6 Pak soldiers, 6 terrorists killed in gunfight in restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province
Peshawar (PTI): Six soldiers, including an officer, and as many terrorists were killed in a gunfight in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said on Saturday.
In a statement, the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the exchange of fire took place on the night between October 4-5 at Spinwam area in North Waziristan district, bordering Afghanistan, during which six soldiers, including a Lieutenant Colonel, and "six Khwarij" were killed.
During the "intense fire exchange", 43-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Ali Shoukat, who was leading the operation against the terrorists, was killed along with five other soldiers, the statement said.
Meanwhile, the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The TTP was set up as an umbrella group of several militant outfits in 2007. Pakistan has officially declared TTP as ‘Fitna al-Khawarij’ and the notification by the Interior Ministry emphasises the use of the term ‘khariji’ (outlawed) along with the names of such terrorists.
The Pakistani government has repeatedly accused the TTP of operating from sanctuaries in Afghanistan, a claim denied by the Afghan Taliban.
There has been an uptick in the incidents of terrorism in Pakistan since the Taliban took over the government in Kabul in 2021, dashing hopes in Islamabad that a friendly government in Afghanistan would help to tackle militancy. Relations between the two countries have lately become strained, largely because of the TTP but also due to frequent border skirmishes.
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Akhilesh questions removal of NSG cover, accuses BJP govt of 'playing' with his security
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday accused the BJP government of "playing" with his security and sought an explanation for the withdrawal of the National Security Guard (NSG) cover provided to him.
In a statement issued from the SP headquarters here, the former chief minister said the government must clarify the reasons cited in his security cover review that led to the withdrawal.
"The BJP government is playing with my security. I had NSG security, but it was withdrawn. The government should have disclosed why," Yadav said, alleging that security decisions were being politicised.
Yadav also referred to the withdrawal of SPG protection for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, claiming that the BJP government had earlier removed his cover and made him vacate his official residence.
Speaking to reporters during his day-long visit to Jhansi, Yadav accused the BJP of "insulting everyone", including a Shankaracharya and students at the Magh Mela in Prayagraj.
"They pulled the 'shikha' (tuft of hair) of our 'batuks' and humiliated them. The chief minister is constantly insulting Shankaracharya. He is demanding certificates from him," Yadav said, adding that Yogi Adityanath should apologise for his actions
A "true yogi" empathises with people's suffering, he said, and alleged that the government instead celebrates bulldozing houses. He further claimed that the chief minister does not respect the Constitution and law, and cited cases mentioned in Adityanath's 2017 election affidavit to attack him.
"No other chief minister has faced as many cases as the current chief minister," the SP chief said in the statement.
