PESHAWAR: The Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) behind this week's devastating suicide bombing on the Pakistani-Indian border said on Wednesday the attack was as much aimed at India as Pakistan, suggesting that Indian targets might be next.

At least 61 Pakistanis were killed during a popular flag-lowering ceremony on Sunday when a bomber tried to get as close as possible to the border in a possible attempt to cause casualties on the Indian side as well. 

Ehsanullah Ehsan, a prominent militant and spokesman for the group, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Jamaat Ahrar (TTP-JA), said he had warned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that attacks in India were in the pipeline.

"I have already conveyed it to Modi ... that if our suicide bombers can carry out attacks on this side of the border, they can easily do it on other side of the border in India," he told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location.

"I told him that his hands are red with the blood of Kashmiri mujahideen (fighters) and innocent people of Gujarat for which he would have to pay the price." 

He earlier tweeted in English: "You (Modi) are the killer of hundreds of Muslims. We wl (will) take the revenge of innocent people of Kashmir and Gugrat" (sic). An Indian intelligence official said the account appeared genuine.

India has long accused Pakistani militants of trying to attack its targets, particularly after the 2008 Mumbai attacks in which 166 people were killed when Pakistani gunmen went on a three-day rampage in India's financial capital.

Ehsan said, however, that the Sunday attack was specifically aimed at the Pakistani military.

The elaborate border parade, which draws hundreds of people every day, is conducted by the military of both sides, making it a target for Taliban militants fighting to topple the Pakistani government and establish an Islamic theocracy.

"We have proudly stated that our target was the Pakistani security forces and their installations in which we succeeded," Ehsan told Reuters.

The central Pakistani Taliban group, known as the TTP, has effectively disintegrated this year and split into a range of smaller groups such as TTP-JA who appear to be exploiting their ties to al Qaeda to broaden their mission beyond Pakistan.

Ehsan said that unlike the TTP's narrow focus on war in the tribal areas on the Afghan border, his outfit sought to attack countries around the region.

"The TTP focuses on Pakistan only, while we have a global agenda of jihad and therefore we have people from all over the world including the Arab and Western world for this mission." 

TTP-JA has announced its support for the Middle Eastern group Islamic State, whose belligerent anti-Western ideology has begun to inspire militants across South Asia.

The group's openly anti-Indian rhetoric differs from that of the mainstream Pakistani Taliban, who are mainly focused on their insurgency against Pakistani security forces in the volatile tribal northwest of the country.

A successful attack on an Indian target would severely affect the already frosty relations between the nuclear-armed rivals.

Shelling on their disputed Kashmir border is an almost daily occurrence, a constant reminder that a full-blown conflict is always a threat.

Further unnerving India, al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, said to be close to TTP-JA, has announced the creation of a South Asia wing of al Qaeda, threatening to stage attacks on countries across the subcontinent.

The new group's first major attack was a botched attempt in September to hijack a Pakistani warship and attack a U.S. navy vessel at a base near the port city of Karachi.

On Tuesday, India's Navy withdrew two warships from the eastern port of Kolkata after intelligence agencies warned of an attack on the port and the city. — Reuters

President dissolves Delhi Assembly

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Assembly was today dissolved, paving the way for fresh elections that will end the political hibernation since the AAP government fell in February.

A notification issued by the Home Ministry said President Pranab Mukherjee has dissolved the "Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi with immediate effect" on November 4.

The Union Cabinet had yesterday recommended the dissolution of the Assembly following recommendation of LG Najeeb Jung after talks on Monday with BJP, Congress and AAP, which expressed inability to form government and sought fresh mandate.

While the fresh elections may be held early next year, the process for the November 25 by-elections to three constituencies, for which last date of nominations is today, was revoked by the Election Commission today. — PTI

Haryana Assembly adjourned sine die

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Assembly today passed Haryana Value Added Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2014, before the House was adjourned sine die on the third day after meeting for a short duration of 15 minutes.

Speaker Kanwarpal Gujjar adjourned the House after it conducted business listed in today's schedule that included passage of the bill.

The bill points out that old tax arrears including interest and penalty amounting to Rs 5,560.43 crore are outstanding in the state as on June 30, 2014 under the Haryana Value Added Tax, 2003 and Central Sales Tax Act, 1956.

