Opinion Dead or alive?
A register of reports and views from the Pakistan press.
Dead or alive?
Ilyas Kashmiri,one of the top men on Americas hitlist after Osama bin Laden,was reportedly killed in a drone attack in South Waziristan. The authenticity of the news was questioned at first. Daily Times reported on June 6: Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Sunday that he was 98 per cent sure senior al-Qaeda operative Ilyas Kashmiri was killed in a US drone strike near the Afghan border. US officials in Washington were sceptical over reports that Kashmiri… was dead. A US National Security official said he could not confirm that Kashmiri had been killed and another US official said it was doubtful. Since we do not have the body,we do not have the DNA we need to confirm,this is the substantive evidence we are looking for, [Malik said. That may not be possible since it is very difficult for Pakistani security forces to get to areas like South Waziristan where intelligence officials said Kashmiri was killed in a drone strike on Friday night. After missile strikes by a remotely operated drone,terrorists often seal off the area then bury their comrades.
Dawn,on June 8,quoted Kashmiris brother: We dont believe hes dead… The report added that he refused to let reporters visit Kashmiris house or meet the rest of the family until the situation becomes clearer. Daily Times also carried a Reuters report which was a series of answers the news agency had got from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to their questions. The report quoted Omar Khalid Khorasani,the top Taliban commander in Mohmand: These attacks were just a part of our revenge. God willing,the world will see how we avenge Osama bin Ladens martyrdom…
Rangers rage
The News reported on June 9 that 19-year-old Sarfaraz Shah was shot by Rangers,who claimed that he was a robber who refused to surrender. Footage of the incident recorded by onlookers on their cellphones,however,does not support that claim,apparently showing Shah beg for mercy as Rangers personnel surrounded him. His pleas to be taken to a hospital went unanswered as he bled to death. An editorial in The Express
Tribune on June 10 said:The incident is shocking there is no law in the world that allows such cruelty to be meted out to a robber. The Rangers said that Shah was armed but all the police were able to recover was a toy gun… Too often we hear tales of police brutality and shrug it off… Dawn added on June 10: A five-member bench of the ‘Supreme Court,headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry… directed that both DG Rangers and IG Sindh be transferred over the killing of Sarfaraz Shah by Rangers personnel… The court warned that if the two were not transferred within the next three days,their salaries will be withheld… Chief Justice Iftikhar said the incident was enough for both DG Rangers and IG Sindh to tender their resignations. Moreover,the apex court directed the Ministry of Interior to act against IG Sindh and DG Rangers. The court further directed Secretary Interior to present a report on the incident. Chief Justice Iftikhar also directed Karachi police and Rangers to determine if there was any criminal record against Sarfaraz Shah.
Pakistans military aids
Army chief Ashfaq Kayani,reported The News on June 10,declared economic rather than military aid was essential for Pakistan and that this was in line with the position taken in the Pak-US Strategic Dialogue in March 2010,and recommended that US funds meant for military assistance be diverted towards economic aid to help reduce the burden on the common man. Kayani proposed this while addressing the corps commanders conference held at GHQ on Thursday. The report quoted from a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations,the PR wing of Pakistans defence forces: Reaffirming the army leaderships resolve to continue supporting the democratic system without giving preference to any particular political party,he [Kayani called for the nation to unite,adding that efforts to create divisions between important institutions of the country were in the national interest.
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