Operation Rah-e-Rast (Swat)

[ajpirzada]

Gilani for incorporating political dimensions following military operation
ISLAMABAD, May 15 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Friday called for incorporating political dimensions, following the military operation in Swat and some other parts of Malakand to eliminate the militants and terrorists, in order to bring lasting peace to the area. Prime Minister Gilani in his opening remarks at an in‑camera briefing by the chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani to the parliamentarians said the government resorted to the operation as it was left with no other option.

The briefing was aimed at assessing the situation arising out of the operation that began after Prime Minister Gilani’s address to the nation on May 7 in which he called out the army to eliminate the terrorists.

Prime Minister Gilani said the armed forces were called to take stern action against the miscreants and were carrying on the operation with full commitment and high degree of professionalism.

He expressed his gratitude to the political leadership for their continuous support and “sagacious guidance” from time to time.

“This in‑camera meeting has been organized to take the political leadership of the country into confidence on the real situation and answer their questions on the necessity of army action in Swat and the issue of IDPs,” Gilani said.

Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency )

 

[ajpirzada]

MNAs call for effective post-operation strategy
ISLAMABAD, May 15 (APP): Members National Assembly on Friday underlined the need to evolve an effective post‑operation strategy for early rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) and durable solution to the militancy. Continuing debate on situation relating to Swat and Malakand Divisions on the fifth day, PPP MNA Yasmeen Rehman said the country is facing great threat from militants and the present situation gives look like a ‘state of emergency.’
She said it is responsibility of all political parties to play their due role in the prevailing situation and create awareness among masses on the issue.

She said parliamentarians’ regular visits to IDPs camps helped in mitigating problems of the affected people to some extent and their confidence into the government’s relief efforts has increased.

Yasmeen Rehman said the military operation in Malakand Division was launched as last resort for bringing peace and stability in the area as the militants took the government’s peace initiative as its weakness.

The MNA said the entire nation is standing shoulder‑to‑shoulder with Pak army to flush out militants from Swat and Malakand Divisions.

She said in the post‑operation situation handling of IDPs would be an uphill task for the government, which needs a prudent policy for their early rehabilitation.

Yasmeen Rehman said PPP has activated its all units throughout the country to arrange the required relief items and their supply to IDPs camps.

Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency ) - MNAs call for effective post-operation strategy


gov knows that military operation is just a part of this war. real war will start after we win militarily.

 

[PAFAce]

gov knows that military operation is just a part of this war. real war will start after we win militarily.

ajpirzada, are you some kind of genius or what? hitting the nail on the head like that, don't you ever think of the poor nail?
Just kidding.

Well said, I couldn't have put it better myself. It's what I've been saying for the past hundred years, we need to do more for the people of NWFP, FATA, Balochistan, FANA, Azad Kashmir etc. to make properly incorporate them in our country. This can only be accomplished through economic and physical development and massive political interest. Let's hope that we've learnt our lessons.

 

[ajpirzada]

Sources said Maulana Fazlur Rehman complained that parliament was not taken into confidence before launching the Army operation and on this the military leadership replied that on the directives of the president and the prime minister and on the requisition of the NWFP government, the operation was launched, and if it had not been kept secret, the armed forces would have borne more losses.

Sources said Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi questioned about the timeframe of the operation and was informed that though it might continue for four to six weeks yet no final timeframe was fixed for it.

The sources said the national leadership was also told that the militants were sending pictures of shaved off faces of killed miscreants to gain public support. The sources said one of the military officials asked the national leadership to support the operation and on this Maulana Fazl quickly replied how it could be supported in front of people.

The sources said when Ch Pervez Elahi inquired how the militants were getting funds and weapons, no reply was given. The sources said Head of Special Support Group Lt General Nadeem Ahmed briefed the national leadership on the relief operation for the IDPs and they expressed satisfaction over it.

The leadership was told that the IDPs would cross the figure of 1.2 million. The sources said the leadership was also told that Buner had been cleared off the militants and the IDPs had started returning to their homes.

The sources said parliamentary leader of the MQM Dr Farooq Sattar asked as to what will happen if the militants from Malakand also came to the camps in the guise of the IDPs. On his query, it was said that if they lay down their arms and reveal themselves, then they could be accepted.

The sources said the military leadership also showed a video film to the national leadership about how caves and mountains of Swat were bombarded.Parliamentary leader of Fata Muneer Khan Orakzai assured complete support to the military operation.

Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed also unveiled his Marshal Plan for the rehabilitation of the IDPs before the national leadership and said that there was a proposal to provide Rs 25,000 to the IDPs on their return to their homes.

