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Afghanistan

Jirga leaves for talks with TTP

2022-06-02

[Dawn] A 57-member jirga comprising sitting and former parliamentarians and elders from the erstwhile tribal region left for Afghanistan’s capital Kabul on Wednesday for talks with the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban ...the Pashtun equivalent of men... Pakistain (TTP). The Afghan Taliban’s interim government is facilitating peace talks between Islamabad and the TTP whose leadership is already in Kabul. Prior to the jirga’s visit bigwigs held several rounds of parleys with the TTP in the Afghan capital, but have yet to make a breakthrough except agreeing to extend a fragile ceasefire for an indefinite period. The two sides had agreed to extend the ceasefire and continue peace talks following separate meetings with Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, Afghanistan’s acting Prime Minister. Sources said the jirga members atte­n­ded an extensive briefing in Pesh­a­war before departing for Kabul from Islam­abad. Federal Minister for Oversees Paks Sajid Hussain Turi, former governor Shaukatullah Khan, Senator Hilalur Rehman, former parliamentarians Shah Jee Gul Afridi, G.G. Jamal, Akhunzada Chat­tan, Malik Saleh Shah and Malik Waris Khan Afridi are key members of the jirga. The KP government is represented in the jirga by Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif. Prior to this, jirgas of tribal elders from North Wazoo and South Waziristan tribal districts held extensive talks with the TTP in Kabul. In a significant development, the TTP in a two-page statement welcomed the jirga members’ visit to Kabul and hoped that with the blessings of Allah the visit would usher in peace and prosperity. The TTP’s statement, written in Pashto, said that its Mujahideen would not accept any compromise on the independent status of the former Fata, which was merged with the KP province through a constitutional amendment in 2018. "The TTP’s Mujahideen and warriors will neither compromise on its special independent status nor will they agree to live under the clutches of slavery," it said, adding that if the Pakistain government and its security agencies want peace, they would have to restore its previous status. Main demands 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 include release of prisoners, compensation for the dead and woun­ded, enforcement of Shariah in Malakand, withdrawal of troops from the borders and reversal of Fata merger.

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India-Pakistan

JUI-F Bajaur leader shot dead in Charsadda

2014-05-02

[DAWN] CHARSADDA: Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam ...Assembly of Islamic Clergy, or JUI, is a Pak Deobandi (Hanafi) political party. There are two main branches, one led by Maulana Fazlur Rahman, and one led by Maulana Samiul Haq. Fazl is active in Pak politix and Sami spends more time running his madrassah. Both branches sponsor branches of the Taliban, though with plausible deniability... -Fazl Bajaur Agency, aka Turban Central ...Smallest of the agencies in FATA. The Agency administration is located in Khar. Bajaur is inhabited almost exclusively by Tarkani Pashtuns, which are divided into multiple bickering subtribes. Its 52 km border border with Afghanistan's Kunar Province makes it of strategic importance to Pakistain's strategic depth... general secretary Maulana Mohammad Fazil was killed while his driver received critical injuries when unknown assailants on a cycle of violence opened fire on them here on Wednesday evening. Maulana Fazil was coming from Islamabad to Charsadda in his car when he was attacked at Saeed Khan Bagh area in Charsadda city. As a result, he died o the spot while his driver, Sabir, suffered critical wounds. Mr Sabir was taken to the district headquarters hospital, Charsadda, where his condition was listed to be critical. Maulana Fazil was the administrator of a seminary, Jamia Darul Addab Kula Dher, in Charsadda. He had lost the 2008 general elections to former governor Eng Shaukatullah from NA-43 Bajaur by only 500 votes. He had also escaped a life attempt in 2009 in Bajaur. He left Bajaur and shifted to Charsadda after that incident and started teaching at the seminary. His body was sent to his hometown in Bajaur for burial. Later, disciples of the Maulana and JUI-F leaders and workers blocked Farooq Azam Chowk at Charsadda bazaar in protest against the attack and demanded arrest of the attackers. They protesters led by JUI Charsadda convener Maulana Shaukat Ali set Friday deadline for the arrest of the killers.

