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TTP ends ‘indefinite ceasefire’ with Pakistan - new wave of terrorist activity begins

A parliamentary committee has authorised the military leadership to hold talks with the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Saturday.

Speaking at a press conference, he said the military leadership would inform the committee about any progress in the talks and the matter would then be debated in parliament.

The minister said that talks would be held only under the Constitution of Pakistan, adding that neither anything over and above the Constitution would be negotiated nor would any such agreement be reached.

On June 22, the military had reassured the political leadership that no extra-constitutional concessions would be given to the banned TTP in the ongoing dialogue and any deal made with the terrorist group would be subject to parliamentary approval.

The assurance was given by the military leadership at a meeting held with the political leaders at the Prime Minister House.

This was the first meeting between the national political leadership and the military, which has been negotiating with the TTP in Afghanistan with the help of the Afghan Taliban. The meeting was arranged after Pakistan Peoples Party, a major partner in the ruling coalition, lodged a protest for not being taken on board about the talks.

In October last year, then-prime minister Imran Khan had revealed that talks were under way with the TTP.

He said the talks with the militants were taking place in Afghanistan and the new Taliban rulers were helping in the process.

Days after Imran Khan’s disclosure, his interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed surprised many by saying that he was unaware of any such dialogue.

Rana Sanaullah recalled how former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had invited the political leadership, including Imran Khan, to PM House for devising a consensus strategy to tackle the issue after the Army Public School Peshawar attack in 2014.

A senator from Jamaat-i-Islami, Mushtaq Ahmed had also recently raised the issue of keeping talks with TTP secret from the parliament. At the time, Senator Irfanul Haq Siddiqui had said these talks had not been initiated during the term of the present government.

“We were also unaware who is holding these talks and where they are taking place. Things became clear at a recent meeting at Prime Minister’s House,” he had said.

Earlier, speaking at a ceremony at Police Lines, the interior minister said that the loan agreement signed by the PTI government with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was ill-negotiated and not implemented in letter and spirit by the previous regime. He said the country had such an ailing economy that IMF has kept Pakistan on toes only to get $1 billion. “We tried our best and presented every argument that we should not increase prices of fuel but to no avail.”

He said the ruling party had thought about dissolving the assemblies to get fresh mandate but the country could have faced threat of default if it was handed over to caretaker set-up.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2022
 
Talks with TTP

In response to a question, Sanaullah revealed that the Parliamentary Com**m*ittee on National Secu*rity had unanimously agreed to continue dialogue with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

"All the politicians who attended the meeting yesterday said that no one could refuse dialogue. Across the globe, every violent movement was ended on the table. So there is no denying that," he said.

Apart from that, the minister continued, the armed forces clearly said that a committee should be formed, comprising representatives of all political parties, to ensure that there was a "political consensus and will" backing the talks.

"They said that the committee will monitor this and any talk or offer conceded will first be discussed in the parliament before a decision is taken," he said, adding that the process was being held under the supervision of the parliament.

Dawn
 
Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar:

About the visit of Pakistani Ulema to Kabul, Iftikhar said Ulema of Pakistan and Afghanistan “have longstanding relations due to our shared history, religion, geography, cultures and people-to-people contacts”.

“In this context, a delegation of Pakistani Ulema led by Allama Taqi Usmani and including many leading scholars was visiting Afghanistan. They had meetings with the interim prime minister of Afghanistan, cabinet members and leading Ulema from Afghanistan,” he said.

They discussed strengthening peace and stability and good relations between the two countries.

“I understand this was a very good visit, and well received in Afghanistan, as is evident from the kind of interactions and meetings that have taken place. So, I would say that this has resulted in very positive engagement between the two sides,” Asim added
 
Omar Khalid Khorasani, one of the top terrorists in outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has been killed along with his three other associates in an attack in Afghanistan, ARY NEWS reported.

According to sources privy to the details, Abdul Wali aka Omar Khalid Khorasani was killed in an attack in Paktika province of Afghanistan.

“Three of his associates were also killed in the attack,” they said, adding the deceased included Mufti Hassan and Hafiz Doulat of the TTP.

Unmute
This is not the first time that top TTP terrorists have been killed in Afghanistan after Taliban took over power in the country.

In March this year, a high-profile outlawed TTP militant wanted by security forces for multi terrorist acts, Abdul Wahab Larak, was murdered by unidentified men in Kandahar city of Afghanistan.

Abdul Wahab Larak was the head of the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and was planning attacks in Karachi.

On March 22, he was murdered by two unidentified men in Kandahar in the morning. He was wanted for multiple terrorist acts in Pakistan especially Sindh province and belong to Usman Saifullah Kurd group of Lashkar-i-Jhangvi.

He joined TTP in August 2020 and his name was also present in the most wanted list of CTD Sindh. He was behind the January 2015 suicide attack on an imam baragah in Shikarpur which claimed lives of 53 people and injured 57 others.

He was also involved in planning attacks on army aviation bases, PAF base Samungli, target killings of a minority sect, and multiple attacks in North Waziristan.

ARY
 
Expressing his apprehensions at the success of talks with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday admitted on the floor of the National Assembly that anti-Taliban feelings were growing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) as people were holding protest demonstrations in various parts of the province against the Taliban presence in their area.

Responding to independent MNA from erstwhile Federally-Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) Mohsin Dawar who drew the attention of the house towards the rise in terrorism in KP after arrival of Taliban from Afghanistan, the defence minister admitted that the law and order situation was worsening in the province. He, however, termed it a “national issue”, instead of a provincial matter.

The minister regretted that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leadership, including former prime minister Imran Khan, had in the past welcomed the Taliban people in the province, but now the PTI’s provincial government was itself protesting against the presence of the Taliban in the province. He said there were reports of the protests from Dir, Swat and other places in the province against the Taliban.

He also expressed his apprehensions about the success of the talks with the TTP. “This assembly was given two briefings [on the issue of talks with the TTP]. May Allah keep the affairs [talks] on track as per the briefings,” said the minister, adding: “the danger is gradually increasing.”

Khawaja Asif says anti-TTP sentiments growing in KP; lawmakers assail ‘anti-army’ campaign; Soomro de-seated

Mr Asif expressed the hope that the Taliban would not force imposition of their “own system and implement their “intentions” which they showed from time to time”.

The minister said that a committee comprising political elders had been constituted to visit the Pakistan-Afghanistan entry point at Ghulam Khan area in North Waziristan to persuade the protesters to open the trade route which they had closed in protest for the past two weeks over the killing of some JUI-F members and tribal people. He hoped that the committee members would succeed in pacifying the protesters to resume the stalled trade activities with Afghanistan. He said the closure of roads had badly affected trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan, besides affecting economy of the area.

‘Terrorism across KP’

Speaking on a point of order, Mr Dawar earlier said the people of North Waziristan had been protesting for the past 26 days and they were only demanding “peace and protection”.

The lawmaker claimed terrorism had spread across KP and warned it would soon grip the whole country. Recently, he said, a PTI MPA was attacked and many of his companions were martyred. Similarly, he said, a police official and an army major were abducted from Swat.

Mr Dawar said the Taliban were telling the local people that their leadership had directed them to return to the area in the wake of the ongoing talks between Pakistani authorities and the TTP.

The MNA from Waziristan ridiculed the PTI leaders for protesting against Taliban, recalling that the previous PTI government had welcomed and celebrated the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. He criticised the “non-seriousness” of the authorities to tackle the issue, declaring that the people of KP would not accept “project-Taliban policy” and would resist it at all cost.

Anti-army campaign

Earlier, speaking on points of order, a number of lawmakers expressed their concerns over the ongoing campaign on social and main media against the army and blamed the PTI for it. The issue came up when Dr Fehmida Mirza of the Grand Democratic Alliance blasted the government over its action against ARY News channel.

She said if someone had maligned the national institution, then the whole channel should not be punished for it.

The most hard-hitting speech came from a PTI dissident Noor Alam Khan, who lashed out at the PTI leadership over the campaign and praised the army for its services for the country in the wake of the war against terrorism. At one point, he said army was the only institution that was “functioning properly” in the country.

Without naming PTI’s Shahbaz Gill, Mr Khan said those who did not like Pakistan and its army, should leave the country.

Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf declared that only anti-state people could run a campaign against the army. He said attacking the judiciary and the army was a violation of the constitution, stating that the parliament should take cognisance of such campaigns.

Soomro de-seated

Meanwhile, the National Assembly approved a motion tabled by PPP MNA Shahida Rehmani seeking to de-seat PTI MNA from Jacobabad Mohammadmian Soomro for being absent from the house without leave for 40 consecutive days.

The speaker put the motion for vote after rejecting the leave application which Mr Soomro had submitted after the PPP’s MNA had already been placed on the assembly agenda.

Mr Soomro, who had served as the privatisation minister during the previous PTI government, had not submitted his resignation with his other party colleagues, including Imran Khan, at the time of the election of Shehbaz Sharif as the prime minister.

Legislation

The National Assembly also passed four bills and witnessed introduction of three bills.

Minister of State for Law and Justice Shahadat Awan introduced the Railways (Amendment) Bill 2022; the Control of Narcotics Substances (Amendment) Bill 2022 and the Qanun-e-Shahadat (Amendment) Bill 2022. Through the first two bills, the government has sought to substitute death penalty with life-imprisonment.

The Statements of Objects and Reasons attached to the bills state that the death penalty in the laws “is used in a disproportionate manner that violates the fundamental right to life which happens to be the most basic of all human rights.”

It state that the risk of executing innocent people exists and “the arbitrary application of the death penalty can never be ruled out” under the two laws.

The four bills passed by the assembly are the National Meteorology Institute of Pakistan Bill 2022; the Public Private Partnership Authority (Amendment) Bill 2022; the Iqbal Academy Pakistan Bill 2022 and the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2022.

The speaker then adjourned the sitting till 9pm on Saturday.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2022
 
The army top brass on Thursday hinted at a tougher app*roach against the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban ******tan (TTP) as it emphasised continuat*ion of counter-terrorism operations in Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa and Balochistan.

Speaking at the 250th Corps Comm*anders’ Conference, a monthly feature at General Headquarters, Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa, according to ISPR, “directed formations to maintain operational readiness and efforts to counter terrorism particularly in KP & Balochistan must continue (sic)”.

A review of the security situation and flood relief operations being undertaken by the army topped the agenda of the meeting.

The ISPR press release on the conference did not give any details about the emphasis on counter-terrorism operations.

DAWN
 
The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has announced an end to the months-long “indefinite ceasefire”, accusing the government of beaching the agreement brokered by the Afghan Taliban.

TTP spokesperson Mohammad Khorasani in a statement on Sunday claimed that Pakistani government made no efforts to make the negotiations successful “so it is not possible to continue the ceasefire”.

The reasons cited by the TTP for ending the ceasefire include non-release of prisoners, continued military operations and lack of communication from the government of Pakistan.

Moreover, the militants claimed that the government released some of their prisoners but re-arrested them “in violation of the agreement”.

On the announcement of the end of the ceasefire, TTP chief Mufti Noor Wali said that they had never refused meaningful negotiations and it is a part of Sharia law.

“But no progress has been made during these negotiations. Therefore, the armed struggle will continue and if the negotiations are successful, the future course of action will be announced later,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.

The talks between Pakistan and the outlawed TTP had reached a deadlock as the militant group refused to budge from its demand for the reversal of the merger of erstwhile FATA with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

There has also been a stalemate over the issue of TTP laying down their arms in case of a peace deal, which would enable them to return to their homeland.

Last month, sources familiar with the development had revealed that there had been a series of meetings between the two sides in recent weeks to break the impasse yet there had been no breakthrough made thus far.

In a push to take the process forwards, Pakistan last month sent a second delegation in a week’s time to break the stalemate. Following the visit of a delegation of Ulema led by Mufti Taqi Usmani, a tribal jirga visited Kabul.

The purpose of the Ulema delegation's visit was to use the good offices of the religious clerics to persuade the TTP to withdraw their demand for FATA merger and other contentious issues.

However, the TTP leadership did not give any firm assurance as Ulema also pressed them to lay down their arms and return to Pakistan.

Usmani had termed his visit positive but did not mention his interaction with the TTP.

“There is a deadlock. And the prospects of a peace deal are not bright,” a source connected to the peace efforts had said.

Pakistan began talks with the TTP in October last year at the request of the Afghan Taliban to seek a political solution to the issue.

The initial contacts led to a one-month ceasefire between the two sides in November but the truce could not last long as differences emerged soon.

The TTP sought the release of prisoners including some hardcore members who were involved in terrorist attacks. Pakistan did release certain TTP members but the process could not move forward.

The breakdown in talks led to a spike in cross-border terrorist attacks by the TTP. In April, two dozen Pakistani security forces were martyred in a series of cross-border attacks. Some of the attacks filmed by the TTP showed the terrorists using sophisticated weapons.

