Shamshad Akhtar joins World Bank as regional vice-president

WASHINGTON: The World Bank has announced that Shamshad Akhtar, a Pakistani national and former Governor of State Bank of Pakistan, is the new Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa Region, according to the World Bank website. "I welcome the opportunity to work in the Middle East and North Africa region at this point in the region's development," said the new MENA Vice President.

UK extends support for Pakistan anti-Taliban efforts

Visiting British Foreign Secretary David Miliband reiterated yesterday support for Pakistan’s anti-Taliban offensive in the troubled northwestern region.
Miliband who arrived on three-day visit, is due to meet President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, besides calling on Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif.
“This visit presents a first opportunity for ministerial discussion of the new UK-Pakistan strategic dialogue,” he was cited as saying by the British High Commission in a statement.
“It also allows me to underline the UK’s support for Pakistan’s current efforts to defeat the extremists and to restore peace and security to areas where extremists operate.”

Security forces enter Kalam, 27 terrorists killed in Swat

ISLAMABAD: The security forces have entered Kalam and carrying out cordon and search operation against the terrorists while 27 more miscreants have been killed in Swat and South Waziristan Agency during the last 24 hours, an update issued by the ISPR here said.
During the period eight soldiers and an officer Lieutenant Haider Nazir embraced shadat while six other personnel were wounded in various operations against the miscreant-terrorists.
The Nazim of Kalam along with notables welcomed security forces and assured full support to the ongoing operation by security forces against the miscreants.
The situation in Mingora is improving after fully securing the city by the security forces as relief activities have been initiated in full swing. The patrolling by troops of important areas is being carried out to fully swap the area. At Buner axis in village Najigram the security forces have completed clearance operation. During an IED blast a soldier embraced shahadat.
A good progress has been achieved by the security forces in cordon and search operation in Peochar valley. In search operation the security forces recovered huge amount of arms and ammunition including binoculars from Dob Banda area.
The security forces destroyed miscreants training facility at Yakh Tangi Kandao, 6 km South East of Shangla. Resultantly, a number of dead bodies of miscreants were found in the training compound.
The security forces have successfully secured Mankial, 14 km NE of Bahrain and consolidated their positions further in Bahrain, Kuz Laikot and Kedai. The miscreants set ablaze Government Girls School at Baidarra, 3.5 km North of Matta.
The security forces killed two miscreants at Umer Zeb check post of Dir during an encounter with miscreants. The cordon and search operation continued at Kumbar bazaar and Kalpani.
The miscreants attacked a security forces check post in Spinkai Raghazai, South Waziristan Agency. The attack was repulsed successfully, inflicting heavy casualties on militants. Reportedly, 15 militants were killed while three soldiers embraced shahadat and 6 others were wounded.
Four other soldiers have been reported missing in the attack by miscreants.

Taliban stronghold peochar cleared

28 terrorists, 6 area commanders killed by forces

ISLAMABAD: The security forces have killed 28 more terrorists including six of their area commanders and seven others including two their area commanders were apprehended in various areas of Swat during different incidents of exchange of fire and cordon and search operations.
According to an update, issued yesterday by ISPR on Operation Rah-e-Raast, five security personnel and two civilians were also injured, in clashes with terrorists.
Those area commanders of terrorists killed were identified as Khush Mir Khan known as Abu Huzaifa of Bahrain, Kadir of Kumbar, Noor Hameed of Kokoi Banda, Aftab and Yousaf of Dubana, Iftikhar of Sharlara and Bakht Buland of Shagai.
The security forces continued cordon and search operations and successfully cleared the strongholds of miscreants at Peochar village. During the search and siege operation, the security forces also destroyed miscreants’ hideouts including a Madrasa and recovered 12 UN registered vehicles, earlier taken away by the terrorists. The security forces also discovered four tunnels dumped with ration items, snatched from NGOs, besides huge cache of arms including 12.7 mm Guns. A soldier was wounded during clashes with miscreants.
Cordon and search operation is also continuing in Mingora where the security forces have successfully got cleared Aman Kot and Technical Institute College on Mingora-Kokarai road. During the operation five miscreant-terrorists were apprehended.
In Bahrain, where the security forces had entered on Thursday, various incidents of clashes took place with the miscreants in result of which, nine miscreant-terrorists were killed including commander of Bahrain identified as Khush Mir Khan, known as Abu Huzaifa. During fire exchanges with miscreants, two soldiers and two civilians were injured.
The security forces successfully defused five IEDs during search operation around Daggar where incidents of exchange of fire also took place between miscreants hiding in a compound, resultantly killing 13 miscreants.
As far as the relief activities for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) is concerned 50 tons ration by Army for 70,000 people was dispatched for the distribution among the stranded people of Khawzakhela.
A five-member Defence and Security Analysis team visited Buner for feasibility to establish relief camps in the area.
The security forces dispatched five trucks load of rations for the people of Bahrain while eight truck load of ration was distributed among a group of people from Kalam.

