K & P

North Waziristan: Drone strike kills 15 amid fraying Pak-US ties

Attack occurred hours after army warned the US to not violate sovereignty again.

Manzoor Ali May 07, 2011

PESHAWAR:

A US drone strike in North Waziristan killed at least 15 persons and injured four others on Friday, putting further strain on Pak-US relations, which are already at their lowest ebb following Osama bin Laden’s killing in Abbottabad early Monday morning.

The drone attack occurred hours after a strong worded ISPR statement warned the US of dire consequences in case Pakistan’s sovereignty is violated again.

A senior security official, while requesting anonymity, said that the attack took place in the Datta Khel tehsil of North Waziristan Agency, when a US drone fired eight missiles on a building and a moving vehicle in the Dowatoui area close to the Pak-Afghan border.

“The attack killed at least 12 persons and injured five others,” the official said. He added that seven persons were killed in the moving vehicle.

Local sources, however, put the death toll at 15 and injured at four, and said that the missiles were fired at a hotel, a seminary and a moving vehicle. Another local source put the death toll at 15.

Local sources also said that four US drones fired at least eight missiles on the targets. The assault took place some 45 kilometres west of the agency headquarters Miran Shah.

It was not clear which militant group was targeted. However, Datta Khel is a stronghold of the Hafiz Gul Bahadar group, which is closely allied with the Haqqani network.

The attack comes at a time when Pak-US relations are going through a rough patch following the killing of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in a US Navy Seals raid on an Abbotabad compound on May 2.

An ISPR release issued after a Corps Commander meeting on Thursday asked the US to cut the number of its troops in the country and also warned against violation of the country’s sovereignty.

Defense analyst Colonel (retd) Khalid Munir was of the view that the US will not stop drone strikes inside tribal areas. Munir told The Express Tribune that there will be little reaction in the backdrop of the Abbottabad raid. He said that countering a drone was not an issue as an F-16 could easily do that, but it will invite strong reaction from the US.

“We could say to the US that enough is enough, but in that case our nation will have to face the consequences that will arise after refusal at a time when the US badly needs Pakistan’s help in its exit strategy,” Munir added.

At least 120 out of 127 drone attacks in 2010 were carried out in North Waziristan Agency, mostly in Datta Khel tehsil.

The last drone attack inside Pakistani territory was carried out on April 22 in Hassan Khel village of Spinwam tehsil in North Waziristan Agency, killing at least 25 people.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (88)

harkol | 13 years ago | Reply @Adil If you see the movie, you'll realize that this conversation isn't what it seems. US/UK/Germany have been responsible for wars and massacres in many a country. But, lets not forget so have Many muslim kings - Mohammad Ghazni, Ghori, Ganghis Khan, Kublai Khan, Early Mughals were all very cruel empire builders. It is also true that despotism runs deep in most of muslim world and more muslims are killed by other Muslims than from outside. US is just using such disunity and inability of Islamic nations to govern themselves with representative regimes. Just like the British, who used the inability of Indian populace to transition to equitable society. But the reality remains - Terrorism is not a solution. As Gandhi said - An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

kodimirpal | 13 years ago | Reply In April 2011 alone, a drone attack killed 44 innocent people in Pakistan’s tribal region. The 30th April 2011, suspected drone strike was the 21st this year. There were 111 drone strikes in 2010. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan counted that 957 innocent civilians were killed in 2010. Do Americans refuse to call this terrorist attack? The word collateral damages has two meanings in American dictionary (i) necessary killings of the innocent by the US (ii) cold blooded killings by the insurgents against foreign occupation One scene of a drone attack: the carbonized bodies, burned so fully they could be identified by legs and hands alone, the bystanders sent flying like dolls through the air to break upon walls and stone, with shattered bones and sometimes-fatal brain injuries. Do Americans like you know about these cold blooded murders by drones Is it right for the U.S. to use unmanned aerial vehicles to function as prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner in the decision to assassinate anyone designated as a “high value target” in faraway Pakistan or Afghanistan? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Please. Voices for Creative Nonviolence believes that standing alongside people who bear the brunt of our wars helps us gain needed insights. Where you stand determines what you see. Ideally, in a democracy, people are educated about important matters, and they can influence decisions about these issues by voting for people who represent their point of view. Is it right for the U.S. to use unmanned aerial vehicles to function as prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner in the decision to assassinate anyone designated as a “high value target” in faraway Pakistan or Afghanistan?

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Ayesha Khan | 13 years ago | Reply @Arsalan: Indira was shot by her own guard not a suicide bomber. Rajiv Gandhi was shot by an LTTE suicide bomber from Sri Lanka not India. Pls. get your facts right.