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India-Pakistan

Govt to announce crucial decisions, still prefers talks: Nisar

2014-02-28

[DAWN] Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Thursday said the government has made crucial decisions in relation to the country's security which it would be announcing soon, DawnNews reported. Addressing a presser at the Governor House in Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), 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 Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire. , the minister said despite the events of the past several days, the government still preferred the route of peace talks with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP). Talks between government and Taliban representatives that began earlier this month were suspended after the killing of 23 paramilitary soldiers by the krazed killers. The military responded with a series of air strikes that have left more than 100 gunnies dead, but Khan said the government was still open to talks -- with the right people. "We will talk to those groups who are not against Pakistain," he said adding, "We are in contact with groups that have never attacked Pakistain's interests, we have dialogue for them." He gave no details of which groups he meant. His comments could revive fears that Pakistain is maintaining a policy of distinguishing between "good" turbans who can be used to further strategic goals abroad, and "bad" turbans who attack domestic targets. Pakistain has come in for strong criticism from the United States and Afghanistan in recent years for sheltering and patronising turbans such as the Haqqani network, who attack NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A single organization with differing goals, equipment, language, doctrine, and organization.... and Afghan forces across the border. On Wednesday, Chaudhry Nisar unveiled Pakistain's first-ever counter-terrorism policy, seven years since the TTP rose up and began its bloody campaign against the state. The minister said every act of violence would in future be met with an attack on the krazed killers' bases, which lie mainly in the North Wazoo tribal district on the Afghan border. Let's fight. I won't try to defeat you, but I'll hit you back any time you hit me. Commenting on the status of the dialogue between the government and Taliban representatives, Khan said Wednesday that while talks have been put on hold they could "resume anytime soon and both negotiations and targeted strikes will go hand in hand." He said the government was sincerely working towards establishing peace in the country, adding that it would remove all the stumbling blocks that lay on the road ahead. The minister said acts of violence could not be tolerated on the country's soil and that the government would appropriately respond to any such attacks. Nisar said security forces were being provided with the latest equipment purchased from abroad, adding that new vehicles would also be provided to the forces, including the police. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... Governor Engineer Shaukatullah, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Inspector General KP Police Nasir Durrani were also present during the press briefing.

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India-Pakistan

Anti-Taliban activist killed with 7 relatives, guest

2014-02-14

[DAWN] Militants killed eight members of the family of an anti-Taliban volunteer when they attacked his house in the nearby Mashokhel village with light and heavy weapons on Wednesday. A guest of the family also lost his life. The Mashokhel Qaumi Lashkar's chief Pir Israr Shah, his son Sadaqat Shah, brothers Mohammad Haji and Saeed Wali, nephews Yasir Shah, Sabir Shah, Akhtar Ali and Sadam died in the attack. The guest was identified as Rehmat.This was the ninth myrmidon attack in Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), 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 Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire. and its suburbs this month. According to Badbher police, the attackers lobbed grenades on the house where people were asleep and opened fire on the male members of the family. "The mud-built house collapsed after a grenade blast," an official said. The attackers were said to have come on foot and escaped without facing any resistance.The villagers avoided saying anything on record fearing myrmidons' reprisal but a peace volunteer said the men had been killed in the presence of women of the family. The attackers also took away weapons and the women's jewellery, he said. Peshawar Rural Circle DSP Fazal Wahid Khan told news hounds that the turbans had earlier killed a relative of the victims and one of the attackers had been killed in an encounter on Feb 2. He said the incident was a reaction to the killing in the encounter. Asif Khan, who leads the Bazidkhel Qaumi Lashkar, told this news hound that the government had abandoned peace workers who were neither getting arms and ammunition nor ration, although they were called for help whenever police needed them during action against the Taliban. "The family was on the 'hit list' of the Taliban and a Khyber Agency-based myrmidon group of Mangal Bagh ...a former bus driver, now head of the Deobandi bandido group Lashkar-e-Islam and the Terror of Khyber Agency... because they supported police in encounters with terrorists," he said. He said the gunnies now had supporters in the suburbs of Peshawar and could easily escape after committing a crime. "We know those who are facilitating the turbans in various villages and have pointed them out to the law-enforcement agencies but action has not been taken against them. We are running short of arms and ammunition and our volunteers are in dire need of ration," he said. He said the 'Shahid Group' of Taliban was very active in parts of Peshawar and the government must act against them; otherwise the rest of the peace bodies' chiefs would also be attacked. The people, he said, aspired for peace and wanted the negotiations between the government and Taliban to succeed. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Governor Engineer Shaukatullah termed the attack the worst act of inhumanity. The governor said no effort would be spared to nab the elements involved in the crime and bring them to justice. The chief minister announced a compensation of Rs50,000 under the Shuhada Package for the heir of each victim. He said anti-state elements had been exposed after the launching of negotiations with the Taliban and foreseeing their failure they were trying to demoralise people through their terrorist activities.

