Motorcycle blast in Karachi; 18 militants killed in Mohmand Agency; “Military operations grounded in FATA;” Bridge attacked in Jaffarabad; Security officer killed in Quetta; Leader of ANP’s home attacked; Oxfam: Flooding crisis in Pakistan far from over.
Blast in Karachi
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Following an attack in Lahore which left thirteen dead, a suicide bomb blast in Karachi on Tuesday has resulted in one injury and three deaths, including two policemen. An unknown assailant on a motorcycle detonated a bomb near a police checkpoint that was protecting a Shia procession in the Malir Halt area of Karachi. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.[i]
FATA
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Eighteen militants were killed in Mohmand Agency on Tuesday after Pakistani fighter jets targeted hideouts in the area. A local official, Maqsood Amin, said that “most of the militants killed during the operation belonged to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).” At least ten hideouts were destroyed in the bombing.[ii]
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A report by the Express Tribune details how resource constraints have brought many military operations to a halt in unstable areas of Pakistan. With the country’s economy ailing, aerial attacks against the Taliban have decreased in Swat, South Waziristan, and Orakzai tribal regions. Retired Lieutenant General Abdul Qayyum said, “With the government facing serious economic challenges, it is obvious the military cannot sustain its activities in the tribal areas in this situation.”[iii]
Violence in Balochistan
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Unknown militants attacked a bridge in Jaffarabad on Wednesday by planting explosive materials under the structure. Traffic on the bridge has subsequently been suspended and police are conducting an investigation into the incident.[iv]
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A female security officer and her driver were killed in Quetta on Tuesday by unidentified militants. The armed men opened fire on the vehicle, killing both on the scene. Elsewhere in Quetta, a man was kidnapped from the Jinnah Road area on Tuesday.[v]
Attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
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The leader of Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Zahid’s residence in Lower Dir was attacked on Tuesday, resulting in one death and three injuries. Senator Zahid’s brother was among the three injured. An investigation into the incident has commenced.[vi]
Floods in Pakistan
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The UK-based agency Oxfam has issued a report stating that the flooding crisis in Pakistan is far from over, and could get worse. At least 170,000 people remain in humanitarian camps, many at the risk of malnutrition and infection. However, this is a significant improvement from the seven million men and women who were rendered homeless in late July 2010. The head of the aid agency in Pakistan said, "The aid community has done a tremendous amount, but given the immense scale of this disaster we have only scratched the surface." The organization specifically warned of a potential food crisis due to crops being destroyed by the floods.[vii]