Attack on security convoy in NW; 12 soldiers martyred

[HAIDER]

Already put the example, how US army avoid convoy attacks in Iraq.

http://www.defence.pk/forums/land-forces/29075-cheap-gizmo-provide-security-military-conveys.html

A few thousand dollar gadget provide enough security to Pak convoys. Wonder why Army convoy travel off guard in tense zone. It didn't happened first time. Every year same type of situation PA deals. By now Pakistan army should know tribal clans change the loyalty like underwear. Today is Pak friend tomorrow will be the enemy.

 

[MastanKhan]

Hi Xeric,

I believe that you are trying to generalize me--- didnot have any problems with wana or baluchistan---as a matter of fact I re-iterated on this board that pak army must strike with a lightening speed---strike hard strike deep---and don't stop tll the goals are met.

But a half hearted offense here---a half hearted offense over there---and then let us have a meeting with these sardars---same ole game that was played in afghanistan to allow time for the muj to escape, was the same game being played in pakistan.

It is the job of the generals to know what the enemy plans---ahead of time---they have the crystral ball to look into---that is what they are trained for---that is what they are paid for---who didnot know the obective of the united states when they threatend Mullah Omar to hand over Bin Laden or they are coming to get him---if anyone says that they didnot know what the u s was upto---then they need to shut-up and stay put---our generals were clueless to what could happen---.

The u s has been playing a cat and mouse game with the taliban and alqaeda---and pakistan---what is it upto----we will find out when either the cat jumps on the prey or just walks away after getting bored.


Some dopubt my analysis----let them----many a times on this board I went on a limb and wrote that american army went into iraq with too few troops---some lambasted me---including our very own S-2---oh guess what---anybody read Retd Gen Collin Powell's statement from yesterday where he in a way, blasted Gen Franks and Rumsfeld for not having enough troops in iraq in 2003.

The pak millitary were the rulers when the taliban / al qaeda came running into pakistan. The govt had majority in the parliament----why didn't they pass the law---not to divulge state secrets in a public court just like it is done in the united states---why didn't they pass the law to hold onto the perforators of terror without producing them in court---why didn't they pass the law to control the media to restrict any news about troop movement, millitary actions, stopping red mosque women from coming on the tv and stirring up trouble---basically control the media in time of emergency and isurgency and get the public on the same page.

The problem with the pak millitary is that they wanted to fight the war with clean hands---a discretionary action against the insurgents when they want to.

What does it take for reconn---a mashak plane flying in the air---and one person with binoculars on each window looking down below----that is the simplest and easiest and cheapest form.

Drones are expensive!!! Here on this forum is a news somewhere that a pakistani company has sold some drones to the u s border patrol to keep an eye on people crossong the border---cheap inexpensive drones.

The mentality of pak army generals has been complacent. The ones who want to or wanted to do something are far and few and some of them may have been sidelined due to personal grudges.

Pak army has lost the media war in pakistan---they have lost it outside of pakistan---you see general with raggedy ruffled long hair come on the tv to make statements---.

It is the job of the millitary and itelligence agencies to make the public understand the need for secrecy when at time of war---it becomes the job of the head of those agencies to make sure it is enforced.

In a simple hostage situation in the u s of a---the tv crew cannot play live coverage of the site where hostages are held---why---so that the criminals maynot see what the law enforcements agencies are doing---case in point red mosque---

Nothing has been done so far to curtail this issue---after every general arrest of insurgents and suicide bombers---all the detail of the police millitary operation is out in the public domain right away---how come and why---who's job is it to put a lid on releasing information and stopping the junior staff from divulging any information to the public---the head of the agencies---either the police---millitary intelligence or the army---.

Sir, the issue over here seems to be a lack of focus and direction, committment and resource.

The game the pak millitary has played over the last 7 years---it has made a minnie me into a monster. Now they complain that it cannot be contained easily---who are they trying to fool. There is another blunder that they have committed---which I will discuss later.

I need the reader to understand---I love my motherland and respect the millitary---just because, I don't kow tow to their agenda doesnot make me an adversary.

