Mubarak ho _Bijlee ka bill double ho-gaya

Friends, today I have received double bill of bijlee, Rs 5900/= without using AC. I am sure many others too have received/or going to receive double bills from this week as the govt had not only increased tariff but also eliminated subsidy from Just 1, 2015 and its impact will surface from Aug.

With consumption of only 355 units, this bill seems very expensive. I think in next few days these bills are going to open Pandora’s Box for the consumers. Plz share your views if you too get double bills.

PAF Combat Commanders group visiting Turkey

ANKARA, 29 July 2015:  A 16-member group of the officers of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Combat Commanders School is undertaking a study tour of Turkey from 23-30 July 2015. Led by Group Captain Zaeem Afzal, the visiting officers had fruitful interaction with Turkish defence officials.

As part of the tour programme, the group visited Embassy of Pakistan in Ankara today and had interaction with Ambassador Sohail Mahmood on various aspects of the multidimensional relationship between Pakistan and Turkey. The group was apprised of the steady growth in bilateral cooperation in diverse fields.

The visit is part of regular exchanges between the armed forces of Pakistan and Turkey in the military education and training.

Finally Malik Ishaq of Lashkar-e-Jangvi eliminated

LAHORE: Finally chief of a most notorious outfit, Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Malik Ishaq and his two sons and 11 others were killed in an alleged exchange of fire with police personnel late on Tuesday night.

At least six policemen were injured in the alleged encounter. Ishaq and his sons _ Haq Nawaz and Usman were arrested by the Counter-Terrorism Department a week ago. Following their latest arrest, the police had interrogated them and subsequently taken them to Shahwala in Punjab’s Muzaffargarh district to aid the police in recovering weapons and explosives, sources in the CTD said.

The encounter appears to have taken place as militants attacked security forces and tried to get freed Ishaq from police custody who was killed in the ensuing exchange of fire, security officials say.

A spokesman for CTD Multan said Ishaq, his two sons, Ghulam Rasool Shah and two other accused, all from Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, were taken to Muzaffargarh by the counter-terrorism department to aid in the recovery of arms and explosives.

The spokesman said that when the police party was returning after making the recovery, it was attacked by some 12 to 15 gunmen who succeeded in freeing Ishaq, his sons and the other accused and fleeing away on motorcycles.

The militants were met with by SHO CTD police station who had quickly been informed about the attack on the police party and was travelling on the route that the militants had taken, the spokesman said, adding that that’s how the encounter ensued.

The SHO challenged the militants, resulting in the encounter in which six police personnel sustained injuries, the spokesman said. They were shifted to the district headquarters hospital. The spokesman added that 14 militants, including Malik Ishaq and Ghulam Rasool Shah, were killed by the attackers themselves.

A large amount of weapons and ammunition was recovered from the attacking men and an investigation has been initiated into the events.vAll bodies have been shifted to DHQ Muzaffargarh. The bodies of Ishaq and his sons will undergo a postmortem before being taken to Rahim Yar Khan, where he was based.

Lashkar-i-Jhangvi is regarded as the most extreme Sunni terror group in Pakistan and is accused of killing hundreds of Shias after its emergence in the early 1990s. The organisation is also said to have links with Al Qaeda. The organisation was banned more than a decade ago by former president Pervez Musharraf. Ishaq, who is a leader of the feared organisation, has been implicated in dozens of cases, mostly murder.

File photo of Malik Ishaq, chief of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

He was arrested in 1997 and is implicated in dozens of cases. He was released on bail in July 2011 after serving a jail term of nearly 14 years. Since his 2011 release he has been frequently put under house arrest as his sermons raised sectarian tensions. He was also arrested in 2013 over deadly sectarian attacks targeting the Hazara Shia community in Quetta. The first attack took place on Jan 10, 2013 targeting a Hazara snooker hall and killing 92 people and the second bomb attack occurred on Feb 16, killing 89 people. The attacks were claimed by Lashkar-i-Jhangvi.

