Blown cover: Four intelligence officials killed in Jhelum
The incident took place in the hilly area near Pind Dadan Khan, which is located on the confluence of the border between Jhelum and Chakwal districts.
Sources told The Express Tribune that army troops mounted a secret undercover operation after they were tipped off about the presence of suspected terrorists in the Pir Chunbbal shrine on a hilltop.
It was a Military Intelligence-led operation in which four officials were killed, military sources said, identifying three of them as Major Afaq, Hawaldar Nazir Abbas and Naik Fiyyaz. They belonged to MI Punjab 204 Rawalpindi detachment of Jhelum and Chakwal.
One of their civil informants was also killed in the incident. Sources said that four terrorists were also killed in the raid. But it wasn’t confirmed officially.
Foreign media gave a different account. Quoting security officials, the BBC reported that the four intelligence officials were kidnapped by terrorists a few days back. And the kidnappers were demanding the release of their 20 comrades who were arrested during operations in the tribal regions.
Sources said that the MI had kept the undercover operation secret and not even the police were taken into confidence. But the BBC report said that the action was conducted in coordination with the police.
Sources said that police had alerted the militants about an earlier swoop, indicating that extremist groups have infiltrated the police force. Following that incident, the Punjab police chief had suspended a senior police official.
A group of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, led by Dr Arshad, had set up hideouts in the hilly areas near Khewra and Pir Chunbbal regions. These heavily armed militants had started kidnapping affluent people for ransom. Dr Arshad is wanted by the police in at least 10 cases of terrorism. Interior Minister Rehman Malik told the BBC that action was taken because militants have set up hideouts in these areas. He did not give details.
Sources said that MI officials mounted the undercover raid impersonating devotees at the Pir Chambal shrine. However, the suspicious militants searched them and found army identity cards. The militants killed the intelligence officials and fled the area unchallenged, according to sources.
Following the killing, Army helicopters launched a search operation. The army has thrown a security cordon around the area and, according to sources, a major search operation is expected today (Sunday). However, sources said that the militants were seen escaping from the area using the Rawalpindi-Lahore Motorway.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 13th, 2011.
COMMENTS (27)
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Sorry to hear and condolences. My heart and prayers to you and your families.
Wonder if kidnapping affluent people for ransom isn't considered anti-Pakistan or not, or outing our intelligence officers and killing them and running...? Right...let's not smear L-e-J's "good name" by linking them to TTP! Sarc.
I've always maintained there were traitors in our security services, and still do.
The entire scenario reminds me of the Training Day movie. Sadly this is real life where real lives were lost and sadly betrayed by other uniformed colleagues.
@Musthaq Ahmed:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kharjites
Because knowing ideology and history is important. I don't merely use religious rhetoric to sound like a religious nut. It's to drive a point.
It's an apt analogy and there's historical precedent. You correctly point out Islamic language is sadly co-opted by the Taliban whose propaganda sways the minds of the superstitious. The religious test conservatism is now virtually routine for most Pakistanis who use it to justify their thinking, actions or behaviours, whether right or wrong. I'm appealing to such minds, though those with an open mind can seek to learn from the word instead of feeling threatened.
Would you prefer I call them 'our Muslim brothers' like some Pakistani citizens who try to appease them do?
Clearly they are not convinced they're criminals, or too scared to admit as such and make excuses of 'no real Muslim', 'foreign hands', etc, because of the fake religious-nationalist aura these militants supposedly represent despite all the 'un-Islamic' and illegal acts of aggression and criminality.
Best way to appeal then is to peel back the layers of prejudice by invoking a straight to the point Islamic and historic villainous label, which happens to be accurate, to break the myth around militants and convince the religious-value think that most Pakistanis have shrouded themselves into, who can learn about them, and hopefully come around to finally condemning these monsters.
only 5 persons were kidnapped and murdered. let me introduce you to one of our Province, the name is "Balochistan". Several persons, especially young people are being kidnapped and their bullet riddled bodies are being dumped in deserted areas, and this is happening on a daily basis. There are evidence that security establishment agencies are picking these persons, infront of the whole neighborhood. Pardon me if i say, that the Blood of people belonging to Balochistan, and neighboring areas have become cheaper, than the people settled in the urban areas of Pakistan.
@Gul Khan:
The TTP foreign conspiracy is nothing more than the usual non-provable, non-fact based xenophobic delusion and paranoia. There are militant organizations of every kind in Pakistan made up of Pakistani citizens, and other Arab and non-Arab extremists...to act like this isn't of your own environment's making and tolerance on guns, religious extremism and militancy, is to continue the lies, deceit, denialism, ignorance. Own up and take responsibility and stop delaying the solution with deflection and ridiculous excuses.