 

[MastanKhan]

Already put the example, how US army avoid convey attacks in Iraq.

http://www.defence.pk/forums/land-forces/29075-cheap-gizmo-provide-security-military-conveys.html

A few thousand dollar gadget provide enough security to Pak conveys. Wonder why Army convey travel off guard in tense zone. It didn't happened first time. Every year same type of situation PA deals. By now Pakistan army should know tribal clans change the loyalty like underwear. Today is Pak friend tomorrow will be the enemy.

Hi,

Funny isn't it---how young pakistani kids on this board talk about how good and superior our engineers are and they can reverse engineer everything---the what happened to cheap drones for the army---couldn't they make it for the army!!!

You know what---pak army has those drones---what has happened is that someone was caught sleeping at the wheels---someopne got complacent and didn't do their job right.

We cannot come to the rescue of our millitary all the time and hide their blunders---we need to take a stand and let them know that we are concerned about their performance---we want to talk to them to make them understand our point of view---we want to share with them as to how to tackle the problem---it not the problem for the millitary alone---it is a nuisance for all of us. We are all in this together.

The unpredictability of the enemy may surprise us many a times---but our consistency and our ability to adapt and change accordingly will keep us ahead of the game.

 

[blain2]

None of what you say in the above post backs up the very first assertion you made (and to which Xeric and I responded). That had to do with you alluding that the ambush was a show put on by the Army high command (at the expense of their own officers and soldiers). That is bs and a crass one at that sir!

Tactics will have to evolve, gear and equipment will have to progressively get better and all recognize it, yet based on these inadequacies you cannot infer that there are ulterior motives here.

Cheap drones etc. are all fine (something that I also believe should be used), however to induct them into units and train the personnel on them will take time (if the decision has been made to do so). The one thing that I cannot claim to know is whether the Army has already considered this (I believe they have since they have been using UAVs in tactical roles for the past 4-5 years), however what I do not know is whether they consider this a practical solution or not.

One thing that I do see is that the units are evolving their tactics fairly quickly. The ambush in question happened in an area which was not considered hostile and no less than Lt Gen Talat Masood has asserted the same that the fact that it took place in an area where no hostilities were ongoing due to the agreement with the tribes there, it was done to distract the Army. To me this attack is no different than the attack on the KRL bus in settled Pakistan.

Pak army has lost the media war in pakistan---they have lost it outside of pakistan---you see general with raggedy ruffled long hair come on the tv to make statements---.

I disagree that the Army has lost the media war. Its not the Army's job to lose something for which it is not responsible. It is the responsibility of the GoP to convince those at home and the outside world about their case. I personally think barring some events, they have done a decent job given the circumstances.

Not sure what the General's long hair have anything to do here?? Our officers and men do not subscribe to the high and tight look of the USMC etc. You may want to check out the hair of the Greek officers if the ones on the Pakistani officer bother you so much...rest assured that has no relevance to anything (least of it on professionalism).

 

[Xeric]

Aoa MK

Hi Xeric,

I believe that you are trying to generalize me--- didnot have any problems with wana or baluchistan---as a matter of fact I re-iterated on this board that pak army must strike with a lightening speed---strike hard strike deep---and don't stop tll the goals are met.

Phew! atleast we are still at the same wavelength

But a half hearted offense here---a half hearted offense over there---and then let us have a meeting with these sardars---same ole game that was played in afghanistan to allow time for the muj to escape, was the same game being played in pakistan.

Yes you are right!
There was not exactly half hearted effort actually but as we were pitching our forces against 'own' people, wariness was in the air. The military-politico relation, the political will itself and the unhelpful attitude of our Nation, all amounted to this. But without getting into specifics i'll admit that the output was not as desired, what ever the reasons were. you are correct on this MK. We in the military see the output and dont pay much heed to what an individual has done to achieve that, we dont want to listen if you have remained awaken for 3 days to complete and assignment we need it done, so perhaps that the case in the outside also, the output was satisfactory, but that was just the start.

It is the job of the generals to know what the enemy plans---ahead of time---they have the crystral ball to look into---that is what they are trained for---that is what they are paid for---

Fortunately MK, they know it, why it is not out to grounds, that's another issue.
There shouldnt be doubt about the competency of our armed forces, but yes blunders not only amounts to the ill planning of armies but also to the civilian hands behind them. WW1, WW2, '71 are a few examples.

The u s has been playing a cat and mouse game with the taliban and alqaeda---and pakistan---what is it upto----we will find out when either the cat jumps on the prey or just walks away after getting bored.

