PESHAWAR: Four people, including a policeman and a paramilitary soldier, were killed in suspected militant attacks in Pakistan’s northwestern and southwestern regions on Friday, officials said, while at least two others perished in shooting at a protest rally in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province against the worsening security environment.
KP, which borders Afghanistan, has seen a surge in attacks on security forces, government officials and anti-polio vaccination teams in recent weeks. Attacks have also spiked in the southwestern Balochistan province, home to a decades-long insurgency by separatist fighters.
The shocking surge in daily attacks has unleashed protests in KP’s Bannu and Tank districts, with citizens demanding authorities ensure peace in the two districts that have been worst-hit by the militancy surge. In Bannu in particular, ten soldiers were killed earlier this week when militants attacked a military cantonment.
In a fresh attack on Friday, two people were killed and four others wounded when a bomb targeted a militant commander, Ain Ullah, associated with Mullah Nazeer group, a Pakistan Taliban (TTP) faction, in the South Waziristan tribal district, according to police.
“A bomb exploded near Maulvi Noor Muhammad mosque this morning, leaving two persons dead and four injured,” Fareed Wazir, a police officer in the town of Wana, told Arab News. “It was a planted bomb. Police are investigating the matter to identify the perpetrators.”
Separately, a policeman was killed and two others injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a police check-post in the Bhai area of KP’s Mardan district, rescue officials said.
Meanwhile, unidentified gunmen opened fire at a protest rally in Bannu, killing at least two protesters and injuring another two dozen, according to provincial officials.
“At least two persons died and 24 were wounded when all of a sudden firing started during a peace rally by hundreds and thousands of people in Bannu,” KP Public Health Engineering Minister Pakhtoon Yar Khan told Arab News, saying he had “narrowly escaped” the gunfire.
Khan said the recent unrest in Bannu had disrupted businesses, educational institutions and public life, and residents wanted peace “at any cost.”
Arab News tried reaching out to the Bannu district police officer, Ziauddin Ahmad, to get more details of the incident, but he did not return phone calls.
Later, commenting on the development the provincial administration’s spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said in a video statement people had the right to hold peaceful protests, though no one would be allowed to take law into their hands.
He said Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had taken notice of the situation in Bannu and asked the commissioner and deputy commissioner of the region to hold negotiations with protesters.
“After negotiations with the elders, the situation is under control,” the KP spokesperson said. “The chief minister has also announced a package for those killed and injured in the incident.”
He added the incident would be investigated and those responsible for the violence would be punished.
In Tank, hundreds of people continued a two-day long sit-in over the fragile security situation in the district.
Pattu Bhittani, one of the organizers of the protest, told Arab News the residents were “fed up” of frequent militant attacks and living in a state of insecurity.
“Till the acceptance of our demands, which is restoration of peace, the entire district will boycott the polio campaign and hoist black flags on their vehicles and homes as a token of protest,” Bhittani said, warning that the protesters would also block highways if their demands were not met.
Islamabad blames the recent surge in attacks, including the July 15 attack on the army cantonment in Bannu, on militants mainly from the TTP operating out of neighboring Afghanistan. Kabul denies the allegations and says rising violence in Pakistan is a domestic issue for Islamabad.
Pakistani forces were able to effectively dismantle the TTP in a string of military operations in KP’s tribal districts from 2014 onwards, driving most of the fighters into neighboring Afghanistan, where Islamabad says they have regrouped.
Islamabad says TTP leaders have taken refuge in Afghanistan and now run camps there to train insurgents to launch attacks inside Pakistan. The Afghan Taliban rulers say Kabul does not allow militants to operate on its territory.
BALOCHISTAN
In Balochistan, one Frontier Corps (FC) paramilitary soldier was killed and four were injured in an IED blast in the Buleda area of Kech district, officials said.
The IED attack took place as an FC convoy was passing an area called ‘Gili’ some 100 kilometers away from Turbat, Insap Baloch, the head of the paramilitary Levis force in the area, said.
“The security forces have surrounded the area and injured soldiers have been shifted to hospital for medical treatment,” Baloch added.
In another attack, one soldier of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) was injured in an explosion that targeted a CTD vehicle in the Pishin district.
With inputs from Saadullah Akhter in Quetta
Six killed in suspected militant violence in Pakistan, citizens hold protest rallies demanding peace
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Six killed in suspected militant violence in Pakistan, citizens hold protest rallies demanding peace
- Policeman was among three people killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, paramilitary soldier killed in Balochistan
- Protest rally in Bannu came under fire by unidentified suspects, killing two protesters and injuring 24 others
Pakistan PM hopes for IMF bailout approval, says this will be ‘last program’
- Staff-level agreement for $7 billion IMF loan was reached in July, now awaits executive board approval
- Pakistan, struggling with boom-and-bust cycles for decades, has entered 22 IMF bailouts since 1958
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed hope on Tuesday that an agreement for a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout program reached in July would get approval from the lender’s executive board, hoping this would be the country’s “last” loan deal.
