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India-Pakistan
Schools and Colleges in Islamabad and Punjab closed over security concerns
2024-12-17
[KhaamaPress] Pak authorities announced that all public and private colleges and schools in Islamabad and Punjab
...1. Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard
2. A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers
3. A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots
...
.
province will be closed on Monday, December 16, due to "security concerns."

The Pak newspaper Dawn reported, citing its sources, that the decision was made in response to the current security situation.

On Sunday, December 15, Dawn reported that this order was issued by security and education officials in several cities of Punjab, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad.

The newspaper mentioned that while no specific reasons were provided for the closures in Islamabad and Lahore, the Commissioner of Rawalpindi stated that schools in the area would be closed to mark the tenth anniversary of the attack on the Army Public School in Beautiful Downtown Peshawar
...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistain's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire...
in 2014.

On December 16, 2014, a group of faceless myrmidons attacked an army school in Peshawar, killing 147 people, mostly children.
Not just any militants, but that branch of Tehrik i-Taliban-Pakistan led by Mullah Fazlullah
...son-in-law of holy man Sufi Mohammad. Known as Mullah FM, Fazlullah had the habit of grabbing his FM mike when the mood struck him and bellowing forth sermons. Sufi suckered the Pak govt into imposing Shariah on the Swat Valley and then stepped aside whilst Fazlullah and his Talibs imposed a reign of terror on the populace like they hadn't seen before, at least not for a thousand years or so. For some reason the Pak intel services were never able to locate his transmitter, much less bomb it. After ruling the place like a conquered province for a year or so, Fazlullah's hubristic Talibs began gobbling up more territory as they pushed toward Islamabad, at which point as a matter of self-preservation the Mighty Pak Army threw them out and chased them into Afghanistan. He was bombed to smithereens in 2018...
Educational and security officials in Pakistani cities are concerned about the possibility of similar attacks occurring on the anniversary of the Peshawar attack.

The closure of schools is seen as a precautionary measure to prevent any threats and ensure public safety during this sensitive time. The authorities continue to prioritize the protection of educational institutions and students across the country.

The archive search results of the term Army Public School for the period around the attack can be seen here.
Related:
Army Public School: 2024-01-15 The TTP is back
Army Public School: 2022-12-30 Number of TTP Militants in Pak-Afghan Border Region Between 7,000 and 10,000: Pak Interior Minister
Army Public School: 2022-12-26 Blame-shifting: Govt pins TTP’s rise on PTI chairman
Related:
Mullah Fazlullah 09/13/2023 ‘Militant’ killed while planting bomb in Khyber
Mullah Fazlullah 06/05/2023 CTD arrests six ‘militants’ of banned outfits in Punjab
Mullah Fazlullah 09/28/2022 Four ‘terrorists’ of banned outfit killed in gun battle with CTD in Quetta

Link


India-Pakistan
''Remote-controlled bomb'' targets police van in Swat, martyring one cop
2024-09-23
[GEO.TV] At least one police officer was martyred, and four others were maimed in a 'remote-controlled bomb explosion' targeting a police van guarding a convoy of foreign envoys heading to Malam Jabba from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Swat
...a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistain, located 99 mi from Islamabad. It is inhabited mostly by Pashto speakers. The place has gone steadily downhill since the days when Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat...
district on Sunday.

District Police Officer (DPO) Zahidullah Khan confirmed the earth-shattering kaboom, stating the attack targeted a group of foreign diplomats, resulting in one officer losing his life and four others being injured.

DPO Khan detailed that the affected mobile van was leading the convoy of 11 foreign diplomats, adding that the martyred policeman was identified as Burhan while four maimed cops include a sub-inspector.
Related:
Swat Valley: 2022-05-15 Islamabad Hands Over Two Pakistani Taliban Commanders to Afghan Taliban
Swat Valley: 2018-06-24 TTP appoints Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud as chief after Fazlullah's killing
Swat Valley: 2018-06-18 Malala Yousafzai lives to witness the killing of her Taliban assassin
Link


India-Pakistan
The TTP is back
2024-01-15
[GEO.TV] Pakistain has long grappled with the persistent threat posed by the Tehrik-e-Taliban
...Arabic for students...
Pakistain, characterised by cycles of violence and subsequent governmental efforts to suppress their influence.

