Pakistan Security Brief

U.S. military leaders tell Senate Armed Forces Committee Pakistan knows where Mullah Omar is; Pakistan to keep shelling militants as they flee into Afghanistan if cross-border attacks continue; F.B.I. had flawed intelligence on Saif al-Adel; Alleged HuT-linked Brig. Khan likely to be released; Western nations press China on Pakistan nuclear plant cooperation; Six rangers charged with murder in video killing case; Two NATO oil tankers destroyed in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

 

U.S.-Pakistan Relations

  • On Tuesday, U.S. Vice Admiral William McRaven, current commander of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and nominee for commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM,) told the Senate Armed Services Committee he believed the Pakistani government knew Afghan Taliban commander Mullah Omar was living in Pakistan. Vice Adm. McRaven also stated he believed the U.S. had asked Pakistan to find Mullah Omar. Vice Adm. McRaven also said Pakistan’s hesitation to target the Haqqani Network was “unlikely to change,” whether it was a “function . . . of capacity” or of political will. Members of the committee also asked Lieutenant General John Allen, Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) and nominee to succeed General David Petraeus as ISAF commander, if he was positive explosive devices being used against U.S. troops in Afghanistan were being made in Pakistan. Lt. Gen. Allen replied that he was certain and that Pakistan had failed to successfully act on U.S. intelligence tips regarding the bomb-making facilities.[i]
  • On Wednesday, Pakistani Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtar said that if Omar had been in Pakistan, he would probably have left after the May 2 raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. Mukhtar also said Pakistan had asked the U.S. “to vacate the Shamshi airbase.” It has been alleged in the past the U.S. has used Shamshi airbase to launch Predator drones.[ii]

Afghanistan-Pakistan Relations

  • Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, has told the Express Tribune Pakistan will continue to fire rockets at Afghanistan-based militants that launch attacks on the Pakistan side of the border. Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir reportedly made this clear in Kabul on Tuesday at the Core Group Meeting with U.S. Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman and Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Javed Ludin. Bashir told the press after the meeting that the “blame game” regarding the rocket attacks must end.[iii]

Saif al Adel

Extremists in the Military

Nuclear Security

Judicial Commissions

  • The six Rangers arrested in connection with the murder of Sarfaraz Shah have been charged with murder. The Rangers’ trial will be held in a civilian court. Public outrage regarding the murder arose in reaction to the release of a video of the unarmed 22-year-old pleading for his life after being shot in the hand and leg.[viii]
  • An investigation report regarding the murder of Christian politician Shahbaz Bhatti shows that the assassination was at least partially planned by the group affiliated with recently killed militant leader Ilyas Kashmiri. Kashmiri planned to work with Asmatullah Mawaia, “the self-proclaimed leader of the Punjabi Taliban.” The report states the attack was “executed by elements of Tehreek-i-Islami, coupled with the disgruntled lot of ‘Ghazi Force’ stationed at Islamabad.”[ix]

  • The commission investigating the murder of journalist Saleem Shahzad has asked the public for information relating to the murder.[x]

  • The commission investigating the shooting of five foreigners in Kharotabad last month has announced the findings of the investigation will not be made public. According to the Express Tribune, the investigation’s findings are incriminating and would further hurt the reputation of the security forces if released.[xi]

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

  • Two NATO oil tankers were torched inKhyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday. It has been reported, however, that neither were incidents of terrorism. One of the drivers had reportedly sold the oil on the black market before blowing the tanker up, and the other may have been involved in a scheme to destroy the tanker and get the insurance money after the incident was blamed on terrorists.[xii]
 

[i] “Pakistanis aware of Omar`s whereabouts: US general,” Dawn, June 29, 2011. Available at
 “Pakistan unlikely to go after Haqqani militants: US officer,” AFP, June 29, 2011. Available at
[ii] “Pakistan does not know where Mullah Omar is: Mukhtar,” Dawn, June 29, 2011. Available at
“US asked to vacate Shamshi Airbase: Mukhtar,” Geo, June 29, 2011. Available at
[iii] “Core group talks: No let-up in shelling militants, says Pakistan,” Express Tribune, June 29, 2011. Available at
“Pakistan says stop "blame game" at U.S., Afghan talks,” Reuters, June 29, 2011. Available at
[iv] “FBI terror profile merges identities,” AP, June 29, 2011. Available at
[v] “Alleged HuT links: ‘Brigadier Ali likely to be released soon,’” Express Tribune, June 29, 2011. Available at
[vi] “PNS Mehran attackers had inside help: Navy officials,” Geo, June 29, 2011. Available at
[vii] “Pakistan's Nuclear Bomb: 'We May Be Naive, But We Are Not Idiots,'” Der Spiegel, June 28, 2011. Available at
[viii] “Pakistan charges six rangers with murder,” Reuters, June 29, 2011. Available at http://old.news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110629/wl_nm/us_pakistan_paramilitary_charges
[ix] “Bhatti’s assassination: ‘Kashmiri plotted the murder,’” Express Tribune, June 29, 2011. Available at
[x] “Commission on Shahzad’s murder case seeks public help,” APP, June 29, 2011. Available at
[xi] “Kharotabad killings: 'Report incriminates security forces, will not be made public,'” Express Tribune, June 29, 2011. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/198387/kharotabad-killings-tribunal-submits-report-to-balochistan-government/
[xii] “Afghan-bound oil tankers attacked,” CNN, June 28, 2011. Available at
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