A suicide bomber killed four Pakistani military personnel in the troubled northwest, near the border with Afghanistan, the army said on Wednesday.

Pakistan began a military offensive against Islamic State-affiliated fighters along the northern part of the border last month, saying the region was fast becoming a safe haven for multiple terrorist organizations.

An army patrol was conducting a search operation in Upper Dir on Tuesday night, near the Malakand region where the Pakistani Taliban had controlled large swaths of territory until a military operation in 2009.

&lrm;&quot;The military officials received information about the presence of terrorists in the area,&quot; the military said in a statement. They were conducting a search operation &quot;when one of the terrorists blew himself up&quot;.

An officer and three soldiers were killed in the attack, which drew immediate condemnation from new Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

&quot;Each drop of blood of our heroes is a testament to the fact that we all are united as a nation to cleanse our beloved motherland from terrorist elements,&quot; the prime minister&#39;s office said in a statement.

Abbasi took office after previous prime minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court over undeclared assets, a ruling Sharif has decried as politically motivated but opposition leaders say is a victory for the rule of law.

A security official who asked not to be identified told Reuters that security forces were drawn into a gun battle with two militants when one of the men blew himself up.

&quot;This area is infamous for its record of terrorist activities,&quot; the official said.

'The military officials received information about the presence of terrorists in the area,' the military said in a statement

A suicide bomber killed four Pakistani military personnel in the troubled northwest, near the border with Afghanistan, the army said on Wednesday. Pakistan began a military offensive against Islamic State-affiliated fighters along the northern part of the border last month, saying the region was fast becoming a safe haven for multiple terrorist organizations. An army patrol was conducting a search operation in Upper Dir on Tuesday night, near the Malakand region where the Pakistani Taliban had controlled large swaths of territory until a military operation in 2009. ‎"The military officials received information about the presence of terrorists in the area," the military said in a statement. They were conducting a search operation "when one of the terrorists blew himself up". An officer and three soldiers were killed in the attack, which drew immediate condemnation from new Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. "Each drop of blood of our heroes is a testament to the fact that we all are united as a nation to cleanse our beloved motherland from terrorist elements," the prime minister's office said in a statement. Abbasi took office after previous prime minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court over undeclared assets, a ruling Sharif has decried as politically motivated but opposition leaders say is a victory for the rule of law. A security official who asked not to be identified told Reuters that security forces were drawn into a gun battle with two militants when one of the men blew himself up. "This area is infamous for its record of terrorist activities," the official said.

Four Pakistani army personnel killed in suicide attack

On Wednesday the Pakistan Army&nbsp;claimed it had&nbsp;destroyed an Indian&nbsp;post&nbsp;in retaliation for&nbsp;an alleged ceasefire violation by India.

Video claiming to be of&nbsp;the bunker&#39;s destruction was published in a tweet posted by Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, the official spokesperson of Pakistan Armed Forces.

Watch it here:

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PR 370/17 Ref 
Clip showing Pak Army&#39;s response to Indian CFV today. Every CFV shall get such aggressive &amp; effective response! <a href="https://t.co/7LwYjdB9Yq">pic.twitter.com/7LwYjdB9Yq</a>
&mdash; Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialDGISPR/status/887731890257571840">July 19, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Earlier, the Pakistan Foreign Office summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh to protest against alleged Indian violations across the Line of Control (LoC). Director General (SA and SAARC) Dr Mohammad Faisal handed over a letter of protest to Singh, reports Geo News.

The Pakistan military&#39;s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), has alleged Indian forces resorted to unprovoked firing on Sunday and targetted a Pakistan Army vehicle across the Line of Control (LoC).

This is the third time in this month that the Indian envoy has been summoned by the Pakistan authorities. Earlier on July 8 and July 9, the Pakistan Foreign Office summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner over alleged ceasefire violations along the LoC, claiming that civilians were killed in firing by the Indian troops.&nbsp;

The Pakistan Foreign Office summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh to protest against alleged Indian violations across the Line of Control

On Wednesday the Pakistan Army claimed it had destroyed an Indian post in retaliation for an alleged ceasefire violation by India. Video claiming to be of the bunker's destruction was published in a tweet posted by Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, the official spokesperson of Pakistan Armed Forces. Watch it here: PR 370/17 Ref Clip showing Pak Army's response to Indian CFV today. Every CFV shall get such aggressive & effective response! pic.twitter.com/7LwYjdB9Yq — Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) July 19, 2017 × Earlier, the Pakistan Foreign Office summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh to protest against alleged Indian violations across the Line of Control (LoC). Director General (SA and SAARC) Dr Mohammad Faisal handed over a letter of protest to Singh, reports Geo News. The Pakistan military's media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), has alleged Indian forces resorted to unprovoked firing on Sunday and targetted a Pakistan Army vehicle across the Line of Control (LoC). This is the third time in this month that the Indian envoy has been summoned by the Pakistan authorities. Earlier on July 8 and July 9, the Pakistan Foreign Office summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner over alleged ceasefire violations along the LoC, claiming that civilians were killed in firing by the Indian troops.

Watch: Indian Army post allegedly destroyed by Pakistan Army

Pakistan summoned the Indian deputy High Commissioner JP Singh today after two civilians were killed in alleged ceasefire violations along the border by Indian troops.

Foreign ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria said Indian security forces resorted to firing in Baroh and Tandar sectors on Tuesday.

Director General (SA and SAARC) Mohammad Faisal said,&quot;The deliberate targeting of civilians is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws.&quot;

The Pakistani foreign ministry had previously summoned the Indian envoy for two consecutive days on July 8 and 9 this month&nbsp;over the same issue.

On Wednesday,<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/two-indian-army-soldiers-killed-in-pakistan-shelling-across-loc-18059"> Two Indian army </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/two-indian-army-soldiers-killed-in-pakistan-shelling-across-loc-18059">soldiers</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/two-indian-army-soldiers-killed-in-pakistan-shelling-across-loc-18059"> were killed and six people, including three civilians injured after Pakistan </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/two-indian-army-soldiers-killed-in-pakistan-shelling-across-loc-18059">troops</a> hit villages with mortar fire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.

Terrorists also made a bid to infiltrate into Kashmir from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) via the Gurez sector which was foiled by the Indian troops who killed one of the infiltrators, officials told PTI.

Nine people, including 6 soldiers, have been killed and 18 injured in over a dozen ceasefire violations by the Pakistani Army along the LoC this month.

The Pakistani foreign ministry had previously summoned the Indian envoy for two consecutive days on July 8 and 9 this month

Pakistan summoned the Indian deputy High Commissioner JP Singh today after two civilians were killed in alleged ceasefire violations along the border by Indian troops. Foreign ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria said Indian security forces resorted to firing in Baroh and Tandar sectors on Tuesday. Director General (SA and SAARC) Mohammad Faisal said,"The deliberate targeting of civilians is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws." The Pakistani foreign ministry had previously summoned the Indian envoy for two consecutive days on July 8 and 9 this month over the same issue. On Wednesday, Two Indian army soldiers were killed and six people, including three civilians injured after Pakistan troops hit villages with mortar fire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. Terrorists also made a bid to infiltrate into Kashmir from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) via the Gurez sector which was foiled by the Indian troops who killed one of the infiltrators, officials told PTI. Nine people, including 6 soldiers, have been killed and 18 injured in over a dozen ceasefire violations by the Pakistani Army along the LoC this month.

Pakistan summons Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh

Pakistan resorted to indiscriminate firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir&rsquo;s Nowgam sector late last night, ANI reports.

According to ANI, three terrorists have been killed and a search operation is underway to track any infiltration.

The firing took place around 11:30 pm last night.

The Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively to the firing.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Visuals?src=hash">#Visuals</a> Nowgam (J&amp;K): Three terrorists killed, search operation underway. (Visuals deferred) <a href="https://t.co/o8bKG3DW8z">pic.twitter.com/o8bKG3DW8z</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/884322799195705344">July 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The Pakistani Army on Saturday initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars in Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s Poonch sector.

Two civilians were killed in the firing.

Three terrorists have been killed and a search operation is underway to track any infiltration

Pakistan resorted to indiscriminate firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Nowgam sector late last night, ANI reports. According to ANI, three terrorists have been killed and a search operation is underway to track any infiltration. The firing took place around 11:30 pm last night. The Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively to the firing. #Visuals Nowgam (J&K): Three terrorists killed, search operation underway. (Visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/o8bKG3DW8z — ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017 × The Pakistani Army on Saturday initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch sector. Two civilians were killed in the firing.