The sources said Lt Gen Nadeem also told the national leadership that those people, whose homes were destroyed, would be provided compensation after a survey.According to a handout, the national political leadership on Friday reiterated its resolve to preserve and protect the sovereignty of the state of Pakistan, ensure the rule of law and carry forward the political process.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, in a detailed briefing here at the PM House with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani in the chair, apprised the national political leadership of the operational aspects of the ongoing operations in the militancy-hit areas, and the steps being taken to minimise the collateral damage during the action.

The COAS also dilated upon the efforts being made to ensure the security and well being of the internally displaced persons (IDPs).The national leadership further recognised the role of the armed forces in the present situation and expressed its grief over the martyrdom of personnel of the armed and security forces.

In the in-camera briefing that lasted for five hours, the leadership also took note and emphasised that strategic questions regarding where, when and how many troops were deployed in each operation or sector was a Pakistani decision, based on objective analysis and full understanding of threat spectrum.

These decisions are undertaken in accordance with our national interest by our leadership, keeping in view the aspirations of the people of Pakistan, the leaders stressed.In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Gilani called for incorporating political dimensions, following the military operation in Swat and some other parts of Malakand to eliminate the militants and terrorists, in order to bring lasting peace to the area.

The prime minister said the armed forces were carrying on the operation with full commitment and high degree of operational professionalism. “I am well aware of the fact that the Army operation is not a permanent solution to our problem and political dimensions need to be incorporated to reach out a consensus for guaranteeing lasting peace in these disturbed areas,” he added.

He said the in-camera meeting had been organised to take the political leadership of the country into confidence on the real situation and answer their questions on the necessity of the Army action in Swat and the issue of the IDPs. He said after having exhausted all political and peaceful means, the government was left with no other option but to call in the armed forces to take stern action against the miscreants.

Gilani said as the government firmly believes that parliament is a sovereign body, therefore, taking the parliamentary leadership on board was essential. “I assure you that the input of the today’s (Friday’s) meeting, along with the suggestions/observations from the forthcoming APC, will be incorporated in our national security policy to deal with the situation,” he said.

Troops to stay put at border with India

 

[ajpirzada]

ajpirzada, are you some kind of genius or what? hitting the nail on the head like that, don't you ever think of the poor nail?
Just kidding.

Well said, I couldn't have put it better myself. It's what I've been saying for the past hundred years, we need to do more for the people of NWFP, FATA, Balochistan, FANA, Azad Kashmir etc. to make properly incorporate them in our country. This can only be accomplished through economic and physical development and massive political interest. Let's hope that we've learnt our lessons.

first i thought u r being sarcastic but later realised that may be i am a genius.

 

[Hellfire]

first i thought u r being sarcastic but later realised that may be i am a genius.

change your pseudonym

 

[fatman17]

Pentagon to accelerate training of FC

LAHORE: The Pentagon is considering plans to accelerate and expand the training of Pakistan’s Frontier Corps (FC) in a key move to improve their ability to confront insurgents along the Pak-Afghan border, a private TV channel reported on Friday.

The channel quoted an unidentified senior defence official as saying that United States officials were in talks with Pakistani leaders to develop a programme that could increase the number of US special operation trainers in the country. The ultimate goal is to slash the training time by as much as half for more than 9,000 members of the Pakistani paramilitary force. The official said training the 14 battalion-sized units of the FC was expected to take at least four years but officials would like to both speed up the counterinsurgency training and expand the schooling to the Pakistan Army.

daily times monitor

 

[fatman17]

No timeframe for operation’s end: Gen Nadeem

LAHORE: Special Services Group (SSG) head Lt General Nadeem Ahmed has said a timeframe cannot be given for the end of the military operation in Malakand division, a private TV channel reported on Friday.

Talking to the channel at a makeshift hospital in Mardan, Ahmed said the military operation would continue until the Taliban were completely eliminated.

daily times monitor

 

[Neo]

$10bn needed in 5 years to fight war on terror: Tareen​

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will require $2 billion each year for the next five years to fight terrorism, Finance Adviser Shaukat Tareen told reporters at the Press Information Department on Friday. Pakistan has sought $10 billion of direct aid from the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FODP) member countries for the next five years for enhancing its capacity to fight terrorism and militancy and member countries responded positively at the Tokyo meeting. Tareen said assistance pledges are expected to be made at the FODP meeting to be held in Turkey as the group has shown keen interest in financing Pakistan’s proposed $10 billion plan. He said the government would meet the additional expenses incurred during the military operation in Swat.

