Pakistan Security Brief
Prime Minister says talks with TTP will restore peace; TTP intermediary says government and TTP committees preparing to hold talks; TTP political shura expresses concerns over military operations in South Waziristan; Efforts to extend ceasefire have failed; Amnesty International report highlights threats faced by Pakistan’s journalists; Prime Minister Sharif says he has no intention of banning Jang news group; Afghan and American troops kill 60 Haqqani Network militants in Afghanistan; Iran may be willing to fund Pakistan’s portion of Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline; Indian police detain 500 in Kashmir ahead of vote; Alleged TTP infighting kills five and injures three in South Waziristan agency; Electricity to Prime Minister’s secretariat and other government buildings cut off due to a failure to pay bills.
TTP Peace Talks
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On Tuesday Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stated in London that peace talks with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) would restore peace in Pakistan. Adding that his administration initiated peace talks with “good intentions,” Sharif compared Pakistan’s negotiation process to the way in which the United Kingdom resolved its issues with Irish republicans.[1]
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On Wednesday, TTP negotiating committee member Professor Ibrahim Khan said that despite grievances on both sides, the government- and TTP-nominated committees were preparing to hold peace talks. He added that contact had been established between the two committees so that steps could be taken to resume talks.[2]
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On Tuesday, the TTP’s political shura contacted the members of the TTP-nominated negotiating committee to express their concerns over the situation in South Waziristan. Azam Tariq, a TTP spokesperson, shared the political shura’s concerns with TTP negotiating committee member Professor Ibrahim Khan, who informed the government of the TTP’s concerns, as well.[3]
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According to a Wednesday article in Geo News, TTP committee member Professor Ibrahim Khan stated that efforts to reinstate and extend the ceasefire between the government and the TTP have not been successful.[4]
Threats against Journalists
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According to a Wednesday article in Dawn, a report released by Amnesty International highlights the numerous threats faced by Pakistan’s journalists. The report describes specific incidents in which journalists have been “harassed, intimidated, tortured, and in many cases murdered,” at times by Pakistan’s intelligence agencies, political parties, and militant groups. Additionally, the report alleges that Pakistani authorities have “almost completely failed to stem human rights abuses against media workers.” According to a Wednesday article in Reuters, Amnesty International also stated that authorities in Pakistan should investigate allegations of the Inter-Services Intelligence’s (ISI) role in human rights abuses against journalists.[5]
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On Tuesday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told reporters that his administration did not intend to ban the Jang Group, as was reportedly requested by the Defence Ministry. Sharif added that the media plays a “positive role in Pakistan,” and that independent media outlets should be allowed to operate without being forcibly shutdown.[6]
Afghanistan-Pakistan Relations
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On Monday, American and Afghan troops killed at least 60 militants in Ziruk district, Paktika province, Afghanistan. About 300 Haqqani Network militants and foreign fighters attempted to storm bases in the area and were repelled with heavy casualties. Afghan defense ministry officials claim that Pakistan-based militants orchestrated the attack that targeted an army base in Zirkuk, Paktika province, which is located approximately 7 miles from Miram Shah, North Waziristan where the Haqqani network has carried out several high-profile attacks against troops in Afghanistan.[7]
Iran-Pakistan Relations
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On Tuesday, Iranian Consul General Muahammad Hossain Bani Asadi told the Multan Chamber of Commerce that Iran has completed its portion of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline and that Iran may be willing to finance Pakistan’s side of the pipeline.[8]
U.S.-Pakistan Relations
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On Tuesday, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Jalil Abbas Jilani said that Pakistani and American military cooperation and intelligence sharing is ongoing and working well.[9]
Indian Elections
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On Tuesday, police in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir said that they have detained around 400 protesters and 130 people who they thought might try to disrupt the polls. Srinagar, which is the summer capital of Indian-Administered Kashmir, votes today for the Indian elections.[10]
Militancy
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On Wednesday, a road-side bomb blast in Shaktoi, South Waziristan agency killed five people and injured three. According to a report in Dawn, the attack was a result of infighting between two TTP factions, the TTP Mehsud branch led by Khan Said Sajna and the TTP in North Waziristan led by commander Shehryar, which has been ongoing for several weeks. One of the dead was reportedly a commander named Amir Hamza.[11]
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On Tuesday, a bomb detonated near a house in Peshawar, but caused no casualties or damage.[12]
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According to a Wednesday report in The News, the three militants killed by Frontier Corps forces on Monday in Khyber agency belonged to the Abdullah Azzam Brigade.[13]
Domestic
