US Drone Strikes In Pakistan
- Thread starter Kumar
- Start date
S-2
PROFESSIONAL
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2007
- Messages
- 4,210
- Reaction score
- 0
"i dont support U.S ,infact i HATE them from the core of my heart for how they have tracked us!"
Did you say this?
"I would just like to know that how well you people(US) are going in Afghanistan?"
I suggest that you take a walk to Afghanistan and approach an American soldier there and ask him these questions. He's there and will provide you with a much better answer.
Might wish to take a rifle with you too for self-protection and a chance to shoot one of those things that "track" you. Don't point your weapon at our soldiers, though. Please don't.
They'll eagerly kill you.
Did you say this?
"I would just like to know that how well you people(US) are going in Afghanistan?"
I suggest that you take a walk to Afghanistan and approach an American soldier there and ask him these questions. He's there and will provide you with a much better answer.
Might wish to take a rifle with you too for self-protection and a chance to shoot one of those things that "track" you. Don't point your weapon at our soldiers, though. Please don't.
They'll eagerly kill you.
Listen! i just asked you to know the exact and current situation cuz everything that the media shows you isnt always right!..... i asked you a serious question and was expecting a serious reply not that ironic comment! and if u think you are realy that good at making jokes save your words for those who are fighting in that ruged and 'god-forsaken' land!.....they realy deserve a joke after all the stress they are going through!
pkpatriotic
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2008
- Messages
- 2,317
- Reaction score
- 0
The government must come clean on the war
Saturday, November 22, 2008
by Rahimullah Yusufzai
The US has raised the stakes by firing missiles from its drones at a target in the southern district of Bannu in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). It is a settled area as the provincially-administered districts in the province are referred to and is not part of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) bordering Afghanistan. The thought that the Americans would strike in the tribal areas only and spare the districts is no longer valid. The situation has changed and one would not be wrong in concluding that Washington has sent a clear message that it could attack any place in Pakistan on the basis of "actionable intelligence" about the presence of militants linked to Al Qaeda or the Taliban.
Though initial reports suggested that the US missile strike took place in a village in the semi-tribal Frontier Region of Bannu adjacent to North Waziristan, it soon became clear that the attack had in fact taken place in Bannu district. The village that was hit was identified and so was owner of the house. Bannus district police officer Mohammad Alam Shinwari said the targeted village was in the settled part of Janikhel area which fell under his domain. Adnan Wazir, member of the provincial assembly from the area who was elected as an independent and is now part of the ANP-led ruling coalition government in NWFP, maintained that all four people killed by the US missiles were local villagers. None among them, he claimed, was a foreigner. He should know because he belongs to the area.
Pakistan government officials usually cited by the media as a source for claims about the death of important Al Qaeda and Taliban figures in such attacks normally dont have much access to the remote, Taliban-controlled villages that are attacked by the US. The information that they provide is often obtained through secondary sources or is put across for politically purposes. Their aim is to justify the attacks on the grounds that the target was a high-value Al Qaeda member and thus a foreigner who shouldnt be staying in Pakistani illegally. Another objective is to save the government from embarrassment for its inability to prevent military intrusions into Pakistani territory and protect its citizens.
Lawmaker Adnan Wazirs assertion in this particular case was contrary to the reported claim by unnamed Pakistani security officials that a member of Al Qaeda named Abdullah Azzam al-Saudi, an unfamiliar name who wasnt previously listed among the most wanted by the FIA or other American organizations, and two Uzbeks were killed in the attack. A new controversy has been generated and before the issue is settled a new American missile strike may occur and then there would be a debate whether the next people who are killed or wounded were Al Qaeda members, Taliban, their tribal hosts or innocent Pakistanis. In any case, it is usually difficult to get correct information about any military operation, more so if it is covert and part of the so-called war on terror. There are claims and counter-claims and the truth is somewhere in the middle.
As usual, Pakistan lodged a protest with the US over the Bannu attack and complained that it violated its sovereignty. Needless to say, the US wasnt bothered by Pakistani protests. Rather, the frequency of its missile strikes has increased following Pakistani protests. The US even carried out a major ground assault in South Waziristan in September to signal its hostile intent. It was a warning that use of American and allied troops on Pakistani soil was an option in case someone important in the Al Qaeda or Taliban hierarchy hiding there was the target or simply in hot-pursuit of militants across Afghanistans border with Pakistan. It is now being said that the US agreed to stop, perhaps for the time-being, attacks by its ground forces in Pakistani territory provided it was given a free hand to continue with its missiles strikes by the CIA-operated drones.