Ayesha Khan | 13 years ago | Reply @Ali Nawaz: When was Pak army considered the best n the world? - In 1965 when they attacked India but panicked after India retaliated and ran to Tashkent? - In 1970 when they attacked defenceless citizens in East Pakistan? - In 1971 when 90000 Pak soldiers were captured by India and half of the country was lost? - In 1999 when Nawaz Sharif had to go to Washington (Vajpayee did not go) and make a unilateral declaration of ceasefire? The Indian army continued what it was doing until all peaks were recaptured? Or was it when the army leadership rented out the soldiers in return for weapons and dollars as in 1960s and 1980s under Ayub and Zia

Jeff L | 13 years ago | Reply From the West: I wonder what the real sentiment is in Pakistan over Osama’s death? If recent polls are any indication, the majority of Pakistanis do not believe Bin Laden is dead. I wonder if they even think he was behind 9/11? It’s always surprising to me how differently people view the world around them – how an entirely rational group of people in one part of the world can be sure that their take on reality is accurate, while another group comes to the opposite conclusion (and the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle). I feel pretty certain bin Laden perpetrated 9/11, and I believe he was probably killed by the U.S. a few days ago (although the fact he was buried at sea and no photos are to be released leaves many questions). And I don’t want to sound naive – because I do believe the U.S. Government has misled it’s citizens on many occasions. Perhaps I have been propagandized by the Western media and culture even more than I can possibly suspect. Many would say this is the case. Here Noam Chomsky presents an entirely different view of OBL’s presumed guilt than that put forth by the U.S. media; to start with he states that the U.S. has provided no solid proof that bin Laden even perpetrated 9/11 – he therefore should have been treated as a suspect and apprehended, rather than assassinated. Chomsky writes the following:

In societies that profess some respect for law, suspects are apprehended and brought to fair trial. I stress “suspects.”In April 2002, the head of the FBI, Robert Mueller, informed the press that after the most intensive investigation in history, the FBI could say no more than that it “believed” that the plot was hatched in Afghanistan, though implemented in the UAE and Germany. What they only believed in April 2002, they obviously didn’t know 8 months earlier, when Washington dismissed tentative offers by the Taliban (how serious, we do not know, because they were instantly dismissed) to extradite bin Laden if they were presented with evidence—which, as we soon learned, Washington didn’t have. Thus Obama was simply lying when he said, in his White House statement, that “we quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al Qaeda.”

Still, it is accepted as fact amongst most Americans that bin Laden was behind 9/11. And it is also generally accepted that he was indeed killed, and killed for a good reason. Whereas many in the Greater Middle East accept it as fact that Americans are lied to by their government. They believe Americans are conditioned by their media to think that their government is fighting for freedom and democracy when in reality the government are mass murderers on a scale far greater than the perpetrators of 9/11. And to those in the Greater Middle East who state the above as fact, one can ask ‘how heavily have they been propagandized?’ Again, I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle. But back to my original line of thinking: Do Pakistanis believe bin Laden was killed as has been stated by the U.S.? Do people in Pakistan even believe bin Laden was behind 9/11?

Romm | 13 years ago | Reply is this Pakistani Website run by Indians?

Zainab Khan | 13 years ago | Reply @J Oberoi: I do not think drone attacks are the solution to counter militants, they have lead to many civilian casualties which are unjustified in any case. Pakistani lives have been lost in this so called "war on terror" which means that the civilians are being sacrificed for the mistakes of the military, governments and political leaders. Bombing Pakistan or labeling it a terrorist state is not the solution at all, specially if South Asians want peace in this region.

Absar | 13 years ago | Reply Tch tch Pakistan army!

Cherish Raj | 13 years ago | Reply @Arsalan: I said that the Maoist do not have suicide bombers. Plus Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by the LTTE . Indira gandhi was killed by her own security guards, not suicide bombers. @Khalid Masood India has always wanted peace with Pakistan. But your army has never given us a chance. I feel that all the major political parties want peace with India ( I might be wrong) including PPP,PML, MQM and ANP. But they seem to lack a pan Pakistan constituency. The ISI and the army have a vested interest in keeping the relations bad. Unless Pakistan has a real democracy, where the will of the people is able to subdue the narrow interest of the army, not much hope for peace is gonna emerge. Peace with India is fully in the hands of Pakistan. If you really wants peace, you will get it but for that you should jettison the 'bleed India at any cost' policy.

haris | 13 years ago | Reply No More USA in Pakistan :::::::INqlab Zinda Bad:::::::::

Mahmood | 13 years ago | Reply Maybe it's time for Pakistan to clean up these area's and get rid of these mllitants? Might improve your image in the World - help relations with Afghanistan and Iran - and improve relations with American's and NATO.

