Munter asks Bashir for Davis release; Pakistan seeks more F-16s, Pakistani charged in the U.S. with illegal nuclear exports; Ambassador Haqqani pleads for religious tolerance; Anti-TTP militia threatens to cease cooperation; Major General Athar Abbas backtracks on Ghayur’s remarks; Mahsud militants receive deadline; Three schools blown up in FATA; Militant’s house attacked; School damaged in Peshawar; Three killed in Dera Murad Jamali; TTP militants arrested in Karachi; ‘Target killings’ in Karachi.
U.S.-Pakistani Relations
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On Thursday, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, Cameron Munter, met with Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir to discuss the issue of U.S. security contractor Raymond Davis and the status of U.S.-Pakistani relations. According to sources, Ambassador Munter reaffirmed the U.S. demand for Davis to be released, following a resolution moved in the U.S. House of Representatives that called for Davis’ release. The resolution moved by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA46) stated that, “The House of Representatives calls on the government of Pakistan to release Raymond Davis…until such time, all US monetary assistance to Pakistan should be frozen.”[i]
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According to “diplomatic sources” quoted by Dawn News, Pakistan is looking to the U.S. to expand its inventory of F-16 fighter aircraft in order to “enhance its air capabilities.” According to one source, “[Pakistan] will take as many as [the U.S.] is willing to give.” Pakistan has already received 14 aircraft of a lot of 28 it purchased from the U.S. in 2006.[ii]
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A Pakistani national in the United States has been indicted on charges of illegally exporting nuclear-related materials to Pakistan, according to the Department of Justice. Nadeem Akhtar was charged with attempting to export radiation-detection devices, calibration equipment and nuclear-grade resins, among other things, which could be used “directly or indirectly in activities related to nuclear reactors and the processing and production of nuclear-related materials.”[iii]
Bhatti’s Assassination and Fallout
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Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani, pleaded for religious tolerance while at a memorial service for Shahbaz Bhatti in Washington. Haqqani told the service that, “When Shahbaz Bhatti was murdered and we remain silent, some of us have died with him. If we are silent, we allow evil to win. It is unacceptable, it is un-Islamic, it is not what Pakistan was founded for, it is not what Pakistanis living abroad can be proud of as Pakistanis and — if I may use a term that has been abused in Pakistan — it is blasphemy.”[iv]
Cooperation with anti-TTP militia
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The leader of an anti-Taliban militia, the Adezai Quami Lashkar, threatened to cease cooperating with the government in fighting extremism following a suicide bombing that was targeted against his militia. Dilawar Khan said, “We have fought against the Taliban, doing what should have been done by the government, but in return we did not even get security for a funeral. We have said that we will stop our support to the government against the Taliban in such a situation, and I repeat today that we will do it.” He referred to the lack of resources and support provided by the government to his militia, though the Peshawar city police chief argued that, “The government and the police are helping him with resources, but the police are also playing a role in the area. This is not something just for Dilawar Khan, it is a joint war.”[v]
FATA
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Following the rare report on U.S. drone strikes by Major General Mehmood Ghayur, Major General Athar Abbas, the spokesman for the Pakistani Army, called Ghayur’s remarks a “personal assessment” that was reported without proper context. Ghayur had previously acknowledged the effectiveness of U.S. drone strikes against militants in the FATA.[vi]
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Ahmadzai Wazir tribesmen in South Waziristan have issued a three-day deadline to Mehsud militants to leave the area or else face action. The leader of a local tribal lashkar stated, "Since we have signed accord with the government and restored peace to the region, these Mahsud militants wanted to take benefit of the situation and settle scores with the government and security forces in our region.” He claimed that seven Mehsud militants have been already been placed in a private prison run by the tribal lashkar.[vii]
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Two government-run primary schools were blown up by militants in the Landi Kotal area of Khyber on Thursday. A government-run primary school for boys was also blown up in Darra Adam Khel. An additional explosion destroyed the Yousuf Talab Bridge in the Bara area of the agency. Investigations have commenced into the attacks. [viii]
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
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The house of a suspected militant was blown up by a local peace committee on Wednesday in Kabal sub-district of Swat. The militant had been arrested the day prior on accusations of planning a suicide bombing.[ix]
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A government-run primary school was blown up in Peshawar on Wednesday. Three explosives were planted outside of the school by unidentified militants. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. [x]
Blasts in Balochistan
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Three people were killed and thirteen wounded by a roadside bomb set off in Dera Murad Jamali on Thursday. The unidentified militants had set off the bomb near a gas station, targeting a passing Frontier Corps vehicle.[xi]
‘Target Killings’ in Karachi
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Dawn reports that police in Karachi have arrested four Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, following a shoot out in the city. The militants were arrested on a tip, and were caught with a suicide jacket, rifles, and other weapons.[xii]
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Five people were killed in separate shootings in Orangi Town on Wednesday, in a fresh wave of ‘target killings.’ Among the dead was a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activist, who was killed in Bheempura. A local security official, Sultan Khawaja, said that to control the violence, “We have devised a two-pronged strategy — police force has been beefed up in the affected parts of the town and we along with senior Rangers officials will meet the leaders of peace committee in the area on Thursday.”[xiii]