Target killing continues in Balochistan: Secretary BBISE killed

Secretary Balochistan Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Hamid Mehmood who was attacked by some identified persons here on Saturday morning has succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.

According to a private TV channel some unidentified persons riding a car opened indiscriminate fire on Hamid Mehmood when he was on his way to office in Satellite Town.

He got serious injuries and was rushed to Bolan medical collage. Due to seriousness of his condition he was to be shifted to PIMS Islamabad for better medical treatment but he succumbed to his injuries and died.

The attackers had managed to escape from the scene.

PTV News headed by `jihadi’ blacks out anti-Talban news

Pakistan Television News (PTV News) has officially been handed over to the known activists of banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Jihadi elements by the current government despite the fact that government is fighting tooth and nail to prove to the Indians and rest of the world that they have no links with Hafiz Saeed or his banned organization or Jihadi elements.

On the recommendations of the information ministry, PTV management has to hire Imran Meer, a former spokesperson of the banned outfit as Head of PTV News in March 2009.

Investigations and interviews with members of the defunct JuD and media organizations reveal that Imran Meer, head of a channel of PTV News has worked as an official spokesperson for the organization and used to keep a long beard (just like that of Hasham Amla, a cricket player of South Africa or Muhammad Yusuf, a cricketer of Pakistan). Meer used to visit various news outlets or call them to accommodate various statements and activities of JuD leaders and organizations. He was seen at Raiwind facility of the organization on numerous occasions, revealed the activists of banned JuD.

As this was not enough, Meer then facilitated the entry of another alleged activist, Zafar Malik as Director Production. Malik is known for his links with various Jihadi outfits in Kashmir and Afghanistan. He has been assigned the task to control the news production. Malik has also been on record as having links with the kidnapping of slain American journalist Daniel Pearl. Sources confirmed that Malik was detained soon after Daniel Pearl’s slaughter by the visiting American investigators including FBI and was released after a week of interrogations.

When Times of India contacted Imran Mir for his version, he denied having any links with the JuD.

“I worked on senior positions in Pakistan’s top media organization. It is so easy to blame a successful person”, Mir said. But the Peshawar-based PRO/spokesperson of JuD Atiq Chauhan told TOI that Mir was a deputy editor of the organization’s newspaper named “Ghazva”. Chauhan said that Mir had nothing to do with the administrative matters of JuD but was associated with its newspaper. He also confirmed that Mir had kept beard when working for “Ghazva” as its deputy editor.

Deadliest attacks in Pakistan

Following is the list of terror attacks to hit the country since July 2007

July 2007: around 100 people die when troops take control of the Lal Masjid, ending an occupation by terrorist in the capital Islamabad. Over the next two weeks related attacks around the country take the toll to over 200.

October 2007: Bomb attack targeting two time former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto kill at least 139 people in Karachi, just hour after she returns to Pakistan for the first time in the eight years. She survives unhurt but is killed along with around 20 of her followers in a second attack two months later.

September 2008: a huge truck bomb devastated the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, Killing 60 people and injuring over 250.

October 9, 2009: at least 52 people die when a suicide bomber blows up his car in a market in Peshawar

October 28, 2009: also in Peshawar, a massive car bomb destroys a market crowded with women and children around 82 people die.

Update of Peshawar Blast: death toll rises to 108, 200 injured

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A remote controlled car bomb killed at least 108 people including women and children and injured around 200 others at the provincial capital’s Meena Bazar on Wednesday.

19 women, 11 children among dead
25 in critical condition
150 kg of explosives used in attack
Mosque, several other buildings collapse
Car was parked in market 3 hours before explosion: shopkeepers
Death toll highest in Peshawar’s history

Manmohan says ready for talks with Pak

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday extended the olive branch to all sections of people of Jammu and Kashmir as well as to Pakistan and exhorted the people to join the development work in the state.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of Qazigund-Baramulla railway line in Anantnag, the PM said he was for friendly ties with Pakistan on al issues and had infact made progress in 2007 when new routes were opened up between Pak-occupied Kashmir and the Valley. He asked Pakistan to rein in the militant organisations operating from its soil to foment terror in J&K.

“My offer of talks is not based on weakness but strength,” he said. He also reminded the people that the Government had resolved to speak with those having any grievances on condition of abjuring violence. Singh also expressed his happiness at the large turn-out in the May Lok Sabha polls. “You voted for peace and prosperity,” he told the vast gathering.

