IN A SHOOTOUT, POLICE HUNT DOWN WANTED MILITANT IN PAKISTAN

MULTAN/LAHORE: Counterterrorism police killed one of Pakistan’s most wanted militants in a shootout in the garrison city of Rawalpindi overnight, an official said on Sunday.

Officer Kashif Hussain said three of the militant’s accomplices escaped during the exchange of fire, leaving their weapons at the scene: two pistols, an assault rifle and ammunition.

He identified the slain militant only as Niaz and said he uses the alias Zeeshan. Hussain said Niaz was active with the Pakistani Taliban group Tahreek-e-Taliban in Punjab province in the Hazro area of the district of Attock.

Hussain said Niaz was wanted in connection with a number of attacks in the region that killed more than two dozen citizens and security officials.

There was a $40,000 bounty on his head.

Two Christian nurses booked for blasphemy

Two Christian nurses have been booked under blasphemy charges in Punjab province following a complaint by hospital authorities, police said, as people staged demonstrations against the duo demanding strict action against them.

According to police, an FIR has been registered against the two nurses, Mariyum Lal and Newish Arooj, working in District Headquarters Hospital, Faisalabad, on Friday on the complaint filed by deputy medical superintendent Dr Mohammad Ali.

The nurses are accused of removing the stickers inscribed with Islamic verses from the wall of a hospital ward where psychiatric patients are being treated.

The International Christian Concern said both the Christian nurses have falsely been accused of committing blasphemy.

It alleged that the head nurse, Rukhsana, had a grudge against Lal and she provoked other Muslim staffers of the hospital, claiming she desecrated wall hangings and a sticker that contained Quranic verses.