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Balochistan Weekly Monitor (January 9- 15, 2012)

Executive Summary Violence orchestrated by the Baloch insurgents made the province awfully bleed during the week. As a deadly ambush, reportedly by the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF), left 14 Frontier Corps (FC) men dead, near Wakai area about 50 kilometers from Turbat on January 12. In sum, during the course of the week, 16 people were killed in different episodes of violence across the province. President of the Friends of Baloch (FoB), Amanullah Gichki, said on January 10 that the success of an All Parties Conference (APC) to resolve the issues of Balochistan depends 'on the mood of the military establishment'. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry expressed resentment over the swelling cases of missing persons in Balochistan on January 10. He asked the Chief Secretary of Balochistan to present a report on deteriorating law and order situation in the province until January 16. National Education Foundation (NEF) paid salaries to the teachers who were working in schools which exist only on papers and which were declared by National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) as non- functional. During his visit to Quetta on January 11, US Counsel General William Martin announced $10 million assistance for uplifting educational and health facilities in the area. Nature of Incidents Dead FC Army Civilian Injured Ambush 14 0 0 0 Dead bodies found 2 Total 16 0 Summary of Week Casualties Week in Review a) Acts of Terrorism/Subversion and Abduction According to security officials, on January 12, insurgents ambushed two vehicles, carrying troops of the paramilitary Frontier Corps in the mountainous Wakai area near Nawano check-post, about 50 kilometers from Turbat city and killed 14 security personnel including two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs). The troops were engaged in clearing mines in the region when they came under heavy attack. The banned Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) claimed responsibility for the attack. The insurgency has been at...

Pakistan’s Security Apparatus Under Attack Again!

Five bloody incidents since middle of December betray have left a trail of over 80 deaths, mostly of thesecurity personnel, and rocked Pakistan military and civilian security apparatus. First came the confirmation early January of the executions by militants of at least 25 para-military troops;ten had been abducted in a raid in Orakzai agency on Dec 21st, and fifteen of them kidnapped next day in amid-night armed raid on their post in Tank. On January 10, as many as 35 deaths in a car bomb that ripped through a bus terminal in the town ofJamrud in Khyber agency, also included mostly FC men and government officials. Authorities in Peshawar believe the latest attack could be the work of the TTP in retaliation against the pro-government Zakhakhel tribe for the killing by Pakistani security forces of a TTP commander, Qari Kamran, in Khyber last week. They had gone missing in a clash with the militants in Upper Orkzai Agency. On Jan 11, at least 14 personnel of the Frontier Corps died in an ambush by armed men in the Nawano areaof Turbat district late on Wednesday night, an act that the banned Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) owned up.Official sources said the FC men were on duty in two vehicles on a road in the Nawano area, some 200kmsouthwest of Turbat town, when the gunmen, hiding in nearby mountains, attacked them from three sideswith rockets and automatic weapons. On the 14th Jan, a policeman, three civilians and four bombers were killed in a militant attack - ostensiblyon a suicide mission - at the offices of the District Police Officer (DPO) in Dera Ismail Khan. Some sourcessaid that four militants who were in police uniforms scaled the wall of the office of the district revenueofficer and then jumped inside the compound of the DPO offices. This was reminiscent of the twocommando raids on the Manawan Police Training School, Lahore in March and October respectively, whenarmed militates attacked the centre, took some people inside hostage and engaged the security...

Pakistan's Security Apparatus Under Attack Again!

