Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said on Monday that the May 11 elections amply demonstrate that “as a nation we can withstand any challenge”.

“In these elections, the people of Pakistan courageously withstood the threat of terrorism and defied the unfounded dictates of an insignificant and misguided minority,” Gen Kayani said while addressing a day-long conference at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Monday.

The conference titled ‘Saving Lives by Jointly Defeating IEDs’ was attended by experts from several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Turkey.

The army chief also proposed a regional military forum to counter the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which have inflicted heavy casualties on US-led foreign forces fighting a Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan.

The proposed counter-IED forum could go a long way in eliminating the threat posed by homemade bombs, if supported by the international community, he added.

Speaking at the event, experts from the US and Britain acknowledged Pakistan for taking concrete steps in recent months, towards stopping the smuggling of calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), one of the main ingredients used in IEDs.

US officials claim that about 80% of the IEDs used in Afghanistan have homemade explosives as the main charge, and more than 80% of these are derived from CAN fertiliser produced in Pakistan.

However, Gen Kayani dispelled the impression that CAN smuggling was the sole stumbling block in eliminating the threat of homemade bombs.

“Production of CAN has come under national and international focus, to the extent of creating a perception that controlling CAN alone can remove the menace of IEDs. Our arguments against this singular perception were taken as unwillingness to act against IEDs,” he added.

However, CAN is only one of the precursors of IEDs, dozens of other are readily available. Moreover, Pakistan is not the only country producing CAN, other regional countries also produce CAN which has a higher degree of nitrogen content than what Pakistani CAN possesses, he said.

The army chief further said that ammonium nitrate, produced in certain regional countries, has 34% to 35% nitrogen content as opposed to 26% contained in what is produced in Pakistan. There is evidence that as Pakistan tightened the control on sale and distribution of CAN, terrorists simply switched to other precursors, like potassium chlorate, not produced in Pakistan, he argued.

Therefore, he said that the underlying complexity of the issue “forces us to adopt a multinational and holistic government approach.”

The army chief told the conference that contrary to prevalent perceptions, Pakistan had come a long way in fighting the IEDs threat during the past three years. “Pakistan has taken significant policy initiatives to counter IEDs. The Pakistan Army, aware of the seriousness of the threat, is leading the drive to create a pragmatic, cost-effective and efficient counter-IED strategy,” he said.

This strategy, he added, aims at creating awareness, assisting in legislation and adopting best practices from across the world to suitably equip and effectively train our forces. He added that the policy was meant to develop a proactive rather than reactive response to the threat at the national level.

Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Director for Operations/Intelligence Integration, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organisation USA, Brig Gen Roberts P Walters Jr concurred with Gen Kayani and praised Pakistani efforts to reinforce its border to curb fertiliser smuggling into Afghanistan. Walters praised Pakistani efforts to reinforce its border to curb fertiliser smuggling into Afghanistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2013.

Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani talking at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Monday proposed to set up a Regional Military Forum as part of an initiative to counter the threat posed by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

IEDs have reportedly been the major cause of fatalities amongst the US-led foreign troops stationed in Afghanistan.

Gen Kayani said that the proposed Counter-IED forum, supported by the wider international community, could go a long way in eliminating the threat posed by homemade bombs.

He was talking at the international symposium on “Saving lives by jointly defeating IEDs” which was attended by experts from a number of countries such as United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Turkey.

Pakistan’s efforts recognised

Speakers from the US and Britain acknowledged steps Pakistan had taken in recent months to stop the smuggling of calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), one of the main ingredients used in the IEDs.

According to US, about 80 percent of the IEDs used in Afghanistan have homemade explosives as the main charge, and more than 80 percent of these are derived from CAN fertiliser produced in Pakistan.

Pakistan not the only source of fertiliser

However, the Army chief ventured to dispel the impression that the CAN smuggling was the sole stumbling block in eliminating the threat of homemade bombs.

“Production of CAN has come under national and international focus, to the extent of creating a perception that controlling CAN alone, can remove the menace of IEDs and our arguments against that perception were almost taken as unwillingness to act against IEDs,” Kayani said.

CAN is only one of the precursors of IEDs, he said. There are dozens of others which remain readily available. Moreover, he stressed that Pakistan is not the only country producing CAN. Other countries in the region also produce CAN which has a higher degree of nitrogen content than what Pakistani CAN possesses, he continued.

