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Panic-gripped Waziristan tribesmen fleeing to Afghanistan
Pazir Gul
Published about 7 hours ago
MIRAMSHAH: Panicked by the ongoing military action in North Waziristan Agency, the tribal people have preferred to take refuge in neighbouring Afghanistan instead of shifting to settled areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
According to reports, many families have migrated to Khost and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan from different areas of the volatile tribal region.
Eid Mohammad Khan, a local tribesman, told this correspondent that many foreigners also moved to Afghanistan from Waziristan before the launch of military action. He said that the foreigners sold their belongings in the local market before the military action was started.
“Many foreigners belonging to Uzbekistan, China, Middles East and European countries who were settled in Mirali, Miramshah and the adjoining areas have shifted to border areas of Afghanistan,” Mr Khan said.
Officials say site has been selected in FR Bannu for establishing a camp for displaced people
The elders of Ahmadzai Wazir tribe and local Taliban commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur had already announced that people would migrate to Afghanistan in case security forces launched operation in the area.
“It will be better to take refuge in Afghanistan instead of living miserable life in tents in Pakistan,” said Gul Abbas Khan, a tribal elder. He also criticised the local political administration for its attitude with the tribal people. He said that political administration imposed curfew the moment helicopter gunships and jetfighters started shelling as a result civilians were caught in the conflict.
Sources said that residents of Sherkhel, Gulkhel, Gurbez and Sidgai tribes migrated to Khost province where they took shelter with their relatives. The residents of Ghulam Khan area said that 500 families had already gone to Afghanistan and more were on their way to Khost.
The displaced Mehsud families, who had shifted to North Waziristan Agency after military operation was launched against proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in South Waziristan in 2009, also moved back to their ancestral area.
TTP former chief Hakimullah Mehsud and commander Asmatullah Shaheen, who was also killed in targeted attack, were also residing in Miramshah.
Security forces launched targeted operation in the agency on Wednesday last and Panic-gripped tribesmen fleeing to Afghanistan bombed suspected positions in Mirali, Miramshah and Datakhel areas. Inter-Services Public Relations had claimed that about 80 militants were killed in air strikes.
Sources said that displaced families, mostly nomads, were shifting from Mirali to Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Dera Ismail Khan districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The displaced tribal people, who reached Bannu, were not registered because the area was not declared as conflict zone, they added.
Officials said that Fata Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) had selected site for relief camp in Bakakhel area of Frontier Region of Bannu, but it was unable to start registration of the displaced people.
“Unless the area is notified as conflict zone, the authority or any other agency can’t start formal registration of displaced people,” said an official. Sources said that tents, food and non-food items were dispatched to Bakakhel and proper site was identified for establishing a relief camp.
“Relief items and staff are on the ground in Bakakhel area and the authority is waiting for a green signal,” the official said.
Sources said that the proposed relief would accommodate around 200,000 individuals. Provincial Disaster Management Authority has also chalked out a contingency plan for expected exodus from North Waziristan Agency.
1. There are already 2 million refugees from this war still homeless in Pakistan. Now the Pakistan army is getting ready to make another 0.2 million refugees?
2. The Pakistan army has claimed it has killed certain militants and then these same militants have come out to declare they are alive.
They claim they have killed "70 militants", people from the area claim 300 civilians have been killed.
Taliban commanders disputed the deaths, claiming it was ordinary civilians that took the brunt of the strikes.
Within a short time of posting this article, I was sent a video of Commander Jangrez (well armed along with two others) refuting media propaganda of him being killed. He was previously declared dead on April 13th 2014 by Pakistan Tribune. False announcement of Taliban deaths seems to be a regular occurance so few know what to believe. Journalists attempting to establish facts are often threatened and females subjected to crude sexual insults from some pro-army supporters in an attempt to intimidate.
These journalists are presumably threatened by the sort of thugs and Pakistan-army worshippers that post on hate sites like defence.pk and forum.pakistanidefence.com.* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Comment
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Pakistan Tehreek -e-Insaf (PTI) chairman, Imran Khan who released a statement condemning attacks, continued to express his concerns to Twitter followers,
“governments callousness over fate of civilians in North Waziristan is shocking with no evacuation of civilians before aerial bombings & helicopter gunship attacks. Civilians getting killed in NWA or fleeing & becoming IDPs – from zakat givers to paupers- as present 2 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) neglected by government and in bad state”
In one video from North Waziristan, a resident says if this continues they will migrate to Afghanistan and will have nothing to do with Pakistan.
1. Pakistan has a nuclear bomb. The purpose of a nuclear bomb is to protect the people of that country (in reality it is for the corrupt Pakistan army to show off and boast in their penis-measuring competition with India).
