Heavily-armed militants wearing suicide vests stormed a police academy in Quetta, killing at least 60 people and wounding dozens more, Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti said Tuesday, in one of the deadliest militant attacks this year.

Three gunmen burst into the sprawling academy, targeting sleeping quarters home to some 700 recruits, and sent terrified young men aged between 15 and 25 fleeing.

Communication intercepts showed the attack was carried out by Al-Alimi faction of the Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ) militant group, IG Frontier Corps (FC) Major General Sher Afgan said.

Separately, the militant Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the group's Amaq news agency.

Most of the deaths were caused when two of the attackers blew themselves up. The third was shot dead by Frontier Corps (FC) troops. At least 117 people were injured.

“I saw three men carrying Kalashnikovs… they were in camouflage and their faces were hidden,” one cadet told reporters. “They started firing and entered the dormitory but I managed to escape by climbing over a wall.”

Bugti confirmed to reporters that there had been three attackers.

“They first targeted the watch tower sentry, and after exchanging fire, killed him and were able to enter the academy grounds,” he said.

"We have taken one of the suicide bombers' bodies into custody," Bugti told DawnNews.

The attack on the Balochistan Police College, around 20 kilometres east of Quetta, began at around 11:10pm Monday, with gunfire continuing to ring out at the site for several hours.

Major General Sher Afgan, chief of the paramilitary FC in Balochistan, which led the counter-operation, said “the attack was over in around three hours after we arrived”.

"The operation needed to be conducted with precision therefore it took us four hours to clear the area completely."

“There were three terrorists and all of them were wearing suicide vests,” he said. “Two suicide attackers blew themselves up, which resulted in casualties, while the third one was shot dead by our troops.”

He added that the militants had been communicating with their handlers in Afghanistan.

Afgan said communication intercepts showed the attackers belonged to LJ's Al-Alimi faction, which is affiliated with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The group itself, however, has not claimed the attack.

The area was plunged into darkness when a counter-offensive was launched, and security personnel threw up a cordon while ambulances zoomed in and out, taking the injured to hospitals. Military helicopters circled overhead.

The cadets were rescued from the college following an operation carried out by Special Services Group (SSG) commandos.

The training college is situated on Sariab Road, which is considered to be one of the most sensitive areas of Quetta. Militants have been targeting security forces in the area for almost a decade.

The training college has come under attack in the past in 2008 and 2006, with attackers firing rockets into the college playground. It covers about an acre of land located about 13 kilometres outside the main city of Quetta.

'Darkness hindered operation'

The attackers entered the complex through the front gate after shooting the guard manning the check post.

A senior law enforcement agency's official said assailants had fired at the police training centre from five different points.

Two terrorists entered the premises after shooting at the guard manning the checkpost near the front gate, while the third reportedly climbed the rear wall of the police centre.

"Two attackers entered through the front gate," Senior Superintendent Police Operations Mohammad Iqbal had said earlier.

Iqbal said that the suicide jacket of one attacker was not detonated and his body was lying at the centre premises.

Initial investigations showed the terrorists had entered the hostel, he said. The SSP said that there had been trouble distinguishing friend from foe as it was dark at the time.

'The attackers were wearing shawls'

An eyewitness speaking to reporters after making a narrow escape said he saw three terrorists directly enter the barracks. "They started firing. We saw them and started screaming. We ran upstairs towards an exit."

He described the terrorists being covered in shawls.

The barracks and hostel blocks are situated deep inside the compound, making it hard to hear any sounds of gunshots from the building.

'Tried to break down our door'

Asif Hussain, a recruit at the academy, told DawnNews he was lying in bed and browsing Facebook on his cellphone when the attack began.

"We'd been told that if anything like this ever happens, we should hide ourselves under our charpoys and not show ourselves.

When the firing started, all of us lay down under our charpoys, turned off the lights and closed the door, he said.

"We heard a loud explosion downstairs. These people broke down the door and started shooting at them one by one.

"They tried to break down our door, but were unable to. Then they started shooting our windows in. They couldn't get in."

"Only two boys in our room were injured," he said.

Security beefed up at hospital

The injured cadets were brought to Civil Hospital. Those in critical condition were shifted to CMH Quetta.

Extraordinary security arrangements were made in and outside the Civil Hospital to prevent any untoward incident, especially in the wake of August 8 attack when a suicide attacker targeted the hospital.

An emergency was declared in all government hospitals of the provincial capital, with the injured shifted to Civil Hospital Quetta and the Bolan Medical Complex.

Injured rushed to hospital after attack

Forces rush to site of attack

Police Training College cordoned off

In August, a suicide bombing at a Quetta hospital claimed by the militant Islamic State group and the Jamaatul Ahrar killed 73 people, including many of the city's lawyer community who had gone there to mourn the fatal shooting of a colleague.

Balochistan is a key region for China's ambitious $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) infrastructure project linking its western province of Xinjiang to the Arabian Sea via Pakistan.

Security problems have mired CPEC in the past with numerous attacks, but China has said it is confident the Pakistani military is in control.

