POLITICAL ASSASSINATIONS, BRIBERY AND TERRORISM

• The attacks on Pakistani sensitive institutions are serving the purpose of the enemies of Pakistan including India. Al-Qaida threat is like a "˜swine flue' which can be used any where from Yemen, Somalia, Saudi Arabia and FATA depending on the aims, purpose and objectives of the Neoconic emerging policies in the concerned areas. Al-Qaida is a trump card in the hands of the "˜defense contractors and war profiteers', main benefactors of the Global War on Terror and subsequent 9/11 terrorism'. 
  
  Pakistan's spy chief Lt. General Shuja Pasha reportedly gave proofs of CIA's involvement into destabilizing/terrorist activities in Pakistan. According to some assessments US mercenaries with support of "˜locally recruited agents' are behind the targeted killings of senior Pakistani military officers in past few months. 
  
  In the current scenario it is irrelevant who gave permission, freedom of movement and a base in Police Training College few miles from the "Kahuta Nuclear Plant" to US private mercenaries (Black Water/Xe) in Pakistan. The most important question is what Rehman Malik and Zardari are doing about it? 
  
  According to reports 4 US nationals, who were dressed in Taliban clothes, speaking Pashto were arrested by the police approximately 1.5 miles from the Kahuta Nuclear Plant. They were carrying explosives and hand grenades in dozens in a 4x4 jeep with some kind of spying and jamming equipments. When they were brought to the police station people from Rehman Malik's Interior Ministry and allegedly Salman Faruqui Zardari's NRO partner and beneficiary got these criminals released without charge and handed over to the US embassy." 
  
  Lawyers from the local bar associations protested out side the secret base of US mercenaries (Xe/Black Water) placed inside "˜Sehala' Police Training College. Event the head of the college a senior DIG was not allowed in the US facility. That reminded me of an incident when reportedly military dictator General Ayub Khan's Minister Foreign Affairs none other but Zulifkar Ali Bhutto, father in law of President Zardari wanted to visit US Base in Peshawar. His request was turned down by the base commander and he was turned away from the canteen. Soon after a US spy plane U2 was shot down in the soviet air space and pilot was taken into custody. Which obviously resulted in shutting down of the base as well as daily U" flights. 
  
  In the current scenario without making current corruption issue a moral or political debate, Pakistan is facing two major internal threats from two individuals. Asif Zardari and Rehman Malik are two major threats to Pakistan's security and sovereignty. Zardari should be tried in an open and fair court trial for "˜Swiss' money laundering and corruption. He should tell people of Pakistan:

• how did he have $60 million into his account
• as Daniel Zappelli, Geneva's chief prosecutor, said the full $60 million in assets, seized at the request of the Pakistan authorities, had been released. "All the money has been unfrozen. For money-laundering to be proven, you have to show it was the product of a crime," Zappelli told Reuters.
• What are the sources of $60 million
• President Zardari and his later wife Ms Bhutto denied ownership of "˜Surry Palace' for years but claimed ownership in 2005 in the court
• how they got the cash and diamond necklaces

Rehman Malik is responsible for providing safe passages to Black water mercenaries via corrupt police officials day in day out even when there is an over whelming evidence that Black Water/ Xe are involved in terrorism and anti state activates against Pakistan's armed forces, nuclear program and assassination of Benazir Bhutto according to former Army Chief General Aslam Baig (whom she awarded with medal).

      Rehman Malik should be tried in open court for aiding, abetting and criminal acts committed by foreign mercenaries operating under the protection of his Interior Ministry. 
 
In mid September 2009, a senior police officer Nasir Aftab was sacked by Rehman Malik because he arrested and apprehended armed Blackwater agents. The incident took place in Islamabad when Superintendent intercepted some Blackwater goons and Marines riding in a vehicle along with one or more CIA "officials."

      He took them to the Margala police station where a brawl took place. The SP later lodged an FIR against some officials of the intelligence agency. The Acting Chief of Islamabad Police DIG (Operations) Bin Yamin said, 'easons of officer's removal were not mentioned in the letter". So the responsibility comes down to Mr Rehman Malik.

      He should be questioned. There is a dire need to identify "˜local collaborators' and "˜enemies of the state' in Pakistan. 
 
According to a report filed by Fawad Ali of "˜The Nation' on 14th December 2009, "17 Top Pakistani officials are protecting US interests in (NWFP) province neighbouring Afghanistan.  Seventeen officials serving in NWFP on various important posts are active members of the notorious American Khyber Club (AKC) that is believed to be a hotbed of conspiracies against Pakistan; highly placed sources informed The Nation.

      These officials are facilitating American diplomats, operatives of CIA and mercenaries of Blackwater in their activities stretched across the province and FATA. In reciprocation, the local officials get full support in getting lucrative postings, transfers and getting away with inquiries, etc, sources disclosed and added they are taken care by Americans who have tones of money on their disposal.  
 
"Those who stand out in serving US interests are posted on the posts of their own choice despite lapse of tenure, and this speaks of increasing American influence in our internal matters," an official said. Their nominees get US visas in no time and the children as well as siblings of some officials are getting free education in prestigious institutions abroad. These days serving American interests is more fruitful for anyone than serving interests of Pakistan, an official who was made OSD for an unforgivable crime of non-cooperation with foreigners told The Nation.
 