What is the point of having a nuclear bomb if you can't stop militant violence from making 2 million Pakistanis homeless?
2. Imran Khan is one of the few voices of sanity in this crisis and has been talking about Waziristan for 10 years, even before the 2007 explosion of militancy in Pakistan (before 2007, Pakistan was seen a normal country just like Malaysia or Morocco) but he knows full well that the Nawaz Sharif government cannot be blamed for army bombing.
He has failed to tell the army publically to stop either because he is scared or he works with them. Who knows.
3. These Pakistanis of Pashtun ethnicity have threatened to disown Pakistan and migrate to Afghanistan (land of their ancestors and the motherland of Pakhtoons).
Pakistan has failed them.
Pakistan has betrayed them.* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Comment
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111 Brigade asked to protect Islamabad
Munawer Azeem
Published about 8 hours ago
ISLAMABAD: The government has asked the army to provide two companies of soldiers to assist the police in ensuring security in the capital following the initiation of action against terrorist hideouts in North Waziristan, sources in the interior ministry, the capital’s administration and police told Dawn on Saturday.
The army and rangers personnel will have police powers and will be able to take more effective action to stop terrorists while assisting the city’s law enforcement agencies with intelligence gathering and launching targeted action against militants hiding in the capital and its suburbs.
According official sources, the soldiers will be deployed at pickets and other important installations, as well as being charged with protecting the Red Zone.
The decision was taken in separate meetings, including one with Rawalpindi Corps Commander Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday. In the meeting, Inspector General Aftab Cheema and Senior Superintendent of Police Mohammad Ali Nekukara asked the corps commander to provide two companies of soldiers.
Soldiers from two companies to man checkpoints, gather intel, take action against terrorists.
A requisition asking for the deployment of two companies of the army’s 111 brigade, as well as five platoons of Rangers personnel, is expected to be issued by the deputy commissioner’s office soon.
Sources said that while the groundwork for this proposal had been completed, they were awaiting written directions from the interior ministry before proceedings with a formal request.
The troops would initially be deployed for three months, with the option to extend their stay if the administration felt it was necessary.
The military personnel would be empowered to book offenders under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) as well as for offences dealt with under the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
The personnel would be empowered to raid or arrest terror suspects or retaliate against any attacks. They are likely to be deployed at security pickets on the outer cordon of the capital, 23 No.
Chungi in Tarnol, Pir Sohawa, Murree Road and Bhara Kahu, the Sihala-Rawat junction and Islamabad Chowk at Golra.
The capital has a total of 164 entry points, 45 of which are through metalled roads. Of these, security personnel are currently deployed on 20, while the other 25 are still unsecured. There are also over 100 dirt roads and paths which are not fully secured by security personnel.
In terms of intelligence sharing, a special cell would be set up with the help of the added personnel, who will also help weed out militants that may be hiding in the city, sources said.
But Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed, who told Dawn on Thursday (May 22) that, “Such arrangements (military deployment in the capital) are part of the government’s precautionary measures,” did not stand by his statement when approached for comment on Saturday.
The information minister echoed the interior minister’s earlier statement on the subject, where he said that no such decision had been taken yet.
Farhatullah Babar of the Pakistan People’s Party called on the government to end speculation over this issue and take parliament into confidence over the question of deploying the military in the capital city.
“If these reports are true, they imply a breakdown of civil administration in the capital,” he added.
Asad Umar, the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf lawmaker from Islamabad, told Dawn that while he did not believe this was a viable long-term solution to the security problem, the army’s services could be employed to protect the city in the short run.
*The army has been called in to protect the capital of the federation itself.* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Comment
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Imran smells conspiracy to detach N Waziristan
By Dawn.com
Updated about an hour ago
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Tuesday said it appears as if a conspiracy is being hatched to detach North Waziristan from the country and vowed to bring the matter to Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif’s notice, DawnNews reported.
Briefing the media after attending a meeting of the party’s core committee here, he said that he will meet with the army chief and appeal to him to stop the military offensive in North Waziristan.
The PTI chief said he witnessed similar situation in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) during the military operation before it was detached from rest of the country in 1971.
The cricketer-turned-politician claimed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had failed in negotiating with Taliban.
Reiterating his stance on alleged rigging in the May 11 poll, Khan said the government was scared of verifying thumb impressions in four constituencies where his party pointed out alleged rigging took place.
He also alleged that Punjab government used its ‘machinery’ to rig the recently held by-poll in the province.
