Peace Talks in Peshawar

N. Waziristan Taliban revoke peace accord; tell locals to leave

PESHAWAR: The North Waziristan Taliban led by Hafiz Gul Bahadar have formally revoked the peace accord with the Pakistani government, a pamphlet distributed by the group in the tribal region said.

The faction, as the pamphlet sent to media by Bahadur's spokesman Ahmadullah Ahmadi said, is now preparing to fight against what it said was the security forces' planned operation, giving locals until June 10 to leave the area and move to safety.

The pamphlet distributed Friday read that the government had broken the peace accord with the North Waziristan Taliban by launching air strikes with a full-fledged operation being planned for the tribal region.

“The shura mujahideen has decided not to tolerate this aggression anymore and has opted to fight and defend Waziristan,” the pamphlet added.

The group also warned locals to refrain from seeking refuge in government-established camps. Instead, it directed them to move to areas close to the Afghan border whereby they could easily travel to Afghanistan.

The group has also demanded locals to sever all ties with the government and military officials by June 10. It has warned that action would be taken against those who do not heed the militants' warnings, adding that no one would be allowed to go to the military camps and government offices after the deadline.

The group also announced to stop all its operations in Afghanistan after June 10, adding that it would not send any fighters across the border and would focus on defending North Waziristan, calling upon the tribesmen to either leave the area or join hands with the militants.

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Also read: North Waziristan offensive “not full-scale operation”

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Security forces have pounded militant hideouts in different parts of North Waziristan during the past several days, stepping up pressure on militants in the tribal region.

The ‘operation’ began a day after military planes and helicopter gunships attacked suspected militants’ hideouts in Miramshah and Mirali sub-district of North Waziristan.

Officials have put the death toll at 71 which, they say, include local and foreign militants. Residents, however, put the casualty figure at 80, including women and children.

The military action launched last week on Wednesday resulted indisplacement of a large number of civilians seeking shelter in adjoining districts.

Meanwhile, key militant commanders were reported killed in airstrikes in the tribal region.

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Land policy for registration of Orphans unveiled.

Nadra unveils landmark policy for registration of orphans

By Nasir Iqbal

ISLAMABAD: In a landmark move, the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) unveiled on Thursday a new policy to deal with the registration of parentless or abandoned children.

Under the new policy, the head of an orphanage where such a child lives is eligible to become that child’s legal guardian by providing an affidavit. This replaces the old practice of going to the relevant court to seek guardianship certificates for each such child.

Before this, a child could only be legally adopted if a guardian court issued a decree to the person claiming guardianship under the Guardian and Wards Act of 1890. Without a court decree, no-one could claim to be the legal guardian of a parentless or orphaned child. In the past, orphans could not be registered with Nadra because they had no legally appointed guardian, which kept them from obtaining national identity cards, the primary proof of citizenship.

The policy was disclosed before a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, who ordered the chief secretaries of the four provinces to ensure that all relevant provincial departments were aware of the new policy and extended their complete assistance to the authority to ensure its implementation.

The matter was first brought to the notice of former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry by philanthropist and social worker Abdus Sattar Edhi in 2011. In a letter to the then-CJ, Mr Edhi complained that Nadra was not issuing ‘Form B’ to children whose parentage was unknown or those who had been abandoned by their parents and were now living in Edhi shelters.

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Heads of orphanages eligible to become legal guardians

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When Mr Edhi’s daughter, who runs the shelters, tried to adopt and register such children, her requests would be denied by Nadra in the absence of a formal certificate of guardianship.

The court had earlier framed key questions regarding the adoption of abandoned children that required interpretation from both religious scholars and legal minds. It had also appointed former high court judge Tariq Mehmood and Karachi-based legal expert Makhdoom Ali Khan amici curiae (friends of the court) in the matter.

Afnan Kundi, who represented Nadra during Thursday’s proceedings, told the court that the authority had so far registered 610 destitute children who were living in orphanages. A total of 3,087 children remained unregistered.

But with the implementation of the new policy, most of the hurdles to the registration of abandoned children had been tackled, he said.

Under section 9(1) of the Nadra Ordinance 2000, the authority is bound to register every citizen of Pakistan, inside or outside the country, who has attained the age of 18 years. The birth of a child must also be registered by a parent or a guardian not later than one month after the birth.

