Pakistan Security Brief - August 6, 2010

Pakistan Security Brief – August 6, 2010

Pakistan’s Interior Minister authorizes law enforcement to “shoot on sight” in Karachi; U.S. pledges additional $25 million in flood relief to Pakistan; Daily Telegraph reports Lashkar-e-Taiba providing flood relief; State Department calls al-Qaeda in Pakistan most serious threat to U.S.

Karachi

• Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Thursday authorized law enforcement agencies to shoot on sight persons involved in targeted killings and destruction of property in the city. On Friday, Malik met with delegations from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Awami National Party (ANP) at the National Crisis Management Center.[1]

• Pakistan’s government on Thursday rejected demands in the Senate for a military intervention in Karachi to end the violence. Two senators from the Awami National Party (ANP) and the Minister of Science and Technology from Jamiat Ulema-i-Islami called for the military to disarm political groups and restore order after the latest surge in violence. However, leaders of the Pakistan People’s Party, who represent Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, dismissed the calls, pointing out that the move is unconstitutional without the approval of the provincial government. Meanwhile, seven more people were killed on Friday, bringing the death toll to 92 since the violence began on Monday.[2]

Khyber-Pakhtunwa

• The U.S. on Thursday pledged an additional $25 million in flood relief aid to Pakistan. “The US is making a new contribution of 25 million dollars in assistance to flood-affected populations, bringing its total commitment to date to more than 35 million dollars,” the U.S. Embassy said. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said Islamabad could expect continued U.S. aid for flood victims. The U.S. has already provided military helicopters, 400,000 meals, and 12 pre-constructed steel bridges to replace those damaged by flooding. U.S. rescue teams have also helped evacuate 800 people stranded in Swat Valley and deliver 66,000 pounds of supplies, according to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad. Brian Katulis, an expert at the Center for American Progress, said that this disaster is an opportunity for Washington to demonstrate that it has more than a “transactional relationship” with Pakistan that dealt mainly with security concerns.[3]

• According to a Daily Telegraph report, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the terrorist group which killed 166 people in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and its charitable branch, Falah-i-Insaniat (formerly known as Jamaat-ud-Dawa, according to the Telegraph), are racing against U.S., British, and federal government relief efforts in order to win the hearts and minds of the more than 3 million people displaced by the worst flooding in Pakistan in 80 years. Falah-i-Insaniat has already set up displaced persons camps throughout Khyber-Pakhtunwa, providing food, shelter, and medical aid to more than 20,000 people per day. According to the report, LeT leader Hafiz Saeed has dispatched 2,000 volunteers to help in the relief efforts. Although the government has announced it is stepping up relief efforts, it has been widely criticize for its slow and poorly coordinated response. The current disaster marks the third time since 2005 that pro-Taliban groups in Pakistan have taken advantage of natural or manmade disasters to broaden their support and win the sympathy of the people.[4]

U.S.-Pakistan Relations

• The U.S. State Department calls al-Qaeda in Pakistan the most formidable threat to the U.S in its 2009 “Country Reports on Terrorism” released on Thursday. In the report, the State Department notes that despite setbacks, al-Qaeda "has proven to be an adaptable and resilient terrorist group whose desire to attack the United States and U.S. interests abroad remains strong." According to a National Counterterrorism Center report the number of attacks in Khyber-Pakhtunwa increased from 16 in 2005 to 940 in 2009.[5]

Swat

• According to a Herald report, military officials in Swat are arranging meetings with local landowners in order to purchase thousands of acres for the construction four garrisons in Barikot, Kabal, Khwazakhela and Matta. The report notes that this a violation of the Land Acquisitions Act, which states that only civilian authorities can purchase land for public use.[6

U.K.-Pakistan Relations

• Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari met with U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron on Friday to strengthen U.K.-Pakistan relations. Speaking to reporters, Cameron described their meetings as “excellent” and pledged to further strengthen an “unbreakable” bilateral relationship between the two countries. A joint statement said that the British Prime Minister "recognized the sacrifices made by Pakistan’s military, civil law enforcement agencies and people in fighting violent extremism and militancy and appreciated the efforts of the democratic government.” [7]

• A week after the cancellation of reportedly planned visit by ISI Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha to London following remarks made British Prime Minister David Cameron accusing Pakistan of supporting terrorism, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Thursday that no such visit had ever been scheduled. “No high-profile visit of the ISI was schedule for the U.K…I would have been informed about it,” P.M. Gilani told reporters. Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations, which reports for the military, “kept quiet” about the ISI chief’s visit. Sources told the newspaper, Dawn that a team of ISI officials was scheduled to visit the U.K.[8]

• The son of Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, cancelled plans to speak at a political rally for British Pakistanis in Birmingham. "It has been stated that I am going to launch my political career this Saturday in Birmingham. In fact, I will not even be attending the event and instead I will be opening a donation point at the Pakistani High Commission in London for victims of the terrible floods which have ravaged northern Pakistan," he said. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is viewed as the heir apparent to the top leadership position in the Pakistan People’s Party.[9]

Afghanistan-Pakistan Relations

• Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Thursday that a “stable, peaceful, and prosperous” Afghanistan is vital to Pakistan’s security as the stability of the two countries is “intertwined.”  Speaking to the Vice President of Afghanistan, Mohammad Karim Khalili, Qureshi reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthen relations with Afghanistan and support for the road map agreed upon at the recent Kabul Conference. Pakistan has pledged $330 million for reconstruction projects in Afghanistan. Both leaders noted that the recently signed Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement will further strengthen existing ties between the two countries.[10]

Afghanistan “Lost Cause”

• Former ISI chief Lt. Gen. Hamid Gul on Thursday called the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan a “lost cause” and said that the U.S. needs to negotiate with Taliban leader Mullah Omar. Speaking in a CNN interview with Fareed Zakaria, Gul denied allegations of supporting Afghan militants fighting U.S. and NATO forces. Gul noted that poor U.S. intelligence and a “home-field advantage” for the Taliban adds up to a losing war for the U.S."Time is on the side of the resistance…In such a situation, to hope to win would be absolutely hare-brained," Gul said.[11]