CIA-ISI efforts helped close in on militants, Abbottabad report says

Hundreds of terrorists including high-value al Qaeda targets were zeroed in owing to the interaction between the CIA and the ISI, the Abbottabad Commission Report, authored by Justice (r) Javed Iqbal, Abbas Khan, Ashraf Jahangir Qazi and Lt Gen (r) Nadim Ahmad, enunciates.

The report said the ISI killed 866 al Qaeda militants in 891 operations. Hundred of the killed were high value targets, it arrested 922 al Qaeda militants and 96 among them were high value targets while 42 networks of the organisation were also dismantled.

It said Pakistan had to pay a heavy price for this cooperation in terms of loss of life and property. “The country slid into instability while thousands of civilians and armed personnel lost their lives. A large number of people were rendered disabled and million of citizens homeless. The illegal US drone attacks increased casualties manifolds and caused enormous financial loss. The losses rose to high mark when the US suspended the military and civilian aid to Pakistan. The US never recognised Pakistan efforts at all. The US National Security Agency director insisted and claimed during his meeting with the then ISI director general, Ahmad Shuja Pasha in 2008 that the ISI was siding with jihadis.”

According to the report, US President Barack Obama raised the matter with President Asif Ali Zardari. “Western officials alleged 70 percent of the military aid extended to Pakistan between 2002 and 2007 was wrongly utilised.”

Ten personnel of the Frontier Corps were killed during an attack in the area of Gora Parae on Pak-Afghan borders on June 11, 2008. “The Pakistan Army condemned this attack terming it aggression. The US forces killed 24 Pakistani soldiers under a preconceived plan in the border area of Salala on May 2 following the Abbottabad attack. The US president refused to offer apology on this incident and the US army declared both the sides responsible in its inquiry report. This sparked rage among the people of Pakistan. Both the sides perceived it that this was well thought out message for Pakistan that US could go to any extent to serve its interests.”

The report said the Raymond Davis case took place three months ahead of the US attack in Abbottabad when a private US security contractor shot dead two Pakistani motorcyclists in broad daylight. “Later, the US insisted that the killer be recognised as a diplomat. The US snapped high-level contacts with Pakistan and started placing illegal demands. However, the Pakistani Foreign Office could not remain adhered to its principled stance and failed to discharge its obligations.”

“Pakistan-US relations have remained uncertain from the very beginning and they remained under the sway of world power to some extent. People of Pakistan are of the opinion that the partnership between the Pakistan government and the US entailed desperation, debacles and negative consequences due to the very fact that these ties are not based on transparent and upright partnership at public level. The US policies in the region are major impediment in moving forward this partnership.”

The report said post 2014 the US prospective policies, war threat against Iran, growing animosity against China, real strategic US partnership with India have restricted the scope of ties between the US and Pakistan. “If these factors are recognised then the relations can improve and stability can come in the region.”

It was further said in the report that on one side the partnership was based on the US economic and military aid, and on other side the US used Pakistan. “This partnership could not take root in terms of common culture, political perception and strategic interests. Several challenges have come to fore.”

“Pakistan rejects US policy with respect of civilian nuclear cooperation with India. Likewise, attacks on borders are violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty. Drone strikes and other special operations like this led to cause heavy loss of lives and property. This has forced Pakistanis to evolve the understanding that US is major external threat for Pakistan at present time.”

It was laid down in the report that “Pakistan under the leadership of Gen Pervez Musharraf adopted a policy of remarkable distinction with al Qaeda and Taliban prior to September 11, 2001 and extended cooperation with Taliban. “However, the US demands for waging war against Taliban were accepted being scared of US threats following 9/11 incident. This paved way for US military intervention in Afghanistan causing widespread devastation in the country. The Afghan people were driven into an inferno. Pakistan decided to become ally of US in this war. UN adopted several resolutions against terrorism and Osama Bin Laden but Security Council never passed any particular resolution whereby it was allowed to make military intervention into Afghanistan.”

The US accorded major non-NATO-ally status to Pakistan in 2004 in the wake of cooperation extended by Pakistan in illegal US intervention and occupation of Afghanistan

“Following this development, an unguarded visa policy was introduced for Americans so that the CIA could seize any opportunity to make a foothold in Pakistan. In fact, it was prerequisite of the US aid. This way facility was provided for hunting Osama bin Laden.”