The army chief further said that Ammonium Nitrate, produced in certain regional countries can contain up to 34-35 percent of nitrogen content as opposed to 26 percent contained in the Pakistani product (F/A).

There is evidence to suggest that as Pakistan tightened the control on the sale and distribution of CAN, terrorists simply switched to other precursors, like Potassium Chlorate, not produced in Pakistan, he argued.

These underlying complexities on the issue, he said, “forces us to adopt a multinational, as well as a country-wide approach.”

The army chief told the conference that contrary to prevalent perceptions, Pakistan has come a long way in fighting IED threat since the last three years.

“Pakistan has taken significant policy initiatives to counter the IED threat. Pakistan Army, aware of the seriousness of the threat, is leading the drive to create a pragmatic, cost-effective and efficient C-IED Strategy,” he explained.

This strategy, he added, aimed at creating awareness, assisting legislation, adopting best practices from across the world, suitably equipping the forces and effectively training them.

Highlighting the challenge posed by terrorism, Kayani said the recently held general elections had amply demonstrated that ‘as a nation we can withstand any challenge.’

“In these elections, people of Pakistan not only courageously withstood the threat of terrorism; they also defied unfounded dictates of an insignificant and misguided minority,” he remarked.

Deputy Director for Operations/Intelligence Integration, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization, USA, Brig. Gen. Roberts P. Walters Jr. praised Pakistan’s efforts to reinforce its border to curb fertilizer smuggling into Afghanistan.

ISLAMABAD: Officially, little came out from Saturday’s meeting between the incoming premier, Nawaz Sharif, and army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Express Tribune, however, learnt on Sunday that the two sides agreed to ‘overhaul’ the country’s national security and foreign policies.

During the meeting, which lasted three-and-half hours, at Sharif’s Model Town residence in Lahore, the PML-N chief told Kayani that he plans to revisit the policies of the previous administration that have “not only damaged Pakistan’s relations with other countries but also hurt its national interest”.

A close aide to Nawaz told The Express Tribune that the security establishment will hold a detailed briefing on major national security and foreign policy issues for the new government once it is formally sworn in.

The aide quoted Gen Kayani as telling Nawaz that the army “fully respects the mandate given to his party and is ready to follow whatever policies he intends to pursue in the larger national interest”.

Reportedly, the army chief also put his weight behind PML-N’s efforts seeking an immediate end to the US drone campaign in the tribal belt. According to another source, Kayani told Nawaz that the security establishment had no ‘secret understanding’ with the US on its drone campaign. The source pointed out that the PML-N intends to raise the issue with the US administration as soon as it takes charge.

Saturday’s meeting was also aimed at dispelling the impression that PML-N’s election victory might put it at odds with the security establishment because of the ‘historic baggage’, said another PML-N leader.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said Nawaz assured Gen Kayani that he had “no grudge against the army as an institution” and that he was ready to work with it to steer the country out of crises.

“It [Kayani-Nawaz meeting] will have a calming effect and will smooth civil-military relations,” said political analyst Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed. “It will also certainly settle nerves in both camps,” he added.

Safe exit for Musharraf

Another issue that was thought to be discussed in Saturday’s meeting was the fate of former president Pervez Musharraf, who is currently under house arrest at his farmhouse on the outskirts of Islamabad.

PML-N sources said there was growing sense within the party’s ranks that Musharraf’s presence in the country and his possible trial could distract the new government from pressing issues. Therefore, if the former president is allowed to leave the country under the pretext of his mother’s ill health or any other reason, the party should not object to it.

While it is clear what the Sharifs intend to do, one party leader said: “If Musharraf leaves the country before the government takes charge, it will be a win-win situation.”

Reportedly, a message has been circulated within the army that Musharraf will be allowed to leave the country soon. The ‘message’ was conveyed in a bid to pacify growing unease within the army over the trial of its former chief.

A military official, when approached, referred to the statement of Gen Kayani he made on ‘Yaum-e-Shuhada’ last month emphasising that “It is not merely retribution, but awareness and participation of the masses that can truly end this game of hide and seek between democracy and dictatorship.”

When contacted, however, both the PML-N and the army refused to comment on the matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2013.