Two more ceasefire violations were reported on Tuesday shortly after Pakistan lodged a protest with India and the United Nations Military Observers group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) over the killing of two civilians in 'unprovoked' firing across the Working Boundary a day earlier.

"India resorted to unprovoked firing across the Line of Control and the Working Boundary in the Bhimber and Chaprar sectors respectively today," Inter-Services Public Relations said on Tuesday.

"Till the filing of this report, the exchange of fire was ongoing," the statement said, adding that Pakistani troops responded 'befittingly' to Indian firing.

The director general (South Asia and Saarc), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh on Tuesday and lodged a strong protest against earlier ceasefire violations along the Working Boundary by Indian border forces, Foreign Office said.

"A strong protest was lodged against the unprovoked ceasefire violations on 23-24 October 2016 by the Indian occupation forces at the Working Boundary in the Phuklian and Chaprar Sectors," an FO statement said.

An infant and an elderly man were killed and seven people were injured in heavy mortar shelling by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) in villages along the Sialkot Working Boundary on Monday.

The attack came in the dead of night when residents of villages in Bajwat, Chaprar, Harpal, Sucheet­garh, Merajkey and Charwah sectors were asleep, senior officials of the Punjab Rangers said.

India was asked to investigate the incident and share the findings with Pakistan, and to instruct its troops to respect the ceasefire agreement in letter and spirit, refrain from intentionally targeting the villages and maintain peace along the Working Boundary.

A strong protest was also lodged with the UNMOGIP "regarding unprovoked firing by Indians across the Working Boundary," Inter-Services Public Relations said.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria last week alleged that India has committed more than 90 ceasefire violations in 2016.

"During the 2014 provincial assembly elections, India violated ceasefire agreement more than 200 times," Zakaria said.

He claimed that Pakistan has "never violated the ceasefire agreement."

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday denied that the party had invited the Difa-i-Pakistan Council (DPC) to participate in the PTI's planned siege of Islamabad on Nov 2.

"DPC has its own ideology, they are holding their programme on Oct 28. We can not stop them but we did not invite them. We did not invite DPC or Shuhada Counil."

We condemn the government for spreading propaganda against us, he said, adding, "PTI’s record is before you, we do not do politics of violence."

"We never invited any militant organisation ever. We are against extremism."

We are inviting people, students, farmers, labourers and all those who are against tyranny and injustice, no matter with which party they belong to, he added.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Raheel Sharif on Tuesday reached Quetta a morning after terrorists stormed a police training college in the provincial capital in one of the deadliest militants attacks this year, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

Three heavily-armed militants wearing suicide vests stormed a police academy in Quetta, killing at least 59 people and wounding dozens more. At least 120 people were injured, Dawnnews earlier reported.

Most of the deaths were caused when two of the attackers blew themselves up. The third was shot by Frontier Corps troops.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri announced a three-day mourning period in the province to mourn those who lost their lives in the attack.

The army chief visited the police training academy where he reviewed the security situation and was briefed on the attack by officials.

Gen Raheel met police officials and army and Frontier Corps troops who carried out the operation last night to clear the area and eliminate the attackers.

The COAS appreciated the morale, courage and determination of security forces personnel.

Gen Raheel is expected to visit a hospital to see those who were injured in the attack, sources said.

The COAS is accompanied by the Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Rizwan Akhtar and the Director General Military Intelligence Major General Nadeem Zaki Manj, ISPR said.

Gen Raheel is also expected to chair a high-level security meeting during his visit where he will be briefed on the security situation in Quetta, sources told DawnNews, adding that the corps commander south, the DG ISI and the DG MI will also be in attendance.

PM Nawaz to visit Quetta

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will arrive in Quetta after postponing all engagements in Islamabad, Radio Pakistan reported.

The premier is expected to chair a high-level meeting to discuss the law and order situation.

He will also visit the injured in the hospital.

'Enemy weakened, not finished'

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar addressing a passing out parade said, "The enemy has been weakened but is not finished."

He said terrorists are operating from across the border, adding that the remaining elements will be defeated at all costs, Radio Pakistan reported.

Nisar emphasised a need for greater coordination amongst law enforcement agencies to foil the designs of enemies.

Inspector General Police Sindh Ghulam Hyder Jamali ordered an increase in secuirty duties across Karachi after the attack in Quetta.

Condemnations pour in

Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid strongly condemned the terrorist attack at the police academy.

“Perpetrators of this act are enemies of peace, development and progress,” he said.

He added that the government would not rest until the elimination of the last terrorist from Pakistani soil.

He expressed his sympathies for the families of those killed and prayed for the early recovery of the injured.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah condemned the attack in Quetta, saying "terrorism is a common threat for the stability of the region and world," Tolonews reported

The United States also condemned the terror attack. State Department Spokesman John Kirby said that the US would continue to work with "our partners in Pakistan and across the region" to combat the threat of terrorism.

Additional reporting by Imtiaz Ali in Karachi.

In a significant development on Monday, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri accepted Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) request to take part in their November 2 'lockdown' of Islamabad.

