10 may 12 osint pakistan tracker

7/31/2019 10 may 12 osint pakistan tracker

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TheCENTCOM This OSINT publication contains foreign mediaderived entirely from open sources in andaround the CENTCOM AOR.

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: [email protected]

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NEWS

$32M Money Laundering Case against Sharifs Sent To Interpol: Daily TimesInterior Minister Rehman Malik on Wednesday said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has formally taken upa reference against Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, and $32 million money laundering case has been initiatedagainst them.

16 Militants Killed in Tirah Valley: Daily TimesHelicopter gunships on Wednesday heavily pounded suspected hideouts of the banned Tehreek-e-TalibanPakistan (TTP), killing at least 10 militants and injuring several others, while six people were killed in clashesbetween two militant groups.

Pak-Afghan-ISAF Trilateral Meeting This Week: Daily TimesA trilateral meeting between military authorities of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the International Security AssistanceForce (ISAF) is scheduled to take place later this week, according to a press release by the Inter-Services PublicRelations (ISPR) on Wednesday.

PML-Q First Party to Call for New Provinces: Daily TimesPakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Shujaat Hussain and the partys central leader and seniorminister Parvez Elahi on Wednesday said the PML-Q was the first national party whos Central ExecutiveCommittee in its meeting in Islamabad adopted a resolution unanimously calling for creation of new provinces togive people their due rights.

Pakistan Tests Nuclear-Capable Missile: Dawn NewsPakistan carried out a successful test firing of a short-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile on Thursday, themilitary said.

NA Speaker Holds Key to Gilanis Fate: Dawn NewsNow that the judges have spoken and in detail the fate of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani lies in the handsof one woman Dr Fehmida Mirza, the Speaker of the National Assembly.

Red Cross Stops Work in Pakistani Cities: Dawn NewsThe Red Cross says it has suspended operations in two of Pakistans largest cities following the killing of a Britishnurse working for the group in the country.

Asghar Khan Case Hearing Adjourned Until May 17: Dawn NewsWith little progress on Thursday, the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing of the Asghar Khan petition until May17, Dawn News reported.

Gilani Rejects Claims Pakistan Sheltered Osama Bin Laden: The Nation

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has insisted his country had not been "complicit" in sheltering Osama binLaden and said the fact the late al-Qaida leader was able to live undetect for so long in Pakistan was down to auniversal "intelligence failure".

PPP Preparing Election-Oriented Budget: The NationIn the run-up to the general elections, due in 2013, the PPP-led Sindh government is drafting the next budget with aperspective to raise itself more stakes by allocating more funds to lawmakers for uplift schemes.

CM Announces Rs20 Million for Red Crescent Society: The Nation


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Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah on Tuesday announced Rs. 20 million donations for the Sindh Red CrescentSociety. According to a handout issued from the CMs House, Qaim made the announcement at a dinner hosted atMohatta Palace in connection with the International Halal-e-Ahmer Day.

Justice Khosas Approach Was Anything But Rational: The NationPakistan Peoples Party Sindh General Secretary Taj Haider on Wednesday deplored that Justice Khosa, who wason the seven-judge bench that handed down judgment on the Yousuf Raza Gilani contempt case, chose to degradethe nations as a whole through the couplets of Khalil Gibran after using insulting remarks for the prime minister.

Punjab Assembly Gives Nod to Trifurcate Punjab: Pak TribuneThe Punjab Assembly has unanimously passed separate resolutions in favor of two new provinces 'SouthernPunjab' and 'Bahawalpur' to be carved out of the southern areas of the current Punjab, resulting in trifurcation ofthe province.

Asghar Khan Case: Gen. (Retd) Baig Puts Blame on Durrani: Pak TribuneFormer chief of army staff (COAS) General (Retd) Mirza Aslam Beg submitted before the Supreme Court onWednesday that the then chief of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt General (Retd) Asad Durrani was responsiblefor the alleged disbursement of millions of rupees among the anti-PPP politicians to manipulate 1990 generalelections.

Judges Will Appoint Judges, Rules SC: Pak TribuneThe Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday rejected the Sindh government's appeal against the Sindh High Court's

judgment relating to the selection and appointment of judges of the district judiciary.

Zardari Unfaithful to People of Sindh: Nawaz: Pak TribuneNawaz Sharif, president of his own faction of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), on Wednesday said President

Asif Zardari showed no loyalty to Sindhis despite getting sympathy votes after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

EDITORIALS

EDITORIAL: Detailed Judgment Fallout: Daily TimesThe seven-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC) has released the detailed judgment regarding the contemptcase against Prime Minister (PM) Yousaf Raza Gilani.

SECOND EDITORIAL: Another Tragedy: Daily TimesWhen did schools become places where children die? In a country where all institutions seem to be freefalling intodisorder and ineptitude is the name of the game, the day is not far when there may be a complete breakdown.

COMMENT: Kayanis Speech and National Interest Narrative: Daily Times

In the post-Zia-ul-Haq era, all democratic setups except one have invariably been denied a comfortable position inparliament.

VIEW: The March Madness of May: Daily TimesMr. Khans call is purely political. Had the independent judiciary spared the prime minister and found his conductsatisfactory, would Mr. Khan still be out on the streets, glorifying the verdict.

VIEW: A Look into the Osama Papers: Daily Times


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Daily TimesPak-Afghan-ISAF Trilateral Meeting This WeekRAWALPINDI: A trilateral meeting between military authorities of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the InternationalSecurity Assistance Force (ISAF) is scheduled to take place later this week, according to a press release by theInter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Wednesday.

Talks will focus on enhancing efficiency of border coordination measures along the Pak-Afghan border and toimprove multilateral mechanisms at operational and tactical levels. ISAF Commander General John Allen will leadthe International Security Assistance Force delegation while Afghan National Army Chief of General Staff GeneralSher Muhammad Karimi will head the Afghan delegation.

10 May 2012Daily TimesPML-Q First Party to Call for New ProvincesLAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Shujaat Hussain and the partys central leader andsenior minister Parvez Elahi on Wednesday said the PML-Q was the first national party whos Central ExecutiveCommittee in its meeting in Islamabad adopted a resolution unanimously calling for creation of new provinces togive people their due rights.

They expressed these views in a meeting with elected representatives and party leaders from southern Punjab andBahawalpur. The PML-Q leaders felicitated the people of southern Punjab and Bahawalpur on the adoption of aresolution in the Punjab Assembly for creation of new provinces.

They said the people of southern Punjab and Bahawalpur deserved special felicitation that with the adoption of aresolution by the Punjab Assembly, even the opponents had accepted their right to separate provinces.

10 May 2012Dawn NewsPakistan Tests Nuclear-Capable Missile

(U) The missile has stealth capabilities can carry both nuclear and conventional type of warheads

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan carried out a successful test firing of a short-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile onThursday, the military said.

The launch of the Hatf III, which has a range of up to 290 kilometers and can also carry conventional warheads,came at the end of a field training exercise, a military statement said.


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Two weeks ago Pakistan test-fired an intermediate range ballistic missile, seen as a response to Indias launch ofits new long-range Agni V, capable of hitting targets anywhere in China.

Defense analysts say Indias strategic priorities are moving away from Pakistan to focus more on China, whilePakistan is still worried about its old foe.

10 May 2012Dawn NewsNA Speaker Holds Key to Gilanis Fate

(U) Speaker National Assembly Dr. Fehmida Mirza

ISLAMABAD: Now that the judges have spoken and in detail the fate of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani liesin the hands of one woman Dr Fehmida Mirza, the Speaker of the National Assembly.

The government is clearly counting on this.