Pakistani authorities, or officials of the foreign ministry to be precise, have been arguing in unusually forceful manner in recent days that the US wasnt authorized by international law or the terms of engagement between Islamabad and Washington to launch such strikes in Pakistani territory. By the way, shouldnt our democratically-elected government take its people into confidence about those terms of engagement? It is all the more important in view of the widely held belief, partly fuelled by apparently Pentagon-leaked reports in sections of the American press and by accusations frequently made by opposition politicians in Pakistan, that President Asif Al Zardari and the ruling PPP have agreed to an arrangement with the US under which the Pakistani government would simply protest the American missile strikes in Pakistani territory without taking any steps to stop the incursions. Despite denials by government functionaries, many Pakistanis continue to believe that the US has been allowed to carry out cross-border missile strikes in Pakistan. The low credibility of the present Pakistani rulers, particularly President Zardari, is reinforcing this impression. Doubts are also raised when some government functionaries such as ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani, make statements to the effect that the ruling PPP leadership was sincerely cooperating with the US and producing results in the "war on terror" unlike President General Pervez Musharrafs largely rhetorical and self-serving support to the Americans. After all, PPP leaders have been arguing that they could do a better job in tackling extremists compared to President Musharraf.
All this could be part of politics but the PPP leadership must do something to improve its credibility. It doesnt help when President Zardari is quoted as saying that the US should at least inform Pakistan when it is launching missile strikes in Pakistani territory. Many people take this as his acquiescence to US missile strikes. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, who has a habit of issuing strange statements, said the other day that missile strikes would end once Barack Obama was installed as president of the USA. Now how does he know Obamas mind or has the US President-elect revealed something to Mr Gilani that nobody else in the vast and powerful US administration is aware of. Putting words in someone elses mind appears to be a particular trait of our leaders. One can still remember General Musharraf declaring after the Pakistan-facilitated US invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001that the American attack would be short and targeted. More than seven years after the US attack, more than 70,000 American and NATO soldiers are battling to contain the Taliban resistance in Afghanistan and the attack was neither short nor targeted with all those civilian deaths and growing opposition to the war in many Western countries.
The sooner the government comes clean on the so-called terms of engagement in the "war on terror" between Pakistan and the US the better. Democratic rulers should not hide certain things from the people and more so if the issue is threatening the credibility and stability of the government. It is alright saying that only Pakistans armed forces will operate in Pakistani territory but then the people expect the government and the military to take concrete steps to ensure that no foreign intrusions occur on our soil. Failure to do so risks damaging not only the credibility but also the honour and self-respect of the nation, which everyone from a ruling politician to a soldier and an ordinary citizen. A weak country with demoralized leadership and armed forces then becomes a target of hostile forces, both outsiders and indigenous. The consequences in such a situation are already visible with the governments writ being openly challenged by militants.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
by Rahimullah Yusufzai
The US has raised the stakes by firing missiles from its drones at a target in the southern district of Bannu in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). It is a settled area as the provincially-administered districts in the province are referred to and is not part of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) bordering Afghanistan. The thought that the Americans would strike in the tribal areas only and spare the districts is no longer valid. The situation has changed and one would not be wrong in concluding that Washington has sent a clear message that it could attack any place in Pakistan on the basis of "actionable intelligence" about the presence of militants linked to Al Qaeda or the Taliban.
Though initial reports suggested that the US missile strike took place in a village in the semi-tribal Frontier Region of Bannu adjacent to North Waziristan, it soon became clear that the attack had in fact taken place in Bannu district. The village that was hit was identified and so was owner of the house. Bannus district police officer Mohammad Alam Shinwari said the targeted village was in the settled part of Janikhel area which fell under his domain. Adnan Wazir, member of the provincial assembly from the area who was elected as an independent and is now part of the ANP-led ruling coalition government in NWFP, maintained that all four people killed by the US missiles were local villagers. None among them, he claimed, was a foreigner. He should know because he belongs to the area.
Pakistan government officials usually cited by the media as a source for claims about the death of important Al Qaeda and Taliban figures in such attacks normally dont have much access to the remote, Taliban-controlled villages that are attacked by the US. The information that they provide is often obtained through secondary sources or is put across for politically purposes. Their aim is to justify the attacks on the grounds that the target was a high-value Al Qaeda member and thus a foreigner who shouldnt be staying in Pakistani illegally. Another objective is to save the government from embarrassment for its inability to prevent military intrusions into Pakistani territory and protect its citizens.
Lawmaker Adnan Wazirs assertion in this particular case was contrary to the reported claim by unnamed Pakistani security officials that a member of Al Qaeda named Abdullah Azzam al-Saudi, an unfamiliar name who wasnt previously listed among the most wanted by the FIA or other American organizations, and two Uzbeks were killed in the attack. A new controversy has been generated and before the issue is settled a new American missile strike may occur and then there would be a debate whether the next people who are killed or wounded were Al Qaeda members, Taliban, their tribal hosts or innocent Pakistanis. In any case, it is usually difficult to get correct information about any military operation, more so if it is covert and part of the so-called war on terror. There are claims and counter-claims and the truth is somewhere in the middle.
