Pakistan Security Brief

U.S. drone strikes kill 7 in Waziristan; Pakistan cautions U.S. on use of drone strikes; U.S. troops in Afghanistan witness increase in Pakistan-based rocket attacks; Details of secret meeting between Obama advisor and Kayani revealed; Riedel advises U.S. to “contain” Pakistan Army; Pakistan voices frustration over Pakistani Taliban leader; Two killed in cross border rocket attack; Police kill LI militant; Prosecution of terror suspects “flawed in Punjab”; Court suspends sentence of policemen witness to lynching of teens; ANP accuses NATO of Saturday flight in Pakistani airspace; Malik identifies LeJ as source of unrest in Balochistan; Balochistan Provincial Minister escapes assassination attempt; PMA president killed in Quetta; Security forces kill 10 militants in Orakzai; Police foil terror plot; Taseer “still alive,” says Malik; Al Qaeda and TTP kidnapping plot foiled.

Drone Strikes

U.S.-Pakistan Relations

  • U.S. troops in Afghanistan have witnessed a sharp increase in rocket attacks emanating from Pakistan in the last six months, leading many U.S. military officers to suspect Pakistan military involvement in the attacks, according to The New York Times.  While Pakistan has denied the allegations, U.S. troops say that many of the 55 rocket attacks launched from within Pakistan during the past six months have “come from positions next to Pakistani military or Frontier Corps (FC) border posts,” making it likely that there is some level of complicity by the Pakistani military in these attacks.[3]

  • The details of a secret meeting between President Obama’s National Security Adviser, Thomas Donilon, and Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani in Saudi Arabia have been revealed.  In the meeting, Donilion reportedly “offered Kayani three choices” to deal with the Haqqani Network, which included killing Haqqani Network leadership, helping the U.S. kill Haqqani Network leadership, or persuading the Haqqani Network “to join a peaceful, democratic Afghan government.”[4]

  • In a Friday article in The New York Times, Bruce Riedel, an advisor to Obama on South Asia, recommended that the U.S. take measures to contain the ambitions of the Pakistan Army “until real civilian rule returns and Pakistani set a new direction for their foreign policy.”  Riedel accused Pakistani generals of encouraging and tolerating terrorists within Pakistan and cautioned the U.S. from relying on the Pakistani Army to protect U.S. interests.[5]

Afghanistan-Pakistan Relations

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

Punjab

Balochistan

FATA

Kidnapping



[1] “US drone strike in Pakistan kills three Egyptians,” Dawn, October 16, 2011. Available at http://www.dawn.com/2011/10/16/us-drone-strike-in-pakistan-kills-three-egyptians.html
Nasir Habib, “Suspected drone strike kills 3 in Pakistan's tribal region,” CNN, October 15, 2011. Available at
“Obama okayed recent drone strikes in NSC meeting:US official,” The News, October 15, 2011. Available at
Karen DeYoung, “U.S. goes after Haqqani network,” The Washington Post, October 14, 2011. Available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-goes-after-haqqani-network/2011/10/14/gIQAj2i6kL_story.html
Amir Wasim, “‘386 civilians died in 300 drone attacks,’” Dawn, October 16, 2011. Available at
[2] “New policy on drones soon: Mukhtar,” The News, October 17, 2011. Available at  http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=9610&Cat=13
“Drone attacks benefitting terrorists: Iftikhar,” The News, October 16, 2011. Available at
[3] C.J. Chivers, “Tensions Flare as G.I.’s Take Fire Out of Pakistan,” The New York Times, October 16, 2011. Available at http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/17/world/asia/cross-border-fire-frustrates-american-troops-in-afghanistan.html?_r=1
[4] Karen DeYoung, “U.S. goes after Haqqani network,” The Washington Post, October 14, 2011. Available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-goes-after-haqqani-network/2011/10/14/gIQAj2i6kL_story.html
[5] Bruce O. Riedel, “A New Pakistan Policy: Containment,” The New York Times, October 14, 2011. Available at http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/15/opinion/a-new-pakistan-policy-containment.html?_r=1
[6] Qasim Nauman, “Pakistan wants Afghan action on Taliban cleric,” Reuters, October 17, 2011. Available at
Karin Brulliard and Haq Nawaz Khan, “Pakistan leans toward talks with Taliban, not battle,” The Washington Post, October 14, 2011. Available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/war-zones/pakistan-leans-toward-talks-with-taliban/2011/10/14/gIQAq3PjpL_story.html
[7] “Cross-border attack: Two locals killed in Lower Dir,” Express Tribune, October 15, 2011. Available at
[8] “Peshawar clash: Militants forced to retreat after ambush,” Express Tribune, October 15, 2011. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/274314/peshawar-clash-militants-forced-to-retreat-after-ambush/
[9] Asad Kharal, “Flawed anti-terrorism strategy: 75% terror suspects set free in Punjab,” Express Tribune, October 17, 2011. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/275661/flawed-anti-terrorism-strategy-75-terror-suspects-set-free-in-punjab/
[10] “Sialkot lynching: LHC suspends sentence awarded to 8 policemen,” Express Tribune, October 17, 2011. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/275820/sialkot-lynching-lhc-suspends-sentence-awarded-to-6-policemen/
[11] Shehzad Baloch, “NATO violated Pakistan airspace in Balochistan: ANP,” Express Tribune, October 17, 2011. Available at  http://tribune.com.pk/story/275831/nato-violated-pakistan-airspace-in-balochistan-anp/
[12] “Counter-terrorism: ‘Lashkar-e-Jhangvi involved in Balochistan unrest,’” Express Tribune, October 17, 2011. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/273955/malik-says-solid-steps-afoot-to-ensure-peace-in-balochistan/
[13] Shehzad Baloch, “Balochistan Minister Zehri escapes attempt on life,” Express Tribune, October 15, 2011. Available at  http://tribune.com.pk/story/274252/balochistan-minister-zehri-escapes-attempt-on-life/
Shehzad Baloch, “Balochistan’s plight: Protest march in Quetta over rights violations,” Express Tribune, October 16, 2011. Available at  http://tribune.com.pk/story/275074/balochistans-plight-protest-march-in-quetta-over-rights-violations/
[14] “Target killing: PMA Balochistan leader succumbs to wounds,” Express Tribune, October 16, 2011. Available at
[15] “Militancy in Orakzai: 10 militants killed in air raids,” Express Tribune, October 16, 2011. Available at  
[16] “Police foil terror plot in Dera Ismail Khan,” Express Tribune, October 17, 2011. Available at
[17] Zahid Gishkori, “Shahbaz Taseer alive, shifted to Pak-Afghan border: Rehman Malik,” Express Tribune, October 17, 2011. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/275819/shahbaz-taseer-alive-shifted-to-pak-afghan-border-rehman-malik/
[18] Zahid Gishkori, “Militants have planned to kidnap Bilawal Bhutto: Rehman Malik,” Express Tribune, October 17, 2011. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/275819/shahbaz-taseer-alive-shifted-to-pak-afghan-border-rehman-malik/

 

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