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| Bajaur militants offer sanctuary to Osama, Omar |
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Saturday, April 19, 2008
Woo local tribal chiefs; rule out pardon for US spies, adulterers
By Mushtaq Yusufzai
PESHAWAR: Militants of Bajaur Agency on Friday offered general amnesty to all their opponents, except alleged US spies and those involved in adultery, and announced the formation of various committees for settling people's conflicts.
In addition, militant commander Maulana Faqir Mohammad and his fellow fighters said they wished to offer shelter to Osama bin Laden and Mulla Mohammad Omar, should they ask for it.
Tribal sources told The News that the militants for the first time invited their once-harsh opponents, including the tribal elders, former and present parliamentarians and some clerics, to their stronghold in Barkhalozo area in the Mohmand subdivision to assure them that they should no more consider the militants a threat.
A tribal elder, who survived several attempts on his life in the past, said he could not believe his eyes when he saw a number of elders sitting side-by-side with senior militant commanders Maulana Faqir Mohammad, Maulvi Sher Bahadar, Dr Ismail, and Maulvi Omar, spokesman for Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Among the invitees were the newly-elected PPP MNA Akhunzada Chattan, Senator Maulana Abdur Rashid, former pro-MMA MNA Haroonur Rashid, Haji Bismillah Khan, former parliamentarian and father of MNA Engineer Shaukatullah Khan, noted tribal chieftains including Malik Shah Jehan Khan and representatives of various political parties.
Former MNA Shahabuddin Khan was conspicuous by his absence during the meeting but had sent his representative to represent him in the first-ever meeting with the militants. Shahabuddin, who earlier belonged to the Awami National Party, had won the election from Bajaur but later joined the military-backed PML-Q government that earned him the militants’ wrath.
The militants spoke about the abolition of the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and told the Jirga members they wanted the Shariah to replace the FCR.
All the Jirga members backed the militants’ proposal and assured them to support their struggle for enforcing the Islamic laws in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). Maulana Faqir Mohammad in his speech offered general amnesty to all their opponents and said they were now free in their movements in the tribal region. However, he explained there would be no change in their policy for alleged US spies and those engaged in adultery and un-Islamic activities.
It may be mentioned here that in various tribal regions including Bajaur Agency, dozens of people were beheaded or gunned down on charges of spying on militants for the US. Osama bin Laden and Mulla Omar, he claimed were the true heroes of the Muslim world, adding he and his followers would lay down their lives for them.
The militant commander said they would not tolerate President Pervez Musharraf in any form in the country as "he detained their guests (Arab fighters) and sold them like animals to America".
Paying tributes to the world's most-wanted man, Faqir Mohammad remarked: "Sheikh Osama has become an ideology now and America's $50 million bounty for his head is not even worthy for his turban."
He told the Jirga members that since all the infidels had united to capture the resources of the Muslim world, therefore, it was imperative for the Muslims to get united and support the "Mujahideen" in their war against the US-led foreign occupation forces in Afghanistan.
He claimed to have prepared thousands of suicide bombers waiting for his call to attack the US-led troops in Afghanistan.Militants and tribal elders later signed an agreement, in which both sides promised to live peacefully.
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Three killed as Sh Rashid escapes attempt on life
By Shakeel Anjum
RAWALPINDI: Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief and a candidate for NA-55 (Rawalpindi) by-election Sheikh Rashid Ahmad was wounded, while three people — a guard and two party workers — were killed when four gunmen more |
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12 soldiers killed in South Waziristan
ISLAMABAD: Twelve soldiers embraced martyrdom while two others were injured in a clash with militants during the ongoing operation Rah-e-Nijat in South Waziristan Agency (SWA), the ISPR said on Monday.
S more |
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Plan to attack five-star hotel foiled
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The CIA police here on Monday claimed to have foiled an attack on Americans staying at a five-star hotel and arrested six terrorists, including a suicide bomber.