Imran Khan, who spoke with Qadri via telephone, welcomed the PAT chief’s decision to join the anti-government march planned for November 2, DawnNews reported.

Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed, who was tasked to convince Qadri over the matter, also confirmed the development.

“I have categorically accepted Imran Khan’s invite to take part in the sit-in,” Qadri was quoted as saying by DawnNews.

The workers of both the parties are fighting for the same cause, he added.

"I have informed Khurram Nawaz Gandapur about my decision, now the party representatives will meet and discuss the future plan of action," said Qadri.

PTI has already asked all democratic forces to join the movement for strengthening democracy and getting rid of the current government.

Earlier in September, Qadri's PAT had distanced itself from the PTI's Raiwind march.

The PAT had announced to part ways from "the PTI’s Raiwind march as it might lead to siege of the private residence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif".

At that time Qadri had supported the stance of the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid which had opposed staging a sit-in outside the Jati Umra residence of the premier.

PTI, PML-N back-and-forth

Last week, PM Nawaz heavily criticised the PTI, saying the party's leaders are only found on containers.

"Forget about Pakistan, the PTI will have washed their hands of KP by 2018," he said, adding that the province would be ruled by the PML-N after the next general election.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif also thundered at the PTI, terming the party "enemies of progress".

He vowed that the PTI's "filthy designs" will be unsuccessful.

The apex court is to hear petitions on Panamagate on Nov 1. The hearing had earlier been adjourned for two weeks, but the Supreme Court changed the date on Friday, set off a debate on the significance of the hearing a day ahead of the planned siege of the city.

PTI's plan B

The PTI has also prepared a strategy to tackle the sit-in and any possible crackdown against the party.

PTI workers will gather at Faizabad and march towards Zero Point under Mr Khan’s leadership. “Blocking Zero Point will render Kashmir Highway, I.J. Principal Road, Murree Road and Islamabad Expressway closed and the federal capital will be in lockdown,” a senior official told Dawn.

“Party leaders are of the view that the government will close the roads themselves, helping the party’s plan to besiege Islamabad,” he said.

If PTI workers are arrested ahead of the lockdown of the capital city, the party plans to lay siege to the police station where they will be held.

PTI leadership has also directed party workers to avoid arrest and "if anyone arrested, then more than 200 workers will immediately reach that police station."

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday denied that the party had invited the Difa-i-Pakistan Council (DPC) to participate in the PTI's planned siege of Islamabad on Nov 2.

"DPC has its own ideology, they are holding their programme on Oct 28. We can not stop them but we did not invite them. We did not invite DPC or Shuhada Foundation."

Explore: Lal Masjid ready to join anti-govt move

The government has been creating the impression that PTI has been inviting militant organisations to participate in Nov 2 lockdown, Qureshi alleged, adding, that "this is governmental propaganda…We are against extremism."

"We never invited any militant organisation ever," he claimed.

Read more: PML-N accuses Imran of patronising ‘banned groups’

We are inviting people, students, farmers, labourers and all those who are against tyranny and injustice, no matter with which party they belong to, he said.

PTI has planned siege of Islamabad on Nov 2, where the party has threatened to "lock down" the capital. The PTI has vowed not to let the government function if the prime minister does not give himself up for accountability for the revelations made about his family's off-shore wealth in the Panama Papers.

In an unexpected development on Monday, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri accepted PTI's request to join the planned showdown.

'Accidental coordination?'

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday raised questions about the timing of the Quetta and Peshawar attacks, cross-border firing, and the planned 'lockdown' of Islamabad.

"India attacks Line of Control and Working Boundary, Quetta and Peshawar attacked from Afghanistan, Imran Khan preparing to attack Islamabad. Accidental coordination?"

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, responded to Asif's tweet saying it is "shameful to play politics now".

"Delete your tweet. Delete your account. Delete your ministry. Delete your government. Shameful to play politics now! Ignore clowns. Do your job," the PPP leader said.

'Army not backing PTI'

The PML-N on Monday dismissed the possibility of the army backing the PTI, saying the party was "fooling the nation" into believing the army was with them.

The PTI chief earlier, termed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif "the biggest security threat" in the country, claiming the premier was isolating the army. Imran also said the PM would be responsible if democracy was derailed and a "third power stepped in" as a result of the Islamabad 'lockdown', but quickly denied the party was trying to "bring in" such a power.

The PML-N, in an apparent response to the PTI's statements on Tuesday, said that the army had no role in the Islamabad sit-in.

"Imran Khan and Sheikh Rashid are fooling the nation into believing that the army is with the PTI and will make their agitation a success," said PML-N MNA Tallal Chaudhry.

Imran Khan had also given a similar, false impression during the 2014 sit-in when he implied that a "third force" was backing his party. "But if that was true, it would have come to the fore," the PML-N MNA said.

Read more: Army not backing Imran: PML-N

Panama Papers and Bahama Leaks are a matter of honesty, transparency and accountability, top International Monetary Fund (IMF) boss Christine Lagarde said Tuesday.

On the final day of her maiden two-day visit to Pakistan, the IMF chief in her concluding press conference alongside Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad said accountability and transparency was the right course forward.

