Punjab govt’s inaction against militants irks GHQ

[TaimiKhan]

Punjab govt’s inaction against militants irks GHQ
By Baqir Sajjad Syed
Thursday, 08 Jul, 2010


ISLAMABAD: While public attention has been focused on the political barbs flying between Islamabad and Lahore, behind the scenes the Pakistan Muslim League-N has earned itself a new and very powerful adversary thanks to its inaction against the ‘Punjabi Taliban’ -- the Pakistan Army.

It is now evident that the Punjab government led by the PML-N and the army, which is spearheading counter-terrorism operations, are on a warpath.

At a recent meeting at the General Headquarters (GHQ), senior intelligence officers conveyed their serious concern to the Punjab government over its failure to act against terrorists based in the province on the basis of information provided to it.

Other issues that were discussed included the lax handling of detained terrorists, especially of an injured assailant apprehended after the recent attack on Ahmadi places of worship (he was allowed to communicate with his accomplices from his hospital bed by a cellphone which allowed them to launch an attempt to free him).

Sources say that the meeting was attended by the top officials from both sides.

Nonetheless, officially both sides are denying any knowledge of this exchange. Punjab Government’s Public Relations Director-General Raoof Hassan said he was not aware of any such meeting since it did not appear on the official schedule. He also declined, in his capacity as one of Punjab government’s spokesmen, to assist in getting the comments of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on the issue.

Long before the attack on Ahmadis, an alert was circulated by an intelligence agency warning that a group of militants led by previously little-known Qari Daud had been tasked by the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leadership to attack the community in Punjab. However, the warning was not heeded.

It is said that warnings about an attack on Data Darbar were also ignored by the provincial authorities.

Besides citing specific instances, sources in the national security apparatus said it was particularly worrying that the PML-N government was in a state of total denial about the existence of the problem in the province which was in the militants’ line of fire.

This spat between the Punjab government and the army turned into a more serious war of words after a news report based on leaks by the provincial authorities surfaced.

The report said the army and intelligence agencies were not cooperating with the Punjab government in investigation into terrorist attacks.

Senior officers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, scoffed at the report. “Nowhere in the world do spies stand in the witness box and give testimony,” one of them said.

They also questioned why had the provincial government failed to crack down on militant bases identified by intelligence agencies, including the Bahawalpur seminary run by Maulana Masood Azhar of the banned Jaish-i-Muhammad.

“What has the Punjab government done to round up middle- and low-ranking activists and office-bearers of these outfits? Has it confiscated hate material churned out by them?” are other hard-hitting questions the officers are now raising.

“We have time and again told them to act against the Bahawalpur madressah where a number of militants are hiding. But they are not ready to do so,” one official said. He alleged that the Punjab government was sitting on the fence as far as sectarian-cum-militant organisations were concerned.

Earlier criticism by the federal government was ritually dismissed by the provincial leadership as political point-scoring.

A security analyst said militants always benefited from poor civilian intelligence; a politicised police force; and de-motivated, poorly trained and ill-equipped local law-enforcement paraphernalia in the province.

But now they had a new advantage -- those in the provincial political leadership, bureaucracy and LEAs who are willing to turn a blind eye to their activities, he said.

Investigators said that most terrorist attacks in Punjab were linked to the TTP and Punjabi Taliban in contrast to claims by certain quarters that the so-called ‘foreign hand’ was involved in them.

The message from the terrorist groups perpetrating these attacks is that the government should negotiate with the militant organisations and stop its efforts to help the Afghan government reconcile with various warring factions, notably the Haqqani network.

Security officials said they felt encouraged by the federal government’s position of not entertaining any such demands.

However, they revealed that they were taken aback by PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif’s recent media remarks articulating views similar to those of the Taliban and their sympathisers.

Recent media reports had quoted the Punjab home department as having planned action against 23 militant organisations working under new names.

But, the sources say, no notification has been issued to proscribe the outfits that have resurfaced under new names after having been outlawed.

Police officials say they now have new, specific orders to act against terrorist groups. The police, they say, are already working against ‘suspicious elements’.

