Punjab Timeline 2018

January 1

SECP prohibited the collection of donations by all organisations affiliated with Hafiz Saeed led JuD and that are banned by UNSC. A notification issued by the commission read that "The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan hereby prohibits all companies from donating cash to the entities and individuals listed under the UNSC sanctions committee's consolidated list". The Hafeez Saeed related prohibited outfits include FIF, LeT and JuD the charity wing of LeT. Other banned outfits include the Paasban-i-Ahle-Hadith and Pasban-i-Kashmir.

The report compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) shows that terrorists carried out 23 suicide attacks in different parts of the country in 2017, whereas 2016 and 2015 had witnessed 17 and 18 such incidents, respectively.

1,387 people, including 585 civilians, 555 militants and 247 Security Forces (SFs) personnel, were killed and 1,965 people, including 1,580 civilians, were injured in militancy-related incidents, including militant attacks and SFs actions. Militants carried out at least 420 attacks in which 912 people, including 584 civilians, 225 SFs personnel and 103 militants, were killed and 1,877 injured. SFs conducted 522 operations in which left 475 people, including 452 militants and 22 SFs personnel, dead and 88 people injured. SFs also arrested 1,760 suspected militants during 2017.

The year 2017 saw the highest number of militant attacks in Balochistan where 183 militant attacks took place in which 308 people, including 208 civilians and 84 SFs personnel, were killed and 572 people suffered injuries. The province remained target of a variety of militant groups, including sub-nationalist militants, sectarian and international militant groups. Overall 43pc of the total militant attacks in the country were recorded in Balochistan and 10 out of 23 suicide attacks (43pc) took place in the province. SFs conducted 134 operations against militants in Balochistan in which 112 militants were killed and 657 arrested.

102 militant attacks were recorded in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in which 339 people, including 206 civilians, 65 SFs and 68 militants, were killed and 858 people, including 629 civilians, suffered injuries. As many as 58 security operations were reported from FATA in which 84 militants and five SFs were killed. SFs also arrested at least 79 suspects from FATA.

SFs conducted at least four actions in Azad Kashmir in which 12 suspected militants were arrested. Fourteen suspected militants were arrested from Gilgit-Baltistan region in two Sfs actions while four suspects were arrested in three actions in Islamabad.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) witnessed significant improvement in security situation as all indicators saw negative trends. There was 40pc decline in the number of militant attacks and 47pc decline in the number of deaths in the province. A total of 75 militant attacks were recorded in KP in which 92 people, including 43 civilians, 34 SFs personnel and 15 militants, were killed while 175 people, including 136 civilians, were injured. KP saw the second highest number of suicide attacks during the year as at least six suicide attacks were reported from the province. In 2016, five suicide attacks took place in the province. SFs conducted at least 103 actions against militants in which 543 suspects were arrested and 41 killed during 2017.

Sindh saw a 40pc decrease in militant attacks, but with 84pc increase in the number of deaths during 2017. Militants carried out 40 attacks in the province killing 112 people, including 92 civilians and 17 SFs personnel. Another 303 people were injured in these attacks. The province saw one suicide attack during 2017. SFs conducted at least 98 actions against militants in which 110 suspects were killed and 153 arrested.

Punjab witnessed seven per cent increase in militant attacks, but there was 37pc decline in deaths. During the year, 15 militant attacks took place in the province in which 59 people, including 34 civilians and 24 SFs personnel, were killed and 208 people, all of them civilians, suffered injuries. The province also witnessed three suicide bombings one more than 2016. SFs conducted 119 operations against militants in the province in which 105 militants were killed and 298 arrested.

Two militant attacks were reported from Azad Jammu and Kashmir in which one civilian died and five were injured. Three violent militant activities of low intensity were reported from Islamabad in which one person lost his life. No violent militant activity was reported from Gilgit-Baltistan region.