The increase in attacks prompted Pakistan to launch air strikes across the border targeting the TTP’s hideouts. Islamabad also in a rare move issued a stern warning to the Afghan Taliban not to allow the Afghan soil to be used against the neighbouring country.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2374642/ttp-ends-indefinite-ceasefire-with-pakistan
 
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday urged Afghanistan’s Tali*ban rulers on Wednesday to use their influence on Tehreek-i-Tali*ban Pakistan to bring peace and stability in the region.

Speaking at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, the foreign minister also urged the United States to take lead in dealing with the devastating effects of the changing climate, which he called a ‘man-made disaster’.

“Following the fall of Kabul, [it] won’t be wrong to say that the TTP has found a sanctuary in Afghanistan. We have had a ceasefire which was good. Hopefully, Afghan Taliban will use their influence on TTP so that the group accepts the Consti*tu*tion of Pakistan and disarm.”

The foreign minister, in interviews to various US and international media networks, also urged the United States to deal with Afgha*nistan’s current Tali*ban regime, even if it requ*ired Washington to “hold its nose” while doing so, warning that isolating the Taliban could have dangerous consequences for all.
 
As senators from both sides of the aisle on Friday sounded alarm over surge in terrorist activities by the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a PPP senator sought a briefing over a recent threat alert issued by the interior ministry about heightened risk of terrorist attacks by the banned outfit.

PPP Senator Raza Rabbani, on a point of public concern, asked Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani to direct the interior minister to take parliament and the public at large into confidence about the present status of peace talks with the TTP.

The interior ministry had recently issued an alert over increasing threat of terrorist attacks by the group or its factions after talks with the TTP broke down.

Mr Rabbani pointed out that a call had been made to take parliament on board when the disclosure about dialogue with the TTP was made for the first time. He, however, regretted that the demand about a matter linked with the future of coming generations fell on deaf ears. He said nobody knew about the conditions of the ceasefire with the group and the status of talks.
 
TTP commander critically injured in attack in Afghanistan
The blast took place in the Marawara district of the Kunar province

PESHAWAR:
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander Maulvi Abdullah was critically injured in a targeted attack in Afghanistan’s Kunar province on Sunday.

The former chief justice of the Bajaur tribal district was inside a vehicle when an improvised explosive device (IED) attack resulted in him getting critically wounded, sources confirmed to The Express Tribune.

The driver of the vehicle and two aides of Abdullah onboard were also seriously injured, while a passerby was killed in the attack.

The TTP commander’s condition is said to be critical as he was moved to an undisclosed location along with his two aides and the driver where they will receive medical treatment.

Sources told that the blast took place in the Marawara district of the Kunar province.

Read Panic grips Swat after spurt in TTP activities

Abdullah had played a significant role in the implementation of the Shura in Bajaur and was also the one to clear disputes between locals during his time as the chief justice before the 2008 military operations.

His court was usually held at Niag Banda at Tehsil Nawagai of Bajaur district.

Moreover, he also ran a centre where locals could register complaints against the TTP leadership or report other issues like extortion and land disputes.

Having gained his religious education from Karachi, Abdullah holds one of the most revered ranks amongst the Taliban. Furthermore, he along with Umer Khurasani, Uqabi Mullah and Maulvi Faqir, is also one of the core members of the Bajaur Shura.

The TTP commander has also established militant centres in Bajaur.

Express Tribune
 
Pakistan's Taliban Ends Ceasefire Agreement, Orders Attacks Across Country

Islamabad: Pakistan's Taliban said on Monday they have called off a shaky ceasefire agreed with the government in June and ordered fighters to stage attacks across the country.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a separate entity to the Taliban in Afghanistan but sharing a similar Islamist ideology, have been responsible for dozens of violent attacks and hundreds of deaths across Pakistan since emerging in 2007.

"As military operations are ongoing against mujahideen in different areas ... so it is imperative for you to carry out attacks wherever you can in the entire country," it said in a statement.

The TTP held sway over vast tracts of Pakistan's rugged tribal belt for a time, imposing a radical version of Islamic law.

Its fighters were largely driven out of Pakistan into neighbouring Afghanistan from 2010 but have been emboldened by the Afghan Taliban's return to power in Kabul.

The TTP agreed a ceasefire with the Pakistan government in June but both sides have repeatedly claimed the truce was ignored and there have been numerous clashes.

NDTV
 
ex-q-zit said:
Pakistan's Taliban Ends Ceasefire Agreement, Orders Attacks Across Country

Islamabad: Pakistan's Taliban said on Monday they have called off a shaky ceasefire agreed with the government in June and ordered fighters to stage attacks across the country.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a separate entity to the Taliban in Afghanistan but sharing a similar Islamist ideology, have been responsible for dozens of violent attacks and hundreds of deaths across Pakistan since emerging in 2007.

"As military operations are ongoing against mujahideen in different areas ... so it is imperative for you to carry out attacks wherever you can in the entire country," it said in a statement.

The TTP held sway over vast tracts of Pakistan's rugged tribal belt for a time, imposing a radical version of Islamic law.

Its fighters were largely driven out of Pakistan into neighbouring Afghanistan from 2010 but have been emboldened by the Afghan Taliban's return to power in Kabul.

The TTP agreed a ceasefire with the Pakistan government in June but both sides have repeatedly claimed the truce was ignored and there have been numerous clashes.

NDTV
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The Americans have left Afghanistan. There is a Taliban government in Afghanistan. What do these Pakistani Taliban groups want now?
 
Pakistan Taliban ends ceasefire with Government and threatens new attacks

The armed group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, has announced the end of an indefinite ceasefire agreed with the government in June and issued orders to its fighters to carry out attacks across the country.

“As military operations are ongoing against mujahideen in different areas, … so it is imperative for you to carry out attacks wherever you can in the entire country,” the group said in a statement on Monday.

The group, which is ideologically aligned with the Afghan Taliban, said it is facing a rising number of attacks by the Pakistani military, particularly in the Lakki Marwat district of Pakistan’s northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“We submit to the people of Pakistan that we have repeatedly warned you and continued to be patient so that the negotiation process is not sabotaged at least by us, but the army and intelligence agencies do not stop and continue the attacks, so now our retaliatory attacks will also start across the country,” the statement said.

Al Jazeera reached out to the Pakistani military for comment but did not receive a response.

The TTP has been waging a rebellion against the state of Pakistan for more than a decade. The group demands the imposition of hardline Islamic law law, release of key members arrested by the government and a reversal of the merger of Pakistan’s tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

On November 16, the TTP claimed responsibility for an attack on a police patrol in Lakki Marwat, about 200km (125 miles) southwest of the provincial capital, Peshawar. Six policemen were killed.

After the attack, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said “terrorism” continues to be one of Pakistan’s foremost problems.

The TTP made its declaration hours after the government said the state minister for foreign affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, will visit Afghanistan on Tuesday.

According to the foreign ministry, Khar will hold talks on regional security with the Taliban government in Kabul.

Security specialist Asfandyar Mir of the United States Institute of Peace told Al Jazeera that while the TTP has been escalating its violence recently, it has also exercised restraint by not carrying out attacks outside tribal areas.

“I have inferred the targeting as a function of Afghan Taliban pressure on the TTP to calibrate their escalation,” he saId. “Now if the TTP follows through in its declaration of countrywide attacks, the key question is how will the Taliban respond.”

The government and the TTP have held multiple rounds of talks facilitated by the Afghan Taliban, the last of which took place in June. The talks began weeks after the Taliban took control of Kabul last year.

Despite the ceasefire, the TTP continued its attacks this year, saying they were defensive in nature and only in retaliation for operations carried out by Pakistan’s military.

According to data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies, an Islamabad-based research organisation, at least 65 such attacks took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through the end of October. They killed at least 98 people and wounded 75, it said.
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Link: https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/...nds-ceasefire-with-govt-threatens-new-attacks
 
Last edited:
Washington pledges support for Islamabad’s anti-TTP efforts

WASHINGTON: The United States and Pakistan have a shared interest in combating threats to regional security, such as the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Washington will support the Pakistan government’s efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms, a State Department spokesperson told Dawn on Tuesday.

On Monday, the outlawed TTP had asked its combatants to carry out attacks across the country because of alleged “unabated” operations by security forces against militants in the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Deploring the outlawed TTP’s decision to end its ceasefire with the government of Pakistan, the United Nations also expressed grave concern over the move that, they fear, could lead to increased suffering for civilians in the country.

“We seek a strong partnership with Pakistan on counterterrorism and expect sustained action against all militant and terrorist groups. We look forward to cooperative efforts to eliminate all regional and global terrorist threats,” a State Department spokesperson told Dawn in response to a query.

The spokesperson recalled that the Pakistani people have suffered tremendously from terrorist attacks in the past two decades, adding: “We support the Pakistan government’s efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms”.

Separately, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary General called the TTP’s decision “most unfortunate”, saying that this could lead to an increase in acts of terrorism.

“That would be most unfortunate if that is, in fact, true,” he said when informed at a briefing that TTP had announced ending its ceasefire with the Pakistani government, and that its leaders have already ordered their cadres to re-launch attacks on Pakistani targets.

When asked to elaborate this response, Mr Dujarric said: “I personally haven’t seen those reports, but obviously, any action that leads to increased violence that could lead to increased acts of terrorism and increase suffering for civilians is something that is of grave concern to us.”

The issue of Pakistan’s renewed problems with TTP and Afghanistan’s de facto Taliban rulers also came up at a recent talk at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, when the council’s president Richard Haas asked National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan if Pakistan was “playing a more responsible role” in Afghanistan now.

“There is a lot in terms of the engagement between Islamabad and the folks in the Taliban and the Haqqani network that we do not see, so it is difficult for me to characterise the nature of their role,” Mr. Sullivan responded.

DAWN
 
Govt to review strategy after TTP calls off truce
Official says Pakistan’s patience with the Afghan Taliban regime is wearing thin

ISLAMABAD:
The government is reviewing its strategy with regard to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which called off the ceasefire agreed with Islamabad in June, as part of a deal brokered by the Afghan Taliban.

Official sources told The Express Tribune that there would be a “review” of Pakistan’s strategy following the TTP announcement earlier this week and spike in terrorist attacks. In June, the TTP announced an indefinite ceasefire after a series of meetings between the Pakistani representatives and the militant outfit in Afghanistan.

The talks were brokered by the Afghan Taliban regime, which had been resisting pressure from Pakistan to take action against the TTP and its affiliates operating out of the neighbouring country. But with the change of command and resurgence of TTP, the government will discuss all options to deal with the threat of militancy.

Since the new Army Chief General Asim Munir had headed both the Military Intelligence (MI) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) during his career, therefore, he understood the dynamics of the TTP and Afghanistan, according to observers.

As the ISI DG, Gen Asim spearheaded initial efforts aimed at facilitating direct talks between the US and the Afghan Taliban. Given this background, the army chief is likely to give a crucial input to the government led by Prime Minister Shebhaz Sharif on the policy review on the TTP and Afghanistan.

A government official who deals with the issue told The Express Tribune that Pakistan’s patience with the Afghan Taliban regime was wearing thin as the TTP continued to pose a threat from across the border.

On Tuesday, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar led a Pakistani delegation on a day-long visit to Kabul. In an official handout, there was no specific mention of Pakistan’s concerns over the cross-border terrorist attacks.

But sources said this was one of the topics of discussions. Pakistan’s special envoy Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq was part of the delegation meaning the issue of the TTP must have come up for discussions. According to sources, it is possible the government may revisit the strategy to hold direct talks with the TTP.

Previously, the sources said, the government did not like a direct approach towards the TTP. In the Foreign Office, officials who were dealing with the matter were of the view that holding direct talks with the TTP was not a wise strategy. Ambassador Sadiq suggested talks with the TTP through the Afghan Taliban.

It is likely that given the resurgence of TTP attacks, Pakistan may close the door for talks and go for other options to neutralise the terrorist threat. Some observers feel that the TTP announcement to end the ceasefire may be a tactical move to get more concessions from Pakistan in the wake of a change of command.
The sources said that a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), the highest forum to discuss issues of national security and defence, will likely be convened to discuss the possible new strategy.

Express Tribune
 
No formal talks or agreement with TTP, says Rana Sanaullah

• Amid ‘alarming’ rise in terrorism, minister says dialogue with banned outfit only possible if they lay down arms
• Terms PTI’s aim to dissolve KP, Punjab assemblies ‘unconstitutional’

ISLAMABAD: A day after an attack claimed by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) took the lives of four people in Quetta, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah denied the initiation of formal talks with the terror outfit and vowed a crushing response by security forces to nip the terror threat in the bud.

Addressing a press conference in the federal capital on Thursday, the interior minister said the government had not reached a settlement with the banned outfit, nor had it initiated any sort of formal dialogue with the banned group in the past. In an apparent reference to parlays with the outfit before the end of the ceasefire, the minister said these were the kind of talks “which are held even in a state of war”.