Talking to reporters during a reception at the presidency, Law Minister Farooq Naek said that Dr Mirza could decidethe future of Mr. Gilani who had been convicted by the Supreme Court in the contempt case.

Those familiar with the procedure told Dawn that the issue would reach Dr Mirza only after someone aparliamentarian or an outsider filed a reference, asking whether or not Prime Minister Gilani could remain amember of the National Assembly.

After receiving such a reference, there is a deadline of 30 days, said a National Assembly staff member.

The speaker can then make one of three choices.

Option number one is to keep silent and let the reference pass on to the Election Commission of Pakistan for itsruling as described in Article 63(2) of the Constitution: If any question arises whether a member of Majlis-e-Shoora(parliament) has become disqualified from being a member, the speaker or, as the case may be, the chairmanshall, unless he decides that no such question has arisen, refer the question to the Election Commission within 30days and should he fail to do so within the aforesaid period it shall be deemed to have been referred to the ElectionCommission.

In option number two, the speaker can herself send the case to the Election Commission, which then has to take adecision in 90 days. Article 63(3) says: The Election Commission shall decide the question within 90 days from itsreceipt or deemed to have been received.


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The third option, which Mr. Naek was referring to, allows the speaker to reject the reference arguing that in heropinion the prime minister does not merit disqualification.

On the other hand, she can also disqualify him if she so believes. In both cases, her ruling would be taken as final.

Legal experts say that Article 63(2) gives this power to the speaker.

If the speaker declares that the prime minister is qualified to hold his office, his conviction will be automaticallysuspended, an expert said.

In such an event, the Constitution is silent on whether or not her ruling could be challenged in a court.

When this question was put to Supreme Court Lawyer Salman Akram Raja, he said that in case the speakerdecided in favor of Mr. Gilani, her decision could be challenged in the apex court since there was no specificconstitutional provision to deal with such an eventuality.

In reply to another question, Mr. Raja said, in case the government filed an appeal against the judgment, thespeakers office could hold the reference till the disposal of the appeal.

The government also agrees with this assessment.

National Assemblys Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi told journalists at the presidency that the speaker wasbound to decide the matter within 30 days but that this period would start once the apex court had given its verdicton the appeal.

It is a misperception that the 30-day period started on April 26 when the short order of the Supreme Court wasreleased, he said.

Away from the reception at the presidency, the media section of the National Assembly confirmed that it hadreceived the detailed judgment on the conviction of the prime minister. However, one of its staff members clarifiedthat the judgment had been passed on for the sake of information, as it didnt directly order the speakers office forimplementation.

The legal process and the powers vested with the speaker, the Election Commission and others have come underthe spotlight once again since the Supreme Court released its judgment in the contempt case on Tuesday.

Predictably, the judgment simply provided anti-government lawyers and observers another chance to argue thatafter a unanimous seven-judge bench decision, the convicted prime minister could no longer run the government.

On the other hand, pro-government members of the legal fraternity are equally adamant that the court no longer

has a say in the matter and that the speaker is in charge now. But it is important to point out that the debate overthe speakers ruling is yet to begin in earnest.

First the focus will shift back to the court as the prime ministers defense counsel, Senator Aitzaz Ahsan, will file anappeal, allowing the issue to linger on, which suits the PPP government.

10 May 2012Dawn NewsRed Cross Stops Work in Pakistani Cities


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(U) Rescue workers carry the coffin of British Red Cross worker Khalil Rasjed Dale in Quetta

ISLAMABAD: The Red Cross says it has suspended operations in two of Pakistans largest cities following thekilling of a British nurse working for the group in the country.

The body of Khalil Rasjed Dale, 60, was dumped close to the southwestern city of Quetta on April 29. He waskidnapped in the city in January.

In a statement Thursday, the International Committee of the Red Cross said it was suspending humanitarianactivities in the northwestern city of Peshawar and port city of Karachi.

The organization has already stopped work in Quetta and surrounding Balochistan province.

The ICRC has been performing humanitarian work in Pakistan since 1947.

10 May 2012Dawn NewsAsghar Khan Case Hearing Adjourned Until May 17ISLAMABAD: With little progress on Thursday, the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing of the Asghar Khanpetition until May 17, Dawn News reported.

Tehrik-i-Istiqlal chief Air Martial (Retd) Asghar Khan had filed a petition in the apex court in 1996, requesting it tolook into allegations of the Inter-Services Intelligences financing of politicians in the 1990 general elections to limitthe victory of Benazir Bhuttos Pakistan Peoples Party. After only a few hearings, the case had been postponedindefinitely.

The court had picked up the case again earlier this year and a three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice IftikharMuhammad Chaudhry, is hearing the case after almost 16 years of the original petition.

However, only a two-judge bench, comprising the chief justice and Justice Tariq Parvez heard the case today.

The chief justice on Thursday said that the response filed by Gen. (Retd) Mirza Aslam Baig had clarified severalfacts pertaining to the case. Former army chief Beg had moved an application in the Supreme Court the previousday claiming that he had not been involved in any manner in the alleged disbursement of donations among

politicians on the orders of then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan. Baig blamed the then director general of ISI AsadDurrani who he said had knowledge of the accounts.Baigs application was filed in response to an observation made by the apex court in its April 25 order.


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The court had asked Advocate Akram Sheikh, the counsel for Beg, to furnish details of accounts allegedly used tofinance politicians during the 1990 election.

Salman Raja, counsel for the petitioner, informed the court today that he had acquired a copy of the Mehran Bankprobe reports through a journalist. However, the chief justice said that the reports need to be officially verified.

Previously, the court was told that inquiry reports by two commissions believed to be insightful and revealing aboutthe scams were still missing from official record. The attorney-general informed the court again today that he hadnot yet received the commissions reports.

The court subsequently adjourned the hearing due to an incomplete bench.

10 May 2012The NationGilani Rejects Claims Pakistan Sheltered Osama Bin LadenPrime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has insisted his country had not been "complicit" in sheltering Osama binLaden and said the fact the late al-Qaida leader was able to live undetected for so long in Pakistan was down to auniversal "intelligence failure".

Speaking after the one-year anniversary of Bin Laden's killing, Yousaf Raza Gilani rejected claims Pakistan hadsecretly known he was living in the garrison city of Abbottabad. US Special Forces killed Bin Laden on 5 May lastyear during a raid on his heavily fortified villa.

"There is no complicity. I think it's an intelligence failure from all over the world," Gilani said in an interview with theGuardian. He denied suggestions that elements within Pakistan's military may have been aware of Bin Laden's

hideout. He added: "Why should we do that? We have suffered the most."

Gilani declined to say exactly what his intelligence services had gleaned from Bin Laden's wives and children, wholeft Pakistan for Saudi Arabia last month after a year in Pakistani custody. Nor would he comment on 17 documentsseized at the Abbottabad compound and selectively released by Washington last week. "We have a judicialcommission probing into that," he said.

On Monday Hillary Clinton said she believed Ayman al-Zawahiri, who inherited the al-Qaida leadership after BinLaden's death, was hiding "somewhere in Pakistan". The US secretary of state said Washington was intent on"going after" al-Qaida's active leadership and said it was in Pakistan's interests to do the same.

On Wednesday, however, Gilani intimated that he didn't know whether al-Zawahiri was in Pakistan. "If there is anycredible information please share it with us, so we can be quick and achieve our targets," he said. Asked if Mullah

Omar, the Taliban leader, might also be in the country, the prime minister replied: "I don't know. Please tell us." TheCIA was far more "powerful" than Pakistan's ISI intelligence service, and would have a better idea, he said.

