Blast leaves scores injured in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Over 40 people including women and children sustained injuries in an explosion in the outskirts of Islamabad here on Friday, Geo News reported.

Sources said the blast took place in Pandorian during the Urs of Pir Chun Badshah.

According to initial reports, six people were in critical condition.

Four injured in Islamabad explosion

ISLAMABAD: Four people sustained injuries in an explosion in the outskirts of Islamabad here on Friday, Geo News reported.

Sources said the blast took place in Pandorian during the Urs of Pir Chun Badshah.

According to initial reports, four people sustained injuries in the blast.

The nature of the blast is yet to be ascertained.

Taliban threatens to burn palaces in Islamabad, Lahore

MIRANSHAH: The Pakistani Taliban on Monday warned foreign firms to leave the country and vowed retaliatory strikes against the government after tanks, ground troops and jets were deployed in a long-awaited offensive in a troubled tribal district.

The warning came as Pakistan´s major cities braced for revenge attacks by ramping up security at key installations and ordering soldiers to patrol the streets, while hospitals in the northwest prepared for incoming casualties.

The offensive on North Waziristan, a stronghold of Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants, was launched a week after a brazen insurgent attack on Pakistan´s main airport in Karachi which left dozens dead and marked the end of a troubled peace process.

Pakistan´s Western allies, particularly the United States, have long demanded an operation in the mountainous territory to flush out groups like the Haqqani network which use the area to target NATO troops in neighbouring Afghanistan. But authorities had held back from a final push -- possibly fearful of angering pro-Pakistan warlords and of opening too many fronts in their decade-long battle against homegrown Islamist insurgents.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) main spokesman Shahidullah Shahid warned foreign countries to stop doing business with the government and supporting their "apostate army". "We warn all foreign investors, airlines and multinational corporations that they should immediately suspend their ongoing matters with Pakistan and prepare to leave Pakistan, otherwise they will be responsible for their own loss," he said in a statement.

"We hold Nawaz Sharif´s government and the Punjabi establishment responsible for the loss of tribal Muslims´ life and property as a result of this operation," he added, vowing to "burn your palaces" in Islamabad and Lahore. The warning came as major cities beefed up their security, with troops seen patrolling the streets of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

"The security of the capital was already on alert, but a new alert has been issued," an Islamabad police spokesman told AFP. Police in Pakistan´s economic hub Karachi have declared a "red alert" and cancelled leave for all 27,000 personnel, spokesman Atiq Shaikh told AFP. And in northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province which borders the tribal zone, the government has declared a state of emergency in all hospitals and asked them to prepare for incoming casualties, provincial health minister Shahram Khan Tarakai said in a statement.

Pakistani air force jets have been pounding suspected militant hideouts in the region since Sunday and have been joined by tanks and infantry engaging in heavy artillery strikes. An AFP reporter in the region´s main town of Miranshah said tanks were now occupying the bazaar as troops fire intermittently in the air to warn people not to leave their homes.

More than 2,000 troops could be seen at new posts set up in the mountains. Pakistan already had troops stationed in the tribal district, but these were reinforced in the days leading up to the offensive.

The death toll from the offensive so far stands at 177, according to the military, the majority through air strikes but some through sniper fire. The figures cannot be verified independently. In the town of Bannu 10 kilometres (6 miles) east of North Wazirstan, hundreds of military trucks with machine guns installed on top were on their way toward the fighting zone, as were oil tankers and a military field hospital.

At the Kashoo Bridge area, some 25 kilometres northeast of Bannu, tractors were busy levelling the ground to set up a camp for internally displaced people (IDPs).

Arshad Khan, Director General Fata Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) said: "We have made arrangements to accomodate IDPs in two camps. "Some 62,000 people have fled the region so far into other parts of Pakistan according to official data, with "hundreds of thousands" eventually expected.

Middle East envoys summoned to Islamabad for urgent discussion

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasneem Aslam has said that envoys from key Middle Eastern countries have been summoned to meet here on May 4 for an urgent discussion with regard to the situation in Syria in particular and the Middle East in general.

