Nisar orders high security alert in twin cities

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday directed the police and district administration of Rawalpindi and Islamabad to keep the twin cities’ security on high alert, as the situation was sensitive in the wake of the ongoing military operation in North Waziristan.

He said this while chairing a meeting of the district and police administration of the twin cities here.

The minister said the security agencies need to work beyond their call of duty and show utmost responsibility to counter any unfortunate incident.

Reviewing the overall security plan of the twin cities, the minister said there should be flawless coordination between the security apparatus for effectively tackling emergency situations.

He also directed the police to further enhance their capacity through physical training and modern equipment.

The minister directed tightened security of sensitive places. He said surprise search operations, especially in adjoining areas of Islamabad Airport, be made more intensive.

He said joint patrolling teams of the Rangers and police had given a sense of security to the residents but their services need to be made more target-oriented and effective.

Cable operators offer lame excuse of security threat

 

ISLAMABAD: In response to the cable operators’ bogus excuses that they cannot show Geo because of security threats, a Jang Group spokesman has come up with a rejoinder.
The spokesman said it is a bogus excuse and a total lie. The incident in Sadiqabad was also totally stage-managed to create this excuse. No one threatens these cable operators when they show round-the-clock illegal Indian dances. No one threatens these cable operators when they show channels that have shown blasphemous content 60 times more than Geo.

The spokesman said as many as five channels also faced many court cases and police action in this regard but surprisingly, the cable operators do not receive threats for showing these channels. Even before Geo has shown it, two leading channels have already aired it many times.

The spokesman said a security threat was also raised as an excuse during the last government when cable operators suspended transmission of Geo News. The excuse of a security threat then was exposed as completely bogus when the Supreme Court of Pakistan told chairman Pemra that he could not leave the courtroom till the Geo News transmission was restored by cable operators all over the country. The result was that within three hours, Geo News’ transmission was restored all over the country.

The spokesman said cable operators, just like broadcasters, are operating on the basis of a licence that they have applied for and that Pemra has granted them. The basic term of the license is that no cable operator can itself suspend or disrupt transmission of a licensed channel unless Pemra directs it to do so. If a cable operator violates this term of licence, its licence is liable to be revoked. Even if security threat is accepted as genuine, this cannot be used as an excuse for a cable operator to violate the term of their licence by illegally suspending Geo’s transmission.

“What if a duly licensed mobile phone company suspends its mobile phone network for a week and uses security threat as an excuse when PTA wants to suspend its licence? What if a duly licensed commercial bank shuts down all its operations all over the country and uses security threat as an excuse when State Bank of Pakistan wants to suspend its licence? And what about our police that face life threat on a daily basis? Can police officers remain at home drawing the salaries on the pretext that they are facing security threats? And what about courts and honourable judges, especially those of lower courts, who are expected to try and convict dangerous criminals and terrorists?” the spokesman said.

He reminded that when Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court Qazi Faiz Isa summoned journalists and editors of all the newspapers of Balochistan and questioned them as to why they were publishing versions of terrorists, who claimed responsibility of killing policemen. When publishers of those newspapers produced before him evidence of serious threat that they are facing in Balochistan, Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa gave them a long summon. He said that don’t publish any newspaper if you cannot face any threat. He said if security threat is accepted as a valid excuse to break the law then there will be anarchy all over the country. The chief justice also said that if security threat is valid then he and his fellow judges in Balochistan should stop hearing cases and dispensing justice just because their lives were threatened.

The spokesman said the cable operators have decided to do their business in Pakistan within the prevailing environment. They cannot pretend that they are working in some European country. Lawyers, judges, police etc. everyone is facing security threat in Pakistan these days. This does not exempt people to just violate their legal obligation and use security threat as an excuse.

He said Geo itself received a most direct and serious threat in writing from terrorists who wanted their version and their ideology to be properly broadcasted. “Just because it received the threat, can Geo broadcast TTP’s version when it is murdering and beheading our soldiers? Will its licence not be liable to be revoked? Can any channel in Pakistan start showing TTP’s version round the clock just because it is facing security threats?”