 

[fatman17]

ASIA PACIFIC
Date Posted: 14-May-2009

Jane's Defence Weekly

Pakistan strives to limit 'collateral damage' in Swat offensive

Farhan Bokhari JDW Correspondent - Islamabad

Key Points
The refugee crisis caused by the Pakistani military's offensive in Swat could force the army to alter its tactics

Artillery, tanks and fighter aircraft could now be used more selectively to reduce the risk to civilians


Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani has ordered detachments operating in the northern Swat valley to take steps to ensure "minimum collateral damage" is caused by its ongoing offensive against Taliban militants.

Western defence officials in Islamabad said Gen Kiyani's remarks, which were made in a statement issued on 13 May by the military's information department, suggested that the army is becoming increasingly sensitive to the large-scale displacement of local residents and may be considering a change of tactics.

During the past week Pakistani officials have warned that up to 1.5 million people living in Swat may be forced to leave the area for the relative safety of internal refugee camps in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), where Swat is located, or in the populous Punjab province.

Graphic images on Pakistani TV of refugees fleeing Swat have stunned the country. Furthermore, many of the refugees have been critical of the military operation.

"Fighting against your own people is always a very different war than fighting an enemy in a foreign country," said one Western defence official in Islamabad.

Lieutenant General (Retired) Talat Masood, a former army commander, said the army had "to be sensitive" to the plight of civilians. But he defended the operation, saying the army was "using heavy artillery, tanks and fighter jets only in areas where there was a large concentration of the Taliban and not necessarily the large urban areas of Swat".

Masood continued: "They are simply softening the Taliban targets to destroy command structure and training camps, which is a tactic employed by the US and Israeli militaries."

The Western defence official who spoke to Jane's said it was likely that after the initial use of artillery, tanks and fighter aircraft, the Pakistan military would be more selective in its use of heavy weapons.

"Wherever there is a chance, they will now drop helicopter-borne troops and use helicopter gunships," he said.

In a related development, the Pakistan army on 12 May appointed Lieutenant General Nadeem Ahmed, one of its most respected senior officers, to head the newly formed special support group: an umbrella organisation that will oversee the relief work for the internally displaced people from Swat.

Gen Ahmed is credited with leading the military response to the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and the country's northern regions.

A senior government official told Jane's that Gen Ahmed's principal duties would include drawing in medical field units and other assets to assist with relief operations. "If we win a military victory in Swat and are still not able to secure the peace, that will not be such an impressive victory," said the official.

 

[Ratus Ratus]

Pentagon to accelerate training of FC

LAHORE: The Pentagon is considering plans to accelerate and expand the training of Pakistan’s Frontier Corps (FC) in a key move to improve their ability to confront insurgents along the Pak-Afghan border, a private TV channel reported on Friday.

The channel quoted an unidentified senior defence official as saying that United States officials were in talks with Pakistani leaders to develop a programme that could increase the number of US special operation trainers in the country. The ultimate goal is to slash the training time by as much as half for more than 9,000 members of the Pakistani paramilitary force. The official said training the 14 battalion-sized units of the FC was expected to take at least four years but officials would like to both speed up the counterinsurgency training and expand the schooling to the Pakistan Army.

daily times monitor

An expansion on this article of fast track training:

DoD Wants to Fast-track Pak Training

May 15, 2009
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The Pentagon is looking at plans to significantly accelerate and expand the training of Pakistan's military in a key move to improve their ability to confront insurgents along the Afghanistan border, The Associated Press has learned.

U.S. officials are in early talks with Pakistani leaders to develop a program that could increase the number of U.S. special operations trainers in that country, with a goal to slash the training time by as much as half for more than 9,000 members of Pakistan's paramilitary Frontier Corps, said a senior defense official.

Training the 14 battalion-size units of the Frontier Corps is expected to take at least four years, but officials would like to both speed up their counterinsurgency training and expand the schooling to the Pakistani Army, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions are preliminary and no decisions have been made.

Among the issues yet to be resolved are how many U.S. trainers will be needed, and whether all the courses will be given at the single existing training camp or broadened to several more camps. Officials also have not settled on a timetable, because it will depend on how U.S. and Pakistan officials ultimately decide they want the new program structured, how much funding is available, and what the security situation is in the border region.

The U.S. believes that escalating the training of Pakistan's Frontier Corps is critical as commanders struggle to beat back gains made by the Taliban and al-Qaida in the region. Controlling the border, officials insist, is key to stabilizing Pakistan and winning the war in Afghanistan.

