Multiple U.S. Drone Strikes Reported In Pakistan

At least 17 people, all believed to be suspected militants, were killed and eight others sustained injuries in three separate US drone attacks in the mountainous Babar area of Ladha subdivision in South Waziristan Agency, official and tribal sources said on Sunday.

According to sources, the drones fired 10 missiles and hit three different compounds of militants located in the remote mountainous Babar area of Ladha subdivision, 140 kilometres northeast of South Waziristan’s headquarters Wana on Saturday night.

The compounds were reportedly inhabited by the tribal militants affiliated with Hakimullah Mehsud’s Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and members of the Punjabi Taliban group.There were also reports that three among the slain militants were regional Taliban commanders, but their identity could not be ascertained. Some government officials believed the death toll in the three simultaneous drone strikes was higher than what was reported by the media.

“Babar in Shaktoi area had remained the only stronghold of Mehsud militants and a centre of their armed activities. There were dozens of militants in Babar when the drones carried out missile strikes,” a government official based in South Waziristan said.

Pleading anonymity, he said it was after a long time that US drones had targeted the Mehsud tribal militants engaged in targeting Pakistani security forces and government installations.He said it was the second time in January that the drones targeted anti-Pakistan militants.


In an earlier attack in North Waziristan on Thursday morning, he said, the drone fired four missiles and hit a double-cabin pickup truck carrying militants from Miranshah to Mir Ali in North Waziristan and reportedly belonging to Hakimullah Mehsud-led TTP. He said the attack killed four people, including two stated to be senior commanders.

Government and security officials were seriously worried about the fate of dozens of people that the militants had kidnapped from different parts of the country and reportedly kept in the far-flung mountains of the Shaktoi area.

“There were credible reports that most of the people kidnapped from different areas in the country were held in Shaktoi. Right now we don’t know if the prisoners have been killed in the latest drone strikes, but we are seriously worried about them,” a senior government official in Peshawar said.

Tribesmen in the adjoining Razmak area of North Waziristan tribal region told The News that they had heard heavy blasts overnight but had no idea if the explosions were caused by drone strikes.

“There were heavy explosions in the mountains in the Mahsud-populated areas of Shaktoi but we did not know these were the drone strikes,” a tribesman in Razmak subdivision said.It was the third attack by the US drones in the Pakistani tribal areas this year.

Our correspondent adds from Islamabad: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has condemned the US drone strike which claimed 17 lives.In a statement, Imran called upon the authorities to take the nation into confidence and identify those killed in the drone attacks.

Imran said drone attacks were a violation of international laws and also violated the country’s sovereignty.The PTI chief said the government had turned Pakistan into a banana republic and the US authorities were allowed to hit and kill any civilian at will inside Pakistani territory.

Pakistan, India exchange lists of nuclear installations, facilities

Pakistan and India exchanged lists of their respective nuclear installations and facilities on Tuesday.
The governments of both the countries are required to exchange such lists in accordance with Article-II of the Agreement on prohibition of attacks against nuclear installations and facilities between Pakistan and India of 31 December 1988.
Pakistan handed over its list to a representative of the Indian High Commission at the Foreign Office, while India provided its list to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.
Pakistan has previously maintained that its nuclear weapons capability is a deterrent against India’s much larger conventional military.
Both the countries are not signatories to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
Pakistan and India have been developing missiles of varying ranges since they conducted nuclear tests in May 1998.

Pakistan recently test fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile with a range of 1,300km. The military described the Hatf V Ghauri missile as a liquid fuel missile, which can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads.
US intelligence estimates in 2011 put the number of nuclear weapons developed by Pakistan at 90 to 110. Analysts say its nuclear arsenal is the fastest growing in the world.

Pakistan's Rush To Develop Tactical Nukes Is Raising Concerns

New Year, New Problem? Pakistan’s Tactical Nukes

Pakistan is developing a new generation of smaller "tactical" nuclear weapons. The dangers and challenges such arms present are very real.

