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Posts Tagged ‘Amir Haider Khan’

Abbottabad paralysed

April 12th, 2010 | No Comments


ABBOTTABAD – As many as 16 people including two 10th class students were shot dead and over 300 sustained bullet injuries after clashes erupted between police personnel and the protesters during the demonstrations held against the renaming of NWFP as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa here on Monday.
According to details, hundreds of thousands of protestors who gathered in Abbotabad on Monday in pursuit of their demands regarding separate province and renaming of NWFP against their wishes fell prey to the provincial government sponsored terrorism.
Police killed 16 protestors including two minor school children, over 300 injured and around 100 critically injured in the protests that were started peacefully in Abbotabad city but turned violent when police fired at the peaceful protestors. The angry protestors torched two police vans and a city police station. Former Deputy Speaker National Assembly, Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob and Sardar Haider Zaman got injuries during the indiscriminate shelling of police.
The ANP Government that remained to be the architect of this melodrama had imposed Section 144 on Sunday night, a day prior to the protests and arrested some key leaders of Hazara Action Committee in order to sabotage the peaceful movement of the people of Hazara. In addition heavy contingents of police and Frontier Constabulary (FC) were called from other cities of NWFP including Mardan, Bannu and Peshawar to suppress the protests.
The security agencies floated rumours about the assassination of Sardar Haider Zaman, the central key leader of Hazara Action Committee and former Nazim District Abbotabad, in order to discourage the protesters to file their peaceful attempts seeking justice against the suppression of their rights by the ANP Government.
The PML-N leadership that received wide criticism in the wake of its failures to keep in consideration the sentiments of the people of Hazara Division by signing the controversial draft of renaming of NWFP in the 18th Amendment, did not show up in Abbotabad to organise the convention due to strong opposition of general public against PML-N. PML-N MNA, Murtaza Abbassi tried to enter Abbotabad but was restricted to Havelian at a local hotel with his friends for some time, took food and returned back to Islamabad.
The central leaders of Hazara Action Committee, Sardar Haider Zaman and Sardar Yaqoob vowed that cowardly acts of the ANP Government would not refrain them from their peaceful and just agenda. They told this correspondent during an exclusive conversation that ANP Government had set new records of tyranny by killing innocent children and protestors. Another key leader of Hazar Action Committee Sardar Shafqat said that the provocative statements of Asfandyar Wali had infuriated the masses of Hazara, who would not stop their protests specially after they had sacrificed nine precious lives. Sardar Haider Zaman said that the policemen who came Abbotabad from different cities of NWFP for terrorism would not be spared at any cost. He reiterated that now that people of Hazara Division would accept nothing short of provincial autonomy. It is estimated that 200000 people participated in protests including women, youth and children in Balakot, Mansehra and Abbotabad in favour of provincial autonomy and against the renaming of NWFP. The protests have been going on for the last two weeks.
Riaz Utmanzai adds: These people were killed and injured when Blackwater personnel on the directives of Chief Minister NWFP Amir Haider Khan Hoti opened indiscriminate firing on the peaceful protesters.
The Pashto speaking personnel in plain cloths were reportedly transported from Peshawar.
The protester, however, after forced to leave the Fawara Chowk due to excessive tear gas shelling and the target killing at the hands of Pashto speaking police and mercenaries. Some injured personnel of the Blackwater were brought for first aid in the hospitals as well.
Meanwhile, while talking to TheNation Barrister Javed Abbasi, MPA of the PML-N held Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain responsible for MondayÂ’s killings at Abbottabad.

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NFC Award victory of democracy: President

March 16th, 2010 | No Comments


ISLAMABAD – Terming the finalisation of 7th National Finance Commission Award as victory of the democracy, President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday inked the historic document in presence of the provincial chief ministers and governors.
Addressing the ceremony, he said that it was a big step forward towards strengthening of the Federation, as the agreement was ‘a historic achievement’ of the present political Government.
“It is a victory for democracy, political parties and all provinces, and also success of the policy of reconciliation,” he said
The NFC award was agreed upon by the four provinces at a ceremony at Gwadar on Dec 30 after a gap of 19 years and would come into effect from the next financial year.
Besides Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, federal ministers, Governor Punjab Salman Taseer, Governor Sindh Ishratul Ebad, Governor Balochistan Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi, Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah, Chief Minister NWFP Amir Haider Khan Hoti and Chief Minister Balochistan Nawabzada Aslam Raeesani and the Parliamentarians attended the ceremony at the Presidency.
“I feel democracy has taken a leap. We are trying to make a new Pakistan by adhering to the spirit and vision of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto,” he said and added that the nation would soon hear good news regarding the Constitutional reforms by the end of this month.
“Democracy that returned to the country some time back, has demonstrated its strength. Lets give it time to grow, give people of Pakistan a chance to grow and they will prove a productive part of the global society,” he said addressing what he termed as detractors.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Gilani while addressing the ceremony said the NFC award would reduce the trust deficit between the Federation and provinces and also amongst the provinces.
He termed the NFC as real dividend of democracy, where the political leadership has shown utmost consideration and maturity in arriving at this award.
According to the Prime Minister, the Federation displayed its large-heartedness in assigning 56-57.5 percent of divisible pool to the provinces, and has given an unprecedented autonomy to the provinces for their economic development, he added.
He assured that the legislation required for implementation of the re-commendatory provisions of the Award for improving the governance capacity of both the Federal and the provincial governments.
He urged the Federal and provincial authorities to initiate necessary legal and administrative steps to ensure implementation from July 1, 2010.
The 7th NFC award adopted a multifactor criterion where in population will get 82 percent, poverty 10.3 percent, revenue collection 5 percent (2.5 percent revenue generation, 2.5 percent revenue collection) while the area will get 2.7 percent weight.
Under the award issues like; payment of Net Hydel Profit to NWFP, distribution of gas development surcharge (GDS) and imposition of GST on services, have been resolved.