J&K: Pakistan resorts to indiscriminate firing along LoC in Nowgam sector

The Pakistan Army on Sunday claimed that it has&nbsp;destroyed two Indian Army posts along the Line of Control (LoC) and killed four Indian soldiers.

The Pakistan Army said the action was taken in response to the alleged &quot;unprovoked firing by the Indian side from across the Line of Control (LoC) that killed five civilians (Pakistani civilians)&quot; on Saturday.

&quot;Pakistan Army befittingly responded on July 9, causing substantial losses to men and material.

Two Indian Army posts firing on innocent civilians have been destroyed, four Indian soldiers killed,&quot; read a statement issued by the Pakistan Army Inter-Services Public Relations wing.

The statement further stated that, &quot;it resolves to protect the civil population against unprovoked Indian aggression at any cost.&quot;

Meanwhile, the official spokesperson of Pakistani Armed Forces, Major General Asif Ghafoor also took to his twitter account to inform about the same and also released a video of Pakistani Armed forces allegedly destroying two Indian Army posts.

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In utter failure to cap remembrance of Wani&#39;s shahadat, Indian forces targeted innocent civ along LOC. Indian guns silenced effectively! <a href="https://t.co/qOoAtVvCIg">pic.twitter.com/qOoAtVvCIg</a>
&mdash; Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialDGISPR/status/884134499889500160">July 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Earlier on Saturday, on the occasion of the first death anniversary of the Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, the Pakistani Army claimed that Indian Armed forces allegedly resorted heavy shelling in different areas of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) from across the LoC.

As per reports, at least five Pakistani civilians, including four women were killed and ten others were injured.&nbsp;

The Pakistan army claimed that its actions were in retaliation to the alleged 'unprovoked firing by the Indian side from across the Line of Control (LoC) that killed five civilians (Pakistani civilians)' on Saturday

The Pakistan Army on Sunday claimed that it has destroyed two Indian Army posts along the Line of Control (LoC) and killed four Indian soldiers. The Pakistan Army said the action was taken in response to the alleged "unprovoked firing by the Indian side from across the Line of Control (LoC) that killed five civilians (Pakistani civilians)" on Saturday. "Pakistan Army befittingly responded on July 9, causing substantial losses to men and material. Two Indian Army posts firing on innocent civilians have been destroyed, four Indian soldiers killed," read a statement issued by the Pakistan Army Inter-Services Public Relations wing. The statement further stated that, "it resolves to protect the civil population against unprovoked Indian aggression at any cost." Meanwhile, the official spokesperson of Pakistani Armed Forces, Major General Asif Ghafoor also took to his twitter account to inform about the same and also released a video of Pakistani Armed forces allegedly destroying two Indian Army posts. In utter failure to cap remembrance of Wani's shahadat, Indian forces targeted innocent civ along LOC. Indian guns silenced effectively! pic.twitter.com/qOoAtVvCIg — Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) July 9, 2017 × Earlier on Saturday, on the occasion of the first death anniversary of the Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, the Pakistani Army claimed that Indian Armed forces allegedly resorted heavy shelling in different areas of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) from across the LoC. As per reports, at least five Pakistani civilians, including four women were killed and ten others were injured.

Four Indian soldiers killed, two posts destroyed along LoC, claims Pakistan Army

The United Nations has dismissed Pakistan Army&#39;s claim that its military observers came under attack from Indian troops near the Line of Control, saying there was &quot;no evidence&quot; of them being targeted.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres&#39; spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said there was no evidence that an UNMOGIP (United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan) vehicle was targeted by the Indian Army along the LoC near the Khanjar sector.

&quot;I can say to you that this afternoon in Bhimber District, in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, UNMOGIP military observers accompanied by Pakistani Army escorts heard gunshots in their vicinity. There is no evidence that the UNMOGIP military observers were targeted by the gunfire. No UN military observer was injured,&quot; he told reporters yesterday.

In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, had said that a vehicle carrying two officers of the UN military observer group came under attack by Indian troops during a visit to the LoC.

The Pakistan Army had claimed the vehicle was carrying UNMOGIP officers Major Emmanual of the Philippines and Major Mirko of Croatia.

Asked about the increasing tension between the south Asian neighbours and whether the UN secretary-general will look into the situation, Dujarric reiterated, &quot;we&#39;re obviously concerned at the situation in Kashmir, and it&#39;s an issue that the secretary-general is following closely.&quot;

According to the UN Security Council mandate of 1971, UNMOGIP observes and reports on ceasefire violations along and across the LoC and the Working Boundary between India and Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as reports developments that could lead to ceasefire violations.

India has maintained that UNMOGIP has outlived its utility and is irrelevant after the Simla Agreement and the consequent establishment of the Line of Control.

The observer group is headed by Major Gen Per Lodin of Sweden. It currently has 38 military observers and 73 civilian personnel.

(PTI)&nbsp;

Pakistan had said a vehicle carrying two officers of the UN military observer group in Kashmir was targeted by the Indian Army

The United Nations has dismissed Pakistan Army's claim that its military observers came under attack from Indian troops near the Line of Control, saying there was "no evidence" of them being targeted. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said there was no evidence that an UNMOGIP (United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan) vehicle was targeted by the Indian Army along the LoC near the Khanjar sector. "I can say to you that this afternoon in Bhimber District, in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, UNMOGIP military observers accompanied by Pakistani Army escorts heard gunshots in their vicinity. There is no evidence that the UNMOGIP military observers were targeted by the gunfire. No UN military observer was injured," he told reporters yesterday. In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, had said that a vehicle carrying two officers of the UN military observer group came under attack by Indian troops during a visit to the LoC. The Pakistan Army had claimed the vehicle was carrying UNMOGIP officers Major Emmanual of the Philippines and Major Mirko of Croatia. Asked about the increasing tension between the south Asian neighbours and whether the UN secretary-general will look into the situation, Dujarric reiterated, "we're obviously concerned at the situation in Kashmir, and it's an issue that the secretary-general is following closely." According to the UN Security Council mandate of 1971, UNMOGIP observes and reports on ceasefire violations along and across the LoC and the Working Boundary between India and Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as reports developments that could lead to ceasefire violations. India has maintained that UNMOGIP has outlived its utility and is irrelevant after the Simla Agreement and the consequent establishment of the Line of Control. The observer group is headed by Major Gen Per Lodin of Sweden. It currently has 38 military observers and 73 civilian personnel. (PTI)

UN says Indian Army did not target UN vehicle near LoC

The Indian Army on Tuesday said it launched &quot;punitive fire assaults&quot; on Pakistani positions across the Line of Control, inflicting &quot;some damage&quot;, days after two of its troopers were beheaded.

It also released a video of the military action which showed some structures in a forested area crumbling in a heap under the impact of repeated shelling.

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The Indian Army claimed of having taken proactive measure against infiltration attempts by Pakistan. Army says the video was shot on May 21st (WION)
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Pakistan Army, however, dismissed as &quot;false&quot;, its Indian counterpart&#39;s assertion of destroying its posts in the Naushera sector.

Though the Indian Army did not give much&nbsp; of the operational details of the retributive assault across the Line of Control (LoC) against Pakistan Army positions in Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir which were &quot;aiding&quot; infiltration, sources in the force said the strike was carried out on May 9, nine days after two Indian security personnel were beheaded.

&quot;A recent action by our troops in the Naushera Sector has caused some damage to the Pak Army posts, which are supporting infiltrations. This is part of our overall strategy to counter terrorism,&quot; additional director general of public information Maj Gen A K Narula told reporters in New Delhi.&nbsp;

The government supported the Army&#39;s action, with defence minister Arun Jaitley saying it was to ensure peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

&quot;Government supports the actions of Indian Army across LoC. Such actions are needed to ensure peace in J&amp;K,&quot; Jaitley tweeted.

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Government supports the actions of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianArmy?src=hash">#IndianArmy</a> across LoC. Such actions are needed to ensure peace in J&amp;K.
&mdash; Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) <a href="https://twitter.com/arunjaitley/status/866986282223677441">May 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Indian Army is taking preemptive and measured actions to counter terrorism in valley and disengage Pak posts across LoC supporting infiltration,&quot; he said.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianArmy?src=hash">#IndianArmy</a> is taking preemptive &amp; measured actions to counter terrorism in valley &amp; disengage Pak posts across LoC supporting infiltration
&mdash; Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) <a href="https://twitter.com/arunjaitley/status/866987257781075968">May 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Indian claims of destroying Pakistani post along LoC in Naushera Sector and firing by Pakistan Army on civilians across LoC are false,&quot; inter-services public relations (ISPR) director general Major General Asif Ghafoor said in a tweet.

