Current Final

Tag: terrorism

  • Six terrorists shot down by CTD in Lakki Marwat operation

    Six terrorists shot down by CTD in Lakki Marwat operation

    At least six terrorists were gunned down during an operation in the Dadowala area of Lakki Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), counter-terrorism department (CTD) officials have confirmed.

    According to the CTD, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the slain terrorists who were involved in terror attacks and assaults on security forces.

    CTD added that the operation was launched after it received information regarding the presence of the terrorists in Dadowala. The department added that the terrorists were planning to launch an attack on the Abbasia police check post.

    Terrorism is rising again across the country as attacks increased since the end of the ceasefire with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) last year.

  • Military, civilian leadership has put full stop on Khan’s appeasement policy on terrorists: Bilawal

    Military, civilian leadership has put full stop on Khan’s appeasement policy on terrorists: Bilawal

    Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that negotiating with those people who don’t accept Pakistan and its constitution is not in favour of the country or it’s people.

    In an interview with German broadcaster DW Urdu, the foreign minister said that the previous government was asking the interim Afghan government to facilitate reconciliation with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and had plans to resettle the militants in Pakistan.

    “Every Pakistani was saying that terrorists who were involved in heinous attacks such as the Army Public School massacre could never be our friends”, said Bilawal.

    Earlier in an interview with CNBC, Bilawal said, “Unfortunately, following the fall of Kabul, the government that preceded ours started negotiating with these very same terrorist groups and without preconditions such as disarming.”

    The foreign minister said that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition government and military leadership have “put a full stop to the policy of appeasement”.

    Citing the porous border with Afghanistan, the Foreign Minister said that the new government doesn’t have the capacity to man it.

    “We are confident that we’ll be able to take on the terrorist groups that are functioning within Pakistan,” he said.

    Discussing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Bilawal said that if he strives to pursue a democratic path and commits to play a constitutional role, he can have a future, adding that Khan’s ouster through a vote of no-confidence motion was the first time parliament removed a prime minister in a democratic way.

    However, since his ouster, Khan has been asking the army for help in getting back to power, the foreign minister alleged.

     “If the military says it wants to change its controversial conduct constitutionally, it should be welcomed.”

    While responding to a question regarding the statement about Pakistan’s bankruptcy made by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Bilawal said: “He was talking in a political context at a political gathering and he was referring to the harsh economic times rather than speaking technically. He was talking in the overall context of the country.”

  • Gen Bajwa wanted to ‘resettle’ members of TTP in the country, claims Shireen Mazari

    Gen Bajwa wanted to ‘resettle’ members of TTP in the country, claims Shireen Mazari

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shireen Mazari has claimed that former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa wanted to “resettle” members of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the country, after Afghan Taliban’s take over of Kabul in August 2021.

    “Bajwa at one point brought up the matter (of Taliban) — General Faiz Hameed was also present at the time — that there are Pakistani nationality families in the TTP who want to return to the country,” said Mazari, while speaking on Dawn News programme ‘Doosra Rukh’, which will air at 7pm tonight.

    “If they accept the Constitution and lay down their arms, something should be done for some sort of resettlement and talks should be held,” narrated Mazari adding that it was clearly decided that before initiating a dialogue, a committee will be formed between the elected representatives and the military to “form a consensus as our elected people have a lot of reservations.”

    The former minister asserted that the blame for failing to deal with the TTP would “fall not on us but the imported government”.

    The PTI leader insisted that Gen Faiz had made a visit “in the beginning to talk to the Afghan government” and not the Taliban.

    On Friday, TTP attacked the Karachi police chief’s office, martyring three persons including security personnel while 18 people sustained injuries. Five terrorists were also killed in the attack.

  • Will be happiest to leave govt as soon as elections are held, says CM Mohsin Naqvi

    Will be happiest to leave govt as soon as elections are held, says CM Mohsin Naqvi

    Caretaker Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab, Mohsin Naqvi, has said that he doesn’t wish to prolong his tenure as head of government in the province.

    Talking to journalists, he said that he would be happiest to leave the government as soon as the elections are held. He clarified that the election date is the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) job, and his government is ready to conduct free and fair elections in the province.

    About the ever-growing danger of terrorism in Punjab, the caretaker CM said the government is boosting the capabilities of the already efficient Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in the province.

    It is pertinent to mention Mohsin has been under fire lately by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for what they allege is a failure to set a date for by-polls in Punjab.

  • US sees TTP as a threat to Pakistan

    US sees TTP as a threat to Pakistan

    Counselor of the United States (US) State Department, Derek Chollet, has said that his country sees the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as a threat to Pakistan.

    While talking to ARY, Chollet said, “We have seen [TTP] in a terrible way a threat to Pakistan. The US considers any terrorist act as unexpectable.”

    The Counselor will pay an important visit to Pakistan during the ongoing week to explore possibilities of coordinating efforts to combat terrorism.

    He was also of the view that there is a great opportunity to further improve the relationship between Washington and Islamabad.

    The US diplomat said that Pakistan and US are working together to deal with the threats of terrorism.

    Since government talks with the TTP broke down in November, the militant group has intensified its attacks across Pakistan including attacks on the police.