Ishaq was also accused of masterminding, from behind bars, the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, which wounded seven players and an assistant coach, and killed eight Pakistanis.

The attacks saw Pakistan stripped of its right to co-host the 2011 cricket World Cup and jeopardised the future of international cricket in the country.

Commander of banned outfit arrested in Peshawar

Police on Wednesday claimed the arrest of the commander of a banned outfit and recovery weapons and explosive during several raids conducted in Peshawar.

Peshawar SSP (operations) Dr Mian Saeed told media that search operations were conducted in Hazar Khawani, Dir Colony, Tor Baba and Ghafoorabad areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s provincial capital city that led to arrest of M. Fahim, commander of a proscribed militant organisation, wo is resident of Hazar Khawani areas,.

He added that three grenades, cartridges, bomb timers, batteries, remotes, acids and weapons were also recovered from the arrested man.

Peshawar is a city of 2.5 million close to the Afghan border and had long been on the frontline of violence blamed on a Taliban insurgency led by militants opposed to the government’s alliance with the United States.

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Terror in India being linked to Sikhs resurgence

NEW DELHI: While several reports described them as cross-border militants — The Indian Express says they are the first known Lashkar-e-Taiba combat unit to have entered through the Punjab border — Monday’s armed standoff in India’s Gurdaspur border town has set off an alert over a possible Sikh upsurge.

The Hindu said on Tuesday that India’s external intelligence agency RAW had alerted the government of Sikh militant resurgence across the globe and highlighted a new bonding developing between Punjabi and Kashmiri separatists.

It said a little more than a month ago RAW sent a report to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), detailing the resurgence of “Sikh radical organisations” across the globe.

The report was sent on June 16 and it spoke about the activities of Sikh radical organisations in countries such as Germany, UK, France, US, Pakistan and Malaysia, reports Dawn.com.

The Hindu quoted the report as saying that on June 6 in Germany, Sikh radical organisations such as Babbar Khalsa International (BKI-G) and Sikh Federation (SF-G) staged a protest in front of the Consulate General of India, Frankfurt.

“The event was attended by 8-10” people of Pakistani or AJK origin as well. “A few new Sikh families, which arrived from Portugal, were also seen participating in the protest.”

According to the RAW report, “a Kashmiri youth also spoke at length saying Kashmiris supported the demand for Khalistan…There was an increase in the number of protesters this year in comparison to last year,” said the report.

Similarly in U.K., according to the paper, radical groups under the banner of Sikh Federation held a remembrance march and freedom rally to commemorate the 31st anniversary of Operation Blue Star. Around 3,000 people attended the event. It was also attended by several British parliamentarians and also Raja Ahmad Khan, Chairman, All Parties Kashmir Coordination Committee.

One speaker called upon the Sikhs in Jammu and Kashmir to revive their efforts to secure self-determination in their respective homelands.

In the US, the RAW report suggested that a fiery woman speaker who has delivered anti-India speeches has come to notice. In San Francisco, around 60-70 people participated in anti-India protests while in other parts of California, around 6000-8000 people attended a similar meet. There have been concerns that the BKI and Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) — both banned in India — were trying to regroup, The Hindu said.

Interesting to note is that soon after attack the Indians blamed Pakistan saying the terrorists entered from Narowal, the constituency of Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal and renowned singer and PTI leader Abrarul Haq. But soon the Indians realised that Narowal border with India is totally sealed with barbed-wire that is in the control of Indian Army and then they said the terrorists sneaked from Jammu Kashmir-Pathankot area.

One the one hand Indians are blaming the Khalistan movement for terror attack and on the other holding Pakistan responsible for ths Gurdaspur attack.

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Pakistan, Turkey to promote National Libraries

ANKARA, 27 July 2015:  Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkey Sohail Mahmood visited the National Library of Turkey in Ankara, today, and met with its President Mr. Zulfi Toman.