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PR277/17 
No Pakistani post destroyed by India on 13 May. Indians tgt civ on both sides of LOC. Pak response restricted to mil tgts only. 1/2 <a href="https://t.co/9971o9dQ9G">pic.twitter.com/9971o9dQ9G</a>
&mdash; Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialDGISPR/status/867046309575917568">May 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Sources in the Indian Army said the strike was a message to Pakistan that it will take stronger action with increased frequency against any infiltration attempts from across the border.

The 22-second video showed concrete structures being reduced to rubble amid plumes of smoke and balls of fire.

However, the area of the operation was not clearly identifiable in the clipping.

&quot;As part of our counter-terrorism strategy and to ensure that infiltration is curbed and initiative remains with us, the Indian Army proactively dominates Line of Control.

&quot;While doing so, locations aiding infiltration of terrorists are being targeted and destroyed to deny advantage to terrorists thus curbing infiltration attempts,&quot; said Maj Gen Narula. There was no official word on the casualty on the Pakistani side.

The Army sources said rocket launchers, anti-tank guided missiles and automatic grenade launchers and recoilless guns were used in the strike.

He said as part of the Army&#39;s counter-terrorism operations, &quot;punitive fire assaults&quot; across the line of control are being undertaken.

&quot;Pak Army has been providing support to armed infiltrators by engaging our forward troops from their weapon emplacements and pill-boxes closer to the Line of Control. At times they have not even hesitated to target villages in the proximity of Line of Control,&quot; he said.

Maj Gen Narula said infiltrations are likely to increase with the melting of snow and opening of passes, and referred to the recent incident in Naugam where four terrorists were neutralised on May 20-21.

&quot;This calls for even more proactive counter-terrorism operations&quot;

&quot;We want peace and tranquillity in the state of J&amp;K. For this purpose, it is essential that the infiltrations along Line of Control are controlled which is essential to bring down the numbers of terrorists in J&amp;K so that youths of J&amp;K are not adversely influenced by terrorists,&quot; he said.

(PTI)

Sources in the Army?said the strike was carried out on May 9,?days after two Indian security personnel were beheaded

The Indian Army on Tuesday said it launched "punitive fire assaults" on Pakistani positions across the Line of Control, inflicting "some damage", days after two of its troopers were beheaded. It also released a video of the military action which showed some structures in a forested area crumbling in a heap under the impact of repeated shelling. The Indian Army claimed of having taken proactive measure against infiltration attempts by Pakistan. Army says the video was shot on May 21st (WION) × Pakistan Army, however, dismissed as "false", its Indian counterpart's assertion of destroying its posts in the Naushera sector. Though the Indian Army did not give much of the operational details of the retributive assault across the Line of Control (LoC) against Pakistan Army positions in Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir which were "aiding" infiltration, sources in the force said the strike was carried out on May 9, nine days after two Indian security personnel were beheaded. "A recent action by our troops in the Naushera Sector has caused some damage to the Pak Army posts, which are supporting infiltrations. This is part of our overall strategy to counter terrorism," additional director general of public information Maj Gen A K Narula told reporters in New Delhi. The government supported the Army's action, with defence minister Arun Jaitley saying it was to ensure peace in Jammu and Kashmir. "Government supports the actions of Indian Army across LoC. Such actions are needed to ensure peace in J&K," Jaitley tweeted. Government supports the actions of #IndianArmy across LoC. Such actions are needed to ensure peace in J&K. — Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) May 23, 2017 × "Indian Army is taking preemptive and measured actions to counter terrorism in valley and disengage Pak posts across LoC supporting infiltration," he said. #IndianArmy is taking preemptive & measured actions to counter terrorism in valley & disengage Pak posts across LoC supporting infiltration — Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) May 23, 2017 × "Indian claims of destroying Pakistani post along LoC in Naushera Sector and firing by Pakistan Army on civilians across LoC are false," inter-services public relations (ISPR) director general Major General Asif Ghafoor said in a tweet. PR277/17 No Pakistani post destroyed by India on 13 May. Indians tgt civ on both sides of LOC. Pak response restricted to mil tgts only. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/9971o9dQ9G — Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) May 23, 2017 × Sources in the Indian Army said the strike was a message to Pakistan that it will take stronger action with increased frequency against any infiltration attempts from across the border. The 22-second video showed concrete structures being reduced to rubble amid plumes of smoke and balls of fire. However, the area of the operation was not clearly identifiable in the clipping. "As part of our counter-terrorism strategy and to ensure that infiltration is curbed and initiative remains with us, the Indian Army proactively dominates Line of Control. "While doing so, locations aiding infiltration of terrorists are being targeted and destroyed to deny advantage to terrorists thus curbing infiltration attempts," said Maj Gen Narula. There was no official word on the casualty on the Pakistani side. The Army sources said rocket launchers, anti-tank guided missiles and automatic grenade launchers and recoilless guns were used in the strike. He said as part of the Army's counter-terrorism operations, "punitive fire assaults" across the line of control are being undertaken. "Pak Army has been providing support to armed infiltrators by engaging our forward troops from their weapon emplacements and pill-boxes closer to the Line of Control. At times they have not even hesitated to target villages in the proximity of Line of Control," he said. Maj Gen Narula said infiltrations are likely to increase with the melting of snow and opening of passes, and referred to the recent incident in Naugam where four terrorists were neutralised on May 20-21. "This calls for even more proactive counter-terrorism operations" "We want peace and tranquillity in the state of J&K. For this purpose, it is essential that the infiltrations along Line of Control are controlled which is essential to bring down the numbers of terrorists in J&K so that youths of J&K are not adversely influenced by terrorists," he said. (PTI)

Indian Army says it launched 'fire assaults' on Pak posts across LoC, releases video

Pakistan continued to provoke India for the second time in 48 hours, after it violated the ceasefire in Mendhar&#39;s Mankote area in Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Intermittent firing is underway as Indian security forces are retaliating strongly to the provocation.

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J&amp;K: Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Mendhar&#39;s Mankote area in early morning hours of the day, intermittent firing still continuing. <a href="https://t.co/f7koznDD7F">pic.twitter.com/f7koznDD7F</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/859588178482692097">May 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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This comes after the ceasefire violation in Poonch on Monday, following which the Pakistan Army mutilated bodies of two Indian soldiers in the Krishna Ghati sector of the Poonch area.

(ANI)

It violated the ceasefire in Mendhar's Mankote area in Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours of Wednesday morning

Pakistan continued to provoke India for the second time in 48 hours, after it violated the ceasefire in Mendhar's Mankote area in Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Intermittent firing is underway as Indian security forces are retaliating strongly to the provocation. J&K: Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Mendhar's Mankote area in early morning hours of the day, intermittent firing still continuing. pic.twitter.com/f7koznDD7F — ANI (@ANI_news) May 3, 2017 × This comes after the ceasefire violation in Poonch on Monday, following which the Pakistan Army mutilated bodies of two Indian soldiers in the Krishna Ghati sector of the Poonch area. (ANI)

Jammu and Kashmir: Second ceasefire violation by Pakistan in 48 hours

Six Pakistani soldiers were killed after militants from Afghanistan attacked several border posts in the country&#39;s restive northwest tribal region, the army said today.

After the attacks, Pakistan lodged a protest with Afghanistan and urged the government there to thoroughly investigate the incidents and take firm action against the terrorists operating from its soil to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

The attackers targeted border outpost in Mohmand and Khyber tribal region along the border with Afghanistan yesterday.

&quot;The terrorists from across the border last night attempted physical attack on three posts in Mohmand,&quot; military spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said.

&quot;Effective presence, vigilance and response repulsed terrorists attempt. In exchange of fire 5 soldiers were killed,&quot; Ghafoor said.

Ten of the attackers were also believed to have been killed, he said.

Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Nafees Zakaria said another soldier was killed in Khyber as the result of firing by terrorists from Afghan territory, prompting Islamabad to launch a strong protest with Afghanistan.

A Pakistani Taliban breakaway faction, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, claimed responsibility for the attacks.

&quot;Afghan Deputy Head of Mission was called to the Foreign Office today for conveying Pakistan&#39;s grave concern over the incident,&quot; he said.

&quot;It was further emphasised that cooperation from Afghan side for effective border management was important for preventing cross-border movement of terrorists and militants,&quot; Zakaria said.

&quot;There is the need for required physical presence on Afghan side of the border for matching and effective border security,&quot; Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said.

&quot;Terrorists are common threat and must be denied freedom of movement/action along the border,&quot; Bajwa said.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack by terrorists while appreciating the ultimate sacrifice by soldiers.

&quot;The soldiers who sacrificed their life are our real heroes and the nation promises to honour them by standing firm against terrorists nefarious designs to hit at our way of life,&quot; he said.

