MONITOR Civil-Military Relations in Pakistan November 2018 Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency PILDAT Monitor CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS IN PAKISTAN November 2018 This monitor is meant to identify key developments during the month on Civil Military Relations In this Issue in Pakistan with selected high-profile international developments included occasionally. 1. SP Tahir Dawar's Murder SP Tahir Dawar's Murder 2. PM's visit to North Waziristan 3. In an un-verified leaked audio, Mr. Superintendent of Police (SP) Tahir Zia Shahid briefs Dr. Tahir ul Qadri Dawar, head of Peshawar's rural circle, regarding ouster of Mr. Nawaz was reportedly kidnapped from the Sharif from politics Federal Capital on October 26, 2018. 4. Opening of Kartarpur Corridor There was no sign of his whereabouts 5. Corps Commander's Conference until his body was found on November 6. COAS meets foreign dignitaries 13, 2018 in the Nangarhar province of 7. Meeting of the National Security Afghanistan, with a letter in Pashto Committee claiming he was killed in revenge for 8. Army Public Relations and Gen. Raziq.1 Photos of the slain SP's Development Activities body were widely shared on social 9. Chairman PEMRA meeting with media. DG ISPR 10. COAS confirms death sentences There was a delay of two days in 11. Supreme Court suspends Peshawar bringing the body to Pakistan over High Court Order Afghanistan's insistence on handing it 12. PM-COAS Interactions over to the tribal delegation led by Mr. 13. International Developments Mohsin Dawar, MNA instead of SP Rural Peshawar Tahir Khan Dawar officials of the Government of Pakistan. Dr. Mohammad Faisal, official spokesperson of the Foreign Office, criticized Afghanistan over the move: “Pakistan expresses concern over inordinate delay in handing over mortal remains of Shaheed SP Tahir Dawar and the fact that the handing over was linked to insistence on non diplomatic procedures and non official individuals resulting in avoidable pain to the Shaheed's family” he tweeted.2 Mr. Mohsin Dawar, however, denounced the statement, “My understanding with Pak Government officials was that once the body of Tahir Shaheed is handed to the jirga, it will be handed over to the Police for State funeral. But when we received his body and crossed into Pakistan, it seemed like an ambush as we were pushed away & his body taken”.3 He claimed that even the son of the late SP was not accommodated. The Government was widely criticized for its inefficiency and lack of attention to the issue during the episode. On October 28, 2018, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Mr. Iftikhar Durrani, had claimed that Tahir Dawar was safe and present in Peshawar.4 After news of his murder broke, Minister of State for Interior, Mr. Shahryar Afridi, when asked about the incident, said he cannot comment on it as it was a sensitive issue and as the death was not confirmed yet.”5 On November 15, PM Imran Khan tweeted that “Have followed the shocking tragedy of the murder of SP Tahir Khan Dawar & ordered KP govt to coordinate with Islamabad police in holding an inquiry immediately. MOS Interior Shahryar Afridi has been tasked to oversee it with an urgency & present the report to me.”6 Mr. Mohsin Dawar, MNA from North Waziristan who raised the issue of SP Tahir Dawar's abduction in the National Assembly before news of his murder across the border surfaced,7 responded that “We reject an internal inquiry. We know that our investigation authorities can't question certain powers. This murder involves two countries, and thus requires an International Inquiry Commission. Only the findings of such a body will be acceptable to us.”8 Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency 1. Dawn.com, [website], 2018, https://www.dawn.com/news/1445460 (accessed December 4, 2018) 2. Twitter.com, [website], 2018, https://twitter.com/ForeignOfficePk/status/1063116419737575424 (accessed December 5, 2018) 3. Twitter.com, [website], 2018, https://twitter.com/mjdawar/status/1063388930723258369 (accessed December 5, 2018) 4. Twitter.com, [website], 2018, https://twitter.com/URDUVOA/status/1062841500663496704 (accessed December 28, 2018) E-mail: [email protected] 5. The News.com, [website], 2018, https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/394167-we-have-lost-a-brave-police-officer-ispr-on-sp -tahir-dawars-brutal-murder-in-afghanistan (accessed December 5, 2018) Website: www.pildat.org 6. Twitter.com, [website], 2018, https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1062952330138673152 (accessed December 4, 2018) 7. Youtube.com, [website], 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cAINMuUUZI (accessed December 4, 2018) 8. Twitter.com, [website], 2018, https://twitter.com/mjdawar/status/1062981628585304064 (accessed December 4, 2018) 02 PILDAT Monitor CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS IN PAKISTAN November 2018 On