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US spying on Kahuta since 2003
By: Shahid Rao | Published: October 23, 2009
ISLAMABAD Despite the fact that Americans have been permanently housed near Pakistani nuclear installations at Kahuta since 2003 in the guise of imparting training at the Police College Sihala, neither the military nor the PPP regime has dared to dislodge them.
According to reliable sources, the PPP government paid no attention at all to the hue and cry raised by senior police officials against the dubious movements and installation of the American trainers.
It has been learnt that some senior police officials have been continuously raising questions on the quality of training courses being offered by the Americans to the senior police recruits. The officials at the same time claimed that Pakistani police officials could impart much better training courses than that the Americans were providing at present.
But the government turned a deaf ear to all these concerns of senior police officials and made no efforts to close the American training base allegedly involved in monitoring Pakistani nuclear activities.
Police officials, on condition of anonymity asked that even if this training by Americans was necessary at all, why had this very sensitive area been chosen and why this training has continued, risking the secrecy and sensitivity of nuclear installations of the country. They were of the view that Americans had no interest in the area except the intention to monitor the activities at the Kahuta nuclear sites.
Therefore, the sources observed that the government should immediately review this policy of allowing effectively an American base inside the Sihala Police College just nine kilometres away from the sensitive installations of Kahuta.
At present, the Americans are present at the Sihala Police College under two programmes. One is International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Programme (ICITA) a programme of Americas Justice Department and the other one is Anti-Terrorism Assistance Programme (ATAP).
According to the sources, the American base was on a four to five kanal area within the college compound covered with high rising walls and no one even from the senior college management was allowed to enter the so-called American enclave. The Americans have also placed containers as makeshift facility inside the said compound within the college boundaries.
Some police officials also made a revelation that a large size signboard prohibiting the foreigners to enter the areas was installed near Kak Bridge at the beginning of the Kahuta road. But, they added that the same board was replaced from this place just to give permission to the Americans to house themselves near the Kahuta nuclear site located closeby, during the former dictator Musharrafs regime, in 2003. Now this sign board prohibiting the foreigners to enter the area has been installed on the road towards Kahuta where premises of the Police College end, Police officials pointed out to TheNation.
The sources, quoting senior officials, have proposed that the American training programmes could continue at some alternative place.
US spying on Kahuta since 2003
By: Shahid Rao | Published: October 23, 2009
ISLAMABAD Despite the fact that Americans have been permanently housed near Pakistani nuclear installations at Kahuta since 2003 in the guise of imparting training at the Police College Sihala, neither the military nor the PPP regime has dared to dislodge them.
According to reliable sources, the PPP government paid no attention at all to the hue and cry raised by senior police officials against the dubious movements and installation of the American trainers.
It has been learnt that some senior police officials have been continuously raising questions on the quality of training courses being offered by the Americans to the senior police recruits. The officials at the same time claimed that Pakistani police officials could impart much better training courses than that the Americans were providing at present.
But the government turned a deaf ear to all these concerns of senior police officials and made no efforts to close the American training base allegedly involved in monitoring Pakistani nuclear activities.
Police officials, on condition of anonymity asked that even if this training by Americans was necessary at all, why had this very sensitive area been chosen and why this training has continued, risking the secrecy and sensitivity of nuclear installations of the country. They were of the view that Americans had no interest in the area except the intention to monitor the activities at the Kahuta nuclear sites.
Therefore, the sources observed that the government should immediately review this policy of allowing effectively an American base inside the Sihala Police College just nine kilometres away from the sensitive installations of Kahuta.
At present, the Americans are present at the Sihala Police College under two programmes. One is International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Programme (ICITA) a programme of Americas Justice Department and the other one is Anti-Terrorism Assistance Programme (ATAP).
According to the sources, the American base was on a four to five kanal area within the college compound covered with high rising walls and no one even from the senior college management was allowed to enter the so-called American enclave. The Americans have also placed containers as makeshift facility inside the said compound within the college boundaries.
Some police officials also made a revelation that a large size signboard prohibiting the foreigners to enter the areas was installed near Kak Bridge at the beginning of the Kahuta road. But, they added that the same board was replaced from this place just to give permission to the Americans to house themselves near the Kahuta nuclear site located closeby, during the former dictator Musharrafs regime, in 2003. Now this sign board prohibiting the foreigners to enter the area has been installed on the road towards Kahuta where premises of the Police College end, Police officials pointed out to TheNation.
The sources, quoting senior officials, have proposed that the American training programmes could continue at some alternative place.