Rest assured MK bro, we are not playing hide n seek this time!

The pak millitary were the rulers when the taliban / al qaeda came running into pakistan. The govt had majority in the parliament----

Now it is here where we differ. Having a military man sitting doesnt exactly means that the 'military' is the one that is rulling, one.

As for the parliment, you know dear, how that house was filled, so no more on this.

why didn't they pass the law---not to divulge state secrets in a public court just like it is done in the united states---

i wish , i wish, there is something known a "National Security' in Pakistan. The openness that is there in the US as regards to govt replies when questions are sought by the civilians or media on the plea od FOIA (Freedom of Information Act), but the govt slaps a shut up call, for what they dont want to tell to the nation on the plea as a matter of National Security, BUT, say thnx to Geo and cheap, popular media, our institutions have been HIJACKED by them. As for mending the media through agencies and others, i am talking about it in the next paragraph.

why didn't they pass the law to hold onto the perforators of terror without producing them in court---

oh MK, i can understand your love, i know you feel the pain. Now should i say this or not? i myself would perhaps say that these buggers should hung in Public as done in Iran, but the whose making a step up in the list of 'Axis of Evil' Oh and yes, the HR stuff, my my, say thanx to Dr Asma Jahangir.
Oh BTW, Qsaark still argue about the SO CALLED ABDUCTION BY THE AGENCIES OF "INNOCENTS" DURING MUSH REGIME! And yes Dr Afia Siddiqi, she is so nice

why didn't they pass the law to control the media to restrict any news about troop movement, millitary actions,

Did you know what happened when the first time this was done? Media was spewing all the poison on everybody, but they have been made to learn a lesson, cant you see the difference now?Isnt the media behaving like a accha bacha most of the time?

stopping red mosque women from coming on the tv and stirring up trouble---

Aye hi! MK bhai, they call it justice and freedom of speech! Oh guess what they still say Bugti was a fringing hero!! And may be 2000 girls were slaughtered in the Lal mosque episode. and when you stop them from doing this, then the so called civil elites and 'educated' masses and 'neutral' politicians jump in to bail out the media!! Sara avay ka ava he begra howa hai MK janab!

basically control the media in time of emergency and isurgency and get the public on the same page.

Remeber during Lal mosque thingy, media was stopped from broadcasting live, but our ba shaoor nation was the ones who were getting bored as they were not getting 'live' feeds! Even my family was saying 'live nahi dikha rahay yar, kaya masla hai, Musharraf nay her ik ko tight kiya howa hai' And i was like bhai jaan mazaay na lain, chaska laina hai tu go to rotten.com
But then i though why should i blame them, they dont know the connotations of these things!!

What does it take for reconn---a mashak plane flying in the air---and one person with binoculars on each window looking down below----that is the simplest and easiest and cheapest form.

Lol, it takes more than that Mk, i can assure you that. BTW, it ONLY takes you to travel at the speed of light to go to the future or past!!

Drones are expensive!!! Here on this forum is a news somewhere that a pakistani company has sold some drones to the u s border patrol to keep an eye on people crossong the border---cheap inexpensive drones.

No comments.

The mentality of pak army generals has been complacent. The ones who want to or wanted to do something are far and few and some of them may have been sidelined due to personal grudges.

No!
But military takes orders from its C-in-C.

Pak army has lost the media war in pakistan---they have lost it outside of pakistan---you see general with raggedy ruffled long hair come on the tv to make statements---.

Lolzz. i like that "raggedy ruffled long hairs", ha ha, that's why i like you MK. Yes you are true about the longs haired rtirees and that we lost, but what about now? Did you join me on twitter?

It is the job of the millitary and itelligence agencies to make the public understand the need for secrecy when at time of war---

What if i say that the Nation should know it , itself? This is called making use of brains. People run home when a bomb blasts in the West, here they rush towards to the blast site, not to help but to see the tamasha. You tell them in West that it is a matter of National Security and then the askers keep shut, here they climb up the trees like monkeys to peep behind the closed doors! i remember when AQ Khan was released and he was going home, i dont know which that place was but it read: No Photography or Filming, and the due from Geo was showing the same sign board live to all Pakistan buggers! And then the 'civilian' govt says we will disband NAB and snatch powers of PEMRA and other agencies like PTA!! Jiye Bhutto!

it becomes the job of the head of those agencies to make sure it is enforced.