As usual, Pakistan lodged a protest with the US over the Bannu attack and complained that it violated its sovereignty. Needless to say, the US wasnt bothered by Pakistani protests. Rather, the frequency of its missile strikes has increased following Pakistani protests. The US even carried out a major ground assault in South Waziristan in September to signal its hostile intent. It was a warning that use of American and allied troops on Pakistani soil was an option in case someone important in the Al Qaeda or Taliban hierarchy hiding there was the target or simply in hot-pursuit of militants across Afghanistans border with Pakistan. It is now being said that the US agreed to stop, perhaps for the time-being, attacks by its ground forces in Pakistani territory provided it was given a free hand to continue with its missiles strikes by the CIA-operated drones.
Pakistani authorities, or officials of the foreign ministry to be precise, have been arguing in unusually forceful manner in recent days that the US wasnt authorized by international law or the terms of engagement between Islamabad and Washington to launch such strikes in Pakistani territory. By the way, shouldnt our democratically-elected government take its people into confidence about those terms of engagement? It is all the more important in view of the widely held belief, partly fuelled by apparently Pentagon-leaked reports in sections of the American press and by accusations frequently made by opposition politicians in Pakistan, that President Asif Al Zardari and the ruling PPP have agreed to an arrangement with the US under which the Pakistani government would simply protest the American missile strikes in Pakistani territory without taking any steps to stop the incursions. Despite denials by government functionaries, many Pakistanis continue to believe that the US has been allowed to carry out cross-border missile strikes in Pakistan. The low credibility of the present Pakistani rulers, particularly President Zardari, is reinforcing this impression. Doubts are also raised when some government functionaries such as ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani, make statements to the effect that the ruling PPP leadership was sincerely cooperating with the US and producing results in the "war on terror" unlike President General Pervez Musharrafs largely rhetorical and self-serving support to the Americans. After all, PPP leaders have been arguing that they could do a better job in tackling extremists compared to President Musharraf.
All this could be part of politics but the PPP leadership must do something to improve its credibility. It doesnt help when President Zardari is quoted as saying that the US should at least inform Pakistan when it is launching missile strikes in Pakistani territory. Many people take this as his acquiescence to US missile strikes. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, who has a habit of issuing strange statements, said the other day that missile strikes would end once Barack Obama was installed as president of the USA. Now how does he know Obamas mind or has the US President-elect revealed something to Mr Gilani that nobody else in the vast and powerful US administration is aware of. Putting words in someone elses mind appears to be a particular trait of our leaders. One can still remember General Musharraf declaring after the Pakistan-facilitated US invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001that the American attack would be short and targeted. More than seven years after the US attack, more than 70,000 American and NATO soldiers are battling to contain the Taliban resistance in Afghanistan and the attack was neither short nor targeted with all those civilian deaths and growing opposition to the war in many Western countries.
The sooner the government comes clean on the so-called terms of engagement in the "war on terror" between Pakistan and the US the better. Democratic rulers should not hide certain things from the people and more so if the issue is threatening the credibility and stability of the government. It is alright saying that only Pakistans armed forces will operate in Pakistani territory but then the people expect the government and the military to take concrete steps to ensure that no foreign intrusions occur on our soil. Failure to do so risks damaging not only the credibility but also the honour and self-respect of the nation, which everyone from a ruling politician to a soldier and an ordinary citizen. A weak country with demoralized leadership and armed forces then becomes a target of hostile forces, both outsiders and indigenous. The consequences in such a situation are already visible with the governments writ being openly challenged by militants.
pkpatriotic
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2008
- Messages
- 2,317
- Reaction score
- 0
Another US drone attack kills five in NWA
By Haji Mujtaba & Javed Afridi
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Two al-Qaeda men including Rashid Rauf believed dead; TTP denies any foreigner killed; spy planes also fly over Kohat, Bannu
MIRAMSHAH/PESHAWAR: A missile strike by a US drone in the North Waziristan Agency (NWA) killed five people and injured six others on Saturday.
Two al-Qaeda operatives, Abu Al-Asr Al-Misri and British militant Rashid Rauf, were among the dead.
Eye witnesses said two missiles were fired by a CIA-operated spy plane during the early hours of Saturday at the house of Khaliq Noor in Alikhel area of the NWA, killing five people, including three foreigners. Six others were also injured in the attack. The strike left the targeted house completely destroyed.
Two US Predators continued to fly even after the attack and remained in Pakistan’s airspace till Saturday afternoon.
Eyewitnesses said the tribesmen in various parts of the tribal territory also fired upon the drones.
The attack came despite a strong protest lodged by the government over the repeated violations of Pakistan’s territorial integrity on Thursday, when the US ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Office after the US drones struck a house in Bannu district on Wednesday, the first-ever attack in the settled areas of the NWFP.
