Nawaz Answered Government’s SOS & Rushed Back to the Country; Osama’s Death & Civil-Military Row; Who Asked Mark Siegel to Publish Write Up by Zardari?

(This was published on May 12th. Due to some problem with the blog, it has been re-posted.) 
By Aijaz Ahmed

Islamabad: The May 2 Abbottabad operation, which resulted in the discovery and murder of world’s most wanted terrorist, Osama Bin Laden at the hands of US Navy SEALs has brought the civil-military relationship in Pakistan to a new low. The mistrust between the two has increased manifold. It is feared that the imbroglio may end up in the pack up of another democratic dispensation.

Observers are unanimous that the country’s civilian leadership was stunned at the news and couldn’t respond quickly to it but they are really surprised at the response or the lack of it by the military leadership. They feel that the military hierarchy’s behavior was quite perplexing. They were remarkably silent and seemed quite oblivious in the first few days after the US operation as if nothing had happened. Later they mishandled the issue in the media and attempted to undermine the political leadership. That raises concerns of the people about junta’s intentions towards the democratic government.

Sources in the power corridors have confided to this scribe that the civilian leadership is taking many questions into account so as to regroup and formulate a counter strategy. Every single move by the army chief and other military top men is being minutely watched and analyzed. The civilian leadership is quite unhappy over the recent statement of top ranking military leadership regarding the government in its post Osama briefing to media and anchorpersons. The address of Army Chief General Kayani to Garrison Officers at three top cantonments has also caused concern amongst the civilian leadership through which an impression was given that the civilians are ineffective and it is they who are making damage control efforts despite a huge understanding on the issue between the President, Prime Minister and the Army Chief, sources maintained.

The civilian leadership sincerely intends to control the damage but for many reasons it is clueless and directionless, sources observed adding that every effort of independent inquiry was thwarted and blocked by the military, thus an inquiry under Adjutant General has been constituted. How come a serving subordinate will be able to conduct an independent inquiry against his immediate bosses, asked a sitting minister however adding that everybody will have to wait for the outcome of the inquiry being conducted by army itself.

On the other hand civilians are trying to get answers of many questions including the one that whether or not they have been ditched by the intelligence networks. The people also want an answer to the question if OBL’s presence in Abbottabad was in the knowledge of the relevant agencies and military leadership.

Meanwhile, sources observed that a sizeable number of the civilians seriously believed that they have been ditched. A serious question is being raised in view of the recent statements by some neighbors pointing out that when they heard the blast after the helicopter crash, they tried to approach OBL’s compound but they were stopped by some guards speaking Urdu.

These statements, in view of some sources, clearly indicate that an earlier report carried by Indus Herald that some soldiers were provided for outer cordon was correct. This also indicates that a section of Pakistani establishment knew about a US strike, but they might not be privy to the details of the proceedings.

A section of media and politicians are also looking for an answer to the question that if the operation was done in total dark and without a prior information of Pakistan, then how come the people who have been arrested after the operation from the compound did not escape although they got at least 15 minutes before the arrival of any Pakistani security personnel? Hamza bin Laden is believed to have taken the advantage of the time gap and ran away from the scene as reported by the British media is quite a good evidence in support of the above argument.

The president and the other PPP leaders wanted an independent inquiry to be held, but they had to accept the decision by military leadership as desired by Army Chief sources said adding that the powers that be asked civilians to stay away from the damage control efforts and they will be the ones who will be responsible to take on the situation and control the damage, but the situation deteriorated with every passing day. However, the military leadership was not happy with the way some TV channels sparked debate and took them to task with strong words and allegations of incompetence and negligence.

It is also said that the president has been advised that besides the inquiry announced by the military leadership, an independent parliamentary inquiry commission with presence of opposition leader Ch. Nisar, and some of the top retired judges must be set up. However, the sources observed that the government would be packed up if such an inquiry were established. It is also believed that the president is willing to set up such an inquiry with Army Chief and other military leadership on board.

