Pakistan

Pakistan to launch operation in North Waziristan: Report

"High placed sources" quoted as saying airforce planes would soften up militant targets before ground operations.

Reuters May 30, 2011

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided to launch an air and ground military offensive in North Waziristan, the main sanctuary for al Qaeda and Taliban on the border with Afghanistan, a report in The News said on Monday.

The United States has long demanded that Pakistan launch an offensive in the region to hunt down the Haqqani network, one of the deadliest Afghan militant factions fighting American troops in Afghanistan. Pakistan has been reluctant, but has come under intense US pressure to launch an operation there.

The News newspaper quoted unnamed "highly placed sources" as saying Pakistani airforce planes would soften up militant targets under the "targeted military offensive" before ground operations were launched.

The report said an understanding had been reached over the offensive during last week's visit by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. A US embassy official said he was checking into the report. Pakistani officials were not immediately available for comment.

Pakistan has maintained that its troops were already too stretched fighting Pakistani Taliban insurgents in other parts of the northwest to tackle North Waziristan.

COMMENTS (86)

Noise | 13 years ago | Reply First they wait years and let the half of the militants relocate into the surrounding areas and then finally they launch that operation as an eyewash. The military leadership is not sincere in ridding Pakistan of these factions. Next you'll hear that the militants main base is in Kurram or Oakzai and then the same thing will happen all over again. For the military leadership this has became a business. All they have to lose is the lives of their soldiers which to them apparently do not mean much, and the live of the people of Pakistan who continue to die at these terrorists hands everyday while the generals play their shady games with them and make $$

Amir | 13 years ago | Reply @Ali Hasnain Here are the corrections of your Questions and their Answers There were no suicide attacks before we started military operations in tribal areas. Why? There were no suicide attacks before XXXwe started military operationsXXX US started drone campaign in tribal areas. Why? [Answer: They think we assist them. Yes we did earlier but now we are not] We kill their children and expect them to love us. Why? [We never killed their children. In guerrilla wars civilian casualties does occur, don’t forget in 1947 millions were sacrificed. You think we blame Jinnah for that?] We want to crush them on US pressure and call them terrorists. Why? [What do you mean by ‘them’ this operation is not against people this is against those who are real culprits. Again there will be civilian causalities of course] Haqqani network is not involved in any terrorist activity in Pakistan but our army is still going to lauch an operation against them. Why? [This operation will not be against Haqqani I assure you they will be complete spared] We are not fighting our own war even then we expect positive results why? [Swat is good example. People welcomed the army. Situation here in NW is getting similar] We want Allah to help us over our friendship with Anti Islamic and Jews. (Americans). Why? [Something we cannot control because of our own weaknesses that’s why we seek Allah to help us make stronger so that we can stand up ]

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Khalid Rahim | 13 years ago | Reply @Absar: I wonder how they allowed your comment, the moderator has been cutting me off almost everytime I express my view, Perhaps he is unable to comprehend the essence. I have no problem with others, Maybe their funding from AIPAC in NY may stop if they allow what their Mentors do not want!

Ali Hasnain | 13 years ago | Reply Could any one of u answer me about my these points? There were no suicide attacks before we started military operations in tribal areas. Why? We kill their children and expect them to love us. Why? We want to crush them on US pressure and call them terrorists. Why? Haqqani network is not involved in any terrorist activity in Pakistan but our army is still going to lauch an operation against them. Why? We are not fighting our own war even then we expect positive results why? We want Allah to help us over our friendship with Anti Islamic and Jews. (Americans). Why?

