Pakistan's War......AQ, AT, TTP and USA?

[RabzonKhan]

I have started this thread to debunk the conspiracy theories that America is supporting Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) war against Pakistan, and that “the TTP, is an agent of the United States and India wreaking havoc in Pakistan to fulfill the US design to establish the hegemony of India in South Asia and to facilitate the elimination by the US of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal”.

In the coming days I will post many news reports on this thread that will show:

How interlinked various terrorist groups are, and links between TTP, Afghan Taliban (AT), Al Qaeda (AQ), Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), Chechen terrorists, East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM).

How these terrorists coordinate and fight both Pakistan and United States.

The TTP is anti-American and their attacks on Americans.

How many top TTP terrorists United States has killed so far.

From where do the terrorists get their financing.


I'll start with a very interesting Daily Times editorial that was published in 2009:


Editorial: Baitullah Mehsud and America

The Daily Times
June 24, 2009

As Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) comes under pressure from the military operations launched in its stronghold, deserters from its rank and file are making revelations that belie some of the sacred beliefs the media has allowed to become common “analytical” currency. One big diversion from the truth is the “discovery” that Baitullah Mehsud, the leader of the TTP, is an agent of the United States and India wreaking havoc in Pakistan to fulfil the US design to establish the hegemony of India in South Asia and to facilitate the elimination by the US of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.

Who has proof of all this? Who inside the government has spread this “information” without giving sufficient proof? If you ask the state functionaries they insist they have not planned any such massive disinformation. Yet one has to recall that some spokesmen have vaguely named “agencies” on the “other side of the border”, but again without tangible proof. This, however, convincingly looks like a part of the “strategic” decision that the presence of NATO in Afghanistan is not in Pakistan’s interest and that India’s presence in Afghanistan is hostile to the interests of Pakistan. Some Pakistani analysts have now started questioning the “logic” behind the stringing together of these tales of TPP-Indian and TTP-American collusion.

Logic is the first casualty. There are a number of statements of Baitullah Mehsud on record vowing revenge on the Americans for their invasion of Afghanistan, recalling his own time spent in that country fighting alongside the Taliban. His men have preyed on the trucks that take provisions to the NATO troops through Pakistan and for which the Americans bypassed the Pakistan government and made independent arrangements with various private hauling companies and warehouse owners. The TTP now has a good supply of high quality combat vehicles and other military supplies. How does one reconcile this with the “fact” that Mehsud is actually working for the Americans?

The willingness to believe Mehsud rather than the government was in evidence in the media after the assassination of Ms Benazir Bhutto in December 2007. Mehsud’s telephonic conversation with the mastermind of the suicide attack was intercepted and made known by Pakistan’s intelligence establishment. However when he declared that he had not carried out the attack, Mehsud was immediately believed. Now that deserters from the TTP have revived the truth — that Baitullah Mehsud actually planned the killing and personally sent off the attackers to Rawalpindi — there is a silence of embarrassment in Pakistan. Had the fact been accepted in 2008 when the gang of assassins was apprehended, we would not have horribly falsified the evidence that linked the killing to Al Qaeda’s understanding of Ms Bhutto as an American “asset” in Pakistan.

Then in 2008 came the Mumbai attacks. The Indians reacted by rattling the sabre. Suddenly, India was the enemy and Mehsud a patriot. A “disenchanted” Pakistani analyst sought answers to such newspaper reports as the one quoting an army official saying that Baitullah Mehsud and Fazlullah were “patriots”. Another was reported as saying that in case of an Indian invasion the TTP will fight “shoulder to shoulder” with the Pakistani troops to save Pakistan.

From that to what is being said now is a big leap of the imagination. Such leaps are usually called fantasy. Now Mehsud is the paid agent of the Indians. Analysts appearing on TV have gone so far as to say that the Taliban inflicting savage cruelty on the people of Swat were actually Hindus! Everyone has forgotten about the 5,000 plus foreigners — Uzbeks, Arabs, Chechens and Uighurs — sheltered by Mehsud on behalf of Al Qaeda. One “deserter” has thrown in the red herring about how India trains its Hindu agents in the intricacies of Islamic learning till they become ulema before being sent into Pakistan looking like the Taliban!

So buried are we in our narcissistic obsessions that the world now rebukes us for living on the basis of contradictions. Foreign commentators now ask: If you hate the US so much and know that it is helping the Taliban to create chaos in Pakistan as a prelude to grabbing your nuclear weapons, why do you go asking Washington for money? They also say: If India is destroying Pakistan through the Taliban why are you seeking a “composite” dialogue with it instead of going to war with it?

 

[Marwat Khan Lodhi]

Good thread, i agree with you. Most of the pakistanis are very confused about this topic. When taliban do suicide bombings or beheadings etc then people say how can taliban do such things, genuine taliban are not like that.....they dont know that taliban have evolved and changed, and are not the the simple madrassa students of 90s.

 

[RabzonKhan]

Today I was planning to expose the main source behind the conspiracies, but a very interesting report was published in the Dawn, it's an official strategy document on counter-terrorism by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home and Tribal Affairs Department’s 35-page ‘Checkmating Terrorism: A Counter-Terrorism Strategy’.

The official document is very close to my own views and in fact, that's exactly what I have been saying for years now.

Let's cut the story short, in a nutshell:

My views, 1. Ethnically, both are mostly Pashtuns. (Note: no disrespect to the Pashtuns, most of them are good people).

My views, 3. They seek to wipe out all those who do not adhere to their brand of Islam.

KP document, "The document says that the Afghan Taliban would be bound to help Pakistani militants due to numerous ideological, ethnic, religious and financial linkages developed"

My views,Give sanctuary to Pakistani-Sunni terrorists

KP document,“We tend to have short memories. We have forgotten that it were the Afghan Taliban that had allowed our sectarian outfits to run training camps in Kargha to the south of Kabul and in Khost and had given shelter to their top leaders,” he recalled.

My views,But the most important point I will like to make is that our border with Afghanistan is dangerously porous and almost impossible to control and if the Taliban’s win (God forbid) and once again rule Afghanistan, than, no matter what we do we’ll never be able to defeat Pakistani-Taliban or other terrorists,

KP document,The US-led foreign troop withdrawal will create a sense of euphoria among the Taliban in Afghanistan and the TTP-led militants in Pakistan for their perceived triumph in forcing foreign troops to leave.

“Why would the Afghan Taliban provide strategic depth to Pakistan-based militants is not difficult to understand? Ideologically, Taliban do not recognise state boundaries. For them it is Darul Hurb vs. Darul Islam and there are no boundaries within Darul Islam and “fighters in the way of Allah” are to be welcomed

My views,4. Both are strongly linked with al-Qaeda and other terrorists.

KP document,the TTP and its multiple partners will pursue their ‘jihad’ with renewed vigour under the banner for setting up a true Islamic Caliphate in Pakistan.”

Here are my posts:

http://www.defence.pk/forums/pakistans-war/24088-new-strategy-afghanistan-pakistan-22.html
It is well known that many Afghan-Taliban leaders and foot soldiers got their education from madrassas in Afghan refugee camps associated with Jamiat-Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-S) , the same madrassas from were Pakistani Taliban get their education of hate.

Some more similarities between them:

1. Ethnically, both are mostly Pashtuns. (Note: no disrespect to the Pashtuns, most of them are good people).

2. Both believe in gender apartheid (Imprison women in their homes, killing female teachers and burning girls’ schools, etc).

3. They seek to wipe out all those who do not adhere to their brand of Islam.

4. Both are strongly linked with al-Qaeda and other terrorists.

5. Both have blood of the innocent Afghans and Pakistanis on their hands.

It is important to note that the source of their hatred and madness stems from hardcore hate filled Wahabi madrassas funded by Saudi Arabia, if we want to win the war on terror then we must either close, or reforms them, otherwise, the madrassas would continue to produce foot soldiers for the terrorists.


http://www.defence.pk/forums/pakistans-war/24088-new-strategy-afghanistan-pakistan-22.html
I beg to respectfully disagree, since the Afghan-Taliban barbarian came on the scene, and we blindly started supporting them, Pakistan has paid a heavy price.

Now I don’t know what makes you think they are “more amenable”?

The fact of the matter is, my friend, they hardly listened or took our advice seriously, in fact on several important issues they worked against our interests, here are some examples:

We tried our level best but they still refused to recognize the Durand line or drop Afghanistan’s claims to parts of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Give sanctuary to Pakistani-Sunni terrorists, and Uighur terrorists.

Refused to expel AQ and Osama, and are still allied with them.

Treated women and girls like trash.

Massacred minorities, because of their actions, our economic and diplomatic relations with Iran and Central Asian countries were severely affected.

Completely rejected our advice not to destroy the historical statues of Buddha.

