Saturday, 21 August, 2021 I 12 Muharram, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 51 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition
Two children killed, chinese naTional injured in Gwadar suicide aTTack
ISLAMABAD Mian abrar
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suicide bomber on Friday evening detonated his vest and blew himself up as four vehicles carrying Chinese engineers crossed nearby at East Bay Expressway in Gwadar, Balochistan, wherein at least two children have been reported as dead due to the suicide attack. “Today in the evening, in a cowardly attack, a convoy of Chinese nationals comprising four Chinese vehicles with integral security details of Pakistan army and police contingent was targeted on East Bay Expressway in Gwadar,” an official in the ministry of interior said. The targeting took place along the coastal road near a fishermen colony. “A young boy ran out of the colony once the convoy reached there to target Chinese vehicles. Fortunately, soldiers of Pakistan
army in plain clothes employed as hang around security rushed to intercept the boy; who immediately, exploded himself about 15-20 meters away from the convoy,” the official said. The official also informed that a Chinese national was injured during the incident. “The injured Chinese national is stable and has been evacuated to nearest Gwadar Hospital. Unfortunately, two innocent children playing near the incident site lost their precious lives while another two children received critical injuries in the heinous act,” the official informed, adding that the injured have been evacuated to the hospital. The deceased have been identified as 11-year-old Salman s/o Khuda Bakhsh and 10-year-old Salman s/o Haider Nagori. According to rescue sources, the attacker targeted at a vehicle carrying Chinese nationals, wherein three people, including the car’s driver, were injured when
coronavirus in
PakisTan
CONFIRMED CASES:
17,115,272
LAST UPDATED AT 8:01 AM ON AUGUST 20, 2021
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
NEW CASES:
70
3,239
RECOVERED:
DEATHS:
1,002,430 24,783 SINDH:
PUNJAB:
414,850
374,916
KPK:
BALOCHISTAN:
153,836 AJK/GB: 29,790/9,482
31,686 ISLAMABAD:
94,714
the suicide bomber blew himself near the vehicle. “Strongly condemn suicide attack on Chinese nationals’ vehicle in Gwadar,” Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani tweeted. Security officials including from the Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps have cordoned off the area and an investigation into the incident has been started. Both Pakistan and China recognise the threats posed to their cooperation and collaboration towards the growth and development of their communities under the evolving regional environment. Cognizant of the hostile designs, Pakistan is already undertaking a comprehensive review of the security of its Chinese brothers and is committed to ensuring their safe stay in Pakistan in this journey of progress. “We reaffirm our Chinese brothers our wholehearted endeavours to deal with these threats comprehensively. In this hour of distress, while we are saddened by injury to our Chinese brother and loss of innocent Pakistani children, both countries stand together firmly in defeating the inimical acts aiming to undermine our cooperation and friendship,” said the official. It should be noted that the Balochistan Liberation Army has has claimed responsibility of the attack in a tweet, wherein it alleged that it carried out a ‘self-sacrificing’ operation against a convoy of Chinese engineers in Gwadar, Balochistan. “At least 9 Chinese engineers were killed and several were injured in the attack. This attack was carried out by BLA Majeed Brigade’s member,” Sar Buland Baloch alias Umar Jan claimed in a tweet. However, official statements from the interior ministry state that only one Chinese engineer was injured, leading to the implication that the BLA’s claims are false.
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Pakistan expects Taliban will fulfil promises on women and human rights: COAS RAWALPINDI app
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday said Islamabad expects that the Taliban will fulfil promises made to the international community regarding women and human rights and will not allow Afghan soil to be used against any other country. He made the comments during a speech at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul where he was the chief guest for the Flag Presentation Parade. “We expect the Taliban to live up to the promises made to the international community of women and human rights and that Afghan soil will not be used against any other country,” he said. He reiterated that Pakistan wanted national and regional peace and development. “Pakistan’s sincere efforts in the Afghanistan peace process are for the establishment of a region that is a peaceful, prosperous and economic partner. We have consistently made it clear to the international community that it must play a role in finding a peaceful solution to
24 arrested in TikToker assault case through geo-fencing: minister NeWS DeSk Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari on Friday informed that 24 suspects had been taken into custody for harassing and assaulting a female TikToker, as well as her companions, after being tracked down through geo-fencing and cross-checking the National Database and Registration Authority database. The above was stated on the micro-blogging site, Twitter, wherein the minister also mentioned that more arrests were expected to take place. She further stated that the negligence of officers during the incident itself was being investigated. Soon thereafter, following a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and other senior officials, the provincial police chief said senior police officers had been suspended for negligence and delayed response in dealing with the incident. “We have suspended SHO and SDPO whereas Divisional SP, SSP Operations and DIG Operations Lahore have been removed from their posts,” Inspector General Inam Ghani wrote on Twitter. Ghani said “strict departmental action will be taken once inquiry committee submits its detailed report on the role and response of other officers.” Meanwhile, a Dolphin Squad officer Zaman Qureshi – who saved female TikToker from the mob – narrated that how he reached Minar-ePakistan and saved a woman being harassed and attacked by people on Independence Day. Speaking to the media, Zaman Qureshi explained how he immediately went to the crime scene after being informed about the incident. Dolphin police squad cop said that he along with his other on-duty police cops immediately ar-
Afghanistan,” the army chief underscored. He noted that Pakistan paid a heavy price for unrest in Afghanistan. Despite its economic woes, Pakistan had sheltered more than three million Afghan refugees for four decades, he added. The army chief said the army could not remain silent on attempts to criticise Pakistan. The conspirators and spoilers were the ones who were an obstacle to regional peace, the COAS said. “We will continue to play our role for peace and stability in Afghanistan. Peace in Afghanistan is essential for the region and especially for the people of Afghanistan,” he said. He said Pakistan Army is proud of its young officers who continued to lead their men from the front with courage and devotion to defending the freedom of motherland. The COAS lauded PMA’s role as the premier training institution of the Pakistan Army and commended the faculty and staff for maintaining high standards of training and grooming the young leaders that formed the backbone of the Pakistan Army.
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more inside
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PM expands Ehsaas mobile food programme to three more cities STORY ON PAGE 02
rived at Minar-e-Pakistan but it took them 30 minutes to reach the crime spot from the Minar-ePakistan entrance gate due to the rush of people. “When I reached Minar-e-Pakistan, the woman was unconscious and her clothes were torn apart,” he recounted. In what has been billed as an abhorrent act of violence against women, a huge crowd of men attacked and looted a woman at the Minar-e-Pakistan. The incident occurred on August 14 when people were celebrating Independence Day at Lahore’s Greater Iqbal Park.
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Covid-19 recoveries cross 1m mark; 70 more die STORY ON PAGE 02
China can contribute to Afghan development: Taliban spokesman STORY ON BACK PAGE