US/Pakistan Forces Clash

I know I am late on this news about the clash between US forces and Pakistani Border Scouts near the Afghan border (there’s a dispute about which side of the border it happened.) But then this is a weblog, not a news site. Plus I was enjoying my brother-in-law’s wedding the day it happened.

Unqualified Offerings has the Pakistani press stories about the incident. He says:

The writ of the Pakistani national government extends only tenuously to NWFP, and NWFP has longstanding blood and ideological ties to the Taliban. To the extent that Pakistan’s cooperation with the US is sincere, it faces a couple of unpleasant options: Rely on local troops whose enthusiasm for cooperating against the Taliban is low or bring in troops from outside with no local ties and maybe even antipathy —- a recipe for unrest.

I wish it was as simple as that. First, this incident did not happen in NWFP (North West Frontier Province), it happened in South Waziristan Agency which is part of FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas). The provincial government does not rule there. In fact, even the federal government doesn’t. These tribal areas, unlike the actual province of NWFP, have been more or less independent to run their local affairs. The British, before 1947, and the Pakistani government later have had some influence through the tribal elders (sometimes by bribing them.) FATA is sometimes considered part of NWFP because it should have been; it is populated by Pashtuns/Pathans who are the dominant ethnic group of NWFP (though not the only one; the Hazara area in NWFP is populated by Hindko-speaking people.)

The NWFP provincial assembly and government is dominated by the religious alliance, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) [United Assembly for Action], a number of whose leaders are also Pashtun and some of whose constituent parties created the Taliban in their madrassas. In addition, the members of National Assembly from FATA (FATA is not represented in the provincial assembly) do not belong to any political party but are allied with the MMA. However, the tribal areas are fiercely independent, extremely backward and heavily armed. Almost every kid I saw there (quite a few years ago) was carrying an AK-47.

The reaction to this incident that I saw among people in Pakistan was definitely anti-American. For the people there, the most important detail was the 500-lb bomb that was dropped by the US. It fit the stereotype of the US military that just bombs from miles up.

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Categorized as Pakistan

By Zack

Dad, gadget guy, bookworm, political animal, global nomad, cyclist, hiker, tennis player, photographer

66 comments

  2. i am intented strongly from my childhood to join my pak army.i will join forces after my fsc exams.i have much potential and i will serve my all to my nation.

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  4. ASSALAM U ALAIKUM!

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  5. MY NAME IS RAHAT ULLAH. MY HIGHT IS 5.7 FEET. I HAVE GIVEN FSC. AND I WANT TO JOIN PAK ARMY BY HOPE CERTIFACT. I AM FROM QUETTABALOCHISTAN PAKISTAN. I AM A RANA. IT IS MY BEST WISH THAT TO JOIN PAK ARMY FROM CHILDHOOD. MY WISH IS JOINT TO PAK ARMY ONLY BECAUSE PAK ARMY IS VERY FAMOUS IN THE WORLD. PAK ARMY IS ON FIRST IN TOP TEN IN THE WORLD. I LOVE PAK AND PAK ARMY. IT IS OUR DUTY TO GIVE SAFETY TO PAK AND PAK PUBLIC. THUS I LOVE PAK ARMY. PRAY FOR ME I SHALL MAY SUCCESS ON MY GOAL. PLEASE GIVE ME INFORMATION ABOUT JOINING PAK ARMY. I SHALL BE THANKFUL TO YOU.ALLAH HAFIZ.

  7. salams

    my name is waqas and im from canada.im 24 years old. ive done my matric from pakistan and since then im in canada. i passed my grade 11-12 from here and ryt now im taking accounting diploma course. i wold like to join pak army but don’t know if im still eligible.
    what is graduate 32 course is. i alredy check out the website but it wont give me that much info so im jus wondering if some1 can help me on that.
    thnkx
    salam

  8. Asalam O Alikum im qadeersarfraz frm faisalabad i have done my fsc (premedical) and now i m doing bsc with science subjects (Chemistry,botany and zoology) i want to b a part of pakistan army. i will not say that i will do this and that but when i will become a pakistan army i will show that what i can do for pakistan. i realy hope that i will be a army officer in future INSHAALLAH.
    pray for me,

  10. Hi i m amir ali 24 years old from lahore gullberg 3 . i wanna join to pakistani army .i passed my inter exam .please narrate to me how ican join army.

  11. hi! my name is mariam, m doing BBIT.i want to join Pak Military,i just want to know that can i join PMA now,when i am doing my BBIT or is it possible after completing BBIT?can you please recommend me any “website” throught which i may get complete information and i may contact to the relevant personnels.Thankyou

  12. i want to protect my country against the milletency .i want to go to army and joind the pak army ,i wish that it willbe best for me and for my future .i have done my f.s.c in premedical but i dont know about the procedure .plz give me detail .thanks

  13. RESPECTED SIR, I want to join pakistan army and its my wish to become the part of pakistan army and i can do anything for pakistan . My life is pakistan and i can give my life for pakistan i am doing i com 2nd year .I can only request to you but everthing is depend on you.THANKYOU

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  15. ASSALAM-O-ALIEKUM:
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  16. Aoa!I am currently a medical student and I want to join the Pak army. Please tell me all the possible fields for females and the procedure.Thanking in anticipation.

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