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Where is the Pakistan army?

fatman17

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Where is the Pakistan army?

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Dr Farrukh Saleem

Five thousand square kilometres of Swat are now under Taliban control -- de jure. Chitral (14,850 sq km), Dir (5,280 sq km), Shangla (1,586 sq km), Hangu (1,097 sq km), Lakki Marwat (3,164 sq km), Bannu (1,227 sq km), Tank (1,679 sq km), Khyber, Kurram, Bajaur, Mohmand, Orkzai, North Waziristan and South Waziristan are all under Taliban control -- de facto. That's a total of 56,103 square kilometres of Pakistan under Taliban control -- de facto.

Six thousand square kilometres of Dera Ismail Khan are being contested. Also under 'contested control' are Karak (3,372 sq km), Kohat (2,545 sq km), Peshawar (2,257 sq km), Charsada (996 sq km) and Mardan (1,632 sq km). That's a total of 16,802 square kilometres of Pakistan under 'contested control' -- de facto. Seven thousand five hundred square kilometres of Kohistan are under 'Taliban influence'. Additionally, Mansehra (4,579 sq km), Battagram (1,301 sq km), Swabi (1,543 sq km) and Nowshera (1,748 sq km) are all under 'Taliban influence'. That's a total of 16,663 square kilometres of Pakistan under 'Taliban influence' -- de facto. All put together, 89,568 square kilometres of Pakistani territory is either under complete 'Taliban control', 'contested control' or 'Taliban influenced'; that's 11 per cent of Pakistan's landmass.

Where is Pakistan army? To be fair, under our constitution law enforcement -- and establishing the writ of the state -- is the responsibility of our civil administration. Yes, under Article 245, the federal government can call in the army "in aid of civil power" but the overall strategy has to be devised by our politicians. Counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency are very specialised operations. Textbook counter-insurgency has three elements: Clear-Hold-Build (C-H-B). The army may be required to 'clear' insurgents from a particular area but every army operation creates a vacuum that has to be filled by a civil-political administration. After the 'clearing' of insurgents it has to be the politicians to 'hold' that area and then fulfil the social contract -- dispensation of justice, municipal services etc -- between the ruled and the rulers (classic counter-insurgency is DDD, disrupt, dismantle and defeat).

At least 11 per cent of Pakistan's landmass has been ceded to the Taliban. Where is the Pakistan army? I Corps is in Mangla, II Corps is in Multan, IV Corps in Lahore, V Corps in Karachi, X Corps in Rawalpindi, XI Corps in Peshawar, XII Corps in Quetta, XXX Corps in Gujranwala and XXXI is in Bahawalpur, In effect, some 80 to 90 per cent of our military assets are deployed to counter the threat from India. The Pakistan army looks at the Indian army and sees its inventory of 6,384 tanks as a threat. The Pakistan army looks at the Indian air force and sees its inventory of 672 combat aircraft as a threat. The Pakistan army looks at the Indian army and notices that six out of 13 Indian corps are strike corps. The Pakistan army looks at the Indian army and finds that 15, 9, 16, 14, 11, 10 and 2 Corps are all pointing their guns at Pakistan. The Pakistan army looks at the Indian army and discovers that the 3rd Armoured Division, 4 RAPID Division and 2nd Armoured Brigade have been deployed to cut Pakistan into two halves. The Pakistan army looks at the Taliban and sees no Arjun Main Battle Tanks (MBT), no armoured fighting vehicles, no 155 mm Bofors howitzers, no Akash surface-to-air missiles, no BrahMos land attack cruise missiles, no Agni Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles, no Sukhoi Su-30 MKI air superiority strike fighters, no Jaguar attack aircraft, no MiG-27 ground-attack aircraft, no Shakti thermonuclear devices, no Shakti-II 12 kiloton fission devices and no heavy artillery.

