Pakistan Security Brief

Government- and- TTP appointed peace committees to meet soon; JUI-S chief calls for meeting with religious clerics; Pakistani minister says government has second option if peace talks unsuccessful; Peace Committees near agreement for roadmap for peace talks; Prime Minister states terrorist attacks must stop during peace process; TTP want Mullah Fazlullah to lead Pakistan; Cleric states TTP has 400-500 female suicide bombers; Samiul Haq says all TTP groups support peace talks; American al Qaeda operatives in Pakistan could be targets of drone strike; Trade across Line of Control reopened; Pakistan receives $352 million from U.S. under Coalition Support Fund (CSF); Nine dead in Peshawar attack; Five dead in Karachi violence; 30 Brigadiers promoted to Major General.

Talks with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan

• According to a Wednesday article in the Express Tribune, the government and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)-appointment peace committees will meet soon. The former Pakistani ambassador to Afghanistan and member of the government committee, Rustam Shah Mohmand, stated that the TTP is ready to move forward with peace talks once its members’ safety is guaranteed. Additionally, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) chief and head of the TTP-nominated committee, Maulana Samiul Haq, called for a session of religious clerics on February 15.[1]

• According to a Wednesday article in the Express Tribune, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the Senate, Mushahidullah Khan, said that the Taliban engaging in peace talks with the government implies they recognize the country’s constitution. The Minister of State for the Interior, Balighur Rehman, responded to earlier statements from the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Aitzaz Ahsan of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), stating that the government’s peace talk efforts should not be interpreted as weakness, and that the government has alternative options if the talks are unsuccessful.[2]

• According to a Wednesday article in the Express Tribune, the government and TTP-nominated negotiating committees “almost agreed” to a roadmap for peace talks following a meeting on Tuesday. A member of the government’s committee stated that the TTP’s leaders have not said they do not recognize the Constitution. The two sides also discussed a possible ceasefire.[3]

• On Tuesday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stated at a meeting with the government-nominated negotiating committee that terrorist attacks must stop during peace talks. [4]

• According to a Wednesday article in the Frontier Post, TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid told a reporter from Newsweek Pakistan that the TTP want Mullah Fazlullah to lead Pakistan. In the interview, Shahid also said that the TTP are fighting against the government due to what they consider Pakistan’s un-Islamic democratic system and its friendship with the U.S. Shahid also commented that he expects the government to launch a military operation if the peace talks fail.[5]

• According to a Wednesday article in the Frontier Post, the TTP-nominated committee member, Maulana Abdul Aziz, stated that the TTP have 400-500 female suicide bombers throughout the tribal areas. Aziz also stated that the TTP are not in a hurry to reach a deal with the government to avoid a military strike.[6]

• A Wednesday article in the Frontier Post reported that Maulana Samiul Haq, a member of the TTP-nominated peace committee, stated that all TTP groups support the peace process. Samiul Haq noted that although “some elements” wanted to derail the talks, their efforts would not succeed.[7]

U.S. Drone Strikes

• According to a Tuesday report in The Long War Journal, several al Qaeda members who are also American citizens could be the target of the reported drone strike against an American al Qaeda operative. Adam Gadahn, a propagandist for al Qaeda is a possible target, as are Sayfullah al Amriki and Abu Ibrahim al Amriki. Both of the latter two are military operatives who operate in the tribal areas of Pakistan.[8]

India-Pakistan Relations

• On Tuesday, an Indian official confirmed that Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma’s visit to Pakistan was cancelled because of the lack of progress in negotiations for Pakistan to grant India Most Favored Nation status.[9]

• On Wednesday, trade between the Pakistani and Indian sides of Kashmir was reopened after having been suspended due to a dispute over India’s arrest of several dozen Pakistani truck drivers. India released all but one of the truck drivers.[10]

U.S. –Pakistan Relations

• Following a Tuesday meeting between Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and U.S. Ambassador Richard Olson, Pakistan received $352 million from the U.S. under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) for the first quarter of 2013. During the meeting, Dar also requested the remaining disbursements from Washington. On Tuesday, Pakistan paid $147 million to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under the IMF stand-by arrangement.[11]

Militancy

• On Wednesday, an attack on a house in Masho Khel, Badhaber Peshawar district killed nine people, several of whom were reportedly members of a local peace committee. The attack was carried out by 30 to 40 people in an organized fashion, with grenades and small arms used in tandem.[12]

• On Wednesday, five people died in violence in Karachi. The Rangers also arrested 41 people throughout the city as part of a targeted operation.[13]

Domestic

• After an unannounced military exercise to secure Peshawar Central Jail, which abuts a judicial complex in Peshawar, caused confusion, the Peshawar High Court on Tuesday asked for advance notice from the army about such operations in the future.[14]

• On Tuesday, the army held a meeting chaired by army chief Raheel Sharif at which 30 brigadiers were promoted to the rank of Major General.[15]