November 15, 2018 ISPR issued a statement which condemned the murder of SP Tahir Dawar and indicated that the incident involved “more than a terrorist organisation”. The statement called for cooperation from the Afghan security forces on border fencing and security coordination along the border.9 A 7-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) comprising Police and Intelligence Officers under SP Police Investigation, Islamabad, was formed on November 16, 2018 to investigate the mysterious murder.10 SP Tahir Dawar, who belonged to the war-torn Waziristan, had been active against TTP and IS militants in the province and had survived multiple attempts on his life including two murder attempts and a suicide bombing. He was known to be a supporter of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) as evident from his posts on Social Media.11 PM's visit to North Waziristan On November 26, 2018, Prime Minister Imran Khan made his maiden visit to North Waziristan along with COAS Gen Bajwa. Prime Minister was accompanied by Minister for Defence, Mr. Pervez Khattak, Governor KP, Mr. Shah Farman, and CM KP Mr. Mehmood Khan. He was briefed on the on-going operations, fencing along the Pak-Afghan border and rehabilitation of Temporarily Disabled Persons (TDPs) among other issues. The Prime Minister met Tribal elders from North and South Waziristan on the occasion. He announced welfare packages for the newly merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the field of Prime Minister Imran Khan pictured with Defence Minister Mr. Pervez Khattak, COAS health, education, employment and administration. He also Gen Bajwa, Governor KP Mr. Shah Farman and CM KP Mr. Mehmood Khan in North announced restoration of cell phone services to the tribal districts, Waziristan on November 25 resolving the issue which recently brought the residents of the districts on the streets.12 The Prime Minister met Tribal elders from North and South Waziristan on the occasion. He announced welfare packages for the newly merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the field of health, education, employment and administration. He also announced restoration of cell phone services to the tribal districts, resolving the issue which recently brought the residents of the districts on the streets. In an un-verified leaked audio, Mr. Zia Shahid briefs Dr. Tahir ul Qadri regarding ouster of Mr. Nawaz Sharif from politics In a leaked audio of a conversation between Mr. Zia Shahid, Chief Editor Khabrain Group of Newspaper, and Mr. Tahir-ul-Qadri, Chief of Pakistan Awami Tehreek, Mr. Zia Shahid can be heard saying that two senior Generals of the Army told him that they [military] are 99.9% unanimous in ensuring Mr. Nawaz Sharif is ousted from politics. However, same unanimity is not there in ousting Mr. Shahbaz Sharif from politics. In the leaked audio available at YouTube13 Mr. Zia Shahid can be heard telling Dr. Tahir-ul- Qadri about his meeting with these senior Generals that “Iss baat pe tau woh musir thay ke woh jo number 1 siyasat ka tha pehle [Nawaz Sharif] uss ke silsilay mein tau hum unanimous hain ke – 99.9% - 1% chor dain ke kisi waqt kuch bhi ho sakta hai – we are convinced ke hum ne iss ko out karna hai (they were insistent that on number 1 of the party earlier [referring to Nawaz Sharif who was president of PML-N before] we [Army & ISI] are 99.9% unanimous that he [Nawaz Sharif] needs to be ousted from politics.). To this, Mr. Tahir-ul-Qadri can be heard asking Mr. Zia Shahid by interrupting him that “sirf aik bande ko, iss ko ya khandaan ko.” (only 1 person or the entire family [of Nawaz Sharif]. Mr. Zia Shahid can then be heard replying that “sirf aik, jama uss ki kar lein. But jab mein ne baar Chief of Pakistan Awami Tehreek Tahir ul Qadri 9. Inter Services Public Relations, [website], 2018, https://www.ispr.gov.pk/press-release-detail.php?id=5025 (accessed December 3, 2018) 10. Dawn.com, [website], 2018, https://www.dawn.com/news/1445986 (accessed December 4, 2018) 11. Abbas Nasir, Dawn.com, [website], 2018, https://www.dawn.com/news/1446102 (December 5, 2018) 12. Inter Services Public Relations, [website], 2018, https://www.ispr.gov.pk/press-release-detail.php?id=5050 (accessed December 3, 2018) 13. Youtube.com, [website], 2018, https://youtu.be/dbG4ndPZnT0 (accessed December 5, 2018) 03 PILDAT Monitor CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS IN PAKISTAN November 2018 baar un se poocha ke yeh Punjab wala Haji kahan se hai, yeh har cheez mein un ke shareek hai.” (Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri can be heard interrupting him “bhai hai un ka.” (he is the brother [of Nawaz Sharif]) Mr. Zia Shahid is heard continuing that “aur bazaahar ooper se yeh different line leta hai, just to be on record ke nahin mein bhi hoon hazair. Warna mein tau in donon bhaiyon ko bohat purana janta hoon, itna hi jitna aap Mian Sharif Sahab ke dast-e-raast hote thay...