Pakistan Security Brief-October 22, 2010
Secretary of State Clinton announces $2 billion military aid package; U.S. to stop funding Pakistani military units accused of extrajudicial killings; President Zardari may visit the U.S. as early as next month; Five dead in mosque attack in Peshawar; Six Frontier corps soldiers killed in roadside blast; 3,000 new police to be added to force in Karachi.
US Pakistan Relations
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Secretary of State Clinton formally announced today that the Obama administration will ask Congress to approve $2 billion in military aid to Pakistan. The announcement comes at the end of three days of meetings with senior Pakistani officials here in Washington. The military aid package will provide funding for U.S. made weapons, ammunition, training, and accessories from 2012-2016. Today’s aid package has been offered as a “complement” to the $7.5 billion Kerry-Lugar aid package that was awarded to Pakistani in 2005.[1]
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It was revealed on Thursday that the United States will cut military funding to a half dozen Pakistani military units that have been linked to extrajudicial killings in Swat. The funding cutoff comes a month after a video surfaced showing regular Pakistani military units lining up and then executing unarmed prisoners. The United States has not formally informed Pakistan of its plans to deny funding, but the New York Times was able to confirm the decision from top administration and congressional officials. [2]
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The Obama administration has privately warned Pakistani officials that continued inaction against militant groups operating within Pakistani territory might endanger future U.S. funding. In recent months, the Obama administration has expressed growing frustration with Pakistani efforts to root out terrorist elements operating within the country’s tribal areas, particularly inside North Waziristan.[3]
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The White House confirmed yesterday that President Obama has offered an invitation to Pakistani President Zardari to visit Washington. The invitation came while the President met with senior members of the Pakistani delegation at the White House on Wednesday. Pakistani President Zardari may visit Washington as early as next month.[4]
Kyhber-Paktunkwa
- At least five people were killed and another 20 injured on Friday, after militants detonated explosives outside a mosque in Peshawar. According to officials, militants denoted 1.5-2.0 kgs of explosives that were planted outside the mosque. The blast occurred right after Friday prayers had concluded. The dead and injured were moved to local hospitals and security forces were said to being working to determine who was responsible for the attack. [5]
FATA
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Six members of the Frontier Corps were killed on Friday in a roadside bomb attack in Orakzai tribal agency. The soldiers were killed when a remote controlled explosive destroyed their vehicle while on patrol in the Yakh Kandaw area of the agency. According to reports, a colonel was among those killed in Friday’s blast. Security forces are working to identify which militant group was responsible for the attack.[6]
Karachi
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Major political players from the MQM and ANP movements met on Thursday with Interior Minister Rehman Malik and the governor of Sindh Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza to discuss the ongoing violence in Karachi. According to reports, members of the MQM and ANP agreed to crackdown “without discrimination” on gangs and drug traffickers linked to killings in Karachi. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Malik announced that the government would add 3,000 police officers to Karachi’s police force. Malik said the new police would help prevent future outbreaks of violence.[7]