Five bloody incidents since middle of December betray have left a trail of over 80 deaths, mostly of thesecurity personnel, and rocked Pakistan military and civilian security apparatus. First came the confirmation early January of the executions by militants of at least 25 para-military troops;ten had been abducted in a raid in Orakzai agency on Dec 21st, and fifteen of them kidnapped next day in amid-night armed raid on their post in Tank. On January 10, as many as 35 deaths in a car bomb that ripped through a bus terminal in the town ofJamrud in Khyber agency, also included mostly FC men and government officials. Authorities in Peshawar believe the latest attack could be the work of the TTP in retaliation against the pro-government Zakhakhel tribe for the killing by Pakistani security forces of a TTP commander, Qari Kamran, in Khyber last week. They had gone missing in a clash with the militants in Upper Orkzai Agency. On Jan 11, at least 14 personnel of the Frontier Corps died in an ambush by armed men in the Nawano areaof Turbat district late on Wednesday night, an act that the banned Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) owned up.Official sources said the FC men were on duty in two vehicles on a road in the Nawano area, some 200kmsouthwest of Turbat town, when the gunmen, hiding in nearby mountains, attacked them from three sideswith rockets and automatic weapons. On the 14th Jan, a policeman, three civilians and four bombers were killed in a militant attack - ostensiblyon a suicide mission - at the offices of the District Police Officer (DPO) in Dera Ismail Khan. Some sourcessaid that four militants who were in police uniforms scaled the wall of the office of the district revenueofficer and then jumped inside the compound of the DPO offices. This was reminiscent of the twocommando raids on the Manawan Police Training School, Lahore in March and October respectively, whenarmed militates attacked the centre, took some people inside hostage and engaged the security...

Bombs and Executions Rock Pakistan

Three bloody incidents involving at least 50 deaths within first ten days of 2012 underscore the perilous security conditions that still prevail in northwestern parts of Pakistan. As many as 35 deaths in a car bomb that ripped through a bus terminal in the town of Jamrud in Khyber agency on Jan 10th , as well as confirmation of execution by militants of at least 25 para-military troops earlier in the month serve as a stark reminder that despite statistical improvements i.e. lesser number ofterrorism incidents during 2011, Pakistan remains hostage to radical anti-state purported Islamist militants, led by the vicious Tehreeke Taliban Pakistan(TTP), and apparently inspired by Al-Qaeda. While no group claimed responsibility for the bombing in Jamrud , the TTP had owned up the executions of 25 para-military soldiers. Authorities in Peshawar believe the latest attack could be the work of the TTPin retaliation against the pro-government Zakhakhel tribe for the killing by Pakistani security forces of a TTP commander, Qari Kamran, in Khyber last week. Fifteen of the para-military soldiers had been abducted on Dec 22nd in an armed raid on their post in Tank, near the border region, while bodies of the other ten were unearthed at a location in the Orakzai tribal region. They had gone missing in a clash with the militants in Upper Orkzai Agency. During the course of 2011, 24 suicide attacks claimed 388 lives. These included 160police and para-military personnel. The number of human losses off suicide attacks in 2010 stood around 444, according to the statistics compiled by the Home Department in Peshawar. Pakistan semi-autonomous Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) ´ spread over about 27,200 sq.kilometres bordering Afghanistan ´ remained embroiled in the military-militant hostilities. Known abroad as the world 'most dangerous place,' FATA is home to some of the most lethal militant organization like the Tehreeke Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Lashkare Jhangvi, and the Afghan...

Balochistan Weekly Monitor (January 2-8, 2012)

Executive Summary Acute violence revisited the volatile province during first week of the year. Landmine explosions, kidnapping for ransom, target killings, clash between security forces and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TT) militants and sabotage activities were major highlights of the week. In the worst episode of violence, clash between TTP militants and Frontier Corps (FC) personnel in Murgha Kibzai area of Zhob district on 4th of January left five militants dead. In sum, violence took the lives of 19 people across the province. PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif condemned the persistently deteriorating law and order situation and demanded an immediate end to military operations in Balochistan. He announced during his two day visit to Quetta that an All Parties Conference (APC) will be convened soon in Islamabad to discuss the explosive situation in the province. Pakistan People Party (PPP) lawmakers Afzal Nadeem Chan accused the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Military Intelligence (MI) for creating law and order situation in Balochistan and termed the civilian government ¿dummy–. Nature of Incidents Dead FC Army Civilian Injured Landmine explosions+ bomb blasts 4 0 1 10 Abductions 0 0 1 0 Sectarian attacks 1 0 0 0 Subversion attacks 0 0 0 0 Dead bodies found 0 0 1 0 Target killings 0 0 2 0 Gas incidents or natural incidents 0 0 5 0 Militants 0 0 5 0 Total 19 10 Week in Review a) Acts of Terrorism/Subversion and Abduction During a routine patrol, a vehicle carrying FC personnel hit a landmine planted by the Baloch militants in the restive Sui area of Dera Bugti, in which three paramilitary troops were killed and two others injured on January 2. The banned Baloch Republican Army (BRA) claimed responsibility for the incident.[1] Two men, identified as Sitham Khan and Zulfiqar Ali, were shot dead in Goht Shadi Pert area, in the vicinity of Barija Levies Thana of Jhal Magsi District on January 2. In a separate incident, the bullet-riddled body of a missing...