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India-Pakistan

Sami says Taliban response to govt recommendations positive

2014-02-11

[DAWN] Chief of his own faction of Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam ...Assembly of Islamic Clergy, or JUI, is a Pak Deobandi (Hanafi) political party. There are two main branches, one led by Maulana Fazlur Rahman, and one led by Maulana Samiul Haq. Fazl is active in Pak politix and Sami spends more time running his madrassah. Both branches sponsor branches of the Taliban, though with plausible deniability... Maulana Samiul Haq ...the Godfather of the Taliban, leader of his own faction of the JUI. Known as Mullah Sandwich for his habit of having two young boys at a time... said on Monday the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain had responded positively to the recommendations forwarded by the government. Speaking to media representatives at Madrassa Darul Uloom Haqqania in Akora Khattak area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... 's Nowshera district after holding talks with Professor Ibrahim Khan and Maulana Yousuf Shah, Sami said the matter was a national issue which should not be dealt with emotionally. He added that the war had spanned for years and could not be resolved in a matter of minutes. Maulana Sami further said nothing would be concealed from the public and the whole situation would be presented before the government's committee tomorrow. Professor Ibrahim Khan and Maulana Yousuf Shah had met with the Taliban leadership at some holy man's guesthouse an undisclosed location in the North Wazoo tribal region. Both had stayed overnight at the residence of Siraj Ahmed, the tribal region's political agent. Yousuf Shah told news hounds that there were four to five drones encircling the locality upon their arrival for talks. In other related news, political administration officials reached Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), 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 Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire. and held a meeting with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Engineer Shaukatullah and apprised him of the progress on peace talks.

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India-Pakistan

Anti-polio drive begins in Fata

2014-01-22

[DAWN] Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... Governor Eng Shaukatullah Khan administered drops to children to kick start anti-polio ...Poliomyelitis is a disease caused by infection with the poliovirus. Between 1840 and the 1950s, polio was a worldwide epidemic. Since the development of polio vaccines the disease has been largely wiped out in the civilized world. However, since the vaccine is known to make Moslem pee-pees shrink and renders females sterile, bookish, and unsubmissive it is not widely used by the turban and automatic weapons set... vaccination drive in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) on Monday. He asked the officials concerned to ensure vaccination of every child in the tribal belt. Fata Additional Chief Secretary Arbab Mohammad Arif, Health Director Dr Parvaiz Kamal Khan and representatives of WHO and Unicef were also present on the occasion. The governor was told that over 2,000 teams were formed to administer anti-polio drops to about 7,072,048 children below the age of five yeas in the tribal areas. The governor directed the relevant authorities, health workers and volunteers to leave no stone unturned in reaching every child for vaccination to eradicate the crippling disease in the tribal areas.

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India-Pakistan

Terrorism won't deter talks with Taliban: governor

2013-10-28

[Dawn] Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... Governor Engineer Shaukatullah has said the government would hold dialogue with the Taliban despite recent acts of terrorism in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, especially in the capital city of Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), 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 Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire. . "The federal government had declared the policy to initiate the process of dialogue with Taliban groups operating in Fata after the all parties conference gave it the mandate for it but the acts of terrorism carried out by either a third force or faceless myrmidons themselves in the days ahead caused a serious setback to the process. Such acts have created misunderstandings between the government and Taliban and could also damage the mutual confidence," he told Dawn. The governor, however, said that despite the fresh acts of terrorism, nobody from the government had publicly declared suspension of the proposed peace dialogue. "Efforts will be made to proceed with the mandate, which APC had unanimously given to the federal government," he said. When asked about the Taliban's conditions for peace dialogue, the governor said whenever negotiations began between two opponents, each side set conditions but things improved as the dialogue process progressed. "It is not unusual in tribal areas that conflicting parties hold negotiations while they are entrenched in their bunkers and even the fighting, too, continues," he said. Mr Shaukatullah said it was the job of interlocutors to first ease tensions and ascertain the viewpoints of both sides and then try to narrow down their differences, leaving aside the conflicting and contentious issues," he said. When asked whether the government has authorised a tribal jirga to hold talks with Taliban on its behalf, he declined to acknowledge it but insisted the process would bear fruit in near future. "We can not say that the dialogue would not be held or we are not willing to do so or no such process is going on but sometimes, somewhere the disclosure of some details about the dialogue process may have negative implications," he said. The governor said he firmly believed that the country could rid of militancy if both the parties showed flexibility in their respective stands. "Once the dialogue process begins, there is a greater likelihood that misunderstandings between the two sides will end," he said. Mr Shaukatullah said he was confident that if given a chance, interlocutors would convince the Taliban to accept the government's conditions for peace.

