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Updated 10.32pm
THIRTY PEOPLE WERE killed as Pakistan’s military fought an all-night battle today with Taliban gunmen who besieged Karachi airport.
The assault has left Pakistan’s nascent peace process with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in tatters and officials in the northwest reported that some 25,000 people had fled a restive tribal district in the past 48 hours, fearing a long-awaited ground offensive.
Ten militants were among the dead in the assault on Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, the latest spectacular offensive to be launched by the TTP in an insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives since 2007.
Families of seven airport workers blocked Karachi’s main road demanding authorities work to free their relatives who became trapped in cold-storage facilities after apparently shutting themselves inside to escape the carnage.
“We are looking into this and according to the families some seven people were trapped inside the cold storage and were in contact with the families on cell phone,” said Abid Qaimkhani, a spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority.
The attack began just before midnight Sunday. At around dawn, the military said that all 10 of the attackers had been killed.
Some of the gunmen were dressed in army uniform, as authorities put their mangled bodies, assault rifles, grenades and rocket launchers on show for the press. At least three detonated their suicide vests, witnesses said, and one severed head formed part of the grisly display.
“The main objective of the terrorists was to destroy the aircraft on the ground but there was only minor damage to two to three aircraft,” Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told a press conference at the airport late Monday.
“Pakistan’s national assets are safe and secure.” After authorities initially declared the airport cleared, an AFP reporter witnessed fresh gunfire break out inside the airport — where explosions and fires had erupted during the night — prompting security forces to relaunch the operation.
The bodies of the 18 victims – including 11 airport security guards and four workers from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) – were taken to a Karachi hospital where another 26 wounded people were being treated, a hospital official said.
The charred remains of two cargo terminal employees were later recovered tonight, bring the toll to 30, Qaimkhani said.
PIA spokesman Mashud Tajwar said no airline passengers were caught up in the incident.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s office issued a statement “commending the bravery” of security forces and saying normal flight operations would resume in the afternoon, while Afghan President Hamid Karzai – who is battling his own Taliban insurgency – condemned the attack in a statement.
The attack took place just three kilometres from the Mehran naval base, which the Taliban laid siege to three years ago, destroying two US-made Orion aircraft and killing 10 personnel in a 17-hour operation.
The group also carried out a raid on Pakistan’s military headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi in 2009, leaving 23 dead including 11 troops and three hostages.
Latest revenge
The TTP said the brazen attack on the airport was its latest revenge for the killing of its leader Hakimullah Mehsud in a US drone strike in November.
TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said the government had used peace talks as a ruse, and promised more attacks to come in retaliation against recent air strikes in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.
Talks to end the TTP’s bloody seven-year insurgency have been under way since February, after Sharif returned to power last year, but little clear progress has resulted and more than 300 people have been killed in militant strikes since then.
Analysts say Sharif is under pressure to act and risks angering the army if he does not authorise a swift retaliation.
Thousands flee tribal district
In restive North Waziristan tribal district some 1,000 kilometres north of Karachi, residents and officials told AFP 58,000 people, mainly women and children had fled the area for different parts of the northwest, fearing a long-awaited offensive was imminent.
The exodus has increased rapidly in recent days, with more than 25,000 fleeing their homes in the last 48 hours alone, a government official in Peshawar said.
“I am taking my family to a safer location,” said one resident who did not wish to be named.
The latest rumours of an operation began after government talks with the TTP broke down in April, and were further stoked by the air strikes and the widespread distribution of a leaflet from a local warlord last week warning residents they should leave their homes by June 10.
An offensive in North Waziristan has been rumoured for years but analysts remain cautious about whether the military has the capacity to attempt such a move without assistance from the Afghan side of the border where militants are likely to flee in the event of an attack.
First published 8.18am
If you’ve waited this long to watch The Dark Knight there’s a good chance it’s not your thing anyway.
Yes but Pat is 100% definitely not anyone’s thing. Batman fans got angry when they realised they weren’t watching a directors cut featuring clay face as a secondary villain.
He’s my mammy’s, thing, actually.
Your mammy has a thing…. Haha
I hope we see some young presenters get a chance. Pat Kenny had his day otherwise it will be like boring RTE
Well, seeing as they put so much behind Pat Kenny being the face of their brand, I think you will probably be disappointed.
I had forgotten how cringey Pat was as an interviewer. He’s an embarrassment.
Well it’s either Pat or Jeremy Kyle take your pick.
