Nato Attack on Pakistan Army, an overview.

Nato Air attack on Pakistan Army: Capt Usman n Major Mujahid Shaheed,who got martrydom Last Morning

Pakistan gave the US 15 days to leave the Shamsi airfield. It also announced that NATO supply routes into Afghanistan will be shut down. The move comes after NATO troops killed at least 26 Pakistani soldiers in two separate air strikes in Pakistan. The Shamsi airbase is used by the CIA to carry out secret operations in the Pakistani desert.

Major Mujahid frm 105 L/C who embraced shahadat in NATO attack on Pakistani checkpost in Salsala Village..


PESHAWAR: Pakistani authorities on Saturday blocked the NATO supply route to Afghanistan after an attack on a border checkpost killed at least 24 Pakistani soldiers. The attack by NATO helicopters on a checkpost located in Mohmand Agnecy killed at least 24 soldiers and injured 12.
Official sources confirmed the suspension of supplies, adding that all containers were stopped at the Takhta Baig checkpost in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency.
“We have suspended the supply and will not let even a single container move ahead”, the official added. ”Supply trucks are being sent back to Peshawar.” Takhta Baig is the first checkpost followed by four more check-posts in the tribal areas and is the shortest possible route to Afghanistan

War games spotlight China-Pakistan hype as Pakistan have blocked the supply route to NATO & US Forces in Afghanistan in protest to NATO raid which killed eight Pakistani troops.

Uniform of Captain Bilal Zafar Shaheed after being hit by a rocket launcher.
Bilal was from a family credited with a hundred years of the service in the armed forces; his great grand father Subedar Lal Khan served in the First World War and won the George Cross. His grandfather Tajjamal Hussain retired as a Colonel and his father Zafar Tajammul Abbasi was a Captain in the Pakistan Army. Capt Bilal’s maternal grandfather was also in the army and his brother Captain Zarrar is also serving in the army. Rest in peace Capt Bilal with your family of soldiers
JHELUM: Paratroopers hurtling head first out of planes, attack helicopters strafing a terror training centre and shacks blown to bits were this week’s latest embodiment of China-Pakistan friendship.
The war games conducted by 540 Chinese and Pakistani soldiers running around scrubland —the fourth joint exercises since 2006 —were ostensibly a chance for China to benefit from Pakistan’s counter-terrorism experience.
There was disappointment that fighter jets were unable to carry out a bombing raid, with visibility apparently poor, but the exercises were declared a success in terms of deepening friendship and improving military cooperation.
But behind the pomp rolled out for the Chinese, complete with slap-up marquee lunch and bags of presents, the relationship is as transactional as any other, as China competes with Pakistan’s arch-rival India for Asian dominance.
And it is far from easy to decipher. “They operate silently so as not to make any statements in public apart from cliches. So one doesn’t know what’s happening,” said retired Pakistani general Talat Masood.
China is Pakistan’s main arms supplier, while Beijing has built two nuclear power plants in Pakistan and is contracted to construct two more reactors.
But the alliance has been knocked by Chinese accusations that the separatist East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which wants an independent homeland for Xinjiang’s Muslim Uighurs, is training “terrorists” in Pakistani camps.
Those accusations mirror long-standing concerns from the United States that Taliban and al Qaeda bases are funnelling recruits to fight in Afghanistan and hatch terror plots against the West.
During the exercises outside Jhelum, 85 kilometres (50 miles) southeast of Islamabad, generals watched troops attack, clear and destroy a mocked-up training camp, while smoking and sipping cups of tea under a giant tent to keep off winter rays.
Chinese deputy chief of staff Hou Shusen and Pakistan’s army chief Ashfaq Kayani sat together in the front row, guests of honour incapable of talking to each other without the help of an interpreter.
“We have done our utmost to eliminate this threat of ETIM and other extremists for China because we consider honestly that China’s security is very dear to Pakistan,” Kayani told a news conference after the war games.
He said that Pakistan had provided intelligence during the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Shanghai Expo, and reiterated demands for closer military cooperation and larger imports of military hardware from China.
Beijing was instrumental in getting the United Nations and United States to blacklist ETIM as a terrorist organisation in 2002, but experts have questioned how much of a threat such a small group of people really poses.
Pakistani analysts believe members number no more than hundreds and are fairly dispersed in the remote mountains on the Pakistan-China border.
Despite that issue, if the language used to describe Pakistan’s febrile relationship with the United States is that of an unhappy couple wishing but unable to divorce, then the hyperbole used to describe China is that of an ecstatic lover.
“Higher than mountains” and “sweeter than honey” were phrases used by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani when Chinese Public Security Minister Meng Jianzhu came to town in September, at a time when relations with the US were at their most difficult in years.
The top US military officer, Admiral Mike Mullen, had just accused Pakistan of colluding with Afghan militants in besieging the US embassy in Kabul as ties plummeted further after the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
But independent China analyst Michael Dillon says that without any real ideological links, China’s relationship with Pakistan is primarily strategic, designed to offset its rivalry with India.
“There is a feeling that cooperation with Pakistan on counter-terrorism might be in China’s interests,” he told AFP.
“They’ve got economic domination over Southeast Asia. But South Asia is another matter. The big rival is India. If they can get close diplomatically to Pakistan then it can balance the power of India in the subcontinent,” he said.
Neither can China present an alternative to the US alliance.
But Kayani described China as “very important” to regional stability, perhaps best seen against a backdrop of Pakistan’s own rivalry with India.
“It’s not a zero-sum game. You further strengthen your relations with China, then you increase your importance. You use this as a leverage to improve your relationship with the US,” said Masood.