According to Mr Sanaullah, the military leadership had been authorised to hold dialogue with the TTP under the Constitution, but only with those who were ready to lay down arms and peacefully become a part of society. He, however, said there were several factions within the TTP, some of whom wanted reconciliation while some still wanted to fight the Pakistani state.

“Some of them were interested in talks while some [are interested] in sabotaging the process.”

He said the doors will remain open for those interested in peace and dialogue and at the same time terrorism will be crushed with full force. He said military operations were underway against the banned outfit and the army had the capacity to defeat terrorism.

TTP attacks ‘alarming’

However, the minister also raised alarm over the TTP suicide attack in Quetta and said that it should also be a cause for alarm for the Afghan government, which had held out an assurance to the world that Afghan soil would not be used for terrorist activity anywhere.

Answering a question, he regretted that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mehmood Khan did not attend a recent security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He said KP had neither taken the federal government on board about what was being done to check the rising trend of terrorism in the province, nor had it sought any assistance from the Centre.

He emphasised the need for provincial governments, security agencies, and authorities, particularly in KP and Balochistan, to address the issue of rising militancy in an effective manner. “They need to take this matter seriously, and whenever they will need the help of the federal government and its agencies, we will assist them without any delay,” he added.

About the PTI’s plan to dissolve the provincial assemblies of Punjab and KP, he said it would be an undemocratic and in a sense “unconstitutional step”. The federal government will exercise all constitutional options, including a no-trust motion and the governor’s rule, to thwart the move for the dissolution of the assemblies.

Elaborating his point about the unconstitutionality of the step, he said if the two provincial assemblies get elected for a five-year term following the dissolution, there will be no caretaker governments in Punjab and KP at the time of general elections and it “would disturb the constitutional scheme”. “An attempt is being made to damage the system for free and fair elections,” he remarked.

Moreover, he said the Constitution envisages a situation where the prime minister or a chief minister can dissolve an assembly, and dissolution in the absence of such a “situation” would therefore be unconstitutional.

He said in case the two provincial assemblies were dissolved, the government will see if polling can be delayed until the general elections. He made it clear that the PML-N was not afraid of going to elections, if they were to be held within 90 days.

“Our stance is for assemblies to complete their terms, which was once also their (PTI’s) stance.”

He said Nawaz Sharif will be available to lead the election campaign and expressed confidence that the PML-N will emerge victorious in elections for Punjab Assembly.

DAWN
 
Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul comes under attack: FO

Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul came under attack on Friday with Chargé d’Affaires to Afghanistan Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani targeted, according to a press release from the Foreign Office (FO).

The FO said the embassy compound came under attack and while Nizamani remained safe, a security guard, Sepoy Israr Mohammad, was “critically injured” in the attack while protecting the mission head.

The press release said Pakistan “strongly condemns” the assassination attempt against Nizamani and the attack on the embassy compound.

“The interim government of Afghanistan must immediately hold thorough investigations in this attack, apprehend the culprits, hold them to account, and take urgent measures to ensure the safety and security of Pakistani diplomatic personnel and citizens in Afghanistan,” the FO said.

Nizamani took charge as the mission head on November 4.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">H.E. Ubaid ur Rehman Nizamani has joined the Embassy of Pakistan,Kabul, as Head of Mission. In his inaugural interaction with the Embassy staff,he emphasized that it would be his priority to work towards enhancing multifaceted bilateral cooperation between Pakistan & Afghanistan <a href="https://t.co/NslqpFFyvT">pic.twitter.com/NslqpFFyvT</a></p>— Pakistan Embassy Afghanistan (@PakinAfg) <a href="https://twitter.com/PakinAfg/status/1588489345799172096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

An embassy official told AFP that a lone attacker “came behind the cover of houses and started firing”.

“The ambassador and all the other staff are safe, but we are not going outside of the embassy building as a precaution,” he said.

Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said one suspect was arrested after security forces rushed to the embassy and stopped the ongoing firing.

He said details of the clearance operation would be shared later, adding that weapons were recovered.

The Afghan foreign ministry condemned the incident. Taliban foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi issued a statement saying that security institutions would “seriously investigate” the incident and identity the perpetrators to punish them.

The statement said that the Afghan government would not allow some “vested interest elements” to threaten the security of officials of diplomatic missions.

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Pakistani officials condemn incident

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was the first Pakistani official to condemn the “dastardly assassination attempt”.

“Salute to the brave security guard, who took a bullet to save his life. Prayers for the swift recovery of a security guard.

“I demand immediate investigation and action against the perpetrators of this heinous act,” the prime minister tweeted.

He later tweeted that he spoke to the mission head and was relieved to hear that Nizamani was safe.

“I expressed the solidarity of government and people with him while assuring full support and assistance to him and his mission on all counts. I also conveyed prayers for the swift recovery of the brave security guard,” the prime minister said.

President Dr Arif Alvi said the attack was a “cause for concern” while condemning it.

“Pakistan condemns all forms and types of terrorism and is determined to eliminate it.

“Terrorism is a common threat, it requires joint efforts to fight it effectively,” he said.

“We condemn this in the strongest possible terms. The safety and security of our diplomats are of fundamental importance,” Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said.

“We salute the bravery of Sepoy Israr and pray for his swift recovery.”

The US embassy in Islamabad also condemned the attack.

Two militants killed in attack on Afghan politician’s HQ

Separately on Friday, three unidentified militants detonated a car bomb and tried to storm the headquarters of an Afghan party headed by veteran politician Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, officials said.

Ghairat Baheer, an official with the Hizb-i-Islami party, told AFP that two attackers were killed as they tried to enter the Kabul building — which also houses a mosque — and a third escaped.

“The car detonated outside, so there was little damage,” he said.

Officials said Hekmatyar — a wily politician who served as prime minister in the 1990s — was inside at the time, but was unhurt.

Obaidullah Muddabir, a senior district police officer, confirmed two attackers had been killed but said he believed the third had been captured.

“I am outside the compound … the situation is under control,” he said.

“The guards at Hizb-i-Islami office told us that there were three attackers. They killed two while one was injured before they reached the target.”

Hekmatyar is regarded as a political survivor in Afghanistan, having fought against the Soviet occupation, the Taliban’s first stint in power, and the Western-backed government that ruled until August last year.

DAWN
 
You can not negotiate peace with such animals. Pak people will never accept their medieval version of Islam or anything else. We all know what country supports them too.
 
As I have been saying for a decade, Pakistan should cease supporting, arming and negotiating with terror outfits. This nation supported the Afghan Taliban financially and gave them diplomatic support, ultimately bringing them to power. Now, the AT are providing safe havens to the TTP. Pakistan should only blame itself for terrorism and bloodshed.
 
Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi on Saturday telephoned Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to condemn the terrorist attack on Pakistan’s Head of Mission in Kabul, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani.

Pakistan’s Head of Mission to Kabul Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani escaped an assassination bid on Friday. The gun attack was carried out at a time when Chargé d’Affaires to Afghanistan Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani was walking in the garden of Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul.

Reiterating Afghanistan’s firm resolve to combat terrorism, Foreign Minister Muttaqi assured Bilawal Bhutto that the Afghan government will bring the perpetrators of this heinous attack to justice swiftly.

According to the Foreign Office, the Acting Afghan Foreign Minister also conveyed his good wishes and prayers for the early recovery of the security guard, Sepoy Israr Mohammad.

FM Bilawal thanked the Interim Afghan government for its strong expression of solidarity and underscored that safety and security of Pakistan’s diplomatic personnel in Afghanistan was of utmost importance.

The Afghan government must prevent the terrorists from undermining relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said.

The foreign minister also reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to fight terrorism, saying that Pakistan will be undeterred by such cowardly attacks.

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affair released a clarification that there are no plans in consideration to close the Pakistan embassy or withdraw diplomats from Kabul.

“Pakistan is in contact with the Interim government in Afghanistan and enhanced security measures are being taken to protect Pakistani diplomatic personnel and Missions in Afghanistan.” FO Spokesperson said.

“The head of mission in Kabul was attacked today in which security guards was injured, The Afghan Minister of Affairs was summoned to the Foreign Office in protest to the incident and demand an immediate investigation.” concluded, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch.

Afghan officials assured security to the diplomats while the security of other diplomatic missions has also been tightened

ARY
 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Sunday issued a statement saying it was in the process of “verifying the veracity” of claims that Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-KP) had accepted responsibility for attacking the Pakistan embassy in Kabul.

A Pakistani security guard was wounded on Friday by shots fired at the Pakistan embassy in the Afghan capital, in what Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called “an assassination attempt” on the head of the mission Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani.

A Kabul police spokesman had said one suspect had been arrested and two light weapons were seized after security forces swept a nearby building “and prevented the continuation of gunfire”.

An embassy official had told AFP a lone attacker “came behind the cover of houses and started firing”. “The ambassador and all the other staff are safe, but we are not going outside of the embassy building as a precaution,” he had said.

The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi had condemned the attack yesterday.

Meanwhile, Afghan local media while quoting the diplomatic sources had claimed that police raided an eight-storey building near the Pakistan embassy in Kabul and took a person into custody.

The arrested accused, whose identity has not been disclosed, tried to flee by jumping using a rope after seeing the police. However, the attempt was foiled.

It was reported that the accused had planted landmines in three rooms of the building.

Apart from one long-range rifle, 47 rifles, sniper and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the accused. The suspect was shifted to an unknown location for investigation.

Besides the main accused, one more suspect was taken into custody. His identity has also not been disclosed.

It may also be noted that it was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, which came just days after Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar visited Kabul to meet Taliban authorities to ease tensions along the border.

In a statement issued today, the MoFA spokesperson said, "we have seen reports that IS-KP has accepted responsibility for the terrorist attack on the Pakistan Embassy compound on 2 December 2022.”

“Independently and in consultation with the Afghan authorities, we are verifying the veracity of these reports,” the statement added.

“This notwithstanding, the terrorist attack is yet another reminder of the threat that terrorism poses to peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region. We must act resolutely with all our collective might to defeat this menace,” the spokesperson said reiterating Pakistan’s “commitment to combat terrorism”.
 
Terror Group ISIS Claims Attack On Pakistani Envoy In Afghanistan

Kabul: Terror group ISIS claimed responsibility Saturday for an attack on Pakistan's embassy in Kabul, which Islamabad decried as an "assassination attempt".

A security guard was wounded in the attack Friday in the Afghan capital.

In a statement cited by jihadist monitor SITE, the Islamic State's regional chapter said it had "attacked the apostate Pakistani ambassador and his guards".

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called it "an assassination attempt" on the head of the mission, and demanded an investigation.

A Kabul police spokesman said one suspect had been arrested and two light weapons seized after security forces swept a nearby building.

Although Pakistan does not officially recognise Afghanistan's Taliban government, it kept its embassy open even as the hardline Islamists took over in August last year, and maintains a full diplomatic mission.

An embassy official told AFP a lone attacker "came behind the cover of houses and started firing", but that the ambassador and other staff were safe.

A spokesman for Afghanistan's foreign ministry said they strongly condemned the "failed attack".

"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will not allow any malicious actors to pose a threat to the security of diplomatic missions in Kabul," it said in a statement, vowing to find and punish those responsible.

Pakistan has complicated relations with the Taliban, with Islamabad long accused of supporting the Islamists even while backing the US-led invasion of Afghanistan that toppled them following the 9/11 attacks.

Pakistan is home to more than a million Afghan refugees, and the porous border they share is frequently the scene of clashes.

Since returning to power, the Afghan Taliban have insisted they would not allow foreign militant groups to operate from home soil.

NDTV
 
We all know it is all coming from Afghanistan. If the Afghan's can't do anything about it then the Pak military will have to enter Afghanistan to get the job done. Pak will continue to suffer until we deal with the root cause that is Afghanistan. Eliminate the disease not the symptoms.
 
BANU: COP MARTYRED IN TERRORISTS ATTACK ON POLICE POST

A cop was martyred when terrorists attacked a police post located in Banu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

As per details, a police post located in the Kangar Pul area of Banu was attacked by terrorists with heavy weapons and in the shootout, a havaldar lost his life while defending the homeland.

In a retaliatory fire by the cops at the post, the terrorists fled away. Meanwhile, a search operation in the area is underway.

On November 16, at least six policemen were martyred in a fierce gun attack in Wanda Shahab Khel area of Lakki Marwat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Read more: Police foil terrorist attack on DI Khan check post

According to police, unknown miscreants opened fire on a mobile during routine patrolling in Lakki Marwat.

As a result, six policemen — including an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) — were martyred in the gun attack.

The martyred cops include ASI Ilm Deen, Detective Foot Constable Ahmed Nawaz, Lower Head Constable Zubair, Frontier Reserve Police’s sepoy Usman Ali, Constable Mahmood Khan, and driver Dil Jan.

ARY
 
No let-up in fight against terror, army chief vows

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Syed Asim Munir on Tuesday reaffirmed the military’s resolve to continue fight against terrorism till the achievement of enduring peace and stability in the country.