The spokesman further said even if the threat being faced by cable operators is genuine, then it has nothing to do between cable operation (the licensee) and Pemra (the licensor) for correct and legal position is if any cable operator violates terms of its licence, e.g. by keeping transmission of Geo suspended when Pemra has directed them to show it, its licence is liable to be revoked. If a cable operator is receiving life threat because of some business dispute or professional rivalry or from some extortionist or criminals or even because of showing any channel of Geo, it is a matter between cable operator and police. If they are facing any threat then they should seek help from police and pursue remedies through law enforcing agencies. Instead of the path provided under the law they cannot just suspend valid transmission of Geo and thus violate a direction of Pemra.

The spokesman said suspension of Geo News by Pemra ended two weeks ago and Pemra has never suspended Geo Kahani and Geo Tez. Despite this, Geo News is either not being shown in 80 per cent areas of Pakistan or it has been pushed to last channels where it is difficult/impossible for viewers to find. Geo Kahani and Geo Tez are also not being shown.

He said the cable operators are deliberately refusing to show channels of Geo because they are being threatened for showing channels of Geo.The federal government and Pemra have only two options. Either what cable operators are claiming is a lie in which case they must take action against them to restore transmission of all Geo channels. Or if the federal government and Pemra believe that the excuse of cable operators regarding security threat is genuine they must make a candid public admission of it:

“a. All cable operators are liable to show Geo channels;

b. 80 percent cable operators are not showing it because some hidden force is threatening all of them from doing so;

c. There is nothing that the federal government can do about it because it simply has no writ to do anything about the people who are threatening cable operators.”

After that, at least Geo can claim compensation for the government’s failure to fulfil its obligations.

On the cable operators excuse that they are showing Geo at last numbers because it is their discretion on which number to show it and also that number of TV channels that have been licensed by Pemra is far in excess of the capacity of TV sets owned by ordinary people, the spokesman reminded that in 2010, when hearing a petition of Geo, honourable Supreme Court set up a one-member media commission to look, among other things, into the issue of shuffling and placement of channels. According to the commission report, cable operators are constitutionally required to show TV channels having nationwide viewership at starting numbers. This was a constitutional requirement and the right of the viewers. The commission also found that shuffling of channels, disrupting their signals, throwing them at last numbers etc. was illegal. The honourable Supreme Court adopted that report and made it part of its judgment.

In the latest petition of Geo News, honourable Supreme Court has once again reproduced from 2010 judgment and from the Media Commission Report and disposed off Geo News’ petition only when Pemra undertook to restore the channel to its original position. So it is not up to discretion of cable operators to decide to show Geo News at No. 3 position today and No. 93 tomorrow. According to the Supreme Court judgment each cable operator has a constitutional obligation to show Geo News and all Geo channels at their original starting numbers.

The spokesman said Pemra’s direction to cable operators also requires each licensee cable operator to restore Geo news transmission at its original position. This also shows that the discussion of their own discretion and capacity of TV set is bogus and mala fide.

The spokesman said all cable operators were showing Geo channels at certain numbers on 19th April. “Why is it that after Pemra received a complaint about Geo following attack on Hamid Mir on 19th April, cable operators are either blocking its transmission or are making every kind of excuse not to show it at its original position? Why is it all of a sudden cable operators are using excuses such as it being a matter of their own discretion and that TV sets do not have capacity to show all the licensed channels when there was no such talk before 19th April 2014?”

The spokesman said the original scheme put in place through Pemra Ordinance for regulation of electronic industry anticipated and sought to prevent this very problem by barring any broadcasters from owning or controlling a cable business and vice versa. The implementers of the scheme were aware that even if one TV broadcaster were given control over cable operation, it would use that power to damage competitors in the same way that the Geo’s competitors are doing today.