It was during the end of Musharraf’s government that Fazlullah captured Swat
...a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistain, located 99 mi from Islamabad. It is inhabited mostly by Pashto speakers. The place has gone steadily downhill since the days when Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat...
while Lal Masjid
...literally the Red Mosque, located in Islamabad and frequented by all sorts of high govt officials. The proprietors, Ghazi Abdul Rasheed and Maulana Abdul Aziz Ghazi, unleashed their Islamic storm troopers on the city, shutting down whorehouses and beating people up who weren't devout enough. The Musharraf govt put an end to the nonsense by besieging the place. Abdul Aziz Ghazi was nabbed while he was trying to escape dressed up like a girl. BBC reported that the corpse count at 173, but other claims, usually hysterical, say there were up to 1000 titzup. Among their number was Abdul Rashid Ghazi. Everyone then said tut-tut and what a nice guy he had been...
became a hotbed of extremism in the heart of Islamabad. Attacks started indiscriminately across Pakistain on a very regular basis.

Notably, the period between 2014 and 2018 saw a significant reduction in TTP-related incidents, owing in part to the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) by the PML-N government. The National Action Plan, devised in 2014, was a comprehensive strategy aimed at countering terrorism and extremism in Pakistain. It encompassed a multifaceted approach, including military operations against hard boy groups, reforms in the judicial system, madrassa regulation, and measures to curb hate speech and financing for terrorist organizations.

Under NAP, the PML-N government took stringent measures, which led to a considerable decrease in TTP-led attacks and restored a sense of stability in regions previously plagued by violence. However,
today is that tomorrow you were thinking about yesterday...
the subsequent shift in government policy under former prime minister Imran Khan
...aka The Great Khan, who ain't the sharpest bulb on the national tree...
’s leadership altered the trajectory of these efforts.

The PTI government’s approach, notably marked by Khan’s assertion that the Afghan Taliban are our neighbours and allies fighting for their freedom, signified a departure from the adversarial stance of previous governments. In the National Assembly, Khan stated that the late Osama bin Laden
...... who is now neither a strong horse nor a weak horse, but a dead horse......
was "martyred" by the US forces. Readers will also remember his statement about the Afghan Taliban "breaking the shackles of slavery" when the US forces left Afghanistan. It was all part of a strategy.

In the past when the TTP and other bully boy groups were attacking Pakistain relentlessly, Imran Khan had claimed that this was because of the ongoing war in Afghanistan and the international forces that were there for nearly two decades after 9/11 as part of the "war on terror".

This change in rhetoric was accompanied by a controversial plan to resettle TTP elements within Pakistain, raising concerns among experts and the public regarding national security implications. There is also the issue of bully boyz being among the approximately six hundred thousand Afghans coming into Pakistain during 2021.

Post-implementation of the resettlement plan, Pakistain has witnessed a disconcerting resurgence of Taliban-linked attacks in 2023. The frequency and intensity of these attacks have spread alarm across various regions, targeting both urban centers and rural areas, undermining the hard-won gains achieved through the National Action Plan.

So far this year there have been more than four hundred terrorist attacks throughout Pakistain. One wonders whether this is just the beginning and things are heading back to the post-2008 era when terrorism was rife throughout the country leading up to the horrific attacks on airports and the Army Public School. Readers may remember that these attacks were ruthless.

This resurgence in violence has significantly jeopardised public safety, calling into question the effectiveness of the PTI government’s strategy in addressing the terror threat. Public apprehension, along with concerns voiced by experts and opposition parties, underscores the urgency for a critical reevaluation of policies and approaches to safeguard the nation’s security interests.

It is now clear that the narrative peddled by Imran Khan throughout the past twenty years that the TTP is attacking Pakistain because we are supporting the Americans has proved to be wrong. The Americans have left Afghanistan but the attacks on Pakistain have returned with a vengeance. This is despite the full support given to the Taliban in Afghanistan by Imran Khan’s government. It is clear that the TTP will not be satisfied with any peace treaties or appeasement as they will not stop until they overthrow the state and implement their version of Shariah throughout the country. We can look at what is happening in Afghanistan to see what this means. This would be a state where women are no longer allowed to work or study and all opposition is eliminated.

