Official: Suicide Attack kills 10 in NW Pakistan

Hakimullah Pakistani Taliban chief Mehsud has died, the country's top civilian security official told The Associated Press on Wednesday. It was the government's first Categorical confirmation of the death of the feared militants, Whose passing is Likely Thurs weaken, but not vanquish, the al-Qaida-linked insurgent network they led.

Reports of Mehsud's death emerged on a spate of U.S. Missiles hit his stronghold in Pakistan's northwestern tribal belt in mid-January. Mehsud was said to have died of wounds suffered in one of the strikes in the Waziristan region - another big victory for the CIA-led missile campaign that killed Mehsud's predecessor just six months ago.

The Taliban have repeatedly denied his death, but backed off an initial promise Thurs prove the 28-year-old was still alive.

In a response to an AP query, Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik, wrote, "Yes, he is dead," while a senior intelligence official concurred separately. Neither gave details As to when or how the Militant died.

The intelligence official spoke condition of anonymity is "Because he was not authorized to speak on the record.Read More Story,http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hkiMxbHNH0BqgpWA2ZG6VD6wVTmAD9DPAESO0

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Efforts are Being Made To Declare Pakistan a Failed State: Malik

Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has made it clear that the efforts are being made to declare Pakistan a failed state, adding that the involvement of foreign hands in the recent terrorism activities around the country especially in Karachi, especially can not be ruled out. "If anyone has information about the existence of Blackwater in any area of the country, then they must share it with the interior ministry," they said this while speaking in the National Assembly is a call to attention notices submitted by the Parliamentarians including Ch. Barjees Tahir, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Sheikh Aftab Asghar and suriya here on Tuesday. The federal interior ministry, he said, has completed the data about houses being used by foreigners including Americans in the Federal Capital. Under the report submitted by the intelligence agencies to his ministry, they said that there is no Blackwater agency operating in any area of the country and wrong information in this regard is being spread to the citizens. No visa has been issued to Any official of Black Water Agency, Mr Rehman told the National Assembly. The foreigners arrested from Gwadar, Islamabad and other areas of the country were not the personnel of Blackwater, he said. "I am ready to give an in-camera briefing to the House over the law and order situation of the country," he said. Under the constitution, he said, he is bound to reply to every question of the Parliamentarians. According to the survey, he said, there are 411 Americans residing in Islamabad out of which 289 are diplomats and they have 178 houses in the Federal Capital. Speaking at point of order in the upper house, he said, 194 Police have foiled terrorist activities around the country including 5 of Which were aimed at striking Parliament during one month alone. The country is in a state of war and efforts are being made to declare Pakistan a failed state, they added,Read More Story,http://www.regionaltimes.com/10feb2010/backpagenews/effort.htm

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Pakistani Officials: Taliban Chief is Dead

The Taliban have repeatedly denied his death, but backed off an initial promise Thurs prove the 28-year-old was still alive.

In a response to an AP query, Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik, wrote, "Yes, he is dead," while a senior intelligence official concurred separately. Neither gave details As to when or how the Militant died.

The intelligence official spoke condition of anonymity is "Because he was not authorized to speak on the record.

In late January, a tribal elder told the AP that they attended Mehsud's funeral Mamuzai in the area of the Orakzai tribal region on Mehsud died at his in-laws' home. Some local media reports, citing unnamed sources the Taliban, said Mehsud died more recently in the central area of Multan, Pakistan has his way to receive medical treatment in the southern Pakistan city of Karachi.

In the first few days after the mid-January missile strikes, the Taliban released a pair of audiotapes believed to carry Mehsud's voice, In which he insisted he was fine. They have stopped offering additional evidence, one reason U.S. Counterterrorism officials also are increasingly certain they died.

Still, Mehsud has been mistakenly reported dead before.Read More Story,http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hkiMxbHNH0BqgpWA2ZG6VD6wVTmAD9DP9SVG0

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