Farhan Khan | 13 years ago | Reply @Amir: Similarly, if US stops drone attacks on them ... Taliban will be standing with pakistani people

Henna Khan | 13 years ago | Reply @Cherish Raj: Do you have any idea about the matter??? Do you know anything about the Pashtuns or the tribal Pashtuns??? Do you know what’s Waziristan and where lies it’s North and south??? Got to appreciate the scale of your insensitivity for the loss of human lives! Yeah sure, this is insensitivity, knowing the fact that this operation can’t bring anything but more deaths, on both parts, In my country. And what thousands deaths in other countries are you talking about??? Pardon me if I don’t take your govt statements or intelligence reports too seriously, we already have had a taste of it in the 50 most wanted suspects list that your govt handed over to our govt, and the taste didn’t last… But if some members of the Pakthun tribes have become terrorists, they should be dealt with. Which members of Pashtun tribes have become “terrorists”, do you know? Or anyone for that matter? Do you wanna know??? How about those 40 innocent Tribal Leaders being droned turning the rest to “terrorist” as a revenge for a reason??? And that’s just the essence of it. It’s just like Imran Khan said, “If you want to cure the patient, you do not cure his symptoms, you cure his disease”… Negotiation is the cure not the militarization. If US is talking about it in Afghanistan with the Taliban, why shouldn’t we be talking about it in our own country, with our own people???

Mark | 13 years ago | Reply @Fahd Shah: People who think like you make me want to become a suicide bomber.

Henna Khan | 13 years ago | Reply @Akthar: So I assume, you never have had a friend, a neighbour, a classmate, a colleague from the region, telling you that his cousin is in the hospital because he lost the limb from "Army operation", or his house is being a host to seven to eight families because they have left their region and don't know if they'll ever be able to go back, or that they have handed the keys of their homes to the terrorists because they will get in whether they like it or not, it's just that they don't want them to destroy it???

Henna Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Oh dear! We’re being sarcastic here?????? If ET can publish your views to the world on the matters which have nothing to do with your country or region, why shouldn’t I take the chance at their generosity to publish my views on the matters of “my country and region”???

Laughing Loudly | 13 years ago | Reply @Cherish Raj: Do you have any idea about the matter??? Do you know anything about the Pashtuns or the tribal Pashtuns??? Do you know what's Waziristan and where lies it's North and south??? Got to appreciate the scale of your insensitivity for the loss of human lives! Yeah sure, this is insensitivity, knowing the fact that this operation can't bring anything but more deaths, on both parts, In my country. And what thousands deaths in other countries are you talking about??? Pardon me if I don't take your govt statements or intelligence reports too seriously, we already have had a taste of it in the 50 most wanted suspects list that your govt handed over to our govt, and the taste didn't last... But if some members of the Pakthun tribes have become terrorists, they should be dealt with. Which members of Pashtun tribes have become "terrorists", do you know? Or anyone for that matter? Do you wanna know??? How about those 40 innocent Tribal Leaders being droned turning the rest to "terrorist" as a revenge for a reason??? And that's just the essence of it. It's just like Imran Khan said, "If you want to cure the patient, you do not cure his symptoms, you cure his disease"... Negotiation is the cure not the militarization. If US is talking about it in Afghanistan with the Taliban, why shouldn't we be talking about it in our own country, with our own people???

Laughing Loudly | 13 years ago | Reply @Avanti: Oh dear! We're being sarcastic here?????? If ET can publish your views to the world on the matters which have nothing to do with your country or region, why shouldn't I take the chance at their generosity to publish my views on the matters of "my country and region"???

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply @mussarat: Very nice and funny! Thanks. I call it mullah/military alliance. Regards, Mirza

Moz | 13 years ago | Reply They didn't even bother to consult in the parliament. Are they just going to go and bomb? What tactics are they going to use? Does it have approval of the people? I mean, how can they just get up in the morning and decide to launch military offensives? I am shocked. Pakistan army needs to cleans itself from Jihadis, and then think about doing these operations.

Kazmi | 13 years ago | Reply im sure these savages will ran away ... and go to afghanistan!!! :( they better seal the border !!