As Pakistain grapples with the escalating TTP threat, revisiting the successful elements of NAP and aligning them with current security challenges has become imperative. Concerted efforts are needed to ensure that the safety and well-being of citizens remain paramount in the face of mounting security risks.

In conclusion, the trajectory from a successful containment of TTP threats through NAP to the resurgence of violence following a shift in policy underscores the gravity of the situation. Immediate action and a comprehensive, well-aligned strategy are essential to mitigate the escalating TTP threat and pave the way for a secure and peaceful future for Pakistain.

Link


India-Pakistan
‘Militant’ killed while planting bomb in Khyber
2023-09-13
[Dawn] A suspected bully boy was killed when an bomb he was trying to plant along the roadside went off in the early hours on Monday, the police said.

They said the incident took place at around 2am in Sultankhel area.

Local residents also confirmed the incident and said that they heard a huge bang at around 2am.

The police said that they cordoned off the locality after receipt of information about the incident, and also closed the main Beautiful Downtown Peshawar
...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistain's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire...
-Torkham Road.

They said that the suspected bully boy died instantly in the blast, while they recovered a Kalashnikov, a hand grenade and a remote from near the body.

The body was first taken to the Landi Kotal Hospital for an appointment with Dr. Quincy, and later shifted to a morgue in Peshawar as it could not be identified.

The main road remained closed till 11am with local residents raising doubts about the local police’s ability to tackle such a situation. They alleged that the body of the suspected bully boy remained on the spot for nine hours.
Related:
Sultankhel: 2020-07-12 Afghanistan Violence: 9 Civilians Killed on Saturday
Sultankhel: 2018-03-09 Mullah Fazlullah's kid killed in drone strike in Afghanistan
Sultankhel: 2016-02-21 Afghan cleric shot dead in Landi Kotal
Link


India-Pakistan
CTD arrests six ‘militants’ of banned outfits in Punjab
2023-06-05
[Dawn] The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed on Saturday to have arrested six suspects belonging to different banned outfits during operations in different areas of Punjab.

According to the front man, the Punjab
1.) Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard
2.) A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers
3.) A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots....

CTD conducted 39 intelligence based operations (IBOs) in different districts of the province, interrogating 40 suspects and arresting six Death Eaters allegedly affiliated with different banned outfits, recovering weapons, explosives and other prohibited materials from them.

Those arrested have been identified as Shoaib Rafiq, a member of the banned
...the word banned seems to have a different meaning in Pakistain than it does in most other places. Or maybe it simply lacks any meaning at all...
organization
Hizb-e-Tahrir, Muhammad Baqir Mehndi, a member of Sipah Muhammad Pakistain, two members of the Baloch Liberation Army — Zahir Shah and Muhammad Shahzad, Muhammad Afzal, a member of Jamaatul Ahrar
...A Pak Taliban splinter group that split off from the Mullah Fazlullah faction because it wasn't violent enough...
, and Asif, a member of Tehrik-e-Taliban
...Arabic for students...
Pakistain, he said.
Goodness! Are any bad guys left in the area at all?
The front man says that 415 grams of kaboom, one hand grenade, one improvised bomb (IED bomb), six detonators, six feet safety fuse wire, two feet Prima Card, four prohibited books, 31 pamphlets of banned organization, nine stickers, two flags, a receipt book, three mobile phones and Rs49,680 in cash have been recovered from the suspected bad boys.

He says the Death Eaters had planned terrorist activities across the province and wanted to target important installations and religious places.

The police have registered five cases against the arrested suspects in Lahore, Gujranwala, DG Khan, Sahiwal and Rawalpindi and shifted them to an unknown location, he adds.

The front man adds that 238 combing operations were also conducted during this week with the help of local police and security agencies, checking 1,1041 persons and arresting 33 suspects. He says 28 FIRs were registered against the suspects and 20 prohibited items were recovered.