Speaking at a news conference, Adam Thomson said that Altaf’s remarks on Sunday threatening Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporters and demanding Karachi to be separated from the rest of Pakistan should be taken seriously.

However, Thomson insisted that it was up to the Metropolitan police, and not the British government, whether to proceed against the MQM chief.

Altaf’s statement caused uproar across the country, although the MQM chief clarified the next day that he didn’t make any demand for secession and that his statement was misinterpreted by the media.

“The British police are fiercely independent of the British government. And it is for the British police to investigate allegations of incitement to violence or incitement to hatred,” was Thomson’s reply when asked about the fate of ‘thousands of complaints’ against Altaf.

Thomson pointed out that “as far as the United Kingdom is concerned, we have very strong laws which prohibit incitement to violence or incitement to hatred.  And we take these laws seriously.”

The British envoy added that the Metropolitan police do investigate such allegations seriously and on every occasion they have to make a judgment about whether they can bring a successful prosecution or not.

Commenting on MQM’s statement retracting Altaf’s remarks, he said, “So he is not as I understand it maintaining a position that he is definitely going to disintegrate. But I don’t want to quibble. I repeat my first point which is that such statements are taken very seriously,” he added.

To another question, the envoy ruled out extradition of the MQM chief to Pakistan. “About handing over an individual, you have to go through the whole extradition process for that. And as you know, that is complicated in the UK-Pakistan case as there is no extradition treaty. It doesn’t make it impossible, but it does make it quite difficult,” he added.

Switching the subject to the May 11 parliamentary polls, Thomson said the elections were “indeed a step forward for Pakistan”.

“I believe that Pakistan and Pakistanis can be very proud indeed of the May 11 elections. They stand taller in the community of nations as a result of 11 May,” he said. However, he voiced concerns over certain media reports suggesting disenfranchisement of women in some constituencies. “Of course, not everything on May 11 went perfectly. We are well aware of the claims. Things needed to be better and indeed lessons will, no doubt, be learnt from these elections,” Thomson said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2013.

On Tuesday, Sherry Rehman ended her two-year stint as Islamabad’s top diplomat to Washington by quitting her post.

Rehman, who was also a former member of the National Assembly and the ex-information minister, was assigned the key diplomatic post in 2011 after her predecessor, Hussain Haqqani, resigned over the memogate scandal.

A spokesperson for the Pakistani Embassy in Washington confirmed her resignation.

“Congratulating the new parliament on its election, Ambassador Sherry Rehman has sent in her resignation to the PM,” the embassy said on its official Twitter account early Tuesday Pakistan Standard Time.

Manzoor Wattoo resigns as PPP Punjab president

Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, president of PPP’s central Punjab chapter, also submitted a letter of resignation to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, accepting failure in performing his duties.

Wattoo accepted responsibility for PPP’s defeat in the general elections in Punjab. He listed the problems of water and electricity scarcity, economic instability and media trials as the reasons for defeat.

Senator Aitzaz Ahsan offers resignation

Senior PPP leader and Senator Barrister Aitazaz Ahsan also offered his resignation from the upper house of parliament on Tuesday.

According to Aitzaz, voting results were bizarre as some polling stations had recorded a 150% voter turnout.

Results given by the Election Commission of Pakistan should be reviewed, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2013.

In its interim report, the European Union, which deployed the largest foreign election observer mission in Pakistan, said the voting at 90% of the polling stations remained ‘satisfactory’.

However, ‘serious irregularities’ were reported on the remaining 10% polling stations mostly in Sindh, said Chief Observer Michael Gahler while releasing the preliminary findings of EU observers during a news conference.

“Overall, this election in Pakistan was indeed a step forward towards democracy,” added Gahler, who also headed the EU mission in 2002 and 2008 parliamentary elections.

He said the EU mission undertook limited observation in Karachi, where they saw some ‘serious problems’ in polling. Karachi was the focus of most complaints reported by rival political parties.

Responding to a question, Gahler said they took note of threats by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain about ‘detaching’ Karachi from the rest of Pakistan. “Let’s see what action the British government takes against its citizen,” he said.

Over 140 EU observers scrutinised polling, counting and the compilation of results covering in total 679 polling stations in 140 constituencies.

Gahler noted that compared to 2008, the number of women National Assembly candidates were doubled, from 64 to 158, and almost tripled for the provincial assembly seats from 116 to 298.

