Pakistan Security Brief

U.S. drone strike kills six, including “high value target;” Al Qaeda bomb maker added to Specially Designated Global Terrorist list; Pakistani troops kill Indian officer on Kashmir border; Nawaz Sharif’s cabinet sworn in; Sharif removes top energy officials; PPP’s Kursheed Shah appointed as NA opposition leader;  Pakistan Army to withdraw from Swat; Bill Gates and Imran Khan to talk about polio crisis; Eight kidnapped by TTP will not be released; Drone victims' families urge new government to end strikes; Nawaz Sharif appoints head of IB; No major policy changes to occur vis-à-vis India; U.S. intelligence official calls Pakistan and India’s new tactical missiles a “strategic miscalculation;” Two killed in Charsadda; NATO supply driver killed in Chaman; 10 year old released from militant rehabilitation; JUI-F protests religious leaders’ arrest;  Child added to revised death toll in TTP shootout; Musharraf’s counsel requests information on treason allegations; Nawaz Sharif fails to offer new information on Iran pipeline and drones; Two sentenced to death in landmark Karachi case; JUI-F urges negotiations with Taliban while citizens' petition condemns peace talks; 94 Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa checkpoints abolished; Four wounded in Karachi shootings; Grenade thrown at factory; PML-N completes Punjab cabinet.   

Militancy  

Indo-Pak Relations

  • On Friday, Pakistani troops allegedly shot and killed an Indian army officer in the Poonch sector of the Kashmir border. According to a senior Indian army officer, “suddenly there was firing from the other side and our officer was killed.”[15]

  • Despite cordial gestures between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) officials indicate that no major foreign policy changes are in the works between the two nations. The reason for this, according to PML-N sources, is that the government plans on focusing on energy priorities for the next one year and also sees little enthusiasm in the Indian government for undertaking a major foreign policy shift vis-a-vis Pakistan. Both Singh and Sharif had invited one another to visit each other’s respective countries following Sharif’s May 11 election. [16]

  • On Wednesday, a U.S.  intelligence officer labeled Pakistan and India’s development of new precision-strike missiles as dangerous and unstable. Both Pakistan and India’s newly developed missiles are intended to allow strikes within each other’s respective countries, without “retaliatory escalation.” However, according to the U.S. intelligence officer, such beliefs could create “more possibilities for dangerous strategic miscalculation.” [17] 

New Government 

U.S. Pakistan Relations

Domestic

 