The reaffirmation has came in the wake of a recent uptick in terrorist attacks across the merged areas and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan last Monday an**nounced ending its months-long ceasefire with the government.

The TTP and the Pakistan government had announced the ceasefire in June this year.

Recent weeks and months have seen resurgence of militancy in Malakand, southern belt and merged districts, with increasing intensity of attacks on law enforcement personnel.

The military’s media wing said in a statement the COAS reaffirmed the resolve to curb terrorism during his maiden trip to the troops deployed along the Pak-Afghan border in the Tirah area of Khyber district. According to the statement, the army chief spent the day with forward troops deployed along Pak-Afghan border.

Gen Munir was brief by the field commander on operational preparedness and border control measures in place as part of the western borders management regime.

Interacting with the officers and men, the COAS praised them for their high morale and operational readiness in the line of duty. He said the state’s writ has been established due to innumerable sacrifices by tribal people and security forces.

“Our fight against terrorism will continue with the support of the nation till we achieve enduring peace and stability,” he reiterated.

Gen Munir said defence of the motherland would be ensured at all costs and there would not be any space for the spoilers of peace. “No one will be allowed to disrupt the hard-earned gains of war against terror made thus far,” the COAS added.

Later, the army chief visited the Corps Headquarters Peshawar and laid floral wreath to pay homage to Shahuada. He was also briefed on operational, training and other matters of the formation, including efforts to create secure environment for socio-economic development projects to uplift the newly merged districts.

Earlier, on arrival, the COAS was received by Lt Gen Hassan Azhar Hayat, Commander Peshawar Corps.

DAWN
 
US to tighten noose around TTP, IS-K: State Dept

WASHINGTON: The United States has pledged to further tighten the noose around militant groups such as the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) and the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pak**istan (TTP), as the two terrorist outfits step up their activities in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“We have seen the reports that IS-K has claimed responsibility for the attack,” a US State Department spokesperson told Dawn on Wednesday, days after militants targeted Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires Ubaid Nizamani in Kabul and severely injured an embassy guard, who shielded the diplomat.

“We remain committed to further degrading Al Qaeda, IS-K, TTP, and other terrorist groups that pose a threat to the US and our partners and allies,” the spokesperson added.

Last month, the TTP also ended its ceasefire agreement with the government of Pakistan and began attacking several targets inside the country.

Earlier this month, Washington had declared four TTP and South Asian Al Qaeda leaders as global terrorists and vowed to use its full might against all Afghanistan-based terror groups.

The next day, US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters that the US was deeply concerned by the attack on the Pakistani diplomat in Kabul and called for “a full and transparent investigation” into the failed assassination attempt.

In an earlier statement, another US State Department official said the militants operating in Afghanistan were a common enemy and the US and Pakistan “have a shared interest” in combating them. The official also pledged support for Pakistan’s anti-terror efforts against these groups.

Shuja Nawaz, a US-based Pakistani defence expert, told Dawn: “It is in the interest of both Pakistan and the US to continue collaborating in monitoring and eliminating TTP and IS-K operations in Afghanistan.”

“Pakistan needs to take a firm position on the use of Afghan soil as sanctuary by the militants. Hold Afghanistan responsible for any attack originating from its territory and retaliate swiftly and firmly,” he added.

In a recent report, the US Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) pointed out that IS-K “has grown in strength since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan last year, doubling its strength from 2,000 to 4,000 fighters. Almost half of the fighters are from Pakistan.”

Sharing Pakistan’s concerns on this issue, US officials have said they do not want militants to turn Afghanistan into a hub once again and use its territory to launch another 9/11-like attack.

According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Washington, IS-K is an offshoot of the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant group, which itself was formed by disgruntled Al Qaeda activists.

IS-K was set up in January 2015 at the height of Islamic State power in Iraq and Syria, before its self-declared caliphate was defeated and dismantled by a US-led coalition.

The group recruits both Afghan and Pakistani fighters, especially defecting members of the Afghan Taliban and TTP who don’t see their own organisations as strong enough to carry forward their militant mission of creating a new Islamic state in Khorasan.

The term “Khorasan” refers to a historical region covering parts of modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

The group initially included Pakistan, until a separate Pakistan section was declared in May 2019.

DAWN
 
Tighten noose on ttp and isis k

But handover whole of Afghanistan to their big brother the Afghan taliban and have peace talks with them in doha.

😄
 
FOUR ‘TERRORISTS’ KILLED IN NOWSHERA SEARCH AND CLEARANCE OP: CTD

PESHAWAR: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has claimed to kill four terrorists in a search and clearance operation in the Nowshera district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), ARY News reported on Friday.

CTD Mardan Region and KP police conducted a joint raid in Nowshera on a tip-off. During the raid, the terrorists opened fire at the raiding teams. Four terrorists were killed in retaliation by the raiding teams, the CTD spokesperson said.

The raiding teams recovered arms and explosive material from the possession of the killed terrorists. The Counter-Terrorism Department spokesperson said that the scope of the search and clearance operation was expanded.

On Wednesday, the CTD arrested ‘four terrorists’ associated with a banned outfit’s Atiq-ur-Rehman alias Tipu Gul group during a raid in Bannu.

The Counter-Terrorism Department team recovered arms, mobile phones and other materials from the possession of the arrested men. The CTD spokesperson said the suspects were allegedly involved in the target killing of policemen and extortion.

In a separate raid, the Counter-Terrorism Department officials also nabbed ‘a wanted terrorist namely Akhtar’. The arrested ‘terrorist’ was associated with the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Gul Bahadur group.

ARY
 
Soldier, civilian martyred in yesterday’s suicide blast in Miranshah: ISPR

One soldier and a civilian were martyred in yesterday’s suicide blast in North Waziristan district’s Miranshah area, the military’s media affairs wing said on Thursday.

Earlier, security officials told Dawn that a convoy of security forces was on its way from Datta Khel tehsil to Miranshah when the suicide bomber riding a motorbike hit it. Reports at the time suggested three civilians and 14 others, including nine security personnel, were injured in the incident.

However, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) released a statement early on Thursday saying that the suicide blast occurred in the “general area” of Miranshah on Dec 14 (Wednesday).

The deceased soldier was identified as a 30-year-old Havaldar Muhammad Ameer. Moreover, one civilian also embraced martyrdom while nine others were injured, the ISPR said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly denounced the incident. According to state broadcaster Radio Pakistan, he expressed grief and sorrow over the lives lost in the incident.

“Those carrying out suicide attacks on Muslims cannot be Muslims,” the report quoted him as saying. PM Shehbaz further said terrorists were “playing in the hands of our enemies who want to destabilise Pakistan”.

He expressed the commitment to punish the perpetrators. The premier said the Pakistan’s people and security forces had rendered immense sacrifices to eliminate terrorism, paying tribute to the martyrs for laying down their lives for the country.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also condemned the incident and expressed grief over the loss of life.

“We condemn the suicide blast in North Waziristan’s Miranshah area, are saddened by the martyrdom of Havaldar Muhammad Ameer and a civilian,” he tweeted.

The interior minister expressed concern regarding the provincial government over the deteriorating situation of peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and vowed action against terrorists.

“We will track down terrorists and defeat their nefarious designs,” he said, adding that the country’s security forces were fully capable of eliminating militants.

On Dec 5, at least five terrorists were killed and a soldier was martyred during an intelligence-based operation in Jhallar Algad area of North Waziristan.

According to the ISPR, troops effectively engaged the location of terrorists during an intense exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists. It added that weapons and ammunition was also recovered from the terrorists.

“The terrorists remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces and killing of innocent citizens,” the ISPR said.

DAWN
 
NOOR Wali Mehsud, leader of the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has attempted to rebuff the impression that they are getting any backing from the Afghan Taliban regime in Kabul, saying that his group was attacking Pakistan from “within its territory”.

“We are fighting Pakistan’s war from within the territory of Pakistan; using Pakistani soil. We have the ability to fight for many more decades with the weapons and spirit of liberation that exist on the soil of Pakistan,” he said in an interview with CNN.

When asked if he was being secretive about help they were getting from the Taliban, he said, “When we don’t need any help from the Afghan Taliban, what is the point of hiding it?”

In recent weeks, ******tan has witnessed a surge in cross-border attacks from Afghanistan and has pressed the Taliban government to take action against the culprits.

Warns US of retaliation in case group’s leadership is attacked

Last month, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar visited Kabul and raised the issue with the Taliban officials.

Pakistan has been urging the Afghan Taliban to live up to their commitments to not allow the regrouping of terrorist groups and the use of its soil as a launch pad for attacks.

The US has also shared Pakistan’s concerns and reiterated that it would take action if international terrorists regroup in Afghanistan.

However, the TTP chief warned the US of retaliation in case of any attack on the group’s leadership.

“America should stop teasing us by interfering in our affairs unnecessarily at the instigation of Pakistan — this cruel decision shows the failure of American politics,” CNN quoted Mr Mehsud as saying.

He made these remarks in response to a question on the possibility of the US targeting TTP commanders operating from inside Afghanistan like al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri who was killed in a drone strike in Kabul in September.

He said that “he did not expect America to take such action” against his group. “If America takes such a step, America itself will be responsible for its loss,” he warned.

He told CNN that the US was yet to understand Pak*is**tan’s “duplicitous policy”.

“Pakistan’s history is a witness that it keeps changing directions for its own interests,” he said in the interview.

Mr Mehsud also blamed Pakistan for violating the ceasefire agreement, prompting the outlawed group to rescind it.

He claimed Pakistani forces “violated the ceasefire and martyred tens of our comrades and arrested tens of them.”

Last month, the outlawed group ended the ceasefire agreement and asked its combatants to carry out attacks across the country.

In a statement, the TTP claimed that the security forces had launched operations against their people in Bannu, Lakki Marwat and other districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Immediately after calling off the ceasefire, the TTP targeted a truck carrying a police contingent for the security of polio workers near Quetta.

Four peo**ple were killed and 24 injured in the suicide attack.

On Friday, For*eign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari warned cross-border terrorism by the TTP or other militant groups would not be tolerated, adding that Islamabad reserved the right to take direct action against them.

He also said the Taliban government had failed Pakistan’s “hope and expectation” that Kabul’s new authorities “would be able to convince or constrain the TTP from conducting cross-border terrorist attacks.”

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2022
 
4 cops martyred, as many injured in midnight siege of police station in KP’s Lakki Marwat

Militants attacked the Burgi police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat early Sunday morning, leaving four policemen dead and injuring as many, according to a police official.

“At midnight, militants attacked the police station and tried to enter the building,” Lakki Police spokesperson Shahid Hameed told Dawn.com, adding that more than 60 policemen were on duty at that time.

He said that the policemen engaged the militants for almost 45 minutes after which the attackers escaped, taking advantage of the darkness.

Hameed pointed out that the police station is situated in a far-flung area and takes almost one-and-a-half hours to reach from Lakki city.

While no group has taken responsibility for the attack, the police suspect the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as the group is known to operate in the area.

Funerals for the slain policemen were held at the Lakki police line on Sunday morning, which were attended by Regional Police Officer Bannu Syed Ashfaq Anwar, District Police Officer Ziauddin and senior military and civil officials.

Condemnations
KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan condemned the attack and offered his condolences while wishing the injured a speedy recovery, according to a press handout.

He also asked the Inspector General Police for a report on the incident and directed that the injured police officials be provided with the best medical aid.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack as well, expressing condolences to the martyred police officials’ families, according to the PPP’s official Twitter account.

Highlighting that the “increase in terrorism incidents in KP was concerning”, he demanded strict measures to be taken to suppress terrorists.

The TTP called off its ceasefire agreement with the government on Nov 28, ordering its militants to stage attacks across the country, according to a statement from the outfit.

The statement said that the TTP’s decision was taken after “a series of non-stop attacks were launched by the military organisations in Bannu’s Lakki Marwat district”.

Early this month, the Nacta told a Senate panel that the peace talks with the proscribed outfit “emboldened” it and allowed it to regroup.

DAWN
 
Terrorists seized a counter-terrorism centre in Bannu on Sunday and took hostages to negotiate with the government authorities, officials said.

"It's not clear if the terrorists attacked from outside, or if they snatched the ammunition from staff inside" while being interrogated following their arrest, Bannu police spokesman Muhammad Naseeb told Reuters.

He said the compound had been surrounded by security forces.

Two other officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the terrorists were looking to negotiate for safe passage to neighbouring Afghanistan, ruled by Afghan Taliban.

Read more: Pakistan won't tolerate TTP’s cross-border terrorism, reserves right for direct action: FM Bilawal

One said about 15 militants took control of the centre after overpowering interrogators inside, grabbing their weapons and taking five or six of them hostage.

The affiliation of the terrorists was not immediately known.

