A file photo of army personnel. PHOTO: REUTERS
The Pakistan Army plans to raise a new force to deal with the threat of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), which have claimed over 11,000 lives in the last decade in Pakistan.
IEDs have also been a major cause of fatalities among foreign forces stationed in neighbouring Afghanistan.
An inter-agency meeting, held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Monday, was informed that a new force of three Counter IED units was being raised within the Pakistan Army, according to an official statement.
The meeting, chaired by Chief of General Staff Lt General Rashad Mahmood, was part of efforts by the government to deal with the threat of IEDs.
Representatives of the ministry of foreign affairs, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, minister of industries, ministry of information and broadcasting, ministry of interior, Fata Secretariat, Pak-Arab Fertilizers, Biafo Industries Limited, and the Wah Nobel Group attended the meeting.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, the panel reviewed challenges and threats posed by IEDs in the present environment and identified them as the “cheapest assassins”.
The officials and experts acknowledged that while the menace has been growing overall, the number of IEDs has been successfully reduced in conflict zones from 55% to 45% in the last couple of years.
The panel noted that a number of other countries affected by IEDs have made laws to control the menace but Pakistan has yet to enacted any progress on this plane.
Related issues such as border control, tracking down terrorist networks and random checks in Fata were also discussed.
A regulatory mechanism was discussed in detail for the effective control of the movement of the explosive material and Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) fertiliser from regional and extra-regional countries.
Pakistan has often been accused by western countries of doing little to stop the smuggling of CAN. According to the US, about 80% of the IEDs used in Afghanistan contain homemade explosives, and more than 80% of them are derived from the CAN fertiliser, which is produced in Pakistan.
The statement added that Pakistan is one of the top victims of IED attacks by militants. During the last decade, some 33,150 incidents have taken place across Pakistan, claiming the lives of 11,250 Pakistanis and injuring over 21,000.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 12th, 2013.
Correction: An earlier version of this story had an incorrect picture attached to it. The picture has been replaced now.
COMMENTS (28)
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Folks!! Open your eyes and see it again!!! The picture is of Pakistani Army personnel. its quite clear:
Pakistan's Flag is evident on Soldiers' uniform on their left arms. Three of them hold G3 Riffel. Pak Army pre-dominantly uses G3. More importantly such seemingly active contingent can't be of Indian Army. Looks like Pak Army Lions.Having said that the topic is more imporatnt than picture. Give your sensible comments on the subject.
TM
@A2Z and all late comers lol u woke up late sir/madam ET has changed the pic. it was picture of three dudes earlier
@Hassan, Close Enough, A2Z-------》》》before commenting if you guys can read the whole news and the correction part where ET says that earlier they had an incorrect picture. Please Read before commenting.
@Hassan: Before crying you should have seen the last line of article.
Please check Pak Falg batch on shoulders of PAK Army Men
Yeah, ET changed the picture really quickly.
what were they doing before ??
ET proves, itself stupid by posting comments who are labelling these soldiers as indians. All idiots claiming it as pic of indian soldiers,, wake up and look at the badge. These are Pakistani soldiers.
Those are Pakistani soldiers i believe. Notice the flag on the left arm of the Army jawan who is on the extreme left of the picture.
@all..
I can see a small "Pakistani Flag" on the Left Arm of the Soldier First from Left in a row.. Why dont you people? Is this edited ? it does not seems to.
Idiots who commented here ... Look at the badge on the left arm. You will see the pakistan emblem there. All pakistani soldiers displayed here, not Indians.
This is bound to happen when a media organisation hires LUMS graduates as editors and sub-editors.
Pak Army personnel? perhaps not as the DMS, caps and helmet seem to be that of our 'friends' from across the LOC. the disruptive camo pattern shown is also not used by the Pak Army.
Why is there a Pakistani flag on the soldier's arm at extreme left?
bravo E.T....you rectified the mistake, that was quick, and well be careful next time.
Why are the soldiers jumping..?
and it looks like that you guys have missed the head lines "cheapest assasins"!!!!! thats how u call ur own army!!
Express Tribune-------> You guys have uploaded picture of Indian soldiers and have portrayed them as Pakistani, Journalism at its worst, so now if you have the guts and some self respect, upload my comments.
The pic is of indian soliders dude!! and news of Pakistan !
please give it a good quality check before you post pictures E.T. The Army personnel showed in the picture are Indian Army troops, while the story is about the developments being taken place in Pakistani Army. A mistake on part of you guys E.T.
Photo used by tribune is not of Pakistani soldiers
Lol that's a photo of Indian Army personnel. haha
This pic isn't of Pak Army, probably Indians.
The file photo on this article shows Indian soldiers where as the story is about Pakistan.
For your correction, the picture looks more like Indian army personnel rather than Pakistani soldiers
Salute to Brave soldiers and Face palm for you article heading.
ur file photo seems like photo of indian soldiers..