Reading out the interim assessment, the chief observer said strong commitment was shown to the democratic process by political parties, candidates and voters, who continued to participate in the electoral process despite high levels of militant attacks in parts of the country.

“Violence by non-state actors did not deter voters from casting their votes in unprecedented numbers and reconfirming their determined support for democratic rule,” the report noted.  It also pointed out that there was increased confidence in the Election Commission, which had undertaken some stakeholder consultation and was generally seen as operating with more independence.

The ECP, however, has not used its broad powers to establish a complete regulatory framework, leaving critical aspects of the election open to discretion and the ECP vulnerable to inadequate decision-making, it added.

Regarding access of European Union Mission in Balochistan and Fata, Gahler said “Pakistan did not stop us from observing the electoral process there but we ourselves showed restraint due to our own staff security rules.”

Meanwhile, a separate mission by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) recommended that polling results be declared null and void in constituencies where women were not allowed to vote.

In its interim report, the Commonwealth Observer Mission said 2013 elections represented ‘notable progress for Pakistan towards holding fully democratic elections.’

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.

The influential party member, who advises Nawaz on foreign policy, said that the focus of PML-N’s foreign policy would be on safeguarding the ‘supreme national interest.’ “It may sound clichéd but we mean it,” he said, requesting anonymity.

Asked whether the PML-N government would renegotiate the current terms of engagement, including a deal with the US to facilitate the troop pullout from Afghanistan, he said, “We will look into all such arrangements to find out whether they conform to the country’s national interest.”

However, he added that the PML-N did not seek a ‘divorce’ with the US.  “Our foreign policy will make sure that it protects Pakistan’s interest without damaging its relations with other countries, including the US,” he added and recalled that Nawaz had enjoyed a good ‘rapport’ with the US administration in 1998, even after Pakistan conducted the nuclear tests.

The aide also said that the PML-N government would persuade the US administration to halt drone strikes in Pakistan’s tribal regions. “We consider such attacks a violation of our territorial integrity and sovereignty.”

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal before the elections, Nawaz said he was confident he would find an agreement with the US on controversial issues, such as drone strikes in the tribal belt. Experts believe the US troop pullout from Afghanistan in 2014 will test Nawaz’s negotiating skills.

“How Pakistan deals with that situation will be a significant challenge which Nawaz has to confront,” said political analyst Zafarullah Khan.

Nawaz, who is considered close to Saudi Arabia, also faces a big test in ensuring a balance in Islamabad’s relations with Tehran.  The Saudis are said to be against Pakistan’s plans to import natural gas from Iran. But the former ruling party dismissed the pressure and went ahead with the agreement just days before the government’s tenure expired.

Nawaz’s aide said that although the would-be premier recognises the fact that Pakistan must look at all means to meet its energy demands, he would review the Iran-Pakistan (IP) pipeline project.

“We will have to see whether the initiative was genuine or just a political gimmick by the Pakistan Peoples Party,” he argued, adding that the PML-N administration would analyse whether the IP project was economically viable and ‘whether it will damage our relations with other countries’.

On relations with India, the aide pointed out that Nawaz would pick up where he left off in 1998, when then Indian prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visited Lahore.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2013.

In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Awami National Party (ANP), a member of the ruling coalition in the centre for the past five years, is all but routed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

In 2008 elections, ANP secured 13 National Assembly and 54 provincial assembly seats. But in this election, as per the progressive results, the party has suffered a major blow in the National Assembly seat.

Adding to ANP’s losses, party stalwarts including Asfandyar Wali Khan and Ghulam Ahmed Bilour have lost from their respective constituencies. Bilour, an ex-railway minister, conceded defeat from NA-1 Peshawar where PTI chief Imran Khan emerged as winner.

Not only ANP but the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) seem to be in troubled waters in the province, and are struggling to retain their position.

In the last election, the JUI-F won 7 National Assembly and 26 provincial assembly seats respectively. The Jamaat-e-Islami, which boycotted the 2008 polls, appears to have dented the JUI-F in the province.

The 2013 elections also proved to be fatal for the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q).

In 2008 polls, the PML-Q bagged 54 National Assembly seats while it also won 118 provincial assembly seats.

