View source for Social:War in North-West Pakistan

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = War in North-West Pakistan
| image = 
| partof = the Global War on Terrorism and the<br/>spillover of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
| caption = 
| date = 16 March 2004{{spaced ndash}}present<br/>({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=03|day1=16|year1=2004}})
| place = Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan
| status = Ongoing
*Ongoing insurgency
*[[Social:Drone strikes in Pakistan|Drone strikes]] being conducted by the United States
*Jundallah, Tehreek-e-Khilafat, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan join [[Religion:Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|ISIL]]<ref name="Pakistani Taliban pledges allegiance to ISIL" /><ref name="ISIL gains supporters">{{cite web|url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/11/isis-now-has-military-allies-in-11-countries.html|title=ISIS Now Has Military Allies in 11 Countries – NYMag|work=Daily Intelligencer|accessdate=25 November 2014}}</ref><ref name="IMU joins ISIL">{{cite web|url=http://www.khaama.com/uzbek-militants-in-afghanistan-pledge-allegiance-to-isis-in-beheading-video-9962|title=Uzbek militants in Afghanistan pledge allegiance to ISIS in beheading video|website=khaama.com|accessdate=6 July 2015}}</ref>
*Jamaat-ul-Ahrar rejoins the TTP<ref name="ReferenceB">[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-militants-alliance-idUSKBN0M81WF20150312 Pakistani splinter group rejoins Taliban amid fears of isolation | Reuters<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
| combatant1 = '''{{flag|Pakistan}}'''
*NWPORBAT
**{{flagicon image|State emblem of Pakistan.svg|border=no}} Pakistan Armed Forces
**{{flagicon image|Flag of the Pakistani Army.svg}} Inter-Services Intelligence- Covert Action Division
**Frontier Constabulary
**Local Peace Committees<ref>{{cite news|title=Aman Lashkar leader among 4 killed in Peshawar|url=http://www.geo.tv/GeoDetail.aspx?ID=56201/|archive-url=https://archive.is/20130418181605/http://www.geo.tv/GeoDetail.aspx?ID=56201/|dead-url=yes|archive-date=18 April 2013|accessdate=2 January 2013}}</ref>
----
'''{{flag|United States}}'''
*CIA SAD/SOG
*JSOC
*SOCOM
*{{flagicon image|Flag of the United States Air Force.svg}} {{wipe|United States Air Force}}
'''{{flag|United Kingdom}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/23/uk-support-us-drones-pakistan-war-crime|title=UK support for US drones in Pakistan may be war crime, court is told|publisher=The Guardian}}</ref>
*{{flagicon image|Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg}} {{wipe|Royal Air Force}}

| combatant2 = '''Taliban-aligned groups'''
*{{flagicon image|Flag_of_Tehrik-i-Taliban.svg}} [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan]] (from 2007)
*{{flagicon image|Flag of Jihad.svg}} [[Religion:Al-Qaeda|al-Qaeda]]
*{{flagicon image|Flag of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.svg}} Lashkar-e-Jhangvi
*Lashkar-e-Islam 
*Jundallah (until 2014)
*Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (until 2015)
*Jamaat-ul-Ahrar<ref name="ReferenceB" />
*{{flagicon image|Tnsm-flag.svg}} Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (until 2016)
*{{flagicon image|Flag of Turkistan Islamic Party.svg}} Turkistan Islamic Party (from 2004)


'''ISIL-aligned groups'''
*Khorasan Province
**Jundallah (from 2014)<ref name="Pakistani Taliban pledges allegiance to ISIL">{{cite news|title=Pakistan Taliban splinter group vows allegiance to Islamic State|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/18/us-pakistan-militants-is-idUSKCN0J20YQ20141118|agency={{wipe|Reuters}}|date=18 November 2014|accessdate=19 November 2014}}</ref>
**Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (from 2015)<ref name="IMU joins ISIL" />
**Tehreek-e-Khilafat (from 2014)<ref name="ISIL gains supporters" />
**Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (2014–15)<ref name="ReferenceB" />
| commander1 = {{flagicon|Pakistan}} '''Pakistan'''<br/>'''President'''<br/>'''Mamnoon Hussain''' <small>(2013–present)</small><br/>Asif Ali Zardari <small>(2008–13)</small><br/>Pervez Musharraf <small>(2004–08)</small><br/>'''Prime Minister'''<br/>Shahid Khaqan Abbasi <small>(2017–present)</small><br/>Nawaz Sharif <small>(2013–2017)</small><br/>Raja Pervaiz Ashraf <small>(2012-13)</small><br/>Yousaf Raza Gillani <small>(2008–12)</small><br/>Shaukat Aziz <small>(2004–07)</small><br/>Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain <small>(2004)</small><br/>Zafarullah Khan Jamali <small>(2004)</small><br/>'''Chairman JCSC'''<br/>Zubair Hayat <small>(2016–present)</small><br/>Rashad Mahmood <small>(2013–16)</small><br/>Shameem Wynne <small>(2010–13)</small><br/>Tariq Majid <small>(2007–10)</small><br/>Ehsan ul Haq <small>(2004–07)</small><br/>Aziz Khan <small>(2004)</small><br/>'''Army Chief'''<br/>Qamar Bajwa <small>(2016–present)</small><br/>Raheel Sharif <small>(2013–16)</small><br/>Ashfaq Parvez Kayani <small>(2007–13)</small><br/>Pervez Musharraf <small>(2004–07)</small><br/>'''DG ISI'''<br/>Naveed Mukhtar<br/><small>(2016–present)</small><br/>Rizwan Akhtar<br/><small>(2014–2016)</small><br/>Zaheerul Islam <small>(2012–14)</small><br/>Shuja Pasha <small>(2008–12) </small><br/>Nadeem Taj <small>(2007–08)</small><br/>Ashfaq Parvez Kayani <small>(2004–07)</small><br/>Ehsan ul Haq <small>(2004)</small>
| commander2 = {{flagicon image|Flag_of_Tehrik-i-Taliban.svg}} '''Tehrik-i-Taliban'''<br/>
Maulana Fazlullah {{KIA}}<br/>Khan Saeed Mehsud Sajna {{KIA}}<br/>Hafiz Gul Bahadur<br/>Adnan Rashid<br/>Mangal Bagh<br/>Abdul Aziz Ghazi<br/>Hakimullah Mehsud {{KIA}}<br/>Abdullah Mehsud {{KIA}}<br/>Baitullah Mehsud {{KIA}}<br/>Maulvi Nazir {{KIA}}<br/>Faqir Mohammed {{POW}}<ref>{{cite news|url=http://dawn.com/2013/02/18/former-pakistani-taliban-no-2-arrested-in-afghanistan-reports/ |title=Former Pakistani Taliban No 2 arrested in Afghanistan: Reports |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130219180624/http://dawn.com/2013/02/18/former-pakistani-taliban-no-2-arrested-in-afghanistan-reports/ |archivedate=19 February 2013 }}</ref><br/>Nek Muhammad Wazir {{KIA}}<br/>Abdul Rashid Ghazi {{KIA}}<br/>Sufi Muhammad {{POW}}<br/>Nasib Zada {{KIA}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/43000/taliban-leader-killed-in-firefight-with-police/ |title=Taliban leader killed in firefight with police|publisher=Express Tribune|date=26 August 2010 |accessdate=26 March 2011}}</ref><br/>{{flagicon image|Flag of Jihad.svg}} '''al-Qaeda'''<br/>[[Biography:Ayman al-Zawahiri|Ayman al-Zawahiri]]<br/>[[Biography:Osama bin Laden|Osama bin Laden]] {{KIA}}<br/>Ilyas Kashmiri {{KIA}}<br/>Mohammad Hasan Khalil al-Hakim {{KIA}}<br/>Atiyah Abd al-Rahman {{KIA}}<br/>Abu Laith al-Libi {{KIA}}<br/>Abu Yahya al-Libi {{KIA}}<br/>Abu-Zaid al Kuwaiti {{KIA}}<br/>Fahid Mohammed Ally Msalam {{KIA}}<br/>Sheikh Ahmed Salim Swedan {{KIA}}<br/>Sheikh Fateh {{KIA}}<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11429016 |work=BBC News | title=US missile strike 'kills al-Qaeda chief' in Pakistan | date=28 September 2010}}</ref><br/> Adnan Gulshair el Shukrijumah {{KIA}}<ref name="Pakisani army kills al-Qaeda leader who grew up in the US">{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/06/world/asia/pakistan-al-qaeda-death/index.html?iref=allsearch|title=Pakistan kills al Qaeda leader on FBI most wanted list|author=Sophia Saifi, Ben Brumfield and Susan Candiotti|date=6 December 2014|work=CNN|accessdate=6 July 2015}}</ref>
----
{{flagicon|Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant}} '''ISIL'''<br/> Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi<br/> Hafiz Saeed Khan{{KIA}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thediplomat.com/2016/02/what-happened-to-isiss-afghanistan-pakistan-province/|title=What Happened to ISIS's Afghanistan-Pakistan Province?|author1=Arif Rafiq |work=The Diplomat}}</ref><br/>Abdul Rahim Muslim Dost <small>(2014–2015)</small><ref>{{cite web|title=Released Gitmo detainee joins ISISNov. 19, 2014 – 2:30 – Former Taliban commander named chief of ISIS in Khorasa|url=http://video.foxnews.com/v/3899320881001/released-gitmo-detainee-joins-isis/?intcmp=ob_article_sidebar_video&intcmp=obnetwork#sp=show-clips|website=fox news|accessdate=23 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Local support for dreaded Islamic State growing in Pakistan: Report|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Local-support-for-dreaded-Islamic-State-growing-in-Pakistan-Report/articleshow/45149421.cms|work=Times of India|accessdate=23 November 2014}}</ref><br/>Usman Ghazi{{KIA}}<ref name="IMU joins ISIL" /><ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web|title=IMU announces death of emir, names new leader|url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/08/imu_announces_death_1.php| publisher = The Long War Journal|date=4 August 2014}}</ref>
{{flagicon|Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant}} '''IMU Group'''<br/>Usman Ghazi{{KIA}}<br/>Tohir Yuldashev{{KIA}}<br/> Najmiddin Jalolov{{KIA}}<br/>Abu Usman Adil{{KIA}}<br>Mirzazhanov Atoyevich{{WIA}}
| strength1 = '''Pakistan'''<br/> 200,000 Pakistani troops<ref>{{cite news|last1=Khalid|first1=M Saeed|title=The on-off partnership|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/228894-The-on-off-partnership|accessdate=20 September 2017|work=The News International|date=10 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-gates23-2010jan23,0,6998676.story |title=Pentagon chief defends arms sales to India, Pakistan|work=Los Angeles Times |date=23 January 2010 |accessdate=26 March 2011 |first=Julian E. |last=Barnes}}</ref><br/>Unknown no. of air squadrons of Navy and {{wipe|Pakistan Air Force}} fighter jets, including JF-17 and F-16 jets<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.armscontrol.org/print/2096 |title=Pakistan, Saudi Arabia Cleared for U.S. Arms Buys |publisher=Armscontrol.org |date=11 September 2001 |accessdate=17 December 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406204918/http://www.armscontrol.org/print/2096 |archivedate=6 April 2012 }}</ref><br/>~10,000 Frontier Corps
----
'''United States'''<br/> UAV drones<br/>CIA operatives<br/>U.S. Special Forces<ref name="abcnews.go.com">{{cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/International/us-military-die-pakistan-bombing/story?id=9734681 |title=American Dead in Pakistan Bombing Were Special Forces – ABC News |publisher=ABC |location=USA  |date=3 February 2010 |accessdate=26 March 2011}}</ref>
| strength2 = ~25,000 [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|TTP]] militia<ref name="BBC-25 April 2014">{{cite news|last1=Bennett-Jones|first1=Owen|title=Pakistan army eyes Taliban talks with unease|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27133865|accessdate=4 July 2014|publisher=BBC News|date=25 April 2014}}</ref><br/>~2,000 Lashkar-e-Islam militia<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/multimedia/Mangal-Bagh-Profile.pdf |title=
A Profile of Mangal Bagh |publisher=TheLongWarJournal}}</ref><br/>~1,000 TNSM militia<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pak-taliban-claims-to-be-using-afghan-soil/20120626.htm |title=Pak Taliban claims to be using Afghan soil |publisher=Rediff News |date=26 June 2012 |accessdate=24 December 2012}}</ref><br/>
300–3,000 [[Religion:Al-Qaeda|al-Qaeda]] militants<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/10893889/Al-Qaeda-map-Isis-Boko-Haram-and-other-affiliates-strongholds-across-Africa-and-Asia.html |title=Al-Qaeda map: Isis, Boko Haram and other affiliates' strongholds across Africa and Asia |date=12 June 2014 |accessdate=29 August 2014}}</ref>
----
'''{{flag|ISIL}}'''
*Jundallah: 12,000–20,000 <small>(Disputed)</small><ref name="Pakistani Taliban pledges allegiance to ISIL" />
*IMU: 500<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.investigativeproject.org/profile/133|title=Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU): The Investigative Project on Terrorism|work=The Investigative Project on Terrorism|accessdate=6 July 2015}}</ref>–1,000<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061213131934/http://www.mipt.org/pdf/TerroristOrganizationReferenceGuide.pdf Terrorist Organizations Reference Guide]</ref>
| casualties1 = '''Pakistan''':<br/>4,302+<ref name="KP">{{cite web|url=http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/pakistan/nwfp/index.html|title=Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assessment - 2017|website=South Asia Terrorism Portal|accessdate=24 November 2017}}</ref><ref name="FATA">{{cite web|url=http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/pakistan/Waziristan/index.html|title=FATA Assessment - 2017|website=South Asia Terrorism Portal|accessdate=24 November 2017}}</ref><ref name="Region Wise 2017">{{cite web|url=http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/pakistan/database/fatilities_regionwise2017.htm|title=Fatalities in Pakistan Region Wise: 2017|website=South Asia Terrorism Portal|accessdate=25 November 2017}}</ref><ref name="Region Wise 2018">{{cite web|url=http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/pakistan/database/fatilities_regionwise2018.htm|title=Fatalities in Pakistan Region Wise: 2018|website=South Asia Terrorism Portal|accessdate=10 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1625671/1-least-one-killed-several-injured-swat-blast/|title=Captain among 11 security personnel martyred in Swat suicide attack|website=The Express Tribune|date=3 February 2018|accessdate=4 February 2018}}</ref> to 8,200+ security forces personnel killed and 14,500+ soldiers wounded<ref name="CoW"/><ref name="awaz">{{cite web|url=http://www.awaztoday.com/News_With-35000-deaths-and-68-bn-in-losses-Pakistan-fights-on_1_12669_Political-News.aspx |title=With 35,000 deaths and $68 bn in losses, Pakistan fights on |publisher=awaztoday.com |accessdate=12 September 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208023026/http://www.awaztoday.com/News_With-35000-deaths-and-68-bn-in-losses-Pakistan-fights-on_1_12669_Political-News.aspx |archivedate=8 February 2015 }}</ref>
----
'''United States''':<br/>15 soldiers killed<ref>{{cite web|url=http://icasualties.org/oef/ |title=U.S. Fatalities in and around Afghanistan |publisher=iCasualties |date=9 September 2005 |accessdate=4 July 2010 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100406083558/http://icasualties.org/oef/ |archivedate=6 April 2010 |df=dmy }}</ref>
| casualties2 = 28,809+ militants<ref name="KP"/><ref name="FATA"/><ref name="Region Wise 2017"/><ref name="Region Wise 2018"/> - 31,000<ref name="CoW"/> killed
| notes = SATP (Jan. 2005 - Feb. 2018):<ref name="KP"/><ref name="FATA"/><ref name="Region Wise 2017"/><ref name="Region Wise 2018"/><br/> 43,175+ killed overall<br/> 10,049+ civilians killed<ref name="KP"/><ref name="FATA"/><ref name="Region Wise 2017"/><ref name="Region Wise 2018"/><br/> 6,800+ LEAs killed<br/> Costs of War (Oct. 2001 – Jul. 2016):<ref name="CoW">{{cite web|last1=Crawford|first1=Neta C.|title=Update on the Human Costs of War for Afghanistan and Pakistan, 2001 to mid-2016|url=http://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/files/cow/imce/papers/2016/War%20in%20Afghanistan%20and%20Pakistan%20UPDATE_FINAL_corrected%20date.pdf|website=[[Organization:Brown University|Brown University]]|publisher=[[Organization:Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs|Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs]]|accessdate=20 September 2017|quote=The war in Pakistan, which began as Al Qaeda and the Taliban fled from Afghanistan into the northwest region of Pakistan in 2001, has caused almost 62,000 deaths and an additional 67,000 injuries.}}</ref><br/> 61,500+ killed overall<br/>22,100 civilians killed<br/>8,200+ LEAs killed<br/>67,000+ total injured
----
Over 3.44 million civilians displaced<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/05/31/pakistan.red.cross/index.html |title=Red Cross 'gravely concerned' about conditions in Swat Valley |publisher=CNN |date= 31 May 2009|accessdate=26 March 2011|quote=Pakistan's Swat Valley, where a month long offensive against the Taliban has displaced more than 2 million civilians.}}</ref>|<nowiki>Tariq Khan]] </nowiki><small>(2008–10)</small><br/>Nadir Zeb <small>(2010–12)</small><br/>'''Air Chief'''<br/>Tahir Rafique Butt <small>(2012–present)</small><br/>Tavier Ahmad <small>(2006–09)</small><br/>Rao Suleman <small>(2009–12)</small><br/>'''Naval Chief'''<br/>Muhammad ZakaUllah <small>(2014–present)</small><br/>Afzal Tahir <small>(2005–08)</small><br/>Noman Bashir<ref name="The New York Times, ROBERT MACKEY">{{cite news|last=ROBERT MACKEY|title=Before Attack, Pakistan's Navy Boasted of Role in Fight Against Taliban|url=http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/23/before-attack-pakistans-navy-boasted-of-role-in-fight-against-taliban/|accessdate=13 November 2012|newspaper=The New York Times, ROBERT MACKEY|date=23 May 2011<!--, 6:46 pm-->}}</ref> <small>(2008–11)</small>
}}


