Elite Afghan force to hunt militants in Pakistan

[khyaal]

Today over 90 percent of the Paki army is composed of Punjubis, but they won,t reveal any figures about army's composition altough Pakistan claims to be a federation of nations.

[BLS_1919v2.0]

Today over 90 percent of the Paki army is composed of Punjubis, but they won,t reveal any figures about army's composition altough Pakistan claims to be a federation of nations.

Top brass, top bureacracy, top policy makers. You know those pathans got cut off the job when you have people like Masood Sharif Khan Khattak or Roedad Khan or even Rustam Momand complaining. BTW Khyaal saiba have you read that masood khattaks article on Pashtuns? Now he remembered Pashtuns...where was he all this time then?

[amna.]

Khyaal I thought 40 percent of the Army was Pashtun?

[BLS_1919v2.0]

Khyaal I thought 40 percent of the Army was Pashtun?

Amna may I ask where you got this figure from?

BTW it is 13.5% barely. Punjab’s dominance in army being reduced: ISPR -DAWN - Top Stories; September 14, 2007

[khyaal]

Khyaal I thought 40 percent of the Army was Pashtun?

No. Pashtun proportion is less than 3 percent, and Pashtun areas from whre Pakistan gets its most recruits are areas like Karak where there is no agricultural land and other source of income which could sustain their livelihood. Second to Punjab are Mohajir (Indian immigrants) from Karachi and Hyderabad.

[khyaal]

Amna may I ask where you got this figure from?

BTW it is 13.5% barely. Punjab’s dominance in army being reduced: ISPR -DAWN - Top Stories; September 14, 2007

This figure of 13.5 is not true, they won't reveal any figures but the general estimate is that pashtuns are not more than 3 percent, mostly from karak areas.

[BLS_1919v2.0]

^^Probably so, but this is the closest thing to an official estimate on the numbers and helps dispel the myth that Pashtuns somehow make 40 % or 30 % of the armed forces.

[Talal]

woodward also says that Karzai suffers through manic depression among other amusing facts.

There hasn't been any confirmation from the state department of this news, the US official is anonymous..and to organize a covert force of 3000, you will need a heck lot of timing, infrastructure and coordination. Also the book doesnt say that these are people necessarily invovlved in operations, they are called "drone spotters"...Afghan recruits are sent in with the taliban that are operating inside Pakistan to guide the drones, that is one of the reason for such a high influx of drone strikes in recent two years.

This shouldnt be a surprise though, in recent months authorities have arrested nationals from countries as far out as france and morocco..These areas are a hot spot for foreign spies and infiltrators.

[drona]

Woodward also says that Karzai suffers through manic depression among other amusing facts

There has been an interesting smear campaign against Karzai ever since his public spat with Hole-brook during his previous term. Even then we were hearing interesting "anonymous leaks" from State Dept and Pentagon about him being a "coke addict".

[Nokia_Apridy]

hemmmmmmmmmm khalak kha dada akhta di lekey
sher

dey Parsiwanu sra waduna warku khushala di
Zmung Neqah ya da Peghor sra wataralu Zawalnu ka yu

[khyaal]

woodward also says that Karzai suffers through manic depression among other amusing facts.

There hasn't been any confirmation from the state department of this news, the US official is anonymous..and to organize a covert force of 3000, you will need a heck lot of timing, infrastructure and coordination. Also the book doesnt say that these are people necessarily invovlved in operations, they are called "drone spotters"...Afghan recruits are sent in with the taliban that are operating inside Pakistan to guide the drones, that is one of the reason for such a high influx of drone strikes in recent two years.

This shouldnt be a surprise though, in recent months authorities have arrested nationals from countries as far out as france and morocco..These areas are a hot spot for foreign spies and infiltrators.

Talal is mixing up two different things, facts and opinion, and we should make a difference between the two. The news that there is an elite afghan force is a fact but the second one about Karzai saib to be a depressive maniac is Woodward's opinion.

[ComradePashtun]

Ye Khyaal is right...the proportion is very small...ISI is also contestable figure. Those documentaries had most probably FC which is a paramilitary organization. They are meant to be placed at the tribal areas since the times of Britain. That is also why you probably saw so many "zais" or "khattaks". In terms of ISI agents, well as there are no definitive figures but in terms of Afghanistan policy, they have a good amount of Pashtuns from both sides...afterall you need the locals to cause the havoc for you. It is not as if a panjabi or sindhi can go into Afghanistan or Pashtunkhwa and "blend in".

BLS bro,

With all due respect, but there is no doubt and any one with insight into Pakistani military and most scholary litrature (check Olvier Roy, and Gilles Dorronsoro's work) would confirm that the strong ISI bureau for Afghanistan which is almost exclusively spearheaded and led by Pashtuns. These are majors and generals and there are many of them. On the lower tier there are thousands - and die-heart forward operating agents - all Pashtuns. Unfortunately this is a fact and to them an Afghan Pashtun means nothing and would not spare any method if considered as potential adversary for Pakistan. And their role became only more prominent with Taliban's ascend to power and after even untill now. It were unfortunately the Pakistani Pashtuns who rather pursued an offensive forward strategic policy of annexing more land to the west of Durrand line and only further bluring the line through incurssions well inside Afghanistan in Taliban era. From Bajuar the had made about 100 kilo-metres incurssion into our Momand area. ISI's effectiveness as formedable player without Pashutns would be absolutely impossible.

[Pakhtun_Policy]

^and the whole ISI and Pakistan army is full of pashtoons! alert and ready for destruction of afghanistan and pakhtoonkhwa.

pakhtaana khpal nang o ghairat wrak kari dei... wus pakhtaana sirf pakistan da para jang kawalai sei!

Very well said . Our enemies are first and foremost PAKISTAN. Pakistan has been succesful in their agenda. They have succeeded in dividing us Pakhtuns and now they have put us up against each other. When will you O Pakhtun nation wake up and see that you are beeing used left,right center?