In order to facilitate recovery of old arrears of taxes and to provide relief to all types of dealers from payment of penalties and interest, an amnesty scheme is proposed to be brought by the Excise and Taxation Department, it says.

The bill was introduced in the House by new Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu.
The first session of the newly elected 13th Haryana Assembly had commenced here on Monday with pro tem Speaker administering oath to the legislators.

Earlier last month, forty-eight years after the formation of Haryana in 1966, the state got its first BJP-led government headed by first time MLA Manohar Lal Khattar who was sworn in by Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki with nine member Council of Ministers. -PTI

NEW DELHI: Committing to more reforms and eliminating corruption, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said steps taken by the new government were aimed at creating fair and transparent business environment and ending crony capitalism.

The government was also looking at areas like labour reforms, privatisation of some state-owned companies and improvement of land acquisition laws, the Minister said, while adding that the reforms can’t be just “one sensational idea.”

“You can damage the economy by one bad idea. Retrospective taxation is one bad idea that damaged the economy,” Jaitley said while speaking at the India Economic Summit here.

Recalling the steps taken by the NDA government to deal with coal block allocation problems, Jaitley said, as a result “the element of discretion in the hands of the state has almost disappeared and hence once you take decision of these kinds (it will) eliminate the possibility of corruption, collateral consideration or crony capitalism as you call it.”

The investors, he added, could look for a system “which is fair. Not a system on which they have to entirely depend on the largesse of politicians and ministers.”

Similar reforms, he said, would be undertaken for allocation of natural resources and other minerals.

Reforms, Jaitley said, “is a long journey. Some people expect that the second generation of reforms in India really needs one or two big bang ideas that probably is not the answer.”

The Minister said that merely undoing wrongs of past would not cure all our problems. “So we began on a journey and I believe that the pit was reasonably deep. And therefore rectifying it will require a lot of time.”

The summit is being organised by Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF) and industry chamber CII. — PTI

JAMMU: The last date for filing nomination papers for the first phase of polls in Jammu and Kashmir ends Wednesday.

Sources said many senior ministers and politicians will file their papers on Wednesday.

Polls will be held on 15 assembly seats November 25 in the first phase of the five-phased assembly elections. These are Banihal, Ramban, Inderwal, Kishtwar, Doda and Bhaderwah in the Jammu region, Leh, Nubra, Kargil and Zanskar in the Ladakh region and Kangan, Ganderbal, Sonawari, Bandipora and Gurez in the Valley.

Sitting ministers and MLAs of the regional National Conference (NC) who are likely to file their nominations Wednesday are Mian Altaf Ahmad from Kangan, Muhammad Akbar Lone from Sonawari, Sajjad Kichloo from Kishtwar, Nazir Gurezi from Gurez and Firoze Ahmad from Zanskar.

Senior Congress leaders Nawang Rigzin Jor is likely to file to fight from Leh, Abdul Majeed Wani from Doda and Viqar Rasool from Banihal.

The BJP has till date announced 49 candidates for the polls. Among them are Sheikh Rashid for Ganderbal, Abdul Aziz for Kargil, Abdul Rehman Tekri for Bandipora and Slanzin Lakpa for Zanskar.

A total of over 72 lakh voters will cast their franchise at 10,005 polling stations in the state this year. Out of these, 6,250 polling stations have been categorised as hypersensitive and sensitive. -IANS

MUMBAI: The first copy of Sachin Tendulkar’s much-anticipated and talked-about autobiography — ‘Playing It My Way’ — was presented to his mother Rajni by the batting maestro himself, in Mumbai on Wednesday.

“Gave the first copy of my book to my mother.Look of pride on her face was a priceless moment!” Tendulkar said on his facebook and twitter page.

The now-retired batsman also posted a picture of himself with his mother, who is seen smiling on receiving the book.

Tendulkar called it quits from international cricket last year after playing a record 200 Tests. — PTI

JAMMU: Faced with a huge gap in urban-rural voter turnout, Jammu and Kashmir government is all set to launch a massive multi-front campaign by setting up camps in malls, cinema halls and appointing ambassadors in education institutions to convince the voters to poll.