Because of our political and diplomatic support to them, Pakistan got the bad name and had to face criticism from the international community for their wrongdoings (though we're no angels) and bad behavior.

But the most important point I will like to make is that our border with Afghanistan is dangerously porous and almost impossible to control and if the Taliban’s win (God forbid) and once again rule Afghanistan, than, no matter what we do we’ll never be able to defeat Pakistani-Taliban or other terrorists, and have a peaceful, liberal democratic prosperous Pakistan.


KP document warns of US withdrawal fallout

Dawn
Ismail Khan
July 25 2013

PESHAWAR: An official strategy document on counter-terrorism by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has warned that victory by the Afghan Taliban will further boost the morale of the Pakistani Taliban and it is erroneous to believe that militancy in Pakistan will end automatically with the withdrawal of foreign forces from neighbouring Afghanistan.

The assessment, contained in KP’s Home and Tribal Affairs Department’s 35-page ‘Checkmating Terrorism: A Counter-Terrorism Strategy’ document has gained currency in recent times. Participants in back-to-back meetings to mull formulation of a counter-terrorism policy last month pressed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to take civil-military control of the Afghan policy to pre-empt the fallout of post-US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“I think, there was an agreement,” Khalid Aziz, head of the Regional Institute of Policy Research and Training, who attended one such meeting, said. “Exit (of foreign forces) does not mean the cause of action will disappear (for our militants). There will be a new push for the enlargement of influence in Balochistan, KP and Fata.

“Our miseries begin with the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan. The prognosis is bad but this is what it is. This is the writing on the wall.”

Prime Minister Sharif was also cautioned against embracing the militants’ talk-for-peace offer on face value. “Don’t let your fingers burn,” Mr Aziz quoted a participant of the meetings as saying. He noted that Prime Minister’s Adviser on National Security Sartaj Aziz’s statement in Kabul that Pakistan did not have favourites in Afghanistan was a reflection of the realisation dawning in Islamabad.

It is not known if the all-powerful military establishment that continued to direct Pakistan’s Afghan policy since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan also holds the same view. At a background meeting with media early this year, a senior security official tried to push home the point that the Afghan Taliban would look towards Kabul once they became part of the political dispensation, and the Pakistani Taliban would start looking towards Islamabad, implying that the nexus between the two ideological twins would sever once foreign troops left Afghanistan.

But some government officials warn that while Pakistan seems to be preparing itself for a possible civil war and chaos in Afghanistan in the absence of a political settlement in the post-US withdrawal scenario, there is still no understanding about the likely implications for Pakistan if the Afghan Taliban gain full or partial control in their country.

“A part of the common discourse on the issue to which a substantial portion of our intelligentsia, political leadership and ‘other stakeholders’ subscribe is that militancy would cease in Pakistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa once foreign troops leave Afghanistan and militants (in Pakistan) would then lay down arms to lead normal lives,” says the 35-page paper.

“This is a fallacy. It will not happen and it is not difficult to understand why,” says the document prepared by the Home & Tribal Affairs Department. It was approved by the ANP-led cabinet but ironically remains unimplemented.

The Afghan Taliban enjoy ‘strategic depth’ in Fata and the Pakistani militants because of the ideological, material and coordination linkages with the Afghan Taliban have acquired strategic depth in Afghanistan, the document says. Attacks from across the border by Pakistani militants enjoying shelter there are a case in point, it says.

The US-led foreign troop withdrawal will create a sense of euphoria among the Taliban in Afghanistan and the TTP-led militants in Pakistan for their perceived triumph in forcing foreign troops to leave.

“Why would the Afghan Taliban provide strategic depth to Pakistan-based militants is not difficult to understand? Ideologically, Taliban do not recognise state boundaries. For them it is Darul Hurb vs. Darul Islam and there are no boundaries within Darul Islam and “fighters in the way of Allah” are to be welcomed.

That the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan – an umbrella organisation of the Pakistani militant groups – takes its relationship with the Afghan Taliban seriously and it was evident recently when it sacked its chief spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan for making statements against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

The document says that the Afghan Taliban would be bound to help Pakistani militants due to numerous ideological, ethnic, religious and financial linkages developed between them for decades and the support that was extended to them both in men and material terms in their struggle against foreign forces’ presence in Afghanistan.

“Wishing the militants away would not make them disappear,” Azam Khan, the principal architect of the strategy document and secretary of Home & Tribal Affairs, cautions. “With the departure of the US troops, the TTP and its multiple partners will pursue their ‘jihad’ with renewed vigour under the banner for setting up a true Islamic Caliphate in Pakistan.”

“There is no on-off switch button. You can’t unplug Pakistani militants from their ideological battle-hardened brethren from across the border,” Azam Khan maintains.

The already well-trained and organised with specialised wings for finance, training, operations and justice, Pakistani militants would surely replicate the successful tactics of the Afghan Taliban in their struggle against the Pakistani state and the democratic dispensation which they deem un-Islamic, it says.

The document warns that hostile agencies would also like to exploit the situation. “That the waters have become quite murky thereby enabling foreign intelligence agencies to fish in these troubled waters, compounding the matter further to the peril of the Pakistani state, is a logical manifestation of facts on ground in the areas.

“We find ourselves in a complex situation. Wisdom demands that we prepare ourselves for the worst,” Home Secretary Azam Khan said. “The strategy document was prepared after long and hard analysis of the aims, tactics and modus operandi of the militants minutely. We have put forward concrete steps to counter the same. What we need is a whole state machinery response of which law enforcement is just one element. And this cannot happen without KP and Islamabad joining forces.”

A former security official warns that Islamabad did not take into its calculus the possible fallout on Pakistan of the Afghan Taliban’s partial or total triumph in Afghanistan. “We tend to have short memories. We have forgotten that it were the Afghan Taliban that had allowed our sectarian outfits to run training camps in Kargha to the south of Kabul and in Khost and had given shelter to their top leaders,” he recalled.

 

[RabzonKhan]

Interactive special: The consortium of terror

Dawn
Hasan Abdullah
February 2, 2014

Despite hundreds of attacks and the deaths of thousands of Pakistanis, there is still a great deal of confusion about the number, nature and end goals of the militant organisations operating in Pakistan. For some, they remain figments of a fevered imagination. To others they are proxies of foreign powers.

This belief has not come out of the blue. It is part of an obscurantist narrative the state itself created and propagated. The problem with this narrative is that while it may have delegitimised some jihadi groups within public ranks, it is counter productive in the long run for a number of reasons. First of all, it fails to address the very ideology that promotes militancy and hence the state’s failure to present an effective counter-ideology. Secondly, the jihadi groups simply have to prove that the state-promoted narrative is a “baseless lie” to win recruits, as indicated by scores of interviews of jihadis. The fact is that these groups are very much in existence and the ones who carry out attacks against Pakistan’s civilians and armed forces have a clear and stated objective: to dominate and overthrow the Pakistani state.

Unfortunately, the state has also promoted a concept of “good” and “bad” militants. This narrative itself has been problematic. There are often strong links between the “good” and “bad” jihadis that also take the form of material, logistical, manpower and other support.

As Pakistan debates engaging the Islamist militants in the tribal areas and beyond, it is imperative that the policy-makers as well as the public understand the militant groups and their interrelations.

The following is an interactive of the militant landscape of Pakistan.

Al Qaeda (AQ)
Arguably the most dangerous out of all the jihadi groups, AQ is not just a conventional group but the fountainhead of a violent ideology.

The organisation was founded at the end of the ’80s by Osama bin Laden while he was in Afghanistan/Pakistan waging war against the Soviets. According to Al Qaeda literature, the organisation’s ultimate goal is to establish a hardline global caliphate. It seeks to fight America and her "apostate" allies in the Muslim world.

While the organisation maintains a relatively low profile in Pakistan, it is behind much of the coordination between different jihadi groups in a bid to "channelise" and "streamline" the effort.

In contrast with many other jihadi groups, the overwhelming majority of their cadres in Pakistan are university graduates hailing from well-off urban families.

Al Qaeda regards Pakistan as a "Daar-ul-Kufr wal harb" (abode of disbelief and war). It classifies the rulers as "apostates" against whom it is obligatory to rebel and fight.

Al-Qaeda considers Shias as disbelievers "in the garb of Islam". As such, the militant organisation considers it permissible to shed the blood of Shia Muslims and confiscate their wealth. However on strategic grounds, the Al Qaeda chief has advised the operatives not to engage minority groups anywhere in a confrontation unless "absolutely required" such as in Syria and Iraq.

The organisation rejects the concept of nation-states. It seeks to expand the theatre of war, topple governments in Muslim countries and form a global caliphate.


