Pakistan market bomb 'kills 15'

Pakistan Darra Adam Khel market bombing 'kills 15'

Some of the wounded were taken to Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar 

At least 15 people have been killed and up to 30 wounded in a car bomb attack on a market in north-west Pakistan, local security officials say.
Some reports said a suicide attacker detonated the bomb in the town of Darra Adam Khel near the Khyber tribal area. It was apparently aimed at a pro-government militia set up to fight the Taliban, local security officials said.

Some of the wounded were being taken to hospitals in other towns, because local facilities could not cope. Some were being taken to Peshawar, about half-an-hour's drive to the north.

Arms bazaar

Officials said no group had claimed responsibility for the bombing, but previous attacks in the area have been blamed on the Taliban. President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the blast. In a condolence message he said the incident showed that extremists had no regard for human life. The blast occurred outside the office of the local "peace committee" - a group of militants who used to fight with the Taliban but switched sides and now support local elders and the government. At least 20 nearby shops were also badly damaged in the explosion, Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported. It was not immediately clear how many of the victims were members of the peace committee and how many were local people going about their shopping on a Saturday morning, local government official Fakhar-ud-Din told the AFP news agency. Darra Adam Khel is a small town on the edge of the ethnic Pashtun tribal belt along the border with Afghanistan. The government has fought a long campaign to bring the region, which is a haven for militant groups, under its control. Darra Adam Khel has been a centre for arms trading, with locally made weapons on sale openly at stalls in the town.

Some victims were taken to hospital in nearby Peshawar 

A suicide bomb attack on a mosque in the town two years ago killed more than 70 people. Prayers were held in schools across Pakistan on Saturday for a young victim of the Taliban, 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai, who was shot this week in the Swat Valley. The girl, who had campaigned for the right to an education, was picked out by name by an armed man on a bus, and shot in the head. A military spokesman said she was still on a ventilator in hospital on Saturday and that the next 36 to 48 hours would be critical.

Imran promises to fulfill Quaid's dream

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief Imran Khan on Sunday promised the nation on Quaid's birth anniversary that he will fulfill the dream of the Founder of the nation, saying 'I will do what Quaid-e-Azam wanted to do'. Addressing tens of thousands of his supporters at a grand rally near the Quaid's mausoleum here on Sunday, he said: "I promise on Quaid-e-Azam's birth anniversary that I will do what the Quaid-e-Azam wanted to do." He said Quaid-e-Azam wanted to make Pakistan an Islamic welfare state and that he would turn the country into one. Imran Khan in his speech punctuated with loud slogans of the cheering crowd and national songs, said he would introduce a strong justice system in Pakistan under which free justice would be provided to the poor. "Quaid-e-Azam never wanted you to bow before anyone, I will ensure that you don't have to bow before anyone." He said one more wicket fell today and announced that Pakistan People's Party leader Sardar Assef Ahmed had also joined PTI. Imran Khan lamented that even animals had access to better justice in Europe than the human being in Pakistan. The PTI Chief said he would bring a team that will be selected on merit to transform Pakistan into a welfare state. He said this team would function under Jehangir Tareen to present economic policies, labour policies, tax reforms, education policies as well as foreign policies before the nation. There will be a policy paper on all issues, he added. Imran Khan announced that his government would organize two seminars every month to present his parties' policies. "During Tehreek-e-Insaf rule a civil system will be introduced which will ensure that even Imran Khan's car is stopped for over-speeding." He said Pakistan was supposed to become a welfare state, adding the very first welfare state of the world was formed during Khilafat-e-Rashida which was based on Islamic principles. He said Tehreek-e-Insaf would root out corruption within 90 days and bring about reforms in the overall system. He welcomed Javed Hashmi into the folds of Tehree-e-Insaf and hailed his 'bravery'. Talking about agricultural reforms, Imran Khan said free seeds would provided to the farmers while fertilizers would supplied at cheap rates to maximize the produce. Imran Khan said a Chinese company wanted to bring 19 billion dollar investment to Pakistan but it did not due to worst law and order situation in Karachi. "You don't need a rocket science in Pakistan, just bring a team of honest leaders that carries out self accountablity," he asserted. He promised that the major corruption will be eliminated within 90 days of coming into power. Pakistan suffers a loss of 300 crores per day, he regretted. "The days of Zardari's rule are numbered, so do not worry." Speaking about Balochistan, he said: "We will seek forgiveness from Balochistan people and remove their grievances by developing the deprived province." Announcing about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's next public meeting, he said 'the next stop for the Tsunami will be Quetta on March 23'. Responding to Nawaz Sharif's 10-over match, Imran Khan asked him to organize the match as early as possible as 'you might no longer have a team' (in near future). He said Sindhis, Urdu speaking, Memons, Punjabis, Urdu speaking, people from Hazara, Multan, Gilgit Balitistan besides minorities were present at the rally. Imran Khan also greeted the Christian community on the occasion of Christmas saying "Merry Christmas". He specially thanked Zulfiqar Ali who he said sold his mobile phone and cam all the way from Dera Ghazi Khan to attend the rally. Imran Khan congratulated the Karachiites for 'beating the Tsunami of Lahore'. "I put together a team and won the World Cup … the same team went ahead and established Shaukat Khanum … now I want you all to come with me to make a new Pakistan."

No military takeover: COAS Kayani

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said on Friday that the Pakistan Army would continue to support the democratic process and dismissed rumours of a military takeover.

