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Pakistan
Report:2018
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Date
Incidents
January - 2 
Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Law and Order Officials confirmed on January 2 that 6,112 civilians were killed and another 6,707 others have been injured in the ‘war against terrorism’ since 2001 (period not specified during a meeting of the standing committee on the Ministry
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Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Law and Order Officials confirmed on January 2 that 6,112 civilians were killed and another 6,707 others have been injured in the ‘war against terrorism’ since 2001 (period not specified during a meeting of the standing committee on the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) in Islamabad, reports The Express Tribune. Families of the killed have been paid 3.7 billion rupees in compensation so far. Families of 244 Levies and 178 Khasadar Personnel were among the 5,690 civilians, who had received the compensation amount.
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January - 2 
Government of Pakistan in a tweeted that Pakistan had sustained over 50000 casualties and $123 billion losses in the ‘war against terrorism’ on January 2, reports The Express Tribune. For the period 2003-2017 Pakistan suffered 62,421 casualties. In 2013, 5, 379 Pakistanis were kille
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Government of Pakistan in a tweeted that Pakistan had sustained over 50000 casualties and $123 billion losses in the ‘war against terrorism’ on January 2, reports The Express Tribune. For the period 2003-2017 Pakistan suffered 62,421 casualties. In 2013, 5, 379 Pakistanis were killed in terrorist attacks followed by 5,496 in 2014; 3,682 in 2015; 1,830 in 2016 and 924 in 2017. According to Watson Institute 6000 Pakistan Security Personnel, 1582 United States (US) Contractors, 2357 US Military, 1130 Allied Troops and 14200 Afghan Troopers were killed in combat (period not specified). More Pakistanis died in incidents described by Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA) as encounters than in gun violence or in suicide attacks in 2017, according to the findings of a research conducted by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), reports Daily Times on January 6. In 2017, 495 people were reported killed in what the law enforcement agencies said were shootouts. The number of those killed in gun violence was 399, those in suicide attacks 298, and in bomb explosions 144. The corresponding numbers for 2016 were 645 in alleged encounters, 485 in gun violence, and 376 in suicide attacks. The study finds that sectarian violence escalated drastically in 2017, with a 32 percent increase from 241 fatalities in 2016 to 319 in 2017. Overall, the report maintains that the country witnessed a 21 percent decline in violence-related deaths in 2017. Except Punjab, all other provinces or regions registered a decline in violence. 4,131 casualties were reported in violent incidents in 2017, including 2,057 deaths and 2,074 injuries. In contrast, there were 2,613 deaths in 2016 and 4,647 in 2015.
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January - 3 
Karachi Police released a year-end report detailing its performance for the year 2017 on January 3, reports The Express Tribune. The report detailed that 184 criminals and 7,373 militants were killed in 480 encounters in Karachi in 2017.
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Karachi Police released a year-end report detailing its performance for the year 2017 on January 3, reports The Express Tribune. The report detailed that 184 criminals and 7,373 militants were killed in 480 encounters in Karachi in 2017.
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January - 3 
Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has been ‘secretly’ renamed as 'Al Murabitoon', reports ZEE News on January 4. The rechristening of JeM founded by Masood Azhar, who is wanted in India in connection with several terror attack cases, has come at a t
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Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has been ‘secretly’ renamed as 'Al Murabitoon', reports ZEE News on January 4. The rechristening of JeM founded by Masood Azhar, who is wanted in India in connection with several terror attack cases, has come at a time when India has been lobbying hard at the United Nations (UN) for more sanctions against the outfit. According to inputs received from the intelligence agencies, the JeM is now using its new identity to secure entry into the universities and colleges across Pakistan. Besides, the changed identity of the outfit is also being used to secure more funds for the organisation. The reports, claiming to have accessed documentary evidence, said that Masood Azhar is using this new identity for organising speech and debate competitions in schools and colleges in Pakistani cities of Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Rawalakot.If the intelligence agencies are to be believed, the renaming of JeM is a well-calculated move aimed at shielding the outfit from international scrutiny. However, this is not the sole reason behind JeM's renaming. JeM's new identity is also likely to help it in expanding its anti-India operations, report said. In view of a tough competition from as Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and the Taliban, the JeM has been under tremendous pressure to increase its influence in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the Kashmir Valley.Several pamphlets inviting entries for debate competitions have been distributed in various schools and colleges in Pakistan in the name of ‘Al Murabitoon.’ Interestingly, top leaders of JeM have been invited to the events as guests. Another thing which draws immediate attention is the prize – special swords bearing the name of Masood Azhar as the 'Ameer of Mujahedeens' – being given to the winners and the runner-ups. All this comes to light at a time when the United States (US) President Donald Trump has threatened to cut USD 255 million in aid to Pakistan over its alleged terror activities.
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January - 6 
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its associated outfits remain the most potent threat followed by nationalist insurgent groups despite a 16 per cent decline in militant attacks in 2017, said a security report issued by Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies (PIPS) on January 6, report
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The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its associated outfits remain the most potent threat followed by nationalist insurgent groups despite a 16 per cent decline in militant attacks in 2017, said a security report issued by Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies (PIPS) on January 6, reports The Nation. The report mentioned that Islamic State (IS) footprint was increasing in Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Northern Sindh, and were carrying out deadly attacks. The report said that militant, nationalist and violent sectarian groups carried out, in all, 370 terrorist attacks in 64 districts of Pakistan during the year 2017, including 24 suicide and gun-and-suicide coordinated attacks, killing 815 people, besides injuring 1,736. These attacks posted a 16 per cent decrease from the total in 2016; and the number of people killed also dropped by 10 per cent.Of these attacks, as many as 213, or 58 per cent, were perpetrated by TTP , its splinter groups, mainly Jamaat-u-Ahrar (JuA) and other militant groups with similar objectives such as local Taliban groups, killing 186 people. Nationalist insurgent groups, mostly in Balochistan and a few in Sindh, carried out 138 attacks, or 37 per cent of the total, killing 140 people. As many as 19 terrorist attacks were sectarian, which killed 71 people and inflicted injuries on 97 others, according to the report. It also noted that compared to 2016, a significant surge of 131 per cent was witnessed during 2017 in cross-border attacks from Pakistan’s borders with Afghanistan, India and Iran. A total of 171 cross-border attacks claimed 188 lives and injured 348 others.Security Forces (SFs) and Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA) killed a total of 524 militants in 2017, as against 809 in 2016, in 75 military operations as well as 68 armed clashes and encounters with the militants reported from across the four provinces and FATA. According to the report, some new challenges raised their heads, including emergence of self-radicalised individuals and small terrorist cells, growing incidence of religious extremism including on educational campuses, and, most importantly, increasing footprints of IS in parts of the country and convergence of its fighters in Afghanistan near Pakistani border. In 2017, IS and its local affiliates claimed 6 major attacks, killing 153 people.
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January - 13 
A total of 324 violent incidents including 153 terrorism and 171 counter terrorism actions were recorded during 2017, which marked a 16 percent increase in militancy incidents, compared to the preceding year, says FATA Annual Security Report issued by FATA Research Centre, Islamabad, reports Da
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A total of 324 violent incidents including 153 terrorism and 171 counter terrorism actions were recorded during 2017, which marked a 16 percent increase in militancy incidents, compared to the preceding year, says FATA Annual Security Report issued by FATA Research Centre, Islamabad, reports Daily times on January 14. Out of the total 153 terrorist incidents in 2017, 73 terrorist attacks (48 percent) targeted the security forces, while 71 attacks (46 percent) were directed against civilians. Seven terrorist attacks (five percent) targeted members of civil militia or Amn Lashkar. Two incidents of infighting between terrorist groups were also report during the year 2017. The violent incidents both militants and counter-terrorists, resulted in a total of 1207 casualties 539 killed and 668 injured across FATA, marking an increase of 37 percent in overall casualties. Of the total casualties, 76O (138 Killed and 437 Injured) were that of civilians, accounting for 63 percent of the overall casualties. The report claimed that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Islamic State of Khorasan (IS-K), Khan Said and Hakeemullah group of Mehsud Taliban, Wazir Taliban, Haqqani Network, Lashkar-e-JhangviAlmi and TTP-Jamat-ul-Ahrar remained the major actor of instability during the year 2017, adds The Nation.
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January - 15 
Afghan Taliban delegation from the ‘Qatar Office’ led by Shahabuddin Dilawar has arrived in Pakistan according to two (unnamed) Taliban officials on January 15, reports Daily times. However, Taliban ‘spokesman’ Zabihullah Mujahid said he was unaware of the visit when a query
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Afghan Taliban delegation from the ‘Qatar Office’ led by Shahabuddin Dilawar has arrived in Pakistan according to two (unnamed) Taliban officials on January 15, reports Daily times. However, Taliban ‘spokesman’ Zabihullah Mujahid said he was unaware of the visit when a query was posted on his WhatsApp and said he would check and respond.
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January - 16 
Following Prime Minister (PM) ShahidKhaqanAbbasi’s remark that no action could be taken against the United Nations-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed, the United States (US) on January 18 called for Hafiz Saeed’s prosecution “to the fullest extent of the law”, reports Times of
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Following Prime Minister (PM) ShahidKhaqanAbbasi’s remark that no action could be taken against the United Nations-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed, the United States (US) on January 18 called for Hafiz Saeed’s prosecution “to the fullest extent of the law”, reports Times of India. PM ShahidKhaqanAbbasi, during an interview to Geo TV on January 16, referred to Hafiz Saeed as ‘sahib’ (sir) and said “There is no case against Hafiz Saeed sahib in Pakistan. Only when there is a case, can there be action,” he said when asked why there was no action against Saeed.Reacting strongly to the comments, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said the US believed that Saeed should be prosecuted and they have told Pakistan as much.“We believe that he should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. He is listed by the UNSC 1267, the Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee for targeted sanctions due to his affiliation with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which is a designated foreign terror organisation,” Ms. Nauert told reporters at her daily news conference.“We have made our points and concerns to the Pakistani government very clear. We believe that this individual should be prosecuted,” she said.
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January - 16 
More than 1,800 clerics have issued a fatwa forbidding suicide bombings, as part of a national counter-terrorism narrative ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan’ launched at the President’s House in Islamabad on January 16, reports Daily Times. The 22-point decree signed by eminent religious s
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More than 1,800 clerics have issued a fatwa forbidding suicide bombings, as part of a national counter-terrorism narrative ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan’ launched at the President’s House in Islamabad on January 16, reports Daily Times. The 22-point decree signed by eminent religious scholars from different schools of thought and heads of major religious schools across Pakistan declared that suicide attacks were forbidden in the light of teachings of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah and were already adversely affecting the country and the society by causing disorder and mayhem to the advantage of the enemies of Islam as well as Pakistan. “We unanimously reject extremist ideology and extremism in all its forms and manifestations. Wherever exists, this is an evil ideology, therefore, shall be dealt with as a religious obligation through all means available, i.e. ideological, kinetic and non-kinetic,” the decree said.
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January - 19 
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa on January 19 confirmed death sentence of another 10 hardcore terrorists, awarded by military courts, reports The News. The convicts were involved in terrorist activities, killing of innocent civilians, attacks on educational institutions, slaugh
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Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa on January 19 confirmed death sentence of another 10 hardcore terrorists, awarded by military courts, reports The News. The convicts were involved in terrorist activities, killing of innocent civilians, attacks on educational institutions, slaughtering of soldiers, attacking Law Enforcement Agencies and Armed Forces of Pakistan. In total, these 10 terrorists were involved in killing of 41 personnel while injuring 33 others. Arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession. These convicts were tried by military courts. Besides these 10, another 3 convicts have been awarded imprisonment for varying period by military courts.
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January - 19 
Pakistan on January 19 said that it wanted to send Afghan Taliban and Haqqani network leaders back to Afghanistan to join the mainstream politics in their own country, Daily Times reported quoting BBC Urdu. In an interview to the BBC Urdu, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Aizaz Chaud
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Pakistan on January 19 said that it wanted to send Afghan Taliban and Haqqani network leaders back to Afghanistan to join the mainstream politics in their own country, Daily Times reported quoting BBC Urdu. In an interview to the BBC Urdu, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Aizaz Chaudhry rejected allegations of providing shelter to Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network operatives. “There are no terrorist safe havens in Pakistan. However, if US has any information [on the issue] then they must share it with us as we too want to eliminate them [Taliban and Haqqanis],” he said. Chaudhry said the Taliban and Haqqanis had a control over 43 per cent land in Afghanistan. “However, they have relations with the Afghan refugees living in Pakistan and that’s why we want them [refugees] to return to Afghanistan as well,” he said. “Our position on the issue is very clear: we want them back to their country… we don’t want Taliban and Haqqanis living with us. In fact, we are forcing them to go and live in Afghanistan and join the political mainstream there and they’re not accepted here anymore,” he asserted.
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January - 23 
At least two Haqqani network militants were killed in a drone strike on January 23 at a house in Speen Thal area of Hangu District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, reports The Express Tribune. According to sources, two missiles were fired from a drone at a house in Speen Thal area killing two militants o
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At least two Haqqani network militants were killed in a drone strike on January 23 at a house in Speen Thal area of Hangu District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, reports The Express Tribune. According to sources, two missiles were fired from a drone at a house in Speen Thal area killing two militants of the Haqqani network identified as Ahsanullah alias Khorai and Nasir Mehsud. The deaths were also confirmed by Station House Officer (SHO) of Thal Police Station, Ameer Zaman.
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January - 23 
he chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), the frontal organisation of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed on January 23 requested the United Nations (UN) to send its officials to JuD's offices to check whether he was involved in terrorist or humanitarian activities, reports&nb
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he chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), the frontal organisation of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed on January 23 requested the United Nations (UN) to send its officials to JuD's offices to check whether he was involved in terrorist or humanitarian activities, reports Times of India. Saeed also filed a petition in the Lahore High Court seeking protection from arrest ahead of the UNSC team's arrival. He filed the petition through his counsel A K Dogar seeking the court's direction to the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) Government restraining it from arresting him and taking action against JuD and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation, which is included in the UNSC sanctions list. Saeed's request comes two days ahead of the visit of the UNSC's sanctions monitoring team to Pakistan on a two-day trip to assess the country's compliance with the world body's sanctions regime. The UNSC special team will arrive here on January 25. "Everyone can observe our humanitarian work and activities," Saeed said. "A malicious campaign has been launched in media against me and JuD in order to please America and India. The campaign aimed at banning JuD activities in Pakistan will not be fruitful for the country's sovereignty," Saeed added.
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January - 24 
The Lahore High Court on January 24 restrained the Pakistan Government from arresting Hafiz Saeed, the 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief, till further order, reports Times of India. Saeed on January 23 moved the court seeking protection from arrest or action a
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The Lahore High Court on January 24 restrained the Pakistan Government from arresting Hafiz Saeed, the 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief, till further order, reports Times of India. Saeed on January 23 moved the court seeking protection from arrest or action against Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) ahead of the visit of the monitoring team of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Sanctions Committee. In his plea, he had said that the government wants to arrest him at the behest of US and India, whose lobby for the last many years has been trying to prove that he was "somehow involved in Mumbai attacks". Justice Amin Aminuddin Khan heard Saeed's plea and refrained the Government from taking any adverse action against him. "The LHC today accepted JuD chief Hafiz Saeed's application and issued order restraining the federal government from arresting him till further order," a court official said adding that the court also issued notice to the Government to file its reply on March 17.
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January - 26 
As many as 444 suspects were killed in 192 police encounters led by Rao Anwar after his appointment as the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in the Malir District of the Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, The Newsreported on January 26 quoting the inquiry report submitted by the Sind
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As many as 444 suspects were killed in 192 police encounters led by Rao Anwar after his appointment as the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in the Malir District of the Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, The Newsreported on January 26 quoting the inquiry report submitted by the Sindh Police in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The report detailing 745 encounters involving former SSP Malir Rao Anwar, after his appointment seven years back, was submitted by the Police after Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar took suo notice of the alleged extra judicial killing of Naqeebullah Mehsood on January 13. According to the inquiry report, Rao Anwar led 192 police encounters in which 444 people were killed. Whereas, there were 553 cases that did not involve any killings. The report stated that Rao Anwar took some 891 suspects into custody during the last seven years as SPP of the Malir District. The first ten months of 2012 saw the most number of encounters, the report said. Two Police encounters took place in Jan 2018 that led to killing of eight people.
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January - 29 
Pakistani PM Sahid Khaqan Abaasi on January 29 inaugurated the Gwadar Economic Free Zone as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), reports Daily Times.
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Pakistani PM Sahid Khaqan Abaasi on January 29 inaugurated the Gwadar Economic Free Zone as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), reports Daily Times.
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February - 9 
President Mamnoon Hussain on February 9 quietly promulgated an ordinance amending the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 with regards to proscription of terrorist individuals and organisations to include entities listed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), reports Dawn. The promulgation o
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President Mamnoon Hussain on February 9 quietly promulgated an ordinance amending the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 with regards to proscription of terrorist individuals and organisations to include entities listed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), reports Dawn. The promulgation of the ordinance was made public on February 12. The ordinance amends Sections 11-B and 11-EE of Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 (XXVII of 1997). Section 11-B sets out parameters for proscription of groups, whereas 11-EE describes the grounds for listing of individuals. Both sections would now include Sub-Section ‘aa’, according to which organisations and individuals “listed under the United Nations (Security Council) Act, 1948 (XIV of 1948), or” will be included in the First Schedule (for organisations) and Fourth Schedule (for individuals), respectively, on an ex-parte basis. The move, which ends an old discrepancy between the UN sanctions list and the national listing of terrorist groups and individuals, has come over a week before the crucial Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting in Paris, scheduled to be held from Feb 18 to 23. The US and India are spearheading an effort to get Pakistan included in the watchdog’s international money-laundering and terror-financing ‘grey list’.
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February - 9 
The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on February 9 approved the death sentences of seven terrorists convicted for "heinous offences related to terrorism" by a military court, reports Dawn. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) handout, the convict
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The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on February 9 approved the death sentences of seven terrorists convicted for "heinous offences related to terrorism" by a military court, reports Dawn. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) handout, the convicts carried out multiple attacks on civilians, law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and the armed forces. They were also held responsible for killing 85 people and injuring 109 others, the statement said. Arms and explosives were also recovered from the militants' possession. A military court also sentenced five other convicts to jail.
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February - 14 
Afghan Taliban, In an open letter, on February 14 offered peace negotiations to the American people and the Congressmen, asking them to press their leaders to end invasion, as President Trump’s new strategy was failing to browbeat the insurgents, reports Daily Times. Earlier on Janu
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Afghan Taliban, In an open letter, on February 14 offered peace negotiations to the American people and the Congressmen, asking them to press their leaders to end invasion, as President Trump’s new strategy was failing to browbeat the insurgents, reports Daily Times. Earlier on January 30, Trump had ruled out talks with the Taliban and declared to ‘finish’ them after a string of Taliban-claimed attacks killed nearly 125 people and injured about 300 others in Kabul. The offer comes amid increased US airstrikes against the Taliban in southern and northern Afghanistan as Trump’s administration is now mainly focusing on the use of force against the insurgents.
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February - 14 
The United States of America (USA) has put forward a motion to place Pakistan on a global terrorist-financing watch list Financial Action Task Force (FATF) with an anti-money-laundering monitoring group, reports Reuters. According to Miftah Ismail the United States and Britain have put for
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The United States of America (USA) has put forward a motion to place Pakistan on a global terrorist-financing watch list Financial Action Task Force (FATF) with an anti-money-laundering monitoring group, reports Reuters. According to Miftah Ismail the United States and Britain have put forward the motion several weeks ago, and later persuaded France and Germany to co-sponsor it.“We are now working with the U.S., UK, Germany and France for the nomination to be withdrawn,” Ismail who is Advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister (on Finance) said. “We are also quite hopeful that even if the U.S. did not withdraw the nomination that we will prevail and not be put on the watch list.” Earlier, Pakistan had been on the FATF watch list from 2012 to 2015. A meeting of FATF member states is due to take place next week in Paris, where the organization could adopt the motion on Pakistan. The FATF, an intergovernmental body based in Paris, sets global standards for fighting illicit finance.