Haqqani Network
This setup operates primarily in the Eastern Afghan provinces of Khost and Paktika even though it has carried out "daring" attacks in Kabul. The network has also attempted to assassinate Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The group is currently headed by Sirajuddin Haqqani, one of the sons of veteran Afghan jihadi commander Jalaluddin Haqqani. He is one of the most powerful commanders in the region and maintains good relations with Al Qaeda and the TTP. Insiders say that one of his mothers is a Yemeni and has had a radicalising effect on him, in addition to his already close association with many Al Qaeda leaders.The group has been silent on their view of the Pakistani state, however when questioned about the TTP, Sirajuddin Haqqani is on record as saying that he does not have differences with his "brothers".

Their future plans focus on the reinstatement of the Taliban government in Afghanistan.


Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan
Formally launched in 2007, the TTP is effectively Al Qaeda’s local franchise in Pakistan. Among anti-state jihadi groups here, TTP maintains the strongest footprint with operatives all over the country.

Its stated objective is to turn Pakistan into an "Islamic state" as envisaged by Al-Qaeda. The group regards the leader of the Afghan Taliban, Mullah Umar, as its supreme leader. Though not always openly declared, the TTP maintains strong relations with the Afghan Taliban, with both groups providing each other strategic backyards in their respective countries.

As with Al-Qaeda, the TTP regards Pakistan as a "Daar-ul-Kufr wal harb" (abode of disbelief and war) and considers its rulers apostates.

While the TTP also considers Shia Muslims to be apostates, there is currently a debate within the organisation on whether a front should be opened against them — there is a difference of opinion over the strategic merits and demerits of indiscriminately targeting Shia Muslims. Some TTP commanders are arguing that other sects should not be targeted indiscriminately and only "certain elements" should be targeted. However, this debate does not affect their open cooperation with the Lashkar-i-Jhangvi.

The TTP is also increasingly looking at global operations. It has provided training to a number of radicals based in the West including Faisal Shehzad, who attempted to bomb Times Square in New York. Around 200 of its fighters have reportedly shifted to Syria.


Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group
He is one of the most influential figures in North Waziristan but at the same time, maintains a very low profile. Bahadur is politically affiliated with Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman’s Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam. He is considered a pragmatic figure who knows how to consolidate his position. He has successfully managed his relations with both the military and the TTP.

He has never made his position on the Pakistani state public. However one of his most prominent commanders, who has since been killed in a US drone strike, gave an hour-long interview to Al Qaeda’s media wing As Sahab in 2009. In the interview he made it clear that he did not have any differences with Al Qaeda or the TTP and that they were his "brothers". He had also said that his men would fight against the Pakistan army if it sided with the Americans.

Hafiz Gul Bahadur and even his spokesman have been very secretive about their plans. In public, they have always maintained focus on "liberating" Afghanistan and re-establishing Taliban rule.


Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU)
The IMU was founded by Tahir Yuldashev and Jumma Kasimov (both Uzbeks) in 1991. The two had earlier fought in Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion of the country. The initial objective of the organisation was to topple Islam Karimov’s regime in Uzbekistan and to establish an "Islamic state" in the country. They also fought alongside the Taliban against the Northern Alliance. Kasimov died in the fighting while Yuldashev, along with his fighters, managed to escape into Pakistan’s tribal areas during the 2001 US invasion of Afghanistan. IMU maintains strong contacts with Al Qaeda and Afghan Taliban as well as the TTP. Within jihadi circles, its cadres enjoy the reputation of being ultra radical and diehard fighters. Its views on the Pakistani state are the same as that of AQ and TTP. IMU commanders say their focus should be on fighting Pakistan’s armed forces.

IMU members claim that Mullah Umar had promised its founding leader, Jummah Kasimov, that the Afghan Taliban would support the IMU in consolidating their position in Central Asian states once the Taliban are strong enough. For now, its focus remains on strengthening the group as it prepares for the war in Central Asia.


Lashkar-i-Jhangvi
An offshoot of the Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), the virulently sectarian LJ was formed in 1996. Its founders Riaz Basra, Akram Lahori and Malik Ishaq had differences with the SSP and believed that the parent organisation had drifted from its original ideals. LJ’s primary targets are Shia Muslims and it has indiscriminately targeted them through both assassination and mass casualty attacks. The LJ has killed thousands of people, including many women and children. Its largest attacks to date have been against the Shia Hazaras of Quetta. LJ leaders say their aim is to turn Pakistan into a Sunni Islamic state and consider it a "priority" to target Shia Muslims. They have at times had differences with Al-Qaeda over this issue.

They have also attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team, a church, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

The LJ seeks to polarise the majority Sunni community through a showdown with the minority Shia Muslims. The group also seeks to establish stronger ties with anti-Iran groups operating in the region.


Jund Allah
Al Qaeda affiliated group that started off from South Waziristan. It gained most notoriety for its assassination attempt on the then Corps Commander Karachi Lt Gen Ahsan Saleem Hayat. The outfit has also targeted Shia Muslims and foreign tourists. Not to be confused with Iran-based Jundullah.


Lashkar-i-Khorasan
Al Qaeda allied group with a single point agenda to track down and eliminate "spies" in North Waziristan.


Ghazi Force
A group formed after the Lal Masjid operation in Islamabad. It is named after Maulana Abdul Rasheed Ghazi, the former Lal Masjid cleric who was also killed in the operation. Most of its members are relatives and friends of the people killed in the 2007 operation. This group has practically merged with the TTP. Some of its members and sympathisers in and around Islamabad are known to provide intelligence and a footprint in the capital. Members of the group consider it a priority to target former president Pervez Musharraf.



Ansar al-Aseer
A North Waziristan based group primarily concerned with the "welfare" of locked-up jihadis. Its tasks include intelligence gathering about Pakistani jails and planning jailbreaks to release militants. It is closely allied to TTP and draws many of its fighters from TTP and IMU.

Its basic agenda is to free all militants locked up in jails across the country.

 

[RabzonKhan]

Isn't it interesting that the so called CIA/Mossad/RAW/NDS (Afghan intelligence agency) supported TTP has it’s headquarter in North Waziristan?

-One wonders, how can Al Qaeda tolerate American agents in its midst?

-Why our “good friends” Haqqanis don’t help us?

-Why did “good Taliban” Hafiz Gul Bahadur allowed TTP to set up their headquarter in his “Islamic Emirate”?

"And peaceful coexistence reigns in North Waziristan, the Frontier Corps headquartered there, the army’s 7th Div headquartered there and, Allah be praised, the TTP headquartered there, with our Arab, Chechen and Uzbek friends, not to forget that ‘strategic asset’ called the Haqqanis, all living in relative peace in the agency headquarters Miranshah and the adjoining villages. Underpinning all this is the peace deal with Hafiz Gul Bahadur, the essence of which is the watchword live and let live. There is no better practical demonstration of this than the sophistication of the living arrangements in North Waziristan."





Pantomime of the stooges - continueth

The News
Ayaz Amir
March 14, 2014

Islamabad diary
In box office terms this is already a roaring success, the longest comedy show currently running in the country. Three of the four characters tasked by the government to grapple with the Taliban and bring them round to the ways of peace stand retired, replaced by three performers whose names most people would not have heard of and who, I am fairly certain, would not be taken by the Lucky Irani Circus were they to apply there for an opening.

These are the new Talleyrands, along with friend Rustam Shah Mohmand, whose distinguishing feature is the look of permanent displeasure he seems to carry on his face, supposed to bring peace and harmony to the mountains.

Included among these impresarios is someone for whom I have had a soft corner ever since I heard him say at the Administrative Staff College in Lahore, where I had been roped in for a talk, that the government was working day and night to prepare a counterterrorism strategy but that the “enemy” had yet to be identified. He repeated this a second time. No doubt this clarity is one of the strengths he brings to his latest assignment.

No one had explained before, no one is taking the trouble of explaining now, what is the likely basis of a deal with the Taliban (TTP). But everyone is happy and that is the main point. The government can claim to be doing something, even when this something is less than nothing. The army, waving the fig-leaf of civilian authority, can enjoy the luxury of looking stern and forbidding even as it does what suits it best – again nothing. And the Taliban gain time and avoid anything like a military operation.

And peaceful coexistence reigns in North Waziristan, the Frontier Corps headquartered there, the army’s 7th Div headquartered there and, Allah be praised, the TTP headquartered there, with our Arab, Chechen and Uzbek friends, not to forget that ‘strategic asset’ called the Haqqanis, all living in relative peace in the agency headquarters Miranshah and the adjoining villages. Underpinning all this is the peace deal with Hafiz Gul Bahadur, the essence of which is the watchword live and let live. There is no better practical demonstration of this than the sophistication of the living arrangements in North Waziristan.
Only those not aware of these realities talk glibly, and unthinkingly, of an operation there. No one wants it: not the army, not the strategic assets aka the Haqqanis, and certainly not the strategic duo of Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan. Some red lines have been drawn. You play no games with us, is the message which the army through the recent airstrikes on random villages – ‘targeted strikes’ in the army’s lingo – has conveyed to the TTP, and we don’t mess with you. The great Hafiz Gul Bahadur peace deal thus remains in place. So what is anyone’s problem?

