Marking Pakistan As A Sponsor Of Terror 'Deeply Unwise'

WASHINGTON: Marking Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism would be a deeply unreasonable step, says Michael Krepon, co-founder of the leading US think tank, Stimson Center.

Lisa Curtis of the Heritage Foundation, another think tank in Washington, also does not want "Pakistan to be declared a state sponsor of terrorism this year," but urges the Trump administration to "keep the opportunity open for the future." But in the interim period, she suggests "imposing conditions on military assistance and withdrawing Pakistan's Major Non-Nato Ally Status."

Former US special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Daniel Feldman, said that in the past, the cessation of aid to Pakistan was tested, and it did not bring the desired changes in the country's attitude.

"The leverage that this threat provides will be lost along with its execution, along with the likelihood of taking remedial measures," Mr. Crepon said while opposing the proposal that Pakistan be declared a state sponsor of terrorism.

The Trump administration called for "keep the choice open for the future"

"The problem of terrorism, as important as it is, is less consistent than the nuclear issue. Rawalpindi figured this out, which helps explain why he does not fulfill promises to take more than cosmetic actions against the leadership of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad," he writes in a recent post on this issue.

Read More: In The US Congress, Anti-Pak Bill Presented

John Gill, an associate professor at the University of National Defense in Washington, warns against "starting all over again" and suggested changing the current US policy toward Pakistan in such a way that it encourages Islamabad to do more in the war on terrorism.

The opinions expressed in recent reports and in discussions in various American think tanks follow the media reports that the administration of President Donald Trump, who came to power on January 20, is preparing a new policy for the Pakistan and Afghanistan region.

While the administration was intentionally silent on this issue, but it began consultations with legislators, experts and scientists.

Earlier this month, former Ambassador Hussein Haqqani was also invited to the State Department for consultations.

Ms. Curtis, who co-authored a study paper on Pakistan with Mr. Haqqani last month, could also have a significant impact on the new policy. Some media reports that the Trump administration can hire her as the new assistant secretary of state for South Asia.

In a joint report, Ms. Curtis and Mr. Haqqani argue that "the aim of the Trump administration's policy towards Pakistan should be to make it more and more expensive for Pakistani leaders to use the strategy of supporting terrorist intermediaries to achieve regional strategic goals. There should be no ambiguity that the US considers Pakistan's strategy to support terrorist intermediaries as an achievement of regional strategic advantage as a threat to US interests. "

These two authors and other experts suggested putting pressure on Pakistan to force it to change its Afghan policy. They argue that Pakistan continues to support the Afghan military network of Haqqani, which does not allow the US to fully implement its own policy towards Afghanistan and restore peace in a war-ravaged country. Pakistani policy, they argue, also caused the death of hundreds of American soldiers in Afghanistan.

Mr. Crepon objected to this argument, stating that "the future of Pakistan for the United States is more important than the future of Afghanistan. Any US policy that seeks to sacrifice the former for the latter, as some Pakistani squeezers and plague-makers seem to require, insanity, "he writes.

"One of Washington's pipe dreams is the belief that Pakistan can be muscled into subordinating its own interests in Afghanistan to those of the United States," he says.

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Modern air defence system transferred to the army

The LY-80 system, capable of tracking, destroying targets at low and medium altitude; COAS claims that the system increases the army's response capabilities to current, emerging threats.

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistani army has introduced an air defense system with low and medium altitude (Lomads) LY 80 in its air defense system. According to information on inter-Services public relations (ISPR), the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces (COAS), General Kamar Javed Bajwa, was the Chief Guest at the induction ceremony held in the Army Auditorium.

LY 80 is a Chinese mobile air defense system capable of tracking and destroying a variety of air targets at longer ranges flying at small and medium altitudes. COAS stated that LY 80 Lomads increases the army's response capabilities to existing and emerging air defense threats.

Read More: Pakistan Introduces China's Advanced Air Defense System

Earlier, upon arrival of the army commander, the army chief was received by air defense commander of the army, Lieutenant-General Muhammad Zahid Latif Mirza. The SAM components HQ16A (LY-80) contain a search radar vehicle, command vehicle, radar tracking and control apparatus, launcher unit vehicle and missiles canister. Technical support equipment includes the transportation and loading of missiles, a power supply vehicle, a maintenance vehicle and equipment for testing missiles. One radar guidance device controls two or four launchers with six missiles ready to be launched. The command vehicle is responsible for sending the target information and combat orders.

The search-and-radar machine is equipped with a solid-state S-band 3-D passive phased-array antenna mounted on the mast. When the target is detected, the search radar vehicle performs an automatic IFF (identification Friend or Foe), threat assessment, flight path processing and provides information on the target engagement for the tracking and targeting radar. The S-band radar has a range of 140 km and can detect targets flying at an altitude of 20 km.

