Pakistan Security Brief

Militancy 

• In an interview on Friday, Afghan President Hamid Karzai revealed that Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Bajaur leader Faqir Mohammed is still in Afghan custody, while Swat TTP commander Mulauna Fazlullah is known to be in Kunar, Afghanistan. Karzai also expressed his support for Nawaz Sharif in the ongoing drone debate between the U.S. and Pakistan.[1] 

• On Friday, an al Qaeda activist, Abdullah Omar, was arrested in connection with the killing of Chaudhry Zulfiqar, the prosecutor in the Benazir Bhutto murder case. Omar was also allegedly involved in a December 2009 attack on a military mosque which killed 37 people.[2]

• Frontier Corps personnel in Chaman, Balochistan arrested a suspected militant on Friday, and discovered a large cache of explosives and arms, consisting of 32 land mines, seven remote controlled bombs, 20 anti-personnel bombs, along with various small arms and ammunition. In a separate operation, the Frontiers Corps discovered 15kg of explosives in Sui sub-district of Dera Bugti district, Balochistan.[3]

• On Thursday, six people were killed in several different incidents throughout Karachi. A Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) activist was shot in Steel Town, Karachi, while two bodies were recovered in northern Karachi. A political activist was shot and killed in Nazimabad, while two unidentified people were also shot dead in Chakra Goth, Korangi.[4]   

• On Friday, six people were wounded in several shootings across Karachi. Unidentified men injured two men in Ibrahim Hyderi, Karachi, while two people were shot in Malir. A woman was shot and injured near Khushal Khan Chowk, while another man was shot near the Super Highway, Karachi.[5]   

• On Thursday, Karachi police arrested 47 people in 24 hours of raids throughout the city, all of whom were wanted in connection with various crimes, including murders, extortions and kidnappings.[6]

• In Hyderabad,Sindh, the dead body of a 16 year old boy was found stuffed in a gunny bag on Wednesday. The boy had been kidnapped the day before he was found.[7]

• A police official was wounded on Thursday by unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle in Yar Hussain Bazaar, Swabi, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The official was shot twice in the chest and is currently in critical condition.[8]

• Extremists in Lahore have restricted the publication of a minority Ahmadi-owned weekly The Lahore over the last two months, the Express Tribune reported on Friday. The extremists have besieged The Lahore's office and seized all publication materials.[9]

 U.S. Pakistan Relations

• U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Islamabad in the fourth week of June, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry confirmed on Thursday. According to Chaudhry, U.S. drones strikes within Pakistan, as well the recent U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) leaks, in which the NSA is alleged to have, "stolen 13.5 billion intelligence reports from Pakistan,” will take center stage. The visit will reportedly, "set the tone for future cooperation between Islamabad and Washington.”[10] 

• Foreign Minister Spokesman Chaudry also conveyed his displeasure regarding the reported NSA surveillance to U.S. Charge d’Affaires Richard Hoagland, noting, “We have taken up the matter with the US to ascertain veracity of the news and obtain facts of the matter. We are awaiting their response.”[11]

• Despite U.S. diplomatic pressure, including a current proposal by U.S. congressman Dana Rohrabacher to suspend military aid to Pakistan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's special advisor on foreign affairs Tariq Fatemi says the government will not release from prison Dr. Shakil Afridi, a Pakistani doctor who was part of U.S. efforts to track down Osama bin Laden in Abottobad. Fatemi cited other pressing concerns, stating, “the priority items are the state of the economy which is virtually in a state of collapse and then the crippling energy shortages.” [12]

 Defense

• On Wednesday, a Pakistan government insider reported that a second nuclear atomic energy facility in Karachi will be constructed. China will aid in construction of the 1,000-megawatt project, according to Kyoto News. Pakistan has already dedicated $60 million to the facility.[13]

 Domestic

• In a meeting on Friday with his newly formed Federal Cabinet Energy Committee—including the Ministers of Finance, Water and Power, Petroleum and Natural Resources and the Punjab Chief Minister—Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif directed his cabinet to explore alternate forms of energy to combat the ongoing electrical crisis, as well as focus on ending energy theft. Sharif also declared that tariffs for electricity will likely increase on July 1. Furthermore, Sharif pledged to review Pakistan’s energy situation on a weekly basis.[14]   

• The mining company Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) announced its intention to sue the national and provincial governments of Pakistan and Balochistan on Friday. TCC had initially been involved in exploring gold and copper deposits in the lucrative Reko Diq area; however, according to Chief Executive Tim Livesy, both the provincial and federal governments prevented TCC from developing the mining sector further “as is Tethyan’s right” following the initial explorations.[15]

• Additional members of the cabinet of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa were sworn in on Thursday, including the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Health and Information, and Manpower and Industry, among other positions. Notably, no female ministers were sworn into the cabinet.[16]