Though Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi won his home constituency Gujarat, other party candidates faced drubbing at the hands of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) in Punjab.

Among the small political parties, it appears that only Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) will be in a position to retain their past position. In the 2008 elections, the MQM had 25 National Assembly seats while it also won 51 provincial assembly seats from Sindh. The figures include reserved seats for women.

The nationalist parties particularly Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) has made a comeback in Balochistan. The PkMAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai won his National Assembly seats from Quetta while his other party candidates are also expected to do well in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 12^th, 2013.

“We have heard reports that the electoral roll has been much improved, which is encouraging. I think the electoral roll in Pakistan is now one of the best among the Commonwealth countries,” Sir Douglas Kidd, who is heading a 13-member Commonwealth Observer Mission, told The Express Tribune on Friday.

However, he said there were certain areas of concerns, including millions of women voters, who were still missing from the electoral rolls. “We hope in due course of time this will be taken care of,” Kidd added.

The Commonwealth team will be deployed in Punjab, Sindh and Islamabad to observe the voting and counting process. The volatile security situation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and tribal regions bordering Afghanistan prevented international observers from travelling there, Kidd said.

He also raised concern over the deadly wave of militant violence against political parties – including Pakistan Peoples Party, Awami National Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement. “There is a high level of insecurity related to the polls, with some parties facing a particular threat, and the loss of life in election-related violence – notably in some areas – is of great concern,” the knighted observer added.

According to an AFP count, 127 people were killed in violence in the run-up to the historic elections. Kidd offered condolences to the families of all victims.

However, he hoped that the violence would not continue on polling day and voters would use their right of franchise in a peaceful atmosphere.

Kidd, who is a former speaker of the House of Representatives of New Zealand, said the democratic transition of power from one civilian government to another would be a key milestone in the 66-year history of Pakistan.

“It is also significant that these elections will be held under a series of new constitutional amendments which have, among other things, strengthened the ECP (Election Commission of Pakistan). We have met with the ECP and they have told us that they are ready for the polls, and we very much hope that this is the case.”

Asked if the powerful security establishment was favouring any particular political party, Kidd said he and his team did not see any apparent signs of that.  “But we will make our final judgment after the polling,” he added.

The Commonwealth Observer Mission is mandated to consider all the factors impinging on the credibility of the electoral process. It will assess whether the elections have been conducted according to the standards for democratic elections to which Pakistan has committed itself.                  

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2013.

Following the incident Pakistan has advised its citizens planning to travel to India to exercise ‘due caution and care’ following reports that their security might be in jeopardy.

A statement issued by the foreign ministry on Tuesday said the travel advisory was being issued in the wake of disturbing Indian media reports that Pakistani visitors might face threats in India.

“We have seen some disturbing reports in the Indian media which indicate that the safety and security of Pakistani visitors to India, including that of over 600 Zaireen (pilgrims) scheduled to visit Ajmer Sharif for the annual Urs this month, may be in jeopardy,” the statement said.

It added that the government “wishes to advise its citizens who are planning to travel to India to exercise due caution and care.”

The foreign ministry spokesperson said Pakistan would also call upon Indian authorities to ensure that necessary arrangements were in place to ensure security to all Pakistani visitors to India.

Meanwhile, two family members of Sanauallh Ranjay, the Pakistani convict assaulted in an Indian jail, reached India via the Wagah-Attari border on Tuesday and demanded his release on humanitarian grounds.

Sanaullah’s brother-in-law Mohammad Shahzad and nephew Mohammad Asif were granted a 15-day visa by the Indian High Commission in Pakistan.

Speaking to television channels, Shahzad said: “We only want to take our brother home. His family is desperate to see him”.

The relatives said they had travelled a long way from their village of Aura to Sialkot just to see Sanaullah. They were accompanied by a Pakistani diplomat Iqbal Hussain. The pair arrived in Delhi and was taken to Chandigarh.

Sanaullah, who was attacked in a Jammu jail by an Indian solider convicted for murder, is being treated at the Chandigarh hospital and is in critical condition as doctors have declared him ‘brain dead.’

Medical reports state there was no improvement in Sanaullah’s health condition and his blood pressure was fluctuating rapidly and his other vital signs also did not look good. The prisoner continues to be “critically sick” and in a “deep coma”, according to a medical bulletin issued by the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8^th, 2013.