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February - 15 
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has decided to abolish the Gilgit-Baltistan Council (GBC) and transfer its powers to the GB Legislative Assembly, reports Dawn. An unnamed official of the GBC on condition of anonymity told the newspaper that a high-level meeting was held in Prime Minister Ho
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Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has decided to abolish the Gilgit-Baltistan Council (GBC) and transfer its powers to the GB Legislative Assembly, reports Dawn. An unnamed official of the GBC on condition of anonymity told the newspaper that a high-level meeting was held in Prime Minister House, Islamabad, on February 15 where Mr Abbasi directed the authorities concerned to abolish the Gilgit-Baltistan council within a month. GB Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and GB, Chaudhry Barjees Tahir, Planning Deputy Chairman Sartaj Aziz and other senior government officials had attended the meeting. The powers currently exercised by the GB Council would be shifted to the elected GB Legislative Assembly
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February - 17 
Three terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted by the Security Forces in Dera Ghazi Khan on January 17, reports Daily Times. Two Rangers’ personnel were got injuries during the operation. Punjab Rangers, along with Elite Police and Intelligence Agencie
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Three terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted by the Security Forces in Dera Ghazi Khan on January 17, reports Daily Times. Two Rangers’ personnel were got injuries during the operation. Punjab Rangers, along with Elite Police and Intelligence Agencies, conducted the IBO as a part of Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, killing three terrorists in exchange of fire and recovering ammunition from the site, a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on February 17 stated. An Improvised Explosive Device (IED), rocket launcher, AK-47, grenades and other ammunition were also recovered from the spot.
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February - 18 
China has been quietly holding talks with the Baloch militants for more than five years in an effort to protect the $60bn worth of infrastructure projects it is financing as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), reports Daily Times. The news report takes Financial Times 
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China has been quietly holding talks with the Baloch militants for more than five years in an effort to protect the $60bn worth of infrastructure projects it is financing as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), reports Daily Times. The news report takes Financial Times as a source for the claim. Financial Times citing three unnamed people with knowledge of the talks has reported that Chinese had been in direct contact with the Baloch insurgents, where many of the scheme’s most important projects are located. “The Chinese have quietly made a lot of progress,” said one Pakistani official. “Even though insurgents occasionally try to carry out the odd attack, they are not making a forceful push.” Pakistani officials have welcomed the talks between Baloch insurgents and Chinese envoys, even if they do not know the details of what has been discussed. “Ultimately, if there’s peace in Balochistan, that will benefit both of us,” said one unnamed official in Islamabad.
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February - 18 
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had decided to take strict action against Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and its humanitarian arm Falahi Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) on January 1 but he had to reverse his decision after his attention was drawn to another possible political crisis, reports The News 
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Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had decided to take strict action against Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and its humanitarian arm Falahi Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) on January 1 but he had to reverse his decision after his attention was drawn to another possible political crisis, reports The News on February 19. This was during a meeting which was attended by interior minister Ahsan Iqbal, Prime Minister's adviser on Finance and Economic Affairs Miftah Ismail and Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua “The Prime Minister said both the organisations should be banned but Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal was of the view that if these organisations were banned at this point, the government would be facing a similar crisis which it faced in November in the shape of Faizabad sit-in by Tehreek Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah led by Khadim Hussain Rizvi,” two different sources who attended the meeting confirmed to this correspondent. The sit-in had paralyzed the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Miftah Ismail and foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua apprised him of the possible repercussions of the upcoming Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) meeting that could decide placing Pakistan on the watch list of countries that financially aid terrorism, the paper said. After their input, PM Abbasi constituted a three-member committee, comprising Iqbal, Ismail and attorney general Ishtar Ausaf, to finalise the decision of taking a strict action against the JuD and FIF The committee then decided to resolve the issue through a presidential ordinance bringing an amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997 enabling the law to freeze all the assets of the organisations banned by the UN Security Council. "Although, the federal government has decided to freeze the assets of JUD and FIF through the law, it does not empower the provincial police to register cases against their activists, so we've taken over their assets but not registered cases against their activists," an unnamed senior officer Police officer as saying.
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February - 20 
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has released a new report named Policy Issues in Economic Growth, Equality and Sustainable Development that indicates stark regional disparities within Pakistan with Balochistan being the poorest province of the country, reports Daily Ti
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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has released a new report named Policy Issues in Economic Growth, Equality and Sustainable Development that indicates stark regional disparities within Pakistan with Balochistan being the poorest province of the country, reports Daily Times. With Balochistan lacking basic needs, the province has further fallen down in terms of sustainability and is on top of the poverty index. In Qilla Abdullah, 96% are living below their means making it the poorest part of Pakistan. According to the report, after Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) ranks second in the provincial level with 49% of people identified as living in poor standards. Kohistan in the report was identified as one of the most deprived part of KP where 95% of people lack basic needs, making it the second poorest rural area after Qilla Abdullah (Balochistan). Each province has been ranked on its citizens living below the poverty line, which is defined as living on less than $2 a day.
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February - 21 
A three-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar in its five-page order, declared that any person who is disqualified under the Article 62 or 63 of the Pakistani Constitution is barred from holding the position of “Party Head” by whatever name called, reports&n
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A three-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar in its five-page order, declared that any person who is disqualified under the Article 62 or 63 of the Pakistani Constitution is barred from holding the position of “Party Head” by whatever name called, reports Express Tribune. The judgment has thus disqualified Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from being the head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).This judgment was given on petitions filed against Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s holding of the party position after his disqualification in the Panama Papers case.
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February - 21 
Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, during the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) Governing Body’s meeting, on February 21 approved multiple development projects worth PKR 1 billion for Gwadar, reports Express Tribune.
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Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, during the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) Governing Body’s meeting, on February 21 approved multiple development projects worth PKR 1 billion for Gwadar, reports Express Tribune.
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February - 21 
Meanwhile, a tribal peace jirga (tribal gathering) organised by the Muhibban Tehreek Nazarya-i-Pakistan on February 21 vowed to foil ‘conspiracies’ against China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and resolved to not allow the self-exiled leaders to “send Baloch yout
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Meanwhile, a tribal peace jirga (tribal gathering) organised by the Muhibban Tehreek Nazarya-i-Pakistan on February 21 vowed to foil ‘conspiracies’ against China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and resolved to not allow the self-exiled leaders to “send Baloch youths to the mountains”, a reference to insurgency, just for serving their interests, reports Daily Times. The jirga was held in Mastung.
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February - 22 
Saudi Arabia joined Turkey and China in a move to block a United States of America (USA)-led attempt this week to place Pakistan on Financial Action Task Force (FATF) international terror-financing watch list, reports Daily Times.
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Saudi Arabia joined Turkey and China in a move to block a United States of America (USA)-led attempt this week to place Pakistan on Financial Action Task Force (FATF) international terror-financing watch list, reports Daily Times.
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February - 24 
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF)’s public statement announcing the outcomes of its plenary session held in Paris this week remained silent on the US move to put the country on the watchlist, reports Dawn. Pakistan does not feature on the list of countries with strategic deficiencies
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The Financial Action Task Force (FATF)’s public statement announcing the outcomes of its plenary session held in Paris this week remained silent on the US move to put the country on the watchlist, reports Dawn. Pakistan does not feature on the list of countries with strategic deficiencies posing a risk to the international financial system issued along with the FATF statement following the meeting. The list now features nine countries Ethiopia, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tabago, Vanuatu and Tunisia, while Bosnia and Herzegovina has been moved to the white list.
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February - 25 
Financial Action Task Force (FATF), in its plenary meeting held in Paris on February 20-23, placed Pakistan on a watch list of the countries where terrorist outfits are still allowed to raise funds, reports Dawn on February 26.Further, Pakistan may find itself on the blacklist of a gl
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Financial Action Task Force (FATF), in its plenary meeting held in Paris on February 20-23, placed Pakistan on a watch list of the countries where terrorist outfits are still allowed to raise funds, reports Dawn on February 26.Further, Pakistan may find itself on the blacklist of a global financial watchdog if it does not prepare a comprehensive action plan to eradicate terrorist financing by June; official sources told the news paper. Pakistan will have to follow the same process that it did in 2015, starting with an action plan that Islamabad is required to submit in May. If the FATF approves the action plan in June, it will make a formal announcement about placing Pakistan on the grey list. Should Islamabad fail to submit an action plan, or if the FATF does not accept it, the group can place Pakistan on its black list, along with North Korea and Iran.
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February - 26 
A special court in Islamabad on February 26 fixed march 8 for hearing a high treason case against former president Pervez Musharraf, reports Daily Times. A three-member bench headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Yahyah Afridi will resume the hearing of the case pertaining to the im
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A special court in Islamabad on February 26 fixed march 8 for hearing a high treason case against former president Pervez Musharraf, reports Daily Times. A three-member bench headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Yahyah Afridi will resume the hearing of the case pertaining to the imposition of emergency in the country in 2007. The court issued a notification directing the chief commissioner, inspector general and additional Inspector General of Police (IGP) in Islamabad to arrange “fool proof security arrangements” for the former military dictator.
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February - 26 
A Supreme Court bench hearing the missing persons’ cases on February 26 admitted that it was still groping in the dark as it had failed to make much headway, reports Dawn. The three-judge bench comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Maqbool Baqar and Justice Faisal Arab also asked th
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A Supreme Court bench hearing the missing persons’ cases on February 26 admitted that it was still groping in the dark as it had failed to make much headway, reports Dawn. The three-judge bench comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Maqbool Baqar and Justice Faisal Arab also asked the registrar of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, Khalid Naseem, to submit a report about the “perceptible progress” made in locating the missing people. The bench made the observation when Amina Masood Janjua — the chairperson of the Defence of Human Rights (DHR), an NGO struggling to trace the missing persons — said the commission had shut its doors to her NGO because documents relating to cases of missing people dispatched by it were being returned by post. She also requested the court to order constitution of a fresh commission consisting of sitting judges of the superior courts so that the emotive issue of missing persons could be resolved within a stipulated period. “There is no let-up in the cases of missing people; in fact these are increasing by the day,” she remarked. The secretary of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances told the court that it had disposed of 3,000 cases while 1,577 were still pending with it.
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March - 2 
The United States (US) said that Pakistan has an opportunity to do more to fight terrorism, Daily Times reports on March 3. Speaking at a press briefing, US Department of Defense spokesperson Dana W White said the Pentagon believed that Pakistan could do more to combat terrorism. To a question, she
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The United States (US) said that Pakistan has an opportunity to do more to fight terrorism, Daily Times reports on March 3. Speaking at a press briefing, US Department of Defense spokesperson Dana W White said the Pentagon believed that Pakistan could do more to combat terrorism. To a question, she said: “This is an inflection point and this is an opportunity and Pakistan has an opportunity to do more.” She said that Pakistan had been the victim of terrorism. “So, we’ll look forward to continuing to work with them to see where there are opportunities,” she added. When asked about the Taliban having offered for peace talks, the spokesperson said Washington’s goal was to help the Afghan Security Forces become capable enough to ensure that the violence ends. “The Taliban has to abandon terror, it has to abandon violence and it has to support the Afghan constitution. Then, they have to come to the table. And that is, ultimately, for the people of Afghanistan to come to an ultimate political resolution,” she said. On February 27, US Army General Joseph Votel, head of the US military’s Central Command, said the US was seeing some positive indicators from Pakistan, showing it was becoming more “responsive to US concerns about alleged militant safe havens in the country but Islamabad has yet to make a strategic shift”. “We are now beginning to see very positive indicators … that they are moving in the right direction,” he said. “It does not yet equal the decisive action that we would like to see them take in terms of a strategic shift, but they are positive indicators,” Votel told a hearing of the US House of Representatives.
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March - 5 
Hafiz Saeed and other leaders of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) are still freely using the banned groups' offices despite Pakistan's claims that all the assets of the two outfits have been seized and their bank accounts frozen, Times of India reported on M
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Hafiz Saeed and other leaders of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) are still freely using the banned groups' offices despite Pakistan's claims that all the assets of the two outfits have been seized and their bank accounts frozen, Times of India reported on March 6 quoting an unnamed Punjab Government official. The Government in February had taken over the JuD's famous Muridke Markaz and Lahore's headquarters of Masjid Al Qadsia in Chauburji. But on ground neither Saeed nor his supporters left the JuD's Chauburji headquarters or that of Muridke and other offices of JuD and the FIF in the country. "Since the government has taken over the control of JuD headquarters in Lahore in mid last month, Saeed delivered three Friday sermons in three successive weeks there in the presence of a large number of his supporters. The government could only deploy its administrator at Al Qadsia while the JuD men are operating from there the way they used to," the official said. A similar arrangement was made at JuD's Muridke headquarters, he added. "The government has not barred Saeed and activists of his charities from using the JuD headquarters in Lahore and Muridke, and other offices of the two organisations," he added.
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March - 6 
The United States (US) has not seen a ‘decisive and sustained’ change in the behaviour of Pakistan even after the Trump Administration announced to freeze USD Two billion security assistance to Islamabad nearly two months ago, said Alice Wells, principal deputy assistant secretary of sta
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The United States (US) has not seen a ‘decisive and sustained’ change in the behaviour of Pakistan even after the Trump Administration announced to freeze USD Two billion security assistance to Islamabad nearly two months ago, said Alice Wells, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, reports Daily Times. “We’ve not seen decisive and sustained changes yet in Pakistan’s behavior … but certainly we are continuing to engage with Pakistan over areas where we think they can play a helpful role in changing the calculus of the Taliban,” said Alice Wells. Briefing reporters on the recent conference in Afghanistan, Wells said Pakistan has a very important role to play in the Afghan peace process. “We believe that Pakistan can certainly help facilitate talks and take actions that will put pressure on and encourage the Taliban to move forward towards a politically negotiated settlement,” Wells said. “Our engagement with Pakistan is on how we can work together, on how we can address Pakistan’s legitimate concerns and Afghanistan’s stability through a negotiated process as well,” she added.
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March - 8 
Deaths and injuries linked to militancy have dropped in Pakistan for the third consecutive year, with 21 per cent fewer incidents in 2017 than in the previous year, Dawn reported on March 8 quoting Islamabad-based think tank Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), reports Dawn. Some 2,057 p
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Deaths and injuries linked to militancy have dropped in Pakistan for the third consecutive year, with 21 per cent fewer incidents in 2017 than in the previous year, Dawn reported on March 8 quoting Islamabad-based think tank Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), reports Dawn. Some 2,057 people were killed and 2,074 wounded for a total of 4,131 casualties over the year, the CRSS report said. That continued the trend from 2016, in which 2,613 people lost their lives due to violence and 1,714 were injured. In 2015, 4,647 people were killed and 1,927 injured the group's figures show. The dramatic improvement in security came after the army launched an operation in June 2014 to wipe out militant bases in the northwestern tribal areas and end a bloody insurgency that has cost thousands of civilian lives since 2004.
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March - 9 
The United States (US) on March 9 announced a USD 5 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Maulana Fazlullah, the chief of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), reports Indian Express. The announcement by the State Department came a day after Fazlullah’s son was reported killed in
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The United States (US) on March 9 announced a USD 5 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Maulana Fazlullah, the chief of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), reports Indian Express. The announcement by the State Department came a day after Fazlullah’s son was reported killed in a US drone strike in Afghanistan. Under its rewards for justice programme, the US also announced a USD 3 million reward for information each on Abdul Wali of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) and Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) leader Mangal Bagh. JuA is a terrorist outfit that split away from TTP while LI is based in Khyber Agency of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The announcement came as Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua held meetings with officials of the Trump administration, including the White House and the State Department.
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March - 11 
In an another Diplomatic tension between India and Pakistan, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan has raided the ‘under construction’ residence complexes of the Indian Diplomats in Islamabad, Pakistan, reports Daily News and Analysis on March 12. The ISI-led Pakistani agenci
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In an another Diplomatic tension between India and Pakistan, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan has raided the ‘under construction’ residence complexes of the Indian Diplomats in Islamabad, Pakistan, reports Daily News and Analysis on March 12. The ISI-led Pakistani agencies expelled all service providers and later disconnected the water and power supply to the Indian Diplomats’ residential complexes. This action has compelled most families to return to India. The matter was forward to the attention of Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on February 16 by the Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria. Despite of Janjua’s assurance, the power supply and other ‘essential’ services were not restored for two weeks, said an unnamed source involved in the developments of the issue.
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March - 11 
Pakistan Government's ban on global terrorist Hafiz Saeed-linked group Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) has resulted in a split in Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), which was also founded by him, reports Zee News on March 12. The Pakistan Government's ban on funding to Saeed's group has resulted in a huge fina
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Pakistan Government's ban on global terrorist Hafiz Saeed-linked group Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) has resulted in a split in Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), which was also founded by him, reports Zee News on March 12. The Pakistan Government's ban on funding to Saeed's group has resulted in a huge financial crunch for its affiliated outfits and possibly led to a split in the LeT. As per reports, the LeT has now split into two groups. If reports are to be believed, LeT co-founder Maulana Amir Hamza has now parted ways and formed a new terror outfit named ‘Jaish-e-Manqafa’. Maulana Amir Hamza is known to be a close aide of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed. Hamza had been receiving funds from Saeed who runs JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat (FIF) in Pakistan. However, after Pakistan’s recent ban on individuals and companies from funding Hafiz Saeed’s outfits, the cash crunch reportedly resulted in bickering over finances in the organisation and its affiliates. It is believed that the Pakistan Government's ban has forced Maulana Amir Hamza to part ways and explores other avenues for generating funds for his newly-formed terror organisation. He is also reportedly planning to execute terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir so as to gain the confidence of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). The Pakistan Government recently seized control of the charities run by terrorist Hafiz Saeed’s banned outfits - JuD and FIF. The Government banned JuD and FIF across Pakistan, freezing their movable and immovable assets under the amended Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, Pakistani media reported. The Ministry of Law and Justice in Pakistan announced on February 9 that Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain amended the Act via ordinance; thus, taking action against entities banned by the United Nations (UN). Pakistan’s Interior Ministry ordered the freezing of the assets, directing state governments to comply. In January, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) barred companies and individuals from handing out doles to JuD and its affiliates.
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March - 12 
A total of 486 cases have come before the military courts since their inception in the year 2015, The Express Tribune reported on March 13. The Army courts, which were set up after passing a constitutional amendment, have concluded 333 cases and awarded capital punishment to 186 persons, said a writ
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A total of 486 cases have come before the military courts since their inception in the year 2015, The Express Tribune reported on March 13. The Army courts, which were set up after passing a constitutional amendment, have concluded 333 cases and awarded capital punishment to 186 persons, said a written reply of the Ministry of Defence during question hour in the National Assembly on Monday. Member of National Assembly (MNA) Abdul Qahar Khan Wadan had inquired from the defence ministry about the total number of cases pending in the military courts at present along with details. In reply to this question, the Ministry stated that 101 cases were in the military courts and that 52 cases had been dropped. According to the details provided to the parliamentarians, 79 individuals were awarded life imprisonment by these courts and 47 convicts jailed for 20 years. The military courts have also jailed one person for 18 years, another convict for 16 years, 13 individuals for 14 years, three persons for 10 years, and two convicts for seven years, the reply said. Only one individual was acquitted by these courts since their inception, it added. A total of 332 appeals were filed in military appeal courts out of which 307 had been finalised and only 25 were under process, the lawmakers were further informed. All the 151 mercy petitions sent to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) had been rejected by him, it said. However, the rejected mercy petitions were moved to the President of Pakistan who had turned down 62 of them while 89 of them were under process with Ministry of Interior, the reply added.
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March - 15 
Jamatud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed on March 15 approached the Lahore High Court against ban on social welfare activities and freezing of accounts of his two organisations - JuD and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), reports Dawn. In a petition filed through senior lawyer AK Dogar, Saeed s
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Jamatud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed on March 15 approached the Lahore High Court against ban on social welfare activities and freezing of accounts of his two organisations - JuD and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), reports Dawn. In a petition filed through senior lawyer AK Dogar, Saeed states the Ministry Of Interior on February 10 issued a notification to freeze bank accounts and take over assets associated with both organisations - the JuD and the FIF - under the Anti-Terrorism (amendment) Ordinance of 2018. The petitioner pleads that the government of Pakistan acted under the pressure of foreign powers, including the United Nations and India. He contends that Pakistan is a sovereign independent state and makes its own laws to govern its citizens. If there is a conflict between the laws of the land and any provision of United Nations Security Council Act, 1948, the law of the land shall prevail, he adds. The petitioner asks the court to declare the impugned notification of the interior ministry null and void with regard to taking over the assets of the organisations.