Khalid Masood | 13 years ago | Reply @Narayana Murthy: Stubbornness has no limit. Enjoy yourself till you face reality. We are not unhappy to have an enemy next door. Rather it keeps us well prepared. Someday there will be a showdown and evil forces will learn their last lesson. We love death much more than you love life - That is difference between you and me.

Arsalan | 13 years ago | Reply @Narayana Murthy: Just to refresh your short term memory which live only in 2011 Rajiv Gandhi's last public meeting was on 21 May 1991, in Sriperumbudur, a town approximately 30 miles from Chennai, where he was assassinated while campaigning for the Sriperumbudur Lok Sabha Congress candidate Mrs Maragatham Chandrasekhar in Tamil Nadu. The assassination was carried out by the LTTE suicide bomber Thenmozhi Rajaratnam also known as Dhanu. Later, the real name of the suicide bomber came to be known as Gayatri. Rajiv Gandhi had arrived at Chennai about two hours earlier and then was driven by motorcade in a white Ambassador car to Sriperumbudur, stopping along the way at a few other election campaigning venues. During the drive to Sriperumbudur, he was accompanied by a foreign journalist who interviewed him in the car. When he reached the venue at Sriperumbudur, he got out of his car and began to walk inside towards the dais where he would deliver his speech. Along the way, he was garlanded by many well wishers, Congress party workers and school children. At 10:21 p.m., the assassin Dhanu approached him and greeted the former Prime Minister. She then bent down to touch his feet and detonated an RDX explosive laden belt tucked below her dress. The former Prime Minister along with many others were killed in the explosion that followed.-- link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Rajiv_Gandhi Wasn't it suicide bombing ? And you people do have this creed.

Mulla Toofhan | 13 years ago | Reply Turns out that Imran Khan is braver than our chocolate Generals in the GHQ. They (armed forces) have the resources available to them but don't have the key element (GUTS) to implement it. It will be too much for the Pakistan Nation to ask these well fed Generals to defend the common citizens and their property. Its easier for the privileged to surrender the fight . History does show us that.

Narayana Murthy | 13 years ago | Reply @ Arsalan, You say you do not have suicide bomber. Is that true ? Yes Can you tell me how Rajiv Ghandhi was murdered ? Do you even remember when it happened. At least, I'm living in 2011. How Indra was killed ? She was killed by guns. Not by suicide bombs. Nonetheless, Indira, was Rajiv's mother and died long before Rajiv. Ahem-ahem...just clearing the throat.

Narayana Murthy | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid Maood, "• India is Number 1 enemy of Pakistan since inception." That's what you have been made to believe. When was the last time India waged a war on Pakistan? "• India never accept existence of Pakistan. Indian leadership predicted fall of Pakistan within 4 months in 1947." India has accepted the existence of Pakistan. Read our text books. As far as Pakistan's fall is concerned, people predict that even now. The entire world does it. "• India illegally occupied Kashmir, Hydrabad Daccan, Junagarh and Manawar States by launching Indian military against the understanding of the Partition in 1948." Kashmir, which is derived from sanskrit, will always remain India's. Your attempt to change this will result in misery for you, like in the last 60 years. "• India dismembered half of Pakistan in 1971." Whose fault was it sir? It was your army's fault. please read real history. "• Indians have occupied Siachin glacier and Sir creek which is Pakistani territory." Read my reply to your point on Kashmir. "• India is supplying arms, ammunitions, money and all sort of support to handful of Baloch Separatists." Yet, you don't have an iota of proof for that. "• India is stealing Pakistani Water by building Dams after Dams on Jehlum and Chenab Rivers. These rivers are in Pakisan’s Share as per Indus Water Treaty." I'm not an expert on this treaty, as I can see, so you are not. Please don't mislead your people with your ignorance. "• India is giving billions of rupees to so called Sindhi Nationalists who rally against the construction of Kalabagh Dam on River Indus." There is a phrase - conspiracy theory. "• Even India is trying to built a tunnel for further stealing water of Indus River by spending billions of dollars." Give us a break please. "• Indian media is always sarcastic about Pakistan." Of course. so is your media. "• At all World Forums, Indian delegate go all out to defame, disgrace and isolate Pakistan from rest of the World." If you know that you are right, then rebut Indians. The problem is, and the reality is, you are doing everything you can to isolate youself.

