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Pak-US Stalemate Persists –
During her visit to Islamabad in the last week of May, U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, had called the Post-OBL (Osama Bin Laden) scenario a turning point in the Pak-U.S. relations. Turning point is what the U.S. wants this to be for Pakistan. The Director of U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was in Islamabad on June 10 to take the turning point plan a step ahead. He had a dinner meeting with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Director General of the Inter-services Intelligence (ISI), Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha and left in the morning on June 11, without the routine calls on the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, or the Prime Minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani. According to various foreign papers including The Telegraph, London, Panetta was in Islamabad 'to deliver damning evidence that Pakistan ´ or at least some elements within its security services ´ was continuing to protect extremists in its tribal belt.'[1] Most of the foreign media reports argue that Panetta chastised Pakistan top generals on leaking of information to terrorists provided by the U.S. to Pakistani security establishment for action against them. He reportedly did that with the help of satellite images and videos wherein the militants in two hideouts in North and South Waziristan are leaving certain ¿bomb-making factories– after information about them was passed on to the Pakistani security forces for action, implying that Pakistani security forces¶or elements within them¶deliberately leaked the information to the militants. Pakistan military seems to have ducked the blow and told the American spymaster it wont allow U.S. forces– involvement in any operations inside Pakistani territories on one pretext or the other. 'We told him very clearly ¿no boots on our soil is acceptable–,' a Pakistani military official was quoted as saying.[2] Pakistan response on the two specific issues ´ more action against militants and the allegation of intelligence information...
Balochistan Package to be implemented for ensuring peace in Balochistan
The demand to prioritize education in the next budget and effective implementation of Balochistan package came out in a policy dialogue forum organized by Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) and Actionaid Pakistan (AAPk) organized a roundtable on 'Education System in Balochistan ´ Youth Perspective'. The Roundtable was presided over by former Deputy Speaker National Assembly and former Federal Minister for Education, Sardar Wazir Jogezai. Mr. Jogezai emphasized the need for making education a priority, purpose-oriented and compulsory in Pakistan. He was of the view that there was no long-term planning for education in Pakistan. He said that it was ironic that in Pakistan education system was following the available resources rather than the other way round. Mr. Jogezai said that availability of good teachers and free and readily available books was more important than schools buildings. Mr. Jogezai also took the opportunity to offer a collective ¿fateha– for Prof. Ghulam Hussain (Saba) Dashtyari who was killed by unknown gunmen on June 1. Prof. Adeel Jamaluddin professor at International Islamic University Islamabad shared that Balochistan has the lowest Human Development Index of all the provinces of Pakistan at 0.556. He said that with a total area of 134,051 square miles and population density of 58.2 persons per square mile, the very geographic enormity of Balochistan had complicated the problems of education even further. Considering the sparsely populated nature of the province, in Prof. Jamaluddin view, Balochistan formal education system had to be even more developed than the rest of the country. In this context, he suggested distance-learning and vocational training as an alternative to be considered by policy-makers for Balochistan. He added that all major universities of Balochistan were in Quetta, which was not feasible for most of the population of Balochistan. He further shared that most of the 19 lowest-literacy districts of Pakistan,...