Last month, the Army has killed more than 100 suspected terrorists and also handed over to Afghanistan a list of 76 terrorists hiding across the border.

(PTI)

Ten of the attackers are also believed to be dead

Six Pakistani soldiers were killed after militants from Afghanistan attacked several border posts in the country's restive northwest tribal region, the army said today. After the attacks, Pakistan lodged a protest with Afghanistan and urged the government there to thoroughly investigate the incidents and take firm action against the terrorists operating from its soil to prevent recurrence of such incidents. The attackers targeted border outpost in Mohmand and Khyber tribal region along the border with Afghanistan yesterday. "The terrorists from across the border last night attempted physical attack on three posts in Mohmand," military spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said. "Effective presence, vigilance and response repulsed terrorists attempt. In exchange of fire 5 soldiers were killed," Ghafoor said. Ten of the attackers were also believed to have been killed, he said. Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Nafees Zakaria said another soldier was killed in Khyber as the result of firing by terrorists from Afghan territory, prompting Islamabad to launch a strong protest with Afghanistan. A Pakistani Taliban breakaway faction, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, claimed responsibility for the attacks. "Afghan Deputy Head of Mission was called to the Foreign Office today for conveying Pakistan's grave concern over the incident," he said. "It was further emphasised that cooperation from Afghan side for effective border management was important for preventing cross-border movement of terrorists and militants," Zakaria said. "There is the need for required physical presence on Afghan side of the border for matching and effective border security," Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said. "Terrorists are common threat and must be denied freedom of movement/action along the border," Bajwa said. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack by terrorists while appreciating the ultimate sacrifice by soldiers. "The soldiers who sacrificed their life are our real heroes and the nation promises to honour them by standing firm against terrorists nefarious designs to hit at our way of life," he said. Last month, the Army has killed more than 100 suspected terrorists and also handed over to Afghanistan a list of 76 terrorists hiding across the border. (PTI)

Pakistan: Six soldiers killed as militants attack border posts in tribal region

In its latest attempts to crackdown on terrorism, the Pakistan&nbsp;Army on Wednesday launched a nationwide operation called &ldquo;Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad&rdquo;, Inter-Services Public Relations, the army&rsquo;s media wing said in a press release,

According to ISPR, the operation will look to eliminate the &ldquo;residual or latent threat of terrorism&rdquo;.

&ldquo;Operation aims at indiscriminately eliminating residual / latent threat of terrorism, consolidating gains of operations made thus far and further ensuring security of the borders,&rdquo; the press release read.

The release also said that the Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan<a href="http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&amp;q=Pakistan"> </a>Navy, Civil Armed Forces (CAF) and other security and law<a href="http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&amp;q=Law"> </a>enforcing agencies (LEAs) will continue to actively participate and support the efforts to eliminate the &quot;menace of terrorism from the country&quot;.

&ldquo;The effort entails conduct of Broad Spectrum Security / Counter Terrorism (CT) operations by Rangers in Punjab, continuation of ongoing operations across the country and focus on more effective border security management. Countrywide de-weaponisation and explosive control are additional cardinals of the effort. Pursuance of National Action Plan will be the hallmark of this operation,&rdquo;&nbsp;the ISPR release added.

The decision comes after a high-level security meeting&nbsp;was held in in Lahore by Army chief&nbsp;General Qamar Bajwa, Geo News reported.

Pakistan is&nbsp;attempting&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/after-attack-on-shrine-pak-army-says-over-100-terrorists-killed-12511">step up</a> its counter-terrorism efforts in the wake of a&nbsp;series of attacks in the country in the past few weeks. One such <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-72-killed-in-blast-at-sufi-shrine-in-pakistan-12484">attack on</a> a sufi shrine in the Sindh province on February 16 had left&nbsp;72 people dead. Islamic State&nbsp;had claimed responsibilty for the attack.

(WION)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

'Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad' was reportedly launched on Wednesday after a high-level security meeting in Lahore

In its latest attempts to crackdown on terrorism, the Pakistan Army on Wednesday launched a nationwide operation called “Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad”, Inter-Services Public Relations, the army’s media wing said in a press release, According to ISPR, the operation will look to eliminate the “residual or latent threat of terrorism”. “Operation aims at indiscriminately eliminating residual / latent threat of terrorism, consolidating gains of operations made thus far and further ensuring security of the borders,” the press release read. The release also said that the Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Navy, Civil Armed Forces (CAF) and other security and law enforcing agencies (LEAs) will continue to actively participate and support the efforts to eliminate the "menace of terrorism from the country". “The effort entails conduct of Broad Spectrum Security / Counter Terrorism (CT) operations by Rangers in Punjab, continuation of ongoing operations across the country and focus on more effective border security management. Countrywide de-weaponisation and explosive control are additional cardinals of the effort. Pursuance of National Action Plan will be the hallmark of this operation,” the ISPR release added. The decision comes after a high-level security meeting was held in in Lahore by Army chief General Qamar Bajwa, Geo News reported. Pakistan is attempting to step up its counter-terrorism efforts in the wake of a series of attacks in the country in the past few weeks. One such attack on a sufi shrine in the Sindh province on February 16 had left 72 people dead. Islamic State had claimed responsibilty for the attack. (WION)

Pakistan Army launches nationwide counter-terrorism operation

By Taha Siddiqui

Social media activists have started to mysteriously disappear in Pakistan. In last one week, there is confirmation of five such activists going missing, with two of them picked up from the capital city of Islamabad, while the other three have been abducted from Punjab province. There are reports of others going missing too, but their families are yet to go public about them.

All of these &lsquo;disappeared&rsquo; social media activists were known to be quite critical of Pakistan&rsquo;s powerful army and its policies, especially with regards to religion and militancy. They managed Facebook and Twitter profiles that spoke freely of such issues facing the country. Such pages and accounts have now gone offline.

The missing activists that have yet been identified include Salman Haider, Asim Saeed, Ahmad Waqas Goraya, Ahmed Raza Naseer and Samar Abbas.

Social commentators believe that the civilian government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is helpless in the face of powers that act above the law in Pakistan and maybe behind these disappearances.

&ldquo;The civilian government is kept out of the picture, because this is something that happens under the surveillance of the deep state, which is effectively the army and the intelligence agencies, which are making fundamental decisions in this country,&rdquo; says Pervez Hoodbhoy, a known intellectual, who teaches at a university in Pakistan.

Although the local mainstream broadcast media has remained largely silent on the issue, starting this week, activists have taken to the roads, and daily protests are being held in all major cities of Pakistan, to pressurise the government to recover them.

Some parliamentarians have also expressed concern and have demanded the government to look into the issue. They have filed a call for attention notice in the parliament, which states: &ldquo;the pattern of these disappearances suggests that it is a planned and coordinated action, undertaken to silence voices which are critical of prevalent socio-political issues in Pakistan.&rdquo;

Similarly, a few English newspapers have also dared to criticise these methods of the state. Daily Dawn in an editorial published on Tuesday called this &lsquo;an ugly truth&rsquo;. The strong-worded editorial highlighted how &ldquo;a dark new chapter in the state&rsquo;s murky, illegal war against civil society appears to have been opened.&rdquo;

The interior ministry has reportedly obtained CCTV footage of the abduction of one of the activists, but the footage fails to identify the perpetrators and apparently the abductors&#39;&nbsp;car registration number the authorities obtained from the visuals were also fake.

Following this crackdown, digital rights activists predict that Internet sphere, where liberals enjoyed almost unrestricted freedom in the country, will now be forced into the same style of self-censorship observed in Pakistan&rsquo;s mainstream media, where openly discussing military affairs and religion is a taboo.

&ldquo;There is this sense of fear among these activists. A lot of people are going offline. People are going to be a lot more careful. There is going to be a lot more self-censorship on social media because of these disappearances,&rdquo; says Usama Khilji, a digital rights activist in Islamabad.

Pakistan ranks among the bottom 10 countries for supporting free speech, a global freedom of speech index recently revealed. In the past, journalists have often been beaten, kidnapped and even killed, allegedly by powerful state actors, but now the crackdown seems to be moving towards the digital media space too.

&ldquo;The deep state has been resorting to methods which are not strictly according to law. They have been putting pressure on electronic and print media, and now it is the turn of the social media. Activists going missing was not new, but for social media this is the first time - the first attack,&rdquo; says Senator Afrasiab Khattak, a renowned politician.

It is pertinent to note here that the Pakistani government is already known for actively censoring the Internet, and access to thousands of websites remain blocked in the country. Twitter, Facebook and YouTube have also been blocked in the past. However, many point to the dual policies of the government in this regard, given that pages that are pro-state but spew hatred against religious minorities and post-religious extremist content continue to operate freely.