“And that is the best way to go forward whether it is Panama or Bahama or whatsoever,” she said in response to a question regarding involvement of Pakistani leaders in Panama Papers scandal.

She said technological progress and access to information will make it impossible to run and hide with corruption.

In his reply to a question about the Panama Papers, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said there is no justification of the political agitation regarding the case. He said the issue is lying in court and the hearing of the case in this regard will be held on Nov 1.

He said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) sit-in in Islamabad on Nov 2 will cause inconvenience to the people and affect business and economy.

'Pakistan’s moment of opportunity'

In her opening remarks, she congratulated Pakistan on having successfully completed its IMF-supported economic reform programme.

"Improved macroeconomic stability as well as strengthened external buffers and public finances will provide a solid foundation for the economy."

As a result of the programme, she said, many tax exemptions have been removed, and higher tax revenue has allowed for greater public investment and social spending.

"About 1.5 million more poor households are benefiting from targeted social assistance than three years ago. Power outages have gradually decreased and the financial performance of the power sector is strengthening."

She said it is Pakistan's "moment of opportunity" to address its remaining economic challenges and work towards creating more private sector jobs and higher living standards for all segments of society.

She said she has emphasised in her discussions with Pakistani leaders the need to continue strengthening resilience by building fiscal and external cushions to be adequately prepared for future economic shocks.

"Achieving higher and more sustainable growth will also require completing important structural reforms in the energy sector, and tax policy and administration; ending losses in public enterprises; and making a sustained effort to improve governance and foster a dynamic and export-oriented private sector."

Increased focus on improving health, education and closing the gender gap and providing social protection can "ensure that gains in living standards are widely shared", she added.

“Pakistan’s economic transformation cannot happen without the country’s youth — who comprise about 60 per cent of the population — and women, of whom only one in four participate in the labour force."

Reiterating IMF’s support for the country, she said Pakistan's partnership with the bank will continue despite completion of the IMF-supported programme through the ongoing close policy dialogue and capacity building engagement.

Lagarde thanked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, State Bank Governor Ashraf Wathra, and other senior government officials "for their productive exchange of views and their warm hospitality during my visit to Islamabad".

She also expressed condolences to the victims of the Quetta police training college attack.

"We are deeply sorry for the families of those who lost their lives in this horrific attack."

At least four people were killed on Tuesday in a firing incident at a bus stand in Mastung district of Balochistan, said police officials.

"The incident happened when unknown gunmen opened fire on a vehicle. Four people were killed and one was injured in the firing incident in Mastung," said a police official.

"All deceased people belonged to Bangalzai tribe and initial investigations suggest that they were killed over some tribal rivalry," the official added.

Deceased and injured were moved to Civil Hospital Mastung and First Investigation Report has been filed in Mastung City Police Station.

The killings came hours after three suicide bombers stormed a police training college in Quetta, killing at least 60 and injuring over 100.

The attack was claimed by the militant Islamic State group (Daesh). The prime minister, the military high command and the opposition politicians are visiting the provincial capital following the deadly attack on police college.

Three suspected terrorists were killed on Tuesday after an exchange of fire with Rangers in Ittehad Town area of the metropolis, while two Rangers personnel also sustained injuries in the action.

The alleged encounter took place when Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, conducted an intelligence-driven action at the suspected hideouts of the terrorists of banned outfit in Ittehad Town, said a statement issued by the paramilitary force.

"Terrorists resorted to firing and tried to escape. During the exchange of fire three terrorists were killed, while two Rangers personnel were injured," read the statement.

"The area police were called in, and the recovered weapons and ammunition were handed over to them," it added.

The alleged encounter happened when a search operation was being carried out in the area.

A massive fire caused by an oil tanker accident in Gulrez area of Rawalpindi damaged several buildings in the vicinity and resulted in huge loss of property. Rescue forces have so far evacuated 27 people from the affected buildings, but casualties are feared.

The blaze severely damaged a private bank, a restaurant, six vehicles, shops and the building which also housed residential flats.

The fire escalated to the adjacent building and caused huge damage to that building as well.

No loss of life has been reported as yet, however many people working and living in the building are still missing, the local residents said.

The fire broke when an oil tanker met an accident near the Gulraiz chowk area and immediately caught fire. The blaze escalated quickly and engulfed a nearby plaza because of constant oil spill from the tanker.

Officials revealed that the oil tanker was illegally passing through the said area to evade paying tax at the toll plaza.

More than 15 fire tenders of the Rescue 1122 and four of Bahria Town took part in the firefighting operation.

So far the rescue teams have rescued more some 27 people who were stranded in the building due to fire.

Rescue 1122 official Deeba Shahnaz said: "Twenty seven people were rescued from the fire effected building, of which four unconscious people who were effected by the fire smoke were shifted to the nearest hospital".

Rescue operation was underway till the filing of this report and military had also been called to take part in the fire fighting operation.

Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday announced gallantry awards for Captain Roohullah and Naib Subedar Muhammad Ali who participated in an operation against the attackers of the Quetta police training academy Monday night, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

Captain Roohullah was awarded the Tamgha-i-Jurat, whereas Naib Subedar Muhammad Ali was awarded the Tamgha-i-Basalat, ISPR said.

An ISPR statement said the two men neutralised one suicide bomber and cornered another, helping a large number of police recruits escape before he exploded his suicide vest.

Capt Roohullah died in the attack, whereas Naib Subedar Muhammad Ali sustained injuries and was admitted to Quetta's Civil Hospital.

Three heavily-armed militants wearing suicide vests stormed a police academy in Quetta, killing at least 59 people and wounding dozens more. At least 120 people were injured, Dawnnews earlier reported.

Most of the deaths were caused when two of the attackers blew themselves up. The third was shot by Frontier Corps troops.

KARACHI: The Sindh government on Tuesday decided to register all immigrants living in the metropolis, including slum areas, and on its outskirts to have their complete database, and constituted 15 teams to launch this exercise.

The home department would design a proforma to collect data of each and every immigrant, legal or illegal, about “who is who and where he lives and what he does”, it was decided at a special meeting held at CM House. Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, who presided over the meeting, also directed the law enforcement agencies to crack down on drug dealers and the seminaries which had strong links with terrorists or banned outfits. He asked the IGP and the Rangers DG to strengthen their checkpoints at Hub to keep a check on the movement of terrorists and set up a working group to coordinate with the Balochistan government in this regard on a regular basis.

CM asks law enforcers to present progress reports on key decisions in provincial apex committee meeting

The directives were part of the policy decisions taken at the meeting after the chief minister had been briefed about the ongoing targeted operation, credible information about the terror links of 93 seminaries, and clues given by some recently held high-profile terrorists regarding their accomplices in the city and their plans.

The meeting was attended by the provincial heads of intelligence and law enforcement agencies besides chief secretary Siddique Memon, home secretary Shakeel Ahmed Mangnejo, adviser to the chief minister on law Murtaza Wahab and information adviser Maula Bux Chandio.

Before any deliberations, they condemned the terror attack on the police training centre in Quetta, offered Fateha for those killed in the incident, and expressed solidarity with the people of Balochistan.

Reviewing the law and order situation in Sindh in general and Karachi in particular, the chief minister termed the overall situation satisfactory because of the wonderful job done by the law enforcement agencies. “I appreciate all of you for your efficient work,” he said while addressing the chiefs of the agencies. However, he highlighted the need to improve their watch and ward.

Earlier, the heads of law enforcement agencies briefed the participant in the meeting on security matters. They were informed that illegal immigrants living in the city, on its outskirts or those in slum areas were either directly involved in terrorist activities or harbouring and supporting terrorists.

The meeting was further informed that around 93 madressahs (seminaries) had solid links with terrorists or banned outfits. The intelligence agencies had gathered credible information about activities at these places. The chief minister directed the Rangers and police to start an operation against them. “We will not allow anybody to shed blood of innocent people in the name of religion or using sacred places,” he said.

The chief minister was also given a report on the operation launched to bulldoze the offices of parties or groups built on government land and gave his approval to extend the operation of bulldozing illegal constructions on government land near markets, parks and seminaries next month.

Mr Shah said that he would call an apex committee meeting shortly to discuss law and order issues. By the time, he added, the law enforcement agencies should start the registration process and other operations as decided in the meeting and present their progress reports in the apex committee meeting.

Published in Dawn October 26th, 2016

HYDERABAD: Adviser to the Chief Minister on Labour Senator Saeed Ghani has said that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has the right to raise its voice over issues but the lockdown of Islamabad it has planned is somewhat not a matter of right.

Speaking to the media at the residence of Pakistan Peoples Party leader Dr Irfan Gul Magsi here on Tuesday, Senator Ghani said that if PTI chief Imran Khan failed to achieve his objective even after the Islamabad lockdown, this [failure] would ultimately weaken the opposition and strengthen the prime minister and his government.

Mr Khan had already caused a dent to the unity of the opposition, he observed, and cautioned him that if legislation on issues like the Panama Papers leak was done, Mr Khan would have no justification for his protest movement.

Mr Ghani, however, also made it clear that it was now up to PM Nawaz Sharif as to how would he save his family facing corruption charges and curb terrorism in the country.

The senator was of the view that it was not a big deal for the government to stop the PTI protest in Islamabad.

Regarding allegations of bloodshed in Karachi and other parts of Sindh in the past, Senator Ghani said everyone know as to who committed massacres in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur and who inducted terrorists in various departments. If the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan was in possession of evidence or proofs [to help expose them], it must produce them in court or bring them before the media, he said in reply to a question about the allegations levelled by the MQM-Pakistan against some PPP ministers and leaders. “Such allegations are a big joke,” he said.

He stressed need for unity of all political parties against terrorism. He strongly condemned the gory incident of Quetta and said that the witnessed two such acts of terrorism in recent months.

He said that the National Action Plan must be implemented but the [federal] government seemed to have some other priorities.

Published in Dawn October 26th, 2016

KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will not support any change in the country through unconstitutional means because any change through conspiracies will not be in the interest of democracy.

