A day after a brazen assault at Pakistan Air Force’s largest base was repulsed by security forces, Interior Minister Rehman Malik claimed that four of the nine militants killed in the attack have been identified.
Meanwhile, a second soldier died of injuries sustained in the attack, raising the overall death toll to 11.
‘Not a security lapse’
The attack at PAF Base Minhas was not a security lapse, Malik told a news conference on Friday.
The interior ministry issued warnings regarding a possible attack at air force installations in advance, and as a result of this intelligence-sharing, PAF personnel were able to foil this attempt, Malik said.
He said four of the nine attackers killed during the operation have been identified, and added that the attack could be traced back to North and South Waziristan agencies.
In an attempt to dispel international concerns, Malik insisted that nuclear assets of the country “are fully secured.”
“If we can develop nuclear assets, we know how to protect them,” the minister said, adding that a similar propaganda was unleashed when Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto launched the nuclear programme back in the 70s.
Another soldier dies
PAF spokesman Tariq Mahmood told AFP that a second soldier died of his injuries from the assault in a hospital on Friday morning.
According to a PAF press release, Sepoy Muhammad Iqbal had accidentally fallen off a truck when the security personnel were rushing to counter the militants.
Air chief visits Kamra
Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt visited the Minhas airbase on Friday and was briefed about the sequence of operations against the militants.
Base Commander Air Commodore Muhammad Azam, who was injured during this operation, also accompanied him during the visit.
Addressing a joint gathering of the base personnel and army troops deployed at the base, the air chief said: “We must understand and realise that we are in a state of war, that too against a hidden enemy. These cowardly attacks cannot weaken our resolve to defend our motherland.”
The air chief attended the funeral parade of Sepoy Muhammad Iqbal. He also visited the PAF Hospital Kamra to enquire about the health of three security officials who received injuries from the detonation of suicide jacket during the operation. All three were discharged Friday evening, a press release said.
Background
Nine heavily-armed militants dressed in military fatigues and armed with rocket-propelled grenades and suicide vests stormed the PAF base on Thursday, sparking heavy clashes that killed one security official and nine attackers at the base, which is a vital installation located in Kamra, outside Attock.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan promptly claimed responsibility for what was the worst attack on a military base for more than a year.
PAF Minhas has been attacked twice before, but on previous occasions the militants had not managed to penetrate the compound.
(With additional input from AFP)
(Read: Kamra attack — living in denial)
Published in The Express Tribune, August 18th, 2012.
COMMENTS (46)
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freedom fighters = when they attack India. terrorists/nonmuslims/animals/infiltrators =when they attack pakistan
@Raj: Your one liner has evoked so many furious responses. What Pakistanis are not realizing is that, today over 50% of the Pakistanis which include Hindus, Shias, Ahmedis, Mohajirs, Baluch, Hazaras and many others have turned anti Pakistan as they have all been victimized and persecuted, very systematically with much hatred and vengeance. Hatred against all is taught even in government schools and school plays and practiced in every home. Political and religious parties preach hatred too. So, Pakistan today is a fertile ground for anyone who wants to hurt Pakistan. Unfortunately, the way the Pakistanis would react is to preach and practice more hatred towards those. I surely feel that all attacks on military bases and installations definitely had inside help but no one would be caught as they have inside help too.
@Raj todays infiltrators future freedom fighters.
@ARK: Then why not to destroy Taliban so that they are prevented from carrying out Zionist agenda. By the way, Why is Imran Khan opposing antitaliban operation in Wazizristan?
There was an initial report that one terrorist was caught alive. Subsequently he was also killed, it looks like, Could be an inside collusion as well. Anyway I am disappointed that Mr Malik did not describe this as a conspiracy and did not blame the invisible "Foreign hands"(RAW) . Very untypical of Mr Rehman malik.
I believe this is wrath of Allah for killing shias in pakistan.
@Aik Pakistani: You cant even rush to conclusion as it is not a bunch of Hindu fanatics who attacked your AIRBASE NEAR ISLAMABAD!!What kind of a security set up is this?Even Kashmiri terrorists could not attack air bases in J&K,forget about national capital!!
Has Zaid Hamid confirmed whether the killed terrorists are circumcised. Remember he has been claiming having seen uncircumcised terrorists in Pakistan.
@Raj: Infiltrators and inhuman - nothing more, nothing less!
and what about the insider snakes who provided terrorists the intelligence about the facility?
“If we can develop nuclear assets, we know how to protect them,” ...Alright, now, tell me what steps in the process of creating one is the same as protecting them? You didn't even actually come to possess the ability through work and progress as a culture since you just got your hands on the blueprints. So, even if the ability to secure them came along with the ability to create them as a package, you never actually developed that far in the first place for that ability to manifest. I'll answer my own question: Nothing. Safe or unsafe, those two things have nothing to do with each other as far as ability is concerned. Using that logic, because you can develop nuclear assets that Pakistan should be the safest country in the world. Fact is, you and everyone else believes things are secure until the day they're found not to be... Or are you to imply you knowingly don't secure your bases and jails? One would figure you'd put just as much effort into securing those as you do anything important such as your nukes. Yet, those things are constantly found lacking in security.
I hope they dont turn towards India after 2014 when Americans are gone
@Cautious:
See little information is dangerous that's just can be depicted with your uninformed comment. Terrorists were not able to sneaked in. They were intercepted when they were trying to climb the wall. Three of them were shot at the wall, there bodies were still lying there. 6 succeeded to jumped in but were also nipped down. No plane was destroyed, one rpg (rocket launcher) did landed at top of the hanger where the plane was placed in. That rocket did damage the walls of the hanger and in process 2 windows of the craft were damaged which is nothing serious. The security at the base did a great job intercepting them since they were on alert after the intelligence unlike in the case of mehran base attack.
