar Mehmood Abbasi, Commander Pakistan Fleet, Chairman NESCOM, Mr Muhammad Irfan Burney, senior officers from the strategic forces, scientists and engineers of strategic organizations.

Hafiz Gul Bahadur: A Foreign Sponsored Agent

Recent air strikes against terrorists in NWA killed 48 suspected militants. A house belonging to Hafiz Gul Bahadar has been destroyed in the air strike. Reportedly, terrorist Fazlullah and other prominent militant commanders were also present in the targeted house. Gul Bahadar managed to escape, but others have reportedly been killed. Military has really demonstrated its zeal and firm resolve to eliminate all terrorists from NWA without any discrimination. This shows not only the level of seriousness of military to eliminate terrorists, but also proves that propagandists’ stance was incorrect and malicious that Gul Bahadar was being sponsored by military as a good militant.

In this connection, we must know the real character of Gul Bahadur. The fact of the matter is that Gul Bahadur has sold himself to foreigners, one wonders, as to how many dollars Gul Bahadur would have won, while selling the pride of his tribe.

It is notable that the successive governments of Pakistan had upheld the peace treaty of 2006 with Gul Bahadur, and security forces stood by their promise despite suffering heavy casualties and assaults on their installations. Gul Bahadur was the only one who refused to expel foreign fighters, and stood alone on their side, while the complete tribal Shura stood loyal to the state by opposing his anti-Pakistan activities.

Gul Bahadur broke this peace treaty and unlike a genuine leader, Gul Bahadur has opted to endanger men, women and children of North Waziristan Agency for his personal gains. Playing in the hands of external enemies, he allowed terrorist activities including development of IED making factories with large quantity of explosives, anti-tank mines, and suicide training centers in his area from where terrorists were being sent to various places of Pakistan. Undoubtedly, in our country, these insurgents were using various kinds of terror attacks and suicide bombing as their main weapon by targeting innocent civilians, women and children, Armed Forces and government functionaries, markets, schools, parks, mosques, churches, temples, shrines, bus stops, railway stations, passengers’ trains and so on. The surviving families of the victims mourn and raise a question asking for what crime their loved ones were punished.

So, Gul Bahadur was on a foreign payroll and playing a dubious role to malign Pakistan and its armed forces.

August 14 deadline: Imran Khan lays out conditions for calling off long march

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan said that he was willing to call off the August 14 long march on Islamabad if the Supreme Court opens a probe into election rigging in four constituencies.

“If a three-member judicial commission under the Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk investigates the electoral fraud and places the result before the nation in two weeks, we will call off the long march,” the PTI chief said.

He was speaking at the Kal Tak programme of the Express News hosted by Javed Chaudhry.

“No, we cannot give the government any more time,” he said pointing out that PTI has been fighting in tribunals for the past 14 months and giving more time will mean that one should get ready for the next elections.

Imran reiterated that the August 14 long march will be a giant leap towards real democracy that will herald a new Pakistan.

He said that the people were just as charged as they were in May 2013. “I felt the pulse of the crowd in Bahawalpur, we are starting from where we left out in 2013.”

He did not rule out demand for a mid-term election.

To a question about the status of Nawaz Sharif and his government post-August 14, Imran said, “I am not going to show all of my cards right now.”

On politics of confrontation, the former cricketer said that PTI went to election tribunals but no avail, “we wasted 14 months.”

The system has to be changed, he said.

He asserted that if the judicial commission finds allegations of rigging untrue and declares no electoral fraud has taken place, “I will go and congratulate Mian Nawaz Sharif on his victory.”

However, Imran said he believes that on May 11, 2013, the nation saw biggest electoral fraud in the history of Pakistan. Unless there is accountability, the practice of poll rigging will continue. “A few people have formed dynasties in Pakistan, their children are being groomed to rule us, this is not democracy, it is monarchy,” he said. Corruption cannot be eliminated without accountability, he asserted.

Regarding the operation in North Waziristan Imran said that he believed in democracy and would never have supported an armed offensive. “As a student of history and international relations, I assure that every conflict ends in dialogue,” he said. The Moro conflict of Muslims in the Philippines, he said, continued for over 40 years, only to end in talks that started a few months ago.

On the perception that PTI is resorting to confrontation because it cannot control the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government, Imran said this was incorrect. He dilated upon the police reforms, improvements in education and health sectors the K-P government has achieved.