North Waziristan Offensive: Is the Pakistan Army finally ready for it:
If the media reports were any indicator, the Pakistani army is almost set for fulfilling a long-standing American demand; a conclusive offensive against the Haqqani Network (HQN) nestled in Pakistan semi-autonomous North Waziristan and the Paktia Region of eastern Afghanistan. North Waziristan is one of the seven Pakistan tribal regions bordering Afghanistan, spread over roughly 5,000 sq. km., with a population of 361,246 according to the last official census in 1998. The hilly terrain there is inhabited mainly by the Utmanzai Wazir and Daur tribesmen. Over the years, it has turned into a beehive of militants of various denominations from all across the country and elsewhere, especially after the intensification of military operations, like Operation Raah-e-Raast in Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) from April 2009 to August 2009, followed by Operation Raah-e-Nijaat in South Waziristan from October 2009 to March 2010. Hafiz Gul Bahadur is the commander of the North Waziristan-based Tehreeke Taliban militants. The overall supervision of the militants in the agency as well as the adjacent Kurram agency and the Khost, Paktika, and Paktya provinces of Afghanistan is under Sirajuddin Haqqani, the eldest son of Jalaluddin Haqqani, who was an important commander during the anti-Soviet jihad in the 1980s. Named the Haqqani Network (HQN) by the Americans, Haqqani followers are also believed to be closely cooperating with al-Qaeda. Prominent al-Qaeda leaders of Pakistani origin like Ilyas Kashmiri ( who had founded and used the Brigade 313 in Indian Kashmir) and Qari Zafar as well as several Arabs and Uzbeks are believed to be hiding with the Haqqanis in North Waziristan. This is the reason the U.S. considers HQN a bigger threat than the ¿so called– Quetta Shura Taliban (QST) led by Mullah Omar. The QST is believed to be having a local agenda restricted to Afghanistan, while the HQN¶owing to its strong ties with al-Qaeda¶is believed to have a global agenda....
Terrorist Attack on PNS Mehran
At around 10:30 pm on May 22, 6 armed militants raided Pakistan Navy airbase, PNS [Pakistan Naval Station] Mehran, in Karachi, about 10 km off the Quaid-e-Azam International Airport. Two P-3C Orion maritime surveillance aircrafts were destroyed in the attack. Eight Pakistan Navy personnel and two Rangers personnel were killed while 15 others¶both from navy and rangers¶were injured in the attack. PNS Mehran is the headquarters of Pakistan Navy Naval Air Arm commissioned on September 26, 1975 with a current inventory of 27 multi-role aircraft that included the destroyed P-3C Orions.[1] Four people were killed and 56 injured in twin bomb blasts targeting two navy buses in two different areas of Karachi on April 26.[2] On April 28, militants targeted another naval vehicle, killing five and injuring 13 others.[3] The assault on PNS Mehran, the fourth within days of attacks on navy vehicles exposed the level of its preparedness in relation to the current level of threat from a multitude of militant groups. It was inconceivable for a core military establishment housing sensitive military hardware not to employ round-the-clock electronic surveillance or to run marriage halls for profit in its vicinity.[4] According to the Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, the militants entered the compound using ladders and cutting the barbed wire on top of the perimeter walls of the compound.[5] The fact that the militants were able to secure a rather easy access to the compound is a big question mark on the potential of Pakistan security forces. Questions are already being asked in the national media about the capabilities of Pakistan Rs. 600 billion a year military machine to defend itself, let alone defending the rest of the country.[6] The western media, on the other hand, have found another excuse to question the security of Pakistan nuclear installations. 'The discussions raise further questions about the ability of Pakistan military establishment to safeguard its vital assets and...
ΓÇÿFirefighter’ tries to put out the fire
Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, held meetings with the President, Prime Minister, and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of Pakistan on May 16 to discuss the situation arising out of the May 2, direct action by the U.S. Navy SEALs killing Osama Bin Laden (OBL) in the town of Abbottabad. The ¿firefighter– lived up to his reputation of keeping tempers controlled at both the ends. He gave a stern message to Pakistan that Congress was scrutinizing its ties with Pakistan and that the road ahead would be defined by actions rather than words. At the same time he assured Pakistan that the Kerry-Lugar-Berman assistance would not be jeopardized, and that any future action against a high-value target would be coordinated with Pakistan. It is important to press the 'reset button' in Pak-U.S. relations. This is how Senator Kerry summed up the efforts of rejuvenating Pak-U.S. relations. Senator Kerry went out of the way to give his personal guarantee to the Pakistani leadership against any perceived U.S. designs on Pakistan nuclear installations by saying rather dramatically that he was willing to write this with his blood. He also cautioned the Pakistanis against the growing extremist influences in the country by invoking the vision of the founding father of this country. It is up to the people of Pakistan to decide whether they want to have a country that is a terrorist haven or a tolerant democracy as envisaged by Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Senator Kerrry said. Kerry is mindful of the centrality of the Pak-U.S. relationship for the long-term strategic objectives of the U.S. in the region. Even before landing in Islamabad, during a briefing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he said, 'Going forward, we have to act thoughtfully and, no matter what, we have to remember the big picture, the larger strategic interest, and the full nature of this relationship with Pakistan. We should not rush into a situation that hurts our interests.' Kerry...
