Devil Soul
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Western border secured
Published: December 10, 2011
ABRAR SAEED AND SIKANDER SHAHEEN
ISLAMABAD Pakistan has warned the US and its Nato allies that it will give a detrimental response to any future attack on countrys sovereignty, as its forces said they were fully prepared to take any threat head on.
The warning came form Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani during his meeting with Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Friday afternoon wherein the two discussed various matters pertaining to the national security with a focus on the situation on Afghan border in the aftermath of deadly Nato strike in the Mohmand Agency.
Gen Kayani told Gilani that armed forces have brought major changes in its defence structure at the western border and the reinforced troops were now fully prepared to give a furious response to any violation of countrys sovereignty. The same day Pakistan forced a big shift in the rules of military engagement with the US and Nato by making operational a sophisticated defence system at Pak-Afghan border to take on any aerial assault in future.
The democratic government would not allow similar attack on the countrys sovereignty and any attempt in future will definitely meet the detrimental response, a statement issued from the PMs Secretariat quoted Gilani as saying. The government and the people of Pakistan were ready to provide the armed forces all the necessary resources to bolster its defence and professional capabilities, Gilani said.
Gen Kayani told PM Gilani in detail about the steps taken to revamp the defence capabilities aimed at effectively countering the recurrence of the incursion into the Pakistan territory. He told the PM that the troops along the border area had been reinforced and armed with modern weapons. Pakistan forces, he said, were now fully prepared to give a befitting response to any violation of borders.
The army chief also informed the premier on the implementation of the decision of Defence Committee of the Cabinet. The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the implementation of the DCC decisions and said that parliament would decide whether to open Nato supply route or not. The army chief thanked the prime minister over his support and expressed firm resolve of the army to defend the country.
Gen Kayani also informed that the Shamsi Airbase has been vacated by the US but they were yet to formally hand it over to Pakistani authorities. According to sources the base has been vacated completely by the US forces. It is expected that UAE officials will take control of the base from Saturday, which will then be handed over to Pakistan.
Earlier, talking to newsmen at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Friday, Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan is reassessing its relations with the United States, Nato and Isaf to redefine terms of cooperation with them. He said there were ups and downs in Pak-US relations, but Pakistan really wanted to improve its relations with the US.
To a question about Nato attack on Pakistani security forces, he said the matter was referred to the Parliamentary Committee on National Security to formulate recommendations to reassess relations with US, Nato and Isaf. The recommendations will be presented to a joint sitting of parliament, which will revisit and redefine terms of cooperation with the US and Nato forces in future, he added. We are also holding an inquiry into the incident, he added.
The prime minister visited PIMS to meet the patients who successfully underwent cataract surgeries conducted by a team of Chinese surgeons under a programme Bright Light Tour. The PM was briefed by PIMS Executive Director Prof Mehmood Jamal and was also introduced to the Chinese medical team, while Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Liu Jian accompanied him during the visit.
Gilani said the project was a vision of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao who announced it during his visit to Pakistan to mark 60 years of Pak-China friendship. The two countries are true friends and their relations are time tested and all weather, he said adding the project will be a milestone in enhancing ties of the two countries.
On the other hand, denoting a mega shift in the rules of military engagement with the US, Pakistan military has made operational a sophisticated defence system at Pak-Afghan border, on the security pattern already being followed at eastern border.
These measures that are reported to have taken on the pretext of establishing a foolproof security system against Afghan militant incursions at Pak-Afghan bordering areas in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), underline the major motive of giving a complete overhaul to military relations with the US and to take on Natos aerial assault in future.
According to official sources, Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) were already overseeing an advance integrated defence system for ground and aerial defence at Pak-Afghan borders in parts of Fata and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but this security mechanism, sources say, was not operational. Following last months deadly attack by Nato choppers at two Pakistan Army pickets in Mohmand Agency, the military initiated counter-offensive operational steps, besides reviewing the terms of engagement with the United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato). The said attack had cost Pakistan military the lives of its 24 men including two officers.
Negating the reports that a new defence system would be installed in the aforesaid border region, the some sources said that the already existent system was upgraded and it is sophisticated enough to take on aggression by any force on this planet.
