9/11 Tragedy & US Misperceptions about Pakistan

NOVANEWS

By Sajjad Shaukat
The grim tragedy the United States suffered on September 11, 2001 through suicidal bombings
on World Trade Center and Pentagon resulted into the death of more than 55000 persons. In the
aftermath, the US held Al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden responsible for the incident, and
attacked Afghanistan where he had taken shelter.
A majority of the small and major countries joined American global war on terror, and Pakistan
also joined it as the frontline state because the country was not only facing acute financial crisis,
but also hostile factor of India. Pakistan was also granted the status of non-NATO ally by
Washington because of its successes, achieved by Pakistan’s Army and country’s Inter-Services
Intelligence (ISI) against the Al Qaeda militants. Within a few years, when the US-led NATO
forces felt that they are failing in coping with the stiff resistance of the Taliban in Afghanistan,
they started accusing Pak Army and ISI of supporting the Afghan Taliban. US high officials and
their media not only blamed Pakistan for cross-border terrorism in Afghanistan, but also
presumed that a plot to attack the US homeland would be prepared in FATA where safe-havens
of Al Qaeda exist. They also emphasized Pakistan to ‘do more’ against the militants coupled
with drone attacks on Pakistan’s tribal areas by ignoring the internal backlash in the country.
And without informing Pakistan, a helicopters-raid of the US covert forces killed top Al Qaeda
leader Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on May 2, 2011. His death triggered
celebrations across the US, India, Israel and some western countries–by ignoring Pakistan’s
sacrifices, during war against terrorism—deliberate propaganda campaign started against
Islamabad. In this context, a blame game against Pakistan Army and ISI was revived by them.
They said that Bin Laden lived in Pakistan compound—5 to 6 years, and as to why Pakistan’s
security and intelligence agencies were unaware of his presence.
It is mentionable that during war against terrorism, Pakistan sacrificed more than any country in
terms of collateral damage, economic losses and political instability. While Pakistan faced a
continued wave of suicide attacks, bomb blasts and targeted killings.
However, in its misperceptions, especially, the US ignored the sacrifices of the Pakistan’s armed
forces which had broken the backbone of the Taliban militants through successful Swat and
Malakand military operations, while ISI had arrested renowned Taliban commanders including
other militants and masterminds of Al Qaeda, namely Abu Zubaida, Khalfan, Abu Hamza Rabia,
Mullah Abdul Ghani Bardar etc. In this respect, the then Interior Minister, Rehman Malik stated
on, May 2, 2011 that ISI has castigated more than 2,000 suicide attacks. In this context, on the
one side, American high officials admired Pakistan, while on the other; they continued their
blame game against Pakistan’s security forces and intelligence agencies.
It is notable that the then Director General of ISI, Ahmed Shuja Pasha pointed out that Osama’s
compound in Abbottbad was registered under a fake name. He elaborated that after the Tora
Bora operation, Osama Bin Laden became an enemy of Pakistan. He was living in a residential
area and it was not in the knowledge of the agency. Besides, the ex-Pakistan’s Prime Minister
Yousaf Raza Gilani and Army Spokesman Maj-General Athar Abbas (R) also refuted foreign
allegations in connection with Osama and ISI.
It is worth-mentioning that Bin Laden was living in the Abbotabad compound, and despite its
vast resources, technical intelligence e.g. satellites, unmanned aerial vehicles and human
intelligence—extraordinary long-range aerial military capacity, the ability to strike at will from
the space at any point on the globe, US secret agencies, CIA and FBI failed in detecting his
presence in Pakistan and destroying Al Qaeda’s terrorist network in the ten years of America’s
war against terrorism. Similarly question also arises about the September 11 suicide attacks. It
was described as the greatest intelligence failure of the American spy agencies. However,
compound where Osama Bin Laden was living was a norm rather than exception. A number of
people have been living in the neighbourhood of that compound at Abbottabad. While,
Pakistan’s various television channels showed the interviews of the neighbourers, living there,
who remarked that they were never suspicion about Osama’s presence. So ISI did not have a
magic to know the whereabouts of Bin Laden there. It was also not possible for this spy agency
to check all the houses of Pakistan or to interfere in peoples’ privacy so as to find out Bin Laden.
In fact, US, India and Israel wanted to fulfill a number of clandestine aims by continuing their
propaganda against Pakistan. Notably, American cost of war against terrorism had reached 8
trillion dollars, and was increasing rapidly—acute recession inside the country had given a