Isnt it a bit out of proportion? Russia may be?

In a simple hostage situation in the u s of a---the tv crew cannot play live coverage of the site where hostages are held---why---so that the criminals maynot see what the law enforcements agencies are doing---case in point red mosque---

Nothing has been done so far to curtail this issue---after every general arrest of insurgents and suicide bombers---all the detail of the police millitary operation is out in the public domain right away---how come and why---who's job is it to put a lid on releasing information and stopping the junior staff from divulging any information to the public---the head of the agencies---either the police---millitary intelligence or the army---.

i would like to do this but you and me has to be together on this. Bullsh!ters like Hamnid Mir and others needs to be tamed, but you (civilains) and me can do it together, only.

Sir, the issue over here seems to be a lack of focus and direction, committment and resource.

Totally disagreed!

The game the pak millitary has played over the last 7 years---it has made a minnie me into a monster. Now they complain that it cannot be contained easily---who are they trying to fool. There is another blunder that they have committed---which I will discuss later.

(Enough said. i have to take a look at the other fauji bashing thread also)

I need the reader to understand---I love my motherland and respect the millitary---

Yes you do MK, yes you do!

 

[Xeric]

The only fact that the area through which the convoy was passing was considered safe and NO pro-active measures were taken gives a fruitful though to those ONLy who want to think and understand, let alone the other limitation our army has to face, otherwise for those who dont want to think and understand the same old question still prevails; why Benazir stood out of her vehicle during the procession

 

[MastanKhan]

Quote:
"It is the job of the generals to know what the enemy plans---ahead of time---they have the crystral ball to look into---that is what they are trained for---that is what they are paid for--- "

Fortunately MK, they know it, why it is not out to grounds, that's another issue.
There shouldnt be doubt about the competency of our armed forces, but yes blunders not only amounts to the ill planning of armies but also to the civilian hands behind them. WW1, WW2, '71 are a few examples.



Quote:
"What does it take for reconn---a mashak plane flying in the air---and one person with binoculars on each window looking down below----that is the simplest and easiest and cheapest form".

Lol, it takes more than that Mk, i can assure you that. BTW, it ONLY takes you to travel at the speed of light to go to the future or past!!


Hi,

They say that they know it, but if you look at the results---it proves that they didn't---when I talk about millitary in my argument---it is directed to the general staff ---.

Secondly---surveillance---it is the simplest of procedures---a slow moving prop plane fyling and two people looking out the windows on either side with binoculars---if pak millitary didn't know it---surprise surprise---.

It is normal practise here in the u s of a---highways may have surveillance from the air---. Even in the cities---rush hour traffic is being observed from the eye in the sky---either a chopper or a prop plane---and not from a drone or a awacs---.

Ever been to los angeles---rush hour on 405---10---5---91 freeways---look up in the air--and you will see slow moving prop planes and choppers.

The choppers have high resolution camera that can give direct feed---same can be done to the aircraft---a video camera can be installed and live feed can be sent down---the ground operators can make a better visualization of what is happening down there.


That aside---there is a little too much sarcasm in your tone in your reply---what 's up with that---.

 

[blain2]

when I talk about millitary in my argument---it is directed to the general staff lt colonel and above---.

MK Sahib,

Please don't push the Lt Col into the grouping of the General officers. He is prided to be a field officer through and through and would probably take offense to be lumped into the General staff.

Secondly---surveillance---it is the simplest of procedures---a slow moving prop plane fyling and two people looking out the windows on either side with binoculars---if pak millitary didn't know it---surprise surprise---.

You are right its a simple procedure, however surveillance is done when it is felt that there is a need for it. Not every single US and ISAF convoy in Iraq and Afghanistan is moving with aerial surveillance over head. This is a limitation of the US Army/Airforce/USMC. Obviously Pakistani forces are also faced with similar limitations. Secondly the area where this ambush happened has been cold for over a year now. Convoys have been moving back and forth without any problems. You have mentioned the chatter over radio. Well believe me there is so much "trash" being talked over the radio that its hard to figure out what makes sense and what does not. Secondly, it is all heresay that supposedly there was credible radio chatter. Had that been the case, the Army would have taken some steps. The kind of radio chatter they hear is sometimes right in the vicinity of the posts with the militants claiming they are launching an attack on the post, just to psychologically stress out the defenders. So all of this has to be taken in the proper context.