Pakistan has been fighting an insurgency by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. The TTP associates itself with Afghanistan's Taliban, which had been trying to broker talks between the Pakistani government and the TTP.

A spokesman for the TTP did not immediately confirm or deny a link with the militants in the compound.

'Situation completely under control'

However, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Special Assistant for Information Barrister Saif has denied that CTD facility had been attacked in Bannu, saying that some suspects attempted to snatch weapons from the security forces.

He said that the situation was "completely under control" and security forces have cordoned off the affected area.

Saif said that an operation was underway against the miscreants which will be completed soon.

(With input from News Desk)
 
Two martyred as militants seize CTD facility in Bannu
15 attackers take policemen hostages, demand passage to Afghanistan

At least two Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials were martyred and many more injured after a militant overpowered interrogators, snatched an AK-47 rifle and opened fire inside the CTD police station in Bannu district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday afternoon, police said.

The Bannu district police officer told The Express Tribune that the militant also freed other suspects being held in the building and they took control of the compound, taking several policemen hostage. The authorities later cordoned off the entire Bannu cantonment, he added.

“There was no attack from outside. One of the miscreants snatched rifle from police during interrogation and neutralised the guards deployed at the building. He then freed all the suspects being held at the building and who took control of the compound, DPO Bannu Dr Iqbal told The Express Tribune.

“They have also taken several policemen hostage. They are in control of the building and we have cordoned off the entire Bannu cantonment. They have been kept busy by means of negotiations,” the DPO added. “We have our own plan which cannot be shared with the media at the moment.”

In the meanwhile, militants purportedly released at least three videos in which they could be seen armed with AK-47 rifles and medium machine guns. In one video they showed a hostage and demanded of the security forces to provide them with a helicopter to reach Afghanistan safely. The videos could not be verified.

Earlier, two police officials, while speaking on condition of anonymity, said that about 15 militants took control of the centre after overpowering their interrogators inside, grabbing their weapons and taking five or six of them hostage, adding that the terrorists were looking to negotiate for safe passage to Afghanistan.

In Peshawar, K-P government officials said that the situation was under complete control and efforts were being made to foil the evil intentions of the criminals. “There has been no infiltration in Bannu Cantonment,” a K-P government spokesperson said.

Under interrogation militants snatched weapons from the interrogators and released more prisoners, who have all been surrounded. An operation was under way against the miscreants which would be completed soon, Special Assistant to K-P Chief Minister for Information Barrister Saif said.

Express Tribune
 
Guns with thermal goggles used in attacks on police
Senior police officials said they were taking precautionary measures to protect the cops and go after aggressively against the attackers.

Latest sniper guns with night vision thermal goggles are being used by the militants to target cops in police stations and posts in different districts of the province for the last few weeks, a source said. As many as 116 policemen were martyred in different kinds of attacks while over 110 others were injured in KP during the current year.

The latest attack was carried out on a far-flung police station in Lakki Marwat in which four policemen were martyred and as many were injured. Apart from automatic weapons, hand grenades have been used in attacks on police in different districts for the last many months.

“For quite some time the militants have been targeting police in their posts and police stations with night vision thermal guns, the latest weapons being used by the attackers,” a source told The News. The source said the snipers can detect and target cops in their posts with the same equipment from a longer range.

Senior police officials said they were taking precautionary measures to protect the cops and go after aggressively against the attackers. “We are equipping our police with all possible cutting edge technology. Besides, the posts are being further strengthened with ammunition and manpower and that is why many attacks were bravely repulsed by the cops,” said Inspector General of Police Moazzam Jah Ansari.

According to the record of the Central Police Office, as many as 170 terrorists have been killed and 784 arrested so far in 2022. As many as 90 of the arrested terrorists were those who were carrying head money. The officials said they have taken measures to deploy more policemen and provide more ammunition to the posts in remote areas.

“We are inspecting our posts and police stations regularly to take measures for protection of the cops and the buildings so they can better repulse the attacks on the people and improve law and order,” said District Police Officer Tank Waqar Ahmad.

The law and order situation has taken an ugly turn for the last many weeks with an increase in attacks on police and threats to high profile individuals and politicians in different parts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. An official said police have been alerted across the province after accelerated attacks on the force in different districts during the last few weeks. The officers concerned have been tasked with strengthening all the posts in their area that are vulnerable. They were also directed to make sure all the cops wear bullet proof jackets and remain alert while performing their duty as well as coming to office and going back home. The police force has been under attack in southern districts, Peshawar and Mardan region for the last many months now.

As per the official figures, 118 terrorist incidents were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from mid August till last week of November. In these attacks 26 policemen, 12 personnel of other law enforcement agencies and 17 civilians were martyred. The attacks further accelerated since the start of December.

The News PK
 
U7I0tZD.png
 
The hostage situation in the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station in Bannu district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) continues after almost 17 hours as the militants occupying the compound of the police station on Monday reiterated their demand for safe passage to Afghanistan.

The militants reportedly control the entire police station compound.

As per reports, the body of a policeman, who was martyred last night by the firing of the militants, has been transferred to the police lines.

Roads adjacent to the CTD compound and Bannu cantonment have been closed to traffic due to the security situation in the area.

Read: New militant group shares beheading video of Pakistani 'spy'

According to reports, the militants have appealed to Bannu's scholars and leaders for talks.

“Innocent people are in our custody, our aim is to free our comrades, not to harm anyone,” a statement by the militants read.

A day earlier, at least two CTD officials were martyred and many more injured after a militant overpowered interrogators, snatched an AK-47 rifle, and opened fire inside the CTD facility.

The Bannu district police officer told The Express Tribune that the militant also freed other suspects being held in the building and they took control of the compound, taking several policemen hostage. The authorities later cordoned off the entire Bannu cantonment, he added.

In the meanwhile, militants purportedly released at least three videos in which they could be seen armed with AK-47 rifles and machine guns. In one video they showed a hostage and demanded the security forces to provide them with a helicopter to reach Afghanistan safely. The videos could not be verified.

Also read: Sanaullah expresses concern over K-P law and order situation

Earlier, two police officials, while speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that about 15 militants took control of the centre after overpowering their interrogators inside, grabbing their weapons and taking five or six of them hostage.

In Peshawar, K-P government officials said that the situation was under "complete control" and efforts were being made to foil the "evil intentions of the criminals". “There has been no infiltration in Bannu Cantonment,” a K-P government spokesperson claimed.
 
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US offers help with TTP threat, India rivalry

Indicating it is closely following reports that militants have seized control of a counterterrorism centre in Bannu, the United States on Monday offered unconditional support to Pakistan in its battle against the TTP and similar groups, saying that defeating terrorism was a shared goal of both countries.

At the same time, it also offered to assist India and Pakistan in resolving their differences, reminding them that they were key global partners and that America would like to continue ‘valuable partnerships’ with both.

US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price made these remarks at a news briefing, hours after Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari reached Washington for talks with US officials.

“We offer our deepest sympathies to those injured. We urge those responsible to cease all acts of violence, release the hostages and end the seizure of the counterterrorism centre,” he said.

“The government of Pakistan is a partner when it comes to these shared concerns, including the challenge of terrorist groups inside Afghanistan… terrorist groups along the Afghan-Pakistan border… we stand ready to assist, whether with this unfolding situation or other situations,” he said while responding to a question about Monday’s takeover of a CTD centre in Bannu.

Responding to another question about last week’s war of words between the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers inside the United Nations, Mr. Price said: “We have a global strategic partnership with India. I have just spoken to the depth of our partnership with Pakistan. The two relationships stand on their own. It’s not a zero-sum relationship.”

The US, he said, sees the importance of maintaining these valuable partnerships with our Indian and our Pakistani friends, adding that they had a relationship in which “we can be friends with both”.

“As far as these disagreements are concerned… we have partnerships with both countries and that makes us not want to see wars of words between India and Pakistan. We would like to see constructive dialogue between India and Pakistan.”

DAWN
 
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Tuesday that security forces successfully completed an operation after they rescued all hostages held by TTP militants at the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station in the Bannu district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Addressing the joint session of parliament, the minister said all TTP terrorists were killed by the Special Service Group (SSG) of Pakistan Army which started operation at 12:30pm and got the compound cleared by 2:30pm earlier today, reported Radio Pakistan.

Two security officials embraced martyrdom in the operation while around 15 SSG personnel, including an officer, sustained injuries, he added.

Earlier, sources had said that six TTP militants were killed and a clearance operation was underway at the security facility. Authorities also declared an emergency in all hospitals in the district.

The hostage situation had entered its third day as talks to resolve the stand-off with the militants failed to make headway.

Since no breakthrough was made and the situation remained tense in the town, deputy commissioner Bannu declared that all government and private educational institutions across the district will remain closed today.

All routes leading to Bannu Cantt were closed to traffic, with the barricades manned by law enforcement personnel. Authorities also shut down the cellular network in the district.

On Sunday, two CTD officials were martyred and many more injured after a militant reportedly overpowered interrogators, snatched an AK-47 rifle and opened fire inside the CTD police station in Bannu.

Security forces surrounded the highly fortified cantonment area, where around 20 fighters from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are holed up after seizing control of the facility.

District Police Officer (DPO) Bannu Dr Iqbal told The Express Tribune that the militants had been kept engaged by means of negotiations.

The terrorists were looking to negotiate for safe passage to Afghanistan. However, the situation remained tense as talks with militants yielded no results on Monday.

A senior government official said that the hostages were still being held after a failed operation to free them.

“They want us to provide them safe passage via a ground route or by air. They want to take all the hostages with them and release them later on the Afghan border or inside Afghanistan,” said the DPO.

Pakistani officials have asked the government in Kabul to help with the release of hostages, he added. A second government official told AFP that “practically no progress” had been made by Monday evening.

The TTP claimed responsibility for the incident and demanded authorities provide safe passage to border areas.

A video posted to social media, which the government official confirmed to be from the scene, showed a group of armed men, with one threatening to kill all the hostages. He said they had at least eight hostages, including police.

‘Govt refraining from using force’

Talking to The Express Tribune, Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said that the government was refraining from using force due to the presence of innocent people inside the CTD compound.

“These people had been arrested from Lakki Marwat and Bannu and shifted to the CTD compound for interrogation. Several of them were held on mere suspicion and they are still inside the building along with hostages,” he said. Therefore, the police were reluctant to use force against the militants.

“We are asking them to surrender but they are refusing it so far. There were arms and ammunition inside the building which these men [have] seized,” he said. “We are repeatedly urging them to surrender but there is a deadlock in this situation,” he added.

Three of the captives managed to escape from the compound after they were freed from lockup and they were re-arrested by police. These three are not militants and many more trapped inside the building are innocent people, who would be killed if the compound is stormed by police and security forces.

In an earlier statement, Saif had said that no demand of the militants would be accepted and asserted that the only option they had was to surrender peacefully and release all the hostages. He added that by releasing videos, the militants were trying to win support of the general public “but it will not work”.

Additional reporting by Reuters
 
Schools Shut As Taliban Seize Police Station In Pakistan

Local schools were ordered shut on Tuesday out of fear of more kidnappings as a hostage situation at a police station taken over by jailed Pakistan Taliban fighters dragged into its third day.

More than 30 members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group -- separate from the Afghan Taliban but with a similar hardline Islamist ideology -- overpowered their jailers on Sunday and snatched weapons.

The men, held on suspicion of terrorism, have demanded safe passage to Afghanistan in return for releasing at least eight police officers and military intelligence officials, said Muhammad Ali Saif, a spokesman for the provincial Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

The district's deputy commissioner announced schools would close on Tuesday.

"We fear that the Taliban could enter any school in the suburbs and take the students hostage. We are not taking any risks and that's why we decided to close the schools for today," said a senior government official in the district who asked not to be named.

The police station is within a cantonment area in Bannu, in Pakistan's formerly self-governed tribal areas and near the border with Afghanistan.

Offices and roads have closed and checkpoints have been set up around the area.

Pakistani officials have asked the government in Kabul to help with the release of the hostages, the senior government official told AFP.

The TTP said its members were behind the incident and demanded authorities provide them safe passage to border areas.

Overnight on Monday, at least 50 Pakistan Taliban militants stormed another police station in Wana -- also close to the Afghan border and some 200 kilometres south of Bannu -- according to local government and senior police officials, both of whom asked not to be named.

The group locked up police officers and seized weapons before border force troops moved in to take back control.

The TTP claimed responsibility, saying two police officers were killed.

Authorities have not officially acknowledged the incident.

The TTP emerged in 2007 and carried out a horrific wave of violence in Pakistan that was largely crushed after a military operation beginning in 2014.

However, attacks are on the rise again since the Afghan Taliban seized control of Kabul last year, with most targeting security forces.

A shaky months-long ceasefire between the TTP and Islamabad ended last month.

NDTV
 
Imran Khan Slams "Imported" Government For Taliban Attack In Northwest Pak

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Monday blamed the coalition government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for the terrorist attack in Bannu, reported Geo News.

