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India-Pakistan

Suspected mastermind of Orakzai terror attack killed in Hangu

2019-01-17

[DAWN] Four suspected terrorists, including the alleged criminal mastermind of a deadly suicide kaboom last year in Orakzai, were killed in an 'encounter' with security forces in Hangu on Wednesday. A local police official, Muhammad Khalid, confirmed to the News Agency that Dare Not be Named that security forces had conducted a raid in Hangu. A security source told DawnNewsTV that the raid was carried out after a tip-off was received that the house was serving as a myrmidon hideout. The suspected murderous Moslems opened fire on security forces during the raid, the source said, adding that four 'terrorists' were killed in the ensuing encounter. A civilian was also accidentally killed in the shootout, AP reported. Khalid identified one of the faceless myrmidons killed as Muhammad Islam and said that he was responsible for orchestrating the Nov 23 suicide attack near an imambargah in lower Orakzai's Kalaya Bazaar that left at least 32 people dead and 31 injured. The security source told DawnNewsTV that Islam had ties to the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban ...Arabic for students... Pakistain.

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India-Pakistan

KP governor sees foreign hand in Orakzai, Karachi terror attacks

2018-11-25

[DAWN] Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman said on Saturday that the terror attacks in 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... and Orakzai tribal district yesterday "are part of the same conspiracy" and that "foreign elements are involved who want to destabilise the China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC) project". The governor along with Corps Commander Lt Gen Shaheen Mazhar and Inspector General Frontier Corps ...a provincial paramilitary force. Total manpower is about 80,000. They are tasked to help local law enforcement in the maintenance of law and order, and to carry out border patrol and a..the Antwerp-based Salafist organization that had campaigned to introduce Sharia law to Belgium before single-handedly making Belgium the highest per capita supplier of jihadis to Syria in Europe. There was a big trial in Antwerp in 2015, but most of those convicted were in absentia...nti-smuggling operations.... Maj Gen Rahat Naseem Ahmed visited the site of the blast in lower Orakzai district which claimed 34 lives. The kaboom, which according to officials was a suicide kaboom, took place near an imambargah on Friday morning. While talking to news hounds, Governor Farman said stern action would be taken against the culprits behind the attack. Lt Gen Mazhar confirmed that the blast was a suicide kaboom and that 12 kilogrammes of explosives had been used. The lower Orakzai area, formerly an agency, is situated near the Hangu district ... Hangu is famous for its greenery, hills, beauty and water. Most of the people of this area are Bangash & Orakzai Pashtuns. Part of the Bangash are Shia. The Orakzai and the Sunni Bangash are determined to kill them... , and the kaboom took place in main Kalaya bazaar of the district. Prime Minister Imran Khan ... aka Taliban Khan, who ain't the sharpest bulb on the national tree... had "strongly condemned" the terrorist attack in Orakzai as well as the one foiled on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi. He labelled the twin attacks "a planned campaign to create unrest in the country by those who do not want Pakistain to prosper". "Let there be no doubt in anyone's mind that we will crush the terrorists, whatever it takes," he had affirmed on Twitter soon after the attacks.

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India-Pakistan

JUI-F leader shot dead in Dera Ismail Khan

2017-08-20

[DAWN] A local leader of the Jamaat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) was rubbed out by person or persons unknown in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... 's Dera Ismail Khan ... the Pearl of Pashtunistan ... district early Saturday, police said. The gunnies targeted Maulana Syed Ataullah Shah while he was walking home after offering Fajr prayers near Banu Ada area of D.I. Khan, according to police. Shah, who was serving as the khateeb (sermon-giver) of a local mosque these days, was considered to be a prominent leader of JUI Dera and a close aide of 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 ... He originally belonged to Panyala, but was residing in D.I. Khan city for past several years. The past few days have seen several incidents of assassination'>assassination in Dera city. Four people including two coppers were killed and one civilian injured in four such incidents in a span of one week this month. Two police constables were bumped off on August 11 near Kotli Imam Hussain Imambargah ...since Pakistain is very religiously correct, Shia Moslems can't call their houses of worship 'mosques,' which are reserved for Sunnis. It's not clear if imambargahs are used for explosives storage like mosques are... . Two days later, a government servant was rubbed out at his doorstep in Maryali area. A milk-seller was critically injured due to firing in Eidgah on August 17.