DAWN.COM | Front Page | Punjab govt?s inaction against militants irks GHQ

 

[sparklingway]

So The News published reports from Secretary Prosecution which read that the intelligence agencies had not collaborated in the cases of the Surgeon General attack, ISI Bus attacks, AFPMGI Bus attack and the NLC Camp attack, the military had not cooperated and nobody came forward as a witness in the prosecution, now we have this.

Now this is called PR handling. I'm amazed at the speed of these responses that emanate from both sides. That report was filed by the prosecution and posed clear and precise questions over the non-cooperative behaviour from the intelligence agencies, the army's non-filing of FIRs in numerous attacks on its own installations and personnel, lack of witnesses from their own side and forcing the police to file back dated FIRs which poke serious hole into the whole prosecution process as the defense gets the chance to get an acquittal based on the illegitimacy of the arrest and benefit of doubt.

The LEAs in Punjab have failed, no doubt. Better wake up and handle the sectarians in Bahawalpur. But Punjab Government has now become a punching bag for many anyways. Also remember that it is somehow being portrayed that they "emerged" as if recently. These guys have been here forever, supporting and creating terror since 1980s and nobody dared touch them except haphazardly between '94 and '98.

Also Maulana Masood Azhar has been spending time in Rawalpindi recently.

The revelation about that guy who was freed by militants from the hospital being able to get hold of a cellphone is horrifying though. Super lax performance from the Police. They should bury their heads in shame.

 

[RescueRanger]

The LEAs in Punjab have failed, no doubt.

Totally, there is no doubt. I was speaking to a SB friend and he concured that if ASIs from SB can be attached to Gurduwara's and special "relgious" sites, why were they not posted around Data Darbar, given the hightened situation and targeting of religious sites.

There is a lot the IG and his men have to answer for, the CPO was trying his best to justify his position(just to secure his kursi). People like him need to be given a showcause notice and shown the door.

 

[kidwaibhai]

The same inaction by the MMA government in KP lead to swat being taken over by the taliban. PML(N) is playing with fire unfortunately this will engulf the whole nation.

 

[blain2]

So The News published reports from Secretary Prosecution which read that the intelligence agencies had not collaborated in the cases of the Surgeon General attack, ISI Bus attacks, AFPMGI Bus attack and the NLC Camp attack, the military had not cooperated and nobody came forward as a witness in the prosecution, now we have this.

Now this is called PR handling. I'm amazed at the speed of these responses that emanate from both sides. That report was filed by the prosecution and posed clear and precise questions over the non-cooperative behaviour from the intelligence agencies, the army's non-filing of FIRs in numerous attacks on its own installations and personnel, lack of witnesses from their own side and forcing the police to file back dated FIRs which poke serious hole into the whole prosecution process as the defense gets the chance to get an acquittal based on the illegitimacy of the arrest and benefit of doubt.

The LEAs in Punjab have failed, no doubt. Better wake up and handle the sectarians in Bahawalpur. But Punjab Government has now become a punching bag for many anyways. Also remember that it is somehow being portrayed that they "emerged" as if recently. These guys have been here forever, supporting and creating terror since 1980s and nobody dared touch them except haphazardly between '94 and '98.

Also Maulana Masood Azhar has been spending time in Rawalpindi recently.

The revelation about that guy who was freed by militants from the hospital being able to get hold of a cellphone is horrifying though. Super lax performance from the Police. They should bury their heads in shame.

RR, I do not think the militant was freed.

The responsibility is on both ends and I suspect a little amreeki style "CYA" is going on both ends to the detriment of the Punjab and Pakistan unfortunately.

One issue, however, is that the Army cannot and will not take any action of the type of operation cleanup until and unless The Punjab government relents. With votes on the hook, I suspect this is all the more difficult for the PML-N government to come to terms with.

A couple of other points. These groups have existed in the province for a long time, however they have evolved in terms of their ideology and goals. Most of the old leadership has been sidetracked by more extreme folks (thanks to the was in Afghanistan).

Secondly, the Army does not have to register an FIR with the local police when incidents happen inside of the Cantonments as the investigations come under the purview of military investigation. In certain cases if the terrorist acts against the Army personnel have taken place outside of cantonments, then the Army will register an FIR with the local police. Typically things are done by the book, but in line with the Army regulations and this is misconstrued as Army not wanting to file an FIR etc. when there is no need for the Army to do so according to its own regulations.