اے جذبہ دل گر ميں چاہوں ہر چيز مقابل آجائے
منزل کے لئے دو گام چلوں اور سامنے منزل آجائے
اے دل کي خلش چل يوں ہي سہي چلتا تو ہوں ان کي محفل ميں
اس وقت مجھے چونکا دينا جب رنگ پہ محفل آجائے
اے رہبر کامل چل ديکھو، تيار تو ہوں پر يار رہے
اس وقت مجھے بھٹکا دينا جب سامنے منزل آجائے
ہاں ياد مجھے تم کر لينا آواز مجھے تم دے لينا
اس راہ محبت ميں کوئي درپيش جو مشکل آجائے
اب کيوں ڈھونڈوں وہ چشم کرم ہونے دے ستم بالائے ستم
ميں چاہتا ہوں اے جذبہ غم مشکل پہ مشکل آجائے

They have given their time
They have given their all
For Pakistan that said we made them fall.
Some say this is for power,
Some same this is for the fame.
We need to stop placing any and all the blames.
We have a country that has needs to,
Many lost their lives, and many lost their limbs.
Some lost their minds, and others lost their will.
Some don’t have homes, some don’t have food.
But this is our Pakistan who’s out to do good.
Give to your own, and then think of the world.
Lets fix our backyards before we fix theirs.
Our Pakistan is rich, with many things indeed.
But lets give aid to our people in the time of their needs.
So when you see a Soldier or someone in Uniform,
Please salute or shake their hand, and say JOB WELL DONE.

Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Prevez Kayani and Chinese General Hu Sho Sen are watching joint war games of Pakistani – Chinese commandos in Jehlum.

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Pakistan to boycott Bonn meeting on Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD / WASHINGTON -Pakistan will boycott an international conference on Afghanistan's future in Bonn next week to protest against a NATO cross-border attack that killed two dozen of its soldiers and plunged the region deeper into crisis.
"Pakistan has decided not to attend the Bonn conference as a protest," a government official said on Tuesday after a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani in Lahore.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday she was "very sorry" about Pakistan's announced boycott of the conference and would try to convince it to attend.
The conference next week in Bonn, Germany, seeks a strategy to stabilize Afghanistan a decade after al-Qaida used the country as a base to launch the Sept 11, 2001, attacks and US-backed NATO forces overthrew the Taliban.
Pakistan has reacted to Saturday's airstrikes with fury, cutting off crucial supply routes to NATO forces in Afghanistan, and ordering US personnel to vacate an air base in the country's southwest for years for operation in Afghanistan and drone strikes.
Pakistan on Tuesday rejected the UAE's request to withdraw call for air base vacation. UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zeyed Al-Nahyan met President Asif Ali Zardari and requested him to take back its deadline set for the US to leave the air base.
Zardari told the UAE foreign Minister that the decision was taken by Defense Committee of the Cabinet and cannot be withdrawn.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilan on Monday also ruled out "business as usual" with the United States.
"Business as usual will not be there," Gilani told CNN when asked if ties with the United States would continue. "We have to have something bigger so as to satisfy my nation."
On Tuesday, officials said that a US-led investigation into the NATO airstrike will report its initial findings by Dec 23.
The chief of US Central Command, which oversees US forces in Afghanistan and the Middle East, appointed Brigadier General Stephen Clark, a one-star air force general, to lead the investigation, the US military announced.
Reuters-AP-AFP

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PAF to look for fifth generation aircrafts

 

Yesterday, huzhigeng struck again, bringing more insider news from 611 Institute (Chengdu Aircraft Corporation). Anyways here they are.

