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International / Opinion WEB | JUN 09, 2014

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Self­inflicted WoundsThe attack on the airport in Karachi is just another in a long chain of devastating terrorist strikesagainst Pakistan's critical infrastructure and security establishments.AJIT KUMAR SINGH

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In an attack symbolic of the deteriorating security environment across Pakistan, more than 10terrorists, equipped with suicide vests, grenades and rocket launchers, infiltrated the JinnahInternational Airport in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, at mid­night on June 8­9, 2014,engaging in an extended firefight against security forces (SFs), that had resulted in 28 deathstill the time of writing. The dead included the 10 attackers, and at least another 18 people,including eight members of the Airport Security Forces (ASFs) two Rangers officials, onepolice officer and three Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) officials are among the dead..Explosions and gunfire that rang out across the airport through the night, ended just before5am [PST] on June 9, after a five hour siege, when the last of the 10 attackers was killed.However, the military later stated that the operation had been re­launched, as gunfire hadresumed. The operation continues at the time of writing. [See updates here]

The Chief Minister of Sindh Province, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, admitted, "They were well trained.Their plan was very well thought out." Indeed, one senior Pakistani intelligence official, whospoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that some of the terrorists tried to hijack a plane,but were unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, claiming responsibility for the attack, Tehreek­i­Taliban Pakistan (TTP)'spokesperson' Shahidullah Shahid declared that the attack had been planned much earlier, buthad been 'postponed' due to the peace talks.

Karachi, the port city which has been on the boil since long, had been on tenterhooks for lastthree days after the British police arrested Altaf Hussain, the leader of the Muhajir QuamiMovement (MQM), the city's biggest political party, who lives in London, on suspicion ofmoney laundering on June 3, 2014. Hussain was, however, released on June 6, but remainsunder investigation.

Pakistan's fragile security environment was equally evident in another attack on June 8, 2014,which occurred in the neighboring province of Balochistan, in which at least 23 Shia pilgrimsreturning from Iran were killed in a terrorist assault on two hotels ­ Al­Murtaza hotel andHashmi hotel ­ located in Taftan tehsil (revenue unit) of Chaghai District, near the Iranianborder. The terrorists attacked the pilgrims when their convoy of 10 buses stopped at the twohotels. Four of the attackers were later killed by the Levies Forces, after a heavy exchange offire. A banned outfit, Jaish­ul­Islam, claimed responsibility for the attack.

According to partial data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), at least 1,895people, including 859 civilians, 759 terrorists and 277 SFs have been killed in 593 incidents ofkilling in the first five months and eight days of the current year. Of these, 593 incidents ofkilling, 152 were major incidents (each involving three or more fatalities), resulting in 1312deaths. The number of suicide attacks and resultant fatality during this period stands at 18and 12, respectively. These fatalities occurred in incidents of explosion, sectarian attacks andother terrorist violence, across Pakistan.

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The violence is all pervasive, with Sindh, primarily Karachi, being the worst hit, recording atleast 389 civilian fatalities, followed by Balochistan, at 192 civilian fatalities; and KhyberPakhtunkhwa with 166 civilian fatalites. In terms of overall fatalities, FATA was at the top,registering 594 fatalities (including 477 terrorists).

Despite this unabated terror within Pakistan, there is an ongoing attempt at the highestechelons of power in the country, both in the military and the civilian establishment, toappease the 'good terrorists'. A series of talks have been held between a faction of the TTPand the civilian Government in the recent past, even as terrorist violence has persisted. Thetalks have now been suspended, but a claim made by a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen(Retd.) Mirza Aslam Beg, once again confirms that the military­mullah combine remains at thecore of terror in Pakistan, and any respite from this menace can only be achieved, if ever, byrupturing this bond. In a media interview, Beg stated,

It [the talks] were troubled as irrelevant people were holding talks. It will bearpositive results when the army and the Taliban, who are the actual parties to theconflict, will meet to resolve their issues. There was no justification for talksbetween the Government and TTP as it was bound to yield no results.

More interestingly, referring to a suicide attack targeting the SFs in which two senior Armyofficers were killed on June 4, 2014, Beg claimed this was a retaliatory assault by the TTP,adding, "That is not the first time the Tehreek­e­Taliban Pakistan have killed Army officers toavenge the military's strikes. Both the Army and the Taliban have been killing each otherduring the last 10 years in retaliation. Such acts by TTP will not hinder the peace talks."