No one wants to precipitate matters. Everyone awaits the departure of the Americans from Afghanistan. Then a new ballgame will ensue, new realities emerge. Why push one’s luck now? So given all this sublime inertia, this elevation of doing nothing to the status of a supreme art form, Nawaz Sharif is not the mug that drawing room sophisticates and armchair samurai tend to make him out to be.

You don’t become an industrial magnate and a political magnate – the country’s longest-serving prime minister if all his terms are added up – all in one, a tutti-frutti of money and power, just like that.

And there’s no point in throwing analogies of Chechnya and Sri Lanka at him. Brandreth Road and Gawalmandi are rough universities. Those schooled in them, as the Sharifs have been, are not easily swayed by sentiment or parallels drawn from faraway history. Their yardstick of judging things is somewhat different.
Nawaz Sharif can now be counted as a master of the waiting game. And behind this talks’ pantomime, this box office success, even if the stooges involved don’t really understand it, this is the game being played. Why rock the boat? Especially when with the strengthening of the rupee against the dollar Dar by eager columnists is being hailed as the new Maynard Keynes.

So from Nawaz Sharif’s standpoint this is no time for any ‘operation’. He played sucker to Pervez Musharraf during Kargil, not really grasping where that mistimed adventure could take the country. So instead of raising objections at the first Kargil briefing Musharraf and his generals laid out for him – this was at the Ojhri Camp, next to Faizabad, Rawalpindi – he praised the sandwiches served him by the army’s liveried bearers, or so legend and gossip would have us believe. Every move he has made regarding the Taliban, his evident reluctance to catch this particular bull by its horns, strongly suggests that he is not about to be made a sucker in the name of any operation again.

This is not the winter of his discontent. It is the summer of his plenitude, the next generation, the Maryams and the Hamzas, already being readied and groomed for the burdens of empire, or the tutti-frutti which passes for empire in this invitation to laughter called by the serious-minded in their more solemn moments as the Citadel of Islam. (Islam itself must quake at the prospect of being protected by such a citadel…but that’s a different line of thought.)

So we can expect the illusion of movement, aanian-jaanian in Punjabi, vows to put an end once and for all to terrorism, hands clasped to the chest, flashes of rhetoric but nothing drastic to imperil this season of full prosperity, at least for those on the commanding heights of power, and the commanding heights of the economy too for that matter. Yes, there is trouble at the edges, parts of the periphery threatening to slip into chaos – but all this is in the future and as the native adage goes, ‘who has seen tomorrow?’

And let’s not forget the larger topography. This is a country which for over a year and a half has been unable to make up its mind about that fearsome St George’s dragon called YouTube. Let sleeping dogs lie is the attitude this denotes. It is too much to expect that when it comes to the more real dragon of the Taliban and extremism, this torpor will shake itself loose and be replaced in dramatic fashion by something fiercer.

Note another piece of hilarity which also throws light on the national condition. What is behind the massive advertising accompanying the launch of a new and high-profile housing society? None other than the Intelligence Bureau, the stakes in this venture so alluring that elections to the society, I am told, are a very hot affair. Brilliant of the IB but where does it leave the business of fighting terrorism?

Let’s not even mention defence housing authorities and the army, a phenomenon so far advanced as to be beyond recall and remedy. Real estate and the idea of war: they don’t travel well together.

So the fight against extremism if it is mean anything has to be an all-out fight, otherwise the Nawaz Sharif approach is best, not to get serious about it at all.
Tailpiece: That centre of higher wisdom, the Council of Islamic Ideology, has struck a fresh blow for Islam by ruling as un-Islamic the requirement in the Family Laws Ordinance requiring a male to obtain the consent of his first wife in writing before contracting a second marriage, or indeed a third or fourth one. The religious establishment, rightly concerned about the true path, had always considered this an unreasonable restriction. Bravo for the council for having its priorities right.

 

[RabzonKhan]

At last some sense is prevailing. Afghan-Taliban bastards have never been our friends and will never be our friends, their loyalty lies with their fellow TTP scumbags and other religious terrorists. Let us not fool ourselves, just like we have been playing a double game with them, they have been doing the same with us. And I don't have a shred of doubt that our military establishment very well knows it.

It's time to stop pretending.


Pakistan warns Afghan Taliban and Haqqani Network

The News
Amir Mir
April 17, 2014

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani establishment has made it clear to the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network that the time has come for them to choose between the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the state of Pakistan, if they want to stay friends with Islamabad.

The unprecedented warning from the Pakistani establishment has come at a crucial time when the Pakistani Taliban are holding peace talks with the government in Islamabad, amidst demands to release over 800 Taliban prisoners and to set up a free peace zone in Waziristan.

According to well-informed sources, the warning from the establishment was prompted by the growing cooperation among the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani Network and the Pakistani Taliban, which has reinforced the martial power of TTP in its current conflict with the security forces of Pakistan.

The TTP spokesman, Shahidullah Shahid, already admitted on October 6, 2013 in an interview that the Afghan Taliban were financially supporting the Pakistani Taliban besides providing them sanctuary in Afghanistan.

The fugitive TTP Ameer, Mullah Fazlullah, who had claimed responsibility last year for killing GOC Swat Major General Sanaullah Niazi is also being sheltered by the Afghan Taliban in the Kunar Province. However, what seemed to have angered the Pakistani establishment the most were the allegations coming from the Afghan and the Pakistani Taliban, blaming the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for the November 11, 2013 mystery murder [in Islamabad] of Dr Nasiruddin Haqqani, the top fundraiser and organiser of Haqqani Network as well as its liaison man with the Pakistani security establishment.

Dr Nasiruddin, the real brother of Sirajuddin Haqqani, was killed by unknown gunmen in the federal capital 10 days after the November 1, 2013 killing of the TTP Ameer in a US drone attack in North Waziristan. Both were laid to rest in the Dandey Darapa Khel area of North Waziristan which also headquarters the Haqqani Network as well as the TTP.

The decades-old cozy ties between the Pakistani establishment and the Haqqanis were shattered with the mystery murder of Dr Nasiruddin when a spokesman of Haqqani network (Najeebullah) immediately blamed the Pakistani intelligence agencies. He said: “Dr Nasiruddin had been mediating between a powerful intelligence agency and the Pakistani Taliban for peace talks. But he had refused to mediate further following Hakimullah’s death and the subsequent announcement of TTP not to hold peace talks with the government. Nasiruddin’s reluctance to mediate anymore after Hakimullah’s killing must have annoyed the agency which decided to eliminate him physically,” the Haqqanis’ spokesman was quoted by the media as saying.

On his part, the TTP spokesman, Shahidullah Shahid, also blamed a Pakistani intelligence agency for the murder, vowing to take revenge. “Nasiruddin Haqqani has been martyred by none other than the ISI. He was killed because he had bravely backed our Ameer Hakimullah Mehsud,” Shahidullah told AFP when asked about possible killers.

However, on their part, the ISI circles had refuted the allegations of involvement in the murder, saying Dr Nasiruddin Haqqani was either killed by the TTP or by the Afghan National Directorate of Security.

The allegations leveled by the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network were followed by Pakistani intelligence reports that both the groups were supporting and financing the TTP in its terror spree against the khakis and the civilians alike.

Indeed, the Pakistani and the Afghan Taliban are closely allied and both aim to impose a strict version of Islamic laws or Shariah on their societies. However, their leadership and targets differ with each other. While the Pakistani Taliban mostly focus their terrorist attacks in Pakistan against the security forces which they think are an American ally, the Afghan Taliban target the Afghan and the Allied forces. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif recently told Reuters in an interview that the Pakistan government was worried about the possibility of increasing convergence between the Pakistani and the Afghan Taliban. “Then the Pakistani Taliban will have a powerhouse behind them,” Khawaja Asif had said. Analysts believe that these concerns might have prompted the Pakistani security establishment to warn the Haqqanis and the Afghan Taliban against backing the TTP.

However, the close nature of ties between the Afghan and the Pakistani Taliban can be gauged from the fact that the central Shura of TTP has already referred their internal differences to the Afghan Taliban while asking Mullah Omar to intervene and send a delegation to resolve the tiff between two major factions of Mehsud militants from South Waziristan.

A senior TTP commander has been quoted in the media as saying that the Shura thought that the intra-TTP tussle was too serious and critical for them and, therefore, they decided to approach the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, a term usually referred to the Afghan Taliban.