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March - 19 
A report released by National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) on March 19 stated that 509 members of Hazara community were killed and 627 injured in various incidents of terrorism in Quetta during the last five years, reports Dawn. The NCHR report titled "Understanding the Agonies of Ethnic
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A report released by National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) on March 19 stated that 509 members of Hazara community were killed and 627 injured in various incidents of terrorism in Quetta during the last five years, reports Dawn. The NCHR report titled "Understanding the Agonies of Ethnic Hazaraz" lists the incidents of attacks on Hazara community from January 2012 to December 2017, based on the data shared by the Balochistan Home Department. Narrating heartbreaking details about the plight of Hazara community, NCHR official Fazeela Alyani said, "All these precious lives were lost only in Quetta city." However, Bostan Ali Kishmand, the regional head of Hazara Democratic Party (HDP), places the figure much higher than what was being quoted by NCHR. "More than 200 Hazaras were killed only in two suicide attacks in this period," Bostan Ali Kishmand said.
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March - 19 
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on March 19 ordered the arrest of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYRA) leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi and Afzal Qadri in the Faizabad sit-in case, reports Daily Times. During proceedings of the case, the ATC directed that Rizvi and Qadri be arrested and presented in c
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An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on March 19 ordered the arrest of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYRA) leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi and Afzal Qadri in the Faizabad sit-in case, reports Daily Times. During proceedings of the case, the ATC directed that Rizvi and Qadri be arrested and presented in court on April 4. The ATC ordered their arrests after they failed to appear before the ATC despite being issued multiple summons. The ATC had previously issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Rizvi and other clerics after they did not respond to various summons.Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on March 19 expressed dissatisfaction over a report submitted by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) regarding the financial details of the TLYRA leadership, reports Daily Times. “This report is deeply unsettling: it has been prepared by one of the premier agencies of the country, yet a journalist could have given more details [about the protests] than this report,” Justice Qazi Faez Isa said.
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March - 28 
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nation (UN) Maleeha Lodhi has criticised India and other G-4 nations—Brazil, Germany and Japan, regarding position on Security Council reform during Intergovernmental Negotiations in the UN, reports Hindustan Times on March 29. The G-4 nations seek exp
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Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nation (UN) Maleeha Lodhi has criticised India and other G-4 nations—Brazil, Germany and Japan, regarding position on Security Council reform during Intergovernmental Negotiations in the UN, reports Hindustan Times on March 29. The G-4 nations seek expansion of the Permanent and non-Permanent seats of the Security Council to make a powerful UN body, and the nations in G-4 supports each other’s bid for permanent seats on an expanded Security Council. The G-4 nations have no flexibility in their campaign of expanding the Security Council by 10 seats, with six additional permanent and four non-permanent members, read a press release by Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the UN.
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March - 29 
The United Nation Security Council (UNSC) on March 29 imposed sanctions on a terrorist outfit associated with the Al-Nusrah Front and previously located in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area, imposing an arms embargo, asset freeze and travel ban on it, reports Times of India. The UNSC's ISIL (
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The United Nation Security Council (UNSC) on March 29 imposed sanctions on a terrorist outfit associated with the Al-Nusrah Front and previously located in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area, imposing an arms embargo, asset freeze and travel ban on it, reports Times of India. The UNSC's ISIL (Daesh) and al Qaida Sanctions Committee added Khatiba Imam Al-Bukhari to its sanctions list of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo. Also known as Khataib al-Imam al-Bukhari, the group was previously located in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area and as of this month was known to be located in Syria, with its ‘operation zone’ in Idlib, Aleppo and Khama, according to a Committee press release. Al-Bukhari has been associated with the Al-Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant and "committed terrorist attacks in the Syrian Arab Republic", the release said. Since 2016, the outfit had been redeployed to Northern Afghanistan to project attacks against Central Asia countries, it said.
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April - 1 
The United States (US) on April 1 has designated Hafiz Saeed led Jamaat-ud-Dawa’s (JuD) ‘political-front’ organisations—Milli Muslim League (MML) and Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir (TAJK), as a ‘Foreign Terrorist Organisations’ (FTO), reports DD News on April 3.
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The United States (US) on April 1 has designated Hafiz Saeed led Jamaat-ud-Dawa’s (JuD) ‘political-front’ organisations—Milli Muslim League (MML) and Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir (TAJK), as a ‘Foreign Terrorist Organisations’ (FTO), reports DD News on April 3. Also, seven members of MML’s central leadership committee have been enlisted as ‘foreign terrorists’. The decision of designating MML has occurred a day after the Election Commission of Pakistan urged the MML to submit a clearance certificate issued by the Pakistan’s Interior Ministry for its registration as a political party. Both MML and TAJK are front organisations of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The amendments take aim at LeT’s efforts to circumvent sanctions and deceive the public about its true character, said the US Department of States’ (DoS) Coordinator for Counterterrorism Nathan A. Sales.
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April - 2 
The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on April 2 sanctioned death sentences for 10 terrorists convicted by the military courts, read a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), reports Dawn. The military commander also ratified a variety of punishments &m
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The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on April 2 sanctioned death sentences for 10 terrorists convicted by the military courts, read a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), reports Dawn. The military commander also ratified a variety of punishments — including life imprisonment — to five other terrorists. The ISPR said the convicts were involved in several terrorism incidents, including an attack on a five-star hotel in Peshawar and the assassination of renowned Qawwal Amjad Sabri in Karachi. In all, the terrorists took the lives of 62 civilians and law enforcement officers, the ISPR added.
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April - 4 
Indian high commissioner Ajay Bisaria on April 4 met Pakistan's National Security Advisor (NSA) Naseer Khan Janjua and raised India's concerns over cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, besides discussing ways to improve strained bilateral ties, reports The Times of India. Sources in
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Indian high commissioner Ajay Bisaria on April 4 met Pakistan's National Security Advisor (NSA) Naseer Khan Janjua and raised India's concerns over cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, besides discussing ways to improve strained bilateral ties, reports The Times of India. Sources in New Delhi said the issue of cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir was raised by the high commissioner in the meeting. Bisaria is understood to have also mentioned about the three encounters in Shopian and Anantnag Districts of Kashmir earlier this week in which 13 militants were killed. In a statement, the NSA Office in Islamabad said that Pakistan is committed to resolve all outstanding issues through comprehensive dialogues. Janjua expressed "serious concerns over the ongoing human rights violations" in Kashmir and he said that "the use of force alone can lead us no where. It rather diminishes hope, injures the society and further worsens the fragile situation," the NSA statement added.
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April - 4 
The United Nations Security Council’s consolidated list of terrorist individuals and entities includes 139 entries from Pakistan, reports Dawn. The list identifies all those individuals who have lived in Pakistan, operated from there or have been associated with groups that used Pakistani terr
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The United Nations Security Council’s consolidated list of terrorist individuals and entities includes 139 entries from Pakistan, reports Dawn. The list identifies all those individuals who have lived in Pakistan, operated from there or have been associated with groups that used Pakistani territory for carrying out their operations, from Al Qaeda’s Ayman al-Zawahiri to known Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) activists.LeT’s Hafiz Mohammad Saeed is listed as a person also wanted by Interpol for his involvement in terrorist activities. Haji Mohammed Yahya Mujahid, LeT’s media contact, and Hafiz Saeed’s deputies, Abdul Salaam and Zafar Iqbal, are listed under him. Like Hafiz Saeed, they are all wanted by Interpol. LeT is listed with its various aliases, such as al-Mansoorian, Paasban-i-Kashmir, Paasban-i-Ahle Hadith, Jamaatud Dawa and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation.
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April - 5 
The Division bench of Justices M.M.S Bedi and Gurvinder Singh Gill at the Punjab and Haryana High court on April 5, has denied a bail plea of Kamal Chauhan—an accused of 2007 Samjhauta Express blast case for planting ‘suitcase’ bombs in the train and directed the National Investiga
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The Division bench of Justices M.M.S Bedi and Gurvinder Singh Gill at the Punjab and Haryana High court on April 5, has denied a bail plea of Kamal Chauhan—an accused of 2007 Samjhauta Express blast case for planting ‘suitcase’ bombs in the train and directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to move an application before the trial court to conduct the examination of 13 witnesses from Pakistan through the video-conferencing facility, reports The Indian Express. On February 18, 2007, a total of 68 people—including 43 Pakistani citizens, 10 Indian citizens and 15 unidentified people had lost their lives in the Samjhauta Express blast at Panipat, Haryana. Three accused—Kamal Chauhan, Rajinder Chaudhary, and Lokesh Sharma, are in judicial custody in the Central Jail in Ambala District of Haryana. Whereas, Swami Aseemanand who was the prime accused in this case, was granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2015.
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April - 5 
The Lahore high court on April 5 warned the Government against "harassment" of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) co-founder and the chief of Jama'at-ud-Dawa (JuD) Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and ordered authorities to not disrupt his "social" activities till the next hearing, reports Times of I
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The Lahore high court on April 5 warned the Government against "harassment" of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) co-founder and the chief of Jama'at-ud-Dawa (JuD) Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and ordered authorities to not disrupt his "social" activities till the next hearing, reports Times of India. The decision comes two days after the US designated Saeed's newly founded political party, Milli Muslim League (MML), as a terrorist organisation. Saeed had filed a petition earlier this year, seeking the court's direction to restrain the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Government from arresting him and acting against his organisations, JuD and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), which have been banned by both the US and the UN. In his petition, Saeed alleged that the Government was interfering in his party's welfare projects under duress from India and the United States.
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April - 6 
Pakistan Prime Minister (PM) Shaid Khaqan Abbasi met Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and agreed to seven key principles to finalize Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) on April 6, reports Tolo News. The two leaders discussed relations between the two countries, the
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Pakistan Prime Minister (PM) Shaid Khaqan Abbasi met Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and agreed to seven key principles to finalize Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) on April 6, reports Tolo News. The two leaders discussed relations between the two countries, the fight against terrorism, regional connection, Afghan-led peace talks, violations along the Durand Line, return of Afghan refugees, construction of railroad projects, prisoner exchange programs and the APAPPS, the Presidential Palace said in a statement.
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April - 6 
The capital police have been granted permission to establish a Police Station Counter Terrorism Force (CTF) along the lines of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Punjab, reports Dawn on April 6. The CTF police station will have the Islamabad Capital Territory area under its jurisdiction.
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The capital police have been granted permission to establish a Police Station Counter Terrorism Force (CTF) along the lines of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Punjab, reports Dawn on April 6. The CTF police station will have the Islamabad Capital Territory area under its jurisdiction.
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April - 10 
Military authorities on April 10 transferred their responsibilities to civil administration after 10 years in Lower and Upper Dir Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at a function held in this regard at the Dir Scouts Fort in Balambat, reports Dawn. Malakand General Officer Commanding (GOC) Major Genera
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Military authorities on April 10 transferred their responsibilities to civil administration after 10 years in Lower and Upper Dir Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at a function held in this regard at the Dir Scouts Fort in Balambat, reports Dawn. Malakand General Officer Commanding (GOC) Major General Ali Aamir Awan was the chief guest on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, the GOC said that all check-posts in Lower and Upper Dir were being handed over to Police and Security Forces (SFs) would remain present in border areas. He, however, said the SFs would fully cooperate with the civil administration in maintaining peace and order. Appreciating the role of local elders, media men and civil administration, the GOC Major General Ali Aamir Awan said that complete peace in the region had been restored. He said 10 years ago the militants had challenged the writ of the Government in Swat and Dir and troops were sent to the areas to control the deteriorating situation. He said the militants had been bombing schools, hospitals and markets at that time. A total of 470 soldiers, including officers, embraced martyrdom during the military operation against the anti-state elements. He said that 300 schools in Malakand division were rehabilitated, while 32 new schools were built. The Police and Levies forces were imparted capacity building trainings and they were made capable to cope with any untoward situation.
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April - 11 
The Sindh Government on April 11 dismissed from service a former Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) of Karachi Central Prison and six other officials after an inquiry committee found evidence of their involvement in the escape of two high-profile Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) militants last year, reports
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The Sindh Government on April 11 dismissed from service a former Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) of Karachi Central Prison and six other officials after an inquiry committee found evidence of their involvement in the escape of two high-profile Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) militants last year, reports Dawn. Sheikh Mumtaz alias Firaun and Mohammad Ahmed alias Munna, two Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ) militants, who were arrested by the CTD in 2013 for their alleged involvement in the killing of over 60 people, had escaped from the Central Jail on June 13, 2017. A team of investigators led by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Prisons (retired Captain) Pervez Ahmed Chandio conducted a detailed investigation into their escape and concluded that over a dozen jail officials "abetted and facilitated" the jailbreak. “The accused Senior Superintendent of Prison Ghulam Murtaza Shaikh and his accused subordinates behaved carelessly, negligently and dishonestly throughout their tenure in maintaining discipline and order at the Central Prison Karachi,” according to the findings of DIG Prisons.
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April - 16 
Afghan Forces blocked the supply route near Durand Line for Taliban militants between Kurram Agency in Pakistan and Dand-e-Pathan District in Paktia Province of Afghanistan, reports Tolo News on April 17. The route known as Enzergai Kando was used by militants to access Khost, Logar and Ghazni Provi
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Afghan Forces blocked the supply route near Durand Line for Taliban militants between Kurram Agency in Pakistan and Dand-e-Pathan District in Paktia Province of Afghanistan, reports Tolo News on April 17. The route known as Enzergai Kando was used by militants to access Khost, Logar and Ghazni Provinces. “The future plan of 203 Thunder Army Corps is to establish Border Check Points in areas including Khowjkaram, Enzergai Kando, and Nari Kando,” said Commander of 203 Thunder Army Corps Brigadier General Shaur Gul Pashtun. Paktia Governor Shamim Khan Katawazai said that. “Our request from the Muqbel tribe is that we want to recruit members of the public uprising forces to the ranks of the national army and national police, so get your sons ready for this so that they can contribute in the defense of their country; all security forces are standing alongside you”.
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April - 16 
More Pakistanis died in what were dubbed, by law enforcers, as encounter killings than in gun violence or suicide attacks in 2017, reveals the annual report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Daily Times reported on April 17. The 29th annual report – dedicated to the memory of
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More Pakistanis died in what were dubbed, by law enforcers, as encounter killings than in gun violence or suicide attacks in 2017, reveals the annual report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Daily Times reported on April 17. The 29th annual report – dedicated to the memory of veteran human rights activist Asma Jahangir – was launched at a ceremony in Islamabad on April 16. According to report, 495 people were killed in what were reported by law enforcement agencies as shootouts during 2017, while gun violence and suicide attacks claimed the lives of 399 and 298 Pakistanis, respectively. These were followed by deaths in bomb explosions. The figure stood at 144. The report covers six broad areas: rule of law, fundamental freedoms, democratic development, rights of disadvantaged, and social and economic rights. The HRCP reported that, of the 868 cases of ‘enforced disappearances’ received in 2017 by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, 555 were disposed of. The real numbers were likely far higher, it feared. The report noted that crimes again women remained at an all-time high with about 5,660 cases of violence reported in the first 10 months of 2017. Honour-based crimes claimed the lives of 274 women, another 206 were gang-raped, 2,840 raped, and 681 murdered across the country. Province-wise data showed that more than 3,400 crimes against women were reported in Punjab. With 202, the number of such crimes was lowest in KP (between January 1 and June 30, 2017). Sindh witnessed 1,704 crimes in the first 10 months of the year, while Balochistan reported 354 cases during the same period.
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April - 16 
National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Human Rights on April 16 reveals that Former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf secretly handed over as many as 4,000 Pakistanis to foreign countries, mainly to the United States, reports The Express Tribune. In a briefing to the Natio
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National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Human Rights on April 16 reveals that Former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf secretly handed over as many as 4,000 Pakistanis to foreign countries, mainly to the United States, reports The Express Tribune. In a briefing to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Human Rights, Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal said that former Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Sherpao was also part of the “secret handover”. Iqbal, who is also chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), further said the Musharraf regime extradited those Pakistanis in exchange of US dollars. He asserted that there was no provision in the country’s law for such extraditions. No one including the Parliament ever questioned the role of Musharraf and Sherpao in this dark episode, Justice Iqbal regretted. He said Musharraf’s illegal and unlawful action must have been investigated. “As per the law and the Constitution, how could someone secretly hand over the Pakistani nationals to any other country?” he questioned. Speaking on the missing persons’ case, he said some foreign agencies were also involved in enforced disappearances to give a bad name to the country’s secret agencies, including the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Military Intelligence (MI). Justice Iqbal also claimed that the figures of missing persons in Balochistan were often exaggerated. There were several groups operating in the province and many missing persons joined those outfits, he insisted. The NAB chief said he had asked the Balochistan authorities to provide official figures about the missing persons but they did not respond to his request.
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April - 16 
Photographs of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba’s (LeT) ‘Chief’ Hafiz Saeed and Sikh militant Gopal Singh Chawla, has emerged in Lahore city of Pakistan, reports The Tribune on April 17. On April 14, Gopal Singh Chawla, followed the instructions of Pakistan authorities and
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Photographs of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba’s (LeT) ‘Chief’ Hafiz Saeed and Sikh militant Gopal Singh Chawla, has emerged in Lahore city of Pakistan, reports The Tribune on April 17. On April 14, Gopal Singh Chawla, followed the instructions of Pakistan authorities and denied the entry of Indian officials into the premises of Gurdwara Panja Sahib Ji in Hasan Abdal in Pakistan, on the occasion of Baisakhi Day. Members of Sikh extremist group also placed posters and banners of ‘Khalistan Referendum 2020’ in the Parikrama path of Gurdwara Panja Sahib Ji. The Indian High Commissioner to the Pakistan Ajay Bisaria was also ‘forced’ to return due to unspecified Security reasons when he approached the Gurdwara to meet and greet the pilgrims on the occasion of Baisakhi Day. In its statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) referred the incident as ‘inexplicable diplomatic discourtesy’ in the violation of the Vienna Convention.
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April - 18 
The Supreme Court on April 18 dismissed a review petition filed by three imprisoned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists and upheld their 14-year sentence, reports The Express Tribune. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa while hearing the arguments remarked that there is irrefutable evidence connec
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The Supreme Court on April 18 dismissed a review petition filed by three imprisoned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists and upheld their 14-year sentence, reports The Express Tribune. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa while hearing the arguments remarked that there is irrefutable evidence connecting the convicts to TTP and that he does not see any technicalities in this case. The judge further added that the terrorists were caught with 840 kilograms of bomb-making material and shot at Police personnel during the raid which led to their arrest. However, the petitioner’s counsel argued that one convict is under age to which Justice Khosa said, “The first mistake in this world is considered the last” before adding that this culture of letting go of the first mistake just prevails in Pakistan and is like giving a license for the next mistake. “Gunpowder is not a bomb-making material,” further said the defence lawyer to which Justice Khosa remarked, “Did you want talcum powder to be found in the convict’s possession?” The 14-year sentence for the convicts was also upheld earlier by the High Court.
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April - 20 
The Supreme Court on April 18 dismissed a review petition filed by three imprisoned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists and upheld their 14-year sentence, reports The Express Tribune. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa while hearing the arguments remarked that there is irrefutable evidence connec
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The Supreme Court on April 18 dismissed a review petition filed by three imprisoned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists and upheld their 14-year sentence, reports The Express Tribune. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa while hearing the arguments remarked that there is irrefutable evidence connecting the convicts to TTP and that he does not see any technicalities in this case. The judge further added that the terrorists were caught with 840 kilograms of bomb-making material and shot at Police personnel during the raid which led to their arrest. However, the petitioner’s counsel argued that one convict is under age to which Justice Khosa said, “The first mistake in this world is considered the last” before adding that this culture of letting go of the first mistake just prevails in Pakistan and is like giving a license for the next mistake. “Gunpowder is not a bomb-making material,” further said the defence lawyer to which Justice Khosa remarked, “Did you want talcum powder to be found in the convict’s possession?” The 14-year sentence for the convicts was also upheld earlier by the High Court.