October of last year marked the fiftieth anniversary of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. Many Asian policymakers will read the lessons of that harrowing episode with some self-satisfaction.
When India and Pakistan conducted their nuclear weapon tests in 1998, foreign analysts repeatedly told them that, as poor countries with weak institutions, they could not be entrusted with such awesome weaponry. Nascent nuclear powers were simply less reliable stewards than their Cold War counterparts. Over a decade on, and multiple crises later — Kargil in 1999, a military standoff in 2001-2, and the Mumbai attacks of 2008 — India and Pakistan have experienced nothing quite as perilous as the Cuban scare.
U.S. officials claim that Pakistan readied nuclear weapons during the Kargil conflict without the knowledge of then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. But, even at the height of their crises neither India nor Pakistan have attempted, as the U.S. did in 1962, anything quite as foolish as depth-charging nuclear-armed submarines or
scrambling aircraft equipped with nuclear air-to-air missiles towards hostile airspace. The dawn of Asia’s nuclear age has been calmer than that of Europe, and far calmer than the nuclear alarmists predicted.
But, as Paul Bracken and others have warned, we should not get complacent. When India tested its Agni-V missile in April, I and others raised a number of potential issues: Indian scientists were making cavalier statements of nuclear posture best left to political leaders, and the development of multiple warheads for each missile (known as MIRVs) and missile defense technology could all be destabilizing if not handled extremely carefully. India has legitimate deterrence requirements vis-a-vis China, but it would be counterproductive for this to become an open-ended expansion.
Pakistan’s nuclear trajectory is, however, altogether more worrying.

 

Pakistan's Army Chief Makes Afghan Peace 'Top Priority'

Pakistan's powerful army chief has made reconciling warring factions in Afghanistan a top priority, military officials and Western diplomats say, the newest and clearest sign yet that Islamabad means business in promoting peace with the Taliban.
General Ashfaq Kayani is backing dialogue partly due to fears that the end of the U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014 could energize a resilient insurgency straddling the shared frontier, according to commanders deployed in the region.
"There was a time when we used to think we were the masters of Afghanistan. Now we just want them to be masters of themselves so we can concentrate on our own problems," said a senior Pakistani military officer stationed in South Waziristan, part of the tribal belt that hugs the Afghan border.
"Pakistan has the power to create the environment in which a grand reconciliation in Afghanistan can take place," he said, speaking in the gritty town of Wana, about 30 km (20 miles) from Afghanistan. "We have to rise to the challenge. And we are doing it, at the highest level possible."
On December 7, Kayani hammered home his determination to support a negotiated end to the war in Afghanistan at a meeting of top commanders at the army headquarters in Rawalpindi.
"He (Kayani) said Afghan reconciliation is our top priority," said a Pakistani intelligence official, who was briefed about the meeting.
Major progress with Kayani's help could enable U.S. President Barack Obama to say his administration managed to sway Pakistan - often seen as an unreliable ally - to help achieve a top U.S. foreign policy goal.
Afghan officials, who have long suspected Pakistan of funding and arming the Taliban, question whether Kayani genuinely supports dialogue or is merely making token moves to deflect Western criticism of Pakistan's record in Afghanistan.
Pakistan backed the Taliban's rise to power in Afghanistan in the mid-1990s and is seen as a crucial gatekeeper in attempts by the U.S. and Afghan governments to reach out to insurgent leaders who fled to Pakistan after their 2001 ouster.
Relations between Taliban commanders and Pakistan's security establishment have increasingly been poisoned by mistrust, however, raising questions over whether Kayani's spymasters wield enough influence to nudge them towards the table.