The COAS visited the forward posts in Mohmand and Kurram Agencies on 22 December 2011. 

While speaking to the troops, he appreciated the successes achieved under trying environment and the sacrifices made in the process.

COAS Kayani strongly dispelled the speculations of any military takeover and said that these are misleading and are being used as a bogey to divert focus from the real issues.

He emphasized that the issues of national security need to be considered on merit alone. He concluded by saying that irrespective of all other considerations, there can be no compromise on national security.

General Kayani said that no one can put a price tag on the sacred blood of martyrs of the nation. The men and women of Pakistan Army are performing their duty of defending Pakistan in accordance with the oath they took.

'They will continue to do so with the support and prayers of their countrymen, regardless of the cost.'

Suicide bombers hit US charity in Kandahar

KANDAHAR: Suicide attackers on Monday blew up a truck bomb and raided the offices of a US charity in Kandahar, killing at least four Afghans in the main city of southern Afghanistan, officials said.

One attacker detonated the vehicle outside the offices of US-based International Relief and Development (IRD), before two others entered the compound and fired on security forces, said police and government officials.

The Kandahar government said the attackers struck at 6am (0130 GMT) and that two gunmen remained holed up in a veterinary clinic inside the compound - which also houses UN offices - and were shooting at security forces.

"There were three suicide attackers. One exploded in front of the office. The two others entered the compound (wearing suicide vests). They are still alive, but the police are surrounding them," said police spokesman Ghorzang.

Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi said the insurgent group carried out a car bomb attack in the city, but claimed to have targeted the UN refugee agency.

The bodies of the dead were taken to the nearby Mirwais hospital along with several people wounded in the assault.

"Four bodies, all Afghan civilians, and five people including a Nepali guard have been admitted to our hospital with injuries," said Sardar, a hospital doctor who like many Afghans goes by only one name.

The United Nations has some offices in the compound but the Kandahar government's media office said the UN properties appeared safe. 

Thailand floods: Crisis 'to last four to six weeks'

Thailand's worst flooding in decades is set to last another four to six weeks, the country's prime minister has said.

Yingluck Shinawatra warned people in Bangkok to be prepared for flooding there, describing the situation as "extremely serious".
Three months of heavy monsoon rain have left swathes of the country flooded and led to the deaths of some 350 people.
Northern and central areas were worst hit initially but now the run-off is draining south, threatening Bangkok.
Prime Minister Yingluck has used a disaster law to take control of the emergency response, and in her weekly TV address to the nation told Bangkok residents to move their belongings at least one metre (3ft 3in) off the ground.
"Bangkok must open all floodgates to allow the water through," the PM said. "So during this long weekend residents should move belongings, cars and other valuable things to places at least one metre high."
"There is a huge volume of run-off water from the north and we can't effectively block it but can only slow the flow because our barriers are temporary."
The BBC's Rachel Harvey, in Bangkok, says water is continuing to breach barriers in the city's northern suburbs, and although central Bangkok is still dry, the situation around the capital is not getting any better.
The authorities want to drain the water to the east and west of the city, avoiding the possibility of a major torrent running through the heart of the capital.
However, our correspondent says the move is a change of tactic for the government - and no-one seems entirely sure whether the volume of water can be safely controlled.
Ms Yingluck also said the crisis had displaced more than 110,000 people from their homes. The government said the death toll had risen to 356.
Thailand's tourism industry has so far been largely unaffected, with southern islands escaping the flooding. The main international airport is operating as normal and its flood defences have been fortified.

SPOTTED! Eight months pregnant Ash!

Actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, 37, who is eight months pregnant, attended the launch of the Sri Hanuman Chalisa album in Mumbai on Sunday.
Her father-in-law, actor Amitabh Bachchan, has also sung in the album.
Ash, who wore an off-white, Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla suit, was seen holding a dupatta over her baby bump as she walked in with mother-in-law Jaya Bachchan.
AshAishwarya was also spotted during the Navaratri celebrations.

Indian Ocean tsunami-alert test on 12th

PARIS: Nearly two-dozen countries next Wednesday will take part in a full-scale test of the Indian Ocean's tsunami alert system, using the 2004 Sumatra quake as the basis for the exercise, UNESCO said on Thursday.

Exercise IOWAVE 11 will re-enact the seismic events of December 26, 2004, simulating a 9.2-magnitude quake that occurs northwest of Sumatra, sending waves across the Indian Ocean that strike the coast of South Africa 12 hours later.

It will be a trial run for newly launched Regional Tsunami Service Providers (RTSPs), located in Australia, India and Indonesia, which will issue simulated "alerts."

They are part of a region-wide tsunami warning and mitigation service, set up by 28 countries after the 2004 disaster, which claimed nearly a quarter of a million lives.

Until now, two bodies -- the Japan Meteorological Agency and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre -- have been in charge of tsunami alerts in the Indian Ocean.

They will end this interim job at the end of 2012, provided the handover goes well.

"The exercise aims to evaluate the system's operational capacity, the efficiency of communications among the different actors and the state of preparation of national emergency services," the UN's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) said in a press release here.

"The test will also include the evacuation of coastal communities in several countries, notably India and Malaysia."

So far, 23 countries have signed up for the October 12 test.

They are: Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, East Timor, France (La Reunion), India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, and Yemen

The Indian Ocean system was devised by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), a UNESCO body.