Pakistan is on fire and our fire-fighters are on the Pakistan-India border. To be certain, none of those Indian tanks can cross the Himalayas into China so Arjun MBTs must all be for Pakistan. Thus, the Pakistan-India border has to be defended. Then, what about this hyperactive insurgency that is snatching away Pakistani physical terrain -- bit by bit? There certainly is no easy way out. America wants the Pakistan army to neutralise threats to the mainland US. The Pakistan army, on the other hand, has to defend the Pakistan-India border. The need of the hour, therefore, is for all organs of the Pakistani state -- the executive, the legislature, the judiciary and the military -- to put their heads together and devise a National Counter-Insurgency Policy.



The writer is the executive director of the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS). Email: farrukh15 ************
 
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"The need of the hour, therefore, is for all organs of the Pakistani state -- the executive, the legislature, the judiciary and the military -- to put their heads together and devise a National Counter-Insurgency Policy."

My history textbook taught me that there are three organs of the state: the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. When was the military included in decision-making? :azn:

Where is the army? The army is everywhere where it isn't supposed to be (and that's not only the Indo-Pak border). It needs to stop pulling the threads and let the three bodies actually responsible for running the country run it.
 
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Somebody leave the door open?

I feel a draft of fresh air.
 
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"The need of the hour, therefore, is for all organs of the Pakistani state -- the executive, the legislature, the judiciary and the military -- to put their heads together and devise a National Counter-Insurgency Policy."

My history textbook taught me that there are three organs of the state: the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. When was the military included in decision-making? :azn:

Where is the army? The army is everywhere where it isn't supposed to be (and that's not only the Indo-Pak border). It needs to stop pulling the threads and let the three bodies actually responsible for running the country run it.

well said madam!:enjoy:but our politicians just love to get the military involved in the decision-making process! old habits die hard!:enjoy:when Gen.Kiyani said he wanted the "political process" to run its course in Swat, he was villified by all and sundry for doing nothing!(including yours truly)! so where do we go from here! the most easiest thing to do is to "revise" your civics text-book!:cheers:
 
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well said madam!but our politicians just love to get the military involved in the decision-making process! old habits die hard!

No...it's the other way round. The military doesn't just like being a glorified chowkidar... It loves to involve itself in the country's running...their old habits die hard!

when Gen.Kiyani said he wanted the "political process" to run its course in Swat, he was villified by all and sundry for doing nothing!(including yours truly)!

Why was the army contacting Aitzaz Ahsan and Co. for the Long March, in fact for the entire two years of the Lawyers' Movement? As for the "political process", those are just statements, spewed by the hundreds every month by one politician (the COAS included) or another.

so where do we go from here! the most easiest thing to do is to "revise" your civics text-book!

No, we stick to principles accepted world over: the army does its job of protecting the country from external threats and the bureaucracy its. The two don't switch over because that's the easiest thing to do. Simple.




P.S.: Why does S-2 has to watch his back?
 
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well said madam!but our politicians just love to get the military involved in the decision-making process! old habits die hard!

No...it's the other way round. The military doesn't just like being a glorified chowkidar... It loves to involve itself in the country's running...their old habits die hard!

when Gen.Kiyani said he wanted the "political process" to run its course in Swat, he was villified by all and sundry for doing nothing!(including yours truly)!

Why was the army contacting Aitzaz Ahsan and Co. for the Long March, in fact for the entire two years of the Lawyers' Movement? As for the "political process", those are just statements, spewed by the hundreds every month by one politician (the COAS included) or another.

so where do we go from here! the most easiest thing to do is to "revise" your civics text-book!

No, we stick to principles accepted world over: the army does its job of protecting the country from external threats and the bureaucracy its. The two don't switch over because that's the easiest thing to do. Simple.




P.S.: Why does S-2 has to watch his back?

well you seem to have the "pulse" of the nation in the palm of your hands!and admiration for your "crystal-clear" thinking!

a bit of history teaching to our politicians would also help!

and as for S-2, you may want to ask him yourself!
 
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"watch your six mate!;)"

Head's always on a swivel here.