The '''War in North-West Pakistan''', also known as the '''War in Waziristan''', is an armed conflict involving {{wipe|Pakistan}}, and armed militant groups such as the [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan]] (TTP), Jundallah, Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI), TNSM, [[Religion:Al-Qaeda|al-Qaeda]], and their [[Place:Central Asia|Central Asia]]n allies such as the ISIL–Khorasan (ISIL), Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, East Turkistan Movement, Emirate of Caucasus, and elements of organized crime.<ref name="scribd1">Varun Vira and Anthony Cordesman [https://www.scribd.com/doc/70694522/Pakistan-Violence-Versus-Stability "Pakistan: Violence versus Stability: A Net Assessment."] ''Center for Strategic and International Studies'', 25 July 2011.</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/24/AR2006012401528.html |title=The War in Pakistan |work=The Washington Post |date= 25 January 2006|accessdate=19 October 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3645114.stm |title=Pakistan's undeclared war |publisher=News.bbc.co.uk |author=Zaffar Abbas |date= |accessdate=19 October 2008}}</ref>

The armed conflict began in 2004 when tensions rooted in the Pakistan Army's search for al-Qaeda fighters in Pakistan's mountainous Waziristan area (in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas) escalated into armed resistance.<ref name="globalbearings1">"[http://www.globalbearings.net/2011/10/video-series-pt-1-from-osama-to-obama.html [Pakistan Primer Pt. 1<nowiki>] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929025157/http://www.globalbearings.net/2011/10/video-series-pt-1-from-osama-to-obama.html |date=29 September 2015}}</nowiki> The Rise of the Pakistani Taliban] ", Global Bearings, 27 October 2011.</ref> Pakistan's actions were presented as its contribution to the international War on Terror.<ref>{{cite news|title=Killing scares media away from Waziristan|url= http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0622/p07s02-wosc.html|work=Christian Science Monitor|date=22 June 2006|author=David Montero|accessdate=25 August 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Pakistan attacks Waziristan compound|url= http://english.aljazeera.net/archive/2006/06/2008410114854246429.html |publisher=Al Jazeera|date=16 March 2006|accessdate=25 August 2008}}</ref> Clashes further erupted between unified Pakistan Armed Forces and the Central Asian militant groups,<ref name="United States Government National Center for Counter-terrorism"/> allied with the Arab fighters, in 2008–10.<ref name="United States Government National Center for Counter-terrorism">{{cite web|last=U.S. Government |title=Central Eurasian and Central Asian Terrorism |url=http://www.nctc.gov/site/groups/cent_eurasian.html |work=United States Government National Center for Counter-terrorism |publisher=United States Government National Center for Counter-terrorism |accessdate=2 July 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510223029/http://nctc.gov/site/groups/cent_eurasian.html |archivedate=10 May 2013 }}</ref><ref name="Pakistan Strategic Think Tanks">{{cite web|last=Thompson|first=Clifford|title=Terrorism from Central Asian Republics|url=http://pakistanthinktank.org/category/indian-terrorism-from-central-asian-republics|publisher=Pakistan Strategic Think Tanks|accessdate=2 July 2013}}</ref> The foreign militants were joined by Pakistani non-military veterans of the Afghan War to the west, which subsequently established the [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|TTP]] and other militant umbrella organizations, such as LeI. The TNSM established in 1992 allied with the TTP and LeI.

The war depleted the country's manpower resources, and the outcomes outlined a deep effect on its national economy, since Pakistan had joined the USA-led War on Terror.<ref name="The Washington Times, 2013">{{cite news|last=Shaun Waterman|title=Heavy price: Pakistan says war on terror has cost nearly 50,000 lives there since 9/11|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/27/heavy-price-pakistan-says-war-terror-has-cost-near/|accessdate=16 June 2013|newspaper=The Washington Times|date=27 March 2013}}</ref> According to the Ministry of Finance (MoF) statistics and mathematical data survey collections, the economy has suffered direct and indirect losses of up to ~$67.93 billion since 2001 due to its role as a "frontline state."<ref name="Express Tribune, Pakistan 2010">{{cite news|last=Wahab|first=Ali|title=The real cost of Pakistan's war on terror|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/27191/the-real-cost-of-pakistans-war-on-terror/|accessdate=16 June 2013|newspaper=Express Tribune|location=Pakistan|date=11 July 2010}}</ref><ref name="Dawn News, Economic Survey">{{cite news|last=From the Newspapers |title=War on terror cost Pakistan $67.9 billion |url=http://dawn.com/2011/06/20/war-on-terror-cost-pakistan-679-billion/ |accessdate=16 June 2013 |newspaper=Dawn News, Economic Survey |date=20 June 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524132025/http://dawn.com/2011/06/20/war-on-terror-cost-pakistan-679-billion/ |archivedate=24 May 2013 }}</ref> According to the MoF-issued Pakistan Economic Survey 2010–11, "Pakistan has never witnessed such a devastating social and economic upheaval in its industry, even after dismemberment of the country by a direct war with India in 1971."<ref name="Dawn News, Economic Survey"/>

By 2014, casualty rates from [[Social:Terrorism|terrorism]] in the country as a whole dropped by 40% as compared to 2011–13, with even greater drops noted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa<ref name="Foreign Policy, 2014">{{cite news|title=A Small Measure of Progress |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2014/12/22/a-small-measure-of-progress/|first=Julia|last=Thompson|date=22 December 2014|newspaper=Foreign Policy}}</ref> despite the province being the site of a large massacre of schoolchildren by [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|TTP]] terrorists in December 2014. A year later in 2015, Forbes cited Pakistan's "progress on the security front and the increased political stability" among other factors to call it the next "global turnaround success story."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielrunde/2015/08/03/pakistan-the-next-colombia-success-story/|title=Pakistan: The Next Colombia Success Story?|author=Daniel Runde|work=Forbes|date=3 August 2015}}</ref>

In 2016, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stated that the ultimate aim was to establish the writ of the Pakistani Government on every square kilometer of Pakistan, right to the very last border post.<ref>http://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/110205-Terrorists-eliminated-from-Fata-NWA-govt-writ-restored-ISPR</ref> Violence is down by three-quarters in the last two years [from 2011] due to Karachi operation and Zarb-e-Azb launched by the Army, prompting analysts to say Pakistan is winning the war on terror.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Sabin Agha|first1=Peter Oborne|title=Pakistan is winning its war on terror|url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/12/pakistan-is-winning-its-war-on-terror/|accessdate=21 September 2017|work=The Spectator|date=31 December 2016}}</ref>

==Names for the war==
Various names have been applied to the conflict by the authors and historians. War in North-West Pakistan is the most commonly used name in English. It has also been called the Waziristan War, and the War in Waziristan. On the other hand, political scientist, Farrukh Saleem, termed the war as the "Fourth Generation War" or the "4G War".<ref name="The News International Sunday, April 29, 2012">{{cite news|last=Farrukh Salim |title=4G War |url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-9-105618-4G-War |accessdate=7 June 2013 |newspaper=The News International Sunday, 20 April 2002 |date=29 April 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715184736/http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-9-105618-4G-War |archivedate=15 July 2012 }}</ref>

==Background==

In the aftermath of Battle of Tora Bora (lit. ''Black Caves''), formal troop deployment was begun by the Pakistan Army, at the behest of the Pakistan Government, in 2002. The conservative parties, most notably the Pakistan Muslim League,<ref name="Dawn News archives, 2002"/> were very critical of such troop deployments in the region.<ref name="Dawn News archives, 2002">{{cite news|last=Correspondents|title=Govt warned against US operation in Fata|url=http://archives.dawn.com/2002/05/06/nat1.htm|archive-url=https://archive.is/20130701080848/http://archives.dawn.com/2002/05/06/nat1.htm|dead-url=yes|archive-date=1 July 2013|accessdate=1 July 2013|newspaper=Dawn News archives, 2002|date=6 May 2002}}</ref> The XI Corps, under its commander Lieutenant-General Jan Aurkzai, entered the Tirah Valley in the Khyber Agency for the first time since Pakistan's independence in 1947.<ref name="Dawn News, May 2002">{{cite news|last=Our Correspondent|title=Tribesmen allow army to enter Shawal|url=http://archives.dawn.com/2002/06/06/nat2.htm|archive-url=https://archive.is/20130701080941/http://archives.dawn.com/2002/06/06/nat2.htm|dead-url=yes|archive-date=1 July 2013|accessdate=1 July 2013|newspaper=Dawn News, May 2002|date=6 June 2002}}</ref> The army troops later moved into the Shawal Valley of North Waziristan, eventually entering South Waziristan.<ref name="Dawn News, May 2002"/> A monitoring reconnaissance base was established by the Special Service Group [Navy] in 2003.<ref name="Dawn News, May 2002"/> Criticism of Musharraf and the United States grew in Peshawar by a massive communist party in 2003, demanding an end to the operations.<ref name="Dawn 2003, August 10,">{{cite news|last=Bureau Chief |title=Occupation of sovereign states by US flayed |url=http://archives.dawn.com/2003/08/10/nat7.htm |accessdate=1 July 2013 |newspaper=Dawn 2003, 10 August, |date=10 August 2003 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021145856/http://archives.dawn.com/2003/08/10/nat7.htm |archivedate=21 October 2013 }}</ref>

In 2003, the troubles mounted as the Tribes began to see military's deployment and repeated {{wipe|Pakistan Air Force}}'s flights in the region as an act of subjugation.<ref name="Dawn, 10 2003">{{cite news|last=By Our Staff Reporter |title=Wana operation condemned |url=http://archives.dawn.com/2003/10/06/nat5.htm |accessdate=1 July 2013 |newspaper=Dawn, 10 2003 |date=6 October 2003 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021150348/http://archives.dawn.com/2003/10/06/nat5.htm |archivedate=21 October 2013 }}</ref> In 2003–04 public speeches, Musharraf repeatedly called for the eviction of the foreign fighters from the South Waziristan and justified the army deployments in the region despite the concerns.<ref name="Dawn archives, 2003">{{cite news|last=Our Reporter |title=Occupation of sovereign states by US flayed |url=http://archives.dawn.com/2003/08/10/nat7.htm |accessdate=1 July 2013 |newspaper=Dawn archives, 2003 |date=10 August 2003 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021145856/http://archives.dawn.com/2003/08/10/nat7.htm |archivedate=21 October 2013 }}</ref> In December 2003, at least two assassination attempts against President Pervez Musharraf were traced to South Waziristan. The government responded by intensifying military pressure on the area. However, the fighting was costly: government forces sustained heavy casualties throughout 2004 and into early 2005, when the government switched to a tactic of negotiation instead of direct conflict.<ref name=rohde>{{cite news | title = Al Qaeda Finds Its Center of Gravity | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/10/weekinreview/10rohde.html | first = David | last = Rohde |work=New York Times | date = 10 September 2006 | accessdate =12 September 2006 }}</ref>

==Fighting breaks out==
[[File:Kabul, Peshawar, and some cities in Nangarhar, Afghanistan 6.png|thumb|Military Intelligence map: In 2004, the military action took place to remove the terrorist elements when many foreign fighters found sanctuary after escaping from Tora Bora (lit. ''Black Caves'') of Afghanistan, via ''Safed Koh'' range, to Wana of Pakistan.]]