Poor aimless & helpless rubbish Govt; disgrace for sovereign nation
Rashid Rauf, holding dual citizenship of Britain and Pakistan, was a prime suspect of the alleged terrorist plot to detonate liquid explosives on board several airliners travelling from the United Kingdom to the United States and Canada in 2006. Rauf was arrested but later managed to escape on his way to jail on December 14 last year in Islamabad and was not seen ever since.
Rauf was married to a relative of Maulana Masood Azhar, the leader of the banned Jaish-e-Muhammad. One of Rauf’s brothers, Tayib Rauf, was among those arrested in Britain, although he was later released.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Ahmedullah Ahmedi, reacting to the US attack, claimed that all the victims were local residents and there was no foreigner among the dead or injured, adding that the US drone had once again killed innocent civilians, including minors.
He also condemned an attack on the Army convoy at Pir Killay and denied the involvement of local Taliban in the attack. He said the Taliban were willing to restore peace in the area by accepting and offering peace talks to the government.
“We have nothing to do with the killing of innocent civilians and destroying their properties. Our target is the government, which wants to appease the US,” he added.
Our Kohat correspondent adds: US drones once again violated the airspace of Pakistan, hovering over Kohat and Bannu districts on Saturday. Eye witnesses said they saw two drones hovering over Kohat and Bannu.
Meanwhile, gunship helicopters were also seen hovering over Kohat and Darra Adamkhel all day long on Saturday, an unusual development.
By Haji Mujtaba & Javed Afridi
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Two al-Qaeda men including Rashid Rauf believed dead; TTP denies any foreigner killed; spy planes also fly over Kohat, Bannu
MIRAMSHAH/PESHAWAR: A missile strike by a US drone in the North Waziristan Agency (NWA) killed five people and injured six others on Saturday.
Two al-Qaeda operatives, Abu Al-Asr Al-Misri and British militant Rashid Rauf, were among the dead.
Eye witnesses said two missiles were fired by a CIA-operated spy plane during the early hours of Saturday at the house of Khaliq Noor in Alikhel area of the NWA, killing five people, including three foreigners. Six others were also injured in the attack. The strike left the targeted house completely destroyed.
Two US Predators continued to fly even after the attack and remained in Pakistan’s airspace till Saturday afternoon.
Eyewitnesses said the tribesmen in various parts of the tribal territory also fired upon the drones.
The attack came despite a strong protest lodged by the government over the repeated violations of Pakistan’s territorial integrity on Thursday, when the US ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Office after the US drones struck a house in Bannu district on Wednesday, the first-ever attack in the settled areas of the NWFP.
Poor aimless & helpless rubbish Govt; disgrace for sovereign nation
Rashid Rauf, holding dual citizenship of Britain and Pakistan, was a prime suspect of the alleged terrorist plot to detonate liquid explosives on board several airliners travelling from the United Kingdom to the United States and Canada in 2006. Rauf was arrested but later managed to escape on his way to jail on December 14 last year in Islamabad and was not seen ever since.
Rauf was married to a relative of Maulana Masood Azhar, the leader of the banned Jaish-e-Muhammad. One of Rauf’s brothers, Tayib Rauf, was among those arrested in Britain, although he was later released.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Ahmedullah Ahmedi, reacting to the US attack, claimed that all the victims were local residents and there was no foreigner among the dead or injured, adding that the US drone had once again killed innocent civilians, including minors.
He also condemned an attack on the Army convoy at Pir Killay and denied the involvement of local Taliban in the attack. He said the Taliban were willing to restore peace in the area by accepting and offering peace talks to the government.
“We have nothing to do with the killing of innocent civilians and destroying their properties. Our target is the government, which wants to appease the US,” he added.
Our Kohat correspondent adds: US drones once again violated the airspace of Pakistan, hovering over Kohat and Bannu districts on Saturday. Eye witnesses said they saw two drones hovering over Kohat and Bannu.
Meanwhile, gunship helicopters were also seen hovering over Kohat and Darra Adamkhel all day long on Saturday, an unusual development.
Imran Khan
PDF VETERAN
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2007
- Messages
- 68,815
- Reaction score
- 5
- Country
- Location
Rashid Rauf among five killed in North Waziristan drone strike
* Low-ranking Al Qaeda leader Abu Zubair Al Masri also killed in attack * Western diplomat says missile fired from a jet in Afghanistan
* UK probing report of Raufs death
MIRANSHAH/LONDON: British terror suspect Rashid Rauf was among the five people killed in a US drone attack in North Waziristan early on Saturday, officials and intelligence sources said.
We have got him, but dead, a senior intelligence official confided to Daily Times in Peshawar while referring to Rashid Rauf, the suspected mastermind of a 2006 plot to blow up trans-Atlantic airliners who was arrested in August 2006 and escaped from police custody in December 2007.
The government has not confirmed his killing.