Nurmomad | 13 years ago | Reply this was long overdue. terrorists who indiscriminately blow up citizens cannot be friends of the state. wipe them out Kiyani and Pasha, Gilani and Zarddari. All powers to you

Kee Nasan | 13 years ago | Reply Lacks farsightedness and intelligence. It's nothing but a blackhole - its the road from the frying pan to the fire. It is crucial to go after the financiers, the puppet masters who may be funding this terrorism and menace. Also note, the divide and rule phenomenon may be playing out here. This needs Real intelligence and not knee jerk reactions to effectively root it out. This needs superior intelligence with a spine - otherwise its the road to . . . 'from the 'Frying pan to the Fire'.

mahmood | 13 years ago | Reply Clinton said Pakistan was at a crossroads --- looks like Pakistan has finally decided to pick a road.

Aslam | 13 years ago | Reply Why 80-100 Nuclear weapons does not make Pakistan a sovereign country? Why our generals still have to follow US orders? I thought we are a nuclear power and no one can threat us or breach our sovereignty. So we ate grass and became a nuclear power only to showcase our bomb replicas everywhere in this country but not to use them? Our state of the art fighter planes F16 can’t be used against US or India, then against which enemy we are going to use them, Afghanistan and China? Now our army is forced to kill our own countrymen by North Waziristan offensive.

Thinking | 13 years ago | Reply @ Fahd - the Taliban are not rational people. They do not care if you are a "good" Muslim. They want you to be just like them or they will kill you. Stop protecting and defending them.

NJ | 13 years ago | Reply @muhammad jehanzeb: well said friend; Pakistani terrorism is not at all nationalistic in nature and is purely religious. Many simple pakistanis are not able to see the fatal difference between this two; even the people in power has failed to realize the difference. Hopefully, now they will hold on this realization and act responsible;

raza | 13 years ago | Reply madnessssssssssssssssssss if we do it......................

hassan | 13 years ago | Reply Army should adopt a two-pronged strategy to eliminate terrorism amidst us. First line up all those Conspiracy Theorists and shoot them. They are the ones who give moral support to the terrorists to kill without impunity. They poison the minds of common people and show them the wrong way.They are equal to terrorist idealogues. Then, go after the terrorists in North Waziristan. In two years, you will Pakistan flourishing !!

Hedgefunder | 13 years ago | Reply Better late, then never!! Well overdue!! The whole World has been asking for this, and hopefully the Pak Army will remember that there is no such thing as " good Taliban " and Act with serious intentions and not play double games as time for games is over !!! Pakistan's very survival depends on this and forget India as they are too busy being Baniyas at present and for forseeable future as they really are determined to achieve their objectives and goals, economically!!! Pakistan is just an neighbour with too many problems, and am sure that they will be glad to see the stability in the country too!!! The People of Pakistan Deserve Better from its Govt and Army too!!!! Too many Innocent Lives have been Wasted!!!!

Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Seems like the Hilarious Hilary worked....

mussarat | 13 years ago | Reply @Mirza: My dear Innocent Mirza, survival of Mullah lies in the existence of army. Almost every small and large-sized religious organization is on the pay roll of "somebody" my dear INNOCENT MIRZA. HOW NAIVE U R? Love u Mirza Jat Mussarat

sohaib | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan is a US slave and its army will keep fighting the American war and do their dirty job. After all they are paid a few dollars for doing that.

Akthar | 13 years ago | Reply Guys, Army & ISI has done many operations to fool americans & this is going to be another. Did the Army catch or kill any terrorist / alqaeda / taliban leader so far in any of the major operations? Did anyone see bodies of the dead taliban so far other than you hear in ISPR briefings? They'll just bomb the mountains and the rocks & claim dead taliban & get american aid! So dont spoil your sleep on this! Dont get fooled like Americans!

nawazish | 13 years ago | Reply This is not good if Pakistan is going to do this. This is very very bad for Pakistan American's want's Pakistan in civil war and we are going there. Our army and intelligence should take step and ask US no more. Khalas this is enough all blast and suicide going on in pakistan america and india is behind this. So if our army and intelligence not wake up today then no body knows what's wrong with us.

