Govt, security establishment react in unison

Osama Bin Laden’s death described as a positive development for Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD:

The country’s civilian leadership and security establishment were in complete agreement on Monday, describing Osama Bin Laden’s death as a positive development for Pakistan.

Highlighting Pakistan’s role, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani vowed that the country will continue to support international endeavours for eliminating terrorism. “Arrangements for comprehensive and effective intelligence sharing between Pakistani and other countries’ agencies are in place,” he said.

Confirming Bin Laden’s death in an “intelligence-driven military operation”, he echoed the Foreign Office (FO) statement and said that US forces had conducted the operation in accordance with declared US policy that American  forces will take direct action to eliminate Bin Laden wherever in the world he was found.

The FO, although distancing Pakistan from the operation, hailed the development a major setback to terrorist organisations around the world. “Al-Qaeda had declared a war on Pakistan. Almost 30,000 civilians lost their lives in terrorist attacks in the last few years. More than 5,000 security and armed forces officials have been martyred in Pakistan’s campaign against al Qaeda, other terrorist organisations and affiliates,” the statement said.

A statement by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), issued hours after the US president announced Bin Laden dead, gives credence to these apprehensions. “If he has been martyred, we will avenge his death and launch attacks against American and Pakistani governments and their security forces,” spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan told AFP by telephone from an undisclosed location. However, contrary to claims made by the US and Prime Minister Gilani, security officials saidthat all ‘stakeholders’ were on board about the operation.

“I don’t want to go into the details of how the operation was conducted [but] what I can say is that we see it as a very positive development,” a top security official said, requesting anonymity. “Osama was not our friend and his death will certainly benefit Pakistan in many ways,” he said, pointing out that the timing is significant as it is linked with the Afghan endgame.

A military official, who brushed aside the impression that Pakistan-US relations could be strained because Bin Laden was found in Pakistan, warned that Pakistan’s security forces might come under renewed attack from al Qaeda and its affiliates.

“The statement says it all … such an operation was not possible without our help,” the Pakistani official said, referring to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s press briefing. Meanwhile, several high profile meetings were held in the capital on Monday.

PM Gilani met US envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman, who is in Pakistan on a pre-planned visit for talks between Afghan, Pakistani and US officials scheduled for Tuesday.

“Gilani emphasised the need for constructive and positive messaging from both sides on today’s operation,” a statement released after the meeting said. Heads of security agencies and the interior and foreign ministries met President Asif Ali Zardari at the Presidency and briefed him about the operation.

Fearing a backlash, all heads of security agencies and police were directed to beef up security. Security of the diplomatic enclave hosting foreign missions and residences of diplomats was further heightened and the US Consulate was closed for an indefinite period.

(WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM AFP AND ZAHID GISHKORI & UMAR NANGIANA IN ISLAMABAD)

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3^rd, 2011.