LAST 24 HOURS
BRAZEN ATTACKS IN PAKISTAN – Over the past several days, various militant groups have launched a series of large-scale offensives against Pakistani Police and Military installations. Yesterday in a pre-dawn raid, a sizable group of militants attacked a military airfield in Mianwali. The attackers succeeded in damaging at least 3 aircraft and the Army said it had killed a total of 9 terrorists during the clash. The attack was reputedly carried out by the newly formed terrorist group, Tehreet-e-Jihad Pakistan. The latest attack comes after two others this week that killed a number of Pakistani Army soldiers. While there has been no official confirmation that these terrorist groups are coordinating their operations, there are many indicators that this is taking place at some level.
PAKISTAN SUSPENDS 3 POLICE OFFICIALS FOR FAILING TO RETURN AFGHAN REFUGEE’S PROPERTY – The Police Inspector General, Akbar Nasir Khan, chose to suspend 3 police officers after a complaint had been lodged against the police in the Shalimar Police Station. Refugees who were being deported claimed that police had taken their luggage and would not return it. The suspensions affected the senior leadership of the police station and an investigation was launched to determine if the station had been engaged in confiscating property of others who may have been deported. Multiple reports of Pakistani police confiscating property and taking money from the deportees have been made since the operation began but this case appears to be the first (at least, the first public one) where the Government took action against state employees.
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH SAYS THE US EMBASSY IN ISLAMABAD CONFIRMS THAT SOME AFGHAN REFUGEES HAVE BEEN EXEMPTED FROM DEPORTATION – In a letter purportedly from the Interior Ministry, the US Embassy had requested exemptions for approximately 1,150 Afghan nationals it said have active pending cases for resettlement. If accurate, the number represents only a small portion of those who say they expect to immigrate to the US and raises several questions about how many pending Special Immigrant visas and P1/P2 visas the US intends to honor.
NEXT 24 HOURS
PAKISTAN DEPORTATION OPERATIONS TO CONTINUE - NO CHANGE TO THREAT LEVEL
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
Iran reportedly executed 2 Afghan nationals on charges of narcotics trafficking.
Several remembrances were held across Iran to mark the 44th anniversary of the Iranian takeover of the US Embassy in 1979.
Iran’s Supreme Leader commented on the anti-Israeli protests in the United States and claimed that majorities in the US are opposed to Israel.
PAKISTAN
The Islamabad High Court announced it would hear former Prime Minister Khan’s bail plea in the Toshakana corruption case on 7 November.
Elders in Lower Kohistan ask police to bar women NGO workers from fulfilling their duties in the region. A spokesman for the Ulema said that they could not support un-Islamic activities.
PTI party leaders seized on the recent spate of terror attacks to call for elections to be held sooner in order to develop a national counter-terrorism strategy that would be more effective.
SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS
What is Driving Pakistan’s Decision to Deport Illegal Migrants?
By Umair Jamal - The Diplomat
The repatriation process has been carried out after extensive deliberations involving civil and military stakeholders at all levels. The goal behind this decision is to ensure the long-term stability of the country and address the challenges posed by a large number of undocumented immigrants. Pakistan wants to eliminate any policy ambiguity that may have existed in the past regarding visas and establish an appropriate and globally recognized immigration system.
AFGHAN NEWS
AWCC provides free internet and telecommunication services for Afghan returnees at crossings
By Ariana News
As Pakistani authorities are forcibly expelling Afghan refugees, Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC) has provided free telecommunication and internet services for returnees by…
Exam Given For Govt Oil and Gas Jobs, Another for Night School Faculty
By Naweed Samadi - TOLO News
The National Examination Authority announced examinations will be held for candidates applying to vacant positions of the Oil and Gas Company of the…
Afghan girl’s hope for progress amid challenges
By Fidel Rahmati - Khaama Press
Despite the problems of insecurity and corruption in Afghanistan during the later years of the Republic system, some people think there was still a basis for…
Workers Attempt to Finish Salang Pass Repair Before Winter
By TOLO News
The local officials of Parwan have told TOLOnews that the work inside the Salang tunnels is going on intensively and efforts are being made to…
REGIONAL NEWS
Militants Raid Pakistani Air Force Base After Killing 17 Soldiers Elsewhere
By Ayaz Gul - VOA
Pakistan’s military said Saturday a predawn militant raid on an air force training base in the central city of Mianwali damaged three aircraft, a day after…
No arrests of undocumented Afghans made in KP
By Javed Aziz Khan - GEO News
No arrests of illegal foreigners have been made from any part of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after the deadline for them to leave Pakistan expired on…
Mullah Baradar Leads Delegation of Islamic Emirate to Iran
By Habib Rahman Qooyash - TOLO News
According to the statement of the Deputy of the Prime Minister's Office, in addition to meeting with Iranian officials, the delegation will also discuss bilateral relations, trade, transit, increasing…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Resettling Afghans Facing Expulsion From Pakistan Poses Challenge for UNHCR
By Sarah Zaman - VOA
Nearly half a million Afghans have approached the UNHCR office in Pakistan for resettlement since the fall of Kabul to the Taliban; the agency can…
THE DAILY WTF
By Richard Marsden & Lynne O’Donnell - Daily Mail
From a nearby cell, Kevin Cornwell heard the unerasable screams of a fellow prisoner being tortured with electrodes by…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 73.45 AFN (as of 4 NOV 2023)