PPPakistanAKIST ChronologyAN of Events January 2007 - July 2009 1 January 2007 - July 2009 Chronology of Events Compiled from The Week In Review Editor & Contributors S. Samuel C. Rajiv Jagannath Panda Priyanka Singh Sanjeev Kumar Shrivastav Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses 2 Pakistan Chronology of Events January 2007 - July 2009 Contents 2007 Months Page January - March ..................................................................... 3 April - June ............................................................................. 8 July - September .................................................................... 20 October - December .............................................................. 30 2008 Months Page January - March ..................................................................... 38 April - June ............................................................................. 45 July - September .................................................................... 52 October - December .............................................................. 61 2009 Months Page January - March ..................................................................... 70 April - June ............................................................................. 76 July .......................................................................................... 85 2008 Pakistan Chronology of Events January 2007 - July 2009 3 2007 January 6 - 12, 2007 EAM Mukherjee to visit Pakistan; PoK leadership praises India’s approach External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee was scheduled to meet the Pakistani leadership during his January 13-14 visit to Islamabad to invite President Musharraf for the SAARC Summit in New Delhi on April 3-4. Reports pointed out that no deals were likely to be signed during the EAM’s visit regarding a host of issues, including the re-opening of the Mumbai and Karachi consulates, or the agreement on “Reducing the Risk from Accidents Relating to Nuclear Weapons”, which was initialled during the visit of Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Muhammad Khan to New Delhi in November 2005. Official however pointed out that Mr. Mukherjee’s visit was expected to set the tone and tenor for the fourth round of composite dialogue, set to begin in March.1 In another positive development, for the first time in six decades, the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) leadership publicly praised India’s approach towards the resolution of the Kashmir issue. PoK Prime Minister Sardar Atiq Khan urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take bold decisions at the earliest to bring lasting peace to the subcontinent.2 References 1 “Pakistan may Authenticate Siachen Ground Positions,” at http://www.thehindu.com/2007/01/12/stories/2007011216801700.htm 2 “PoK Leadership Praises Manmohan Singh,” at http://www.thehindu.com/2007/01/08/stories/2007010818971100.htm January 13 - 19, 2007 India-Pak agree to commence fourth-round of Composite Dialogue; Kasuri supports PM Singh’s suggestion of making Siachen a ‘mountain of peace’; Joint terror mechanism to hold its first meeting in March; Pakistan Rangers still supporting infiltration attempts; Pak Army destroys al-Qaeda hideouts in South Waziristan; Gates: Pakistan an “extraordinarily strong ally” in the war against terrorism External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s two-day visit to Islamabad from January 13-14 to invite Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for the April 13-14 SAARC Summit in New Delhi set a positive stage for India-Pakistan interaction for the year.3 The two sides agreed to commence the fourth round of the Composite Dialogue with a meeting of the Foreign Secretaries set for March 13-14. Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmoud Kasuri’s revealed that Pakistan had presented a detailed plan to address Indian concerns on troop positions on the Siachen glacier.4 Mr. Kasuri later added that he supported Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s suggestion for making Siachen a “mountain of peace” by controlling the activity of military on both sides.5 Mr. Kasuri added that the two sides never had such sustained discussions on Kashmir in the past 60 years. The joint mechanism against terror, set up at the Foreign Secretaries’ meeting in New Delhi in November 2006, would hold its first meeting in March 2007. The two sides also agreed to complete work on the liberalisation of their mutual visa regimes in February 2007. The EAM also raised concerns over the fates of Indian Prisoners of War (PoW) in Pakistani jails, which was shared by President Pervez Musharraf.6 Indian and Pakistani hydrographers embarked on a 20-day-long joint survey of the 65-mile long Sir Creek strip off the Gujarat coast from January 15. The survey aimed to verify the outermost points of coastlines of both countries. The two sides disputed the interpretation of the boundary line between Kutch and Sindh, as depicted in a 1914 and 1925 map. 4 Pakistan Chronology of Events January 2007 - July 2009 Amidst the positive indications, the infiltration attempt by terrorists, with the active support of the Pakistan Rangers, that was stopped by the Border Security Force (BSF) in the Akhnoor sector on January 17 threatened to unravel the November 2003 ceasefire agreement between the two sides. The agreement is an important keystone of the ongoing India-Pakistan peace process.7 India raised its concern over the firing incident with Islamabad over diplomatic channels. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Army destroyed alleged Al Qaeda hideouts in South Waziristan near the Afghan border using helicopter gunships. The raids followed the remarks of US intelligence chief John Negroponte that the Al Qaeda and Taliban were both finding shelter in Pakistan’s lawless frontier areas.8 The visiting US Defence Secretary Robert Gates stated in Kabul that Pakistan was “an extraordinarily strong ally” in the war on terrorism but militancy on the Pakistani side of the border would have to be dealt with.9 References 3 “Pranab’s Visit Sends out Positive Signals,” at http://www.thehindu.com/2007/01/15/stories/2007011517671600.htm 4 “Pakistan has Given Detailed Plan on Siachen,” at http://www.thehindu.com/2007/01/14/stories/ 2007011412771000.htm 5 “Consider Siachen Plan Seriously, Kasuri Tells India,” at http://www.thehindu.com/2007/01/17/stories/ 2007011719781400.htm 6 “Pranab Raises PoW Issue”, at http://www.thehindu.com/2007/01/14/stories/2007011419651000.htm 7 “Fighting in Jammu Frontier Ruptures 2003 Ceasefire,” at http://www.thehindu.com/2007/01/19/stories/ 2007011906951200.htm 8 “Pakistan Raids Al-Qaeda Bases,” at http:// www.thehindu.com/2007/01/17/stories/2007011702891600.htm 9 “Gates’ Afghan Trip Throws Spotlight on Pakistan,” at http://in.news.yahoo.com/070117/137/6b86y.html January 27 - February 2, 2007 Bush administration against making US military assistance to Pakistan contingent; PM Aziz at Brussels: CD improving climate with India; Aziz addresses NAC, first Pak PM to do so; Musharaf awarded ‘King Abdul Aziz Award’ The Bush administration stated that it was against the provisions of the HR1 bill that would make US military assistance to Pakistan contingent on its ability to tackle the rising Taliban threat. The bill has already been endorsed by the House of Representatives and is to be considered by the Senate. Reports in Pakistan were equating the bill with the Pressler Amendment to the 1985 US foreign aid bill under which Washington had blocked the sale of F-16 aircraft to Pakistan on account of its nuclear programme.10 Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz addressing the foreign relations committee of the European Parliament in Brussels stated that the ‘composite dialogue’ with India was “improving the atmosphere” between the two countries. He added that it was necessary for both the countries to “move beyond dispute management to dispute resolution”.11 Mr. Aziz also became the first Pakistani Prime Minister to address the North Atlantic Council (NAC), the top decision-making body of NATO, signifying the close military links that have developed between the two parties with lot of stakes in Afghanistan. President Pervez Musharraf traveled to Indonesia and Malaysia during the week to push forward his initiative of the need for Muslim nations to embark on a new peace initiative to tackle the problems of Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, and Afghanistan. Analysts believed that these were efforts possibly geared towards enhancing the international standing of President Musharraf ahead of the general elections scheduled between November 2007 and January 2008.12 President Musharraf and Indonesia’s Susilo Yudhoyono also agreed to convene an international conference of “Shia-Sunni ulema” to discuss the spurt in bloody violence between the two groups. Indonesia heads the 57-member Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC).13 President Musharraf’s trip to South East Asia followed his tour of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, and the UAE during the previous week.14 In Saudi Pakistan Chronology of Events January 2007 - July 2009 5 Arabia, he became the first Pakistani leader to be awarded the ‘King Abdul Aziz’ award, the country’s highest civilian award.15 References 10 “Bush Administration Opposes Pakistan Linked-Aid Bill,”Reuters, February 1, 2007, at http://in.news.yahoo.com/ 070201/137/6bp4z.html 11 “Pakistani PM Sees Improved Atmosphere with India,” IANS, January 31, 2007, at http://in.news.yahoo.com/ 070131/43/6bn4l.html 12 “Pakistan’s Musharraf Lobbies OIC Chief on M East Plan,”Reuters, February 1, 2007, at http:// in.news.yahoo.com/070201/137/6box9.html