There are already reports that the Ameer of the Afghan Taliban is persuading the Pakistani Taliban to end their infighting in South Waziristan as he wants to secure their support against the foreign troops in Afghanistan to launch the annual spring offensive.

Analysts believe the Pakistani security establishment’s warning was meant to dissuade the Haqqanis and the Afghan Taliban from siding with the Pakistani Taliban in their conflict with the state of Pakistan at a time when the Allied forces are set to withdraw from Afghanistan and both the Afghan militia groups would require the crucial support of Islamabad to stage a comeback in Kabul. In fact, the ultimate agenda of the Pakistani Taliban is the establishment of their own state — the Islamic Emirate of Waziristan [on the pattern of Mullah Omar’s Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan] in Fata where they can impose the Islamic Shariah. On the other hand, the ultimate agenda of the Afghan Taliban is the revival of the lost Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Therefore, following the Pakistani establishment’s warning, Mullah Omar will have to decide whether to befriend the Pakistani Taliban or the state of Pakistan. Commander Sirajuddin Haqqani of the Haqqani Network is bound to follow suit being a disciple of Mullah Omar just like the Pakistani and the Afghan Taliban. Well informed sources in the establishment say logically speaking Mullah Omar would like to remain a friend of Pakistan instead of inviting its wrath by befriending the TTP.

However, there are those in the Taliban circles who believe that if the Afghan Taliban succeed in regaining power in Kabul after the withdrawal of the Allied troops, there would be greater chances of their joining hands with the Pakistani Taliban whose aims and objectives and those of the Ameerul Momineen are the same. However, the establishment circles say, in such an eventuality, the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network must know that “strategic depth” would no longer be a consideration of the establishment if the Pakistan government finally orders a military action in North Waziristan after the failure of the talks with the TTP.

 

[viper46]

fazllu is sheltered by U.S in kunar province not by afghan talibans

 

[RabzonKhan]

Time to debunk some myths.


Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts. (Daniel Patrick Moynihan). But don't tell this to our leaders, they manufacture their own facts to suit their agenda.

And one of those quite popular and often quoted manufactured fact is that whenever TTP leaders agree to make peace with Pakistan, the evil CIA Drone them.

It is often cited by people with different opinions, occupation and backgrounds.

For example, Imran Khan believes that Americans always kill TTP leaders to sabotage peace process, and that the TTP are our own angry people, they will disband and everything will become almost hunky-dory once we get out of American’s war, and withdraw our troops from FATA.

And then there are those who believe that the TTP is an American asset and whenever a TTP leader goes rogue, and signs peace agreement with Pakistan, he is eliminated by the CIA. Zaid Hamid is the king of those who preach this nonsense (popularly also known as the best Pakistani standup comedian).

I have chosen these individuals specifically because they are from different occupation and opinion, and are on the forefront in spreading this false narrative.

1. Imran Khan is one of the most popular politician.

2. Gen. Mirza Aslam Beg, Pakistan's former Army Chief (1988 to 1991).

3. Roedad Khan he is one of the most senior civil servant of Pakistan, his carrier spans from 1951 to 1993.

4. Zaid Hamid, he is widely known as the King of conspiracies.

Here are some of their manufactured facts:

To The Point - 15 November 2013 Imran Khan PTI Interview. See the interview from 8.55.

Imran Khan claims “the fact is that the government had signed peace agreement with Nek Muhammad and there was no violation of the agreement by him, but after two days the Americans droned him.

Just to advance his bogus narrative Imran Khan lied when he said there was no violation of agreement by Nek Muhammad.

Again lied when he says the American killed him after two days.

Siyasat Aur Qanoon 2nd March 2014 Gen. Mirza Aslam Beg. See the interview from 12.09.

Gen. Beg says “we had signed a successful peace agreement with Nek Muhammad, but to sabotage our agreement, the Americans killed him after two days.

Just imagine, once upon a time this man was nuclear -Pakistan's army chief, one cannot imagine a man of his caliber will make such groundless claims, just pathetic.

http://www.nation.com.pk/columns/27-Feb-2014/setting-the-frontier-ablaze
Setting the frontier ablaze. February 27, 2014
Roedad Khan

“There is a general perception that the TTP are not trust worthy and have taken up arms against the state without any justification or provocation. This is not wholly correct. It is the TTP who were betrayed time and again. In 2004 an agreement was reached, but the next day Moulvi Nek Mohammad was mysteriously killed in an American drone attack.”

The most disgusting thing about this man is that he is not some outsider who does not know the facts, in fact, he was born in Mardan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ) and is a Yousafzai Pashtun.

https://syedzaidzamanhamid.wordpress.com/2013/11/03/idiots-who-say-that-zaid-hamid-was-wrong-about-ttp-do-not-deserve-a-reply/
Posted on November 3, 2013 by Believer

By Syed Zaid Zaman Hamid

“For the last 8 years, TTP has killed over a 100,000 Pakistanis”

“In the past Pakistan army tried to cut peace deals with many local tribal militants who had joined TTP earlier to prevent them from attacking Pakistan. It was good strategy to divide various groups with TTP. in 2004, Mullah nek Muhemmed was the first man to break away from TTP and he signed the peace deal with Pak army. Within days, CIA killed him in a drone. What do you say about this ??? Yes, TTP is a CIA/RAW supported gang and that is why CIA would never allow any TTP commander to even talk peace with Pakistan.”

Let's analyze:

Zaid Hamid, manufactured facts: “TTP has killed over a 100,000 Pakistanis”

True facts: the maximum killed are less than 50,000, so in other words, he just made up “hundred thousand killed” numbers. Now I'm not trying to argue against the suffering and pain we have gone through but just trying to point out his lies.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/527016/pakistani-victims-war-on-terror-toll-put-at-49000/

By Mudassir Raja / News Desk March 27, 2013

ISLAMABAD: Top spy agencies told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that Pakistan has lost 49,000 lives since the apocalyptic attacks on World Trade Center and Pentagon in the United States on September 11, 2001. Interestingly, government agencies had put the fatality figure at 40,000 in earlier reports.

http://www.dawn.com/news/667565/pakistan-lost-two-brigades-in-war-on-terror

Briefing defence committees of the two houses of parliament at General Headquarters on Tuesday (partly reported in Dawn on Wednesday), Director-General of Military Operations Maj-Gen Ashfaq Nadeem said that 3,097 personnel had been killed and 721 others permanently disabled.

The total number of Pakistanis killed in the conflict has gone up to 40,309.

Zaid Hamid, manufactured facts: “in 2004, Mullah nek Muhemmed was the first man to break away from TTP”

True facts: technically speaking, there was no TTP in 2004, TTP was actually formed in 2007. And, Nek Muhemmed along with other four of his fellow terrorist had made the so-called peace with the government, so his claim that Nek was the first to break away from TTP, is absolutely false.

The article is from his official website, but be aware, he is a charlatan and there is a good chance that once he finds out his lies have been exposed he can remove the article from his website anytime.


It's time to debunk the nonsense.

Timeline to the “peace agreement”, Nek Muhammad’s violation of the peace agreement (note, all four of them deny that there was any violation of the agreement by Nek Muhammad), and subsequently his death.

Former car thief and Afghan-Taliban foot soldier’s moment of glory as he was embraced and garland in front of thousands of media persons, tribesmen and terrorists by Lt-Gen Safdar Hussain.

Now please read what Lt-Gen Safdar Hussain said at the occasion.

http://www.dawn.com/news/393688/five-militants-pardoned-for-peaceful-life-aliens-asked-to-surrender-by-30th

Shakai agreement signed. April 24, 2004.

Picture Here

SHAKAI, April 24: The government pardoned the five most wanted tribal militants on Saturday in return for their pledge to live peacefully and not use Pakistani soil against any other country.

The Corps Commander of Peshawar, Lt-Gen Safdar Hussain, however, gave foreign militants until April 30 to turn themselves over and 'register' themselves with the government and furnish guarantees of good conduct from their tribal hosts.

"Otherwise, I will be constrained to use force and resume military activity," he warned at the tribal jirga held here to mark the occasion.

Americans reluctantly welcome the agreement:

http://www.arabnews.com/node/248216
Arab News
ISLAMABAD, 25 April 2004
American Lt. Col. Matt Beevers told a news briefing in Kabul he welcomed the negotiated settlement in Shakai but military action was still likely to be needed.

Note, after the one week deadline (April 30) passed, not a single foreign terrorist came forward, but thanks to the government, it gave foreign terrorists an extra week to register. During an interview with daily Times Nek Muhammad even hinted that he will help the government, but keep on reading and see how he will go back on his words.

http://archives.dailytimes.com.pk/main/01-May-2004/militants-get-7-days-to-register
Daily Times May 01 2004

PESHAWAR: The government on Friday pushed back by one week an April 30 deadline for foreign militants in South Waziristan to surrender and enroll with the government or face military action. No foreign militants surrendered to the authorities on the earlier deadline that ended on Friday.