Khalid Masood | 13 years ago | Reply @arvind: Some of the reasons are as following :- • India is Number 1 enemy of Pakistan since inception. • India never accept existence of Pakistan. Indian leadership predicted fall of Pakistan within 4 months in 1947. • India illegally occupied Kashmir, Hydrabad Daccan, Junagarh and Manawar States by launching Indian military against the understanding of the Partition in 1948. • India dismembered half of Pakistan in 1971. • Indians have occupied Siachin glacier and Sir creek which is Pakistani territory. • India is supplying arms, ammunitions, money and all sort of support to handful of Baloch Separatists. • India is stealing Pakistani Water by building Dams after Dams on Jehlum and Chenab Rivers. These rivers are in Pakisan's Share as per Indus Water Treaty. • India is giving billions of rupees to so called Sindhi Nationalists who rally against the construction of Kalabagh Dam on River Indus. • Even India is trying to built a tunnel for further stealing water of Indus River by spending billions of dollars. • Indian media is always sarcastic about Pakistan. • At all World Forums, Indian delegate go all out to defame, disgrace and isolate Pakistan from rest of the World.

Arsalan | 13 years ago | Reply @Cherish Raj: You say you do not have suicide bomber. Is that true ? Can you tell me how Rajiv Ghandhi was murdered ? How Indra was killed ?

Arsalan | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid Masood: You have emerged as leader of Pakistani point of view sir. Keep doing bro.

Khalid Masood | 13 years ago | Reply @Javed and other Indians: We do not need your unsolicited advices. Keep those upto you and clean the mess called 'Red Corridor' before looking towards Pakistan.

Javed | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid Masood: You probably missed one important issue. To gain all what you wish, you need a good and committed President..... Start a campaign "Qadri for President"... He has the same views

Iftikhar-ur-Rehman | 13 years ago | Reply I always thought that this website was controlled and maintained by people in Pakistan but it looks like that Indians are maintaining this.

Mastishhk | 13 years ago | Reply Last heard..Shuja Pasha (most influential Pakistani) has just left for USA..Im really worried for President Obama now. Shuja Pasha , just like Salman Bashir. doesn't tolerate much :))

SaudiRules | 13 years ago | Reply The ISI and khakis at once should have an another meeting and issue a stern warning to the US, in the next couple of days. :)

Narayana Murthy | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid Masood, You're basically predicting the future. Pakistanis are terrible at predicting the future. Just take a moment, take a deep breath and please, for god's sake, remember everything that happened in the last 60 years. When was you or your army correct in making a good strategy for the future and execute it. When? You'll mostly recall that your country has time and again botched up. I think that best you can do to serve your country is not mislead your people into cuckooland, through your rantings. Also, I fail to understand why would India's investment of 2 billion in Afghanistan makes you sad. Don't you want good future for Afghanis, just like what you would ask for Pakistanis? By the way, you are openly and indirectly agreeing that Pakistan harbors terrorists in your comments.

kamal | 13 years ago | Reply Now a statement will come from Pak administration,"if it happens again, we will not tolerate.We will do abc,xyz,etc etc."

Narayana Murthy | 13 years ago | Reply Now, that's a clear answer from USA to Salman Bashir's statements. Need to see, what interesting developments happen in the coming weeks and months. @Ali Nawaz, At no time was Pakistani army considered one of the best. Only Pakistani ordinary citizens were naive to believe that. Even your army knows how weak it is.

Ali | 13 years ago | Reply This is a deliberate attempt to destroy ties with Pakistan. US wants to get away (read save themselves and run away) from Afghanistan and also wants to stop helping Pakistan but they want Pakistan to put an end to this so-called friendship. They are doing what they did in the past. Did anyone have a doubt about this?

Khalid Rahim | 13 years ago | Reply As long as we have our heads fixed deep in the sand boxes and are hinds bared to others to be assaulted! Why lament about the drone attacks and point finger at the government whom we have place on our shoulders. The world knows we are highly self-centered nation that thrives on bigotry and loves to stand in ankle deep water shouting for help to stop us from drowning. If we want to stop other nations from assaulting us? We should cover our bared character with a veil of humility.

Raju | 13 years ago | Reply *India could have done it years back but they failed to do so because 1) India is not paying $ 1 billion yaerly for these adventures 2)India is short of such technology 3)geographically both countries are set to live in together weather they like each other or not *

harkol | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid Masood India has its internal problems. However, All the fronts you have mentioned are in hibernation or dead. Naxals haven't stuck in past year or so. Note that Pakistan's problems are way too serious to be dismissed by pointing to India's admittedly long list of problems. India's problems are internal, Pakistan faces all sorts of foreign incursions (State and Non-State) and is seriously compromised by a cancer like situation. Wake up to see the reality my friend. It serves no purpose to blame or dismiss India.

arvind | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid Why are u so concerned about India? It will serve you better to worry about your own country which is on the verge of total collapse.

Khalid Rahim | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid Masood: Wait till some brave warrior from Verhansi or Mumbai bomb blast you and reminds us of 1971. Perhaps B Raman should throw some light on the list given by you. These followers of Kali will never admit that extremism is in their culture and rites.

