10 die as PAF coach comes under attack

TTP claims responsibility

Peshawar—Provincial metropolis Peshawar, where the security is already at high alert, was again rocked by a powerful explosion targeting a Pakistan Air Force ( PAF) coach on the busy Kohat Road leaving at least 10 people dead and around two dozen others seriously wounded. The condition of more than half a dozen injured in the city’s main hospital was stated to be as precarious and the death toll may mount. The PAF authorities, while confirming that the target of the saboteurs was their vehicle, however, said only three civilian employees of the PAF received bruises in the blast. A number of females and children are included among the dead and injured.

Govt joins protest against anti-Islam film; Public holiday tomorrow

Islamabad—The Federal Cabinet has decided that the coming Friday would be observed as “Day of Ishq-e-Rasool” to convey sentiments of the people of Pakistan to the international community over dastardly act of production of blasphemous Internet film. Its meeting was held here on Wednesday with Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in the chair.

ROK becomes biggest player in energy sector

Islamabad—With an investment over $ 5 billion so far, Republic of Korea has become the biggest player in the energy sector of Pakistan. In an exclusive interview with Pakistan Observer on Wednesday, Choi Choong-Joo, ambassador of Republic of Korea to Pakistan said Korean investors have initiated mega projects in power production in different parts of Pakistan. The projects included $ 3.2 billion with generating capacity of 350 MW in Balochistan, $ 1.6 billion AJK project to produce 700 MW and solar energy project with 200 MW production in Balochistan. Another investment with $ 100 million in petro-chemical industry has also been made paving the way for more investment in energy sector.

Security forces kill 29 Taliban near Afghan border

Peshawar—The Pakistani military said it killed 29 Taliban fighters on Wednesday in the final stage of an operation aimed at forcing hundreds of insurgents back across the border into Afghanistan. Soldiers used artillery, helicopter gunships and fighter jets against the insurgents, accused of beheading 17 Pakistani soldiers in June. The battle was the culmination of weeks of operations in the remote valleys of the Batwar area of Bajaur tribal agency near the border. It highlighted once again the difficulty of preventing insurgents from crossing the border to launch attacks or flee from Pakistani or NATO forces bolstering the Afghan government.

Shujaat favours Hazara province

Lahore—Pakistan Muslim League President Senator Ch Shujaat Hussain has says Hazara province will also be established alongside new provinces in the Punjab. This he said while talking to a high-level delegation of “Suba Hazara Tehrik” (Hazara Province Movement) which called on him under the leadership of the Tehrik Chairman Sardar Muhammad Yousaf on Wednesday. Yousaf expressed concern over non representation of Hazara in the commission for new provinces to Hazara province and said that people of Hazara had started the movement with their blood but injustice has been done with them. He said on the occasion of joining of the govt with Pakistan Muslim League it was promised that Hazara will be made a province but so far there has been no headway in this regard.

All bilateral issues to be discussed in Hina-Clinton meet: US

Washington—State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland has said Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Secretary Clinton are likely to discuss a full range of bilateral issues in their forthcoming meeting while declining to comment as to how important the issue of Haqqani network will be during these discussions.

France closing missions, schools in 20 countries

Paris—France said it would temporarily close its embassies and schools in 20 countries on Friday after a French magazine published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad (SM), a move it fears will further inflame tensions over a film mocking the prophet. “We have indeed decided as a precautionary measure to close our premises, embassies, consulates, cultural centres and schools,” a Foreign Ministry spokesman said of the shut-down on Friday, prayer day across the Muslim world. Before publishing the cartoons on Wednesday, French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, renowned for its irreverent treatment of the political establishment and public figures, argued that it had the right to uphold that tradition.