“Maulana Abdul Malick and Maulana Muhammad Mirajuddin, the two tribal parliamentarians from the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) who helped the government reach a deal with tribesmen accused of sheltering Al Qaeda, on Thursday called for an extension to ensure an end to the hunt for foreign militants in the tribal areas.”

“During an interview with Daily Times near Wana on Monday, Nek hinted at helping the government on this issue.”

Again, the deadline passed, and yet again the government shows patience and gives terrorist one more week, at the same time it also appealed to the elders and Ulema for help-----remember, Imran Khan's mantra, the government should involve the elders and they can take care of Taliban's, yeh right, like the government has never taken their help, but keep on reading and you will see how these tribal elders are no match to the Taliban barbarians and their foreign terrorist friends.

http://www.dawn.com/news/393984/militants-given-another-deadline

WANA, May 8 2004: The government on Saturday extended until Monday the deadline for foreign militants in South Waziristan to get themselves registered with the authorities and avail of the amnesty offer.

"The extension has been granted on the demand of Nek Muhammad," South Waziristan Political Administrator Asmatullah Gandapur told newsmen in Wana.

"There are foreign militants in South Waziristan and their registration is an obligatory element. There is a crisis in Wana and it is now incumbent upon all elders and ulema to play their role with honesty and sincerity of purpose to end this crisis," Mr Gandapur said.

Nek Muhammad goes back on his words. See, I told you so, these barbarians are untrustworthy, not only did he fail to surrender the foreign terrorists but the liar out rightly denied that he had made any such promise. Now, please read the first news report, Gen Safdar Hussain announced publicly at the signing ceremony in front of the news media, Taliban terrorists and the tribal jirga “The Corps Commander of Peshawar, Lt-Gen Safdar Hussain, however, gave foreign militants until April 30 to turn themselves over and 'register' themselves with the government and furnish guarantees of good conduct from their tribal hosts.

"Otherwise, I will be constrained to use force and resume military activity," he warned at the tribal jirga held here to mark the occasion.”

So now, how can this scumbag deny that there was no such clause in the agreement.

http://archives.dailytimes.com.pk/national/10-May-2004/no-deal-on-foreigners-registration-nek-muhammad
Daily Times Iqbal Khattak May 10, 2004

PESHAWAR: The military's campaign to register foreign militants hiding in South Waziristan took a severe blow on Sunday when Nek Muhammad, a former Taliban commander who signed a peace deal with the government, said that the registration of militants was not part of the deal.

As usual the bastard is lying again, while the parliamentarians who had helped broker the peace agreement had said the foreign terrorists will be registering soon, of course, no such registration took place.

Special note for those who keep on saying that Afghan Taliban's have never attacked Pakistan, yes with the exception of few occasions, AT has not directly attacked us, but they have used their former foot soldiers, like Nek Muhammad to do their dirty work, in other words, they are playing good cop bad cop with us.

Stalemate continues over foreigners' registration - DAWN.COM

WANA, May 14: Negotiations to work out modalities for registration of foreigners in the volatile South Waziristan tribal region again hit snags when a tribal militant refused to agree to terms set by the government.

“The 27-year-old Ahmadzai Wazir tribesman, who had fought alongside the Taliban, told Dawn on Friday he would never accept the terms laid down for registration of foreign militants hiding in the region.”

"How can I accept these terms? The government is changing the rules here. They are the ones who are backing out of the agreement," he said.

A parliamentarian from South Waziristan, who had helped broker the April 24 Shakai agreement, had earlier announced that 'foreigners' had agreed to register themselves and the process would begin in the residential compound of a tribal elder in Zha Ghundai near Wana on Friday.

Someone should tell Imran Khan to read this, the tribal elders are helpless and couldn't persuade Nek Muhammad and his terrorist gang to surrender their foreign terrorist (Al Qaeda, Uzbek, Tajik, Uighurs and Afghans) friends.

http://www.dawn.com/news/394257/tribe-given-fresh-warning
WANA, May 15 2004: The administration in the volatile South Waziristan tribal region on Saturday warned the Ahmadzai Wazirs to persuade a tribal militant, Nek Muhammad, by Sunday morning for the registration of foreigners or action will be taken against the entire tribe.

The warning came from South Waziristan's administrator Asmatullah Ghandapur after a delegation of Ahmadzai Wazirs apprised him of their helplessness in getting Nek Muhammad round to registration of foreigners hiding in the region.

The terrorists show their true colors, without any provocation the terrorists go on a killing spree, they simultaneous attack military post all over South Waziristan and mercilessly kill many civilians and security forces Jawans. Remember, according to Imran Khan's “manufactured facts”, Nek Muhammad never violated the peace agreement.

I'm posting the entire article as it's worth reading.

http://www.dawn.com/news/361449/fierce-fighting-in-wana-20-militants-killed-many-troops-reported-dead
WANA, May 14: Negotiations to work out modalities for registration of foreigners in the volatile South Waziristan tribal region again hit snags when a tribal militant refused to agree to terms set by the government.

Officials said that Nek Muhammad, who had won clemency along with four other tribal militants in return for a pledge to remain peaceful, had turned down a new set of proposals put forward by the government.

The 27-year-old Ahmadzai Wazir tribesman, who had fought alongside the Taliban, told Dawn on Friday he would never accept the terms laid down for registration of foreign militants hiding in the region.

"How can I accept these terms? The government is changing the rules here. They are the ones who are backing out of the agreement," he said.

A parliamentarian from South Waziristan, who had helped broker the April 24 Shakai agreement, had earlier announced that 'foreigners' had agreed to register themselves and the process would begin in the residential compound of a tribal elder in Zha Ghundai near Wana on Friday.

No foreign militant came forward for registration and officials later rebutted the claim by MNA Maulana Abdul Malik. "Nothing was supposed to happen. We are still discussing the modalities," a military spokesman in Wana told Dawn.

Administrator South Waziristan, Asmatullah Khan Gandapur, convened a jirga of tribal elders later in the day to urge them to raise a tribal lashkar (volunteer force) and take action against foreign militants.

A jirga of the Ahmadzai Wazirs, the second-largest tribe in South Waziristan after Mehsuds, is meeting on Saturday to discuss the request.

"Either this guy is helpless or he is not sincere in honouring the agreement," Mr Gandapur said of Nek Muhammad.

"He is just dilly-dallying and attempting to buy time," he told Dawn by phone from Wana. "He is going back and forth, every time coming back to seek new clarifications and make new suggestions," he said.

He said that his administration had worked all night Thursday to thrash out differences on modalities and virtually accepted all suggestions of Nek Muhammad.

Mr Gandapur said that Nek first sought to change the title of the registration and then demanded that the whole exercise which was to be conducted in three phases should be completed in a single phase.

"We agreed and he promised to return by 10am. He did not come and instead sent a new set of proposals through a tribal jirga, refusing to give any guarantee for the future peaceful conduct of foreign militants."

He said it seemed that Nek did not have any influence on foreign militants who did not want to come forward and register themselves. But a senior official in Peshawar sounded optimistic and said that Nek's dilly-dallying was aimed at seeking more concessions from the government. "But this is the maximum we could offer. The government has its own limitations and we have clearly drawn the line," he said.

Official sources confirmed to Dawn that they had handed over the draft of an agreement to Nek Muhammad that gave details of the registration process and the corresponding guarantees.

According to the document, the draft agreement (Wana Agreement) would be an extension of the Shakai Agreement reached between the military authorities and the five tribal militants.

The Wana agreement draft says that general amnesty and registration would cover all foreigners in Pakistan in general and those in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and the border regions of the NWFP in particular.

The first phase of the registration, it says, would begin with the signing of the Wana agreement. It would require the foreigners to appear in person before the administrator of Wana and fill out a form for registration.

After the unprovoked brutal attacks on the civilians and security forces, the government had enough, it had tried all avenues without any success, and in the end it was left with no choice but to rightfully revoke the so-called peace agreement and declare war on the terrorists.

http://www.dawn.com/news/394701/wana-amnesty-for-militants-revoked-capture-or-kill-order-issued

Wana amnesty for militants revoked: 'Capture or kill' order issued

PESHAWAR, June 10: The government has ordered security forces operating in the volatile South Waziristan tribal region to 'capture or kill' five tribal militants who were granted amnesty some time ago.

