STORY 1:
http://www.dawn.com/2005/12/24/nat4.htm
Telecom link disrupted
QUETTA, Dec 23: Telecommunication links between Quetta and other parts of Balochistan and the rest of the country remained cut off for several hours after the optic fibre line near Dera Murad Jamali was damaged on Friday. According to official sources, the line was also damaged near Qila Saifullah. “It was an accident and not a subversive act,” PTCL officials said while confirming the damage to the optic fibre line.The sources said that labourers were digging land near Dera Murad Jamali for installing weight machine for a rice mills at around 4.30 pm when the optic fibre line was damaged, causing the snapping of the telecommunication links between Balochistan and the NWFP and Punjab and major parts of Sindh.
“Only Karachi, Hyderabad and some other areas of Sindh remained connected with Quetta and other cities of Balochistan. PTCL sources said adding that the line was also damaged near Qila Saifullah where a road was under construction.Engineers and technical staff were immediately sent to repair the line. “The telecommunication line would be restored by late night as work is in progress,” Mohammad Shafi, director of optic fibre for Balochistan said. He said that an FIR had been lodged against owners of the rice mill for damaging the line.
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STORY 2 :
Military action in Kohlu condemned
http://www.dawn.com/2005/12/24/nat11.htm
QUETTA, Dec 23: Protest meetings were held in Quetta and other areas of the province on Friday against military action in Kohlu, the reported siege of Dera Bugti and the government’s plan to build the Kalabagh dam. The protesters vowed to continue their struggle for the rights of oppressed nationalities.A meeting held here adopted a number of resolutions, condemning the bombardment of Kohlu, siege of Dera Bugti, construction of the Kalabagh dam and greater Thar canal, merger of levies force into police, arrests of political activists and occupation of tribal land in the suburbs of the provincial capital by the army and air force.
Leaders of the People’s Party Parliamentarians, the Balochistan National Party (Mengal), Jamhoori Watan Party, Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Awami National Party, National Party, Baloch Haq Tawar, Hazara Democratic Party, Tehrik-i-Insaf and Baloch Students’ Organization (Alliance) addressed the meeting and said that people of smaller provinces would not surrender their rights.They warned that the military action in Baloch areas and construction of the controversial dam would harm the federation.They said that if the rulers sincerely wanted to protect the unity of the nation, they would have to give up unilateral decisions on vital political issues.The speakers urged traders, transporters and the general public to observe a wheel-jam strike in the province on Tuesday in protest against the military operation in Kohlu and the Kalabagh dam project.Protest meetings were also held in Sibi, Dera Bugti, Nushki, Kalat, Khuzdar, Hub and Makran.
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http://www.dawn.com/2005/12/24/top3.htm
STORY 3:
ARD seeks West’s help on Balochistan
ISLAMABAD, Dec 23: The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) has appealed to “Western democratic forces” to stop the Pakistan government from carrying on its military operation in Balochistan.A resolution adopted by the leaders of the alliance in a meeting here on Friday said: “The ARD appeals to the Western democratic forces to support the oppressed people instead of dictators, endorse the views of the ARD and other democratic forces and stop the (Pakistan) government from using force to suppress the fundamental and human rights of the people of Balochistan.”The meeting, which was presided over by ARD chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim, announced that the alliance would hold another meeting on Dec 29 followed by a protest demonstration outside the Parliament House to condemn the killing of innocent people in Balochistan during the ongoing military operation.
Prominent among those who attended the meeting were ARD secretary general Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, vice-president Tehmina Daultana, information secretary Syed Zafar Ali Shah, PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, Sardar Yaqoob Nasir (PML-N), Malik Hakmin Khan (PPP) and Syed Nayyar Bokhari (PPP).Talking to Dawn, Mr Jhagra said the ARD had also decided to arrange an all parties conference (APC) on the Balochistan issue. The time and venue would be finalized in the next meeting.Meanwhile, the ARD leaders through the resolution condemned the ongoing military operation in Kohlu and termed it a threat to national security and the country’s integrity. “The ARD believes that the use of force against own people in Balochistan is taking the country towards the East Pakistan-like situation,” said the resolution.
It said that “so far over 200 innocent people, including women, children and the elderly, had been killed and several others injured in the military operation in Balochistan.”It said that on the one hand, “Pakistan had started bus services with India as part of confidence building measures (CBMs) and on the other hand, tanks, cannons and fighter planes were being sent to Balochistan to kill innocent people.”Online adds: The ARD failed to brief media-persons on its perspective regarding the Kalabagh dam and some other important issues because of internal differences.According to sources, two major parties in the alliance – PPPP and PML-N — have divergent views on the Kalabagh dam issue.
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STORY 4:
2 rocket blasts in Quetta
http://www.dawn.com/2005/12/22/top11.htm
QUETTA, Dec 21: Quetta was rocked on Wednesday night by two rockets, which exploded in different areas of the city. “No causality or loss of property occurred in the rocket attacks,” police sources said.
The sources said the first rocket, fired at around 9.35pm, exploded in an open area on the Sirki Road causing panic in the area. The other rocket, fired about half and hour later, exploded at a place in the cantonment area. Meanwhile, reports recovered from Harnai said that two powerful explosions took place near the railway station but caused no damage.