On 16 March 2004, a bloody mountainous battle between the Pakistan Army troops and the foreign fighters of [[Religion:Al-Qaeda|al-Qaeda]] was fought in the White Mountains of South Waziristan.<ref name="Dawn news, area studies, Zulfiqar Ali">{{cite news|author1=Dawn news |author2=area studies |author3=Zulfiqar Ali |title=Musharraf warns against failure of Wana operation |url=http://archives.dawn.com/2004/03/16/top4.htm |accessdate=2 July 2013 |newspaper=Dawn news, area studies, Zulfiqar Ali |date=16 March 2004 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202232920/http://archives.dawn.com/2004/03/16/top4.htm |archivedate=2 December 2013 }}</ref> The Pakistani media speculated that Pakistan Army had surrounded a "''high value target''" in the mountainous region, possibly [[Religion:Al-Qaeda|al-Qaeda]]'s then-second-in-command [[Biography:Ayman al-Zawahiri|Ayman al-Zawahiri]].<ref name="Dawn News, 2004 Area studies, Khan">{{cite news|last=Khan|first=Ismail|title=Al Zawahiri believed surrounded: Intensity of resistance indicates presence of high-value target, says Musharraf|url=http://archives.dawn.com/2004/03/19/top2.htm|archive-url=https://archive.is/20130702065607/http://archives.dawn.com/2004/03/19/top2.htm|dead-url=yes|archive-date=2 July 2013|accessdate=2 July 2013|newspaper=Dawn News, 2004 Area studies, Khan|date=19 March 2004}}</ref> According to the military intelligence in 2004, all militants were Chechens, Uzbeks, and Tajiks who were trying to flee ''Black Caves'' (Tora Bora of Afghanistan).<ref name="Dawn news, area studies, Zulfiqar Ali"/> After a week of the battle, the entire area was captured and as many as 400 al-Qaeda operatives were apprehended by the Pakistan Army.<ref name="Dawn, March 26, 2004">{{cite news|last=Khan |first=Ismail |title=Army winding up operation: Corps Commander |url=http://archives.dawn.com/2004/03/26/top3.htm |archive-url=https://archive.is/20130702065643/http://archives.dawn.com/2004/03/26/top3.htm |dead-url=yes |archive-date=2 July 2013 |accessdate=2 July 2013 |newspaper=Dawn, 26 March 2004 |date=26 March 2004 }}</ref> In spite of its success, the army failed to capture Zawahiri. The ISPR later admitted that it was Soviet Uzbek Tohir Yo'ldosh who was surrounded, not Zawahiri.<ref name="Dawn News, March 28, 2004">{{cite news|last=Our Reporter|title=Top Al Qaeda leader hurt, hiding in Wana: ISPR|url=http://archives.dawn.com/2004/03/28/top3.htm|archive-url=https://archive.is/20130702065613/http://archives.dawn.com/2004/03/28/top3.htm|dead-url=yes|archive-date=2 July 2013|accessdate=2 July 2013|newspaper=Dawn News, 28 March 2004|date=28 March 2004}}</ref><ref name="Dawn News, March 28, 2004 by Ismail Khan">{{cite news|last=Ismail Khan|title=Militants agree to set free hostages: Uzbek warlord hurt while fleeing|url=http://archives.dawn.com/2004/03/28/top2.htm|archive-url=https://archive.is/20130702065555/http://archives.dawn.com/2004/03/28/top2.htm|dead-url=yes|archive-date=2 July 2013|accessdate=2 July 2013|newspaper=Dawn News, 28 March 2004 by Ismail Khan|date=28 March 2004}}</ref>

By 2004, additional battalions were stationed by General Musharraf to help curb infiltration into Pakistan through its porous border.<ref name="Dawn News Archives 2004">{{cite web|author1=Syed Irfan Raza  |author2=Dilawar Khan Wazir  |lastauthoramp=yes |title=More Troops depolyed |url=http://archives.dawn.com/2004/10/06/top3.htm |date=6 October 2004 |publisher=Dawn News Archives 2004 |accessdate=7 June 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020204855/http://archives.dawn.com/2004/10/06/top3.htm |archivedate=20 October 2013 }}</ref> The Military Intelligence, Covert Action Division (CAD) and army troops founds many caves and tunnels in White Mountain range used by the foreign fighters before the military action took place.<ref name="Dawn News, March 28, 2004 by Ismail Khan"/> The Military Intelligence accounts maintained that the tunnels were led into Afghanistan, possible Tora Bora region.<ref name="Dawn News, March 28, 2004 by Ismail Khan"/> Though it is difficult to know how effective the cordon was on the first night of the military suspension but the military intelligence accounts did confirm that many high-value foreign fighters might have escaped through these tunnels and caves back to Afghanistan.<ref name="Dawn News, March 28, 2004 by Ismail Khan"/>

On 7 October 2004, Musharraf approved the appointment of his close aide, General Ehsan-ul-Haq from ISI, who superseded seven colleagues; his appointment was brutally criticized by the media.<ref name="Dawn, 03 October 2004"/> After becoming the chairman joint chiefs, General Ehsan-ul-Haq oversaw the ground troops deployment of army only, while the air force and navy were kept out of the region.<ref name="Dawn, 03 October 2004">{{cite web|last=By Arshad Sharif |title=New JCSC chief, VCOAS appointed |url=http://archives.dawn.com/2004/10/03/top1.htm |date=3 October 2004 |publisher=Dawn.com |accessdate=7 June 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020204853/http://archives.dawn.com/2004/10/03/top1.htm |archivedate=20 October 2013 }}</ref>

===Peace deals===
In April 2004, the Government of Pakistan signed the Shakai agreement, first of three peace agreements with militants in South Waziristan. It was signed by militia commander Nek Muhammad Wazir, but was immediately abrogated once Nek Muhammad was killed by an American Hellfire missile in June 2004.

<ref name="scribd1"/> The second one, Sararogha Peace Agreemen, was signed in February 2005 with Nek's successor Baitullah Mehsud, which brought relative calm in the South Waziristan region. This deal would later, in September 2006, be mimicked in the neighboring North Waziristan territory as the third and final truce, Miranshah Peace Accord, between the government and the militants. However, all of these truces would not have a substantial effect in reducing bloodshed.<ref name=rohde /> The latter two deals were officially broken in August 2007 with the start of Operation Silence which was initiated by Islamabad, and resulted in a tenfold increase in suicide attacks on Pakistan Armed Forces.<ref name="globalbearings1"/>

The strategy of keeping the air force and navy out from the conflict proved to be ineffective, as the violence spread out all over the country, and the army came under great pressure from the militants in 2004–07.<ref name="Dawn, April 17, 2007">{{cite news|last=Staff |title=Extremism greatest threat: president |url=http://archives.dawn.com/2007/04/17/top5.htm |accessdate=8 June 2013 |newspaper=Dawn, 17 April 2007 |date=17 April 2007 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020204852/http://archives.dawn.com/2007/04/17/top5.htm |archivedate=20 October 2013 }}</ref> In 2007, General Ehsan-ul-Haq admitted publicly that keeping the navy and the air force out of the conflict was a mistake.<ref name="Dawn, Our Correspondent" />

==Transition in Tribal areas: 2005–06==
[[File:NWFP and FATA.jpg|thumb|Air Intelligence map: Map showing the air domain of the districts of the Tribal areas (FATA) and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.]]

The ISI's Covert Action Division (CAD) and the Special Services Group conducted a secret paramilitary operation to capture a high-ranking [[Religion:Al-Qaeda|al-Qaeda]] operative Abu Faraj al-Libbi on 4 May 2005, after a raid outside the town of Mardan, {{convert|30|mi|km}} northeast of Peshawar.<ref name="Dawn News area studies archives, 2005"/> His arrest was confirmed by the Government sources and noted as "al-Libbi was a high ranking al-Qaeda official, rumored to be third after [[Biography:Osama bin Laden|Osama bin Laden]] and [[Biography:Ayman al-Zawahiri|Ayman al-Zawahiri]]."<ref name="Dawn News area studies archives, 2005">{{cite news|last=Raza |first=Syed Irfan |title=Al Qaeda's number three Faraj Al Libbi arrested |url=http://archives.dawn.com/2005/05/05/top1.htm |accessdate=2 July 2013 |newspaper=Dawn News area studies archives, 2005 |date=5 May 2005 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130329102824/http://archives.dawn.com/2005/05/05/top1.htm |archivedate=29 March 2013 }}</ref> Al-Libbi replaced Khalid Shaikh Mohammed after his arrest in March 2003 in connection with the [[Religion:September 11 attacks|11 September attacks]].<ref name="Dawn News area studies archives, 2005"/> The Pakistan government arrested al-Libbi and held him on charges in relation to being a chief planner in two assassination attempts on the life of President Pervez Musharraf in December 2003.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-05-04-pakistan-arrest_x.htm?POE=NEWISVA |title=Pakistan reports arrest of Osama bin Laden's operations chief | author=John Diamond |work=USA Today |date=4 May 2005}}</ref>

On 13 January 2006, the {{wipe|United States Air Force}} launched an airstrike on the village of Damadola.<ref name="Dawn News archives, area studies 2006">{{cite news|last=Anwarullah Khan |title=Attack in Bajaur Agency kills 18: Raid believed to be made by US aircraft |url=http://archives.dawn.com/2006/01/14/top3.htm |archive-url=https://archive.is/20130702061415/http://archives.dawn.com/2006/01/14/top3.htm |dead-url=yes |archive-date=2 July 2013 |accessdate=2 July 2013 |newspaper=Dawn News archives, area studies 2006 |date=14 January 2006 }}</ref> The attack occurred in the Bajaur tribal area, about {{convert|7|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the Afghan border, and killed at least 18 people. The attack again targeted Ayman al-Zawahiri, but later evidence suggests he was not there.<ref name="Dawn News archives, area studies 2006"/>

===Ceasefire===
On 21 June 2006, pro-Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan militants in the Bannu region of North Waziristan stated they shot down a Bell military helicopter that was reported to have crashed. The government denied missile fire as the cause, stating it was due to technical faults. The helicopter had taken off from a base camp in Bannu at around 7&nbsp;am for Miramshah and crashed 15 minutes later into the Baran Dam in the Mohmandkhel area on Wednesday morning. Four soldiers were killed while three others were rescued. On the same day militants killed an inspector and two constables on a road connecting Bannu and the main town of Miranshah.<ref>{{cite news | title = 'Policemen killed' in Waziristan | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5104784.stm |work=BBC News | date = 22 June 2006 | accessdate =7 August 2006 }}</ref>

On 21 June 2006, Afghan [[Religion:Taliban|Taliban]] leader Sirajuddin Haqqani issued a decree that it was not (Afghan) Taliban policy to fight the Pakistan Army. However, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan intentionally did not circulate the decree in North Waziristan thereby keeping pressure on the government.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dawn.com/2006/06/23/top2.htm |title=Forces, militants heading for truce |publisher=Dawn |date=22 June 2006 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060628133630/http://www.dawn.com/2006/06/23/top2.htm |archivedate=28 June 2006 }}</ref>

===Waziristan peace accord signed===
[[File:NWFP FATA.svg|left|thumb|Intelligence map: Navy intelligence maps shows the districts of the FATA in blue and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in green.]]

In 2006, the government witnessed the successful implementation of the peace deal between two tribes in Kurram Agency over the issue of distribution of irrigation water.<ref name="Dawn Area">{{cite news|last=Bureau Report |title=Jirga brokers peace deal between rival tribes |url=http://archives.dawn.com/2006/06/22/nat7.htm |archive-url=https://archive.is/20130702061348/http://archives.dawn.com/2006/06/22/nat7.htm |dead-url=yes |archive-date=2 July 2013 |accessdate=2 July 2013 |newspaper=Dawn Area |date=22 June 2006 }}</ref> Promptly, the government accepted the tribal recommendation to sign a peace deal with the militants in North Waziristan.<ref name="Dawn News archives, area studies, 2006">{{cite news|last=Gul|first=Pazir|title=Waziristan accord signed|url=http://archives.dawn.com/2006/09/06/top2.htm|archive-url=https://archive.is/20130702061347/http://archives.dawn.com/2006/09/06/top2.htm|dead-url=yes|archive-date=2 July 2013|accessdate=2 July 2013|newspaper=Dawn News archives, area studies, 2006|date=6 September 2006}}</ref> Signed on 5 September 2006, the agreement was called the "Waziristan Accord"— an agreement among tribal leaders, militants, and the Pakistan government was signed in Miranshah, North Waziristan.<ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press |url=http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1154525988190&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull |title=Pakistan, Taliban militants sign peace agreement |publisher=Fr.jpost.com |date=2 September 2006 |accessdate=26 March 2011}}{{Dead link|date=March 2016}}</ref> to end all fighting. The agreement includes the following provisions:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dawn.com/2006/09/06/top2.htm |title=Waziristan accord signed |publisher=Dawn.com |accessdate=26 March 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226190257/http://www.dawn.com/2006/09/06/top2.htm |archivedate=26 December 2008 }}</ref>

* The Pakistan military will help reconstruct infrastructure in tribal areas of North and South Waziristan.
* The Pakistan military will not tolerate any assistance to intruders in North Waziristan, and will monitor actions in the region.
* The Pakistan government is to compensate tribal leaders for the loss of life and property of innocent tribesmen.
* "Foreigners" (informally understood to be foreign [[Religion:Jihad|jihad]]ists) are not allowed to use Pakistani territory for any terrorist activity anywhere in the world.
* 2,500 foreigners who were originally held on suspicion of having links to the Taliban<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/09/15/wpak15.xml|title=News|work=Telegraph.co.uk|accessdate=6 July 2015}}</ref> were to be detained for necessary action against them.
<!---* The Taliban is required to refrain from violence anywhere using Pakistan's territory; the agreement does not stipulate refraining from violence specifically in Afghanistan.<ref name=thefourthrail>{{cite news | title = Talibanistan: The Establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Waziristan| url = http://billroggio.com/archives/2006/09/talibanistan_the_est.php | publisher = The Fourth Rail| date = 5 September 2006 | accessdate =5 September 2006 }}</ref> --->

