Friday 19 December 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Iraq clashes with IS delay evacuation of Yazidis

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BAGHDAD (AP) - An Iraqi lawmaker says sporadic clashes between Iraqi Kurdish fighters and Islamic State extremists and other logistics problems are delaying the evacuation of the last Yazidis still trapped on Sinjar mountain.Lawmaker Mahma Khalil, himself a member of Iraqs minority Yazidis, says fighting was still underway Friday near the mountain.He says that the Kurdish peshmerga fighters delivered a substantial amount of food and supplies to the thousands of Yazidis still trapped on the mountain after opening up a corridor to them on Thursday.The development was an incremental step in the battle to retake the town of Sinjar, at the foothills of the mountain by the same name, which fell to the Islamic State group in early August.

Turkey court arrests TV chief on 'terror' charges

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ISTANBUL (AFP) - A Turkish court on Friday remanded in custody the head of a national TV network and three ex-police officers on terrorism charges, in a case linked with a top foe of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that has strained EU ties.Prosecutors also asked an Istanbul court to issue an arrest warrant for Fethullah Gulen, a US-based Turkish cleric who Erdogan regards as his top enemy, also on terrorism charges.Samanyolu TV chief Hidayet Karaca was placed under arrest on charges of forming a terrorist group, after being detained with over two dozen others in weekend raids on journalists, scriptwriters and police accused of plotting to overthrow Erdogan.The court however ordered the release of Ekrem Dumanli, the editor-in-chief of the Zaman daily which has repeatedly accused Erdogan of running a corrupt regime and who was arrested in the same raids last Sunday.Both the Zaman newspaper and the STV channel are linked to Gulen, a one-time ally of Erdogan whom the Turkish strongman has now vowed to crush without mercy.Dumanli defiantly told hundreds of supporters outside the court afer his release that the press cannot be silenced, media will never succumb to intimidations.Seven other suspects in the case were ordered released by the court in Istanbul while three more -- all ex-police officers -- were also remanded in custody.- Forming a terror group -Erdogan accuses Gulen of running a parallel state and being behind sensational corruption allegations against his inner circle that broke on December 17 last year.Gulen, who is believed to have millions of followers in Turkey and runs private crammer schools around the world through his Hizmet (Service) group, has vehemently denied all the allegations against him.The prosecutors asked the court for the warrant to arrest Gulen for leading a criminal group acting against the rules and laws in media, economy and bureaucracy, the state Anatolia news agency reported.According to a copy of the request published in Turkish media, Gulen is charged with setting up and directing an armed terrorist organisation as well as using intimidation to deprive a person of their freedom.The United States has so far paid little attention to repeated requests from Turkey for Gulens extradition from his secluded compound in the state of Pennsylvania.Turkish television said that Karaca had also been charged with forming and running a terrorist organisation.The three former senior Istanbul police officers arrested -- Tufan Erguder, Ertan Ercikti and Mustafa Kilcaslan -- had been charged with membership of a terrorist organisation.Dumanli has been slapped with an exit ban from Turkey, indicating he is still set to face trial. It was not immediately clear what charges he might face.- Fictional ruling -According to Zamans website, Karaca raised his hands after the decision was announced and said: No need to be worried, God helps.Just as this is an arrest order for a fictional scenario, this is a fictional ruling.Those who made this decision will appear before the court one day, he said.His arrest is believed to be linked to a popular drama series on STV, Tek Turkiye (One Turkey), which tells the story of a doctor who goes to work in the Kurdish-majority southeast amid the armed rebellion by Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels.The European Union had condemned the arrests as running contrary to European values but Erdogan has struck back, telling the bloc to mind their own business in a row that risks badly damaging relations.The arrests have also amplified concerns about media freedoms in Turkey under Erdogan, who has dominated the country for 12 years and in August moved from the post of prime minister to president.Dumanli denounced the arrests as a theatre show and said that the authorities were seeking to cover up their scandals, sins and corruption.They detained us, but we told them that we are not afraid of being detained, being imprisoned or being hanged -- for us, it is no different from attending a wedding ceremony.Dumanli quipped that with their logic, the court could now issue an arrest warrant for Hollywood actor Robert de Niro.

