Pakistan Security Brief

Request to transfer Davis denied; Islamist politicians have urged families to turn down “blood money;” ISI trying to redefine relationship with CIA; Grossman meets with Gilani; DeHaven granted bail; Gilani sole senior politician to attend Bhatti’s funeral; Militants killed in Kurram; Ahmadzai Wazir elders reach agreement with government; Schools damaged in Khyber; Security operation to be launched in Bara; Checkpoint attacked in Bezai; NATO tankers blown up at Torkham border crossing; PA: “90 percent of Orakzai cleared;” Monetary compensation to be distributed in NWA; Militants killed in Swat; TTP commander killed in Kamal Khel; TTP clashes with rival militant group; Explosion in Peshawar; Pakistani government apologizes for border violations; Mortar shells fired into NWA; Musharraf sought for arrest; Awan indicted for robbery and attempted kidnapping; Explosion in Karachi residence kills one; MQM provincial minister targeted.

U.S.-Pakistani Relations

• The Express Tribune reports that a request by the U.S. government to transfer CIA-contractor Raymond Davis from Kot Lakhpat prison to the Governor House in Lahore was turned down by the Punjab government. U.S. officials have expressed concerns over Davis’ safety, and furthermore demanded that his trial be conducted within the Governor House. Sources claim that provincial intelligence and security departments opposed the transfer, saying Davis could possibly slip out of the Governor House. Meanwhile, Islamist politicians have reportedly visited the families of the men killed in the Davis shooting. The politicians have allegedly urged the families to reject any offers of “blood money” from the U.S. government, though the families have said they have not been contacted by U.S. representatives.[i]
• Dawn reports that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency is “trying to redefine its terms of engagement with the American spy agency before any settlement of the row over immunity for Raymond Davis.” An anonymous source told the paper that the Davis issue has been overtaken by other matters pertaining to the relationship between the CIA and ISI, as well as concerns over the operational freedom of the CIA within Pakistan.[ii]
• On Monday, Prime Minister Gilani met with the new U.S. special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Marc Grossman. Over the course of the meeting, Grossman appealed to the Pakistani government for the release of Raymond Davis, to which Gilani responded that his government’s stance on the issue is based on principles and there would be no negotiations. Grossman additionally affirmed that stalled U.S. aid for Pakistan would be provided soon.[iii]
• On Monday, a Pakistani court granted bail to Aaron DeHaven, a suspected U.S. security contractor accused of overstaying his Pakistani visa. A court official said that, “The US national has been ordered to submit a surety bond of two million rupees (about $23,500). His release orders will be issued soon after furnishing the surety bonds.”

Bhatti Assassination and Fallout

• The New York Times reports that Prime Minister Gilani was the only senior Pakistani government official to attend Shahbaz Bhatti’s funeral on Friday. Furthermore, diplomats at Bhatti’s funeral articulated their concerns that the politician was killed on information provided by his security detail.[iv]

