Current Final

Tag: terrorism

  • Bomb blast targets police van, three officers injured

    Bomb blast targets police van, three officers injured

    Three police officers sustained injuries after a police mobile was targeted in Dera Ismail Khan.

    According to media reports, the police mobile was damaged in the bomb blast detonated by a remote control. The injured officers have been moved to the hospital where they are said to be in critical condition.

    Security agencies have cordoned off the area and launched a manhunt to arrest the culprits.

    According to initial reports, a police team was deployed for the ongoing polio campaign in the town.

    No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

    There has been an increase in attacks targeting law enforcement agencies for the past few days..

  • Quetta bomb blast: two FC personnel injured

    Quetta bomb blast: two FC personnel injured

    Two Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were injured in an explosion on Quetta’s Sariab Road today (Monday). They have been shifted to the FC hospital, an FC spokesperson confirmed, reports Dawn.

    Following the blast, the area was sealed and security personnel along with a bomb disposal squad reached the site to initiate an operation.

    The spokesperson further said that the two injured personnel were on routine patrol in a village when the bomb, which was fitted in a motorcycle, blew off.

    Today’s incident is the latest in a string of attacks in Balochistan and has occurred a couple of days after a terrorist attack on security forces in Balochistan’s Panjgur and Naushki.

    Balochistan Home Minister Mir Zia Langove had revealed that several threats had been issued in February. “We had threats from Daesh and so-called nationalists,” he had said.

  • New terrorist wave

    New terrorist wave

    A new wave of terrorism seems to be gripping the country in recent months, with the Lahore blast being the latest in a series of attacks that have targeted security forces, policemen, and civilians. From Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Balochistan, from Sindh to the capital city to the heart of Punjab, there is a rise in such attacks across the country.
     
    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief Moazzam Jah Ansari told Dawn and Geo News that the Islamic State group’s Khorasan chapter (IS-K) is a different and bigger threat than even the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Coming from the police chief of a province that has been one of the worst victims of terrorism in the country, his statement should raise alarm bells for the state. Pakistan has given immense sacrifices in its war against terrorism – 70-80,000 people lost their lives at the hands of terrorist attacks. The APS attack is a tragedy that can never be erased from our memories. Our security forces and police officials have fought bravely against terrorist outfits and now for terrorism to make a comeback, it is even more important that the state should build a consensus on this issue and tackle the hydra of terrorism.
     
    A study conducted by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Study (PICSS) says that the rise in militant attacks in Pakistan coincided with the Afghan Taliban’s military offensive and their eventual takeover of Kabul. Many had been pointing out to the Pakistan government that a government that does not believe in the rule of law and does not abide by any international covenants cannot bring any stability in the region and will in fact lead to instability in the neighbouring countries when Pakistan was celebrating the takeover of Kabul by the Afghan Taliban.
     
    With the withdrawal of the US and NATO troops from Afghanistan, the fall of Kabul and the rise of the Afghan Taliban were inevitable. However, the support that they got from Pakistan has led to many problems, including the tensions between the US and Pakistan when it comes to diplomatic ties. But the most critical consequence of the new government in Afghanistan is the rise of militant outfits who are rearing their heads once again in neighbouring Pakistan.

    The rise of the Afghan Taliban has given new ideas and strength to militant outfits that had gone underground since the security forces defeated the TTP and crushed other terrorist outfits some years ago. We hope that the state will not let them wreak havoc with the country’s future again. Pakistan needs peace and stability, not chaos. 

  • Pakistan’s most-wanted terrorist killed in Afghanistan

    Pakistan’s most-wanted terrorist killed in Afghanistan

    Pakistan’s most-wanted terrorist Muhammad Khorasani has been killed in Afghanistan.

    Khorasani, also known as Khalid Balti was planning attacks against Pakistan along with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Chief Noor Wali Mehsood, as per Geo News’ sources. He was a spokesperson for the banned outfit since 2014.

    Khorasani was involved in several attacks which killed innocent civilians security forces personnel.

    He was running a terrorist hub in Miranshah, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), however, after the Pakistan Army’s successful “Zarb-e-Azb” operation, he escaped to Afghanistan.

    Last week, Pakistan Army spokesman Major General Babar Iftikhar said that talks with the TTP ended after the banned group came up with certain conditions which were not acceptable.

