Operation Rah-e-Nijat (South Waziristan)

[Barrett]

zabardast


9/11 is a touchy subject though......and as Pakistanis, we hope that victims of that attack would also get justice. Same way we hope for justice for all the damage and lost lives being caused in the general Central/South Asian subcontinent.

True that, the victims of all sorts of Terrorism should get justice.

 

[S-2]

"i can guarantee you that I know more about NWFP + FATA than you will ever know."

It may be but doesn't explain your befuddled complaints about afghan controls on borders that Pakistan has also cared little about controlling where it's suited Pakistan's purposes.

"I'm for peace in Afghanistan and Pakistan and the region."

Yes. I'm sure you are. Aren't we all? Peace and harmony for all but I've been reminded again by you, my local expert, that there are "good" taliban and "bad" taliban.

I see. Then you've long known and agreed that it was reasonable and appropriate for Pakistanis to permit those like Haqqani and Hekmatyar to use your lands to make war upon the afghans?

Also, I presume that you've not objected to your own tribal militia leaders like Hafez Gul Bahadur and Maulvi Nazir sending their sons across the border to support Omar?

I imagine you agreed when Sufi Mohammad did the same with a very large number of young Pakistanis in the fall of 2001 only to run back to Pakistan after the vast bulk of those young unfortunates had been slaughtered?

But you are for peace in the region.

Sure you are.

I imagine that misery, therefore, only bothers you when it becomes your misery.

"Their presence is radicalizing people."

You are either a fool or think me one. If so, you are terribly wrong. The afghan taliban were already quite radical before America put one foot on those lands. The afghan taliban remained every bit as radical when they retreated onto YOUR lands. And it is upon your lands that they inspired the likes of Baitullah, Faizullah and others to emulate them.

Your young men, however, are no fools. They've seen how your government has fawned upon these men and made treaty with their Pakistani proteges like Baitullah. They see the power and prestige these men hold. They've watched your tribal maliks slaughtered without your government lifting a finger for seven years. They've noted the money and weapons carried by these militias and compared that to the poverty of those FC soldiers confined to their barracks all this time.

You, sir, are part of the problem and not the solution. These men "good" and "bad" taliban, are one and the same and only a fool or one willfully duplicitous would suggest otherwise.

The afghan taliban kill the bulk of the afghan people. They do so by intent to terrorize. Just as the Pakistani taliban have done to your maliks, judges, politicians, and F.C. soldiers. The afghan taliban have destroyed schools and enslaved women. Just as your Pakistani taliban have done before the eyes of your country last spring in SWAT where it finally became clear to your people that they could no longer be tolerated...

...in Pakistan. The likes of you, though, would wish on the afghans that which you will no longer accept for yourselves.

Good luck with your bizarre and cynical notion of "peace".

 

[SecularHumanist]

SWA: security forces kill 180 terrorists

WANA: Pakistan Army has taken full control of Sararogha amid ongoing operation in Southern Waziristan killing a large number of Uzbek militants there Tuesday.

During a press briefing in recently cleared area Pak Army Brigade Commander in Sararogha Brigadier Shafiq told newsmen that 70 landmines and 21 suicide-blast-jackets have been seized here.

‘Pak Army took control of Sararogha after five days of operations.’

A large number of Uzbek and Arab militants were present in the area and several of them were killed in the ongoing operation, Brigadier Shafiq said.

‘Forces have reached in Janata village, while rest of the area will be cleared within six to seven days.’

Seven soldiers embraced shahadat and 14 others sustained injuries, whereas 180 militants were killed in Sararogha, Shafiq added.

SWA: security forces kill 180 terrorists - GEO.tv

 

[Ahmad]

SWA: security forces kill 180 terrorists

WANA: Pakistan Army has taken full control of Sararogha amid ongoing operation in Southern Waziristan killing a large number of Uzbek militants there Tuesday.

During a press briefing in recently cleared area Pak Army Brigade Commander in Sararogha Brigadier Shafiq told newsmen that 70 landmines and 21 suicide-blast-jackets have been seized here.

‘Pak Army took control of Sararogha after five days of operations.’

A large number of Uzbek and Arab militants were present in the area and several of them were killed in the ongoing operation, Brigadier Shafiq said.

‘Forces have reached in Janata village, while rest of the area will be cleared within six to seven days.’

Seven soldiers embraced shahadat and 14 others sustained injuries, whereas 180 militants were killed in Sararogha, Shafiq added.

SWA: security forces kill 180 terrorists - GEO.tv

that is good, hope they take and kill each one of them including the Talibana on both sides of the border.