He says the CTD is diligently pursuing its goal of a "safe Punjab" and making all out efforts to put Death Eaters and other anti-state elements behind bars.
Link


India-Pakistan
Western border and terrorism
2023-01-12
[The Nation (Pak)] Swat
...a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistain, located 99 mi from Islamabad. It is inhabited mostly by Pashto speakers. The place has gone steadily downhill since the days when Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat...
has witnessed militancy since 1992 when Sufi Muhammad established Tehrik Nefaz Shariat Muhammdi (TNSM
...Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (Movement for the Enforcement of Islamic Law) is a Pak militant group whose objective is to enforce their definition of Sharia law in Pakistain whether anybody wants it or not. It was founded by Sufi Muhammad in 1992, and was banned by President Musharraf in January, 2002 after Sufi dispatched several thousand yokels to Afghanistan to fight the infidel and ended up with most of them killed or captured and held for ransom. In 2007 TNSM took over Swat, which shows how well the banning worked. TNSM is the Pony League of Islamic militancy..
) and demanded shariah in Malakand division. The situation worsened during 2008/9 when Fazlullah allied with the TTP soon after the Lal masjid operation. The Pakistain army launched operation al-Mizan from 2002 to 2006 and operation Zarb-e-Azb
..the Pak offensive against Qaeda in Pakistain and the Pak Taliban in North Wazoo. The name refers to the sword of the Prophet (PTUI!)...
in North Wazoo in June 2014 to rid it from terrorists. The Pakistain army succeeded in eliminating the menace of terrorism from KP and killed hundreds of terrorists, however some managed to escape to Afghanistan. Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad was launched in February 22, 2017 to consolidate the gains which is still in progress. Pakistain has paid a huge price on its war on terror as more than 85,000 Paks have been martyred. The recent resurgence of terrorist groups in Swat, Dir, Laki Marwat, Bannu and North/South Waziristan is alarming. The unfortunate part is that the Afghan Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
released the TTP murderous Moslems from prisons, and were allowed free movement and entry into Pakistain.

this resurgence is a serious blow as their activities have increased after the peace talks failed. Thousands of people erupted into the streets in various parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to protest against return of TTP terrorist, especially in Swat. The hostage situation in the Bannu Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) compound has raised many questions. Apparently, the CTD officials were not ready nor were they trained to react to such a situation. Salute to courage and valor of the SSG troops who cleared the CTD building, and resultantly 25 bad boyz were potted and 10 were arrested.

The big question is, who is funding and supporting TTP? Again, hostile elements are out to support TTP in order to destabilize Pakistain. The aim is to create fear and panic through banned terror outfits. They have found safe heavens in Afghanistan and have acquired sophisticated weapons left by the US. The most unfortunate part is that Kabul is not cooperating with Pakistain on TTP and border issue. The murderous Moslems and their safe heavens must be eliminated in all forms and the writ of state has to be established at all costs. The hard-earned peace after the loss of thousands of lives and destruction of properties must not be sacrificed.
Link


India-Pakistan
Four ‘terrorists’ of banned outfit killed in gun battle with CTD in Quetta
2022-09-28
[Dawn] Four suspected turbans of the banned Jamaatul Ahrar
...A Pak Taliban splinter group that split off from the Mullah Fazlullah faction because it wasn't violent enough...
were killed in a shootout with a team of Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of police in Hazar-Ganji area of the thriving provincial capital on Tuesday.

The CTD personnel intercepted a truck, on a tip-off about drugs being smuggled to Bloody Karachi
...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
, at Gulzarabad checkpoint on the outskirts of Quetta, a CTD spokesperson said.

Instead of stopping, the men travelling in the truck opened fire on the CTD personnel, triggering an exchange of fire that continued for half an hour, leaving four turbans dead.

Upon searching the truck, 27 kilograms of fine quality heroin was recovered from secret compartments meant to hide drugs for smuggling.

"The four turbans killed in the shootout belong to banned Jamaatul Ahrar," the front man said, adding that further investigation was in progress.

It was the second operation of the Balochistan
...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it...
Counter Terrorism Department against drug smugglers in the thriving provincial capital. Two weeks ago, police and CTD personnel had conducted a joint operation in the city nullah, killing eight drug smugglers.

