Court grants bail to Musharraf in Lal Masjid's military raid case

A court on Monday granted bail to former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in the case of a military raid on the militants-affiliated Islamabad' Red Mosque during his rule in 2007, which led to the killing of nearly 90 religious students, lawyers said.

Musharraf was formally arrested in the case last month after son of the deputy of the mosque, Abdul Rashid Ghazi, who was killed in the military operation, had filed a case against him.

The former President has already got bails in two other high profile cases – the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and the murder of senior tribal leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, who was killed in 2006 in a military operation.

Bail to Musharraf in the mosque case has paved the way for his possible going abroad. However, a Musharraf’s lawyer told reporters on Monday that the former military leader will not leave the country.

Some opposition leaders say that the government and the former president has entered into a secret deal that will allow Musharraf to leave the country. The government has also not confirmed any deal.

Additional Session Judge, Wajid Ali, granted bail to Pervez Musharraf and ordered him to deposit two surety bonds, each of one hundred thousand rupees, a Musharraf’s lawyer told reporters after the court’s verdict.

Prosecution had accused the former President of ordering the military operation, which led to the killing of students, and opposed bail to him.

Musharraf’s defence lawyer, Ilyas Siddiqi, however told the court that there is no written order to suggest the former military leader had issued any order for the operation. Nearly 11 security men were also killed during exchange of firing with the religious students.

The military had launched military raid on the mosque after the students, some of them armed, refused to surrender. Ten security personnel had also been killed in exchange of firing.

Musharraf had defended the operation and stated that the militants had taken control of the mosque, adjoining girls religious and a government's children library.

Musharraf returned to the country in March after a nearly four-year self exile to take part in elections. However, a court had disqualified him for standing in the May elections.

The former President, who leads All Pakistan Muslim League, is under detention at his farmhouse in Islamabad and his lawyers are now confident that he will soon be a free man.

Pakistan summons U.S. ambassador over drone attack

Pakistan on Saturday summoned the U.S. ambassador to the Foreign Ministry and a formal protest was lodged over the American drone strike which killed the Taliban Chief, Hakimullah Mehsud.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that a protest demarche was served on the U.S. ambassador that the strike has killed the peace process.

The Minister accused the United States of ‘killing the peace’ through a drone strike which killed the Pakistani Taliban Chief, Hakimullah Mehsud.

The Minister told a hurriedly called press conference that the government had finalized a strategy to begin talks with the Taliban but the U.S. drone strike in North Waziristan tribal region has caused a serious setback to the process.

A three-member delegation of the country’s top religious scholars was scheduled to leave for Waziristan Saturday morning to meet the Taliban to discuss the possible agenda and decide place

The visit was cancelled following the drone strike.

“It is the murder of the peace and peace efforts by the government of Pakistan,” the Minister said after he presided over a high level meeting on the situation arising out the murder of the Taliban chief.

“The U.S. has ambushed the peace process from the back,” Mr Chaudhry said.

The Minister disclosed that there had been progress towards the peace talks with the Taliban and both sides had also exchanged messages and had established “positive contacts”.

He said that the U.S. ambassador in Islamabad had met him and offered certain conditions to stop drone strikes but he had rejected the offer and told him that halt to the strikes is Pakistan’s public and clear demand.

Talking about his discussions with the U.S. ambassador, he said the ambassador had offered a secret understanding on the drone strikes but he dismissed the proposal and insisted that everything will be in writing and public.

“The U.S. ambassador assured me that drones will not target the TTP but will hit those who will cross into Afghanistan from Pakistan as no one knows about the movement,” he added.

Mr Chaudhry said that the government had earlier planned to start talks with the Taliban but series of attacks including one on the top military officers over the past two months had affected the process.

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Taliban Chief Hakimullah Mehsood killed in U.S. drone strike

Pakistani Taliban Chief, Hakimullah Mehsood was killed in a U.S. drone attack in North Waziristan tribal region late Friday, security sources said.