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April - 25 
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on April 25, wrapping up a petition submitted by the father of an Army Public School (APS) attack victim, ordered that former Jama’at-ul-Ahrar (JuA) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ‘spokesman’ Ehsanullah Ehsan remain imprisoned while he is undergo
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The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on April 25, wrapping up a petition submitted by the father of an Army Public School (APS) attack victim, ordered that former Jama’at-ul-Ahrar (JuA) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ‘spokesman’ Ehsanullah Ehsan remain imprisoned while he is undergoing trial, reports Dawn. In the petition, the victim Fazal Khan's father had asked the court in 2017 to ensure that Ehsan is not pardoned as he had claimed responsibility for the 2014 attack on Peshawar's APS in which at least 144 people, mostly children, were killed. Ehsan, a TTP spokesperson until 2014, joined the splinter group JuA following a split in the TTP. The Army in April 2017 announced his surrender to Security Forces and released a 'confession video' of Ehsan in which he claimed that terrorist organisations were being "used" by India and Afghanistan.
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April - 26 
According to Economic Survey 2017-18, Pakistan’s economic losses due to United Sates (US) war in Afghanistan and the resultant terrorism, though substantial, have seen a steady decline over the past four years with a healthy 62 per cent drop during Financial Year (FY) 2018. “After facing
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According to Economic Survey 2017-18, Pakistan’s economic losses due to United Sates (US) war in Afghanistan and the resultant terrorism, though substantial, have seen a steady decline over the past four years with a healthy 62 per cent drop during Financial Year (FY) 2018. “After facing protracted violence for more than a decade, Pakistan has achieved progressive and significant improvements in the country’s overall security landscape in recent years,” said Economic Survey 2017-18, attributing it to comprehensive counter-terrorism operations and measures under the framework of National Action Plan as well as the sacrifices of the Security Forces (SFs). The latest survey, which has recorded the losses to the national economy under the chapter ‘Impact of War in Afghanistan and Ensuing Terrorism on Pakistan’s Economy’, showed them to be declining since 2011-12 except for a surge in 2014-15. The survey said the Afghan war-related costs to Pakistani economy peaked at USD 23.77 billion in 2010-11 and plunged by almost half to USD 12 billion in 2011-12.In the first eight months (July-February) of 2017-18, these losses amounted to USD 2.07 billion, nearly 62 per cent down from the full year expenses of USD 5.47 billion in 2016-17. Economic losses due to deterioration in security conditions dipped by 30 per cent to stand at USD 6.49 billion in 2015-16 from USD 9.24 billion in 2014-15. The cumulative losses to the economy on account of terrorism in the country since it joined the global ‘war on terror’ in the aftermath of 9/11 have been estimated by the Government at USD 126.79 billion. The survey noted that 2017-18 was the third consecutive year where Pakistan witnessed fewer terrorist attacks and deaths. Moreover, the country was ranked at 5th out of 163 countries in global terrorism index, from its 4th position in 2007.
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April - 29 
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has prepared a list of 19 arrested militants of banned outfits who were allegedly involved in acts of terrorism in Karachi and other parts of Sindh and Balochistan, Dawn reported on April 30. The CTD has also compiled data of phone calls made from abroad, espec
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The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has prepared a list of 19 arrested militants of banned outfits who were allegedly involved in acts of terrorism in Karachi and other parts of Sindh and Balochistan, Dawn reported on April 30. The CTD has also compiled data of phone calls made from abroad, especially from South Africa and Afghanistan, in over 100 cases of extortion reported in Karachi from 2013 to date. The CTD has conveyed this information to National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) and Federal Government to take up the issue with foreign countries.
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May - 11 
The United States (US) on May 10 blocked a Pakistani request with the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) Sanctions Committee for listing of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) chief Abdul Wali, commonly known as Umer Khalid Khorasani, reports Dawn. Although Pakistan has still not been notified ab
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The United States (US) on May 10 blocked a Pakistani request with the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) Sanctions Committee for listing of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) chief Abdul Wali, commonly known as Umer Khalid Khorasani, reports Dawn. Although Pakistan has still not been notified about the development by the sanctions committee, the Foreign Office has informally learnt that the process has been held up because of an objection by the US, a senior diplomatic source revealed. The US objected to Pakistani request for Khorasani’s listing because of his location that has been mentioned as Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the Foreign Office said on May 10 that blocking the listing of JuA leader Umer Khorasani by the UNSC’s Sanctions Committee was a reminder of the double standards in fighting terrorism, reports Dawn. Speaking at the weekly media briefing, FO spokesman Dr Muhammad Faisal said: “This action demonstrates the double standards prevailing in the international fight against terrorism and also shows complete disregard of the sacrifices rendered by Pakistan in this fight.” Pakistan had in October last year asked the UNSC Sanctions Committee to list Abdul Wali, commonly known as Umer Khalid Khorasani, because he was the mastermind behind a number of major terrorist strikes in the country, including the Army Public School carnage and Easter bombing in Lahore.
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May - 14 
Cleric (unnamed) at Jamia Haqqania seminary in Pakistan has said they prevented naming the Taliban in the joint declaration issued after an Ulema conference in Indonesia, reports Pajhwok Afghan News on May 14. Earlier Religious scholars from three countries in conference in Indonesia conde
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Cleric (unnamed) at Jamia Haqqania seminary in Pakistan has said they prevented naming the Taliban in the joint declaration issued after an Ulema conference in Indonesia, reports Pajhwok Afghan News on May 14. Earlier Religious scholars from three countries in conference in Indonesia condemned violent extremism and terrorism, including suicide attacks, and urged the Taliban to end their violence.
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May - 14 
National Security Council (NSC) meeting chaired by Pakistan Prime Minster (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi including Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mahmood Hayat and Director General Inter-Services Intelligence Lieutenant Genera
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National Security Council (NSC) meeting chaired by Pakistan Prime Minster (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi including Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mahmood Hayat and Director General Inter-Services Intelligence Lieutenant General Naveed Mukhtar issued a statement on May 14 that the council unanimously dismissed former PM Nawaz Sharif’s recent statement on the 2008 Mumbai attacks, terming it incorrect and misleading, reports Daily Times. It observed that India had denied Pakistani investigators access to Ajmal Kasab, the convicted attacker who was hanged by India. Further, the statement said that Kasab’s hurried hanging by India impeded the investigation of the case, adding that India repeatedly denied assistance in the probe while there was complete cooperation from Pakistan.
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May - 16 
Three Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) militant, including provincial chief Salman Badeni, and Army Colonel Sohail Abid were killed in an exchange of fire during intelligence based operation in Killi Almas area of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, on May 16, reports Dawn. Inter-Services Pub
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Three Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) militant, including provincial chief Salman Badeni, and Army Colonel Sohail Abid were killed in an exchange of fire during intelligence based operation in Killi Almas area of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, on May 16, reports Dawn. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Security Forces (SFs) conducted an intelligence-based operation in Killi Almas area on pointation from apprehended high-value target about the presence of suicide bombers along with other terrorists in hideouts. SF intercepted and killed a 'high-value target' Salman Badeni said to be involved in the killings of over 100 members of the Hazara community as well as Police personnel. Colonel Sohail Abid of Military Intelligence was killed in the gunfight. Four other soldiers were also sustained injuries. According to the statement, three terrorists were identified as provincial chief Salman Badeni and two suicide bombers of Afghani nationality. One injured militant is in military custody.
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May - 18 
The Punjab Government has restored the security of Mumbai attack mastermind and the chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), the frontal organisation of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hafiz Saeed citing threats to his life, almost a month after it was withdrawn on the order of the Supreme Court, Times of India&n
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The Punjab Government has restored the security of Mumbai attack mastermind and the chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), the frontal organisation of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hafiz Saeed citing threats to his life, almost a month after it was withdrawn on the order of the Supreme Court, Times of India reported on May 18. "The policemen have been deployed again for the security of Hafiz Saeed on the order of (chief minister) Shahbaz Sharif's Punjab Government," a senior official of the Provincial Government told PTI on May 18. He said the decision was taken in the light of threats to the life of Saeed. As the Government restored Saeed's security, he has withdrawn a petition he had filed in the Lahore High Court to challenge the Punjab Government's earlier decision to withdraw his security.
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May - 18 
Three people were killed in a suspected target killing as unidentified assailants on a motorcycle opened fire at a car in Bilal Town area of Jhelum District in Punjab on May 18, reports Daily Times. The deceased were identified as Zakariya, Mohsin and Mazhar.
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Three people were killed in a suspected target killing as unidentified assailants on a motorcycle opened fire at a car in Bilal Town area of Jhelum District in Punjab on May 18, reports Daily Times. The deceased were identified as Zakariya, Mohsin and Mazhar.
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June - 3 
Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed’s organisation Jama’at-ud-Dawa (JuD) will contest the July 25 general elections on the platform of Allaha-u-Akbar Tehreek (AAT) as the group's Milli Muslim League is yet to be registered as a political party, a senior member of the outfit s
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Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed’s organisation Jama’at-ud-Dawa (JuD) will contest the July 25 general elections on the platform of Allaha-u-Akbar Tehreek (AAT) as the group's Milli Muslim League is yet to be registered as a political party, a senior member of the outfit said on June 3, reports Times of India. JuD, the frontal organisation of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), launched its political front Milli Muslim League, but it has not been yet registered by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). With general elections approaching, the group has decided to contest on the platform of the "dormant" political entity Allaha-u-Akbar Tehreek (AAT), which was registered in the ECP. "It was a kind of dormant party registered by a citizen Ehsan. There are several such parties registered with the ECP and such an arrangement is made ahead of the general elections if any mainstream party or organisation faces any issue or complication," a member of the JuD said. "Since the Milli Muslim League (MML) fails to get registered with the ECP it is going for this arrangement (contesting the upcoming polls on AAT platform)," he added. MML President Saifullah Khalid will make a formal announcement regarding this shortly, he added further.
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June - 8 
The Pakistan Government is working on a draft bill to permanently ban Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) as well as other groups and individuals on the watch list of the Federal Ministry of Interior, Dawn reported on April 9. The bill will replace the presidential ordinanc
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The Pakistan Government is working on a draft bill to permanently ban Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) as well as other groups and individuals on the watch list of the Federal Ministry of Interior, Dawn reported on April 9. The bill will replace the presidential ordinance that banned outfits and people already on the watch list of the Interior Ministry. Citing its sources in the Law Ministry, Dawn reported that the proposed draft bill to amend the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997 was likely to be tabled in the upcoming session of the National Assembly scheduled to commence on April 9. The Law Ministry was involved in the process for the purpose of vetting the proposed draft bill, the sources said, adding that the military establishment was also on board. The Government decided to prepare a draft bill to amend the ATA as part of its damage-control campaign after the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) approved a nomination proposal tabled jointly by the US, the UK, France and Germany to place Pakistan on the international watchdog's money-laundering and terror-financing grey list in February.
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June - 9 
Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's Jammat-ud-Dawah (JuD) is fielding more than 200 candidates in the July 25 General Elections on National and Provincial Assembly seats across the country even as he himself has decided not to run for parliament, Times of India reported on June 9. JuD,
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Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's Jammat-ud-Dawah (JuD) is fielding more than 200 candidates in the July 25 General Elections on National and Provincial Assembly seats across the country even as he himself has decided not to run for parliament, Times of India reported on June 9. JuD, the frontal organisation of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), launched its political front Milli Muslim League (MML), but it has not been yet registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). With general elections approaching, the group decided to contest on the platform of a "dormant" political entity Allaha-u-Akbar Tehreek (AAT) registered with the ECP. The JuD activists and sympathisers have taken the nomination papers from the ECP and are fielding their candidates on the platform of the AAT. "MML president Saifullah Khalid and AAT chief Ehsan Bari have agreed to field joint candidates on the platform of ATT in the upcoming elections. Under the seat adjustment agreement, the MML will field more than 200 educated candidates. They will contest the elections on the AAT's election symbol chair," Ahmad Nadeem, an MML spokesperson said.
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June - 15 
A senior cleric in Balochistan has returned home on June 15 – nine months after he, along with a son and driver, was kidnapped from Airport Road in Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, on September 8, 2017, reports The Express Tribune. Maulana Abu Turab, the provincial ameer of
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A senior cleric in Balochistan has returned home on June 15 – nine months after he, along with a son and driver, was kidnapped from Airport Road in Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, on September 8, 2017, reports The Express Tribune. Maulana Abu Turab, the provincial ameer of Jamat Ahle Hadees, was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen from Airport Road while he was travelling to his seminary. Later, the kidnappers had released his son and driver but took away Maulana Abu Turab. On June 15, the kidnappers released Maulana Abu Turab but his family refused to share any details with the media. It was not immediately known if the family has paid any ransom for his release.
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June - 18 
A man identified as Ahmed Jan was killed in the Garisha area of Khuzdar District on June 18, reports Dawn.
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A man identified as Ahmed Jan was killed in the Garisha area of Khuzdar District on June 18, reports Dawn.
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June - 18 
A man, identified as Gul Mohammad, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the main bazaar of Awaran town (Awaran District) in Balochistan on June 18, reports Dawn.
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A man, identified as Gul Mohammad, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the main bazaar of Awaran town (Awaran District) in Balochistan on June 18, reports Dawn.
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June - 18 
One Mullah Noorul Haq was shot dead in Qila Saifullah town of same District on June 18, reports Dawn.
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One Mullah Noorul Haq was shot dead in Qila Saifullah town of same District on June 18, reports Dawn.
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June - 21 
A Police constable was shot dead on June 21 when unidentified assailants on motorcycle opened fire on a Police post in the Hayatabad area of Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reports Dawn. According to Police, the incident occurred at around 9:45pm, within the jurisdiction
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A Police constable was shot dead on June 21 when unidentified assailants on motorcycle opened fire on a Police post in the Hayatabad area of Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reports Dawn. According to Police, the incident occurred at around 9:45pm, within the jurisdiction of Hayatabad Police Station. The deceased official was later identified as Frontier Reserve Police (FRP) Constable Shah Fahad, Cantonment area Superintendent of Police (SP), Wasim Riaz said.
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June - 21 
Mumbai-terror attack mastermind and chief of Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) Hafiz Saeed's son and his son-in-law are among 265 candidates fielded by JuD for national and provincial assembly seats across Pakistan in the July 25 general election, with the banned group's political wing vowing to make the
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Mumbai-terror attack mastermind and chief of Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) Hafiz Saeed's son and his son-in-law are among 265 candidates fielded by JuD for national and provincial assembly seats across Pakistan in the July 25 general election, with the banned group's political wing vowing to make the country a "citadel of Islam", reports Times of India. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) denied registration of the MML as a political party following objections from the Interior Ministry which argued that the entity was an offshoot of the JuD, led by Saeed, banned by a UN resolution. With general elections approaching, the group decided to contest on the platform of a little known "dormant" political entity, Allah-u-Akbar Tehreek (AAT), registered with the ECP.The nomination papers of all the MML backed candidates have been accepted by the Returning Officers during the scrutiny process, the MML said. "The nomination papers of 265 candidates - 80 on National Assembly (NA) and 185 on provincial assembly seats - including that of Hafiz Saeed's son Hafiz Talha Saeed and son-in-law Hafiz Khalid Waleed have been accepted by the Returning Officers," a MML official said. Talha is contesting from NA-91 seat from Sargodha (about 200-km from Lahore) while Khalid Waleed from NA-133 in Lahore on AAT's election symbol 'Chair', he said. Sargodha is the home town of Hafiz Saeed. Also, our candidates are contesting on Lahore's four NA seats and 15 Punjab Assembly seats, apart from these, the MML-backed candidates would be contesting on Islamabad and Rawalpindi NA seats, he said. "Similarly, the MML-backed candidates have been fielded in Karachi, interior Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of the country," he added.
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June - 28 
National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA) on June 28 lifted a ban on a Sunni extremist outfit Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) and unblocked assets of its chief Maulana Ahmed Ludhianvi, in a surprise decision hours before the country was placed on the 'grey list' by the Financial Action Task
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National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA) on June 28 lifted a ban on a Sunni extremist outfit Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) and unblocked assets of its chief Maulana Ahmed Ludhianvi, in a surprise decision hours before the country was placed on the 'grey list' by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for failing to curb anti-terror financing, reports Times of India. NACTA notification was issued on the recommendations of the Punjab Province Home Department. Ludhianvi is the chief of ASWJ, formerly known as Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP). He became the group's chief after the killing of his predecessor Ali Sher Haidri in a 2009 ambush. In 1990s, the Sipah-e-Sahaba was actively involved in a number of high profile attacks on scholars, mosques and gatherings of the minority Shia community. The group was banned by the former President General Pervez Musharraf in 2002. The group reemerged under the name of ASWJ. The removal of the ban on the group comes as a surprise amid international pressure on Pakistan to dismantle terror sanctuaries on its soil. Interestingly, the decision was made the same day Pakistan had committed to an ambitious 26-point action plan spanning a period of 15 months to avoid being blacklisted by the FATF.
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July - 2 
The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javaid Bajwa on July 2 confirmed the death sentences of 12 hardcore terrorists, reports The Nation. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement, the terrorists were involved in heinous offences related to terrorism including the
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The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javaid Bajwa on July 2 confirmed the death sentences of 12 hardcore terrorists, reports The Nation. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement, the terrorists were involved in heinous offences related to terrorism including the killing of innocent civilians, attacking Law Enforcement Agencies and Armed Forces of Pakistan. These terrorists also include those who planned and executed an attack on Markazi Imambargah in Parachinar town of Kurram District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. On the whole, the terrorists were involved in the killing of 34 persons including 26 civilians, eight Armed Forces, Frontier Constabulary personnel and injuring 133 others.
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July - 3 
Director of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) Obaid Farooq warned on July 3 that terrorists could target top leaders of political parties during their election campaigns, reports Dawn. “We have received as many as 12 threat alerts which are about leadership of political par
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Director of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) Obaid Farooq warned on July 3 that terrorists could target top leaders of political parties during their election campaigns, reports Dawn. “We have received as many as 12 threat alerts which are about leadership of political parties, including the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and six personalities can be targeted during election,” Obaid Farooq said while briefing a sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior. The committee, headed by PML-N Senator Javed Abbasi, has been constituted to look into security arrangements for the July 25 General Elections and officials of law enforcement agencies provided to different personalities.
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July - 4 
Mumbai terror attack mastermind and the chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), the frontal organisation of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Hafiz Saeed has launched an intense election campaign in different parts of Pakistan urging people to vote for his candidates in the July 25 general elections to safeguard the t
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Mumbai terror attack mastermind and the chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), the frontal organisation of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Hafiz Saeed has launched an intense election campaign in different parts of Pakistan urging people to vote for his candidates in the July 25 general elections to safeguard the two-nation ideology and avert a water crisis, reports Times of India. Saeed inaugurated the election offices of the Milli Muslim League (MML), the political wing of the JuD, in Lahore, Islamabad, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Faisalabad and Jhang and addressed rallies there during the last one week. The appeal he is making in his speeches is "vote for those who can stop India from building dams on Pakistani rivers so that Pakistan do not face water crisis in days to come, safeguard the two-nation ideology and help Kashmiris to get freedom and make the country a strong citadel of Islam". Saeed also promises to provide a "new political leadership' that will change the destiny of Pakistan.”We have decided to enter the political arena to make Pakistan stronger. We are not running our election campaign in a conventional way...," he said while addressing the MML activists at the JuD headquarters in Lahore on July 4. He said politicians have made politics a "profitable business," but the MML will not.
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July - 4 
The International Crisis Group on July 4 reported widespread discontent with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) among the local people over issues like inadequate employment and the overbearing presence of the military in civilian life along the 2,700km corridor, reports Times of India
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The International Crisis Group on July 4 reported widespread discontent with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) among the local people over issues like inadequate employment and the overbearing presence of the military in civilian life along the 2,700km corridor, reports Times of India. “People in Gwadar area have borne the aggressive actions of the military in the past. They are now worried about the overbearing military presence,” Richard Atwood, ICG’s director of policy, told Times of India over the phone from Brussels. Gwadar port is a key element of the CPEC as China hopes to access the Arabian Sea and use it to open up an alternative sea route for its exports. The area falls in restive Balochistan province, home to a major insurgency problem that has resulted in heavy military presence.
