LIMA: Peruvian police used tear gas and water cannon Saturday to drive back thousands of demonstrators protesting against what they said were President Ollanta Humala’s unkept promises on schools and jobs. On the eve of Independence Day celebrations, some 6,000 marchers heeded a call by the country’s largest union confederation, CGTP, to turn out in force. Those taking to the streets included university students, non-governmental activists and human rights groups.
Two security men injured in IED attack in Peshawar
PESHAWAR: At least two security forces’ persons were injured Sunday when a roadside Improvised Explosive Device (IED) targeted their vehicle in Peshawar’s Wazir Bagh area. According to a DNA source, the police mobile van was targeted with a roadside IED in Wazir Bagh on the outskirts of Peshawar. The vehicle was completely damaged and two security forces’ persons were injured, who were immediately shifted to Lady Reading Hospital. No loss of life was reported in the incident.
Afridi, Babar heroics seal thrilling win for Pakistan
KINGSTOWN: Thirty-four-year debutant Zulfiqar Babar took three key wickets then struck a six off the final ball of the match to give Pakistan a two-wicket victory over West Indies in the first Twenty20 international on Saturday.
Presidential election: ECP issues final list of candidates
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday issued the final list of candidates for the coming presidential election. The July 30 polling will see a one-on-one contest between Mamnoon Hussain, candidate for the ruling Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) and Justice (retd) Wajihuddin Ahmed of the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI). The ECP has also ordered the printing of ballot papers for the presidential election — 1500 ballot papers are to be printed for the occasion.
Four security personnel injured in attack on FC check post in Hangu
PESHAWAR: At least four paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) soldiers were injured in an attack on their check post in the town of Tall in northwestern Pakistan’s Hangu district. Six militants were killed in retaliatory fire by the FC. “Around 50 militants attacked an FC check post and exchanged fire with the soldiers for over two hours,” a local intelligence official said on condition of anonymity. Another intelligence official also confirmed the incident and said that the attack was repulsed after FC troops retaliated.
‘Anti-drone’ militant group claims Parachinar twin blasts
PESHAWAR: A new militant group by the name of Ansarul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the Parachinar attack which has left at least 57 dead and around 180 injured and says this is their first attack outside Waziristan. Speaking to Dawn.com from an undisclosed location, a spokesman for Ansarul Mujahideen, Abu Baseer, said the group had been set up to respond to US drone strikes.
Baseer said the organisation was “very clear” about its mission, adding that “with each drone attack, we will be responding with a suicide attack…we have done it and shown it”.
He said the recent suicide attacks on Esha check post, Boya check post and Damdail check post were carried out by Ansarul Mujahideen in retaliation to US drone strikes, adding that these would continue.
Pakistan’s official position on drone attacks says these are counter productive and undermine government efforts to separate tribes from militants, violate Pakistan’s sovereignty, kill civilians and fuel anti-US sentiment.
Regarding yesterday’s twin blasts, Baseer said the attacks had been carried out in reaction to “the atrocities committed against the majority Sunni population in Iraq and Syria”, adding that the Ansarul Mujahideen would target “those who somehow support” these atrocities.
Parachinar is some 250 kilometres west of Peshawar and has a population of 50,000. In the wake of sectarian clashes in 2007, the army and paramilitary forces set up several checkpoints on roads leading to the town.
Kurram, the tribal region of which Parachinar is the main town, the only part of Pakistan’s border region that has a significant Shia population, has been racked by sectarian violence.
China charges Bo Xilai with corruption, abuse of power
JINAN, China – China’s once high-flying communist politician Bo Xilai was indicted Thursday for bribery and abuse of power, state media said, following a scandal that exposed deep divisions at the highest levels of government. Bo, the former party chief of the southwestern city of Chongqing, will be the highest-profile Communist official to be put on trial in China for decades. He has not been seen in public for more than a year since he was detained following the murder of a British businessman by his wife and his right-hand man’s flight to a US consulate, triggering a huge political controversy.
Kuwait to vote in lacklustre polls as disputes prevail
KUWAIT CITY – Kuwaitis head to the polls Saturday for a second parliamentary election in eight months that opposition groups are boycotting and that is not expected to heal years of bitter divisions. The election – the sixth in as many years for the oil-rich Gulf state – follows a dull campaign that has failed to jolt apathetic voters into action. At the heart of the issue is an amended electoral law that the constitutional court upheld in June, on the same day that it dissolved parliament and called the election.
Ignored Fazl complains to Nawaz
ISLAMABAD – JUI-F chief Fazalur Rahman Thursday expressed his ‘serious reservations’ to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over PML-N’s presidential nominee Mamnoon Hussain, in a meeting at PM House. The head of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), which is a partner in ruling coalition, complained that they had not been taken on board on this matter. Had they been consulted on the candidate’s name earlier, they would have presented more worthy options, JUI-F spokesperson Jan Achakzai quoted Fazl as telling Nawaz.
PM’s aviation adviser steps down
ISLAMABAD – Prime minister’s adviser on aviation, Shujaat Azeem, has resigned against the backdrop of some cases pending with the Supreme Court involving his dual nationality, court martial in Pakistan Air Force and association with Royal Airport Services.