CTD officials said that drug money was being used by terrorist outfits.
Related:
Jamaatul Ahrar: 2022-08-10 Senior TTP leader Omar Khalid Khorasani killed in Afghanistan, Taliban spokesperson confirms
Jamaatul Ahrar: 2022-07-08 26 killed in suicide attack near Nadra office in Mardan
Jamaatul Ahrar: 2022-06-24 Parliament’s imprimatur
Link


Afghanistan
Senior TTP leader Omar Khalid Khorasani killed in Afghanistan, Taliban spokesperson confirms
2022-08-10
More on this story from yesterday.
[DAWN] Senior Tehrik-e-Taliban
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
Pakistain (TTP) leader Omar Khalid Khorasani and two others members of the banned outfit were killed in a roadside kaboom in Afghanistan on Monday, according to Taliban front man Muhamamad Khorasani.

Omar's real name was Abdul Wali Mohmand and he previously headed the TTP in the Mohmand Agency
... Named for the Mohmand clan of the Sarban Pahstuns, a truculent, quarrelsome lot. In Pakistain, the Mohmands infest their eponymous Agency, metastasizing as far as the plains of Peshawar, Charsadda, and Mardan. Mohmands are also scattered throughout Pakistan in urban areas including Karachi, Lahore, and Quetta. In Afghanistan they are mainly found in Nangarhar
The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country..
and Kunar...

bordering Afghanistan.

In a statement today, TTP officials said that the car carrying Omar came under attack in the eastern Paktika
...which coincidentally borders South Wazoo...
province near the Barmal district on Sunday evening.

They urged the Taliban government in Afghanistan to investigate the incident and unearth "spies" who could be responsible for the death of senior TTP leaders.

Apart from Omar, the two other men killed in the attack have been identified as Mufti Hassan and Hafiz Dawlat Khan. They were among several TTP leaders who had joined the outlawed ISIS in 2014.

It is pertinent to mention here that Omar was a member of the TTP team involved in negotiations with Pak officials, Pashtoon jirgas and recently with religious scholars over the past few weeks.

Recently, a jirga member had posted the TTP leader's photo on the sideline of its meeting with Pakistain's side which had held two rounds of talks in Kabul in the first week of June and late July.

Omar and a majority of the TTP members from Mohmand agency had parted ways with the TTP and formed a splinter faction Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain Jamaat Ahrar (TTP-JA) in 2014.

The then TTP chief Maulvi Fazalullah had sacked him after he had announced the formation of his own group Jamaat ul Ahrar, which comprised of almost all the Taliban leaders from the Mohmad Agency. Omar had accused the TTP leadership of deviating from the outfit's ideology.

The group received prominence when Jamaat-ul-Ahrar front man Ehsanullah Ehsan
...formerly the front man for the Pak Taliban, then the lips and tongue of the Jamaatul Ahrar splinter group in Mohmand Agency...
grabbed credit for the Wagah border suicide kaboom in November 2014, in which over 70 people, almost all civilians, were killed.

The TTP leader's killing could be seen as a major blow to the group, especially at a time when it is involved in talks with the Pak government.

Omar was wanted by the Pak government for his involvement in a series of attacks on security forces, tribal elders and members of the peace committee in the area.

In July 2017, one of the UN Security Council’s sanctions committees, upon Pakistain’s request, had approved the addition of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar in the list of entities and individuals subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.

Meanwhile,
...back at the argument, Jane reached into her purse for her .38...
the United States added Omar's name to the US State Department's Rewards for Justice wanted list in March 2018. The US had announced a reward of up to $3 million for information on him.

In recent years, several TTP leaders, including former chief Maulvi Fazallah, have been killed in Afghanistan after they crossed into the border due to military operation in the tribal areas, Swat
...a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistain, located 99 mi from Islamabad. It is inhabited mostly by Pashto speakers. The place has gone steadily downhill since the days when Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat...
and parts of the Malakand division. Fazlullah, who served the TTP chief in Swat, was killed in a US dronezap in Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province
... which is right down the road from Chitral. Kunar is Haqqani country.....
in June 2018.
Tolo News adds:
Meanwhile, some sources said that Khurasani was present in the negotiations which were reportedly held between the TTP and Pakistani government in Kabul.

The political analysts gave various views on the killing of Khurasani.

