Pakistan launches search for 11 abducted Iranians

Boycott elections – Taleban

ISLAMABAD, Oct 18, (Agencies): Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has told Tehran that its security forces are trying to trace 11 members of Iran’s border force who were abducted by militants this week.

Qureshi gave this assurance to Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who spoke with him by phone a day before.

According to Wednesday’s foreign ministry statement, top army generals of Pakistan and Iran were also in close contact to coordinate the search efforts.

Those efforts include enhanced air surveillance and troop deployment in the border area where the incident took place.

Tehran says the 11 members of the border force were seized Tuesday near the border with Pakistan.

No one has claimed responsibility but Iranian media has blamed the abduction on Jaish al-Adl, an al-Qaedalinked group.

Qureshi

Boycott elections – Afghan Taleban:

The Taleban issued a fresh call for Afghans to boycott this week’s parliamentary elections on Thursday, denouncing the vote as a foreign-imposed process that went against both Islam and Afghan culture.

The statement was the third such call and followed a similar message on Wednesday telling teachers not to participate as election workers in polling stations, many of which are located in schools.

It said the elections “have no Islamic or Afghan essence but are a foreign plot to prolong occupation” and said it was the duty of every Afghan and Muslim to oppose them.

“Consequently, preachers and prayer leaders must inform their constituency, while tribal leaders and influential figures must prevent participation by the public,” the statement said.

Hindu hardliners up campaign:

Hindu hardliners blocked intersections, threatened drivers, threw stones at buses and ordered a 12-hour strike on Thursday as they stepped up their campaign to bar women from one of India’s holiest temples.

The Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala in the southern state of Kerala was meant to allow women from Wednesday following an order by India’s highest court last month.

But hundreds of traditionalists, throwing stones at baton-wielding police, defied the order – surrounding and shouting at any woman attempting to make it to the hilltop site.