North Korea behind Sony hack: FBI

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - North Korea was responsible for a destructive cyber attack on Sony Pictures, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation said Friday, warning it would hunt down the perpetrators and make them pay.The November attack prompted the movie giant to cancel the Christmas Day release of The Interview, a madcap satire about a fictional CIA plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.The anonymous hackers invoked the memory of September 11, 2001 in threatening attacks on cinemas screening the film, prompting major theater chains to say they would not screen it.In addition to the threats, Sony has seen the release of a trove of embarrassing emails, scripts and other internal communications, including information about salaries and employee health records.The FBI now has enough information to conclude that the North Korean government is responsible for these actions, the agency said in a statement.Such acts of intimidation fall outside the bounds of acceptable state behavior.The attack involves the use of malware and rendered thousands of Sony Pictures computers inoperable, forcing the company to take its entire network offline, the FBI said.We are deeply concerned about the destructive nature of this attack on a private sector entity and the ordinary citizens who worked there, the FBI said.The accusation came shortly before President Barack Obama was due to hold his last press conference of the year at 1830 GMT -- virtually ensuring that he would be asked to address it.A Sony source had told AFP that the studio also believes Pyongyang was behind the attack.We dont know, but it appears so, said the source.- Costs and consequences -============================Pyongyang has so far denied involvement in the brazen November 24 cyber attack, but nevertheless hailed it as a righteous deed.The Norths top military body, the National Defense Commission, slammed Sony for abetting a terrorist act while hurting the dignity of the supreme leadership, according to the state-run KCNA news agency.The FBI nevertheless warned the attack would not go unpunished.It said it would identify, pursue, and impose costs and consequences on individuals, groups, or nation states who use cyber means to threaten the United States or US interests.Senior Republican lawmaker John McCain -- the incoming chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee -- on Friday called the cyber attack an act of war.But the FBI statement appeared to indicate the US government was treating the incident as more of a criminal act.We follow the facts and evidence wherever they lead, to identify the fingers at the keyboards that threaten our people, our companies, and our national security, said John Carlin, assistant US attorney general for national security.Identifying those responsible for these attacks is only the first step, and we will continue to do our part to protect and defend our nation from the asymmetric threats posed through cyberspace.Free speech advocates and foreign policy hawks slammed Sonys decision to pull The Interview as cowardice in the face of a hidden enemy.McCain said it set a troubling precedent that will only empower and embolden bad actors to use cyber as an offensive weapon even more aggressively in the future.But Sony defended its decision, saying the safety of theater patrons was at risk.This was a terrorist act, and you dont take that lightly, the company source said. This is much bigger than us ... its a whole new world, now warfare is on the cyber level.

Turkish court acquits dissident sociologist over 1998 blast

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ANKARA (AFP) - A Turkish court on Friday acquitted Turkish dissident sociologist Pinar Selek, who has taken refuge in France, over a 1998 explosion that killed seven people, the official Anatolia news agency reported.The ruling -- delivered by a high criminal court in Istanbul -- came at a hearing on Seleks retrial, after a life sentence for her alleged involvement in the deadly explosion was overturned this year, according to Anatolia.The 43-year-old Selek, known for her critical studies of the Kurdish conflict in Turkey and her work with street children, was accused of bombing a spice market popular among tourists in Istanbul.Selek, then 27, was arrested and jailed on charges of involvement in the explosion after she refused to give police the names of rebels she had met during her research.After 16 years of judicial obstinacy, todays trial allowed Pinar Seleks lawyers to emphasise all day the absurdity and arbitrariness of the procedure, her supporters said in a statement from France.One by one, they pointed out the false evidence that allowed the creation of a fictitious history of the blast to silence Pinar Selek and prevent her from continuing her sociological work among oppressed social groups, they added.Selek was freed in 2000 after the publication of a report blaming the explosion on a gas leak.The latest verdict marked her fourth acquittal by Turkish courts. The previous acquittals were based on the primary witnesss retraction of his testimony and a lack of evidence that the blast was a bomb attack.

