Pakistan has lodged a protest with Afghanistan's authorities over Tuesday’s terrorist assault in Dera Ismail Khan district, in which suicide attackers killed at least 26 soldiers and wounded more than 30.
An affiliate of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack, one of the deadliest in the country. The TTP has strong links to the Afghan Taliban, who rule Afghanistan, and the attack occurred in a region near the two countries' border.
Islamabad has demanded that the Afghan Taliban take action to eliminate militant hideouts in Afghanistan's territory and hand over TTP leaders wanted for terrorist attacks.
But analysts say the previous government in Pakistan made a mistake when it held peace talks with the TTP, as the discussions gave the militants a chance to reorganise themselves.
Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Tehreek-e-Insaf party was seen as seeking closer ties with the TTP.
“Several key commanders of the TTP were released and numerous of its militants returned to their native areas in Pakistan as a result of those talks,” political analyst Dr Khadim Hussain told The National.
Dr Hussain is the former managing director of the Bacha Khan Trust Education Foundation research organisation.
“The parliament had very limited role in those peace talks. And when the talks failed, we witnessed its harmful consequences," he said.
The attacks come as Pakistan prepares to hold its general elections in February.
Dr Hussain said it would be an injustice if voting is delayed because of the unrest.
He said in the year 2008, the security situation was also very fragile, but elections were still held.
“If decisive action is not taken against the militants, such attacks would continue even after the elections,” he warned.
Dr Sarfraz Khan, a former director of Area Study Centre at Peshawar University, said the chances of an election could be affected by a surge in violence.
“I won’t link the Dera Ismail Khan blast to the coming elections but such incidents are a result of our country’s wrong policies. However, if bad incidents continue, then the coming elections may also be affected,” he said.
“The Taliban government in Afghanistan has also emboldened the militants fighting against Pakistani security forces. Terrorist incidents have increased since the Taliban formed a government in Kabul.”
Gun-and-bomb attack
Zeeshan Khan, chief of the police station in Daraban, told The National that the attackers comprised two suicide bombers and four others, all of them using sophisticated weapons.
“First they rammed the explosive-laden vehicle into the boundary wall of the army base, causing a huge blast that not only damaged the army base but also affected our police station," he said.
"After the vehicle blast, two bombers also detonated explosives around their bodies. The remaining terrorists entered the premises and started firing.”
The army base had been established in a school building, adjacent to the police station.
“Most of the casualties happened due to the blasts and firing by the militants. According to estimates of the area’s bomb disposal squad, about 100kg explosives were used in the attack,” he said.
Khalid Jan, a resident of the area, said the blasts have caused fears among the residents and also damaged nearby buildings.
“The window panes of houses were broken as a result of the blasts. One family living close the attack scene left the home as their house building developed cracks,” he said.
The attack was claimed by the Tehreek-e-Jihad-e-Pakistan (TJP).
TJP spokesman Mullah Mohammad Qasim said a group of its suicide bombers stormed the military compound at around 3am. It named one of the attackers as Maulvi Hassan Gandapur.
A security official who asked not to be named told The National that analysis would show the Tehreek-e-Jihad-e-Pakistan is part of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, carrying a different name.
“They use the name of TTP whenever they like so, and sometimes they claim an incident by the name of TJP when it suits them,” he said.
He said the name of TJP was created because the Afghan Taliban face criticism whenever the TTP stages attack in Pakistan, since its militants mostly hide in Afghan border areas.
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
Miguel Cotto world titles:
WBO Light Welterweight champion - 2004-06
WBA Welterweight champion – 2006-08
WBO Welterweight champion – Feb 2009-Nov 2009
WBA Light Middleweight champion – 2010-12
WBC Middleweight champion – 2014-15
WBO Light Middleweight champion – Aug 2017-Dec 2017
Gifts exchanged
- King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
- Queen Camilla - Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
- Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
- Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
Ballon d’Or shortlists
Men
Sadio Mane (Senegal/Liverpool), Sergio Aguero (Aregentina/Manchester City), Frenkie de Jong (Netherlans/Barcelona), Hugo Lloris (France/Tottenham), Dusan Tadic (Serbia/Ajax), Kylian Mbappe (France/PSG), Trent Alexander-Arnold (England/Liverpool), Donny van de Beek (Netherlands/Ajax), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon/Arsenal), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Germany/Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Juventus), Alisson (Brazil/Liverpool), Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands/Juventus), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid), Georginio Wijnaldum (Netherlands/Liverpool), Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands/Liverpool), Bernardo Silva (Portugal/Manchester City), Son Heung-min (South Korea/Tottenham), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich), Roberto Firmino (Brazil/Liverpool), Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria/Manchester City), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City), Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal/Napoli), Antoine Griezmann (France/Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool), Eden Hazard (BEL/Real Madrid), Marquinhos (Brazil/Paris-SG), Raheem Sterling (Eengland/Manchester City), Joao Félix(Portugal/Atletico Madrid)
Women
Sam Kerr (Austria/Chelsea), Ellen White (England/Manchester City), Nilla Fischer (Sweden/Linkopings), Amandine Henry (France/Lyon), Lucy Bronze(England/Lyon), Alex Morgan (USA/Orlando Pride), Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands/Arsenal), Dzsenifer Marozsan (Germany/Lyon), Pernille Harder (Denmark/Wolfsburg), Sarah Bouhaddi (France/Lyon), Megan Rapinoe (USA/Reign FC), Lieke Martens (Netherlands/Barcelona), Sari van Veenendal (Netherlands/Atletico Madrid), Wendie Renard (France/Lyon), Rose Lavelle(USA/Washington Spirit), Marta (Brazil/Orlando Pride), Ada Hegerberg (Norway/Lyon), Kosovare Asllani (Sweden/CD Tacon), Sofia Jakobsson (Sweden/CD Tacon), Tobin Heath (USA/Portland Thorns)
The Indoor Cricket World Cup
When: September 16-23
Where: Insportz, Dubai
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
Banthology: Stories from Unwanted Nations
Edited by Sarah Cleave, Comma Press
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