Astonishingly, for a military establishment that displays such a wide tolerance for acts ofmurder by the TTP, the spectrum of tolerance for dissent and criticism from the media hasbeen starkly narrow. There have been relentless attempts to silence the media, with thecivilian Government expectedly toeing the Army's line.

Significantly, top Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir (47) was seriously wounded in a targetedshooting in Karachi on April 19, 2014. Mir's car was ambushed as soon as it left Karachi'sJinnah International Airport and was on the way to his Jang group­owned Geo TV's office. Mirhad earlier told his family, friends, colleagues, army and government officials in writing that hewould hold Inter­Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt. General Zaheerul Islam responsible if hewas attacked. Indeed, Mir's younger brother and journalist, Amir Mir, claimed, "Hamid Mir wason ISI's hit list since Ahmed Shuja Pasha was its chief. Zaheer­ul­Islam continued the policyof his predecessor. The ISI personnel are always present at airports. They knew hismovement from Islamabad to Karachi and blaming terrorists for this act is just nonsense." ISIand the military establishment, said to have been unhappy with Hamid Mir's talk shows onBalochistan's insurgency, ex­president General (Retd.) Pervez Musharraf's treason trial andthe military's interference in politics, were infuriated by these public denunciations.

Soon after the attack on Hamid Mir, and Amir Mir's accusations, the defence ministrydemanded that Geo TV's broadcast license be suspended. Despite Geo TV's public apologyon May 26, 2014, that "we have concluded that our coverage immediately after the tragic andunnerving attack on Hamid Mir on April 19 was excessive, distressful and emotional", thePakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), on June 6, 2014, declared that ithad formally shut down Geo TV for 15 days and imposed a $101,500 fine. On the same day,Geo TV issued a statement observing, "Geo and Jang Group (have) served legal notice on the

ministry of defence, Inter­Services Intelligence (ISI) and Pakistan Electronic Media RegulatoryAuthority (PEMRA) for defaming and maligning the group."

Given the might of the military, in a country where journalists are under constant threat, theoutcome of this confrontation is not difficult to predict. It is useful to recall that, according to arecent report by Amnesty International titled "A Bullet Has Been Chosen for You", at least 34Pakistani journalists have been killed as a direct result of their work, just since 2008.

Despite the sheer quantum of bloodshed in terrorist depredations within Pakistan, the statecontinues with its patronage to the entrenched terror industry, and to the strategic export ofterrorism from Pakistani soil. Pakistan's support to various Taliban factions operating inAfghanistan, and a range of terrorist groups acting in India, has been repeatedly documented.Most recently, on May 23, 2014, gunmen armed with machine guns and RPGs attacked theIndian Consulate in Herat Province in Afghanistan. Personnel of the Indo­Tibetan BorderPolice and Afghan SFs killed all four attackers in an encounter that lasted 10 hours.Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai later confirmed, "According to information given to us bya Western intelligence agency, the perpetrators of the Herat attack belonged to the LeT[Lashkar­e­Taiba]. This was mentioned in writing in the report shared with us".

It has long been an open secret that LeT is the ISI's 'most trusted' ally in its terroristenterprises. Waziristan, the lawless tribal region of Pakistan, has for long served as a safehaven for terrorist groups operating in India and Afghanistan, among other countries. A numberof Central Asian terrorist groupings, including the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU),Islamic Jihad Union (IJU) of Kazakhstan, the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) andJama'at Ansarullah (Society of Allah's Soldiers) of Tajikistan, and Al Islambouli Brigades of alQaeda, continue to receive protection on Pakistani soil. Recent reports indicate that a newterrorist formation, Ansar Al­Tawheed fi Bilad Al­Hind (The Supporters of Monotheism in theLand of India), has been established in this region.