Security sources said that Tariq Mehsood, the personal guard of the Taliban Chief Hakimullah Mehsood, and his driver Abdullah Mehsood were among those killed

U.S. missiles struck the vehicle being used by Hakimullah Mehsood and a compound where the Taliban had been holding central council’s meeting at Dandey Darpakhel area, a stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban.

Sources in North Waziristan say that Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan has confirmed their chief’s death and the report. They said Taliban announced his funeral will be held in North Waziristan on Saturday.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan did not confirm claim by the security sources.

Taliban sources said the Taliban senior leaders were holding meeting of their central council to chalk out strategy for the talks with the government when targeted by the U.S. missiles. Hakimullah Mehsood was scheduled to preside over the council’s meeting.

Three other Taliban commanders were also killed in the strike.

The Interior Minister angrily reacted to the U.S. attack as it was carried out at a time when the government was set to begin talks with the Taliban militants.

He said in a statement that the government has planned to send a three member delegation for initial discussion with the Taliban on Saturday.

“We think that the latest drone attack was an attempt to sabotage the dialogue,” Chaudhry Nisar said.

Another report said that the local Taliban chief, Hafiz Gul Bahadar, Friday asked the residents to leave North Waziristan for a week in view of the deteriorating situation in the region.

A pamphlet distributed in the region asked the people to take their precious items with them.

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Interior Minister says US drone attack sabotages Taliban talks

Interior Minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Friday condemned a latest U.S. drone attack and termed it as an attempt to sabotage the proposed peace talks with the Taliban.

The U.S. unmanned aircraft fired missiles on a house and vehicles of the Pakistani Taliban leaders in North Waziristan tribal region and killed six of them.

Local media said the American drone launched the strike at a time when the Taliban leaders were holding a meeting in their stronghold Dandey Darpakhel area.

Two Taliban figures Tariq Mehsood, the personal guard of the Taliban Chief Hakimullah Mehsood, and another commander identified as Abdullah were among those killed, section of the local media reported. Reports also said that Abdullah was also driver was of Hakimullah Mehsood.

Geo television reported that the vehicle targeted in the strike was being used by the chief of Pakistani Taliban chief, Hakimullah Mehsood. But it was not clear if Hakimullah Mehsood was in the vehicle at the time of the strike.

Dunya TV quoted security sources that Hakimullah Mehsood was killed in the strike.

Taliban and the government have not officially confirmed the reports.

The Interior Minister angrily reacted to the U.S. attack as it was carried out at a time when the government was set to begin talks with the Taliban militants.

He said in a statement that the government has planned to send a three member delegation for initial discussion with the Taliban on Saturday.

“We think that the latest drone attack was an attempt to sabotage the dialogue,” Chaudhry Nisar said.

Local media quoted security sources as saying that the American spy aircraft struck the Taliban compound when the Taliban were holding meeting of their central council. Hakimullah Mehsood was scheduled to preside over the council’s meeting.

Some sources said the meeting was called to discuss strategy for talks with the government.

Reports suggested that the Taliban were holding meeting when the US drone rained missiles into the area.

Another report said that the local Taliban chief, Hafiz Gul Bahadar, Friday asked the residents to leave North Waziristan for a week in view of the deteriorating situation in the region.

A pamphlet distributed in the region asked the people to take their precious items with them.

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U.S. drone targets Hakimullah Mehsud's vehicle, house: reports

An American spy aircraft late Friday targeted the vehicle being used by Pakistani Taliban chief, Hakimullah Mehsood and his house in North Waziristan tribal region, TV channels reported.

It was not clear if Hakimullah was in the vehicle or home at the time of the strike which killed at least six people in Dandi Darpakhel area.

There was no confirmation by the government and the Taliban of the reports.

Geo TV reported that the targeted vehicle was being used by Hakimullah Mehsood.

Some reports said the drone also targeted a compound of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and Hakimullah Mehsood was frequent visitor of the place.

Dunya TV reported that Tariq Mehsood, personal guard of Hakimullah Mehsood, was killed in the attack.