During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed the desire to further deepen mutual collaboration between the National Libraries of the two countries. It was also agreed to intensify mutual exchanges of experts, books and published materials, and to contribute to national efforts for deeper people-to-people relations.

Ambassador Sohail Mahmood also visited the various sections of the National Library and appreciated the rich collection of primary and secondary sources on diverse subjects relating to Turkey and the world.

OPEC crude oil further drops to $52/barrel

The price of OPEC crude oil has further declined to $52 a barrel in the OPEC markets last week. So far, in the month of July 2015, OPEC crude oil had declined by $8 a barrel, from $60 per barrel at the start of this month to $52/barrel till last week.

Iran’s nuclear deal with the leading world powers, including the United States, is being cited a main reason behind fresh decline in the crude oil price in OPEC markets.

From 1st Aug, consumers in Pakistan are expected to get about 6 to 8 rupees cut in domestic petrol prices.

Like PTI, KSE too mourns JC Report, sheds over 700 points in 3 days

KARACHI: Like Pakistan Tehrike Insaf, Karachi Stock Exchange also appeared gloomy as it continued to mourn for the third consecutive trading day, losing more than 700 points from the day the findings of the Judicial Commission had been brought to the limelight.

Last week the KSE benchmark index crossed 36,000 points, setting new record just a day before the Judicial Commission’s report hit the limelight that gave an edge and support to the PML(N), but saddened many other stakeholders in democracy like PTI, etc.

Today (July 27, 2015) the benchmark index of Karachi Stock Exchange further eroded 576 points, further descending the index to 35,238 points. Last week the market also closed in negative zone on Thursday and Friday as the JC report generated more controversy.

Stock market was showing consistent upward growth before the Judicial Commission report was disclosed to the media that gave a clean chit to the government about rigging in elections, but opened a new chapter of controversy about report’s findings and elections.

This sudden twist in the political atmosphere saddened the stock market investors and they took it an appropriate opportunity and time for profit-taking and off-loaded their shares that derailed the KSE-100 index from over 36,000 points to 35,238 points on Monday, July 27, 2015.

Gurdaspur SP among 9 killed in terror attack in India

DINANAGAR, GURDASPUR: Terrorists who stormed a police station here in Punjab on Monday shot and killed superintendent of police Baljit Singh, police said.

Singh suffered injuries in the gun battle between security forces and the terrorists holed up in the police station in this town near the border with Pakistan, police officials said.

Terrorists attacked a police station and a bus in Punjab’s Gurdaspur on Monday morning killing at least 9 people and leaving many others injured.

Here’s what Indian media had reported till Monday noon.

* Terrorists, three to four in number, hijacked a white Maruti Alto car.

* They first attacked a state roadways bus going to Jammu. One person has been reportedly killed in this attack.

* The terrorists then attacked Dina Nagar police station, killing a cop on duty.

* The terrorists are holed up in police station and an encounter is under way.

* According to TV reports, the terrorists entered from Pathankot.

* Five live bombs were found on railway track near Gurdaspur

* Army has reached the Gurdaspur encounter site.

* NSG commandos have also been rushed to the site.

* Schools and colleges in Gurdaspur have been closed.

* Army helicopters are at the attack site to assist in counter operations.

* According to TV reports, not 4 but 15 terrorists are involved in attack on police station. However, there is still no official confirmation on this.

* Emergency home ministry meet at 10am. NSA along with IB, RAW chief to attend meet:

* 6 civilians, 3 police home guards killed & 4 injured in Gurdaspur terror attack; no reports of hostage

* Police say possibility of it being a pro Khalistan attack cannot be ruled out

* Terrorists are occupying an abandoned house: Kiren Rijiju

* IB claims the terrorists came from Narowal from Pakistan

* J&K on high alert. The national highway at Pathankot is closed.

* Alert sounded in Parliament, security heightened in Punjab, J&K, Maharashtra.