The spokesman said the real problem is that one media group that owns one news channel has purchased or, directly or indirectly, concluded a business deal with cable operators in the country while apparently cable operators are still continuing with their previous names and owners, in reality they are in the hands of one media group, the owner of which is openly boasting that Geo is finished, “I will keep Geo channels off air and because of lack of viewership they will not get any advertisements and they will go bankrupt anytime now.” The spokesman said all cable operators led by Khalid Arain are now employees of that group and they only do and say what the owner of that group instructs them to do.

Both Khalid Arain and owner of the media group use the name of hidden hands to get the Geo closed. They claim that they are acting on behalf of hidden hands. They also arrange meetings of cable operators with hidden hands.

The spokesman said if the apex court forms a commission, many secrets will come to the fore. He said the Pemra and the federal government are fully aware about the above dangerous development and are yet avoiding doing anything about it.

Clashes kill 20 Iraqi security personnel

HILLA: Clashes between security forces and militants near the Iraqi capital killed 20 security personnel on Saturday, an army officer and doctors said.

The fighting in three areas southwest of Baghdad also wounded 22 members of the security forces.

Clashes kill 20 Iraqi security personnel

HILLA: Clashes between security forces and militants near the Iraqi capital killed 20 security personnel on Saturday, an army officer and doctors said.

The fighting in three areas southwest of Baghdad also wounded 22 members of the security forces.

Zarb-e-Azb: 232 militants killed, 8 security men martyred so far

PESHAWAR: Over 232 militants have been killed during military operation Zarb-e-Azb in North Waziristan, Geo News reported.

This was unveiled during a briefing to PM Nawaz Sharif, who visited Corps Headquarters Peshawar here on Friday.

Nawaz Sharif was informed that 232 terrorists have been killed and 20 militant hideouts have been destroyed so far during the operation.

Eight security men were martyred while seven others wounded in Zarb-e-Azb.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Corps Headquarters Peshawar and laid a floral wreath at Yadgar-e-Shohada.

PM Nawaz also offered special prayer (Duaa) for the eternal peace of the Shohada (martyrs).

Upon arrival at Corps Headquarters, PM Nawaz was received by Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif and Corps Commander Peshawar Lt. Gen. Khalid Rabbani.

Governor Khyber Pakthunkhwa Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif and Federal Minister for SAFRON also accompanied the Prime Minister.

 

Iraqi airstrike kills seven Kurdish security forces in Diyala

BAGHDAD: At least seven members of the Kurdish security forces were killed in an airstrike in Iraq´s northeastern province of Diyala on Saturday, police said.

The secretary general of the Kurdish security forces said however that only two people had died near the town of Jalawla in what he described as shelling, and that it was not yet clear whether Iraqi forces or militants were responsible.

The incident and divergent accounts show the potential for security in Iraq to deteriorate further, given the deployment of several heavily armed factions and shifting areas of control.

Both Iraqi and Kurdish sources said insurgents from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) were also present in the area.

The rapid seizure of Mosul, one of Iraq´s largest cities, by insurgents led by ISIL, and the Kurds´ takeover of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk this week have raised concerns internationally about the split of the country, as government forces have abandoned their posts.

The Iraqi rapid response units said in a statement that some Kurdish peshmerga forces had behaved in a "strange way", confronting fellow Kurdish tribesmen who were assisting federal government forces in their fight against ISIL.

Jabbar Yawar, the secretary general of the peshmerga, said talks with Iraqi authorities were under way to ascertain what had happened. (Reuters)

 

Airport attack: Internal security be improved

KARACHI: Defence analyst Shahzad Chaudhry, while commenting on the attack on Karachi Airport, said that the government had to improve internal security in the cities. Senior analyst Rasool Bakhsh Rais and executive-director of Pildat Ahmed Bilal Mehboob also expressed their opinions in Geo News programme ‘Aaj Kamran Khan Kay Sath’ on Wednesday.
The host of the programme, Mohammed Junaid, said that a wave of terrorism swept around Karachi in the last a few days. It began with the attack on Karachi airport. Security institutions say that the terrorist attack was repulsed and 10 terrorists were killed. But 29 lives were also lost. The ASF personnel bore the brunt of the attack, with 22 of its personnel embracing martyrdom. It was learnt the following day that seven people had taken refuge in a warehouse adjacent to a cold storage to save them from the onslaught of the terrorists. Their plight did not come to light immediately and there was also a delay in putting out the fire which resulted in death of other seven people.