He said the 'imported government' has failed to deal with cross-border attacks by "security forces of a 'friendly' Afghan government".

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Khan said: "Apart from running our economy to the ground, this imported government has failed to deal with the 50 per cent increase in terrorism in Pakistan with incidents from Chaman to Swat to Lakki Marwat to Bannu."

A day earlier, four police personnel were martyred and as many others wounded in an overnight terrorist attack on the Bargai Police Station of Lakki Marwat area.

Terrorists launched an armed assault on the police station from two sides. A fierce exchange of fire took place between the police and the outlaws that left four policemen dead and as many injured, reported Geo News.

The attackers escaped after the assault. Police have launched a search operation in the area for the saboteurs.

"While our soldiers, police [and] local [people] are giving daily sacrifices with their lives, the worst part is that this increasing terrorist threat [and] attacks from across our Western border are finding no space in the discourse of this government of a cabal of crooks," the former prime minister wrote referring to the incident.

He went on to say that the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government is only interested in their NRO II and its preservation, reported Geo News.

"Therefore, despite the economy tanking, they are petrified of holding elections which is the only way to stabilise the economy through political stabilisation," he said renewing his demand for fresh elections.

Notably, the talks between Pakistani officials and the leadership of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are underway in Afghanistan, confirmed Mohammad Ali Saif, a spokesperson for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, reported Geo News.

Pakistani authorities opened talks to try to resolve a stand-off with the TTP, who were holding several security personnel hostage after seizing control of a counter-terrorism facility in the country's northwest, a day earlier.

"We are in negotiations with the central leaders of the Pakistani Taliban in Afghanistan," said Saif.

The spokesperson warned of strict action if the armed men do not surrender.

The wave of terrorist attacks has risen across the province in the last few months, the report said. At least 118 terrorist incidents were reported in KP from mid-August till the last week of November, according to official numbers.

At least 26 policemen, 12 personnel of other law enforcement agencies and 17 civilians were killed in terror incidents across the KP. Moreover, 18 policemen, 10 civilians, and 37 law enforcement agency personnel suffered injuries in these attacks, reported Geo News.

A dozen districts, including Peshawar, Mardan, Bajaur, Mohmand, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Kohat, Bannu, and Nowshera came under attack in November.

NDTV
 
Dozens of armed militants stormed a police station in Wana in the early hours of Tuesday and escaped after looting arms and ammunition, police have confirmed.

Around 1am, militants armed with rocket launchers and heavy weapons forced their way into the police station, according to a cop, Rehman Wazir, who was inside at the time of the attack.

He told Dawn that around 50 militants entered the station after blowing up the front gate.


Heavily outnumbered in front of militants, around 20 policemen, including the station house officer, resisted for some time but were later taken hostage, another police official said.

Videos shared on social media showed a heavy bombardment of rockets and grenades at the station in the dark of night.

The attackers fled with weapons in a police van after the attack. Local police said the militants only took away eight AK-47 rifles from the station.

Around 50 assailants attacked the building with rocket launchers; two beheaded bodies found in Tank

One police constable was injured, while an alleged militant was killed in the attack, sources said.

The police constable, identified as Ilyas, was shifted to Wana hospital for treatment.

According to sources, the alleged militant was gunned down in an exchange of fire with Frontier Corps (FC) personnel. His body was later recovered from the Baghicha area.

The police station was briefly taken over by FC after the attack, but was later handed back to the cops by Tuesday afternoon.

Police said more force was deployed to Wana from nearby areas and currently there were 100 cops inside the station.

The attack created panic in the area and locals expressed their dismay over it. Shakir Khan, a local elder, said ‘good and bad Taliban’ were the government’s creation and locals want nothing to do with them. “The public neither wants neither good nor bad Taliban. It wants the rule of law in their area,” he said.

The police stations in North Waziristan and South Waziristan — two districts bordering Afghanistan — have been consistently targeted by militants over the past few months.

After a spate of attacks, police personnel vacated Raghzai and Khan Kot police stations close to the Pak-Afghan border. The withdrawal provided the militants with an open space to roam around the area and easily access areas such as Wana, according to sources.

Two beheaded bodies found

Two beheaded bodies were found in a watercourse in the Tank district on Tuesday, according to a police official.

The bodies were dumped in the Tangi Dabak village in the remit of Jandola police station, an official told Dawn.

According to officials from Jandola police station, the victims were identified as Shah Noor Bhettanni and his cousin Raheem Gul Bhettanni, residents of Kanazai village.

Police said a paper was also found by the bodies which read: “It is a message from Taliban to everyone that spying would result in such a death.” A case was registered and investigation started.

Along with the number of terrorist attacks, KP has also witnessed a surge in beheading incidents, allegedly by militants.

On December 6, a Frontier Constabulary soldier was beheaded by unknown attackers in Janikhel town of Bannu district. Later, the locals claimed that the head was hung from a tree in the Bachki market area. In the second incident, the body of a man, allegedly beheaded by militants, was found in Zindi Akbar Khan area of Bannu district. In both cases, the militants claimed the deceased were “spies”.
 
Terrorism will be dealt with ‘iron hands’, vows PM Shehbaz

As Pakistan faces a resurgence in terror incidents, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to deal with the problem with “iron hands” and asserted that the state would not bow down to any militant groups.

“Attempts to spread chaos in Pakistan through terrorism will be dealt with iron hands,” he said in a statement carried by state-run Radio Pakistan on Wednesday.

The premier noted that the problem of terrorism was a “sensitive issue of national security” and called for “collective thinking” and a “national action plan” to curb the recent rise in terror activities.

Moreover, he added, the federal government would also address the “external facilitation of terrorists who disseminate and support it in Pakistan”.

Terror incidents in KP
PM Shehbaz particularly condemned the recent incidents of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which has seen a significant rise in terror activities since the militant Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP) called an end to its ceasefire with the government.

Among the most recent incidents in the province, four policemen were martyred when terrorists attacked a police station in Lakki Marwat — a district of Bannu division — on Sunday.

The same day, militants detained at a facility run by KP police’s Counter Terrorism Department in Bannu took control of the compound, held security personnel hostage and demanded a safe passage first to Afghanistan and later to North Waziristan or South Waziristan.

The siege ended after more than two days following an operation by security forces. Twenty-five terrorists were killed and three security personnel were martyred in the operation.

On Monday, an Intelligence Bureau sub-inspector was gunned down in Peshawar while a suicide attack in North Waziristan claimed the lives of a soldier and two civilians. Also on Monday, back-to-back bombings in Khuzdar injured 20.

In the early hours of Tuesday, dozens of armed militants stormed a police station in South Waziristan’s Wana and escaped after looting arms and ammunition.

Meanwhile, two beheaded bodies were found in a watercourse in KP’s Tank district. Police said a paper was found by the bodies that read: “It is a message from Taliban to everyone that spying would result in such a death.”

Earlier today, President Arif Alvi paid tributes to the security personnel who embraced martyrdom in the Bannu operation and condoled their deaths.

“I must salute the valiant officers and soldiers of the Pakistan Army who bravely fought the terrorists in the Bannu operation.

“I condole the shahadat (martyrdom) of Subedar Major Khurshid Akram, Sepahi Saeed and Sepahi Babar. May they live in eternal peace. Because of these sacrifices does Pakistan live,” he said in a tweet.

Separately, PM Shehbaz said in his statement today that while the primary responsibility for law and order lay with provinces, the federal government “cannot turn a blind eye to these serious issues”.

He assured that the Centre would work together with provinces to fight terrorism.

“The National Action Plan will be fully implemented to end terrorism in the country,” he said, acknowledging that increasing the capacity and efficiency of provincial governments was important for the eradication of terrorism.

In this connection, he added that the federal government would assist in improving the professional capacity of CTDs in all provinces.

“The federal government will work with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to restructure its Counter Terrorism Department,” he said, adding that all facilities would be provided to the CTD, including modern weapons.

‘Martyrs’ sacrifices won’t go to waste’
The premier also appreciated the armed forces’ response to terrorism, saying that the “entire nation will end terrorism by supporting its brave forces”.

“The sacrifices of the martyrs will not go to waste,” he continued, adding: “The great sacrifices of the armed forces, police, Rangers and other law enforcement agencies that the rendered for the motherland cannot be forgotten.”

PM Shehbaz also noted that Operations Zarb-i-Azb and Raddul Fasaad were important initiatives taken to end terrorism in the country.

DAWN
 
WASHINGTON: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has suggested letting neighbouring countries know that the outlawed TTP is an “absolute red line” for Pakistan and it would not allow anyone to cross that line.

“As far as the TTP (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan) is concerned, it’s absolutely our red line. It is something that we will not tolerate,” said the foreign minister while speaking at the Atlantic Council, Washington, on Tuesday evening.

“And absolutely we will be willing to consider each and every single option to ensure the safety and security of our people.”


As the foreign minister stressed the need for combating militants in his Washington talk, Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram told the UN Security Council in New York that engagement with the Taliban was the best option to stabilise the region.

“Coercion and isolation have not proved successful in the past; they will prove to be counter-productive now and in the future,” said Ambassador Akram while participating in a UN debate on the situation in Afghanistan. “We need a coherent and practical plan to realise the objectives of the international community through patient engagement with the interim government,” the Pakistani envoy told the 15-member Council.

Bilawal says Islamabad willing to consider all options to ensure citizens’ safety and security

Mr Bhutto-Zardari made a similar observation in his talk at the Atlantic Council, urging world powers to work with Afghanistan’s de facto rulers to stabilise the region. When the moderator, Uzair Younus, asked if Pakistan could deploy troops inside Afghanistan or on the border to stop attacks by Afghanistan-based militant groups, the minister suggested using the “hammer and anvil” strategy, with Kabul’s cooperation, to eliminate militancy.

The chief Pakistani diplomat pointed out that despite these border and cross-border attacks, the situation was far more secure and stable now than it was in 2007, when Pakistan launched a series of operations against the TTP and other militants.

“But those things can be put at risk if this goes unchecked. And obviously that would undermine any hope, whether it is CPEC or any other form of economic activity. Nobody wants to put lives at risk in order to conduct business,” he warned.

“That’s why I have been particularly hawkish on the issue of the TTP, and on the issue of terrorism in general. I believe that recent events in the region are alarming, not only the border incidents but the recent Bannu incident, which our security commanders have very bravely managed to overcome,” he said.

The foreign minister, however, stressed the need to “impress on our neighbours, particularly Afghan*istan” that they have to demonstrate the will and the capacity to take on the TTP or other groups functioning from there.

He acknowledged that there’s room for improvement in Pakistan’s Afghan policy — as there’s in America’s — and “we need to be serious about what we can do going forward”.

“Are we going learn from our mistakes to ensure that we do not repeat them,” he asked. “The answer to that question is going to define the safety and stability of Afghanistan, the safety and stability of Pakistan and the safety and stability of our region.”

Pakistan’s number one option, he said, was to get the Afghan interim government to demonstrate that they had the capacity to deal with this issue.

Separately, the foreign minister also met Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman where they discussed Pakistan’s efforts to recover from devastating floods and the upcoming Jan 9 International Con*ference on Climate Resilient Pakistan in Geneva.

According to a readout issued by the State Department, the US official expressed condolences for Pakistani lives lost in recent terrorist attacks, and they committed to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2022
 
Terrorism is back in Pakistan. There have been at least 15 terror attacks in last ten days, killing at least 40.
 
Forces regain full control of Bannu CTD
Claim slaying 30 terrorists, capturing 11

The security forces on Wednesday regained full control of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) compound in Bannu, rescuing all the hostages in the facility as well as killing and capturing the terrorists holding them, officials in the town said.

The Special Service Group (SSG) of the army launched an operation against the militants on Tuesday after talks for their peaceful surrender and ending the siege failed.

The operation continued overnight and on Wednesday, the security forces cleared the centre of all the terrorists.

During the two-day clearance operation, three troops were martyred, while 27 officers and soldiers sustained injuries.

Officials said that most of the terrorists were killed, while 11 either surrendered or were captured by the troops and shifted to a secure location.

The siege of the CTD centre in Bannu began on Sunday evening, when a detainee overpowered an interrogator and snatched his assault rifle. The terrorist then freed other detainees in the facility, who later joined him, and took the staff inside the building hostage.

Senior police officials in Bannu had said on Sunday that two CTD officials were martyred.

The militants had demanded a safe passage either by land route or by air to Afghanistan.

The authorities refused their demand, asking them to surrender peacefully.

The siege lasted for four days while the operation lasted for two.

All public and private educational institutions in Bannu remained closed during that time period.

The army negotiated with the militants for two days.

After the negotiations failed, the SSG commandos initiated the clearance operation at 12:52pm after evacuating the area.

The operation was led by Major Abid, who had led the Army Public School operation on Dec 16, 2014 in which over 140 people were killed, mostly schoolchildren.