* 3 columns of Army, a bomb disposal squad and commandos of special forces have engaged terrorists.

* SP(D) Baljit Singh injured in gunfire.

* Branch line between Pathankot and Amritsar affected. 4 passenger trains halted after recovery of bombs: Northern Railway.

* Punjab Police SP (Detective) Baljeet Singh killed in the attack

PTI loses its trump card after JC Report

By Javed Mahmood/Daily Pak Banker (www.pakbanker.com.pk)

Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) of Imran Khan has emerged as a key loser after the report of the Judicial Commission that had rejected the allegations of PTI regarding 2013 elections.

The Commission maintained in its report that the PTI’s demand of probe into 2013 elections by a Judicial Commission was not unjustified, but the Commission said it could not be provided any solid evidence of organized rigging in the elections.

Hence, the Commission observed that by all means the 2013 general elections were fair and the PML(N) or the Returning Officers were not involved in any organized rigging.

The Commission observed negligence and incompetence of the Election Commission of Pakistan in some constituencies where the Form-15 were missing and verification of thousands of votes was not available. But the Commission recommended no punishment for the officials of the ECP and gave a neat and clean elections certificate, leaving all the controversies and allegations unattended.

In simple words after the report of the Judicial Commission Imran Khan has lost his trump card of “rigging in elections” _ with this card he was regularly defacing the PML(N) government, getting sympathies of the people and Khan could have use this card for the next elections to gain more vote and popularity.

Giving his reaction over the report, PTI chairman Imran Khan said that the commission had left its main task of finding rigging and its beneficiary unfinished. Khan, however, accepted the findings of the report but said that he would not distance himself from his claim of rigging in elections.

It is no doubt the PTI is emerging as the second largest political party in the country as dozens of disgruntled leaders from PPP and other parties are coming under the umbrella of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf.

It is also not a secret that for the past many years the PML(N) and PPP are trying their best to restrict the growing popularity and penetration of the PTI, a trend that is eroding the popularity and strength of these main political parties in the country.

The friendly behavior of the PML(N) and PPP has who are in government for the past seven years, in fact, popularized the PTI because the PML(N) and PPP have ignored the issues being confronted by the masses and even overlooked the massive corruption, especially of PPP leaders that ultimately damaged these two parties popularity raised PTI as a third and an alternate political force.

The recent report of the Judicial Commission has attracted a mixed reaction from the political circles, observers and general public. The PML(N) leaders and their supporters are happy over the verdict of the commission, but other parties have expressed dissatisfaction with the report with a view that the JC did not address in real manner the rigging in some constituencies.

If a degree is not verified, it is declared fake but 93,000 votes of NA-122 that could not be verified by NADRA, were declared real votes. This is the way the NADRA and Judicial Commission overlooked rigging _ because going against the sitting government in rigging or any other mega case is not less than a herculean task and why the judges or NADRA officials would take the risk of annoying the rulers.

To sum up, Imran Khan has lost its trump card of rigging and now the only card that can make his party more popular in the days ahead is that his party should focus on attending the basic issues of the people in KPK and other areas.

If PTI makes some laudable changes in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in remaining three years, the party might get more power and more seats in coming elections.

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Navy saves lives of four sinking fishermen

KARACHI (26 Jul 15): Pakistan navy successfully rescued crew of a sunken fishing boat 27NM south west of Ormara, today. Fishing Boat Al Ameeri had a crew of 7 fishermen 3 of whom were rescued by a local fishing boat while 4 went missing.

Pakistan Navy promptly responded to the call for help by immediately tasking its Helicopter for Search and Rescue Operation. The operation lasted for one and a half hour resulting in safe recovery of all four fishermen from the sea. The fishermen were then shifted to Pakistan Navy’s hospital PNS DARMAANJAH at Ormara for medical treatment where are all in a stable condition now.

Local Community appreciated Pakistan Navy’s timely response and successful operation that saved lives of fishermen.

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