The top 17 officials who have made American Khyber Club their second home include nine from District Management Group (DMG), six officers representing Police Service of Pakistan (PSP), while two are in the Office Management Group (OMG). The PSP officers who take pride in having personal relations with American operatives hail from Peshawar, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Waziristan and Kohat.

       They have been spotted roaming around with foreigners in their bulletproof cars and holding secret meetings with them in their offices which is an open violation of rules and regulations, sources informed. 
 
The DMG officials who are protecting US interests in the region hail from Peshawar, Nowshehra, Swabi, Mardan and Charsadda. They also use the American Khyber Club as their unofficial secretariat. The officials belonging to OMG and PSC Executive Group hail from Waziristan and Shabqadar.

      Orders have been repeatedly circulated that government officials can't meet foreigners (Americans) without prior approval from the authorities concerned but no one seems to be interested in abiding by the rules.
 
On the other hand, those who are not in the good books of the American Consulate have been given insignificant posts or have simply been made Officers on Special (Spiritual) Duty (OSDs). The sources informed that Pakistan's premier intelligence agency has reported the matter to the highest authorities in Islamabad." 
 
While talking to the writer the above mentioned senior journalist Mr. Fawad Ali confirmed that, "˜he is been threatened by the notorious "˜Black Water', which forced him to go public to save his life'.  It looks likes a failed attempt to recruit him? So what did Rehman Malik do as all the police service officers are accountable to his ministry?  
 
Rehman Malik is toeing "˜US Plan of using minorities' which is becoming more and more visible which Iranians clearly understands. The questions one should be asking Mr Malik are (a) why majority of the people and companies hired by Xe/Black Water are Shias? (b) Why he always name Sunni sectarian groups/organisations minuets after the incidents (c) is he settling scores for some one in the name of counter terrorism?  (d) Why he never mentioned Indian Raw after attack on Sri Lankan team in Lahore, when Punjab CID warned Indian plan long before the incident? 
 
On the one hand they are supporting Shia minority elements in private security agencies business but on the other making majority Sunnis realise that "˜less then 5% Shias of Pakistan are ruling the country from Presidency, State Bank, media. The so called Shia left pseudo intellectuals has jumped in the US bandwagon every where, both Pakistan and Iran should be careful with them.

      PRIVATE CONTRACTORS AIDED IN ATTACKS ON US TROOPS IN IRAQ

      The US strategy of creating sectarianism failed in Iraq and it was allegedly "˜Blackwater' and private mercenaries bombing both Sunnis and Shia mosques. The Obama Administration must brought to justice those "˜friendly spies' arrested in the US, who were releasing information about US troops movements in Iraq as IEDs were planted on those routes.

       A senior based in the region told me that some times these private mercenaries establish fake check points, take people away for search, plant remote control bombs in their cars, told them to collect their papers from the place where explosion is intended, when vehicles get their devices were exploded. These people did not know that they were carriers. Private mercenaries are terrorizing people with the help of the locals. The people of who killed senior Pakistani military officers were allegedly re-trained by Xe/Black Water. 
 
 It is a fact that soldiers and officers retire at a young age due to type of profession and need to join other professions. Expose of these snakes in the grass, aiders and abettors of these foreign mercenaries is important. According to a report, "The security company of Ikram Sehgal, MD of Pathfinder and Security Management Services (SMS) was brought into spotlight being security providers of American embassy, and the strength of 20,000 plus security guards employed in that organization armed with sophisticated weapons and armoured vehicles were discussed. 
 
The cause of frustration is solely based on suspicious activities of foreign agencies and their agents in Pakistan with local backing. It is important to analyze what owners of these agencies are up and to and where they are going. For Example as reported in the media Mr Ikram Sehgal's statement, "˜ No harm in recognizing Israel' is not only treacherous but against the state of Pakistan. 
 
Mr Ikram Sehgal, chief editor of the Defense Journal, said on Saturday that there would no harm in Pakistan's recognition of Israel if Tel Aviv could be pursued to refrain from a pro-Indian policy. In a lecture at the Department of International Relations at Karachi University, he said if Jordan and Egypt could recognize Israel, why not Pakistan? He does not understand the legality of the issue and historical stands of the father of the nation on the issue. Should this man allowed to continue run his "˜private army' which could be converted into Israeli army any time? 
 
A few years back Brinks USA was also among who jumped in to local security business but major cause of panic is recent recovery of weapons during a raids on the residence of Capt. Zaidi of InterRisk security agency and discovery of illegal prohibited weapons. It was recently reported that an international company SkyPlan is delivering NATO supplies via Sialkot airport. Why this matter is not been fully investigated as who is behind these activities? 
 
Pakistan Armed Forces did not train Black water/Xe's local recruits to work against the national interests of the state? As far Zardari and Rehman Malik are concerned they have converted Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party into (PPPP) Pimping, Pleasuring and Profiteering Party? 
 


 (Dr Shahid Qureshi is award wining journalist and writer on foreign policy & security based in London