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India-Pakistan
Volunteers left at mercy of militants, says lashkar chief
2011-08-20
[Dawn] The leaders of anti-Taliban Adezai Qaumi Lashkar have alleged that provincial government has stopped supporting their volunteers and left them at the mercy of orcs.

"Militants will get strengthen in the suburban areas of provincial metropolis as government has intentionally stopped supporting our volunteers," Dilawar Khan, the head of the lashkar, told a presser here on Thursday.

He said that elders of the area had formed the lashkar on the directives of government. But government didn't materialise its promises to support them, he alleged.

Flanked by several leaders of lashkar including Haji Abdur Razaq, Waqif Khan, Haji Inam Gul, Irshad Khan and Haji Ali Ahmed, he said that more than 100 volunteers of the lashkar had been killed since its formation in 2008. "These volunteers sacrificed their lives to defend their motherland and hundreds of their colleagues were maimed by cut-throats but they have not been paid proper compensation so far," he added.

Mr Khan alleged that provincial government left them at the mercy of cut-throats as it was not ready to materialise its promises of providing food, arms and ammunition to them. "We have to arrange weapons on our own," he said.

He said that their new generation was deprived of education owing to insecurity in the area. "During the past few months, we have foiled three suicide kabooms. The would-be bombers were killed before they could hit the target but none of the
government officials and ministers bothered to encourage our volunteers," he said.

The lashkar chief said that instead of appreciating their efforts the government tried to claim credit for the successful operations against terrorists.

He also criticised politicians for what he called lack of interest to contact the volunteers or visit their area at least for condolences when scores of their colleagues were killed in suicide attacks in the recent past.

The provincial government, he said, was not supporting the lashkar because he was district president of PML-Q and Waqif Khan, another commander of the peace body, was associated with PML-N. "We all belong to different political parties but we are fully united on a single point to fight militancy, protect the area and stop entry of beturbanned goons into Beautiful Downtown Peshawar at all costs," he aid.

Mr Khan claimed that an important Taliban capo Jangrez was killed during a clash with volunteers that helped them control terrorist acts in Peshawar.

He also threatened to quit PML-Q if party leaders didn't change their behaviour with workers. "The federal government had announced pride of performance for us but owing to our political affiliation provincial government created hurdles in it," he alleged.

He asked Senior Minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour and Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain to stop opposing him on political basis otherwise entire responsibility would rest with them if anything happened to him.

The lashkar leader asked religious scholars to take a firm stand against cut-throats and declare them non-Mohammedans as they were slaughtering innocent people.
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India-Pakistan
Killer of ex-AG of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Manhunt ends in Oman
2011-05-18
[Dawn] An alleged killer of former advocate general of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central...
was brought to Pakistain from Oman on Monday evening, ending a little more than yearlong manhunt, police said.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Bani Amin told Dawn that Roohullah was incarcerated in Oman some days back with the help of Interpol and an Omani law enforcement agency for his alleged involvement in the killing of Mohammad Sardar Khan on February 3 last year in Islamabad.

He was brought to the capital in a PK-620 flight, which landed at the airport around 6:50pm. A police team headed by DIG Amin shifted him to Shalimar cop shoppe amid tight security.

On February 3 last year five people, including a woman, requested a meeting with Sardar Khan for discussing a case when he was at the house of his daughter in Park Avenue in F-11. At Ibne Seena Road in G-11/2, they killed him and beat feet.

The accused plotted the murder after Sardar Khan turned down offer of money for losing a land grabbing case he was fighting for Beautiful Downtown Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) against Roohullah in the Peshawar High Court. The 168-kanal prized land worth billion of rupees is in five different localities of Peshawar, including Hayatabad and Saddar.

As the Supreme Court had taken suo motu notice of the killing, the probe turned into an international manhunt as the alleged killer beat feet to Peshawar, Afghanistan, Dubai and Muscat.

According to DIG, Roohullah was incarcerated in Dubai in January this year by the immigration staff, but he managed to get a case of "cheque dishonour" registered against himself. This helped Roohullah avoid extradition to Pakistain. In April this year, the DIG said, the accused obtained bail from the local courts in Dubai and beat feet to Muscat.

As he left Dubai, the capital police with the help of Interpol started tracking him. Two weeks ago Roohullah`s mobile IEMI number revealed he was in Oman. Armed with red warrant, and with the help of Interpol and Omani enforcement agency, a two-member capital police team incarcerated Roohullah.

The accused had travelled to Afghanistan on forged documents shortly after the killing last year. Later he moved to Dubai on a fake passport of his cousin Fazal Ahmed. After his escape to Dubai, the police declared him a proclaimed offender and seized his property and bank account.

Soon after Sardar Khan`s killing, the police had incarcerated Safiullah who told them that apart from him, Roohullah, Waqif Khan, Rubina SLearned Elders of Islamn and Iftikhar Ahmed were present at the time of killing the advocate general. Afterwards, Rubina was also murdered.

Police teams raided different areas in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and other districts as cases were registered against the relatives and friends who sheltered the alleged killers in their homes. As police teams were sent to other parts of the country, Iftikhar, a close aide of Roohullah, was incarcerated from Bloody Karachi.

