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Pakistan Fights Terrorism
Pakistan’s civil and military leadership vows to eliminiate terrorism and its traces from its soil. In a recent statement Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif reiterated that the army would go to any length to finish terrorists from every nook and corner of the country. He also gets regular briefings over final operation in North Waziristan to evict terrorists from isolated pockets of Shawal, close to Pak-Afghan border. Meanwhile Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also expressed his satisfaction over on-going military operation and promised that the sacrifices of Pakistan Army soldiers who are fighting against terrorists will not go in vain.
Meanwhile security forces claimed to have killed three militants, including a key commander of the outlawed Baloch Republican Army (BRA), in Balochistan. According to reports security forces had launched an operation on a tip-off in Dasht area and killed three miscreants. Security forces also claimed to have recovered weapons from their possession. Dasht Tehsil is considered to be one of the sensitive areas of Balochistan. Militants in the area have been targeting security forces and pro-government personalities in the area since the past ten years. Meanwhile over in FATA, two USAID officials were killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off in Ambar Tehsil of Mohmand Agency while two others sustained injuries.
Governor’s Assassin Hanged
This week assassin of former Punjab governor, Mumtaz Qadri, was executed in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. Mumtaz Qadri was the Elite Force commando who was also the guard of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer. Qadri shot Taseer 28 times in broad daylight in Islamabad on January 4, 2011. He was sentenced to death for assassinating Taseer on October 1st the same year. His mercy appeal was rejected by President Mamnoon Hussain. Qadri’s last meeting with his family was arranged late on Sunday night.
Strict security measures were taken within the jail premises and a heavy contingent of law enforcement agencies personnel were deployed to prevent any untoward incident. LEAs personnel were also deployed across the city in view of agitation and protests. In a 40-page statement submitted to the court, Qadri said at the time Taseer’s statements in support of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman charged with blasphemy, had provoked him to kill the governor.
The Supreme Court dismissed Qadri’s review petition against his death sentence in December last year. The trial and appeals process in Taseer murder case lasted four years. Governor Taseer’s killing was the most high-profile political assassination since former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was murdered in a gun-and-suicide attack on a Rawalpindi election rally in December 2007.
Pak-India Relations
Stalled talks between India and Pakistan have still not been resumed despite efforts from both sides as Pakistan regretted Indian blame game on the Pathankot terror attack. In a weekly press conference Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said cooperation and understanding are need of the hour to take the investigation into Pathankot incident forward. Commenting on Indian defence minister’s statement in which he accused Pakistan of being behind the attack, Zakaria said blame game on India’ part was unfortunate and unhelpful. He said a joint investigation team has been formed and modalities are being worked out for its visit to India.
Earlier India had alleged that the Pakistan government is linked to Pathankot air base attack. India had previously blamed militants from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) for the assault but on Tuesday Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told the parliament that militants could not have carried out the attack without Islamabad’s support. The government had banned JeM in 2002, a year after it was blamed for an attack on Indian parliament.The attack on Pathankot air base came days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise visit to Pakistan in December. The incident led to the postponement of peace talks planned between the two countries.
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