Defence analyst Shahzad Chaudhry said that the state had been left with only option after the attack on Karachi airport i.e. operation. The thing that the country had to decide now was the nature of the operation and the areas where the operation was to be carried out. There was now no alternative other than operation. He said that the government had to make the security of important installations foolproof. Internal security in the cities had to be improved. Police, paramilitary forces and intelligence outfits would have a pivotal role in the operation. The rift in the ranks of the Taliban was their weakness.

Shahzad Chaudhry said that now the bigger menace was those groups of Taliban which were outside the country and who were being controlled by foreign agencies. Commenting on Pakistan-India relations, Mohammed Junaid said that in the latest development in this regard, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had written a letter to the Indian prime minister that efforts should be made to normalise relations.

Senior analyst Rasool Bakhsh Rais said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s message of peace to his Indian counterpart was a commendable gesture. He said that he hoped that the Indian prime minister would reciprocate the gesture of peace. Pakistan should not leave any stone unturned in its efforts to improve relations with India.

Rasool Bakhsh Rais said that the foundation of India-China relations was trade, and so it should be between Pakistan and India. “If we find that Indian arms were used in the attack on Karachi airport, we should lodge a strong protest with India. The evidence of Indian interference in Balochistan should be put before the Indian prime minister.”

Commenting on electoral reforms, Mohammed Junaid said that the demand for electoral reforms was being raised for some time. The Election Commission had declared the 2013 elections transparent, but several political parties had raised questions over the transparency of the elections, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf being the loudest protestor in this connection. There was a consensus between the government and the opposition parties that electoral reforms were essential for free and transparent elections. However, demands in this regard had not been met. How the Nawaz government tackled the problem, and how it took along all the opposition parties in this regard would become clear through the government’s actions. Meanwhile, the government had been talking about forming a parliamentary committee on electoral reforms.

Executive Director of Pildat, Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, said that a new parliamentary committee on electoral reforms would complicate the exercise because the previous parliamentary committees had done a lot of spadework for electoral reforms while the Election Commission had already submitted 24 amendments before the law ministry.

He said that the condition for the post of election commissioners to be former chief justice of the Supreme Court or of the High Court must be done away with.

He said that the parliamentary committee for electoral reforms would not be able to satisfy Imran Khan because he wanted investigation into the excesses in the last elections and he called for verification of thumb impressions in four constituencies.

PM-chaired high-level meeting reviews security situation

ISLAMABAD: A high-level security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Tuesday took a detailed stock of the security situation of the country in the backdrop of Sunday night’s attacks on Karachi airport and pilgrims in Taftan.

The meeting was attended by the country’s top civilian and military leadership including Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, Army Chief General Raheel Sharif and DG ISI Lt. General Zaheerul Islam.

The internal security and Pak-Afghan border situation came under detailed review while a decision was made to strengthen the mechanism for intelligence sharing.

Interior Minister, Chaudhry Nisar briefed the Army Chief on the armed assault on Karachi airport and its aftermath.

Karachi attack worst example of security failure: Opposition

 

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) on Monday deplored the terrorist attack on the Karachi airport while the opposition expressed its dismay over the government’s silence on the terror bid and questioned the absence of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar from the House.
It demanded that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif take the parliament into confidence on the matter and said the government and the opposition were on the same page for taking solid steps to formulate a policy against the terrorists.

The NA session resumed after a delay of two hours due to disturbance of flights schedule in Karachi. Members from both the sides unanimously condemned the terrorist attack on the Karachi airport and on the pilgrims in Taftan in Balochistan.

Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Shah said the terrorist attack on the Karachi airport was a “national security disaster”. He questioned the government’s silence on it and absence of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar from the NA.

Sheikh Rashid suspected involvement of a foreign hand in the incident and questioned who will benefit from the attacks on Pakistan. He questioned what benefit will the tribal people from North Waziristan gain from the attack. “If such an incident had happened in India, they would have brought their forces to (our) borders.”

Minister for States and Frontier Regions Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch said the war against terrorism was a national war.

Khursheed Shah urged the prime minister to take the House into confidence in this regard. “We don’t speak out as we are afraid of being killed. Who will speak if we keep quiet,” he questioned.

The opposition leader said, “We will fight like a lion and make Pakistan a cradle of peace. How can the people of Pakistan feel safe when the government is itself confused?”

He said there was no response from the interior ministry to the incident, which shows that the concerned ministry was unaware of what was going on in Karachi. “It seems that the prime minister tried to find out the interior minister the whole night and he was able to find him on Monday morning. Then the prime minister sent the interior minister to Karachi,” he added.

He said the Taliban had accepted responsibility for the attack and the government was silent over it.

The opposition leader said all the political parties of the country authorised the government to do anything for peace eight months ago but the government had not taken parliament or the political leadership into confidence on the fate of the dialogue.

The opposition leader was of the view that even the Parliament House was not secure anymore as a few weeks back, Sikh protesters entered it and no one stopped them. He said it was time that the prime minister take the nation into confidence and explain which ministry was responsible for the attack – the Defence Ministry, Interior Ministry or Aviation Division.

He said the PM’s adviser on aviation had reached Karachi on Sunday night but the interior minister was not able to reach there. He said by doing so, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar wanted to give a message to “someone” that he did not want to fight with anyone.

The opposition leader said he wanted to ask the question from all the institutions of the country that when pilgrims entered Iran, they were always safe but as soon as they returned home, they were attacked and martyred.

He said the parliamentarians’ phones were tapped, and their activities were monitored but “they” (those who tap phone calls) did not know about the terrorist attacks.

He said even they are more interested to know what TV channels the government was with and slogans were raised against those TV channels. “We are busy in such petty fights and nobody cares about the security of Pakistan,” he said.

Shah said if anyone wanted to live, then live like a lion rather than a jackal. “Pakistan belongs to all of us and all of us have to come forward to make our land safe and secure,” he added.

The opposition leader also appealed to the media not to telecast such incidents live as it will create a wrong impression.

PTI’s Deputy Parliamentary Leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the government looked paralysed following the terrorist attack.

He said the interior minister should have rushed to Karachi on Sunday night. “The interior minister should have gone to Karachi after taking parliament into confidence,” he added.

Qureshi said Pakistanis wanted peace in the country and in the wake of terrorist attacks, the debate on budget was meaningless.

“When Karachi bleeds, how the finance minister can achieve the revenue target of Rs3.7 trillion which he proposed for the next fiscal year,” he added.

Ameer Zaman of the JUI-F extended support to the government to tackle the menace of terrorism.Abul Waseem of the MQM said the party was raising its voice against the Taliban in Karachi for long.

Minister for Science and Technology Zahid Hamid strongly condemned the terrorist incidents in Karachi and Taftan.He paid tributes to the armed forces for bravely foiling the bid of terrorists. He said the interior minister had gone to Karachi to get details of the incident and will give a detailed statement in the House on Tuesday (today).

Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Chaudhry Barjees Tahir said today was a very sad day for the nation. He said the nation had to make a resolve to fight terrorism. He said the government will not compromise on its writ. “The government is clear that it will hold a dialogue with those who are ready for it,” he added.

He said the PML-N government had inherited terrorism. The House offered Fateha for those who lost their lives in Karachi and Taftan to terrorists on Sunday night.