Cautious | 13 years ago | Reply Better late than never. I suppose the powers that be finally figured out that the American's were serious when they said they would not stop the drone attacks so long as terrorist were given sanctuary. Lets hope that this offensive has the goal of eliminating the terrorist rather than a big PR show allowing them to move to another section of Pakistan.

Avanti | 13 years ago | Reply @Henna Khan: "O goody! Another one and half years without cell phone service in my city…" Henna will say - phone is dead. ET - please communicate my views to the rest of the world.

Ana | 13 years ago | Reply @Fahd Shah: completely agree with you; the so called Taliban are actually American's own made characters, whom America use as per their need just to kill muslims. Its our own homeland & Allah has blesses us with genius ppl & we are capaple to handle all our problems without the help of America either it is the matter of North Waziristan. Just need of honest & sencier Govt. we should not allow America to interept any of our matter or to hold on Pakistan. Be united to escape all Americans from Pakistan

Skin Taj | 13 years ago | Reply I think its a good idea..WHEN OUR ASSETS turn against us...train people to kill our population in the cities....THEY NEED TO BE DEALT WITH... PAKISTAN is still on the map due to ARMY and mostly SINCERE GUYS in ISI !!!!! They should now go to the country where they belong to and leave this country for ever !!!!!!!!! to be prosperous, peaceful and Happy ........... I don't understand ONE THING...why doesn't USA ( if sincere ) help Pakistan to SOLVE KASHMIR ISSUE !!!!! so that PAKISTAN does not have to support some extremist elements !!!!

Saad | 13 years ago | Reply Only if it's done with honest and not just a show case for the news hungry media. God knows how many operations are being done now in Mohamand and Bajur agency, we hear after every 3 months that the area is being cleansed from Taliban yet after another 3 months there is another operation in the same area? What's happening? Is just making us and the west fool?.

Hasan | 13 years ago | Reply That’s right. Let extremists know beforehand that we are coming so they can move to safe locations such as Abbotabad. Are we really serious about fighting extremists?

Nadeem Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply Tough and rough Taliban relocate themselves in minutes. In days notice they will relocate their sheep and chickens too.

Cherish Raj | 13 years ago | Reply @Waqas: BJP is a right wing nationalist party like your PML-N, who took a giant leap towards bringing peace between India and Pakistan. Of course, what we got in return was Kargil and the attack on our parliament. RSS is similar to your Jamaaet-i-Islami, but less hardline. Bal Thackeray is a Marathi nationalist. He does not roam around with Kalashnikovs and train suicide bombers. In any case, the Shiv Sena operates inside our borders. He does not terrorize Afghanistan or Pakistan unlike your beloved Hafiz Saeed and Sirajudheen Haqqani who have taken pledges to eliminate Hindus, Jews and Christians from the planet.

nasrullah | 13 years ago | Reply miserable! we are pushing ourself deeper and deeper into a war which is not ours. Might is Right! if america say that KE, NUST, UET are terrorist institutions and thery are spreading militants to the world our fool politicians and army will launch bomb attacks against them. whats happening in kashmir. thousands of kashmiries being killed by cruel indian army. they are militants too. US must launch a war against them as well if they want end of terrorism in the world.

Javed | 13 years ago | Reply When i was in school one of my elder cousins told me that "When you are option-less, you go for wrong decisions". In Pakistan every person have different view of terrorism. US is correlated to everything happening in the country, why? All of us know that leaders we chose are real responsible, as they have decisive positions and these leaders can make under the table deals , than what we can do? We can just shout in these forums. No one is going to protest on streets and roads because Patriotism is now secondary matter to all of us. As per my understanding when an innocent is killed in these drone strikes or even Pak army strikes, the whole family of that innocent becomes terrorist. So instead of removing this cancer, they are adding some catalyst to spread it fast and more effective.

hassan tahir | 13 years ago | Reply we are vary fool people, after giving 35000 sacrifices in the war against terrorism, again we are going to fight the war of Americ and will give more sacrifices for others. after all, america is using our army in their own interest and we are still sleeping.