It is normal practise here in the u s of a---highways may have surveillance from the air---. Even in the cities---rush hour traffic is being observed from the eye in the sky---either a chopper or a prop plane---and not from a drone or a awacs---.

Ever been to los angeles---rush hour on 405---10---5---91 freeways---look up in the air--and you will see slow moving prop planes and choppers.

The choppers have high resolution camera that can give direct feed---same can be done to the aircraft---a video camera can be installed and live feed can be sent down---the ground operators can make a better visualization of what is happening down there.

What you are talking about is no different than what PA is doing here:

starting with 0:06. One heli has his FLIR tracking another attack heli carrying out surface attack. The problem with your example is that in the United States, one channel will have their traffic helicopter out reporting on some of the main thoroughfares. Their helicopters are not everywhere even if they have multiple ones. The problem in Pakistan is the same. That particular convoy (which was ambushed in North Waziristan) was certainly not the only one on the move. There were multiple other convoys moving in Swat and even in South Waziristan. The latter two are hotter areas than the former (North Waziristan). So the point is, how do you allocate your limited resources to cover everyone? You cannot. I have suggested maybe cheaper recce platforms that are hand-held and offer only a tactical recce capability for visibility over bends and difficult terrain. Maybe that is the way forward but it has to be seen how the Army reacts.

Thus far what I have seen gives me ample confidence to believe that the Army is reacting to the situation fairly well. Its a learning Army and does that fairly well. The problem that you see being voiced is that people on the outside expect everything to be done post haste. The reality is that it does not. If you recall, when the US troops started getting hit with IEDs, there was a lot of talk about why they are not being provided with up-armoured Humvees. The answer was, it takes time to upgrade them, evaluate them, put them into production and then send them out to the field. Well lets give our Army a chance too. Believe me, they are doing a pretty good job of running this CI campaign, all the way from the jawan all the way up to the General staff in my humble opinion. Mistakes are bound to be made as this is a war, and all that can go wrong does go wrong in such times. Yet the performance of the PA has been above average in my opinion.

I recall first people doubted the intent of the Army for going after the militants, then they were proven wrong. Then the media campaign started about PA not having enough troops in FATA and Swat and focusing on India, that was proven wrong. Then the critique was that the PA just does not understand CI warfare and FIBUA. On both of these counts, by the grace of the Almighty, critics have been proven wrong!

Admittedly, PA has reacted in some cases, while in many others it has taken very good proactive steps. No less than Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm Mullen was stating how PA very quickly set up CI and FIBUA training centers and how the units are being imparted this training within the PA. So in the end, there is always room for improvement, however given the limitations and the challenges faced by the PA, they have mashaAllah done a very creditable job!

Losses to the Army hurt us all immensely, but then this war promises those more than anything else. I have full confidence that the Army will learn and then adapt accordingly for as long as its requirements are met by the government and the suppliers. Lets have a bit more faith Khan sahib!

 

[MastanKhan]

Hi Blain,

It is not the problem with faith---I have faith in my soldier---I have faith that he will do the right thing---I have faith in the khaki uniform and the blue and the white and the militia---my faith is not an issue over here---and really it doesnot make any difference if there was a lack of faith either on my part---pak millitary performance is above the my faith value.

In any insurgency---time is of essence---time is the enemy---you set up markers in different locations---marker is a type of incidence carried out by the insurgents---as each of the marker goes up---the threat level goes up---till you have reached the pre-determined saturation level---at which point the millitary will act and enforce a blitzerbleiter / a blitzkreig and take out the insurgents with a massive show of force---these markers have been going up for the last seven plus years---they have gone way beyond the point of sturation years and years ago---.

When the first time they took the chinese engineers hostages---and made the announcement that it was to bring bad blood between the chinese and the paks----the first time they slaughtered pak army jawans and slit their throats---and skinned them alive---and made videos and posted them on the web---that was the point of no return---these generals are responsible of criminal negligence---their inaction for the longest time made the life of the soldiers not so imporant.