‘Qaeda’ gunmen kill 12 Yemen soldiers, civilian: security

ADEN: Suspected Al-Qaeda gunmen killed 12 Yemeni soldiers and a civilian on Thursday in a southern province where troops have been battling the militants since late April, a security official said.

The militants attacked a checkpoint near the Shabwa province village of Bayhan with automatic rifles, also wounding a number of soldiers, the official said.

The army has been engaged in a major ground offensive against Al-Qaeda in Shabwa and neighbouring Abyan province in a bid to expel it from smaller towns and villages that escaped a previous sweep in 2012.

Six security personnel killed in Mohmand Agency IED blast

MOHMAND AGENCY: Six security personnel lost their lives when a roadside bomb targeted their vehicle in Mohmand Agency area on Saturday morning, Geo News reported.

Sources close to security forces told that the explosion occurred when a convoy of security men was passing through Tehsil Pindiali today morning and hit an improvised explosive device (IED) along the road.

As a result of the roadside bomb blast, four security men were killed while two others were injured who were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment where they could not survive and succumbed to their wounds.

Law enforcement agencies cordoned off the area after the incident and initiated a search operation.

Nigeria promises adequate security for World Economic Forum

Nigeria on Friday assured that it will provide adequate security arrangements during the World Economic Forum on Africa, which begins May 7 in Abuja.

The government would provide adequate security for participants, Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told a news conference in Abuja, the country’s capiotal, Xinhua reported.

His remark came after some countries expressed concern over security issues, following a blast in Abuja, which left at least 19 people dead.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala said President Goodluck Jonathan would make a statement on the forum and security issues shortly.

“I think that by the time we hear some of the security measures that the president is going to announce, we will see that we calm the nerves of those who are proposing to come,” she added

Corps commanders discuss security situation

 

RAWALPINDI: The corps commanders on Friday undertook a comprehensive review of the prevalent internal and external security situation of the country.According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations, the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Raheel Sharif, chaired the 172nd Corps Commanders Conference held here at the General Headquarters (GHQ).Professional matters were also discussed on the occasion.

Iraq attacks kill 20 as security forces cast ballots

BAGHDAD: Deadly attacks on Monday, including a spate of suicide bombings, killed 20 soldiers and policemen as they cast their ballots ahead of Iraq´s first election since US troops withdrew.

The bombings in Baghdad and north and west Iraq raise serious concerns about the ability of the country´s security forces to protect voters during Wednesday´s general election, when more than 20 million Iraqis are eligible to vote.

They come amid a protracted surge in violence and fears the country is edging towards all-out conflict. Attackers wearing suicide belts hit polling centres in Baghdad and cities north of the capital, while roadside bombs struck military convoys and targeted journalists covering the polling.

At a voting centre in western Baghdad where six security members were killed, ambulances rushed to and fro, collecting the wounded, as soldiers cordoned off the street and ushered passersby away, an AFP journalist said.

Attacks elsewhere left 14 dead overall -- all members of the security forces -- officials said.In the main northern city of Mosul, meanwhile, six journalists were wounded as a bomb went off while they were travelling in a military vehicle to cover police and troops voting.

The blasts shattered an early morning calm, when soldiers and policemen had queued outside voting centres amid tight security across Baghdad and around the country as polls opened, leaving with the traditional purple ink-stained finger indicating they had voted.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, lambasted by critics for allegedly consolidating power and targeting minority groups amid a deterioration of security, is bidding for a third term in the polls with Iraqis frustrated over poor basic services, rampant corruption and high unemployment.

The month-long campaign has seen Baghdad and other cities plastered with posters and decked out in bunting, as candidates have taken to the streets, staged loud rallies and challenged each other in angry debates.

Microsoft grapples with Internet Explorer security flaw

WASHINGTON: Microsoft was scrambling Sunday to repair a security hole in its widely used Internet Explorer web browser, saying it had detected attempts to exploit the flaw.

The US software giant said that the coding problem affected versions six through 11 of its flagship browser, noting it was aware of "limited, targeted attacks" taking advantage of the newly discovered flaw.