“To gain money and weapons from the US, (Pakistan) should always declare an enemy and that enemy is now TTP. This is an enemy who could be controlled everywhere and they can eliminate it anywhere they want to,” said Sher Hassan Hassan, a political analyst.

“I think there are disagreements among the TTP. Usually, whenever there are peace negotiations, the hardliners are on one side and the moderates are on the other side. I think it is about the internal disagreements among the TTP,” said Waheed Faqiri, a political analyst.

Khurasani was the chief of Jamat-ul-Ahrar (JuA), a TTP branch that is designated a terrorist group by the United Nations and United States, according to Reuters.
Related:
Mohmand Agency: 2022-02-13 Four TTP militants get jail
Mohmand Agency: 2021-03-16 NDS kills key ‘Daesh Commander’ in Nangarhar
Mohmand Agency: 2020-02-24 Govt making efforts to arrest Ehsanullah Ehsan: Ijaz Shah
Related:
Nangarhar: 2022-08-07 Unknown Gunmen Kill Tribal Elder in Eastern Afghanistan
Nangarhar: 2022-08-03 No Tolerance for Premarital Relationships; Taliban Flogs Three People Accused of Adultery
Nangarhar: 2022-08-01 Religious Scholar Gunned Down in Northeastern Afghanistan
Related:
Paktika: 2022-06-30 Aid is for for Afghanistan
Paktika: 2022-06-24 Heavy Snowfall in North-East Afghanistan Kills Twelve Children
Paktika: 2022-06-23 Death toll from Afghanistan earthquake reaches 1,000: Official
Related:
ISIS: 2022-08-08 Blast Occurred in Chandawal of Kabul
ISIS: 2022-08-08 What is behind the elimination of the leader of Al-Qaeda?
ISIS: 2022-08-07 Good Morning
Related:
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain Jamaat Ahrar: 2014-11-06 TTP-JA warns attacks against India 'in the pipeline'
Related:
Ehsanullah Ehsan: 2022-07-08 26 killed in suicide attack near Nadra office in Mardan
Ehsanullah Ehsan: 2021-02-18 Security Forces Gun Down 3 Terrorists in an Encounter in North Waziristan: ISPR
Ehsanullah Ehsan: 2021-02-07 UN recognizes threat to Pakistan by Afghan-based TTP, JuA terrorists
Link


India-Pakistan
26 killed in suicide attack near Nadra office in Mardan
2022-07-08
[Dawn] At least 26 people were killed and 50 others injured when a powerful blast occurred near the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) office on Nisatta Road in Mardan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, on Tuesday.

The attack was claimed by Tehrik-e-Taliban
...Arabic for students...
Pakistain (TTP) splinter group Jamaatul Ahrar
...A Pak Taliban splinter group that split off from the Mullah Fazlullah faction because it wasn't violent enough...
, which was also behind last year's deadly blast at Wagah Border.

However,
by candlelight every wench is handsome...
TTP central front man Mohammad Khorasani in a statement distanced his group from the Mardan attack, saying "we have nothing to do with blasts at public places," reported BBC Urdu.

The explosion destroyed the front entrance of a regional branch of Nadra.

"At least 26 people have been killed and more than 50 injured," said provincial information minister Mushtaq Ghani. "[The] condition of 11 of them is still critical," Ghani added.

The blast took place at a time when the office was crowded with people lining up to make applications for National Identity Cards (NIC).

'SUICIDE ATTACK'
Deputy Inspector General Mardan Division Saeed Wazir told DawnNews the blast was a "suicide kaboom carried out by a bomber".

The DIG added that a security guard posted at the office stopped the bomber at the gate, after which he detonated his boom jacket. The suicide attacker was on a cycle of violence and rammed it into the gate after being denied entry, he said.

Conflicting reports suggest that explosives may have been planted on a cycle of violence parked near the Nadra office.

District police chief Faisal Shahzad said the jacket wallah was riding a motorbike. "Apparently the target was the queue as there were around 400 people standing there," Faisal said.

Some of those critically maimed were taken to the main Lady Reading Hospital in Beautiful Downtown Peshawar
...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistain's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire...
city.