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July - 4 
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 4 extended Central Assistance Scheme for Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK) and Chhamb refugees worth over INR 2000 crore till 2020 and approved 7.118 acres of Defence land for construction of Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 2 in Udhampur
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The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 4 extended Central Assistance Scheme for Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK) and Chhamb refugees worth over INR 2000 crore till 2020 and approved 7.118 acres of Defence land for construction of Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 2 in Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, reports Daily Excelsior. Official sources said that since the Central scheme for payment of relief to about 26,319 PoJK refugees and 10,500 Chhamb migrants in Jammu and Kashmir was taking lot of time due to ‘unavoidable reasons’, the Union Cabinet on July 4 extended term of the Central Scheme till 2020. The scheme is being monitored and implemented by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) and even payment to the refugee families has been taken by the UMHA in its own hands through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Meanwhile, Union Home Minister (UHM) Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval along with top officials of the UMHA on July 4 reached Srinagar for high-level review of security situation and visit to holy cave shrine to assess arrangements made for the pilgrims by Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and the Government, adds Daily Excelsior. The Governor, NN Vohra was reported to have briefed the UHM on the security including militancy front, recent floods, Shri Amarnath Ji yatra and various other aspects of Kashmir situation.
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July - 6 
The Punjab Home Department received on July 6 specific threat warnings for main political leaders of major political parties, saying this was the first in many months, reports Dawn. According to senior officials, the information warned of threats to the main leaders of the major political parties in
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The Punjab Home Department received on July 6 specific threat warnings for main political leaders of major political parties, saying this was the first in many months, reports Dawn. According to senior officials, the information warned of threats to the main leaders of the major political parties in the next 10 days. They said political parties were being conveyed the warning with the advice to enhance the security level for their main leaders and adoption of standard security procedure during their exposure to people for canvassing. Law enforcement agencies, including the Police, too had been asked to provide security to the main leadership of the political parties. Also, the Home Department clarified that it did not additionally impose Section 144 to prevent any reaction to the conviction of Nawaz Sharif and others.
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July - 8 
Religious parties, including the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD)'s political wing Milli Muslim League (MML), have fielded more than 460 candidates on the National Assembly seats for the July 25 general elections for the first time in the country’s history, focusing on all the provinces an
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Religious parties, including the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD)'s political wing Milli Muslim League (MML), have fielded more than 460 candidates on the National Assembly seats for the July 25 general elections for the first time in the country’s history, focusing on all the provinces and breaking all past records, reports The Nation. Although Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) had come up with a long list of aspirants in 1970 against the then nominees of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Sheikh Mujeeb’s Awami League (AW) in East and West Pakistan, and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA)had also fielded candidates across the country in 2002, the number stands the highest this time. More than 460 aspirants fielded separately by MMA, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), MML-backed Allah-o-Akbar Tehreek (AAT) and other small entities might not be able to create any upset except on a few seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, they would certainly play a decisive role in the victory and defeat of The Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and PPP candidates on a number of seats. The election results would show total religious vote bank in Pakistan besides clearly narrating the number of well wishers of each party, defining its political weight and putting it at a bargaining position with mainstream political parties in next elections.
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July - 10 
Pakistan on July 10 decided to upgrade its systems at border posts and ensure better coordination among its agencies to address the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)’s concerns regarding smuggling of currency by terrorist groups operating along the border with Afghanistan, reports The Ex
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Pakistan on July 10 decided to upgrade its systems at border posts and ensure better coordination among its agencies to address the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)’s concerns regarding smuggling of currency by terrorist groups operating along the border with Afghanistan, reports The Express Tribune. The decisions to ensure effective implementation of the currency regulation regimes and plug administrative lacunas were taken during a meeting held in Q-Block – the seat of the Finance Ministry. The cross-border movement of currency by the UN-designated groups like the Haqqani network, Taliban and criminals were among the four key areas of concerns that became the base for placing Pakistan on the grey list maintained by the FATF. The monitoring report by the International Cooperation Review Group of the Asia Pacific Group listed the cross-border smuggling of the currency as one of four key areas of concerns. The report stated that “terrorist groups operating in Pakistan are able to continue financing themselves with little difficulty”. However, Pakistan denies the allegations.
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July - 11 
The death toll of the July-10 suicide attack on Awami National Party (ANP) leader Haroon Bilour in Yakatoot area of Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, had risen to 21 when an injured ANP activist succumbed to his injures on July 11, reports The Nation.
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The death toll of the July-10 suicide attack on Awami National Party (ANP) leader Haroon Bilour in Yakatoot area of Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, had risen to 21 when an injured ANP activist succumbed to his injures on July 11, reports The Nation.
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July - 13 
With terrorist incidents experiencing an upsurge ahead of the July 25 countrywide polls, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on July 13 summoned officials of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) to deliver a briefing over the security threats faced by election candidates, reports&n
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With terrorist incidents experiencing an upsurge ahead of the July 25 countrywide polls, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on July 13 summoned officials of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) to deliver a briefing over the security threats faced by election candidates, reports Dawn. The commission directed NACTA's National Coordinator to appear before it on July 14 and provide a detailed briefing to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) over security threats being faced by politicians and candidates, an ECP spokesman said. According to the ECP spokesman, the CEC has directed all Federal and Provincial Governments to take steps to create a peaceful and favourable atmosphere for the elections and provide security to all candidates without any discrimination.
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July - 14 
The Punjab Government on July 14 booked Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif, his son Hamza, former Prime Minister Khaqan Abbasi and 50 other leaders of the party under terrorism and other charges for “inciting” the crowd to violate law, reports Dawn
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The Punjab Government on July 14 booked Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif, his son Hamza, former Prime Minister Khaqan Abbasi and 50 other leaders of the party under terrorism and other charges for “inciting” the crowd to violate law, reports Dawn.PML-N spokesperson Ms Marriyum Aurangzeb, former National Assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq and senior leader Javed Hashmi are also among those booked.The FIR lodged with Lohari Police Station accuses Shahbaz and former MNA Hamza of pelting the law enforcement agencies officials with stones allegedly with an intention to kill them and hurling life threats.The main allegations against the PML-N leaders include damaging public buildings and properties, hurling threats and injuring the law enforcement agencies officials.They were also accused of interfering in the official work, violating Section 144 of PPC and the code of conduct issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the candidates, besides holding illegal assemblies and rallies.
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July - 15 
The death toll of July 13-Mastung suicide attack has risen to 149 including nine minors, when 21 injured civilians succumbed to their injuries on July 15, reports The Express Tribune.A suicide bomber targeting a political rally of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) on July 13 killed at least 128
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The death toll of July 13-Mastung suicide attack has risen to 149 including nine minors, when 21 injured civilians succumbed to their injuries on July 15, reports The Express Tribune.A suicide bomber targeting a political rally of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) on July 13 killed at least 128 people and injured over 200 others in Dringarh village of Mastung District in Balochistan.Among those slain was the candidate for Province Balochistan – 35 (PB -35 (Mastung) Siraj Raisani, whose elder brother Nawab Aslam Raisani had served as the Balochistan Chief Minister (CM) from 2008 to 2013.
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July - 16 
Awami National Party on July 16 expressed reservations over the decision of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to deploy security personnel inside the polling stations, fearing it will strengthen doubts about poll rigging for bringing a certain party into the power, reports Dawn.Addressing a
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Awami National Party on July 16 expressed reservations over the decision of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to deploy security personnel inside the polling stations, fearing it will strengthen doubts about poll rigging for bringing a certain party into the power, reports Dawn.Addressing a press conference in Peshawar, ANP former senator Ilyas Ahmed Bilour said that other political parties had objected to deployment of Army personnel inside the polling stations and hurdles in their election campaign. He said that ECP should ensure free, fair and impartial elections.
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July - 16 
Despite the passage of four days, the top leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has failed to get bail orders in FIRs registered against them on terrorism and other charges, reports The Express Tribune. While PMLN’s top leadership, including nominated accused former PM Kh
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Despite the passage of four days, the top leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has failed to get bail orders in FIRs registered against them on terrorism and other charges, reports The Express Tribune. While PMLN’s top leadership, including nominated accused former PM Khaqan Abbasi, former National Assembly speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, former Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shehbaz, PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, former Federal Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, former minister of state for information Marriyum Aurangzeb, state minister for interior Talal Chaudhary and several others did not visit the court for getting their bail orders since the FIRs were registered against them four days ago. On the other hand, Police officials are reluctant to arrest suspects who neither have the bail orders nor participating in the process of the investigation. Some PML-N activists visited Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) for getting their bail orders in the FIRs registered against them under the charges of damaging public properties, pelting stones, attacking police parties and removing barricades of Police from the roads during a rally they took out to express solidarity with deposed Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif on July 13.
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July - 16 
Dozens of people from different civil society organisations on July 16 staged a demonstration outside the Election Commission of Pakistan’s office protesting against its decision of allowing banned outfits to contest polls with difference names, reports Dawn.Mohammad Ali, Khalid Rao, Asad
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Dozens of people from different civil society organisations on July 16 staged a demonstration outside the Election Commission of Pakistan’s office protesting against its decision of allowing banned outfits to contest polls with difference names, reports Dawn.Mohammad Ali, Khalid Rao, Asad Zaidi, Waleed Mehmood Sheikh and AsadGokal leading the protest said removing proscribed persons’ names from the Fourth Schedule just 21 days before the election and lifting the ban on terrorist outfits raised many eyebrows.They added that the banned organisations were involved in several killings and other criminal activities.
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July - 16 
Many were surprised on July 16 when senior PTI leader Asad Umar took to social media to announce that Khalil along with hundreds of other Ulema (clerics) had joined the PTI and announced to support him in the upcoming elections. “Maulana Fazlur Rehman Kahlil has joined the PTI along with hundr
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Many were surprised on July 16 when senior PTI leader Asad Umar took to social media to announce that Khalil along with hundreds of other Ulema (clerics) had joined the PTI and announced to support him in the upcoming elections. “Maulana Fazlur Rehman Kahlil has joined the PTI along with hundreds of his followers and Ulema,” Umar wrote in a Facebook post with an album showing Umar being welcomed by Khalil and others and the two addressing the ceremony. When contacted, Khalil confirmed that he and other Ulema had hosted Asad Umar on Sunday and announced to support him in the elections. However, he clarified that he had not joined the PTI. “We are not joining the PTI. We just announced to support Asad Umar in NA-54,” he told.
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July - 16 
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on July 16 predicted that the coming general elections will be the dirtiest, most micromanaged and most intensively participated polls in the country’s history, reports Dawn.Speaking at a news conference held a few hours after his meeting wit
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The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on July 16 predicted that the coming general elections will be the dirtiest, most micromanaged and most intensively participated polls in the country’s history, reports Dawn.Speaking at a news conference held a few hours after his meeting with the chief election commissioner (CEC), HRCP spokesperson I.A. Rehman said that the commission had received complaints which were contrary to the spirit of elections.“We have serious doubts that elections will be free and fair. Before elections, efforts have been started to pressurise candidates to return tickets. Moreover, we have serious reservations about the use of military troops inside polling stations. So, the issue was taken up with the CEC and he assured that officials will not go inside election booths,” he said.Mr Rehman said that recently the Federally Administered Tribal Areas’ political agent had called a meeting of tribal elites on the general elections and told them what was in the interest of the country.
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July - 17 
An Islamabad-based religious leader, who is placed by the United States on a terror watch list, has announced to support the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the upcoming general elections scheduled for July 25, reports The Express Tribune. Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil was placed by the US Gov
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An Islamabad-based religious leader, who is placed by the United States on a terror watch list, has announced to support the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the upcoming general elections scheduled for July 25, reports The Express Tribune. Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil was placed by the US Government on Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) list on September 30, 2014, for his alleged role in Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) outfit, which he reportedly founded in the past. He later founded and is still heading Ansar-ul-Ummah, which he says is a political party. Both HuM and Ansarul Ummah are on the SDGT list. Khalil’s Ansarul Ummah also took part in the last local Government elections.
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July - 17 
Islamabad chapter of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), the frontal organisation of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) on July 17 announced to support former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the general elections, reports The Express Tribune. Abbasi is c
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Islamabad chapter of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), the frontal organisation of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) on July 17 announced to support former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the general elections, reports The Express Tribune. Abbasi is contesting for a National Assembly seat for Islamabad against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan. The decision was made after the former PM visited the Islamabad office of the ASWJ on July 10 and requested the party to support him in the elections. The ASWJ leaders had told Abbasi that they would consider his request and consult their higher leadership on the matter. On July 17, ASWJ Islamabad announced its electoral support to Abbasi in NA-53 constituency. “Yes, we have announced our support for Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. He had sought our support and visited us on July 10 and again today,” an ASWJ spokesperson said. The spokesperson said the former PM had assured them of working for legislation on the issue of ‘Namoos-e-Sahaba’ (sanctity and honour of the companions of the Prophet PBUH).
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July - 17 
Police in Sialkot and Daska registered cases against at least 198 PML-N workers on July 17 after they took out a rally to welcome convicted former PM Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz upon their return from London on July 13, reports Dawn. Sialkot Saddar Police booked 175 PML-N workers
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Police in Sialkot and Daska registered cases against at least 198 PML-N workers on July 17 after they took out a rally to welcome convicted former PM Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz upon their return from London on July 13, reports Dawn. Sialkot Saddar Police booked 175 PML-N workers under Sections 188, 290 and 291 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on the basis of a report filed by Sub-Inspector Maqsood Ahmed. Daska Saddar Police registered cases against 23 PML-N workers, including Rana Raza, Hashim Butt, and Naeem Butt, the PML-N general secretary in Daska. These men have also been booked for taking out a rally on the Daska-Sialkot Road. Police said that the booked PML-N workers indulged in hate speech against law enforcement agencies when they were halted by them in a bid to maintain the law and order situation there.
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July - 18 
Islamabad high court on July 18 ordered the Army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) not meddle in the affairs of other departments, reports Times of India. Islamabad high court made this explicit declaration worried over the perception of a state within a state, something security analysts i
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Islamabad high court on July 18 ordered the Army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) not meddle in the affairs of other departments, reports Times of India. Islamabad high court made this explicit declaration worried over the perception of a state within a state, something security analysts in India, the US and elsewhere have been well aware of as being the norm in a country has seen military coups three times. In fact, Islamabad HC's Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui went so far as to say that these military and intelligence elements conspired to manipulate Government and the judiciary. "Everyone knows how (court) proceedings are manipulated, from where strings are pulled, and when power (is) wielded and manoeuvred to achieve the desired results," he said.
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July - 18 
Levies personnel found four mutilated bodies of unidentified persons in the Prom area of Panjgur District of Balochistan, close to the Pak-Iran border, on July 18, reports Dawn. Levies officials said a shepherd had informed them about the bodies lying in the mountainous area. The corpses were s
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Levies personnel found four mutilated bodies of unidentified persons in the Prom area of Panjgur District of Balochistan, close to the Pak-Iran border, on July 18, reports Dawn. Levies officials said a shepherd had informed them about the bodies lying in the mountainous area. The corpses were shifted to Panjgur district hospital. “The bodies were lying in one grave and are very old, beyond recognition,” a senior Levies officer said.
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July - 19 
The Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on July 19 directed Army troops to be deployed at polling stations during coming General elections to follow the code of conduct of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in letter and spirit, reports Dawn. During a visit to the el
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The Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on July 19 directed Army troops to be deployed at polling stations during coming General elections to follow the code of conduct of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in letter and spirit, reports Dawn. During a visit to the election support centre of the Army, the COAS said the Army would assist the ECP strictly within the bounds of the given mandate. He said working in synchronisation with other elements of security apparatus, the army troops would put in place all efforts to ensure secure and safe environment enabling people to freely exercise their democratic right. The Army Chief was given a briefing about the Army plan for provision of assistance to the ECP to ensure free, fair and transparent conduct of the elections.
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July - 19 
The suicide bomber behind the Mastung attack has been identified by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Balochistan Police said on July 19, reports Dawn. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) CTD Aitzaz Ahmed Goraya made this announcement at a press conference held in Quetta to brief the media reg
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The suicide bomber behind the Mastung attack has been identified by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Balochistan Police said on July 19, reports Dawn. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) CTD Aitzaz Ahmed Goraya made this announcement at a press conference held in Quetta to brief the media regarding the investigation into the attack. The Mastung bombing which took place on July 13 during a corner meeting organised by Mir Siraj Raisani — a Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) candidate for PB-35 (Mastung) — claimed the lives of 149 persons while injuring another 186. DIG Goraya said that the man behind the suicide bombing has been identified as Hafeez Nawaz. He was a resident of Mirpur Sakro, 33 kilometres away from Thatta town of same District in Sindh. The bomber's brother and sister had reportedly moved to Afghanistan two years ago. He said that no facilitator of the bombing had yet been arrested while adding that the facilitators are suspected to be local residents.
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July - 20 
Caretaker Interior Minister Mohammad Azam Khan on July 20 told that notable politicians have apparent threats to their lives, reports The Nation. In an exclusive interview to news channel, Interior Minister said warned that Awami National Party's (ANP) Asfandyar Wali, Pakistan Peoples Party
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Caretaker Interior Minister Mohammad Azam Khan on July 20 told that notable politicians have apparent threats to their lives, reports The Nation. In an exclusive interview to news channel, Interior Minister said warned that Awami National Party's (ANP) Asfandyar Wali, Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Akram Durrani, Qaumi Watan Party's (QWP) Aftab Sherpao, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam's (JUI) Maulana Fazalur Rehman are among the politicians whose lives are in danger. He added that ANP and PPP are the two political parties in most in danger. Moreover, the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) Chairman Dr Suleiman had also revealed that lives of political leaders in the country were in danger during his briefing to Senate's Standing Committee on Interior. It is worth-mentioning here that election campaigns of different political parties for upcoming general elections have been targeted by different terrorist organizations. As a result, two candidates of ANP and BAP had lost their lives.
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July - 20 
Details about the number of polling staff and security personnel - working on July 25 – have been released by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on July 20, reports The Nation. According to the ECP, 1.6 million electoral staff is set to be deployed on election day. ECP also explain
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Details about the number of polling staff and security personnel - working on July 25 – have been released by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on July 20, reports The Nation. According to the ECP, 1.6 million electoral staff is set to be deployed on election day. ECP also explained that 449,465 Policemen would be deployed on election day, out of which 202,100 will be posted in Punjab; while 100,500 Policemen will be stationed in Sindh. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 87,269 Policemen will be on duty, according to the ECP. Moreover, 300,071 Army personnel will also have deployed across the country. The notification further states that there will two Army members posted inside the polling station, while two will be posted outside. From the ECP staff, there will be 85,307 presiding officers on duty — one at every polling station — with 510,356 assistant presiding officers and 255,178 polling officers on duty. In Punjab and Islamabad, there will be 48,610 presiding officers with 281,062 assistant presiding officers and 140,534 polling officers on duty. In Sindh, there will be 17,747 presiding officers while there will be 122,204 assistant presiding officers and 61,102 polling officers on duty. KP and the tribal areas will have the services of 14,530 presiding officers, while there will be 83,692 assistant presiding officers and 41,846 polling officers. On the other hand, Balochistan will have 4,420 presiding officers on duty who will be assisted by 23,398 assistant presiding officers and 11,699 polling officers. Joining them will be 131District returning officers (DRO) posted around the country with 272 returning officers (RO) and 600 assistants returning officers (ARO) for National Assembly. Meanwhile, there will be 577 ROs and 1,140 AROs deployed for provincial assembly elections. Overall there will be 2,720 DROs and ROs stationed on duty for the general election.