The spokeswoman said various issues, including those related to Pakistanis living in Gulf states would also be discussed. She said envoys from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Egypt and Yemen have been summoned.

Middle East envoys summoned to Islamabad for urgent discussion

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasneem Aslam has said that envoys from key Middle Eastern countries have been summoned to meet here on May 4 for an urgent discussion with regard to the situation in Syria in particular and the Middle East in general.

The spokeswoman said various issues, including those related to Pakistanis living in Gulf states would also be discussed. She said envoys from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Egypt and Yemen have been summoned.

MPAs threaten to stage sit-in against Islamabad vindictive power cut in Sindh

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) members in Sindh assembly here on Tuesday went on a protest against the unannounced and prolonged load shedding in the rural and urban areas of the province piling miseries on the people, Geo News reported.

PPP members urged upon the Sindh government to lodge a formal protest with the federal government for the injustices being perpetrated on the people of Sindh and ensure forthwith the due share of power supply to the province otherwise the members of the assembly would be forced to lead the vexed citizens’ protests and sit-ins on the roads and streets of the province.

PPP’s Nawaz Chandio, MQM’s Muhammad Hussain and others honourable members of the Sindh assembly raising their voice against the unannounced and prolonged load shedding termed the power outage federation’s vengeance against Sindh.

On the other hand, Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N)’s opposition member Irfanullah Marwat, assuring his full support to the agitation against the federal government for power cut in Sindh, said that the Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah should also take out processions like Shahbaz Sharif did in PPP tenure. Those sitting in air-conditioned rooms should also know how one feels during the load shedding, he remarked.

Senior Provincial Minister, Nisar Khuhro sharply reacting to the remarks of the opposition member said when do your want to take out the procession, let us go right now.

Following some exchange of barbs between the opposition and treasury members, the Speaker on one occasion sensing the situation getting extremely tense warned the members that session could be adjourned to bring the agitated and angry members under control.

Islamabad: armed clash leaves two dead, five injured

ISLAMABAD: At least two people were killed and five others sustained bullet injuries in armed clash between two groups here on Tuesday night, Geo News reported.

Police said exchange of fire took place within the limits of Bara Kahu police station. The dead and injured have been shifted to hospital.

Robbers kill cop in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: A policeman was shot dead by armed robbers in Sabzimandi area of the city, Geo News reported on Sunday.

The deceased was identified as Zaheer whose body was shifted to a hospital for medico-legal formalities.

Sources said the robbers managed to flee after killing of the policeman.

Seminaries to help Taliban attack Islamabad, say police

 

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani Taliban will coordinate with Islamist activists at major seminaries in or near the capital, Islamabad, to launch attacks if the peace talks with the government fail, police said in a report obtained by Reuters.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took power last year promising to end the insurgency through negotiations. Talks got going in February but have achieved little.The Pakistani Taliban, allied with but separate from the Afghan Taliban, are fighting to overthrow the government and impose a strict version of Islam on the 180 million people.

They called a ceasefire beginning on March 1 to facilitate the talks but it officially ended on Thursday. It is unclear if the ceasefire will be extended.

Police said in the report that two well-known seminaries would support the attacks in the capital and its twin city of Rawalpindi if the talks break down and the military moves against the Taliban bases in areas bordering Afghanistan.

“If talks between the government and the Taliban fail ...like-minded religious seminaries and mosques have been given the target of fully contributing in carrying out attacks,” police said in the report, which was prepared last month.

Police identified two well-known seminaries, or madrasas, on the outskirts of Islamabad. They said the two had already helped launch several attacks, including a 2009 assault on the army´s headquarters in Rawalpindi. One provides “brainwashing courses and lessons on sacrificing oneself for Jihad,” police said in the report.

In the other seminary, commanders provide “Jihadi weapons training classes” to students from the ethnic Pashtun tribal areas which have long been militant recruiting grounds, police said. The two seminaries also host fighters who come to carry out attacks and help with “all last minute preparations”, they said.

Militant fighters have set themselves up with activists at hardline mosques in Islamabad before.Police and government spokesmen declined to comment on the report but security officials who requested not to be identified said the information was correct. One police officer said 20 seminaries in Rawalpindi were being investigated for similar Taliban links.