SECP prohibited the collection of donations by all organisations affiliated with Hafiz Saeed led JuD and that are banned by UNSC. A notification issued by the commission read that "The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan hereby prohibits all companies from donating cash to the entities and individuals listed under the UNSC sanctions committee's consolidated list". The Hafeez Saeed related prohibited outfits include FIF, LeT and JuD the charity wing of LeT. Other banned outfits include the Paasban-i-Ahle-Hadith and Pasban-i-Kashmir.

Pakistan's Government plans to seize control of charities and financial assets linked to JuD 'chief' Hafiz Saeed. The Government detailed its plans in a 'secret' order to various Provincial and Federal Government departments on December 19, 2017. The December 19 document, which refers to "Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issues", names Saeed's two charities JuD and FIF, and "actions to be taken" against them. JuD spokesman Yahya Mujahid said the organization would go to Court if the Government decides to take over JuD and FIF.

January 3

A two member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Qazi Faez Isa said that that the sit-in staged by the TLYRA was an "attack on Muslims by Muslims". AG Ashtar Ausuf told the Court that nine people in Punjab and three in Sindh were killed during the protests while 194 Police Officers were injured. AG confirmed that an estimated damage of PKR 139.5 million was incurred. The Court also questioned the employment status of TLYRA chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi, who was heading the protest.

January 5

More Pakistanis died in incidents described by LEA as encounters than in gun violence or in suicide attacks in 2017, according to the findings of a research conducted by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS). In 2017, 495 people were reported killed in what the law enforcement agencies said were shootouts. The number of those killed in gun violence was 399, those in suicide attacks 298, and in bomb explosions 144. The corresponding numbers for 2016 were 645 in alleged encounters, 485 in gun violence, and 376 in suicide attacks. The study finds that sectarian violence escalated drastically in 2017, with a 32 percent increase from 241 fatalities in 2016 to 319 in 2017. Overall, the report maintains that the country witnessed a 21 percent decline in violence-related deaths in 2017. Except Punjab, all other provinces or regions registered a decline in violence. 4,131 casualties were reported in violent incidents in 2017, including 2,057 deaths and 2,074 injuries. In contrast, there were 2,613 deaths in 2016 and 4,647 in 2015.

Pakistan's Government plans to seize control of charities and financial assets linked to JuD 'chief' Hafiz Saeed. The Government detailed its plans in a 'secret' order to various Provincial and Federal Government departments on December 19, 2017. The December 19 document, which refers to "Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issues", names Saeed's two charities JuD and FIF, and "actions to be taken" against them. JuD spokesman Yahya Mujahid said the organization would go to Court if the Government decides to take over JuD and FIF.

January 6

TTP and its associated outfits remain the most potent threat followed by nationalist insurgent groups despite a 16 per cent decline in militant attacks in 2017, said a security report issued by PIPS. The report mentioned that IS footprint was increasing in Balochistan, FATA and Northern Sindh, and were carrying out deadly attacks. The report said that militant, nationalist and violent sectarian groups carried out, in all, 370 terrorist attacks in 64 districts of Pakistan during the year 2017, including 24 suicide and gun-and-suicide coordinated attacks, killing 815 people, besides injuring 1,736. These attacks posted a 16 per cent decrease from the total in 2016; and the number of people killed also dropped by 10 per cent.

Of these attacks, as many as 213, or 58 per cent, were perpetrated by TTP , its splinter groups, mainly JuA and other militant groups with similar objectives such as local Taliban groups, killing 186 people. Nationalist insurgent groups, mostly in Balochistan and a few in Sindh, carried out 138 attacks, or 37 per cent of the total, killing 140 people. As many as 19 terrorist attacks were sectarian, which killed 71 people and inflicted injuries on 97 others, according to the report. It also noted that compared to 2016, a significant surge of 131 per cent was witnessed during 2017 in cross-border attacks from Pakistan's borders with Afghanistan, India and Iran. A total of 171 cross-border attacks claimed 188 lives and injured 348 others.