Nevertheless, diplomats in Islamabad argue that Pakistan has begun to show markedly greater enthusiasm for Western-backed attempts to engage with Taliban leaders. Western diplomats, who for years were skeptical about Pakistani promises, say Islamabad is serious about promoting stability in Afghanistan.
"They seem to genuinely want to move towards a political solution," said an official from an EU country. "We've seen a real shift in their game-plan at every level. Everyone involved seems to want to get something going."
The army has ruled Pakistan for more than half its history and critics say generals have jealously guarded the right to dictate policy on Afghanistan, seeing friendly guerrilla groups as "assets" to blunt the influence of arch-rival India.
But army attitudes towards former Islamist proxies have also begun to evolve due to the rise of Pakistan's own Taliban movement, which has fought fierce battles in the tribal areas and launched suicide attacks in major cities.
Kayani seemed to signal that the army's conception of its role in Pakistan and the region was changing in a speech to officers in Rawalpindi last month.
"As a nation we are passing through a defining phase," Kayani said. "We are critically looking at the mistakes made in the past and trying to set the course for a better future."
Kayani ordered Pakistan's biggest offensive against the militants in 2009, pouring 40,000 troops into South Waziristan in a bid to decisively tip the balance against the growing challenge they posed to the state.
Outsiders are largely barred from the tribal belt, but Reuters was able to arrange a rare three-day trip with Pakistan's military last month.
Security appeared to have improved markedly in South Waziristan since the offensive, but the visit also underscored the huge task Pakistan's army still faces to gain control over other parts of the border region.
Haji Taj, who runs an Islamic seminary for boys and girls in Wana, said militants were still at large in surrounding mountains. "Outside the army camp, it's Taliban rule," he said.
Kayani, a career soldier who assumed command of the army in 2007, has been a key interlocutor with Washington during one of the most turbulent chapters in U.S.-Pakistan relations.
Arguably Pakistan's most powerful man, he has earned a reputation as a thoughtful commander who has curbed the military's tendency to meddle overtly in politics.
With Kayani's support, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has held repeated rounds of discussions with Afghan counterparts, and in November Pakistan released more than a dozen Taliban prisoners.
The move aimed to reassure the Afghan government and Pakistan's allies of Islamabad's good faith and telegraph to the Taliban that Pakistan is serious about facilitating talks.
"There is a change in political mindset and will on the Pakistani side," Salahuddin Rabbani, the chairman of Afghanistan's High Peace Council, told Reuters. "We have reason to be cautiously optimistic."
Seeking to overcome a bitter legacy of mistrust, Pakistan has also built bridges with Afghan politicians close to the Northern Alliance, a constellation of anti-Taliban warlords who have traditionally been implacable critics of Islamabad.
Kayani flew to Kabul last month for talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and accompanied Khar on a visit to Brussels to meet top NATO and U.S. officials in early December.
Skeptics in Kabul wonder, however, whether Pakistan is still hedging its bets. Afghan officials are particularly irked by Pakistan's refusal to release Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban's captured second-in-command, who is seen as a potentially significant go-between with insurgents.
Even with Pakistan's unambiguous support, diplomats warn that there are unanswered questions over what form any peace process might take, and whether Taliban hardliners will engage.
Kayani's growing support for dialogue is driven to a large extent by a realization that the United States is intent on sticking to its Afghan withdrawal plans, diplomats say.
A series of high-profile attacks in Pakistan in recent months, including a December 15 raid on the airport in the north-western city of Peshawar, has sharpened concerns that instability in Afghanistan could invigorate Pakistani militants.
Hawks in Pakistan's security bureaucracy may balk at the idea of supporting dialogue unless they can be certain that any future settlement will limit India's influence in Kabul.
But officers deployed in outposts clinging to the saw-toothed peaks of the frontier fear they may soon face an even fiercer fight unless the leaders of the insurgency in Afghanistan can be persuaded to talk.
"After 2014, when the U.S. leaves, what will these guys do? You think they'll suddenly become traders and responsible citizens of society?" said another officer serving in South Waziristan. "We have to make sure of a post-2014 framework that can accommodate these elements. There is no other way."

Japanese wrestlers in Peshawar for Peace - Giving Ak47 To Japanese wrestler in Visit to Peshawar Museum

 The World fame Japanese wrestler, Antonio Inoki and his team members arrived in Peshawar.


Message of Peace By Kp Government  Giving Ak47  To Japanese wrestler in Visit to Peshawar Museum 

                                                                 Is this Peace Message ?

                                          Director Museum Receiving Inoki to Peshawar museum .

                                       Ak47 With Japaneses Wrestler in Peshawar Museum ...

   Ak47 With Japaneses Wrestler in Peshawar Museum ...

                       Inoki and his team of wrestlers have been invited to convey a message of peace,
  But what they convey ?  Director Museum Giving Him Ak47 .

 

                                                 

Kayani, Zaheerul Islam on Forbes Most Powerful People list

Pakistan’s army chief Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and spymaster Zaheerul Islam are the only two from the country who have made it to a list led by US president, Pope Benedict XVI, Angela Merkel, Facebook’s founder and other global leaders on Forbes’s ranking of the mightiest earthlings.

The American magazine placed Kayani on the 28th spot for “controlling nuclear weapons and one of the world’s largest standing armies in an unstable country.”
Kayani had earlier given a statement issued by the public relations wing of the Army that caused a stir in the news. He said: “As a nation, Pakistan is passing through a critical phase.
Following Kayani is Inter-Services Intelligence’s (ISI) recently inducted chief, Zaheerul Islam.
The magazine’s 2012 list of the world’s most powerful people also features those who might raise an eyebrow or two: a Mexican drug baron, and the young leader of North Korea, a hermit state assailed for pursuing a nuclear program at the expense of feeding its very poor people.
Last year’s No. 2 on the list, Chinese President Hu Jintao, is among those who fell off the rankings altogether this time. In Hu’s case it is because he’s on his way out of office.