Last month, when a person asked whether JF-17 will be modified into a low observable, aka stealth design:

"Chengdu has an export pre-4th gen (5th gen in US/Russian standard)designated as J-2X.Pakistan and third world countries have demands for it. Of course, 611 can expect to get some order from Chinese air force also. It is about the size of F-35, and the design has already been presented to Pakistan."



Yesterday, he reinstated this point:

"4th Gen (referring to J-20)'s little brother is also being designed."

Furthermore, he elaborated on recent exchanges between the two countries:

"PAF recently sent a group of represenatives to CAC. They looked at a few designs for their 4th gen, and in general they were pretty satisfied."



When asked about the neccessity of SAC's project, he briefly mentioned future directions in design:

"611 (CAC) will continue to utilize canards in their future designs. This is both a tradition and a legacy, much like Lockheed Martin and their conventional designs. North (referring to SAC) will feature mostly conventional layouts. Of course, from the looks of JF-17, CAC's conventional designs aren't bad either. Now it remains to be seen whether J-2X (Pakistan's project) will have conventional or canard design."

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Imran calls for end to CIA operations

SUKKUR: Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan demanded stoppage of the operations of the CIA in Pakistan and called for ousting operatives of the CIA from the soil of the country.
Addressing a big public meeting at Ghotki on Sunday, Imran Khan said we need a new policy over drone attacks. He said Pakistan should abandon the American war. He said even America is not fully aware of the results of the war. He said the cost of the war for the country was that 40,000 people had been killed and several thousand of our Army men were martyred.
Imran said it was the right time to come out of darkness and shove the slavery of America away. He advised to rulers to go to Security Council over the issue of drone attacks without further delay.
The PTI chief said corruption should be uprooted and people should come forward for a New Pakistan and a New System to bring Pakistan on the road to progress, development and to make Pakistan a sovereign country.
He said Chaudhry Nisar will hear very soon about two wickets falling on a single ball.
Imran Khan said the PTI is a not a traditional political party based on families. He said Qureshi was not involved in any corruption and his image was clear and remained clear so he thinks that Qureshi will repose upon the party. He invited Qureshi to join the PTI, saying the party believes in political merit.
He said for ensuring the party strength, election on merit on every party designation would be held after which his party would be the only a merit-based political party of Pakistan.

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Pakistan Army Martyrs Names in NATO Attack

Following are suspected to be martyred in NATO attack at Pakistan Army.

1. Major Mujahid
2. Capt Usman
3. Havaldar Mushtaq
4. Havaldar Aslam
5. Sipahi Imran
6. Sipahi Abdul Razzaq
7. Sipahi Mazhar
8. Sipahi Tarip
9. Sipahi Nasir Mehmod
10. Sipahi Mujibullah
11. Sipahi Tahir
12. Sipahi Muheem

* This list is not complete and is confirmed by official but it may contain any errors.

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NATO strike kills 24 Pakistani troops, We must to reply back.

NATO helicopters have attacked a border post, Pakistani security officials say, killing at least 24 soldiers and injuring more than a dozen.

It is not the first time that the NATO strikes Pakistan Army but they have already done it. There is still not a big reply from Pakistan but just to cut out NATO supply.

 

Authorities suspended NATO supplies to landlocked Afghanistan in protest.

The pre-dawn attack occurred in Mohmand agency, one of the seven Pakistani tribal districts from where US officials say militants infiltrate into Afghanistan to target NATO-led forces.

A military spokesman said NATO helicopters had targeted the Salala border post manned by paramilitary troops.

An official at the paramilitary Frontier Corps headquarters in Peshawar, the capital of north-western Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, said initial reports showed 22 soldiers and two officers were killed and 15 troops were wounded.

'This is an attack on Pakistan's sovereignty and such attacks will not be further tolerated,' said provincial governor Masood Kausar, who also heads the civilian government in seven tribal districts.

The Salala border post is on a hill along a route used by militants often to enter into Afghanistan, said an intelligence official who also spoke on condition of anonymity. ( SKY NEWS )

Pakistan must to take some serious steps in order to prevent such happenings in the future. Pakistan must not forget sacrifice of martyrs and must give them justice.

 

 

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Pakistan and Australia discussed army mutual cooperation

General David Hurley, Chief of Defence Force (CDF) Australia, today called on Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Khalid Shameem Wynne. Both the leaders discussed matters related to mutual cooperation between the two Armed Forces and the emerging Geo-Strategic environment of the region with a special emphasis on Afghanistan. Earlier General David Hurley was presented a guard of honour by a smartly turned out tri services contingent. The Australian CDF appreciated the role played by the Armed Forces of Pakistan in fight against terror.