POWERFUL EXPLOSION
Officials of the Bomb Disposal Unit that reached the scene of the earth-shattering kaboom said around 8 to 10 kg of kaboom was used in the attack.

According to initial reports, the powerful blast took place near the gate of the office and damaged doors and windows in the building. At least 40 people are said to be injured, with some at death's door.

Human body remains were strewn across the blast site.

The area was cordoned off as rescue and security sources rushed to the site. The injured were shifted to Mardan Medical Complex, while an emergency was declared at all medical facilities in the area.

The office is located on the link road that connects Charsadda to Mardan. Mardan is situated in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, which has seen several terrorist attacks over the past several years — many of them targeting security officials.

SEARCH AND STRIKE OPERATION
Earlier in December, a search and strike operation was launched in Mardan, resulting in the arrest of about 327 suspected persons, including 16 illegally staying Afghan nationals, and persons involved in various crimes.

Mardan District Police Officer Faisal Shehzad, talking to media persons, had disclosed that the search and strike operation was carried out in Par Hoti, Bashkhali, Gujraat, Iranabad, Chora, Bhaijan, Surakh Dheray, Katakhet, Barikab, Galyara and localities adjoining the city.

He said they had also established checkposts jointly manned by police and army personnel at different points of the district and around 500 vehicles were searched with the purpose to take suspected passengers into custody if there were any inside those vehicles.
Related:
Mardan: 2022-02-13 Four TTP militants get jail
Mardan: 2021-07-21 #ISIS claims responsibility for the rocket attack near the Afghan presidential palace in #Kabul
Mardan: 2021-06-25 130 Taliban Members Join Peace Process in Herat: Officials
Related:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa: 2022-06-27 2 soldiers martyred, 7 terrorists killed in North Waziristan gun battle: ISPR
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa: 2022-06-26 4 terrorists killed during intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan: ISPR
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa: 2022-06-24 Reversal of Fata merger impossible: Sanaullah
Related:
Jamaatul Ahrar: 2022-06-24 Parliament’s imprimatur
Jamaatul Ahrar: 2020-08-21 Militant groups in Pakistan reunite to overthrow the government
Jamaatul Ahrar: 2020-02-24 Govt making efforts to arrest Ehsanullah Ehsan: Ijaz Shah
Related:
TTP: 2022-07-03 Military given go-ahead for TTP talks, says Sana
TTP: 2022-06-24 Reversal of Fata merger impossible: Sanaullah
TTP: 2022-06-24 Parliament’s imprimatur
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Afghanistan
Islamabad Hands Over Two Pakistani Taliban Commanders to Afghan Taliban
2022-05-15
[KhaamaPress] According to reliable sources in Islamabad, the country has entrusted two senior Tehrik-e-Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
Pakistain (Pak Taliban) commanders, Moslem Khan and Mahmoud Khan, to Kabul to enable discussions.

The two senior Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain commanders surrendered to the Afghan Taliban in the prospect of being released if Pak military talks succeeded with the group, according to an informed source who spoke on the condition of anonymity to Radio Azadi.

Two prominent Pak Taliban commanders were arrested in 2009 during a Pak military operation in Swat, where they were big shots of Mullah Fazlullah
...son-in-law of holy man Sufi Mohammad. Known as Mullah FM, Fazlullah had the habit of grabbing his FM mike when the mood struck him and bellowing forth sermons. Sufi suckered the Pak govt into imposing Shariah on the Swat Valley and then stepped aside whilst Fazlullah and his Talibs imposed a reign of terror on the populace like they hadn't seen before, at least not for a thousand years or so. For some reason the Pak intel services were never able to locate his transmitter, much less bomb it. After ruling the place like a conquered province for a year or so, Fazlullah's hubristic Talibs began gobbling up more territory as they pushed toward Islamabad, at which point as a matter of self-preservation the Mighty Pak Army threw them out and chased them into Afghanistan. He was bombed to smithereens in 2018...
’s group.

According to the source, a Pak military delegation is now in Kabul, discussing with Pak Taliban leaders through the Afghan Taliban’s mediation. If the Pak Taliban and the Pak military agree to a truce, Moslem Khan and Mahmoud Khan will be released, according to the source.