SFs and LEA killed a total of 524 militants in 2017, as against 809 in 2016, in 75 military operations as well as 68 armed clashes and encounters with the militants reported from across the four provinces and FATA. According to the report, some new challenges raised their heads, including emergence of self-radicalised individuals and small terrorist cells, growing incidence of religious extremism including on educational campuses, and, most importantly, increasing footprints of IS in parts of the country and convergence of its fighters in Afghanistan near Pakistani border. In 2017, IS and its local affiliates claimed 6 major attacks, killing 153 people.

IM of Pakistan issued a notice in several newspapers urging the public not to donate to organisations involved in terrorism. The advertisement named 72 organisations including JuD and FIF associated with LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, which are banned or under observation for involvement in terrorism, barring them from collecting donations. The notice cautioned against making donations, giving financial assistance or serving outfits that were banned or under observation under the ATA 1997, and UN Act 1948, was a crime.

Police in a meeting decided to reinvestigate labourers working on the Karot Power Project of CPEC in the case of a Chinese engineer Pingzhi Liu who went missing in Kahuta Tehsil in Rawalpindi District on Dec 20, 2017. The decision was made by Regional Police Officer (RPO) Mohammad Sultan Raja at a meeting on the site of the project.

January 8

PAT Chief Dr. Tahirul Qadri announced a countrywide protest movement against the PML-N Government from January 17 as the deadline, given for the resignation of Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif and Law Minister Rana Sanaullah given by him had ended.

January 15

A Police Constable was killed by unidentified assailants in Bharwal area of Hasanabdal Saddar Police Jurisdiction in Attock District of Punjab. The deceased was identified as Head constable Faizan.

Two TTP militants, Amjad Khan and Dawood Khan belonging to the JuA faction were arrested by CTD during a raid in Harbans Pura in Lahore the provincial capital of Punjab. Hand grenades and small-scale arms were recovered during the raid.

SFs arrested eight suspected militants including three unregistered Afghans and seized weapons from their possession in Lahore and Dera Ghazi Khan of Punjab. According to ISPR, Pakistan Rangers Punjab along with Police and Intelligence Agencies carried out IBO in Lahore and Dera Ghazi Khan.

Two militants were killed during an intelligence-based operation by SFs in the suburbs of Dera Ghazi Khan town of same District in Punjab. ISPR statement said that the IBO was conducted under Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad and two militants were involved in kidnapping and killing of SF personnel.

Punjab started taking over all the moveable and immovable assets of the JuD and the FIF operating in the province. The JuD's Muridke Markaz along with its various schools, seminaries and health facilities was also taken over. There were similar reports from everywhere else in the province, as well as in the ICT. Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that a recent notification issued by the interior ministry reveals that JuD and FIF could no longer operate in the country, and that all their moveable and immoveable assets should be seized.

Three terrorists were killed during an IBO conducted by the SFs in Dera Ghazi Khan. Two Rangers' personnel were got injuries during the operation. Punjab Rangers, along with Elite Police and Intelligence Agencies, conducted the IBO as a part of Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, killing three terrorists in exchange of fire and recovering ammunition from the site, a statement issued by the ISPR stated. An IED, rocket launcher, AK-47, grenades and other ammunition were also recovered from the spot.

The CTD arrested an IS or Daesh 'commander' identified as Sabir Hussain alias Abu Yasir near Wania Wala road in Gujranwala. CTD has recovered an IED and other weapons from the arrested terrorist thus potentially foiled an incident.

Punjab Rangers, in an exchange, of fire killed two unidentified militants at Sakhi Sarwar Road in Dera Ghazi Khan. Two accomplices of the deceased managed to escape from the scene. The security personnel recovered a SMG, and a 30-bore pistol from the custody of the deceased. Search is underway for the remaining accomplices of the militants.