Relations with the UK were "excellent", he observed. He argued that Pakistan was "part of the solution, not part ofthe problem" when it came to the "global issue" of fighting terrorism. "Osama bin Laden wasn't a Pakistani," he

pointed out. The prime minister said the US had fuelled the problem by abandoning its ally Pakistan once theSoviets had been driven from Afghanistan. "The vacuum was filled by militants," he said.


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Gilani also made clear his country had been the biggest loser from two decades of war and turmoil in neighboringAfghanistan, and from the growing menace of Islamist extremism at home: "Pakistan has paid a huge price. Some35,000 people have been martyred. 5,000 police and soldiers have been killed." In addition, Pakistan was now"catering for the needs" of 3.6 million Afghan refugees.

Gilani was upbeat about relations with Washington, which have been under severe strain since US-led NATOforces killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last November. The US has not formally apologized for the incident. Gilaniadmitted recent relations with the Obama administration hadn't been "too normal" but said the CIA and ISI were stillworking hard together to wipe out, or "achieve", as he put it, high-level targets. But he claimed it was practicallyimpossible to police the mountainous Afghan-Pakistan border, where thousands crossed every day. "We don'tknow if they are tourists or militants," he said.

The prime minister refused to say whether the Taliban should play a role in a future national unity government inKabul, or were integral to a political solution in Afghanistan. Instead, he said, Islamabad supported politicalreconciliation in Afghanistan so long as it was "Afghan-owned and Afghan-led." Of Pakistan's role, he said: "We area facilitator."

He was surprisingly upbeat about relations with Delhi and spoke warmly of India's Prime Minister, ManmohanSingh. Islamabad was "serious" about resolving all core issues with India, including Kashmir and the heavilymilitarized Siachen glacier, where 139 Pakistani soldiers were tragically buried in an avalanche last month.

Gilani is the longest serving prime minister in Pakistan's history, having been in office since 2008. But hisgovernment has become increasingly unpopular, with Gilani given a token jail sentence last month by the country'sSupreme Court. Gilani shrugged off his ongoing legal woes, which stem from his refusal to reopen a moneylaundering investigation into the country's president, Asif Ali Zardari.

The prime minister was amusingly scathing about Imran Khan, the cricketer turned politician, who will challenge

Gilani's Pakistani People's party (PPP) in next year's elections, and has a growing following among young people.Asked whether Khan might eventually become Pakistan's prime minister, he replied: "If he [Khan] wins his ownseat." He added: "He's a good cricketer. But he has no future in Pakistan."

10 May 2012The NationPPP Preparing Election-Oriented Budget

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KARACHI In the run-up to the general elections, due in 2013, the PPP-led Sindh government is drafting the nextbudget with a perspective to raise itself more stakes by allocating more funds to lawmakers for uplift schemes. With


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Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah in the chair, a meeting at the CMs Secretariat on Wednesday advised and instructedthe Finance, Planning & Development departments to draw up a budgetary document that would attract voters tothe PPP in the next polls.

Sources said the chief executive, while instructing officials, said that as this financial document would be the finalbudget of the incumbent government, it should be made in such a manner that the people get its benefits and forgetthat the government was serious in their welfare, besides the development of the province. The officials wereadvised to chalk out a strategy with the consultation of all public representatives so that their demands wereincorporated, sources said.

The chief minister, in his clear guidelines, directed the departments concerned to come up with a plan to includemore schemes and funds that could be completed within the final year of the present governments term. Quotingthe chief minister, the sources said that the upcoming provincial budget should be on welfare schemes, on relief.Sources privy to the meeting told The Nation that with an increase of up to 25 per cent in the provincialdevelopment budget from Rs111 billion of the current financial year; the CM directed the finance and planningdepartments to include more ongoing uplift schemes that could be completed in the upcoming year of 2012-13,before the general elections.

Although there is a policy to allocate over 75 per cent funds for the ongoing schemes and 25 per cent for newschemes in the budget, it was not implemented during the last four years of the government, official sources said.Allocation of more funds for ongoing schemes must be ensured in the upcoming budget, an official quoted Qaimas having said. The meeting, which discussed budgetary proposals and financial requirements for the next annualbudget, was directed by the chief minister to accommodate maximum schemes of public welfare, keeping in viewthe problems of the common man.

Qaim underlined the need for accommodating maximum schemes for MPAs together with the completion of theongoing schemes. He directed that the allocation for the next Annual Development Programme would be enhanced

so that maximum development schemes could be completed. During the meeting, the Planning & DevelopmentDepartment and Finance Department presented detailed briefing about size and scope of the next ADP. Themeeting was attended by Sindh Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Additional Chief Secretary (P&D) MalikIsrar, Secretary Finance Naveed Kamran Baloch, Special Secretary P&D department Dr. Noor, Principal Secretaryto C.M Sindh Agha Jan Akhtar and others.

10 May 2012The NationCM Announces Rs20 Million for Red Crescent Society

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KARACHI Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah on Tuesday announced Rs 20 million donations for the Sindh RedCrescent Society. According to a handout issued from the CMs House, Qaim made the announcement at a dinnerhosted at Mohatta Palace in connection with the International Halal-e-Ahmer Day.

The chief minister, who graced the occasion as its chief guest, said that heavy rainfall and floods of 2010-11affected many areas in the country, uprooting millions of people. The Red Crescent Society added Qaim, renderedremarkable humanitarian services in the time of need. The chief minister said that PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif wasthreatening to derail democracy which, according to him, was incomprehensible. He said a big public rally anddemonstration to be organized in Kamo Shaheed on May 12 by the PPP would be the first threat to the formerpremier. He said if there would be a need, they would also march to Lahore, Rawalpindi and several other cities.

About the Supreme Courts detailed judgment on the prime minister contempt case, Qaim said the premier had thelegal right to file an appeal. Then, he added, this matter would go to the speaker of the National Assembly, whowould take a decision over it within 30 days. Federal Law Minister Farooq H Naek, provincial ministers AyazSoomro, Muzaffar Shujra, Haleem Adil Shaikh, among others, attended the event.

01 May 2012The NationJustice Khosas Approach Was Anything But Rational

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KARACHI - Pakistan Peoples Party Sindh General Secretary Taj Haider on Wednesday deplored that JusticeKhosa, who was on the seven-judge bench that handed down judgment on the Yousuf Raza Gilani contempt case,chose to degrade the nations as a whole through the couplets of Khalil Gibran after using insulting remarks for theprime minister.

In a statement issued from the PPPs Media Cell, Haider said, Certainly, the honorable judge knew that it was thisvery (Pakistani) nation (including Benazir Bhutto) that gave unparalleled sacrifices for the ouster of a militarydictator, restoration of democracy and judiciary, of which Khosa himself is a distinguished member. Through hiswords full of emotions, sound and fury, Khosa did accept that the nation stood by its elected premier. Unfortunately,the judge tried to provoke the nation into shifting its support, the PPP leader said while adding, This approach (ofJustice Khosa) can be called anything but rational.

Haider further said the political consciousness the Pakistan nation acquired had a long and hard struggle againstmilitary dictators. Consciousness is irreversible, while the rights and freedom acquired after so many sacrifices


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cannot be given up, he asserted. The PPP leader also said the nation fully understood that its elected primeminister was being targeted for his refusal to violate unambiguous provisions of the Constitution. They know thathis refusal to degrade Pakistan by throwing its president (Zardari) at the mercy of low-level investigating officers ofa third country in a case, which had already been closed, was earning him the wrath of the right wing reactionaries.

He claimed that the nation and legal fraternity were fully cognizant of these reactionaries attempts to drag thejudiciary into its own anti-people politics. That the honorable judiciary chooses not to take notice of these attemptshas strengthened this very unfortunate perception. We must stop and objectively analyze as to why those veryelements who were at the fore-front in the struggle for restoration of judiciary are today most critical of its role. Suchan objective analysis is not possible if our deep anger and frustration compels us to become subjective, averredthe PPP leader.