Pakistani rupee only currency to gain 10pc or more in 2014

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LONDON: (Dunya News) – Pakistani rupee was the only currency to have gained 10 percent or more during 2013-14, according to a British newspaper. British pounds gained against 42 currencies of the world. Out of 74 currencies, pound remained stronger 10 percent stronger to 10 currencies.However, Pakistani rupee was the only currency of the world to have gained 10 percent or more against pound sterling during the last year. Pakistani currency rose by 10.4 percent while Indian rupee strengthened by 5 percent.On the other hand, United States dollar could only gain 4.3 percent against pound sterling.During last one year, Ukraine’s currency suffered the most. It went down by 77 percent compared to British pound while Russian rouble lost its value by 50 percent.

Nigeria says reports of latest Islamist kidnap unverified

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LAGOS (AFP) - Nigerias military on Friday confirmed a deadly attack by Boko Haram in the northeast village of Gumsuri but said reports of a mass kidnapping needed to be verified.Troops are patrolling the general area of Gumsuri in search of terrorists, a statement from defence ministry spokesman Chris Olukolade said.Although it has been confirmed that some people were killed by the terrorists during the attack, the reported abductions as claimed by unidentified sources being quoted in some foreign media is yet to be verified from any credible sources in the community, he added.At least 32 people were killed in the attack that began late Sunday and at least 185 others, mostly women and children, were kidnapped, witnesses and local officials said.The attack recalled the mass abductions in the nearby town of Chibok in April, when more than 200 girls were seized by the Islamists in a raid on a school.Days after the Chibok abductions, Olukolade said all but eight of the girls had been rescued by troops, a claim he was forced to retract the next day.Of the 276 girls seized from the school, 219 are still missing, despite government claims in October that a deal for their release had agreed with alleged Boko Haram negotiators.Troops have been ordered to sustain an aggressive patrol over the area and the surrounding communities in order to ensure that terrorists do not have any freedom of action in the area while the counter-terrorism campaign continues, the statement further said.Details of the attack took four days to emerge because the mobile phone network in the area has completely collapsed and many of the roads are impassable due to Boko Harams strength in the region.Gumsuri falls in Borno state, the epicentre of Boko Harams five-year uprising, which has killed more than 13,000 people.The insurgents control large parts of the state, but the military has vowed to retake all lost territory.

Sri Lanka opposition vows to withdraw casino tax breaks

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COLOMBO (AFP) - Sri Lankas main opposition said Friday it would withdraw generous tax concessions for controversial foreign-funded resorts aiming to make Colombo a gambling hotspot in South Asia if it wins next months elections.President Mahinda Rajapakses government is facing an unexpectedly tough challenge in the national elections from Maithripala Sirisena, who has united opposition forces.In his manifesto unveiled Friday, Sirisena said the special tax status granted to three planned casino resorts would be withdrawn -- a promise that targets the Buddhist vote bank in an attempt to erode Rajapakses rural support base.I will withdraw the concessions given to the casino projects, he said in his manifesto which also vowed to launch a major offensive against narcotics.Sri Lankas influential Buddhist clergy had opposed allowing three casino resorts, including one with investments from Australias gambling mogul James Packer.But Colombo gave them tax holidays in December 2013.Then in April, the government said they will not issue casino licences to the three mega resorts, yet made it clear that existing local gambling operations could move into them.The palm-fringed island nation legalised casinos in December 2010, but the legislation has never been implemented.Tourism suffered during the decades-long combat with separatist Tamil Tiger rebels. But with the end of fighting in 2009, the hospitality trade has grown steadily and the authorities had banked on casinos to lift the industry.None of the proposed gambling resorts have opened in Colombo yet, but several local casinos have been in operation for decades, exploiting legal loopholes.Packers proposed 450-room Crown Sri Lanka resort -- which once promised on its website to offer world-class gaming facilities -- is yet to begin construction.The other two resorts are a $650-million development from local conglomerate John Keells Holdings and a $300-million project by local businessman Dhammika Perera.The countrys main party of Buddhist monks is backing Sirisena who defected from the government last month to challenge Rajapakse at the January 8 presidential election.Rajapakse was expected to glide easily to a third term. But Sirisena, who served as health minister in his cabinet, is proving to be a tough opponent.