Romm | 13 years ago | Reply we need to Strike New Delhi if Drone strikes don't end. Everyone one knows why.

Tariq | 13 years ago | Reply Strength in Pakistan comes from criminals running the place, it is run by organized crime

Patriot | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid Masood even with all those insurgencies India is growing at 9% gdp per year... That is what is so worrying for Pakistan... What will happen if India resolves those insurgencies they will grow at over 10% per year. And even with all those insurgencies there is so much FDI in India where as our FDI has not been growing at all its rather declining. And look at Pakistan we are growing at 2.4% gdp... Pakistan GDP 2010-2011

Babloo | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid, Keep imagining India's problems while you lost 1/2 the country in 1971 and more than 1/2 the remaining ( Baluchistan , WAZIRISTAN ) is already out of Pak control and your economy non existent.

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid Masood: After the abject surrender of this same army to India on multiple occasions, from historic liberation of East Pakistan to Kargil, you are still regarding it as invincible. After they are caught with OBL now they would have to go in North Waziristan. Mark my words, we cannot continue giving our hard earned tax money to these two faced terrorists anymore. Why is ISI chief running to the US? To punish them or scold them? Grow up and smell the coffee. The army and ISI chiefs may be big deal and above the law in Pakistan, but we pay them and they cannot be above the American law, not even our president.

Mastishhk | 13 years ago | Reply @ Noor Nabi.....Salman Bashir cuts a sorry figure now...USA has again demonstrated how much they care about his bold press conferences. I believe Salman Bashir is going to hold another press conference now and send out a sterner message to USA and India :))..Things are getting more entertaining now !!!

Singh | 13 years ago | Reply Khalid Masood, Please can you check any newspaper of India & Pakistan. Compare the news artical in both paper. You will find the fact of terrorism. Terroris in Punjab is dead & it can not be back. Whole sikh community is against it. don't take comfort in finding faults in others, rather correct yourself.

Sonam Shyam | 13 years ago | Reply @Kahlid Masood; Its conspiracy theorists like you, hand in glove with the military, who are responsible for the present mess in Pakistan. You guys keep formulating Utopian paper theories to obfuscate the real issues. The list of insurgencies you have mentioned in India are either non existent or eliminated by force and matters settled through negotiations. Let me tell my Pakistan friends that if so many insurgencies were active, India would have simply imploded. India has a working democracy where insurgencies are ultimately settled by the political process. India does have maoist-naxalite problem which is being dealt with adequately. Mr.Masood, your contentions regarding India getting kicked out of Afghanistan and billions of dollars of aid going waste is yet another of your paper theories. Remember, even if India gets left out of the end game in Afghanistan, the humanitarian work which we have done will remain in the hearts of Afghan public while most Afghans except for your cronies, hold a very negative view of Pakistan.

rk | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid Masood: Poor guy, stop dreaming. did you hear the drone overhead???? don'f worry your terrorist head about India. Dont' you read anything other than jihadi papers??? India is a rising global poweer. It is not anyone's keep like your land of pure where after throwing dollars at you any country can enter your space and violate you .not one but over and over again.

J Oberoi | 13 years ago | Reply The Osama affair has shown that Drone attacks MUST continue in Pakistan. The Pakistani military and the ISI are clearly on the side of the terrorists and the so-called "operations" by the military are just a way of milking money from the US. The only way the US can take out the terrorists is by using drones. The reason the military is so upset is because the drone attacks are VERY effective. All the leaders are being taken out one at a time and this is upsetting the Pakistani military. They can only train foot-soldiers - not leaders.

Adil | 13 years ago | Reply After watching this news, there's no reason why we shouldn't agree with Dr. Zakir Naik when he called USA the greatest terrorist nation on the planet.I always believe that unlike Russians,Chinese and Iranians; Americans are not sons of their legal fathers. @ Indian friends here, If you wanna know why there's so much hatred and extremism in Pakistan then please watch the following clip from one of your own movie. I haven't watched the complete movie yet. But to tell you the truth, I have got a great respect for Vivek Oberoi as well apart from SRK and Salman Khan, after watching the clip. Here, Vivek has clearly explained the real fascist face of Western powers.....and the reason why terrorists and militants are born. Hope now someone will realize that why many youngsters in Pakistan and different other nations choose the path of terrorism. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-LhnzszFOw&NR=1 Thank you

pk_paris | 13 years ago | Reply @ Khalid Masood, Here is one more example of tpyical Pakistani/Army/ISI for not facing facts and jumps to another irrelevent matter. Wake up guys, first immediate thing is to dis-engauge from so called strategic assets and move towards civillian govt. Soverignity of Pakistan was any lost when tribal areas were given to terrorist groups. If Cilivian govt. is strong, amry will not use their ideologigis, support terrorist, keep anti-India propaganda on top so as to keep them in power. If civilian govt is well established & have control over army, US will not dare to attack on democratic ruled country but now they have every reasons to continue with drone strike and you cannot do anything other than barking and once barking is over, licking starts..