While the Army remains reluctant to sustain operations in terror infested FATA and KhyberPakhtunkhwa, the enthusiasm for operations, including 'kill and dump' actions against activistsand their families, in Balochistan, continues to increase. On June 5, SFs in the provincelaunched another operation, killing at least 30 Baloch rebels in the Dera Bugti District ofBalochistan. Balochistan home minister Sarfraz Bugti said the militants were members of theBaloch Republican Army (BRA). One SF trooper was also killed and another eight were injuredduring the exchange of fire. Again on June 8, 10 Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militantswere killed in the operation. Conspicuously, SATP shows that Balochistan has recorded atleast 3,176 civilian fatalities since 2004. 294 civilian killings (192 in the South and 102 in theNorth) have been claimed by Baloch separatist formations such as the United Baloch Army(UBA), BRA, BLA and Balochistan Liberation Tigers (BLT). The Islamist and sectarianextremist formations, primarily Lashkar­e­Jhangvi (LeJ), TTP and Ahrar­ul­Hind (Liberators ofIndia) claimed responsibility for the killing of another 502 civilians, all in North, mostly in andaround Quetta. The remaining 2,380 civilian fatalities ­ 1,457 in the South and 923 in the North­ remain 'unattributed'. A large proportion of the 'unattributed' fatalities, particularly in theSouthern region, are believed to be the result of enforced disappearances carried out by stateagencies, or by their proxies, prominently including the Tehreek­e­Nafaz­e­Aman Balochistan(TNAB, Movement for the Restoration of Peace, Balochistan).

Pakistan persists in its perverse policy of cultivating its 'loyal' terrorist formations, which areused both for external strategic extension and domestic political management, even as it

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seeks to suppress groups that have turned renegade, or that have raised the banner of revoltagainst Islamabad. It is, however, the spaces created for 'friendly terrorists' that are beingprogressively occupied by groups inimical to the state, in a blowback that threatens tosnowball beyond the state's capacities of 'management'. The attack on the airport in Karachi isjust another in a long chain of devastating terrorist strikes against Pakistan's criticalinfrastructure and security establishments. With a military and political establishment thatrefuses to relinquish the instrumentalities of terrorism as instruments of state policy, Pakistancan only continue its accelerating hurtle into chaos.

Ajit Kumar Singh is Research Fellow, Institute for Conflict Management. Courtesy: the SouthAsia Intelligence Review of the South Asia Terrorism Portal

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AJIT KUMAR SINGH

PAKISTAN: TERRORISM IN BLASTS AIRPORTS

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11/D­23JUN 15, 201402:44 PM

India also did this mistake but recovered from it Or say corrected itscourse rather fast.Otherwise terrorism could have spread to TamilNadu asking for a separate country in union with Jaffna in Sri Lanka.Rajiv Govt was advised by IB and RAW that Tamil Nadu was fastbecoming yet another Punjab. So, he had an agreement withJayawardhane Govt. ,and a separate state for Tamil Sri Lankanswere created with a state govt and chief minister in place in Jaffna ina hurry. Thus it finally led to Raji Gandhi's assasination. Thoseforeign powers who were interested in disintegrating India had a handin this assasination but could not be traced by our IB and RAW asusual. We were fortunate to have checked terrorism right in thebegining.

There were terrorist overruns or free runs in Mizoram and Nagalandwith Pakistan support before Bangladesh was created. The self­created problem of Pakistan in their eastern wing of their countryresulting in rise of Bangladesh could nearly wipe out terrorist inMizoram and Nagaland .This must be understand in the context ofintensity of problem then and the prevailing governments andnormalized situations today.

It was the same with Punjab. Pakistan directed all its attention toPunjab when it sensed there were disgruntled elements in Punjab.US tried as much to catch fish in a hurricane.

Now Pakistan has to think clearly as to how to survive. Otherwisesoon it will be another Afghanistan. Every Talibani wants to turnPakistan in to Afghanistan virtually making it a tent house forterrorists. Pakistan is just as big as our Uttar Pradesh.There are nogood terrorists and bad terrorists. Such an idea is a stupid idea.

Every Pakistan Govt. must be given a book of Jain Saint Lord Mahavira. So that they understand that thinking about violencefinally leads to one's own destruction. Don't think about it and do notdo it. Also maintain some cleaniliness. Pakistan should start somemore factories to manufacture bath soaps.

America walked away after Soviet control over Afghanistan collaped.That was a revenge story of Vietnam and for which Americans paiddearly with a terrorist strike right in the heart of their city towers. Untilthen ,their so called stupid foreign secretaries were diplomaticallyencouraging Kashmiri terrorists. All that happend in 10 years of timein Kashmir happened just in one hour time in those two towers inAmerica. That is why American policy makers must read about LordMahavira and Jainism. But these people live like frogs in the well asfar their "ism" is concerned.

Whatever that you give to nature shall come back to you says LordKrishna. Let God protect Pakistan.Otherwise hords of thesePakistani poor people begin to knock India's doors at Wagh border.

