Update on FATA operations.

[mAd_ScIeNtIsT]

A good summary in Dawn on Operation Sherdil and Rah-i-Haq II.

Summary of key points:

1. Operation Sherdil (Bajaur Valley clearance) is expected to last until beyond 2009.
2. Pakistan identifies militant reinforcements coming from Central Asia across Afghanistan and into Bajaur Valley; blames ISAF for failing to secure Afghanistan and the Afghan border.
3. Salarzai tribe supports army action and has risen against the militants. The Mamund tribe has not risen yet; this is attributed to the fact that many of the forein arab families aligned with the militants have married into the Mamund. The government is hopefully that the Mamund will eventually follow the Salarzai and rise up.
4. The Swat clearance operation (Rah-i-Haq II) was damaged by the ANP cease-fire, during which the militants reinforced and reorganised for continued fighting. The NWFP government has now authorised the army to fight until the end.
5. Pakistan army is authorised to attack Predator drones inside Pakistan; but radars are not sufficiently advanced to detect them.
6. The army sources confirmed that the deployment against the militants has affected Pakistan’s conventional capability (no doubt meaning our ability to defend against India)
7. Vigourous denial that the ISI is collaborating with the militants - 80% of ISI officers are from the same units that are deployed against the militants and it is unthinkable that the officers are conspiring against their own men.

No timeframe to call off operation -DAWN - Top Stories; September 30, 2008

[ehtasab]

@mAd_ScIeNtIsT

1) Operation Sherdil (Bajaur Valley clearance) is expected to last until beyond 2009.

Ya Allah khair!

@mAd_ScIeNtIsT

2) Pakistan identifies militant reinforcements coming from Central Asia across Afghanistan and into Bajaur Valley; blames ISAF for failing to secure Afghanistan and the Afghan border.

This has been pointed by other article as well, US/Coalition failure to save Afghan borders from all sides so they can blame anyone including Pakistan for "inability to curb cross border trade".

@mAd_ScIeNtIsT

4) The Swat clearance operation (Rah-i-Haq II) was damaged by the ANP cease-fire, during which the militants reinforced and reorganised for continued fighting. The NWFP government has now authorised the army to fight until the end.

Good to know that ANP realised that militants have no religion/ethnicity and that they only know language of gun-powder.

@mAd_ScIeNtIsT

7) Vigourous denial that the ISI is collaborating with the militants - 80% of ISI officers are from the same units that are deployed against the militants and it is unthinkable that the officers are conspiring against their own men.

I sincerely hope that is true.