“There is no likelihood of K-P government being dissolved,” Imran said replying to a question by the host. The fact is, Imran said, the PTI unlike the N league, has not pumped Rs 60 million of taxpayer money in self-aggrandizing media campaigns.

Zarb-e-Azb is war of survival: DG ISPR Major General Asim Bajwa

The ongoing military operation in North Waziristan is a ‘war of survival’ and will pave the way for the dawn of permanent peace in the country, the military’s spokesperson said.

In a formal briefing to the media on Operation Zarb-e-Azb, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asim Bajwa told reporters that the operation was being carried out without any discrimination between “good or bad Taliban”.

“This is the biggest and most well-coordinated operation ever conducted against terrorists. It is the beginning of the end for terrorism in the country,” he said.

Maj Gen Bajwa said army troops, Frontier Corps personnel, Khasadars, Levies, intelligence operatives and the Pakistan Air Force were jointly conducting the operation in North Waziristan.

Maj Gen Asim Bajwa says troops have surrounded North Waziristan; claims terrorists did not know operation was coming

“We have surrounded the entire agency and sealed the 180km border with Afghanistan, as well as the boundary with South Waziristan, making it impossible for terrorists to escape,” he said.

Asked if there was a possibility that terrorist leaders had escaped to Afghanistan before the launch of the operation, the ISPR chief said it was possible a few of them had taken refuge on the Afghan side, but most of them were still in the targeted area. “The terrorists could not anticipate the launch of the operation,” he said.

“Terrorists of all kinds, involved in different activities from Fata to Karachi, are based in North Waziristan. They include local and foreign militants, including Uzbeks and Chechens. Now, it is up to them whether they surrender or fight,” he said.

He said the entire nation and the political leadership of the country were on the same page as the military on the issue of terrorism and fully supported the army in the operation.

Asked about the perception that the military once backed militants groups such as the Haqqani group and Gul Bahadur group, the ISPR spokesman said there was formerly a pact with the Gul Bahadur group, but that had since been violated and now, neither side was bound to honour the agreement.

He said that since the launch of the operation on June 15, a total of 327 terrorists had been killed and 45 of their hideouts had been destroyed.

He said 19 terrorists had surrendered to security personnel but did not reveal any details about their nationality or allegiances. Ten security personnel have laid down their lives, while seven had been injured in the line of duty, he said.

The Afghan government had been requested to take action against those terrorists who crossed over to escape operation.

He denied that US drone strikes were part of the operation, adding that US had been asked to coordinate, but the operation was solely being carried out by Pakistani troops.

Control rooms had been set up with the Universal Access Number 1135 in different cities, so people could share information about any suspicious activity in their area.

Internally displaced persons

The DG ISPR told reporters that so far, nearly 36,804 families consisting of 456,292 individuals had been registered as internally displaced persons and that most of them had moved in with host families in Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Lakki Marwat. Only a few hundred opted to stay in the camps set up for IDPs, he said.

Maj Gen Bajwa said that 50 army personnel and 20 officials of the National Disaster Management Authority had been deployed to ensure the registration of all IDPs.

Six ration points have been established in Bannu, DI Khan and Tank for the provision of food packets and medicines to IDPs and each family was given Rs15,000 and one month’s ration by the army. Of the registered IDPs, 221,000 had been immunised against polio drops and 32 relief collection points had been set up in different cities.

The DG ISPR said the National Database Registration Authority’s mobile vans were available to check the identity of incoming IDPs at registration centres. “IDPs are also being screened so that no terrorist can escape under the guise of an IDP,” he said.

PEMRA suspends Geo TV’s licence for 15 days and imposes Rs10 million fine

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) suspended Geo TV’s license for 15 days and imposed Rs10 million fine on a complaint filed by Ministry of Defence.

The fine has to be paid before the expiry of the suspension period.

The order was issued by newly-appointed interim chairperson Pervaiz Rathore. It was also decided that in case of repeated violation by Geo TV, proceedings for the revocation of the license shall be initiated.

All field offices of Pemra have been directed to implement the decision with immediate effect.

Earlier on May 20, Pemra’s private members had announced their decision to suspend the licences of Geo News, Geo Entertainment and Geo Tez till May 28. Hours after the announcement, however, the decision was disowned by the Pemra spokesperson.

Pemra’s private member Israr Abbasi said that the new decision was taken by the government members alone and not the entire regulatory body.

