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Posts published in January 2016

Security experts seek changes in organisational structure of Nacta: report in The News, Jan 31, 2016

ISLAMABAD: Some internal security experts have asked the government to ensure suitable organisational structure for National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) whereby authority would be commensurate with responsibility to fight against terrorism. After horrifying incident of Bacha Khan University and severe criticism faced by the government, at least the website of Nacta was activated and they also convened meeting of experts in a bid to operationalise Nacta under the National Action Plan (NAP) in recent days.…

NAB probe gives Gen Kayani a clean chit in DHA scam By Ansar Abbasi in The News, Jan 31, 2016

ISLAMABAD: All those arrested by NAB so far in the DHA-related scams in Rawalpindi  and Lahore have completely denied the involvement of former Army Chief General (retd) Ashfaq Pervez Kayani in the shady dealings of the DHA, including the one that allegedly involving his younger brother Kamran Kayani. Informed NAB sources told The News that the DHA officials, who are presently in the custody of the Bureau for investigation, have also confirmed that General Kayani…

Open-ended stay?: by S. MUDASSIR ALI SHAH in Dawn, January 31st, 2016

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Peshawar. TRIAL balloons from top military commanders suggest an enduring US presence in Afghanistan — a troubled mission that has failed to meet timelines or produce the desired results. It has also belied President Barack Obama’s oft-repeated pledge to bring the conflict to a responsible end. With America’s longest war getting longer, the latest indication of an open-ended commitment came from Lt-Gen John Nicholson, Obama’s pick for…

Maleeha Lodhi acted as secret messenger for former army chief Kayani Report in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2016

Pakistan’s current envoy to the UN Maleeha Lodhi apparently acted as an informal messenger between the Obama administration and former army chief Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, some emails of Hillary Clinton indicate. On Saturday, the US State Department released some 1,000 pages of emails of Hillary when she was the secretary of state and for a while used a private email account and a private server for online communication. But the entire message delivered by…

Ilamuddin and Bhagat cases hearing on 3rd: REPORT in Dawn, January 31st, 2016

LAHORE: Hearing of two identical petitions seeking reopening of cases of Ghazi Ilamuddin Shaheed and Bhagat Singh has been fixed before a division bench of the Lahore High Court. The bench comprising Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan will resume hearing of the petitions on Feb 3. Imtiaz Rasheed Qureshi of Bhagat Singh Memorial Foundation filed an application for early hearing of the petitions. In one petition, Mr Qureshi said Bhagat Singh…

Hindus hold rally after ‘kidnapped’ girl converts A.B. ARISAR in Dawn, January 31st, 2016

UMERKOT: Members of the Hindu community in Samaro town took out a rally on Saturday after police said that one of the two girls allegedly kidnapped about a week ago had actually left her home to contract a freewill marriage with a Muslim man, Nawaz Halepoto. Outraged over the police claim, men and women belonging to the Kolhi community took to the streets of Samaro and raised slogans against the local police for not taking…

Protest over threat to temple: REPORT in Dawn, January 31st, 2016

KARACHI: Protesters belonging to the Hindu community raised slogans outside the Karachi Press Club on Saturday in the hope of bringing attention to their cause of saving the Sita Mandir located at the Karachi Zoological Gardens and letting devotees worship there without fear. “We are a handful of peaceful people who have had to form the Sita Mandir Bachao Committee after being threatened with dire consequences if we carry on religious activities at our mandir,”…

At Some Restaurants in China, a Shortcut to Addictive Food: Poppies By EDWARD WONG in the NY Times, Jan 31, 2016

BEIJING — It is no secret that fans of Chinese food often find it addictive. They speak longingly of the numbing spice of Sichuan peppercorn or the sour herbs found in Yunnan cooking. At least 36 restaurants in China tried to take that addictive quality one step further, and now have found themselves on the wrong side of the law. They were investigated in the past week by the authorities for adding poppy capsules and…

U.S. Challenges China’s Claim of Islands With Maritime Operation By JANE PERLEZ in The NY Times, Jan 31, 2016

BEIJING — China on Saturday accused the United States Navy of violating its laws by sending a warship within the 12-mile territorial zone of an island it claims in the South China Sea after the Pentagon said a Navy vessel had conducted a freedom of navigation operation. The United States vessel, the missile destroyer Curtis Wilbur, entered the waters off Triton Island in the Paracel Islands chain on Saturday without giving China notice in an…

Roots of terror :By Andleeb Abbas in Daily Times, January 31, 2016

The writer is a columnist and analyst The biggest problem is not admitting that you have a problem. The reluctant admission by the head of the country that the National Action Plan (NAP) is not really what it should be is the first step towards damage prevention. During the one year of NAP’s implementation nearly every review has pointed out that there are serious gaps in implementation. The apex committee’s results, defence analysts and the…

Keeping balance: by S Sadia Kazmi in Pakistan Today, Jan 31, 2016

The writer is Senior Research Associate at the Strategic Vision Institute Islamabad and also pursuing PhD research work at the National Defence University, Islamabad. The voice of reason may call for a neutral stance to be taken by Pakistan, more preferably a role of a mediator between Iran and KSA, which the officials of Pakistan have proactively adopted and are very wisely conveying it too. But the real question is: to what extent can Pakistan…