Police officers clear the way for ambulances leaving after carrying the wounded people from the bomb explosion site in Peshawar. AP/PTI https://cdn.vuukle.com/widgets/audio.html?version=1.0.4 Advertisement
A powerful suicide blast ripped through a mosque during afternoon prayers on Monday in the high-security zone in Peshawar city in Pakistan, killing at least 25 people and wounding 120 others, mostly policemen, security and health officials said.
The blast occurred in the mosque in the Police Lines area around 1.40 pm when a suicide bomber present in the front row during the Zuhr (afternoon) prayers blew himself up, security officials said.
Deputy Commissioner Shafiullah Khan told the media that 25 people were killed and 120 others injured in the powerful blast.
There were mostly policemen among the injured, said the eyewitness.
No militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, known as the Pakistan Taliban, has carried out a number of suicide attacks in the past, targeting security personnel.
Superintendent of Police (Investigation), Peshawar, Shazad Kaukab, whose office is close to the mosque, told the media that the blast occurred when he just entered the mosque to offer prayers. He said he luckily survived the attack.
The bomber entered the highly secured mosque inside police lines where four layers of security were in place to enter the mosque
A police official said that a portion of the mosque collapsed and several people were believed to be under it.
The injured are being shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, he said.
Hospital sources said 13 of those injured were in a critical condition.
An emergency has been declared in the hospitals of Peshawar. The hospital has appealed citizens to donate blood for the victims.
Security has been beefed up in other major cities, including Islamabad, after the Peshawar blast.
Caretaker Chief Minister Azam Khan condemned the attack and offered condolences to the bereaved families.
Former prime minister Imran Khan strongly condemned the terrorist attack in the mosque.
“My prayers and condolences go to victims’ families. It is imperative we improve our intelligence gathering & properly equip our police forces to combat the growing threat of terrorism,” the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf tweeted.
Last year, a similar attack inside a Shia mosque in the Kocha Risaldar area in the city killed 63 people.
Military Literature Fest 28 Jan2023 :newspaper coverage
he second day of the Military Literature Festival in Patiala witnessed a motorcycle rally, screening of a documentary on military history and display of weapons of the Indian Army. Tribune photo https://cdn.vuukle.com/widgets/audio.html?version=1.0.4 Advertisement
The second day of the Military Literature Festival in Patiala witnessed a motorcycle rally, screening of a documentary on military history and display of weapons of the Indian Army.
Major General Puneet Ahuja, General Officer Commanding of Black Elephant Division of the Indian Army; Lieutenant General TS Shergill (retd), Chairman, Military Literature Festival Association; Lieutenant General Chetinder Singh (retd) and Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney along with other dignitaries paid tributes to the martyrs at the Cenotaph War Memorial.
The same was followed by a motorcycle rally by Bravehearts Ride which completed a 26-km circuit in the city and ended the rally at the Military Literature Festival at Khalsa College.
The DC said the rally was held to pay tribute to the martyred soldiers in the 75 years of Independence. “It is also to inspire the youth to lead a disciplined and safe future, free from drugs,” she added.
A UK resident, Manpratap Singh Deo, on a special invitation, visited the Artillery Centre, Hyderabad, on Friday. https://cdn.vuukle.com/widgets/audio.html?version=1.0.4 Advertisement
Chandigarh: A UK resident, Manpratap Singh Deo, on a special invitation, visited the Artillery Centre, Hyderabad, on Friday. The centre during its diamond jubilee celebrations, installed the statue of his father Brig Gurpartap Singh, who was the first Colonel of this centre. Brig Gurpartap Singh, area commander of Chandigarh before the Western Command came up at Chandimandir fought Japanese in Burma during the World War II.
Who is calling the shots?
Chandigarh: Getting record of LED streetlights purchased during the Congress government’s tenure has become a daunting task for the Vigilance Bureau (VB). Out to probe a complaint alleging wrongdoings in the LED streetlights purchase, the VB has failed to get record from the Local Government Department, despite repeated reminders. Despite AAP being at the helm of affairs, the big question is who is calling the shots?
Retired cop in a spot
Amritsar: A cop, whose services were recognised during the Covid-19 pandemic, found himself in a black spot after he and his son were booked twice for thrashing a family. Even after retirement, he carried on with his social work and posted his photos on social media to grab attention. The victims claimed that the duo was accompanied by miscreants.