The PTI chairman assailed the government for recent hike in electricity prices, saying the hike during the five-year rule of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has been superseded by the prevailing government in just one year.
“It feels as if the PML-N government is not afraid of anyone,” said Khan while mentioning 14 foreign trips of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif since assuming power last year. Despite all these trips, the government has failed to bring any foreign investment in the country, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said that his province was being treated like an ‘orphan’. He complained about non-issuance of development funds by Islamabad and its noncooperation on the matters relating to power, water and wheat.
1. Imran Khan is arguably the 2nd most important politician in Pakistan (definitely the most spoken about alongside the prime minister).
When the 2nd most important politician in a country says that some might be working to make a part of that state be separated, you have to pay some attention.
2. Imran Khan was in Dhaka when the Pakistan army was about to launch a brutal crackdown in the then "east Pakistan" (Bangladesh).
He claimed he had been on the last flight out of Dhaka before the Pakistani army launched an assault on March 25, 1971.
"These ears heard people saying: 'Small and dark. Kill them. Teach them a lesson'," he said. "I heard it with my own ears."
This military action by the Pakistan army led to loss of half of the country and defeat and humiliation for Pakistan.
3. The fact that Khan has openly said he wants to speak to the army chief, whilst subtly implying the army may want Waziristan to go, shows that he is brave.
In Pakistan, the army is worshipped by many and can never be criticized in the eyes of many and those who do so are "traitors", as the recent Geo crisis has shown.
The Pakistan army/ISI are known to kill those who anger them.
4. If North Waziristan does go (which I doubt, I don't think there is any such conspiracy) it will encourage Baloch guerillas in their fight against the Pakistani military.* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Comment
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Imran slams PML-N's Lahore-centric policies
18:06 May 27, 2014 PAKISTAN
Imran slams PML-N's Lahore-centric policies
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Tuesday that sense of deprivation was rising in smaller provinces due to the PML-N’s Punjab-specific policies.
Addressing a press conference here, Khan said: “It seems as if Pakistan is limited to Punjab only.”
Karachi Circular Railway, which was to be constructed at a half price, was shifted to Lahore at a higher cost, he pointed out.
“Where is the leadership of Pakistan? What happened to the peace talks? Nobody knows anything,” he said, referring to air strikes in North Waziristan.
“The prime minister is least concerned about the state of Pakistan. He is only interested in foreign tours,” Khan lamented.
“I appeal to General Raheel Sharif to think about Pakistan while launching air raids in resource-rich Waziristan,” he said.
The PTI chief lashed out at the Punjab government for harassing youth after Faisalabad’s public meeting. PML-N knows only rigging and bullying, he stated.
He again accused the PML-N government of breaking all record of election rigging. – SAMAA
*For Imran Khan to openly mention the Pakistan army chief's name in a country where the army are revered and untouchable and you can be killed for questioning the army, shows he is a very brave man.
He is speaking out against the killing of Waziri civilians and telling the army chief to stop the operations.
If Waziristan escalates and threatens Pakistan's existence, no one can ever blame Imran Khan.* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Comment
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Air strikes: PTI chief warns of secession plot in North Waziristan
By Azam KhanPublished: May 28, 2014
The PTI chief expressed serious concerns over the collateral damage in the recent air blitz against suspected hideouts of militants in North Waziristan, and appealed to the army chief to call off the operation.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Tuesday that he could smell a conspiracy to separate North Waziristan Agency from Pakistan. “Foreign elements are also involved in this [conspiracy] because the region has huge natural gas and iron ore reserves,” Imran told a news conference at his residence in Bani Gala, on the edge of the federal capital.
The PTI chief expressed serious concerns over the collateral damage in the recent air blitz against suspected hideouts of militants in North Waziristan, and appealed to the army chief to call off the operation.
“A number of innocent children, women and non-combatants have been killed in the air raids,” he said, adding that he feared a new wave of terrorism might ensue which would affect Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the province where the PTI is in power.
“I want to convey this message to the army chief and appeal to the army to save the country from disintegration and save the army from being hated,” he said. Such military operations had led to the separation of the country’s eastern wing in 1971. “The situation in North Waziristan and Balochistan is similar today,” he added. “Look Gen Raheel, bomb has no eyes and it targets everyone,” he said.
Imran also criticised Nawaz Sharif for ‘not playing his leadership role’. “The prime minister has no time to resolve internal issues as he spends most of his time on foreign trips,” he added. “We want to ask what happened to the dialogue process.”
The PTI chief said many people from North Waziristan were migrating to Afghanistan, a situation which, he said, would prolong the conflict. “Weapons cannot restore peace,” he added.