The ranking features 71 names, a figure Forbes said it set as a cutoff because there are an estimated 7.1 billion people in the world and thus the ranking works out to one very heavy hitter for every 100 million people.

Pakistan, US cement defence cooperation

In a significant development, the United States has expressed willingness to provide Pakistan with another three to four maritime surveillance aircraft, P3C Orion, for the aviation fleet of Pakistani Navy, it has been reliably learnt.
Pakistan has been seeking for more Orion aircraft from US since the destruction of two such aircraft in the terrorist attack on Mehran naval base in Karachi last year.
The US authorities expressed their willingness to oblige Pakistan on this count during the 21st meeting of the US-Pakistan Defence Consultative Group (DCG), which was held in Rawalpindi on December 3-4.
The DCG last met in May 2011 in Washington but its meetings were since not held owing to serious hiccups in bilateral relations that included unilateral raid to kill former al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and the NATO attack on Pakistani border post in Mohmand Agency.
The two nations’ delegations in DCG were respectively led by Lt Gen (r) Asif Yasin Malik, secretary for Defence, and Dr James N Miller, US under secretary of defence for policy.
The DCG is the primary Pakistan-US forum for exchanging views and coordinating defence policy with the goal of strengthening cooperation to support each country’s security interests.
“The talks between the senior defence officials were focused on provision of military hardware to Pakistan by the US, especially the requirements in this regard of Pakistani Navy,” an official source privy to the two-day talks said.
He said the US officials had been positive in their response to Pakistan’s demand for the supply of three to four P3C Orion aircraft in the next couple of years, which would boost the country’s naval defence.
Pakistan has currently four P3C Orion aircraft in its naval fleet that include two such planes given to it by the US after the attack on Mehran naval base.
P3C Orion aircraft is designed for surface and underwater reconnaissance and anti-submarine and anti-surface vessel operations. It is rated as the fastest turbo-prop long-range maritime patrol (LRMP) platform used worldwide and is also called the airborne destroyer.
“The provision of three or four more such aircraft would also help increase the counterterrorism capacity of Pakistani Navy,” the source said.

He said another important issue that was discussed during the talks was that of provision of a frigate from the United States for the navy. “This would be an old frigate like the one already provided by the US,” he said.
He said Pakistan was acquiring new naval frigates from China but since that process would take some years to culminate, the frigates from US would cover that time period. A joint statement issued by the Defence Ministry said, “Both delegations welcomed the resumption of bilateral security cooperation and agreed that relations between the two countries should be based on the principles of strategic desirability, political sustainability, trust and mutual respect.”
Both delegations acknowledged that bilateral counterterrorism cooperation had been critical to weakening violent extremists and underscored the importance of continuing cooperation to complete the defeat of al Qaeda and its affiliates in the region, it said.
The two sides affirmed their mutual commitment to a strong defence relationship, which they believed should focus on achieving common objectives. During plenary session, the DCG participants shared their respective assessments of the bilateral relationship and discussed each country’s strategic priorities and agreed on areas for future defence cooperation. Both delegations concluded that the discussions to reopen the NATO-led coalition’s ground supply lines and the resumption of bilateral consultations on regional security were significant achievements over the last six months. The Pakistani delegation provided an update on its military campaign along its western border and the US side detailed the International Security Assistance Force’s (ISAF) activities in Afghanistan, including efforts to transition the lead for security to Afghan forces. “In light of the tragic November 2011 cross-border incident, both sides expressed appreciation for the efforts by their respective militaries to improve operational coordination,” the statement said. “They both expressed their deep appreciation for the sacrifices of all military personnel and civilians in the common fight,” it said. The United States and Pakistan also discussed the importance of the Coalition Support Fund and Security Assistance Programmes and agreed continued consultations on the way forward.

Philippine Loses Chance to Acquire Attack Helicopters

                                       Eurocopter AS555C3 Fennec demostrator for Pakistan Army

The Philippines has lost an opportunity to acquire 10 attack helicopters from France, a defense official said recently.

Department of National Defense (DND) spokesman Peter Galvez said the 10 attack helicopters initially offered by a French firm are no longer available.

The helicopters had been re-offered to Pakistan by the time the DND was given permission to acquire them through negotiations.