Later on General Sir David Richards, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) UK also called on Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Khalid Shameem Wynne, General David Richards remained with CJCSC for some time and discussed matters related to mutual interest and evolving situation of the region.

--------------------------

General David Hurley, Chief of Defence Force (CDF) Australia, today called on Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Khalid Shameem Wynne (22-11-2011) – Photo ISPR

General David Hurley, Chief of Defence Force (CDF) Australia reviewing the guard of honour at Joint Staff Headquarters Chaklala (22-11-2011) - Photo ISPR

Published by ISPR

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Pakistan's US Envoy Resigns Over Memo Scandal

Pakistan's envoy to the United States says he has resigned over claims he wrote a memo to Washington asking for its help in reining in the country's powerful military.
Hussein Haqqani denied Tuesday any role in writing or delivering the memo.

The affair has highlighted the divide between Pakistan's weak civilian government and the military, as well as the role the United States plays in the affairs of the country.
After the allegations were made last week, Haqqani was summoned to Islamabad to meet the army and intelligence chiefs.
He told The Associated Press, "I have resigned my services as ambassador and am happy to face an inquiry."

Refrence: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/pakistans-us-envoy-resigns-memo-scandal-15006437#.Tsu8QFYjKuo

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The memo scandal

The issue of the secret memo that Pakistani-American businessman Mansur Ijaz claimed to have delivered to the US' former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen, on behalf of Ambassador Hussain Haqqani has taken a new turn with the scandal's central figure, Mike Mullen's latest remarks.

Ijaz, it may be recalled, had claimed in an article that appeared in the highly respected British paper, Financial Times, last month that he was directed by a senior Pakistani official close to the government to deliver a memo to the admiral in the wake of the May 2nd US raid in Abbottabad, in which President Zardari purportedly had offered to replace the military leadership, and cut ties to militant groups.

The memo allegedly contains some lethal material regarding even more sensitive security issues, including nuclear safety.

The government had initially brushed aside the memo as a figment of imagination of a publicity-hungry individual, with poor credibility and hence unworthy of serious attention.

Admiral Mullen himself had said he had never met Ijaz, and had no recollection of the memo.

But given the nature of the issues involved, the memo controversy refused to die down.

Mullen has now come back with the dramatic disclosure that the memo, indeed, did exist.

His spokesman, John Kirby, issued a statement explaining that after the FT article appeared, Mullen felt incumbent upon himself to check his memory.

And that "he had reached out to others who he believed might have had knowledge of such a memo, and one of them was able to produce a copy of it." Having already sensed the gravity of the developing situation, a day earlier Prime Minister Gilani had told the National Assembly that Haqqani was being summoned to Islamabad to answer for what had happened.

Haqqani earlier sent a letter to the President questioning Ijaz's claims.

He has also been arguing that he did not need any intermediary since he had good relations with the Admiral who, he said, had no power to bring about any change in the Pakistani military.

Yet the fact remains that there exists an incriminating document pertaining to extremely sensitive national security issues that begs the questions, who wrote the memo, and on whose behalf? As things stand, responding to various points of order from the Opposition benches on Friday, Gilani reiterated his stance that he had summoned the ambassador, adding "Let us wait for the Ambassador's explanation." Haqqani, of course, is going to deny any involvement, and repeat his offer to resign.

But the matter will not end with his resignation.

The government also owes a credible explanation to the public.

A high-level, transparent investigation is in order.

Doing so will be in the government's own interest.

Otherwise the memo will serve as grist for the rumour mills, causing unnecessary harm to the body politic.

It is in Haqqani's interest, too, to face a formal inquiry.

If he did not write the memo on his own, or on somebody else's behalf, as is being alleged, he must come clean.

It is possible that he has been framed.

We hope the government will provide satisfactory answers to the people, and end the controversy once and for all.

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Army official, 20 militants killed in Kurram clash

Four others were killed in a separate, but similar attack. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE 

 

By Ahmer Sultan

 

PESHAWAR:  A Pakistan Army major was killed when militants attacked a check post in central Kurram Agency.