Mark | 13 years ago | Reply I think the army, for its own safety, should start rumors about something worth bombing being in the vicinity of wherever that report originated. There's a difference between freedom of press and just being an unprofessional loud mouth gossip lover. Irresponsible. There is no neutrality in that. It could only be negative. The people (hopefully) would have found out after it was over and done with, but there is absolutely no reason that they could not delay publishing that. The press is supposed to be "for the people." Delaying the publishing of that information would not harm the people. Publishing it in a hurry does harm. Lethal harm. They can't say they don't know better.

Phoenix | 13 years ago | Reply PNS Mehran Attack was all Drama to force PAK Army for North Waziristan Operation !

vasan | 13 years ago | Reply Waqas, Thanks for exhibiting your knowledge of Indian parties and organizations. But I am yet to find one terrorist attack in any foreign country by any of the organizations mentioned by you. May be you know something which the world does not know. Pl dont rant that RAW is behind all the attacks in Pakistan which is a totally diversionary tactic employed by Pak govt/army/establishment. The bluff is called now because of the arrest of the ex-navy commander in Lahore for his role. There are many more ghosts in the closet. Pl clean them before they get you and your country.

omar yusaf | 13 years ago | Reply Stuffed.......again! This may be the last stuffing, because it is going to be a fast roller coast ride downhill from here on. No way up after this.

Iftikhar-ur-Rehman | 13 years ago | Reply Why can't we just keep our traps shut and surprise the enemy??? The authorities should arrest and punish the people who leak these secrets to news reporters.

maestro | 13 years ago | Reply I say NO to this operation. Go and sit with them and discuss how to move forward peacefully. They are Pakistanis. Each bomb that will be dropped there can instead build a school where they can be taught that violence is not right. Learn math and chemistry instead! And Americans need to get out of Afghanistan now. Pakistan cannot keep fighting an American war when we had nothing to do with 9/11. Every bomb will create a new taliban extremist. If there are extremist elements, go after them in very precise surgical raids avoiding innocent women and children casualties. And get proper intel from them about where they are from, and who is supplying them? Then we will discover the real enemy. What is SSG for??

I Hussain | 13 years ago | Reply @Fahd Shah: Talibans are terrorists and killers of thousands of innocent Pakistanis. Anyone who still supports those beasts is better to go to Wazirstan and live with them. His romance with them will end with a few weeks.

I Hussain | 13 years ago | Reply @Aamir: Taliban may or may not be a threat to America. But they are certainly a threat to our country and our way of life. After the exit of the US forces from Afghanistan, their aim of resisting US and Nato forces will transform into imposing the Sharia law in Pakistan and Afghanistan and beyond. They are not the guys who would abandon terrorism with persuations or negotiations. This hydra has to be fought in order to defeat it. There is no other option.

S.G. Jilanee | 13 years ago | Reply Fattened on American money, now deliver. But are all the inhabitants of NW militants who plan attacks on Christ's lambs? What about the non-militants?

Moise | 13 years ago | Reply Back to square one.

Waqas | 13 years ago | Reply @ Cherish People like you look at the world view from only one angle. I don't blame you, you should care about your own 'terrorists' in the garb BJP, VHP, RSS saffron brigade. Tell me are these good terrorist or bad from Indian view point? And what do you plan to do about them?? We can talk after you hang your own terrorist Bal Thakery ....

Wasim | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan army thinks if they start operation then U.S. will support Pakistan but forget about it. U.S. shares the same interests as India in the region, which is a powerful India and weaker China and Pakistan. America, India, and ANA will make the western provinces of Pakistan a living hell, after America uses Pakistan to kill the very men who are stopping American and Indian plans for the region. Pakistani army is so stupid, now no Pakistani will support Pakistani army, and when they kill Haqqani network, CIA and RAW will create hell for Pakistani army in Balochistan and FATA. U.S. is not a trusted friend, and all of America hates Pakistan even though Pakistan lost 5,000 of their troops and 35,000 of its people in America's war OF terror.