10 May 2012Pak TribunePunjab Assembly Gives Nod to Trifurcate PunjabLAHORE: The Punjab Assembly has unanimously passed separate resolutions in favor of two new provinces 'Southern Punjab' and 'Bahawalpur' to be carved out of the southern areas of the current Punjab, resulting intrifurcation of the province.

Though the ruling party in the province, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), tried to get some politicalmileage on the issue after presenting the resolutions independently, the opposition, Pakistan People's Party (PPP)and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), foiled the move.

Resultantly, both the treasury and opposition benches reached a consensus to table both resolutions in the Housejointly and decided that the parliamentary leaders of every party in the assembly will move the resolutions one afterthe other and the presentation of both resolutions would be considered mutual.

Following the decision, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, opposition leader Raja Riaz, parliamentary leader ofthe PML-Q Chaudhry Zaheeruddin, parliamentary leader of PML-Functional (PML-F) Makhdoom Ahmad Mehmoodand parliamentary leader of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) Ali Noor Niazi moved the resolutions one by one.

Consequently, 201 parliamentarians in the House at the time voted in favor of the resolutions. The assemblyadopted the first resolution on Bahawalpur province, which stated that the people of Bahawalpur were struggling forrestoration of their province and it was not a new demand but based on administrative, geographical, historical,constitutional and political facts, so on these grounds, former province of Bahawalpur should be restored withoutany delay.

The resolution also stated that the House wanted restoration of this province immediately, and it also demandedthat the federal government constitute a national commission to decide all basic matters such as demarcation of the

new province, its administrative, constitutional and legal matters and distribution of resources, and the proposedcommission should complete its work on the new province as soon as possible.

Next, the House adopted the second resolution regarding 'Southern Punjab' province, which stated that the'Southern Punjab' province be made immediately, and also that the federal government constitute a nationalcommission to decide all basic matters such as demarcation of the new province, its administrative, constitutionaland legal matters and 0distribution of resources, and it (proposed commission) should complete its work on thenew province earliest.


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Earlier, PPP's newly elected member of the provincial assembly from Multan, Usman Bhatti, and returningcandidate on a reserved seat for women, Shamaila Rana of the PML-N, took their oaths. When Shamaila Ranawas taking oath, opposition members chanted slogans against her, calling her "chor" and "dakoo". They shouted"shame shame" against herand also waved their ATM cards in front of her, referring to the reason of her resignationin August 2009 alleged misuse of ATM cards of her two colleagues after stealing them. In response, PML-Nlegislators raised slogans of "Go Zardari Go!" and "Go Gilani Go! turning the House into a fish market.

PPP members, especially Sajida Mir, Shaukat Basra, Hasan Murtaza and Nargis Faiz Malik, chanted of "alwida,alwida Jati Umrah alwida", "Takht-e-Lahore thaa" and "dooji waari fare Zardari" (Zardari for the second time).

Later, the speaker adjourned the session for an indefinite period. After the session, some lawmakers from southernPunjab raised slogans in favor of two more provinces comprising Thal and Potohar.

10 May 2012Pak TribuneAsghar Khan Case: Gen. (Retd) Baig Puts Blame on DurraniISLAMABAD: Former chief of army staff (COAS) General (Retd) Mirza Aslam Beg submitted before the SupremeCourt on Wednesday that the then chief of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt General (Retd) Asad Durrani wasresponsible for the alleged disbursement of millions of rupees among the anti-PPP politicians to manipulate 1990general elections.

Submitting his reply in compliance with the court's order of April 25 in Air Marshal (Retd) Asghar Khan's case, Baigsaid he was not involved in the alleged doling out of money. He said he had already elaborately submitted in hisconcise statement that the amount was not placed in army account, rather in the account of ISI, and the personhaving the knowledge of the accounts would be Lt General (Retd) Asad Durrani or anyone else directed by him(Durrani).

The former army chief stated that the accounts were maintained by the ISI and he only instructed the ISI DGd, LtGen Asad Durrani, to maintain them. He submitted that no misappropriation was ever reported or came to hisknowledge, adding that the ISI was not under his command. Baig contended that he has absolutely no involvementin the disbursement of donations ordered by former president Ghulam Ishaq Khan and that he merely possessedknowledge about it by virtue of being the commander of armed forces.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had on April 25, while hearing apetition filed by Asghar Khan against the distribution of public money by the ISI, had ordered the counsel for MirzaAslam Baig to furnish the details of such accounts before the court by May 10 (today).

The court had observed in its order, "We have undertaken some deliberations and during course whereof, ittranspired that Gen (Retd) Mirza Aslam Baig in his concise statement had also taken the position of possessing

knowledge about distribution of huge amount and maintaining the account by the ISI." The court had observed that,in the concise statement, one of the factors also finds mentioned to the effect that full account was maintained andall the payments made by the then ISI director general and no amount was misappropriated or misused. The courtruled that counsel for Mirza Aslam Baig may furnish the details of the account before the next hearing.

10 May 2012Pak TribuneJudges Will Appoint Judges, Rules SC


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ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday rejected the Sindh government's appeal against the SindhHigh Court's judgment relating to the selection and appointment of judges of the district judiciary.

The SC declared that high courts were forums constitutionally empowered to select and appoint judges of thedistrict judiciary, adding that control of the process could not be vested in the executive, which included the PublicService Commission. In 2008, the government of Sindh had issued a notification, which sparked the presentcontroversy.

The 2008 notification took the power of selecting and appointing judges of the district judiciary away from theProvincial Selection Board, consisting of high court judges. The power was, instead, handed over to the SindhPublic Service Commission.

Later, some members of the Sindh High Court Bar Association and Sindh Bar Council challenged theconstitutionality of the notification before the Sindh High Court. They said the notification affected the independenceof the judiciary. They also said the role, which the constitution had reserved for high courts, could not be conferredon any other body, not even the Public Service Commission. In 2009, the SHC accepted the petition and struckdown the notification. The government of Sindh had appealed the judgment in the Supreme Court.

In its May 9 order, the Supreme Court reaffirmed a long series of precedents pertaining to the institutionalguarantees provided by the constitution to the judiciary. The court also observed that those guarantees applied toboth the superior judiciary and district courts. Relying upon dicta laid down in the famous judges' case, "the courtnotes the 'inextricable link' between the mode of appointment of judges and their institutional independence".

It also noted that the changes made by the 1994 rules, such as granting high courts the power of appointment ofjudges of district courts were only a contemporary exposition of constitutional articles such as articles 175 and 203.

10 May 2012Pak TribuneZardari Unfaithful to People of Sindh: NawazRATODERO/SUKKUR: Nawaz Sharif, president of his own faction of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), onWednesday said President Asif Zardari showed no loyalty to Sindhis despite getting sympathy votes after theassassination of Benazir Bhutto.

He was addressing a public meeting organized to announce the merger of Mumtaz Bhutto's Sindh National Front(SNF) with the PML-N. Nawaz said Sindhi people were left at the mercy of nature during devastating floods lastyear. He said thousands of displaced people were facing problems while "corrupt people were roaming around thepresident and the convicted prime minister".

Nawaz came hard on Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, saying the latter was defying the Supreme Court's orders

and occupying the office illegally.

Nawaz said the convicted prime minister was holding the reigns of the country while President Zardari had broughtthe country to the brink of destruction.

The former premier said common man was suffering a lot due to the bad governance of the government, addingthat the PPP leaders were enjoying the rule without showing any concern for the people of the country.


