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Tag: quetta

  • US warns Taliban of action if terrorists ‘regroup’ in Afghanistan

    US warns Taliban of action if terrorists ‘regroup’ in Afghanistan

    The United States (US) has warned of action if the superpower sees “international terrorists regrouping in Afghanistan” while saying that US’ broader goal was to make sure that “terrorists and others aren’t able to use Afghanistan as a launch pad for attacks on Pakistan.”

    US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price, in a press briefing, stated: “We also have capabilities when it comes to counterterrorism in the region that does not leave us entirely beholden to the Taliban.”

    He also mentioned the killing of the al-Qaeda leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri by a US strike in August this year to prove the superpower’s capabilities to act against terrorists.

    The spokesperson also added that the Afghan Taliban had been “either unable or unwilling to live up to the commitments that they’ve made in a number of areas.”

    Answering a question, Price said, “Of course, we’ve seen other groups also active. You mentioned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), among others. We are determined to work with our partners in the region, including Pakistan, to do what we can to take on the threat of terrorism in the region, and certainly the threat of terrorism that extends well beyond the region.”

    Terming Pakistan an “important partner”, Price said that the US values its bilateral relationship with the country. “We welcome opportunities to expand cooperation in areas that are of mutual interest to us and to Pakistan. That, of course, does include when it comes to counterterrorism”, he added.

    Earlier this week, Pakistan’s Head of Mission to Kabul Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani escaped an assassination bid in Afghanistan. Last month, a suicide attack— for which TTP claimed responsibility— rammed a police escort for a polio vaccination team in Quetta.

  • Suicide attack by TTP on FC truck leaves two dead, 23 injured

    Suicide attack by TTP on FC truck leaves two dead, 23 injured

    An explosion in Quetta’s Baleli area on Tuesday left one policeman and one child dead. The explosion also left 23 people injured including 20 police men.

    Police said that a truck of Frontier Constabulary (FC) was targeted in the explosion. They said that the injured cops and civilians were rushed to a nearby hospital.

    Emergency responders and police rushed to the scene to provide rescue assistance. Police said, adding 16 Balochistan constabulary also suffered multiple injuries.

    Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed the attack. This is the third attack by the militant organisation since they announced an end to ceasefire on Monday.

  • Pakistan Customs seizes 67 non-custom paid vehicles in an operation

    Pakistan Customs seizes 67 non-custom paid vehicles in an operation

    Pakistan Customs has impounded 67 non-custom paid vehicles in a crackdown against the smugglers in Quetta.

    67 non-custom paid vehicles, sugar, and fertiliser valued at approximately Rs336 million were confiscated in accordance with the Prime Minister’s goal to eradicate smuggling.

    The Customs team launched a crackdown in Nokandi, Quetta, and thwarted the attempt to smuggle goods across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

    Earlier, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said on February 21 that non-custom paid vehicles worth Rs11.2 billion were seized between July 2021 and January 2022.

    During the July–January 2020–2021 period, smuggled goods worth a total of Rs35 billion were discovered, compared to Rs22 billion during the same time the previous year.

    Many people in Quetta continue to purchase non-custom vehicles despite the fact that they are illegal since they are much more expensive than legal or custom-paid vehicles.

    For instance, if a car is sold for Rs5 million at a dealership or local car market, it may be offered by smugglers for Rs2.5 million or even less. As these are smuggled vehicles, non-custom-paid automobiles are less expensive and lack the necessary paperwork or legal documents.

  • ‘My wife was sobbing uncontrollably’: Azam Swati told Human Rights Cells of SC

    ‘My wife was sobbing uncontrollably’: Azam Swati told Human Rights Cells of SC

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Azam Swati has submitted an application to the Human Rights Cell of the Supreme Court (SC), requesting to “safeguard sanctity, honour, privacy and respect of the Senator after the leak of him and his wife’s private recorded video.”

    In the petition, it is stated that the “applicant brought the honorable court’s attention towards this most inhuman and unethical incident.”

    Swati narrated the incident including details of how he got to know about the video when an unknown number sent the clip to his wife. He said that the “main part of the video is genuine and it was taken when the couple was staying in Quetta.”

    After watching the video, Swati said, “My wife called me after watching, remembering and confirming the details of the video. She was sobbing uncontrollably and was hardly able to utter any words.”

    Moreover, the senator named Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Assistant Director Ayaz, D.G, FIA, DGC Faisal Naseer and Brig. Fahim and others “who are involved in committing the heinous crime, violation of human rights, privacy and dignity of man.”

    He said that the people who were involved in his earlier custodial torture had sent this private video to his wife and son to blackmail him.

    ‘What happened to you is very tragic’: CJP Bandial to Azam Swati

    On November 8, during the hearing of PTI chief Imran Khan’s contempt of court case in SC, when Swati appeared before the court, Chief Justice (CJ) Umar Ata Bandial spoke to him that “What happened to you is very tragic”.