In addition, the Pentagon would like to further broaden the training to include the Pakistan Army. U.S. special operations forces have been training the Pakistani special forces for some time, and the program was expanded to the Frontier Corps last October.

On Thursday, Marine Commandant James T. Conway told members of Congress that it will be difficult to make real progress in Afghanistan if forces in Pakistan "aren't having parallel success."

And in a blunt exchange with senators last week, Richard Holbrooke, the administration's special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, said it is imperative that the U.S. help Pakistan beef up the training of its Frontier Corps, and enable them to move more troops into the western border region.

He added that the Pakistanis do not have enough counterinsurgency training. "We think the Frontier Corps deserves much more attention," he said.

The rugged mountains slicing across the ungoverned Federally Administered Tribal Area along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan provide safe havens for extremists, and many believe those include Osama bin Laden.

There are 80 to 100 U.S. special operations forces and support staff now in Pakistan, including roughly 35 trainers. The ongoing discussions are looking at how the program could be revamped and what number of additional trainers would be needed.

Another critical aspect of the proposed changes is how to pay for them - and that decision is now in the hands of a skeptical Congress.

Pentagon officials have proposed spending $400 million in the next year to create a new Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capabilities Fund, which would be used to pay for the expanded training and any additional facilities, as well as helicopters and weapons ranging from night-vision goggles to high-tech communications equipment. The fund could total as much as $3 billion over five years.

The aim, according to Gen. David Petraeus, top U.S. commander in the Middle East, is to strengthen America's military relationship with Islamabad, build the Pakistanis' ability to fight extremists within their own borders, and stem the flow of fighters and weapons into Afghanistan. Under the proposal, Petraeus would largely direct the funding.

Some lawmakers have balked at the idea, saying that the money should be controlled by the State Department, not the military. Defense officials are insisting that, at least for now, Petraeus has greater flexibility to target the money where it is most needed.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that the military could maintain control of the funding this year, and gradually transfer it to the State Department by 2011. Lawmakers, however, have suggested it be moved to the State Department in 2010.

Lawmakers have also complained that Islamabad continues to view India as its main threat, and has directed funding toward that effort in the past, rather that at bolstering the fight against Taliban along the Afghanistan border. Members of Congress said the Pentagon must put benchmarks in place to measure the effectiveness of the funding.

 

[ajpirzada]

today Army Chief has said that Army doesnt need any trainin from any country as trainin system for CI has been established by PA herself.


Pak army has facilities for counter insurgency training: Army Chief
Updated at: 1741 PST, Saturday, May 16, 2009
RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani reacting to the comments on Low Intensity Conflict (LIC ) Training of Pakistani troops said Pakistan Army has developed a full range of counter insurgency training facilities tailored to train troops for such operations.

In a statement the COAS said: “Except for very specialized weapons and equipment, high technology, no generalized foreign training is required.”

Owing to its vast experience, Pakistan Army remains the best-suited force to operate in its own area. Uncalled for aspersions through various quarters on our training methods / orientation is apparently due to lack of knowledge and understanding of our training system in vogue, he said.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani reaffirmed that strategic decisions regarding where, when and how many troops are deployed in each operation or sector is always a Pakistani decision based on objective analysis and our full understanding of threat spectrum.

These decisions are undertaken in accordance with our national interest by our leadership keeping in view the aspirations of people of Pakistan. Any outside advice/subjective comments towards this end is counter productive and divisive in effect rather than helpful.
Pak army has facilities for counter insurgency training: Army Chief - GEO.tv

 

[fatman17]

Ok as long as we get results!

 

[kidwaibhai]

Swat – a report from the frontline

Recently an AIRRA (Aryana Institute for Regional Research and Advocacy � an Islamabad-based research organisation) investigation team went to some parts of Swat that had been under army attacks. The team observed whether the attacks were targeted at the Taliban and their installations. It observed two villages -- Ladikas and Watkai in Mingora -- and Khwazakhela, a tehsil in Swat. The team with its access to the people of the area could manage to take Besham route from Islamabad to reach Mingora via Khwazakhela. Though continuous curfew and alternate threats from the military posts and the Taliban posts badly hampered the journey of the team but somehow some of the members could manage to reach Mingora via Khwazakhela and Charbagh with the exodus of the people from different parts of Swat valley. The team was able to access and interview several dozens of those families who were still stuck up in the valley.