Speaking at a press conference in a Sindh Assembly committee room on Tuesday, Sindh PPP president Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said there was no threat to democracy in the country.

In reply to questions about the Nov 2 lockdown of Islam­abad planned by the Pakis­tan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Mr Khuhro said it would not be an appropriate act.

He said that if [PTI chief] Imran Khan was waiting for the Article 58-2 (b) of the Constitution to be used in a situation feared to be created that day, he was wrong as the provision had been done away with.

In reply to another question, he said the PPP chairman had presented four demands to the federal government which included accountability of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on his own offer.

If the PPP demands were not met by Dec 27, the government would find itself in a fix, he warned.

He said the future of those parties was bleak whose leaders could not do any thing except for using inappropriate words for other politicians.

Answering another question, Mr Khuhro termed the latest terrorist attack in Quetta a conspiracy to fail the operation Zarb-i-Azb and National Action Plan.

Some people within the country were carrying out such attacks in collaboration with foreign forces, he said.

If there were any foreign elements involved in the attacks, they should understand that the people of Pakistan were united and prepared to meet all such challenges, he said.

He said whatever the enemies would do to destroy peace in Pakistan would not work and they [enemies] were destined for a defeat. He said the terrorist attack in Quetta was an act which must be condemned in strongest words.

Adviser to the CM on Information Maula Bux Chandio told reporters that the PTI would become another Q-League if it looked to the umpire’s finger. If any unconstitutional change occurred and democracy was derailed, the PTI would be equally responsible, he added.

At the press conference, Punjabi-Pakhtun Ittehad (PPI) chairman Mazhar Sheerazi along with his party colleagues announced their joining of the PPP.

Welcoming them to the PPP fold, Mr Khuhro said that his party’s doors were open to everyone, including those belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

Published in Dawn October 26th, 2016

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a Chinese company’s request for participating in the tendering process for building the World Bank-funded 4,320MW Dasu hydropower project on the Indus in Kohistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“For the reasons to be recorded later, the appeal is dismissed,” Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali said while dictating an order.

The apex court had taken up the appeal of Messrs Power Construction Corporation of China Limited (PCCCL) against the June 29 verdict in the intra-court appeal in the Lahore High Court, which had also rejected the petitioner’s request to suspend the operation of a disqualification from the bidding process.

State-owned company has 30 subsidiaries and has been active in industry since 1950s

Representing the PCCCL, Advocate Salman Aslam Butt argued before the court that the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) was not bound to act upon the recommendations of the World Bank because this was against the municipal laws — the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority rules.

“There can be [certain] conditions but we have to see whether such conditions are as per our Constitution and the municipal laws,” he said, adding that conditions put forth by the bank had to be seen in the context of the municipal laws.

Additional Attorney General Mohammad Waqar Rana argued that under Article 166 of the Constitution, the executive authority could extend guarantees to any institution.

In 2014, Wapda had announced its decision to undertake an electricity generation project for the first phase of which the International Development Association (IDA) — which is part of the World Bank Group — had approved a credit of $588.45 million.

In August 2014, Wapda’s project director for the scheme issued pre-qualification documents (PQD), inviting applications from interested parties for pre-qualification for the main works-I (MW-I) — including the main hydraulic structure, spillway, low-level outlets, river diversion and hydraulic steel structures — as well as MW-II, including underground power complex, tunnels and hydraulic steel structures.

But the PCCCL, through its petition, claimed that the PQD had certain ambiguities, specifically in certain provisions of the instructions given to applicants, and requested the project director for a clarification through a series of letters in Sept 2014.

On March 30 this year, the project director disposed of its inquiries and informed the company that it had been disqualified from the pre-qualification process for the MW-I and MW-II on account of directions from the World Bank.

But, according to the petition, the respondents failed to provide the precise reasons for the disqualification of the company from the pre-qualification process. Subse­quently, the company challenged its disqualification through an intra-court appeal, but the LHC rejected the plea.

In its petition, the PCCCL argued that non-interference on the part of the high court in the face of “manifest illegality” and “denial” of the petitioner’s fundamental rights to the equal protection of the law and due process enshrined under the Constitution, merely on the ground that it had no power over IDA/World Bank or jurisdiction to look into the legality of the WB guidelines, could not be sustained and was “bad in law”.

Even otherwise, the parties, through an agreement, could not override or curtail the legal and constitutional rights of a person, the petition said, adding that the provisions of due process and transparency applied equally to the IDA/World Bank.

The disqualification of the company on account of “a dictated exercise of powers” was equivalent to “an arbitrary exercise of executive authority” and, therefore, liable to be set aside on this ground alone, the petition argued.

The Chinese company said it was a state-owned enterprise with about 30 subsidiaries and had been active in the industry since the 1950s. It was responsible for more than 65 per cent of China’s hydropower projects, including the world’s biggest hydropower project — the Three Gorges Hydropower Project.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2016

PESHAWAR: Speakers at a literary function here on Tuesday declared Pashto fiction writer Zaitoon Bano a strong feminine voice saying the octogenarian depicted the plight of women in a Pakhtun society very well.