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July - 23 
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan called on the Federal and Provincial Governments of Pakistan to take appropriate steps to prohibit and prevent unauthorized, illegal and unlawful interference with freedom of expression in the country, The Nation reports on July 24. HRCP chief IA Rehman
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Human Rights Commission of Pakistan called on the Federal and Provincial Governments of Pakistan to take appropriate steps to prohibit and prevent unauthorized, illegal and unlawful interference with freedom of expression in the country, The Nation reports on July 24. HRCP chief IA Rehman along with other human rights activists stated and shared the fact-finding survey on curb on freedom of expression in Pakistan. They urged protect the right of television channel and news publication owners to function with dignity and in peace. There should be no interference in the sale and distribution of any newspaper, nor should any TV channels be deliberately displaced. It stated that the system of issuing ‘press advice’ or press-advice-like ‘instructions’ on the part of state agencies must cease immediately. IA Rehman explained that over the last several months, numerous journalists in the print and broadcast media have complained of interference with freedom of expression. They highlighted that following the publication of an interview with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on 12 May 2018, sales agents allege that the distribution of Dawn has been disrupted daily in at least 20 targeted cities and towns.
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July - 23 
The USD 50-billion worth China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is understood to have hit a roadblock with many of its projects getting stuck due to a financial crisis at the country's National Highway Authority (NHA), Dawn reported on July 24. The CPEC is the flagship project of Chin
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The USD 50-billion worth China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is understood to have hit a roadblock with many of its projects getting stuck due to a financial crisis at the country's National Highway Authority (NHA), Dawn reported on July 24. The CPEC is the flagship project of China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and includes a maze of roads and port projects. Once completed, it aims to connect China's largest province Xinjiang with Gwadar port in Balochistan, allowing Beijing access to the Arabian Sea. The contractors have stopped work on several projects of the CPEC after their cheques worth over PKR five billion bounced a couple of days ago. The report said this is the first time that CPEC projects faced such a situation due to financial reasons. Affected projects include Hakla-Dera Ismail Khan, Western Route of CPEC and all sections of Karachi-Lahore Motorway (KLM), report said. "Not only the CPEC projects but local industries related to construction and a large workforce of engineers and labourers have also been hit by the situation," Dawn quoted sources as saying. They said seven packages of Hakla-DIK measuring 400 km roads all projects of KLM have been affected. NHA spokesman Kashif Zaman said the authority issued cheques of PKR five billion on June 29 to the firms against the sanction by the Government. "Cheques worth Rs 1.5 billion were cleared by the same day and the remaining cheques that were deposited the next day could not be cleared," he said. Zaman said the matter had been taken up with the Government and hopefully it would be resolved soon.
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July - 25 
Clashes and violence between activists of rival political parties in several areas of country left two people dead as millions of Pakistanis went to polls on July 25, reports Daily Times. A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) worker was killed and two others were injured during a clash with Awami Na
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Clashes and violence between activists of rival political parties in several areas of country left two people dead as millions of Pakistanis went to polls on July 25, reports Daily Times. A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) worker was killed and two others were injured during a clash with Awami National Party (ANP) supporters in Swabi Town of same District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). PTI and ANP workers came face to face in PK-47, Swabi, after polling began nationwide. The standoff soon turned violent, resulting in the unfortunate incident. District Police Officer (DPO) Syed Khalid Hamdani confirmed that a PTI worker was killed in the incident.
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July - 25 
The death of July25-suicide attack in Bhosa Mandi area on the Eastern Bypass of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, had increased to 31, reports Dawn. Earlier it was reported that 28 persons, including five Policemen and two minors, were killed and 30 injured in a suicide attack near
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The death of July25-suicide attack in Bhosa Mandi area on the Eastern Bypass of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, had increased to 31, reports Dawn. Earlier it was reported that 28 persons, including five Policemen and two minors, were killed and 30 injured in a suicide attack near a school area in the Bhosa Mandi area when a suicide bomber targeted the convoy of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abdul Razzaq Cheema.
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July - 26 
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on July 26 finally revealed the official results of 251 of the 270 National Assembly (NA) seats and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) is in the leaf with 110 seats, reportsDaily Times. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) currently has a total of 63 seats in th
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The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on July 26 finally revealed the official results of 251 of the 270 National Assembly (NA) seats and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) is in the leaf with 110 seats, reportsDaily Times. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) currently has a total of 63 seats in the Parliament while Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has 42 seats. The alliance of the religious parties, Muttahida Majis-e-Amal (MMA) were able to get 10 seats in the NA. However, the secular nationalist parties, Balochistan Nationalist Party (BNP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were able to bag only two seats each. Sindh’s Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) which was dubbed as a “puppet” alliance by the PPP, after all the commotion has only managed to win 2 seats in the NA. The Awami Muslim League (AML) led by the much controversial Sheikh Rasheed and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaniat were also only able to win one seat each. Currently, there are around 12 seats in the NA which have been won by independent candidates.Meanwhile, PTI chief Imran Khan claimed victory in the country´s tense general election marred by allegations of "blatant" rigging by rival parties, reportsThe News. "We were successful and we were given a mandate," Khan said during a live broadcast from his home in the capital Islamabad, adding that there would be "no politician victimisation" of his opponents in the future. He went on to call the elections the "most transparent" in the country´s history. During the broadcast, Khan vowed to tackle corruption that was "eating our country like a cancer" and touched on promises to balance relations with the US that would be "beneficial" for both countries. Khan also said he was open to a sit-down with arch-rival India to discuss ongoing disputes in Kashmir.However, PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif, while addressing a press conference in Lahore expressed strong reservations over the polling process, saying his party doesn't accept the preliminary results shared by the ECP, reportsDawn. "I am forced to say that we completely reject these results," he declared, alleging that there has been a "blatant violation of public's mandate".
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July - 27 
A multi-party conference (MPC) called to devise a joint strategy over alleged rigging in the 2018 general elections on July 25 rejected the results of the poll, demanding a "transparent" re-election, Dawn reported on July 28. Attended by leaders of various parties, the MPC was ch
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A multi-party conference (MPC) called to devise a joint strategy over alleged rigging in the 2018 general elections on July 25 rejected the results of the poll, demanding a "transparent" re-election, Dawn reported on July 28. Attended by leaders of various parties, the MPC was chaired by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shahbaz Sharif and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) president Maulana Fazlur Rehman. It was held at the Islamabad residence of MMA leader Mian Aslam. "The All Parties Conference has completely rejected the July 25, 2018 elections with consensus," announced Rehman while addressing the media after the PML-N-hosted conference concluded. "We do not consider this election to be the mandate of the public, but a theft of people's mandate." In a reference to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), he said the leaders in attendance do not accept "the majority of those claiming to have won the majority". Rehman said the elected candidates of the parties whose leaders attended the MPC will not take oath. However, he hastened to add that Shahbaz Sharif had requested to be allowed to consult his party over the move first. Meanwhile, the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) said on July 27 that “despite issues with the Result Transmission System (RTS) set in place by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) … Fafen acknowledges significant improvements in the quality of critical electoral processes in the election cycle”, reports Dawn. In a preliminary report released, the network said that more than half of Pakistan’s registered voters went to the polls on July 25, 2018. According to the FAFEN, voter turnout remained 53.3 per cent and the highest turnout of voters was in Punjab, where 59 per cent of registered voters went to the polls in 127 National Assembly constituencies. In Islamabad the turnout was 58.2 per cent, 47.7 per cent was observed in 52 in Sindh, 43.6 per cent in KP and Fata and 39.6 per cent in Balochistan. The network also observed that male turnout was 58.3 per cent, more than 10 per cent higher than the female turnout that remained 47 per cent. The FAFEN said that it deployed a total of 19,683 observers — 13,819 men and 5,846 women — “to oversee voting and counting processes at 72,089 polling stations in the 270 National Assembly constituencies”. The network says that “the election day was better managed and the scale of procedural irregularities during the voting process was relatively low".
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August - 1 
Despite the participation of 12 religious parties in the electoral battle this year, the far-right groups managed to secure only 5,203,285 (9.58 per cent) of the total 54,319,922 votes polled across the country as most of them saw a decline in their vote bank when compared to the 2013 general electi
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Despite the participation of 12 religious parties in the electoral battle this year, the far-right groups managed to secure only 5,203,285 (9.58 per cent) of the total 54,319,922 votes polled across the country as most of them saw a decline in their vote bank when compared to the 2013 general election, Dawn reported on August 1.The highest votes in favour of religious parties were cast in Punjab (2,704,856 votes) but that contributed to only 7.98pc of the province’s overall vote bank — the lowest among all provinces — as per the preliminary results released by the Election Commission of Pakistan. As compared to Punjab, their performance was better in Sindh where the religious parties received 1,116,644 votes (10.57pc of the total votes polled). However, religiously-motivated groups dominated the electoral space in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where nine parties collectively secured 18.84pc of the votes polled, followed by Balochistan (16.78pc).
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August - 1 
The United States (US) on August 1 designated a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commanderAbdul Rehman al-Dakhil a specially designated global terrorist and sanctioned two others as fund collectors for the outfit, reports Dawn.The commanderAbdul Rehman al-Dakhil is accused of carrying out attacks in Ind
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The United States (US) on August 1 designated a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commanderAbdul Rehman al-Dakhil a specially designated global terrorist and sanctioned two others as fund collectors for the outfit, reports Dawn.The commanderAbdul Rehman al-Dakhil is accused of carrying out attacks in India between 1997 and 2001.The fund-raisers were identified as Hameed-ul-Hassan and Abdul Jabbar, who allegedly worked for Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), which the US regards as a front for the LeT. Separate announcements by the US state and treasury departments claimed that all three were Pakistani nationals. “Today’s designations seek to deny Dakhil the resources to plan and carry out terrorist attacks,” the State Department said.“These Lashkar-e-Taiba financial facilitators are responsible for collecting, transporting and distributing funds to support this terrorist group and provide salaries to extremists,” said Sigal Mandelker, US treasury under-secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.
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August - 2 
At least 12 schools were burnt down in night of August 2 in different places of Diamer District in Gilgit-Baltistan, reports Dawn. Diamer Superintendent of Police (SP) Roy Ajmal said that Police had so far received information that 12 schools - at least half of which are girls-only schools - had bee
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At least 12 schools were burnt down in night of August 2 in different places of Diamer District in Gilgit-Baltistan, reports Dawn. Diamer Superintendent of Police (SP) Roy Ajmal said that Police had so far received information that 12 schools - at least half of which are girls-only schools - had been burnt down overnight. He said that in some cases, books had also been thrown outside the schools and set on fire.
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August - 3 
The number of votes rejected in the 2018 general elections was 1.67 million, 11.7per cent more that the 1.5 million rejected in the 2013 polls, according to a report released by Free and Fair Elections Network (FAFEN) on August 3, reports Dawn.The report says the increase in the number of rejected v
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The number of votes rejected in the 2018 general elections was 1.67 million, 11.7per cent more that the 1.5 million rejected in the 2013 polls, according to a report released by Free and Fair Elections Network (FAFEN) on August 3, reports Dawn.The report says the increase in the number of rejected votes is observed in all four provinces and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).In the ICT area, the number of polls rejected from the count are more than double those in the 2013 elections.There was a 40pc increase in the number of rejected votes in Balochistan, 30.6pc in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), 7pc in Sindh and 6.6pc in Punjab.
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August - 5 
Family of a Sindhi artist Qutub Rind on August 5 claimed that he was killed under “false charges of blasphemy” on July 17 in Lahore, reports Pakistan Today. Qutub Rind’s uncle, Gul Beg Rind said that Rind, a National College of Art (NCA) graduate, along with his two children came t
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Family of a Sindhi artist Qutub Rind on August 5 claimed that he was killed under “false charges of blasphemy” on July 17 in Lahore, reports Pakistan Today. Qutub Rind’s uncle, Gul Beg Rind said that Rind, a National College of Art (NCA) graduate, along with his two children came to Lahore on July 17 for an art show. “Qutub had rented out an apartment and had an altercation with the landlord that day,” he said. “Later at night, the landlord along with two accomplices came to the house and broke Rind’s arms, legs and then pushed him from the third floor of the building,” he added. Rind later passed away in the hospital due to severe head injuries. A friend of Qutub, Hamid Ali, who had registered an FIR [First Information Report], claimed that the suspects confessed to killing Rind for committing ‘blasphemy’.“As soon as the police caught the suspects, they confessed but later changed their statements,” he further claimed. Family and friends have accused officials at the Sanda Police Station of not cooperating and covering up the incident. “Police have been pressuring us to register a case against only one suspect—the one who had pushed Rind from the roof,” the family alleged.
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August - 5 
The prime suspect believed responsible for the torching of 14 girls' schools over a period of two days in Diamer District of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) was killed during a search operation in the Tanger area on August 5, reports Dawn. Diamer Police Spokesperson Muhammad Wakeel said Shafiq - who has n
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The prime suspect believed responsible for the torching of 14 girls' schools over a period of two days in Diamer District of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) was killed during a search operation in the Tanger area on August 5, reports Dawn. Diamer Police Spokesperson Muhammad Wakeel said Shafiq - who has no known association with any organised militant or terrorist outfits, but is referred to as a "militant" and "militant commander" by Police officials - was one of the suspects behind the brazen arson attacks targeting girls' schools in the Chilas, Darel and Tanger tehsils (revenue unit) of Diamer District. Police began conducted raids in various parts of Diamer in the night of August 4 to track down those responsible for the arson attacks. A Police constable, Arif Hussain, was killed and another wounded in a gun battle with armed suspects. 30 people had been arrested during search operations so far.
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August - 10 
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on August 10 claimed to have arrested the father and brother of July 13-Mastung suicide bomber and on their pointation two more suspects, stated to be aides of the bomber, were also arrested from Banaras area of SITE Town in Karachi, the provincial capital of S
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The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on August 10 claimed to have arrested the father and brother of July 13-Mastung suicide bomber and on their pointation two more suspects, stated to be aides of the bomber, were also arrested from Banaras area of SITE Town in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, reports Dawn. After the deadly suicide bombing at an election rally in Mastung, Balochistan, on July 13 in which over 150 people including election candidate Siraj Raisani were killed, both the suspects went in hiding. Muhammad Nawaz is the father of bomber Hafeez Nawaz, while Haq Nawaz is his brother. During the initial probe, Muhammad Nawaz told police that his three sons including the bomber, his wife and four daughters had moved to Afghanistan on May 29. He told the police that initially his ‘bomber’ son was associated with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)’s Fazlullah group, but later on he joined ‘Daud Mehsud group.’ On pointation of the arrested father and son of the bomber, the police conducted raids in Manghopir area and Old Subzi Mandi and arrested two suspects, Sheeraz alias Saifullah and Wali Ahmed alias Abu Ubaid. “They are accomplices of the suicide bomber,” claimed the CTD official. They belonged to Jaishul Adl outfit based in Afghanistan.
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August - 12 
Diamer District Deputy Commissioner Didar Malik on August 12 asked a 12-member jirga (Council of Elders) working with the District authorities to handover 27 suspects allegedly involved in the arson attacks on schools in Diamer District of Gilgit-Baltistan, reports Dawn. A meeting was held at the Di
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Diamer District Deputy Commissioner Didar Malik on August 12 asked a 12-member jirga (Council of Elders) working with the District authorities to handover 27 suspects allegedly involved in the arson attacks on schools in Diamer District of Gilgit-Baltistan, reports Dawn. A meeting was held at the District Commissioner (DC) office in Chilas, where former Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Deputy Speaker Malak Miskeen, GB Minister for Excise and Taxation Haider Khan, GB Forests Minister Imran Wakeel and other notables were also present. DC Malik asked the jirga members to handover the suspects before 4pm on August 13, otherwise, a search operation will be conducted in both Tangir and Darel tehsils (revenue unit).
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August - 13 
The Punjab Police have registered 106 cases of terror financing involving proscribed organisations since 2015, and arrested 144 suspects, 42 of whom were convicted by courts, Dawn reported on August 13. This has been stated in a report which is part of similar narrations three other provinces have p
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The Punjab Police have registered 106 cases of terror financing involving proscribed organisations since 2015, and arrested 144 suspects, 42 of whom were convicted by courts, Dawn reported on August 13. This has been stated in a report which is part of similar narrations three other provinces have prepared for a briefing the Pakistani authorities are scheduled to give to a delegation of the UN Security Council’s Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on August 15 on steps taken to curtail financial and other activities of the organisations proscribed by the world body, including the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD). The report from Punjab was sent to Islamabad on August 12. Since 2015, officials said, 26 accused were convicted of receiving or donating funds and handed more than five years of imprisonment. Figure is part of a report to be discussed with FATF delegation
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August - 15 
The Asia Pacific Group (APG) on Money Laundering on August 15 urged Pakistan to enact appropriate laws, enabling local officials to act upon requests of foreign countries to freeze illegal assets and making terrorism financing and money laundering extraditable offences, reports The Express Tribune.
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The Asia Pacific Group (APG) on Money Laundering on August 15 urged Pakistan to enact appropriate laws, enabling local officials to act upon requests of foreign countries to freeze illegal assets and making terrorism financing and money laundering extraditable offences, reports The Express Tribune. Pointing out deficiencies in Pakistan’s legal framework, the visiting APG team pointed out that this could hamper Pakistan’s effective response on requests of mutual legal assistance by foreign countries in money laundering cases, officials said. Stressing the need for strengthening domestic legal framework by October, members of the APG team an on-site inspection would be carried out by the regional body after this period. It also urged the authorities concerned to give predicate offence monitoring powers to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The group’s other areas of concerns were activities by non-profit organizations, narcotics trafficking and proceeds of crimes. The APG team is visiting Islamabad to assess legal and administrative arrangements for implementing the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations for curbing money laundering and terrorism financing. The team comprises officials from the United States, Turkey, China and the United Kingdom.
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August - 16 
Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on August 16 sanctioned death sentences for 15 "hardcore terrorists", reports Dawn. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release said that the convicted militants were involved in terrorism activities, including "attacks on armed forces
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Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on August 16 sanctioned death sentences for 15 "hardcore terrorists", reports Dawn. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release said that the convicted militants were involved in terrorism activities, including "attacks on armed forces and law enforcement agencies, destruction of educational institutions and killing of innocent civilians". Collectively, the terrorists were found guilty of killing 45 people, including four civilians and 41 security personnel and injuring 103 others, it added. The ISPR further said that arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession, and that they all confessed to being part of proscribed organisations. In addition to these militants, six other convicts were awarded imprisonment of varying periods by the military courts.
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August - 17 
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Mahmood Khan took oath as 22nd Chief Minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on August 17, reports The Nation. KP Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra administered him the oath during a ceremony held at the Governor House, Peshawar. Besides others, MPA-elect, Government
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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Mahmood Khan took oath as 22nd Chief Minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on August 17, reports The Nation. KP Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra administered him the oath during a ceremony held at the Governor House, Peshawar. Besides others, MPA-elect, Government officials and PTI workers and office-bearers also attended the event. Soon after taking oath as chief executive of the province, the PTI workers chanted slogans in favour of the party. Mahmood Khan, a candidate of PTI had earlier bagged 77 votes against his rival nominee of the joint opposition parties Mian Nisar Gul, who secured 33 votes in the elections for the CM office.
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August - 18 
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan was sworn as 22nd Prime Minister (PM) at a ceremony in Islamabad on August 18, ushering in a new political era in the country, reports The News. The ceremony at the President´s House in Islamabad marks the end of decades of rotating leadership betwe
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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan was sworn as 22nd Prime Minister (PM) at a ceremony in Islamabad on August 18, ushering in a new political era in the country, reports The News. The ceremony at the President´s House in Islamabad marks the end of decades of rotating leadership between the ousted Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). A tearful Khan, clad in a traditional black sherwani, smiled as he stumbled over some of the words of the oath administered to him by President Mamnoon Hussain during the ceremony, televised live by the state broadcaster PTV. He swore to "bear true faith and allegiance to Pakistan", and to "discharge my duties and perform my functions honestly, to the best of my ability... and always in the interest of the sovereignty, integrity, solidarity, well-being and prosperity of Pakistan". The Imran Khan had won a confidence vote in the National Assembly on August 17. In parliament he came out fighting with a divisive speech in which he vowed to hold corrupt officials accountable.