Some Misplaced Sence of Truth | 13 years ago | Reply The "Strategic Assets" have already been shifted to a nearby place. Hail, the Pakistan Military and its Double Standards!

New Delhi_India | 13 years ago | Reply Since these unnamed “highly placed sources” of Pak-Army has already alerted their beloved Talibani Mujahideens, I think it would be very nice of the Pak-Army if they also setup some travel desks and information centres in the region before starting the operation so that these Talibanis should not feel uncomfortable in travelling to some safer and cosy neighbourhoods of Lahore, Karachi, Abbottabad and Islamabad etc. A dedicated website informing about travel time, trains availability, places to stay in and around military cantonments like Abbottabad etc. will be treated as another friendly step to further strengthened the relationship. It will be an another goodwill gesture towards them if Pak-Railways also start some exclusive express and passenger trains like “Taliban Express” or “Taliban Superfast” for them. A tatkal resevation scheme or quota for child suicide bombers (below the age of 12) and additional luggage facility for other categories to carry their toys will be highly appreciated. Regards,

Ali Wazir | 13 years ago | Reply Lol as if 8 years of multiple tribal areas adventures and its resulting radicalism and daily suicide bombing was not enough...Okay Pakistan get ready for the endless cycle of Army Operation>>>> Collateral damage and IDP's>>>>Suicide Bombings>>>>Army Operation

Ali Hasan | 13 years ago | Reply Finally. Stamp out those working against the government and slaughtering civilians on a daily basis. Terribly sad that it took so long and so many deaths for the machine to finally get moving. What remains to be seen is the effort put into rehabilitiation works AFTER the military offensive. The previous two efforts were militarily succesful but a social catastrophe since the millions of IDPs were left pretty much on their own and their camps became extremist recruitment hotbeds. Military action is only half of the solution.

Hafiz | 13 years ago | Reply American slave Pakistani Army and Govt.. please wake up this will create more damage in the country,,, look at them they are negotiating with Taliban in Afghanistan and forcing to fight with them,,how disgusting is that,, why do not we understand,, those tribes never been against with PAkistan,, I think it will be really bad decision...May Allah give us hidayah...

Fahd Shah | 13 years ago | Reply @Amir: Brother just for your information, the so called Taliban are also American made. its a big game being played in Pakistan. And we middle class and lower class people have to face the axe. If they are really Taliban, then why are they only targeting mosques, military and markets places. why not concerts, fashion shows, casinos (gambling places as no casinos in Pakistan) etc.?

Cherish Raj | 13 years ago | Reply @Henna Khan: This has always been Pakistani's problem. Good terrorists, bad terrorists, Pakthun terrorists, Tajik terrorists, pro Pakistan terrorists, anti India terrorists. Nobody says that Pakthuns are terrorists. But if some members of the Pakthun tribes have become terrorists, they should be dealt with. Are not you guys tired of playing this good, bad and ugly terrorists games after the death of 40,000 people in your own country and thousands in neighboring countries. Got to appreciate the scale of your insensitivity for the loss of human lives!

Umais | 13 years ago | Reply @Wasim: Seriously Wasim,today your mind set make me think of the Shuhdaas of Pakistan.The people like you who are very short temprament are just disgrace to the country.. This is our country and our Army... Support Pakistan and its Armed forces.. I strongly believe soldiers are more patriotic then people who only saw TV and knows how to comment against army.. Still millions of Soldier must be dieing in this hot weather in different areas of country... RESPECT THEM Long Live Pakistan & Its Armed Forces...

