Two missile strikes by pilotless US drone aircraft killed at least nine militants in Pakistan’s North Waziristan today, a major al-Qaeda and Taliban sanctuary, intelligence officials and residents said.

LAHORE: In a clarification on Monday, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that his statement regarding Taliban sparing Punjab from attacks had been taken out of context.

Shahbaz’s clarification came after widespread condemnation by various political parties and some very harsh words from the Punjab governor. Ministers Bashir Bilour of the ANP, and the MQM’s Faisal Sabzwari also expressed shock and dismay and said that the CM should not have singled out Punjab.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Saturday he had been invited by his Saudi counterpart to Riyadh for taking him into confidence about the recent visit by the Indian prime minister to Saudi Arabia.

Fighter planes bombed Taliban positions in the northwest on Sunday, killing 16 militants and destroying three hideouts, a government official said.

The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the closure of police torture cells in private houses while a three-member bench headed by Justice Javed Iqbal has directed the Punjab government to issue show cause notices to the concerned DIGs, SPs in the police brutality case.

The Afghan president welcomed Islamabad’s offers of support for Afghanistan’s efforts at reconciliation, saying Pakistan “has a significantly important role to play in that and Afghanistan would welcome that role”.