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August - 18 
PM Imran Khan on August 18 unveiled his 21-member Cabinet, most of whom previously held key posts in the regime of former President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, reports News18. Out of the 21 names announced, 16 will be Ministers while five others will advisers to Khan, PTI spokesman Fawad Chaudh
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PM Imran Khan on August 18 unveiled his 21-member Cabinet, most of whom previously held key posts in the regime of former President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, reports News18. Out of the 21 names announced, 16 will be Ministers while five others will advisers to Khan, PTI spokesman Fawad Chaudhry said, hours after PM Imran Khan was sworn-in as the country's 22nd PM. 12 of Imran Khan’s Ministers Held Key Positions in Pervez Musharraf's Regime. According to the list shared by Chaudhry on his Twitter account, veteran politician Shah Mahmood Qureshi will be the Foreign Minister. Qureshi, the vice president of the party, was the Foreign Minister from 2008 to 2011 under the PPP Government.
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August - 18 
Syed Murad Ali Shah was sworn in as the Chief Minister (CM) of Sindh on August 18-evening, reports Dawn. He was administered oath by acting Governor Agha Siraj Durrani in a ceremony held at the Governor House in Karachi. Shah would begin his second term as the 33rd chief minister of Sindh after the
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Syed Murad Ali Shah was sworn in as the Chief Minister (CM) of Sindh on August 18-evening, reports Dawn. He was administered oath by acting Governor Agha Siraj Durrani in a ceremony held at the Governor House in Karachi. Shah would begin his second term as the 33rd chief minister of Sindh after the separation of the province from Bombay. He would be the 29th CM of the province after the creation of Pakistan. He was elected as the CM for the first time in 2016 when the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) decided to replace Syed Qaim Ali Shah. During the last 22 months as the CM, he carried out major projects not only in the interior of Sindh but also in Karachi under two special packages.
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August - 19 
Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) president Jam Kamal Khan Alyani took the oath as 16th Chief Minister (CM) of Balochistan at a ceremony in Quetta, the provincial capital on August 19, reports Dawn. Balochistan Governor Muhammad Khan Achakzai administered the oath to the new CM at Governor House. Outgoi
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Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) president Jam Kamal Khan Alyani took the oath as 16th Chief Minister (CM) of Balochistan at a ceremony in Quetta, the provincial capital on August 19, reports Dawn. Balochistan Governor Muhammad Khan Achakzai administered the oath to the new CM at Governor House. Outgoing caretaker CM Allauddin Marri, Balochistan Assembly Speaker Abdul QudoosBizenjo, PTI’s provincial president Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind, Chief Secretary Dr Nazeer Ahmed, Frontier Corps IG Nadeem Ahmed Anjum, Balochistan Police IG Mohsin Butt, leaders of different political parties and tribal elders were prominent among those who attended the ceremony.
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August - 20 
Usman Ahmad Khan Buzdar took oath as the Punjab Chief Minister (CM) at Governor’s House Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab, on August 20, reports The News. Acting governor Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi administered the oath to the CM. The ceremony was attended by caretaker CM Punjab Prof Dr Ha
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Usman Ahmad Khan Buzdar took oath as the Punjab Chief Minister (CM) at Governor’s House Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab, on August 20, reports The News. Acting governor Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi administered the oath to the CM. The ceremony was attended by caretaker CM Punjab Prof Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi, acting speaker Punjab Assembly Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari, Senator Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, members of caretaker cabinet, members of the Punjab Assembly, GCO 10-Div Major General Muhammad Amer, Air Vice Marshal Irfan Ahmed, Station Commander Navy Commander Dr SM Shahzad, Inspector General of Police Punjab Imam Kaleem, provincial secretaries and others. Earlier, Usman Buzdar called on acting governor Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi at Governor’s House, Lahore.
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August - 21 
The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on August 21 condemned terrorism in all its manifestations and extended full support to all the forces to bring enduring peace in the country, reports The Nation.In his message on the International Day of Victims of Terrorism issued by the ISP
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The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on August 21 condemned terrorism in all its manifestations and extended full support to all the forces to bring enduring peace in the country, reports The Nation.In his message on the International Day of Victims of Terrorism issued by the ISPR, the COAS said that terrorism was a global menace and required collective response.According to the ISPR, the COAS paid rich tributes to victims of terrorism. He said that Pakistani nation and its armed forces had bravely and successfully stood up to the challenge and were on a positive trajectory to defeat it effectively.The Army Chief said “Our collective resolve shall defeat all inimical forces which tried to push us towards darkness but are failing in the face of our national resilience and determination”. “We strongly condemn terrorism in all its manifestations and extend full support to all the forces of order and peace to bring enduring peace”, the COAS concluded.
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August - 23 
The US wants Pakistan to ensure that terror groups do not enjoy "safe haven" in the country, Times of India reported on August 23. Alice Wells, assistant secretary in charge of South Asia in the US State Department, told reporters, “We are urging the government to do more to bring pressure to bear a
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The US wants Pakistan to ensure that terror groups do not enjoy "safe haven" in the country, Times of India reported on August 23. Alice Wells, assistant secretary in charge of South Asia in the US State Department, told reporters, “We are urging the government to do more to bring pressure to bear against these organizations’ externally-oriented terrorist groups.” Wells, who arrives in New Delhi on August 23, said Washington wants Pakistan to “reinforce” the message to the Taliban that they should get to the negotiating table. “We've encouraged Pakistan to take stronger steps to ensure that the Taliban either come to the negotiating table or are expelled back into Afghanistan rather than enjoy safe haven outside of the country.”
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August - 30 
Islamist group Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) called off its long march on reaching Islamabad late on August 30-night after the cancellation of the blasphemous caricatures’ contest in Denmark, reports Daily Times.The long march had against the blasphemous caricatures had reached Islamabad after a 3
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Islamist group Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) called off its long march on reaching Islamabad late on August 30-night after the cancellation of the blasphemous caricatures’ contest in Denmark, reports Daily Times.The long march had against the blasphemous caricatures had reached Islamabad after a 36-hour journey on the Grand Trunk Road. It started at Data Darbar in Lahore on August 24-afternoon. Several caravans of TLP joined the main march led by Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the cleric who leads the party and is known for his hateful speeches.
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September - 1 
On September 1, the US slapped sanctions on two Pakistani companies by placing them on the export entities list for activities related to nuclear and missile trade, reports Times of India. The two companies - Technology Links Pvt Ltd and Techcare Services FZ have been placed under the Entity List by
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On September 1, the US slapped sanctions on two Pakistani companies by placing them on the export entities list for activities related to nuclear and missile trade, reports Times of India. The two companies - Technology Links Pvt Ltd and Techcare Services FZ have been placed under the Entity List by the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). In a federal notification, the US Department of Commerce said that the entities added to the EAR list have been determined by the US Government to be acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the US.
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September - 2 
The United States (US) military on September 2 said it has made a final decision to cancel USD 300 million in ‘aid’ to Pakistan that had been suspended over Islamabad’s perceived failure to take decisive action against militants, reports The Express Tribune. The Coalition Support Funds (CSF) were pa
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The United States (US) military on September 2 said it has made a final decision to cancel USD 300 million in ‘aid’ to Pakistan that had been suspended over Islamabad’s perceived failure to take decisive action against militants, reports The Express Tribune. The Coalition Support Funds (CSF) were part of a broader suspension in aid to Pakistan announced by President Donald Trump at the start of the year, when he accused Pakistan of rewarding past assistance with “nothing but lies & deceit.” “Due to a lack of Pakistani decisive actions in support of the South Asia Strategy the remaining $300 (million) was reprogrammed,” Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Kone Faulkner said. Faulkner said the Pentagon aimed to spend the $300 million on “other urgent priorities” if approved by Congress. He said another $500 million in CSF was stripped by Congress from Pakistan earlier this year, to bring the total withheld to $800 million. The disclosure came ahead of an expected visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the top US military officer, General Joseph Dunford, to Islamabad.
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September - 3 
District Police Officer (DPO) of Dera Ismail Khan issued a notification on September 3 (today) regarding suspected life threat to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman’s son and Member of National Assembly (MNA) Asad Mehmood, reports Daily Times. According to the notification, Fazlur
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District Police Officer (DPO) of Dera Ismail Khan issued a notification on September 3 (today) regarding suspected life threat to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman’s son and Member of National Assembly (MNA) Asad Mehmood, reports Daily Times. According to the notification, Fazlur Rehman’s son is under suspected threats from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) Noor Wali group. To avoid any unpleasant incident, Mehmood was urged to limit political gatherings and to keep his visits private. Moreover, he was asked to move with strict security.
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September - 5 
The United States (US) on September 5 said that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo conveyed the need for Pakistan to take ‘sustained and decisive measures’ against terrorists and militants threatening regional peace and stability, in all his meetings with civil and military leadership of Pakistan, repor
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The United States (US) on September 5 said that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo conveyed the need for Pakistan to take ‘sustained and decisive measures’ against terrorists and militants threatening regional peace and stability, in all his meetings with civil and military leadership of Pakistan, reports Daily Times. A statement issued by the US State Department soon after the conclusion of the high-profile visit said, the secretary Pompeo emphasised the important role Pakistan could play in bringing about a negotiated peace in Afghanistan.Pompeo, along with US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Joseph Dunford and other senior officials, held talks with Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar JavedBajwa during his day-long visit to Pakistan before leaving for New Delhi for another key visit.
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September - 7 
Owing to mounting pressure from hardliners, Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Government on September 7 removed renowned economist Dr Atif R Mian from the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) as he was Ahmadi by faith, reports Times of India. Apart from a vicious online campaign against Dr Mi
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Owing to mounting pressure from hardliners, Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Government on September 7 removed renowned economist Dr Atif R Mian from the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) as he was Ahmadi by faith, reports Times of India. Apart from a vicious online campaign against Dr Mian’s appointment, opposition parties — including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and an alliance of several religious parties — had submitted a call-to-attention notice in the Senate, the upper house of Parliament, against his inclusion in the 18-member EAC. Information minister Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter to make the announcement of his removal, saying: “The government has decided to withdraw Dr Mian’s EAC appointment as it wants to avoid division…The government wants to move forward, taking along religious scholars and all segments of society, and it would be inappropriate if a single nomination creates an impression to the contrary.”
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September - 10 
The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on September 10 confirmed the death sentences awarded to "13 hardcore terrorists" by special Army courts, reports Dawn. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) a press release said the terrorists "were involved in heinous offenses related to te
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The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on September 10 confirmed the death sentences awarded to "13 hardcore terrorists" by special Army courts, reports Dawn. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) a press release said the terrorists "were involved in heinous offenses related to terrorism, i.e. attacking armed forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan, destruction of educational institutions and killing of innocent civilians". The ISPR press release further said the convicts were involved in the "killing of 202 persons, including 151 civilians, 51 armed forces/Frontier Constabulary/police officials, and injuring 249 others". Arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession, the ISPR statement added.
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September - 10 
Pakistan and China on September 10 reacted angrily to a report in the London-based Financial Times (FT) newspaper that quoted some cabinet ministers as saying that Islamabad is considering renegotiating some agreements signed with Beijing under the multibillion-dollar One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initi
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Pakistan and China on September 10 reacted angrily to a report in the London-based Financial Times (FT) newspaper that quoted some cabinet ministers as saying that Islamabad is considering renegotiating some agreements signed with Beijing under the multibillion-dollar One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative, reports The Express Tribune. “The previous government did a bad job negotiating with China on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) — they did not do their homework correctly and did not negotiate correctly so they gave away a lot,” Abdul Razak Dawood, the adviser to the Prime Minister (PM) on commerce and textile, was quoted as saying by FT in an interview. A nine-member committee formed by the PM will “think through CPEC – its benefits and liabilities”, he added, according to FT. Soon after the report was published, Dawood said parts of his interview had been taken out of context. He said he would present a clarification in the evening. “I run the risk of being misquoted once again if I present one right now,” he said. Hours later, the Commerce Ministry issued a public rebuttal to the report. It said the news item was premised on “out of context” statements. The document “rejected the report especially its title”. The Ministry said both Pakistan and China had reiterated their “all-weather strategic partnership” and reaffirmed commitment to CPEC during foreign minister Wang’s visit. Pakistan should undertake reforms the way China did. “Pakistan reassured the Chinese side that CPEC is a national priority. China also highlighted the significance of CPEC… There is complete unanimity on the future of CPEC.” Statements attributed to Dawood have been taken out of context and distorted. Pakistan-China relations are impregnable. The Government’s commitment to CPEC is unwavering, it added. Meanwhile, China’s embassy in Islamabad also took notice of the FT report. “The Chinese Embassy in Islamabad has taken notice of the report in Financial Times regarding remarks by the honorable Adviser Razzak Dawood on the CPEC as well as the clarification issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Textile of Pakistan,” it said. “It is a firm consensus between China and Pakistan that CPEC is a mutually beneficial project and both the governments will carry it forward according to the needs of Pakistan and for the development of Pakistan,” the Embassy said in a statement. “Such ill-intentioned reports based on distorted and misquoted information only demonstrate that the report contributor has total ignorance and neglect of the CPEC or China-Pakistan traditional partnership,” it added. Earlier on September 9, PM Imran Khan said that 'all-weather' friendship with China was a cornerstone of Pakistan's foreign policy and he pledged to implement the controversy-hit USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, reports Times of India. Pakistan and China pledged on complete the USD 50 billion CPEC as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on Khan and expressed desire to further enhance the bilateral strategic partnership. Wang, who arrived Islamabad on a three-day visit on September 7, met Khan in Islamabad with a high-level delegation. "Foreign Minister underscored the significance of the CPEC for the mutual benefit of the people of both countries," the PM's Office said in a statement.
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September - 12 
The Islamabad administration on September 12 banned the entry of 14 ulema from various schools of thought in order to avoid a law and order situation and the loss of public life and property, reports Dawn. A ban was also imposed on the activities of 12 other ulema who are residing in the capital. Ac
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The Islamabad administration on September 12 banned the entry of 14 ulema from various schools of thought in order to avoid a law and order situation and the loss of public life and property, reports Dawn. A ban was also imposed on the activities of 12 other ulema who are residing in the capital. According to the order, these ulema will not enter, reside or remain in the capital for the next two months. According to the reports, these religious scholars were known for making inflammatory speeches. The order was issued by District Magistrate Islamabad Mohammad Hamza Shafqat based on reports received from the Special Branch and the Islamabad Police.
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September - 17 
An antiterrorism court of Karachi on September 17 ordered release of two detained persons after Police recommended cancellation of a ‘fake’ case pertaining to collection of funds for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), reports Dawn. The case was registered by the Counter-Terrorism Departmen
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An antiterrorism court of Karachi on September 17 ordered release of two detained persons after Police recommended cancellation of a ‘fake’ case pertaining to collection of funds for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), reports Dawn. The case was registered by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) during their ‘enforced disappearance’. The two persons — Dr Abdul Rehman, who was then serving at the Civil Hospital Karachi, and Malik Rizwan — were detained by the CTD on charges of collecting funds outside a mosque in Gulshan-i-Iqbal on June 24. The ATC judge, who conducted the trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison, approved the final investigation report submitted by the investigating officer of the case for cancellation of the ‘false’ FIR against them.
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September - 19 
Hafiz Saeed, the chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) the frontal organisation of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), plans to launch next phase of legal battle to retrieve the assets of JuD and its subsidiary Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) after Pakistan's Supreme Court allowed the two outfits to continue their ac
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Hafiz Saeed, the chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) the frontal organisation of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), plans to launch next phase of legal battle to retrieve the assets of JuD and its subsidiary Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) after Pakistan's Supreme Court allowed the two outfits to continue their activities in the country, the JuD's spokesman Ahmad Nadeem said on September 19, reports Times of India. The Government took over around 184 buildings – schools, hospitals and dispensaries – belonging to the JuD and FIF after the promulgation of the presidential ordinance last year and subsequently administrators were appointed there. The Government had also frozen all bank accounts of both organisations and stopped them from collecting funds. Last week, a two-member bench of the Supreme Court rejected an appeal by the Government against an interim order of the Lahore High Court on April 5 which had allowed the two groups to continue their "welfare work". The high court had restrained the Government from interfering with the social work of the two groups and also allowed their legal activities.
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September - 19 
The United States (US) on September 19 said the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terror groups continue to pose a regional threat and that Pakistan did not adequately address America's concerns on terrorism in 2017, reports Times of India. Although al Qaida in Afghanistan and Pakista
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The United States (US) on September 19 said the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terror groups continue to pose a regional threat and that Pakistan did not adequately address America's concerns on terrorism in 2017, reports Times of India. Although al Qaida in Afghanistan and Pakistan has been seriously degraded, remnants of its global leadership, as well as its regional affiliate al Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), continued to operate from remote locations in the region that historically have been exploited as safe havens, the US State Department said in its annual Country Reports on Terrorism for the year 2017. "Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba continued to pose a regional threat in the subcontinent," it said. The report notes that from August to December 2017, the Trump administration placed a pause on spending new Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan, holding these funds until Pakistan addressed key US concerns, including the threat posed by the Haqqani Network and other terrorist groups that enjoyed safe haven with Pakistan. "Pakistan did not adequately address these concerns in 2017," the report added.
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September - 20 
A US State Department report released on September 20 said that Pakistan criminalised terrorist financing through the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), but its implementation remained uneven, reports Dawn. The official US report — released with the State Department’s country reports on terrorism — also high
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A US State Department report released on September 20 said that Pakistan criminalised terrorist financing through the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), but its implementation remained uneven, reports Dawn. The official US report — released with the State Department’s country reports on terrorism — also highlights Financial Action Task Force (FATF)’s concerns about Pakistan. “The FATF continued to note concern that Pakistan’s outstanding gaps in the implementation of the UN Security Council ISIL (Daesh) and Al Qaida sanctions regime have not been resolved, and that UN-listed entities — including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its affiliates — were not effectively prohibited from raising funds in Pakistan, nor being denied financial services,” the report points out. Pakistan is a member of the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering — a Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-style regional body. In June, the Paris-based FATF placed Pakistan on its grey list of countries that could be marked out for economic sanctions if they failed to prevent terrorists from collecting funds within their domain.
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September - 20 
Pakistan may view a weak and destabilised Afghanistan as preferable to a strong and unified Afghan state, a latest United States (US) Congressional report has said, Times of India reported on September 20. It asserted that Islamabad may also anticipate that improved relations with Kabul could limit
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Pakistan may view a weak and destabilised Afghanistan as preferable to a strong and unified Afghan state, a latest United States (US) Congressional report has said, Times of India reported on September 20. It asserted that Islamabad may also anticipate that improved relations with Kabul could limit India's influence in the region. "Pakistan sees Afghanistan as potentially providing strategic depth against India. Pakistan may also view a weak and destabilised Afghanistan as preferable to a strong, unified Afghan state (particularly one led by a Pashtun-dominated government in Kabul)," the bipartisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) said in its latest report on Afghanistan has said. According to the report 'Afghanistan: Background and US Policy in Brief', some Pakistani leaders have stated that instability in Afghanistan could rebound to Pakistan's detriment. Pakistan has struggled with indigenous Islamist militants of its own, it said. "Pakistan may also anticipate that improved relations with Afghan leadership could limit India's influence in Afghanistan," said the report by CRS, an independent research wing of the US Congress.
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September - 22 
Two bullet-riddled bodies of missing persons were found in the Hoshab Thal area of the Kech District on September 22, reports Dawn. People in the area informed the local administration about the two bodies that had been dumped in an abandoned area. The dead were identified as Ghous Bakhsh and Sahil.
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Two bullet-riddled bodies of missing persons were found in the Hoshab Thal area of the Kech District on September 22, reports Dawn. People in the area informed the local administration about the two bodies that had been dumped in an abandoned area. The dead were identified as Ghous Bakhsh and Sahil. The two were targeted from close range with injuries to the head and chest area. Locals claimed that both victims were abducted by armed men five day ago from the Hoshab area of Kech District.
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September - 28 
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on September 28 confirmed death sentences awarded to 11 hardcore terrorists, reports Dawn. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release said the convicts were involved in heinous offences related to terrorism, including attacking armed for
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Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on September 28 confirmed death sentences awarded to 11 hardcore terrorists, reports Dawn. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release said the convicts were involved in heinous offences related to terrorism, including attacking armed forces, law enforcement agencies, destruction of an educational institution and killing of innocent civilians. The convicted terrorists were involved in the killing of 69 people — 49 civilians and 20 uniform persons — and injuring 148 others. Arms and explosives had also been recovered from their possession. A special military court had awarded death sentence to these convicts, added ISPR. The court also awarded imprisonment to four convicts.
