Category Archives: National

PMA gives 24 hours ultimatum to recover kidnapped doctors

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HYDERABAD: Pakistan Medical Association Sindh has set next 24 hours as deadline to suspend activities in all government hospitals, if the authorities concerned failed in safe recovery of kidnapped surgeons Dr. Aftab Qureshi and Dr. Faisal Iftikhar.

Addressing a news conference at Hyderabad Press Club on Monday, the Secretary PMA Sindh, Dr. Hadi Bux Jatoi, announced the holding of general body of the association to prepare further strategy to force the government for the protection of the lives of doctors.

Condemning the kidnapping of Surgeon Aftab Qureshi on his way between Karachi and Hyderabad and Dr. Faisal Iftikhar from Gulshan-e-Hadeed Karachi on Sunday evening, Dr. Hadi Bux Jatoi said that earlier armed dacoits committed dacoities in the houses of Professor Dr. Fasih Hashmi, Dr. Irshad Shah and Dr. Zahid Shaikh but no action was initiated for the arrest of culprits.

The target killing and kidnapping of doctors are on the rise, but the authorities concerned have failed to provide protection to the doctors community, he said and added that increasing incidents of killing and kidnapping has created unrest among the doctors.

He demanded the safe recovery of Surgeon Aftab Qureshi and Dr. Faisal Iftikhar within 24 hours otherwise, he warned that after the passage of time, the doctors will not discharge their responsibilities in all government hospitals of the province.

Among others, Prof. Dr. Beekha Ram, Dr. M.H. Gulzar, Dr. Waseem Shaikh, Dr. Iqbal Haroon, Dr. Attaullah Memon, Dr. Mir Muhammad Shaikh and Prof. Dr. Abdul Razzaq Shaikh were also present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, the all private clinics in Saddar Street and other parts of Hyderabad remained closed as mark of protest on the kidnappings.

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High-level meeting ponders US, NATO ties

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Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is also attending the meeting.

It has been learnt that Pakistan’s estranged relations with US and NATO are on the top agenda of the meeting.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani are co-chairing the meeting.

The meeting is reviewing Pakistan s relations with the United States and NATO in the light of Parliament s recommendations.  The meeting is also discussing the regional security situation.

Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is also attending the meeting.

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Blast at Mal Mandi leaves 9 injured

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PESHAWAR: At least nine people were injured including a minor when bomb exploded on Ring Road near Mal Mandi, SP Ruler Shafi Ullah said here on Sunday.

He said the attack apparently targeted a police check post situated nearby and the outer wall of the check post with a vehicle parked was also damaged.

SP Shafi Ullah said that soon after the blasts the officials of law enforcement agencies, workers of rescue 1122 and Edhi ambulances rushed to the spot by starting the relief activities and shifted the injured to Lady Ready Hospitals for medical treatment.

SP Shafi Ullah also confirmed that 5 kg of explosive material was used by the miscreants. The officials of the law enforcing agencies have cordoned off the area and a search operation was started to arrest those involved in sabotage activities.

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Wave of violence kills 2 in Karachi

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KARACHI: At least two men were killed and two people injured when some unidentified armed men on Sunday opened fire on a car in Dohraji area of the city.

News reported that the assailants attacked the car near famous Rangoon Wala Hall, resultantly an administrator of a Madrasa (religious school) Maulana Aslam Sheikhupuri and three others were injured.

Rescue teams rushed at the spot and shifted the injured to the Jinnah Hospital where two the injured were pronounced dead.

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May 12 tragedy: Lawyers observe ‘Black Day’

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Lawyers will observe Black Day today as mark of protest against killing of lawyers in 2007.

Lawyers in Rawalpindi and Islamabad will observe Black Day today on the call of Supreme Court Bar Association, Lahore High Court Bar Association, Punjab Bar Council and other lawyers’ organizations as a mark of protest and condemnation against the killing of lawyers and other citizens in Karachi on the same day in 2007 during the lawyers’ movement for restoration of judiciary.

The lawyers will boycott courts and wear black arm bands while black flags will be hoisted at all bar rooms.

People’s Lawyers Forum Rawalpindi president has demanded of the Chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to take suo motu notice of the incident.

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PM Gilani cancels visit to Birmingham

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The Prime Minister has been forced to cancel a visit to rally in Birmingham over security fears.

Yousaf Raza Gilani planned to address thousands of supporters at the International Convention Centre on Saturday, BirminghamMail reported.

The “community meeting” was suddenly scrapped for fears of a “serious security breach by protesters,” according to a Pakistani official who helped organise the PM’s UK visit.

The unnamed official said: “It was left to the High Commission of Pakistan in London to make the necessary security arrangements but it was decided the rally had too many risks attached to it.

