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Pak-India Rift
This week also saw violence in Indian- held Kashmir by Indian forces as four people were killed in Aripanthan village on Tuesday after residents took to the streets to protest the aggressive tactics by Indian forces. Another eight people were killed on Monday in Kashmir as clashes and gun battles raged on India’s Independence Day.
Meanwhile Pakistani and Indian troops also exchanged fire at the Line of Control (LoC) this week. The ISPR said that Indian troops resorted to “unprovoked firing” near Rawalakot Despite a 2003 border ceasefire agreement signed by both countries, cross-border firing along the working boundary is intermittent with both parties frequently accusing the other of breaching it.
Meanwhile a recent statement of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’has caused a stir. Modi, on the occasion of India’s 70th Independence Day, said in his address to the nation that people of Balochistan, Gilgit and Azad Kashmir had thanked him and he was grateful to them. In a response, adviser to the PM on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has said that the statement of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “proof of India’s involvement in Balochistan unrest”. In a statement, Sartaj said that Modi was only trying to divert world’s attention from the atrocities committed by Indian forces in Kashmir.
Moreover India has accepted Pakistan’s dialogue offer on the condition that cross-border terrorism and infiltration will also be discussed during the bilateral talks. On the other hand, Pakistan wants the dialogue to focus exclusively on Kashmir.
Pak Fights Terror
Military offense against terrorists in Pakistan continues along with combing operation in Balochistan. In a recent offense at least 11 terrorists were killed and four sustained injuries in Pakistan Air Force airstrikes on militant hideouts in Tirah valley along the Pak-Afghan border in Khyber Agency. The Inter Services Public Relations statement said that as many as eight militant hideouts were pounded by the PAF fighter jets in airstrikes. The operation “Khyber-III” was started some two weeks ago against militants of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Lashkar-i-Islam-affiliated militants in Tirha valley of Khyeber Agency.
Earlier, the Pakistan Army had conducted Khyber-I and Khyber-II operations in Khyber Agency. The operations urged militants to fled to Afghanistan while others took refuge in the mountains of Tirah valley.
Meanwhile in a bid to monitor and effectively implement the National Action Plan (NAP), Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has decided to form a new task force which will be headed by National Security Adviser Lt Gen (r) Nasir Janjua. The force will work for internal and external security and be responsible for border management. It would have the representatives of the federal and provincial governments, as well as the intelligencia
Moreover Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif has confirmed death sentence to another 11 hardcore terrorists. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the convicts were involved in sectarian killings, kidnapping and slaughtering civilians and personnel of the Frontier Constabulary and murder of a Major of the Pakistan Army.
Govt vs Opposition
Ruling Pakistan Muslim league N is in trouble as opposition has been giving them tough time since the Panama Leaks. As opposition parties filed disqualification references against the Prime Minister Nawaz sharif, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has directed Prime Minister and members of his family to respond by September 6 to the allegations made by members of the opposition.
The Pakistan People’s Part (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and Pakistan Awami League (PAL) have filed disqualification references against Nawaz Sharif. The ECP issued notices to Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Member of the National Assembly Hamza Shahbaz, Capt (r) Muhammad Safdar and Senator Liaqat Tarakai for not providing details of their offshore assets.
However according to media reports the ruling party has established backdoor contacts with the largest opposition party in parliament, the PPP after their announcement of agitation on roads in September. Prime minister has also directed his ministers not to engage in verbal brawls with PPP to avoid any future confrontation with them. In a meeting at PM House, Sharif asked the interior minister not to give statements that would damage the internal reconciliation policy with the Pakistan Peoples Party.
Meanwhile the disagreement on terms of references (ToRs) persists and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan – representing the joint opposition – have asked National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to guarantee that the centre would show flexibility on the terms of references (ToRs) proposed by the opposition before they joined the committee on this issue.
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