Drone kills twenty-five in Miram Shah; Nine killed in Shawal clash; Haqqani: U.S. came into Pakistan with “guns blazing,” alienated Pakistanis; China to launch Pakistani satellite; Pakistan deports five Chinese nationals to Xinjiang; Six more killed in Karachi; Khar: New chapter in relations with India; Umar Patek to be sent to Indonesia by end of month; Pak intelligence claims they did not detain HuT activists; SC disappointed in government lack of effort in investigating Balochistan disappearances.
FATA
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On Wednesday, a drone strike targeting a house in Miram Shah killed at least twenty-five militants. Among the dead were Arab and Uzbek fighters and militants belonging to the Haqqani Network. The drone also fired a missile “destroying a vehicle carrying food for the pre-dawn meal,” common during Ramadan, according to the Telegraph.[i]
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On Wednesday, nine people were killed in clashes between pro-government tribesmen and militants in Shawal. Five militants and four tribesmen were killed when a group of tribesmen attacked a militant hideout.[ii]
U.S. Pakistan Relations
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In a radio interview, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the U.S. Hussain Haqqani explained Pakistani anger over the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden as fear spurred by the U.S. coming into Pakistan “unilaterally with guns blazing.” Haqqani said such behavior made Pakistanis suspicious of the U.S. and made it difficult for them to look at the U.S. as a friend.[iii]
China-Pakistan Relations
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On Wednesday, Chinese officials announced that China would be launching a communications satellite for Pakistan in the next few days. PAKSAT-1R will be launched with a Long March-3B carrier rocket.[iv]
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On Monday, Pakistan deported five Chinese nationals, sending them to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang province. Pakistan did not offer an explanation for the deportations, but, in the aftermath of recent alleged Islamist attacks in Xinjiang, China has pressured Pakistan to crack down on Islamist militants based in Pakistan targeting China, including the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM). The Wall Street Journal reports China has tried to quell ethic and separatist tensions in Xinjiang by spurring economic development with a railroad linking Xinjiang to Central Asia and Pakistan.[v]
Karachi
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On Tuesday, at least six people were killed in violent incidents around Karachi. Three more people were killed over Tuesday night. On Wednesday, there were five hand grenade attacks in Lyari, one of which injured the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) local leader Zafar Baloch. The Interior Ministry has extended the deadline for arms license registration from August 31 to September 30. Interior Minister Rehman Malik recently announced the computerization of arms licenses to better document and regulate arms purchases.[vi]
India-Pakistan Relations
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On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Hina Rabban Khar told the National Assembly she hoped for a “new chapter” in India-Pakistan relations. At end of July, Khar met with her Indian counterpart, S.M. Krishna, in New Delhi. The talks reportedly went well and will continue with more talks in September.[vii]
Patek Extradition
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An Indonesian anti-terrorism official says Bali bombings suspect Umar Patek will be extradited from Pakistan to Indonesia by the end of August. Patek allegedly prepared the explosives used in the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings, which killed 202. Patek was arrested in Abbottabad on January 25.[viii]
Hizb-ut Tahrir
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On Wednesday, the Islamabad High Court held a hearing to address four petitions regarding the alleged detention of five Hizb-ut Tahrir (HuT) activists. The Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and military intelligence have reportedly denied that they have the activists in custody. Pakistan has attempted to root out HuT influence within the security establishment since the arrest of Brig. Ali Khan, a senior army officer who allegedly held ties to the organization.[ix]
Balochistan
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On Tuesday, the Supreme Court expressed disappointment at the government’s “non-serious attitude” regarding recent reports of disappearances and other human rights violations in Balochistan. Human Rights Watch recently released a report drawing attention to the use of disappearances to suppress Balochistan’s separatists.[x]