30 dead, 160 injured in a suicide attack

CHAKWAL, At least 30 people were killed and 160 others injured in a suicide attack at the gate of Imambargah here on Sunday.

According to DSP traffic Iftikhar ul Haq the attacker blew himself up when security guards who were also among the dead,tried to stop him at the gate of Imambargah where people of

Shiite sect had gathered for a religious ceremony.

The injured of whom 15 to 20 were stated to be in serious condition had been shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ), the official said.

President condemns Chakwal blast

ISLAMABAD, April 5 : President Asif Ali Zardari Sunday strongly condemned the bomb blast at a religious gathering in Chakwal.

The President deplored the attack and said such acts were being masterminded by people who were against the state and wanted to bring a bad name to the religion.

He directed authorities to find the perpetrators to award them exemplary punishment and best possible medical treatment to theinjured.

52 bodies recovered from container in Hazar Ganj

QUETTA: At least 52 dead bodies have been recovered from a container in the Hazar Ganj area Saturday. According to Edhi sources, more than 24 survivors, crammed into a container and said to be in a semi- or sub-concsious state, have been shifted to the Bolan Medical College (BMC). According to reports, the container was being transported from Afghanistan to Iran via Pakistan on the way to Europe. One survivor, talking to SAMAA after regaining consciousness said, "We belong to North Waziristan." Sources said around 150 people had been bundled into a container, which is being said to be a classic case of human trafficking. Deaths occured due to dwindling supply of oxygen in the container. Most of the deceased belonged to Afghanistan and tribal areas. SAMAA's Noor Elahi Bugti told that the driver of the vehicle had managed to escape. The police has arrested the contractor of the container. According to reports, the container was being transported from Afghanistan to Iran via Pakistan. Chairperson of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Asma Jehangir, talking exclusively to SAMAA said, "This is a case of human trafficking." "There are strict penalties for human trafficking in Iran," she added. The truck had apparently been driven in to Pakistan by human smugglers aiming to take the people to Iran, said government official Naseem Lari. The truck carrying the container had been left at a truck stop on the outskirts of the city of Quetta and police had been alerted after passers-by heard cries for help, said police official Abid Jadoon. A rescue worker at the scene said the truck was filled with dead and unconscious people. "We received information about 110 bodies but we have found around 50 bodies. The rest of the people were unconscious, and have been moved to BMC hospital," said Mohammad Abbas. Jadoon said about 100 people in total were in the container and the dead had suffocated in its tightly sealed interior.

Flogging video fake: Taliban

PESHAWAR: The Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan has said the video in which a girl appears to be whipped is fake. Spokesman Muslim Khan told the media in Char Bagh Saturday that four minors beat the girl, not adult men. "The video is propoganda by the West and NGOs," he said, "to defame the peace deal." According to him, the incident took place seven months ago and the girl was punished for living in sin with her father-in-law. She was whipped 18 times by 10 to 12 year old boys. Her father-in-law was whipped 38 times, he maintained. The spokesman also brought forward four boys, who he said were the ones who whipped the girl. "According to the peace deal we cannot mete out punishments because the Qazi courts have not been formed yet. President Asif Zardari has ordered a swift investigation into the flogging of a teen girl in Swat and Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has ordered that the girl be produced in the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, outrage has poured in from across Pakistan and the world over the incident. In the undated video made on a mobile phone, a member of the Taliban is shown flogging a 17-year-old girl. "Hold her down tightly by the arms," the man beating her appears to say. "And move back so I can hit her better." The girl, who is lying face down and whose shirt appears to have been pulled up, screams. "Leave me," she cries. "Mere baap ki taubah [Even my forefathers repent]. I won't do it again." She also could have said, her father was present. When the flogging ends, the beater tells the man taking the girl away: "Take her into the room, pimp." OUTRAGE "You cannot condemn this enough," said Brig. (retd) Mehmood Shah, who was the secretary of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement that describes itself as a liberal and progressive party also strongly condemned the footage. "If you call up some political parties they will quote Surah Nur and say it is Islamic," lamented the party's Haider Abbas Rizvi, who added that he had no words to express his disgust and horror over what had happened. SAMAA's Tariq Waheed said it was not clear where exactly the girl is from but she appeared to be a local. Nothing like this has come to the front in Pakhtun culture. "Some people are also saying that this video is part of a conspiracy to defame the Taliban," he said.

ISLAMABAD: At least eight people have died after a suicide bomber attaacked their check post near the Jinnah Super Market in Sector E/7 of the Margallah area Saturday. The FC men panicked and started firing but later Interior Advisor Rehman Malik told the media that it was no an exchange of fire as initially thought. Five FC personnel were injured in the blast. They were taken to the PIMS hospital and Polyclinic. The former has received more of the injured since it is closer to where the incident took place. SAMAA's Islamabad Bureau Chief Ehteshamul Haq talking to the anchors told that apparently the perpetrators are trying to send a message to the people and the government. Around 10,000 police personnel have been incorporated into the police and 1000 have been deployed at the police stations, he said. "People are saying that the checkposts should be shifted out of the area since the VIP culture is no longer in fashion." It is now being learnt that the explosion occured at the entrance of the FC camp. Ambulances and Rescue 1122 teams have arrived at the scene. According to SAMAA's Sadaqat Ali reporting from the PIMS hospital, one out of the injured four is said to be in critical condition. "Media is not being allowed to go beyond a certain point," he said, adding, "There is more than one entrance and the injured have been wheeled into the hospital from the other entrances," he said. To a question he replied, "All rescue efforts have been put on hold as it is believed that the person who is responsible for the firing is probably still in the area." "Situation here is not good," said Sadaqat. Police have cordonned off the area. Interior Advisor Rehman Malik talking to SAMAA condemning the attack confirmed it was a suicide mission. "The suicide bomber was hiding in the bushes when the FC personnel were having their dinner and got a chance to detonate the device," he explained. Although it is difficult to detect an individual suicide bomber, however, they can be spotted wearing white shalwar kameez and sandals and itar [domestic perfume] because they are told that they are going to heaven, Malik explained further. "This incident has no connection with the Red Mosque as that matter has been settled," Malik said. He said, buildings which were vulnerable have been secured and assured all measures have been taken to minimise suicide bombings and attacks.