In an apparent reaction to the military offensive carried out in the region earlier, about 60 militants attacked the Marazan check post late Tuesday night.
In the retaliatory fire, more than 20 militants were reportedly killed and nine militant hideouts were destroyed by the security forces. The deceased was identified as Major Sikandar.
“The militants were hiding in nearby mountains and opened fire on the convoy, followed by rockets,” a security official said. “Security forces retaliated and killed 20 militants. One of our majors succumbed to his wounds,” the official added.
While the area had been declared “clear” by security forces earlier, incidents of violence were regularly reported.
In a separate incident, officials confirmed a second attack from militants in the Shadala area of Ghaljo, where rockets were fired at a convoy. “The second attack happened in the same manner like the one in Kurram Agency,” a security official said.
“The militants were hiding and targeted the convoy. In retaliatory fire, four militants were killed. One of our soldiers sustained minor injuries and is out of danger now,” the officials added.
Earlier, a policeman was killed, and another one injured, when a remote-controlled explosion took place near a police check post in the Shabqadar Tehsil of Charsadda.
Police officials added that the check post was situated on a main road, linking Mohmand Agency with Charsadda and Peshawar. The funeral prayers of the slain policeman were held with senior police officials, including Peshawar city police officer in attendance.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17^th, 2011. 
In an apparent reaction to the military offensive carried out in the region earlier, about 60 militants attacked the Marazan check post late Tuesday night.
In the retaliatory fire, more than 20 militants were reportedly killed and nine militant hideouts were destroyed by the security forces. The deceased was identified as Major Sikandar.
“The militants were hiding in nearby mountains and opened fire on the convoy, followed by rockets,” a security official said. “Security forces retaliated and killed 20 militants. One of our majors succumbed to his wounds,” the official added.
While the area had been declared “clear” by security forces earlier, incidents of violence were regularly reported.
In a separate incident, officials confirmed a second attack from militants in the Shadala area of Ghaljo, where rockets were fired at a convoy. “The second attack happened in the same manner like the one in Kurram Agency,” a security official said.
“The militants were hiding and targeted the convoy. In retaliatory fire, four militants were killed. One of our soldiers sustained minor injuries and is out of danger now,” the officials added.
Earlier, a policeman was killed, and another one injured, when a remote-controlled explosion took place near a police check post in the Shabqadar Tehsil of Charsadda.
Police officials added that the check post was situated on a main road, linking Mohmand Agency with Charsadda and Peshawar. The funeral prayers of the slain policeman were held with senior police officials, including Peshawar city police officer in attendance.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17^th, 2011.

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Miracles in 1965 Indo-Pak War

Famous writer Mumtaz Mufti(1905-1995) mentioned spiritual aspects of 1965 war in his four books. Here extracts from all Four Books are presented to highlight the importance of these spiritual events.

English Translation From his Books ( Summary of main events ) :


(From Book:Alakh Nagri)

1. A Saint of Lahore who never spoke before 1965 war and people called him ‘Chup Shah’. Suddenly started roaming and shouting in the streets, ‘O people, See what miracles God will show, Fear not, victory will be ours’

2. People coming from Sialkot told, ‘We had seen hundreds of white horse riders whom were wearing white dresses. They had swords in their hands, and they were saying that they are going to battlefield’ ’

3. Jang Newspaper received a letter from Madina Munawara, It was written that the day when Lahore was attacked, same night two people from Madina Munawara saw this dream that Holy Prophet (PBUH) is going on a horse. Humbly asked: Holy Prophet (PBUH), where are you going so quickly? Holy Prophet (PBUH) replied, ’Going on Jihad in Pakistan’

4. Famous Hakeem Nayyar Wasti was in Madina Munawara during 1965 war. After coming back to Pakistan, he announced in public that A Lady who lived in Madina from last 18 years and she daily sat near the Holy grill of Roza-e-Rasool (PBUH). She told on 6 September that she saw Holy Prophet (PBUH) worriedly and quickly coming out. His Holy Hair was untied and concerned. She never saw Holy Prophet (PBUH) in such anxiousness and hurry before.

5. Nayyar Wasti Sahib said, A Saint who used to meet him in Roza-e-Rasool (PBUH) every day, disappeared on 6 September. One of his pupil told that He has gone to Pakistan for Jihad.

6. Another Saint told Nayyar Wasti that all the Shuhada (martyrs) were gone to Pakistan by riding the horses in the companionship of Shuhada-e-Badr.

7. Brother of Waqar-un-Nisa College’s Principal was working in PAF Peshawar during 1965 war. He told: A bomb was fallen in a Tank of Petrol but surprisingly it didn’t blast.

8. Indian Army, who was attacking on Sialkot city, stopped by looking vacant battlefield. They thought it was a game by Pakistan Army to encircle them.

9. Barq Sahib told in his statement that many bombs were descended on Sargodha but only two got blast away from the target even though all aircrafts were openly positioned on Sargodha Airport.