The Pak Taliban announced an extension of the ceasefire with Islamabad a few days ago in order to advance peace talks. The Pak Taliban agreed to a ceasefire during the Eid holidays, which has now been extended until May 16, according to Agence La Belle France Presse.
Related:
Pak Taliban: 2022-04-07 Fazl Demands NA Deputy Speaker's Ruling Be Declared Null And Void
Pak Taliban: 2022-03-07 Fazl questions utility of military operations against terrorists
Pak Taliban: 2022-01-21 Bomb in City of Lahore Kills 2, Wounds 26
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Government Corruption
Obama's ambassador to Pakistan will plead guilty to lobbying for Qatar after taking $20,000-a-month from jailed playboy who pumped illegal cash into Biden AND Trump campaigns
2022-04-29
[Daily Mail, Where America Gets Its News]
  • Richard Olson, 62, is a former 34-year career diplomat at the State Department

  • He will plead guilty to illegally lobbying for Qatar and breaking a 'revolving door' rule that bans former federal employees from lobbying for one year

  • Prosecutors say he was paid $20,000 a month right after leaving government

  • He also accepted a $19,000 trip to the UK and other gifts while still in office

  • The lobbyist who paid him is Imaad Zuberi, who is serving a 12-year sentence

  • Zuberi helped illegally funnel foreign money to the campaigns of US politicians, including Joe Biden, Donald Trump and Lindsey Graham
Related:
Richard Olson: 2020-09-08 Taliban Appoints New Chief Negotiator on Eve of Talks
Richard Olson: 2016-06-14 Afghanistan dismiss Raheel Sharif’s remarks regarding Mullah Fazlullah
Richard Olson: 2016-06-11 COAS demands US target TTP, Fazlullah in Afghanistan
Related:
Imaad Zuberi: 2021-04-15 CIA shocker: Obama fundraiser says he was U.S. intel asset, alleges spy agency 'abuses'
Imaad Zuberi: 2021-03-18 Convicted Democratic fund-raiser had secret ties to U.S. intelligence
Imaad Zuberi: 2021-02-20 Mercenary Biden donor gets 12 years
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Afghanistan
Afghanistan Taliban: Flash flooding kills dozens in remote province
2021-07-30
[SHAFAQ] People in a remote part of eastern Afghanistan were buried under mud and debris when heavy rain brought flash floods during the night.Children and women are said to be among the victims in Kamdesh, with at least 60 people dead and dozens more missing, and many homes destroyed.

The disaster zone is held by Talibs fighting the government.

Talks are being held to try to let rescue teams enter the area which is hard to reach in normal times.

Afghan officials gave a corpse count of 60 but the Taliban
...Arabic for students...
say 150 people died in the flooding, the News Agency that Dare Not be Named news agency reports.

An engineer working for the province of Nuristan, where Kamdesh is located, told an Afghan journalist the final toll could exceed 200.

The Taliban say they have sent their own rescue crews to help, promising relief funds worth about $62,000 (£53,000), AP reports.

But it is not clear how well equipped they are to deal with a disaster on such a scale.

They have been fighting government forces across the country, gaining territory since US-led foreign troops left.

Flash floods happen when rain falls so heavily that normal drainage cannot cope.

Torrential rain and flooding kill people every year in Afghanistan, where badly built houses in isolated rural areas are particularly vulnerable.

Many factors contribute to flooding, but a warming atmosphere caused by climate change makes extreme rainfall more likely.

The world has already warmed by about 1.2C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.
Related:
Kamdesh: 2015-02-15 Would-be suicide bombers arrested in Nangarhar
Kamdesh: 2015-02-01 4 Afghan Border Police killed in Nuristan explosion
Kamdesh: 2012-10-19 Shooting of Malala triggers pressure on Afghanistan to produce Mullah Fazlullah
Related:
Nuristan: 2021-07-29 Antifa brawl and get beat up at a “We Are Israel” event in El Cajon, Calif.
Nuristan: 2021-06-19 Kabul arrests dozens of Afghan tribal chiefs over troop surrenders to Taliban
Nuristan: 2021-06-18 Past 24 Hours Sees Fighting in 200 Areas in Afghanistan
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