Pakistan Security Brief - 13 / 7 / 2010

• Missing Iranian scientist at Pakistani embassy in Washington, D.C.;
• Militants destroy another school in Bajaur Agency;
• 170 suspects arrested in Peshawar crackdown;
• Militant commander killed in Lower Dir;
• Security official killed in Orakzai Agency;
• Explosion reported in Mohmand Agency;
• Police arrest 39 suspect terrorists and 170 activists,
• Crackdown on SSP in Punjab;
• Punjab government establishes anti-terrorism board;
• Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers to meet in Islamabad on Thursday;
• Pakistan will not all Indian trade route to Afghanistan;
• Five killed in Karachi violence.

Missing Iranian Scientist in Washington, D.C.

• A missing Iranian nuclear scientist has taken refuge at the Pakistani embassy in Washington, D.C. Shahram Amiri, a researcher at Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, disappeared last year during a religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. Although Tehran claims that Amiri was kidnapped by the U.S. in a bid to undermine Iran’s nuclear program, it remains unclear whether he willingly defected or was indeed kidnapped. As there are no diplomatic relations between Iran and the U.S., the Pakistani embassy in Washington hosts an Iranian interests branch, which provides visas for travel to Iran and other consular services for Iranians in the U.S. According to a Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson, Amiri arrived at the Pakistani embassy around 6:30 pm on Monday.[1] also [1A]

Punjab

• Police arrested at least 39 suspected terrorists – 20 from Multan and 19 from Lahore – and 170 activists on Tuesday as part of an expanded crackdown on banned militant groups in southern Punjab. According to reports from Rahimyar Khan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Layyah district, police conducted nighttime raids targeting Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) in Lahore, Multan, Sahiwal, Khanewal, Jhang, Bhakkar, Gujrat, Vehari, Rawalpindi and other cities. Police also closed 22 offices associated with SSP, which were operating under the alias Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat. In Bahawalpur district, six activists of the Sipah-e-Sahaba, Millat-e-Islami and Jaish-e-Muhammad have also been arrested.[2]

• The Punjab government announced on Tuesday that it has established a new anti-terrorism board in order to combat terrorists operating throughout the province. The Chief Minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif, was chosen to head the board that will include the provincial law minister, Inspector General, chief prosecutor, and home secretary. A committee was also established to coordinate intelligence gathering and sharing between various departments and the chief secretary, improve police performance, and manage a provincial awareness campaign.

FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

• Militants destroyed another government-run school in Khar Tehsil of Bajaur Agency on Monday. According to tribal sources, a group of militants detonated explosives placed throughout the Government Girls Primary School in Sheikh Baba Killay with a remote-controlled device. This is the 93rd school destroyed by militants so far in Bajaur. The building was empty at the time. Following the destruction of the school, security forces arrested several suspects from the area. [3]

• At least 170 people were arrested on Tuesday during coordinated search operations in various parts of Peshawar, including Gul Bahar, Phandoo and Chamkanai. According to sources, police also seized 10 rifles, 10 AK-47s, 14 pistols, and 830 rounds of ammunitions during the operations. These arrests follow reports on Sunday that police arrested 410 suspects throughout the city. [4]

• Security forces killed a key militant commander, Naseer Kakkar, during search operations in Lower Dir on Monday. Kakkar is believed to be responsible for ordering attacks in Lower Dir and masterminding last month’s suicide attack in the area. [5]

•A security official was killed and four others were wounded on Monday in a roadside bomb blast in Orakzai Agency. According to sources, security forces were on a routine patrol when their vehicle struck a landmine in Sangra, Lower Orakzai. [6]

•Dawn News reported that an explosion occurred in Sarokoli in Mohmand Agency on Tuesday. There are no reported casualties at this time. [7]

Pak-Indian Relations

•Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishra will meet with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Thursday in Islamabad in a bid to restore trust and resume peace talks between the two countries. According to India’s foreign ministry, the ministers will try “to work out the modalities of restoring trust and confidence in the relationship, thus paving the way for a substantive dialogue on issues of mutual concern.” Meanwhile, the prime minister of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Raja Farooq Haider, told reporters, “We reject the foreign ministers’ talks on Thursday… The talks can be meaningful only if Kashmiris are made part of it.” Diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan collapsed in 2008 after the 10 gunmen killed 166 people in attacks in India’s financial capital, Mumbai. [8]