Political administration officials said the attack targeted the house of Khaliq Noor in Khaisoor area of Alikhel village in Mir Ali tehsil 20 kilometres south of Miranshah. Locals said the house was known to host Al Qaeda and Taliban men. Local Taliban confirmed the attack but said all the dead were locals.
A Western diplomatic source told AFP the missile was fired from a jet across the border in Afghanistan
Low-ranking Qaeda leader: Peshawar-based intelligence officials said another Al Qaeda terrorist Abu Zubair Al Masri was also among the dead. He is a low-ranking Al Qaeda leader.
We are investigating at the moment, but we do not have any information, a British Foreign Office spokesman said about Raufs reported death. staff report/afp
* Low-ranking Al Qaeda leader Abu Zubair Al Masri also killed in attack * Western diplomat says missile fired from a jet in Afghanistan
* UK probing report of Raufs death
MIRANSHAH/LONDON: British terror suspect Rashid Rauf was among the five people killed in a US drone attack in North Waziristan early on Saturday, officials and intelligence sources said.
We have got him, but dead, a senior intelligence official confided to Daily Times in Peshawar while referring to Rashid Rauf, the suspected mastermind of a 2006 plot to blow up trans-Atlantic airliners who was arrested in August 2006 and escaped from police custody in December 2007.
The government has not confirmed his killing.
Political administration officials said the attack targeted the house of Khaliq Noor in Khaisoor area of Alikhel village in Mir Ali tehsil 20 kilometres south of Miranshah. Locals said the house was known to host Al Qaeda and Taliban men. Local Taliban confirmed the attack but said all the dead were locals.
A Western diplomatic source told AFP the missile was fired from a jet across the border in Afghanistan
Low-ranking Qaeda leader: Peshawar-based intelligence officials said another Al Qaeda terrorist Abu Zubair Al Masri was also among the dead. He is a low-ranking Al Qaeda leader.
We are investigating at the moment, but we do not have any information, a British Foreign Office spokesman said about Raufs reported death. staff report/afp
Imran Khan
PDF VETERAN
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2007
- Messages
- 68,815
- Reaction score
- 5
- Country
- Location
Policy on drone issue after parliamentary committee’s decision: PM
ISLAMABAD, Nov 22 (APP): Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said here on Saturday the government would take a decision on drone attacks against its territory soon after the parliamentary committee finalized a strategy on the issue. Talking to mediapersons after attending a function of Pak‑Turk International Schools and Colleges the Prime Minister said the parliamentary committee on security would meet on Dec 2. Theereafter it would recommend to the government on how to deal with the issue of drone attacks.
The Prime Minister said the parliamentary committee would be briefed by the foreign minister, defence minister, interior adviser and the Inter‑Services Intelligence (ISI) director general.
He said the government was following the parliamentary practice and thus it would decide on the drone issue with proper consultation.
To a question on having received any information about US and NATO forces taking new routes to carry out operation in Pakistan, the Prime Minister said that no such matter was in his knowledge.
Asked about the reason for his hope of change in policy towards Pakistan by US President‑elect Barack Obama, the Prime Minister said Obama’s election itself was a change, and therefore he expected some changes in US administration’s policies as well.
About Pakistan getting IMF loans, Gilani dispelled the impression that it would affect the country.
He said the government had agreed only to accept those terms and conditions that were in the interest of the country.
He recalled that the country’s institution functioned well even under the shadow of IMF during two tenures each of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.
To a question about the repeal of Article 58‑2(b), the Prime Minister said the parliamentary parties should sit together and decide on the matter.
On Pakistan Peoples Party’s terms with Punjab government, Gilani said “they are excellent.”
ISLAMABAD, Nov 22 (APP): Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said here on Saturday the government would take a decision on drone attacks against its territory soon after the parliamentary committee finalized a strategy on the issue. Talking to mediapersons after attending a function of Pak‑Turk International Schools and Colleges the Prime Minister said the parliamentary committee on security would meet on Dec 2. Theereafter it would recommend to the government on how to deal with the issue of drone attacks.
The Prime Minister said the parliamentary committee would be briefed by the foreign minister, defence minister, interior adviser and the Inter‑Services Intelligence (ISI) director general.
He said the government was following the parliamentary practice and thus it would decide on the drone issue with proper consultation.
To a question on having received any information about US and NATO forces taking new routes to carry out operation in Pakistan, the Prime Minister said that no such matter was in his knowledge.
Asked about the reason for his hope of change in policy towards Pakistan by US President‑elect Barack Obama, the Prime Minister said Obama’s election itself was a change, and therefore he expected some changes in US administration’s policies as well.
About Pakistan getting IMF loans, Gilani dispelled the impression that it would affect the country.
He said the government had agreed only to accept those terms and conditions that were in the interest of the country.
He recalled that the country’s institution functioned well even under the shadow of IMF during two tenures each of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.
To a question about the repeal of Article 58‑2(b), the Prime Minister said the parliamentary parties should sit together and decide on the matter.
