Pakistan Security Brief
House panel votes against blocking Pakistan aid; Pakistan: Foreign “agent” reports are slanderous; Gilani claims U.S. assurance against future Bin Laden-style raids; U.S. “delayed” information sharing on bomb factories; Musharraf says Pakistan failed to find Bin Laden because of negligence, not complicity; Islamist student group “terrorizes” campuses; S. Waziristan suicide attack kills two; Cross-border mortar attack kills two in Bajaur; Troops kill six militants in Orakzai; Ten people killed in Karachi shooting; Balochistan Corps Commander condemns killings; Army role questioned with NLC construction company bid; Abbottabad commission finding may not be released immediately.
U.S.-Pakistan Relations
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On Thursday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee voted 39-5 against a bill that would have blocked aid to Pakistan. Lawmakers did decide, however, that it would be essential to continue pressuring Pakistan to cooperate more fully in the fight against terrorism.[i]
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On Thursday, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said U.S. statements and media coverage regarding the arrest of Kashmiri American Council executive director Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai were aimed at slandering Pakistan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also declared that protecting the “fundamental rights of Kashmiris” is an international responsibility. Fai’s court hearing was postponed until Tuesday.[ii]
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On Thursday, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani told the Guardian that U.S. officials have assured him the U.S. will not launch a unilateral strike within Pakistan again. Gilani’s statements contradict those made by President Barack Obama and other U.S. officials, all of whom claim they will act unilaterally again if it is necessary. Gilani stressed the importance of “the support of the masses” and said the U.S. could decline even further in Pakistani public opinion if they acted unilaterally.[iii]
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On Thursday, the Express Tribune reported the General Officer Commanding (GOC) in Wana, Maj. Gen. Rizwan Akhter accused the U.S. of delaying passing on information regarding bomb-making facilities in Waziristan. It was reported last month that the Pakistani army found two bomb-making facilities in Waziristan empty after receiving a U.S. intelligence tip about their location, allegedly showing collusion between elements of the Pakistani security establishment and militant groups. Maj. Gen. Akhter suggests the facilities were empty because the U.S. “delayed passing on [the] information” and wanted it look like Pakistan had leaked plans for the operation.[iv]
Musharraf
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On Thursday, former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said in a speech at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars that Pakistan’s failure to find Osama Bin Laden was due to “absolute negligence and not complicity.” Musharraf suggested the U.S. give up on proving Pakistan was complicit in hiding Bin Laden as a first step in repairing relations. Musharraf did not express remorse about his last years in office, declaring, “[w]hatever I did, I need to repeat it if I am back in power.”[v]
IJT Active in Pakistan Universities
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The LA Times reports that the Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba (IJT,) a Pakistani Islamist student group, continues to oppress those with differing opinions at Pakistani universities. The report tells stories of Islamists “bursting into dorm rooms” and “attacking philosophy students.” Sajid Ali, head of Pubjab University’s philosophy departments says the IJT has taken campuses hostage.[vi]
FATA
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On Thursday, a suicide attack on a Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) employee’s vehicle killed two in the Sara Rogha area of South Waziristan. While no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, The News reports the attack took place in Kotki, the native village of the Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP.)[vii]
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On Thursday, four mortars fired from Afghanistan struck a house in the Mamund area of Bajaur Agency, killing two people. Locals blamed the Pakistani Taliban, who Pakistani officials claim are now based in Eastern Afghanistan.[viii]
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On Friday, troops killed six militants in a clash in Orakzai Agency. Security forces reportedly killed the militants after they attempted an attack on their checkpost in the Dabori area of Upper Orakzai.[ix]
Karachi
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On Friday, ten people were killed in a shooting in the Malir area of Karachi. It is unclear as of yet how the shooting began or between whom it occurred, but the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has reportedly contacted the police regarding the incident. As of Thursday, 154 people allegedly linked to targeted killings in Karachi had been arrested in the last several weeks.[x]
Balochistan
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On Thursday, Lt. Gen. Javed Zia, XII Corps Commander for Balochistan, condemned “kill and dump” operations in the province. Lt. Gen. Zia warned that the killings could further destabilize Balochistan and Pakistan as a whole.[xi]
Army Role Expands in Bid on Company
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On Thursday, the government decided to allow the army’s National Logistics Cell (NLC) to bid on a state-owned construction company. This latest development comes as voices around the country call for a more limited role for the armed forces. Three weeks ago, the NLC was found to be illegally trading on the Karachi Stock Exchange.[xii]
Abbottabad
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Lt. Gen. Nadeem Ahmad (Retired) has reportedly announced that the findings of the judicial commission formed to investigate the May 2 raid that killed Bin Laden may not be immediately released to the public. Lt. Gen. Ahmad also said that his statement in a recent interview with the Australian Broadcasting Company was taken out of context. Lt. Gen. Ahmed had said he seriously doubted the Pakistani government knew where Bin Laden was before the raid that killed him.[xiii]