Head of one seminary denied any connection with the Taliban and said his seminary was being threatened by insurgents for being pro-government.“We openly believe that any attacks against Pakistan are wrong and against Islam,” he told Reuters. “Ask the police to show me one arrested person who is linked to my seminary.”

The head of the other seminary identified in the report was not available for comment.The Pakistani Taliban spokesman was also not available to comment but a member of the Taliban leadership council said fighters were present in all major cities and would be “unstoppable” if the talks with the government broke down.

“If the government attacks us in the tribal areas, we will kill them in the cities,” he said. “By the grace of Allah, the Taliban today are more united and present everywhere.”A bomb in a market on the outskirts of Islamabad on Wednesday killed 24 people. The Taliban denied responsibility.

Muneebur Rehman, the chairman of an alliance of seminaries (religious madaris), dismissed the findings of the police report and asked, if it were true, why had the authorities not done anything?“If this report carries evidence of seminaries collaborating with Taliban for attacks, the government must go ahead and take action,” Rehman said.

Islamabad fruit market opens

ISLAMABAD: Following Wednesday powerful blast killing 25 and several injured, the fruit market after one-day mourning opened on Friday here, Geo News reported.

Although the usual trading activities after a day break have started, yet the gloom over the fruit and vegetable market remained overcast as the labourers and traders were seen still under a shock remembering their lost buddies.

The federal government has announced a compensation of Rs5,00,000 to the heirs of each dead and Rs75,000 to each of the injured in the powerful blast that had occurred on Wednesday as a bomb planted in guava crate went off during auction of the fruits.

Outlawed Threek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) dissociating self condemned the killing of innocents, while United Balochistan Army have accepted the responsibility, however, the interior ministry has dismissed the claim and said it is linked to somewhere else.

30 held as blast kills 24 in Islamabad Fruit Market

ISLAMABAD: Police have arrested as many as 30 suspects during a search operation following blast at the Fruit Mandi which killed at least 24 people and injured many others on Wednesday.

According to reports, four investigations team have been sent to Multan, Kabirwala, Burewala and Arifwala while police have also arrested five suspects from Kabirwala, Pakpatan and Arif Wala.

During the search operation, which was carried out in I-11, I-10 and slum areas, Afghan nationals were also arrested.


The United Baloch Army (UBA), an obscure militant group, has claimed responsibility for the attack and termed it a revenge for the security forces’ operation against militants in parts of Balochistan. However, the interior ministry has rejected the claim of the UBA.

Banned UBA claim Islamabad bomb blast

QUETTA: The outlawed United Baloch Army (UBA) owns responsibility of the bomb blast in Islamabad market, said its spokesman hours after the incident on Wednesday.

However, the Interior Ministry rejected the UBA’s claim, calling it utterly ‘ridiculous’.

The UBA spokesman said the blast was reaction of security force’s actions in Balochistan.

24 die in Islamabad Sabzi Mandi blast

 

ISLAMABAD: Twenty-four people were killed and 116 wounded in a powerful explosion in the fruit and vegetable market (Sabzi Mandi) here on Wednesday morning. The death toll is likely to increase, as 17 of the injured are in a critical condition.
The explosive device weighing five kilogrammes was planted in a guava crate and was blown up by remote control leaving a 5ft x 3ft crater.The police authorities ruled out a suicide bombing, saying that a manual operating mechanism was used in the explosion. The intelligence agencies, analysing the method of the explosion, indicated a foreign hand behind this act of terrorism.

The blast was so powerful that its sound was heard in a radius of 10-12 kilometres from the epicentre. The witnesses said that the explosive was planted in a guava crate, which went off with a big bang during an auction, leaving scores of persons dead and injured.

Meanwhile, the outlawed United Baloch Army (UBA) claimed responsibility for the blast. If that is so, it was the UBA’s second major attack within 24 hours as a day earlier the separatist militants had bombed the Jaffar Express at Sibi Railway Station, killing 17 passengers and injuring dozens more.