“The helicopters were produced for Pakistan. However, Pakistan had some problems with procurement so the helicopters were opened to the market,” Galvez told The STAR.

“We had planned to acquire the helicopters and had to clarify some questions (by agencies overseeing the procurement). By the time we were allowed to acquire the helicopters, Pakistan had initiated some moves to rework the procurement,” he added.

These developments prompted French firm Eurocopter to offer the helicopters again to Pakistan.

The helicopters could have been used by the military to defend the country’s territorial integrity and conduct internal security operations.

Despite the apparent setback to its modernization efforts, the DND said it continues to find suppliers that can upgrade the military’s capabilities.

“We are now looking into other short-listed participants from European countries,” Galvez said.

“We are working double-time to meet the time frame we set despite the drawbacks we are encountering,” he added.

As early as June 18, 2012, the DND asked the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) to allow it to acquire the helicopters through negotiated procurement under a defense cooperation agreement with France, documents obtained by The STAR showed.

DND again wrote to the GPPB on July 10 to reiterate the “pressing need” to acquire the 10 attack helicopters, along with 21 UH-1 helicopters and three naval helicopters.

Sources said the GPPB, composed of representatives from different agencies, only meets once a month.

DND documents also showed that a GPPB meeting scheduled last July 18 that was supposed to discuss the request was postponed due to lack of quorum. Another reason for the postponement was the failure of GPPB to name a chair and alternate chair for its review committee. The meeting was reset to Aug. 1.

On Aug. 10, the GPPB denied DND’s request to acquire the helicopters through negotiated procurement under a defense cooperation agreement. GPPB said DND had “failed to meet the requirement to negotiate directly with an agency or instrumentality of another country.”

It recommended that DND acquire the helicopters through negotiated procurement under emergency case, which involves talks with suppliers rather than with governments.

DG ISI Undertakes Important Visit to Russia – Report

The Director General Inter Services Intelligence (DG ISI) Lieutenant General Zaheerul Islam recently undertook an important visit to Russia and had extensive discussions with his Russian counterpart Mikhail Fradkov and other high officials of that country. It was the first visit to Moscow by the DG ISI Says a report by TheNews
General Zaheer has returned after a fruitful trip to Russia and has submitted an initial report to the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani regarding his talks in the Russian capital. General Zaheer had undertaken visits of the United States, Saudi Arabia, China and Turkey before proceeding to Russia.
General Zaheer who is known for his quiet moves and sharp analysis has been on his toes ever since he assumed the slot of spymaster early this year. He is hectically engaged in monitoring the moves pertaining to the scenario emerging in the wake of the scheduled foreign troops withdrawal from Afghanistan and its impact on the domestic situation of Pakistan.
His visit to Russia has conspicuous significance because it has taken place just before the visit of the Army Chief to Nato headquarters, Brussels where Foreign Minister Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar will also be present. The occasion will provide opportunity to Pakistan Army Chief to have discussions with Nato commanders and leader of the alliance. The visit will have added importance as it is taking place just before the change of US ISAF Commander in Afghanistan.

Incidentally Pakistan and United States are also resuming their strategic dialogue including resumption of defence talks beginning here today (Monday). The sources reminded that Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s visit to Russia in last October was a great success since it was the first ever trip by Pakistan’s COAS to Russia.
The maiden visit of General Zaheer to Russia has also proved to be remarkable achievement as both the countries have thoroughly discussed war on terror and further cooperation in the sphere of intelligence sharing. The two sides have agreed on multidimensional mutual assistance, the sources pointed out.

The Pride Of Pakistan Gets No Respect

China has agreed to help Pakistan find export customers for its Al Khalid tank. Pakistan developed this tank with Chinese help and began equipping Pakistani Army units with it back in 2001. But export sales have been scarce. Only Sri Lanka agreed to buy, and only 22 tanks and that deal has yet to be finalized. Meanwhile China has sold several hundred of its version of the Al Khalid (the MBT-2000) to Morocco and Bangladesh.

It wasn’t supposed to work out this way. Pakistan, after all, has more recent experience in mechanized warfare. In fact, China has not fought a major campaign in over fifty years, and only two minor ones (mountain warfare with India in the 1960s, and some border battles in the jungles with Vietnam in 1979). China has done some air and naval skirmishing with the Taiwanese, but nothing as intense as what the Pakistanis have gone through as recently as 1999 (another mountain battle, with India). China has more money and industrial infrastructure than Pakistan, and this has helped Pakistan build up its military-industrial capabilities.