Lahore: Police arrests 13 suspects

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – The police and the security agencies on Friday have arrested as many as 13 people after conducting search operations in different areas.The security agencies conducted search operations in areas including Shahdara, Nolakha, Raiwind and Bund Road.At least 13 people who were unable to provide their identity details have been arrested on the spot.According to the sources, the people who have been arrested belong to Mohmand Agency whereas some are affiliated to banned organisations.According to the police, they also have found some important documents from the possession of the arrested people.

Faisalabad: Arshad, Dr Usman hanged until death

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FAISALABAD (Dunya News) – As many as two terrorists, Arshad and Aqeel alias Dr Usman who were awaiting capital punishment have been hanged and pronounced dead in the District Jail.According to the details, both terrorists were shifted to the District Jail from the Central Jail for the death penalty.Arshad was convicted in the case regarding attack on former president Pervez Musharraf while Usman was involved in the attack on the Pakistan ArmysGeneral Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi in 2009.Earlier, the doctors had completed the medical check-ups of terrorists.Reportedly, the final words of both the militants were also recorded.Furthermore, the doctors had issued the medical certificates of both Usman and Arshad.The Pakistan Army took charge of the Central Jail and shooters were deployed on the rooftops.The relatives of Usman and Arshad have also had their final meetings with them.Moreover, Police and Elite Force contingents were increased on the roads that lead to the District Jail from the Central Jail.A motorcade of as many as 30 vehicles of both the Pakistan Army and Elite Force came to transfer terrorists to the District Jail.Arshad and Usman were in two armored vehicles with as many as 14 security forces vehicles ahead and behind them.

Mozambique decriminalises abortion to stem maternal deaths

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MAPUTO (AFP) - Mozambique has passed a law permitting women to terminate unwanted pregnancies under specified conditions without risking punishment, a move hailed by activists in a country where clandestine abortions account for a large number of maternal deaths.President Armando Guebuza on Thursday quietly signed into law a revised penal code bill that eases prohibitions in abortion regulations.The new law specifies that abortions will have to be carried out in recognised and designated health centres by qualified practitioners.Termination must be carried out within the first 12 weeks but in case of rape, the period is extended to 16 weeks.It will also be allowed when the pregnancy poses a serious risk to the health or life of the mother or in case of foetal abnormality.In Mozambique, the earlier law outlawing abortion, except in cases where the mothers life or health is endangered, dates to the late 19th century, when the mainly Catholic Portuguese controlled the country. The other major creed in Mozambique is Islam, a faith which also does not support abortion.The reform came after a decade of spirited lobbying by reproductive health advocates in Mozambique, where clandestine abortions are one of the leading causes of deaths among pregnant women and girls.Abortion accounts for 11 percent of maternal deaths in Mozambique, according to health watchdogs.The move is a victory for women, because its not so restrictive anymore, said Ivone Zilhao a Maputo-based sexual and reproductive health doctor with Pathfinder, an international NGO that promotes safe and legal abortion services.Many African countries have strict laws that prohibit abortion, leaving many women to resort to resort to secret and unsafe methods of termination.Cape Verde, South Africa and Tunisia are the few countries that allow for therapeutic abortion.The World Health Organization estimates that one in every five pregnancies worldwide ends in induced abortion and that around 47,000 women die due to complications linked to unsafe abortion.