Khattak speaks of deprivation
Speaking at the same news conference, K-P Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak said 70% industry in his province had closed down due to militancy.
K-P produces gas, hydel power and oil but the province is being denied its rightful share in funds by the federal government, which is ignoring all smaller provinces. “The federal government has yet to pay K-P Rs6 billion under net hydel profits,” he added.
In addition, he said, the decision regarding uncapping of net hydel profits – which was finalised by the technical committee of the federal government in March 2013 – was yet to be implemented. “These arrears – in excess of Rs138 billion – are owed to the K-P government.”
He said K-P was facing an annual loss of Rs15 billion as the federal government was not willing to give it excise duty on crude oil. “Provision of windfall levy of which 50% was to go to K-P has not been levied. This has caused a loss of more than Rs25 billion per annum to the province,” he said.
He said due to nonpayment of royalty on LPG as decreed by the Peshawar High Court was resulting in losses of hundreds of millions of rupees annually. “The right to foreign loans/grants from donors also has remained inoperative because the federal government has not put into place the requisite framework prescribed by the NEC nor have the provinces been given their borrowing limits.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 28th, 2014.
PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION: https://www.change.org/petitions/gov...-fata-pakistan* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Comment
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From the website above (petition for Waziristan):
yousaf khan LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM about 1 hour ago
stop Pashtons' genocide, Pashton blood is not for selling.
Humzza Khan MITCHELL, SD about 2 hours ago
Government of Pakistan ,UN
Investigation of civilian killings by Pakistan Army in North Waziristan
gohar khan ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN 18 minutes ago
Because this is insane, unjust, inhuman and entirely undemocratic to kill innocent civilians including children and women.That's why there must be an independent investigation to it, the facts have to be public besides the convicts of this brutal carnage should be punished with ultimate penalties.* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Comment
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Asef Jamal MIR ALI, PAKISTAN about 1 hour ago
To:
Government of Pakistan ,UN
Investigation of civilian killings by Pakistan Army in North Waziristan
I belong to the affected area and I know that the army is killing everyone indiscriminately.Their role is more of gangsters than a disciplined army.We want a thorough investigation of recent air strikes and shelling as well as all the attacks carried out by the army in the past in North Waziristan.So that the truth may come to surface.
Thanks
Sincerely,
Lawangeen Dawar
Nadia Bibi LAVAL, CANADA about 1 hour ago
Stop killing innocent Pashtuns
Muhammad Qahraman kakar QUETTA, PAKISTAN
this is ethnic cleansing
Zarak Khan GUELPH, CANADA about 1 hour ago
Because of indiscriminate killing of civilians
Abid Ali Shah ABBOTTāBAD, PAKISTAN about 1 hour ago
it is necessary to raise awarness what the people of FATA are going through..
khan khattak ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN about 1 hour ago
because i have searched alot about this matter and innocent people of FATA have become sandwich between pak army and talibans.
Atif Ali CALGAR, CANADA 33 minutes ago
this is important because Pakistan army is committing atrocities against Pashtuns. they are killing Pashtuns daily biases and the world needs to do something about this.* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Comment
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12 Taliban commanders hanged to death by masked men in Nuristan
By GHANIZADA - Fri Jun 06 2014, 10:21 am
Taliban hanged to death
According to local authorities in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan, at least 12 local Taliban commanders were executed by masked men who are believed to be Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militants.
The officials are saying that the masked militants have recently increased to their insurgency activities in this province and their main target is to kill the local Taliban militants.
Provincial governor, Hafiz Abdul Qayum, said the masked men hanged 12 Taliban commanders after they failed to disrupt the elections earlier in April.
A video released by Afghan security institutions shows the masked men are hanging four local Taliban commanders.
Local residents are also saying that the masked men can not speak the local Dari and Pashtu langues and communicate with people through gestures.
Nuristan is among the volatile provinces in eastern Afghanistan which shares border with the tribal region of Pakistan.
Taliban militants and other insurgent groups including Pakistani militants are actively operating in its various districts and frequently carry out insurgency activities.
1. Lashkar i Taiba are a Wahabi (Ahlul Hadith) group from Punjab, Pakistan and are a Pakistani asset.
If this report is true, Pakistan is killing Afghan Taliban fighters who failed to disrupt elections in Afghanistan.
2. If Punjabi militants are killing Afghan Pashtun Taliban then who knows what will happen, as the Afghan Taliban may then turn on Pakistan itself.
This is of major significance because the Taliban are the main instrument which Pakistan has been using to exert proxy control of Afghanistan and to destabilize it. If they lose control of the Taliban, they have far less influence in Afghanistan.* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Comment
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