The agreement, dubbed the Waziristan accord, has been viewed by some political commentators as a success for Pakistan.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2006Sep13/0,4670,PakistanTruceorSurrenderLH1,00.html|title=Some See Pakistan's Truce As a Defeat|work=Fox News|accessdate=6 July 2015}}</ref> Even the military commander of the Pakistan Army, Lieutenant-General Ali Jan Aurakzai, also welcomed the peace agreement as "unprecedented in tribal history" and credited the intertribal jirga with amicably resolving a complicated issue within a few weeks.<ref name="Dawn News archives, area studies, 2006"/>

Others were far more critical, seeing it as allowing militants to regroup and reorganize after military operations.<ref name="globalbearings1"/> However, in 2007, accord's chief architect and chairman joint chiefs General Ehsan-ul-Haq openly admitted to the media that the only ground troops deployment was wrong as the "Waziristan truce went wrong".<ref name="Dawn, Our Correspondent">{{cite news|last=Our Correspondent |title=Waziristan truce went wrong: Gen Ehsan |url=http://archives.dawn.com/2007/11/03/nat2.htm |accessdate=8 June 2013 |newspaper=Dawn, Our Correspondent |date=3 November 2007 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020204807/http://archives.dawn.com/2007/11/03/nat2.htm |archivedate=20 October 2013 }}</ref>

===2006 Madrassah air strike===

The media reported a deadly missile airstrike conducted against a madrassa in the Bajaur region bordering Afghanistan by a "fixed-wing drone" aircraft, based on the testimonies of the locals on 30 October 2006.<ref name="Dawn Area Studies, 2006 Damadola">{{cite news|last=Anwarullah Khan |title=82 die as missiles rain on Bajaur: Pakistan owns up to strike; locals blame US drones |url=http://archives.dawn.com/2006/10/31/top1.htm |accessdate=2 July 2013 |newspaper=Dawn Area Studies, 2006 Damadola |date=31 October 2006 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313143656/http://archives.dawn.com/2006/10/31/top1.htm |archivedate=13 March 2013 }}</ref> Immediately, the ISPR claimed that the operation was only by the Pakistan Army, not by the U.S. Army.<ref name="Dawn Area Studies, 2006 Damadola"/> The monastery was destroyed killing up to 82 people; the ISPR quickly claimed that all were the militants and denied that there had been any collateral damage.<ref name="Dawn Area Studies, 2006 Damadola"/> The defense expert and others, however, remain skeptical of ISPR statements and gave credibility to local's testimonies.<ref name="Dawn Area Studies, 2006 Damadola"/>

82 seminary students were killed in the Damadola missile strike. Sahibzada Haroonur Rashid, MNA from Bajaur Agency, resigned from the National Assembly on Monday to protest against the bombing of a madressah in his constituency. {Daily Dawn Karachi, October 31, 2006}

In retaliation for the attack the militants unsuccessfully fired a series of [[Engineering:Rocket-propelled grenade|RPG]] rockets on the heavily fortified security camp of Governor and Lieutenant-General Jan Aurkzai; though his convey escaped unharmed on 8 November 2006.<ref name="Dawn news, area studies November 8 02006">{{cite news|last=Dlavar Khan Wazir |title=Rockets rain on Wana during governor's visit: Aurakzai not targeted: spokesman |url=http://archives.dawn.com/2006/11/08/top1.htm |archive-url=https://archive.is/20130702061350/http://archives.dawn.com/2006/11/08/top1.htm |dead-url=yes |archive-date=2 July 2013 |accessdate=2 July 2013 |newspaper=Dawn news, area studies November 8 02006 |date=8 November 2006 }}</ref> The same day, the militants coordinated a successful suicide bomb attack on military base in Dargai, about 100&nbsp;km north of Peshawar.<ref name="Dawn News, area studies, Ismail Khan"/> The suicide attack killed nearly 42 Pakistani soldiers and wounding 20 others.<ref name="Dawn News, area studies, Ismail Khan"/> Military intelligence investigators later testified in media that suicide bombing had a direct link with the air strike.<ref name="Dawn News, area studies, Ismail Khan">{{cite news|last=Khan|first=Ismail|title=uicide attack on army base: 40 troops dead; search on for bomber's aide|url=http://archives.dawn.com/2006/11/09/top1.htm|archive-url=https://archive.is/20130702061347/http://archives.dawn.com/2006/11/09/top1.htm|dead-url=yes|archive-date=2 July 2013|accessdate=2 July 2013|newspaper=Dawn News, area studies, Ismail Khan|date=8 November 2006}}</ref>

==Insurgency in the north, 2007==
As early as 2007, the northern region had been suffering with an insurgency and President Musharraf was increasingly under great pressure from the militants when several army operations outlined mixed results. In March, his government was forced{{By whom|date=October 2016}} to sign a peace treaty with Fakir Mohamad, the main militant leader in Bajaur.<ref>{{cite news | title =Pakistan signs the Bajaur Accord| author =Roggio B| publisher =The Long War Journal| date=17 March 2007| url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2007/03/pakistan_signs_the_b.php}} Retrieved on 14 January 2008.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bajaur: When 'Peace' Yields War |author=Stakelbeck E |publisher=CBN News |date=3 April 2007 |url=http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/130966.aspx |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071215041911/http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/130966.aspx |archivedate=15 December 2007 }} Retrieved on 14 January 2008.</ref> Militant groups then held three districts in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas: South Waziristan, North Waziristan and Bajaur Agency.<ref>{{cite news | author =Roggio B| title =The fall of northwestern Pakistan: An online history| publisher =The Long War Journal| url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2006/09/the_fall_of_wazirist.php}} Retrieved on 13 January 2008.</ref>

===Waziri–Uzbek tensions===

In South Waziristan, the Uzbek militancy had been growing as many former Soviet fighters–turned militants were reportedly seen encircling in the area; many of the military intelligence reports indicated the movements of former Soviet fighters in the region, mostly Uzbeks and Chechens from the troubled areas of Russian Federation.<ref name="Centre for International and Strategic Analysis">{{cite report|last=Zaidi|first=Dr. Syed Manzar Abbas|title=Uzbek Militancy in Pakistan|work=SISA Report No. 1 2013|publisher=Centre for International and Strategic Analysis|format=Microsoft Word|date=4 February 2013|url=http://strategiskanalyse.no/publikasjoner%202013/2013-02-04_SISA1_Uzbek_Militancy_in_Pakistan_-_Syed_Manzar_Abbas_Zaidi.pdf|accessdate=1 July 2013}}</ref>

In 2007, the fighting sparked between the Uzbek fighters and the native militant groups by the killing of Arab fighter Saiful Adil, an al-Qaeda operative, blamed on the Uzbeks fighters by Maulvi Nazir, described as a top pro-Taliban militant commander in the region.<ref name="Centre for International and Strategic Analysis"/> According to the other version, the fighting started after Maulvi Nazir, whom the government claimed had come over to its side, ordered the Uzbek followers of former Soviet fighters, Tohir Abduhalilovich Yo'ldoshev and Kamolitdinich Jalolov, to disarm, both were formerly the close confidants of [[Biography:Osama bin Laden|Osama bin Laden]].<ref name="Centre for International and Strategic Analysis"/>

It was also preceded by the clashes between the Yo'ldoshev-led IMU and a pro-government tribal leader in Azam Warsak, in which 17–19 people died before a ceasefire was announced.<ref>{{cite news | title =Rival militants clash in Pakistan |publisher=BBC| date=20 March 2007| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6470299.stm}}{{Failed verification|date=January 2008}}</ref>

===Defeat of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan===
[[File:Map of FATA in Pakistan.PNG|thumb|Military intelligence map: In 2007, the Uzbek IMU dominated the South Waziristan before forced out from the country by tribes and the armed forces in 2008.]]

According to the military intelligence officials in 2007, there were many key reasons why the Uzbeks had been dominating the area.<ref name="Centre for International and Strategic Analysis" /> Military intelligence reports testified that the locals were scared to mobilize the opposition against the Uzbek militants due to their reputations as fierce fighters with long memories and very strong military backgrounds.<ref name="Centre for International and Strategic Analysis" /> Some of these fighters used to be soldiers and officers in the Soviet Army during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s, and some of them had military training given by the CIA during the 1990s; hence they were experts in [[Social:Guerrilla warfare|guerrilla warfare]].<ref name="Centre for International and Strategic Analysis" /> The IMU fighters had little to lose and it was difficult for them to escape somewhere else. They couldn't go back to Uzbekistan, and after 2009, re-infiltration back to Afghanistan also started becoming more difficult.<ref name="Centre for International and Strategic Analysis" /> Thus, they made Waziristan their home.<ref name="Centre for International and Strategic Analysis" /> Local militants allied to the tribesmen were reported attacking and seizing the IMU's private jail in Azam Warsak.<ref name="Centre for International and Strategic Analysis" /> The Pakistan Army intelligence said it did not intend to step in, but witnesses say government artillery fired on the Uzbek fighters they set up to fight the tribesmen.<ref name="Centre for International and Strategic Analysis" />

Heavy fighting resumed on 29 March 2007, ending a week-long ceasefire between tribal fighters and foreign militants. According to initial reports, tribesmen attacked a checkpoint manned by former Soviet Uzbek fighters and captured two of them. The clashes also left one tribal fighter dead and three wounded.<ref name="Centre for International and Strategic Analysis" /> The following day, a senior Pakistani official announced that 52 people were killed during the past two days; 45 of them were Uzbeks and the rest tribesmen. One of Maulvi Nazir's aides put the death toll at 35 Uzbeks fighters and 10 tribal fighters. However, residents in the area said that the death toll on both sides was inflated.<ref name="Centre for International and Strategic Analysis" />

The conflict further escalated on 2 April when a council of elders declared jihad against foreign militants and started to raise an army of tribesmen.<ref name="Centre for International and Strategic Analysis" /> According to Pakistani intelligence officials, heavy fighting concentrated in the village of Doza Ghundai left more than 60 people dead, including 50 foreigners, 10 tribal fighters and one Pakistani soldier. Intelligence officials also said that "dozens of Uzbeks" had surrendered to tribal forces and that many bunkers used by militants were seized or destroyed.<ref name="Centre for International and Strategic Analysis" />

On 12 April 2007, the army general in charge of South Waziristan said that tribal fighters had cleared the Soviet Uzbeks out of the valleys surrounding Wana and the foreign fighters had been pushed back into the mountains on the Afghan border.<ref>{{cite news | title =Tribesmen 'oust' foreign fighters | author =Plett B|publisher=BBC| date=12 April 2007| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6547783.stm}} Retrieved on 16 January 2008.</ref> Four days later, the local tribesmen has urged [[Place:Islamabad|Islamabad]] to resume control of law and order in the area.<ref>{{cite news | title =Tribe in Pakistan security plea |publisher=BBC| date=16 April 2007| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6559365.stm}} Retrieved on 16 January 2008.</ref>

===Lal Masjid siege and truce broken===

The siege of Lal Masjid was one the serious breach in the conflict and escalated the conflict in the summer of 2007. On 3&nbsp;July 2007, the militant supporters of Lal Masjid and the Pakistan police clashed in Islamabad after the students from the mosque attacked and stoned the nearby MoE secretariat. Their resultant faceoff with the military escalated, despite the intervention of then-ruling PML(Q) leaders Shuja'at Hussain and Ijaz-ul-Haq. The Pakistan police, aided by the Pakistan Army Rangers immediately put up a siege around the mosque complex which lasted until 11 July and resulted in 108 deaths. This represented the main catalyst for the conflict and eventual breakdown of the truce that existed between Pakistan and the Taliban groups. Already during the siege, there were several attacks in Waziristan in retaliation for the siege.

As the siege in Islamabad ensued, several attacks on Pakistan army troops in Waziristan were reported. First attack was reported on 14 July 2007 when a suicide bomber attacked a Pakistan Army convoy killing 25 soldiers and wounding 54. Second attack was on 15 July 2007, two suicide bombers attacked another Pakistan Army convoy killing 16 soldiers and 5&nbsp;civilians and wounding another 47 people. And in a separate incident, a fourth suicide bomber attacked a police headquarters killing 28 police officers and recruits and wounding 35 people.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,289340,00.html |title=FOXNews.com – Two Days of Homicide Attacks Kill 70 in Pakistan |publisher=Fox News|date=15 July 2007 |accessdate=19 October 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://fairuse.100webcustomers.com/fairenough/nytA31.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080311092541/http://fairuse.100webcustomers.com/fairenough/nytA31.html|archivedate=11 March 2008 |title=Suicide Bombers Kill 49 in Pakistan |publisher=Fairuse.100webcustomers.com |author=Ismail Khan |accessdate=19 October 2008}}</ref> The assault on the Red Mosque prompted Islamic militants along the border with Afghanistan to scrap the controversial Waziristan Accord with Musharraf.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6905808.stm |title=Scores killed in Pakistan attacks |publisher=News.bbc.co.uk |date= |accessdate=19 October 2008}}</ref>
[[File:Pakistani soldiers in Swat - Flickr - Al Jazeera English.jpg|thumb|left|Pakistan airborne forces captured the highest point in Swat valley, 2009.]]
Under pressured, Musharraf moved the army in large concentration of troops into Waziristan and engaged in fierce clashes with militants in which at least 100 militants were killed including wanted terrorist and former Guantanamo Bay detainee, Abdullah Mehsud.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070724/ap_on_re_as/pakistan_militant_leader |accessdate=23 September 2007 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The militants also struck back by attacking Army convoys, security check points and sending suicide bombers killing dozens of soldiers and police and over 100&nbsp;civilians. In one month of fighting during the period from 24 July to 24 August 2007, 250 militants and 60 soldiers were killed. On 2 September 2007, just a few dozen militants led by Baitullah Mehsud managed to ambush a 17-vehicle army convoy and captured an estimated 247 soldiers without a shot being fired, an event that shocked the nation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6978240.stm|title=Pakistan crisis 'hits army morale'|work=BBC News|accessdate=6 July 2015}}</ref> Several officers were among the captured, the public criticism grew hard on Musharraf.