As many as 10,37,191 eligible voters are registered for exercising their right of franchise in 11 Assembly Constituencies in Jammu district at 1,225 polling station in Jammu district on December 20.

"There is a huge gap in urban-rural voter turnout in previous elections, particularity during recently held Parliamentary elections," District Electoral Officer (DEO), Jammu, Ajeet Kumar Sahu told PTI here.

The state authorities is keen to bridge the gap this time by launching a massive multi-front campaign to reach out to the urban and rural voters, particularly women in Jammu.

In this regard we are setting up facilitation centers in malls, video clips will be shown in cinema halls, signature campaigns will be done in most of the public places, DEO said.

The process of appointing poll ambassadors for campaigns in educational institutions, particularly colleges, have been started, he said.

The Basic facilitation Centers, model polling stations are also being set up, toilets are being made, he said.

As per statistics, total turnout during the polls in Jammu district was 72.78 per cent in 2008 Assembly elections, followed by 50.05 in 2009 Parliamentary elections and 71.45 per cent in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Out of this, there was 62.29 per cent as least urban turnout and 74.92 per cent least rural turnout in 2014 LS polls followed by 63.76 percent as highest urban turnout and 79.62 percent as highest rural turnout.

Out of this, 62.29 per cent was the least urban turnout and 74.92 per cent was the least rural turnout in 2014 LS polls. The highest urban turnout recorded was 63.76 while highest rural turnout was 79.62 per cent.

Similar situation was seen in 2009 LS polls and 2008 Assembly polls.
Not only this, there is also a gap between rural-urban voters in male and female categories.

In urban Jammu, 64.10 per cent men and 61.09 per cent female turnout was reported followed by 76.41 and 77.03 per cent in rural Jammu in 2014 Lok sabha elections.

There has been no difference to this state in rural and urban voter turnout in 2008 Assembly elections and 2009 Lok sabha polls. -PTI

AJMER: A hot air balloon with pilot and two westerners on board made an emergency landing in a prison complex on Tuesday evening, prompting the alarmed authorities to launch an immediate inquiry.

The balloon, one of the main attractions of the annual five-day Pushkar fair, being held nearly 15 kilometers from Ajmer, drifted away due to strong winds in the area, flew across hills and above the artificial Anna Sagar lake in Ajmer.

The police said that when the pilot finally spotted an empty field, he made an emergency landing, unaware that the space was within the premises of a jail.

"Two foreign tourists came from Jaipur to Pushkar for the fair. Around 5 pm they boarded the balloon. The pilot claims that the wind was strong, because of which he crossed the mountains and the Anna Sagar lake. He saw this empty space and made a landing," said a police officer, Hanuman Singh.

The jail was then placed under high alert due to the breach of security. Singh said that investigations into the matter were on.

The manager of the balloon company, Kapil Sharma, came out in support of the balloon operator, claiming that such landings were common in cases of emergency.

"This is not a mere accident, this is a landing. Everywhere in the world, emergency landings are made. The pilot saw the empty field from the balloon and landed," said Sharma.

The two westerners and the pilot were later released from the jail premises amid high security.

The Pushkar fair, a five-day annual gala is one of the largest livestock festivals in the world in which thousands of animals, mainly camels, are brought to the fair to be sold and traded.

Many international and domestic tourists throng to Pushkar to witness one of the most colorful and popular fairs. –Agencies

WASHINGTON: Riding a powerful wave of voter discontent, resurgent Republicans captured control of the Senate and tightened their grip on the House Tuesday night in elections certain to complicate President Barack Obama's final two years in office.

Republican Mitch McConnell led the way to a new Senate majority, dispatching Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes in Kentucky after a $78 million campaign of unrelieved negativity. Voters are "hungry for new leadership. They want a reason to be hopeful," said the man now in line to become majority leader and set the Senate agenda.

Two-term incumbent Mark Pryor of Arkansas was the first Democrat to fall, defeated by freshman Rep. Tom Cotton. Senator Mark Udall of Colorado was next, defeated by Rep. Cory Gardner. Senator Kay Hagan also lost, in North Carolina, to Thom Tilllis, the speaker of the state House.

Republicans also picked up seats in Iowa, West Virginia, South Dakota and Montana, where Democrats retired. They had needed a net gain of six seats in all to end a Democratic majority in place since 2006.