Guess work on bypoll candidate
Jalandhar: As the Jalandhar parliamentary constituency (reserved) has fallen vacant after the demise of Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary, a question everyone is asking is as to whom the AAP will field in the bypoll. Since there is no prominent Dalit face in the party from the district, it is everyone’s guess that AAP will bring a prominent face from another party. With the return of former Akali Dal CPS Pawan Tinu from abroad, the buzz is that he could join the AAP. The basis for such report is that the SAD and the BSP are in an alliance and the latter will clearly oppose him as Akali nominee. Tinu had to go on Facebook to clarify that he wasn’t going anywhere.
A touching gesture
Muktsar: Traders of Malout have set an example for others by helping a shopkeeper Tarsem Lal, who was robbed of Rs 50,000 on December 31. An unidentified person had looted money from his shop in the main bazaar. Later, traders collected Rs 40,000 to help Lal. Two other organisations also gave him of Rs 5,000 each. The initiative was appreciated by everyone.
What a capture by Chandigarh’s Photo Journalist Sanjay Ghildiyal
The West thinks it has no way out after sinking huge amounts of money. Its war fever is bringing it closer to a nuclear confrontation with Russia. In the event of a catastrophe, everyone will pretend to be blameless. A conflagration similar to the Hiroshima-Nagasaki bombings will sink for decades a huge chunk of the world’s food and energy supplies. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has warned NATO that Moscow’s defeat in Ukraine could trigger a nuclear war.
Sandeep Dikshit
Deputy Editor
Atomic scientists, including 13 Nobel laureates, last week set the ‘Doomsday Clock’ closer to midnight than ever before. The clock shows how close humanity is to annihilation. The world was farthest from doomsday in 1991 when the Cold War ended. The clock was then 17 minutes to midnight.
Since then, as hostilities all over the world inched up, the clock was at 100 seconds to midnight since 2020, which too was uncomfortably close. Now, at 90 seconds to midnight — the theoretical point of annihilation — the clock’s creators, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, say threats of a nuclear war, disease and climate volatility have formed a combustible combination that could leave the world in acute misery, if not ruins, for decades.
What changed last week to move the clock closer to doomsday? Russia is unwilling to give up the territories it captured in Ukraine; its back is up after decades of the US deliberately avoiding diplomacy and trying to bottle it up through an acquiescent proxy in Ukraine. Moscow is convinced that the current crop of ‘globalists’ in the White House can only be checkmated by securing the Black Sea and neutralising its cat’s paw in Kyiv forever.
On the other hand, the ‘destroy Russia forever’ policy is immutable for the US, the UK, Poland and the Baltic nations — all countries that have been hostile to Moscow for centuries and have sent or funded armies in the past to bring down Russia.
What has changed is that the West thinks it has no way out after sinking huge money — $15 billion alone from the US to pay salaries in Ukraine — and its war fever is now acquiring an uncontrollable hue that is bringing it closer to a nuclear confrontation with Russia. US President Joe Biden’s statements just 10 months apart illustrate how the West could be sleepwalking away from its alleged blueprint of waging a contained war in Ukraine.
In March last year, Biden said in Pennsylvania that “the idea that we’re going to send in offensive equipment and have planes, tanks and trains going in with American pilots and American crews, just understand, don’t kid yourself, no matter what you all say, that’s called World War III.”
However, by the end of last year, the Pentagon shipped the advanced anti-tank Javelin missiles to Ukraine. After they were unable to help Ukraine turn the tide, the supply of offensive equipment was upgraded to HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System), the sophisticated multiple-rocket launcher, both of them incidentally manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
The White House globalists have now sleepwalked to tanks and fighter aircraft even as the mask slipped off one of their flock in Germany. “We are fighting a war against Russia,” said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her address last week at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France.
Russia has reacted by terming the presence of tanks from the West ‘direct involvement’ in the war, an interpretation that is worrisome. The armoured element in the military is not purely defensive and since they will be taking back the lost land, they will be offensive in this sense.
The transfer of F-16 fighter jets will be an even pricklier proposition. It will bring right in the open NATO involvement that has been underplayed with the dispatch of mercenaries and ammunition to Ukraine. The NATO’s inevitable training of aircrew and allowing its use of airbases outside Ukraine will only confirm that Baerbock’s observation was not lapsus linguae, but a cat-out-of-the-bag moment.
While the southern end is well-known, the quieter arm of the pincer movement is in Russia’s north. Talks are at an advanced stage between Finland and Estonia to turn the Gulf of Finland into NATO’s ‘internal sea’. The integration of their coastal missile defence systems will bar the Gulf to Russian shipping heading to St Petersburg, as per Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur. The port is a crucial lifeline for Russia, accounting for one-fifth of its cargo on global commercial routes, worth $30 billion annually.