The security system needed to be turned to operational mode which has been done now. Previously, such high-level security arrangements were made at Eastern Pak-Indian borders but after what they (Nato) did last month, rules of the game have to be revised.
Sharing some technical details, the intelligence sources said, 12.7 millimetres (mm) anti-aircraft guns and in-built radar systems that are already available with every platoon or battalion deputed at all the border areas are operationalised.
Reportedly, the military command has also ordered hunting down the unauthorised airplanes in the said area, particularly those hovering on low flights. Any suspicious plane or unauthorised aerial movement on low flights is ordered to be hunt down. Battles procedures are activated. The defence system is fully operational and troops are put to alert, according to intelligence officials.
The recent security arrangement has been made with prime emphasis on Mohmand Agency where the two pickets destroyed in Nato attacks are operational again. We would never have perceived threat from Nato had last months attack not happened, officials said.
The non-operational defence system or dormant radars, it is learnt, cannot detect the choppers equipped with stealth technology or choppers having night-vision features. Officials say, by making the dormant radars operational and undergoing necessary modifications, the defence system, too a great deal, would be made capable of detecting stealth and night vision choppers or jets, though not completely. Similar security arrangements are taken at Pak-Afghan border in Balochistan.
Data available with TheNation suggests, Pakistan Army has two Corps Headquarters, five Divisions or Div HQs, 23 Infantry brigades, 83 Infantry battalions, two Special Services Group (SSG) battalions, nine Artillery field regiments, 11 Medical Artillery regiments, four Armoured Corps regiments and three additional regiments deployed in Fata while militarys major paramilitary wing Frontier Corps has 1 HQ and 58 wings deputed there.
Director General Military Operations Major General Ashfaq Nadeem on Thursday had hinted at making Pakistans defence system operational at Pak-Afghan border reiterating that any future aggression would get a befitting response. He said this while briefing cabinet and two parliamentary panels.
Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani had issued a command communiqué to all the operational divisions on December 1 ordering suspension of chain of command in case of aggression from any outside force and authorising the operational commanders to offer full-force retaliation in any such given scenario.
Western border secured | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online
Published: December 10, 2011
ABRAR SAEED AND SIKANDER SHAHEEN
ISLAMABAD Pakistan has warned the US and its Nato allies that it will give a detrimental response to any future attack on countrys sovereignty, as its forces said they were fully prepared to take any threat head on.
The warning came form Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani during his meeting with Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Friday afternoon wherein the two discussed various matters pertaining to the national security with a focus on the situation on Afghan border in the aftermath of deadly Nato strike in the Mohmand Agency.
Gen Kayani told Gilani that armed forces have brought major changes in its defence structure at the western border and the reinforced troops were now fully prepared to give a furious response to any violation of countrys sovereignty. The same day Pakistan forced a big shift in the rules of military engagement with the US and Nato by making operational a sophisticated defence system at Pak-Afghan border to take on any aerial assault in future.
The democratic government would not allow similar attack on the countrys sovereignty and any attempt in future will definitely meet the detrimental response, a statement issued from the PMs Secretariat quoted Gilani as saying. The government and the people of Pakistan were ready to provide the armed forces all the necessary resources to bolster its defence and professional capabilities, Gilani said.
Gen Kayani told PM Gilani in detail about the steps taken to revamp the defence capabilities aimed at effectively countering the recurrence of the incursion into the Pakistan territory. He told the PM that the troops along the border area had been reinforced and armed with modern weapons. Pakistan forces, he said, were now fully prepared to give a befitting response to any violation of borders.
The army chief also informed the premier on the implementation of the decision of Defence Committee of the Cabinet. The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the implementation of the DCC decisions and said that parliament would decide whether to open Nato supply route or not. The army chief thanked the prime minister over his support and expressed firm resolve of the army to defend the country.
Gen Kayani also informed that the Shamsi Airbase has been vacated by the US but they were yet to formally hand it over to Pakistani authorities. According to sources the base has been vacated completely by the US forces. It is expected that UAE officials will take control of the base from Saturday, which will then be handed over to Pakistan.
