Story Highlights
MQM Under Pressure
Rangers operation against criminal elements continues as the para-military force claims to have arrested several terrorists in recent raids. Meanwhile MQM chief is in trouble over his statements against the army and rangers as several cases have been registered against him over his statements across the country. According to some reports, around 100 cases have been registered against Altaf Hussain. Political parties are also criticizing Altaf Hussain over his statements against Pakistan army and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has moved a resolution against MQM in this regard. In a reply MQM has also moved a resolution against PTI over the same issue.
The PTI resolution asks the Sindh government to approach the centre against statements made by MQM chief. The resolution highlights that the MQM leader has on various occasions made “anti-Pakistan” statements, and demands for his British citizenship to be revoked so he can return to Pakistan and be tried in court. Meanwhile a resolution against Imran Khan in the Sindh Assembly by MQM, demanded to de-seat Khan from the National Assembly as he made “disrespectful comments about the Pakistan Army generals”. The resolution refers to a video of Imran Khan making the remarks that, it says, was recently played on a news channel.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, while referring to the use of abusive language against army and rangers, said that the time has come to formally take up this matter with British government. Meanwhile Sindh Rangers on Tuesday briefly detained Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Farooq Sattar soon after he ended a protest against Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar. However, soon after, the Rangers released him after searching his car.
Pak-India Relations
India and Pakistan exchanged gunfire and mortar bombs along their disputed border on Thursday, killing five civilians and injuring more than a dozen, days after the leaders of two countries agreed to high-level talks.
However, both sides agreed not to let the hostilities thwart a planned meeting of national security advisors. Indian Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that they remain committed to steps that contribute to peace and tranquillity on the border. However, he warned that any unprovoked firing from the Pakistani side would meet with an effective and forceful response. Meanwhile Pakistan claimed that five Pakistani civilians were killed in firing from Indian side on the frontier in the disputed Kashmir region while India claimed killing of a woman on Indian side. Earlier on Wednesday, the Pakistani military claimed to have shot down an Indian surveillance drone. A photograph released by the military appeared to show a small, unarmed model. However, the Indians denied the drone was theirs. Meanwhile Pakistan summoned the Indian high commissioner to protest against an air space violation and violation of the Line of Control (LoC).
Hopes for warmer ties were raised last week when Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met his Indian counterpart Modi on the sidelines of a summit in Russia and agreed that their national security advisers would hold talks.
Meanwhile Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani rejected the invitation of Eid Milan by Pakistan on the grounds that the Kashmir issue was “ignored” in the joint statement between India and Pakistan after leaders of both countries held their meeting Russia on July 10. Last year, India had called off foreign secretary-level bilateral talks with Pakistan following criticism of Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit meeting with Hurriyat leader Shabir Shah.
War Against Terrorism
Fighter jets of Pakistan Air Force on Tuesday killed atleast 14 terrorists in the Alwara area of North Waziristan. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed that the airstrike was carried out as part of the ongoing Operation Zarb-e-Azb in the North Waziristan.
According to army, security forces have cleared 90 percent of the area since the operation was launched in June 2014 while terrorist attacks in the country have dropped to six years low after the beginning of operation.
Meanwhile Army Chief General Raheel Sharif met the parents and families of children of Army Public School that killed in country’s worst terror attack in December last year. Speaking at a ceremony hosted at Peshawar Corps Headquarters to honour the families of the martyrs of APS Peshawar, General Raheel reiterated his commitment to eliminating terrorism from the country. He said that the military operation will not stop until the last terrorist is eliminated from the soil of Pakistan. He also added that most of the terrorists involved in the attack on Army Public School Peshawar have met their fate.
Other News
All other news are considered under this category.