 

[ejaz007]

that is good, hope they take and kill each one of them including the Talibana on both sides of the border.

Why on the other side of the border. Our aim should be to clear our own side and then seal the border to prevent infilteration from other side.

 

[Ahmad]

Why on the other side of the border. Our aim should be to clear our own side and then seal the border to prevent infilteration from other side.

you cant deal with one while ignoring the other one. remember Haqani in waziristan? also TTP have always helped Omar and his men. i dont say pak army goes physically there, but a good cooperation between the countries is necessary.

 

[Stewart1989]

I don't know how you guys can be so two-faced with this. What the Pakistan Taliban do to Pakis is the same way the Afghan Taliban treat Afghans, yet none of you, even though you have experienced first hand what this is like turn a blind eye to your own neighbours. Selfish and sad.

I am beggining to believe the loss of my countrymen over there has been in vain. These people won't help themselves. How are we expected to help them? Pull our troops out as they so wish, now! At the drop of a hat and see where Afghan ends up!

EDIT: I dont want to hear how this doesn't relate to Pakistan either because if you can't see how a stable and safe Afghanistan relates to Pakistan (and international) safety/security (essentially what this operation is aiming to achieve, Pakistan Security and civilian safety) then your reply is not required - because your delusional.

 

[Faruqi]

I don't know how you guys can be so two-faced with this. What the Pakistan Taliban do to Pakis is the same way the Afghan Taliban treat Afghans, yet none of you, even though you have experienced first hand what this is like turn a blind eye to your own neighbours. Selfish and sad.

I am beggining to believe the loss of my countrymen over there has been in vain. These people won't help themselves. How are we expected to help them? Pull our troops out as they so wish, now! At the drop of a hat and see where Afghan ends up!

EDIT: I dont want to hear how this doesn't relate to Pakistan either because if you can't see how a stable and safe Afghanistan relates to Pakistan (and international) safety/security (essentially what this operation is aiming to achieve, Pakistan Security and civilian safety) then your reply is not required - because your delusional.

Firstly, welcome to the forum. Secondly, Pakistan is not going after those fighting NATO in Afghanistan right now because, although you're right when you say all Taliban are a threat, we to need first take care of the immediate threat being posed to our own country by Pakistani Taliban. If we wage war on all Taliban right now, then the attacks on our civilians will likely increase manyfold and the Afghan Taliban will turn their immediate attention from Afghanistan onto us, causing a lot more suffering in our country. If we attack all Taliban right now it most likely will cause a huge backlash, leading to many more Pakistani deaths.

Our government is fragile and while the army may handle the backlash, the civilian government may not survive continued suicide attacks on officials if the rate of these attacks increase manyfold. What is happening in Afghanistan is unfortunate, but we must first save our own land before worrying about someone else. Once the S. Waziristan group is down we can concentrate on other Taliban.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

Yes. I'm sure you are. Aren't we all? Peace and harmony for all but I've been reminded again by you, my local expert, that there are "good" taliban and "bad" taliban.

Me personally, i could damn care less for any religious fundamentalists. But I am convinced that Pakistani taleban have nothing to do with the Afghan taleban. Of course there are exceptions. But ttp is very factionalized; as we saw after the death of Baitullah.

I see. Then you've long known and agreed that it was reasonable and appropriate for Pakistanis to permit those like Haqqani and Hekmatyar to use your lands to make war upon the afghans?

when did they do that?

By the way, Hekmatyar is not a powerful person now. You americans love to give too much credit to certain people. He was America's darling against the Soviets.

Does this ring a bell?

or this?

at this time Hekmatyar has many enemies --including Mullah Omar.

He has been trying to get Pakistan taleban militants to fight US forces. It is not in our interests to have anti-US elements in our country, but it is also not in our interests to have foreign boots in Afghanistan. If you asked me even 2 years ago, I wouldnt have said that.

but now officially, i want foreign forces to vacate this area immediately. It is having destabilizing affect for everybody; and even Iranians are pretty angry about the presence of U.S. forces on 2 sides.

Some of these elements don't join these groups because they like taleban ideology (wahhaby); but many join simply because they see it as a national resistance against occupiers (like in the soviet times)

Also, I presume that you've not objected to your own tribal militia leaders like Hafez Gul Bahadur and Maulvi Nazir sending their sons across the border to support Omar?

I don't even know what tribes they belong to; dont call them "my own tribal leaders"

The former is fiercely anti-American (anti-everything actually) and he is a security risk. I would like to see him arrested. Nazir being a dual citizen and equally anti-American ---it is no surprise why he would send his son to fight the foreign troops.