On Pakistan Peoples Party’s terms with Punjab government, Gilani said “they are excellent.”
Imran Khan
PDF VETERAN
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2007
- Messages
- 68,815
- Reaction score
- 5
- Country
- Location
President asks US to respect Parliament | Asif, Kayani seek end to US hits
ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani and President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday in a meeting stressed that the United States must respect the Pakistani parliament's resolution regarding the war on terror.
The army chief called on the president here and apprised him of his recently concluded visits to Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Brussels. The issues pertaining to the prevailing security situation and frequent drone attacks in the border areas of Pakistan came under discussion.
Sources said that President Zardari and General Kayani agreed that the United States must respect the Parliament resolution. Earlier, in his video address to the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit President Asif Ali Zardari Saturday said despite differences, Pakistan and India have a great future together and neither country should feel threatened by the other. He also said Pakistan will not use nuclear weapons first.
"We shall take Pak-India relationship to a new level," President Zardari said.
"I do not feel threatened by India and India should not feel threatened by us," he said.
The president said: "Today we have a parliament which has already pre-agreed to a friendly relationship with India."
He said: "in spite of our disputes, we have a great future together." Zardari said. "I admit that the two countries have challenges but there a need for looking at the opportunities that exist between the two countries." The president said: "We (Pakistan and India) are at the crossroads of history. The world is in turmoil and there are challenges to be faced."
He said his late wife Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had said "we should grow to the challenge and with the help of the world we intend to grow with this challenge." The president said both Pakistan and India were facing more challenges from inside than outside. "In every Pakistani there is a little Indian and in every Indian there is a little Pakistani," Zardari said amid loud applause.
Zardari said bilateral ties remained strained during the cold war, but he hoped that the people of the two countries could now move together for a bright future. Asked if he would invite former president Pervez Musharraf to join the government, Zardari said: "It is for Parliament to decide."
Responding to a question about the country's economic situation and plans in place to improve it, he said he wished to bring out the real strength of Pakistan. "We believe in the concept of trade, not aid. Nations have been spoiled in the past by the concept of aid, so we are looking at being trading partners with the world, looking forward to finding new markets for Pakistan."
President Zardari said Pakistan also wanted to explore India's huge market of over one billion people and another 1.2 billion in China, "and take advantage of the region and take the country's development forward."
The president said he had brought a message of peace and love from Pakistan since he was also the bearer of the legacy of the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto. He said ZA Bhutto was the architect of the first Pakistan-India treaty -- the Simla agreement. He also mentioned the treaty signed between late Benazir Bhutto and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Zardari called for changing the current Pakistan-India mindset which has kept the two nations away from each other. Commenting on the possibility of a joint Pakistan-India operation to fight sea-piracy, the president said: "If asked, we will definitely join in and do whatever I can in this regard."
He said both Pakistan and India can together become trading powers like greater Europe and could also work together on the economic front. The president urged the people of India and Pakistan to initiate dialogue to resolve the longstanding issue of Kashmir.
He said after the dialogue between the two peoples, the politicians should suggest a solution which can render justice to the people of Kashmir.
Asked about long delays in getting visas, the president proposed adopting a methodology that uses an e-card instead of a passport, to ease the way the two peoples cross into each other's territory. Responding to a question about any shift in the Pak-US relationship as the new administration assumes office, and whether he saw any decline in the ties, he said it would happen only if Pakistan was found lacking in fighting the terrorists.
Zardari said he looked forward to interacting with President-elect Barack Obama to discuss entire bilateral issues and not just terrorism. Asked whether he missed his late wife, Zardari said "spiritually I feel her with me all the time. She is guiding us, not just me, but all the political forces in the country."
ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani and President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday in a meeting stressed that the United States must respect the Pakistani parliament's resolution regarding the war on terror.
The army chief called on the president here and apprised him of his recently concluded visits to Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Brussels. The issues pertaining to the prevailing security situation and frequent drone attacks in the border areas of Pakistan came under discussion.
Sources said that President Zardari and General Kayani agreed that the United States must respect the Parliament resolution. Earlier, in his video address to the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit President Asif Ali Zardari Saturday said despite differences, Pakistan and India have a great future together and neither country should feel threatened by the other. He also said Pakistan will not use nuclear weapons first.
"We shall take Pak-India relationship to a new level," President Zardari said.
"I do not feel threatened by India and India should not feel threatened by us," he said.
The president said: "Today we have a parliament which has already pre-agreed to a friendly relationship with India."
He said: "in spite of our disputes, we have a great future together." Zardari said. "I admit that the two countries have challenges but there a need for looking at the opportunities that exist between the two countries." The president said: "We (Pakistan and India) are at the crossroads of history. The world is in turmoil and there are challenges to be faced."