    He said that operations are on-going against the militants.

  • ‘We will never let down the survivors and parents of our martyred children’: PM Imran on 7th anniversary of APS attack

    Pakistan marked the seventh anniversary of the Peshawar Army Public School (APS) massacre on Thursday. Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan said that there will be “zero tolerance for violence and those using it as a tool”.

    Taking to Twitter, the premier tweeted, “December 16, 2014, terrorists attacked & martyred over 140 ppl incl 132 children in APS, Peshawar. Pakistan has successfully defeated terrorism.”

    “I reiterate we will never let down the survivors & parents of our martyred children,” wrote PM Khan.

    Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif, tweeted, “Have we learned any lessons & corrected our course? When will we sincerely put our heads together for [a] better future of our children?”

    Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said the nation still felt the pain of “this great tragedy”, adding that “everyone is still waiting for justice to be served to the innocent souls”.

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi tweeted, “Today, 7 years ago, we lost our children and teachers in an inhuman terrorist attack. A black day for humanity. We will never forget. #APSPeshawar.”

    Senator Sherry Rehman tweeted, “It’s a shame that even after all this time, the govt has still asked for more time to submit its report to the SC. The parents are waiting for justice while this govt is talking about giving amnesty to those responsible.”

    PPP leader Hina Rabbani Khar tweeted, “The day when millions of Hearts Broke. A day when 132 dreams were broken. The most dark day in the history of Pak. We will never forget you angels. We also remember the school staff & bravest lady Mrs Tahira Qazi who sacrificed her life to protect the children. #BlackDay.”

    https://twitter.com/Hina_RKhar/status/1471306720626417664

    Author Fatima Bhutto tweeted, “Always in our hearts #APSPeshawar.”

    APS to date remains the deadliest terror attack in Pakistan’s history, 131 school children and 10 other people were martyred when heavily armed militants stormed the school building on December 16, 2014.

  • PTI senator presents bouquet to TLP chief Saad Rizvi after bail

    PTI senator presents bouquet to TLP chief Saad Rizvi after bail

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) senator and President of Central Punjab Ejaz Chaudhry met with previously banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Saad Hussain Rizvi and presented him a bouquet.

    https://twitter.com/FGMallick/status/1462030632092155907?s=20

    Earlier this month, Chaudhry had claimed that the government would consider giving seats to TLP which was banned at the time. He also said that he would meet Rizvi once he is released.

    Saad was released on Thursday. He was taken into custody in April shortly after the federal government declared the TLP a proscribed organisation under anti-terrorism laws and launched a broad crackdown against it.

  • ‘Taliban will legally qualify for recognition once they take over the entire country,’ PM Khan

    ‘Taliban will legally qualify for recognition once they take over the entire country,’ PM Khan

    American Magazine ‘Newsweek’ has published an exclusive interview with Pakistani Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, conducted by its Senior Foreign Policy Writer Tom O’Connor.

    PM Khan talked about the troubles occurring in Afghanistan, China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the US emerging close relations with Pakistan’s top rival India and shed some light on Sino-US rivalry.

    In reply to a question by Tom about recognising the new Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, PM Khan said, “Pakistan is obliged to engage with the de-facto authorities in Afghanistan to prevent an economic and humanitarian collapse.”

    “Once a government in Kabul establishes control over the entire country, it would legally qualify for recognition. However, Pakistan would prefer to reach a decision regarding recognition of the new government together with other neighbors of Afghanistan,” he added.

    He stressed that the authorities in Kabul [Taliban] need to neutralise terrorist groups present in Afghanistan, particularly the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and said, “Pakistan will work with the authorities in Afghanistan to halt TTP and other terrorism from there.”

    While answering the question about the US and China’s influence in South Asia after Washington’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, Khan stated, “The US can work with a new government in Afghanistan to promote common interests and regional stability and can play an important and positive role in Afghanistan by providing humanitarian assistance.”

    “But if China offers economic support to Afghanistan, it’s natural that the Afghans will accept it. The Taliban have welcomed the prospects of being incorporated in the CPEC and establishing close relations with China,” he added.