ΓÇÿFirefighter' tries to put out the fire
Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, held meetings with the President, Prime Minister, and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of Pakistan on May 16 to discuss the situation arising out of the May 2, direct action by the U.S. Navy SEALs killing Osama Bin Laden (OBL) in the town of Abbottabad. The ¿firefighter– lived up to his reputation of keeping tempers controlled at both the ends. He gave a stern message to Pakistan that Congress was scrutinizing its ties with Pakistan and that the road ahead would be defined by actions rather than words. At the same time he assured Pakistan that the Kerry-Lugar-Berman assistance would not be jeopardized, and that any future action against a high-value target would be coordinated with Pakistan. It is important to press the 'reset button' in Pak-U.S. relations. This is how Senator Kerry summed up the efforts of rejuvenating Pak-U.S. relations. Senator Kerry went out of the way to give his personal guarantee to the Pakistani leadership against any perceived U.S. designs on Pakistan nuclear installations by saying rather dramatically that he was willing to write this with his blood. He also cautioned the Pakistanis against the growing extremist influences in the country by invoking the vision of the founding father of this country. It is up to the people of Pakistan to decide whether they want to have a country that is a terrorist haven or a tolerant democracy as envisaged by Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Senator Kerrry said. Kerry is mindful of the centrality of the Pak-U.S. relationship for the long-term strategic objectives of the U.S. in the region. Even before landing in Islamabad, during a briefing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he said, 'Going forward, we have to act thoughtfully and, no matter what, we have to remember the big picture, the larger strategic interest, and the full nature of this relationship with Pakistan. We should not rush into a situation that hurts our interests.' Kerry...
ΓÇÿFirefighter' tries to put out the fire
Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, held meetings with the President, Prime Minister, and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of Pakistan on May 16 to discuss the situation arising out of the May 2, direct action by the U.S. Navy SEALs killing Osama Bin Laden (OBL) in the town of Abbottabad. The ¿firefighter– lived up to his reputation of keeping tempers controlled at both the ends. He gave a stern message to Pakistan that Congress was scrutinizing its ties with Pakistan and that the road ahead would be defined by actions rather than words. At the same time he assured Pakistan that the Kerry-Lugar-Berman assistance would not be jeopardized, and that any future action against a high-value target would be coordinated with Pakistan. It is important to press the 'reset button' in Pak-U.S. relations. This is how Senator Kerry summed up the efforts of rejuvenating Pak-U.S. relations. Senator Kerry went out of the way to give his personal guarantee to the Pakistani leadership against any perceived U.S. designs on Pakistan nuclear installations by saying rather dramatically that he was willing to write this with his blood. He also cautioned the Pakistanis against the growing extremist influences in the country by invoking the vision of the founding father of this country. It is up to the people of Pakistan to decide whether they want to have a country that is a terrorist haven or a tolerant democracy as envisaged by Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Senator Kerrry said. Kerry is mindful of the centrality of the Pak-U.S. relationship for the long-term strategic objectives of the U.S. in the region. Even before landing in Islamabad, during a briefing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he said, 'Going forward, we have to act thoughtfully and, no matter what, we have to remember the big picture, the larger strategic interest, and the full nature of this relationship with Pakistan. We should not rush into a situation that hurts our interests.' Kerry...