10. Qazi Sahib told Mumtaz Mufti during war that Saints are protecting Pakistan in the battlefield otherwise how it can be possible that 21 bombs have been descended in Rawalpindi but only 5 got exploded. On battlefield our 5 hundred soldiers look 5 thousand or 5 Lac to Indians. What can we say but victory will be ours.

11. Indian Soldiers’ statements were also very surprising.
They said: ‘Army with swords gave us enormous losses. Light emanates from their swords’

Prisoners’ of Sialkot asked, ‘Who were those white dress soldiers in Pakistan Army ‘

A prisoner of Khemkaran told, ‘Horse riders in red dresses completely confused the Indian Army’

An Indian Pilot prisoner told, ‘In Multan, three Old Men were catching Indian bombs and throwing them away’

12. Indian Pilots’ Statements:
Indian XEN’s pilot son, who was caught during war due to bail out, told: ‘I don’t know what happened, I heard voices coming from all four sides that Bail out Bail out, even no Pakistani aircraft was tracing me. I got so much confused that I bailed out’

Indian General Kariepa’s son who was a pilot, got caught and told in his statement that I came to destroy River Ravi’s bridge but when I reached to River Ravi, there were six bridges instead of one.

Another imprisoned Pilot told: ‘We came to attack Dwarka, weather was clear, situation was perfect but when we reached Dwarka, a heavy cloud suddenly jumped from nowhere and covered Dwarka’

13. Many Pakistani journalists and writers who visited the different battlefields, told: ‘Wherever Indians surrendered, they did it due to misunderstanding because Pak Army was very small in numbers but Indians felt, Pak Army seemed to look more in numbers’

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Pak-US military cooperation continues

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and the United States have agreed to continue respective military operations at both sides of the Pak-Afghan border until the cross-border incursions are completely dealt with, informed officials said.
According to intelligence sources, Pakistan would continue to conduct targeted operations in its tribal belt as a part of its renewed military cooperation with the US that allows military offensives at both sides of Pak-Afghan border. During the Friday meeting between Pakistan’s military chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and the US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief General James Mattis, both the sides have reportedly decided to continue with taking on militant sanctuaries in the borderlands and target identification of militants in North Waziristan through ISI-CIA cooperation.
The development is likely to diffuse pressure on Pakistan to launch a large-scale offensive in NWA following hot-pursuits and crackdowns lately conducted by Pakistan Army in NWA and its adjoining tribal belt. During Eid days, Pakistani security forces reportedly launched search operations in Miranshah, the headquarters of NWA, and captured some militant leaders. In retaliation, the powerful militant commander in NWA Hafiz Gul Bahadur has warned Pakistani government of cancelling an informal ceasefire that he struck with the Pakistani military sometime back.
During Mattis-Kayani meeting, the military commands of both the states were reported to have fixed mutual responsibility for terrorism export from Pakistani soil to Afghanistan and vice versa. This implies handing over the militants involved in cross-border incursions who are wanted by Nato or the security agencies of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
When approached, the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Military Spokesperson in Afghanistan, Brigadier General Carsten Jacobson did not specifically comment on Pak-US enhanced military cooperation. He said the Isaf’s mandate in Afghanistan allowed, “Foolproof and durable security environment that can only be achieved when everybody stands up for the elimination of extremism.”
Brigadier General Jacobson said the killings of militants in the military operation were “A remarkably significant sign for a peaceful Afghanistan.” He expressed these views in a web-based voice conversation with this newspaper from Kabul on Saturday.
Pakistan’s military and Nato oversee separate military offensives at both sides of Pak-Afghan borders that cover Chitral, Upper Dir, Khyber Agency and parts of North and South Waziristan in Pakistan while Khost, Paktika, Kunar, Nuristan and Paktia in Afghanistan.
Last month, Pakistan had agreed targeted operations to hunt down militants without launching a full-scale operation in NWA following the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and top US military and intelligence officials visit to Pakistan. This followed an evident increase in the drone-hits.
Responding hard to the CIA drone-hits and Pakistan military’s search operations in NWA, Hafiz Gul Bahadur is quoted by a foreign news agency to have said in a statement, “We have been showing patience because of problems being faced by common people but now the government has also resorted to repression on our common people at the behest of foreigners,” the statement was circulated across NWA on Thursday and Friday.
TheNation had reported last Sunday that the informal agreement regarding enhanced intelligence and military cooperation arrived at during Clinton’s visit to Pakistan embedded a contextual understanding that envisaged a halt in drone strikes, for the time being though, during Eid days since surgical strikes and resultant causalities during that time period would amount to strong public resentment against the US and embarrassment for Pakistan’s establishment for its inability to get these attacks stopped. “Whatever the hidden agreements between the Pakistan and the US be, the tribal people must not suffer. We want a peaceful and prosperous living. That’s all we want,” tribal chieftain in NWA Noor Alam Jan Utmanzai told TheNation.