Tribute was paid to the writer for huge contributions to both Pashto and Urdu literature.

The Academy of Letters, Peshawar chapter, organised the event to honour Zaitoon Bano here at the hall of Abasin Arts Council (AAC).

The speakers said Zaitoon Bano had always raised voice for the rights of Pakhtun women at a time when only a few could dare speak even a word for it.

They said born to enlightened parents, Bano had paved the way for the bright future of women writers and motivated a large number of them to display their talents while fighting for genuine rights.

Speakers say writer bluntly advocates women’s rights

Zaitoon Bano told participants Pakhtun women had been endowed with enormous talents and therefore, they should be given a workable space to bring out their hidden abilities.

She said women should come forward to change their condition through own strength.

Prof Abaseen Yousafzai said Zaitoon Bano, being author of several books, TV and radio plays, was a trendsetter in Pashto as she introduced a style of diction peculiar only to feminine expression.

He said the KP culture department recently brought out Zaitoon Bano’s complete works.

“Ms Bano is a symbol of bold expression in Pashto. She gave a vision of freedom of speech to all Pakhtun female writers,” he added.

Noted writer Mushtaq Shabab, who is also honorary secretary of Abasin Arts Council, Peshawar, said Zaitoon Bano being a prolific writer had rendered invaluable services to Pashto and Urdu languages.

He said Zaitoon Bano was a multifaceted personality as she had contributions to almost all literary genres.

“I have rendered a few of her Pashto short stories into Urdu and garnered great fame. The characters of Ms Bano’s stories are drawn from real life. She is bold and blunt when it comes to the rights and role of women in our society,” he said.

Regional director of PAL Said Wali Khial Momand said his organisation had published a book on the life and literary contributions of Ms Bano and would continue celebrating living legends of the soil.

He said literati like Bano were precious asset for the country.

Noted writer Samina Qadir said Zaitoon Bano risked her life even when she had launched her career as a writer.

“Ms Bano became a role model for Pakhtun women writers in KP and Fata. She had taught female writers how to express themselves in a rigid society like ours. “Ms Bano inspired woman writers to bring out their latent talent and use their pen to bring about a substantive change their plight,” she said.

Professor Dawar Khan Daud said although, Zaitoon Bano had displayed her inborn talent in more than fields yet writing short stories remained her strong forte in which she had portrayed a true picture of a Pakhtun woman.

He said not only did Ms Bano depicted women’s role but she also shed light on the character of Pakhtun man in her stories.

“Bano’s writings are a great inspiration for youngsters both male and female as she is not a chauvinist but a realist,” he said.

Other speakers, including Dr Shehla Sardar, Zubeida Zoobi, Tahir Shah, Aziz Ejaz, Professor Sattar Lowaghari, Ilyas Thalwaal and Professor Aseer Mangal, highlighted various aspects of the life and works of Zaitoon Bano.

Published in Dawn October 26th, 2016

RAHIM YAR KHAN: Police registered a case against the son of a ruling party MPA on allegations of raping a woman after kidnapping her with the help his accomplices.

Saddar Station House Officer Muhammad Iqbal told Dawn that on a complaint of the victim, first information report was registered against the MPA’s son, who had been nominated, as well as six unidentified persons under sections 365, 376 and 377 of the PPC.

The woman told this correspondent that the report had been registered after a lot of difficulty and police were reluctant to arrest the suspects because they were influential. She said some influentials in Khanpur had tried to settle the matter through pressure and money, but she succeeded in getting the case registered against the powerful and hoped to get justice soon.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2016

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNA Dr Shireen Mazari on Tuesday filed an intra court appeal (ICA) against the dismissal of her petition seeking the disqualification of Defence Minister Khwaja Asif over his remarks during a session of the National Assembly in June.

During a debate in the lower house on June 8, Mr Asif had pointed to Dr Mazari and said: “Someone make this tractor trolley keep quiet”. The minister had then asked the PTI leader to change her “masculine voice into a more feminine one”.

On October 4, Justice Athar Minallah of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had dismissed Dr Mazari’s petition for non-maintainability after hearing the arguments of her counsel, Barrister Shoaib Razzaq.

Mazari had requested the court to direct the National Assembly speaker to initiate disciplinary action and refer the matter to the Election Commission of Pakistan in order to disqualify the minister.

The law ministry, National Assembly speaker, the federal minister for parliamentary affairs and Mr Asif were cited as respondents in the ICA.

In her appeal, Dr Mazari argued that the single member bench had dismissed the petition saying that the court lacks jurisdiction to intervene into parliamentary proceedings.

The ICA contended that there were numerous accounts of such conduct being held accountable, including the removal of parliamentary immunity in Turkey in May 2016.

She also gave the example of Ukraine where it has been held that the People’s Deputies of Ukraine are immune to what they say and how they vote in parliament, except the responsibility for an insult or defamation. The appeal said that most prominently, Germany has embedded in its constitution under Article 46 (1) [indemnity and immunity], that the deputy shall not be exempt from defamatory insults.