A/A | 13 years ago | Reply Indians should read and comment on their own newspapers like Hindu and Indian Express...Read Chinese n US newspapers and read their conditions and comment them if you r having desire to beat them....Why wasting time here ....n REMEMBER ONE THING...IF TODAY U R CELEBRATING THE BURNING OF YOUR NEIGHBORS HOUSE...NEXT TURN IS YOURS....

Salman Rashid | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid Masood: All the above you said above are correct, all are various names of ISI, you missed few names,LeT,AQ,HUJI,Taliban. Except, all these organisations are in GHQ/Pindi operated from single table.But they are currently engaged against civilians in Pakistan. Also why do you want to blame India for our generals incopetance? If you are brave enough stop US from raping us on daily basis.

Anish | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid Masood: Sir Don't worry, whatever you havel isted is not get to the status of TTP or SSP or LeT. World cares about such type of organizations.. above organizations if exists are not troubling anyone others ... Most of them do not exsits or silent... 8%+ growth slienced them or if not will neutralize them.. so far most importantly these people are not troubling neighouring countires whereas all the wor;ld's terror routes meet in pakistan.. that is t he greatest worry.. you are thinking.. I suggest rather run.. today 5 people died in karachi due to grenede attacks .. run boy run

Cherish Raj | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid Masood: You are good at digging out the names of rag tag forces in the northeast of India which does not even count for 2% of India's population. There is a lot of talk about Maoist who has only been able to attack areas under the control of less than 3% of India's police stations. And FYI, the Maoists are Indians and they just want to make India a communist state. If the whole of India wants to be communist, then whats the big deal and none of your business. At least they are not religious zealots like the hundreds of groups operating in your country. We have not had suicide bombings or civilian slaughters by the Maoists. Just check the number of attacks carried out by the groups in Pakistan and the American drones this year. No less than 30 of them have been inflicted on your country which is supposed to be protected by the fourth largest nuclear power in the world. Even as I write this, the country is reeling under an attack against the Shias, a bomb blast in Karachi and a drone attack in NW. Just take a look at the square kms lost by the Pakistan fauj since independence before comic chest beating. East Pakistan to Bangladesh, Siachen to India and now North Waziristan to Afghanistan.

vivek ramana | 13 years ago | Reply @khalid masood, you r same as ur army which is living in hallucinations about fall of india.. this mentality is not going to make u any better, try to get up from dreams about india failing and act for ur country's future..the statements given by ur president, prime minister, foreign minister and act of isi and military itself shows how foolish your leaders are, then how can we expect u to be smart. try not to be a fool once in a life time.. jai hind..

Cherish Raj | 13 years ago | Reply @Ali Nawaz: Was it in 1965 or 1971 (Dhaka), or 1987 (Siachin) or 1999( Kargil)? Please read history before commenting about your army.

Hafeez.Indian | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid Masood: Nice Joke... :-)... Jokers are required to relieve the Stress. Khudha Hafiz.

Khalid Masood | 13 years ago | Reply Drone are Reality Drone attacks are reality and our response should be based on rationale and reality. Rhetoric sentiments, statements and comments look impressive to ordinary people but they won't work positively in the realms of real combat, real politics and real diplomacy. First of all is what do we want ? We want to eliminate terrorists who are killing our innocent people all over Pakistan and elsewhere !!!!!!. That is a fact. How to do that ? First option could be ……Send troops of Pak Army and eliminate them………….. If Army move from their base to the target area then terrorists are informed about such move once the Army is still 20 kilometers away. It is a hi-tech ear. They are even using satellite cell phones. Other option could be……Send helicopter borne troops as they can reach fast…… We in Pak Army and PAF have limited helicopters.. If we send 500 or 1000 troops by helicopters with no major weapon or artillery… they are likely to be butchered by well entrenched terrorists and their local supporters as troops will be open in relatively unknown area without Artillery support. Third option is ….. send F-16 of PAF and drop big 1000 KG bombs….. this can cause colossal collateral damage. LAST OPTION left is the Drones…. I mean US drones…... So live with that…… please. Only thing is that Drone must hit terrorists and not civilians. But we do not like drones…………………..so what do we do ? Shoot down these damn drones……………………….. But Pak Army and PAF do not possess such system which can shoot down US drones. Sure… we did shoot down Indian Drone by F-16 few years back but that was an Indian one…….old and obsolete technology. Moreover, to me, it was a fluke as F-16 is fast moving aircraft and drone is a slow moving aerial target. Drone fly much high, away from the ground based Air Defence System of Pak Army and PAF… may it be RBS-70/90, Oerlikon or even Crotale SAM System. Only way is diplomacy…….. Make US policy makers believe that Drone Attacks are counterproductive….. That is the job of our leadership. Wake up your leaders or Live with Drone Attacks But if drone attacks are stopped…. How you are going to kill terrorists ? Tell me if you have some answer !!!!!!