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India-Pakistan

Growing polio cases: KP Governor fears travel ban on Pakistanis

2013-10-26

[Dawn] Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... Governor Shaukatullah Khan on Thursday feared that Paks could face travel restrictions over the growing polio ...Poliomyelitis is a disease caused by infection with the poliovirus. Between 1840 and the 1950s, polio was a worldwide epidemic. Since the development of polio vaccines the disease has been largely wiped out in the civilized world. However, since the vaccine is known to make Moslem pee-pees shrink and renders females sterile, bookish, and unsubmissive it is not widely used by the turban and automatic weapons set... cases in the country. "If the situation (high polio incidence) is not handled on war footing, there could be a ban on Paks wanting to travel to Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... for Haj and Umrah as well as workers," he said during a World Polio Day function at the Governor's House. He said increase in polio cases in various parts of Fata was a matter of grave concern but the government was committed to meeting the challenge effectively. The governor said 37 polio cases had been reported in Fata in 2013, which was 75 per cent of the total nationwide cases of the year.

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India-Pakistan

Tribal elder injured in Mohmand blast

2013-08-09

[Dawn] A prominent elder of Haleemzai tribe was injured in a roadside blast in 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 and Kunar... on Wednesday morning, officials said. They said that Malik Aurangzeb was on going from his home to Ghalanai on foot when he was targeted with a remote-controlled bomb. He was injured in the blast, they added. The injured tribal elder was shifted to Leady Reading Hospital in Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), 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 Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire. for treatment. The security forces launched a search operation in the area after the incident and enjugged Please don't kill me! scores of rustics. In Bajaur Agency, aka Turban Central ...Smallest of the agencies in FATA. The Agency administration is located in Khar. Bajaur is inhabited almost exclusively by Tarkani Pashtuns, which are divided into multiple bickering subtribes. Its 52 km border border with Afghanistan's Kunar Province makes it of strategic importance to Pakistain's strategic depth... , a pro-government tribal elder and close relative of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... governor escaped unhurt when a remote-controlled bomb went kaboom! near his car in Neeiage area on Tuesday evening. Officials said that Malik Dawood Khan along with his son and gunman was going in a car from Khar to his village Neeiage when a remote-controlled bomb went off near his car. He narrowly escaped the attack. People of the area, members of peace committees and Bajaur Levies rushed the spot soon after the incident and launched a search operation but the saboteurs managed to escape. Malik Dawood, 44, is a close relative of Governor Eng Shaukatullah Khan. He has survived several attacks by Death Eaters in the past. Meanwhile, ...back at the hoedown, the fiddler suddenly struck a sour note. The dancing stopped abruptly. Everyone looked at Bob... security forces and Bajaur Levies arrested several suspected persons in different areas of Khar during a search operation on Wednesday. An official said that the search operation was conducted in the areas after receiving information from members of village defence committee about presence of suspected persons. In Mansehra ...a city and an eponymous district in eastern Khyber-Pakthunwa, nestled snug up against Pak Kashmir, with Kohistan and Diamir to the north and Abbottabad to the south... , police seized three improvised bombs (IEDs) and other material, which could be used in carrying out an act of terrorism in the district. The residents of Hafiz Bandi village informed police that someone had placed two bags full of explosives and other material at the roadside. A police party along with bomb disposal squad reached the spot and defused two hand grenades and seized the explosives and other material.

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India-Pakistan

Fazl hails formation of grand tribal jirga

2013-03-02

[Dawn] JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman Deobandi holy man, known as Mullah Diesel during the war against the Soviets, his sympathies for the Taliban have never been tempered by honesty ... late Friday said that formation of an authoritative grand tribal "Jirga" has passed a message to world community that serious peace initiatives has got underway for bringing durable peace in FATA and KP by holding talks with the thug leadership. The Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam ...Assembly of Islamic Clergy, or JUI, is a Pak Deobandi (Hanafi) political party. There are two main branches, one led by Maulana Fazlur Rahman, and one led by Maulana Samiul Haq. Fazl is active in Pak politix and Sami spends more time running his madrassah. Both branches sponsor branches of the Taliban, though with plausible deniability... -Fazl chief was briefing media representatives along with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... Governor Engineer Shaukatullah after chairing a meeting of the 87 members grand tribal Jirga at the governor house. Fazlur Rehman said the national leadership has given unanimous mandate to the tribal Jirga for holding talks with the Pak Taliban leadership, who according to him have welcomed the declaration of the JUI-F sponsored All Parties Conference (APC), held in Islamabad on Thursday. He thanked the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) leadership for giving positive response to the peace efforts and said that the Taliban leaders demonstrated sagacity by welcoming formation of the grand tribal Jirga.

