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Posts published in March 2016

Tracing the footprints of terrorists in Punjab province since 9/11 By Sabir Shah in The News, March 29, 2016

LAHORE: Although the over-worked Pakistani Army has already initiated a targeted operation primarily against the supporters and abettors of terror outfits in Southern Punjab or the Saraiki dialect belt of the province by launching raids in Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur, Layya, Bhakkar, Rahim Yar Khan and Faisalabad etc, it would not be easy to break the militant support network or pierce through the strongholds of groups and individuals backing several militant outfits here in these extremely backward…

All Fourth Schedule suspects to be arrested: by AMJAD MAHMOOD in Dawn, March 29th, 2016

LAHORE: In the wake of the Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park suicide attack, the government has decided to arrest all individuals included in the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act. The decision was taken at a meeting on law and order presided over by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif here on Monday. The prime minister expressed anger at Punjab’s security officials for ignoring an alert issued by an intelligence agency about presence in the province of four to five…

Taliban talks: by MOEED YUSUF in Dawn, March 29th, 2016

The writer is a foreign policy expert based in Washington, DC. THERE has been no fresh movement on the reconciliation process in Afghanistan. This should worry the Pakistani establishment. For once, Pakistan stuck its neck out by acknowledging the Afghan Taliban presence on its territory and promised to pressure them to come to the negotiating table. While Pakistan has reiterated that it doesn’t control the Taliban, the spiel has always acknowledged that even if we…

Govt To Consult Pakistan’s Key Allies Amid Talks Deadlock by Abdul Wali Arian in Tolo News, March 28,2016

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) announced Monday that government is thinking about consulting the U.S and China on the peace process after Islamabad failed to deliver on its promises to bring the Taliban to the peace talks tables. The much-awaited process hit a deadlock this past month after the Taliban leadership refused to attend the negotiating tables unless certain preconditions were met by the Afghan government. The U.S and China, as Pakistan’s strategic allies,…

Pak-Afghan border closed for over an hour after exchange of harsh words IBRAHIM SHINWARI in Dawn, March 29th, 2016

LANDI KOTAL: The border crossing at Torkham was closed for some time on Monday after an exchange of harsh words between border guards of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Sources said the Afghan guards had expressed displeasure over what they alleged maltreatment of Afghan nationals going to Pakistan by Frontier Corps and Khasadar personnel. They registered a verbal complaint with their Pakistani counterparts over the matter. The situation turned ugly when at one point during the verbal…

Future of China’s Wujie Media in Doubt After Letter Calling on Xi to Quit by Chun Han Wong in The Wall St Journal, Mar 29, 2016

After China unveiled grand plans for laying a modern-day Silk Road two and half years ago, domestic news outlets leaped on the bandwagon to cheer President Xi Jinping’s signature platform for economic diplomacy. Among them is Wujie Media, touted by its government backers as an authoritative platform for promoting the “Belt and Road” initiative—a plan for developing infrastructure networks to better connect China’s economy with the rest of Asia and Africa, the Middle East and…

Iranian President’s visit to Pakistan: by Javid Husain in The Nation, March 29, 2016

The writer is a retired ambassador and the president of the Lahore Council for World Affairs. Iranian President, Dr. Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Pakistan from 25-26 March is a welcome sign that the leaders of the two countries are determined to provide a boost to Pakistan-Iran cooperation in political, economic, commercial and cultural fields, improve border security, join hands in overcoming extremism and terrorism, make an effort to coordinate their Afghanistan policies, and generally strengthen…

The Iranian connection : Editorial in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2016

President Hassan Rowhani of Iran and his delegation have returned home, and both sides will consider the last two days work as time well spent. Iran is fast emerging as an important trading partner and energy supplier. Work on the much-delayed gas pipeline is far advanced on the Iranian side and needs to be put on fast-forward in Pakistan. Iran is said to be able to provide gas for Pakistan “within a few months” –…

ISI Continues To Support Taliban: NDS Chief by Mir Abed Joenda in Tolo News, March 29,2016

The acting head of the National Directorate of Security, Massoud Andarabi, on Monday said that Taliban and other insurgent groups have not achieved their goals, despite the support of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency. “ISI widely continues its support for Taliban and will continue supporting them with attacks this summer and spring in Afghanistan,” Andarabi said. “Some other regional groups are colluding with Taliban and are trying to continue their attacks in Afghanistan,” Andarabi added.…

Gen. Dostum and Ata Mohammad Noor supporters end tensions in Faryab Khaama Press Mar 27 2016, 2:22 pm

Following days of growing rift among the supporters of two prominent political figures in northern Afghanistan, the tensions have been resolved in the northern Faryab province. The supporters of Junbish-e-Milli party led by vice president General Abdul Rashid Dostum and Jamiat-e-Islami party led Ata Mohammad Noor reconciled in northern Faryab province shortly after the growing rift led to a bloody encounter last week. The supporters of the two prominent political parties reinstalled the removed pictures…

ANA Recaptures Helmand’s Khanshin District Amid Heavy Fighting by Abdul Wali Arian in Tolo News, March 27, 2016 at 18.34hrs

Backed by US air strikes, embattled Afghan security forces have taken over Khanshin, a volatile district in the southern province of Helmand which collapsed to Taliban insurgents two weeks ago. Security officials on the battlefield have reported that the insurgent group sustained a massive casualty toll. “The operations are continuing, sufficient forces deployed there including the air force and the commando forces, Taliban are still showing some slight resistance,” Helmand police chief Abdul Rahman Sarjang…