Early this year when the Supreme Court was informed about the "arrest" of Roohullah in Dubai, Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chuadhry had appreciated the efforts of police.
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India-Pakistan
Swat Islamic University VC shot dead
2010-10-03
Dr Muhammad Farooq Khan, a renowned religious scholar and vice chancellor of the newly established Swat Islamic University, was rubbed out on Saturday, police said.

Mardan District Police Officer (DPO) Waqif Khan told Daily Times that two unidentified gunnies entered his private clinic at Defence, Mardan, and opened indiscriminate fire at him. As a result, Dr Farooq keeled over dead while his assistant Saleem Khan sustained injuries.

The DPO termed the incident an act of terrorism. A search operation was launched after the incident, but no arrest had been made so far.

President Asif Ali (Ten Percent) Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, in their separate condolence messages, strongly condemned the murder of Dr Farooq and reiterated the government's resolve to fight terrorism.

They expressed their heartfelt condolences with the bereaved family and prayed to Allah Almighty to rest the departed soul in peace.
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India-Pakistan
Tribesmen to hand over Taliban to govt by 20th
2008-12-05
Machni and Shabqadar elders on Thursday agreed with the government to hand over by December 20 Taliban operating in their areas, and demanded that the administration provide them weapons as APP reported that Haleemzai tribesmen had handed over 21 suspects to the authorities in Ghalanai.

The agreement came at a jirga where officials gave the elders a list of more than 100 Taliban wanted by the authorities. The Yakaghund assistant political agent will give the elders another list of wanted men in two days.

Peshawar Commissioner Arbab Shahrukh had called on the elders to hand over Taliban fighters in their areas by December 20. He warned that if the wanted men did not surrender, their relatives would be arrested and their houses would be demolished.

The commissioner later told reporters that security forces would continue patrolling Shinu Ghundai and Qila Shah Baig areas, although the Taliban had fled amid a military operation -- "which will continue till the locals realise their responsibility to maintain peace".

Charsadda DPO Waqif Khan said that around 600 Taliban fighters were previously operating in Shinu Ghundai and Qila Shah Baig areas, but the majority fled when the military operation was launched.

The jirga was attended by elders from the Tarakazai, Haleemzai, Qasim Khel, Dadu Khel and Barankhel tribes. The second round of talks will now be held on December 20.

Suspects handed over: According to APP, a jirga of Haleemzai tribesmen handed over 21 suspects to the political authorities in Ghalanai, and sought three more days to surrender 16 other wanted men.
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India-Pakistan
US national re-arrested for questioning
2008-10-16
Intelligence agencies re-arrested an American detained in the country's volatile border region and were questioning the man, police said on Wednesday. Juddi Kenan, 20, was carrying a laptop computer when arrested on Monday at a checkpoint in Mohmand district. District Police Officer Waqif Khan said Juddi was released from custody on Tuesday but was picked up hours later at his home in Peshawar. "Intelligence agencies are required to quiz him again for further satisfaction," he said. In Washington, US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said US officials had visited and spoken with the man and were doing everything they could for him. He declined to provide more specific details including confirming the name because of privacy concerns.
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India-Pakistan
Detained Pakistani-US citizen released
2008-10-15
Charsadda police on Tuesday released a US citizen of Pakistani origin who had been arrested on Monday, police said.

Charsadda District Police Officer Waqif Khan told Daily Times that the arrested man had been identified as Jawad Ali. He was released after he was found innocent and joined his family in Peshawar. "He was a Peshawari American," the police official said.
Peshawari American?? Okay, this hyphenation nonsense has gone too far ...
The police official said his name was Jodi Cannan according to the documents in his possession, but he told police his name was Jawad Ali. He said he was going to Mohmand Agency to meet a friend, Habibullah. Police said he did not have any contact information for Habibullah.
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India-Pakistan
Tribal Lashkar to combat Shabqadar Taliban
2008-09-23
Residents of Shabqadar on Monday formed a lashkar to counter the increasing influence of Taliban in the area. The lashkar would co-operate with police in combating militants. Hundreds of armed locals marched with police from Shabqadar Bazaar to Aranda Chowk. People from the Sarikh, Katozai, Mandozai, Battgram, Jehlar and Kot areas participated in the march. Charsadda District Police Officer (DPO) Waqif Khan and Charsadda Amn Committee Chairman Younas Katozai led the march. Addressing the participants of the march at Aranda, Katozai said criminals in the guise of Taliban wanted to create anarchy in Shabqadar. The elders of the area said those behind incidents of kidnapping for ransom and other acts offensive to Islam were abusing the name of Islam and would not be allowed to operate in the area. The DPO told the assembly that establishing peace in the area was impossible without the active co-operation of the locals. He said those who wanted to wage jihad should go to Afghanistan, Iraq and Kashmir instead of waging war on their countrymen. The locals told Daily Times they were fed up with the militants who have made their lives hell in the name of Islam, and wanted to get rid of them.
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India-Pakistan
Militants torch Pakistani ski resort hotel
2008-06-27
Skiing isn't in their holy book. You could look it up.
MINGORA, Pakistan - Islamist militants burned down a hotel at Pakistan's only ski resort on Thursday as security in a northwestern tourist valley deteriorated despite a month-old peace pact, police said. The Swat valley, several hours drive on mountain roads from the capital, Islamabad, was until last year a prime tourist destination with ancient Buddhist ruins, a golf course, trout streams and the ski resort.

