Regular sorties by US military aircraft raise concern in Islamabad

October 3rd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The United States has reportedly established a secret military training camp just a few kilometers away from Islamabad. According to The Nation, just 30 kilometers away from Islamabad, situated in the heart of an industrial estate, exists a creepy structure surrounded by high walls.

September 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The United States sold arms worth $4.5 billion to Pakistan between 2005 and 2008, says a Congressional report even as Washington has expressed concern about reported diversion of military equipment away from the war on terrorism to fight India. An updated Congressional report released last month says Washington signed arms transfer agreements with Pakistan in excess of $3.5 billion in the year 2006 alone, "ranking Pakistan first among all arms clients of the United States during that calendar year".

August 23rd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Unidentified gunmen shot dead two military officers in Pakistan's northwest, according to media reports Sunday. Police sources were quoted as saying that some armed men opened indiscriminate fire late Saturday night on military intelligence officer Aftab Alam and military transport battalion official Ameer Hamza in front of their homes in the military area at Nowshera, a garrison city some 100 km northwest of Islamabad.

August 16th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - US Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke has said Washington's attempt to distance itself from former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would hamper US interests, as the PML-N chief is a famous leader of the country. "Nawaz Sharif is a popular leader and his party is ruling the largest province of Punjab.

August 8th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Islamabad may be seeing the Pakistani military' operations against the Taliban in Swat as a success, but the "dismal plight" of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and those returning home threatens to squander gains from disrupting the Taliban, a New York Times editorial says. According the opinion by former US State Department official Morton Abramowitz, many IDPs sought shelter with their families or friends, and around 50 percent ended up squatting in schools or staying with strangers.

June 30th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan will begin production of JF-17 thunder jets, a lightweight multi-role combat aircraft, in collaboration with China, the Online news agency reported Tuesday. The countries signed an agreement in March for the production of 42 JF-17 fighters at the Pakistan Aeronautical complex in Kamra in Punjab province.

June 25th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - With the Pakistan Army announcing an all out war against the Tehrik-e-Taliban chief, Baitullah Mehsud, in the South Waziristan region, US drones are also conducting regular sorties of the region primarily to keep a track of the terrorist' activities, something that has left Pakistan fuming. At least two US Predator aircrafts were seen prowling over the TTP chief's stronghold region on Wednesday, The Daily Times reports.

June 24th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Wednesday said it was in regular contact with the US to stop the drone attacks that killed dozens of people in the country, Geo TV said. Pakistan's foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit said: "It has been Islamabad's consistent position that (US) drone attacks are a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and must be stopped." "Pakistan's own law enforcement operations are proceedings satisfactorily and the nation's determination to eliminate the scourge of terrorism remains unshakable," the spokesman said.

June 3rd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - US special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke on Wednesday said the United States is seeking an extra 200 million dollar in emergency aid to help Pakistanis displaced by a military offensive in the northwest against the Taliban. "Today, the president has asked me to inform you and your government that he has requested the Congress of the United States to allocate an additional 200 million dollars," The News quoted Holbrooke, as saying.

May 29th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - A Chinese-built FT-7 fighter of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) crashed into a house Friday in Punjab province, killing one woman on the ground and injuring at least six people. The two pilots, however, ejected to safety.

April 3rd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan will raise the issue of drone attacks on tribal areas with the President Obama's special envoy on Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, during his forthcoming visit to Islamabad. "Richard Holbrooke is scheduled to visit Pakistan next week and this issue (drone attacks) would come up for our discussions," The Nation quoted Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit, as saying.

March 20th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - A worried Pakistan has decided to raise the issue of a possible extension of the US covert war to Baluchistan with the CIA chief Leon Panetta during his visit to the country. Panetta would be arriving here on a two day visit on Friday.

March 6th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Two Pakistan Air Force pilots were killed Thursday when their Mushshak plane crashed in the eastern province of Punjab, the military said. The propeller-driven aircraft was on a routine flight when it went down near the garrison town of Rawalpindi, apparently because of a mechanical failure.

January 22nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Al least eight people were killed and many others injured Friday when missiles fired from a pilotless US aircraft hit a house in Pakistan's tribal region of North Waziristan, Geo TV reported. The aircraft fired three missiles at the house of Khalil (a militant) in North Waziristan bordering Afghanistan, the report said, quoting a security official.

December 25th, 2008 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has deployed troops to protect 'vital points' along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and the international border with India, a media report said Friday. 'Sources in the defence department declined to give details of any fresh movement but did not deny reports that Pakistan was moving certain brigades towards Lahore,' Daily Times said.