•According to a report from The News, Pakistan will not allow an Indian trade route through Pakistan as part of the Pak-Afghan Transit Trade agreement despite pressure from Washington prior to Thursday’s meetings in Islamabad. “There is no flexibility regarding allowing India to use land route through Pakistan for onward journey into Afghanistan. Trade between Pakistan and India is a bilateral issue and outside the scope of the Pak-Afghan Transit Trade Agreement,” an official told The News. [9]

Karachi

•Targeted killings continue in Karachi as at least five people were killed by gunmen in separate incidents on Tuesday. According to sources, gunmen killed a doctor, affiliated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), standing outside his clinic in Al-Falah. In a separate incident, gunmen opened fire on a vehicle on Rashid Minhas road,, killing two people. A woman was also killed in Shershah and police recovered another body in Lyari. [10]

  

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Sources:

[1] Nasser Karimi, “Missing Iranian scientist surfaces in Washington,” AFP, July 13, 2010. Available on http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hMjU0wACQ2zOXzyTxJ64UzIB57TwD9GU5T600
“Iranian nuclear scientist turns up in D.C.,” LA Timesm July 13, 2010. Available on http://www.latimes.com/news/la-fg-nuclear-scientist-iran-20100714,0,6109882.story
“Shahram Amiri hiding in DC embassy, wants to return to Iran,” Christian Science Monitor, July 13, 2010. Available on http://www.csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2010/0713/Shahram-Amiri-hiding-in-DC-embassy-wants-to-return-to-Iran?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+feeds%2Fworld+%28Christian+Science+Monitor+|+World%29
[2] “39 suspects arrested during crackdown across Punjab,” Daily Times, July 13, 2010. Available on http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\07\13\story_13-7-2010_pg7_7
“22 SSP offices sealed, over 170 activists held,” The News, July 13, 2010. Available on http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=29986
Abdul Manan, “Police widen hunt for militants,” Express Tribune, July 13, 2010. Available on http://tribune.com.pk/story/27500/police-widen-hunt-for-militants
[3] “Militants blow up 93rd school in Bajaur,” The News, July 13, 2010. Available on http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=250503
[4] “Peshawar police round up 170 suspects,” Express Tribune, July 13, 2010. Available on http://tribune.com.pk/story/27564/peshawar-police-round-up-170-suspects/
“410 arrested in Peshawar search operation,” Daily Times, July 13, 2010. Available on http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\07\13\story_13-7-2010_pg7_10
[5] “Key militant commander killed in Lower Dir operation,” Express Tribune, July 12, 2010. Available on http://tribune.com.pk/story/27384/key-militant-commander-killed-in-lower-dir-operation/
[6] “Security official killed, four injured in Orakzai blast,” Daily Times, July 13, 2010. Available on http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\07\13\story_13-7-2010_pg7_6
[7] “Blast in Mohmand; no word on casualties,” Dawn, July 13, 2010. Available on http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/04-mohmand-blast--qs-02?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dawn%2Fnews%2Fpakistan+%28DAWN.COM+-+Pakistan+News%29
[8] “India, Pakistan to meet for trust-building talks,” Dawn, July 13, 2010. Available on http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/14-india-pakistan-to-meet-for-trust-building-talks-zj-02?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dawn%2Fnews%2Fworld+%28DAWN.COM+-+World+News%29
http://tribune.com.pk/story/27531/pakistan-india-to-resume-talks/
“Kashmiris reject India, Pakistan talks,” Dawn, July 13, 2010. Available on http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/kashmiris-reject-india-pakistan-talks-jd-01
[9] “Pakistan says no to Indo-Afghan trade via its routes,” The News, July 13, 2010. Available on http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=250500
[10] “At least five killed in Karachi shootings,” Dawn, July 13, 2010. Available on http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/metropolitan/04-karachi-shootings-5-killed-qs-04
“Four killed in incidences of violence in Karachi,” Express Tribune, July 13, 2010. Available on http://tribune.com.pk/story/27561/four-killed-in-incidences-of-violence-in-karachi/
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Beyond Madrasas: Assessing the Links Between Education and Militancy in Pakistan

Download Copy: Beyond Madrasas: Assessing the Links Between Education and Militancy in Pakistan

Increasing educational attainment is likely to reduce conflict risk, especially in countries like Pakistan that have very low levels of primary and secondary school enrollment. Education quality, relevance and content also have a role to play in mitigating violence. Education reform must therefore be a higher priority for all stakeholders interested in a more peaceful and stable Pakistan. Debate within the country about education reform should not be left only to education policymakers and experts, but ought to figure front and center in national dialogues about how to foster security. The price of ignoring Pakistan’s education challenges is simply too great in a country where half the population is under the age of 17.