‘Half of the hotel has been burned down,’ said Swat's police chief, Waqif Khan, referring to the only hotel at the Malam Jabba ski resort. The hotel is owned by the state tourism authority.

Khan said authorities had not been able to get to the resort to tackle the blaze or inspect the damage. ‘The area is not under our control, it's under the militants' control and no one can go there,’ he said.

The hotel shut down last August as tension in the valley increased. It later dismissed its staff as visitors stopped coming.

But a militant spokesman denied setting the hotel on fire. ‘Our target is the security forces, we have nothing to do with the hotel,’ said the spokesman, Muslim Khan. Khan said villagers in the area had appealed to his men to help them stop businessmen he referred to as ‘timber mafia’ cutting trees on the mountain slopes. ‘There's a third element which does not want the peace accord to succeed, they don't want peace in the area,’ he said, apparently referring to the log poachers.
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India-Pakistan
Potential suicide bomber given 'safe exit'
2008-06-18
Swat police allowed a ‘safe exit’ to a potential suicide bomber on Monday following negotiations to protect nearby civilians, sources said on Tuesday. The sources said police had confronted a potential suicide bomber in the Rahimabad police station jurisdiction who threatened to attack the police party if they made an arrest attempt. “For one hour, police spoke to the potential suicide bomber, who demanded a safe exit in return for not detonating the bombs on his body,” said the sources. Swat District Police Officer Waqif Khan confirmed the report. “We took this decision in the larger interest of the civilians working in nearby fields,” a police official told Daily Times.
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India-Pakistan
Govt, Taliban discuss post-surrender situation
2008-05-26
Government officials and local Taliban held a meeting on Saturday to monitor post-agreement developments in Swat.

The government side was represented at the meeting, held at the DCO office in Swat, by DIG of Malakand Tanveerul Haq Sipra, DCO Shaukat Khan and DPO Waqif Khan while Taliban side was led by Muslim Khan, the spokesman for Maulana Fazlullah. He was assisted by Ali Bakht and Mehmud Khan.

Muslim Khan said that the two side had discussed the withdrawal of cases against militants by the state during the fighting in Swat. He said lists were being prepared which would be completed by Tuesday. The meeting also discussed compensation for militants whose houses and shops had been damaged during fighting with security forces. The local government would arrange funds, he said, adding that names of ‘deserving people’ would be forwarded to the government. The DPO told Dawn that matters relating to the enforcement of ceasefire had been thoroughly discussed.

Referring to sporadic violence in the valley, Muslim Khan assured that Taliban would abide by the accord ‘at all costs’ and anyone who violated the terms of agreement ‘is the enemy of the state and Taliban’ and would be punished according to Shariat.

He said Taliban wanted Swat to become a model of peace and tranquility where protection of life and property would be guaranteed, adding that tourists and investors would feel secure in their area. “Taliban will not allow foreign elements to interfere or abet violence in the district.”

Both the sides expressed satisfaction over the peace agreement. Muslim Khan said Taliban and the government were sincere in honouring the truce. Taliban said that the success of the peace deal depended on ‘complete enforcement of Shariat’.
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India-Pakistan
50 Swat policemen sacked for 'lack of courage'
2008-03-28
At least 50 Swat police personnel have been relieved of their duties for showing a “lack of courage” during the last year’s operation against pro-Taliban militants, District Police Officer (DPO) Waqif Khan told Daily Times on Thursday. “Prolonged absence from duty is another reason for their dismissal,” the DPO said. Waqif Khan said that around 200 policemen were on ‘French leave’ or unauthorised absence, 151 were absent from Sindh (River) Police Lines, Mingora, and 31 were absent from the Mingora Police Station. An official source said that policemen in Swat were taking leave to avoid any possible militant attack on them. “The relieved policemen were served several notices but they did not show up. Consequently, they were terminated,” the source said. “We can’t work on a low salary and that too when your life is at stake,” one of the dismissed policemen said on condition of anonymity.
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India-Pakistan
Attack on poll convoy kills two, injures three in Swat
2008-02-14
A roadside bomb blast hit an election campaign convoy in Swat on Wednesday, killing two people and wounding three. Mufti Hussain Ahmed, an independent candidate contesting for NA-30 and PF-86, was among the wounded. The injured were all rushed to Saidu Sharif hospital, where sources told NNI that Ahmed was in critical condition. “Ahmed was traveling in a convoy of 8-10 vehicles on a campaign when the blast occurred, killing two people,” said senior police official Waqif Khan. Interior Ministry spokesman Brigadier Javed Cheema told AFP that only one person was killed. The government has blamed several recent blasts on Baitullah Mehsud, but Mehsud’s spokesman Maulvi Omar told Reuters on Wednesday that the local Taliban would not interfere in the elections and would not be involved in any attack before or on election day.
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