CRSS Media Team’s New Year Gathering

CRSS' counter radicalisation advocacy/media team is working in various parts of KP and FATA to provid a counter narrative against extremism through live radio programs and field stories. The Team gathered on the morning of New Year along with the CRSS administration to enjoy an open air BarBQ lunch in Islamabad. The lunch was followed by a detailed discussion on the progress made by the team as well as the way forward for future ventures. Mr.Imtiaz Gul, Executive Director CRSS, individually asked every member of the team for their opinion as well as feedback for improvements. The discussion proved to be a fruitful platform for sharing and brainstorming of new ideas. Mr. Gul guided the staff to work on the important tasks such as Interviewing Peace Committees' members and highlighting their sacrifices to promote a culture of volunteerism and social responsibility. He also renewed the team's motivation by appreciating their work under tough conditions. Team members from Waziristan, Orakzai, Bannu, DI Khan, Swat, Khyber, Islamabad and Peshawar shared their field experiences and expressed their commitment to work as a national responsibility for playing a positive role for reforms and peace in the region.

CRSS Media Team's New Year Gathering

CRSS' counter radicalisation advocacy/media team is working in various parts of KP and FATA to provid a counter narrative against extremism through live radio programs and field stories. The Team gathered on the morning of New Year along with the CRSS administration to enjoy an open air BarBQ lunch in Islamabad. The lunch was followed by a detailed discussion on the progress made by the team as well as the way forward for future ventures. Mr.Imtiaz Gul, Executive Director CRSS, individually asked every member of the team for their opinion as well as feedback for improvements. The discussion proved to be a fruitful platform for sharing and brainstorming of new ideas. Mr. Gul guided the staff to work on the important tasks such as Interviewing Peace Committees' members and highlighting their sacrifices to promote a culture of volunteerism and social responsibility. He also renewed the team's motivation by appreciating their work under tough conditions. Team members from Waziristan, Orakzai, Bannu, DI Khan, Swat, Khyber, Islamabad and Peshawar shared their field experiences and expressed their commitment to work as a national responsibility for playing a positive role for reforms and peace in the region.

Pakistan Security in 2011

The following document gives an overview of the state of security in different parts of Pakistan. The primary objective of 'Pakistan Security in 2011' is to provide a glimpse of the country continued perilous journey ´ moving from one political or security setback to another with a direct bearing on the economy. In 2011, Pak-US relations in war on terror plunged to its lowest point in its decade long history. The Raymond Davis case of January 27, US raid to kill Osama bin Laden of May 2 and NATO attack on a Pak-Afghan border post badly impacted the bilateral relations, and thus tossed the volatility of security in Pakistan into the air. Indeed, severing of Pak-US ties also had repercussions for economy in Pakistan during the course of the year. Security Overview Pakistan security conditions remained volatile all through 2011. As many as 3,250 people fell prey to militancy related violence across the country while almost 700 security personnel were killed as a result of ongoing conflict between militants and security forces in different parts of Pakistan during the current year.[1] A Pakistan Security Report 2011, published by the Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies (PIPS), counted about 7107 people dead across Pakistan in 2985 incidents of violence of various nature during 2011.[2] FATA Pakistan semi-autonomous Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) ´ spread over about 27,200 sq.kilometres bordering Afghanistan ´ remained embroiled in the military-militant hostilities. Known abroad as the world 'most dangerous place,' FATA is home to some of the most lethal militant organization like the Tehreeke Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Lashkare Jhangvi, and the Afghan Haqqani Network ´ which , according to US military and intelligence officials, are the local supporting arms of Al Qaeda. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan Army media wing, almost 473 military men were killed and 1543 injured in ongoing military operations in the volatile tribal...