Back in the 1980s, when the two countries began this co-production deal, apparently they believed that Pakistan's stature in the Moslem world would provide a marketing advantage. Alas, the end of the Cold War, plus the spectacular performance of U.S. weapons in the 1991 Gulf War, made "cheap and simple" a much harder sell, especially if it was based on Russian designs. The end result is that China is getting some more arms exports because it is better at making sales. Pakistan has not been a total loser as they have been able to build up its arms production capability.

Meanwhile China is now offering a new tank, the MBT 3000, for export. The Chinese Army will begin receiving the MBT 3000 in two years. The 3000 appears to be a MBT 2000 with a slightly more powerful engine, more armor, improved suspension and running gear, and better electronics. While none of the individual changes is radical or greatly improved over MBT 2000, the total number of improvements is substantial.

The Chinese MBT 2000 (also known as the VT1A) tank is an export model of the Chinese Type 98/99. The MBT 2000 also looks similar to the Type 90/Al Khalid. The Type 98/99/90/MBT-2000 vehicles are all "improved T-72s." There were lots of improvements, though many of them similar to what's found in the Russian T-80UM2. The workmanship on these vehicles is a little better than on the T-80UM2 but the Chinese don't have as much experience building tanks. This has shown itself in the numerous technical glitches that have shown up.

The basic T-72 design has been around for over 30 years and has proved reliable, although not particularly effective on the battlefield. That was mostly due to poor crews. The Chinese have moved to volunteer crews and more intensive training, which make any tank more effective. The MBT 2000 is a 49 ton tank with a 125mm gun and a three man crew (plus an autoloader). The MBT 3000 weight only goes up to 51 tons but overall performance and reliability is greatly improved.

US drone appears to miss Pakistan target: officials

Peshawar, Pakistan - A US drone fired two missiles into open fields in Pakistan's northwestern tribal belt on Thursday, causing no apparent damage or casualties, local security officials said.

It is highly unusual for no casualties to be reported when unmanned American aircraft target Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked militants in Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal belt.

The attack came in the Shin Warsak area of South Waziristan about 20 kilometres (13 miles) from the Afghan border.

The area is a stronghold of Pakistani warlord Mullah Nazir, who officials said was wounded in a suicide attack in the district's main town of Wana earlier on Thursday.

"Two or three militants were walking in a cultivated field. A US drone fired two missiles but no one was hurt," a security official based in the northwestern city of Peshawar told AFP on condition of anonymity.

A second security official in South Waziristan confirmed the drone strike and said that "so far" there was no report of any damage.

The majority of US drone strikes target militants in the neighbouring district of North Waziristan and the last reported attack in Pakistan was on October 24.

The covert strikes are unpopular in Pakistan, where the government in public denounces them as a violation of sovereignty, but US officials believe they are a vital weapon against Islamist militants.

Pakistan’s Ghauri Nuclear Missile Test-Launched

Pakistan has test-launched a medium-range, nuclear-capable ballistic missile design named the Ghauri or Hatf-V.

That's according to a statement released on 28 November 2012, which said the firing took place at an unspecified location and described the missile involved as having an 800+ mile range.

The statement added that the Ghauri test launch served to reinforce Pakistan's defence capabilities and that it concluded an exercise designed to ensure that the country's Army Strategic Force Command was operationally deployable.

Ghauri Missile Launch

Overseeing the Ghauri missile launch was Pakistan's National Command Centre, ‘through the medium of the National Command Authority's fully automated strategic command and control support system', officials explained. It's this National Command Authority that watches permanently over Pakistan's nuclear weapons stock.

Once the Army Strategic Force Command's training had finished, approval was given by Raja Pervez Ashraf and Asif Ali Zardari - Pakistan's Prime Minister and President, respectively - who singled-out ‘the proficient handling of the weapon system in the field and the accuracy of the training launch.'

The same medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) has been launched on previous occasions, apparently from 1998 onwards.

Pakistan's Ghauri Nuclear Missile

Liquid fuel-powered, Pakistan's Ghauri nuclear missile is launched by a TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher) system and, when in flight, directed by an Inertial Guidance System. It takes its name from the historical figure Shahabuddin Muhammad Ghauri and, say US-based military analysts, is heavily based on the North Korean Rodoing-1 missile.

This year alone, Pakistan has carried out a multitude of nuclear-capable missile launches - the shorter-range Hatf-VII's firing among them.

