Senate Standing Committee on Defence Weekly Highlight of Stories and Events
3rd Weekly Report
6th-10th of July, 2015

1.       Successful end to military operation in Khyber.

• Militants have been flushed out and exit points into Afghanistan have been blocked in the Khyber tribal region.
• Questions persist whether military gains can be sustained in now military controlled areas of Bara and upper Tirah Valley.
• The success in Khyber tribal area did not come easy, Pakistan military lost 50 soldiers including officers and more than 100 were wounded.

2.        Afghanistan summons Pakistan envoy over border crash.

• The clash was as a result of construction being carried out by Pakistan at the Angoor Ada crossing point along the Durand Line.
• Afghan government has admitted to taking an aggressive stance, citing any such construction work was in violation of mutual understandings.
• Pakistan military insisted that the construction project was east of the Durand Line and thus did not interfere with any bi-lateral agreements.

3.       Three arrested for printing IS pamphlets.

• Peshawar police arrested three individuals, two Afghan nationals and one Pakistani, for being in possession with IS pamphlets.
• The culprits were residing at the Shamshatu Refugee Camp, 25 kilometers south-east of Peshawar.
• The police also confiscated four computers containing material linked to the IS.

4.       An un-identified drone crashed near the Pak-India working border.

• Security forces took into custody a drone that crashed in Sakho Chak village in Shakargarh.
• No official confirmation has been released in regard to the origin of the drone.

5.       U.S. urges Pakistan and India to further efforts to improve bi-lateral ties.

• U.S. State Department’s spokesman John Kirby said regular engagement between the two countries can result in bettering of ties.
• Leaders of the two states are expected to hold dialogue when they will meet at the SCO summit in Russia.
• Mr. Kirby said the two countries can focus on numerous challenges that are faced by both of them equally.

6.       Indian Army hands over Pakistani boy who had mistakenly crossed the LOC border.

• Soon after the boy was apprehended, Indian army sent an urgent hotline message to Pakistan, informing them of the incident.
• A request was forwarded by the Indian side for a flag meeting, so the child could be handed over to the Pakistani authorities.
• Tensions at the boarder have been high as cross-border firing occurred at Sialkot.

7.       The U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson said proxy wars should end in South Asia.

• Ambassador Olson praised Pakistan’s efforts in the fight against terrorism with special reference to Zarb-e-Azb.
• He also said that proxy wars should end in South Asia, without going into detail of who were involved in such activities.
• Mr. Olson also commented on reports of IS presence in Afghanistan and that US and regional allies were keeping a watchful eye on the events as they developed.

8.        First round of Afghan Taliban talks conclude in Pakistan.

• The first rounds of talks concluded, with both sides agreeing to meet again.
• Hosting this meeting was part of Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process.
• Representatives from U.S. and China were in attendance as observers.
• These talks were welcomed by U.S., citing them as an ‘important step towards credible peace’.

9.       Ex. Raw chief says India funded militants in Kashmir to counter ISI.

• Amarjit Singh Dulat in a startling revelation admitted to funding militants and mainstream politicians in Indian-held Kashmir to compete for influence with ISI.
• Mr. Dulat defended the move, saying it was done to counter militants and separatists.
• Mr. Dulat also said that Indian government paid for airfare and medical treatment for Pro-Pakistani separatists like Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

10.      Nawaz-Modi meet at Russia at SCO Summit.

• This meeting was seen as a resumption of stalled dialogue between the Pakitan and India.
• US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark C Toner in statement said he ‘welcomed the meeting’.
• The UN has also expressed its support for the meeting.
• India and Pakistan will discuss a range of bilateral including security, people-to-people ties and expediting the Mumbai trial.