I dont believe this. Seems somebody is making un of zardari.
Zardari to seek Karzai-like US security?
Friday, January 14, 2011
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Afghan President has taken off all of his security personnel provided by the United States and he is solely banking upon indigenous Afghan security guards, writes Saleh Zaafir.
This was revealed by Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Majnoon Ghulab while talking to The News here against the backdrop of reports that Asif Zardari is mulling over asking his US interlocutors to provide him American security that was put in place for the Afghan president in his early days. Reports suggested that he would be urging the US authorities during his ongoing unofficial trip to the United States regarding his desire. However no denial or clarification was issued since the publication of the report by the presidency.
It is understood that Asif Zardari has developed some fear from unidentifiable direction about himself while staying in the federal capital or places of high altitude and mountain terrain. Incidentally he has gone to Washington that is again a place with high altitude and situated on a mountain. For the reason he has opted to travel to New York and from there he plans to proceed to Washington by road. He would not be having overnight stay in Washington and could return to New York for the journey back home.
The diplomatic sources told The News that Asif Zardari or the presidency has not made any formal request for the provision of special security from the United States but the request could be made from the diplomatic mission in Washington.
The sources pointed out that four major attempts were made on the life of Hamid Karzai in six years ending April, 2008 and since then no major attempt has been reported. The first attack came about on September 5, 2002 when the first known attempt was made in Kandahar city where a gunman wearing the uniform of the new Afghan National Army opened fire, wounding Gul Agha Sherzai (former governor of Kandahar) and an American Special Operations officer. The gunman, one of the presidents bodyguards, and a bystander who knocked down the gunman were killed when Karzais American bodyguards returned the fire.
Again on September 16, 2004 yet another attempt was made to assassinate Karzai when a rocket missed the helicopter he was flying in, en route to Gardez. The third major attempt took place on June 10, 2007 when Taliban attempted to assassinate Karzai in Ghazni where he was giving a speech to elders. The Taliban fired approximately 12 rockets, some of which landed 220 yards (200 m) away from the crowd. Karzai was not hurt in the incident and was transported away from the location after finishing his speech.
The fourth attempt was made on April 27, 2008 when his adversaries used automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades to attack a military parade that Karzai was attending in Kabul. Karzai was safe, but at least three people were killed, including a parliamentarian, a ten-year-old girl and a minority leader, and ten injured. Others attending the event included government ministers, former warlords, diplomats and the military top brass, all of whom had gathered to mark the 16th anniversary of the fall of the Afghan communist government to the Mujahideen.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack. It was stated that the ability of the attackers to get so close to Karzai suggested they had inside help. Defence minister Wardak later confirmed that a police captain was connected with the group behind the assassination attempt and that an army officer supplied the weapons and ammunition used in the attack.
The sources revealed that since then Afghan president deployed persons from his own clan for his personal security. He had to face fierce criticism earlier on account of having foreign security guards and for the reason he first reduced their number and ultimately they were completely taken off. The US marines who were also having the control of the communication system were deployed by the US government for the security of the Afghan president. The whole coding and system was altered after stripping the US marines from the security duty, the sources said. Asif Zardari is likely to take up the issue pertaining to the security at the highest echelon during his interaction in the United States, the sources said.
I dont think US will provide security to Zardari