The army is only taking action now because it realised that it would lose its nuclear weapons or face sanctions---when the world news media went up against pak army once the taliban reached 60 miles away from pakistan---the problem with pak army was that it was casual and callous in handling and understanding the threat---you and I know it was not a big deal for taliban in swat---the millitary could take them out----but what the pak army missed out was the influence of the world news media---what the pak army didnot comprehend in advance was the reaction of world population against the pak nukes---that is where the pak army heirarchy failed----to understand the significance of where the real threat was coming from---.

Blain---my friend---you and xeric are protecting the pak army from their blunders that they have committed---the tragedy is that all the world knows about it---and the only ones who don't are the pak army itself---I understand you being from a millitary family and xeric being a soldier---but that doesn't change the fact even though you want to protect the family---the pak army is being blasted on the world media as there is no tomorrow--oh yes---there are some articles here and some there---but they don't cut the grime.

You want me to paint a lovey dovey picture of the pak army---I can't do that ---THAT WON'T BE FAIR TO PAKISTAN---pakistan is first and foremost---pak army is a functionary arm of pakistan---not the other way around---.

 

[Xeric]

Quote:
"It is the job of the generals to know what the enemy plans---ahead of time---they have the crystral ball to look into---that is what they are trained for---that is what they are paid for--- "

Fortunately MK, they know it, why it is not out to grounds, that's another issue.
There shouldnt be doubt about the competency of our armed forces, but yes blunders not only amounts to the ill planning of armies but also to the civilian hands behind them. WW1, WW2, '71 are a few examples.



Quote:
"What does it take for reconn---a mashak plane flying in the air---and one person with binoculars on each window looking down below----that is the simplest and easiest and cheapest form".

Lol, it takes more than that Mk, i can assure you that. BTW, it ONLY takes you to travel at the speed of light to go to the future or past!!


Hi,

They say that they know it, but if you look at the results---it proves that they didn't---when I talk about millitary in my argument---it is directed to the general staff ---.

Secondly---surveillance---it is the simplest of procedures---a slow moving prop plane fyling and two people looking out the windows on either side with binoculars---if pak millitary didn't know it---surprise surprise---.

It is normal practise here in the u s of a---highways may have surveillance from the air---. Even in the cities---rush hour traffic is being observed from the eye in the sky---either a chopper or a prop plane---and not from a drone or a awacs---.

Ever been to los angeles---rush hour on 405---10---5---91 freeways---look up in the air--and you will see slow moving prop planes and choppers.

The choppers have high resolution camera that can give direct feed---same can be done to the aircraft---a video camera can be installed and live feed can be sent down---the ground operators can make a better visualization of what is happening down there.

Did you read this?

Chopper likely downed by overcrowding​

Bureau Report
Saturday, 04 Jul, 2009 | 11:14 PM PST |

PESHAWAR: Investigations have begun into the cause of the helicopter crash that killed forty-one security personnel but there were indications that the ill-fated MI-17 might have gone down due to over-loading.

Experts from the Army’s Aviation Wing are looking into technical aspects to determine the cause of the crash.

But Dawn’s own inquiries revealed that the Russian-made military transport helicopter can carry 32 people or the equivalent of 4000 kilograms of weight.

As one former aviation expert commented, the helicopter carrying forty-one people on board was obviously over-loaded.

Local residents in Parachinar also witnessed the helicopter flying at an unusually low altitude throughout its flight over Lower Kurram that might have been caused by excessive weight.

The road to Parachinar from Hangu has been closed for the last four months due to militant attacks and the resultant insecurity, thus creating a rush and demand for helicopter ride out.

One official said that the increase in the number of those who found a place on MI-17 could be explained by the lack of frequent helicopter service to Parachinar.

The military is hard-pressed with few transport helicopters, most of them aging, in view of the expanding war theatre to fight militancy in Fata and Malakand.

Meanwhile, the last rites of those killed in the helicopter crash in Chapri Ferozkhel on the boundary between in Orakzai tribal region were performed at Pando Ground here on Saturday morning, a security official said.

Sixteen bodies were to be dispatched to Parachinar, headquarters of Kurram tribal region by helicopter, which however, could not fly due to inclement weather.

Some of the bodies were flown to Multan in southern Punjab, while others were taken to their ancestral areas through ambulances.

So much for the heli ride and recce luxuries.

Also take a look at this:

A Formidable Enemy

A Formidable Enemy



The Pakistan Army faces a tough battle ahead as the ‘good’ Taliban join forces with the ‘bad’ Taliban and scrap peace deals.

