India can help ‘keep an eye’ on Pakistan: US Ambassador to the UN
In her address to the United States-India Friendship Council in Washington on Tuesday, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has said that India can help the US in keeping an eye on Pakistan, as Washington cannot tolerate any government that shelters terrorists. Haley said that the US needs India’s help in stabilising the Afghan conflict both through the provision of aid as well as keeping an eye on Pakistan. “That is going to be really important in making sure that we hold them accountable because we are at a point where we kind of laid the groundwork that we need to see better partnership from Pakistan… India is going to help us with that,” she added.
Mufti Qavi arrested while escaping to Jhang: Qandeel Baloch murder case
In a case related to the murder of social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch- former member of the moon sighting committee, Mufti Abdul Qavi was arrested during his attempted escape to Jhang after a court upon hearing cases of lawyers from both sides rejected Qavi’s appeal for an extension in his pre-arrest bail on Wednesday. Last week, a judicial magistrate, Pervaiz Khan, had issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Qavi after the investigation officer informed the court that the cleric was not cooperating with the police. Qavi was added to the suspect list upon the insistence of Qandeel’s father Muhammad Azeem, who in a statement before the police suspected the cleric’s possible role in the murder that took place weeks after Qandeel posted her selfies and videos with Qavi on social media.
7 killed, 24 injured in explosion targeting police vehicle in Quetta
At least seven people, including six policemen, have been killed and 24 wounded in a blast targeting a vehicle carrying police officials in the Sariab Mill area of Quetta on Wednesday. The contingent of elite policemen had previously been assigned patrol of various sensitive areas and was on their way back to work on the Quetta-Sibi road when the blast took place. Baluchistan Home Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti told AFP that a car rammed into the police vehicle after catching fire. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Abdul Razzaq Cheema said an investigation is in process to determine if the blast was a suicide bombing or an explosive-laden vehicle was detonated remotely when the police truck was passing by. The death toll may increase, added Cheema.
“Heaviest incident of shelling” by Indian forces across LoC wounds 8
Indian forces resorted to “unprovoked” heavy shelling across the Line of Control (LoC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, injuring 8 people including women and children, officials said. Superintendent Police Chaudhry Zalqarnain Sarfraz said that the soldiers “targeted civilians” in the Kotli district’s Nakyal Sector. The injured have been transferred to different hospitals for treatment, some of whom are in critical condition. “Indian troops started shelling at around 6:30 AM without provocation,” said Sarfraz. “It was the heaviest incident of shelling”, he added.
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka in 3rd ODI, take 3-0 lead in series
Beating Sri-Lanka by seven wickets, Pakistan secured a lead of 3-0 in the One Day International (ODI) series. The match also raised Sri Lanka’s losing streak in ODIs to 10 matches. 21-year-old Imam ul Haq, nephew of Inzamam-ul-Haq, the former captain and Pakistan’s current chief selector- became the third youngest player to score a century on his ODI debut and Hasan Ali grabbed 5-34 as Pakistan hammered Sri Lanka by seven wickets to secure the series victory on Wednesday.
Mike Pence praises Pakistan Army for safe recovery of American-Canadian Family
United States Vice President Mike Pence in a telephone call to Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi applauded the efforts of the Pakistan army in the safe recovery of an American-Canadian family that was held hostage by Taliban in Afghanistan since 2012.
During the call, Abbasi reassured Pence that Pakistan will respond to any actionable intelligence shared by the US. Both leaders also agreed to maintain high-level engagements to strengthen cooperation in areas of mutual interest- with Pence accepting Abbasi’s invitation to visit Pakistan in the near future.
Sri Lanka encourages Pakistan’s bid to host SAARC Summit
Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena promised full support to Pakistan in the country’s bid to host the next South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit, read a Foreign Office statement issued on Wednesday after the president’s meeting with Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua. Last year, the SAARC summit that was scheduled to be held in Pakistan was cancelled upon India’s refusal to attend the meeting.
In the meeting, Janjua reassured Srisena that Pakistan will continue to support development projects in Sri Lanka upon which the president thanked Pakistan for being “a true friend and a brother, during the period of conflict in the country”.
Arrest warrants issued for 37 students protesting in Quaid-i-Azam University
On Wednesday, Islamabad police issued arrest warrants for 37 students of the Quaid-i-Azam University, where academic activities have been suspended for the last two weeks due to the protests. A deadlock between students and the university’s administration has remained since Oct 4 over the protesting students’ demands to restore a bunch of expelled students who were responsible for causing unrest on campus a couple of months ago. The students have demanded that the university restore expelled students, improve students’ facilities, construct new hotels and so on.