Reports suggested that the Taliban were holding meeting when the US drone rained missiles into the area. Missiles landed when the participants of the meeting were heading to vehicles at the conclusion of the meeting.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan condemned the strike at an attempt to sabotage the dialogue process with the Taliban.

He said that the government has planned to send a three member delegation for initial discussion with the Taliban.

Section of the TV channels quoted security sources as saying that they do not have any confirmation of the names of those killed in the strike.

Another report said that the local Taliban chief, Hafiz Gul Bahadar, Friday asked the residents to leave North Waziristan for a week in view of the deteriorating situation in the region.

A pamphlet distributed in the region asked the people to take their precious items with them.

U.S. drone kills four people in North Waziristan

An American spy aircraft fired missiles into North Waziristan tribal region late Friday and killed at least four people, security officials said.

The drone targeted a house in Dandi Darpakhel area of North Waziristan, bordering Afghanistan, they said.

There was no report about the identity of the slain men.

It was the second U.S. attack in the same region in two days.

At least three people were killed in an U.S. attack near Miranshah, the center of North Waziristan early Thursday.

The U.S. increased the drone attacks after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to Washington. He had called for end to the attacks in his meeting with President Barrack Obama at the White House last week.

A religious group on Friday staged rallies against the drone strikes and a religious leader urged the government to shoot down U.S. spy aircraft after entering the country’s airspace.

The Amnesty International came up with a detailed field research on nine of 45 reported drone strikes that occurred between January 2012 and August 2013 in North Waziristan region—and found that the US might be responsible for up to 900 civilian deaths.

Quoting some Pakistan government and NGO sources, the report said the US launched some 330 to 374 drone strikes in Pakistan between 2004 and September 2013,” which resulted in estimates of between “400 and 900 civilians having been killed in these attacks and at least 600 people seriously injured.

The AI described the attacks as a war crime, a position which Pakistan leadership can dare endorse.

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Hafiz Saeed asks gov't to shoot down U.S. drone aircraft

Hafiz Saeed, chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa, on Friday called upon the government to shoot down American spy aircraft when they violate the country’s airspace to fire missiles into the tribal regions.

He told anti-US drone strikes rally in Lahore that the nation is disappointed at the continuation of U.S. drone strikes and the government must act now to bring the drones down.

Saeed’s outfit staged rallies in major cities to condemn the U.S. drone attacks just a day after a fresh attack killed at least three people in North Waziristan tribal region.

The Foreign Ministry also condemned the Waziristan strike and warned that these attacks are harmful for inter-state relations.

“The government must take practical steps to stop drone stacks rather than making statements,” Saeed said.

He called upon the government to order halt to the NATO supplies through Pakistani soil if the U.S. continued drone attacks.

He said Pakistan is not bound to act on bilateral agreements with the U.S. as it is violating the country’s sovereignty.

“The U.S. has imposed war on Pakistan and Americans are responsible for the suicide attacks and bomb blasts in the country,” he said.

He also accused the U.S. of sabotaging the proposed talks with the Pakistani Taliban, warning the government to be aware of the conspiracies.

Pakistani media also condemned the Thursday’s strike and described it more embarrassing for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who in his recent meeting with President Barack Obama had demanded end to the drone strikes.

At his meeting with the US president, Mr Sharif also said the drones kill innocent people and are counterproductive.

“The US appears to be determined to use the drones, no matter who and how many are killed, to keep the government under constant pressure and force it to play a favourable role while US troops pull out of Afghanistan,” The Nation newspaper said in its comments on Friday.

The Amnesty International came up with a detailed field research on nine of 45 reported drone strikes that occurred between January 2012 and August 2013 in North Waziristan region—and found that the US might be responsible for up to 900 civilian deaths.

Quoting some Pakistan government and NGO sources, the report said the US launched some 330 to 374 drone strikes in Pakistan between 2004 and September 2013,” which resulted in estimates of between “400 and 900 civilians having been killed in these attacks and at least 600 people seriously injured.

The AI described the attacks as a war crime, a position which Pakistan leadership can dare endorse.

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