After the army returned to Waziristan, they garrisoned the areas and set up check-points, but the militants hit hard. In mid-September, the [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|TTP]] and other forces attacked a number of Pakistan army outposts all across North and South Waziristan. This resulted in some of the heaviest fighting of the war. Following the Lal Masjid Siege, the first outpost was attacked and overrun by the militants resulting in the capture of 12 Pakistani soldiers. The next day on 13 September 2007, a suicide bomber in Tarbela Ghazi attacked a Pakistan army base, destroying the main mess hall and killing 20 members of the SSG ''Karrar'' Commando Unit; Pakistan's most elite army unit. A series of attacks ensued and by 20 September 2007, a total of five Pakistan Army military outposts had been overrun and more than 25 soldiers captured. More than 65 soldiers were either killed or captured and almost 100 wounded. A little over two weeks later, the Army responded with helicopter gunships and ground troops. They hit militant positions near the town of Mir Ali. In heavy fighting over four days, 257 people were killed, including 175 militants, 47 soldiers and 35 civilians.

===Operation Rah-e-Haq===
[[File:Pak-army-sol.jpg|thumb|A soldier of Pakistan army in combat position.]]

By the end of October 2007, another heavy fighting erupted in the Swat district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province between the Frontier Police and the large portion of [[Social:Far-right politics|far right-wing]] TNSM organization, under the command of Maulana Fazlullah who was trying to impose Sharia law. In a response, the military deployed a combat brigade under a local Brigadier-General to confront them. After week of heavy fighting with the brigade combat teams, the battle came to a standstill with both sides suffering heavy casualties. On 3 November 2007, around ~220 paramilitary soldiers and policemen surrendered or deserted after a military position on a hill-top and two police stations were overrun. This left the TNSM in control of most of the Swat district.

The fighting in Swat is the first serious insurgent threat from terrorist groups in what is known as a settled area of Pakistan. Following this, foreign fighters of [[Religion:Al-Qaeda|al-Qaeda]] loyal to TNSM's Maulana Fazlullah tried to implement strict Islamic law in November 2007. In November 2007, another brigade combat team was deployed with the help of helicopter gunships to crush the uprising. By the beginning of December 2007, the fighting had ended and the military recaptured Swat. Almost ~400 foreign fighters of Maulana Fazlullah were dead along with 15 Pakistani soldiers and 20 civilians in the military suspension.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dawn.com/2007/11/17/top7.htm |title=12-hour curfew clamped on Swat -DAWN – Top Stories; November 17, 2007 |publisher=Dawn.com |accessdate=19 October 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071222115041/http://www.dawn.com/2007/11/17/top7.htm |archivedate=22 December 2007 }}</ref> Despite the victory by the military, the foreign fighters of TNSM slowly re-entered Swat over the coming months and started engaging security forces in battles that lasted throughout 2008. By early February 2009, the whole district was in military control.<ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20090130/wl_csm/oswat_1 ]{{Dead link|date=March 2011}}</ref>

===Rawalpindi attacks and State of emergency in 2007===
On 3 September 2007, the two coordinated suicide bombers targeted an ISI bus and a line of cars carrying ISI officers.{{citation needed|date=November 2007}} The bus attack killed a large number of Defence Ministry workers and the other attack killed an Army colonel. In all 31 people, 19 soldiers and 12 civilians, were killed.

Two months later on 24 November, another military intelligence (MI) bus was again attacked. Almost everyone on the bus was killed. Another bomber blew up at a military checkpoint. 35 people were killed, almost all military officials.{{citation needed|date=November 2007}} Facing with an intense criticism from media regarding the Red Mosque siege, President Musharraf became involved in a confrontation with the country's judiciary who began taking ''suo motu'' actions against the directives issued by Musharraf and his Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on issues involving the forming of the investigative commission on Red Mosque as well as hearings of victims of the siege, the findings of missing persons, issuing verdicts against the controversial NRO and privatization, and issuing subpoena regarding the extrajudicial killing of Akbar Bugti, in 2006. Failing to reach a compromise and subdue the judiciary, Musharraf authorized the decree of sacking around ~70 senior justices including, the [[Social:Chief Justice of Pakistan|Chief Justice]] Iftikhar Chaudhry, immediately and declared the state of emergency on 9 November 2007. Virtually suspending the supreme law of the land, the constitution of the country,<ref>{{cite web|title=Musharraf imposes emergency rule |publisher=Dawn |url=http://www.dawn.com/2007/11/04/top1.htm |date=3 November 2007 |accessdate=3 November 2007 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106032637/http://www.dawn.com/2007/11/04/top1.htm |archivedate=6 November 2007 }}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{cite news | title= Martial law declared in Pakistan|publisher=CNN | url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/11/03/pakistan.emergency/index.html |date=3 November 2007| accessdate=3 November 2007| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20071104002516/http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/11/03/pakistan.emergency/index.html| archivedate = 4 November 2007}}</ref> the massive nationwide demonstration and anger erupted against President Musharraf.

Though, this action and its responses are generally related to the controversies surrounding the re-election of Musharraf during the presidential election that had occurred on 6 October 2007, and also was claimed by the government to be the reaction to the actions by militants in Waziristan.<ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article2800993.ece| title =Pervez Musharraf spoils for a fight as he declares emergency rule| date=4 November 2007 |accessdate=4 November 2007 |work=The Times  | location=London | first1=Dean | last1=Nelson}}</ref>

===2008 general election===
On 27 December 2007, Pakistani opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated upon leaving a political rally for the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in [[Place:Rawalpindi|Rawalpindi]], Pakistan.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/737B73AE-EE5D-4C41-8CA2-E04B356FBCBC.htm |title=Bhutto killed in suicide attack |accessdate=27 December 2007 |work=Al Jazeera English |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719104438/http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/737B73AE-EE5D-4C41-8CA2-E04B356FBCBC.htm |archivedate=19 July 2008 }}</ref><ref>[https://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=73377&videoChannel=1 Benazir Bhutto is dead] Reuter's video</ref> A suicidal assassin reportedly fired shots in Bhutto's direction just prior to detonating an explosive pellet-laden vest, killing approximately 24 people and wounding many more.<ref>{{cite news |title=Benazir Bhutto Assassination NBC News Coverage |url=http://test.redlasso.com/service/svc/clip/playClip?fid=7ed304c1-5472-469b-a209-a9a696368d89 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720071555/http://test.redlasso.com/service/svc/clip/playClip?fid=7ed304c1-5472-469b-a209-a9a696368d89 |dead-url=yes |archive-date=20 July 2018 |publisher=NBC |date=27 December 2007 |accessdate=27 December 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Benazir Bhutto Assassination CBS News Coverage |url=http://test.redlasso.com/service/svc/clip/playClip?fid=cc91d5dd-83e9-444d-9624-ae1816a31612 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720071738/http://test.redlasso.com/service/svc/clip/playClip?fid=cc91d5dd-83e9-444d-9624-ae1816a31612 |dead-url=yes |archive-date=20 July 2018 |publisher=CBS |date=27 December 2007 |accessdate=27 December 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Benazir Bhutto Assassination ABC News Coverage |url=http://test.redlasso.com/service/svc/clip/playClip?fid=67553fa0-c7ba-48cb-8a3a-2152ec570595 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720071653/http://test.redlasso.com/service/svc/clip/playClip?fid=67553fa0-c7ba-48cb-8a3a-2152ec570595 |dead-url=yes |archive-date=20 July 2018 |publisher=ABC |date=27 December 2007 |accessdate=27 December 2007}}</ref>

Ultimately, President General Musharraf and his military establishment blamed the attack on [[Religion:Al-Qaeda|al-Qaeda]], but this was contradicted following day, when Baitullah Mehsud sent a statement to the media saying that he and al-Qaeda had "no involvement in the murder of the former Prime Minister", and that they believed that Musharraf was responsible. The violence spread all over the country and national media broadcast the wave of violence across the country that left 58 people dead, including four police officers. Most of the violence was directed at Musharraf and his political party, PML(Q). Opposition parties, notably the PPP, branded PML(Q) as "''Qatil League''" (lit. Murderer's League). Benazir Bhutto had previously survived an assassination attempt made on her life during her homecoming which left 139 people dead and hundreds wounded.<ref name=nytimes_karachi>{{cite news|first=Carlotta|last=Gall|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/19/world/asia/19pakistan.html|title=Bomb Attack Kills Scores in Pakistan as Bhutto Returns|author2=Masood, Salman |work=The New York Times|date=19 October 2007|accessdate=27 December 2007}}</ref>

==Escalation, air and ground war==
In January 2008, the foreign fighters overran Sararogha Fort, and may have overrun a fort in Ladah as well. Both forts are in South Waziristan, and were held by the Pakistan Army.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pakistani troops 'flee border post' |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=17 January 2008 |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/EA53A69D-1973-4C86-8064-D4FCB4C40FB1.htm |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080119043023/http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/EA53A69D-1973-4C86-8064-D4FCB4C40FB1.htm |archivedate=19 January 2008 }} Retrieved on 18 January 2008.</ref> After the general elections in 2008, the army's fighting capability was depleted under the command of President Musharraf and many in the media had scrutinized the role of the army in the national politics. On 25 February 2008, a suicide bomber struck in the garrison-town of Rawalpindi which targeted and killed top military medic and Medical Corps Surgeon-General, Lieutenant-General Mushtaq Baig, along with two more soldiers and five civilians.

In a secretive appointment by Musharraf personally, General Baig had been an operational commander of the army fighting in the region and was the highest-level military official to be assassinated since 1971 war.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/02/25/pakistan.blast/index.html |title=Pakistan attacks hit aid group, military HQ |publisher=CNN |date= 25 February 2008|accessdate=19 October 2008}}</ref><ref>[http://www.dawn.com/2008/02/07/top1.htm "Kohat GOC, six other officers die in copter crash: Technical fault caused accident: ISPR"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090909054018/http://www.dawn.com/2008/02/07/top1.htm |date=9 September 2009 }} ''Dawn'', 7 February 2008</ref> In 2008, General Musharraf was soon relieved off his command, succeeding General Ishfaq Pervez Kiani as chief of army staff. Events led by successful movement pushed Musharraf to downfall, followed by the consolidated impeachment movement led by Prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani ousted Musharraf from the presidency in 2008. The new [[Philosophy:Social democracy|socialist government]] led by Prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani of the PPP made critical decisions and appointment in the key combatant staff of the armed forces, including the new chief of naval staff (Admiral Noman Bashir) and endorsing air chief marshal Rao Soleman as chief of air staff; all in late 2008.

The upcoming and then-newly appointed Chairman Joint Chiefs General Tariq Majid formalized a plan and strategy to tackle the insurgency.<ref name="Aaj TV Headlines">{{cite news|last=AAJ News|title=Armed Forces guardian of national integrity: General Tariq Majid|url=http://www.aaj.tv/2007/12/armed-forces-guardian-of-national-integrity-general-tariq-majid/|accessdate=9 March 2013|newspaper=Aaj TV Headlines|date=13 December 2007}}</ref> Terming as "tri-services framework (TSW)", the chairman joint chiefs emphasized the role of inter-services to tackle the insurgency with full force, and joint army-navy-airforce efforts that are synergized within a framework of jointness and inter-operability to meet present and future challenges".<ref name="Aaj TV Headlines"/> His plan was submitted to Prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani who approved the new strategy, which followed the new order of battle and new deployments of combat units of joint army&ndash;navy&ndash;{{wipe|Pakistan Air Force}} in the north-western region.<ref name="Aaj TV Headlines"/>

===Operation Zalzala===
After a brief intense change in chain of command in the Pakistan Armed Forces, a full-fledged military operation called '''Zalzala'' (lit. ''earthquake'') was undertaken by 14th Army Division in January with the goal of flushing out Baitullah Mehsud's [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|TTP]] fighters from the area. The area had previously been a more or less safe zone for militants, with some villagers providing them support and shelter. The operation resulted in tactical success and scores of militants were killed during the operation, and within three days the armed forces were in full control of the area. The army later captured a few other villages and small towns as part of their attempt to pressure Baitullah Mehsud.<ref>Zaffar Abbas. [http://www.dawn.com/2008/05/19/top3.htm "Taliban ousted, but Spinkai is now a ghost town"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430204628/http://www.dawn.com/2008/05/19/top3.htm |date=30 April 2009 }} ''Dawn'', 19 May 2008</ref>

However, the operation led to a huge displacement of local population. According to the GOC of the 14th Army Division's Major-General Tariq Khan, about 200,000 men, women and children, were displaced. Khalid Aziz, former chief secretary of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and expert on tribal affairs, said the displacement was "one of the biggest in tribal history" adding that human cost of the conflict in Waziristan "has gone unrecorded."<ref>Iqbal Khattak. [http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\05\20\story_20-5-2008_pg7_26 "Deserted town shows human cost of Operation Zalzala"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820223337/http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008 |date=20 August 2010 }} ''Daily Times'', 20 May 2008</ref>

===Peace agreement and Bajaur offensive===
[[File:Two JF-17 Thunders.jpg|thumb|left|The locally built JF-17s were put on combat test in the South Waziristan offense.]]

Earlier on 7 February 2008, the [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|TTP]] had offered a truce to Musharraf and peace negotiations resulting in a suspension of violence.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7232203.stm |title=BBC NEWS &#124; South Asia &#124; Pakistani militants 'call truce' |publisher=News.bbc.co.uk |date= |accessdate=19 October 2008}}</ref> On 21 May 2008, the Government signed a peace agreement with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).<ref name=autogenerated3>{{cite web|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D1AC8679-0D78-4829-952A-004CCA5DA283.htm |title=Al Jazeera English – News – Pakistan Troops To Vacate Swat |publisher=English.aljazeera.net |accessdate=19 October 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527025842/http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D1AC8679-0D78-4829-952A-004CCA5DA283.htm |archivedate=27 May 2008 }}</ref>

Despite the agreement sporadic fighting continued until late June and escalated with the takeover of the town of Jandola on 24 June, by the militants. Around 22 pro-government tribal fighters were captured and executed by the TTP at that time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dawn.com/2008/06/24/top8.htm |title=Baitullah men storm Jandola -DAWN – Top Stories; June 24, 2008 |publisher=Dawn.com |accessdate=19 October 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918230202/http://www.dawn.com/2008/06/24/top8.htm |archivedate=18 September 2008 }}</ref> On 28 June 2008, Pakistan Army started another offensive against militia fighters in Kyhber, codenamed ''Sirat-e-Mustaqeem'' (lit. ''Righteous Path''). The military took control of a key town and demolished an insurgent group's building. In this offense, one militant was reportedly killed while two soldiers died in Swat valley.<ref name=1billion/> The operation was halted in early July. On 19 July 2008, clashes erupted between the TTP and a faction of pro-government Taliban militants. The fighting ended with 10–15 of the pro-government fighters were killed and another 120 were captured. Among the captured were two commanders who were tried under "Islamic" law by the Taliban and then executed.

