Rain in Some Area of Karachi

KARACHI: Citizens of Karachi were treated to some drizzling on Thursday that turned the weather pleasant after days of scorching heat



Drizzling was reported from the city’s Malir, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Aisha Manzil, Karimabad, Garden, Shah Faisal Colony, Gulistan-i-Jauhar and North Karachi areas.

Light rain was also experienced on Shahrah-i-Faisal and other parts of the provincial capital whereas heavy showers were also reported from several localities in the city.

Twin Blast In Peshawar Death Reached to 22

PESHAWAR: At least 22 people including a child were killed and 47 others sustained injuries in a powerful blast near Badaber police station, Geo News reported.

Police said militants targeted security forces convoy in the attack.

The dead and injured have been rushed to Lady Reading Hospital. Condition of six injured is said to be critical.

Police and Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) have cordoned off the area.

Deputy Commissioner Peshawar Javed Marwat has confirmed that 20 people have been killed and 47 wounded in the attack.

Hospital sources said 18 bodies and 32 injured were present in the hospital.

Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) said that at least 40 kg explosive material was used in the attack.

Ten nearby shops and vehicles were badly damaged.

Security forces have launched search operation in the area, Marwat added.

 The car bomb was parked in a market packed with the general public. When the FC convoy comprising of three vehicles passed by, the bomb exploded and hit a vehicle in the convoy," police official Shafiullah Khan told AFP.

"But many civilians were killed and wounded in the attack because there was a big rush in the market at the time," he added.

"So far, we have reports that two Frontier Corps soldiers have been injured. We don't know about any other losses," a military official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Twin blasts kill 2 in Quetta’s Hazara Town 17 killed

QUETTA: At least two persons were killed and several others wounded when two back-to-back bombs struck Hazara Town in Qeutta on Sunday, police say. 

The blasts took place near an Imambargah in Aliabad locality of Hazara Town

According to Rescue teams 17 peoples Were killed and 44 people are  injured which were shifted to Bolan Medical Complex. 

Meanwhile, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a probe into the attack.

Quetta: blast in Aliabad Area 15 injured in Hazara

QUETTA: Fifteen people were injured in a blast in Aliabad area of Hazara Town here on Sunday, Geo News reported quoting rescue sources.



The injured have been rushed to Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Bolan Medical Centre and Civil Hospital.

Committee to propose steps for Aafia’s repatriation

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has formed a committee to make recommendations to the cabinet to facilitate Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s repatriation to Pakistan, said an official announcement on Saturday.

However, the composition of the committee remains a mystery with even the interior ministry’s spokesman unaware about it.

“I am not aware of the composition and do not even know if such a committee has been formed,” Interior Ministry spokesman Umar Hameed said.

Dr Siddiqui, declared by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as the most wanted female terrorist facilitator, is serving an 86-year prison term in the US.

Dr Siddiqui and her family have denied all allegations levelled by the US against her, including a murder attempt during her days in the US army base at Bagram, Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, an official told Dawn that composition of a task force on missing persons had almost been finalised, adding a formal announcement to this effect was expected next week.

The task force will prepare a list of missing persons after holding deliberations with security agencies, their families and human rights organisations and propose ways and means for their early return.

The task force will also look into the recommendations prepared by a commission on missing persons headed by retired Justice Javed Iqbal. The interior minister said the task force must be in place by next week for preparing a transparent policy in the light of the Supreme Court’s orders on the issue. He said processing of mercy petitions should be restarted and all processed cases be sent to Aiwan-i-Sadr for decision.

The minister asked Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Secretary Younus Dhagha to step up investigation into the recent murder of 11 tourists at the base camp of Nanga Parbat and keep him posted about the progress.

Minister for power to visit India

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Saturday that he had decided to send the water and power minister to India to explore potential areas of cooperation between the two countries.

Speaking to members of the Pak-India Joint Business Council at the Prime Minister’s Office, he said: “We are facing acute electricity shortage and any assistance in the power sector will help us in addressing the problem.”

Expressing satisfaction over the visit of Indian businessmen under the auspices of the council, Mr Sharif said: “It is reassuring that both sides are sitting together and talking to each other.” He said his government was pursuing investor-friendly policies.

The prime minister said it had always been his endeavour to bring the two countries closer to each other so that they could benefit from each other’s experience.

He said his party had pursued a policy of friendship and cooperation with India during its previous stints in power and the same policy of amity would be followed this time to promote peace and prosperity in the region.

Indian members of the council informed the prime minister that India could be of great help in providing support in medical science, higher education and technical and vocational training.

The meeting discussed non-discriminatory market access and agreed that the industrialists of both countries should be provided a level-playing field.

MQM chief Altaf is back

KARACHI: Few hours after announcing his surprise resignation as the chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Altaf Hussain withdrew his earlier decision on the appeal of his party workers.

Earlier, Altaf Hussain, the founder of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, resigned as chief of the party in the wee hours of Sunday. Following his announcement, hundreds of MQM workers gathered at Nine Zero in Karachi's Azizabad area, requesting the MQM leader to take back his resignation.

After receiving emotional appeals by party workers, Altaf retracted his decision of leaving reins of the party. Following his latest decision, celebrations erupted at Azizabad, which is the MQM stronghold.

Hussain had earlier said that he was voluntarily handing over all authority and responsibilities as party leader to the MQM's Rabita (Coordination) Committee.

Speaking to media via telephone from UK, Hussain said Scotland Yard police had raided his residence some days ago and had seized some material, following which he decided to voluntarily step down as party leader on moral grounds.

Hussain said he would not seek legal counsel or a solicitor but would plead his case himself if he were to be produced in court in the Imran Farooq murder case. He said that he would accept any decision by the courts.

Dr Imran Farooq was one of the founding members of the MQM, then known as the Mohajir Qaumi Movement. The party later transformed into the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the largest political party in Karachi.

Farooq, who had also been living in exile in London since 1999, was stabbed to death on his way home from work in Green Lane on Sept 16, 2010 outside his residence.

Recently, the London Metropolitan police had stepped up investigation into the murder, and police searched two residential properties in London earlier this month as part of the ongoing probe. It conducted several raids, arrested some eight suspects, questioned several people and scanned through thousands of documents.

Sunday’s announcement came as a shock to party workers and supporters as Altaf Hussain has served as the chief of the MQM ever since its inception in 1984.

In his telephone conversation with media, Hussain called on his party workers "to stay united, and to continue the struggle that he had once started."

He also urged his party workers to accept all decisions by the MQM's Rabita Committee in the same manner that they acted upon his directions.

Shortly after news of the announcement on TV channels around 5 am, a large number of party workers and supporters were started gathering at the MQM's 'Nine Zero' headquarters in Karachi as well as offices in other parts of the country. The members have requested Altaf to take back his resignation.

Addressing MQM workers in a telephonic speech at 10 am from London, Altaf said until the Imran Farooq murder case investigation was not completed; the party’s Rabita committee would manage MQM affairs.

Moreover, he added that he was being dragged unnecessarily in the investigation of Imran Farooq's murder, adding that it was a conspiracy hatched against him by the British government.

On this occasion, MQM workers chanted slogans and appealed to Altaf to take back his resignation.