Meanwhile, a section of media is probing an allegation that the officers in KPK were asked not to leave their station and stay in before the operation and all mobile phones of the uniformed officers were blocked on May 01. However this story has not been confirmed by any reliable source.

On the other hand, sources in the PML-N have confided to this scribe that Mian Nawaz Sharif responded to a May-Day call by the government through unconventional means and rushed to Pakistan. The government wanted to block Ch. Nisar’s cynical criticism. Mian Nawaz Sharif on the first day of his top leadership meeting strongly supported the idea of a demand of resignation of both Army Chief and the ISI Chief, a demand that didn’t get much response earlier.  He according to the sources has assured the PPP that any attempt to subvert the Constitution and dislodge the civilian rule will be resisted with full force. At a press conference after the two-day PML-N meeting Mian Nawaz Sharif rejected the inquiry set up by military and demanded a Judicial Commission to look in the matter. He severely criticized the military establishment.

An interesting information has also come from the sources at the presidency that an internal inquiry is being conducted to identify the person who asked PPP’s lobbyist Mark Siegel to publish an article in the name of President Zardari, praising Osama’s death just few hours after the killing. The sources claim that the president didn’t write that good English. The sources say the president did not write the article in the Washington Post but he is in a fix and could not remove Mr. Siegel because of his previous support.

President, according to sources is also not happy with the statement of COAS regarding his advice to the government for calling a joint in-camera sitting of both the houses of the parliament, but he is waiting for the outcome and briefing points to the legislators before moving further, sources maintain.      

Taliban Threatens to Blow Up Osama Residence in Abbotabad

By Aijaz Ahmed

Islamabad: The unusual house that Osama bin Laden used as his hideout just a stone’s throw from Pakistan’s premium Military Academy Kakul is said to be under serious threats, thus the authorities have beefed up security of the building and the adjacent locality, sources in the security forces have revealed.

The huge mansion has gained great interest since May 02, when US Navy SEALs conducted a limited operation killing Osama bin Laden without any significant resistance.

Ever since the operation, his residence became a place that attracts people in general and journalists and intelligence officials in Particular to visit. Intelligence people are visiting with full confidence and protocol and recovering letters and other evidence papers and items from the residence to be used in future, but unlike the spies, journalists were not fortunate enough as only few media men were allowed to enter the concrete building after few hours of the operation, but later the house was sealed.

Nobody even the foreign or the American journalists are being allowed to enter the house and witness the particles and items recovered from the building. Despite the ban on entering the house, the journalists were allowed till last week to approach the sealed gates, but the policy is turned overnight and nobody except the uniformed or plain clothed security officials are being allowed to go beyond 500 meters around the house.

Even renowned journalist and Waiting for Allah fame Christina Lamb was also stopped 500 meters away from the building and was sent back forcefully to Islamabad. Earlier three American journalists were captured and investigated for more than three hours, but it is not yet cleared that they have been released or are still in custody.

The security arrangements and reinforced and even foreign journalists are being interrogated in view of the latest threats by Tehrik e Taliban Pakistan. The TTP has recently threatened that it will blow up Osama’s residence, sources in the security forces revealed and added that the threat was given in view of the fact that the house has attracted wider debate in the global as well national media, thus becoming a source of trouble for the Al-Qaeda followers.

It is also revealed that the debate on the house and the details of ObL’s capture and murder and arrest of his family has had negative impacts on the ranks and files of Taliban and Al-Qaeda, and they also feared that the house may take a role of a tomb like of Hazrat Imam Hussain RA & other religious figures and this could be lethal for the Taliban philosophy as they do not believe in the tomb politics and such rituals, sources revealed.

It is to remind that the Pak army had already announced demolishing the house once the investigations are completed, but according to the sources that the decision may be changed due to certain ground realities. However any final decision may take some time as the investigators are recovering amazing facts and still need the structure to remain intact.

Sources also maintain that the house may not be demolished in near future as it may provide leads towards AL-Qaeda and other terrorist outfits, sources observed.