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The PML-N leader said that the Supreme Court of Pakistan had convicted Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani andhe was adamant not to implement court orders.

Speaking to media at Sukkur airport, he said that everything about the rulers had been exposed following theSupreme Court's detailed judgment. He also said that democracy was in danger.

He said that Zardari looted people's wealth and stashed in Swiss banks. The PML-N president said, "We wantPakistan's stolen wealth to be brought back."

Nawaz said further the PPP had violated the Charter of Democracy. He vowed that the murderers of Benazir Bhuttowould be brought to justice if the PML-N came to power, adding that those suspected of involvement in the murderwere roaming around President Zardari. He said the Zardari-led government kept Rs 9 billion in the budget for falsepropaganda. The PML-N president said he had not come to Sindh for election campaign but to express hisaffection to the Sindhi brothers and sisters.

He vowed to serve the country along with the Sindh National Front.

Earlier, Mumtaz Bhutto announced the merger of Sindh National Front with the PML-N. Sources said Nawaz Sharifassigned Mumtaz Bhutto all the matters related to Sindh and assured him free hand to take any decision.

Nawaz and other central leaders of the PML-N had arrived at Mirpur Bhutto on Tuesday where they held importantmeeting with Mumtaz Ali Bhutto on future line of action about anti-government movement.

PML-N leaders Senator Pervez Rasheed, Ilahi Bukhsh Soomro, Syed Ghaus Ali Shah, Syed Mamnoon Hussain,Salim Zia and Marvi Memon were present in the meeting.

EDITORIALS(Top)

10 May 2012Daily TimesEDITORIAL: Detailed Judgment FalloutThe seven-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC) has released the detailed judgment regarding the contemptcase against Prime Minister (PM) Yousaf Raza Gilani. Whereas the short order of the SC had convicted the PMand sentenced him till the rising of the court, it had clarified that the reasons for the conviction and sentencingwould be recorded later. Those reasons are now available through the detailed judgment.

It must be acknowledged that the impression during the proceedings of the case that the bench had been impatientwith and dismissive of the defense counsels arguments is not borne out by the full judgment, which has explicatedin minute detail its reasons for rejecting the submissions of the defense counsel.

However, that in no way implies that the right of appeal is not still valid. The government has responded through thePM and others with its resolve to contest the verdict through an appeal. The judgment says a few things that bearrepetition. The SC has clearly stated that the PM runs the risk of a five-year disqualification from being a member ofany assembly.

The bench has refuted the argument of Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan that it was not competent to hear the case, beingthe author of the suo motu notice. The bench quoted international and Pakistani jurisprudence to reject thecontention that the members of the bench had become judges in their own cause, arguing that it was not a matter


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of the judges involved but of the SC per se. The verdict has returned to the issue of presidential immunity and leftthe door open a crack to the possibility of the president himself invoking such immunity here and in Switzerland.

The judgment deals in detail with the contention of the PM that no direct orders were issued to him by the court untilhe was summoned in the contempt hearings by going into the record and findings regarding the summaries put upto and assessed by the PM, with directions that the Law Ministry continue with its stance, i.e. in the courts view, thestance that the orders of the SC were not implementable given the immunity to the sitting president under Article248. The court has held the PM responsible despite the argument that he acted in good faith according to theadvice tendered to him.

On the face of it, and legal luminaries will no doubt be contending for and against the judgment in the days to come,the impasse created by the NRO judgment between the executive and the judiciary seems set to continue.Meanwhile things are heating up on the political horizon, with the opposition within and outside parliament pressingtheir demand for the PM to go. Ordinarily, any PM or even minister charged with a misdemeanor would beexpected to resign in the best democratic traditions and then fight to clear his name. But in Pakistan, nothing is everordinary.

The Swiss cases have always been decried by the PPP as politically motivated rather than based on factualevidence. Going by the shenanigans of the Ehtesab (Accountability) Bureau under Nawaz Sharifs last government,there is weight in the contention. However, the matter has now been taken out of such circular arguments, judiciallyby the SC, and politically by the opposition smelling blood. Nawaz Sharifs brotherly advice to the PM to now facethe music for siding with President Asif Ali Zardari and reiteration of his view that on moral grounds alone the PMshould have resigned after the short order is diluted in the next breath by Nawaz Sharif himself when he says anynew PM will also have to write the letter to the Swiss authorities as decreed by the SC.

That may be one reason why the PPP decided to go with the incumbent PM who had already been convicted bythe SC and try to use whatever legal and political options remained available to fight out the issue. The perception

within the ruling circles was too that the next replacement PM will also suffer the same fate at the hands of the SC.Like it or not, the verdict has put the cat among the pigeons politically and the outcome can only be heightenedtensions and confrontation in the political field, as well as once again the clouds of uncertainty looming over thewhole democratic edifice per se. As usual in Pakistan, we live in interesting times.

10 May 2012Daily TimesSECOND EDITORIAL: Another TragedyWhen did schools become places where children die? In a country where all institutions seem to be freefalling intodisorder and ineptitude is the name of the game, the day is not far when there may be a complete breakdown. Thestate and some privately owned educational institutions have become examples of bad governance, bad policies,and above all bad attitude. Government-run schools are in a bad condition that is an unfortunate but accepted

reality of Pakistan.

In recent years, the establishment of private educational institutions has become a lucrative business. Whileschools in affluent areas torture people in a different way (exorbitant fees and tremendous stress of studies), theones for the less fortunate are run in more shoddy ways than one can imagine. Old, rundown, small houses arerented or bought and turned into structures called private schools. Little consideration is paid to the condition ofthese places, and repair or complete overhauling is given little or no attention at all. Just because children whoattend these schools do not belong to the well off class, their safety and well-being are considered unimportant.


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Lack of staff, overcrowded classrooms, lack of extracurricular activities, absence of playgrounds, strictpunishments, scant attention to quality of education being provided these are some of the issues alreadyplaguing the educational system for the majority of the population. Now, to top it all, children are not even physicallysafe in some of these places.

According to reports, nine children died in Narowal, Punjab, when the roof of a privately owned school collapsed.Nine young children, who were away from their homes, in a place where they came to better their lives. How didthey die? One report said that the tragic incident occurred because of an under construction building nearby, whosecontractor had stored construction material on the roof the school, which collapsed. The contractor has since beenarrested. That is cause for some satisfaction, but equal if not greater responsibility must be borne by the schooladministration, charged with looking after the children.

Schools without proper safety guidelines are aplenty. Since there is no apparent government policy in place, theschool owners and administration are oblivious to the wear and tear of buildings, thus endangering the lives ofstudents and staff. Without fear of governmental inspection, and consequently, of no penalty for not ensuring thesafety of places where children gather to learn, such schools blithely continue to function and people suffer. Whena roof collapses, in a room full of children, it is a clear indication that despite being in need of care and repair, it hasbeen allowed to become further dilapidated to save a few thousand rupees.

The question is, at what cost? Nine children and their families? The agony of the parents and families of the deadchildren can only be imagined. It is time the government reinstituted the moribund system of school inspections toensure such incidents are not repeated.

01 May 2012Daily TimesCOMMENT: Kayanis Speech and National Interest Narrative

Dr. Mohammad Taqi

In the post-Zia-ul-Haq era, all democratic setups except one have invariably been denied a comfortable position inparliament.

On April 30, 2012, the Youm-e-Shuhada (Martyrs Day) was commemorated in Pakistan. Nations around the worldobserve a memorial or war veterans day to honor the soldiers fallen defending the country. In addition to suchremembrance remarks, the Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvaiz Kayani used this solemn occasion to makea speech, which had clear political and geopolitical overtones.