Thomas | 13 years ago | Reply @Thomas: sorry Bro, reply was was ment for Ali Nawas.

Thomas | 13 years ago | Reply @Ali Nawaz: When was Pakistani Army, the best in the world?. It lost every war it started. Lost half of the Country. Eats up most of Pakistan's GDP. Please start reading some legitimate news papers and records, they are easily available. Stop believing in the press releases that the army puts out for the consumtion of the kitchen cabinets in Pakistan.

Thomas | 13 years ago | Reply @kya kehna: When was this?. For you may be!. iT HAS LOST EVERY WAR IT STARTED. Gave away half of the country. Stop living in fool's paradise!!

sumeet | 13 years ago | Reply @khalid masood,why are you explaining your theory to a SE asian.i think outside pakistan,everyone is indian for you.and regarding your long list menu card,we have already finished most of the movement including khalistan,ulfa etc.the only big problem is of maoist which no sane indian deny.BTW,how many of them blast bombs all the time and shout jihad?how many time of do these people take responsibility of any terrorist activity?wake up from your deep sleep and smell the coffee.

Khalid Masood | 13 years ago | Reply @SouthEastAsian: SouthEastAsian It is dream of India that Pakistan Army get into fight with Afghani Talibans living in Northern Waziristan. Such thing will never happen. After the elimination of OBL, US and NATO are likely to pack up and leave Afghanistan. Resultantly, Pro Indian Northern Alliance Govt will evaporate in air and Taliban are likely to emerge as new rulers of Afghanistan once again. Indian are dying that, before US and NATO withdrawal, Pak Army get entangle with Haqqani Group in Northern Waziristan and sour good relations with them. Whatever kind of relations we had in past with Afghani Talibans, they have a soft corner for to Pakistan and its Army. Soon US and NATO will leave and Pro-Pak Taliban Govt will be installed in Afghanistan. Indians are likely to be kicked out from Afghanistan and their investment of $ 2 billion will go in gutter. Indians should be more worried about Naxalite-Maoist insurgency and others as following:- • National Liberation Front of Tripura (two factions ) • All Tripura Tiger Force • National Army of the United States of Bengal(Barak & Tripura). • Khalistan Commando Force • Babbar Khalsa International, • Khalistan Zindabad Force • International Sikh Youth Federation • Khalistan Liberation Force, • Khalistan Liberation Army • National Socialist Council of Nagaland • Zomi Revolutionary Organization • Mizoram Farmers Liberation Force Nagaland • Hmar People's Convention–Democrat, Manipur People’s Liberation Front, • United National Liberation Front, Revolutionary People's Front of Manipur • People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak • United Liberation Front of Assam • United Liberation Tigers of Assam • National Democratic Front of Bodoland • All Hajong Chakma Homeland Movement

Noor Nabi | 13 years ago | Reply @ Mastishhk Salman Bashir cuts a sorry figure in an effort to defend the senior leadership of the military that, by the way, includes his brother Admiral Noman Bashir. If the ISI continues to hold sway on senior ambassadorial appointments Salman will get another choice assignment. It is however the job of the Defence Minister and/or the Defence Secretary to be commenting on the Abbottabad debacle. Salman Bashir's arguments sound quite pathetic and he has a hidden agenda and he should adopt the wisdom of keeping silent on a matter that is, at best, peripheral to the mandate of the Foreign Office.

Babloo | 13 years ago | Reply The most hilarious thing I have heard is that when the Pak army said it came to know of the US raid in Abbotabad, when one of US helicopters fell on the ground with a bang and woke them up.

Anonymous | 13 years ago | Reply If Army is not aware, they dont have any info about their presence like that of OBL, let the drones kill them.. :) :) :) Army, you keep on building DHAs, use your FWO for building and NLC for transportation

neel123 | 13 years ago | Reply The Pakistan Army is in denial and refuses to read the writing on the wall .... ! They must realize that the Drones are not going to go away even after 2014, nor can they afford to spark a war with their benefactor the US by shooting down a Drone. They have no option but to clear Pakistan of all the terrorist groups, pro-Army or otherwise. Or there are more serious humiliations on their way in the future.

Arslan | 13 years ago | Reply Now that the whole establishment has been seen in its true nature, will Imran Khan fulfill his promise of blocking NATO supplies to Afghanistan ?