Karachi: Altaf Hussain urges arrest of Moulana Abdul Aziz

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain on Friday has urged the Pakistan Army to arrest Moulana Abdul Aziz for sympathising with Taliban after the Peshawar attack and shutting down of Jamia Hafsa (Madrassa adjacent to Lal Masjid in Islamabad).He expressed these views while addressing the participants of the a rally in remembrance of the Peshawar attack martyrs via telephone.He condemned the Peshawar attack saying that Taliban are responsible for the bloodshed of innocent children and members of the Army Public School faculty.He said that today the rally is about national unity and they would talk about historic facts.He salutes the martyrs of the Peshawar attack and that the blood of the martyrs have united the nation, he added.MQM chief said that they would rather give up their life but to spare barbarians who are responsible for the attack on the school.He also said that he could only imagine what the families of the martyrs would be feeling after the incident.On the occasion, the participants raised slogans against Taliban and other banned outfits.He stressed the end to terrorism and all the banned outfits in order to restore peace and stability in the country.Hussain said that the Operation Zarb-e-Azb of the Pakistan Army must continue until killing of the very last terrorist.Islam is a religion of peace and stability and the crux of which is brotherhood, Hussain added.He posed a question to all that whether they would call Taliban who killed innocent children muslims? Adding that there is no way such barbarians are muslims.It is a developing story and will be updated shortly

Islamabad: Govt, PTI confident of finding common grounds during talks

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The negotiations teams of both the government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday has said that they would soon find common grounds regarding thematter of the establishment of judicial commission.The second meeting of the talks between PTI and the government was held at the resident of PTI member Jahangir Tareen.The meeting discussed different points regarding the establishment of judicial commission and constitutional protection.Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, while talking to the media said that the issues are likely to be resolved soon and that it is expected that the matter of the establishment of judicial commission would be settled in the next sitting.He said that the participation of PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) in the National Action Plan Committee is admirable.He further urged PTI leadership to sit in the Parliament to bring electoral reforms.PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the next sitting of the negotiations teams might bring a good news for the people of the country as there was a positive development reagrding the Terms of Reference (ToRs) in the meeting.However, PTI Secretary General Jahangir Tareen has made it clear once again that PTI’s decision regarding whether they would return to the Parliament or not depends upon establishment of judicial commission.The next meeting between both the sides is scheduled on December 22 (Monday).

India tables 'biggest tax reform' since independence

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NEW DELHI (AFP) - Indias government introduced legislation Friday billed as the biggest tax reform since independence, with analysts hailing it as a game changer that would cut the cost of doing business and boost economic growth.The long-awaited goods-and-services tax (GST) would eliminate a slew of levies currently in place to create a single internal market.One of various reforms undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modis government, the GST would swell public coffers by broadening the tax base, economists say.Finance Minister Arun Jaitley called the GST the single biggest tax reform since independence of the country from Britain more than six decades ago.We will formally take it (the GST) up in the next session which begins in February, Jaitley told parliaments upper house as the bill was introduced in the lower house.It is like creating internal trade liberalisation, Jaitley said.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which won a crushing election mandate in May under leader Narendra Modi, aims to have the reform take effect from April 1, 2016.Jaitley said his party had succeeded in getting Indias 29 states to agree to the GST where the previous left-leaning Congress government failed.He described the indirect tax as a win-win situation for both levels of government.Jaitley reassured Indias states the government would give a constitutional assurance in terms of compensating them for any loss of revenue from the tax change.The GST would end Indias patchwork of taxes under which each state has used its powers under the constitution to tax different commodities at different rates, levelling the competitive playing field.But creating a uniform tax structure is one of the most complicated reforms to achieve.Enacting the GST requires a constitutional amendment involving consent of a majority of Indias states -- some of which had objected to ceding their right to levy taxes -- as well as approval by a two-thirds majority in both houses.While the BJP holds a commanding lead in the lower house, it is still in a minority in the upper house. Jaitley said he did not expect legislators to hold back the GST now that he had the states on board.Modi had opposed the indirect tax during his dozen years in power as chief minister of western Gujarat state.But mindful of the need to close Indias budget deficit and bolster a struggling economy, Modis national government has put its weight behind the plan.