Alluding to the Abbottabad episode where the US Special Forces killed Osama bin Laden and the NATO attack onthe Salala post, he said, Despite the unprecedented sacrifices of Pakistani people and the armed forces, someexternal forces have failed to acknowledge it. The resultant situation has put the whole nation under mental stress,

and as a result, we were forced to review bilateral relations with them. We expect that others would also respectour sovereignty and dignity. He then added, Whatever national policy is chalked out keeping in line with thenational aspirations and sentiments, the armed forces shall follow that.

Regarding domestic affairs, General Kayani had this to say, The Constitution of Pakistan has clearly delineated theresponsibilities and roles of the national institutions. It is now our responsibility that we resolve our issues, whileremaining within the constitutional limits, in a manner it increases respect and dignity of both our country andourselves.


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I am not sure that after Osama bin Ladens lair was found a stones throw away from the Pakistan Armys premiertraining academy how one laments, with a straight face, the world casting aspersions as Hillary Clinton didearlier this week on Pakistans sincerity in fighting terrorism. But more importantly, how can the department no, it is not an institution that has singlehandedly committed more violations of the constitution than the absoluteworst of the politicians around lecture others on their constitutional role unless such advice was meant for theofficers under his command? It is unknown if the general has done some introspection for the role he himselfplayed when his boss General Pervez Musharraf defaced the constitution for a decade.

Yet one seasoned editor-analyst found Kayanis words significant enough to celebrate, on his show, the armedforces as the champions of Pakistans national interest. When a widely respected intellectual challenged, in a socialmedia exchange, the analysts remarks, the latter backtracked and stated that his comment was in the specificcontext of the incident(s) the general had cited. Then this otherwise liberal analyst laid the blame for a nationalinterest narrative gone awry squarely at the doorsteps of the civilians. Still, it is a fair discussion to have. The gist ofsuch argument is that because of the alleged corruption of the present civilian government they cannot take the bull

or should I say bully by the horns and therefore abdicate national security and foreign policy matters to thearmy.

The most important factors for any political dispensation to apportion due authority to itself are the political capitalaccumulated on the election campaign trail, legitimacy acquired through the ballot, and at the very least, a simplemajority to form and run a government. In the post-Zia-ul-Haq era, all democratic setups except one have invariablybeen denied a comfortable position in parliament. From day one, civilian governments are under an existentialthreat, either due to a fractured mandate or from the outside forces, which now include not just the street or thesecurity establishment but the judiciary as well. In established democracies, the first hundred days are abenchmark to see if the incumbents have started to put campaign promises into practice. But in Pakistan, everysingle civilian government could barely keep its head above water in this period, let alone take hard decisions orharder yet, take on the army.

The politicians today may be corrupt or inept but even when they were not so, all sorts of machinations weredeployed to push them off the steering wheel. It would be pertinent to note Field Marshal Ayub Khans double-barrel assault on the politicians and media as he put into place his vision of the Islam-based ideology of Pakistan.

There are interesting similarities between Ayub Khans India-centric vision of an ideological state and Kayanisobsession with India. Also, a leading politician of the era, the charismatic Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy, had aview of US-Pakistan relations not much different than todays Pakistan Peoples Party or the Awami National Party.Premier Suhrawardy was a proponent of a pro-western foreign policy also, but an arch critic of Ayub Khansemphasis on the ideological state building using a chauvinistic disdain for Hindu India and Islam as the cement.Yes, contrary to the popular belief, Ayub Khan deployed Islam wherever needed, including using a fatwa againstMs Fatima Jinnah, declaring a woman head of state as un-Islamic.

Needless to say, Suhrawardy was ousted in a coup and subsequently barred from politics via Ayub Khans 1962

Elected Bodies Disqualification Order (EBDO) for allegedly working against the national interest. Ms Jinnah lostthe rigged presidential election to Ayub Khan in 1964. Lest we forget, there was no financial corruption blemish onSuhrawardy or Ms Jinnah.

Robust democracy and a free media are necessary for each other. To complete its chokehold on the nationalinterest narrative, the Ayub Khan regime most shamelessly muzzled the press and took over, at gunpoint, theindependent Progressive Papers Limited of Mian Iftikharuddin, which included the dailies Pakistan Times (PT) andImroze, and periodical Lail-o-Nahar. In a hard-hitting piece that remains a must-read for even todays analysts, thePT editor Mazhar Ali Khan later wrote in Feroz Ahmeds Pakistan Forum:


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It will not be easy for our future historians to determine which single action of the self-appointed president and hisgovernment of courtiers did the greatest harm to the national interest, for they will have a wide field to survey. Manywill probably conclude that the dictatorships gravest crime was its deliberate destruction of press freedom, becauseso many other evils flowed from this act of denying to the people of Pakistan one of their fundamental rights. It is,therefore, pertinent to recall the Ayub regimes first step towards this fascist aim, namely, its attack on theProgressive Papers, an institution created under the patronage of the Quaid-e-Azam.

Debate about the national interest narrative cannot be held in just the Salala and Abbottabad context. Whatundermined politicians and the media has a long history that ought to be discussed.

10 May 2012Daily TimesVIEW: The March Madness of MayD Asghar

Mr. Khans call is purely political. Had the independent judiciary spared the prime minister and found his conductsatisfactory, would Mr. Khan still be out on the streets, glorifying the verdict.

If anything the former Premier Nawaz Sharif, along with another former skipper, Imran Khan, ought to be salutedfor, it is invigorating health consciousness in Pakistan. The call for rallies and marches are meant to remind themasses that the best defense against bad cholesterol and boredom is a long and hearty march. The former PM hasdecided to compel the sitting PM to resign and the former captain wants to demonstrate his unyielding solidaritywith the independent judiciary. By the way, Pakistan is perhaps the first country on the face of the earth wherepeople come out on the streets to show their appreciation of the judiciary in this manner. I presume it is to showtheir appreciation for what they are paid to do all day long.

The self-proclaimed Lion has roared in Taxila and the angry middle aged man has taken his love for the judiciaryto the streets of Islamabad. Both have started their respective campaigns let us say election campaigns ahead of schedule. Both have chalked up additional turf and territory to cover during this month. I am sure thesummer will be hotter than ever with the rising temperature on the political scene. There is some noise from theincumbents too that they will respond with similar marches from all four provinces and so on and so forth. Hence,the title of this write up is what you have read earlier.

I wish these marches were truly about fitness and health consciousness. But as some high-pitched anchors opinenightly, people have nothing to wear and no food in their stomach. They can barely survive how in Gods namecan they care about their health? Hmm, high-pitched nightly drama, where politicians and especially incumbentsare painted as the real culprits and the true scum. How convenient. The public sees this nightly circus with all itsdoom and gloom and becomes overly depressed.

By the way, this is an old military tactic called Psy Ops. By no stretch of the imagination am I trying to defend theproverbial scum. In any part of the world, this scum, the so-called smooth operators, is needed. These are slicksales people selling dreams to the otherwise hopeless masses. This is a job too and someone has to do it.

The political parties sell ideas and those ideas need buyers. As long as people are willing to listen to the pitch,laced with sound bytes, the politicians are willing to go on and on. There is heavy duty selling that goes on;promises are endless and the sound bytes get more and more creative. If you are as old as me, and have been toother countries in the world, you know that much of it is, lets say, a stretch. Hidden somewhere in the sermon is thereality. Smart people are those who are able to read the truth between the lines and make their buying decision ofthe lesser of all evils, among the pack.


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People, who remain stuck solely on the pitch, punch lines and much of its fluff, are found very disgruntled, post-election. Despite all its shortcomings, the only way to go is to select the right salesperson. As flawed as the systemmay be, that is the only way that works and perfects itself with time.

