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Paris Attack Follow-up
France saw deadliest attack in its history after the 2004 Madrid bombing last week. At least 129 people were killed in the shootings and suicide bombings that targeted a concert hall, bars and restaurants and the Stade de France national stadium in Paris.
After the attacks France imposed a state of emergency for three months in the country and initiated counter operation to apprehend culprits. On Thursday, elite police units raided an apartment in northern Paris and killed the militant, identified as Abdelhamid Abaaoud, belonging to Islamic State (IS) suspected of masterminding the Paris attacks.
France Prosecutor Francois Molins claimed that the raid in Saint-Denis had stopped a “new team of terrorists” who were ready to launch another attack in Paris. Meanwhile as French police stepped up operation in the country, French and Russian jets pounded IS targets in the group’s Syrian stronghold of Raqqa for a third consecutive day. France and Russia have vowed merciless retaliation for the Paris attacks and last month’s bombing of a Russian airliner over the Egyptian Sinai peninsula which killed 229 people and was also claimed by the IS.
France has also invoked a previously unused European Union article to ask member states for help in its mission to fight back against IS, which received unanimous backing from Brussels.
PAK Political Atmosphere
Like rest of the world, Pakistan also continues to fight terror threats on its soil. In his five- day visit to the US, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif has called for a coordinated global response against terrorism.
Army chief met the US Senate Armed Services Committee where the committee appreciated Pakistan for successfully turning the tide of terrorism and assured General Raheel of US support and cooperation in eradicating terrorism and extremism from the country. Earlier, Army Chief General Raheel Sharif also met US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter at Pentagon and discussed the bilateral defence relations and regional security.
The US defence secretary also affirmed that both US and Pakistan will continue to operate in a coordinated manner against terrorism and extremism.
Meanwhile Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also reiterated to fight terrorism during his meeting with Uzbek Presdent Islam Karimov in Uzbekistan. Addressing at a banquet hosted by Uzbek President Islam Karimov in his honour at Presidential Palace the prime minister also said his government desired to maintain good ties with all countries, including India and Afghanistan.
PAK Security Situation
Second phase of local government elections was completed this week where the ruling party PML-N bagged the most number of seats in Punjab while the PPP is won in Sindh. Elections were held peacefully although incidents of clashes at few places were reported where one person was killed and 15 others were injured in Mandi Bahauddin.
Meanwhile ruling party Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz answered the allegations over Nandipur power project. In a press conference Senator Pervaiz Rashid said that some elements had given irresponsible statements on the Nandipur project, which led to the formation of the inquiry commission by the government. According to Sentor Pervaiz Rashid the commission had formally validated government’s stance after thorough probe and investigation about the actual cost of the project. The minister pointed out that the plant had been fully functional since October 24 this year and has been producing 425MW electricity.
Meanwhile in an address in Gojra, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that doing politics on mega development projects was tantamount to harming the country.
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