ISLAMABAD; The killing of two senior officers of the Counter-Terrorism Wing on Tuesday shocked the nation, leaving family members and colleagues in mourning. Both the officers were part of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and had served their country with grit, bravery and dexterity. Officers like Inspector Nasir Abbas operate behind the scenes and their invaluable services to their country are often hidden from the public. Like Director Sadiq, Inspector Abbas took these threats in stride and remained unshakeable in his resolve. Both the officers will be deeply missed by the families and their colleagues and the nation will remain indebted to their tremendous services.

Share:US State Department spokesperson Ned Price, while briefing the newsmen in Washington on Wednesday, said that Pakistan and United States do indeed have a shared interest in ensuring that the Taliban live up to the commitments and that terrorist groups like ISIS-K, like the TTP, like al-Qaida are no longer able to threaten regional security. Ned Price said that in the U.S.-Taliban agreement, the Taliban made a commitment to see to it that international terrorists would not operate freely within Afghanistan. Taliban are unwilling to fulfill the commitments they had made, he said. He said Pakistan, of course, has suffered tremendous violence owing to the threats that have in many cases emanated from Afghanistan. The threats that emerge in Afghanistan present a threat to the United States and our allies, he said.

North Andover, MA (01845)TodayPeriods of rain and snow. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precip 100%. Snow accumulations less than one inch..TonightMainly cloudy with snow showers around this evening. Chance of snow 40%.

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday categorically rejected reports claiming that Pakistan had carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan, terming them to be “utterly baseless and malicious”. The statement came hours after reports surfaced claiming Pakistan had carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province. The development comes amid an uptick in terrorist attacks across the country, believed to have been planned and directed by the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leaders based in Afghanistan. The most important of all these actions was to send an unequivocal message to neighbouring Afghanistan to end all its support to TTP. “No country will be allowed to provide sanctuaries and facilitation to terrorists and Pakistan reserves all rights in that respect to safeguard her people,” the NSC statement said.

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Earlier last month, the Lahore High Court (LHC) sought the details of gifts taken from the Toshakhana since 1947. Justice Asim Hafeez sought details of the Toshakhana gifts on citizen Munir Ahmed's plea. During the hearing, the federal government's lawyer had apprised the court that the details could not be provided. However, the court had directed the authorities concerned to submit the details of gifts taken from Toshakhana since 1947, by January 16. PTI chief Imran Khan was facing a scandal regarding the Toshakhana gifts for allegedly indulging in corrupt practices, which the former premier denies.

The United States supported on Tuesday Pakistan’s right to defend itself from terrorism, saying that the Pakistani people had “suffered tremendously” from such attacks as Washington repeated it call on the Afghan Taliban not to allow terrorist groups to use their soil to launch attacks abroad. The spokesperson was asked if Pakistan’s National Security Committee’s (NSC) statement this week indicated that Islamabad might resort to targeting terrorist safe havens across the border in Afghanistan if Kabul did not take the appropriate action. “We’re aware of the recent statement…,” Price replied. The forum sent an unequivocal message to the Afghan Taliban regime that Pakistan would not allow its neighbour to provide sanctuaries and facilitate terrorists. Pakistan’s security is uncompromisable and the full writ of the state will be maintained on every inch of the country.”Taliban ban on womenPrice said that the US had seen “repeated offenses” on the part of the Afghan Taliban, targeting women repeatedly.

Share:Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir is on an official visit to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) from January 4-10, announced the military’s media wing on Thursday. At the outset of the meeting, the Saudi minister congratulated Gen Asim Munir on his appointment as the new army chief. Gen Munir has commanded the 23rd Frontier Force Regiment, infantry brigade, remained as a force commander in Northern Areas, Gilgit. Gen Munir is the first army chief who has headed both — MI and ISI. Gen Munir is a keen sportsman, avid reader, traveller and also a Hafiz e Quran.

This is with reference to the report “Plan to regularise ‘heated tobacco products’ under fire” (Dec 4). As a chest physician, I strongly oppose the proposal to approve this new tobacco product in the country. Heated tobacco products (HTPs) consist of a small tobacco stick that is heated electronically rather than burned. Apart from heated tobacco, the industry has also introduced electronic cigarettes as well as smokeless tobacco products in the form of nicotine pouches. A high percentage of Pakistani youth has started using newer tobacco products without realising their associated long-term health risks.

While the world over ‘technocrats’ has replaced ‘bureaucrats’, only in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan are they pitted against the ‘politicians’. Technocrats and politicians have to work together for civilian supremacy as it was before October 1958 when the Khakis were in the barracks where they rightfully belong. Able and honest politicians like Khan Qayyum Khan were back in the arena. Having personally interacted with the current lot of political players, barring a few the bureaucratic inertia is overwhelming for them. Technocrats and politicians have to work together for civilian supremacy as it was before October 1958 when the Khakis were in the barracks where they rightfully belong.

Pakistan People's Party believes in serving nation: TasneemMinister of State for Industries and Production Tasneem Ahmed Qureshi has said that Pakistan People's Party believes to serve the nation and the country. He expressed these views while addressing to 95th birth anniversary of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto at Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology in Islamabad on Wednesday. The Minister said the PPP always raised voice for the safety of the country and protection of the rights of the people. He said Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the leader of the people, a great benefactor of Pakistan, a hero of the Islamic world and a world leader.

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Share:PESHAWAR - The outlawed Teh­reek-i-Taliban Paki­stan (TTP) Wednes­day issued threat to target the top lead­ers of the two lead­ing political par­ties in the ruling coalition, including the Pakistan Mus­lim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Paki­stan Peoples Party (PPP), if they contin­ued to support tough mea­sures against the mili­tants. “Although Bilawal is still young, this poor man has not yet wit­nessed the state of war,” the statement said, adding that the PPP leader had declared an open war on TTP. The TTP spared the re­ligious political parties, saying there is no scope for action against them in TTP’s policy. He said PML-N’s Shehbaz Sharif has also spoken against the TTP and tried to implicate his entire party into the war against the Taliban. “If these two parties continue to support ar­my’s policies, TTP will be­gin targeting their leader­ship,” he added.

Share:NEW YORK-The United Arab Emirates and China called Tuesday for a UN Security Council meeting after Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered Al-Aqsa Mosque’s courtyards in occupied East Jerusalem amid warnings of unrest. The visit drew fierce condemnation across the world, with the US, Israel’s closest ally, expressing deep concern over the recent developments. Jews, for their part, call the area the Temple Mount, saying it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times. Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.