There has been much debate concerning the roots of militancy in Pakistan, and multiple factors clearly come into play. One risk factor that has attracted much attention both inside Pakistan and abroad is the dismal state of the national education sector. Despite recent progress, current school attainment and literacy levels remain strikingly low, as does education spending. The Pakistani education sector, like much of the country’s public infrastructure, has been in decline over recent decades. The question of how limited access to quality education may contribute to militancy in Pakistan is more salient now than ever, given the rising national and international security implications of continued violence.

The second half of 2009 witnessed not only the Pakistani government stepping up action against insurgents but also the release of a new Pakistan National Education Policy that aspires to far-reaching and important reforms, including a commitment to increase investment in education—from 2 to 7 percent of gross domestic product. Hundreds of millions of dollars in international education aid have been newly pledged by donor countries. This renewed emphasis on education represents a substantial opportunity to seek to improve security in Pakistan and potentially also globally over the medium to long term. Policymakers both inside and outside Pakistan should give careful consideration to whether and how education investments can promote peace and stability, taking into account what we now know about the state of the education sector and the roots of militancy.

This report takes a fresh look at the connection between schools, including but not limited to Pakistan’s religious seminaries, known as “madrasas,” and the rising militancy across the country. Poor school performance across Pakistan would seem an obvious area of inquiry as a risk factor for conflict. Yet to date, the focus has been almost exclusively on madrasas and their role in the mounting violence. Outside Pakistan, relatively little attention has been given to whether and how the education sector as a whole may be fueling violence, over and above the role of the minority of militant madrasas.

Source: The Brookings Institution

International Education, Pakistan, Education, South Asia, Development

Rebecca Winthrop, Co-Director, Center for Universal Education
Corinne Graff, Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Center for Universal Education
The Brookings Institution
June 2010 —

Pakistan at the Cross-roads

The Middle East has not spared itself of global scrutiny amid a flurry of challenges and milestones, and as foreign assistance continues to flow in and out of this development hotspot.


The Afghan economy continues to suffer from the shackles of organized drug trade and deeply-ingrained corruption, and this week, President Hamid Karzai shut down 172 international and national NGOs. In Pakistan, the looming threat of a vicious comeback of Taliban forces is stirring worldwide alarm.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is visiting Washington to discuss U.S. funding for and military presence in the Mideast country, as well as its track record on good governance, agriculture, poverty reduction and and women’s welfare. Japan, meanwhile, reportedly increased its Afghanistan aid budget four-fold, focusing on infrastructure and social issues.

Amid the looming Taliban threat, Republican Sen. Dick Lugar asserted in an op-ed piece that the U.S.-Pakistan cooperation is "more important than ever". The U.S. announced it was willing to provide additional funding and purchase more combat facilities to support Pakistan’s counter-insurgency strategy. But the debate continues about how to best manage USD7.5 billion worth in U.S. assistance for Pakistan.
While some places in the Middle East continue to attract foreign assistance, emerging donors such as Kuwait and the Islamic Development Bank are funding development projects within and outside the Middle East, including Pakistan.
 
The U.S. is putting more pressure on Pakistan to fight insurgents; it is willing to provide additional aid if necessary, according to two Obama administration officials. The U.S. also revealed the possible connection of the recent failed car bombing in New York to the Pakistani Taliban and Kashmiri Islamist group. The U.S. considers the country’s battle against militants as crucial to its fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Author Ahmed Rashid warns that the Taliban forces are back in the seven tribal agencies that make up the federal administered tribal areas, and in Swat. The issue has again caught the attention of the international community following the attempted car bomb attack in New York. According to Rashid, there is a need to design a coherent counter-insurgency strategy or doctrine to prevent the current security situation from worsening.
Despite being a conflict-affected area, USAID has taken the initiative to promote the district of Swat as a major tourist attraction. As such, USAID has partnered with Sarhad Tourism Corporation, Gandhara Art & Culture Association, and Aik Hunar Aik Nagar to participate in the Dawn News International “Travel & Tourism Show” on May 10 to raise public awareness of the valley. Swat valley is famous for its handicrafts and has been an ideal destination for adventure seekers.

The U.S. is strengthening its military relationship with Pakistan as the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue’s bilateral security assistance working group met in Rawalpindi on May 5. The meeting addressed the status of military facilities delivered in Pakistan to upgrade its counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operational capacity.

Source: Global Development Briefing