RAWALPINDI, Jul 12 (APP):Four soldiers of Pakistan Army on Wednesday embraced martyrdom while bravely thwarting a terrorist attack on Zhob Garrison in Northern Balochistan and killed three heavily armed terrorists during the ensuing fire exchange whereas another five soldiers were critically injured.

According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), on July 12, in early hours of the morning, a group of terrorists launched a dastardly attack on Zhob Garrison in Northern Balochistan.

However, the initial attempt of the terrorists to sneak into the facility was checked by the soldiers on duty.

In ensuing heavy exchange of fire, the terrorists were contained into a small area at the boundary. A clearance operation by the security forces was underway to apprehend the remaining two terrorists as well, the Military media wing said.

The four martyred soldiers had embraced, Shahadat (martyrdom), during the clearance operation.

“The Security Forces remain determined to thwart all such ghastly attempts at destroying peace of Balochistan and Pakistan,” the ISPR vowed.

ISLAMABAD, Jul 12 (APP):Federal Minister Mian Javed Latif on Wednesday said the threats and conspiracies against the country could only be thwarted through transparent and timely elections.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the vision of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) regarding the upcoming general elections was very clear as people and institutions of the country agreed that only Nawaz Sharif could steer out the country from the prevailing crises.

The minister said that decision regarding the upcoming government would be taken by people of the country.

He said that if efforts had been made to stop threats, blackmailing and attacks in 2014, the incident of 9th May would not have happened.

“Facilitators are equally complicit with the main culprit. Today, Israel is talking about going to the United Nations. When such a game (played in Pakistan) takes place in these countries, do other states try to protect these criminals,” he questioned.

Javed Latif observed that foreign funding was given to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) chief from India and Israel with the aim to destabilize Pakistan.

He was of the view the objectives which our enemy could not achieve by army, it achieved on 9th May by investing in the PTI chairman.

The minister said that today some institutions were deliberately expressing pressure on them but in actuality, there was no pressure on them, adding that Parvez Elahi also got relief.

The injustice with Nawaz Sharif should be redressed and action should be taken against the elements involved in the conspiracy, he demanded.

Javed Latif said that senior lawyers and politicians had admitted that injustice had been done to Nawaz Sharif adding that the state was not weak and conspiracies against the country would be foiled in future.

He said “It is in the interest of the country to hold fair and transparent elections on time. The people of Pakistan will decide who will be the next government. If fair and free elections are held, Nawaz Sharif will be elected as Prime Minister for the fourth time”.

“Today, institutions also agree with the public opinion regarding Nawaz Sharif that if he comes, the era of prosperity will begin in the country in two years. The CPEC project will be completed and its fruits will start coming” he added.

In response to a question, Javed Latif said that the way threats were being made and conspiracies hatched, the only solution was timely and fair elections and the thinking of Muslim League-N was clear in that regard.

In response to another question, the minster said that arresting or releasing a criminals was not the responsibility of governments, but the work of state institutions.

ISLAMABAD, Jul 12 (APP):Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan and the world over will observe the Kashmir Martyrs’ Day, tomorrow (Thursday), to pay homage to the martyrs of July 13, 1931, and all other Kashmiri martyrs.

According to Kashmir media service, the day will be marked by a complete shutdown in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and a march towards the Martyrs’ Graveyard at Naqashband Sahib in Srinagar where the martyrs of July 13 are buried.

The call for observance of the day has been given by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference and supported by all pro-freedom leaders and organizations.

The APHC in a statement issued in Srinagar urged people to make the call for shutdown and march a success to send a strong message to the world that the people of Jammu and Kashmir believe in the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute under the UN resolutions and are not ready to accept Indian subjugation, at any cost.

Rallies, seminars and conferences will be held in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan and all major capitals of the world to pay tributes to the Kashmiri martyrs.

On July 13, 1931, the troops of Dogra Maharaja had killed 22 Kashmiris, one after another, outside Central Jail in Srinagar during the court proceedings against one Abdul Qadeer who had asked the Kashmiri people to defy the despotic Dogra rule.

At the time of Namaz-e-Zuhr, a young man started calling Azaan and was shot dead by the Dogra soldiers. Another youth took his place and he too was martyred by the troops.

Thus, 22 youth sacrificed their lives till the completion of Azaan. Since then, the Kashmiris are observing the July 13 as Kashmir Martyrs’ Day every year.