Addressing a press conference, SS more |
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Govt taking court for a ride
By Ansar Abbasi
ISLAMABAD: She fought her case in the media. She won her battle in the judicial forum too. But still the government is bent on making an example out of her for refusing to follow the illegal dictates of her min more |
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Pakistan against arms race: Gilani
By Azeem Samar
KARACHI: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday said Pakistan does not want to be engaged in an arms race with any country.
Speaking as chief guest at the induction ceremony of second Chinese-m more |
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Punjab-Sindh water row Centre’s intervention sought
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Tension between Punjab and Sindh over opening of the Chashma-Jhelum and Taunsa-Punjnad link canals has touched a new high as the former has sought the Centre’s intervention.
The Punjab has sai more |
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French, Dutch fight over giving LNG to Pakistan
By Khalid Mustafa
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin and his team is all set to thwart the attempt of an unscrupulous combine of oil industry heavyweights and some functionaries of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Re more |
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Nine killed as no let-up in rains
By Nisar Mahmood
PESHAWAR: Nine people were killed and scores of others injured as heavy rains and snowfall lashed various parts of the country for the fourth consecutive day on Monday.
Reports from the Shangla district more |
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Malik orders NUML closure as protest enters 5ht day
ISLAMABAD: The protest of the students of the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) against thrashing of Professor Malik Tahir by Registrar Brigadier (R) Obaidullah Ranjha entered its fifth consecutive more |
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Malik insists no Blackwater in Pakistan
By Muhammad Anis
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik while responding to an accusation from a PML-N parliamentarian told the National Assembly that Blackwater was not providing security to the president and the prime mini more |
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FBR gets list of properties rented out to foreigners
By Hanif Khalid
ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has received list of properties from Foreign Office, which were in use of foreigners in Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore, but these were not shown in annual tax more |
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Repealing of 17th Amendment
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has begun efforts to create consensus on repealing the 17th Amendment before presidential address to the joint sitting of the parliament.
The prime minis more |
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Three suspects held in Mohmand
By our correspondent
GHALLANAI: The security forces arrested three suspected persons during search operation in Safi subdivision of Mohmand Agency, official sources said Monday. The sources said the security forces carried out sear more |
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No presence of Blackwater, DynCorp in Pakistan, NA body told
ISLAMABAD: Secretary Interior Qamar Zaman again negated on Monday the presence of Blackwater, DynCorp or any other foreign security agency in the country. “Neither the Blackwater and the DynCorp nor any other s more |
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Govt urged to take up water issue with India
By Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Q, Parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat while urging the government to take up the issue of ‘water terrorism’ with New Delhi, has question more |
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Avalanche kills 17 Indian soldiers in held Kashmir
HELD SRINAGAR: Seventeen Indian soldiers were killed on Monday in an avalanche that slammed into a group of 70 combat troops at a high-altitude warfare training camp in Kashmir, the army said on Monday.
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Taliban defiant as Afghans flee ahead of assault
KANDAHAR: The Nato commanders urged the Taliban to surrender as troops dug in on Monday for a major assault on their key stronghold in southern Afghanistan, sending thousands of residents fleeing.
The Ta more |
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Plea to freeze foreign accounts
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday ordered the federal government to submit a reply within four weeks on a petition seeking freezing of accounts in foreign banks and recovery of illegal assets accumu more |
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Attack on Sh Rashid
RAWALPINDI: The PML-N candidate for by-polls from NA-55, Malik Shakil Awan, has announced suspension of electioneering for a day to mourn the death of those killed in the attack on the office of his rival, Shei more |
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Indian forces to halt Kashmir rally outside UN office
HELD SRINAGAR: The held Kashmir authorities deployed thousands of police and troops on Monday to prevent a protest outside the UN office here over the recent killing of two teenage boys by Indian security force more |
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briefs...
20 die in Afghan floods, avalanches
KANDAHAR: Twenty people have died in floods and avalanches triggered by some of the heaviest rain and snow in Afghanistan for 50 years, an official said on Monday. At more |
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ISSN 1563-9479 