On 21 July 2008, heavy fighting with another separatist group, the BLA in Baluchistan Province, killed 32 militants, 9&nbsp;soldiers and 2 civilians. More than two dozen militants were captured and a large weapons cache was found.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080721/wl_nm/pakistan_baluchistan_dc_1 |accessdate=21 July 2008 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Between 28&nbsp;July and 4 August 2008, heavy fighting flared up in the northwestern Swat valley leaving 94 militants, 28 civilians and 22&nbsp;soldiers and policemen, were dead.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080804/wl_nm/pakistan_violence_dc_2 |accessdate=4 August 2008 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

On 6 August 2008, the heavy ground fighting erupted in the Loisam area of the Bajaur district. The Loisam lies on the strategically important road leading towards the main northwestern city of Peshawar. The fighting started when hundreds of foreign fighters poured into the area and began attacking armed forces. After four days of fighting on 10 August 2008, the military was forced to withdraw from the area. It resulted in confirmed killing of 100 militants and 9 soldiers, and another 55&nbsp;soldiers were missing, at least three dozen of them captured by the militants.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080810/wl_afp/pakistanafghanistanunrest_080810132035 |accessdate=10 August 2008 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-pakistan10-2008aug10,0,6869936.story |title=Pakistan fighting ends as troops withdraw – Los Angeles Times |work=Los Angeles Times  |author1=Laura King  |author2=Zulfiqar Ali  |lastauthoramp=yes |date= 10 August 2008 |accessdate=19 October 2008}}</ref> While the fighting was going on in Bajaur, in the Buner area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, the militants killed at least nine policemen in an attack on a check post.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20080809/876/twl-taliban-militants-kill-nine-policeme_1.html |title=Taliban militants kill nine policemen in Pakistan – Yahoo! India News |publisher=In.news.yahoo.com |accessdate=19 October 2008 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The checkpoint was then abandoned, and the army troops withdrew to Khar, the main town of Bajaur Agency. There were reports that the town of Khar was then besieged by tribal militants.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7552425.stm |title=BBC NEWS &#124; South Asia &#124; 'Dozens die' in Pakistan clashes |publisher=News.bbc.co.uk |date=10 August 2008<!-- 12:44 UK -->|accessdate=19 October 2008}}</ref>

On 21 August 2008, in response to the military offensive in Bajaur, two suicide bombers attacked the POF Laboratories in Wah while workers were changing shifts. The attack killed at least 70 people.<ref>{{cite web|title=Twin suicide bombers hit factory in Pakistan|url=http://www.asianewsnet.net/news.php?sec=1&id=1008/|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5hDa0L4PI?url=http://www.asianewsnet.net/news.php?sec=1&id=1008/|archivedate=2 June 2009|deadurl=no|accessdate=24 March 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

===Tribal tension with TTP and US support for tribes===

[[File:The Khattak Tribe distribution today.jpg|thumb|In 2008, the Pashtun tribes declared the war against TTP.]]

As military retreat from Bajaur Agency, the Pakistani tribal elders began organizing a [[Finance:Private military company|private army]] of approximately 30,000 tribesmen to fight the TTP, with the support of the Provincial government in September 2008. This local [[Finance:Private military company|private military company]], known as '''lashkar''' (lit. ''brigade''), had composed of Pakistani tribesmen who began burning the houses of militant commanders in Bajaur and vowed to fight them until they are expelled. During this campaign, the ''Lashkar'' torched the house of local militant commander named Naimatullah, who had occupied several government schools and converted them into seminaries. A tribal elder named Malik Munsib Khan quoted in media that tribes would continue their struggle until the foreign fighters were expelled from the area, adding that anyone found sheltering militants would be fined one million rupees and their houses will be burned. The tribesmen also torched two important centres of the militant activity in the area and gained control tribal areas.

One of the main motivations for this activity was the operations that were taking place in the FATA that had displaced some 300,000 people while dozens of citizens had been killed in clashes between the militants and military. Since the start of operations against the foreign fighters, some 150,000 tribesmen have sided with them.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2008/0901/p99s01-duts.html |title=Pakistani tribesmen organize private armies to fight Taliban|publisher=Csmonitor.com |author=David Montero |accessdate=19 October 2008}}</ref><ref name="mcclatchydc1">{{cite web|url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/226/story/53151.html |work=McClatchy Washington Bureau |date=26 September 2008 |title=Pakistani tribesmen organize to fight Taliban insurgents |author=Saeed Shah |accessdate=19 October 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080928131039/http://www.mcclatchydc.com/226/story/53151.html |archivedate=28 September 2008 }}</ref>

The American military proposals outlined an intensified effort to enlist tribal leaders in the frontier areas of Pakistan in the fight against [[Religion:Al-Qaeda|al-Qaeda]]. The proposal was modeled in part on a similar effort by American forces in Iraq that had been hailed as a great success in fighting foreign insurgents there. But it raised the question of whether such partnerships can be forged without a significant American military presence in Pakistan. The American military raised great questions whether it is enough support can be found among the tribes. Small numbers of high-ranking officers of American military have served as advisers to the Pakistan Armed Forces in the tribal areas, giving planning advice and helping to integrate American intelligence. Under this new approach, the number of advisers had to increase.

The U.S. Government said these security improvements complemented a package of assistance from the US AID for the seven districts of the tribal areas that amounted to $750 million over five years, and would involve work in education, health and other sectors. The BINLEA of the US Government also assisted the Frontier Corps with financing for counter-narcotics work.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/11/19/america/19policy.php |title=U.S. hopes to arm Pakistani tribes against Al Qaeda – International Herald Tribune |work=International Herald Tribune |accessdate=19 October 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071119152243/http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/11/19/america/19policy.php |archivedate=19 November 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/19/washington/19policy.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&ref=world&adxnnlx=1222717017-fvB/geZ6uJD4OkQF6LCPSg&oref=slogin |title=U.S. Hopes to Use Pakistani Tribes Against Al Qaeda|work=New York Times |author=Eric Schmitt, Mark Mazzetti And Carlotta Gall |date=19 November 2007 |accessdate=19 October 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/p/sca/rls/2008/106495.htmcache:Fda3_xPQYTkJ:www.state.gov/p/sca/rls/2008/106495.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124195713/https://www.state.gov/p/sca/rls/2008/106495.htmcache:Fda3_xPQYTkJ:www.state.gov/p/sca/rls/2008/106495.htm |dead-url=yes |archive-date=24 January 2018 |accessdate=14 October 2014 }}</ref>

===Islamabad Marriott Hotel Bombing===
[[File:Marriot Hotel Islamabad Pakistan bombing.jpg|thumb|View of the Marriot hotel after the 2008 bombing.]]
In 2008, the al-Qaeda struck its largest terrorist attack in [[Place:Islamabad|Islamabad]] when a truck bomb targeted the Marriott Hotel. This attack was a defining moment in the war and around ~266 sustained the injuries and 54 died. According to the testimonies, numbers of U.S. Marines and U.S. Navy personnel also died in the attack; many believed the Americans were the target of the terrorist attacks. In a response to attack on 23 September 2008, the {{wipe|Pakistan Air Force}} launched its aerial bombing mission which resulted in ultimate success. Military reports indicating that more than 60 insurgents were killed in northwest Pakistan. In the nearby Bajur tribal region, the air force strikes killed at least 10 militants, according to government officials.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,426207,00.html |title=Pakistani Army Says 60 Suspected Militants Killed |publisher=Fox News |date=23 September 2008 |accessdate=19 October 2008}}</ref> The Bajur operations, which the army said left more than 700 suspected militants dead, won praise from U.S. officials.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hkiMxbHNH0BqgpWA2ZG6VD6wVTmAD93CC4R00 |agency=Associated Press |title=Pakistan army says 60 suspected militants killed |publisher=Google |author=Habib Khan |date=23 September 2008 |accessdate=19 October 2008 |df=dmy-all }}{{dead link|date=July 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

===Renewed Bajaur offensive===
{{quote box |quote =  They [Taliban militants] never see us on the ground. The only time they find out that an aircraft has struck is when the bomb explodes on them. It creates a great psychological impact....|source =-- Chief of Air Staff Air chief marshal Rao Qamar Suleman<ref name="The Nation, PAF">{{cite news|last=Our Staff Reporter 0|title=PAF capable of mid-air refuelling|url=http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/politics/11-Aug-2009/PAF-capable-of-midair-refuelling|accessdate=15 June 2013|newspaper=The Nation (Pakistan)|date=11 August 2009}}</ref> }}

In a television emergency address, President Zardari and Prime Minister Gillani publicly vowed revenge in response to the Marriott Hotel bombing. By 26&nbsp;September 2008, Pakistan air force and army had successfully conducted and completed a major joint offensive in the Bajaur and the Tang Khata regions of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, codenamed ''Operation Sherdil''. Thist joint operation had killed over 1,000 militants in a huge offensive, a day after President Asif Ali Zardari lashed out at US forces over a clash on the Afghan border.

Major-General Tariq Khan, now Inspector General of the Frontier Corps, mentioned to journalists that since the beginning of the Bajaur operations, there were up to 2,000 militant fighters including hundreds of foreign fighters who were fighting with the soldiers and the armed forces. The overall death toll was over ~1,000 militants and also adding that 27&nbsp;Pakistani soldiers had also been killed with 111 soldiers seriously wounded.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=6788&icid=4&d_str=20080926 |title=The Standard – Hong Kong's First Free English Newspaper |publisher=Thestandard.com.hk |accessdate=19 October 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617205148/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=6788&icid=4&d_str=20080926 |archivedate=17 June 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Pakistan/Pakistan_says_five_top_militants_among_1000_dead_in_offensive/articleshow/3530363.cms|title=Pakistan says five top militants among 1,000 dead in offensive-Pakistan-World-The Times of India|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=|access-date=|accessdate=26 September 2008|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080927074032/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Pakistan/Pakistan_says_five_top_militants_among_1000_dead_in_offensive/articleshow/3530363.cms|archivedate=27 September 2008}}</ref>

In this major aerial offense, five of the most wanted al-Qaeda operatives and Central Asian militant commanders were among those killed in a month-long operation in Bajaur. According to PAF reports, "out of the five militant commanders killed, four appeared to be foreigners: Egyptian abu Saeed Al-Masri; Abu Suleiman, also an Arab; an Uzbek fighter named Mullah Mansoor; and an Afghan commander called Manaras. The fifth was a Pakistani commander named only Abdullah, a son of aging hardline leader Maulvi Faqir Mohammad who is based in Bajaur and has close ties to Al-Qaeda second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri.<ref name="google2">{{cite web|url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iGTgxqoTldD4lBtlbyfU5MSNowjg |title=AFP: Pakistan says 1,000 militants killed near Afghan border |publisher=Google |date=26 September 2008 |accessdate=19 October 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929110515/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iGTgxqoTldD4lBtlbyfU5MSNowjg |archivedate=29 September 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/southAsiaNews/idINIndia-35671020080926 |title=Pakistan says 1,000 militants killed in Bajaur campaign &#124; Reuters |publisher=In.reuters.com |date= 26 September 2008|accessdate=19 October 2008}}</ref>

Between 22 and 24 October, the armed forces engaged in another hard-push against militants in the restive Bajaur and Khyber tribal regions. The army troops did not enter in the region until the PAF conducted its precision bombings. The PAF intense high-altitude air strikes missions were carried out in the Nawagai and Mamond sub-districts of Bajaur Agency. The advancing troops destroyed several centers of militants at Charmang, Chinar and Zorbandar and inflicted heavy losses on them. The army gunship helicopters shelled in Charming, Cheenar, Kohiand Babarha areas of Nawagai and Mamund Tehsil of Bajaur agency, destroying various underground hideouts and bunkers of militants. The armed forces also took control of different areas of Loisam, a militant headquarters, and advanced towards other areas for complete control.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=623925 |title=Pak security forces kill 16 militants |publisher=Outlookindia.com |date=23 October 2008 |accessdate=26 March 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617232932/http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=623925 |archivedate=17 June 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://dawn.com/2008/10/24/welcome.htm |title=Archive &#124; Your Source of News on the World Wide Web |publisher=Dawn.Com |accessdate=26 March 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081027115435/http://www.dawn.com/2008/10/24/welcome.htm |archivedate=27 October 2008 }}</ref>

===Intensified drone strikes and border skirmishes with United States===
[[File:MQ-9 Afghanistan takeoff 1 Oct 07.JPG|thumb|An MQ-9 taking off in Afghanistan.]]