&ldquo;The unfortunate thing is, these activists were peaceful, patriotic citizens, but they were caught. On the other hand, you see jihadi leaders in the country, who are all over the place, speaking before big crowds, somehow the intelligence [agenices] do not seem to know anything about that,&rdquo; Mr&nbsp;Hoodbhoy, the university professor points out.

Global human rights bodies including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the United Nations have also issued statements condemning these abductions and have urged the Pakistani government to recover the activists.

&ldquo;The Pakistani government has an immediate obligation to locate the missing human rights activists and act to ensure their safety,&rdquo; said Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch, in a statement on the organisation&#39;s website.

&ldquo;The nature of these apparent abductions puts the Nawaz Sharif government on notice that it can either be part of the solution or it will be held responsible for its role in the problem,&rdquo; the statement further adds.

(WION)

The ?disappeared? social media activists were known to be quite critical of Pakistan?s powerful army and its policies

By Taha Siddiqui Social media activists have started to mysteriously disappear in Pakistan. In last one week, there is confirmation of five such activists going missing, with two of them picked up from the capital city of Islamabad, while the other three have been abducted from Punjab province. There are reports of others going missing too, but their families are yet to go public about them. All of these ‘disappeared’ social media activists were known to be quite critical of Pakistan’s powerful army and its policies, especially with regards to religion and militancy. They managed Facebook and Twitter profiles that spoke freely of such issues facing the country. Such pages and accounts have now gone offline. The missing activists that have yet been identified include Salman Haider, Asim Saeed, Ahmad Waqas Goraya, Ahmed Raza Naseer and Samar Abbas. Social commentators believe that the civilian government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is helpless in the face of powers that act above the law in Pakistan and maybe behind these disappearances. “The civilian government is kept out of the picture, because this is something that happens under the surveillance of the deep state, which is effectively the army and the intelligence agencies, which are making fundamental decisions in this country,” says Pervez Hoodbhoy, a known intellectual, who teaches at a university in Pakistan. Although the local mainstream broadcast media has remained largely silent on the issue, starting this week, activists have taken to the roads, and daily protests are being held in all major cities of Pakistan, to pressurise the government to recover them. Some parliamentarians have also expressed concern and have demanded the government to look into the issue. They have filed a call for attention notice in the parliament, which states: “the pattern of these disappearances suggests that it is a planned and coordinated action, undertaken to silence voices which are critical of prevalent socio-political issues in Pakistan.” Similarly, a few English newspapers have also dared to criticise these methods of the state. Daily Dawn in an editorial published on Tuesday called this ‘an ugly truth’. The strong-worded editorial highlighted how “a dark new chapter in the state’s murky, illegal war against civil society appears to have been opened.” The interior ministry has reportedly obtained CCTV footage of the abduction of one of the activists, but the footage fails to identify the perpetrators and apparently the abductors' car registration number the authorities obtained from the visuals were also fake. Following this crackdown, digital rights activists predict that Internet sphere, where liberals enjoyed almost unrestricted freedom in the country, will now be forced into the same style of self-censorship observed in Pakistan’s mainstream media, where openly discussing military affairs and religion is a taboo. “There is this sense of fear among these activists. A lot of people are going offline. People are going to be a lot more careful. There is going to be a lot more self-censorship on social media because of these disappearances,” says Usama Khilji, a digital rights activist in Islamabad. Pakistan ranks among the bottom 10 countries for supporting free speech, a global freedom of speech index recently revealed. In the past, journalists have often been beaten, kidnapped and even killed, allegedly by powerful state actors, but now the crackdown seems to be moving towards the digital media space too. “The deep state has been resorting to methods which are not strictly according to law. They have been putting pressure on electronic and print media, and now it is the turn of the social media. Activists going missing was not new, but for social media this is the first time - the first attack,” says Senator Afrasiab Khattak, a renowned politician. It is pertinent to note here that the Pakistani government is already known for actively censoring the Internet, and access to thousands of websites remain blocked in the country. Twitter, Facebook and YouTube have also been blocked in the past. However, many point to the dual policies of the government in this regard, given that pages that are pro-state but spew hatred against religious minorities and post-religious extremist content continue to operate freely. “The unfortunate thing is, these activists were peaceful, patriotic citizens, but they were caught. On the other hand, you see jihadi leaders in the country, who are all over the place, speaking before big crowds, somehow the intelligence [agenices] do not seem to know anything about that,” Mr Hoodbhoy, the university professor points out. Global human rights bodies including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the United Nations have also issued statements condemning these abductions and have urged the Pakistani government to recover the activists. “The Pakistani government has an immediate obligation to locate the missing human rights activists and act to ensure their safety,” said Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch, in a statement on the organisation's website. “The nature of these apparent abductions puts the Nawaz Sharif government on notice that it can either be part of the solution or it will be held responsible for its role in the problem,” the statement further adds. (WION)

Pakistan's digital media space expected to shrink as online activists go missing

General Qamar Bajwa&#39;s &quot;pro- democracy credentials&quot; and his low-profile influenced Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to appoint him to the powerful post of&nbsp;army chief superseding four top generals, Pakistani media and experts commented today.

&quot;A careful review of General Bajwa&#39;s profile clearly reflects that his pro-democracy credentials&nbsp;earned him the post of Chief of Army Staff,&quot; leading Pakistani newspaper The News commented, a&nbsp;day after Prime Minister Sharif appointed Gen. Bajwa to succeed Gen. Raheel Sharif as the army&nbsp;chief.

The media commented that Prime Minister Sharif wanted to appoint an army chief who should&nbsp;be military expert as well as backing democracy in the Islamic nation.

The military has been in charge of the country for more than half of Pakistan&#39;s nearly 70-year&nbsp;history since independence from Britain.

&quot;All the four generals being considered for the post of COAS were passed out from military&nbsp;academy on the same day but undoubtedly General Bajwa has an experience more diversified&nbsp;than all others. General Bajwa&#39;s caliber, credentials, experience and holding the biggest core also&nbsp;helped him to be appointed the Chief of Army Staff,&quot; the report said.

Another leading daily, Dawn said, &quot;Gen. Bajwa&#39;s relatively more moderate view of the&nbsp;relationship with the civilian government, it is said, proved to be the decisive factor in Prime&nbsp;Minister Sharif&#39;s decision.&quot;

One of Gen. Bajwa&#39;s former commanding officers told the paper that the COAS-designate is a&nbsp;&quot;strong proponent of the army not intruding into civilian space.&quot;

Under the watch of the outgoing army chief Sharif, the civil-military balance of power had titled&nbsp;more in military&#39;s favour, the report said.

With his elevation as army chief, Gen. Bajwa has now superseded Lt Gen. Syed Wajid Hussain&nbsp;(chairman of Heavy Industries Taxila), Lt Gen. Najibullah Khan (DG Joint Staff Headquarters), Lt&nbsp;Gen. Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed (Corps Commander Multan) and Lt Gen. Javed Iqbal Ramday (Corps&nbsp;Commander Bahawalpur).

Dawn also said that Prime Minister Sharif named the new military command, appointing Gen. Bajwa and Gen. Zubair Mahmood Hayat as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and the Chairman of the&nbsp;Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), respectively, in the hope of stabilising the fragile civil-military balance.

While the office of CJCSC is technically the more senior position as he serves as the principal&nbsp;military adviser to the prime minister and the National Command Authority (NCA) the office of&nbsp;army chief is the most prized and arguably the most powerful position in the country, the paper&nbsp;said.

Bajwa, an infantry officer, has commanded the famed 10 Corps, the army&#39;s largest, which is&nbsp;responsible for guarding the area along the Line of Control (LoC) with India.

On a personal level, Gen. Bajwa is said to be witty, accessible, well-connected with the troops and&nbsp;not fond of the limelight.&nbsp;

Bajwa is the fourth officer from the infantry&#39;s Baloch Regiment to become the army chief. Before him, Gen. Yahya Khan, Gen. Aslam Beg and Gen. Kayani rose to that position.

Meanwhile, PML-N Senator, Lt General (Retired) Abdul Qayyum said there was no difference in&nbsp;the credentials of all the four generals who were considered for the top slot in army. However it&nbsp;was prime minister&#39;s discretion to appoint anyone among the four candidates.

&quot;Prime Minister definitely wanted an army chief who is supportive of democratic system in the&nbsp;country, who believes in the supremacy of Parliament and who could work for the betterment of&nbsp;the country.

&quot;These were the major points what I believe the prime minister would have taken into&nbsp;consideration before appointing the COAS. I believe General Qamar Bajwa possesses all these&nbsp;elements due to which he has been given the top slot in Pakistan Army,&quot; Gen. Qayyum told The&nbsp;News.