The ICA requested the court to declare the order of the single member bench illegal and initiate proceedings against Mr Asif.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2016

ISLAMABAD: Although they have improved since 2015, the federal government’s public approval ratings remained negative on most governance indicators, according to the assessment of Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat).

Pildat found that 58pc of nationwide respondents rated the prime minister’s performance positively this year, while 41pc rated it negatively. This is a decline of 15 percentage points from the 73pc approval rating in 2015.

The public opinion poll on the quality of governance and democracy was held for the third year of the current federal and provincial governments from June 2015 to May 2016. The nationwide poll was conducted between Aug 11 and Aug 31 this year. Respondents included 3,610 citizens from rural and urban areas from 85 districts in all four provinces, using a systematic random sampling approach. Fieldwork for the report was conducted through face to face interviews in respondents’ homes.

The federal government received positive approval ratings on 10 out of 27 government indicators, compared to the 2015 poll, in which respondents rated six out of 25 indicators positively.

Its highest approval rating, 77pc, was for the governance indicator on the immunisation of children, and its lowest, 31pc, was for the management of unemployment.

In the report, governance in Punjab is rated the highest among the four provinces with a 67pc approval rating from nationwide respondents. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is second at 38pc, followed by Balochistan at 26pc and Sindh at 25pc.

When respondents were asked to evaluate the performance of their province on individual governance indicators, KP received the highest approval ratings for 18 out of 25 indicators. Punjab residents rated 15 out of 25 indicators positively, while Balochistan residents rated 12 out of 25 indicators positively and Sindh respondents rated two out of 25 indicators positively.

Quality of democracy

Even though 54pc of nationwide respondents were confident and positive about the quality of Pakistan’s democracy this year, the rating saw a four percentage point decline from 2015.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) also continued to suffer from negative public perception: only 35pc of nationwide respondents were hopeful about an improved performance by the ECP in the next general election – this was a three percentage point decline from last year – and 28pc had serious doubts about the commission and believed its performance would decline in the next elections.

Terrorism

According to 23pc of all respondents, the current biggest issue facing Pakistan is terrorism. In 2015, the biggest issue, according to 25pc of all respondents, was energy crises. Inflation and employment were seen as among the greatest issues in 2015, and continued to be seen that way in 2016. Corruption has also made its way into Pakistan’s top five issues, with 12pc of all respondents calling it the biggest problem in the country.

Least, most trusted institutions

The police have the lowest level of public trust, with only 18pc of nationwide respondents rating the institution positively – trust in police saw a 14pc decline a year. Meanwhile, the armed forces were seen as the most trusted institution, with a 76pc approval rating, compared to 75pc in 2015.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2016

RAWALPINDI: After grouping of Dr Tahirul Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) with the PTI, former railway minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Tuesday convinced the PML-Q leadership to join Imran Khan’s Islamabad ‘lockdown’ plan on November 2.

Though Dr Qadri’s presence in the Nov 2 sit-in in Islamabad is not yet confirmed, Sheikh Rashid claimed that the PAT chief would arrive in the country by November 1.

Mr Ahmed on Tuesday met PML-Q leader and former Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Elahi in Parliament House Islamabad to formally invite him to attend a public meeting at Lal Haveli on Oct 28.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmed claims PAT chief Tahirul Qadri will return by Nov 1 to join the Islamabad lockdown plan

However, a senior leader of the PML-Q told Dawn that Mr Elahi agreed to send his party workers to the Oct 28 public meeting but would not attend the event himself.

He said the party had differences over the participation in the public meeting being organised by Sheikh Rashid’s Awami Muslim League (AML).

When contacted, Sheikh Rashid told Dawn: “At the meeting in Parliament House, we discussed matters relating to Imran Khan’s Islamabad lockdown plan.”

He said Pervaiz Elahi would participate in the November 2 show along with his workers and supporters.

“We have other speakers and leaders for the public meeting,” he said when asked if Pervaiz Elahi would come to Lal Haveli on Oct 28.

He explained that the public meeting of October 28 was a warm-up session for the PTI and AML workers and supporters from NA-55 and NA-56.

“I am the elected MNA from NA-55 and Imran Khan represents NA-56 in the National Assembly and there is a need to contact the workers directly to inform them about the future plan of Imran Khan.”

He said a rally would also be held from Lal Haveli to Faizabad on Oct 28. Imran Khan would announce the future plan at the end of the rally, he added.

Sheikh Rashid claimed that Dr Qadri would return to the country before November 1 to participate in the protest sit-in.

When contacted, PML-Q leader and former Punjab law minister Raja Basharat said his party had already announced to support Imran Khan but a decision on participating in the Islamabad lockdown campaign was yet to be finalised.

“Pervaiz Elahi has called a meeting of the party leaders in Lahore on October 27 to finalise the strategy. After framing the strategy, the party will ask its workers to participate in the sit-in on November 2 or any other warm-up exercise,” he said.

He said though the PML-Q had in principle decided to participate in the sit-in on Nov 2, it would be premature to say whether workers of the party would join the public meeting on October 28.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2016