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October - 8 
The Asia Pacific Group (APG), a Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-style regional body on money laundering, urged Pakistan on October 8 to intensify actions against the non-profit organisations suspected of giving financial aid to terrorist groups and bring more transparency in the steps it is takin
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The Asia Pacific Group (APG), a Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-style regional body on money laundering, urged Pakistan on October 8 to intensify actions against the non-profit organisations suspected of giving financial aid to terrorist groups and bring more transparency in the steps it is taking over proliferation matters, reports The Express Tribune. Technical experts of the APG started the 3rd Mutual Evaluation process of Pakistan that will end on the 19th of this month. The technical experts from the US, the UK, Turkey, Maldives, Indonesia and China have started assessing the steps taken by Pakistan to meet the FAFT recommendations. The purpose of the visit is to gauge the effectiveness of Pakistan’s Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter Terrorism Financing (CTF) regime under the FATF effectiveness methodology. The APG visit has begun six days before the FATF plenary meeting in Paris from the 14th of this month.
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October - 8 
The United States (US) Army has spelled out two things it wants Pakistan to do: de-link the Pakistan-based Taliban leaders from their cadres in Afghanistan and force them to participate in peace talks, Dawn reported on October 8. General Joseph L. Votel, commander, US Central Command (Centcom), expl
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The United States (US) Army has spelled out two things it wants Pakistan to do: de-link the Pakistan-based Taliban leaders from their cadres in Afghanistan and force them to participate in peace talks, Dawn reported on October 8. General Joseph L. Votel, commander, US Central Command (Centcom), explained the two points while commenting on Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s recent visit to Washington at a Pentagon news briefing this weekend. As Centcom chief, General Votel is directly responsible for the US-led war in Afghanistan, which also includes stopping the alleged cross-border attacks from Pakistan. Centcom chief says fighters must not be allowed to move into Pakistan to get aid. “And they need to do that by making absolutely sure that there are no instructions, direction, other things coming from Taliban leadership that remains in Pakistan to their fighters on the ground,” he said. “They need to ensure that there can be no movement back and forth and that fighters can’t come back into Pakistan to get aid or medical care or other things with that.” The Pakistanis also “need to use their influence with the Taliban to force the Taliban leadership to come to the table,” he added.
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October - 23 
Pakistan on October 23 released Afghan Taliban’s former deputy chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar on the intervention of Qatar, reports The News. Mullah Baradar, one of the four top commanders who formed the Afghan Taliban in 1994, was captured by the Pakistanisecurity agencies in 2010.He has been fin
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Pakistan on October 23 released Afghan Taliban’s former deputy chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar on the intervention of Qatar, reports The News. Mullah Baradar, one of the four top commanders who formed the Afghan Taliban in 1994, was captured by the Pakistanisecurity agencies in 2010.He has been finally released from jail on the solicitation of the Government of Qatar.Mullah Baradaris believed to be the highest-ranking Afghan Taliban prisoner freed so far.
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October - 25 
The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) on October 25 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for having effective collaboration on prevention and awareness to combat “on-campus” extremism and terrorism, reports Dawn. The MoU was signed by NACTA
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The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) on October 25 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for having effective collaboration on prevention and awareness to combat “on-campus” extremism and terrorism, reports Dawn. The MoU was signed by NACTA National Coordinator Khaliq Dad Lak and HEC Executive Director Lieutenant General (retired) Muhammad Asghar. The scope of the MoU was to establish a sustained and effective collaboration and partnership in order to combat extremism and terrorism in the country through joint research and collaboration. Both the organisations will consolidate existing research work in the areas of counter-extremism and counter-terrorism, which will help in promoting research culture in the public sector as well as improving the policy-making process.
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October - 26 
The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on October 26 confirmed death sentences awarded to 14 hardcore terrorists involved in heinous offences related to terrorism, reports Daily Times. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the terrorists wer
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The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on October 26 confirmed death sentences awarded to 14 hardcore terrorists involved in heinous offences related to terrorism, reports Daily Times. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the terrorists were involved in attacking armed forces and law enforcement agencies, killing innocent civilians and were behind destruction of educational institutions and the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Hotel Malam Jabba. They were involved in killing of 22 persons including three civilians, 19 armed forces and Police personnel and injuring 23 others.
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October - 26 
The Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) headed by Hafiz Mohammad Saeed are no more on the list of banned outfits after the presidential ordinance that proscribed them under a UN resolution lapsed, Dawn reported on October 26. During the hearing on October 25 of a petition fil
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The Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) headed by Hafiz Mohammad Saeed are no more on the list of banned outfits after the presidential ordinance that proscribed them under a UN resolution lapsed, Dawn reported on October 26. During the hearing on October 25 of a petition filed by Hafiz Saeed, his counsel informed the Islamabad High Court that the presidential ordinance had lapsed and it had never been extended. The petitioner had challenged the ordinance under which his organisations had been banned for being on the watch list of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The ordinance that proscribed these organisations under a UN resolution has lapsed. According to a list updated on September 5 on the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA)’s website, 66 organisations have been banned in the country and JuD and FIF are not among them. However, the two Hafiz Saeed-linked organisations are “under watch by the ministry of interior” under Section 11-D-(1), read with Schedule-II of the ATA.
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October - 27 
A study, `Humanity at Risk - Global Terror Threat Indicant (GTTI), by Oxford University and Strategic Foresight Group (SFG) on October 27 revealed that It's not Syria, but Pakistan which poses the maximum terrorrisk to humanity, reports Times of India. The analysis states Pakistan is right on top of
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A study, `Humanity at Risk - Global Terror Threat Indicant (GTTI), by Oxford University and Strategic Foresight Group (SFG) on October 27 revealed that It's not Syria, but Pakistan which poses the maximum terrorrisk to humanity, reports Times of India. The analysis states Pakistan is right on top of the list of countries with thehighest number of terrorist bases and safe havens. The study also reveals that terror outfits Afghan Taliban and the Lashkar-e-Taiba(LeT), which have a significant presence in Pakistan, pose thehighest risk to international security.Pakistan thus remains the breeding ground and supporter of global terrorism and is responsible for three times the terror riskto humanity in comparison with Syria, according to the GTTI report.“If we look at the most dangerous terrorist groups, based on hard facts and statistics, we find that Pakistan hosts or aidsmajority of them. Also, there are a significant number of groups based in Afghanistan, which operate with the support of Pakistan,” the report says.“The rise of competitive extremism of all shades, misuse of weapons of mass destruction and economic disruptions canundermine human progress or even survival in the period from now until 2030. They are all interlinked with terrorism”, thestates.
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October - 28 
Pakistan on October 28 confirmed that it has released senior Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar “in line with our commitment to facilitate the peace process in Afghanistan”, reports Daily Times. Baradar, the former Taliban deputy chief, was captured in Karachi in 2010 in a joint raid b
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Pakistan on October 28 confirmed that it has released senior Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar “in line with our commitment to facilitate the peace process in Afghanistan”, reports Daily Times. Baradar, the former Taliban deputy chief, was captured in Karachi in 2010 in a joint raid by Pakistani and US security officials at a religious school.Taliban sources had earlier told Daily Times that Baradar and another leader, Abdul Samad, the head of Taliban logistics, were freed on October 24, weeks after Taliban representatives met US Special Envoy on Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad in Qatar to explore ways for political solution to the conflict.The release of prisoners is one of the confidence building measures that had been discussed during the Taliban-US talks in Qatar, according to Taliban sources.
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October - 30 
The US on October 30 said the recent removal of the ban onHafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) runscounter to Pakistan's commitment to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)and would jeopardise thecountry's ability to meet its commitments to fight terrorism und
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The US on October 30 said the recent removal of the ban onHafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) runscounter to Pakistan's commitment to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)and would jeopardise thecountry's ability to meet its commitments to fight terrorism under the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) resolution. 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed's JuD and FIF are no longer on the listof banned outfits in Pakistan as the ordinance that proscribed them undera UN resolution has lapsed and the new Imran Khan-led Government didnot extend it."The expiration of the ban on JuD and FIF runs counter to Pakistan'scommitment to work with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to address weaknesses in its counter-terrorism financingregime," a state department spokesperson said.The spokesperson was responding to a question on the recent lapse of the ordinance that led to lifting of the ban on the twooutfits."As we have said before, the United States is deeply concerned that this development will jeopardise Pakistan's ability to meetits commitments under UNSC Resolution 1267 to freeze and prevent the raising and moving of funds belongingto or associated with UN-designated terrorist groups," the spokesperson said.
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November - 1 
Dialogue between Government and protesters in Lahore failed on November 1, with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) leadership announcing a countrywide wheel-jam strike on November 2 (today) against the acquittal of Asia Bibi's acquittal in a blasphemy case, reports The Nation. There has been no headwa
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Dialogue between Government and protesters in Lahore failed on November 1, with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) leadership announcing a countrywide wheel-jam strike on November 2 (today) against the acquittal of Asia Bibi's acquittal in a blasphemy case, reports The Nation. There has been no headway in the talks between top Government negotiators and TLP chief Khadim Rizvi as the Government has refused to accept his key demand to place the name of Asia Bibi on the Exit Control List (ECL). The negotiating team comprising Religious Affairs Minister Noorul Haq Qadri and Minister for National Food Security Sahibzada Mehboob Sultan was constituted by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan. However, as result of Government efforts some other key religious parties have softened their stance, saying they could go for supporting a review of the Supreme Court’s verdict in Asia Bibi case - instead of resorting to violence.
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November - 1 
The Peshawar High Court on November 1 ruled that the recent terrorism convictions by the military courts in the province were wrongful and were based on ill-will and not evidence, reports Dawn. In its 173-page detailed judgment on the recently-accepted 75 petitions of military court convicts, a benc
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The Peshawar High Court on November 1 ruled that the recent terrorism convictions by the military courts in the province were wrongful and were based on ill-will and not evidence, reports Dawn. In its 173-page detailed judgment on the recently-accepted 75 petitions of military court convicts, a bench consisting of Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Lal Jan Khattak ruled that while exercising their power of judicial review in light of the judgments of the apex court, it accepted all petitions, set aside the impugned convictions and sentences, being based on malice in law and facts, and directed respondents, including federal and provincial governments, to free all convicts and internees if they’re not wanted in any other case(s). “The way all convicts have been proceeded against right from their arrest in different parts of the country in the custody of the agencies and landing them in the internment centres for months/ years, are not appreciated at all for the purpose of convictions,” it ruled.
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November - 2 
Talks between the Federal Government and Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) remained successful and the two sides reached an agreement on November 2-evening, reports The News.The religious party has agreed to end the countrywide protests and sit-ins against the acquittal of Asia Bibi. A five-point agr
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Talks between the Federal Government and Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) remained successful and the two sides reached an agreement on November 2-evening, reports The News.The religious party has agreed to end the countrywide protests and sit-ins against the acquittal of Asia Bibi. A five-point agreement has been signed by the two sides.According to the agreement, the Government has agreed that it would not object to the review petition, filed by the complainant over Aasia Bibi’s acquittal, and that due process would be followed to bar her from leaving the country.The agreement was signed by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sahibzada Dr Noorul Haq Qadri, Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat, representing the Government, and Pir Mohammad Afzal Qadri and Mohammad Waheed Noor from the TLP.After the agreement, the TLP chief Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi said he expected that the final judgement on the review petition would be in accordance with Quran and Sunnah.
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November - 4 
Punjab Police arrested 1,100 suspects till November 4-evening and registered 130 cases against them for their involvement in injuring Policemen and people and damaging public and private properties during the protests following the Supreme Court verdict acquitting Aasia Bibi of blasphemy charge, rep
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Punjab Police arrested 1,100 suspects till November 4-evening and registered 130 cases against them for their involvement in injuring Policemen and people and damaging public and private properties during the protests following the Supreme Court verdict acquitting Aasia Bibi of blasphemy charge, reports Dawn. The crackdown was launched after the Federal Interior Ministry directed all the provincial Governments and Federal agencies to take action against the culprits involved in violence and damage to public and private property during the last week protests and sought compliance report till 5pm on November 5 (today).
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November - 6 
The National Commission for Enforced Disappearances has disposed of 3,633 cases by October due to personal efforts of its president Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal, The Nation reported on November 6. According to a statement of the commission, a total number of cases were 5,507 and now only 1,874 are
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The National Commission for Enforced Disappearances has disposed of 3,633 cases by October due to personal efforts of its president Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal, The Nation reported on November 6. According to a statement of the commission, a total number of cases were 5,507 and now only 1,874 are pending. The missing person commission of inquiry on enforced disappearances during the month of October 2018 disposed of 78 cases and now total balance numbers of cases are 1874 up to October 31, 2018.The missing person commission has conducted 537 hearings, 243 hearings in Islamabad, 66 in Lahore and 228 in Karachi during October 2018.The efforts of Justice Javed Iqbaland other members have been appreciated as the commission has recovered 3633 missing persons upto October 31, 2018, besides ensuring their safe return to their homes.
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November - 8 
Pakistan on November 8 said the Afghan Taliban's former deputy chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar was released from jail at the request of the United States (US) as part of efforts to pursue a political settlement in war-torn Afghanistan, reports Times of India."Baradar was released to provide impetus
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Pakistan on November 8 said the Afghan Taliban's former deputy chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar was released from jail at the request of the United States (US) as part of efforts to pursue a political settlement in war-torn Afghanistan, reports Times of India."Baradar was released to provide impetus to the peace and reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan. Pakistan will continue topursue reconciliatory efforts to expedite and facilitate the process to our fullest ability," said Pakistan's Foreign Officespokesperson Mohammad Faisal.Baradar's release was facilitated by Pakistan at the US request in order to move forward on the shared objective of pursuing apolitical settlement in Afghanistan, he said."This decision was taken following the visit of the US Special Envoy on Afghan Reconciliation, Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad tothe region and his meetings with Taliban representatives in Doha," Faisal said.
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November - 9 
A total of 409 drone attacks have been conducted in Pakistan since January 2004, in which 2,714 persons have been killed and 728 injured, Dawn quoting National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) sources reported on November 9.The majority of the strikes were carried out during the Government of Pak
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A total of 409 drone attacks have been conducted in Pakistan since January 2004, in which 2,714 persons have been killed and 728 injured, Dawn quoting National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) sources reported on November 9.The majority of the strikes were carried out during the Government of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) between 2008 and 2012. Sources within the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) recently shared details, claiming that the period saw 336 aerial attacks, in which 2,282 people lost their lives and 658 received injuries. The officials added that 2010 alone saw 117 attacks that cost 775 people their lives and injured another 193. Between 2013 and 2018 — during the Government of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz — a total of 65 drone attacks occurred. A total of 301 people died and 70 were injured. In 2018, two drone attacks have been conducted so far. One person was killed and one was injured.
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November - 9 
War-related violence has killed 65,000 people in Pakistan in the last 17 years, including 23,000 civilians, 9,000 security personnel and 90 American contractors, says a report released on November 9, reports Dawn. The rest of the casualties were anti-government fighters.The report by the Brown Unive
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War-related violence has killed 65,000 people in Pakistan in the last 17 years, including 23,000 civilians, 9,000 security personnel and 90 American contractors, says a report released on November 9, reports Dawn. The rest of the casualties were anti-government fighters.The report by the Brown University’s Costs of War Project notes that since 2001, when the United States launched its war on terror, about 507,000 people have been killed in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq. The report also warns that there has been a 22 per cent increase in war deaths in the past two years.As many as 370,000 of these people have died due to direct war violence, including armed forces on all sides of the conflicts, contractors, civilians, journalists, and humanitarian workers.
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November - 12 
Pakistan on November 12 released two more senior Afghan Taliban leaders, reports Daily Times. Those released were identified as Abdul Samad Sani, a Taliban ‘fundraiser’, and Salahuddin, a ‘military commander’, weeks after Pakistan set free former Taliban ‘deputy chief’ Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.
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Pakistan on November 12 released two more senior Afghan Taliban leaders, reports Daily Times. Those released were identified as Abdul Samad Sani, a Taliban ‘fundraiser’, and Salahuddin, a ‘military commander’, weeks after Pakistan set free former Taliban ‘deputy chief’ Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.
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November - 20 
The United States (US) on November 20 suspended USD 1.66 billion in security assistance to Pakistan, following President Donald Trump's directive, reports Times of India."$1.66 billion of security assistance to Pakistan is suspended," Colonel RobManning, spokesman of the Department of Defence told r
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The United States (US) on November 20 suspended USD 1.66 billion in security assistance to Pakistan, following President Donald Trump's directive, reports Times of India."$1.66 billion of security assistance to Pakistan is suspended," Colonel RobManning, spokesman of the Department of Defence told reporters in anemail response to questions.No further breakdown of the suspended security assistance to Pakistanwas provided.According to David Sedney, who served as Deputy Assistant SecretaryDefense for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia during the previous Barrack Obama administration, the blocking of militaryassistance to Pakistan, which began in January of this year is a strong signal of American frustration."But, so far Pakistan has taken no serious steps to address the core US concern - that Pakistan tolerates and often encouragesgroups which use violence against Pakistan's neighbors," Sedney said."Pakistan's leaders have promised cooperation, but beyond words, serious cooperation has not happened, therefore PresidentTrump is frustrated and so are most Americans," he said in response to a question."This frustration does not ignore the suffering that Pakistani people have undergone. It just asks Pakistan to recognise that itshould act to help stop the suffering of others," said the Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
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November - 26 
A Pakistan-born woman on November 26 pleaded guilty to providing material support to the Islamic State (IS) by participating in a scheme under which she wired over USD 150,000 to individuals and shell entities in Pakistan, China and Turkey that were fronts for the terror group, reports Times of Indi
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A Pakistan-born woman on November 26 pleaded guilty to providing material support to the Islamic State (IS) by participating in a scheme under which she wired over USD 150,000 to individuals and shell entities in Pakistan, China and Turkey that were fronts for the terror group, reports Times of India.Zoobia Shahnaz (27) of Brentwood, New York, pleaded guilty before USDistrict Judge Joanna Seybert, assistant attorney general for nationalsecurity John C Demers said.According to a report in The Wall Street Journal last December, PakistanbornShahnaz was a naturalized US citizen. She had come to the US usinga family-based immigration system, under which she had got the US visabecause of her family ties.According to court filings and facts presented at the plea hearing, between March 2017 and the date of her attempted travel toSyria on July 31, 2017, Shahnaz engaged in a scheme to defraud numerous financial institutions. Specifically, Shahnaz obtained a loan for approximately USD 22,500 by way of materially false pretenses, representations andpromises. She also fraudulently applied for and used over a dozen credit cards, which she used to purchase approximatelyUSD 62,000 in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies online. She then engaged in a pattern of financial activity, culminating inseveral wire transactions totalling over USD 150,000 to individuals and shell entities in Pakistan, China and Turkey that werefronts for the ISIS.During the time she was committing bank fraud and laundering money overseas, she was accessing ISIS propaganda online,including violent jihad-related websites and message boards, and social media and messaging pages of known ISIS recruiters,facilitators and financiers.Additionally, she conducted numerous internet searches for information that would facilitate her entry into Syria, but ultimatelywas intercepted by the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) at John F Kennedy International Airport while attempting to board aflight with a multi-day layover in Istanbul – a common point of entry for individuals travelling from Western countries to join theISIS in Syria, prosecutors said.
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November - 28 
The Ministry of Interior plans to unveil a new version of the National Action Plan (NAP) and restructure the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) to effectively tackle internal threats to security, reports Dawn on November 28. The NAP-2 is aimed at bridging the gaps in the first version roll
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The Ministry of Interior plans to unveil a new version of the National Action Plan (NAP) and restructure the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) to effectively tackle internal threats to security, reports Dawn on November 28. The NAP-2 is aimed at bridging the gaps in the first version rolled out in January 2015, in the aftermath of the attack on the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar in 2014. According to the document, the interior ministry plans to create a cyber security organisation to effectively counter the growing threat of cybercrimes. It envisages restructuring NACTA to make it more functional, building capacity of civil armed forces, upgrading the safe city project and taking steps to curb currency smuggling from airports and borders.
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