Under the new policy, it is mandatory that the orphanage in question is registered with Nadra, a complete record of all children previously residing there is available and all documents of the relevant authority of the orphanage are in order.

In case a child’s parentage was unknown, whatever name was recorded by the orphanage in its records would be registered with Nadra. The orphanage would be responsible for providing these details and could assign any name to the child’s parents, as long it wasn’t a generic or placeholder name, such as Edhi, Abdullah, Adam or Eve.

For each new registration, it would be mandatory for the orphanage to report each new birth to Nadra and pre-empting any future claims of parenthood, DNA tests should be conducted by the orphanage if possible.

The chairman had also decided to issue identity cards to such orphans free-of-cost, the Nadra counsel told the court.

The court held that with the promulgation of the policy, Mr Edhi’s grievance appeared to have been addressed

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Minorities religious sites to be given protection.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chairs a meeting with Parliamentarians from Sindh who called on him at PM House in Islamabad on Wednesday. – APP Photo

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed serious concerns over acts of vandalism at religious sites belonging to different faiths in Sindh and directed concerned authorities to hold inquiry into the matter.

Speaking to Parliamentarians from Sindh at the Prime Minister House, he said that the federal government would undertake rehabilitation of religious sites that were damaged.

The notice was taken after dozens of protesters from the Sikh community pushed past the front gate and entered the grounds of the Parliament building in Islamabad last week, protesting attacks on their houses of worship.

Earlier this week, the Pakistan Sikh Council had warned the government that the community will launch a countrywide protest movement if all the culprits who had desecrated their holy book, Guru Granth Sahib, are not arrested by May 31.

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Also read: Anglican leader says Pakistan's minorities should have equal rights

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The prime minister, during today’s meeting, also directed to establish a dedicated cell at the Prime Minister Office for Sindh affairs. He also said that the position of provincial party leader and other vacant provincial party posts would be filled soon.

“Our party is engaged in politics of reconciliation and strengthening democracy, said Sharif.

Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Minister of State for Railways Abdul Hakeem Baloch and Senator Mushahidullah Khan were also present in the meeting.

The Parliamentarians apprised the premier about development issues of their respective constituencies and lauded the progress in Karachi operation. They also felicitated him on his successful visit to India.

“We have always respected mandate of other parties and expect the same from them,” said the prime minister. He said that it was his commitment to the people of Sindh that law and order situation would improve.

“Bringing back normalcy in Karachi is my priority as it is the economic hub of Pakistan,” said Prime Minister Sharif.

He further said that majority of mega-development projects like Karachi-Lahore Motorway, Thar Coal Power Project, Jamshoro Power Plant, Gaddani Power Park, Port Qasim Power Plant and Karachi Circular Railway would not only be a source of economic prosperity, but would also create millions of employment opportunities for locals.

The delegation included, Amir Bakhsh Bhutto, Marvi Memon, Shah Muhammad Shah, Ismail Rahu, Imdad Hussain Chandio, Zain Magsi, Dr Rahila Gul Magsi, Saleem Zia, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Aslam Abro, Ghulam Mustafa, Munawar Raza, Haji Hanif Memon, Asghar Rind, Ayaz Ali Sheerazi, Dr Darshan Panchi, Bhawan Das, Dr Ramesh Lal, Irfanullah Khan Marwat, Humayoun Khan, Haji Shafi Jamoot, Mrs Soreth Thebo, Shah Hussain Shah Sherazi, Ejaz Shah Sherazi, Ameer Haider Sherazi, Aqil Jatoi, Masroor Jatoi and Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim.

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Security assurance.

http://video.dunyanews.tv/index.php/en/mustwatch/4918/North-Waziristan:-Security-forces-kill-five-militants#.U37b-kDAuPA

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Resolution passe to stop Illegal subscribtion to mobile sims.

KARACHI: A resolution was unanimously passed in the Sindh Assembly on Monday against illegal Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs) used in the country, DawnNews reported.

The resolution was submitted by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s MPA Seema Zia.

National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) would issue SIMs based on a biomentric system from June 1st onwards, according to the resolution.

Zia said unverified SIMs were used in terrorist activities.

Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon supported the resolution and said that there were seven SIMs registered on his name, according to data issued to him.

He moreover said 5,000 unregistered SIMs were

retrieved from banned militant organisations.

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