[1]Zahir Shah Sherazi, “Six killed in US drone strike in North Waziristan,” Dawn, June 7, 2013. Available at http://beta.dawn.com/news/1016707/six-killed-in-us-drone-strike-in-north-waziristan
[2] “U.S. names ‘Senior al Qaeda bombmaker’ for sanctions,” Dawn, June 6, 2013. Available at http://beta.dawn.com/news/1016493/us-names-senior-al-qaeda-bombmaker-for-sanctions
[3] Abdur Rauf, “Substantial plans: ‘Pakistan Army to be withdrawn from Swat.’” Tribune, June 7, 2013. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/560255/substantial-plans-pakistan-army-to-be-withdrawn-from-swat/
[4] Akhtar Amin, “TTP leader Waliur Rehman’s death in drone strike,” The News, June 7, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-7-182319-TTP-leader-Waliur-Rehmans-death-in-drone-strike
[5] “Two shot dead in Charsadda,” The News, June 7, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-7-182322-Two-shot-dead-in-Charsadda
[6] Syed Ali Shah, “Gunmen kill Nato truck driver in Chaman,” Dawn, June 7, 2013. Available at http://beta.dawn.com/news/1016697
[7]“10 year old boy freed in Orakzai, PHC told,” The News, June 7, 2013. Available at  http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-7-182323-10-year-old-boy-freed-in-Orakzai-PHC-told
[8]“JUI-F protests prayer leaders’ arrest in Mardan,” The News, June 7, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-7-182330-JUI-F-protests-prayer-leaders-arrest-in-Mardan
[9]Muhammad Ejaz Khan, The News, June 7, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-23334-Child-women-among-five-killed-in-Quetta-operation
[10]Amir Wasim, “Talks with Taliban: JUI-F asks govt to create conducive environment,” Dawn, June 7, 2013. Available at http://dawn.com/2013/06/07/talks-with-taliban-jui-f-asks-govt-to-create-conducive-environment/
[11] “Peace talks: Petition seeks orders against negotiations with Taliban,” Express Tribune, June 7, 2013, Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/559823/peace-talks-petition-seeks-orders-against-negotiations-with-taliban/
[12]“94 more check-posts abolished in KP, “ The News, June 7, 2013, Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-182340-94-more-check-posts-abolished-in-KP
[13]“Four injured in Karachi firing,” The News, June 7, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-104201-Four-injured-in-Karachi-firing-
[14] “Extortionists throw grenade at closed marble factory,” The News, June 7, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-182261-Extortionists-throw-grenade-at-closed-marble-factory
[15] “Border skirmishes: India claims soldier killed by Pakistan firing,” Express Tribune, June 7, 2013. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/560208/border-skirmishes-india-claims-soldier-killed-by-pakistan-firing/
[16]Umer Farooq, “Pak-India ties: Expect no drastic changes for now,” Dawn, June 7, 2013. Available at http://beta.dawn.com/news/1016676/pak-india-ties-expect-no-drastic-changes-for-now
[17]Rachel Oswald, “South Asian Tactical Missiles Risk Dangerous Miscalculation,” NTI, June 6, 2013. Available at http://www.nti.org/gsn/article/work-s-asia-tactical-missiles-threatens-dangerous-miscalculation-intelligence-official/
[18]“Sharif’s cabinet takes oath,” Dawn, June 7, 2013. Available at http://beta.dawn.com/news/1016686
[19] “Wapda chief, heads of power companies to go,” The News, June 7, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-23327-Wapda-chief-heads-of-power-companies-to-go
[20]“PPP’s Khursheed Shah declared leader of opposition in NA,” Dawn, June 7, 2013. Available at http://beta.dawn.com/news/1016699/ppps-khursheed-shah-declared-leader-of-opposition-in-na
[21] “Pakistan families of victims demand halt to US drone strikes,” Dawn, June 7, 2013. Available at http://beta.dawn.com/news/1016484/pakistan-families-of-victims-demand-halt-to-us-drone-strikes
[22]Khawar Ghumman, “Aftab appointed PM’s chief spymaster,” Dawn, June 7, 2013. Available at http://beta.dawn.com/news/1016602/aftab-appointed-pms-chief-spymaster
[23]Mudassir Raja, Obaid Abbasi, “High treason: Musharraf’s counsel asks SC to determine new govt’s views,” Express Tribune, June 7, 2013. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/560080/high-treason-musharrafs-counsel-asks-sc-to-determine-new-govts-view/
[24]Mariana Baabar, “Iran pipeline, drones missing in foreign policy guidelines,” The News, June 7, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-23331-Iran-pipeline-drones-missing-in-foreign-policy-guidelines
[25] “PML-N finalizes Punjab Cabinet, Rana Sanaullah to be senior minister,” Express Tribune, June 7, 2013. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/560188/pml-n-finalises-punjab-cabinet-rana-sanaullah-to-be-senior-minister/
[26]Zahid Gishkori, “Anti polio programme: Bill Gates reaches out to Imran Khan for support,” Express Tribune, June 7, 2013. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/560178/anti-polio-programme-bill-gates-reaches-out-to-imran-khan-for-support/
[27]Adil, Jawad, “2 get death in Pakistan case,” Boston, June 7, 2013. Available at http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/2013/06/07/get-death-pakistan-case-tainted-class/qJN0qbxtnxjC8AWnTfbOLI/story.html
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