ISLAMABAD: Pakistan rearrested former President Pervez Musharraf yesterday following accusations that he was personally responsible for the deaths of more than 100 people after he ordered commandos to storm the Red Mosque in 2007. The operation followed a week-long standoff between the mosque’s supporters and security forces. The rearrest came after he had been granted bail in three other cases and his lawyer said on Wednesday he was cleared to leave the country. A complaint against Musharraf in the Red Mosque case was registered two weeks ago on the orders of a judge. Musharraf was forced out of office after trying and failing to fire the country’s chief justice. The former president and head of the army went into exile in 2008 but returned earlier this year in an abortive attempt to launch a political career.
Sharif to visit Thailand
Islamabad: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is due to pay a three-day official visit to Thailand next week. According to media sources, the visit is scheduled from October 18. He will hold talks with officials on issues, including bilateral trade, terrorism, elimination of drug trafficking and defence affairs.
Terror war has claimed 49,000
ISLAMABAD: Ever since Pakistan became a frontline state in the US-led war against terrorism in 2001, it has lost a staggering 49,000 of its people. To add to these appalling figures, it was revealed recently that the number of organisations banned by the government have almost doubled during the last two years. The latest figure soared to 59 as the Interior Ministry banned 28 terrorist groups during the last 20 months. Out of the total number of proscribed militant outfits, 59 are completely banned by the Government of Pakistan, three organisations in the country are named in the Al Qaeda Sanctions List maintained by the United Nations Security Council Committee that oversees sanctions imposed on individuals and entities associated with Al Qaeda while the Sunni Tehreek is “under strict watch”. That brings the total number of organisations of the list to be at 63. Meanwhile, more than two dozen outfits, including the Jamaat ud Dawa, are pleading their cases in court, appealing against the imposed ban.
New laws to combat terror
ISLAMABAD: As Peshawar undergoes a renewed wave of terror attacks, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during a visit to the city said strict laws were being formulated to counter the menace and that these would be enforced as soon as they are finalised. The premier made the above statement yesterday during a visit to Peshawar in which he was accompanied by Interior Minister Chaudry Nisar Ali Khan, Information Minister Pervez Rashid and his Advisor on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz. Upon his arrival in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s provincial capital, he was received by Governor KP Engineer Shaukatullah Khan and Chief Minister Pervez Khattak. Following his arrival, the prime minister presided over a meeting on law and order in which top officials from various ministries and army officers took part.
Agencies