According to the information released by the Inter-Services Public Relations, 30 attackers in the CTD compound were killed in the operation while 11 alleged attackers surrendered and were shifted to a safe location.

According to the report, three security personnel, including Sepoy Saeed and Sepoy Babar were martyred, while 26 personnel were injured in the operation.

Major Abid, Major Waqar, Major Qasim, Captain Zargham, Captain Asad, Captain Kabir, Naib Subedar Zafar, Havaldar Zubair Ahmed, Havaldar Mujeebullah, Naik Muhammad Akram, Naik Abdul Qayyum, Lance Naik Nadeem, Lance Naik Hakeem, Sepoy Masood Ali, Sepoy Irfan, Sepoy Shahid, Sepoy Sadiq Noor, Sepoy Uzair, Sepoy Adeel, Sepoy Zaheer, Sepoy Khalil, Sepoy Nadeem and Sepoy Abdul Basir were among the injured.

They were shifted to Combined Military Hospital for medical assistance.

Apart from this, Subedar Major Khurshid Akram, who was taken hostage by the terrorists on the first day, was martyred as soon as the operation began.

Since the terrorists laid siege to the CTD complex on Sunday, Bannu Cantt had been completely sealed.

All roads leading to it remained closed.

During that time, educational institutions were closed in view of security concerns. Mobile service and internet remained suspended in the city and its suburbs due to which the people faced a lot of difficulties in contacting their loved ones and local journalists in accessing information.

People did not come out of their homes which had a negative impact on business.

People in the city are still facing a lot of hardships as security forces have been deployed on the roads, especially the entry and exit points.

Express Tribune
 
ISLAMABAD:
A suspected bomb exploded in Islamabad's sector I-10 on Friday after police officials stopped a taxi for routine checking.

According to reports, there are casualties among police officials.

Rescue and security services have reached the blast site. The area has been cordoned off while an investigation into the incident has started.
 
suicide attack in Isb i10/4.

Where are the posters who celebrated the return of Taliban govt?
 
One policeman martyred in suicide blast in Islamabad’s I-10; TTP claims responsibility

A policeman was martyred and at least six people — including four police officers and two civilians — were injured in a suicide blast in Islamabad’s I-10/4 sector on Friday, police officials said.

Television footage showed the fiery wreckage of a vehicle with a large number of police personnel combing the scene. Shortly afterwards, the Islamabad police declared a “red alert” in the city.

According to Deputy Inspector General of Police Sohail Zafar Chattha, the police spotted a “suspicious vehicle” with a man and a woman aboard at 10:15am in the area.

“When the police stopped the vehicle, the couple came out of the car. The long-haired man, while being checked by the officers, went inside the vehicle on some pretext and then detonated himself,” he said in a media briefing at the crime scene alongside Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon.

Chattha said a police officer of the Eagle Squad was martyred in the blast while four others officers were injured. He lauded the police for “saving Islamabad from a major foul play”.

However, later in the day, the Islamabad police tweeted that no evidence regarding the presence of a woman was found during the post-mortem and subsequent investigation.

The police said that the driver or the attacker had possibly wrapped themselves in a chaddor which had caused officials to believe that a woman was also present in the car.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ur" dir="rtl">اسلام آباد کو محفوظ بنانے کےلیے پولیس اور تمام ادارے مل کر فرائض ادا کررہے ہیں<br><br>آج خود کش حملہ مختلف انٹیلی جنس اداروں اور سپیشل برانچ کی بروقت اطلاعات کی وجہُ سے ناکام ہوا۔<br><br>پوسٹمارٹم اور دیگر تحقیقات سے گاڑی میں خاتون کی موجودگی کے شواہد نہیں ملے۔⬇️</p>— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICT_Police/status/1606300873688174592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The police asserted that security in the capital had been kept on “high alert” for the next 48 hours and reiterated that the attack had been foiled due to timely action by intelligence agencies.

Meanwhile, the joint executive director of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Dr Iqbal Durrani, told Dawn.com that two bodies and five injured policemen had been brought to the hospital.

‘Two terrorists killed’

Separately, in an interview with Geo News, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah confirmed that “two terrorists” were killed in the blast.

“The vehicle used in the blast was registered in Chakwal. The car entered Islamabad from Rawalpindi […] it was packed with explosives and headed for a high-value target in the capital,” he said.

Sanaullah added that had the car reached its target, it would have caused heavy losses.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ur" dir="rtl">آج صبح بارود سے بھری گاڑی RWP سے ISB میں داخل ہوئی جس میں ایک مرد اور خاتون دہشت گرد سوار تھے، گاڑی اسلام آباد میں ہائی 'ویلیو ٹارگٹ' کو نشانہ بنانے کے لئے روانہ کی گئی تھی۔ ایگل اسکواڈ نے دوران گشت مشکوک سمجھتے ہوئے اس گاڑی کو روکا، اسی دوران گاڑی میں دھماکہ ہو گیا۔</p>— Rana SanaUllah Khan (@RanaSanaullahPK) <a href="https://twitter.com/RanaSanaullahPK/status/1606222928890183681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement released on Friday.

Earlier in a tweet, the Islamabad police identified the slain officer as Head Constable Adeel Hussain. It said that terrorists had been targeting police for some time to demoralise law enforcement personnel.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ur" dir="rtl">خود کش دھماکے میں ہیڈ کانسٹیبل عدیل حسین درجہ شہادت پر فائز ہوگئے۔<br><br>اسلام آباد کیپیٹل پولیس کی بروقت کارروائی سے شہر دہشتگردی کے بڑے حملے سے محفوظ رہے۔<br><br>شھداء اور زخمی جوانوں کو قوم کا سلام۔ <a href="https://t.co/EbPkkPPQn1">pic.twitter.com/EbPkkPPQn1</a></p>— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICT_Police/status/1606181576311656448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In another tweet, the police said that diversions had been placed for both sides of traffic at Service Road East of Sector I-10/4. It advised citizens to use Service Road West of Sector I-10/4 as an alternate and stay away from the blast site.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Traffic Advisory!<br>Due to bomb blast incident, diversions placed for both sides of traffic at Service Road East of I-10/4.<br><br>Citizens are advised to use Service Road West of I-10/4 as alternate.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ICTP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ICTP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ITP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ITP</a></p>— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICT_Police/status/1606179008378507264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Red alert issued

Immediately after the blast was reported, the Islamabad inspector-general issued orders for a “security red alert” across the city.

In a tweet, the police said strict action will be taken against vehicles with “non-specimen” number plates, adding that no one will be allowed to carry arms.

It also advised residents to carry documents of identification while travelling.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ur" dir="rtl">آئی جی اسلام آباد نے شہر میں سکیورٹی ریڈ الرٹ کرنے کے احکامات جاری کر دئیے۔<br><br>اپلائیڈ فار اور غیر نمونہ نمبر پلیٹ گاڑی موٹرسائیکلوں کے خلاف سخت کریک ڈاؤن کی ہدایت۔ کسی شخص کو اسلحہ لے کر چلنے کی اجازت نہیں ہوگی۔ شہری دوران سفر اپنے ضروری شناختی دستاویزات ہمراہ رکھیں۔</p>— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICT_Police/status/1606190236459057154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A day ago, Islamabad police issued a statement, saying its Eagle Squad had checked 2,024 suspicious persons, motorcycles, and vehicles as part of a security measure, especially in the aftermath of a new wave of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Funeral of martyred policeman held

The funeral prayer of the martyred head constable was held later in the day at Police Line Headquarters in the capital.

The inspector general, deputy commissioner and other Islamabad police officials attended the funeral along with the martyr’s family.

The martyr’s remains were then handed over to the family and sent to his ancestral village.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ur" dir="rtl">آئی ٹین فور خود کش دھماکے میں شہید ہونے والےہیڈ کانسٹیبل سید عدیل حسین کی نماز جنازہ پولیس لائن ہیڈکوارٹرزاسلام آباد میں ادا کی گئی۔⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/NSFvhStbXO">pic.twitter.com/NSFvhStbXO</a></p>— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICT_Police/status/1606261935590219777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Separately, the interior minister announced that Hussain would be bestowed with the Tamgha-i-Shujaat (Medal of Bravery) for “exhibiting extraordinary courage and bravery”, Radio Pakistan reported.

Sanaullah said the head constable was martyred in an attempt to “save the federal capital from a major terrorist attack” and the award was a recognition of his sacrifice at the state level.

He also said that Hussain’s widow would be recruited into the Islamabad police and the government would pay her Rs16.5 million, along with a plot of land for his family.

Condemnations

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the blast and sought a report from authorities.

“Due to the timely action of the law enforcement agencies, the nefarious plan of terrorists to shed the blood of innocent people has been foiled,” the premier said in a statement.

He ordered authorities to provide the best possible medical treatment to those injured in the blast.

The premier also directed the Islamabad police chief to recognise the courage shown by law enforcers in confronting terrorists and award certificates of appreciation to those who showed “extraordinary bravery”.

“We will rid our country of all such elements who are the enemies of Pakistan and murderers of innocent people,” he vowed, adding that the nation will continue the war against terrorism.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari condemned the blast and expressed grief over the martyrdom of the policeman.

In a statement issued after the blast, he paid tribute to the “brave men of Islamabad police”.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ur" dir="rtl">وزیر خارجہ بلاول بھٹو زرداری کی اسلام آباد میں بم دھماکے کی مذمت <br><br>بلاول بھٹو زرداری کی دھماکے میں پولیس کے ایک جوان کی شہادت پر اظہار افسوس <br><br>وزیر خارجہ کا اسلام آباد پولیس کے بہادر جوانوں کو خراج تحسین <a href="https://twitter.com/BBhuttoZardari?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BBhuttoZardari</a></p>— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) <a href="https://twitter.com/MediaCellPPP/status/1606181922643771392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said that Islamabad was secured from a “big disaster” today. “Adeel Hussain and the injured comrades who sacrifice their lives in the line of duty are heroes of the nation.”

She tweeted that Pakistan’s salvation and prosperity lay only in freedom from terrorism.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ur" dir="rtl">اسلام آباد بڑی تباہی سے بچ گیا، الحمداللہ۔ICT پولیس،ایگل سکواڈ کو سلام، دہشت گردی کی مذمت کرتے ہیں۔ ادائیگی فرض میں شہید عدیل حسین، انکے زخمی ساتھی قوم کے ہیرو ہیں۔ بدامنی سے نجات میں ہی پاکستان کی نجات اور خوش حالی ہے۔ لواحقین کے صبر، شہید کے بلند درجات، زخمیوں کے لئےصحت کی دعا</p>— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) <a href="https://twitter.com/Marriyum_A/status/1606191650119655425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

PTI Chairman Imran Khan pointed out that the law and order situation was “deteriorating rapidly across the country”.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Strongly condemn the suicide terrorist attack in Islamabad today. Salute the brave police officer who was martyred saving lives & greater destruction. The law & order situation is deteriorating rapidly across the country reflecting total failure of Imported govt & intel agencies.</p>— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1606278176488955904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Meanwhile, PTI leader Asad Umar said the presence of a “suicide bomber” in Islamabad signified that the country was moving towards destruction at a rapid pace.

“Terrorism is already spreading rapidly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the economy and public order have been destroyed — in which direction are they leading the country in their greed for power?” he tweeted.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ur" dir="rtl">اسلام آباد میں خود کش بمبار کی موجودگی بتا رہی کے ملک کس تیزی سے تباہی کی طرف بڑھ رہا ہے. خیبر پختون خواہ میں پہلے ہی تیزی سے دہشت گردی پھیل رہی تھی. معیشت تباہ. امن عامہ برباد. یہ ملک کو اقتدار اور طاقت کی لالچ میں کس طرف لے کر جا رہے ہیں؟</p>— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) <a href="https://twitter.com/Asad_Umar/status/1606178913033416705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Condemning the blast, Awami National Party leader Asfandyar Ali Khan said the seriousness of the situation could be gauged from the fact that “terrorists have reached Islamabad”.

In a tweet, the ANP leader said rulers and law enforcers must take stock of the situation and adopt measures accordingly.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ur" dir="rtl">گذشتہ 3 سالوں سے دہشتگرد یہاں منظم ہورہے تھے، آج دارالحکومت بھی محفوظ نہیں رہا۔ہم آج بھی کہتے ہیں کہ پختونخوا کے کئی علاقوں میں دہشتگرد موجود ہیں، عوام میں خوف و ہراس پھیلا ہوا ہے۔ اے پی ایس واقعے کے بعد کئے گئے فیصلوں پر من و عن عملدرآمد نہیں ہوا تو حالات مزید خراب ہوں گے<br>2/3</p>— Asfandyar Wali Khan (@AsfandyarKWali) <a href="https://twitter.com/AsfandyarKWali/status/1606188658301837314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“Terrorists had been organising here [in Islamabad] for the last 3 years, and now even the capital is not safe,” he claimed, adding that the situation could get worse if the counter-terrorism measures planned after the APS attack were not implemented.