    The Chief Justice corrected Swati that he had never stayed in the rest house of the SC, to which Azam Swati replied, “Yes, you are right, I had stayed in Quetta Federal Lodge.”

    “Your case is ongoing in Human Rights Cell. The court is careful in this matter, the case will be seen according to the law,” said the CJP.

    Swati asked whether he can show the alleged video to anyone other than the judges. To this, the CJ directed Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to remove the alleged video of the senator To this, the PTI leader said that “The video that will be removed may not be the one that was sent to me”.

    The same day Swati said that he will show the recorded private video of him and his wife to the SC and will tell the court which clips of the video are fabricated and which are real.

    Talking to media outside of the apex court, Azam dismissed the FIA assessment of the video as being “fake and edited”.

    “Why did we [me and my wife] say that the recorded video is of Quetta,” the senator added.

    Moreover, the senator appealed to CJ for justice. He also urged the Chairman of the Senate, Sadiq Sanjrani, to follow the constitution.

    Prior to this, Swati had alleged that the video was recorded when he and his wife had visited Quetta where he stayed at the Supreme Court Judicial Lodges. According to Swati, Chairman Sanjrani had arranged his stay. However, the SC issued a clarification stating that Senator Azam Swati “Never used/stayed in Supreme Court Judges Rest House at Quetta”, adding that according to the Balochistan Special Branch, Swati stayed at the Balochistan Judicial Academy (Judicial Complex Quetta), which is not under the SC’s control.

    Chairman Sanjrani had also issued a statement where he condemned the video and also said that he provided Swati and his wife with the best and safest accommodation as guests in Quetta.

    Pointing fingers towards FIA’s Assistant Director Ayaz Khan, the senator said General Headquarters (GHQ) should summon him [Ayaz] so that he can reveal the truth “that on whose orders he arrested me and raided my house.”

    Earlier, Chairman Sanjrani formed a 14-member special committee to probe the alleged “obscene video” of Swati.

    On November 5, Swati broke into tears during a press conference, alleging that he and his wife were secretly recorded in a room and he was informed about it by his daughter.

  • No voice and data services in several flood-affected areas

    No voice and data services in several flood-affected areas

    The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced that voice and data services have been disrupted in several flood-affected areas.


    “Due to torrential rains & flash floods in Balochistan and damage to optical fibre cable, voice and data services have been impacted in Quetta, Ziarat, Khuzdar, Loralai, Pashin, Chaman, Panjgor, Zhob, Qila Saifullah and Qila Abdullah,” PTA said in a tweet on Friday (August 26).

    “Efforts are being made to resolve this unprecedented situation. PTA is monitoring the situation and further updates will be shared,” it added.

    Read more- Pakistan officially declares the flood situation a ‘national emergency’

    At least 937 people have died in floods caused by heavy rains in Sindh and Balochistan provinces. According to the data issued by the National Disaster Management Authority(NDMA), 234 people have lost their lives to rain and flood-related incidents in Balochistan and 306 people have lost their lives in Sindh. 165 people have lost their lives in Punjab and 185 have lost their lives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

  • Lt Gen Faiz appointed as Bahawalpur Corps Commander

    Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed has been appointed as Bahawalpur Corps Commander, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Monday.

    He was previously appointed as the commander of the Peshawar Corps last year. It is pertinent to mention that when his appointment took place, it was speculated that he had former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s favour, however, Khan himself has denied it several times.

    In his place, the military’s media wing said Lieutenant General Sardar Hassan Azhar Hayat has been posted as the commander of the Peshawar Corps.

    During Khan’s tenure, Lt Gen Hameed was given the post of Director General (DG) of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan in 2019. He had previously served in the ISI as the head of internal security and comes from the army’s Baloch Regiment.

    Last week, Lt Gen Asif Ghafoor was appointed as the Commander XII Corps (Quetta), after Lt Gen Sarfraz Ali was martyred in a helicopter crash. Lt Gen Ghafoor had previously served as the ISPR head.

  • Former DG ISPR Asif Ghafoor appointed Commander XII Corps Quetta

    Former DG ISPR Asif Ghafoor appointed Commander XII Corps Quetta

    Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) Asif Ghafoor has been appointed as the Commander XII Corps (Quetta). Ghafoor replaced Lt Gen Sarfraz Ali, who was martyred in a helicopter crash in Balochistan earlier this week.

    Lt Gen Ghafoor was currently serving as the General Officer Commanding Okara. He previously served as the Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) from 2016 to 2020.

    The military’s media affairs wing, ISPR, said in a statement: “In his new role, he is replacing Lieutenant General Sarfraz Ali, who embraced shahadat (martyrdom) in a helicopter crash due to bad weather during flood relief operations in Lasbela, Balochistan, on 1 August 2022 (Monday).”

    A Pakistan Army aviation helicopter on a flood relief operation in Lasbela, Balochistan, went missing on Monday (August 1) at 5:30pm when it lost contact with air traffic control (ATC). On August 2, a Pakistan Army aviation helicopter that went missing in Balochistan was found and all six Pakistan Army personnel on board embraced martyrdom.