To a question about General Bajwa&#39;s positive role in the 2014 anti-government sit in, he said he&nbsp;was not sure about any such information however if he had played a positive role, it was his&nbsp;duty as they took oath to protect the Constitution of Pakistan.

On Prime Minister Sharif&#39;s decision to supersede four generals, Gen. Qayyum said it was prime&nbsp;minister&#39;s prerogative.

&quot;The premier wanted an all rounder for the top slot in Pakistan Army who could not only run&nbsp;the institution of Pak Army but his relation with the civil government was also important,&quot; he&nbsp;said.

Former Corp Commander Karachi Lieutenant General (Retired) Sajjad Ghani said there was no&nbsp;major difference in the credentials of the four candidates for the top slot.

However it was up to the prime minister&#39;s discretion who saw his suitability in terms of working&nbsp;relations with the civilian government. Therefore, he said this was not a surprise for those who&nbsp;were aware of the system of Pakistan Army.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister&#39;s office last night, in a press statement, confirmed the two key&nbsp;military appointments.

&quot;At the advice of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, President Mamnoon Hussain approved&nbsp;promotions of Lt Gen. Zubair Mahmood Hayat and Lt Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa to the rank of&nbsp;Generals.

After promotion, General Zubair Mahmood Hayat has been appointed as Chairman Joint Chiefs of&nbsp;Staff Committee and General Qamar Javed Bajwa has been appointed as Chief of the Army Staff,&quot; a&nbsp;press release said.

Bajwa will take charge of the world&#39;s sixth-largest army by troop numbers in a formal handover&nbsp;on Tuesday, when General Raheel formally retires.

Later, the army chief designate called on the prime minister and discussed various issues with&nbsp;him.&nbsp;

There is an unwritten tradition in the Pakistan army that superseded officers retire, but there&nbsp;have been exceptions. However, the decision to supersede four generals -- particularly the&nbsp;battle-hardened Gen. Ishfaq and Gen. Javed Ramday -- is bound to set tongues wagging among the&nbsp;military&#39;s ranks.

The seniority list has almost never been strictly followed in appointing army chiefs. The list was&nbsp;followed most closely in 2007, when Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani -- the senior- most officer -- was&nbsp;appointed army chief after Gen. Pervez Musharraf doffed his uniform.

&quot;The succession may not immediately bring about a major change in policies, but it could still&nbsp;have important implications for ties with India and Afghanistan, and domestically for the civil-military equation and the ongoing fight against terrorism,&quot; Dawn commented.

The fight against terrorism, it is believed, would remain unaffected. Gen. Bajwa, his colleagues&nbsp;say, is a firm opponent of extremism and terrorism.

According to an insider, he may prove even more forceful in the fight against terrorism than his&nbsp;predecessor, who is credited with launching Operation Zarb-i-Azb, which helped lower the&nbsp;frequency of terrorist attacks.

In addition, the supersession of four generals could force a major reshuffle within the top brass&nbsp;if they decide to step down, the paper added.

(PTI)

General Qamar Bajwa superseded four generals, particularly the?battle-hardened generals Ishfaq and Javed Ramday, to rise to the position

General Qamar Bajwa's "pro- democracy credentials" and his low-profile influenced Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to appoint him to the powerful post of army chief superseding four top generals, Pakistani media and experts commented today. "A careful review of General Bajwa's profile clearly reflects that his pro-democracy credentials earned him the post of Chief of Army Staff," leading Pakistani newspaper The News commented, a day after Prime Minister Sharif appointed Gen. Bajwa to succeed Gen. Raheel Sharif as the army chief. The media commented that Prime Minister Sharif wanted to appoint an army chief who should be military expert as well as backing democracy in the Islamic nation. The military has been in charge of the country for more than half of Pakistan's nearly 70-year history since independence from Britain. "All the four generals being considered for the post of COAS were passed out from military academy on the same day but undoubtedly General Bajwa has an experience more diversified than all others. General Bajwa's caliber, credentials, experience and holding the biggest core also helped him to be appointed the Chief of Army Staff," the report said. Another leading daily, Dawn said, "Gen. Bajwa's relatively more moderate view of the relationship with the civilian government, it is said, proved to be the decisive factor in Prime Minister Sharif's decision." One of Gen. Bajwa's former commanding officers told the paper that the COAS-designate is a "strong proponent of the army not intruding into civilian space." Under the watch of the outgoing army chief Sharif, the civil-military balance of power had titled more in military's favour, the report said. With his elevation as army chief, Gen. Bajwa has now superseded Lt Gen. Syed Wajid Hussain (chairman of Heavy Industries Taxila), Lt Gen. Najibullah Khan (DG Joint Staff Headquarters), Lt Gen. Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed (Corps Commander Multan) and Lt Gen. Javed Iqbal Ramday (Corps Commander Bahawalpur). Dawn also said that Prime Minister Sharif named the new military command, appointing Gen. Bajwa and Gen. Zubair Mahmood Hayat as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), respectively, in the hope of stabilising the fragile civil-military balance. While the office of CJCSC is technically the more senior position as he serves as the principal military adviser to the prime minister and the National Command Authority (NCA) the office of army chief is the most prized and arguably the most powerful position in the country, the paper said. Bajwa, an infantry officer, has commanded the famed 10 Corps, the army's largest, which is responsible for guarding the area along the Line of Control (LoC) with India. On a personal level, Gen. Bajwa is said to be witty, accessible, well-connected with the troops and not fond of the limelight. Bajwa is the fourth officer from the infantry's Baloch Regiment to become the army chief. Before him, Gen. Yahya Khan, Gen. Aslam Beg and Gen. Kayani rose to that position. Meanwhile, PML-N Senator, Lt General (Retired) Abdul Qayyum said there was no difference in the credentials of all the four generals who were considered for the top slot in army. However it was prime minister's discretion to appoint anyone among the four candidates. "Prime Minister definitely wanted an army chief who is supportive of democratic system in the country, who believes in the supremacy of Parliament and who could work for the betterment of the country. "These were the major points what I believe the prime minister would have taken into consideration before appointing the COAS. I believe General Qamar Bajwa possesses all these elements due to which he has been given the top slot in Pakistan Army," Gen. Qayyum told The News. To a question about General Bajwa's positive role in the 2014 anti-government sit in, he said he was not sure about any such information however if he had played a positive role, it was his duty as they took oath to protect the Constitution of Pakistan. On Prime Minister Sharif's decision to supersede four generals, Gen. Qayyum said it was prime minister's prerogative. "The premier wanted an all rounder for the top slot in Pakistan Army who could not only run the institution of Pak Army but his relation with the civil government was also important," he said. Former Corp Commander Karachi Lieutenant General (Retired) Sajjad Ghani said there was no major difference in the credentials of the four candidates for the top slot. However it was up to the prime minister's discretion who saw his suitability in terms of working relations with the civilian government. Therefore, he said this was not a surprise for those who were aware of the system of Pakistan Army. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's office last night, in a press statement, confirmed the two key military appointments. "At the advice of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, President Mamnoon Hussain approved promotions of Lt Gen. Zubair Mahmood Hayat and Lt Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa to the rank of Generals. After promotion, General Zubair Mahmood Hayat has been appointed as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and General Qamar Javed Bajwa has been appointed as Chief of the Army Staff," a press release said. Bajwa will take charge of the world's sixth-largest army by troop numbers in a formal handover on Tuesday, when General Raheel formally retires. Later, the army chief designate called on the prime minister and discussed various issues with him. There is an unwritten tradition in the Pakistan army that superseded officers retire, but there have been exceptions. However, the decision to supersede four generals -- particularly the battle-hardened Gen. Ishfaq and Gen. Javed Ramday -- is bound to set tongues wagging among the military's ranks. The seniority list has almost never been strictly followed in appointing army chiefs. The list was followed most closely in 2007, when Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani -- the senior- most officer -- was appointed army chief after Gen. Pervez Musharraf doffed his uniform. "The succession may not immediately bring about a major change in policies, but it could still have important implications for ties with India and Afghanistan, and domestically for the civil-military equation and the ongoing fight against terrorism," Dawn commented. The fight against terrorism, it is believed, would remain unaffected. Gen. Bajwa, his colleagues say, is a firm opponent of extremism and terrorism. According to an insider, he may prove even more forceful in the fight against terrorism than his predecessor, who is credited with launching Operation Zarb-i-Azb, which helped lower the frequency of terrorist attacks. In addition, the supersession of four generals could force a major reshuffle within the top brass if they decide to step down, the paper added. (PTI)

Pakistan: 'Pro-democracy credentials' helped Bajwa get army chief post

India and Pakistan accused each other of ceasefire violations in several areas across the Line of Control (LoC) between the two countries.