With dozens of House races uncalled, Republicans had picked up nine seats in Democratic hands, and given up only one.

A net pickup of 13 would give them more seats in the House than at any time since 1946.

Obama was at the White House as voters remade Congress for the final two years of his tenure — not to his liking. With lawmakers set to convene next week for a postelection session, he invited the leadership to a meeting on Friday.

A shift in control of the Senate will likely result in a strong GOP assault on budget deficits, additional pressure on Democrats to accept sweeping changes to the health care law that stands as Obama's signal domestic accomplishment and a bid to reduce federal regulations.

Obama's ability to win confirmation for lifetime Supreme Court and other judicial appointments could also suffer.

Speaker John Boehner, in line for a third term as head of the House, said the new Republican-controlled Congress would vote soon in the new year on the "many common-sense jobs and energy bills that passed the Republican-led House in recent years with bipartisan support but were never even brought to a vote by the outgoing Senate majority."

Legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada is likely among them.

There were 36 gubernatorial elections on the ballot, and several incumbents struggled against challengers. Tom Wolf captured the Pennsylvania statehouse for the Democrats, defeating Republican governor Tom Corbett. Democratic governor Pat Quinn lost in Illinois, Obama's home state.

In a footnote to one of the year's biggest political surprises, college professor Dave Brat was elected to the House from Virginia, several months after he defeated Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a Republican primary.

House Republicans defeated 19-term Democratic Rep. Nick Rahall in West Virginia, beat Rep. John Barrow in Georgia and picked up a seat vacated by a lawmaker in North Carolina.

After years of a sluggish economic recovery and foreign crises aplenty, the voters' mood was sour.

Nearly two-thirds of voters interviewed after casting ballots said the country was seriously on the wrong track. Only about 30 percent said it was generally going in the right direction.

More than four in ten voters disapproved of both Obama and Congress, according to the exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and the television networks.

Still, a majority of those polled supported several positions associated with Democrats or Obama rather than Republicans - saying immigrants in the country illegally should be able to work, backing US military involvement against Islamic State fighters, and agreeing that climate change is a serious problem.

No matter which party emerged with control of the Senate, a new chapter in divided government was inevitable in a nation marked by profound unease over the future and dissatisfaction with its political leaders.

Several Senate races were close, a list that - surprisingly - included Virginia.

There, Democratic Senator Mark Warner held a narrow lead over former Republican Party chairman and Bush administration official Ed Gillespie.

There was a little good news for Democrats in New Hampshire, where Senator Jeanne Shaheen was re-elected after a difficult race against former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown.

But in Georgia, Michelle Nunn lost to businessman David Perdue, depriving the Democrats of their last best chance to take away a Republican seat. In Kansas, 78-year-old Senator Pat Roberts fended off a challenge from independent Greg Orman, shutting off another avenue for the Democrats - their last.

Among the newly elected Republican senators was Rep. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, the first member of her party to win a seat there in more than a half century.

State Senator Jodi Ernst of Iowa also won, after a campaign that took off when she aired an ad saying she had learned how to castrate hogs as a girl growing up on a ranch.

In statehouse races, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York won a second term.

Former Republican Rep. Asa Hutchinson was elected governor of Arkansas more than a decade after playing a prominent role in President Bill Clinton's impeachment and trial, and Florida Gov. Rick Scott won a tough race for a new term.

Also winning new terms were Ohio governor John Kasich, a Republican and potential presidential candidates in 2016.

Another possible White House hopeful, Republican governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, led his rival, Mary Burke.

Not even Democrats claimed a chance to topple the Republican House majority. They spent the campaign's final days dispatching money to districts where incumbents suddenly found themselves in danger.

The elections' $4 billion price tag spending was unprecedented for a non-presidential year. — AP

TOKYO: Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday was awarded "Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers", one of Japan's highest awards from Japanese Emperor Akihito, as part of a bi-annual decoration ceremony.

He received the highest possible award in the Orders of the Rising Sun for his significant contribution to the enhancement of relations and promotion of friendship between Japan and India for about 35 years.

It was first awarded in 1888 and is only topped by the Supreme Orders of the Chrysanthemum.

More than 4,000 people received an award during this session for their contributions to cultural development or the public good. -Agencies