greater blow to the US economy. In that scenario, American public was particularly worried
about the failed campaign in Afghanistan. So Osama’s episode could be used to distract the
attention of its general masses from internal crisis, and for re-election of Obama as President.
Similarly, under the pretext of Osama’s demise, and with the tactical support of America, India
and Israel which had well-established their covert network in Afghanistan intended to implement
their hidden agenda to destabilize Pakistan, Iran and China by assisting the insurgency against
In this connection, since 9/11 catastrophe, by availing that golden opportunity, both India and
Israel which had joined the Bush’s anti-terrorism campaign to crush the wars of liberation, being
waged by the Kashmiris and the Palestinians, intensified their state terrorism to keep their
occupation on these territories. They have continuously been exploiting the world phenomena of
terrorism and anti-Muslim approach of the west so as to obtain their nefarious designs. In this
regard, Indo-Israel lobbies which are penetrated in the US Administration and are working in
other western countries became pro-active to manipulate the war on terror. Pakistan which is the
only nuclear country in the Muslim World, having close ties with China is another major target
of the Indo-Israeli secret diplomacy. The fact of the matter is that New Delhi and Tel Aviv are
collectively exploiting the double standards of the west in relation to terrorism and human rights
vis-à-vis Pakistan, China and Iran.
While, the capability of Pakistan’s Armed Forces could be judged from the one year progress of
the ongoing military operation Zarb-e-Azb which started on Jun 15, 2014 against the militants in
North Waziristan Agency (NWA).
On June 10, this year, while showing the progress of the Zarb-e-Azb, Chief of Army Staff, Gen.
Raheel Sharif said, “Terrorists have been cleared from their strongholds in North Waziristan and
Khyber Agency and fight now is moving into last few pockets close to Afghan border.” He laid
emphasis on “continuation of the operations till elimination of the last expected and probable
terrorists groups and sanctuaries.” While addressing a ceremony of the golden jubilee
celebrations the 1965 war regarding Pakistan’s victory and defeat of India, Gen. Raheel again
said on September 6, this year, operation Zarb-i-Azb was launched at a time when terrorist
networks had solidified in the country that the Armed Forces had been fighting an untraditional
war for the past many years, elaborating, “our success is the result of our martyrs and ghazis—in
Karachi and Balochistan, peace has returned, where militants have been surrendering their
Nevertheless, since June 15, 2014, the jets of Pakistan Air Force have bombed militants’
hideouts in North Waziristan, and killed thousands of insurgents including foreign militants,
while Pak Army has also killed several terrorists through ground offensive and many of them
surrendered before the Army. While, ISI and other law-enforcing agencies captured several
terrorists in various regions of Pakistan, including suicide-jackets and weapons—thus thwarted
their subversive acts. They have successfully broken the network of the terrorists.
During the 14th anniversary of the 9/11 incident, its is of particular attention that what the US-
led NATO countries could not do in Afghanistan, and America in other volatile countries in the
last 14 years, Pakistan’s Armed Forces have done in one year against the terrorists. Therefore,
US and other western countries have started appreciating the capabilities of Pakistan Army and
other security agencies, and are, now, recognizing the sacrifices of the country against terrorism.
They also recognize the fact that terrorism or stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan is interrelated.
It is regrettable that New Delhi is destabilizing the regional countries in general and Afghanistan
and Pakistan in particular. In order to obtain its secret designs, aimed at augmenting Indian
hegemony in the region, India is foiling the peace process between Afghanistan and Pakistan by
managing terrorist attacks like the recent ones in Afghanistan and Pakistan to create a rift
between Islamabad and Kabul, and to sabotage the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Moreover, on the direction of the Indian leader of the fundamentalist party BJP and Prime
Narendra Modi Indian forces have accelerated unprovoked shelling across the Line of Control
and Working Boundary, while creating war-like situation between Pakistan and India.
Taking note of these developments, a change has occurred in Americans towards Islamabad, who
know that stability in this region is essential for American global interests. Besides, these
developments also rectify the US misperceptions by proving that Pakistan’s Army and ISI which
have successfully been coping with terrorism and Al Qaeda had no knowledge about Osama Bin
Laden’s presence in Abbottabad.
 
Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants,
Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations