Tension prevails in Rawalpindi after firing incident

TrendPK.com

RAWALPINDI: Tension prevailed at Adiala Road of the city after exchange of fire between two rival groups, TrendPK reported on Saturday.

Eye witnesses told media that some people, both from rival groups started firing on each other from top of buildings.

The road was closed for traffic after the incident and nearby markets were also closed.

One laborer became hurt in the incident that was taken to a hospital for treatment. TrendPK

Four injured in Quetta hand grenade attack

TrendPK.com

QUETTA: At least four people are reported hurt in a hand grenade attack at Double Road of the city, TrendPK reported on Wednesday.

The injured people are being shifted to a hospital for treatment.

Two vehicles are reported damaged in the incident.

Rescue teams reached at the scene soon after the incident. TrendPK

‘Pak. Army rejects US probe report over Salala check post attack’

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RAWALPINDI:  Pakistan Army has rejected US probe report over Salala incident while saying that Pakistan does not agree with several portions and findings of the Investigation Report as these are factually not correct, TrendPK reported on Monday.

According to an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release, the fundamental cause of the incident of 26th November 2011 was the failure of US / ISAF to share its near-border operation with Pakistan at any level.

This obviously was a major omission, as were several others, like the complicated chain of command, complex command and control structure and unimaginative / intricate Rules of Engagement as well as lack of unified military command in Afghanistan.

 In addition to the foregoing, US / ISAF violated all mutually agreed procedures with Pakistan for near-border operations put in place to avert such uncalled for actions. It also carried out unprovoked engagement of Pakistani Posts located inside Pakistan violating the US / ISAF mandate which is limited to Afghanistan alone.

The US Investigation Report into the Salala incident of 26th November 2011, involving aerial strikes by US aircraft and helicopters resulting into Shahadat (killing) of 24 Pakistani soldiers and injury to 13 others, was received by the General Headquarters (GHQ) Pakistan Army on the 24th of December 2011.

The report received is the same version as available on the US Central Command (CENTCOM) Website. 

The scrutiny of the US Investigation Report has been carried out by Pakistan Military with a view to reiterate facts and corrects the perspective. 

The US Investigation Report is structured around the argument of “self defense” and “proportional use of force”, an argument which is contrary to facts.

Continued engagement by US / ISAF despite being informed about the incident at multiple levels by Pakistan Military within minutes of initiation of US / ISAF fire, belies the “self defense” and “proportional use of force” contention.

Affixing partial responsibility of the incident on Pakistan is therefore, unjustified and unacceptable. TrendPK

One dies, 3 hurt as houses catch fire in Hyderabad

TrendPK.com

HYDERABAD: A young man was burnt to death as one of the tents of gypsy people caught fire at Thatta Road near Jharak here on Sunday.

Children and woman who also were injured in the incident are being treated at Civil Hospital.

The injured people are reported in a critical condition, with 80% of the burnt body.

The died young man is identified as Laxman.

Locals said that the incident is deliberate and some people wanted to destroy their homes.

On the other hand, police said that the tent homes caught fire suddenly and it was not done deliberately. TrendPK

Minissha Lamba receives threat calls

The sweet and bubbly Minissha Lamba faced a big horror recently when she became a victim of threat calls since last Saturday.

Speaking about the incident, her spokesperson said, “Yes, Minissha has been receiving threat calls since Saturday from unknown numbers. The mystery callers don’t want her to attend an Indo- American cultural event in New York.”

Further a source close to her states, “The calls started on Saturday, when she received the first spate of calls. First, she answered the phone and both callers said the same thing… ‘Don’t attend the event in New York’.”

Though the actress has filed police complaint regarding the same at the Andheri police station, she is still in Mumbai contemplating whether she should go for the event or heed the calls.

Swedish royals turned out by restaurant owners

Nadine Schellenberger of ZumGueldenen Stern, a half-timbered inn and pub founded in the 16th century in the centre of the southwestern town of Ladenburg, said the royals stopped in while she was hosting a wedding party.

“I didn t recognise them. I mean without crowns and sceptres… I am just not up on royal families and I don t have time for glossy magazines,” she told a news agency after the incident Thursday.

“Whether you re a street sweeper or queen — we just didn t have a table or enough manpower in the kitchen at that time and our hands were tied.”

Nevertheless Schellenberger and her husband Michael plan to send a letter to King Carl XVI Gustaf and German-born Queen Silvia to apologise.

“We want to tell them that we are sorry we didn t recognise them immediately and that we weren t able to serve them but that we would be delighted to welcome them another time,” she said.

Press reports said the royal couple and their entourage managed to get a pizza on the market square.

 

Army may be deployed in Karachi

KARACHI: Federal Interior Minister Abdul Rehman Malik, following the incident of ambush at policemen in Korangi, resulting in demise of six cops, has nodded his head for deployment of army in Karachi, saying, “Karachi may be given under authority of army to ensure peace and stability in case the ongoing spree of violence and target killings continue to plague the city, TrendPK reported late Friday.

India pilot daughter accepts Pakistan pilot’s ‘remorse’

The daughter of a dead Indian pilot has thanked a Pakistani fighter pilot for apologising after shooting down the aircraft that her father was commanding more than four decades ago.Her father Jahangir Engineer was flying the plane which had apparently drifted off course along the border.

Qais Hussain, who was a Pakistani pilot during the 1965 war with India, shot down the eight-seater plane.Earlier, he wrote to Mrs Singh saying he was sorry for the loss of precious lives during the incident and was acting under orders from his superiors. The Pakistanis suspected the craft of being on a reconnaissance mission to open a new war front. Mr Hussain was ordered to shoot it down, despite pleas for mercy by Mr Engineer.

The former fighter pilot said that when he landed back at an air base at Karachi, he felt highly elated for having completed the mission.But the mood changed later that evening when All India Radio announced that the plane had been a civilian Indian aircraft with eight people on board.
In a letter to Farida Singh, Mr Hussain said that everyone connected with the incident felt sorry and dejected.

“The fact that this all happened in the confusion of a tragic war was never lost to us ”

Mrs Singh replied that she was “somewhat overwhelmed” at receiving the letter. She said the death of her father had “defined our lives”.
“But in all the struggles that followed, we never, not for one moment, bore bitterness or hatred for the person who actually pulled the trigger and caused my father s death,” she wrote.

“The fact that this all happened in the confusion of a tragic war was never lost to us. We are all pawns in this terrible game of war and peace.”
Describing her father as an “ace pilot, a great leader of men and a willing team player”, Mrs Singh said he was also generous of spirit.
“Hence it is now easy for me to reach out my hand to receive your message. This incident is indeed a prime example of what damage strife and mindless battles can drive even good men to do,” she said.

Mr Hussain said he decided to write to the family after all these years when an opportunity arose through his contacts in India, who put him in touch with the pilot s daughter.

“I feel sorry for you, your family and the other seven families who lost their dearest ones,” his letter stated.

London: Three more accused in killings of Pakistanis arrested

All three accused are 16 to 22 years old. According to Midlands Police, the efforts are on to identify the accused involved in the incident.

The police sources further said that more arrests were expected within next 24 hours for which CCTV footage were being analysed.

On the other hand, a man accused in this case has been released on bail.

The dead bodies of three Pakistanis who were killed in the riots would be handed over to their families after postmortem. The dead bodies are likely to be buried in Birmingham.

Three Pakistanis killed by car in Birmingham riots

LONDON: Three Pakistani men died Wednesday after being hit by a car during riots in Birmingham, officials said, as witnesses said they died while trying to protect their community from looters.

The deceased include two brothers Shehzad Hussain and Haroon Hussain and another youth Mussavir Ali.

Police said they had arrested a man and launched a murder inquiry after the incident which happened at around 1:00 am (0000 GMT) as Britain’s second largest city suffered from another night of riots.

Paramedics said they found around 80 people at the scene after the men were hit by the car. Two of the men were pronounced dead on the spot and the third died later in hospital.

Witnesses and family members said the victims were Pakistani men and were part of a group protecting the area from looting after local people had left a local mosque.

“People came out of prayers and they were protecting the area. My friends were targeted — they were standing on the side of the road and the car just came and ran them over,” witness Kabir Khan Isakhel said.

Another witness said the incident happened after a car was set ablaze in a nearby street and youths gathered, prompting local people to defend a local shopping area.

“They lost their lives for other people, doing the job of the police,” Mohammed Shakiel said outside the hospital where the men were taken, prompting around 200 people to gather in support.

“They were protecting the community as a whole.”

Several cars drove past the group as it was guarding the stores and the occupants shouted abuse before one vehicle returned and mounted the pavement at “tremendous speed” and hit the men, throwing them into the air, Shakiel said.

Tariq Jahan, the father of Haroon Jahan, one of the men who died, told the BBC: “I’ve got no words to describe what, why he was taken and why this has happened.”

“He was a very good lad, starting at the beginning of his life. He had his whole life ahead of him. It makes no sense why people are behaving like this and taking the lives of three innocent people.”

Police said a 32-year-old man was being held on suspicion of murder. It said the victims were aged 20, 30 and 31.

“West Midlands Police have launched a murder enquiry, arrested one man in connection with the incident and recovered a vehicle nearby which will be examined by forensics experts,” a police statement said.

Britain has been hit by four nights of violent rioting. London was quieter on Tuesday night but the unrest spread to other cities including Manchester and Birmingham. AGENCIES/ TrendPK

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