He said his late wife Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had said "we should grow to the challenge and with the help of the world we intend to grow with this challenge." The president said both Pakistan and India were facing more challenges from inside than outside. "In every Pakistani there is a little Indian and in every Indian there is a little Pakistani," Zardari said amid loud applause.
Zardari said bilateral ties remained strained during the cold war, but he hoped that the people of the two countries could now move together for a bright future. Asked if he would invite former president Pervez Musharraf to join the government, Zardari said: "It is for Parliament to decide."
Responding to a question about the country's economic situation and plans in place to improve it, he said he wished to bring out the real strength of Pakistan. "We believe in the concept of trade, not aid. Nations have been spoiled in the past by the concept of aid, so we are looking at being trading partners with the world, looking forward to finding new markets for Pakistan."
President Zardari said Pakistan also wanted to explore India's huge market of over one billion people and another 1.2 billion in China, "and take advantage of the region and take the country's development forward."
The president said he had brought a message of peace and love from Pakistan since he was also the bearer of the legacy of the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto. He said ZA Bhutto was the architect of the first Pakistan-India treaty -- the Simla agreement. He also mentioned the treaty signed between late Benazir Bhutto and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Zardari called for changing the current Pakistan-India mindset which has kept the two nations away from each other. Commenting on the possibility of a joint Pakistan-India operation to fight sea-piracy, the president said: "If asked, we will definitely join in and do whatever I can in this regard."
He said both Pakistan and India can together become trading powers like greater Europe and could also work together on the economic front. The president urged the people of India and Pakistan to initiate dialogue to resolve the longstanding issue of Kashmir.
He said after the dialogue between the two peoples, the politicians should suggest a solution which can render justice to the people of Kashmir.
Asked about long delays in getting visas, the president proposed adopting a methodology that uses an e-card instead of a passport, to ease the way the two peoples cross into each other's territory. Responding to a question about any shift in the Pak-US relationship as the new administration assumes office, and whether he saw any decline in the ties, he said it would happen only if Pakistan was found lacking in fighting the terrorists.
Zardari said he looked forward to interacting with President-elect Barack Obama to discuss entire bilateral issues and not just terrorism. Asked whether he missed his late wife, Zardari said "spiritually I feel her with me all the time. She is guiding us, not just me, but all the political forces in the country."
pkpatriotic
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2008
- Messages
- 2,317
- Reaction score
- 0
Pak army practises shooting drone
Pakistan's army on Friday carried out a training exercise in which pilotless aircraft drones were shot down by anti-craft guns and short range surface-to-air missiles, a military statement said.
The exercise was carried out as public pressure on the government in Islamabad is increasing to use force to halt air raids by US drones that target suspected militant hideouts in Pakistan's tribal region.
"The elements of army air defence demonstrated their shooting skills by targeting the drones flying at different altitudes," said the statement.
The indigenously built man-portable surface-to-air missile Anza II, the anti-aircraft Oerlikan and an unnamed 57 mm radar-controlled gun were used in the exercises that were conducted in a semi-desert area near Muzaffargarh in central Pakistan.
US spy planes have carried out around two dozen airstrikes in Pakistan's tribal districts, which are believed to have safe havens of Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters launching cross-border attacks on international forces in Afghanistan. Pakistan says the actions violate its sovereignty and undermine its efforts against terrorism.
Pakistan's army on Friday carried out a training exercise in which pilotless aircraft drones were shot down by anti-craft guns and short range surface-to-air missiles, a military statement said.
The exercise was carried out as public pressure on the government in Islamabad is increasing to use force to halt air raids by US drones that target suspected militant hideouts in Pakistan's tribal region.
"The elements of army air defence demonstrated their shooting skills by targeting the drones flying at different altitudes," said the statement.
The indigenously built man-portable surface-to-air missile Anza II, the anti-aircraft Oerlikan and an unnamed 57 mm radar-controlled gun were used in the exercises that were conducted in a semi-desert area near Muzaffargarh in central Pakistan.
US spy planes have carried out around two dozen airstrikes in Pakistan's tribal districts, which are believed to have safe havens of Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters launching cross-border attacks on international forces in Afghanistan. Pakistan says the actions violate its sovereignty and undermine its efforts against terrorism.
Imran Khan
PDF VETERAN
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2007
- Messages
- 68,815
- Reaction score
- 5
- Country
- Location
British lawmakers demand clarity over Rauf’s death
Sunday, 23 Nov, 2008 | 12:11 PM PST |
Rashid Rauf is pictured entering the courtroom in the civil court in Rawalpindi in this January 5, 2007 file photo. —AP
LONDON: Two British lawmakers urged the government to reveal on Sunday whether it knew in advance about a US missile attack in Pakistan which killed the alleged mastermind of an airplane bombing plot.
British-Pakistani Rashid Rauf died Saturday when a missile hit a tribesman’s house in the village of Alikhel. Rauf was the alleged Al-Qaeda mastermind of a 2006 transatlantic jet bombing conspiracy.