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India-Pakistan

Two 'TTP men' killed during CTD operation in Karachi

2017-08-16

[DAWN] Two suspected bully boyz belonging to the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban ...the Pashtun equivalent of men... Pakistain’s (TTP) Mufti Shakir group were killed during an alleged encounter with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in 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... on Tuesday. According to a CTD blurb, an operation was carried out in the Manghopir area to intercept the two 'TTP men' reportedly coming from 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... , based on information gathered from the 'terrorists' apprehended by the CTD in last week in Machhar Colony. Information gathered from the locked away Drop the rod and step away witcher hands up! bully boyz pointed to the fact that Mufti Shakir had instated one Abdul Jabbar alias Saleem alias Leghari as the ameer (leader) of the TTP splinter group's Karachi wing, the CTD said. The CTD said that the 'terrorists' in jug claimed that the newly-appointed ameer was also in contact with Afghanistan's intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security ...the Afghan national intel agency... , and had been provided trained jacket wallahs and suicide jackets by Mufti Shakir. According to the CTD, the apprehended bully boyz also claimed that Abdul Jabbar was on his way to Karachi from Balochistan, with plans to attack jamaat khanas, imambargahs, shrines and police training centres and important officials of security agencies. According to the CTD, the department assigned a team under Senior Superintendent of Police Intelligence CTD Omer Shahid Hamid to arrest the terrorists. The team, with the use of the CTD's intelligence, was able to set up checkposts in the city. "As soon as the terrorists' vehicle reached Manghophir, the police signalled them to stop," the CTD said, "after which the bully boyz began firing at the police". "The terrorists, namely Abdul Jabbar and Daniyal were killed on the spot by the police's retaliatory firing," the CTD handout read. According to CTD forensic scans run on two pistols recovered from the 'terrorists', the weapons were used in the 2015 murder of a police sub-inspector in Baldia Town.

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India-Pakistan

8 Jamaat-ul-Ahrar members surrender in Mohmand Agency

2017-04-05

[DAWN] The military's media wing on Tuesday claimed that eight members of the banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar had surrendered before the Army 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... the previous night. In a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations, the Army said members of the banned outfit had laid down their weapons in Mohmand Agency. The suspected Death Eaters who surrendered include Akbar, Gull, Siraj and five of their accomplices, the ISPR said. The military's media wing, however, did not share further information about the suspected hard boys, such as whether they were involved in recent terrorist attacks in the country. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar has claimed several terrorist attacks in the recent past, including a suicide kaboom outside 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.... Assembly in Lahore in which at least 13 people were killed and 85 injured. The hard boy group grabbed credit for Friday's kaboom outside an imambargah at a market in Parachinar which killed at least 22 people and maimed 50 others .

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India-Pakistan

Suicide attack foiled in Hyderabad

2016-12-17

An would-be suicide bomber on a motorcycle was shot dead by Rangers personnel on Hyderabad's Daman-i-Kohsar road after he lobbed a 'cracker' into a nearby graveyard while fleeing, Rangers sources told Dawn on Friday. His accomplice fled the scene of crime. A Rangers vehicle on patrol near the Amani Shah graveyard signalled for two men on a passing motorcycle to stop, sources said. The men stopped and one lobbed a 'cracker' into the graveyard. Rangers sources said they shot and killed the man who threw the 'cracker' into the graveyard. Upon examination, they found he was wearing a suicide vest. The assailant could not be identified, but Rangers sources claimed he appeared to be in his early 30s. The sources alleged the would-be suicide bomber had intended to target the under-construction imambargah nearby. A Rangers press release, however, claimed that two assailants on a motorcycle, while attempting to enter the imambargah during Friday prayers, attacked a Rangers mobile with a hand grenade. Rangers personnel shot the assailant dead. A suicide jacket, arms and ammunition were recovered from the assailant's body, the statement claimed.

