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| Afghanistan | ||
| Of al Qaeda, reconciliation, Haqqanis and Af-Pak | ||
| 2010-09-27 | ||
| [Pak Daily Times] Pak security agencies over the past few months have seized over 67,000 kilogrammes of explosives in Karachi and Lahore only. The agencies also revealed that they had found smart third generation bombs, anti-aircraft guns, grenades, boom jackets and lethal chemicals that could kill thousands of innocent civilians. A top intelligence and security chief reveals that major and timely crackdowns in Lahore and Karachi prevented massive attacks planned by al Qaeda and its affiliated groups to carry out what is termed "mass genocide and slaughter" of civilians.
The infamous However... the official warned that al Qaeda-linked terrorist attacks were still expected "from Karachi to the Tribal Areas". Pakistain is a regular victim of terrorist attacks, but the focus of al Qaeda and its allies until now has primarily been on the supply lines of NATO troops that pass through Pakistain to the Taliban-led insurgency across the border in Afghanistan. Daily Times can confirm that Pakistain is trying to solicit a deal between the US and Afghan Talibans with the help of certain friendly Arab nations while successfully partitioning Afghan Talibans, the TTP, Pakistain's version of Taliban, and al Qaeda. Plans are in place for an operation in North Wazoo, but Kayani has indicated that he will decide when to go ahead, if at all. "Our biggest concern is where Sirajuddin and Jalaluddin Haqqani will be post-US withdrawal as they are close to al Qaeda," a Western diplomat told Daily Times. While the Pak security establishment considers the father and son duo a "strategic asset" with influences in Ghani, Khost, Paktia and Kajtika provinces in Afghanistan. The Haqqani network, which has a base in North Wazoo, is one of the most powerful hard boy groups in Afghanistan. A Western military commander stationed in Afghanistan told Daily Times, "The Haqqanis fully supported, coordinated and facilitated attacks by al Qaeda, such as the ones in Kabul and on the Bagram air base this year." Top Pak security officials are hopeful that the deal will go through and that the Haqqanis will "behave if there was reconciliation". However, Another infamous However... while Sirajuddin is al Qaeda's asset, his ailing father Jalaluddin is somewhat different as he has long-standing friendships with several high-ranking Pashto-speaking officers. Daily Times can confirm that post-9/11, when Pakistain had joined the US 'war on terror', Jalaluddin was invited to Islamabad to convince him to detach himself from the Taliban, as he was originally not part of the Taliban and only partially supported them, but he refused. Pak officials also suggested, possibly via the Americans, that Jalaluddin could become prime minister or even president in the new Afghan set-up in late 2001, but he reportedly refused. A top Pak intelligence chief told Daily Times, "With Saudi and UAE envoys coming in, Hamid Maybe I'll join the TalibanKarzai dealing with the Pak establishment to strike deals with the Taliban, the Haqqanis might also join the coalition and there could eventually be a happy ending." While on the other hand, concerned with the negotiations and dealings, al Qaeda too is gradually shifting its base from its global nerve centre -- North Wazoo -- to urban areas of Pakistain. The group has also cemented alliances with the TTP and has given refuge to most of the Mehsuds in North Wazoo, its original base, while successfully linking with and even funding various sectarian groups in Punjab and Sindh. While Western diplomats and Pak security officials reveal that although negotiations are "on" with regards to Afghanistan, their real and immediate concern now is al Qaeda and the TTP, which might just organise a Mumbai-style attack or a "massive one" to try and destabilise talks and the reconciliation process. A Western diplomat commented, "Expect some fireworks."
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| Posted by:Fred |