If things were my way, they would be taken out. I'm sure they will be found eventually. Hopefully they wont flee across the border; because we know that checkposts and security arrangements on Afghan side of the border are half-assed.

But you are for peace in the region.

damn right I am.....what's it to you, foreigner?

You, sir, are part of the problem and not the solution. These men "good" and "bad" taliban, are one and the same and only a fool or one willfully duplicitous would suggest otherwise.

The afghan taliban kill the bulk of the afghan people. They do so by intent to terrorize. Just as the Pakistani taliban have done to your maliks, judges, politicians, and F.C. soldiers. The afghan taliban have destroyed schools and enslaved women. Just as your Pakistani taliban have done before the eyes of your country last spring in SWAT where it finally became clear to your people that they could no longer be tolerated...

?????????

Even the brits, NATO chief, and Hamid Karzai are admitting that there is no victory in sight; and that negotiations with non hard-core taleban is the only way forward



tell me something, foreigner......What do YOU suggest? ISAF has been in Afghanistan for 8 long years. Things have gotten WORSE, not better

...in Pakistan. The likes of you, though, would wish on the afghans that which you will no longer accept for yourselves.

hogwash and yet another ad-hominem attack. You don't know me.

Good luck with your bizarre and cynical notion of "peace".

Good luck soul-searching and trying to find a way to define "victory" in an already lost war

 

[ajpirzada]

I don't know how you guys can be so two-faced with this. What the Pakistan Taliban do to Pakis is the same way the Afghan Taliban treat Afghans, yet none of you, even though you have experienced first hand what this is like turn a blind eye to your own neighbours. Selfish and sad.

I am beggining to believe the loss of my countrymen over there has been in vain. These people won't help themselves. How are we expected to help them? Pull our troops out as they so wish, now! At the drop of a hat and see where Afghan ends up!

EDIT: I dont want to hear how this doesn't relate to Pakistan either because if you can't see how a stable and safe Afghanistan relates to Pakistan (and international) safety/security (essentially what this operation is aiming to achieve, Pakistan Security and civilian safety) then your reply is not required - because your delusional.

y dont you also quote the total number of civilians you have killed since 2001. and then think y should we support you? now dont give me the bullshit of UN mandate.
Northern Alliance is much more barbaric than Talibans. Neither are u guys any better. Afghan civilians will suffer under all three powers. Now you guys are invaders so i will not support you. only two left are Northern Alliance or Afghan talibans. Afghan Talibans territory is closer to pakistan and therefore its in pakistan's interest to have gud relations with them.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

NA is indirectly arming the taleban. General Dostum is still sending the drugs to EU markets via Central Asian "istans". Hamid Karzai's own brother is working with drug lords.

It seems that ISAF has placed huge emphasis on credibility while fighting this battle . This battle isnt just about military, its also about development and bringing hope to people who are constantly seeing wars.

you cant fight a war (with victory as the goal) when the latter is undefined.....ISAF has no vision in Afghanistan and no direction. Meanwhile, we have 3-4 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan; we have food-herders illegally sending sugar, livestock and other foodstuffs to Afghanistan at inflated prices -- and as a result we are also having some food shortages in Pakistan. We have Afghan heroin coming to our country and ruining lives. What efforts are done to replace drugs with other crops for the agrarian society?


You can damn bet we want stability and prosperity in Afghanistan. And that will ONLY happen if and ONLY IF international forces withdraw.


effective immediately.











p.s. it sure as hell doesnt help the Americans when they do air strikes and kill Afghans; including the recent incident involving Afghan soldiers and previous incidents involving flawed intelligence and heavy civilian casualties.

every time you kill a civilian in Afghanistan, you created 25 new enemies. If some un-invited foreigner killed my family member in my own land, you can be damn sure I would fight them back.



LEARN FROM HISTORY OF THE REGION!!!!!!! No foreign Army has ever been able to subdue or control affairs in Afghanistan. Never has, probably never will.

 

[ajpirzada]

you cant deal with one while ignoring the other one. remember Haqani in waziristan? also TTP have always helped Omar and his men. i dont say pak army goes physically there, but a good cooperation between the countries is necessary.

it will be so gud to see foreign forces gettin control of the remainin 70% of afghanistan. or may be pakistan is providing a safe haven to all those who are controlin 70% of afghanistan
gud cooperation is only possible when other side is in control of most part of the total territory.
y not track down taliban fundin and weapon source first? and then talk about who needs to 'do more'

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

and no --- i am not "anti-American"

i wish only the best for America --- but my first priority is my own region. And we are sick of the violence.

