Pakistan Security Brief - December 4, 2009

Pakistan Security Brief – December 3, 2009 

A gun and bomb attack on a mosque frequented by soldiers in Rawalpindi kills thirty-five; Pakistan pushes back against rumors of the U.S. expanding its drone strikes into Balochistan; Pakistani military operations in the northwest kill twenty militants including two commanders; a bus in Mohmand hits a mine, killing three people; the Lahore High Court continues the proceedings against Mumbai-accused Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.  

• Thirty-five people were killed in a gun and bomb attack on a mosque frequented by serving and retired military personnel in Rawalpindi on Friday. A Major General and Brigadier were among the dead and the military claims several civilians including children died in the attack. The four attackers were killed either by blowing themselves up or in retaliatory action from security forces.[1]

•  Following a New York Times article that alleges the U.S. plans on expanding its drone campaign in Pakistan to include targets in Balochistan, the Pakistani foreign ministry declared its opposition to the drone campaign calling them “counterproductive.”[2]

• Continuing Pakistani military operations in the northwest killed twenty militants in clashes and air strikes. Thirteen were killed in operations in Swat and seven in Orakzai. Two militant ‘commanders’ were also killed in the fighting.[3]

• A bus carrying a wedding party in Mohmand agency struck an anti-tank mine on Friday. The blast killed three and wounded fifteen others.[4]

• The Lahore High Court has directed a trial court to assess the admissibility of Mumbai attacker Kasab’s testimony in the trial of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the attack’s alleged mastermind. Lakhvi claims Kasab’s testimony was not admissible as no acceptable reason had been given for the witnesses absence from the proceedings.[5]