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Pakistan Introduces China's Advanced Air Defense System

RAWAPLINDI: Pakistan have introduced an advanced Chinese anti-missile defense system LY-80 (LOMADS) to protect its airspace from any accidents, ISPR said in a statement.

Chief of Staff of the Army, General Kamar Bajwa, who was the main guest in this case, said that the defense system will enhance our capabilities to defend the Motherland.

LY-80 is a Chinese mobile air defense system capable of tracking and destroying various air targets at long ranges flying at small and medium altitudes.

Read More: Modern air defence system transferred to the army

COAS stated that LY-80 LOMADS increases our ability to respond to modern and emerging air defense threats.

Earlier, upon arrival, the army commander was received by the army commander, Lieutenant-General Muhammad Zahid Latif Mirza.

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In The US Congress, Anti-Pak Bill Presented

Ted Poe's bill aims to designate Pakistan "state sponsor of terrorism," an unreliable ally; The President must present the answer within 90 days; Centcom chief acknowledges Pak action against US enemies.
WASHINGTON: A US congressman known for his aversion to Pakistan on Thursday presented a strongly worded bill in Congress to declare Pakistan "unreliable ally" a "state sponsor of terrorism", media reports said.
"Not only is Pakistan an unreliable ally, Islamabad has also helped and abetted enemies of the US for years," said congressman Ted Poe, who is chair of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism.
"From harboring Osama bin Laden to his cozy relationship with the Haqqani network, there is more than enough to determine that whose side Pakistan is in the war on terrorism. And it's not America's. It is the time we stop paying Pakistan for its betrayal and designate it for what it is: a state Sponsor of terrorism," Poe said in the introduction of the bill, the Pakistan state Sponsor of Terrorism Act of 2015, in Congress on Thursday.
The bill requires the president of the United States to issue a report within 90 days to answer whether Pakistan has supported international terrorism. Thirty days after that Secretary of State must submit a follow-up report, which says that Pakistan is a state sponsor of terrorism or a detailed justification of why it does not meet the legal criteria for such designation.
The same bill was introduced in Congress last year when the Obama administration was passing its last days and there was no time to discuss and formally convince Congress why the United States should continue to consider Pakistan as an ally in war Against terrorism.
Waseem Abbasi adds: Contrary to the perception created by some think tanks, the commander of the Central Command of the United States (CENTCOM) applauded the cooperation of the Pakistani military with the US military in recent anti-terrorist operations throughout The Afghan border.

Read More: Marking Pakistan As A Sponsor Of Terror 'Deeply Unwise'

In responding to the senators' questions here, Gen. Joseph Votel also admitted that the Afghan government is losing control over areas in the face of mounting the Taliban fight. He said Pakistan's army took action against major US adversaries recently. Some India supporting think tanks in Washington have recently increased their efforts to convince the White House to review their ties with Pakistan arguing that the South Asian country is not doing enough to help the US in Afghanistan.
"They (Pakistan Army) did things against our main concerns like Taliban and the Haqqani network. We have to be more consistent and focused in that area. We will continue to engage with Pakistan," he said in a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
He admitted that the Afghan government has lost control of almost half of the country after recent fighting. When asked why the Afghan government, which had control over 70 percent of the country just a year ago now control only 50 percent, Votel said it was the result "of the fighting taking place in the country and efforts of Taliban to become more resurgent".
The general also appreciated the leadership of the Pakistan Army, saying that recent meetings with Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa were encouraging. "The American commander in Afghanistan, General Nicholson, had recently been supported in some operations along the border," he said while referring to the Pakistani army. "It's a very positive sign," he said.
Centcom's commander expressed concern about the recent escalation of tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and undermine the importance of the ties between the two countries for the success of the United States mission. He said the United States must play a key role in bringing Pakistan and Afghanistan together.
Senators also discussed Russia's efforts to destabilize and weaken Afghanistan. When asked about sanctuaries across the Afghanistan border for the Haqqani network and the Taliban, Votel said he has talked with Pakistani military leaders who showed an increasing interest in cooperating with the coalition and Kabul along the border.
He said that despite challenges regarding the relationship between the United States and Pakistan, US forces have struggled to maintain a considerable level of engagement to their Pakistani military counterparts. "We continue to run a solid program of joint exercises. Most recently, the Pakistani Air Force sent airmen and aircraft to participate in the red flag and green flag at the Nellis Air Force base in Nevada last summer," He said.
Votel said the Pakistani army continues to support US efforts in the rest of the region. "The most notable is that the Pakistani Navy is the most consistent and longstanding participant second only to the United States, in Combined Task Force (CTF)-150 (counter-terrorism operations) and CTF-151 (counter-piracy operations) led by US Naval Forces Central (USNAVCENT)."

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