The PM was accompanied by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. A special aircraft carrying the Prime Minister and Gandhi landed at the technical area of the Srinagar international airport where Jammu and Kashmir governor NN Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, cabinet ministers, and senior civil and army officials received the dignitaries. Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah are accompanying the prime minister on his visit to the Kashmir Valley. \.

“Fool-proof arrangements are in place to ensure that militants are prevented from creating any trouble,” a senior police officer told IANS.

To protest against the prime minister’s visit to Kashmir, both factions of the Hurriyat group headed by Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq have called for a complete shutdown here Wednesday.

Public transport is off the roads and shops and other business establishments are closed here while only private transport is plying on the city roads. Attendance in government offices, banks and educational institutions was also affected because of the non-availability of public transport.

85 killed in Peshawar blast: hospital sources

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The death toll of the blast occurred in Meena Bazar Peshawar has climbed to 85, hospital sources said.

According to reports, more then 200 people sustained injures as causalities feared to be increased. The injured have been shifted to Lady Reading Hospital and other hospitals where emergency has been announced. The children and women are also among the wounded. Some of the injured reported in a critical condition. The administration of Lady Reading Hospital has appealed for blood donation. The blast shattered windowpanes of nearby buildings and created panic among the people.

Meanwhile, a building has been collapsed during rescue operation. Police have cordoned off the area as rescue operation is on the blast site.

Women not to wear trouser and tight paint from next year: Indonesian Gov

The government of Indonesia has issued a notification which said that no women will be allowed to wear a tight jeans or trouser from year 2010.

District administrator of Bianchi Millie Mansoor, has ordered that no women will be allowed to wear a tight jeans or a trouser from next year and the one who seen wearing will be punished and her trouser will be torn in pieces and will be gifted a long skirt.

He said that men were also not allowed to wear short dresses.

He said that people instead showing their anger to him, ask God because he is following the rules which God told us to obey.

Zardari-Nawaz meeting commits to follow principles laid by Charter of Democracy

On the invitation of President and Co-Chairman of PPP Mr. Asif Ali Zardari, the PML-N Chief Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif at the head of the 7 member delegation called on the President in the Presidency Monday night.

The PML N delegation led by Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, comprised of Raja Zafar ul Haq, Ishaq Dar , Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Javed Hashmi and Mamnoon Hussain.

President and PPP Co-Chairman was assisted by Makhdoom Amin Faheem, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Jehangir Badar, Khurshid Shah, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Mian Raza Rabbani, Dr. Babar Awan, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Farhatullah Babar.

Talks between the two sides were held pursuant to the meeting held on July 17,2009.

The two parties reiterated that dialogue and discussion was the essence of the democratic process. They also agreed that the doors of meaningful and result oriented dialogue should always remain open.

The 90 minutes talks followed by dinner were constructive and held in a very cordial and frank atmosphere and driven by a spirit of mutual accommodation.

The two parties reiterated their commitment to the principles laid down in the Charter of Democracy (CoD) to democratize the constitution and rid it of all undemocratic clauses through constitutional amendments. They also agreed to implement legislative and administrative measures as contained in CoD for reformation. The two parties stressed that the task should be completed expeditiously in consultation with all other political parties.

Both parties agreed that militancy posed the greatest challenge to national security and needed to be tackled effectively and urgently. They lauded the armed forces, the police, the law enforcing agencies and the civil population for their valiant struggle and sacrifices rendered in the fight against militancy.

Broad subjects that were discussed in the meeting included constitutional and legal reforms, the Charter of Democracy, the situation in Balochistan, fight against militancy, economic development for achieving self reliance and accountability.

The two sides reiterated their commitment to uphold democratic principles as laid down in the CoD.

Earthquake of moderate intensity jolts Quetta

Earthquake of moderate intensity jolted Quetta and its adjoining areas on Sunday night.

The epicenter of the tremor was 300 kilometers South West of Balochistan.

The intensity of the earthquake at Richter scale was recorded 5.5, Meteorological Office in Quetta reported.

Clocks to be turn back by 1 hour from Nov 1st

The federal government has issued a notification to reverse the clocks by one hour from November 1st, Private TV Channel reported Sunday.

According to the notification issued here from the Interior Ministry, the clocks would be reversed by one hour at midnight of October 31.

The government decided to advance the clocks forward by one hour at midnight of April 1st to avail the Daylight Saving system.

According to the sources of the Ministry of Power and Water, this step has been instrumental in saving electricity 2 to 250 Megawatts on daily basis.

According to the Ministry of Power and Water, the decision regarding putting the watches forward under Daylight Saving system would be made next year in view of the then power situation in the country.