    Talking about the close ties between the US and India, PM Khan stated, “We understand that the U.S. military support to India is designed to contain China. However India will never confront China, especially not to serve U.S. strategic objectives. India’s purpose in arming itself so massively is to establish its hegemony in South Asia and especially to threaten and coerce Pakistan.”

    “We believe that the current US-China rivalry is unnecessary and contrary to the interests of both these global powers,” he said while hoping that both countries will reach the same conclusion in the near future.

    He concluded by saying that Afghanistan will only be stabilized through help and that the U.S., China and Russia and all other countries must “contribute” to reconstructing the country.

  • ‘Unilateral decision to offer amnesty to TTP an insult to victims of terrorism’: Bilawal Bhutto

    ‘Unilateral decision to offer amnesty to TTP an insult to victims of terrorism’: Bilawal Bhutto

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday took to Twitter to express his disapproval of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for offering to pardon Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members if they renounce violence and respect the nation’s Constitution.

    Bilawal tweeted, “The unilateral decision to offer amnesty to terrorist groups within Pakistan is an insult to the thousands of victims of terrorism.”

    “Imran’s policy of appeasement to religious fascism within Pakistan as well as on our eastern & western borders will haunt us in-times to come,” added Bilawal.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, Khurram Dastgir Khan, while speaking on Dawn News programme “News Eye”, said, “It is shameful and reprehensible of the President and the Foreign Minister to hint at a general amnesty for the TTP.”

    “Terrorists in Pakistan have martyred children, women, the elderly, young and our soldiers. We cannot forget this,” said Dastgir.

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in an interview with The Independent said that the government would be “open to giving” a pardon to members of the banned TTP if they promise not to get involved in terrorism and follow the Constitution of Pakistan.

    The minister’s comments came after President Arif Alvi said, if anyone wants to leave the ideology of the banned TTP and work as per the Constitution of Pakistan, the government may consider a general amnesty.

  • HRW releases report on 9/11 calling US to end global war on terror

    Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a report on September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States titled, ‘9/11 Unleashed a Global Storm of Human Rights Abuses’.

    The report says, “The brutal rulers [US leaders] figured out that the best way to get away with mass abuse was to label it a fight against terrorism.”

    Furthermore it states, “The war paradigm was also used to justify killing suspects wherever they were found, often on the flimsiest of evidence. However, international human rights law requires law enforcement officials to arrest suspects whenever possible and to use lethal force only as a last resort to stop an imminent threat to life.”

    “They [US] not only mistreated the people of Afghanistan but its citizens also had to face discrimination. Globally, Muslims are the primary victims of terrorism. The US has always treated ‘presumed terrorists’ as combatants,” the report reads.

    HRW also has discussed the ill-treatment of one million Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China and the bombings on Gaza by Israel.

    “It is a time to condemn the evil of terrorism. It is also the time to close Guantanamo, by releasing all of the 39 aging detainees still there, who have not been charged and giving the rest a fair trial in a proper court,” the report concluded.

    People from all over the world remembered the horrifying episode today on social media, while some of them share their stories.

    Since 2001, the notorious military prison at Guantanamo has become a symbol of US human rights abuses. Many detainees — mostly Muslim men — were tortured or held for years and even decades without charges, trials, or basic legal rights.

    The 9/11 attacks are the deadliest terrorist attacks on American soil in US history. It was a series of airline hijackings and suicide attacks committed by 19 militants associated with al-Qaeda.

  • New Zealand: Multiple people injured in knife attack by an ISIS-inspired man

    New Zealand’s Prime Minister  Jacinda Ardern has said in an official statement that at least six people were hurt in a knife incident at a supermarket in Auckland, Al Jazeera has reported. The attacker was killed within 60 seconds after beginning the attack, she said. Ardern further added that the had been inspired by the ISIS group.

    “It was hateful, it was wrong. It was carried out by an individual, not a faith,” Ardern said. She described the attacker as a Sri Lankan national who arrived in New Zealand in 2011. “He alone carries the responsibility for these acts.”

    Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said the man was acting alone and police were confident there was no further threat to the public, Reuters has reported.

    “We were doing absolutely everything possible to monitor him and indeed the fact that we were able to intervene so quickly, in roughly 60 seconds, shows just how closely we were watching him,” Coster said.

    Videos of panicked people in the shopping mall after the attack has gone viral on social media.