CIA and ISI drone deal revealed; Supreme Court orders Musharraf to answer treason allegations; Musharraf given nomination in Chitral; PTI leader calls for IDP status for Tirah victims; Af-Pak border closes after fight between soldiers and police; Indian military tests nuclear capable missile; Over thirty militants, 23 soldiers, and numerous civilians die in weekend ground operation in Tirah valley; Four LI fighters die in Khyber agency raid; TTP control in Karachi harms ANP’s political chances, threatens activists; Indian hackers attack ECP website; South Waziristan TTP sets conditions for upcoming elections; Forces kill seven in Orakzai raids and airstrikes; Fatima group makes progress on stemming dangerous fertilizer; Militants detonate Uch gas pipeline; Militants fire rockets at Peshawar airport; Blasts and mortars injure civilians and police in Peshawar; Rangers capture TTP leader in Karachi; Dozens die in raids and targeted violence in Karachi; Indian authorities reinstate visa on arrival facility; Indian authorities free 17 Pakistani prisoners; U.S. General Demsey predicts Taliban to be military threat well after U.S. withdraws.

Drone Strikes

  • According to a New York Times article released on Saturday, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Pakistani military officials signed a deal in 2004 to secretly cooperate on drone strikes, allowing the CIA to conduct strikes in Pakistan in exchange for granting control over targeting and target prioritization to the Pakistani military.  The article explains that the deal was made prior to the first strike in South Waziristan that killed Pakistani Taliban leader Nek Muhammad in 2004, and was made to include conditions whereby the U.S. would never take credit for the attacks and the Pakistani government would either claim credit themselves or not comment. The article explained how internal CIA policy shifted following the deal, largely in response to increasing controversy over its interrogation programs, to killing, rather than capturing, militants. Early on, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) personnel needed to approve every strike, and limited U.S. drones to specific air corridors in the northwest tribal regions.  The ISI stressed that drones not fly near Pakistani nuclear facilities or near training camps for India-focused militants in the mountains of Pakistani Kashmir.  [1]

Domestic Politics

Internally Displaced Persons

Pakistan-Afghanistan Relations

Indo-Pak Relations

Khyber Operation

TTP in Karachi

Cyber Attack

U.S.-Pakistan Relations

  • On Monday, The Hill released and article discussing Indiana’s hold on $1.3 billion in grants to Pakistan's Fatima Group which were originally meant to support a new fertilizer factory the group was to build in the state.  The article explains that Indiana’s Governor Mike Pence originally issued the hold because of concerns that Fatima group was not doing enough to stem smuggling of their fertilizer into Afghanistan, where it is used to make bombs.  During the original congressional hearings, IED expert General Michael Barbero said the group had made no substantive changes to prevent their fertilizer from straying into the wrong hands, and the Pakistani government prevented direct contact with the group.  However, Barbero has since said that Fatima is making a concerted effort to rectify the situation, by reworking their formula to make the fertilizer less explosive, ceasing sales and production in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, and beginning a fertilizer buy-back in some areas. [16]

