Attack on the GHQ
by
Javed Hafiz |
Some people say that it was an intelligence failure
The recent Taliban attack on the GHQ in Rawalpindi was the most daring so far. There have been a series of terrorist attacks across Pakistan this past week. The new leader of Tehrik Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Hakimullah Mehsud wants to make a point: I am as good as Baitullah Mehsud. Two recent attacks, one on World Food Programme, and this one were innovative. The attackers wore military uniforms.
They wanted to avenge their Swat defeat by taking top military leadership hostage but failed. However, the global publicity that this audacious nay daredevil act got was a psychological success of sorts. In this episode, terrorists from tribal areas and Punjab made a united effort, which points to the widening network and greater coordination.
Some people say that it was an intelligence failure. But that was not so. The Punjab crime investigation department had informed at least a week before this tragic incident that the GHQ would be attacked and the terrorists would use military uniforms. It seems this warning was treated casually.
The attackers came in two groups. The task assigned to the first group was to create mayhem and confusion. Using the element of surprise, they killed four guards at the initial checkpoint almost instantly. Four of the six attackers of the first batch got killed around the main entrance gate. It was not easy to identify the attackers as they wore uniforms. The second batch of four terrorists, taking advantage of the confusion, was supposed to sneak into the main building and take senior officers hostage. This they could not do. Instead, they took some 40 people hostage in an adjacent building.
Brigadier Anwar-Ul-Haq, who was killed by the terrorists, was in charge of GHQ security. Colonel Waseem, who was also killed, was his deputy. Their offices were close to the main gate. Both came out immediately after hearing the firing. They guided their soldiers in identifying and killing the four terrorists. Two surviving terrorists opened fire on these officers.
Brigadier Anwar was from my native area in Toba Tek Singh and distantly related to my family. I had met him some years ago when he was doing a war course in the National Defence University. After the course he got promoted as Brigadier and sent abroad for further training. He was a gunner, and true to the artillery reputation, a very keen officer. My wife and I rushed to Rawalpindi to condole with his wife soon after hearing the tragic news. The terrorists, by killing Brigadier Anwar, cut short a promising career and deprived us of a very fine gentleman.
General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani, the army chief, was in his office when this gory episode started. He was immediately requested to move to a strong room adjacent to his office, which he politely refused. I had seen General Kiyani a few days earlier at the Saudi National Day reception. Most of the people present there were keen to meet him or shake hand with him. General Kiyani is one of the most liked Pakistan army chiefs.
On the fateful day of October10, the army chief was to go to Islamabad around noon time. Before his departure, the GHQ had been attacked by the terrorists. However, he went to Islamabad for the high-level meeting and returned to his office. He kept doing his routine file work and kept himself fully briefed about the hostage episode on the margins. The cool and calm way in which he behaved throughout that tense day shows his high calibre.
So what are the lessons learnt? The first and foremost lesson is that the coordination between federal-provincial and inter-provincial intelligence organisations must be improved. It is true that keeping tabs on 180 million people scattered over a vast area of Pakistan is not an easy task. That calls for both qualitative and quantitative improvements in the intelligence apparatus. Sound and actionable intelligence can nip many evils in the bud.
Operation in Waziristan seems imminent now. But the army should not jump into Waziristan as a reaction to this episode. It must complete all tactical requirements first. The battles in Waziristan will be different from Swat. In addition to the tough local terrorists, there are quite a few Uzbek fighters there. Since the Uzbeks have no where to go, they may fight to their last man. However, the Rawalpindi saga has strengthened the army’s and peoples resolve to fight this menace. In this critical task, the international community should throw its full weight behind Pakistan.
The way Special Forces handled the hostage drama showed their professional calibre. The day after, there was a general sense of relief. I got a call from the BBC about the security of our nuclear assets. The terrorists through this ghastly act may have succeeded to some extent in creating doubts about the safety of Pakistani nuclear arsenal. However, attacking nuclear sites is much more difficult than the assault on the GHQ and security there is of international standards.
(Javed Hafiz is Pakistan’s former ambassador to the Sultanate) |
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