The risk-reward ratio for supplying tanks and fighter jets to Ukraine and erecting a missile mesh over the Gulf of Finland is likely to be as low as the introduction of Javelins and HIMARS. But as Biden’s statements 10 months apart indicate, the hateful emotions and the dynamics of the situation are subverting all attempts at rational calculation. Biden’s upping of the Ukrainian ante might be meant to ease the pressure of allegations of mishandling of classified documents that has ‘embarrassed’ and ‘outraged’ even his party’s Senators Richard Durbin and Debbie Stabenow. The Republicans are scenting blood and questioning his sudden rapprochement with China as the think tank where the documents were found had tried to promote closer engagement with Beijing.
The proxy war, though extremely sophisticated and encompassing diverse areas such as trade, manufacturing, technology, military and soft power, has clearly not been thought through. Apart from the fact that the more weapons that NATO sends into Ukraine to defeat Russia, the more will be its devastation, escalation also leads to a situation with unpredictable consequences.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has warned NATO that Moscow’s defeat in Ukraine could trigger a nuclear war. There are also reports of Ukraine storing donated military stockpiles in its nuclear plants. In the event of a catastrophe, everyone will pretend to be blameless. The ripple effect of ‘Little Boy’ and ‘Fat Man’, dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively, was not substantial for the world at large. A similar conflagration in Ukraine will sink for decades a huge chunk of the world’s food and energy supplies. The ball is in the court of the globalists. They can either press ahead regardless of risks in trying to defeat Russia or recalculate taking into account the minute hand on the ‘Doomsday Clock’ that is slowly inching towards the midnight mark.
Around 64 per cent turnout was witnessed in the city’s prestigious Chandigarh Golf Club (CGC) elections today. Two heavyweights — Lt Col HS Chahal (retd) and Major Rajinder Singh Virk (retd) — are vying to attain the top post.
Members queue up to cast their vote in Chandigarh on Sunday.Former Chief of Army Staff General Bikram Singh (centre), along with other members, during the elections at the golf club.
Of the total 1,800 voters, 1,150 members cast their vote to choose the new president, along with 11-member executive body, of the club.
Last year, it was a triangular contest and a total of 1,154 members cast their vote. This time, there was a neck-and-neck fight and all eyes will be on the results, excepted to be declared by tomorrow afternoon.
“The voting was peaceful and as many as 1,150 members turned up to cast their vote. This is a good turnout to choose the new president and executive members of the club,” said Dr GS Kochhar, vice-president and chairman, media and publicity, CGC.
The sidelights
Traffic chaos was witnessed outside Chandigarh Golf Club. Several vehicles were seen parked on no parking zones and the cycle track. Later, the UT Traffic Police reached the spot to manage traffic.
Apart from friends and relatives, kids also joined the contesting members in canvassing.
Due to bad weather conditions, special arrangements were made for voters. The voting was held at the restaurant. Separate queues were made for senior citizens and senior members of the clubs.
The first phase of voting witnessed long queues of members.
Politicians, professionals turn up in large numbers
Perhaps it was for the first time in the past five elections that a large number of politicians reached out to cast their votes. Apart from politicians, professional golfers, veteran Army personnel and other who’s who of Chandigarh and neighbouring states reached here. Simranjit Singh Mann, Sangrur MP; Punjab BJP leaders Kewal Singh Dhillon, Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Balbir Singh Sidhu; Preneet Kaur, wife of former Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh; Malwinder Singh, brother of Capt Amarinder Singh; Jagmohan Singh Kang, AAP leader; and other local leaders exercised their right to franchise. Former Chief of Army Staff General Bikram Singh, Arjuna Award recipient golfer Harmeet Kahlon, former Chief Justice of the Allahabad HC Justice SS Sodhi and others were among prominent names to turn up for voting today. Several bureaucrats of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh reached the venue to cast their vote.
How voters turned up in past years
In 2013, the club had witnessed a record turnout when 1,142 members cast their votes. In the last elections, as many as 1,154 members had cast their vote. As many as 31 candidates contested for the 11-member executive post. Last year, the elections were delayed for two months and were held in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2018, a total of 918 votes were polled and the elections were not held in the following years due to the pandemic outbreak. On an average, around 900 to 1,100 members turn up to cast their vote. However this year, the number increased to 1,150.
23 members in fray for 11 executive committee posts
In the last elections, Chahal (Bobby) emerged the winner after defeating Virk (Lalli) by a margin of 99 votes. Apart from the president, a total of 23 members are contesting for the 11-member executive committee of the club. Dr Agnish Rajesh, Amarinder Singh Aulakh, Brig TS Mundi, Capt GS Ghuman, Dr Satbir Singh, Sachin Bansal, Gursimran Singh Sethi, Alamgir Singh Grewal, Gursharan Singh Sandhu, Balbir Singh Mangat, Col AD Singh, Capt Mohan Bir Singh, Chitwan Mann, Mandeep Singh Kohli, Col Harpreet Singh Mann, Satwant Singh Sandhu, HCS Berry, Capt Amitpal Chahal, Shuchi Garga, Col SS Grewal, Col Karan Thandi, Shona Singh and JS Thoor were contesting for the 11-member executive committee.
