KABUL: An Afghan soldier shot dead a Czech troop and wounded five yesterday, officials said, in the latest “insider attack” to shake efforts by the Nato coalition and the Afghan army to work together to defeat the Taliban insurgency. The attack occurred outside Kandahar airfield, one of the biggest military bases in southern Afghanistan and a hotbed of the 12-year conflict with the rebels. “The soldier who opened fire on the Czech soldiers had been in the army for five years,” corps commander Abdul Hamid Hamid said. “He opened fire from a security tower adjacent to the airfield.” He said the attacker had been arrested.
Lenders skip private sector
KARACHI: The private sector almost disappeared from the banking system in the fiscal year 2013, the State Bank of Pakistan reported yesterday. The previous government borrowed recklessly during its five-year tenure to close fiscal gap leaving little space for the private sector. The central bank said that instead of borrowing, the sector paid debts as accounts showed minus Rs1.833bn borrowing on June 21, 2013.
Biometrics capacity up
ISLAMABAD: The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) has enhanced its capacity to verify voters’ biometrics by 1,000 percent as it is now in a position to authenticate thumb impressions of 100,000 voters per day, it is learnt. Sources said that Nadra was earlier able to verify only 100 fingerprints per day and the facility was usually used to help law-enforcement agencies track down criminals. The capacity has been enhanced to carry out fingerprint authentication through an automated identification system to assist election tribunals to hear petitions and cope with the expected workload.
Violence claims 17 in Karachi
Islamabad: At least 17 people have been killed in violent incidents in the past 24 hours across Karachi, the capital of Pakistan’s southern Sindh province. Police said that the incidents took place in Malir, Korangi, Orangi, Surjani Town, Agra Taj Colony, New Karachi, Defence Colony, Mewa Shah, Lee Market and Yasinabad. The victims included Muttahida Quami Movement activists Azhar Ayub and Farasat Mirza. Agencies