S.Q | 13 years ago | Reply Lets see what our leaders have to say abt this....

Sonam Shyam | 13 years ago | Reply The bravado of Salman Basheer and Kayani didn't last even for a day. All those Pakistanis who are wondering as to why Pakistani military cannot bring down these American drones; the answer is that America would bomb Pakistan to stone ages if any such bravado is undertaken. These drones, by the way, can be easily shot down by all those American stingers which Pakistani military stole after the anti Soviet Jihad. Therefore don't get needlessly worked up about these drone attacks and learn to live with the truth that as long as Pakistan is taking money from America, it will never have any moral right to question American bullying.

Freedom of Heresy | 13 years ago | Reply Poor tribal people are paying the price of our STRATEGIC ASSETS.....

Abbas | 13 years ago | Reply lolx! Again voilation of soverignity of Pakistan Just a day after Corps Commanders Conference!!! Thats way they answer's Cheif Of Army Staff

Asad | 13 years ago | Reply ...i wonder if Imran Khan will go ahead with his promise of blocking NATO's supply lines... lets hope so...

Asad | 13 years ago | Reply A good reminder by the US... just in case we forgot the status of our 'sovereignty'...

kya kehna | 13 years ago | Reply by the way it is right of a superpower, they test their weapon on innocent people from a poor nation after any upgrade made to their weapons

Ali Nawaz | 13 years ago | Reply There was a time when Pak Army was considered the World's best & strongest Army and Pakistani nation felt proud of it. But now they look like a cat under the water. They're making people hopeless. They behave like our politicians always making excuses.

QuranVsHadith | 13 years ago | Reply @SouthEastAsian: cause the army is too busy making excuses about everything

saleem khan | 13 years ago | Reply They are back again to kill the remaining terrorists in N Wazrisitan to which our army give a safe heaven. We cannot believe on our Pak Army as they proved sanctuary to OBL in their cantonment area of Abbotabad.

Jamal Shah | 13 years ago | Reply each time political government is held responsible, what about general kyani and general pasha who both are enjoying three years extension??? is this a part of US-Pak agreement too??? war on terror has been proved a blessing for Pakistan's military aristocracy.

Jerry | 13 years ago | Reply Hi...We will allow only Amercans to carry out drone attack, If any one other than America try to do such mission, the consequences will be severe.

Mastishhk | 13 years ago | Reply USA has earned Salman Bashir's wrath now...Salman Bashir is not going to tolerate this :))

hamid | 13 years ago | Reply Now the world knows that Pakistan doesn't care whatever terrorists does in their land. The world knows what it needs to done, the only option is to bring down the Islamic militants using drones. Keep it up USA.....

IamConcerned! | 13 years ago | Reply Every time military talks loud: US bangs with drone attack! in short army needs to st*u....or take actions! we are well aware of the idiom "barking dogs seldom bite!" - Pls Kiyanai sahab PROVE it WRONG!

edgarm | 13 years ago | Reply Guys wake up....

Hasan | 13 years ago | Reply Here is Kiyani's chance to show he can carry out his threats against US.

SouthEastAsian | 13 years ago | Reply The report itself says its a stronghold of a militant commander. So why cant the army go & get them!

malik | 13 years ago | Reply Business as usual !!

harkol | 13 years ago | Reply I can only pray for better strength to Pakistani Citizens to be able to raise up and fight against their moriband, ineffective and downright dangerous army. Their army is not only corrupt (as is the case with most of Middle eastern ruling establishments), they seem to have way too many ideologically compromised people. The army needs to be brought firmly under the control of civilians, and needs to be purged of the elements with radical indoctrination. Failing that, not only Pakistan will be doomed, it may drag India, Afghanistan along with it.

SouthEastAsian | 13 years ago | Reply Dont understand why pak army wont go into N.Waziristan? How can pakistan claim sovereignity why the cant control their own lands & let it be used by terrorists? Are n't they protecting terrorists? Onus is on pakistan after osama killing to eliminate all terror groups! I understand pakistani would be angry at my comment, but its frustating for us in southeastasia to see terrorists going to pakistan on piligrimage! Thank you.

Asim+Ali | 13 years ago | Reply When will the establishment realize that the strength of the country comes from its people. That is what defines and bonds nations. Why are we tolerating these drone attacks? Put the JF Thunder and F-16s to use and shoot these drones down. They are killing innocents

Haseeb | 13 years ago | Reply Well done GHQ!!! WELL DONE!! Tax Payer's Money is for Making DHA!!

dude | 13 years ago | Reply Ha..ha..ha.. this is only I can do for Pakistan.. Pakistan ke logo ..Jago...

imme | 13 years ago | Reply huh they are back again !!

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