By Rahimullah Yusufzai


The two-month old military campaign against the militants in the NWFP has now expanded to newer and more dangerous places, such as South Waziristan. This has created a real risk that neighbouring North Waziristan could become the new battlefield, and the conflict could then spill over into adjoining districts in the southern part of the province. Indications of such an eventuality are already visible.

The military operations could unwittingly engulf a much wider area than anticipated. Such a move would not only over-stretch Pakistan’s armed forces, but also prompt the Taliban groups to set aside their differences and join forces to face the challenge.

In fact, in their battle for survival, some of the Pakistani Taliban commanders, such as Hafiz Gul Bahadur in North Waziristan and Maulvi Nazeer in South Waziristan’s Wana area, have already taken the first steps towards extending cooperation to Baitullah Mehsud in resisting the latest Pakistan Army onslaught against him. Their alliance, Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen, or the Council of the Alliance of Mujahideen, which was dormant since its launch in February 2009, is now active and is coordinating the military activities of the three militant groups to fight their common enemy – primarily the US-led coalition forces across the border in Afghanistan, and now increasingly, the Pakistani military within the country’s borders. Attacks in the last week of June by the militants led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur on military convoys on the Miramshah-Mir Ali road and in the Madakhel area in North Waziristan – which killed over 40 soldiers and left scores injured – and the rocketing of the FC camp in Wana by fighters loyal to Maulvi Nazeer, were clear signs that the Taliban in the three different war theatres were coming together to tackle Pakistan’s security forces.

One by one, the peace deals painstakingly negotiated by tribal jirgas are unravelling. The two peace treaties that the government concluded with Baitullah Mehsud, one in February 2005 and the other subsequently in 2008, no longer exist. In fact, these agreements have been invalid since Baitullah Mehsud first unleashed his suicide bombers to spread death and destruction in the country’s urban centres and for the first time claimed responsibility for all such attacks. The peace accords are now simply a scrap of paper, as Baitullah Mehsud was accused of assassinating Benazir Bhutto and became the most wanted man in Pakistan, with head-money placed on him by both Islamabad – offering Rs 50 million, or about $600,000 – and Washington, willing to pay a huge reward of $5 million, or Rs 410 million. The two peace deals in Swat, one directly with the Taliban, headed by Maulana Fazlullah, and the other with his father-in-law Maulana Sufi Mohammad, also predictably collapsed and, on both occasions, triggered more death and destruction than previously seen.

Only one peace treaty is still in place – in Wana, capital of South Waziristan – between Maulvi Nazeer and the government. But it is coming under strain due to the rising tension between the militants and the government elsewhere in the tribal areas. On paper, a peace accord also currently exists in Bajaur. But the militants in the region, led by Maulana Faqir Mohammad, deputy leader of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), have been openly violating the deal, by refusing to surrender or even curb their activities.

On June 29, the Taliban militants in North Waziristan unilaterally scrapped their February 18, 2008, peace agreement with the government, after accusing the armed forces of cooperating with the US in carrying out drone attacks against them. Through their spokesman, Ahmadullah Ahmadi, they warned that there could be no peace with the government unless the missile strikes by the pilotless US planes in North Waziristan were halted. Ahmadi also asserted that there had been over 50 US drone strikes in North Waziristan since the signing of the peace agreement that have killed hundreds of people, including women and children...............

You and all know that while the convoy was passing through the 'friendly' area no such pro-active measures would have been required, though this doesn't just suddenly rule out the military's responsibility to be ever vigilant, but there is VERY GUUD REASON to why PRO-ACTIVE measure might not have been taken during the move! If you have time i would talk with you at length on this, ok.

That aside---there is a little too much sarcasm in your tone in your reply---what 's up with that---.

Well sorry MK, if you felt bad, actually someone blaming this incident as a foul play at the higher commanders end and putting the entire blame on the poor souls, it just becomes un digestible, BTW, i am like hella busy in the office now a days, there are like 15 tasks that i am doing simultaneously, to include a Court Martial, now many of these tasks cant be brought home due to the confidentiality or i would have given 'my' time to the job also, keeping in view the soldiers' administrative requirements and rest timings i have to come back and pend the job until next morning, may be this can justify the sarcasm in the air around me