Absar | 13 years ago | Reply Pathetic hypocrite policy of tribune on user comments. Independent media GROW UP face it when you hold no responsibility of user comments

Pragmatist | 13 years ago | Reply Ye tho hona hi tha ! @Henna Khan: Depends on what you call "winning". The Russians lost 20,000 men compared to over 1,000,000 million Pashtuns lost. Yet, it is seen as a victory to the Pashtuns. The Russians ran out of money to fight the war more than anything else.

Absar | 13 years ago | Reply Ha Ha Ha rather guffaw!! reminds me of an indian movie dialogue JO jeejaa ji kahian ge main woh he kerounga. Best of luck to the Armed Forces involved in kneeling to America for what they had created for their masters old good sake. My only concern has always been the infants and children died there without even knowing the reason, else the upbringing of a child who might have seen his parents dying in front of him, in an operation or drone, will cost you at least one suicide attack even if there is no jihadis,alqaeda or what not.. Sigh!! i know nothing will happen Sadly!!

Wasim | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan army will get no support from Pakistanis over this operation. Pak army will now be called "napak army".

Henna Khan | 13 years ago | Reply @Amir: Firstly, you need to distinguish the Pashtun from the terrorists, considering the fact that they're failing to do so, you can't win the war there. No one has ever won from the Pashtuns, it'll only making the matter worse...

SHAHID | 13 years ago | Reply CIA & RAW has finalised their fielding in North Wairistan.......Now get ready for the sucide bombers and to accept the bodies of army persons..............May ALLAH save us all.

Sheraz Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Mr. Kiyani its not our war, and its not the war against terror, its the war to bulldoze the rights of others to make them militant, this is american agenda plz dont fulfill it like a slave,

Bacha Sacha | 13 years ago | Reply Ermm and how will that help ?

Absar | 13 years ago | Reply Ha Ha Ha rather guffaw!! reminds me of an indian movie dialogue JO jeejaa ji kahian ge main woh he kerounga. Best of luck to the Armed Forces involved in kneeling to America for what they had created for their masters old good sake. My only concern has always been the infants and children died there without even knowing the reason. We should made their men impotent somehow so that there die no other child, else the upbringing of a child who might have seen his parents dying in front of him, in an operation or drone, will cost you atleast one suicide attack even if there is no jihadis,alqaeda or what not.. Sigh!! i know nothing will happen Sadly!!

mobi | 13 years ago | Reply lets get rid of them once for all. make sure not a single of them is left alive as they have killed thousands of innocent Pakistanis. Lets avenge all of them. Best of Luck Pak Army.

skp | 13 years ago | Reply @Chebbo: except chinese forces boots

Henna Khan | 13 years ago | Reply O goody! Another one and half years without cell phone service in my city...

Chebbo | 13 years ago | Reply This was the new American dictation to the Pakistan government and the main feature of Hillary Rodham Clinton's visit to the country. It also indicates perhaps the condition of repairing U.S - Pak unilateral relationship. America has once again showed her arrogance and dominating status in the alliance. Pakistan, on the other hand, feels inclined to undertake the operation in North Waziristan as 'increasing 'Drone attacks' have been proving suicidal and non productive decimating country's innocent population. The truth of the matter is that the Americans frustrated Pakistan (through drone attacks) to the extent that it decided to take such action failing which it exposes itself to more suicide attacks in other major cities. On the other hand, Pakistan government should never allow any foreign forces boots on their soil: be those Americans or NATO or CIA operatives. It should reduce these agents number to the minimum in the country and send packing most of them back home. No proud nation accepts any foreign troops on their motherland.