Miscrosoft says that an attacker who successfully exploits the vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the official user. "The vulnerability may corrupt memory in a way that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user within Internet Explorer," Microsoft said on its security website Saturday.

"An attacker could host a specially crafted website that is designed to exploit this vulnerability through Internet Explorer and then convince a user to view the website."

Cybersecurity firm FireEye, which took credit for identifying the flaw, said hackers were exploiting the bug in a campaign nicknamed "Operation Clandestine Fox."

Users still relying on Windows XP could be especially vulnerable because Microsoft stopped early this month supporting the older operating system with security patches and other software updates.

Earlier this month, the "Heartbleed" flaw in Internet security saw everyone from website operators and bank officials to casual Internet surfers and governments being told their data could be in danger.

Heartbleed allowed hackers to snatch packets of data from working memory in computers, creating the potential for them to steal passwords, encryption keys, or other valuable information. (AFP)

PM Nawaz chairs high level meeting on national security

 

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif is currently chairing a high level meeting on national security in the capital city on Monday to discuss the internal and external threats faced by Pakistan, Geo News reported.

According to the sources, the country’s top military and civilian leadership is present in the meeting including Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif, Director General Inter Services Intelligence (DG ISI) Lieutenant General Zaheerul-Islam, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, special assistant to the PM Syed Tariq Fatemi, and other high rank officials.

During the meeting, the leaders are likely to discuss the internal and external threats the country is currently facing in the backdrop of the talks with the Taliban. Also, the members will discuss the situation in Afghanistan post presidential elections.

Iraq attacks kill 20 as security forces cast ballots

BAGHDAD: Deadly attacks on Monday, including a spate of suicide bombings, killed 20 soldiers and policemen as they cast their ballots ahead of Iraq´s first election since US troops withdrew.

The bombings in Baghdad and north and west Iraq raise serious concerns about the ability of the country´s security forces to protect voters during Wednesday´s general election, when more than 20 million Iraqis are eligible to vote.

They come amid a protracted surge in violence and fears the country is edging towards all-out conflict. Attackers wearing suicide belts hit polling centres in Baghdad and cities north of the capital, while roadside bombs struck military convoys and targeted journalists covering the polling.

At a voting centre in western Baghdad where six security members were killed, ambulances rushed to and fro, collecting the wounded, as soldiers cordoned off the street and ushered passersby away, an AFP journalist said.

Attacks elsewhere left 14 dead overall -- all members of the security forces -- officials said.In the main northern city of Mosul, meanwhile, six journalists were wounded as a bomb went off while they were travelling in a military vehicle to cover police and troops voting.

The blasts shattered an early morning calm, when soldiers and policemen had queued outside voting centres amid tight security across Baghdad and around the country as polls opened, leaving with the traditional purple ink-stained finger indicating they had voted.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, lambasted by critics for allegedly consolidating power and targeting minority groups amid a deterioration of security, is bidding for a third term in the polls with Iraqis frustrated over poor basic services, rampant corruption and high unemployment.

The month-long campaign has seen Baghdad and other cities plastered with posters and decked out in bunting, as candidates have taken to the streets, staged loud rallies and challenged each other in angry debates.

Sindh CM orders strict security for Hamid Mir

 

KARACHI: Ordering strict security for the injured Geo News senior anchor Hamid Mir at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Sunday directed the police and law enforcement agencies to find those involved in the attack.
He was chairing a meeting at the Chief Minister House here to review law order and the performance of the Sindh Police and law enforcement agencies.Qaim directed strict security of the senior anchor person after getting information about the movement of suspicious people at the hospital.

He lauded the police efforts for collecting data with regard to the attack on Hamid Mir and directed the officers to take a lead in identifying the culprits involved in this incident.He further directed the police to be helpful to the judicial commission announced by the Supreme Court to probe into the murderous attack.