Nine people, including five Policemen, were killed and 35 others injured when a suicide bomber exploded himself near a check post outside the Tablighi Jamaat Markaz in Raiwind town of Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab. The attack was claimed by the TTP in a statement sent to AFP, in which it threatened more attacks on Police in retaliation for killing their "associates" in Punjab. Eyewitnesses, investigators and circumstantial evidence suggest that the suicide bomber had targeted the Police at the time of change in shift at around 9pm. At least 70,000 followers of Tablighi Jamaat were present at the annual congregation.

Unidentified gunmen opened fire at the residence of Justice Ijazul Ahsan of the Supreme Court in Model Town of Lahore, the Provincial capital of Punjab, in two separate incidents on April 14-night and April 15-morning. No casualties were, however, reported in the attacks, one of which took place around 10:45pm on Saturday and the other at 9:10am on Sunday. Model Town Police has registered a case against unidentified armed persons under the anti-terrorism act on the charges of firing at the residence of the Supreme Court judge twice in 12 hours. According to Police, spent bullet casing of a 9mm pistol was found near the main gate of the residence of Justice Ijazul Ahsan, while casing of another bullet was found near kitchen window of the house. Forensic experts also visited the residence twice and gathered evidence, including CCTV footage of the security cameras.

Following the incident, Punjab government provided additional security to Justice Ijazul Ahsan. Police and other law enforcement agencies also launched a search operation in the area. However, no arrest with regard to the firing incidents was made till filing of this report. It may be recalled that Justice Ijazul Ahsan was part of the five-member bench that delivered the verdict in the high-profile Panama Papers case on July 28, 2017, which led to the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif as prime minister of Pakistan. Justice Ijazul Ahsan is also the monitoring judge to supervise and monitor the implementation of the Panama Papers case verdict. He is currently overseeing the ongoing proceedings by the NAB and accountability courts against the Sharif family and Ishaq Dar. He was also the part of three-member Supreme Court bench which heard 17 petitions against the controversial Elections Act, 2017, which had paved the way for Nawaz Sharif to head the PML-N after being disqualified by the apex court in Panama Papers case.

Three people were killed and 13 others sustained injuries when a PAEC bus was hit by a suicide bomber in the Dhok Gama area of Attock city (Attock District) in Punjab. Initial reports suggested a man riding a motorcycle first opened fire on the bus carrying employees, before detonating his explosives. According to District Emergency Officer Dr Ashfaq, the attacker opened fire on the bus as it slowed down at a speed breaker on Basal Road. When the driver of the bus, identified as Muhammad Akram Niazi, disembarked and attempted to overpower the attacker with the help of a passer-by, the bomber blew himself up, killing himself, the driver and the passerby identified as Habibur Rehman. The bus was heavily damaged in the powerful blast. No group has claimed the responsibility for the attack as yet.

Three people were killed in a suspected target killing as unidentified assailants on a motorcycle opened fire at a car in Bilal Town area of Jhelum District in Punjab. The deceased were identified as Zakariya, Mohsin and Mazhar.

The Punjab Government has restored the security of Mumbai attack mastermind and the chief of JuD, the frontal organisation of LeT, Hafiz Saeed citing threats to his life, almost a month after it was withdrawn on the order of the Supreme Court. "The policemen have been deployed again for the security of Hafiz Saeed on the order of (chief minister) Shahbaz Sharif's Punjab Government," a senior official of the Provincial Government told PTI on May 18. He said the decision was taken in the light of threats to the life of Saeed. As the Government restored Saeed's security, he has withdrawn a petition he had filed in the Lahore High Court to challenge the Punjab Government's earlier decision to withdraw his security.

Mumbai attack mastermind and the chief of JuD Hafiz Saeed led Eid prayers at the Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore amid high security even though the Pakistan Government has outlawed his organisation JuD. Police personnel and Saeed's own security men were deployed in and outside the stadium to secure the area. The JuD chief also delivered a sermon on the occasion and asked Pakistani citizens to extend their full support to the people of Kashmir.