FATA

• Six militants were killed by security forces in Kurram Agency on Saturday. The Pakistani soldiers had attacked militant hideouts in the Chanarak region, destroying two safe houses over the course of the operation. Another operation on Sunday by Pakistan Army helicopters also resulted in ten militant deaths in Kurram. Meanwhile, gunmen kidnapped two children belonging to the Turi tribe from Makhizai area. Turi tribal elders have called for a jirga to discuss the incident with government authorities.[v]
• The News reports that the government and Ahmadzai Wazir tribal elders finally reached an agreement on Saturday, following extended negotiations between the two groups. Jirga members affirmed their support for maintaining order in their villages and towns with the support of the government, while the tribesmen were allowed to keep arms for self-defense, in line with the stipulations of the 2007 peace accord.[vi]
• Unidentified militants attacked three schools in Khyber, Kohat, and Swabi on Saturday. The assailants used explosives on the buildings, resulting in damage to rooms within the government-run schools. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Meanwhile, one of the four khassadars kidnapped last week was found dead near Ali Masjid in Khyber agency. The Political Agent for Khyber Agency, Shafeerullah Wazir, stated that a full-fledged security operation would soon be launched against militants in Bara sub-district of Khyber Agency.[vii]
• On Saturday, militants attacked a check point in Manzari Chena area of Bezai sub-district in Mohmand Agency with heavy artillery. One person died and seven others were injured in the attack.[viii]
• On Friday, militants attacked three tankers transporting oil to NATO forces in Afghanistan. The attack at the Torkham border crossing in Khyber destroyed all three vehicles, but no casualties were reported.[ix]
• On Sunday, Orakzai’s Political Agent Riaz Khan Mehsud stated that 90 percent of Orakzai Agency has been cleared of militants following recent military operations. Furthermore, more than 140,000 displaced families have returned to their homes in the region. Make-shift educational institutions have furthermore been created in lower and central sub-districts of Orakzai, so that 9,000 students may return to school.[x]
• On Saturday, the Political Agent for North Waziristan Ameen Khan announced the political administration's plans to distribute monetary compensation to victims of militancy and military operations within North Waziristan. Khan announced that the government would pay $6,000 (Rs 500,000) to the family of every slain person and $2,300 (Rs 200,000) to the critically injured.[xi]

Militants killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

• On Saturday, five militants were killed and a security officer was injured in an exchange of fire between militants and security forces. The militants were reportedly attempting to cross into Swat from Dir.[xii]
• On Friday, a Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander and another militant were killed in an operation by security forces in Kamal Khel area of Bilitang. Meanwhile, two tribesmen were kidnapped on the Kohat-Hangu highway on Friday night as they were traveling from Orakzai Agency.[xiii]
• Also in Hangu, militants from the TTP claimed the death of a man belonging to a rival militants’ group in Sarkandana area on Friday. The man reportedly was targeted due to his affiliation with the Maulana Muhammad Nabi Hanafi-led group.[xiv]
• An explosion at a police checkpoint in Peshawar killed one security officer on Saturday. Militants attacked the Bara Sheikhan checkpoint with hand grenades. Meanwhile, a bomb exploded at a check post at Shaikhan Chowk on Saturday, injuring two policemen and damaging several shops.[xv]

Afghan-Pakistani Relations

• Pajhwok Afghan News reports that the Pakistani government has apologized for recent rocket attacks on Ghosta district of eastern Nangarhar province. In a trilateral meeting among ISAF commanders and Pakistan and Afghan officials, Pakistani government representatives reportedly expressed regret over the border violations and financial losses caused to families in Ghosta.[xvi]
• NATO forces in Afghanistan fired nine mortar shells into North Waziristan, according to official and tribal sources. The mortars reportedly fell in Mir Ali sub-district, Spinwam sub-district, and Titti Mada Khel area on Sunday. Information about casualties could not be garnered because the area’s communication system has been disrupted.[xvii]

Internal Politics

• On Saturday, a Pakistani anti-terrorism court gave police an additional two weeks to arrest former president Pervez Musharraf over the murder of ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto.  Musharraf is suspected of having played a role as a part of a "broad conspiracy" to have Bhutto assassinated before elections. Musharraf’s spokesman stated that the former president has no plans to turn himself in.[xviii]
• Federal Minister for Law Dr Babar Awan was indicted on Saturday for robbery and attempting to kidnap Shaikh Iftikhar Adil on August 29, 1998. Awan has denied the charges and will reappear in court on March 12.[xix]

Militancy in Sindh

• One man was killed and another injured in an explosion at their house in Karachi on Saturday. The men had been handling explosives, which local policemen allege were going to be planted on railway tracks in Karachi. Officials stated that the men were suspected of being a part of a ‘nationalist group’ who had conducted recent attacks on railroad tracks in the area.[xx]
• Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) provincial minister Zubair Ahmed Khan’s residence was attacked in Hyderabad on Sunday. Khan escaped unharmed, and no further casualties were reported.[xxi]