The terrorists attack Karachi corps commanders cavalcade.

http://archives.dailytimes.com.pk/national/11-Jun-2004/nek-warns-of-attacks-throughout-pakistan
Daily Times
June 11 2004
LAHORE: Tribal leader Nek Muhammad has threatened to launch attacks throughout Pakistan in retaliation to the Wana operation, a private news channel has reported. In a BBC Pushto service interview recorded on Thursday morning, Nek said his group's resistance against the Wana operation would spread throughout Pakistan and Karachi would see the result till the evening. It was after this interview that the Karachi corps commander's cavalcade was attacked. "And wait and see what happens in the other big cities in a few days," Nek was quoted as saying in the interview.

After a secret deal with Pakistan, the Americans droned Nek Muhammad, he was killed on Thursday night June 17, 2004. Just to cover up their secret deal, the Pak military takes responsibility and falsely claim that they had killed him.

Note: I'll give more details on the deal in my next post.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/19/international/asia/19STAN.html

June 18 2004 Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan, the chief spokesman for the Pakistani military, said Friday that Pakistani forces had been tracking Mr. Muhammad for several days. The general declined to say exactly how Mr. Muhammad was killed, but said Pakistani helicopters and artillery were both capable of striking a compound with pinpoint accuracy. He said reports of American involvement were "absolutely absurd."

General Sultan said the killing of Mr. Muhammad was a major victory in the government's campaign against terrorism.

"This sends a good message," said General Sultan, who appeared visibly pleased with the news of Mr. Muhammad's death. "The government is serious. The government means business."

The general said 60 to 70 militants, most of whom were believed to be Uzbeks, had been killed in recent fighting. About 20 Pakistani Army troops had also been killed, he said.”

“The former Taliban fighter, whose jet-black, shoulder-length hair and thick beard gave him the look of a revolutionary, had been in hiding since the Pakistani Army began an operation last week in the tribal areas, government officials said. Hundreds of foreign militants are believed to be hiding in the tribal areas and planning terrorist attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

A series of attacks have killed 72 people in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, and raised new fears that militants are recruiting new members to directly challenge the army.”

To sum up.

False claim: Nek Mohammad was killed after two days.

Fact: the so-called peace agreement was signed on April 24, and he was killed on June 17, that is almost 2 months, not two days.

False claim: Nek Mohammad did not violate the agreement.

Fact: the scumbag violated the agreement, not just once but several times.

False claim: Americans killed him to sabotage our peace agreement.

Fact: after the agreement collapsed, thanks to Nek Mohammad treacherous conduct, the US killed him after signing a secret agreement with Pakistan. In other words, rather than to undermine Pakistan's agreement with him, he was actually killed to help Pakistan eliminate its number one notorious enemy.

Difference of opinion is a blessing, but to manufacture facts, deceive and lie to support your opinion is criminal and immoral.

I really do not care about the other three clowns, but I hope Imran Khan will do some rethinking on his part and change some of his rigid opinions and stance on the war on terror.

Note: I'll give more details on the secret deal between Pakistan and the US in my next post.

Cheers.

 

[CENTCOM]

The United States of America has been the punching bag for all negatives in Pakistan, but this has become stale now. The terrorists have been very vocal and give graphic details of their heinous crimes through video evidence and detailed press statements. Yet we see conspiracy theories popping up time and again. They are called ‘conspiracy theories’ for a reason and that is because they far from the truth. The United States understands the importance of Pakistan in the region and our leadership on numerous occasions has indorsed this. We also appreciate the sacrifices that Pakistan has made in the last decade or so. We also understand that our common enemy has created mayhem in Pakistan and have continuously attacked our forces and supply convoys in the region. Together our objective is to bring about sustained peace both in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The people of the region have strived long enough for it and nobody can deny them that right.


Abdul Quddus.
DET-United States Central Command

 

[RabzonKhan]

Secret deal between Pakistan and the US.

I'm just posting the relevant parts of the article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/world/asia/origins-of-cias-not-so-secret-drone-war-in-pakistan.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&

By MARK MAZZETTI
Published: April 6, 2013

“Nek Muhammad knew he was being followed.

On a hot day in June 2004, the Pashtun tribesman was lounging inside a mud compound in South Waziristan, speaking by satellite phone to one of the many reporters who regularly interviewed him on how he had fought and humbled Pakistan’s army in the country’s western mountains. He asked one of his followers about the strange, metallic bird hovering above him.

Less than 24 hours later, a missile tore through the compound, severing Mr. Muhammad’s left leg and killing him and several others, including two boys, ages 10 and 16. A Pakistani military spokesman was quick to claim responsibility for the attack, saying that Pakistani forces had fired at the compound.

That was a lie.

Mr. Muhammad and his followers had been killed by the C.I.A., the first time it had deployed a Predator drone in Pakistan to carry out a “targeted killing.” The target was not a top operative of Al Qaeda, but a Pakistani ally of the Taliban who led a tribal rebellion and was marked by Pakistan as an enemy of the state. In a secret deal, the C.I.A. had agreed to kill him in exchange for access to airspace it had long sought so it could use drones to hunt down its own enemies. “

"In Pakistan, things fall out of the sky all the time." PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, the Pakistani president whose government reached a deal with the C.I.A., allowing it to carry out secret drone strikes in Pakistan.


“Born near Wana, the bustling market hub of South Waziristan, Mr. Muhammad spent his adolescent years as a petty car thief and shopkeeper in the city’s bazaar. He found his calling in 1993, around the age of 18, when he was recruited to fight with the Taliban in Afghanistan, and rose quickly through the group’s military hierarchy. He cut a striking figure on the battlefield with his long face and flowing jet black hair.

When the Americans invaded Afghanistan in 2001, he seized an opportunity to host the Arab and Chechen fighters from Al Qaeda who crossed into Pakistan to escape the American bombing.”

“ As the battles raged in South Waziristan, the station chief in Islamabad paid a visit to Gen. Ehsan ul Haq, the ISI chief, and made an offer: If the C.I.A. killed Mr. Muhammad, would the ISI allow regular armed drone flights over the tribal areas?

In secret negotiations, the terms of the bargain were set. Pakistani intelligence officials insisted that they be allowed to approve each drone strike, giving them tight control over the list of targets. And they insisted that drones fly only in narrow parts of the tribal areas — ensuring that they would not venture where Islamabad did not want the Americans going: Pakistan’s nuclear facilities”

“The ISI and the C.I.A. agreed that all drone flights in Pakistan would operate under the C.I.A.’s covert action authority — meaning that the United States would never acknowledge the missile strikes and that Pakistan would either take credit for the individual killings or remain silent.

“Mr. Musharraf did not think that it would be difficult to keep up the ruse. As he told one C.I.A. officer: “In Pakistan, things fall out of the sky all the time.”

Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan, Pakistan’s top military spokesman, told reporters at the time that “Al Qaeda facilitator” Nek Muhammad and four other “militants” had been killed in a rocket attack by Pakistani troops.

Any suggestion that Mr. Muhammad was killed by the Americans, or with American assistance, he said, was “absolutely absurd.”

After a secret deal with Pakistan, the Americans droned Nek Muhammad. Just to cover up their secret deal, the Pak military takes responsibility and falsely claim that they had killed him.

Now, think about it, why would our General make such false claims?

http://archive.is/IgLr4

Night raid kills Nek, four other militants: Wana operation

Dawn
By Ismail Khan and Dilawar Khan Wazir

PESHAWAR/WANA, June 18: Security forces have killed Nek Mohammad and four other tribal militants in a missile attack on a village in Wana, the regional headquarters of the South Waziristan Agency.

Witnesses said that a spy drone was seen flying overheard minutes before the missile attack. There were also reports that Nek Mohammad was speaking on a satellite phone when the missile struck, fuelling speculations that he might have been hit by a guided missile.

The precision with which the missile landed right in the middle of the courtyard where Nek Mohammad and his colleagues were sitting, lent credence to the theory. Locals said that the missile created a six feet crater.

"We have various means and a full array of weapons at our disposal. We have artillery that can fire with precision and we have helicopters with night vision capability which can fire guided missiles. But I am not going to give out operational secrets on how he was killed," ISPR Director-General Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan told Dawn by phone from Islamabad.

"Absolutely absurd," was his response when asked about rumours that Nek Mohammad had been killed with the US assistance. "Intelligence is like a jigsaw puzzle, it does not come from a single source on a single time," Gen Sultan said.