You take issue with TTP but not L-e-J?! Interesting.
Please tell, how is L-e-J bombing and massacring Pakistani minorities and committing an attack on visiting Sri Lankan players not considered anti-Pakistani terrorism? And how about their Saudi funding, or at the very least, Punjab funding, despite being known as notorious criminals?
The Bodies of the martyred officials have been recovered. My chacha Maj Afaq was one of them. Plz pray for all of them and their families.
@bigsaf: Why the word Kharjite ? They are enemies of the state and the people . Do not ever use archaic medieval expressions. The language belongs to Taliban.
@hedgefunder: spot on. Time to forget abt Kashmir( we cant capture it militarily anyway).we should now focus on putting our own house in order. Hey Generals,if u r reading this, time to wake up and smell the coffee
@Soho: How many agents does CIA employ? Were they able to prevent 9/11? Maybe CIA should be "abolished" and perhaps outsouce analysis & forecast ?
I am wondering why ET is linking Lashkar-e-Jhangvi with TTP. TTP is purely anti-pakistan terrorist group funded by US, India etc.
@hedgefunder, internal crises is caused by external factors like invasion of Afghanistan by US and Pakistan's support of invasion.
Yes let the US and UK spend its hard earned taxes on its fat cat bankers and hudgefunds who are the root of all evil and greed. These hedgefund mangers should be sent to the gulag forever. They add NO value to this world.
@cnt disclose:
Thanks for the update. Wish your contact the very best in capturing these terrorists and hope they can recover their fallen comrades' bodies.
@ cnt disclose, thanks for update. No millitant has been killed and this was not an operation. Intelligence folks were kidnapped and brutely murdered.
@imranr: Yep. Just look at your peaceful history. You're opening the eyes of the world.
Imran Khan is still Taliban Khan. Now it's more or less just a tragic tale of unrequited love. Though it does make it a little sad. Before he could push it off on others that know talking won't change a thing. Now it's just obvious he doesn't have the courage of a real man/leader to stand up to them.
You can't talk to anyone while they're pointing a gun at you and are more than willing to use "talks" as nothing more than the chance to get a suicide bomber up close and personal with major targets. Not coming to terms with that reality just makes him look weak.
So the cockroaches are not just located in NW, but also in heart of Punjab !!! Time the Army wake up and deal with the internal crises facing the country, than worrying about its ambitions in Afghanistan or Kashmir !!! Its high time they realise the fact that US AId will stop in due course and the duplicity is not going to bought by any Donar Nations in the western world, so time to show some sincerity and bring stability to your own country internally first and the people of Pakistan certainly deserve this as basic right in terms of Security, Safety & Stability. Let's leave economic issues for another day, perhaps !!!
I can give you an update, not four infact 5 intelligence officails have been killed in this operation and their bodies are still not recovered. Police were earlier trying to capture these millitants who were hiding next to kharian in a forest area and helicopters were brought in to help police and army intelligence officials but so far they had no success. Their operation is on hold at the moment and they are busyin DSP office planning to launch a new operation tomorrow with the help of local people who know this area well. The whole area has been cordned off by security officials so lets hope they can grab them tomorrow and recover the bodies of security officials. I know somebody who is taking part in this operation and thats where this inforamtion is coming from.
Imran is no supporter of TTP. He has been quite clear that you cant address terrorism just by bombing people you need to tackle the root causes and that can only be done through dialogue. You just have to look around the world and where countries have tried to use brute force to address these issues the problem has just gone worse e.g. ireland, columbia, philipine, kashmir, palestine, turkey etc.
To be honest the US is one of the biggest reasons we are in the mess we are. Even hilary admitted the other day that us policies are not always in line with the locals interest e.g. middle east. So they are happy to negotiate with the taliban but pakistan cant do that.
great loss for the intelligence community and victory for taleban. Surely one day Pakistan will be truly islamic country.
@bigsaf: AMEN!!!!
This was a costly fight, losing 4 intelligence officials...while I'm a great critic of our security and intelligence agencies, I'll give more than due respect to those who sincerely chase militants and give their lives to protect the nation from terrorists, unlike others who treacherously provide them safe havens....these criminal Kharjites and those traitors must be eliminated.
This is were wrong that punjab the main place was take off by talban do some thing
I guess we can blame America and continue to tell ourself that one day these monsters will negotiate, keep their part of the deal and there will be peace.