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Twin blasts wreak havoc at Bannu police station

February 11th, 2010 | No Comments


BANNU – At least 15 people including nine police men were killed and 30 others including District Police Officer (DPO), Iqbal Marwat sustained injuries when two back-to-back powerful explosions wreaked havoc in Bannu Police Line on Thursday evening.
Sources said that two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the main entrance of the Police Lines. The intensity of these suicide attacks could be judged as they jolted the entire area. The attacks were also followed by firing, which showed presence of militants even inside the Police Lines.
After the blasts, the rescue teams and ambulances rushed to the site and retrieved the dead bodies from the debris. Hospital sources said that 30 injured and 13 dead bodies were brought to District Headquarter Hospital, Bannu and it was feared that the death toll might rise.
Soon after the attacks, police and security agencies cordoned off the entire police station after the reports surfaced regarding the presence of Taliban inside the Police Line. Curfew was also imposed in the city and police cordoned off the entire area. According to police sources, approximately 80 to 100 hundred policemen were present in the Police Line.
Meanwhile, NWFP Chief Minister, Amir Haider Khan Hoti and the NWFP Governor strongly condemned the attacks and said that the terrorist could not deter the governmentÂ’s resolve by targeting the innocent people. NWFP government also announced Rs 0.1 million as compensation amount for each injured while Rs 0.3 million for heirs of each deceased.
It may be mentioned here that the militants have intensified their attacks in the adjacent areas of FATA as a suicide attacker has also targeted the convoy of security forces in Jamrod, which resulted in killing of 13 Khasadar forcesÂ’ men.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan while condemning the blasts at Police Lines Bannu and Quetta, said that a home grown policy was the need of the hour to deal with war on terror.
In a press statement issued by the party media office on Thursday, PTI chief Imran Khan, Secretary General Dr Arif Alvi, Central Vice President Ijaz Chaudhry, Central Vice President Vice Admiral (R) Javed iqbal, Central Vice President Yousaf Gabool, Central Secretary Finance Sardar Azhar Tariq, Additional Secretary General Saif Ullah Khan Niazi, President Women Wing Fauzia Kasuri, Central Information Secretary Omar Sarfaraz Cheema, Media Advisor to PTI Chairman Zahid Kazmi and other office-bearers said that the terrorist attacks had played havoc with the peace in the country. They regretted that innocent countrymen were facing the wrath of the terrorists while the Government was still busy in making false claims of bringing the peace.

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Attack fears as Swat valley refugees head home

July 13th, 2009 | No Comments

• Taliban routed after two months of fierce fighting, says Pakistan
• Aid agencies warn 1 million returning refugees still at risk

Two million people displaced by fighting in north-west Pakistan started returning home in military-protected convoys today, triggering warnings from international relief agencies that the reverse exodus was too fast and too soon.

Buses and trucks lined up outside crowded refugee camps to take the first batch of refugees back to their homes in the Swat valley, where the army says it has routed the Taliban after two months of sporadic combat.

Pakistan’s government is keen to reverse the mass migration, which is comparable to that triggered by the Rwandan genocide of 1994, because it has left limited resources severely strained.

At least 1 million people have been displaced from the main battle zone in the valley, with another million or so fleeing neighbouring Dir and Buner. About 300,000 are living in camps; the rest are sheltering with friends or family.

The government is providing the refugees with convoys of buses, military protection and cash payments to help them resettle. Officials say the process will take two weeks.

But some aid workers say the process has been poorly conceived and people are vulnerable to further attack.

“The Pakistani government is sending people home far too early,” said Kristèle Younès, of Refugees International. “Displaced people should be the ones to determine whether it is safe for them to return, and we fear the government is not providing them with clear and accurate information.”

“There are some suspicions that [the return] is not as free as you would like,” said Dorothy Blane of Concern. “They should not be forced back just so the government can say that normal life has returned, because if they have to come out again it will be a disaster.”

The return process got off to a slow and chaotic start. Residents trying to travel to Swat in private cars were turned back at the town of Sher Gur, on the edge of the conflict-affected area.

However, buses carrying people from Jalozai, an old Afghan refugee camp in Nowshera, were allowed through. Army helicopters circled overhead, offering protection from any attack.

Amir Haider Khan Hoti, the chief minister of North West Frontier province, told one group the Taliban would soon be finished. “I assure you that in this war of survival for Pakistan, we – and you – will win,” he said.

The Pakistani army claims to have killed more than 1,700 Taliban fighters in Swat and the neighbouring districts of Buner and Swat. The figure cannot be confirmed. The Taliban have been cleared from the main areas of Swat, including the main city, Mingora, which is believed to have suffered far less damage than had been feared.

But the army has failed to kill the Taliban leadership, igniting concerns that the militants could re-emerge under the cover of the civilian population. Last week the army said the Taliban leader, Maulana Fazlullah, had been badly injured.

In a reminder of how the militant threat is spreading, an explosion at a madrasa religious school in central Punjab province killed 13 people today. The cause was unclear but appeared to be an explosives cache.

Many refugees are also concerned that the government has made inadequate preparations for a return to normal life, according to Muhammad Niyaz, of Islamic Relief. “Crops have been destroyed and businesses damaged [during the fighting]. The majority say they will not go back until they are sure there is something for them on the ground,” he said.

To counter the threat of a Taliban resurgence the authorities are raising a local civilian militia, known as “community police”, to help flush out Taliban infiltrators.

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