Abbas clarifies statement on NWA operation

ISLAMABAD: Former DG ISPR Maj Gen (retd) Athar Abbas Wednesday clarified that his words that made headlines recently were said in response to a question in connection with North Waziristan during an interview.

Addressing a seminar organized by SAFMA on the ongoing operation Zarb-e-Azb in North Waziristan, Athar Abbas said in his view the Taliban had been isolated during the operation in South Waziristan.

He said that it had occurred to everyone that after South Waziristan the next stronghold of the terrorists would be North Waziristan.

“No one should expect that terrorists would be killed in big numbers in the ongoing military offensive,” he said, predicting that the terrorists would go into hiding.

However, the former DG ISPR said the Pak Army needs support and that Zarb-e-Azb is not just a military operation; it is a ‘national operation’.

ISI pulls back petition from SC for acquisition of land in Karachi

KARACHI: The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has withdrawn its petition filed in the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan, regarding the acquisition of public land in Karachi – ARY News reports.

According to details, ISI withdrew its petition after no 

objection on the transfer of land by the Government of Sindh. It was said in the judicial remarks that a state 

institution may transfer land to the other and there is no restriction in that.

Justice Asif Saeed said that the court’s verdict in this regard is clear; it seems that someone used the other party in achieving his goal.

The counsel of the ISI elaborated that the land was used for sensitive, yet apparently its purpose was set to be residential.

Terrorism a threat to regional, international peace: Pervaiz Rasheed

ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed opined on Thursday that North Waziristan had become a nursery for terrorists and their elimination became necessary for country, region and world peace, ARY News reported.

In an interview, the federal minister said that terrorism is a threat to peace in South Asian region and operation had become a necessity in the prevailing circumstances adding that Afghanistan, instead of playing the blame game should focus on mutual cooperation in this regard.

About the Model Town incident, he clarified that once determined, those responsible for the incident will be dealt with iron hand.

Government, military on same page: Asif

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government and military are on the same page said the country’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.

Speaking to the media outside parliament, the defence minister added that the operation in FATA was being made more effective so that Karachi remains safe from any reaction.

Khawaja Asif further said the operation in Karachi was successfully underway for 3-4 months.

NSA spying on PPP ‘unacceptable’: Khursheed Shah

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) stalwart and opposition leader in Pakistan’s National Assembly, Syed Khursheed Shah expressed displeasure over the recent revelation that America’s National Security Agency (NSA) was spying upon PPP, ARY News reported.

The alleged spying of 193 countries by NSA is being condemned around the world.

Khursheed Shah said that his party will write a letter to US consulate after consulting party leaders over the issue.

Shah maintained that US has no right to spy upon any Pakistani individual or organization and his party will also ask the government to protest with US over the issue.

It must be remembered that a classified document on Monday revealed that NSA is spying upon 193 foreign governments as well as different factions and political parties and PPP was among the list.