According to the Defence Department press secretary George Little, Pakistan has refused to be part of a joint investigation into the November 26 Nato attack on Pakistani check post in Mohmand. The decision is one of the several that Pakistan has taken in its protest against the attack that killed 24 army personnel.
It has been reported that in his November 29 briefing to the media, Director General Military Operations Major General Ashfaq Nadeem had already ruled out the possibility of a joint probe, saying that earlier joint investigations carried out after similar attacks were unable to produce any results.
Meanwhile, the parliament is expected to hold a joint session to discuss the attack and the senate has passed a unanimous resolution opposing the attacks.
Will the senate’s resolution and the parliament’s impending joint session be able to form a concrete strategy against such attacks? And if formed, will such a strategy be followed in the future?
Has Pakistan made the right move by refusing to be part of the joint investigation being carried out by Nato? Is the snub going to hurt Pakistan or benefit it?
Dawn.com invites its readers to give their views and suggestions.
What lessons did we learn from the fiasco at Abbotabad? What followed was the destruction of PAF/Navy Base in Karachi, and to top it all, now this. When communication is so vital, there was none for two hours. Are we a country at war, or still waiting for our morning cup of tea to get going?
I agree with your comments. I can not understand why Pakistanis are not taking their armed forces to task and ask them what good are they when they can not even challenge intruders in the country. Unless Pakistanis realize the mess their army keeps getting them into, things will continue to deteriote in Pakistan.
This response may not be liked but the Supreme Court should take this matter up and conduct an impartial inquiry into the failure to respond to an attack on the country by the concerned armed forces. Where was this failure?
If a communication failure is going to occur every time an intruder enters our country, then only God can protect our nuclear installations, for the first objective of such aggression would be to destroy vital communications.
The armed forces are subservient to the civil authority and they should cooperate in this inquiry, they carry the nation’s trust and they have to answer for a continuous spate of lapses, just like everybody else does. They have to come up with plausible solutions and some house cleaning if required. Somebody has to answer for this fiasco, not the first one.
We do not have to come on the streets and burn tires or get shot at. A discussion and inquiry is a more sensible approach and as a citizen I make this plea.
NATO midnight airstrike successfully killed 24 army personnel because they know that Pak army has two drawbacks:-
1) Their posts are visible easily as the same are not Camouflaged therefore an easy target for airforce and US marines.
2) During night they move out of bunkers (here and there) keeping in mind that nobody is watching them in the dark, but they do not know that US fighter helicopters/Planes have Night Vision Cameras that detect the troops easily and bombard one by one.
The 24 Pak Army personnel fall victim of the above two drawbacks.
If Pakistan Army want to avoid such causalities in future then they have do practice the following two things.
1) Camouflage all posts (both land and aerial view) and dig strong underground bunkers to be used during air raid as safe shelter for the troops.
2) Ask every army person not to expose themselves in the dark as Night Vision Camera can easily detect them even during 100% darkness.
What an analysis. First of all why NATO to attack Pakistan Army post delibrately for no reasons ? What would be advantage of such attack brings in ?
I think it is right to abstain from joint investigation. US has out rightly concluded that it was not intentional. This means that they want to add the stamp of joint investigation to their point of view. The argument of Pakistan Army is absolutely correct that such incidents remained inconclusive and no one was punished. We must ask first who all were involved in this incident directly and indirectly before beginning any investigation. So far in my view they have not shared this vital information with Pakistan. We support our Government and Army and we stand beside them..
It is good to hear that General Saheb has taken such a strong decision. Hats of to him but please stick to it no US No Nato No help from US or any countries. If these corrupt politician can bring the country looted money back than I personally think that Pakistan will not be asking or holding any katora for begging we can do anything for our self respect and dignity
Such decision is taken because there is something the Pak army wants to hide. not taking part only means that we don;t care what was the reason behind such attack as we know the mistakes could be ours too.
Girish! Atleast once support us if you are an Indian! As mentioned in the article, there were no results of previous so called joint investigations. So why waste time? We should tell them, enough is enough. Don’t pull us in your war or whatever. Just leave us alone…
So Ted ur saying that the truth is not what u want if it is inconvenient to Pakistan ??
Well, if we look back, justice is not only blind, it is also deaf and mute in this century.
So you mean to say that we should sit in court where US acts as judge-jury while they are culprits. It has happened previously and nothing came out of it and it’ll be useless this time too!
When NATO attacked the two posts they did not consult Pakistan Army before launching it. So what is the basis for the Army to join in the investigation? However, Pakistan Army should carry out its own investigation thoroughly and accurately so that if there are any loopholes in NATO’s investigations they could be challenged.
It is sad to see that Pakistan decided not to participate in a debate that is the backbone of any democratic institution. Our people are still praisng military, ISI and other institutions that have taken Pakistan in the wrong direction time after time. They talk about dignity and holding their heads high. Easy for them to hold their heads high while they barricade themselves behind a compound wall surrounding a big bungalow. What a shame that Pakistan is still pursuing the tactics that have failed them in the past.
Yes, the decision is right… once they bring Pak Army in, they can use their presence as a rubber stamp in the media to draw any conclusion from the investigation, irrespective of whether Pak Army condones it or not…
Pakistan is drowning in rhetorics at home — it could use the same rhetoric at Bonn — and get its message across instead of of turning into a whining quitter. It has happened because of Pakistan’s exaggerated sense of self-importance vis a vis Afghanistan peace process. Pakistan is not the lynchpin of peace in Afghanistan — even if it earnestly wanted to be.