Experts say that these bombings might be a reaction to the killing of at least 30 separatist militants in the Khuzdar and Kalat districts of Balochistan.However, the Ministry of Interior termed the claim of the United Baloch Army (UBA) as ludicrous and ridiculous. In a statement, the ministry said that it was beyond any credible evidence that the Baloch separatist outfit had carried out the blast in Islamabad.

Earlier last month, 11 people, including an additional sessions judge, a woman lawyer, a cop and three other senior lawyers, were killed and over 30 wounded in a gun-grenade-suicide at the district courts premises in F-8 Markaz.

Meanwhile, fruitsellers and vendors in Islamabad have complained of a lack of security despite the potential threat from terrorists.People who witnessed the explosion said that the auction of fruits was going on as usual when suddenly a carton of guavas exploded at about 8:00am. At the time, over 1,500 fruit merchants were participating in the auction.

The volunteers, as well as the police personnel deployed on security duty at the Sabzi Mandi, reached the spot and started shifting the bodies and injured to different hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.shifting the bodies and injured to different hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

“The bodies and injured were scattered around the epicentre where many of the people had killed on the spot,” witnesses said and added, the body parts of different victims were laying scattered up to the range of 100 feet.

Meanwhile, AIG (Operations) reached the scene along with heavy contingents of police including Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) ATS and ARF and cleared the area. The Bomb Disposal Squad searched entire Sabzi Mandi with explosive detecting devices before clearing the area.

AIG (Operations) Sultan Azam Temuri told ‘The News’ that a high-level investigation team headed by SP (Industrial Area Zone) Liaquat Niazi had been constituted to investigate and make headway to the terrorist outfit. Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), (Investigation), CIA, CID and SHOs of Industrial Area and Sabzi Mandi police stations would be part of the investigation team, while, SP (Investigations) Jamil Hashmi would separately investigate the matter, Temuri maintained.

The AIG (Operations) disclosed that ten fruit merchants brought fruits from different areas of the country, adding that those cartons of guava were transported from Pakpattan, Vehari, Kasur, Burewala, Arifwala and Sharqpur by trucks. Two teams of CIA and CID had been sent to those cities from where the trucks were loaded.

Temuri ruled out the possibility of suicide bombing and said that suicide attack didn’t leave crater while the planted explosive made deep ditch and all the victims received injuries on lower parts of their bodies which negated the aspect of suicide bombing. “All the fruit merchants who brought the fruit, have been detailed to gather information about the people who sent the fruit and the trucks on which the cartons of fruit were transported,” the AIG (Operations) said, adding, “We will definitely make headway to the terrorist outfit embroiled in the blast and get them soon.”

He said that a team of police personnel led by a sub-inspector, was present in the Sabzi Mandi at the time of occurrence and they reached the scene soon after the blast and rescued the victims.

Talking to the media persons on the crime scene, DIG (Headquarters), Khalid Khattak, declared that checking of every individual and vehicle was humanly impossible, adding that the police got no prior information from the intelligence agencies about the terrorist attack.

The majority of the people killed in the terrorist attack, were poor fruit vendors who used to come the market to participate in the fruit auction.Dr Waseem Khawaja, Director of PIMS hospital, told ‘The News’ when contacted that 18 people were brought dead at the PIMS while one expired in ICU during medical aid. As many as 56 people, sustained injuries on different parts of their bodies, were under treatment, Dr Khawaja said, adding that a number of victims were in critical condition. “Death toll can rise as at least 17 victims are in critical condition,” Dr Waseem Khawaja said.

The dead were identified as Alamgir son of Sher Afzal, Bakht Muhammad son of Azam, Miraj Khan son of Malook Sain Khan, Azam Khan son of Rustam Khan, Waris Ali son of Turaab, Talha son of Sher Baz, Muhammad Umar Baz Khan son of Mir Zaman, Muhammad Karim son of Lal Khan, Khizar Hayat son of Ghulam Rabbani, Muhammad Rafique son of Muhammad Jan, Sajjad son of Arshad, Muhammad Ishtiaq son of Sardar, Shabbir son of Ghulam Rasool, Shahzad son of Arshad Khan and Zair Khan son of Musafer Khan, Dr Waseem Khawaja said. He said that remaining could not be identified. He said that a person expired in emergency and the other expired in surgical ICU.