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India-Pakistan

Imambargah official booked

2016-10-20

[DAWN] Police have registered cases against the participants of a mourning procession for bringing out the procession without the government s’ permission and the administration of an under construction imambargah at Adiala Road on charges of violating ban on use of loudspeaker, police said on Tuesday. The first case was registered with the Saddar Bairooni police on the complaint of a police official who said that he was on security duty outside the residence of Syed Intikhab Hussain Shah in Dhoke Baba Adial on Muharram 15 when a mourning procession led by Muhammad Hanif appeared from the house. The participants of the procession dispersed on reaching at Mazhar Hussain’s house at 1.30am on Monday. But all of a sudden some mourners whose number was between 25 and 30 appeared on the road and started marching towards an under construction imambargah which was unregistered with the police. He said despite the fact the mourners were asked to stop bringing out procession as it was illegal and unauthorized, they offered resistance and continued violating the government ban.

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India-Pakistan

At least 13 injured as police foil suicide blasts targeting Eid prayers in Shikarpur

2016-09-14

[DAWN] At least 13 people, including five cops, were maimed as police foiled two separate suicide kabooms during Eid prayers in Shikarpur's Khanpur tehsil on Monday. Police sources said four suicide kaboomers infiltrated Khanpur during Eid prayers. Two of the attackers targeted an Eid prayer ground where one assailant went kaboom!, injuring 10 people, two of whom were coppers. The other attacker fled, police sources said. Two other attackers targeted an imambargah ...the Pakistani term for a Shiite mosque, whereas a Sunni mosque is referred to as a masjid... but were stopped by police at the entrance on account of appearing suspicious. One of the attackers went kaboom! after he was stopped by guards for a search, whereas the other was tossed in the slammer ... anything you say can and will be used against you, whether you say it or not... , police said. Police officer Bahardin Kerio said the second attacker, a would-be jacket wallah, was shot and maimed at the scene, after which the officers arrested him. Three coppers were maimed in the kaboom. Kerio said one of the maimed officers was at death's door. He added that there were hundreds of worshippers inside the imambargah at the time. Those injured in the blast have been admitted to hospitals in Shikarpur for treatment. Initial interrogation of the arrested attacker, Usman, revealed that the would-be bomber was a resident of Swat's Qabal tehsil and had studied in 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... 's Abu Huraira seminary, police sources said. The sources added that a person named Umer brought the attackers to the imambargah on a cycle of violence and fled after leaving them there. Inspector General Police (IGP) Sindh AD Khawaja reached Shikarpur following the incident. The IGP told Dawn that the attackers hailed from 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... but were based in Karachi and possibly had links to a seminary there which are currently being investigated. Following the incident local leaders in Shikarpur led a protest against the attack. The IGP told protesters the police would investigate the case and requested them to lift the blockade.

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India-Pakistan

Pak kops thwart holiday bombing

2016-09-14

Coz nothing says Islamic holiday like your co-religionists trying to bump you off. SHIKARPUR: At least 13 people, including five cops, were injured as police foiled two separate suicide blasts during Eid prayers in Shikarpur's Khanpur tehsil on Monday. Police sources said four suicide attackers infiltrated Khanpur during Eid prayers. Two of the attackers targeted an Eid prayer ground where one assailant blew himself up, injuring 10 people, two of whom were policemen. The other attacker fled, police sources said. Two other attackers targeted an imambargah but were stopped by police at the entrance on account of appearing suspicious. One of the attackers blew himself up after he was stopped by guards for a search, whereas the other was arrested, police said. Police officer Bahardin Kerio said the second attacker, a would-be suicide bomber, was shot and wounded at the scene, after which the officers arrested him. Three police officers were wounded in the explosion. Kerio said one of the wounded officers was in critical condition. He added that there were hundreds of worshippers inside the imambargah at the time. Those injured in the blast have been admitted to hospitals in Shikarpur for treatment. Initial interrogation of the arrested attacker, Usman, revealed that the would-be bomber was a resident of Swat's Qabal tehsil and had studied in Karachi's Abu Huraira seminary, police sources said. The sources added that a person named Umer brought the attackers to the imambargah on a motorbike and fled after leaving them there. Inspector General Police (IGP) Sindh AD Khawaja reached Shikarpur following the incident. The IGP told Dawn that the attackers hailed from Swat but were based in Karachi and possibly had links to a seminary there which are currently being investigated. Following the incident local leaders in Shikarpur led a protest against the attack. The IGP told protesters the police would investigate the case and requested them to lift the blockade. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