Militancy


[1] “Origins of CIA’s not-so-secret drone war in Pakistan,” New York Times, April 6, 2013. Available at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/world/asia/origins-of-cias-not-so-secret-drone-war-in-pakistan.html?pagewanted=3&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
[2] “Pakistan court to Musharraf: answer treason claims,” Associate Press, April 8, 2013.  Available at http://news.yahoo.com/pakistan-court-musharraf-answer-treason-claims-125619344.html
[3] “Pervez Musharraf approved to run in Pakistan election,” The Guardian. April 7, 2013.  Available at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/07/pervez-musharraf-pakistan-election
“Musharraf cleared to run in Pakistan election,” AlJazeera, April 7, 2013.  Available at  http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2013/04/201347143751166216.html
[4] “IDP status sought for Tirah victims,” The News, April 8, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-7-169784-IDP-status-sought-for-Tirah-victims
[5] “Pak-Afghan border closed for an hour,” The News, April 8, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-22146-Pak-Afghan-border-closed-for-an-hour
[6] “India test fires Agni-II missile,” The News, April 7, 2013.  Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-95723-India-test-fires-Agni-II-missile
[7] “Two months late: India set to resume Visa-on-Arrival for senior citizens,” Express Tribune, April 8, 2013. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/531723/two-months-late-india-set-to-resume-visa-on-arrival-for-senior-citizens/
[8] “Why Pakistan hasn’t liberalized India trade,” Wall Street Journal, April 8, 2013.  Available at http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2013/04/08/why-pakistan-hasnt-liberalized-india-trade/
[9] “India set free 17 Pakistani prisoners,” The News, April 6, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-95590-India-set-free-17-Pakistani-prisoners
[10] “Tirah valley operation intensifies: 23 soldiers killed,” Dawn, April 7, 2013. Available at http://dawn.com/2013/04/07/tirah-valley-operation-intensifies-23-soldiers-killed/
[11] “Four militants killed, five soldiers hurt in Tirah clashes,” The News, April 8, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-22143-Four-militants-killed,-five-soldiers-hurt-in-Tirah-clashes
[12] “Six militants killed in Orakzai,” The News, April 8, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-170124-Six-militants-killed-in-Orakzai
[13] “Four Pakistani soldiers die in clashes with militants,” The News, April 6, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-95464-Four-Pakistani-soldiers-die-in-clashes-with-militants
[14] “Taliban factor likely to hurt ANP’S prospects in Karachi,” The News, April 6, 2013.  Available at  www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-169604-Taliban-factor-likely-to-hurt-ANPs-prospects-in-Karachi
[15] “Hackers again attack ECP’s website,” Online News, April 7, 2013. Available at http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?newsid=222642&catname=Pakistan
[16] “Obama administration defends Pakistani firm blocked in Indiana over IED concerns,” The Hill, April 8, 2013. Available at http://thehill.com/blogs/global-affairs/terrorism/292319-obama-administration-defends-pakistani-firm-blocked-in-indiana-over-ied-concerns
[17] “South Waziristan Taliban set guidelines for contestants,” Express Tribune, April 6, 2013. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/531802/south-waziristan-taliban-set-guidelines-for-contestants/
[18] “Gas pipeline blown up in Nasirabad,” The News, April 8, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-95737-Gas-pipeline-blown-up-in-Nasirabad
[19] “Cop gunned down in Nowshera,” The News, April 7, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-7-169891-Cop-gunned-down-in-Nowshera
[20] “Shopkeeper injured in Bannu blast,” The News, April 6, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-169763-Shopkeeper-injured-in-Bannu-blast
[21] “CD shop blown up in Hangu,” The News, April 8, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-170121-CD-shop-blown-up-in-Hangu
[22] “Rockets land close to Peshawar airport,” Dawn, April 8, 2013. Available at http://dawn.com/2013/04/08/rockets-land-close-to-peshawar-airport/
“Blast reported outside ex-senator house in Peshawar,” The News, April 8, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-95784-Blast-reported-outside-ex-senator-house-in-Peshawar
[23] “Body recovered in Peshawar,” The News, April 8, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-170122-Body-recovered-in-Peshawar
“Poliecman hurt in twin Peshawar blasts,” The News, April 8, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-95747-Policeman-hurt-in-twin-Peshawar-blasts
[24] “One killed, 3 hurt as shells land in Hayatabad,” The News, April 6, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-7-169783-One-killed,-3-hurt-as-shells-land-in-Hayatabad
“Mortar fire kills one, injures three in Peshawar,” The News, April 5, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-95463-Mortar-fire-kills-one,-injures-three-in-Peshawar
[25] “Blasts near police posts: no casualties,” The News, April 6, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-169764-Blasts-near-police-posts;-no-casualty
[26] “Terrorist killed, another arrested,” The News, April 8, 2013. Available at www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-169970-Terrorist-killed,-another-arrested
“Five more shot dead as violence continues,” The News, April 8, 2013. Available at www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-169969-Five-more-shot-dead-as-violence-continues
[27] “Police arrest 25 suspects during search operation,” The News, April 7, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-95664-Police-arrest-25-suspects-during-search-operation
“Two kidnappers killed, child recovered from Baldia Town,” The News, April 7, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-95563-Two-kidnappers-killed,-child-recovered-from-Baldia-Town
[28] “Taliban commander killed in Sohrab Goth raid,” The News, April 8, 2013. Available at  http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-169606-Taliban-commander-killed-in-Sohrab-Goth-raid  
“Body found,” The News, April 6, 2013. Available at www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-169622-Body-found
“Couple shot dead,” The News, April 6, 2013. Available at www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-169617-Couple-shot-dead
“Four shot dead in city,” The News, April 6, 2013. Available at www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-169609-Four-shot-dead-in-city
[29] “Blast near NADRA office injures 4 in Kharan,” The News, April 8, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-95815-Blast-near-NADRA-office-injures-4-in-Kharan
[30]“Young man’s corpse found near Tarlai,” The News, April 6, 2013. Available at  http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-169654-Young-mans-corpse-found-near-Tarlai
[31] “Two brothers hurt in Afandi Colony dacoity,” The News, April 8, 2013. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-170019-Two-brothers-hurt-in-Afandi-Colony-dacoity
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