The staff-level agreement for the 37-month program capped negotiations that started in May after Islamabad completed a short-term, $3 billion program that helped stabilize the economy, avert a sovereign debt default, and set challenging revenue targets in its budget to get IMF approval.
After signing the new bailout deal, PM Sharif, who leads a weak ruling coalition at the center, has repeatedly said his government is committed to tough but unavoidable reforms.
“All the prerequisites and conditions for our program with the IMF are fully under supervision and actions are being implemented to fulfill them. God willing, we are hopeful that all the conditionalities and requirements of the IMF will be fulfilled on time,” Sharif told his cabinet on Tuesday.
“Our case will go to the [IMF executive] board for approval, and a new journey will begin, but we should keep one thing in mind that this should be the last IMF program of Pakistan’s history and the country should stand and run on its own feet.”
Pakistan has been struggling with boom-and-bust cycles for decades, leading to 22 IMF bailouts since 1958. Currently the IMF is the fifth-largest debtor, owing $6.28 billion as of July 11, according to the lender’s data.
The latest economic crisis has been the most prolonged and has seen the highest ever levels of inflation, pushing the country to the brink of a sovereign default last summer before an IMF bailout.
The conditions of the program have become tougher such as higher taxes on farm incomes and electricity prices. The latest bailout is aimed at cementing stability and inclusive growth in the crisis-plagued South Asian country, the IMF said.
The latest IMF deal is subject to approval by its executive board and the confirmation of necessary financing assurances from Pakistan’s development and bilateral partners.
On Monday, the statistics bureau said Pakistan’s annual consumer price inflation rate slowed to 9.6 percent in August, the first single digit reading in almost three years.
Pakistan’s August annual CPI figures were down from 27.4 percent this time last year and 11.1 percent in July. The monthly inflation rate was 0.4 percent, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics said in a statement.
Karachi cop suspended for ‘irresponsible’ TikTok video
- Constable Maria Gill shared video on TikTok showing her and colleagues at a bus stand and inviting viewers to come meet them
- “She is unnecessarily endangering the privacy and lives of her fellow colleagues,” Deputy IG police says after Gill’s suspension
KARACHI: A woman police constable in Karachi has been suspended after posting an “irresponsible” TikTok video in which she can be seen inviting viewers to meet her at a location where she and some other colleagues had been posted on duty, a senior police official said on Tuesday.
Maria Gill, a constable at the Gizri police station in the Pakistani port city, shared a video on TikTok showing her and a group of colleagues stationed at a bus stand.
“Hello guys ... So, today I’m deputed at Mai Kolachi Road, near Bahria College,” she says in the video, moving the camera to show fellow policewomen in the background.
“As you can see, the entire team is present here, and that’s my bike parked over there. If anyone wants to meet me, they can come here.”
The video prompted “immediate action” from police authorities, who suspended Gill for her actions, Syed Asad Raza, Deputy Inspector General of Police for South Karachi, said, adding that government servants were required to maintain “discretion and moderation” in their use of social media and uphold “high standards of propriety.”
“As seen in the video, she is also unnecessarily endangering the privacy and lives of her fellow colleagues,” Raza told Arab News. “The police are a professional institution and such irresponsible acts cannot be tolerated.”
Raza said Gill had been served a notice to explain her actions and would stay suspended as long as disciplinary proceedings were ongoing.
This is not the first time a police officer in Pakistan has faced disciplinary action for social media activity deemed inappropriate by higher-ups.
In August 2024, lady Constable Maryam Bhatti was dismissed from the Rawalpindi police for similar reasons.
On July 31, 2024, Constable Muqaddas from Islamabad was dismissed from the Federal Police’s Counter-Terrorism Department for making a TikTok video while using an official vehicle.
On July 29, 2024, Assistant Sub-Inspector Inayatullah Niazi was suspended in Chiniot for allowing a transgender person to film a video in the SHO’s office, which was deemed “disrespectful” to the police uniform.
On February 27, 2024, Constable Bahawal Sher was suspended in Faisalabad for sharing a video on social media where he was seen smoking while uniform and displaying pistols.
Lady Constable Sumbul from Sindh faced an investigation on October 14, 2023, for posting a controversial video supporting Israel while Lady Constable Mehwish Khan was suspended on May 16, 2022, in Muzaffargarh for uploading videos in police uniform.
On July 24, 2020, Constable Wafa Tauqeer was suspended in Lahore after a TikTok video of her in uniform went viral.
Pakistan receives five proposals from international consultants to manage 5G spectrum auction
- Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has said auction likely to take place by March 2025
- Pakistan last completed the auction for 3G and the more advanced 4G network in April 2014
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has received five proposals from international consultants to manage the upcoming 5G spectrum auction, the body said in a statement on Monday.
Pakistan’s federal cabinet last October greenlit the much-anticipated auction of 5G spectrum services to bring fresh investment in the country. Pakistan last completed the auction for 3G and the more advanced 4G network, the first of its kind in the country, in April 2014.
The use of 5G allows faster video streaming and Internet downloads for mobile users.