 

[sparklingway]

Secondly, the Army does not have to register an FIR with the local police when incidents happen inside of the Cantonments as the investigations come under the purview of military investigation. In certain cases if the terrorist acts against the Army personnel have taken place outside of cantonments, then the Army will register an FIR with the local police. Typically things are done by the book, but in line with the Army regulations and this is misconstrued as Army not wanting to file an FIR etc. when there is no need for the Army to do so according to its own regulations.

I guess legal illiteracy (not meant to be offensive but there's no other word) generated such comments for even though the military has the exclusive right to conduct its investigation into incidents committed within the boundaries of its installations, unless an FIR is registered the case cannot move forward. Let me clear one thing first, military police do not have exclusive rights in cantonments but only on military installations. Say if there's a mishap on Peshawar Road within cantonment limits, the MP "can" control the situation as an LEA but the Police is legally supposed to be the force in charge. On the other hand, a mishap inside the GHQ premises is the exclusive purview of the MP.

Another thing, ATO is applicable across Pakistan including cantonments excluding FATA (for which extension is granted on a case basis by the President through the FATA Secretariat). Any terrorist attack on military installation, does not give the military the legal right to prosecute the alleged criminals through its own justice system (an ordinance on these lines was passed by Pervez Musharraf but allowed to lapse). Hence, any terrorist will have to be prosecuted through the ATCs and this will require registering an FIR.

The FIR is compulsory for case proceedings as the investigation officer has to produce before the court the FIR and the Challan to get a judicial remand. It is the basis of the trial prosecution as well. If there's no FIR, then there's no court trial either. Your assertion that military does not need to file one is clearly unfounded. You might not like it, but this most certainly emanates from the we're the most superior institute in this country and we do it our own way self righteous attitude.

If you have any queries, I can direct you to laws covering the concerned events and a Special Public Prosecutor for Anti-Terrorism who obviously knows this stuff as he's been dealing with these cases for a couple of years now. Being legally educated is neither a requirement for being a responsible citizen nor for being a patriot. However, it's better to state the legal reality rather than the comments that have grounds in nothing more than the idea the military has got everything right from institutional management to justice.

I find it horrifying though that even when the court proceedings had started, no one came forward as a witness from the Army. You will have to accept that this is extremely irresponsible and deplorable behaviour. The GHQ case has been lingering on even when culprits were caught on the scene red handed and are on CCTV footage from numerous angles. Lack of enthusiasm to prosecute them is deplorable and certainly not a stand I can support in any way.

 

[Javed3]

This is pathetic that our National asset Pakistan Army is now hounding the docile Punjab Government to strike a "package deal" with the US and wholeheartedly and enthusiastically follow the likes of Zardari and Rehman Malik.

Rather than defending the territorial integrity of the nation, PA is waging war on its own territory; and now inching to extend war to Bahawalpur and South Punjab. The daily drone strikes on Pakistani soil are a living proof that our forces have no interest in defending our soil or airspace.

All for what? to get a pat on the shoulder by US / NATO Generals, to demonstrate that we are the Abdulla Deewanas in begani Shadi?

 

[kidwaibhai]

This is pathetic that our National asset Pakistan Army is now hounding the docile Punjab Government to strike a "package deal" with the US and wholeheartedly and enthusiastically follow the likes of Zardari and Rehman Malik.

Rather than defending the territorial integrity of the nation, PA is waging war on its own territory; and now inching to extend war to Bahawalpur and South Punjab. The daily drone strikes on Pakistani soil are a living proof that our forces have no interest in defending our soil or airspace.

All for what? to get a pat on the shoulder by US / NATO Generals, to demonstrate that we are the Abdulla Deewanas in begani Shadi?

What are you talking about. The army is telling the Punjab Government that they need to act because things are getting out of hand this is what there job is to protect the country against enemies.
Plus i dont think there is going to a swat type operation in Sounth Punjab just a very heavy contingent of Rangers will do the trick.