US is the the most violent country in the world there is no difference in the US think process and Mafia, both are for their material benefits and no respect for human life, US has shown it abundentlly since the time of Teddy Roosevelt. The greatest crime against humanity was committed by US in Heroshima 76000 innocents killed in less than a minute, crimes of Hitler and Stalin pail in front of US crimes. America only knows how to kill there is no moral fiber in American heart and soul. It is better for countries to stay away from America on moral grounds. Rightly Jorges Borges said America could not be a moral country therefore it became a military power.
No moral fiber? Your comments are just not accurate.
Over 110,000 soldiers and likely as many civilians died during the battle for Okinawa. How many Japanese soldiers, civilians and American soldiers would have died if the United States would have had to invade the Japanese Home Islands to end WWII?
Stalin killed 20,000,000. Hitler killed about 14,000,000 just in the camps and mass executions.
I 100% agree with Mashal Khan (Dec. 3, 2011). And further add that when D. G. Military operations Major Gen. Ashfaq Nadeem – briefing to the media on Nov. 29, 2011 says that no outcome has come from earlier joint investigations then the decision is very correct. Pakistan owe a lot to its Army – 1965, 1971 wars.
which they lost?
A good decision by Pakisatn as the attack was intention based. How Nato forces could not identify the check post being of such supreme technical built up…As US reacted on the 9/11 crash, we all need to unite our self on the same analogy as there is no second thought in such serious national issues.
Good decision. The outcome of the inquiry, and all such inquiries, is always in line with general direction of the nation’s desire which has the authority to order for such an inquiry. Does somebody think, that at the end of this inquiry, USA will snub NATO or punish those responsible. Never, it will not happen. It cannot happen. It did not happen even in Abu-Gharib Scandal except for two scapegoats. Therefore, the participation by Pakistan in the inquiry will only enhance the credibility of the inquiry, which will ultimately serve the purpose of NATO.
U will see results of refusal very shortly.
We would love to see the results and so shall you. Need not to worry let us carve our own destiny Insha Allah. Thanks for your poorest judgement.
Mr. Harbans Singh,
Your comment is intriguing as it does not agree to attending or not attending the investigation.
However, apparently you know the results of not attending. Could you be gracious enough to share it with the readers? Thanks.
Islam Habib Khan
Riyadh
in joint investigation pakistan can check about the strtegy of UN. our miltary should need to accept the offer of joint investigation. otherwise US will give this statement that pakistani army start 1st.
It is right decision and well in time at least at this moment. Decision is appreciating from Army. Doors are open and they are in good position to join next time or at their choice.
God bless Pakistan and Kiyani
good decision ……….Period.
It looks like Pak military has something to hide…. their incompetence. How can the attack was continued for two hours (according to Pak Army) and the Army did not do anything? This is the second time within less than 7 months that foreign troops came inside Pakistan and the Army was not able to at least challenge the “violators” of Pakistan’s sovereignity. Makes you wonder where are the billions of rupees going which Pakistan spends on defence.
Afganistan has been always having direct or indirect problem with Pakistan.It is not because to maintain stabilitty in Afganistan that Pak Army have to suffer the lost .It does not make sense at all.USA must stop making Pakistan as an escape goat regarding the internal war of Afganistan.Pakistan has been good enough to allow USA to use it terirotary to fight the Taleban .Enought is enought we muslim in the world must stand side by side to defence our Muslim brother in the world .Kazai is a Puppet for America
It is a bad decision. With no input from Pakistan, NATO will come up with the findings
that will appear in the media all over the world. If the narrative ends up exonerating NATO,
Pakistan protests will sound hollow. In the battle of PR, this is a loser.
By doing this katana basically accept that the Pakistanis cleared the attacks. If pakistan has reacted so strongly conduct a joint investigation and let all the citizens know what happened
Its absolutely a wrong decision. Why would you not like to know the truth behind the attack that killed our own soldiers? Atleast you will know what these NATO is upto. Also it gives us control if the probe is being misused by them.
ofcourse thats the best decision how can NATO who commited crime can itself start an investigation.
How can we trust NATO investigation, will NATO accuse itself that yea we did wrong we are criminals. That is hilarious. Pakistan must go to United NAtions to disclose all attrocities Pak has suffered.
Well, for starters, NATO came right out and said from the beginning that they fired on the outposts. Yes – NATO will take full responsibility if they are fully responsible. Reports are though that someone gave NATO bad information.
“all the attrocities Pak has suffered”???
What is this victim mentality?
Your arrogant response reflects your ignorance.
There is no victim mentality. Pakistan has indeed been systematically victimized. Have you not noticed the genocidal economically debilitating atrocities committed on its gentle, simple, trusting, friendly people…and the devastation let loose on its infra-structure, institutions and psyche.
There is no bad information. GPS does not lie, people do…specially when they come again and again for two hours to repeatedly attack a post that was established at their request and humiliate soldiers who unfortunately were not equipped to thwart an aerial attack by ‘friends&allies’.
Can you draw the boarders of Afghanistan & pakistan so that GPS could have a finite position.
Gentle,simple,trusting and friendly?! Either you’re excellent at being sarcastic,or you’re living in some other century. The masses maybe,definitely not the people in the corridors of Power.
i agree 100%
there is nothing like bad information
if some one believe its the joke of century for NATO
Not participating because previous investigations provided no results? Which investigations? How come there were no results? How come no one asks follow-up questions?
The only time folks don’t want to investigate is when they don’t want to know the results. I think those soldiers deserve an investigation to discern who was culpable. Bring it into the light and let’s see what happened. Burying this dishonors those soldiers who were killed and disrespects the Pakistani people.
I must say Neil you are a wise and honest man
Agree with what Neil said here.