The PTA said the following consulting firms had submitted their technical and financial bids: Aetha Consulting Limited, Detecon Consulting FZ-LLC, Frontier Economics Limited, KomKonsult (Private) Limited and National Economic Research Associates Inc.
“The PTA will now undertake a detailed evaluation of the technical and financial bids in accordance with the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules,” the statement said.
PTA Chairman Hafeezur Rehman informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications earlier this year that the 5G spectrum auction would likely take place by March 2025.
Last year, Pakistan set up a Spectrum Auction Advisory Committee, led by Pakistan’s finance minister, with members from the IT, telecommunication, industries and production ministries, to oversee the 5G spectrum auction.
All major mobile operators in Pakistan, including Zong, Jazz, Telenor, and Ufone, have conducted successful 5G trials and are currently utilizing 274 MHz of spectrum. However, an additional 300 MHz of spectrum will need to be auctioned to launch commercial 5G services.
Two new warships to be inducted into Pakistan fleet on Defense Day — army
- “PNS Babar and PNS Hunain will join the fleet of Pak Navy simultaneously, ISPR says
- Pakistan celebrates Defense Day to honor soldiers who fought against India in 1965 war
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan army’s media wing said on Tuesday two new warships would be inducted into the fleet of the national navy on Defense Day on Sept. 6.
Pakistan celebrates Defense Day each year to honor the soldiers who fought against India in the 1965 war.
“PNS Babar and PNS Hunain will join the fleet of Pak Navy simultaneously,” the army’s media wing ISPR said in a statement. “PNS Babur, the first Miljum/Babar class ship to be built in Turkiye, will officially become part of the Pakistan Navy. PNS Hanin, the third offshore patrol vessel built in Romania, will also join the Pakistan Navy.”
The construction of PNS Babur started on June 4, 2020, and it was launched on August 15, 2021, while commissioning took place on September 23, 2023.
The Babur-class corvette, also known as the PN MILGEM class, is a class of four heavy corvettes under construction for the Pakistan Navy. This class is a subclass of the Turkish MILGEM project. The corvette class is heavier and larger than the Turkish Ada-class corvette and also equipped with vertical launch systems.
“Four Babur class ships equipped with a vertical launching system are being inducted into the Pakistan Navy,” ISPR said.
“Under the Pak-Turkiye agreement, 2 ships are being built in Istanbul and 2 in Karachi. Three other Babur class ships PNS Badr, Tariq and Khyber are currently in various stages of preparation.”
Babur class ships are capable of fighting above the surface, underwater, and in the air.
“The third Yarmouk-class OPV 2600 for the Pakistan Navy has also been built at Galati Shipyard in Romania,” ISPR said about PNS Hunain built in Romania. “The last two OPVs have a displacement of 2600 tons compared to the first two ships of the Yarmouk class.”
The Yarmook-class corvette is primarily based on the Dutch Damen Group’s Offshore Patrol Vessel 1900.
Yarmouk class ships have the status of Guided Missile Corvettes in the Pakistan Navy. All ships of this class, including PNS Hunain, are suitable for surface and air warfare as well as search and rescue operations.
The 98 meter long PNS Hunain has a speed of around 24 knots and with the help of a vertical launching system can propel surface-to-air missiles.
“Along with the 76 mm main gun, PNS Haneen is also equipped with two 20 mm secondary guns,” ISPR said.
PNS Yamama, the fourth and final vessel of the Yarmouk class, is undergoing completion after its launch in February this year.
Two cops injured as militants attack check post in Pakistan’s Mianwali
- Pakistan has seen a rise in militant attacks in recent weeks by separatist militants and Pakistani Taliban
- In the latest attack, up to 14 militants attacked Qabool Khel police check post in Punjab’s Mianwali
ISLAMABAD: At least two policemen were injured after more than a dozen militants attacked a check post in the eastern Pakistani town of Mianwali on Monday, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi applauding security forces for foiling the assault.
Pakistan has seen a rise in militant attacks in recent weeks, including a series of coordinated attacks in southwestern Balochistan last month in which over 50 people were killed. Separatist militants seeking the resource-rich region’s secession have been targeting government forces and projects being developed as part of the $65-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Elsewhere in the country, particularly the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, religiously motivated groups like the Pakistani Taliban have also stepped up attacks, daily targeting security forces convoys and check posts, and carrying out targeted killings and kidnappings of security and government officials.
In the latest attack, up to 14 militants attacked the Qabool Khel police check post in Punjab’s Mianwali with rockets and hand grenades on Monday.
“Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has commended the police for foiling a terrorist attack on a check post in Mianwali,” state news agency APP reported. “He said that the police gave a befitting response to the terrorists who attacked under the cover of darkness.”
Islamabad blames the latest surge in militancy by the Pakistani Taliban on Kabul and says it has consistently taken up the issue of cross-border attacks with the Taliban administration, which denies allowing Afghan soil to be used for attacks.
The matter has led to clashes between the border forces of the two countries.