Gen. Musharraf admits that there was a secret deal between Pakistan and US to kill terrorist scumbag Nek Muhammad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ydz0-QmY9g
Secret drone deal between Pakistan, U.S.
Published on Apr 11, 2013
Speaking to former Pakistani President Musharraf, CNN reports on a secret drone deal Pakistan had with the U.S.

http://www.nation.com.pk/national/13-Apr-2013/signed-off-on-us-drone-strikes-musharraf

April 13, 2013

NEW YORK - In the first public admission by a top-ranking Pakistani leader, former president Pervez Musharraf has said his government had secretly cleared US drone strikes on the country's tribal areas. At the same time, he told CNN in Islamabad that the government signed off on the strikes ‘only on a few occasions, when a target was absolutely isolated and no chance of collateral damage’. He said that Pakistani leaders would OK US drone strikes after discussions involving military and intelligence units and only if ‘there was no time for our own ... military to act’. This happened ‘only rarely’, said Musharraf, who returned to Pakistan from exile last month to contest the upcoming elections. But sometimes, he said, ‘you couldn't delay action’. "These ups and downs kept going," he said. "It was a very fluid situation, a vicious enemy, ... mountains, inaccessible areas."

Musharraf said that one of those killed by US drones was Nek Muhammad, a tribal leader accused of harbouring Al-Qaeda militants in Pakistan's tribal areas. The former president insisted that there was no blanket agreement with the US on the controversial drone campaign. The drone strikes were discussed "at the military (and) intelligence level" and cleared only if "there was no time for our own (special operations task force) and military to act", he said. "That was... maybe two or three times only," he said in the interview.

Pakistani leaders have for long denied the country's involvement in clearing drone strikes, the CNN report said. The Foreign Office describes the strikes as counter-productive for the war against terrorism and a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty.

Still, Musharraf's admission that Pakistani leaders agreed to even a limited number of strikes runs counter to their repeated denunciations of a programme they long claimed the United States was operating without their approval, the report said. The drone strikes - which the nonpartisan public policy group New American Foundation estimates have killed at least 1,990 people in Pakistan, including hundreds of civilians - are unpopular in Pakistan. "Today, the world superpower is having its own way, without any consent from Pakistan," former Interior Minister Rehman Malik said last month. Despite such pronouncements, there's been speculation that the story might have been different behind the scenes, the report said.

In a cable sent in August 2008 and later posted online by Wikileaks, then-US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson mentioned a discussion about drones during a meeting that also involved Malik and then-Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. "Malik suggested we hold off alleged Predator attacks until after the Bajaur operation," Patterson wrote. "The PM brushed aside Rehman's remarks and said, 'I don't care if they do it as long as they get the right people. We'll protest in the National Assembly and then ignore it’."

So there you have it my friends. Lies and conspiracies have no legs, in the end, the truth always prevails.

Any (sensible) feedback, negative or positive, is welcomed.

Cheers.

 

[RabzonKhan]

Very interesting, informative posts.

@Icarus sahib, please forgive me for taking the liberty of sharing your posts here, but if for some reason you have changed your views since, then you are more than welcome to share them here.



https://defence.pk/threads/cia-supporting-terror-inside-pakistan.41884/page-2

Just so that you know, it was an American drone who got Baitullah Mehsud, supposedly killed Hakimullah Mehsud, so that much for "American drones never hit TTP".
Secondly, Maulvi Omar(Bajaur) is in Pakistani custody, so is Muslim Khan two of the biggest of the big in the TTP, so that much for American helis airlift TTP leadership banter.
Which leaves your thread full of conspiracy theories and hot air.


https://defence.pk/threads/cia-supporting-terror-inside-pakistan.41884/page-3

Firstly, I would like to clarify that I am not an officer of the Pakistan Army, I am an intelligence guy(Civilian, but which means most of my work is associated with the military) a professor and member of various think-tanks but......Alas ! an Army man, I am not.......sigh........

Anyways, if you still think that my thoughts on this issue would be relevant then I must say no, I do not think that America is involved in supporting the TTP against Pakistan. You would be surprised to know that in Bajaur, we found more evidence leading to Iran and some oil rich Arab tycoons than we did to America, Israel and even INDIA combined. USA is not playing a double game and neither is Pakistan, the problem is the trust deficit between the two countries which no one seems to give a flying fu** about. It is this trust deficit along with psychos like Hameed Gul and Col. Imam(late) that is proving most damaging to both the Pakistan and American military's drive against the Taliban. If you really want to know who's playing the double game, it's our religious political parties, Jamaat and JUI-F are neck deep in terrorist funding.
My two cents, feel free to disagree.........

 

[RabzonKhan]

Since most Pakistanis don't have access to YouTube , I'm reposting Imran Khan and Gen. Mirza Aslam Beg,s interview videos from Dailymotion website.

As I said in my previous post, difference of opinion is a blessing, but to manufacture facts, deceive and lie to support your opinion is criminal and immoral.

I really do not care about the other three clowns, but I hope Imran Khan will do some rethinking on his part and change some of his rigid opinions and stance on the war on terror.

Especially our PTI friend’s comments on Imran Khan's interview will be greatly appreciated.

To The Point - 15 November 2013 Imran Khan PTI Interview. See the interview from 8.55.

Imran Khan claims “the fact is that the government had signed peace agreement with Nek Muhammad and there was no violation of the agreement by him, but after two days the Americans droned him.[/QUOTE]

Just to advance his bogus narrative Imran Khan lied when he said there was no violation of agreement by Nek Muhammad.

Again lied when he says the American killed him after two days.

Siyasat Aur Qanoon 2nd March 2014 Gen. Mirza Aslam Beg. See the interview from 12.09.

Gen. Beg says “we had signed a successful peace agreement with Nek Muhammad, but to sabotage our agreement, the Americans killed him after two days.[/QUOTE]


Just imagine, once upon a time this man was nuclear -Pakistan's army chief, one cannot imagine a man of his caliber will make such groundless claims, just pathetic.


@Leader @Jazzbot @mafiya @Rafael @AstanoshKhan @mr420

@Zarvan (since you are a supporter of TTP, Zaid Hamid and Imran Khan, which is quite odd)

 

[Jazzbot]

^^ @Rabzon Space reserved, will watch and reply tomorrow. I however believe IK's policy towards WoT and TTP is flawed hence I don't agree with him on this.

 

[Zarvan]

Since most Pakistanis don't have access to YouTube , I'm reposting Imran Khan and Gen. Mirza Aslam Beg,s interview videos from Dailymotion website.

As I said in my previous post, difference of opinion is a blessing, but to manufacture facts, deceive and lie to support your opinion is criminal and immoral.

I really do not care about the other three clowns, but I hope Imran Khan will do some rethinking on his part and change some of his rigid opinions and stance on the war on terror.

Especially our PTI friend’s comments on Imran Khan's interview will be greatly appreciated.

To The Point - 15 November 2013 Imran Khan PTI Interview. See the interview from 8.55.

Imran Khan claims “the fact is that the government had signed peace agreement with Nek Muhammad and there was no violation of the agreement by him, but after two days the Americans droned him.

Just to advance his bogus narrative Imran Khan lied when he said there was no violation of agreement by Nek Muhammad.

Again lied when he says the American killed him after two days.

Siyasat Aur Qanoon 2nd March 2014 Gen. Mirza Aslam Beg. See the interview from 12.09.

Gen. Beg says “we had signed a successful peace agreement with Nek Muhammad, but to sabotage our agreement, the Americans killed him after two days.[/QUOTE]


Just imagine, once upon a time this man was nuclear -Pakistan's army chief, one cannot imagine a man of his caliber will make such groundless claims, just pathetic.


@Leader @Jazzbot @mafiya @Rafael @AstanoshKhan @mr420

@Zarvan (since you are a supporter of TTP, Zaid Hamid and Imran Khan, which is quite odd)[/quote]
I support Zaid Hamid because of same views we share for India and USA and Israel secondly I don't support TTP I am saying again and again their were was no TTP until 2007 what happened so Sir what happened was that we went in Tribal areas bombed them they lost loved ones after facing three years of loss they formed TTP to take revenge so now to get out of this war we need to talk to our own people try to win over as many groups on our side as we can than take out those who only wants war

 

[RabzonKhan]

I support Zaid Hamid because of same views we share for India and USA and Israel secondly I don't support TTP I am saying again and again their were was no TTP until 2007 what happened so Sir what happened was that we went in Tribal areas bombed them they lost loved ones after facing three years of loss they formed TTP to take revenge so now to get out of this war we need to talk to our own people try to win over as many groups on our side as we can than take out those who only wants war

First of all, thank you for your reply.

The only thing I see common between you and Zaid is that both of you are anti-American. Other than that, you guys have different opinions on war on terror, for example, Zaid fully supports Pak Armed Forces war against Pakistani –Taliban, he labels all of them as American/Indian/Israeli agents whose sole purpose is to destabilize Pakistan, and he is against the peace talks with them.

You, on the other hand, support peace talks and justify their barbarity by saying that they are fighting for Sharia and to avenge the killing of their loved ones.

Now back to the topic, did you watch Imran Khan's interview and did you note how he lied in the interview?

And what do you have to say on Zaid Hamid’s BS that I had posted in my previous post?