6 killed, 100 injured, President, PM condemn incidents Blasts jolt Peshawar

PESHAWAR: At least six persons were killed and around 100 injured when two simultaneous blasts ripped through historic Qissa Khwani bazaar followed by firing by the snipers yesterday afternoon, police said.
An official of district police said that the blasts occurred in front of Yasir Hotel in congested Qissa Khwani bazar where large numbers of people were busy in shopping.
The dead have been identified by the hospital authorities as Javed, Saifullah, Imtiaz, Naeem Baacha. The condition of five injured is critical as 100 have been brought to the LRH, a doctor at the hospital told APP
Emergency has been declared in hospitals. Police have cordoned off the area and started investigation. The incident is third in a row in Peshawar city during last two weeks that claimed almost two dozen lives.
The police believed to have arrested one terrorist and killed two others after fierce shoot out.
The Chief of Capital City Police Sifwat Ghayyur (Additional IG) who is personally taking part in the operation, told that search operation was still going on and urged the people to keep away from the site of the shooting. The routes connecting City with cantonment have been blocked as safety measure.
Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has ordered an inquiry into the blasts in the heart of provincial capital.
The Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain told reporters at the site of shooting that the blood game is about to end and the terrorists are at the run.
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani have strongly condemned the bomb blasts in Peshawar on Thursday, which caused loss of lives and injuries.
The President and the Prime Minister in their separate messages deplored the loss of precious human lives and injuries caused by the blasts.

26 killed, 300 injured Blast rocks Lahore

LAHORE: Lahore came under shock and fear when a powerful blast took over two dozens of innocent lives yesterday.
According to the details, gunmen detonated a car bomb in ‘Rescue 15’ office in Lahore yesterday, killing about 26 people and wounding at least 300, officials said.
At least four men with rifles stepped out from the car and opened fire on the intelligence agency building, then set off a massive blast when security guards returned the fire, officials said.
No one immediately claimed responsibility. Police said two suspects were detained.
The explosion sheared the walls off buildings in a main business district. The ceilings of operating rooms in a nearby hospital collapsed, injuring several people. TV footage showed bleeding bystanders and emergency workers carrying the injured in ambulances. Rescuers rushed to free officials buried in the rubble.
“The moment the blast happened, everything went dark in front of my eyes,” witness Muhammad Ali said.
“The way the blast happened, than gunfire, it looked as if there was a battle going on.”
Sajjad told reporters that a car carrying several gunmen pulled up in a street between offices of the emergency police and the Inter-Service Intelligence agency.
“As some people came out from that vehicle and started firing at the ISI office, the guards from inside that building returned the fire,” he said. As the firing continued, the car suddenly exploded, he said.The spy agency and police building were both badly damaged. Television footage showed officers dragging a man from the scene.

Mastermind arrested
LAHORE: A master mind of Lahore rescue building attack has been arrested from Sheikhupura, Aaj News reported yesterday.Police recovered building map from the culprit, authorities declared the arrest as the big achievement. (NC Report)

Trilateral summit agrees to eliminate terrorism

TEHRAN: Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan yesterday reaffirmed their deep commitment to make every effort to eliminate extremism, militancy and terrorism from the region, stated a joint communiqué issued at the conclusion of one-day trilateral summit. The communiqué was signed by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
It was agreed at the summit, which Tehran hosted, to address the root causes of terrorism and extremism, which are in stark contrast with the spirit of Islam and rich cultural traditions and customs of the region.
According to the joint communiqué, the three neighbors agreed to establish a mechanism for holding regular and periodical trilateral consultations on special issues. These consultations will be attended by senior officials, foreign ministers and the heads of the state, or government of the three countries.
While addressing the conference, President Zardari said that the global downturn has impacted Pakistan and Afghanistan most. He said that the present generation was handicapped due to lack of better education and employment opportunities and we would have to do enough for saving our coming generations.
He said that peace and stability was the imperative for progress in the region. He said that Iran and Afghanistan was also facing situation similar to us. He said we could not change our neighbors and we would have to work in unison with our neighbors.
President Zardari said that the world currently suffering several problems and urged the three countries to work in harmony for the betterment of the region. The president thanked Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for hosting the conference