ISLAMABAD: Security forces gunned down a militant in Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal district bordering Afghanistan on Monday, as the military’s media wing, ISPR, informed in a statement he was involved in the killing of a local politician belonging to a prominent religious party.
North Waziristan served as a safe haven for militants for years until the government decided to launch massive military operations to reclaim the territory. The top militant leaders, subsequently, escaped to neighboring Afghanistan, though many of their foot soldiers melted away by mingling with the local population.
According to the ISPR, the military carried out an intelligence-based operation in Mir Ali, a small settlement in North Waziristan, in which an “intense fire exchange” took place which led to the killing of one militant.
“Weapon and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorist,” the ISPR statement said, adding that the militant was actively involved in “terrorist activities” against security forces and had killed several citizens.
“He was also involved in [the] target killing of Qari Sami in North Waziristan district,” added the statement.
Qari Samiuddin, who belonged to Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam (JUI-F) party, was ambushed in North Waziristan last month while he was going to his residence with another colleague.
The recent operation in the area was carried out a few days after the Pakistan Army rejected social media reports of heavy militant presence in the country’s northwestern Swat valley while calling them “exaggerated and misleading.”
Last week, thousands protested in two main towns of Swat to denounce violence after reports of increasing militant presence started circulating in the area.
The Pakistan Army said it would not tolerate militant activity anywhere in the region while promising “full use of force” if necessary.
Pakistan’s security forces kill militant in tribal district bordering Afghanistan
https://arab.news/9k4m4
Pakistan’s security forces kill militant in tribal district bordering Afghanistan
- The militant was involved in the killing of a local politician belonging to a prominent religious party
- The military says it carried out an intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan tribal district
Pakistan secures $3 million to protect marine biodiversity, reform fisheries
- Global Environment Facility funding will help improve monitoring of coastal and marine ecosystems
- Fisheries contribute about 1 percent to Pakistan’s GDP but are a critical livelihood source in coastal areas
KARACHI: Pakistan has secured $3 million in funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to conserve marine biodiversity and shift toward sustainable and regenerative fisheries management, Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said on Saturday.
The funding, drawn from the GEF Trust Fund, will support a project aimed at strengthening fisheries governance, reducing environmental damage and improving monitoring of coastal and marine ecosystems. Of the total amount, $1.2 million will finance biodiversity interventions, while $1.8 million will address land degradation linked to coastal and marine areas.
“Our sector faces overfishing, high post-harvest losses, and illicit practices that strain marine environments,” Chaudhry said in a statement. “With 701 boats in tuna fishing, mostly artisanal with some semi-industrial, unselective methods and poor onboard storage lead to waste and lost market opportunities.”
“Pakistan, a key player in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) and aligned with G16 like-minded coastal states, struggles with unreliable data, weak regulations, and over 70 unofficial landing sites that hinder monitoring, control and policy-making,” he added.
The minister said the program would focus on data collection, policy reform, infrastructure upgrades, capacity building and improved market access, while advancing commitments such as reducing fishing effort, expanding Marine Protected Areas and cutting bycatch.
GEF, which finances environmental initiatives under major global conventions including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), supports projects in biodiversity, climate change, international waters and land degradation.
Fisheries contribute about 1 percent to Pakistan’s GDP but are a critical source of livelihoods in coastal areas.
Chaudhry said the initiative was designed to modernize the fisheries sector, improve the livelihoods of fisherfolk and align Pakistan’s marine management practices with national and international environmental commitments.