BOWENPALLE VENURAJA GOPAL RAO.WARANGAL, INDIA PERMALINK | LIKE (3) | DISLIKE (0) | REPORT ABUSE

10/D­93JUN 14, 201408:47 PM

www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/

FRIDAY TIMES HAS LOT OF ARTICLES BY RESPONSIBLECOLUMINISTS ON KARACHI TERROR AND OVER ALLSITUATION OF JIHAD IN PAKISTAN.

Read and enjoy .

The Land of Pures is now dead !!!

India has to brace now for Islamic Terror wave .

A K GHAIMUMBAI, INDIA PERMALINK | LIKE (5) | DISLIKE (0) | REPORT ABUSE

9/D­90JUN 14, 201408:33 PM

''WAITING FOR GOD

THE images of the Karachi airport attackers, posted so proudly onjihadi websites, were still fresh in the mind when clips of the fighterswho had overrun Iraqi defences at Mosul started to appear in themedia. What was common to the two sets of images?

All 10 Karachi airport attackers were Uzbek nationals, belonging to

the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, while those who boastfullyallowed cameras to capture them flashing their European passportsafter taking Mosul belonged to the ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq andSyria). The Uzbek fighters died in Karachi, nearly 2,000 kilometresfrom home, and if the nationalities of some of the ISIS fighters atMosul were what they claimed, they too were over 2,000 kilometresfrom the comfort of their homes in various European cities.

Just as the assault through vulnerable points at the Karachi airportbetrayed knowledge of the area’s layout either via reconnaissance orinside collaboration, images of the ISIS fighters checking theidentities of those fleeing Mosul off a ‘wanted’ list of Iraqi officials ona laptop and summarily executing those found on it spoke volumesfor their organisation, intelligence capability — and brutality ofcourse.

If it were not for wishful thinking, what else would make so many ofus get up in the morning?

Yes, this well­honed global jihadi monster has a one­point agenda:capturing land and setting up its long­desired ‘Islamic emirate’ tofurther the goals of its takfiri ideology which may not have massappeal but still attracts such fierce, murderous loyalty that manyshudder at the thought of taking it on.

Yes, this well­honed global jihadi monster has a one­point agenda:capturing land and setting up its long­desired ‘Islamic emirate’ tofurther the goals of its takfiri ideology which may not have massappeal but still attracts such fierce, murderous loyalty that manyshudder at the thought of taking it on.

If this attitude was restricted to unarmed civilians in different partswhere these global jihadis are active it would be one thing. It isproving to be totally self­destructive for the society and establishedorder in many Muslim countries as even the state finds itselfincapable of dealing with this scourge.

Pakistan is no different. Over the years as this menace hassnowballed into an existential threat that is heading at us with thedevastating speed of an avalanche, we have continued to chase redherrings and indulged in outright delusional theorising. This mayalready have taken us beyond repair.'''

www.dawn.com/news/1112550/waiting­for­god

IRTAQ TO PAKISTAN ISLAMIC TERRORISTS ARE KILLING ATWILL .

HOW FAR INDIA IS FROM LAHORE OR ISLAMBAD.

WE HAVE THE HONOUR OF SHELTERING 1200 PLUS LOGISTIC

CELSS OF ISI WHOM WE CAN'T TOUCH DUE FEAR OFMUSLIMS' ANGER.

HOW MUCH TIME INDIA HAS BEFORE PAKISTAN LIKE TERRORATTCKS BURST OUT HERE ???

A K GHAIMUMBAI, INDIA PERMALINK | LIKE (5) | DISLIKE (0) | REPORT ABUSE

8/D­73JUN 14, 201405:32 PM

Iraq is due for Islamists take over other Arab Countries are facingthe same situation .African countries on knees before the Jihadimight .Pakistan gone .

India is under serious threat of imminent War of Terror .Jihadies WarCry is Islamsiize kaffir India .

A K GHAIMUMBAI, INDIA PERMALINK | LIKE (6) | DISLIKE (0) | REPORT ABUSE

7/D­72JUN 14, 201405:27 PM

Talibais­Lashkars want to shift Durand Line at Wagha Borders ofIndia.They would have succeeded but thank Almighty God that now BJPis ruling India .UPA was soft on Islamic Terror being afraid off VoteBanks .

A K GHAIMUMBAI, INDIA PERMALINK | LIKE (4) | DISLIKE (1) | REPORT ABUSE

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