A 60-year-old woman, Rasheeda Bi, and a soldier, Bimal Tamang,&nbsp;were killed in unprovoked shelling by Pakistani troops in the Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir, international news agency Reuters and indian news agency PTI quoted the Indian Army as saying. Two other soldiers were also injured in the incident, the Indian Army said.

Rasheeda Bi&#39;s 22-year-old daughter, Najma, was injured in the shelling targeting Mendhar&#39;s Goulad village in Poonch district, police told PTI. Rasheeda Bi is the second woman from&nbsp;Goulad village in Balakote sector to die from&nbsp;Pakistani shelling. On October 28&nbsp;a 50-year-old woman, Usma Bi, was killed in shelling by Pakistani troops.

&quot;Today since 9 am, unprovoked ceasefire violation has been carried out by Pakistan in Balakote sector and it is very unfortunate that they have carried out this unprovoked ceasefire violation, and we responding to it befittingly and hitting them where it hits them the maximum,&quot;Colonel Manish Mehta, a Defence Public Relations Officer (PRO), in Jammu told Reuters.

&quot;Pakistani troops indulged in unprovoked ceasefire violation from 9&nbsp;am in the Balakote sector, using 120 mm and 82 mm mortars, automatic and small arms,&quot; the officer told PTI.

PTI&nbsp;reports that there have been more that 60 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops across the border in Jammu and Kashmir since the Indian Army&#39;s &quot;surgical strikes&quot;&nbsp;against terrorist launchpads across the LoC on September 29.

Authorities in the state have already evacuated hundreds of people from villages along the frontier with Pakistan following frequent ceasefire violations, Reuters reports.

 
4 civilians killed in Indian ceasefire violations across LoC: Pakistan

Meanwhile, Pakistan daily Dawn reported that&nbsp;Pakistan claimed&nbsp;four people, including a woman, were killed and six injured in &quot;unprovoked firing&quot; by the Indian Army along the LoC.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Indian troops have yet again resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control in Nakyal, Jandrot and Kel sectors,&rdquo; said a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The ISPR statement added that Pakistani troops &ldquo;befittingly responded and targeted Indian posts&rdquo;.

A government official from Nakyal told Dawn that there had been intense shelling since 8 am, with Indian troops using both small and heavy arms.

Zeeshan Nisar, Naykal&#39;s assistant commissioner,&nbsp;also said that at least three men and a woman were killed by Indian fire. &ldquo;Since the shelling is continuing, we are unable to collect all details, I am afraid there might be more casualties,&rdquo; he said.

 
Over 30 injured in more clashes&nbsp;

In separate clashes&nbsp;between security forces and officials in a village in Kashmir&#39;s Pulwama district, over 30 people were injured on Monday, PTI reported.&nbsp;

Three security force officers were also injured, in clashes&nbsp;which erupted shortly after the police, the Indian Army and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) cordoned off Rohomu village for house-to-house searches, officials said. Residents took to the streets and started protesting, leading to confrontations.

Officials told PTI that security forces had to fire dozens of teargas shells and use pellet guns to restore normalcy, resulting in&nbsp;clashes.

The residents, however, alleged that the clashes erupted after security forces started roughing up locals and smashing window panes of the houses and windscreens of parked vehicles.

Clashes between security forces and the people in Kashmir have intensified after the kiling of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July.

(With inputs from PTI)

There have reportedly been more than 60 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops in Kashmir since India's 'surgical strike' on September 29

India and Pakistan accused each other of ceasefire violations in several areas across the Line of Control (LoC) between the two countries. A 60-year-old woman, Rasheeda Bi, and a soldier, Bimal Tamang, were killed in unprovoked shelling by Pakistani troops in the Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir, international news agency Reuters and indian news agency PTI quoted the Indian Army as saying. Two other soldiers were also injured in the incident, the Indian Army said. Rasheeda Bi's 22-year-old daughter, Najma, was injured in the shelling targeting Mendhar's Goulad village in Poonch district, police told PTI. Rasheeda Bi is the second woman from Goulad village in Balakote sector to die from Pakistani shelling. On October 28 a 50-year-old woman, Usma Bi, was killed in shelling by Pakistani troops. "Today since 9 am, unprovoked ceasefire violation has been carried out by Pakistan in Balakote sector and it is very unfortunate that they have carried out this unprovoked ceasefire violation, and we responding to it befittingly and hitting them where it hits them the maximum,"Colonel Manish Mehta, a Defence Public Relations Officer (PRO), in Jammu told Reuters. "Pakistani troops indulged in unprovoked ceasefire violation from 9 am in the Balakote sector, using 120 mm and 82 mm mortars, automatic and small arms," the officer told PTI. PTI reports that there have been more that 60 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops across the border in Jammu and Kashmir since the Indian Army's "surgical strikes" against terrorist launchpads across the LoC on September 29. Authorities in the state have already evacuated hundreds of people from villages along the frontier with Pakistan following frequent ceasefire violations, Reuters reports. 4 civilians killed in Indian ceasefire violations across LoC: Pakistan Meanwhile, Pakistan daily Dawn reported that Pakistan claimed four people, including a woman, were killed and six injured in "unprovoked firing" by the Indian Army along the LoC. “Indian troops have yet again resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control in Nakyal, Jandrot and Kel sectors,” said a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The ISPR statement added that Pakistani troops “befittingly responded and targeted Indian posts”. A government official from Nakyal told Dawn that there had been intense shelling since 8 am, with Indian troops using both small and heavy arms. Zeeshan Nisar, Naykal's assistant commissioner, also said that at least three men and a woman were killed by Indian fire. “Since the shelling is continuing, we are unable to collect all details, I am afraid there might be more casualties,” he said. Over 30 injured in more clashes In separate clashes between security forces and officials in a village in Kashmir's Pulwama district, over 30 people were injured on Monday, PTI reported. Three security force officers were also injured, in clashes which erupted shortly after the police, the Indian Army and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) cordoned off Rohomu village for house-to-house searches, officials said. Residents took to the streets and started protesting, leading to confrontations. Officials told PTI that security forces had to fire dozens of teargas shells and use pellet guns to restore normalcy, resulting in clashes. The residents, however, alleged that the clashes erupted after security forces started roughing up locals and smashing window panes of the houses and windscreens of parked vehicles. Clashes between security forces and the people in Kashmir have intensified after the kiling of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July. (With inputs from PTI)

Indian soldier, one woman killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan: Indian Army

Pakistan rangers violated the ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s Akhnoor district in the early hours today, according to multiple media reports.

Heavy mortar shells were fired at 4 AM in the Pallanwala sector. There have been no casualties or injuries.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FLASH?src=hash">#FLASH</a> Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Pallanwala sector of Akhnoor (J&amp;K) started around 4 am, firing still going on.
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/782033794735845376">October 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
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The Pakistani forces had opened fire at the Border Security Forces (BSF), the primary border guarding force of India, at 10 AM on Friday.&nbsp;

According to PTI, this is the fifth ceasefire violation in September 2016 and the third in the past 36 hours.&nbsp;

The spurt in ceasefire violations comes a day after the Indian Army carried out &ldquo;surgical strikes&rdquo; along the Line of Control (LoC) on militant launchpads, killing 38 terrorists.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from PTI)

Pakistan violated ceasefire in the Akhnoor sector in the early hours on Saturday, the third in last 36 hours

Pakistan rangers violated the ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir's Akhnoor district in the early hours today, according to multiple media reports. Heavy mortar shells were fired at 4 AM in the Pallanwala sector. There have been no casualties or injuries. #FLASH Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Pallanwala sector of Akhnoor (J&K) started around 4 am, firing still going on. — ANI (@ANI_news) October 1, 2016 × The Pakistani forces had opened fire at the Border Security Forces (BSF), the primary border guarding force of India, at 10 AM on Friday. According to PTI, this is the fifth ceasefire violation in September 2016 and the third in the past 36 hours. The spurt in ceasefire violations comes a day after the Indian Army carried out “surgical strikes” along the Line of Control (LoC) on militant launchpads, killing 38 terrorists. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Pakistan violates ceasefire in J&K's Akhnoor district, firing still on

&quot;Pak is conducting military ops in Balochistan. They&#39;re doing it in Sindh, Karachi and bordering areas&quot;, ANI reported Baloch leader Amir Suleman Daud as saying.
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Pak is conducting military ops in Balochistan. They&#39;re doing it in Sindh, Karachi &amp; bordering areas: Khan of Kalat Amir Suleman Daud
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/779280192560766976">September 23, 2016</a></blockquote>
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The leader living in exile since 2002 had also said earlier this week that the Pakistan Army had been killing Balochs and burning their homes and property. 
 