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India-Pakistan

For KP's new governor, talks with Pakistani Taliban 'top priority'

2013-02-17

[Dawn] With peace talks with the Pak Taliban on the agenda, newly-appointed Khyber Pakthunkhwa Governor Engineer Shaukatullah Khan does not plan to shy away from the traditional tribal jirga system as a platform for dialogue. The media's focus on him is not without reason -- Khan is the first civilian from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) to be appointed governor of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... in Pakistain's restive northwest. Listing peace as his top priority, Khan is in favour of talks with the Taliban even if they are unwilling to lay down their arms, citing tribal customs. "I believe the grinding of the peace processor is heading in a successful direction. I would be willing to take on any task to hold peace talks with the cut-thoats," he said. "Peace is our priority and we shall go for it." At the age of 42, Khan, who hails from an influential family of Nawagai in Bajaur Agency, aka Turban Central ...Smallest of the agencies in FATA. The Agency administration is located in Khar. Bajaur is inhabited almost exclusively by Tarkani Pashtuns, which are divided into multiple bickering subtribes. Its 52 km border border with Afghanistan's Kunar Province makes it of strategic importance to Pakistain's strategic depth... , is the youngest among his predecessors to have governed the region, hit badly by militancy and unrest. The engineer, with a political background, is well accustomed to politics in Pakistain's tribal areas. A graduate of the University of Engineering and Technology in Taxila, Khan first contested and lost the NA-43 Bajaur Agency seat in the 2002 elections. However, if you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning... he won the same seat in the 2008 elections as an independent, and was made Federal Minister for Sports. He was later nominated Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions. His family's political legacy is also impressive: his father, Bismillah Khan, had twice won the NA seat from Bajaur Agency, while his elder brother, Hidayatullah Khan, is a senator. Now, with dialogue between the government and the Taliban becoming a greater possibility, the governor's appointment is considered the key to success. Unconditional talks The governor believes that the traditional tribal jirga, which equally allows for negotiations with or without guns, is the best way to resolve the longstanding conflict between Islamic fascisti and the Pak government and military. "If we go by tribal bylaws of resolving conflict, we should be holding peace talks whether one does or does not lay down arms. There is no bar on it," he said. "I believe first we have to kick start the process. Then we shall discuss the conditions, as in the tribal way to resolving disputes, you may not start with pre-conditions or guarantees," he explains. "When you start talking, then you enter the next phase of guarantees."

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India-Pakistan

Appointment of KP governor challenged

2013-02-15

[Dawn] The appointment of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... Governor Engineer Shaukatullah was challenged before the Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), 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 Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire. High Court on Wednesday on the ground that he was not a registered voter and resident of the province Two identical writ petitions were filed separately by freelance journalist Shahid Orakzai and senior lawyer Gohar Rehman Khattak. Both the petitions were filed on the same ground with the request to the high court to declare the impugned appointment of Engineer Shaukatullah by the President of Pakistain as unconstitutional and against the law. The petitioners questioned whether a person could be appointed governor of a province when he was neither its resident nor a registered voter there. They stated that Engineer Shaukatullah was appointed governor of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, replacing Barrister Masood Kausar under Article 101 of the Constitution. According to the petitioners, Article 101 (1) of the Constitution states that there shall be a governor for each province, who shall be appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister. They quoted Article 101 (2) of the Constitution which states: "A person shall not be appointed a governor unless he is qualified to be elected as a member of the National Assembly and is not less than thirty-five years of age and is a registered voter and resident of the province concerned." They pointed out that Shaukatullah belonged to Bajaur tribal agency and he was also elected an MNA from the said area on NA-43 constituency in the 2008 general elections. They added that he was having domicile of the said agency. They said that his impugned appointment was in clear violation of the Constitution of Pakistain. The petitioners also requested the court that as an interim relief the court might restrain Engineer Shaukatullah from performing his function as governor of the province. The respondents in the petitions are: federation of Pakistain through secretary, ministry of law and the secretary Election Commission of Pakistain.

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