Earlier, talking to newsmen at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Friday, Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan is reassessing its relations with the United States, Nato and Isaf to redefine terms of cooperation with them. He said there were ups and downs in Pak-US relations, but Pakistan really wanted to improve its relations with the US.
To a question about Nato attack on Pakistani security forces, he said the matter was referred to the Parliamentary Committee on National Security to formulate recommendations to reassess relations with US, Nato and Isaf. The recommendations will be presented to a joint sitting of parliament, which will revisit and redefine terms of cooperation with the US and Nato forces in future, he added. We are also holding an inquiry into the incident, he added.
The prime minister visited PIMS to meet the patients who successfully underwent cataract surgeries conducted by a team of Chinese surgeons under a programme Bright Light Tour. The PM was briefed by PIMS Executive Director Prof Mehmood Jamal and was also introduced to the Chinese medical team, while Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Liu Jian accompanied him during the visit.
Gilani said the project was a vision of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao who announced it during his visit to Pakistan to mark 60 years of Pak-China friendship. The two countries are true friends and their relations are time tested and all weather, he said adding the project will be a milestone in enhancing ties of the two countries.
On the other hand, denoting a mega shift in the rules of military engagement with the US, Pakistan military has made operational a sophisticated defence system at Pak-Afghan border, on the security pattern already being followed at eastern border.
These measures that are reported to have taken on the pretext of establishing a foolproof security system against Afghan militant incursions at Pak-Afghan bordering areas in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), underline the major motive of giving a complete overhaul to military relations with the US and to take on Natos aerial assault in future.
According to official sources, Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) were already overseeing an advance integrated defence system for ground and aerial defence at Pak-Afghan borders in parts of Fata and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but this security mechanism, sources say, was not operational. Following last months deadly attack by Nato choppers at two Pakistan Army pickets in Mohmand Agency, the military initiated counter-offensive operational steps, besides reviewing the terms of engagement with the United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato). The said attack had cost Pakistan military the lives of its 24 men including two officers.
Negating the reports that a new defence system would be installed in the aforesaid border region, the some sources said that the already existent system was upgraded and it is sophisticated enough to take on aggression by any force on this planet.
The security system needed to be turned to operational mode which has been done now. Previously, such high-level security arrangements were made at Eastern Pak-Indian borders but after what they (Nato) did last month, rules of the game have to be revised.
Sharing some technical details, the intelligence sources said, 12.7 millimetres (mm) anti-aircraft guns and in-built radar systems that are already available with every platoon or battalion deputed at all the border areas are operationalised.
Reportedly, the military command has also ordered hunting down the unauthorised airplanes in the said area, particularly those hovering on low flights. Any suspicious plane or unauthorised aerial movement on low flights is ordered to be hunt down. Battles procedures are activated. The defence system is fully operational and troops are put to alert, according to intelligence officials.
The recent security arrangement has been made with prime emphasis on Mohmand Agency where the two pickets destroyed in Nato attacks are operational again. We would never have perceived threat from Nato had last months attack not happened, officials said.
The non-operational defence system or dormant radars, it is learnt, cannot detect the choppers equipped with stealth technology or choppers having night-vision features. Officials say, by making the dormant radars operational and undergoing necessary modifications, the defence system, too a great deal, would be made capable of detecting stealth and night vision choppers or jets, though not completely. Similar security arrangements are taken at Pak-Afghan border in Balochistan.
Data available with TheNation suggests, Pakistan Army has two Corps Headquarters, five Divisions or Div HQs, 23 Infantry brigades, 83 Infantry battalions, two Special Services Group (SSG) battalions, nine Artillery field regiments, 11 Medical Artillery regiments, four Armoured Corps regiments and three additional regiments deployed in Fata while militarys major paramilitary wing Frontier Corps has 1 HQ and 58 wings deputed there.
Director General Military Operations Major General Ashfaq Nadeem on Thursday had hinted at making Pakistans defence system operational at Pak-Afghan border reiterating that any future aggression would get a befitting response. He said this while briefing cabinet and two parliamentary panels.
Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani had issued a command communiqué to all the operational divisions on December 1 ordering suspension of chain of command in case of aggression from any outside force and authorising the operational commanders to offer full-force retaliation in any such given scenario.
Western border secured | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online