Yeah, some working class peops and ethnic diversity wouldn’t go amiss on Irish TV in general.
TV3 is not the worst station, they need to move on and drop the pretentiousness and poshness of the boom years, I hope their new show is successful and they keep their viewers anyway.
As for Pat Kenny, the only bit of entertainment I ever got out of him was when someone changed the lyrics of Black Betty with Pat Kenny.
Rather have Jeremy Kyle to be honest, at least he’s got an actual personality
dont agree..thought he was good, esp with Hozier….relaxed and easy
Na na na na na na Pat Man
Some men just wanna watch the world burn!
“One day I saw a child playing with a satsuma the size of a tangerine.”
Lol a watch shit blow up
The minute a heard Kenny was on…no interest.
Sick if the same heads on TV and Radio in Ireland.. Give some new blood a chance.
What a way to start a new channel with the “plank” hosting a show. 1 out of 10 for innovation
Presumably if these people have access to twitter they have access to Google.. and could figure out a way to watch Batman in about four seconds..
Kenny on a massive RTE pension already surely there is some young talent in need of a break in the country instead of this boring dinosaur
I watched the first few minutes and it was enough, this country is not called the republic as UTV insist on referring to us.
Not then Free state or south either. IRELAND is that so hard to say.
Republic of Ireland… I don’t find “the republic” offensive in any way…. we are a republic!
“Ireland” isn’t a country either. It’s an island with 2 states at the moment. Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
If you are going to be vocal, at least be factually correct.
The official name for the 26 counties is in fact “Ireland” and “Eire” not the “Republic of Ireland”. The latter is only used in everyday speech to avoid confusion as to which territory you are referring to.
OK, so it’s the “official description of the state” according to the Republic of Ireland act 1948. The point still stands that it is not offensive and UTV using it to accurately describe a state as it broadcasts in both states is fine… (UTV didn’t officially make itself available in the republic, but if you had a good enough aerial in the pre-digital days you could get it no problem).
Be thankful they didn’t call it Southern Ireland, that really grinds my gears
Really Journal? You’re posting PR tweets for the people who liked UTV Ireland. Check the BIOs! But happy new year to ye!
UTV Ireland my bollox, same shite different station. Its basically TV3 with everything that they are showing.
Would rather watch comedy series Benidorm tonight instead of far & away. I’m sure they would get more viewer’s.
So not happy with utv ireland there not showing benidorm tonight or broad church next Monday. I’d been looking forward to these after Xmas time! It comes across utv ireland is just a glorified rte!! Pile of shite
Broadchurch is on TV3 on Monday.
Well having an documentary about various aspects of life in the Republic is probably a more appropriate way to launch a channel than a 7 year old American film, even if that documentary probably was boring. Also did anyone see the 6:01 news on RTÉ yesterday? They mentioned the launch on their bulletin and their only description of the channel was that they’ll be showing programmes previously available on TV3, as if RTÉ are in a place to talk about other channels lack of originality.
Yes, but why use that old bore Pat Kenny?
Even Tubbers would be a better choice
And there I was thinking PK had copped on and realised entertainment wasn’t his thing and…pop…the auld ego exploded once again.
Agreed. I thought he was very good on Frontline. He was/is hopeless in Light Ent like the Late Late
UTV Ireland replaced Batman with Catmam Pat Kenny ……
Same old crap. Why bother with another third rate station. We have them already. TV3 and 3E are really appalling and some of the stuff on the RTE ‘s is not great.
The listing for this travesty just show more of the same garbage.
The Dark Knight has already been on TV regularly.
More channels chasing fewer viewers in the future I reckon. No bad thing.
Let em all sink.
Remember the old days we had itv wales or itv ulster depending on your Ariel
@Martinp Hoey:
“Remember the old days we had itv wales or itv ulster depending on your Ariel”.
I use “Free-to-air” satellite and get all the BBC regions, all the ITV regions and lots more. I don’t get the ‘Pay’ stations like Sky, Discovery, Living etc. but just how many stations does anyone need. If you can’t see that ‘special’ documentary on Discovery, chances are it will be on YouTube or available as a torrent download from many of the so-called pirate sites like EZTV, Kickass Torrents etc. The best thing is my monthly/yearly subscription is €000.00
I’m not sure if this still will work but you might be able to manually add UTV/ITV (and other channels) to your Sky box. This website is quite useful http://www.wildsat.com/otherchannels.htm
I have added several channels to my parent’s Sky box in Tipperary over Christmas.
Applicable to Sky only, though….