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply After trying every trick to protect the terrorists, Pakistani army has no option but to do the right thing. After all the huff and puff they are finally acting as poodle. Even though the army/ISI were protecting OBL for almost a decade, the army touts are still blaming the elected representatives of people. These bloody civilians had no idea what these rouge elements are up to. However, the gnerals who have done every crime in human history against Pakistanis (East Pakistan remember) are never blamed by the mullah/military alliance and their agents. Shut up and do what you have been paid to do for a decade or we would do it ourselves.

muhammad jehanzeb | 13 years ago | Reply @Fahd Shah: what pakistan has been acting as ,is the slave of islamic fundamentalists.Arabs,iranians,chechens,uzbeks,tajiks etc. have been allowed to infiltrate our society & violate pakistan's sovereignty.why don't our tv anchors shout & scream about this fundoo invasion? why is our sovereignty only violated when the violators are non-muslims? why have we made our country a safe haven for religious terrorists of the entire muslim world? from libyans to indonesians all the jihadi terrorists from around the world find refuge & sanctuary in our society.we have to make our country a no-go area for religious terrorists.

Shehzad khan Niazi | 13 years ago | Reply US pressure finally worked

Amir | 13 years ago | Reply @Fahd Shah: If our so called brother there are not in our control what else can we do ? I bet if they (Taliban) stop attacking us, whole nation will be with them . But unfortunately it not going to happen.

Fahd Shah | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan Govt. is acting as a slave of America. The Govt is really a slave of of America, first we used to say they are dogs of America, but now its too much. Iran as offered assistance in Petroleum, electricity but no if Master America must approve first. China offered electricity help but no we will ask the one who loves to kill us America. This operation in Waziristan is being done as America wants to make make their base there. and we are killing our Muslim brothers to keep our Master America Happy.

Afaq | 13 years ago | Reply ISI have taken a smart decision... Best of luck

Feroz | 13 years ago | Reply I hope some serious thinking has preceded the decision to take out the violent militants in North Waziristan. Before the action starts all exit routes from there must be blocked, to prevent militants from escaping into neighbouring areas. Now people are more interested in results rather than speeches and intentions.

asad | 13 years ago | Reply my army you are only losing your position and confidence in Pakistan ! just stop it and answer them. we today with you but may be tomorrow with someone else. please don't corrupt yourself.

Watchman | 13 years ago | Reply dream on.

babar irfan | 13 years ago | Reply The pakistani govt. must establish its writ in the tribal areas.At present the tribal areas are infested with islamice fanatics.We need to launch operations not only in north waziristan but other tribal areas also where the islamic fundamentalists have established a reign of terror.Girls schools must be opened,women have to be started to be treated as humans by the tribal people,they can't keep on living in the dark ages and treat their women like animals.

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply As I have been saying in these pages it is coming true. After getting caught red handed with OBL in an army base custom safe fortress, Pakistan army has no option but to follow US orders. That is one of the reasons US has decicded to reduce its own men in Pakistan. Now there is no need for US to waste their own people. Pakistan army would finally has to take action against the people who have been killing Pakistanis by tens of thousands. The following has already been done: US has been given access to OBL's family and the compound again. The helicop. parts have been returned. The action in North Waziristan is finally going to happen. The cooperation of Pakistan army with Islamist terrorists is reduced. Even though the ghairat brigade and 2/3 of Pakistanis believe US attack didi not kill OBL, but not a single Pakistani civil or military official dared make such a stupid statement. There is already investigation going on against the presence of Jehadis in armed forces. That is the reason Mehran Base was attacked by the insiders. I can keep giving more examples but the point is clear. No more excuses and double crossing. Do the job or The US would do it.

muhammad fajim dhedi | 13 years ago | Reply Finally,this was long overdue.The islamic fundamentalists have made this area as their sanctuary,where they plan,train,brainwash terrorists.Our govt. is too scared to act against them,hopefully now it will take decisive action & finish off the religious terrorists who use these areas as their hiding places from where they send out terrorists to kill people in our cities.

IZ | 13 years ago | Reply Well there goes the element of surprise... the air force should find the officers who leaked this information and court martial them. Recent events should surely have shown the need for better operational security by the military and we get this. I wouldn't be surprised if these singing canaries have revealed every 'secret' location and 'sensitive' secret of the state to every person they meet. No wonder militants can waltz in and out of bases at will.

Aamir | 13 years ago | Reply Get ready for more damage to Pak Army. US will end us nowhere..

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