    Lieutenant General Sarfraz Ali was supervising the flood relief operations in Balochistan when the helicopter crashed.

     

  • Pakistan and Afghanistan to launch luxury bus service in August

    Pakistan and Afghanistan to launch luxury bus service in August

    Pakistan and Afghanistan will launch a luxury bus service between Peshawar and Jalalabad, as well as Quetta and Kandahar, by the end of August.

    During the visit of Pakistan’s official delegation to Kabul, the two nations have also agreed to boost bilateral trade by allowing unrestricted travel for trucks and other goods-carrying vehicles. Meetings were held between the delegation and other top Afghan officials, including the temporary ministers of foreign and commerce.

    In a joint statement released at the conclusion of three days of talks between Pakistani and Afghan officials (July 18–20), both sides committed to continuing their efforts to remove obstacles through mutual cooperation and coordination.

    The delegation from Pakistan was led by Commerce Secretary Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqui and included businessmen as well as senior members of various ministries. The delegation from Afghanistan was led by Nooruddin Azizi, the minister of trade and industry, and Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting foreign minister.

    In order to ensure prompt clearance of trade and transit traffic and to address bottlenecks and obstacles on a priority basis, the official also agreed to make border crossing points more efficient.

    In an effort to further boost trade between the two nations, the two sides approved the implementation of the Temporary Admission Document (TAD), which permits free movement of vehicles engaged in bilateral trade but prohibits the loading and unloading of cargo at border crossing points.

    Additionally, all crossing points, particularly Torkham, Kharlachi, Ghulam Khan, and Chaman-Spin Boldak, will have longer operating hours, according to the authorities.

    The bilateral discussions were still centred on trade. Both parties concentrated on enhancing bilateral trade, transit, and accessibility as well as taking the necessary actions to facilitate trade and address issues faced by importers, exporters, traders, and business owners in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

    In parallel, a delegation from the Afghan business community headed by Khan Jan Alokozai, co-chairman of the Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJJCCI), arrived in Pakistan on Thursday to take part in a roundtable of Pak-Afghan trade stakeholders. Members of the PAJCCI as well as senior business figures from the Kunar and Nangarhar Chambers of Commerce and Industry make up the delegation.

    Zubair Motiwala, chairman of the PAJCCI, lauded the efforts of the commerce chamber in setting up visits to Chaman, Torkham, and Swat for joint discussions on bilateral and transit trade, exploring new trade avenues, removing trade barriers, and aiding governments in formulating policy.

  • Customs seizes smuggled liquor worth Rs6.48 million in Karachi

    Customs seizes smuggled liquor worth Rs6.48 million in Karachi

    During a raid on the outskirts of Karachi on Thursday, Pakistan Customs personnel recovered a massive quantity of imported liquor worth millions of rupees.

    According to a Customs spokesman, monitoring was increased at the Moachko checkpoint after the Customs Enforcement Collectorate got information that alcohol was being smuggled to Karachi from Quetta under the cover of official vehicles.

    When a car with a government license plate and an armed guard was sighted at the checkpoint, customs anti-smuggling personnel signaled the driver to pull up, but the driver instead sped away.

    When the officials gave chase, the driver of the car purposefully began hitting customs vehicles, and the guard resorted to firing. Because the road was packed and there was a threat to public safety, customs officers refrained from firing fire.

    According to a spokesman, when they were around Shershah Chowk, the driver and guard hopped out of the vehicle and fled, taking advantage of a traffic jam on the other side of the road. During a check of the vehicle, 348 liquor bottles worth Rs6,480,000 were seized, along with other items discovered.

    Read more: PTA to take action against advertising of illegal housing societies on social media

    The entire estimated value of the products and car was Rs10,480,000. An FIR has been filed, and a manhunt has been initiated to find the suspects.

  • LG polls as per schedule in Balochistan: CM Bizenjo

    LG polls as per schedule in Balochistan: CM Bizenjo

    Balochistan Chief Minister (CM) Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo on Friday said that his government is fully prepared to hold local government (LG) elections in the province as scheduled by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), reports Dawn News.

    The chief minister pointed out that due to the preparations for the next year’s budget and some other reasons, the provincial government had sought to the postponement of the LG elections for some time.

    The ECP, however, rejected the Balochistan government’s request for a six months delay in the LG elections in the province. The commission reiterated that elections will be held as per schedule on May 29 in the 32 districts of the province with the exception of Quetta and Lasbella districts.

    In a statement, CM Bizenjo said that all institutions concerned have been tasked with foolproof preparations for the timely conduct of the LG elections in a transparent and peaceful manner.

    He further added that his government would provide all resources for the elections and expressed hope that all political parties would fully participate in the local bodies’ elections.

    It is to be noted that the development has come on the heel of a change in the federal government where PTI Chairman Imran Khan was ousted from power through a successful no-confidence motion.