&ldquo;Pakistan is a rogue terrorist state and it must be taken to task for its actions,&quot; he had said.
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Pakistan is a rogue terrorist state and it must be taken to task for its actions :Khan of Kalat Amir Suleman Daud (Baloch leader in exile) <a href="https://t.co/TP4IesyO1k">pic.twitter.com/TP4IesyO1k</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/778596334836121601">September 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Daud, 52, currently holds the respected title of the Khan of Kalat, the natural resource-rich region called Balochistan after independence. 
 
The Balochistan freedom movement - a group of pro-Baloch freedom activists have recently claimed that over 5,000 Baloch people have been killed in custody by Pakistani forces while 20,000 others have been abducted. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

The exiled Baloch leader has earlier accused Pakistan Army of killings in Balochistan

"Pak is conducting military ops in Balochistan. They're doing it in Sindh, Karachi and bordering areas", ANI reported Baloch leader Amir Suleman Daud as saying. Pak is conducting military ops in Balochistan. They're doing it in Sindh, Karachi & bordering areas: Khan of Kalat Amir Suleman Daud — ANI (@ANI_news) September 23, 2016 The leader living in exile since 2002 had also said earlier this week that the Pakistan Army had been killing Balochs and burning their homes and property. “Pakistan is a rogue terrorist state and it must be taken to task for its actions," he had said. Pakistan is a rogue terrorist state and it must be taken to task for its actions :Khan of Kalat Amir Suleman Daud (Baloch leader in exile) pic.twitter.com/TP4IesyO1k — ANI (@ANI_news) September 21, 2016 Daud, 52, currently holds the respected title of the Khan of Kalat, the natural resource-rich region called Balochistan after independence. The Balochistan freedom movement - a group of pro-Baloch freedom activists have recently claimed that over 5,000 Baloch people have been killed in custody by Pakistani forces while 20,000 others have been abducted. (WION with inputs from agencies)

'Pak conducting military operations in Balochistan, Sindh, Karachi', says Khan of Kalat

At least 40 militants have been killed in a week-long search operation launched by security forces in Pakistan&#39;s restive tribal region near the Afghan border, the Pakistan army said today. 
 
The operation code-named Khyber 3 was unleashed last week to clear the Rajgal area of the Khyber district. 
 
&quot;It may be mentioned that since the start of Khyber 3 operation, which commenced last week, total of 40 terrorists have been killed and 21 injured,&quot; the&nbsp;army said in a statement. 
 
Security forces have occupied passes and are now consolidating their positions up in high mountains in Rajgal, it said. 
 
At least 43 terrorist hideouts were destroyed and a&nbsp;huge cache of arms were recovered during the operation, the&nbsp;army said. 
 
The operation was launched to dismantle the communication network of the militants in areas the used to enter Pakistan from Afghanistan. 
 
Separately, the&nbsp;army said that during an Intelligence Based Operation in Jaglot area of Gilgit Baltistan, the security forces apprehended two terrorists who were trying to transport weapons, ammunition and explosives in a car. 
 
Also, in another combing operation in Thall, 10 terrorists were apprehended and a&nbsp;huge cache of arms and ammunition has also been recovered.&nbsp; 
 
(PTI) 
&nbsp;

The operation was launched to dismantle the militants' communication network in areas they used as entry points from Afghanistan

At least 40 militants have been killed in a week-long search operation launched by security forces in Pakistan's restive tribal region near the Afghan border, the Pakistan army said today. The operation code-named Khyber 3 was unleashed last week to clear the Rajgal area of the Khyber district. "It may be mentioned that since the start of Khyber 3 operation, which commenced last week, total of 40 terrorists have been killed and 21 injured," the army said in a statement. Security forces have occupied passes and are now consolidating their positions up in high mountains in Rajgal, it said. At least 43 terrorist hideouts were destroyed and a huge cache of arms were recovered during the operation, the army said. The operation was launched to dismantle the communication network of the militants in areas the used to enter Pakistan from Afghanistan. Separately, the army said that during an Intelligence Based Operation in Jaglot area of Gilgit Baltistan, the security forces apprehended two terrorists who were trying to transport weapons, ammunition and explosives in a car. Also, in another combing operation in Thall, 10 terrorists were apprehended and a huge cache of arms and ammunition has also been recovered. (PTI)

Pak army kills 40 militants in week-long operation

Records of as many as 70 million Pakistanis are not available with the government, the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue was informed on Wednesday, according to local media reports.&nbsp; 
 
According to a report published in the Dawn newspaper, chief statistician Asif Bajwa, while briefing the senate panel, said: &quot;Out of Pakistan&rsquo;s population of 196 million, data of 70 million people is missing and record is not available with the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics and National Database and Registration Authority.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Complete information could be gained only by performing a census, Bajwa further said, as per local media.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;Our department is fully prepared to hold census in the country, however, the army is not ready to provide the required number of personnel,&rdquo; &nbsp;the Dawn quoted Bajwa as saying.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;We have no plan to conduct population census without assistance of Pak Army,&rdquo; &nbsp;he added. 
 
Bajwa further informed the committee that 166,000 workers are required to conduct the census, excluding armed forces personnel. 
 
(WION)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Asif Bajwa said that information can only be got by conducting a census

Records of as many as 70 million Pakistanis are not available with the government, the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue was informed on Wednesday, according to local media reports. According to a report published in the Dawn newspaper, chief statistician Asif Bajwa, while briefing the senate panel, said: "Out of Pakistan’s population of 196 million, data of 70 million people is missing and record is not available with the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics and National Database and Registration Authority." Complete information could be gained only by performing a census, Bajwa further said, as per local media. “Our department is fully prepared to hold census in the country, however, the army is not ready to provide the required number of personnel,” the Dawn quoted Bajwa as saying. “We have no plan to conduct population census without assistance of Pak Army,” he added. Bajwa further informed the committee that 166,000 workers are required to conduct the census, excluding armed forces personnel. (WION)

Pak govt has no record of 70 million citizens: Chief statistician

Pakistani security forces have rescued the kidnapped son of a top judge in a raid in country&#39;s restive northwest, the military said today. 
 
Awais Ali Shah, a lawyer himself, was abducted last month from southern port city of Karachi. 
 
Shah was found in Tank, which lies close to Pakistan&#39;s lawless tribal region bordering Afghanistan where the military has been battling Taliban militants. 
 
&quot;Awais Shah son of Sindh Chief Justice recovered through an IBO (intelligence based operation) from custody of terrorists from near Tank, 3 terrorists killed,&quot; Pakistan army spokesman Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa said on Twitter. 
 
Bajwa added that Shah would be reunited with his family later in the day. 
 
Shah was last seen in a CCTV footage on June 21 shopping at a supermarket in Karachi&#39;s Defence Housing Society, an upscale neighbourhood. 
 
The country&#39;s powerful and highly popular army chief General Raheel Sharif &quot;commended&quot; intelligence and security forces for &quot;successful operation&quot;. 
 
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also congratulated the Sindh High Court chief justice Sajjad Ali Shah on the recovery of his son and praised security forces. 
 
&quot;The Prime Minister lauded the role of intelligence agencies and security forces in recovering Mr Awais Shah and said that the professional and operational excellence of our security forces has made it possible for which they deserve immense appreciation,&quot; a statement issued by Sharif&#39;s office said. 
 
(AFP)

Awais Ali Shah was found in Tank, close to Pak's tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, a month after he was abducted

Pakistani security forces have rescued the kidnapped son of a top judge in a raid in country's restive northwest, the military said today. Awais Ali Shah, a lawyer himself, was abducted last month from southern port city of Karachi. Shah was found in Tank, which lies close to Pakistan's lawless tribal region bordering Afghanistan where the military has been battling Taliban militants. "Awais Shah son of Sindh Chief Justice recovered through an IBO (intelligence based operation) from custody of terrorists from near Tank, 3 terrorists killed," Pakistan army spokesman Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa said on Twitter. Bajwa added that Shah would be reunited with his family later in the day. Shah was last seen in a CCTV footage on June 21 shopping at a supermarket in Karachi's Defence Housing Society, an upscale neighbourhood. The country's powerful and highly popular army chief General Raheel Sharif "commended" intelligence and security forces for "successful operation". Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also congratulated the Sindh High Court chief justice Sajjad Ali Shah on the recovery of his son and praised security forces. "The Prime Minister lauded the role of intelligence agencies and security forces in recovering Mr Awais Shah and said that the professional and operational excellence of our security forces has made it possible for which they deserve immense appreciation," a statement issued by Sharif's office said. (AFP)

Pakistan security forces rescue abducted son of top judge

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