He also claimed that Pemra rules don’t permit appointment of caretaker head.

Restive borders: North Waziristan tribes told to expel militants

The top government administrator in North Waziristan Agency has told a tribal Jirga that the situation could not normalize in the region unless local tribes expelled militants from their areas.

The Jirga comprising 65 elders from Uthmanzai Wazir and Dawar tribes met with Siraj Ahmad Khan, the political agent of North Waziristan, at the Circuit House in the agency headquarters of Miranshah.

Jirga members complained about the persistent curfew and recurring search operations by the security forces. The political agent, however, defended the extraordinary measures which, he said, were aimed at the militants who were targeting the security forces with roadside bombs. He added that the security forces have suffered several casualties in such attacks.

The political agent called upon the local tribes to expel militants from their areas. “If the tribesmen fail to do that, we’ll take action against them under the collective responsibility clause of the Frontier crimes Regulation (FCR).”

Earlier, Haji Sher Muhammad – the successor of the legendary Faqir of Ipi and an elder of the Uthmanzai tribe – said that the Waziristan tribesmen were loyal to Pakistan, yet they were being targeted. He was referring to the recent air raids on militant hideouts in different parts of the agency which, according to local tribes, also killed innocent women, children and elderly people.

He said the local tribes have no option but to migrate to the neighbouring Afghanistan due to the ongoing security operations in Mirali and Miramshah tehsils of the agency.

He said that they wanted to solve the issue through dialogue and restore peace in the region. However, if the situation didn’t normalize and their demands went unheeded, they would meet the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa governor and other high officials. “No one in the region wants war,” he reiterated. After the jirga, Haji Sher told journalists that the political agent has agreed to arrange a meeting between the tribal elders and the governor.

On Monday morning, the political administration imposed a curfew in the agency and tribesmen were told to stay indoors due to the movement of security forces in the area.

Militants enjoy support Of Afghan and Indian Intelligence: Sarfraz Bugti

Balochistan Home Minister has revealed that militants in his province enjoy support of Afghan and Indian Intelligence.

Addressing a press conference with FC officials, Sarfraz Bugti said FC foiled major terror bid in the province and recovered huge cache of arms, ammunition, and explosives, while 2 culprits were also arrested.

He said militants had set up their camps in Afghanistan and enjoyed full support of Afghan and Indian intelligence agencies, aimed at destabilizing Pakistan.

Earlier, FC officials showed arms and ammo, recovered in from a truck in Gulistan, Qila Abdullah area.

The cache includes 100 Kalashnikovs, 136 9mm pistols, 9 Kalakov, Three G-3, and binoculars.

Forces also raided a place in Pir Alezai, between Qila Abdullah and Pishin, and recovered 70 sacks full of explosives, 45 bombs, 200 detonators, remote controls and other devices.

Imran Khan demands reformation of Election Commission

Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan said that a new Pakistan cannot come into existence through rigged elections. He asked whether people who come into power through fake mandate become pious later. He alleged that the formation of a new Pakistan was stopped through rigging in last year’s elections.

Addressing a rally at D-Chowk to protest against alleged election rigging, he said that the purpose of today’s rally is accountability of rigging in previous elections, adding that rigging threatens democracy, and that free and fair elections strengthen democracy.

Summing up his speech, Imran Khan enlisted the much anticipated demands from the government.

• First demand was the reformation of Election Commission.
• The second demand talked about biometric verification of voters identities in four constituencies.
• His third demand is to bring all perpetrators guilty of rigging or abetting of election rigging.
• Fourth demand is to make all Returning Officers (ROs) accountable to election commission for future elections.
• Fifth demand is to hold hearing of post-election appeals within 120 days of the filing.
• Sixth demand is to introduce electronic and biometric voting systems eliminating the chances of rigging.
• Seventh demand is to bar all caretakers from holding any public office at least for two years. He demanded to deploy impartial caretakers instead of those who inflicted ’35 punctures’ and became Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman.
• The eighth demand is the allowance of right to vote to overseas Pakistanis in light of Supreme Court’s decision.
• As ninth demand, PTI invited all political parties to work together and jointly produce a comprehensive election reform package.

Imran Khan vowed to work together with all political parties for the improvement of the system. He announced that Tsunami will next hit Faisalabad on May 23.

He further announced that his party will now hold protests outside election commission office every Friday and that his party’s Tsunami is ‘unstoppable’.