Balochistan Weekly Monitor (Dec. 26, 2011- Jan. 1, 2012)

Executive Summary After a fragile lull in violence during past weeks, acute violence revisited the province during the week in focus. A car explosion outside the residence of a Baloch politician reportedly carried out by Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and killed 13 people was the hallmark of the week. In sum 15 people were killed in different episodes of violence across the conflict stricken province. According to Balochistan Police Department estimates during 2011, 59 people were killed in target killings, 91 people of Shia community in sectarian violence, 480 people were abducted, 231 mutilated bodies were found of missing persons, and 218 security personnel were killed in exchange of fires and bomb blasts across Balochistan. Lawmakers in Balochistan Assembly on December 28 severely slated Interior Minister Rehman Malik for sabotaging peace and reconciliation process in Balochistan with his superfluous statements and words. Senator Hasil Bizenjo alleged that repression at the hands of the security agencies and the denial of even the most basic human rights are among the major issues in Balochistan. He termed the state 'as a major violator of human rights in the province'. Week in Review a) Acts of Terrorism/ Subversion and Abductions A bullet riddled body of Gulam Qader, son of Doshamby, a resident of Nasirabad, Turbat was discovered by Balochistan Levies on December 27 in Murgap area of Turbat city, about 900-kilometer south of the provincial capital.[1] Inspector General of Balochistan Police Rao Amin Hashim underscored on December 28 that target killings of settlers in Balochistan, especially people belonging to Punjab has significantly declined during the current year. He noted that on the contrary there is a sharp increase in the discovery of bullet-riddled bodies of missing persons, sectarian violence and kidnappings for ransom in the chronically volatile province. He mentioned that as many as 59 settlers were gunned down this year and the number is...

Balochistan Weekly Monitor (Dec. 19- 25, 2011)

Executive Summary An unusual respite in violence prevailed in Balochistan during this week, as there was not a single violent incident reported across the province. But, Balochistan saw number of political activities and social demonstrations during the week. Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani stressed the need for political unity and harmony among all political parties to quell the prevalent environment of conspiracies. Veteran Baloch sardar and former chief minister, Sardar Attaullah Mengal severely criticized the Aghaz-i-Haqooq-i-Balochistan package, and termed it as a mere joke with the Balochis. Provincial Minister for Labor and Manpower Maulvi Ghulam Sarwar Musakhail slated Frontier Corps (FC) for its failure to check deteriorating law and order situation in Balochistan. The enraged residents of Quetta over gas load shedding took out the streets against the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) and blocked the road that connects Quetta with the rest of Pakistan. They demanded that the government should ensure adequate and smooth supply of gas during chilly winter season. People belonging to the Hindu community in Balochistan held a protest against the government for its failure to protect the lives of those belonging to minorities. Week in Review a) Political Front Chief Minister Raisani while welcoming the return of President Asif Ali Zardari to Pakistan on December 19 urged political forces to join their hands and maintain unity and harmony among their ranks in order to thwart conspiracies hatched against democracy. He warned: 'All political parties should learn from mistakes they have committed in past and how democracy was derailed. It would create difficulties for Pakistan if democracy is again derailed.' He also underlined that the issue of the memo has been settled following a statement issued by the former US national security advisor, General (Retd.) James Jones.[1] Sardar Attaullah Mengal, who was in Karachi while talking to media before his meeting with...