Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Zarar Shah confesses involvement in Mumbai attack

Updated at: 1513 PST, Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Zarar Shah confesses involvement in Mumbai attacks WASHINGTON: Top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Zarar Shah captured in the crackdown on militants earlier this month in Pakistani has confessed the group's involvement in terror attacks in Mumbai, a US media report said on Wednesday.

Shah has also implicated other LeT members, and had broadly confirmed the confession made by the sole captured militant Ajmal Kasab to Indian investigators -- that the 10 assailants trained in Azad Kashmir and then went by boat from Karachi to Mumbai, the Journal reported quoting a senior Pakistani security official.

The journal said Pakistan's own investigation of terror attacks in Mumbai have begun to show substantive links between the LeT and 10 gunmen who took part in the Mumbai mission.

Pakistani security officials were quoted as saying that a top Lashkar commander, Zarar Shah, has admitted a role in the Mumbai attack during interrogation.

The paper quoted a person familiar with investigation as saying that Shah also admitted that the attackers spent at least a few weeks in Karachi, training in urban combat to hone skills they would use in their assault.

The admission, the official told the paper, is backed up by US intercepts of a phone call between Shah and one of the attackers at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, the site of a 60-hour confrontation with Indian security forces.

A second person familiar with the investigation was quoted by the Journal as saying that Shah told Pakistani interrogators that he was one of the key planners of the operation, and that he spoke with the attackers during the rampage to give them advice and keep them focused.

Shah, the journal said, was picked up along with fellow Lashkar commander Zaki-ur- Rehman Lakhvi during the military camp raids Azad Kashmir.

COAS calls on President, PM

Updated at: 1443 PST, Wednesday, December 31, 2008
COAS calls on President, PM ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has held important meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday.

General Kayani called on President Asif Zardari at the Aiwan-e-Sadr and discussed with him professional matters.

Later, the army chief called on premier Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani at the PM secretariat.

He discussed with the prime minister prevailing situation in the region following Mumbai terror attacks and other important issues. Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi also attended the meeting.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

India calls meeting of envoys today

Updated : Monday December 22 , 2008 7:16:02 AM


NEW DEHLI: India has convened a two-day conference of India's Ambassadors and High Commissioners on Monday (today), amidst its efforts to build global pressure on Pakistan, in the wake of Mumbai attacks.

Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, is expected to tell them the efforts made by the government so far.

The conference, to be attended by over 120 Heads of Indian Missions, will deliberate on the diplomatic challenges before India has convened a two-day conference of India's Ambassadors and High Commissioners , amidst its efforts to build global pressure on Pakistan, in the wake of Mumbai attacks.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate the meeting of over 120 Ambassadors and High Commissioners convened for the conference.

Four dead bodies found in Swat

Updated : Monday December 22 , 2008 10:26:30 AM


MINGORA: Curfew has been imposed in Nanguly area of Swat, while four unidentified dead bodies found from Kanju and Faizabad areas of the valley on Monday, sources said.

According to the sources large number of masked men entered in Kanju Township in the night and kidnapped two persons from the area. Their dead bodies were found at roadside in the township this morning.

A body was also found at Kanju Chowk, while the fourth dead body taken from Faizabad.

Sixteen persons have become victims of target killing incidents in the district during recent days, sources said.

Meanwhile, the security forces continued artillery shelling at the positions of miscreants in tehsil Matta and Kabal last night.

Seven killed in Waziristan missile attack

Updated : Monday December 22 , 2008 9:26:23 AM


WANA: At least seven people have been killed in a suspected missile strike in a suburb area of South Waziristan agency, ARY OneWorld reported Monday.

The missile hit a house belongs to local tribal elder in Karakhel area, west of agency headquarter, Wana.

Seven casualties have so far been confirmed however, their nationalities have not yet known.

Two vehicles were also destroyed in the strike, added a news agency.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Manmohan Singh reviews security preparedness


Updated : Sunday December 21 , 2008 3:20:06 AM


NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh late Saturday met the top defence brass and reviewed the security preparedness in the aftermath of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, well-placed sources said.

The high-level meeting was also attended by Defence Minister AK Antony, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan and the three services' chiefs - army chief General Deepak Kapoor, navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta and air force chief Air Chief Marshal Fali H. Major, the sources said.

During the three-hour meeting at South Block, the prime minister evaluated the security preparedness across the country and the troop response, they said.

The exercise came a day after India put its armed forces on high alert.

"The army, navy and air force, which were already on alert, were Friday put on high alert," a defence source said on condition of anonymity.

On Thursday, Defence Minister Antony had reviewed the security environment along the land and maritime borders in a meeting with the three service chiefs and the defence secretary.

"The services were asked to put a suitable mechanism in place to ensure proper analysis and follow-up of all relevant inputs. The security of vital coastal and offshore assets was discussed with a view to ensuring that these remained fully secured," defence spokesman Sitanshu Kar had then said.

Nine killed in Ghakhar Plaza incident: Gen Farooq

Updated : Sunday December 21 , 2008 2:17:46 AM


RAWALPINDI: Chairman Disaster Management Cell General Farooq said that Six persons were killed, 50 others injured and 10 were missing due to collapse of fire devastated Ghakhar plaza here on Saturday evening. The bodies of four victims were recovered from the debris and all injured have been shifted to hospital.

While talking to media man he said the investigation to determine the actual causes of fire eruption have been started. The injured were rushed to Cantonment, District Headquarter (DHQ) and Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH).

He added that all markets and shopping plazas in Saddar had also been closed while WAPDA suspended power supply to avoid any untoward incident and telephone lines in the area were also disturbed for hours.

The police cordoned off the whole area for protection of public. The six-storied Gakhar Plaza had more than 450 shops and almost 400 stalls and kiosks and was the biggest center of garments, shoes, leather garments and goods. The upper stories of the building have a big store of CDs, godowns of garments besides a hotel.

All shops were turned into ashes. Soon after the collapse of the plaza, officers and Jawans of Pakistan Army, led by Station Commander Brig Sajjad Azam, reached at the site along with heavy machinery and started rescue work. The citizens also joined hands with army jawans to help remove the wreckage.