Why are Americans being targeted?
Peshawar: Daily Nawa-i-Waqt, April 05, 2010. Targeted killing of Americans in Pakistan started in Karachi on March 2 1995, when two officers of the US consulate were killed. Issuing of visas from Karachi was in fact suspended after the incident. Two years later, an American auditor of Union Texas Petroleum Corporation was also killed along his driver in Karachi. After five years of relative peace, the American invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 after 9/11 terrorist attacks led to a surge of violence. Daniel Pearl, a Wall Street Journalist, who came to Pakistan to investigate terrorist funding, was kidnapped on February 23, 2002 and subsequently killed. His dead body was later recovered from Karachi.
In another case, terrorists killed five persons including US State Department official Barbara Green and her daughter Christen in a hand grenade attack on Protestant International church on March 17, 2002. More than eleven persons were killed in a car bomb blast near US consulate at Karachi and fifty people were seriously wounded on June 14. David Foy, and American diplomat was killed in another suicidal bomb blast near US Embassy in 2006. Five American citizens were killed in a suicide bombing in an Islamabad hotel on March 16, 2008. Another suicide bomb killed eleven persons in Hotel Perl Continental on June 9, 2009. In one of the most devastating attacks in Pakistan, a truck bomber targeted Hotel Marriott in Islamabad, killed 54 persons including two American soldiers on September 20, 2009. Terrorist resumed attacks in Peshawar and targeted the US Consulate located there.
PAK Air Force adds more weapons to its arsenal
Islamabad: Daily Ausaf, April 08, 2010. Pakistan Air Force added capacities like mid air refueling to its arsenal recently. The induction of the JF-17 Thunder along with the F-16 augments its ability to penetrate the enemy's air defences while avoiding radar detection.
Two J UI (F) leaders killed
Karachi: Daily Jasarat, April 09, 2010. Qari Aijaz and Qari Abdul Hafeez of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazlur Rahman) were gunned down by three assassins in Aorangi town, Karachi. JUI local worker Mohammad Siddiqui and district Inspector of Karachi Investigation cell Ghulam Ali were also seriously wounded. Spokesperson Qari Abdul Lateef of Sindh JUI unit said that state sponsored militias killed the JUI leaders because they were critical of PPP and President Asif Ali Zardari.
Iran celebrates April 9 as Nuclear Day
Lahore: Daily Ausaf, April 09, 2010. Iran celebrated 9 April as Nuclear day. Iranian External Minister Manochehr Muttaqui said that Iran wants to use science and technology for development purpose, adding that atomic energy should be used every where from peaceful civilian needs only. He declared that the G-15 conference is scheduled to be held in Tehran next month. Iran still wants to continue friendly relations with neighbouring countries, he concluded.
Obama's Nuclear Policy
Islamabad: Daily Jang, April 6, 2010. US President Barak Obama has announced a new nuclear policy to minimize its use. At the same time, however, Iran and North Korea could face nuclear attack. While it is known that China possesses only the minimum amount of nuclear weapons, Obama wants Chinese nuclear programme to be more transparent. The US declared that it would use nuclear weapons only in the very extreme situation, without going into the specifics of such a provocation.
Sindh Government allotted numbers to smuggled vehicles
Karachi: Daily Jasarat, April 05, 2010. The department of Sindh Excise & Motor Vehicle Registration has widely allotted numbers and sold No Objection Certificates (NOC) to vehicles smuggled from neighbouring countries, namely India, China, Afghanistan, and Russia. The department's chief, Inspector Raza Abbas has held the post since 2002 and has reportedly allotted about 3000 numbers, each in exchange of Rs. One lakh. One thousand suspected Pashtun and Kashmiri militants have purchased these vehicles in lieu of three lakh each.
Shahid Raheem is a media researcher with ORF |