The Consensus Parliamentary Resolution on the Abbottabad Operation
Imtiaz Gul An historic eleven hour-long in-camera session of the two houses of Pakistan parliament resulted in a consensus 'Resolution on Unilateral U.S. Forces Action in Abbottabad on 2nd May 2011." The session had begun in the afternoon on May 13, and continued into the wee hours of May 14, 2011. For the first time, Pakistan military top-brass¶including the army, air force, and naval chiefs¶sat by, while the head of the mighty Inter-Services– Intelligence (ISI) spoke to explain how and why the entire military establishment was ¿caught napping– when four U.S. helicopters flew into the Pakistani territory, without informing the government, raided a compound in Abbottabad to kill Osama bin Laden, and fly back unchallenged with the dead body of the world most wanted person. This 'unauthorized incursion' kicked up a storm and eventually led to the in-camera session for the 442 members of the parliament. After a marathon presentation and question-answer session, and hectic consultations, all members agreed on a resolution which, inter alia, called upon the government to appoint an independent commission on the Abbottabad operation, fix responsibility, and recommend necessary measures to ensure that such an incident does not recur in the future. It was one of those rare occasions of consensus not only among all the parliamentarians but also the political leadership and the civil-military decision-making establishment. The parliament demanded in unison that the government 'revisit and review its terms of engagement with the United States, which through its 'unilateral action' in Abbottabad violated Pakistan's sovereignty. It also decried the CIA-led drone attacks, terming them at variance with the 'principles of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and humanitarian norms' and said that they be halted forthwith, 'failing which the Government will be constrained to consider taking necessary steps, including withdrawal of transit facility allowed to...
U.S. cannot afford to ditch Pakistan
Aarish U. Khan, Sr. Research Fellow The OBL (Osama Bin Laden) episode has unleashed a new dynamic within the United States, with some Congressmen demanding that the Obama administration review its alliance with Pakistan. Three Republican Representatives have already moved the 'Pakistan Foreign Aid Accountability' bill in the House of Representatives to condition the U.S. assistance to Pakistan with a certification by the president that Pakistan did not have any information about Osama bin Laden whereabouts.[1] The bill, if passed by the Congress, could jeopardize $ 3 billion assistance already appropriated by the Congress for the current fiscal year.[2] Disclosures about President Obama insistence on the assault force to be large enough to fight its way out of Pakistan if confronted by hostile local police officers and troops have not helped Pakistan cause either.[3] Worry is already creeping up the Pakistani decision-making circles. Any hindrance in the implementation of the Kerry-Lugar-Berman Act, that envisages annual $ 1.5 billion assistance to Pakistan for five years would exacerbate the cash-starved Pakistani economy, besides aggravating the fiscal deficit for the coming fiscal year. It could adversely impact infrastructure development projects like the hydro-power and water-reservoir projects of Gomal Zam or Satpara Dams in the north-west and far north of Pakistan, respectively.[4] The shocking revelation of the presence of OBL in the backyard of the Pakistan Military Academy in Abbottabad seems to have blocked the vision of several Congressmen from seeing beyond this crisis. This also gets reflected in several hostile statements by influential senators like Carl Levin and Joseph Lieberman. Certain senior senators, however, are calling for a more informed and dispassionate decision on the introduced bill. Key Republican senators, Lindsey Graham and John McCain have voiced their concerns about the bill. Senator John Kerry, however, remains the greatest...
Sunni Ittehad Council: The Strengths and Limitations of Barelvi Activism against Terrorism
Several Barelvi leaders joined hands for an alliance, the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), in May 2009 to work and guard against religious extremism and terrorism. The move seemed to be influenced by a gradual escalation of attacks on shrines across Pakistan since late 2006, as well as the on the Barelvi (Sufi) community that venerates these places. SIC has been able to achieve some successes but in the socio-political maize of Pakistan, this alliance, too, is hamstrung by limitations. Report
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I am also a member of National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting. Recently, we held a meeting with the Director General of Radio Pakistan and we told them to initiate such local programs (like Constituency Hour) in regional languages to educate and inform people. Even Indian Radio can be heard in FATA which is being used for propaganda purposes and must be closed. Therefore, we should launch some standard and quality programs like CRSS that will change the taste of the listeners.