The chief minister directed the police to expedite the targeted operation against terrorists and keep an eye on all sensitive markets, institutions and religious places in the city. He directed them to activate their intelligence network in the field to find the hideouts of criminals and strike at them before they could attack innocent people.

Qaim said the recent bomb blasts indicated that instead of dialogue with the central government the terrorists had not spared Karachi and directed the Sindh Police and law enforcement agencies to be fully alert to deal with any eventuality.

Similarly, taking serious notice of kidnapping cases in the Interior Sindh reported in the press, the chief minister directed the IGP Sindh to immediately launch a vigorous operation against dacoits and their patrons and keep the province clean of such elements.

Qaim said he had made many decisions to equip and strengthen the police and put Rs0.5 billion at their disposal for the purchase of the latest arms, bulletproof vehicles and helmets. He said APVs alarm detecting equipment was one of these decisions but the Sindh police had not yet procured the items in question.

He directed the authority concerned to procure arms and vehicles in question before June 2014 without fail. Shah also directed the police and intelligence agencies to identify the culprits and their groups involved in the recent bomb blast in the city.

ISI’s role crucial in national security: Gen Raheel

 

ISLAMABAD: In an effort to boost the morale of the beleaguered ISI in the wake of an allegation that some of its men were involved in the murderous attack on senior Geo News anchor Hamid Mir in Karachi, army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif on Tuesday said the premier intelligence agency was a ‘strategic institution’ that had been working to protect the interests of the motherland.
Gen. Raheel visited the ISI Headquarters where its Director General Lt. Gen. Zaheerul Islam gave him a detailed briefing on the internal and external security situation.The army chief commended the work done by the ISI to counter both the internal and external threats to the country.

Gen Raheel was also briefed on the intelligence input being provided to the law enforcement agencies against the miscreants.The army chief said the officers and men of armed forces had rendered marvellous services for protecting national security and never hesitated to sacrifice their lives to defend the motherland.

He also discussed matters of professional interest with senior officials of the agency.Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif visited Hamid Mir at the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) in Karachi and ordered a high-level judicial probe into the incident.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, on Monday constituted a three-member judicial commission, comprising Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Ijaz Afzal Khan and Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman, to investigate the incident.

The chief justice approved the names of three judges for the judicial commission after a formal request from the government.Journalist Amir Mir, the brother of Hamid Mir, had blamed some members of the ISI for the attack. The Inter Services Public Relations — the military mouthpiece — however was quick to regret what it called the “baseless and misleading” finger-pointing at the ISI.

During a debate in the Senate on Monday, several opposition lawmakers demanded a detailed investigation into the incident and advised against criticising the national security institutions before reaching facts. They also urged the ISI to avail itself of this opportunity to clear its name by facilitating the judicial commission in probing the incident.

A PPP stalwart and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Aitzaz Ahsan said though he had been critical of the ISI’s interference in the country’s political affairs, he believed no one should jump to accusations against an institution.

Aitzaz also threw light on the ISI’s role in training Mujahideen for Jihad against the then USSR in Afghanistan, Operation Midnight Jackal and its involvement in the electoral process vis-à-vis the Asghar Khan case.

“The ISI should take the allegations as a challenge and extend its assistance in the investigations,” Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Senator Nasreen Jalil said.The upper house of parliament also adopted a unanimous resolution expressing deep concern over the series of attacks on journalists and urging the government to take steps to protect them.

At the beginning of the session, reporters covering the Senate proceedings walked out from the Press Gallery to protest the attack. However, they returned after both the treasury and opposition leaders promised to constitute a committee to look into a possible legislation for the safety and protection of journalists and their rights.

Security of cinema halls tightened

PESHAWAR: The owners of cinema halls in Peshawar have beefed up security around cinema halls on the advice of police and district administration.

The security has been strengthened as suicide attacks in two different cinema halls located in heart of the city of provincial capital deserted the cinema halls.

The owners have installed close circuit cameras walk through gates and deployed private security guards in and around the cinema halls that have restored the confidence of visitors.

The visitors have appreciated the security measures by cinemas owners.