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India-Pakistan

MWM, ASWJ take out rallies on M. A. Jinnah Road

2016-07-18

[DAWN] KARACHI: Protest rallies were taken out by two religious groups belonging to different schools of thought on M. A. Jinnah Road on Sunday on separate issues, which, besides sparking some tension, also created snarl-ups in the adjoining streets, officials and witnesses said. The rallies were taken out by the Majlis-e-Wahdatul Moslemeen (MWM), and the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat ...which is the false nose and plastic mustache of the murderous banned extremist group Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistain, whatcha might call the political wing of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi... (ASWJ), a banned outfit, in the areas which overlapped each other’s route on M.A. Jinnah Road. Police officials guarding them said it was a challenge for them to provide security to these two rallies. The MWM protest was against the alleged assassination'>assassination of members of the Shia community, terrorism in the country on the lam and against the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... The ASWJ protested against the Indian atrocities in India held Kashmire and recent terrorist attacks in the holy city of Madina. The MWM took out its rally in which a large number of women and kiddies participated from Imambargah ...since Pakistain is very religiously correct, Shia Moslems can't call their houses of worship 'mosques,' which are reserved for Sunnis. It's not clear if imambargahs are used for explosives storage like mosques are... Shah Khorasan to Imambargah Ali Raza. The route of the ASWJ rally was from Gurumandir to Taj Complex. The administration had put up barricades in various streets connecting M. A. Jinnah Road to the rest of the city, which, eventually created a worst traffic jam and posed hardships to road users who, otherwise, were expecting smooth flow of traffic as it happens on Sundays.

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India-Pakistan

10-kg bomb defused outside imambargah in Muzzaffargarh

2015-11-09

[DAWN] MUZAFFARGARH: A bomb weighing about 10 kilograms was found outside an imambargah on Sunday morning and defused by the Bomb Disposal Squad in Alipur Tehsil of Punjab's Muzaffargarh district. A majlis for women was taking place at the Markazi Imambargah ...since Pakistain is very religiously correct, Shia Moslems can't call their houses of worship 'mosques,' which are reserved for Sunnis. It's not clear if imambargahs are used for explosives storage like mosques are... Hussainia since Saturday evening, which ended pre-maturely after the discovery of the explosives conclealed in a milk drum placed outside the place of worship. The Majlis was scheduled to end around noon today. The bomb disposal squad and additional contingents of police arrived at the site. The explosives were defused by the BDS personnel on the spot. Fear and panic gripped the area as the incident. Area residents questioned as to how the explosives had managed to reach near the imambargah, which has a heavy security cordon around it and is situated in an area which has been declared as 'sensitive' several times during the past. District Poilice Officer Muzaffargarh Owais Malik reached the spot and ordered a search operation in the surrounding areas. No one grabbed credit for the terror bid.

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India-Pakistan

Cleric dodges bullet 2nd time in Rawalpindi

2015-10-30

RAWALPINDI: The khateeb of an imambargah and his security guard were shot and injured in the Sadiqabad locality of the city on Thursday. This was the second targeted attack on Maulana Nazeer Hussain Imrani, 51, the khateeb of Imambargah Qasr-i-Sajjad, in which he sustained injuries. On January 8, 2014, he also escaped an attack by unidentified gunmen while going to a private school, where he also teaches. Mr Imrani in his statement recorded with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) said he was going to the school on a motorcycle on Thursday when two motorcycle riders attacked him close to the entrance of the school. Mr Imrani’s security guard, Mohammad Bilal, who was not carrying a weapon, ran to save himself from the attackers. However, one of the gunmen chased and shot him. Upon hearing the gunshots, people from the nearby areas reached the spot and took the injured to Benazir Bhutto Hospital where they were stated to be out of danger. The CTD registered a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act and started an investigation. Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2015

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