At the end of August 2008, the {{wipe|United States Air Force}} stepped up its air attacks in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.<ref>[http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-09-08-voa15.cfm Suspected US Missile Strike Hits Taliban Commander's House] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913020249/http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-09-08-voa15.cfm |date=13 September 2008 }} – Voice of America, 8 September 2008</ref> On 3 September 2008, the United States Army Special Forces teams laid a commando attack in a village near the Afghan border in South Waziristan. Additional air strikes from unmanned drones in North Waziristan culminating on 8 September 2008, when a {{wipe|United States Air Force}} [[Engineering:Unmanned aerial vehicle|drone aircraft]] fired a number of missiles at a "guest house for militants arriving in North Waziristan." Around ~23 people were killed, but the operation's target, Jalaluddin Haqqani, was not among them.<ref name=IHT20080909>Perlez, J. & Shah, P.Z. 2008, [http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/09/asia/09pstan.php 'US attack on Taliban kills 23 in Pakistan'] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080912140306/http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/09/asia/09pstan.php |date=12 September 2008 }} most of the people killed in these attacks are civilians., ''International Herald Tribune'', 9 September. Retrieved on 10 September 2008.</ref>

On 25 September 2008, the Pakistan military and the US military became involved in heavy border fighting on the Frontier border. The incident happened after two US military helicopters came under fire from Pakistan army troops. A US military spokesman insisted that they had been about a mile and a half inside Afghanistan. Speaking at the United Nations, President Asif Zardari maintained that Pakistan would not tolerate violations of its sovereignty, even by its allies. President Zardari told the United Nations, "Just as we will not let Pakistani's territory to be used by terrorists for attacks against our people and our neighbours, we cannot allow our territory and our sovereignty to be violated by our friends", he said, without specifically citing the United States or the border flareup.<ref name="google2" />

===Militants targeting of tribes===

On 10 October 2008, TTP militants beheaded four kidnapped pro-government tribal elders in the Charmang area of Bajaur.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gPevBKLIKB_Sph1HS5oMlCCzlAbA |title=AFP: Taliban militants behead four in Pakistan: officials |publisher=Google |date=11 October 2008 |accessdate=19 October 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090708135114/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gPevBKLIKB_Sph1HS5oMlCCzlAbA |archivedate=8 July 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dawn.com/2008/10/11/top16.htm |title=Four pro-govt tribal elders beheaded -DAWN – Top Stories; October 11, 2008 |publisher=Dawn.com |accessdate=19 October 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017101305/http://www.dawn.com/2008/10/11/top16.htm |archivedate=17 October 2008 }}</ref>

On 11 October 2008, a suicide bomber struck an anti-militant gathering of tribal elders just as they had decided to form a lashkar (tribal militia). At least 110 anti-Taliban tribesmen were killed and a further 125 were wounded. The suicide bomber drove his car into the gathering itself and blew himself up. The attack on the tribal council took place in Orakzai, normally a relatively quiet corner of the nation's chaotic tribal areas.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7663574.stm |title=Dozens killed in Pakistan bombing |publisher=BBC|accessdate=19 October 2008 | date=10 October 2008}}</ref><ref>[https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20171011115928/https://www.thenews.com.pk/ ]</ref>

===Fighting for the NATO supply lines===
[[File:F-16 Red Flag 2010 Pakistan Air Force 9 sqn Griffins.jpg|thumb|The {{wipe|Pakistan Air Force}}'s F-16s took active participation in the combat aerial bombing missions against the TTP hideouts. Most {{wipe|Pakistan Air Force}} combat air operations were conducted at night.]]

On 19 October 2008, the news media began to broadcast the news of Pakistan Army troops, led by an army lieutenant, being locked in a fierce battle with foreign militants to keep open the line routes to NATO forces in Afghanistan. For several months, the foreign militants had been trying to either attack or seal off the supply routes. The army battle reports indicated that the local commander, Mohammad Tariq al-Fridi, had seized terrain around the mile-long Kohat Tunnel. The military intelligence reports had held al-Fridi responsible for coordinated suicide bomb attacks and rocket strikes against convoys emerging from it. The [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|TTP]] spokesman, Maulvi Omar, claimed that his foreign fighters would lay down their arms if the Pakistan Army ceased intense fighting. The military refused his offers and a tactical military operation was launched to secure the tunnel routes after TTP seized five trucks carrying weapons and ammunition. They held the tunnel for a week before they were driven out in fierce fighting with the military. Since then, Tariq and his men have returned several times to attack convoys, in a response, the army launched its latest onslaught after a suicide bomb attack at one of its bases near the tunnel six weeks ago. In a massive manhunt operation, Tariq was killed along with hundreds of militants while trying to flee the battle in a combat air operation. The operation ended with five civilians were killed and 45 were injured, including 35 soldiers, when a pickup truck packed with explosives was driven into a checkpoint.<ref>[http://wayback.vefsafn.is/wayback/20100417232405/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article4969024.ece ]</ref>

On 11 November 2008, another group of militants attacked two convoys at the Khyber Pass capturing 13 trucks which were headed for Afghanistan. One convoy was from the United Nations World Food Programme and was carrying wheat. The second was intended for NATO troops and one of the captured trucks was carrying with it two U.S. military Humvees, which were also seized.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/11/11/pakistan.convoy.attack/index.html |title=Militants grab U.S. military Humvees in ambush |publisher=CNN |date=11 November 2008 |accessdate=26 March 2011}}</ref>

On 8 December 2008, the militants torched more than 160 vehicles destined for US-led troops in Afghanistan. The militants attacked the Portward Logistic Terminal (PTL) in the northern city of Peshawar at around 02:30&nbsp;am, destroying its gate with a rocket-propelled grenade and shooting dead a guard. They then set fire to about 100 vehicles, including 70 Humvees, which shipping documents showed were being shipped to the US-led coalition forces and the Afghan National Army. At the same time, militants torched about 60 more vehicles at the nearby Faisal depot, which like Portward is on the ring road around Peshawar, where convoys typically stop before heading for the Khyber Pass.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5303861.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797093 |accessdate=2 February 2009 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814042031/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5303861.ece |archivedate=14 August 2011 }}</ref> On 3 February 2009, the militant group again blew up a bridge at the Khyber Pass, temporarily cutting a major supply line for Western troops in Afghanistan. After the attack supplies along the route had been halted "for the time being", according to NATO.

==Public support and unified military operations==

===Swat ceasefire===
[[File:Pakistan Air Force Lockheed C-130E Hercules (L-382) Asuspine-2.jpg|thumb|Pakistan's airborne troops performed combat jump operations from {{wipe|Pakistan Air Force}}'s C-130 Hercules aircraft, 2010.]]

Since 2008–09, the Chairman joint chiefs General Tariq Majid, working with his JS HQ staffers, had been running several meetings of planning to conduct the joint warfare operations against the TTP militants. A new strategy of joint-military operations and studies were conducted under General Majid. During this time, the Government agreed to impose the ''Sharia ordnance'' law and temporarily suspended the military suspension in the Swat Valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. This decision was troubling for the United States in Afghanistan, which believed that it would embolden militant groups fighting US military–led ISAF in Afghanistan.

The US government also believed it would provide another safe haven for the militants within {{convert|80|mi|km}} of Islamabad, as well as a corridor between the North-Western border with Afghanistan and North–Eastern border with India.

The Pakistan Government officials rationalized that "such agreement was the only way to pacify a fierce insurgency and avoid more civilian casualties in Swat Valley – whose ski resort and mountain scenery once made it a popular tourist destination. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Chief Minister, Amir Hoti, announced that the local authorities would impose Islamic law across Malakand Division, which includes Swat. The Government officials maintained that President Asif Zardari would sign off on the deal once peace had been restored. However, the agreement was never signed by President Zardari soon after the TTP militants violated the treaty.

The agreement came the day after the militants in Swat said that it would observe a ten-day ceasefire in support of the peace process. Pakistani officials say that the laws allow Muslim clerics to advise judges, but not to outlaw female education, music or other activities once banned by the Afghan Taliban in Afghanistan.<ref>[http://wayback.vefsafn.is/wayback/20100417232354/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5745194.ece ]</ref>

===Defeat of the militants in Bajaur===

On 1 March 2009, the Pakistan Army troops finally defeated the foreign fighters in Bajaur, which is a strategically important region on the Afghan border. The 40th Army Division commander, Major-General Tariq Khan reported that the army and the Frontier Corps had killed most militants in Bajaur, the smallest of the agencies but a major infiltration route into Afghanistan, after a six-month offensive. By the time the battle in Bajaur was over, the Pakistan Army killed over 1,500 militants while losing 97 of their own soldiers and 404 soldiers seriously injured.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/troops-defeat-taliban-in-pakistans-bajaur-region/429310 |title=Troops defeat Taliban in Pakistan's Bajaur region |work=The Indian Express  |date=1 March 2009 |accessdate=26 March 2011}}</ref>

In retaliation on 30 March, the militant groups attacked the Police Academy in Munawan town, killing and taking hostage police cadets. In an operation led by Punjab Police, the units of Elite Police had managed to retake the academy. Lasting about eight hours, the police suspension ended with 18 people killed in the attack, including eight policemen, eight militants and two civilians deaths. At least, ~95 policemen were wounded and four gunmen were captured by the Elite Police.

In a similar attack on 4 April 2009, another suicide bomber attacked a military camp in Islamabad killing eight soldiers; less than 24 hours later, two more suicide attacks occurred. One bomber targeted a market on the border with Afghanistan killing 17 people and the other attacked a mosque in Chakwal, in the Eastern Pakistan province of Punjab, killing 26 more civilians. The next day, the leader of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Baitullah Mehsud, promised that there were to be two suicide attacks per week in the country until the Pakistani army withdrew from the border region and the United States stopped its missile attacks by unmanned drones on militant bases.

===Militant violation of Swat ceasefire===
[[File:PAF Mirage III ROSE hits target with two 500 lb bombs at Falcon Air Meet 2010.jpg|thumb|left|The {{wipe|Pakistan Air Force}}'s precision bombing operations played crucial role in defeating of TTP from Swat in 2009.]]

In March 2009, many Pakistanis were horrified when a videotape was broadcast in news channels that showed militant enforcers were publicly whipping a 17-year-old girl in Swat accused of having an affair. The girl had not committed fornication or adultery but was flogged simply because she refused her brother's demand to marry someone of his choosing. Protests against the TTP broke out all over the country to demonstrate against the flogging. Conservative thinker Raja Zafar ul Haq of Pakistan Muslim League, appearing in news channels, maintained that "this summary punishment of flogging simply for refusing a marriage proposal was totally ''un-Islamic'' and had nothing to do with ''Sharia''." He went on to say that [[Biography:Muhammad|Muhammad]] had strictly forbidden the practice of forced marriages and in this case, the girl had not done anything wrong by refusing a marriage proposal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://helpthemiddleclass.com/2009/05/10/taliban-invasion-is-about-power-not-islam-in-pakistan/ |title=Taliban Invasion Is About Power, Not Islam in Pakistan |publisher=Help The Middle Class |date=10 May 2009 |accessdate=26 March 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711162323/http://helpthemiddleclass.com/2009/05/10/taliban-invasion-is-about-power-not-islam-in-pakistan/ |archivedate=11 July 2011 }}</ref>

Sensing the sensitivity of the issue, the Supreme Court of Pakistan appointed a five-member team appointed to investigate the video's origins, and concluded that it had been faked, raising questions at Pakistani intelligence services.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thearynews.com/english/newsdetail.asp?nid=45747|title=Video of Swat girl flogging was fake: report,2/25/2011 6:10:35 AM<!-- Bot generated title -->|work=thearynews.com|accessdate=6 July 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/swat-girl-flogging-video-fake-pak-probe-t/448781/ |title=Swat girl flogging video 'fake': Pak probe team |work=The Indian Express  |date=19 April 2009 |accessdate=26 March 2011}}</ref>

In Buner, the TTP continued their criminal activities when residents said TTP fighters had been stealing cattle for meat, stealing other livestock, berating men without beards and recruiting teenagers into their ranks. The TTP also began to steal vehicles belonging to government officials and ransacked the offices of some local non-government organisations for no apparent reason.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6168940.ece |accessdate=19 May 2009 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510010417/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6168940.ece |archivedate=10 May 2011 }}</ref> 12 schoolchildren were killed by a bomb contained in a football.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Football-Bomb-Kills-12-Children-In-Northern-Pakistan-While-Another-Four-Die-As-Grenade-Explodes/Article/200904415269416?lpos=World_News_Article_Related_Content_Region_10&lid=ARTICLE_15269416_Football_Bomb_Kills_12_Children_In_Northern_Pakistan_While_Another_Four_Die_As_Grenade_Explodes |archive-url=https://archive.is/20120711184155/http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Football-Bomb-Kills-12-Children-In-Northern-Pakistan-While-Another-Four-Die-As-Grenade-Explodes/Article/200904415269416?lpos=World_News_Article_Related_Content_Region_10&lid=ARTICLE_15269416_Football_Bomb_Kills_12_Children_In_Northern_Pakistan_While_Another_Four_Die_As_Grenade_Explodes |dead-url=yes |archive-date=11 July 2012 |title=Football Bomb Kills 12 Children in Northern Pakistan While Another Four Die As Grenade Explodes |publisher=News.sky.com |accessdate=27 March 2011}}</ref>

===Operation Black Thunderstorm===
[[File:Pakistani military at Baine Baba Ziarat - Flickr - Al Jazeera English.jpg|thumb|Pakistan airborne forces observing the Swat Valley at its highest point after defeating the Taliban, 2009.]]

On 26 April 2009, the unified Pakistan Armed Forces started the strategic and tactical airborne attack, codename ''Black Thunderstorm'', with the aim of retaking Buner, Lower Dir, Swat and Shangla districts from the [[Religion:Pakistani Taliban|TTP]]. This joint army&ndash;navy- {{wipe|Pakistan Air Force}} unified operation was well rehearsed and prepared. The fighter jets of Navy and air force began pounding the militant hideouts while army kept advancing in the militant hideouts. The combat fighter pilots of the navy and air force flew their aerial bombing mission together in high altitude at continuous 24-hour period, to avoid being hit from the anti-aircraft guns. During the initial stages of the unified operations, the ground troops and paratroopers performed combat HALO/HAHO techniques to hold the control of high strategic mountains and hills surrounding the Taliban-controlled cities.

The operation largely cleared the Lower Dir district of militia forces by 28 April and Buner by 5 May 2009. The same day, the ground fighting in Swat was particularly fierce since the [[Religion:Pakistani Taliban|TTP]] threw away their insurgent tactics and the ground forces obtained the [[Social:Counter-insurgency|counter-insurgency]] tactics. By 14&nbsp;May 2009, the military was only six kilometers south of Mingora, the militia-held capital city of Swat, and preparations for all-out street fighting were underway.

On 23 May 2009, the battle for Mingora started and by 27 May, approximately 70% of the city was cleared of militants. On 30&nbsp;May, the Pakistan military had taken back the city of Mingora from the [[Religion:Pakistani Taliban|TTP]], calling it a significant victory in its offensive against the militants. However, some sporadic fighting was still continuing on the city's outskirts.<ref>{{cite news|author=From Reza Sayah CNN |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/05/30/pakistan.mingora/index.html |title=Pakistan secures key Swat Valley city |publisher=CNN |date= 30 May 2009|accessdate=26 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8075136.stm |title=South Asia &#124; Pakistan army 'regains' Swat city |work=BBC News |date=30 May 2009 |accessdate=26 March 2011}}</ref>

In all, according to the military, 128 soldiers and more than ~1,475 militants were killed and 317 soldiers were wounded during operation ''Black Thunderstorm''. ~95 soldiers and policemen were captured by the militants; all were rescued by the military. 114 foreign fighters were captured, including some local commanders. At least 23 of the militants killed were foreigners.