With a Google Chromecast and the Filmon TV app you can watch all UK chanells on your tv for free bye bye upc subscription
Thanks Stephen , can you em me details of how to go about it? Well peed off that they are puttin this silly channel on instead of UTV which was my channel of choice.
google is an amazing thing….you can search for stuff and links and everything on it…
How anybody can watch a movie on utv in the first place with adds every 5 seconds is beyond me.
Who in their right mind would want to see Kenny , and yes we are watching it on Upc who today decided the bill is going up by €7 . This country is hilarious . Utv Ireland’s a joke already .
If you have freesat you can still get UTV if you miss your “wotaboiytchas”. You get all the ITV regional variations too plus you don’t get the UPC “not available in your country” ITV4 which shows the europa league games.
I’m annoyed that I missed my soaps and now can’t watch them on the player :-(
Yes the meaning of IRE is anger, which just about sums up the feelings of the people of this land towards our politicians.
What’s going to happen now with the CL football ??? Will they show it at all probably not if its anything like last nights or tonight’s changes to the listings . It’s more likely to be a re-run of The Big Match from 1992.
#UTVin
Is say tv3 have the Irish rights to all those games, so you’re stuck with Trevor and bwiannn
Noooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!
Has to be a joke with ‘The Joker’ in there somewhere.
I was thinking of millionaire Bruce Wayne by day, roaring out of his dalkey batcave, bringing justice to the streets of Gotham
There is more than one channel available so I was successfully to continue my avoidance of Pat Kenny – both on radio and TV.
No subtitle
Well, it was Pat Kenny so if you can’t hear him, count it as a blessing.
A
ITV still available to watch on saorview box
Why should people have to fork out for a saorview box? UPC should have both UTV and UTV Ireland available, they already have ITV2, 3, 4, etc
Absolutely agree with you
I agree ……….??????????
Not usually a fan of Pat Kenny but last night’s program was ok. It wasnt Kenny all the way, the other preaenters were v good. Might give this a chance, OMG must be hitting middle age, lol.
I just I don’t want anything to do really with a channel thats kept on Pat. Snorefest
Not happy with change to UTV Ireland at all. Can we get ITV 1 anywhere?
What channel is UTV ireland? I watched the Dark Knight last night on UTV.
On Sky, it’s 116.
On upc is 110
Showbox :) :) :)
I am sick to my back teeth of Kenny but some of these trendy prats with a ridiculous hairdo’s and phoney accents somewhere between Dalkey & Venice beach don’t do the blood pressure any good either. How about role models that actually sound Irish & not just middle class South County Dublin. Love or hate the likes of Daithi O’Shea, at least you would actually know he was a Kerryman.
I would be upset if Pat Kenny was aired instead of a test card quite honestly
I do not like UTV, Ireland. I want UTV BACK now
Talk about same old same old after the fanfare… Are they mad?
Irish problems……..
We expected a new channel . Instead the ITV/UTV we grew up watching and being a favorite of many has been taken away and replaced with what looks like a cheaply run regional tv channel with end of line bought in programs. Just as well it Closes down for half the day (well 12 >6.30am) . Like going back in time . You would think they would make a effort in the first weekend .. Now I have to change from UPC to SKY to get the real ITV back on . Worth it
I thought this channel was going to run in tandem with old UTV..I’ll miss the old ‘norn iron’ banter. Watched the PK interview with Hozier then switched channels. PK is just so dull and jaded…rather watch Gaybo – least he’s got some personality.
Sky UK epg put the regional variations in locations between 950 and 980 to allow for people who live close to different borders in the UK who where often able to receive a neighbouring itv better than the one that was intended for their area.
I don’t understand why the networks here are forcing utv Ireland down our throats – isn’t the reason behind digital tv in the first place about providing more choice??
Tonight UTV NI showing the hangover – UTV I showing a magician and an audience with Joan Rivers –
Did they steal tv3′s program controller as well? This Joan Rivers special has been shown on TV3 more times than I care to remember….
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/TV+IRELAND%3A+CHAT+AN+AUDIENCE+WITH+JOAN+RIVERS+TV3,+10pm.-a0166339821
Out with the old and in with more of the same!!!!
How horrible UPC customers will loose Julian Simmons! – ahhh, that is sad – I can remember him telling us santa had left the north pole for more years than I care to remember -
I watched the dark knight a few days ago on DVD so I was fine
I want to watch UTV Good Morning a news at ten, we Irish Licence payer were unaware of such a change.
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