We will continue to fight anti-Pakistan elements wherever they roam. You do your jobs on the other side; both sides need to focus and encourage development and proper writ of state. Concerned intelligence agencies should collaborate in this regard.



and under no circumstances will we allow india to set up anti-Pakistan infrastructure in Afghanistan. Let that be very clear in bold letters.

 

[air marshal]

PM asks philanthropists, PPP workers to support IDPs

D.I. KHAN, Nov 17 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Tuesday asked the philanthropists and PPP workers to extend their all out support to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of South Waiziristan.

He was addressing the PPP workers after visiting the relief center established for the IDPs of South Waziristan here.The Prime Minister said the development of backward areas was on the top agenda of the government and it would take every step to resolve the issues which people of D I Khan were confronting.

He asked the party workers to play their role and support the law enforcement agencies for restoration of peace in the area.

Workers of PPP on this occasion also apprised the Prime Minister of their problems. The Prime Minister assured them to take up and resolve their problems on priority basis.

The Prime Minister also directed the Minister of State for Finance and Economic Affairs for consideration of the Chashma Right Bank Canal project.

Federal Ministers,,MNAs and Governor NWFP were also present on the occasion.

 

[air marshal]

Gilani satisfied over success of military operation

D.I.Khan, Nov 17 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Tuesday expressed satisfaction over the success of the military operation and said militant strongholds have been captured and targets were being achieved.

The prime minister was addressing a press conference here at D I Khan at the end of a day-long visit to meet and see the facilities being extended to the Internally Displaced Persons.“The terrorists are now on the run,” Gilani said but said he could not divulge details of the future operations as it could warn the terrorists.

The prime minister who earlier pointed involvement of foreign elements in terrorist activities in the country said Arab, Uzbek, Chechyn and Afghan nationals were involved in such activities.

The Prime Minister said terrorism stemmed from poverty and illiteracy and the government was working to provide health, education, employment and other basic facilities in the tribal areas to bring the people to the mainstream.

Prime Minister Gilani said an international Trust Fund for development in NWFP, FATA and Balochistan has been set up that will help in quicker disbursement of payments for the development of Malakand and Swat.

He said the international community now firmly believes that peace and stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan were vital for the world peace.

He said D I Khan and Tank were suffering from severe water shortage and poor sewerage system and assured that funds would be allocated for improvement of water supply and a proper sewerage system.

He said it was for the first time that he was here and assured that all the problems of the areas will be addressed. He said the cut-off date for the registration of IDPs has been increased. He also assured that the government will consider increase in the Rs 5000 payment to each family, on the recommendation of the Mahsud tribals.

Gilani said it was time that the provincial government, philanthropists and MNAs come forward to assist the IDPs Waziristan as they did for the ones from Swat and Malakand.

To a question about the powers of President and the implementation of Charter of Democracy, Prime Minister Gilani said as he is the country’s chief executive, the President is willing to hand over the powers of 58-2(B) as well as the appointment of services chiefs to the parliament and the Prime Minister.

With regard to complaints of the Members of Parliament from FATA against the Governor NWFP, the Prime Minister rejected the possibility of the change of Governor, adding, “General is never changed during war”.

About presenting the evidence of Indian interference in Balochistan and FATA, the Prime Minister said India is not ready to resume the Composite Dialogue process, adding, however Pakistan, whenever required, will present the evidence.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Governor NWFP Owais Ghani, Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan, Minister for Interior Rehman Malik, Minister of State for Finance Hina Rabbani Khar and Chairman BISP Farzana Raja.

Earlier, the Prime Minister upon his arrival in D.I. Khan on a day-long visit to see the facilities for IDPs of Waziristan and meet the people of Mehsood tribe, was received by Chief of Special Support Group, Lt. Gen. Nadeem Ahmad and senior officials.

Lt. Gen. Nadeem Ahmad in a briefing told the Prime Minister that 37,000 out of a total of 57,000 families - displaced from South Waziristan to DI Khan and Tank, have so far been registered.

The Prime Minister was told that an IDP family immediately after the registration is provided with one month ration. Whereas after the verification by NADRA, the registered IDP families are also issued smart cards, which enables them to have Rs. 5000 shopping from the local market.

Lt. Gen. Nadeem Ahmad told the Prime Minister that Pakistan Army has also established a big field hospital in the area, where every day 900 patients are being provided with medical facilities.

The Commissioner D.I. Khan in his presentation told the Prime Minister that additional police force has been deployed in the area to check the possible movement of terrorists in the guise of IDPs. He said CCTV cameras have been installed at various points of city.