The team observed that the security forces have successfully destroyed the installations of the Taliban and have disrupted their chain of command in that area. They have killed many Taliban there with very little collateral damage, albeit with the destruction of civilian infrastructure. The best example is the Taliban headquarter in Khwazakhela. The headquarters was located on a mountain. It housed the Taliban operational command led by commander Yamin, the intelligence department led by commander Rashid and the department of logistics and supplies. The aerial bombardment of the Pakistan army reduced all that to rubble. The entire side of the mountain housing the headquarters has been exploded and razed.

The Taliban terrorists had established the headquarters with great efforts. They had cleansed a huge portion of the forest on the mountain to make free space for the building. They recruited the youth on a large scale, strengthened their command and control structure, established their hierarchical structure, planted mines on the main roads, dug bunkers and occupied the strategic passes in only two and a half months. And they did all this after the peace deal agreed with the NWFP government in February of this year.

The team interacted with the people in the area. Most of those killed were confirmed Taliban. There had been almost no serious collateral damage. Nearby buildings collapsed due to the force of explosions. Some people got injuries when hit by the collapsing debris.

Moreover, the army has cordoned off several narrow alleys of Mingora to prevent the Taliban from escaping. The military has cordoned off Swat from the northeast (the Shangla side), the southeast (the Buner side) and the southwest (the Dir side). In Mingora city itself, the Taliban are reported to be lying dead in the streets and local people confirm that some of them are well-known Taliban leaders.

There are still stranded people in Swat. The people are facing enormous difficulties due to power failure and water reservoirs in their homes which have dried up. Food commodities have become scarce and fuel stations have more or less stopped functioning. Soldiers of the Pakistan army and the FC are sharing their limited food rations with the stranded people. This goodwill gesture has earned respect of the stranded people for the security forces.

It is suggested to the army to issue the photos or video clips of the killed Taliban to the media and of the destroyed Taliban installations. Local people and the IDPs often know the Taliban and location of their installations. They would confirm that the dead were indeed the Taliban and the installations shown as destroyed indeed belonged to the Taliban. This is important because it will ensure transparency and reassure people of the success being achieved in the war.

It is highly commendable that the security forces are conducting targeted operations that have considerably damaged the Taliban in Swat. I would once again request the army high command to destroy the Taliban networks, installations, headquarters everywhere in Pakistan, including FATA and south Punjab. Taliban leaders in each and every city or town of Pakistan have to be neutralised. There is a strong connection between the Taliban in Waziristan, Orakzai, Swat, South Punjab, Khost and Kunar in terms of supply of manpower, weapons and chain of command. This connection is the Al Qaeda-linked Jalaluddin Haqqani and his terror secretariat in North Waziristan. This connection has to be broken, which means that Haqqani's 'secretariat' must be destroyed. Other than the military front, the war against militancy also needs to be fought on the ideological battleground -- Talibanisation needs to be denied ideological space in the country's security and state apparatus and this can be done by targeting elements in state structures and institutions deemed as being sympathetic to the militants.

The army must carry the war against the Taliban to its logical end. The army owes it to the Pakhtun and by extension to Pakistan, because the Pakhtun are citizens of the country and hence deserve the same protection by the state as accorded to those in the other provinces. The Pakhtun have always taken pride in giving their best sons to the army. It is now the turn of the army to reciprocate in such a manner that truly honours the Pakhtun martyrs of the army. This means complete elimination of the Taliban so that the Pakhtun live their lives free of the jihadi fear and intimidation. If done successfully, this will bind the Pakhtun even more closely with the state and the army. In that context, the army must convert this war into an opportunity that will substantially contribute towards making Pakistan a successfully functioning multi-ethnic state.

While the army is rising itself to the occasion, the performance of the politicians is dismal. The soldiers are giving their blood to save us from the Taliban. They are sharing their limited food ration with the stranded people. The army has given a share of their salary to support the relief work for the IDPs. Where are political leaders? What is President Zardari doing abroad? He should be visiting the IDPs rather than foreign lands. What is Asfandyar Wali doing in London? Why is Afrasiab Khattak in Dubai? The IDPs constantly complain that the ministers, MPAs and MNAs only come when the media is there and leave soon afterwards, without tending to their (the IDPs) problems.

All MNAs and MPAs, especially those elected by the people of Swat, Dir and Buner, should stay with the IDPs of their respective constituencies as long as possible because these are after all the people who voted them into public office.



The writer is a research fellow at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Gender Research, University of Oslo, and a member of Aryana Institute for Regional Research and Advocacy. Email: bergen34@yahoo.com

 

[asq]

Residents say Taliban have mined roads and dug trenches around 200,000 trapped civilians encircled by Pakistani troops



From where these Taliban are getting weapons, can anyone answer this.