Pakistan Security Brief

U.S. drone strike kills five, including top commander; U.S. lauds Pakistan’s response in helicopter incident; Clinton likely to face heat before House committee; Pakistani military denies documentary’s evidence; Musharraf announces possible requirement of ISI “countermeasures”; Zardari headed to tri-country summit; Pakistan and China to hold joint military exercises; Five TTP militants arrested in Karachi search operation; Pakistan to detain LeJ founder additional 60 days; Pakistan launches offensive against LI in Khyber; Khyber security operation continues; Pro-government elder killed in missile attack; Orakzai blast kills four; Roadside blast kills two soldiers in South Waziristan; Pro-government elder and host murdered, Taliban claims responsibility; Explosion in Peshawar’s Rampura market injures 13.

Drone Strike

  • A U.S. drone strike in South Waziristan killed five militants and wounded three others on Thursday. One of the militants, Khan Mohammed, was a deputy to Maulvi Nazir, a key Pakistani Taliban leader. Nazir’s cousin and younger brother were also killed in the attack. According to the New York Times, Nazir is one of the more powerful militant commanders in the region and maintains ties with the Taliban, al Qaeda, and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to orchestrate attacks against foreign troops in Afghanistan.[1]

U.S.-Pakistan Relations

Afghanistan-Pakistan Relations

Pakistan-China Relations

  • Pakistan and China will hold a two-week joint military exercise “YOUYI-IV” in China in mid-November. The exercise will concentrate on Low Intensity Conflict Operations (LIC) with the aim of sharing expertise on military counterterrorism strategies.  The exercise highlights the close military relations between the two countries as the Pakistan Army is the first foreign army to engage in exercises on Chinese territory.[7]

Karachi

Sectarian Violence

  • On Wednesday, Pakistan extended the detention of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) founder Malik Ishaq for an additional 60 days “in the interest of public order and to preempt any sectarian strife.” LeJ is regarded by many as the “most extreme terror group” in Pakistan and has been responsible for “killing hundreds of Shia Muslims” in the past two decades.[9]

FATA

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

 
 
 


[1] “US Drone Strike Kills Key Commander in Pakistan,” New York Times, October 27, 2011. Available at http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/10/27/world/asia/AP-AS-Pakistan.html
[2] “US commends Pakistan effort to resolve Indian chopper issue,” Express Tribune, October 27, 2011. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/283162/us-commends-pakistan-effort-to-resolve-indian-chopper-issue/
[3] “Clinton faces questions from US lawmakers angered by Afghan presidents’ comments,” New York Times, October 27, 2011. Available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clinton-faces-questions-from-us-lawmakers-angered-by-afghan-presidents-comments/2011/10/27/gIQAvJqALM_story.html
[4] “Pakistan military denies BBC report on Taliban links,” Dawn, October 27, 2011. Available at http://www.dawn.com/2011/10/27/pakistan-military-denies-bbc-report-on-taliban-links.html
[5] Shaun Tandon, ”Pakistan needs Afghan 'counter-measures': Musharraf,” AFP, October, 26, 2011. Available at http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gt10c9MBWNtle3OyR4rwy9EyQwHg?docId=CNG.64f335a63a0a239e61cf0891c65a0c44.201
[6] “Pakistan’s Zardari to attend Afghan summit,” Dawn, October, 27, 2011. Available at http://www.dawn.com/2011/10/27/zardari-to-visit-turkey-for-trilateral-meeting-on-afghanistan.html
[7] “Pak-China friendship extends to new military exercises,” Express Tribune, October 27, 2011. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/283201/pak-china-friendship-extends-to-new-military-exercises/
[8] Ahmed Jung, “5 TTP militants arrested in Karachi search operation,” Express Tribune, October 27, 2011. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/283150/5-ttp-militants-arrested-in-karachi-search-operation/
[9] “Pakistan extends detention of militant leader,” Dawn, October 26, 2011. Available at http://www.dawn.com/2011/10/26/pakistan-extends-detention-of-militant-leader.html
[10] “Bus Driver-Turned-Militant Takes on Pakistan Again,” New York Times, October 27, 2011. Available at http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2011/10/27/world/asia/international-us-pakistan-militants-khyber.html
[11] Amirzada Afridi, “Bara Operation: Four killed in clash between militants, tribal militia,” Express Tribune, October, 27 2011. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/283082/bara-operation-four-killed-in-clash-between-militants-tribal-militia/
[12] “Tribal peace volunteers among six killed,” Dawn, October 26, 2011. Available at http://www.dawn.com/2011/10/27/tribal-peace-volunteers-among-six-killed.html
[13] “Four killed in blast in Orakzai Agency,” Express Tribune, October 26, 2011. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/282416/four-killed-in-blast-in-orakzai-agency/
[14] “Two soldiers killed in SW bomb attack,” Dawn, October 27, 2011. Available at http://www.dawn.com/2011/10/27/two-soldiers-killed-in-sw-bomb-attack.html
[15] “Tribal peace volunteers among six killed,” Dawn, October 26, 2011. Available at http://www.dawn.com/2011/10/27/tribal-peace-volunteers-among-six-killed.html
[16] Iftikhar Firdous &Umar Farooq, “Minor blast in Peshawar leaves 13 injured,” Express Tribune, October 27, 2011. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/283137/minor-blast-in-peshawar-leaves-11-injured/  
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