“Any boisterous situation could develop which could be a public relations disaster for the prime minister who is already under a lot of pressure.”

News of the cancellation came after Pakistan’s Supreme Court convicted Mr Gilani of contempt for failing to instigate an investigation into allegations of corruption by country’s president Asif Zardari.

The ruling could see Gilani forced to stand down and be disqualified from being a Member of Parliament for five years.
In a 2010 rally at the ICC in Birmingham President Zardari was attacked with a shoe by a protester from Coventry who later received a police caution.

Birmingham-based opponents of Pakistan People’s Party said they had been planning mass demonstrations outside the ICC today but were not aware of any threats to his safety.

Mohammed Nazam, of the Kashmir Independence Alliance, said: “The truth is that it is too embarrassing for Gilani to appear in Birmingham after he has been so publicly humiliated by the Supreme Court.

“His President had a shoe thrown at him when he last visited Birmingham and I guess Gilani fears he will get an equally cold reception.”

Mr Gilani arrived in the UK on Tuesday and attended the state opening of Parliament in London before meeting David Cameron.

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Lahore: Robbers loot 10kg gold from jeweler’s shop

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Iqbal Town traders protest against police for not controlling robbery incidents

Robbers looted 10 kilograms of gold from a jeweller’s shop in Iqbal Town and fled from the spot.

At least seven armed robbers entered a jeweller’s shop in Karim Block market of Allama Iqba Town and made all the people hostages on gun point.

The dacoits looted gold worth millions of rupees and fled from the scene after injuring a man on resistance. The traders closed the market and protested against the incident.

According to the protesters police were present in the market at the time of robbery but they ran away from the spot as the robbers started firing. The traders shouted slogans against the police department and pelted stones at the policemen.

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Peshawar: DSP vehicle targeted, one injured

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PESHAWAR: The bomb blast target the vehicle of DSP Faqirabad near GT road, Peshawar earlier on Friday injured a passerby and damaged other three cars.

The van of DSP was targeted during the routine patrolling, Aaj news reported.

According to sources, more than a kilogram remote-controlled bomb was planted near a manhole that exploded in Chughal Pura area of Peshawar. DSP Faqirabad Banaras Khan was the target of the blast, however, he remained safe, police told.

Security forces cordoned off the area after the incident and investigations underway.

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Pakistan tests Hatf III ballistic missile

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Armed Forces are fully capable of safeguarding Pakistan’s security against aggression, CJCSC said.

Pakistan today conducted a successful training launch of Short Range Ballistic Missile Hatf III (Ghaznavi), which can carry nuclear and conventional warheads to a range of 290 kilometers, a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

The launch was conducted at the conclusion of the annual field training exercise of Army Strategic Force Command. The exercise was aimed at testing the operational readiness of a Strategic Missile Group.

The field exercise of the ASFC was witnessed by the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Khalid Shameem Wynne, Director General Strategic Plans Division Lieutenant General Khalid Ahmed Kidwai (R), Commander Army Strategic Force Command Lieutenant General Tariq Nadeem Gilani, Commander Karachi Corps Lieutenant General Muhammad Ijaz Chaudhry, Chairman NESCOM Mr Muhammad Irfan Burney, and other senior military officials and scientists.

Addressing the troops in the exercise area, the CJCSC commended the troops on displaying a high standard of proficiency in handling and operating the state of the art weapon system.

He said that the nation had developed a strong nuclear deterrence capability and expected that the officers and men entrusted with the task of deterring aggression would continue to train hard and maintain professional excellence. He said that Pakistan’s Armed Forces were fully capable of safeguarding Pakistan’s security against aggression.

The successful test has also been warmly appreciated by the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan, who have congratulated the participating ASFC troops, the scientists and the engineers on their outstanding success.

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Bomb targets police in Quetta, 1 killed

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QUETTA: A bomb ripped through a Pakistani police patrol on Thursday, killing one policeman and wounding three others in the increasingly troubled Quetta, police said.

The device was detonated remotely when a police vehicle on a routine patrol passed along a road on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, which suffers from Taliban, sectarian and separatist violence.

It was the second fatal attack on police in the city in two days.

“The bomb blast wounded four policemen and one of them died in hospital,” senior police official Sikandar Tareen told AFP.

“It is not immediately clear who targeted the police,” he said. Another police official confirmed the attack and casualties. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Police are frequently attacked in Baluchistan. On Tuesday, senior police official Shah Nawaz Khan was assassinated in Quetta in a drive-by shooting claimed by Al-Qaeda-linked militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ).

On April 29, British aid worker Khalil Dale was found beheaded in Quetta, nearly four months after he was kidnapped in the city.

There has been no claim of responsibility for his murder.

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