Dr. Saleem's comments-

"At least 11 per cent of Pakistan's landmass has been ceded to the Taliban. Where is the Pakistan army... In effect, some 80 to 90 per cent of our military assets are deployed to counter the threat from India."

You said "we go from here".

It isn't about textbooks. Do these deployments make the government's job easier or not? Rhetorically, what sort of patriot politician will stand up and say that India isn't the issue and your own citizens are?

...finally, the process of "advise and consent" entails the rendering of best professional advice even if it means falling on your sword doing so.

Ask Shinseki.

JMHO as I scan the horizon in ALL directions.:azn:
 
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"well you seem to have the "pulse" of the nation in the palm of your hands!and admiration for your "crystal-clear" thinking!"

Where is the nation's pulse and my crystal clear thinking coming in the middle from? :S

a bit of history teaching to our politicians would also help!
Yup, a bit of history teaching to the would-be military men in PMA would help even more :)


Okay, S-2 why do you have to watch your back?
 
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"watch your six mate!;)"

Head's always on a swivel here.

Dr. Saleem's comments-

"At least 11 per cent of Pakistan's landmass has been ceded to the Taliban. Where is the Pakistan army... In effect, some 80 to 90 per cent of our military assets are deployed to counter the threat from India."

You said "we go from here".

It isn't about textbooks. Do these deployments make the government's job easier or not? Rhetorically, what sort of patriot politician will stand up and say that India isn't the issue and your own citizens are?

...finally, the process of "advise and consent" entails the rendering of best professional advice even if it means falling on your sword doing so.

Ask Shinseki.

JMHO as I scan the horizon in ALL directions.:azn:

its about ground reality not textbooks as hardly anyone in this country can read let alone understand! and yes the deployments make sense but i am not sure if the govt. understands and admits this and no "patriot" (as I use the term loosely) politician will ever say that india is not the issue.
 
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"well you seem to have the "pulse" of the nation in the palm of your hands!and admiration for your "crystal-clear" thinking!"

Where is the nation's pulse and my crystal clear thinking coming in the middle from? :S

a bit of history teaching to our politicians would also help!
Yup, a bit of history teaching to the would-be military men in PMA would help even more :)


Okay, S-2 why do you have to watch your back?

it has too.

as for the PMA, i would suggest a lesson on the constitution rather than history!
 
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"Okay, S-2 why do you have to watch your back?"

Traces back to another thread.
 
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Despite the above, I heard Imran Khan claiming on the Geo TV (Guest of the bigot Hamid Mir, who else) in the Capital Talk last night that Taliban danger is being portrayed totally out of proportion. There is no possibility of Taliban taking over Pakistan. Threat of Taliban is deliberately exagerated so that Pakistan can get more Aid. It is just like courtiers telling Mohammed Shah Rangeela that Delhi is too far when Nadir Shah’s army entering Delhi.

Unfortunately Geo TV is helping Taliban by inviting hypocrites politicians such as Imran Khan; who have no mandate from the people; who are speaking out against the interest of Pakistan state. With friends like Imran Khan who needs enemies?
 
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Despite the above, I heard Imran Khan claiming on the Geo TV (Guest of the bigot Hamid Mir, who else) in the Capital Talk last night that Taliban danger is being portrayed totally out of proportion. There is no possibility of Taliban taking over Pakistan. Threat of Taliban is deliberately exasperated so that Pakistan can get more Aid. It is just like courtiers telling Mohammed Shah Rangeela that Delhi is too far when Nadir Shah’s army entering Delhi.

Unfortunately Geo TV is helping Taliban by inviting hypocrites politicians such as Imran Khan; who have no mandate from the people; who are speaking out against the interest of Pakistan state. With friends like Imran Khan who needs enemies?

I agree. Imran Khan is taking such a stand mainly to get votes from those who oppose the war on terrorism. There are many! But those people are mainly against the war on Taliban and not the war on Mehsud type Taliban. All in all those people are confused, the longer they stay confuse, the longer the nation will be defeated by the terrorists.
 
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well we dont call him IM the DIM for nothing!!
 
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