Getting back to our scene of physically fit salespeople, Mian Nawaz Sharif has sung his own self-praise for buildingthe magnificent Motorway and the magnificent bomb. Another subject altogether for another day. Whereas theformer Kuptaan has uttered the word corruption, perhaps for the billionth time by now. His admiration andsolidarity with the independent judiciary is unquestionable. Our great Khan has championed marching for the causeof the judiciary. There is one minor detail though; there is no request from the honorable and utterly independent

judiciary. Nor there has been any sign from the bench, which invites, or let us says, drags the so-called politicalplayers into a purely legal matter. But as I said earlier, the election campaign has begun. The Khan, and rightlydubbed Noah of our times, has started to build the Ark.

Mr. Khans call is purely political. To prove my point, had the independent judiciary spared the prime minister andfound his conduct satisfactory, would Mr. Khan still be out on the streets, glorifying the verdict? I think not. I haveargued here and at other venues in the past that just by calling itself independent, the honorable judiciary ofPakistan cannot absolve itself of its excesses of the past. The overarching belief of turning a new leaf one fine day,which will erase everything, is completely flawed so long as it is limited to one particular institution.

Similarly, the military cannot wipe off its blunders and say, Lets move on. The politicians are chastised for beingcorrupt and beneficiaries of an unconstitutional ordinance. Has someone questioned the other integral organs ofthe state as well? Because the ghosts of the past will keep haunting us, until we either make every historical wrongright, or bury everything for everyone and start a new day. A selective pick as you like issue and justice is, in fact,a travesty of justice. Those who put too much faith and stock in any particular institution and elevate it to the holierthan thou level are actually fooling themselves. In a true democratic form of government, all institutions are open toscrutiny. In a truly equitable system, there are no sacred cows. Till this reality dawns on us, let us keep on marching

forward.

10 May 2012Daily TimesVIEW: A Look into the Osama PapersUsman Mujib Shami

The released letters reveal that bin Laden was worried about the activities of al Qaeda affiliates (which include alQaeda in Iraq, in the Arabian peninsula, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and al Shahab in Somalia) causingunnecessary human casualties.

More than 10 years ago, the US came to Afghanistan in search of the perpetrators of 9/11. The Taliban stubbornly

refused the demand to handover al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. The US and NATO forces backed by the UnitedNations Security Council thus embarked on the journey to hunt the al Qaeda leader down. The allied offensiveousted the Taliban from power despite stern resistance (it may be regarded as a strategic retreat as the militarycapacity of the Taliban offered no match for the sophisticated technology used by the aggressors) and forced the alQaeda leadership in Afghanistan to be on the run. However, most of the Taliban leadership is still at large. Duringthese years, they adopted traditional Afghan warfare tactics characterized by hit and run operations and suicideattacks on foreign forces.

After a decade of chasing, the US at last was able to get hold of Osama bin Laden (though in the most unlikely ofplaces). During this period, most of the outfits top cadre has been eliminated or captured. The primary objective


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has been achieved but the adventure has given birth to more grievous problems in the region. Not only that theTaliban are still relevant in the post-Afghan war scenario, a number of outfits adhering to an even stricterinterpretation of religion have extended their ambit of operations. On the other hand, Afghan governance structures,marred by corruption and incapacity, are as fragile as ever. Skepticism prevails regarding the post-withdrawalscenario.

It was widely believed that the war on terror would come to its logical conclusion once Osama bin Laden (who isbelieved to be the architect of 9/11) was captured. However, the circumstances under which bin Laden was foundtell a different story. The initial images released by the US defied the common perception of the al Qaeda leaderand portrayed him as weak and frail, spending his days in hiding. However, revelations in the documents believedto have been retrieved from his hideout, released by a US think-tank, are startling to say the least. Coming out awhole year after the Abbottabad operation gives impetus to speculations about their authenticity and validity.

However, barring that, the documents form an amusing read and provide insights into the life of the al Qaedaleader, definitely in stark contrast to common perception.

The released letters reveal that bin Laden was worried about the activities of al Qaeda affiliates (which include alQaeda in Iraq, in the Arabian peninsula, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and al Shahab in Somalia) causingunnecessary human casualties. Bin Ladens worry about the activities of these organizations seemed to stem fromhis concern for the image of jihad. According to the documents, there seems to be a difference of opinion regardingthe nature of the relationship with these organizations within the ranks of al Qaeda. While some of its top cadrewanted to dissociate from these organizations, others wanted to have close ties.

On the other hand, bin Laden wanted to engage with them and persuade them to reform. On several occasions, heexpressed displeasure with the activities of the TTP. Letters disclose that he was not aware of the plan to attackTimes Square with Faisal Shahzad as a conduit. He was disappointed by Shahzads performance during his trialand demanded from the TTP that it modify its methods in a message said to be delivered by his fellows Atiyya and

al Libi in explicit terms.

Over the years, bin Laden has been portrayed as the symbol of terror. The general impression has been that all theabove-mentioned organizations operate in close cooperation with al Qaeda. The attacks at public places are

justified (by some quarters) as a reaction to the governments cooperation with the US against the Taliban and alQaeda. On the other hand, the al Qaeda leader appears to be reminding his affiliates that they need to showrestraint and concentrate their efforts against the US rather than killing innocent Muslims.

According to the report, bin Laden had little control over the day-to-day operations of these organizations. If this isconsidered to be true, it can be said that the relentless quest for bin Laden has paved the way for more violentforms of extremism to surface. After all, these organizations had rallied under the banner of al Qaeda against the

aggressors on Afghan soil. It is incontestable that Islam forbids the killing of innocents no matter what the

circumstances may be. Even in war, those who are not participating should be spared. The interpretation of jihadclaiming the innocent as fodder is indeed a flawed one. However, catching Osama bin Laden now only seems aprelude to the far more momentous task of tackling violent extremism in the years to come. Wars started in hasteseldom bear intended consequences.

10 May 2012Daily TimesVIEW: Living Under DronesUsama Khilji


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Drones are said to circle the skies in NWA all day and all night, except for cloudy days, with the sound being a lotlouder during nighttime, according to locals from the Mir Ali and Miranshah areas.

The primary focus in the drone debate so far has remained on the civilian casualties. Drone attacks have mostlybeen concentrated in the North Waziristan Agency (NWA), and some in the South Waziristan Agency (SWA) ofFATA in Pakistan. However, the impact of these killings in particular and the presence of drones in general on thecitizens of Pakistan is worthy of attention, specifically the psychological, social and economic impact.

Drones are said to circle the skies in NWA all day and all night, except for cloudy days, with the sound being a lotlouder during nighttime, according to locals from the Mir Ali and Miranshah areas. Drones produce a monotonousbuzz, almost like the sound of a generator, which together with the uncertainty that comes with the perpetual fear ofmissile strikes have had an immense psychological impact on the population.

Particularly affected are young children who are said to be unable to sleep at night and cry due to the noise. Somechildren have lost their lives with the impact of the drone missile strikes in their neighborhoods. Local doctors havedeclared many adults mentally unfit due to the effect drones have had on them, with the details of the disordersunknown due to lack of, firstly, awareness of mental health and, secondly, expert psychiatrists and psychologists inthe area.

Drone attacks have changed the social structure in NWA as well. Firstly, community life has been brought to aminimal level as people avoid getting together in groups, because drones are believed to more likely target groupsof people collected together. Funerals of those killed in drone attacks are attended by a small number of people,because drones have targeted funerals in the past, such as the June 23, 2009 attack at a funeral in Mateen, SWA,near the NWA border town of Razmak. Similarly, people have stopped frequenting each others houses as guests,fracturing the principle of milmastiya (hospitality) where a Pakhtun is to treat guests well and keep them happyunder pakhtunwali (the Pakhtun code of life).