Pakistan on verge of losing series to New Zealand in UAE

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ABU DHABI: (Web Desk) – Pakistan has lost 7 wickets for 180 already while the target is still 102 runs ahead. While the skipper Shahid Afridi is still at the crease, he has only Anwar Ali to have hopes in. Afridi himself has to stop himself from falling prey to bowlers’ tempting deliveries.Earlier, Ahmed Shehzad lost his wicket unnecessarily after scoring 54 runs off 81 balls. Haris Sohail played really well for his 65 off 74 but with ever-rising required run rate, he failed to keep his cool and gave his wicket away while trying to cut a Yorker. His off-stump was knocked over by McClenaghan. He had hit 5 boundaries and a six in his innings.Umar Akmal had already lost his wicket while trying to clear the mid-wicket fielder inside the circle. He was unable to do so however and got caught by Martin Guptill who was waiting for the silly mistake.Sarfraz seemed to have understood the pitch but after scoring 26 runs off 24 balls with the help of 2 boundaries, he too nicked a ball to the wicket-keeper.Shahid Afridi (1) and anwar Ali (5) are still at the crease.Earlier:Pakistan troubled as long chase starts in final ODI.Nasir Jamshed gone for duck, Younis Khan (12), Asad Shafiq (7) were of no help to home side’s cause.Pakistan has lost three early wickets while chasing the 276-run target in the fifth and final ODI of the series. Ahmed Shehzad has been the only hurdle in New Zealand’s way so far with 26 runs off 49 balls.Nasir Jamshed was the first to go and that was the fifth ball of the innings. He went without troubling the scorer at all. Younis Khan was the next to go. He scored 12 runs off 25 balls. Trying to steer a chest-height delivery towards fine leg, Younis Khan only managed to glove it to the keeper, who made no mistake taking the simple catch.Asad Shafiq failed yet again. He could only manage 7 runs off the 13 balls that he faced before getting LBW off Devcich’s bowling.Earlier:New Zealand sets 276-run target for Pakistan in final ODI.Ross Taylor (88)*, Kane Williamson (97) batted brilliantly to take Kiwis to this compatible total.New Zealand has scored 275 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in their allotted 50 overs and have set a compatible target for chase-weary Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in the fifth and final One-Day International (ODI) between the two teams on Friday.Kane Williamson batted exceptionally well for his 97 off 119 balls with the help of 8 boundaries. He was the one who had set the tone for this total and Ross Taylor, along with Luke Ronchi and Tom Latham, took the total to a respectable total.Taylor scored unbeaten 88 off 95 balls with the help of 5 boundaries and a six. Ronchi scored 16 off 12 and Latham remained not out scoring 22 off just 14 balls. Opener Martin Guptill was the only one to have given up early. He scored 8 runs only off 9 balls and was taken out by Mohammad Irfan.Mohammad Irfan took 2 wickets while Zulfiqar Babar and Shahid Afridi secured 1 each.

Islamabad: CJ calls meeting of high courts' CJs

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Chief Justice (CJ) of Pakistan on Friday has called a meeting of the chief justices of four high courts and monitoring judges of the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on December 24 for an early hearing of the terrorism cases.According to the details, CJ Nasirul Mulk ordered submission of the details of all the terrorism cases in the ATCs countrywide.He has called this meeting on December 24 to get these cases end as soon as possible after holding hearing of these cases.The meeting would come up with a strategy to finish the pending cases earlier then they were supposed to be.On the other hand, the Administrative Judge of the ATCs has written a letter to the Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) urging him to increase the security of the judges who are holding hearings of terrorists’ cases.The cases awaiting judgements include, attack on Sri Lankan cricket team, suicide attacks on rescue 15 office, Model Town and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
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