@Mirza: Mr.Mirza, sad part is that since 65 years the country is seeing all these unwanted firing exercises, The immaturity of paks leaders is the reason for all this menace and sufferings, The generations are suffering , You are quite a fantastic brainy people with a lot of talents . where is the curse, when nawaz sherif comes, parvesh musharaf goes , when musharaf comes navas sherif goes,when zardari comes all will go, what are these guys doing in London, Is london such a fine place, Are They deliberately doing this for military training
@Awans: Yes, MR, AWANS you said it
@Raj: hahahahahah hahahahahah, hahahahahah, they are freedom fighters
How can base commander gets injured. I have seen residence banglows of them inside out, this is a topi drama from him.
Remember operation was done by SSG and there are several juniors before base commander asks for a fight.
@Cautious: No doubt there was unprecedented lapse never seen or heard of before! Only in Pakistan.
We are Proud of u , PakARmy
If the attackers have been identified so fast but identities are not being released does it mean that some of them are current or former security personnel ?
@Fu Raj:
One country's terrorists are other country's "freedom fighters". Those who were infiltrated in Kashmir can no longer enter Kashmir hence the itch to free "Pakistan" is being acted upon by them in Pakistan. Stop deluding yourself; TTP is made of Pakistanis, whether from FATA or PATA or Baloch or other-soch.
@ARK: You say that "Taliban are being supported by US, Israel & India"! And of course you can prove that!
@Raj:
Haha, good one, Raj.
Apparently the Freedom Fighter tag is only when they attack non-Muslims. Correction. When they attack non-Pakistani-Muslims.
They are Terrorists if they attack Pakistani Muslims or any other Muslims who are in Xinjiang, China.
The theory is attack Indians - Freedom Fighters(FFs). Afghans - FFs. NATO - Super FFs.
Just change the target to Pakistan, they will stop being FFs. For example, Baituallh Mehsud when he was alive and when Mumbai happened he said he will fight India if it attacks. For that the ISI chief had said he is a patriot Pakistani. When he started attacking Pakistan establishment overnight he become a "Indian agent".
The logic is really twisting and doesn't really makes sense to the non-Pakistani mind. You have to excuse them.
someone comes from heaven and free us from ( fright of terriorists), for we are afraid to fight them.............................
Raj An Indian Hindu calls them freedom fighters. Now, we know who is training and sending these terrorists.A country which benefits most from destruction of Pakistan's eyes and ears, our AWACS. Erieye is the first high-performance, long-range Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) system based on active phased-array pulse-Doppler radar, which keeps Pakistanis alert not only to the intrusion of Indian aircrafts, troops, and ships, but also of its conjoined twin Israel.
Interior Minister says “If we can develop nuclear assets, we know how to protect them.” So why the conspiracy that USA will take them?
The fanatic terrorists have not waged a war on Pakistani people. They are just fighting the US/NATO forces by killing, attacking and hurting Pakistan. Despite all these attacks we keep denying that we are at war that we did not choose and imposed on us by terrorists. Time for the drones to come back in action once again before these savages hurt Pakistan even more.
"A picture is worth a thousand words."
And this picture speaks volumes! An apt metaphor for Pakistan; bruised, beaten and in need of some urgent care!
Taliban are being supported by US, Israel & India to destroy Pakistan. It is time that we review our cooperation with US. All three are funding and equipping them. Raymond Davis was also one such case.
They were freedom fighters from Balochistan !!!
@Cautious
The other 9 people were not sitting stooges that security personal at base could target practice with them. When two sides collide, there is damage to both sides.
For terrorists every thing was a target. They can fire on all sides without worrying where the bullets and rockets are going whereas for security personal, they had to pinpoint the terrorists and attack to avoid any damage to their own base and personal.
The outcome was good enough that only minor damage was done. Alas that your sponsored terrorists have failed.
@Raj Freedom fighters are in Indian occupied Kashmir! Regards Fu raj
But my question to you Mr. Malik is, will you ever tell the nation who are these infiltrators? Your statements always tell us that you know the culprits, but you never share with us the information. Are you also part of it, or you are scared of letting us know?
My heros. PAF makes us proud.
Hats off to the Pakistani military who foiled the attempt of anti state cowards working for the enemies of Pakistan.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik: "If we can develop nuclear assets, we know how to protect them". So why the conspiracy that USA wants to take your nukes?
@Raj:
Excuse us- Mind ur own business... We r not rushing like u to the conclusion
@Raj:
Keep your 'freedom fighters' phrase to yourself. They wont be as sympathetic to you Indians as you are being to them.
Please,.. not another press conference by Rehman Malik. If I want to watch a comedy show, I'll watch the Simpsons, but not Rehman Malik, not now.
and this is not a security lapse. Fire the FIA, ISI incharge of area
We already knew who they were. It was a delegation from Waziristan to plan Imran's tour of that area.
Clearly Malik has no clue who did it. It is his typical pattern to blame it all on un-traceable elements. He only claims to know , but till date has never shared what he knows.
Even with advanced notification 9 terrorist were able to enter your airbase - kill at least two soldiers and destroy aircraft. Not many (if any) people outside of Pakistan would chalk that up to a victory as Malik has described. You need to keep Malik away from reporters and you need to hold your military responsible for it's failures.
I had been complainant of the preparedness of our our armed forces on the night of Kamra Attack but 1 vs 9 show that our forces have done well. Keep it up.
Infiltrators or freedom fighters.