Khan called upon the government to take urgent steps for training and facilities of local police, saying “they are our frontline fighting force”.
Click to expand...

Link: https://www.dawn.com/news/1727851
 
Public gatherings banned as security on high alert in Islamabad

The capital administration on Friday banned all types of gatherings, especially activities related to the upcoming local government elections, for two weeks and declared high alert in the city for 48 hours.

According to a notification issued from the office of Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon, “In light of recent advisories/threat alerts issued by the law enforcement agencies and today’s attack on police, the security of Islamabad has been beefed up to obviate the threats within the jurisdiction of capital which can disrupt peace and tranquility causing damage to public life and property. However, the likelihood of such activities cannot be ruled out in coming days.”

...
https://www.dawn.com/news/1727940/public-gatherings-banned-as-security-on-high-alert-in-islamabad
 
Just an year back folks were celebrating. Now this is looking down the barrel. Collapsing economy, political instability with enemy on both fronts. Winter is coming.
 
wasim-fan said:
Just an year back folks were celebrating. Now this is looking down the barrel. Collapsing economy, political instability with enemy on both fronts. Winter is coming.
Click to expand...

There have been many short term bursts of terrorism in the recent past. This could end up being of those too. But until they take care of their hideouts in Afghanistan it will keep happening on and off.
 
Major said:
suicide attack in Isb i10/4.

Where are the posters who celebrated the return of Taliban govt?
Click to expand...

I cant think of anyone who celebrated the Taliban. Just the fact that the previous government capitulated. The same government was was openly at war against Pakistan.

Also the Afghan and Pak Taliband are 2 different entities.
 
The TTP are in bed with elements in our Establishment and they also take money from Ind and others. Our ISI are happy to allow this crisis because its suits their political agenda. Afterall, the only way to delay the election is to create a crisis,they have managed to destroy the economy and now they need a security crisis. Neither of these existed when IK was in power,so what changed?
 
The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) Pakistan is trying to create an impression that it has the capability to challenge the writ of the state as the recent Bannu operation against militants left its mark on the law and order situation of the country.

The security forces on Wednesday regained full control of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) compound in Bannu, rescuing all the hostages in the facility as well as killing and capturing the terrorists holding them, officials in the town said.

Express Tribune
 
What is TTP's motive? How is carrying out suicide attacks going to help them become the rulers of the country?

With Isis claiming responsibility for attacking Pak's embassy in Afghanistan, who are TTP exactly working for?

All of this stuff doesn't make any sense.

Meanwhile the rulers of our country are busy "condemning" the attacks while taking shots at each other. Crystal clear that political power is what they are craving for and they aren't going to let any opportunity for taking shots at each other. The interests and security of the country is not what concerns our politions.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
What is TTP's motive? How is carrying out suicide attacks going to help them become the rulers of the country?

With Isis claiming responsibility for attacking Pak's embassy in Afghanistan, who are TTP exactly working for?

All of this stuff doesn't make any sense.

Meanwhile the rulers of our country are busy "condemning" the attacks while taking shots at each other. Crystal clear that political power is what they are craving for and they aren't going to let any opportunity for taking shots at each other. The interests and security of the country is not what concerns our politions.
Click to expand...

Bro, this is a silly game our establishment is playing using mercenaries . Why has this group suddenly kicked off?
 
Bewal Express said:
Bro, this is a silly game our establishment is playing using mercenaries . Why has this group suddenly kicked off?
Click to expand...

I don't think establishment is capable to play a game this big. This involves more than Pakistan. Or even if there was some ignition involved, this is something they can't control. This can escalate into something much bigger.
 
We thought the TTP episode was behind us, how are they resurfacing and acting with impunity all of a sudden ?
 
BunnyRabbit said:
I don't think establishment is capable to play a game this big. This involves more than Pakistan. Or even if there was some ignition involved, this is something they can't control. This can escalate into something much bigger.
Click to expand...

Thats what we thought with Bajwa but these thugs have no moral compass and themselves are criminals. Look who they have murdered in the last 8 months( Dr Rizwan and Arshad Sharif to name just 2) and there have been reports of them negotiating with the TTP to murder IK.
 
Bewal Express said:
Thats what we thought with Bajwa but these thugs have no moral compass and themselves are criminals. Look who they have murdered in the last 8 months( Dr Rizwan and Arshad Sharif to name just 2) and there have been reports of them negotiating with the TTP to murder IK.
Click to expand...

I don't know man. I just hope the country doesn't become a red zone it was 10 years ago.

Another thing is, if US couldn't maintain a stronghold over Afghanistan, Pak stands no chance in controlling them.

The situation of Syria, Iraq etc is for all to see.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
I don't know man. I just hope the country doesn't become a red zone it was 10 years ago.

Another thing is, if US couldn't maintain a stronghold over Afghanistan, Pak stands no chance in controlling them.

The situation of Syria, Iraq etc is for all to see.
Click to expand...

Our establishment have bankrupted the country and need to create a bogey man to get $$. The TTP is many groups and have many sponsors and one of the sponsors is our own establishment.
 
Bewal Express said:
Our establishment have bankrupted the country and need to create a bogey man to get $$. The TTP is many groups and have many sponsors and one of the sponsors is our own establishment.
Click to expand...

We have had problems since 1947. TTP only came around post 9/11 before they formally named themselves TTP.

All of our borders are unsafe. We got almost bankrupt back in 1999 as well. We have a big role in creating Taliban but not Isis.
 
ahsan17 said:
There have been many short term bursts of terrorism in the recent past. This could end up being of those too. But until they take care of their hideouts in Afghanistan it will keep happening on and off.
Click to expand...

Stark realization. There are enemies on same side. TTP and Afghan Taliban. Just saw a really well made propaganda video by TTP. They want to turn Pakistan into Afghanistan. No doubt in their kind of what they want. Question is whose great idea was it to compromise with them.
 
Bewal Express said:
The TTP are in bed with elements in our Establishment and they also take money from Ind and others. Our ISI are happy to allow this crisis because its suits their political agenda. Afterall, the only way to delay the election is to create a crisis,they have managed to destroy the economy and now they need a security crisis. Neither of these existed when IK was in power,so what changed?
Click to expand...

Wasn’t it PTI govt that negotiated for peace with TTP ?
 
Yes PTI did negotiate. The real question is did TTP spend the last couple of years building up arms, finances, soldiers etc. or did they genuinely want peace per the terms of the negotiation? It was always on shaky ground to begin with. When you have a radicalized neighbour next door, with no control whatsoever bad things are bound to happen unless you can control your borders like Israel. Unfortunately it looks like this is all by design as we now see the US willing to offer funds to increase border security.
 
wasim-fan said:
Wasn’t it PTI govt that negotiated for peace with TTP ?
Click to expand...

As desperate as you are to make a political point, look up SS negotiations but those are halal because your hero negotiated it

Yes, and it was a good move because it stopped murder for a year. It is then upto the security services to keep an eye on them. The ISI spend most of their time filming and blackmailing people to allow the Generals to stay in power.
 
Just a few years of security forces being distracted and the terrorists are back. We need Pak army to start another Zarb-e-azab type operation
 
Looks like the Jurnails are going full throttle into creating v2.0 of the Taliban boogeyman. Queue the US defense aid and suicide bombings. I was thinking the last few years gave the TTP time to regroup but now I’m starting to think this is all being orchestrated so ensure reliance on the army doesn’t wane. They were given a big slap the mast couple of years and need to become heroes again.
 
How long before the US has access to Pak airspace or they have military bases in Pak? Clearly building up to that. Given the opportunity PDM will sell the country.

Good to see that Bajwa and co spent all that time on suppressing own people instead of protecting it's people. Bravo Bajwa.
 
Govt pins TTP’s rise on PTI chairman

Amid an incre*ase in the number of attacks by militants in parts of the country, federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ayaz Sadiq on Sunday blamed former prime minister Imran Khan for the resurgence of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

While referring to rise in terror attacks and the dialogue with the banned outfit initiated by the PTI government last year, the PML-N leader said the nation had seen the result of Imran Khan’s strategy of opening talks with the Taliban.

“Imran Khan (while in power) did not curb terrorism. Rather he allowed negotiations with those who had martyred children at the Army Public School (in Peshawar). And now a new wave of terrorism has begun because of those negotiations.”

...
https://www.dawn.com/news/1728300/govt-pins-ttps-rise-on-pti-chairman
 
NSC MEETING LIKELY TO BE CONVENED THIS WEEK

meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) is likely to meet during the ongoing week to discuss matters related to national security, ARY News reported citing sources.

The sources within the government said the meeting is likely to meet this week to discuss the remedy for the new wave of terrorism in the country.
...
https://arynews.tv/nsc-meeting-likely-to-be-convened-this-week/
 
Economic failure, political collapse, attack by India, loan default, population explosion, another climate catastrophe. In my opinion, nothing is a bigger threat to Pakistan than TTP. They have a clear goal. To convert Pakistan into an Afghanistan. Today's Afghan taliban was like TTP in Aghanistan in 1970s. A small fundamentalist organization threatening to take over. Images of Afghanistan then and now tell the picture.
 
Bewal Express said:
As desperate as you are to make a political point, look up SS negotiations but those are halal because your hero negotiated it

Yes, and it was a good move because it stopped murder for a year. It is then upto the security services to keep an eye on them. The ISI spend most of their time filming and blackmailing people to allow the Generals to stay in power.
Click to expand...

Actually I dont think it IK took the decision. He was just a front. Establishment took the call as it always does.
 
wasim-fan said:
Actually I dont think it IK took the decision. He was just a front. Establishment took the call as it always does.
Click to expand...

But IK has to take responsibility because he was the PM. We know now the establishment was playing the stupid games as they do. At least Bajwa won't walk in public anymore. The crook will have to hide in Avenfield like the rest of the crooks
 
wasim-fan said:
Economic failure, political collapse, attack by India, loan default, population explosion, another climate catastrophe. In my opinion, nothing is a bigger threat to Pakistan than TTP. They have a clear goal. To convert Pakistan into an Afghanistan. Today's Afghan taliban was like TTP in Aghanistan in 1970s. A small fundamentalist organization threatening to take over. Images of Afghanistan then and now tell the picture.
Click to expand...

The TTP is a front for many groups for many different reasons. Why has the removal of IK led to sudden upsurge? Is it because we are short of money and desperate to prove to the Americans the bogeyman is back
 
25 police checkpoints set up in Islamabad as part of ‘special’ security plan

In light of growing security concerns, Islamabad police issued on Tuesday a “special” plan that introduces 25 temporary checkposts in the city and requires citizens and foreigners to carry their identification documents with them.

According to the security plan, shared on Islamabad police’s official Twitter, entry points of the Red Zone will be recorded via Safe City cameras while video surveillance of metro bus passengers would also be conducted.

...
https://www.dawn.com/news/1728524/2...in-islamabad-as-part-of-special-security-plan
 
Bewal Express said:
The TTP is a front for many groups for many different reasons. Why has the removal of IK led to sudden upsurge? Is it because we are short of money and desperate to prove to the Americans the bogeyman is back
Click to expand...

I agree with this. This sudden rise is part of the plan to get more dollars. Our Napak army will sell the nation again.
 
aukhan said:
I agree with this. This sudden rise is part of the plan to get more dollars. Our Napak army will sell the nation again.
Click to expand...

If only a year ago someone said to me that our own army would betray our country, It would have come to punches. I feel so stupid and now we know that money and power is their only desire. The TTP are being used by many groups as mercenaries and our own establishment is a customer
 
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Tuesday that the suspects and handlers involved in last week’s Islamabad suicide bombing have been arrested.

A policeman was martyred and at least six others—including four policemen—were injured in the car bombing on Friday, the first suicide attack in the federal capital in more than eight years.

"We have arrested the suspects of the Islamabad terrorist attack and have also detaine dtheir handlers," the interior minister said in a tweet.

“The taxi driver was innocent and had no role in the attack. The terrorists moved from Kurram Agency and stayed in Rawalpindi. We have detained four or five suspects,” he added.

Express Tribune
 
MenInG said:
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Tuesday that the suspects and handlers involved in last week’s Islamabad suicide bombing have been arrested.

A policeman was martyred and at least six others—including four policemen—were injured in the car bombing on Friday, the first suicide attack in the federal capital in more than eight years.

"We have arrested the suspects of the Islamabad terrorist attack and have also detaine dtheir handlers," the interior minister said in a tweet.

“The taxi driver was innocent and had no role in the attack. The terrorists moved from Kurram Agency and stayed in Rawalpindi. We have detained four or five suspects,” he added.

Express Tribune
Click to expand...

Results of having a criminal murderer as interior minister showing here.

Only in a banana republic will a women murderer like him be allowed to desecrate an important ministry with such statements in the media. It reminds me of the orchestrated video where pdm chors had a poor man ''confess'' in minutes to him alone being the only one to shoot Imran Khan.
 
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