Even peace jirgas with respected tribal heads in attendance have been targeted by drones, such as the strike onthe jirga to solve a chromite dispute that was struck by two missiles from drones on March 17, 2011 in Datta Khel,NWA, killing around 40, mostly tribal elders.

Secondly, the presence of so many different intelligence agencies at work in FATA through spy networks hascreated a high level of mistrust between the locals, most notably on suspicion of being CIA spies, as theseinformants are believed to be giving disinformation on areas and persons to be targeted by the CIA-administered

drones. This has led to kidnappings and killings of locals at the hands of others due to suspicion of treachery, whichis also an unforgivable offence of disloyalty, breaching the principle of sabat (loyalty) in Pakhtunwali.

Thirdly, the already frail state of education has deteriorated further due to drone attacks and merits special

consideration, keeping in mind the obvious importance of education. Parents are increasingly reluctant to send theirchildren to schools due to the uncertainty about the targets of drone missiles, and instances of moving cars andmotorbikes having been hit by missiles from drones, such as in the case of 16-year-old Tariq, killed in a drone strikeon October 31, 2011.

Moreover, a drone strike on December 31, 2009 killed Asif Iqbal, who had returned to his village to teach English ata girls school in Dattakhel, NWA, after earning a Masters degree from the National University of ModernLanguages, Islamabad, and Zainullah, an employee at a girls school in Mir Ali, NWA. Furthermore, many childrenhave been injured in drone strikes. A 17-year-old, who lost both his legs in a drone strike when 15, talked about


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how he cannot go to school anymore as he has difficulty walking, and how he wishes to play football like he used tobut now is only left to watch his friends play.

The economy of NWA has suffered a lot due to drone strikes. With a low literacy rate, most employment in NWA isconcentrated in the unskilled labor sector, with a majority of men employed either in extracting chromite from thehills as daily wage laborers in construction, or cutting trees for timber in the forests. Firstly, employmentopportunities have been affected as laborers at work, or on their way, have been killed in drone strikes. Fourchromite miners were killed on October 30, 2011, as they were on their way to earn a living for their families. Thisand other such cases have increased fears amongst the locals of being targeted while at work.

Secondly, the medical costs for treating the injured is very high as all the injured have to be transported hundredsof kilometers away to Bannu, and in most cases, even further to Peshawar, as local hospitals are underequippedand only good for first aid. Because income levels are very low in the region, families are mostly forced to takeloans from friends and family to cover the medical expenses of the injured, loans of up to Rs 600,000, an amountthat takes a lifetime for them to pay back.

From all these cases, it is evident that CIA-administered US drone strikes, like the Pakistan army-run operations inFATA, are having an adverse impact on the lives of citizens of Pakistan. The fundamental right to life, right toprivacy, right to education, and right to a life free of fear as guaranteed in the Constitution of Pakistan that appliesto all citizens, are being breached through drone strikes, and the Pakistani government and the Political Agentsoffices in FATA have consistently failed in protecting its citizens. The government must make sincere andproductive efforts in stopping these strikes.

It is high time the Pakistani state began to treat all citizens as equal human beings with dignity, the first steptowards which is compensation to the citizens for being collateral damage in extra-judicial killings as part of a warthey have nothing to do with.

(Note: The writer conducted in-depth interviews of victims of drone attacks from NWA as Lead Investigator at theFoundation for Fundamental Rights.)

10 May 2012Daily TimesANALYSIS: Needed Now: An Intellectual Revolution in Strategic ThinkingHarlan Ullman

Concepts of shock and awe were inspired by the Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu eons ago when he wrote that thereally brilliant general wins without having to fight a battle.

Towards the end of the Cold War, Soviet military thinkers coined the phrase Military-Technical Revolution (MTR).

Based on a combination of extraordinary advances in precision strikes and in information and surveillancetechnologies, the MTR was successfully transformed by the Pentagon into the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA).Meant to defeat the Red Army, the RMA was a real military revolution, proven in the first Iraq War in 1991, whenUS arms pulverized Saddam Husseins army, in Afghanistan quickly routing the Taliban in 2001, and againsmashing Iraq two years later.

Today, the US and certain allied militaries are exhausted by a decade of war. All face large and looming defensecuts, meaning far less money for defense. Under these circumstances, readiness and morale become earlycasualties.


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With the exception of North Korea (or to some states in Europe, Russia), few hostile armies are currently around tofight in a conventional conflict, making the case for defense more diaphanous. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistandemonstrated that while military force may have been necessary, it could not make either country more governable

hardly the best argument for defense spending.

How can militaries deal with these facts of life? The answer is that a new revolution is desperately needed. Giventhe bleak funding outlook, this revolution can only be accomplished through intellect and rejuvenating strategicthinking.

General Sir Rupert Smiths The Utility of Force skillfully interpreted war in the 21st century to be about and overpeople to protect and defend them or to defeat or disrupt them, rather than as modern armies squaring offagainst one another. Some 15 years earlier, the concept of shock and awe was created in which the goal was toaffect, influence and ultimately control the will and perception of an adversary (hence Smiths people) with the useor threat of military force. Concepts of shock and awe were inspired by the Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu eons agowhen he wrote that the really brilliant general wins without having to fight a battle.

Shock and awe posited four criteria: control of the environment, rapidity, (near) perfect knowledge and brilliance inexecution. The last two, combined with the realities and uncertainties of todays international environment, form thefoundations for this much needed intellectual revolution in strategic thinking. No one can be certain about thenature of future conflicts, as the requirements for defense, once equated in largely military terms, have expanded tocover security with a far broader aperture extending well beyond armies, navies and air forces.

In future conflict, military force may or may not be necessary. But they have not been sufficient to achieve thestrategic and political aims of bringing stability and security to Iraq, Afghanistan and so far, Libya for example.

Further, given defense cuts, preparations for major conventional operations will be severely curtailed as bothweapons and systems for those engagements as well as training will likewise be reduced, possibly dramatically.

The strategic question that forms the heart of an intellectual revolution rests on how militaries can prepare for afuture so filled with uncertainty while preserving traditional war fighting skills with far less money.

First, militaries and strategic thinking must be oriented about obtaining (near) perfect knowledge, not merely abouttraditional operations and employing weapons systems with far greater creativity. There must be far more learningabout other, non-military tools, and other regions and states round the world of import or interest to assuringnational security.

Second, new means and methods must be created or strengthened that contribute to maintaining fighting skills thatenable brilliance in operations. For example, as the Royal Navy and Air Force lose both carrier and anti-submarinecapacities for an interim period, units should be assigned to the US or French navies that will employ theseweapons systems. The British Army could deploy units to serve in Korea or Pakistan and India where conventionalcombat is central to those forces to maintain these skills. And new generations of war games and simulators must

be invented and fielded so that many scenarios can be played out to keep skills at acceptable levels of readiness.

Third, to achieve these aims, a further revolution in military education from bottom to top is essential. Officers andtroops must be prepared intellectually in order to obtain near perfect knowledge about a future that at best isopaque. And simultaneously, keeping combat skills sharp in an era of austerity when weapons and training will bein shorter supply is best done as Bobby Jones, perhaps the greatest golfer ever, observed about that game it isplayed in the six inch space between the ears!

Militaries will be reluctant to accept new or any revolutions when they are fighting for subsistence. Politicians findgoverning hard enough and few are prepared to impose a revolution, let alone make tough decisions.


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If an intellectual revolution is to be wrought, it must come from within. But who will listen? And who will lead?

(Note: This column summarizes a lecture to be presented at the Royal United Services Institutes June conferenceon the future of land warfare.

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