Historically, Pakistan and India have tended to launch missiles in sequence, each showcasing its military strengths. Just last month, India test-launched two missiles within hours of each other. Since becoming independent from Britain 65 years ago, India and Pakistan have fought four times, most recently in 1999.

Pakistan Planning to Buy Aircraft from Indonesia

Pakistan plan to buy aircraft made ​​in Indonesia that produced PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) in Bandung. But Pakistan's plans are not yet known when it will be realized.

Pakistan plan was presented staff khsus president Firmansyah economics in Islamabad, Pakistan, Thursday (22/11). He said the problem peswat purchase becomes a topic for discussion at a bilateral meeting between President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) to the President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari.

"The meeting today (Wednesday night, Red) Indonesa discuss increased cooperation with Pakistan in the field of education, economic, and military weaponry. Pakistan would like to purchase a number of military aircraft to strengthen them, "said Firmansyah.

It has not tried to explain the details of the type peswat bought and how much. Hearing is also not touched the estimates used Pakistan to buy the aircraft. "I do not understand the numbers. Less detail last night, "tuturnya.

During the administration of President BJ Habibie, Pakistan never buy aircraft made ​​in Indonesia that produced PT DI. Purchased aircraft type CN 235 military version.

Pakistan developing indigenous armed UAVs

Pakistan has displayed indigenous unmanned aerial vehicles at the International Defense Exhibition in Karachi.

Pakistani Federal Minister for Defense Syed Naveed Qamar said Asian Defence at the exhibition that Pakistan UAV technology is at an early stage and the aircraft have been used only for air surveillance.

He said the UAVs don't have the capacity to carry armaments.

China has offered to sell Pakistan armed UAVs that it has developed but the Pakistani military remains uncertain as to their actual capabilities, Dawn newspaper reported.

Pakistan has demanded that the United States provide it with armed UAVs, claiming that Islamabad could more effectively carry out attacks against militants, which up to now, have been undertaken by UAVs flown by the CIA.

Washington has reportedly balked at the request because of concerns about the sensitive nature of the technology and doubts that Pakistan would reliably target U.S. enemies.

Dual nationals cannot join armed forces of Pakistan: Defence minister

Federal Minister for Defence Syed Naveed Qamar informed the Upper House of Parliament on Tuesday that dual nationals cannot join the armed forces of Pakistan.

“Persons holding dual nationality are not eligible for appointment in the armed forces of Pakistan,” said a written reply tabled by the defence minister in the Senate.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sughra Imam had asked if dual nationality holders could join the armed forces.
Dual nationals are required to surrender other nationalities on their final selection in the military.
Currently, any person who holds dual nationality cannot contest elections for national or provincial assemblies. There are around 16 countries, including the United States and the UK, with which Pakistan has signed dual nationality agreements.

The government recently tabled a standing committee report, in the Senate, on a draft of the 22 constitutional amendment bill allowing dual nationals to run for elections.

The Chinese aviation exhibits itself in Zhuhai

From November 13 to 18, the city of Zhuhai (Guangdong) welcomes AirshowChina on the airfield. This year, China has focused its drones and helicopters.

China introduced its Pterodactyl drone, also known as Wing Loong on the Zhuhai Airshow static. The public had seen so far as such models at the Paris Airshow in 2011. The cost of the Pterodactyl is estimated at nearly a million dollars from the Chinese media, which is much lower than that of unmanned American and Israeli.

    Pterodactyl at the Zhuhai Airshow.

Designed and developed by the Aviation Institute of Chengdu, the Pterodactyl made its first test flight in 2008.It measures 9.34 meters long, its wingspan is 14 m. Weighing just over a ton, it is able to perform missions at an altitude of 5300 meters. The Pterodactyl also displays a flight range of 4000 km.

For its part, Aviation Industry Coporation of China (AVIC) presented a model of a MALE UAV whose silhouette reminiscent of General Atomics Avenger. It is equipped with a camera and four turret hardpoints under the wings can receive-air missiles similar to U.S. Hellfire. The UAV also seems to have a turbojet on the back of the fuselage.

The Chinese are therefore considerable progress in the field of UAV systems despite some accidents . In mid-2011, when annual output of Chinese Navy in the disputed waters between the Japanese islands of Okinawa and Miyakojima islands, the Japanese naval forces had identified a previously unknown Chinese weapon : a small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, apparently launched from the deck of a warship.

                                                                                              The Pioneer 01.

China has also exhibited the CJ-1000A engine, built by AVIC. This turbofan aircraft equip large Chinese civilians. The end of the research in 2016. But the engine is still weak China depends heavily on major manufacturers such as Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney and Safran.

