Kabul: Daily Jasarat/Ausaf, July 19, 2012. Taliban claimed to have destroyed 22 containers carrying NATO-bound rations. According to Taliban's spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, the attack took place in the northern Province of Simangan in Afghanistan where the containers were parked for the night. Afghan authorities confirmed the incident. They said the insurgents used mining bombs during the attack. Meanwhile, Afghan custom officials returned 7 NATO containers due to incomplete paperwork on June 18 while 40 containers are awaiting permission to cross the border in Chaman.

DPC rally reaches Chaman, declares support for Mullah Omar

Chaman: Daily Ausaf, July 16, 2012. A rally of more than two thousand Difa-i-Pakistan Council followers has reached the border town of Chaman on motorbikes, trucks, cars, and buses. They held public meetings at Saranan, Mai-zai Adda and Quila Abdullah. A large number of Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam followers, led by DPC chief Mawlana Sami-ul-Haq along with dozens of religious scholars of other Islamic groups, announced their support for Taliban leader Mullah Omar and his Islamic Mujahedeen.

Maulana Mahmud-ul-Hassan Qasmi said that the government has insulted public sentiment by ignoring their suggestion of not to reopen NATO supply lines. He warned that if the government does not reverse its decision immediately, it will face massive protests. He added that the DPC will hold rallies in Lahore to Islamabad, Karachi to Hyderabad, Multan to Dera Ghazi Khan, Sargodha to Miyanwali and hold meetings throughout the supply route.

Mullah Omar should join active politics: President Karzai


Kabul: Daily Ausaf, July 13, 2912. Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged Taliban chief Mullah Omar to give up arms and join active politics. He said that Omar should contest elections and form his own government at Kabul and run the country. He asked the Taliban to open political offices in Afghanistan and campaign for their demands. The Taliban have been offered peace talks on several occasions, but they have rejected the idea so far.

America will favour India, not Pakistan: Sayed Salahuddin

Faisalabad: Daily Jasarat, July 18, 2012. Muttahida Jihad Council chief and Hizb-ul-Mujahedeen supreme commander Sayed Salahuddin said that Pakistani forces should not withdraw from the Siachen glacier. He said Pakistan has succumbed to the US pressure to start friendly ties with India. According to him, the US and India have converging interests in keeping Kashmir with India which will lead US to work against Pakistan in the future. It is for this reason that Washington gives all kinds of carrots to pacify the Kashmir movement. He warned of another violent conflict in Kashmir once international forces withdraw from Afghanistan.

America wants to sabotage nuclear programme: Gen Kayani

Islamabad: Daily Jasarat, July16, 2012. Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is reported to have told US President Barack Hussein Obama that the US is working to sabotage Pakistan's nuclear programme. He also told the President that India is using Afghanistan to create instability in Pakistan. An article in The Washington Post revealed that Kayani submitted a 14-page memo to Obama during his last visit to the US. Obama assured the army chief that the US wants to see a strong and prosperous Pakistan. Earlier, he wrote to President Asif Ali Zardari, asking him to destroy safe havens of militants located on Pakistan's border regions.

109 killed in 17 days in Karachi

Karachi: Daily Ausaf/Jasarat, July 19, 2012. The quantum of terrorism, street crime, forced extortion, kidnapping for ransom and targeted killing is rising across Sindh. The government reported that 109 people were killed across the province and 18 businessmen were kidnapped during the last 17 days. More than 1000 people were killed last year, besides 52 police officials who died on duty in the last six months. Two hundred and twenty ‘slips' were issued to businessmen to extort protection money.

Muslims to leave country: Myanmar President

Rangoon: Daily Jasarat, July 18, 2912. Myanmar President Thein Sein has ordered the expulsion of Muslims living in Rohingya on the ground that they are not legal citizens of the country. He said the state cannot guarantee their security and asked UN representative Antonio Gutierrez to arrange refugee camps.

The Myanmar government, comprising Buddhists, claims to be a peace loving regime. In reality, having killed 2000 Muslims and forced 90,000 more to migrate from their homes, the government is violent and inhuman, a comment in the Jasarat said. It described the Presidential order as a shameful step against humanity. The United Nations' silence on the crisis leaves the international community with much to answer. According to a report, 8 lakh Burmese Muslims are facing food shortages. The refugee camps are being poorly run. India's decision to send relief to the Rohingia refugee camps is a positive development and should be lauded, the daily commented.

(This is compiled and translated from Urdu by Shahid Raheem, Media Researcher, Observer Research Foundation)