Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Gunmen on motorcycles shot and killed a Saudi diplomat in the Pakistani city of Karachi on Monday, the second attack on the mission since the killing of al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden increased tension in the region.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the killing, and warned the United States against attacking its close ally, al-Qaida. Al-Qaida has waged a bloody campaign to topple the royal family and government of Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of bin Laden. The group has also vowed to avenge his killing by U.S. special forces in Pakistan’s garrison city of Abbottabad on May 2.

Four people riding motorcycles opened fire on the Saudi diplomat’s car, media reports quoted a Karachi police official as saying. The diplomat, a low ranking security official, was on his way to the consulate when the assailants struck. more >>

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – U.S. Senator John Kerry warned Pakistan on Monday that "actions not words" are needed to tackle militant sanctuaries, as the two countries tried to salvage their relationship two weeks after the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad. The two countries also principally agreed that they would “work together” in any future action against high-value targets in Pakistan.

“Our progress in the days ahead will be measured by actions, not words,” Senator Kerry said in a televised statement after a meeting with President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani.

“Ultimately, the Pakistani people will decide what kind of country Pakistan becomes, whether it is a haven for extremists or the tolerant democracy that Muhammad Ali Jinnah envisioned 64 years ago,” Kerry said. more >>

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Although law enforcement agencies in Miami have succeeded in arresting three Pakistan-born U.S. nationals, including the imams of two Florida mosques, on charges of financing and supporting the Pakistani Taliban, it's likely that a key figure of this network has managed to evade capture and is still present on U.S. soil.

Ikramul Haq – son of Hafiz Muhammad Sher Ali Khan, who was arrested along with two of his other sons, Izharul Haq and Irfanul Haq by U.S. law enforcement agencies in Miami on Saturday – has been wanted by the Pakistani police since 2008 in multiple cases pertaining to terrorism, murder, attempt to murder and kidnappings for ransom but has somehow managed to reach his father and brothers in the U.S. in these last two years, according to his nephew and police officials.

Hafiz Muhammed Sher Ali Khan, 76, and his son, Izharul Haq, 24, were arrested in South Florida, while Irfanul Haq, 37, was detained in Los Angeles. Hafiz Sher Ali is the Imam at the Miami Mosque, also known as the Flagler Mosque, while Izhar is the prayer leader at the Jamaat Al-Mu'mineen Mosque in Margate in Florida. The other three charged indicted by the U.S. on Saturday – Ali Rehman, Alamzeb and Amna Bibi – are living in Pakistan. Amna is Hafiz Sher’s daughter and Alamzeb his grandson. more >>

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – As U.S. Senator John Kerry warned Pakistan on Sunday it could risk losing U.S. aid in case Islamabad failed to cooperate more with Washington in curbing terrorism, Islamabad has also finalized its list of conditions to be forwarded to Washington with a clear message that their acceptance was a major prerequisite for the continuation of the anti-terrorism cooperation between the two estranged allies.

The list contains tough conditions like an end to drone strikes in Pakistan’s militant-infested Tribal Areas, withdrawal of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) spies and defense contractors from Pakistan and complete intelligence sharing by Washington about the possible presence of al-Qaida and Taliban leaders inside the country.

The Pakistani list of conditions will not only be sent to Washington through diplomatic channels, but will also be shared with Senator Kerry, who arrived in Islamabad from Kabul on Sunday night to hold crucial talks with Pakistani leaders. more >>

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Frayed relations between Pakistan and the United States following the Navy SEALs raid on Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad on May 2 are likely to collapse after a special joint “in-camera” session of Pakistan’s parliament on Friday unanimously passed a resolution condemning the U.S.’ unilateral action in Abbottabad in violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, and called for revisiting and reviewing Pakistan’s terms of engagement with the U.S.

In an unprecedented development in the military-dominated history of Pakistan, Inter Services Intelligence Director General (ISI DG) Lt General Ahmad Shuja Pasha volunteered to resign by “surrendering” himself before parliament in what Information Minister Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan described as “accountability” for the intelligence failure to detect the presence of al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad for five years.

Though the ISI DG, while briefing the joint session of parliament, submitted himself before the elected representatives saying that he was ready for accountability at any level, the military top brass skilfully turned the situation in their favor, throwing the ball into the court of the political leadership to take a decision and formulate a national security policy, which would be implemented by the armed forces. more >>

ISTANBUL, Turkey – Pakistan’s notorious “blasphemy” laws can put even children at risk, and Christians say the days when they could teach their offspring pat answers to protect them from accusations of disparaging Islam or its prophet seem to have passed.

A 30-year-old Pakistani woman who grew up in Lahore said her Christian parents taught her formula answers to keep from falling prey to accusations under the blasphemy statutes, such as “I am a Christian, I can only tell you about Him.” But even then, before radical Islamists began influencing Pakistani society as they have in recent years, schoolchildren were taught not to discuss religion, she said.

“We knew never to get into religious discussions with others,” she said. “We had them at home – our parents would put us through the drill of asking us tough questions to see how we answered. Only now I realize that was practice for school.” more >>