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Pak-India Relation
Border clashes between Pakistani and Indian troops continued this week. According to media reports atleast 10 people were killed and scores of others injured as the Indian Army resorted to unprovoked firing on the Line of Control (LoC) in Azad Kashmir. In retaliation from Pakistan army seven Indian soldiers were killed. Three Pakistani soldiers, including a captain, also embraced martyrdom. According to ISPR spokesman Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa, the Indian troops targeted a passenger bus in Neelam Valley, killing 10 civilians and injuring nine others. Indian soldiers also opened fire on an ambulance which was rushing the injured and bodies, the ISPR spokesman said. According to ISPR Army Staff General Raheel Sharif held a special meeting at Corps Headquarters Rawalpindi on Wednesday to review the LoC situation.
Meanwhile, Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh was summoned to Foreign Office on the ceasefire violations by the Indian forces. According to Foreign Office spokesperson, Pakistan lodged a strong protest over martyrdom of civilians and security personnel. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also condemned the unprovoked firing by Indian security forces on a passenger bus along LoC near Neelum valley. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said India was trying to divert attention of the world community and Indian people from its atrocities and barbarism on innocent Kashmiris in the occupied valley.
Pakistan Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif also said that India does not know the meaning of surgical strike if Pakistan would launch a surgical strike then the Indians would include it in their curriculum. He was addressing the elders of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas during his visit to Peshawar Corps Headquarters and Khyber Agency.
Panama Case
Case hearing regarding prime minister and his family involvement in Panama case in Supreme Court took a new turn as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan announced his new legal team to contest the Panamagate case in the Supreme Court. The decision came when PTI’s lawyer, Hamid Khan, refused to further represent the case from PTI. Khan announced a team comprising of 4 members for the legal proceedings who will then appoint other people as per need. Imran Khan also questioned sudden entry of a Qatari prince in the Panama Leaks case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family.
Meanwhile The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has ‘so far’ found nothing illegal against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, the board’s concise statement submitted in Supreme Court revealed. The verification, however, is being undertaken pertaining to allegations by Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi, in his petition, against Khan’s tax matters. Moreover counsel for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Hamid Khan has decided not to represent the PTI chief any longer in the disqualification reference filed against him [Imran] in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The reference seeking disqualification of Imran Khan and Jehangir Tareen came up for hearing before the ECP on Tuesday. Instead, Naeem Bukhari appeared before the ECP and sought time from the commission to file reply.
Terrorism
Although there is a considerable decrease in frequency of terror related incidents in the country, various scattered attacks were reported this week. In Quetta, one man was killed and two security men injured in bomb attacks on Monday. A bomb was planted under a bridge when security force vehicles were moving towards the Pak-Afghan border. As a result of explosion one passer-by died and two security forces personnel were injured. Meanwhile, Unknown armed man shot at and killed an Afghan national.
Meanwhile The Frontier Constabulary arrested three alleged militants in search operations in Quetta, Kalat and Pishin areas of the province. A spokesman for FC said the teams launched the operation in several areas of the province and arrested three suspected militants. According to media reports, the suspects had relations with banned militant organisation, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Tehreek Taliban Pakistan.
Meanwhile Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif approved death penalties awarded by military courts to 10 more militants of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Lashkar-i-Islam (LI) who were involved in the killing of security personnel. The military courts were set up through the 21st Amendment to the Constitution in January 2015, after the tragic Army Public School incident, for a period of two years for speedy trial of terrorism cases. The special courts have so far decided over 200 cases in which 136 people have been given death sentences. Ninety-six others have been awarded life imprisonment. Military courts would cease to function in January after the expiry of their constitutionally mandated term. Neither the total number of cases referred to military courts by provincial governments nor that of remaining cases is publicly known.
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