Explosion amid tension with West over nuclear activity
Dubai, January 29
A loud explosion struck a military industry factory near the central Iranian city of Isfahan overnight in what Tehran said on Sunday was a drone strike by unidentified attackers.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, which came amid tension with the West over Tehran’s nuclear activity and supply of arms for Russia’s war in Ukraine, as well as months of anti-government demonstrations at home.
Iran’s foreign minister said the “cowardly” attack was aimed at creating “insecurity” in Iran. The Defence Ministry said the explosion caused only minor damage and no casualties. The extent of the damage could not be independently confirmed.
“Such actions will not impact our experts’ determination to progress in our peaceful nuclear work,” Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said.
“Around 23:30 (2000 GMT) on Saturday night, an unsuccessful attack was carried out using micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs) on one of the ministry’s workshop sites,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement carried by state TV. — Reuters
Creating insecurity
The cowardly attack is aimed at creating insecurity in Iran. Such actions will not impact our determination to progress in our peaceful nuclear work. — Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, foreign minister
Cash-strapped Pakistan’s government on Sunday raised prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 35 each, giving another jolt to the country’s inflation-stricken people.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar made the announcement on Sunday morning.
“We have decided to increase the price of petrol and diesel by Rs 35 each. The price of kerosene oil and light diesel oil has been increased by Rs 18 each,” Dar said, adding that the new prices would come into effect at 11 am on Sunday.
After the rise was announced, the price of petrol was set at Rs 249.80 per litre, high-speed diesel at Rs 262.80, kerosene oil at Rs 189.83, and light diesel oil at Rs 187 per litre.
Fahad Raud, head of equities at Ismail Iqbal Securities, commenting on the price hike said it was “in line with expectations” as he warned of more increase. “This is only a partial increase as it does not incorporate recent exchange rate depreciation. More increase to come in mid-February,” he tweeted.
The black box of Mirage 2000 and a part of the flight data recorder (FDR) of Sukhoi-30MKI jet, which had crashed in Madhya Pradesh’s Morena district, have been found in the wreckage, an official said on Sunday.
Teams of the Indian Air Force (IAF) studied and inspected a forested area of Pahargarh where the debris of the two fighter jets fell on Saturday.
The two frontline combat aircraft of the IAF crashed during a training mission in Morena, resulting in the death of a wing commander while two other pilots ejected safely.
“The black box of the Mirage aircraft has been found from the wreckage in Pahargarh area of Morena. A part of the Sukhoi aircraft’s black box has also been found and the remaining part of the recorder might have fallen in Bharatpur,” Morena Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Bagri said over the phone.
“The IAF, police and other departments are searching for the remaining part of the Sukhoi aircraft recorder,” he said. A black box, or the flight data recorder, is an electronic recording device placed in an aircraft and helps in the investigation of flight accidents. Pahargarh area police inspector Dharmendra Gour said the forested area where the wreckage fell has been cordoned off. “Even the police are not being allowed in the (cordoned off) area. Officials of IAF are present there,” he said.
Media personnel are also not allowed in the area. Gour said he was not aware when asked whether the wife of the deceased pilot might come to Pahargarh and visit the wreckage site. “The IAF is handling the matter and the area,” he added.
Defence experts have said the Russian-designed Sukhoi-30MKI jet and the French Mirage-2000 possibly had a mid-air collision, but there was no official comment on the cause of the crash from the IAF. Both the jets had taken off from the Gwalior Air Force station. The base has squadrons of both Sukhoi-30MKIs and the Mirage 2000 jets.
Morena Collector Ankit Asthana on Saturday said the debris of both aircraft fell in Pahargarh area of the district and also in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur, which borders Madhya Pradesh.
A high-level probe has been ordered into the accident, officials earlier said. While the Mirage aircraft’s pilot, identified as Wing Commander Hanumanth Rao Sarathi, was killed in the accident, the two pilots of the Sukhoi aircraft managed to eject and land. They were taken to a military hospital, they had said.
According to an aviation expert, it was the first Mirage 2000 as well as Sukhoi-30MKI that the IAF lost in a mid-air collision.
The SU-30MKI is a twin-seater combat jet, while the Mirage 2000, manufactured by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation, is a single-seater aircraft.
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ice Admiral R Hari Kumar, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
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