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Pakistan army on board, says Singh

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh.—AFP Photo—Photo by AFP

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Saturday that a second round of talks with Islamabad would begin soon and believes the Pakistan army was on board with the peace process he discussed with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani this week.
Speaking to Indian reporters on his way home from the Maldives, Dr Singh defended his description of Mr Gilani as a man of peace, but said it did not imply trusting anyone blindly. The India-Pakistan peace process was subject to accidents, the Press Trust of India (PTI) quoted him as warning.
He said India wanted to strengthen the hands of the civilian government in Pakistan and that Mr Gilani, whom he met in Male on Thursday, had “clearly understood” that one more Mumbai-like attack would be a big setback in the peace process.
According to the PTI, he said his visit to Pakistan would take place only after Pakistan took solid steps against the Mumbai terror attack accused in that country.
“I would not like to go into the details of this matter. But when I did discuss with Pakistan Prime Minister whether Pakistan’s armed forces were on board, the feeling I got after a long time was that Pakistan’s armed forces were on board.”
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar had claimed earlier that the Pakistan army was on board the peace initiatives with India.
About Mr Gilani, his “man of peace”, Dr Singh said he had met him four or five times and every time they discussed bilateral issues, his counterpart had agreed that there was no way forward except for peaceful resolution of all problems and that terrorism was not helping the process.
“In fact, he (Mr Gilani) has gone ahead and expressed his reservations that terrorism is a common enemy, it (terrorism) has not helped advance Pakistan’s cause. I tend to believe that Pakistan has a democratic government. We would like to strengthen the hands of the democratic government.
“In the desire for normalising the relations, trade and terror-related issues, I think, in Mr Gilani Pakistan has a prime minister who is ready to work with us,” he said. “It is not that we are putting blind faith in one individual, however well-meaning he may be. PM Gilani and I believe in normalisation of relations.”
Dr Singh said he and Mr Gilani agreed that the resumed round of dialogue should start and it will be imperative in the development of trade relations with the changing attitude of Pakistan by giving Most Favoured Nation (MFN) and the willingness of Pakistan to discuss all issues, including that of terrorism.
“So I come back (from Male) with the expectation that the second round with Pakistan will begin very shortly. But what will be the outcome of the dialogue I cannot say now because Indo-Pak relations are subject to accidents,” he added.
“We both recognised that if there is one (more) incident like Mumbai attack, then that would be a big setback. I think that has been clearly understood by PM Gilani,” he said.

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ANP leader, son killed in suicide attack

ISLAMABAD - Three people, including a leader of the Awami National Party (ANP), his son, and body guard were killed and eight people were injured in a suicide attack in the Malikabad area of Swabi on Eid day on Monday.

ANP leader Hanif Jadoon was on his way back after offering Eid prayers when his vehicle was targeted by a suicide bomber, a senior police official said. He was accompanied by two of his sons, a guard and a worker.

“The vehicle he was in came under attack near Malikabad when a suicide bomber dressed as a beggar exploded himself near the windscreen of the vehicle killing Hanif Jadoon and his guard on the spot,” said DPO Ijaz Khan told reporters.

The nine injured were shifted to Swabi Hospital.

Sources said that Hanif Jadoon had recently been elected as ANP President of PF-36 (Swabi) during party elections.
                                  

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Russia opposes military action in Iran

BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Russia has also spoken out against military strikes on Iran, saying it would be a grave mistake with unpredictable consequences.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, Russia is deeply opposed to any military action against Iran, though Moscow has supported UN sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme.

Lavrov said that talks between Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States, Germany and Iran should be resumed as soon as possible.

The country is already under four rounds of sanctions due to its nuclear programme. But it says it’s entirely peaceful.

Political analysts believe that a raid on Iran’s nuclear facilities would likely provoke Tehran into hugely disruptive retaliatory measures in the Gulf that would sever shipping routes and disrupt the flow of oil and gas to export markets.

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Eid Mubbarak

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Indian major General accept Pakistan Army is professional

 

 

ISLAMABAD, Nov 1 (APP): Indiaian Major General (retd) Jatinder Singh said Pakistan’s decision to return an Indian helicopter vindicated his view that its army is a professional institution. In a letter published in “The Hindu”, General Sharma said Pakistan allowed an Indian helicopter with four army personnel to return home five hours after the aircraft was forced to land in Skardu for violating Pakistani airspace.“This action vindicates my long held view that the Pakistan army is a professional institution, not a rogue army as some sections of the media, service colleagues, and politicians would like to suggest,” he added.