Lawmaker Andrew Dismore, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, will ask the scrutiny body to probe whether British intelligence services had been consulted about the missile strike, The Sunday Times newspaper reported.
‘This is a very serious matter, particularly if the attack was based on intelligence provided by the British security agencies,’ said the member of Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s governing Labour Party.
‘We can investigate whether British security services had involvement in providing intelligence concerning British nationals in Pakistan. I anticipate this is a matter the committee might like to follow up,’ he told the broadsheet.
‘If there is any suggestion of complicity of the UK security services in this particular incident then that is certainly something we would want to take into account in our work on this subject.’
Patrick Mercer, the main opposition Conservative Party’s former security spokesman, told the weekly: ‘This raises the question of how much co-operation the British intelligence agencies provided in what is ultimately the execution of a British subject.’
‘The government must explain its involvement and its future policy in this area.’
Rauf was arrested in 2006 in Pakistan over the bomb plot and 24 people were detained in Britain in a major swoop.
A day later a massive security operation at London Heathrow Airport resulted in mass cancellations for several days, amid fears of a terrorist attack using liquid explosives on London flights bound for North America.
The Foreign Office said Saturday it was probing reports that Rauf had been killed.
‘We are currently investigating this at the moment, but we do not have any information,’ a spokesman said.
Sunday, 23 Nov, 2008 | 12:11 PM PST |
Rashid Rauf is pictured entering the courtroom in the civil court in Rawalpindi in this January 5, 2007 file photo. —AP
LONDON: Two British lawmakers urged the government to reveal on Sunday whether it knew in advance about a US missile attack in Pakistan which killed the alleged mastermind of an airplane bombing plot.
British-Pakistani Rashid Rauf died Saturday when a missile hit a tribesman’s house in the village of Alikhel. Rauf was the alleged Al-Qaeda mastermind of a 2006 transatlantic jet bombing conspiracy.
Lawmaker Andrew Dismore, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, will ask the scrutiny body to probe whether British intelligence services had been consulted about the missile strike, The Sunday Times newspaper reported.
‘This is a very serious matter, particularly if the attack was based on intelligence provided by the British security agencies,’ said the member of Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s governing Labour Party.
‘We can investigate whether British security services had involvement in providing intelligence concerning British nationals in Pakistan. I anticipate this is a matter the committee might like to follow up,’ he told the broadsheet.
‘If there is any suggestion of complicity of the UK security services in this particular incident then that is certainly something we would want to take into account in our work on this subject.’
Patrick Mercer, the main opposition Conservative Party’s former security spokesman, told the weekly: ‘This raises the question of how much co-operation the British intelligence agencies provided in what is ultimately the execution of a British subject.’
‘The government must explain its involvement and its future policy in this area.’
Rauf was arrested in 2006 in Pakistan over the bomb plot and 24 people were detained in Britain in a major swoop.
A day later a massive security operation at London Heathrow Airport resulted in mass cancellations for several days, amid fears of a terrorist attack using liquid explosives on London flights bound for North America.
The Foreign Office said Saturday it was probing reports that Rauf had been killed.
‘We are currently investigating this at the moment, but we do not have any information,’ a spokesman said.
T-Rex
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2008
- Messages
- 9,989
- Reaction score
- -11
- Country
- Location
It's a question of courage and political will.
fatman17
PDF THINK TANK: CONSULTANT
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2007
- Messages
- 32,563
- Reaction score
- 98
- Country
- Location
not just that because u could be implying that pakistan dosnt have it in them. it has to do with the current realities in the area of conflict. the pakistan govt. needs to "come clean" on this subject.
S-2
PROFESSIONAL
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2007
- Messages
- 4,210
- Reaction score
- 0
CIA Strike Brings Bin Laden Closer- Australian
Some interesting stuff here to muddy the waters. Pakistani intell leads to another key hit.
Maybe heap big chiefs speak with forked tongue in Islamabad? Whatever works for you guys. Just keep passin' on that great targeting data.
Thanks.
Oh! Those McDonald's fries can be REALLY distracting. Especially when they're hot and fresh. Yummy. Glad I'm not escorting any prisoners tonight. Might let one escape just to get some lunch.
Yup.
Some interesting stuff here to muddy the waters. Pakistani intell leads to another key hit.
Maybe heap big chiefs speak with forked tongue in Islamabad? Whatever works for you guys. Just keep passin' on that great targeting data.
Thanks.
Oh! Those McDonald's fries can be REALLY distracting. Especially when they're hot and fresh. Yummy. Glad I'm not escorting any prisoners tonight. Might let one escape just to get some lunch.
Yup.
AgNoStiC MuSliM
ADVISORS
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2007
- Messages
- 25,259
- Reaction score
- 87
- Country
- Location
The investigation at the time indicated that Rauf's relatives had paid the cops off.
Last edited:
Similar threads