The Sabzi Mandi police have registered an FIR against unknown terrorists and started investigation.Meanwhile, the security in Rawalpindi, has been tightened after the Sabzi Mandi episode, the Rawalpindi police spokesman said adding that extra force had been deployed at sensitive installations and cantonments areas. The spokesman said that a comprehensive search operation had been launched in sensitive areas of Rawalpindi.

Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that foolproof security would be provided to business community.Talking to media persons after visiting the blast site in Fruit and Vegetable Market, he said that culprits would be taken to task.

“The government would take elaborate measures and steps to make business areas more secure and safe,” the minister averred.He said that the government would announce compensation for the families of the deceased and the injured. The minister said, “It is not possible to check manually around 300 vehicles, which enter the Fruit and Vegetable Market daily from various parts of the country.” However, he assured that all possible steps would be taken to make the area more secure and safe.

Nisar said that the four scanners had been purchased at cost of Rs1 billion by the last government. Only two scanners were imported, which unfortunately, could not identify explosive materials, he added.

Replying to a question, he said that VIP security was only being provided to the president, prime minister and chief justice of Pakistan.He said 11,000 officials of Islamabad Police were performing duty in the federal capital, but such incidents could not be averted without modern technology.

To another query, he said that the registration of slum areas (Kutchi Abadies) had already been carried out.He said, “The people who are involved in the terrorist incidents, cannot be called the Muslims. No Muslim can kill innocent people.”

To a question, he said, the investigation had started and it would be premature to pinpoint any group’s involvement in the incident.The minister visited the blast site and met the representatives of Fruit and Vegetable Market. He assured them that their concerns regarding security would be addressed.

 

ECNEC approves Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Project

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved on Saturday the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Project (Islamabad portion) at a total cost of Rs 23.839 billion.

According to the decision, the Federal Government would contribute Rs 13.419 billion whereas the rest of the amount, Rs.10.419 billion, would be chipped in by the Punjab Government.

The ECNEC, which met here at the Prime Minister office with Finance Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar in the chair, approved the Metro Bus Project subject to clearance of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) by the competent authority.

The Islamabad portion comprising 13.9 kilometers, would include Peshawar Mor Interchange as designed by the Capital Development Authority and 14 bus stations with allied facilities.

The Metro Bus System will be a world class facility being provided to the residents of twin cities, as per international standard and as per the vision of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

The construction of long awaited Peshawar Mor Interchange under this project will go a long way in redressing the congestion problem at this intersection, provide relief to the people, and help in smooth flow of traffic during peak hours.

The project will start from I J Principal Road at Faizabad where Rawalpindi portion terminates, and after traversing through IJ Principal Road, 9th Avenue, and Jinnah Avenue, will finally terminate at Pakistan Secretariat.

The project envisages construction of 13.9 KM long dedicated signal free corridor of 9.60 to 10.10 meters width at normal section and from 19.00 to 21.10 meters width at Metro Bus System (MBS) stations and tranches in Islamabad territory.

It will be capable of accommodating articulated buses running simultaneously in both directions.

The meeting was attended by Pervaiz Rashid, Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning and Development, Anusha Rehman, Minister of State for Information Technology, federal secretaries and senior officials from federal and provincial governments.

Interior Minister seeks report from DG NCMC on Islamabad courts attack

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Monday sought report from Director General National Crisis Management Cell (NCMC) on terror attack in district courts here.
In a statement, the Interior Minister strongly condemned the terrorist attack in the federal capital.
He expressed sympathies with the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic incident.

Taliban disclaim Islamabad attack

ISLAMABAD: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has disassociated itself from the attacks on the Islamabad Court Complex also known as 'F-8 Kacheri'. The attack left 11 people dead while over two dozen were injured days after the Taliban announced a ceasefire which was reciprocated by the government on Sunday.

Speaking to media from an undisclosed location, TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said that the outfit had nothing to do with the two attacks in Islamabad and Khyber Agency on Monday.

He further added that all groups operating under the umbrella of the TTP are obliged to follow orders of TTP chief Mullah Fazlullah.