He said, “Even if Pakistan had shot down the helicopter and shown it as a crash, thereby making us incur a loss of trained men and an expensive machine, we would not have been able to ascertain the truth, considering the sparsely populated terrain of Skardu.”
He said the terrain precludes the use of radars for monitoring and charting the flight path from India’s side of the border.
The incident speaks volumes for the speed in decision-making, communications set-up and the maturity of the Pakistani army hierarchy, Jatinder Singh added.

 

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Pakistan to train Afghanistan’s army: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Army would train Afghan National Army as well as Police under the trilateral pacts signed in Istanbul on the other day, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tehmina Janjua said on Thursday.
Answering a question in the weekly briefing, the spokesperson said two protocols were signed in the Summit on November 1 under which the three countries have agreed to cooperate in military exercises, and training in addition to coaching the Afghan Police.
Tehmina Janjua said in the trilateral presidential summit held in Istanbul, the three countries agreed on two protocols of police training and military training to enhance the capacity of the forces of the three countries against terrorism.
She said that Pakistan stance regarding Afghanistan is based on principles and clear, adding, “We want economic development along with peace and security in Afghanistan.”
The Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan adopted a broad ranging document that stipulates certain principles and CBMs which constitute an expression of the regions solidarity and support for Afghanistan.
She said that President Asif Ali Zardari was in Istanbul on the invitation of President Abdullah Gul to participate in the Sixth Trilateral meeting among Afghanistan- Pakistan- Turkey and bilateral discussions with President Gul.
The Trilateral meeting in which President Zardari, President Abdullah Gul and President Hamid Karzai attended and assisted by the Foreign Ministers and military and intelligence heads of the three countries, was very useful, the spokesperson said. Janjua said that at the trilateral summit, the President reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to the trilateral partnership concept between the three countries. “We attach importance to the ongoing trilateral Ankara process,” she said.
The Trilateral meeting adopted a joint statement which underscored trans-regional development as a key priority and security cooperation as the main focus of the Sixth Trilateral Summit. Two protocols were signed for trilateral cooperation on conduct of mutual military exercises and courses and on training cooperation, she said.
She said that Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar represented Pakistan at the Istanbul regional Conference on Afghanistan.
During the meetings, she said the president assured to the Government and people of Afghanistan of Pakistan’s full support in their endeavours to overcome all challenges and to assure themselves a bright future of stability, peace and prosperity.
The meetings also underscored Pakistan’s commitment to promote socio-economic development of Afghanistan and the region by a mutually collaborative endeavour that optimizes the region’s collective development potential.
Pakistan also vowed to continue its endeavour to enhance its bilateral cooperation with Afghanistan to realize the vision of peace and prosperity contained in the three declarations signed between Pakistan and Afghanistan in 2009, 2010 and 2011, she further said.
The spokesperson said that the Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan adopted a broad ranging document that stipulates certain principles and CBMs which constitute an expression of the regions solidarity and support for Afghanistan.
“Pakistan’s principle objectives with regard to Afghanistan are to promote stability, peace and prosperity in this brotherly country. This is important for peace and stability in the region as a whole. We have supported all initiatives for peace and stability and regional economic cooperation,” she said
She said that Pakistan is actively participating in all trilateral processes with regard to Afghanistan.
These include Pakistan-Afghanistan-Turkey, Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran, Pakistan-Afghanistan-US and the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan-Russia quadrilateral as well as the SCO sponsored processes and RECCA, she explained.
To a question in connection to the Most Favorite Nation (MFN) status to India, she said that the cabinet decision has empowered ministry of commerce for normalization of trade relations with India.
Pakistan and India understand that friendly relations between the two countries are essential for peace, development and welfare of the people in the region.
Regarding political development in Libya, she said that the country has an established embassy in Pakistan and “Pakistan already recognizes the state and the government, we wish them a prosperous future”.
To a question about the possible US attack in collaboration with some other states against Iran, she said that Pakistan supports resolution of issues through negotiation in the region and would never support any armed conflict.

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Welcome, Ahmer Sultan New Author of Defence Blog

Ahmer Sultan is a new contributor of Pakistan Defence Blog. He is a civil defence and foreign affairs writer. Please welcome him.You can call him at +92-346-7908014 . Ask him any question about Police and other civil defence .

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