TTP leaders assert that Pakistan security forces did not capture TTP commander Adnan Rashid; Pakistan government requests army deployment in Islamabad for the next three months; IED explosion kills key TTP commander and four suspected militants in Orakzai Agency, FATA; Roadside IED kills two civilians in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; Frontier Corps soldier shot in Jandola Bazaar, near South Waziristan Agency; unknown militants kill two policemen in Quetta, Balochistan; Roadside IED kills two Pakistan Army soldiers in North Waziristan; Special representative sent to Afghanistan following reports of a possible TTP attack; Indian government complains about delays in the Mumbai attack trail.
Reports on Rashid Capture
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On July 25, senior Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leaders asserted that key TTP commander Adnan Rashid was not captured and alleged that security forces may have released fabricated media reports of his capture to prompt a reaction from him and find his whereabouts. After the reports were released on July 15, TTP commanders reportedly instructed Rashid to maintain silence and make no reaction to the reports. They also told the media they have planned to release a video or statement in which Rashid would speak about reports of his capture.[1]
Domestic Security
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On July 25, in an announcement by Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, the Pakistani government requested the Pakistan Army to provide enhanced security in Islamabad for three months starting August 1. The Pakistani Interior Ministry invoked Article 245 of the Constitution which provides for the military to act in support of the civil administration in providing law and order in Pakistan’s cities.[2]
Pakistan-India Relations
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On July 25, Indian government officials lodged complaints with Pakistan’s Foreign Office and Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner regarding delays in the ongoing Mumbai attack trial. The proceedings of the case involving seven Lashkar-e-Taiba operations commanders have slowed considerably since March 3, when militants attacked Islamabad’s district courts and killed 12 people. In the meantime, Pakistani government officials have asked the Indian government to quicken the pace of the trial regarding the Samjhauta Express attack of 2007, a year prior to the Mumbai attacks.[3]
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On July 24, Dawn reported that Pakistan plans to focus on improving bilateral trade with India during the August meeting of the two countries’ foreign secretaries. Pakistan’s planned granting of Most Favored Nation status to India will reportedly be discussed.[4]
Orakzai Blast
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On the night of July 24, Amir Salam, a key Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander, was killed along with four other suspected militants when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded in a house in Out Mela, Orakzai Agency in the FATA.[5]
Militancy
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On July 25, a roadside IED killed two civilians on Kulachi-Loni road in Kulachi sub-district of Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. In a separate incident on July 25, unidentified armed men shot at and killed a Frontier Corps (FC) soldier in Frontier Region Tank’s Jandola Bazaar, bordering South Waziristan Agency.[6]
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Militants attacked and killed two policemen in the New Sariab area of Quetta, Balochistan on July 25. Police suspect that Baloch militants carried out the attack.[7]
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A roadside IED exploded near a Pakistan Army vehicle and killed two Pakistan Army soldiers on the evening of July 24 in the Ghulam Khan area of North Waziristan Agency.[8]
Possible Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan Attack
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Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry said that on July 21 Pakistan sent Mehmood Khan Achakzai to Afghanistan as a special representative, following reports that the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was preparing to launch border post attacks from the Afghan side.[9]
International Monetary Fund
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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported that the exchange rate between the Pakistani rupee and the dollar is overvalued. Officials in Pakistan have dismissed the IMF’s findings and reiterate the important of nominal exchange rate stability.[10]
Pakistan-U.S. Relations