But AVIC especially promoted helicopters as the AC311 . This is a cross between a Eurocopter AS350 and EC120. With a maximum takeoff weight of 2200 kg can carry up to six people.

A model of a future helicopter "Pioneer 01" was also presented. Characteristics indicate that it is a high-speed helicopter with a rotor coaxial rigid wing equipped with two propellers, to keep hovering at low speed, and landing gear tricycle. A concept reminiscent of the Eurocopter X3 .

Military Region Guangzhou have also stolen the new brigade combat helicopters WZ-10 manufactured in China (photo above). This helicopter ground attack units deployed in China since February 2011 and the first copy was stolen April 29, 2003.

 None of the two Chinese stealth fighter J-20 and J-31 was stolen during the exhibition. Only a model of the J-31 sat in the main hall. In contrast, the JF-17 from Pakistan ensured the show. Pakistani pilot even waved a red flag to 5 stars before takeoff as a sign of friendship between China and Pakistan jointly developed the JF-17 since 1999.

Pakistan’s new frigates a boost for anti-piracy, maritime security efforts

The Pakistan Navy will next year take delivery of its fourth and final F-22P frigate. The locally built vessel will help it ensure maritime security, not just for Pakistan but also for the international community as the Pakistan Navy combats piracy and other threats in the Indian Ocean region.

Commodore Hisham of the Pakistan Navy, speaking at the International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) in Karachi today, said that Pakistan’s Navy has been part of Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151) since January 2009 in an effort to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden.

CTF 151 is an international naval task force that operates in the Gulf of Aden and off the eastern coast of Somalia covering an area of approximately 1.1 million square miles. It was established in January 2009 to conduct counterpiracy operations under a mission-based mandate throughout the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) area of responsibility.

Pakistan has from the beginning participated in CTF-151 and so far has rotated 13 ships in the Task Force and commanded it twice. In December the Pakistan Navy will take command for a third time.


With the advent of pirates using hijacked mother ships from which to launch attack skiffs, piracy has expanded far beyond the Somali coast. Pirates have struck as far as the western coast of India, the Somali Basin and close to Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Indeed, Hisham noted that there have been three incidences of piracy on the edge of Pakistan’s EEZ in recent times.

Hisham said that Somali piracy has strategic fallout which includes disruption of trade, a rise in insurance premiums and freight charges and altered routes as shipping companies avoid high risk areas.

Hisham pointed out that terrorists and pirates operate hand-in-glove, as money made through piracy is used to further terrorist activities ashore, which distracts from activity at sea.

Apart from counter-piracy duties, the Pakistan Navy is also part of Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150), a multinational coalition naval task force working under the 25 nation coalition of Combined Maritime Forces. It was established to promote maritime security in order to counter terrorist acts and related illegal activities, which terrorists use to fund or conceal their movements. CTF-150‘s Area of Operation covers the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean and Gulf of Oman.

The activities of CTF-150 directly influence events ashore, as terrorist organisations are denied a risk free method of conducting operations or moving personnel, weapons or income-generating narcotics.

Pakistan has five times commanded the Combined Task Force 150 since 2004. Hisham noted that the Pakistan Navy’s contribution to regional maritime security has involved 44 ships in rotation since 2004, which have accumulated more than 50 000 hours at sea. Pakistan Navy ships have had the second highest on-task time in the coalition second only to the United States.

Pakistan’s ability to provide maritime security is being increased with the arrival of its four new F-22P or Zulfiquar class multi-purpose frigates, the first of which was commissioned in September 2009. The Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Group, China State Shipbuilding Company, the China Shipbuilding and Trading Company and Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KSEW) are all involved in the production of the vessels.

The first three frigates were built in China at the Hudong Zhonghau Shipyard, while the last vessel is being built by Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works. The class carry Harbin Z-9 helicopters and are armed with a 76 mm gun, 30 mm Type 730B close-in weapons systems, FM-90N surface-to-air missiles, C-802 surface-to-surface missiles, ET-52C torpedoes and RDC-32 anti-submarine rockets.

The fourth frigate was launched in June last year at the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works. During the launch ceremony the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Noman Bashir said that a strong navy was needed to defend the maritime interests of Pakistan. He said that the country does not have any aggressive plans but needed to protect sea routes, the exclusive economic zone and international energy lines that pass close to the coast. He said this was not only in the interest of Pakistan but the entire international community.