    According to statistics released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), January 2023 remained one of the deadliest months since July 2018.

    Most recently, more than 100 people lost their lives during a suicide attack at a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines. The TTP initially claimed responsibility for the attack, however, it later backtracked and claimed that they did not perpetrate the bombing.

  • Security forces kill 12 TTP terrorists during intelligence-based operation in KP

    Security forces kill 12 TTP terrorists during intelligence-based operation in KP

    The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), has confirmed that security forces have killed 12 terrorists of the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) during an intelligence-based operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Lakki Marwat area.

    “Terrorists were lured in by providing a vehicle for escape that was intercepted and neutralised,” said the ISPR, adding that weapons, ammunition and Afghan currency were also recovered from the terrorists.

    “Locals appreciated the operation and lauded the efforts of Pakistan Army in eliminating terrorism,” the statement concluded.

    Later, a clearance operation was carried out in the area.

    The country is facing rising insurgency, especially in Balochistan and KP, after the outlawed TTP ended its ceasefire with Islamabad in November.

  • Elections should be held once: Saad Rafique

    Elections should be held once: Saad Rafique

    Federal Minister for Railways and Aviation, Khawaja Saad Rafique, has said that elections in Pakistan should be held once, otherwise there is a risk of anarchy.

    Talking to the media in Lahore on Tuesday, he said that the country cannot face another crisis.

    Taking a jibe at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said that Khan cannot dissolve the assemblies as the constitution has given that power to the leader of the House.

    Saad said that there were no particular circumstances that led to the dissolution of provincial assemblies, claiming that pressure was put on chief ministers of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to do so.

    He also said that Khan should participate in All-Parties Conference (APC), as he was of the view that all political parties should unite and play a role against terrorism.

  • Terror attacks: January 2023 deadliest month since July 2018

    Terror attacks: January 2023 deadliest month since July 2018

    January 2023 has become the deadliest month with the maximum number of terror attacks since July 2018, with 134 people losing their lives in at least 44 militant attacks across Pakistan, data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) has shown.

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) residents remain in the eye of the storm after two suicide bombings were rocked the province — one in Peshawar and the other one in the tribal district.

    Although the number of terrorist attacks declined slightly in January, fatalities increased by 139 per cent, attributed mostly to the Peshawar Police Lines suicide blast on Monday which resulted in the death of over 100 people.

    The data mentions that KP Police was the primary target of the militants operating in the province bordering Afghanistan.

    Militant attacks declined in Balochistan during January, however, Punjab saw four incidents in which three security forces personnel were killed while two low-profile attacks were reported in Sindh in which one person died.

  • ‘Why were there two black Vigos?’: Elahi family slams govt after raid on Gujrat house

    Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) and former Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Pervaiz Elahi has condemned the raid on his family house ‘Kunjah Gujrat’ and held the incumbent government responsible.

    In a tweet, he claimed that the staff at their house was harassed in the middle of the night. The former CM also threatened the caretaker government with legal action and said that the matter will go to court.

    Addressing Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and caretaker CM Punjab Mohsin Naqvi directly in another tweet, Elahi urged Shehbaz to “respect the sanctity of the home” and warned him that “people would protest outside his own home”. To Naqvi, he said that his job is to ensure fair and transparent elections

    He also regretted that “the rulers have directed police and administration to engage in vengeful actions” while the country is dealing with terrorism.

    Earlier in the day, his son and former federal minister Moonis Elahi claimed that his family home in Gujrat was raided by the police in the early hours of Wednesday “without having a warrant, nor a case”.

    Implying that intelligence agencies were involved in the raid, he said “I can wrap my head around the 25 police vehicles, but why were there two black Vigos?”.

    Moonis then asked if the police were looking for Indian agents.

    The raid has taken place after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday declared that PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain would remain the president of the party months weeks after he was ousted following rifts with his cousin Pervaiz Elahi.

    Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) accused the caretaker Punjab government of ‘political persecution’.

  • Islamabad, Karachi put under high alert after Peshawar attack

    Islamabad, Karachi put under high alert after Peshawar attack

    Following the suicide bombing in a mosque in Peshawar on Monday, officials have raked up the security of Islamabad and Karachi.

    Special measures have been taken at key sensitive buildings in Islamabad, including the President House, Prime Minister (PM) House and Parliament among other places.

    Moreover, high security was also beefed up at all the entry points of the capital, Islamabad police’s Twitter account said on Monday.

    Snipers have been deployed at all locations and residents are instructed to carry identity cards and essential documents along with them while travelling.

    Meanwhile, the Inspector General (IG) of Sindh Police has also ordered officials to start patrolling and snap checking in Karachi.

    A day earlier, Peshawar was attacked by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which claimed the lives of 93 people and left more than 200 injured. In a surprise turn of events, the TTP later claimed that it had nothing to do with the bombing.

    Pakistan is currently facing a resurgence in terrorist activities.

    After the Peshawar attack, PM Shehbaz Sharif said that such cowardly terror attacks will not weaken the nation’s resolve and that all the terrorists and their facilitators involved in the attacks will be punished.