Sporadic fighting throughout Swat continued up until mid-June. On 14 June, the operation was declared over and the military had regained control of the region. Only small pockets of Taliban resistance remained and the military started mopping up operations. This led to a refugee crisis, and by 22 August, 1.6 million of 2.3 million have returned home according to UN estimates.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-08-22/pakistan/28191405_1_refugees-return-home |archive-url=https://archive.is/20120728145518/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-08-22/pakistan/28191405_1_refugees-return-home |dead-url=yes |archive-date=28 July 2012 |title=1.6 million Pakistani refugees return home: UN – Times Of India |work=The Times of India |date=22 August 2009 |accessdate=26 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?a=jitoubcchjh&title=1.3_million_displaced_Pakistanis_return_home:_UN |title=1.3 million displaced Pakistanis return home: UN |publisher=Sify.com |date=19 August 2009 |accessdate=17 December 2011}}</ref>

===Blockade of South Waziristan===

[[File:Camp in Waziristan 1938.jpg|thumb|left|A vintage photo of South Wazristan's mountains, primary hideouts of TTP before being pushed to Eastern Afghanistan by the military in 2009.]]

In the aftermath of the successful victory and recapture of the entire Swat valley, the Pakistan military began a massive army troop build-up along the southern and eastern borders of South Waziristan on 16 June 2009,. The military was now taking the fight to Mehsud's mountainous stronghold, ordering an expansion of its current offensive against [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|TTP fighters]] in the Swat valley. On 17 June 2009, the Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Owais Ghani, denounced Baitullah Mehsud as "the root cause of all evils", and quoted that the government has called on the military to launch a "full-fledged" operation to eliminate Mehsud and his estimated 20,000 men.

The Islamabad's decision to launch the offensive against Mehsud signaled a deepening of Pakistani resolve against the militants. The military had targeted the [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|TTP]] leader on three separate occasions – in 2004, 2005 and 2008 – but walked away each time after signing peace deals with Mehsud. This time, the military also enjoyed the public support as a wave of terrorist attacks had swayed public sentiment against the Taliban.<ref name="time.com">{{cite news|last=Waraich |first=Omar |url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1904905,00.html |title=Pakistan's Next Fight? Taliban Leader Baitullah Mehsud |work=TIME |date=16 June 2009 |accessdate=26 March 2011}}</ref>

On 17 October 2009, the military launched another offense, called ''Rah-e-Nijat'' when the combat brigades and fighter jets launched a large-scale offensive in South Waziristan involving ~28,000 troops advancing across South Waziristan from three directions.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pakistan forces move on Taliban |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8311927.stm|agency=BBC News|date=17 October 2009}}</ref> Starting with air force strike and naval intelligence assessment on the [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|TTP]], the first town to fall to the military was Kotkai, the birthplace of the [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|TTP]] leader, Hakimullah Mehsud, on 19 October 2009. However, the next day, the [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|TTP]] re-took the town. Troops had thrust into Kotkai only to be hit by a determined counteroffensive that killed seven soldiers, including an army major, and wounded seven more.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/world/story/77472.html# |title=Taliban retake town as Pakistan offensive runs into trouble &#124; McClatchy |publisher=Mcclatchydc.com |accessdate=27 March 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091022064301/http://www.mcclatchydc.com/world/story/77472.html |archivedate=22 October 2009 }}</ref> The military managed to take the town once again on 24 October, after days of bombardments.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8323660.stm |title=South Asia &#124; Pakistan 'takes key Taliban town' |work=BBC News |date=24 October 2009 |accessdate=27 March 2011}}</ref>

On 29 October, the town of Kaniguram, which was under the control of Uzbek fighters from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, was surrounded.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20091029/tpl-uk-pakistan-violence-waziristan-qand-81f3b62_1.html |accessdate=19 November 2009 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> And on 2 November, Kaniguram was taken.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8337211.stm |work=BBC News | title=Pakistan takes Taliban stronghold | date=2 November 2009}}</ref>

On 1 November 2009, the towns of Sararogha and Makin were surrounded,<ref>{{cite web|author=Bill Roggio|url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2009/11/pakistani_army_surro.php |title=Pakistani Army surrounds major Taliban strongholds in South Waziristan |publisher=The Long War Journal |date=1 November 2009 |accessdate=27 March 2011}}</ref> and fighting for Sararogha started on 3&nbsp;November.<ref>{{cite web|author=Bill Roggio |url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2009/11/pakistan_captures_tw.php |title=Pakistan captures two Taliban strongholds in South Waziristan |publisher=The Long War Journal |date=3 November 2009 |accessdate=27 March 2011}}</ref> The fighting there lasted until 17 November, when the town finally fell to the military. The same day, the town of Laddah was also captured by the military and street fighting commenced in Makin. Both Sararogha and Laddah were devastated in the fighting.<ref>[http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/provinces/09-main-taliban-bases-in-south-waziristan-captured-army--szh-09 Search Results main taliban bases in south waziristan captured army szh | Latest news, Breaking news, Pakistan News, World news, business, sport and multimedia | DAWN.COM<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091119042345/http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/provinces/09-main-taliban-bases-in-south-waziristan-captured-army--szh-09 |date=19 November 2009 }}</ref>

By 21 November 2009, the ISPR reports showed that more than 570 foreign fighters and 76 soldiers had been killed in the offensive.<ref>{{cite web|author=Earth Times Staff |url=http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/295667,six-pakistani-troops-14-taliban-killed-in-clashes--summary.html |title=Six Pakistani troops, 14 Taliban killed in clashes – Summary |work=Earth Times News |date=21 November 2009 |accessdate=27 March 2011}}</ref>

On 12 December 2009, the Pakistan military declared victory in South Waziristan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j2KgppauHgJBn0BmkO-eTN3sazoA |title=AFP: Taliban driven out of key battleground: Pakistan PM |publisher=Google |date=12 December 2009 |accessdate=27 March 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091218073614/https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j2KgppauHgJBn0BmkO-eTN3sazoA |archivedate=18 December 2009 }}</ref>

===Death of Baitullah Mehsud and TTP counter-attacks===

As early as August 2009, the [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|TTP]] leader, Baitullah Mehsud, was killed in a drone attack. This was later confirmed by captured chief spokesman Maulvi Umar.<ref>[http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/04-tehrik-i-taliban-spokesman-mohmand-qs-01 Search Results tehrik i taliban spokesman mohmand qs | Latest news, Breaking news, Pakistan News, World news, business, sport and multimedia | DAWN.COM<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090820062913/http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/04-tehrik-i-taliban-spokesman-mohmand-qs-01 |date=20 August 2009 }}</ref> He was replaced by Hakimullah Mehsud.

In early October 2009, the [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|TTP]] started a string of bomb attacks in cities across Pakistan. The goal of the attacks was to show that the TTP militants were still a united fighting force following the death of their leader and to disrupt a planned military offensive into South Waziristan. Places targeted include the U.N. World Food Program offices in Islamabad<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.televisionwashington.com/floater_article1.aspx?lang=en&t=2&id=14573 |title=Washington TV |publisher=Televisionwashington.com |accessdate=27 March 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20091005192456/http://www.televisionwashington.com/floater_article1.aspx?lang=en&t=2&id=14573 |archivedate=5 October 2009 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> a food store in Peshawar;<ref>[http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2009/10/15/major_attacks_in_pakistan_so_far_in_october/ ]{{Dead link|date=March 2011}}</ref> military headquarters in [[Place:Rawalpindi|Rawalpindi]]; a market in Shangla;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.malaysianews.net/story/553630 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723202324/http://www.malaysianews.net/story/553630 |dead-url=yes |archive-date=23 July 2011 |title=Pakistan blast toll reaches 45 |publisher=Malaysia News.Net |date=13 October 2009 |accessdate=27 March 2011}}</ref> the intelligence establishments in Lahore;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/41-killed-in-terror-strikes-targeting-security-forces-in-Pakistan/articleshow/5127531.cms |title=41 killed in terror strikes targeting security forces in Pakistan – Economic Times |publisher=Economictimes.indiatimes.com |date=15 October 2009 |accessdate=27 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.malaysianews.net/story/554727 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723202333/http://www.malaysianews.net/story/554727 |dead-url=yes |archive-date=23 July 2011 |title=One killed, nine injured in Peshawar car bomb attack |publisher=Malaysia News.Net |date=15 October 2009 |accessdate=27 March 2011}}</ref> the police stations in Kohat and Peshawar; the Islamic center at the International Islamic University in Islamabad;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/10/21/pakistan.university.explosion/index.html |title=Schools across Pakistan close after deadly suicide blasts |publisher=CNN |date=21 October 2009 |accessdate=27 March 2011}}</ref> and [[Organization:Air Weapons Complex|Air Science Laboratories]] (ASL) Complex in Kamra. The month of November ended with a car bombing of Meena Bazaar, Peshawar killing 118 civilians.<ref>[http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/metropolitan/04-explosion-heard-peshawar-qs-04+ Search Results explosion heard peshawar qs | Latest news, Breaking news, Pakistan News, World news, business, sport and multimedia | DAWN.COM<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091101123310/http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/metropolitan/04-explosion-heard-peshawar-qs-04+ |date=1 November 2009 }}</ref> Additionally, the month of November saw suicide bombings of the National Bank of Pakistan in [[Place:Rawalpindi|Rawalpindi]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/02/AR2009110200338.html |title=Suicide bombing kills 35, injures dozens in Pakistan |work=The Washington Post |date= 2 November 2009|accessdate=27 March 2011 |first=Shaiq |last=Hussain}}</ref> a market in Charsadda, and six bombings in Peshawar including the regional headquarters of the ISI and the Judicial Complex.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/news/pakistan-bombings-kill-18-as-spy-agency-hit-news-international-jlnrzcaaeia.html |title=Pakistan bombings kill 18 as spy agency hit |publisher=Sify.com |date=13 November 2009 |accessdate=27 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ccun.org/News/2009/November/15%20n/15%20Pakistanis%20Killed%20in%20Peshawar%20Suicide%20Bombing,%20November%2014,%202009.htm |title=15 Pakistanis Killed in Peshawar Suicide Bombing, November 14, 2009 |publisher=United Nations |date=14 November 2009 |accessdate=27 March 2011}}</ref><ref>[http://www.brandonsun.com/story.php?story_id=170038 ]{{Dead link|date=March 2011}}</ref> In 2013, the media reported that the mastermind of chain of attacks in 2009, Abdullah Umar, was brutalized and killed in a police encounter with Punjab Police in 2013.<ref name="The news International, 2013"/> Media authorities identified Abdullah Umar as a law student of the International Islamic University and a son of army colonel.<ref name="The news International, 2013">{{cite news|last=Amir Mir |title=Why did a soldier's son join the Taliban? |url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-184231-Why-did-a-soldiers-son-join-the-Taliban |accessdate=19 July 2013 |newspaper=The news International, 2013 |date=17 June 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130718061012/http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-184231-Why-did-a-soldiers-son-join-the-Taliban |archivedate=18 July 2013 }}</ref>

==Continued insurgency==

===Insurgency in West and defeat of Taliban: 2010–11===
In an offensive in Bajaur by Frontier Corps, a militants' stronghold village Damadola was captured and cleared by 6 February 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/03-security-forces-seize-control-of-damadola-ss-10 |title=Security forces seize control of damadola ss |publisher=Dawn.com |accessdate=27 March 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418173649/http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/03-security-forces-seize-control-of-damadola-ss-10 |archivedate=18 April 2010 }}</ref> Bajaur was declared conflict free zone by 20 April.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/bajaur-declared-conflictfree-zone-040 |title=Bajaur declared conflict free zone |publisher=Dawn.com |accessdate=27 March 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100624055249/http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/bajaur-declared-conflictfree-zone-040 |archivedate=24 June 2010 }}</ref>

On 23 March 2010, the Pakistan armed forces launched an offensive to clear Orakzai.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gcreport.com/index.php/analysis/164-pakistans-orakzai-offensive |title=Pakistan's Orakzai offensive |publisher=Gcreport.com |date=29 March 2010 |accessdate=27 March 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711080427/http://gcreport.com/index.php/analysis/164-pakistans-orakzai-offensive |archivedate=11 July 2011 }}</ref> Officials also announced a future offensive in North Waziristan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/timing-to-be-decided-by-pakistan-accord-for-operation-in-north-waziristan-050 |title=Accord for operation in North Waziristan |publisher=Dawn.com |accessdate=27 March 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523091140/http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/timing-to-be-decided-by-pakistan-accord-for-operation-in-north-waziristan-050 |archivedate=23 May 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The week prior the Pakistan military killed approximately 150 militants in fighting in the region.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/6935244.html |title=31 militants killed in Pakistan's Orakzai tribal area – People's Daily Online |work=People's Daily  |date=30 March 2010 |accessdate=27 March 2011}}</ref> It was expected that all tribal areas would be cleared by June 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20100331/wl_mcclatchy/3465984news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20100331/wl_mcclatchy/3465984 |accessdate=14 October 2014 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

On 3 June, Pakistani authorities announced a victory over the insurgents in Orakzai and Kurram.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/03/stories/2010060364871700.htm | location=Chennai, India |work=The Hindu | title=Anti-Taliban operations successful: Pakistan | date=3 June 2010}}</ref>

===Death of Bin Laden and Navy offensive===
[[File:Pakistan Navy Orion Asuspine.jpg|thumb|The Navy P-3C played significant role in managing signal intelligence operations against Taliban in the Waziristan war. Two of the four aircraft were destroyed during the PNS Mehran attack.]]

As late as 2010, chief of naval staff Admiral Noman Bashir had coordinated many of successful tactical ground operations against TTP hideouts, to support the army and air force pressure on militants. Many successful operations were executed by the navy, and its operational capability gained international prominence.<ref name="GEO TV">{{cite news|last=GEO Pakistan |title=War on terror will continue: PM |url=http://www.geo.tv/5-24-2011/81735.htm |accessdate=9 March 2013 |newspaper=GEO TV |date=24 May 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806011743/http://www.geo.tv/5-24-2011/81735.htm |archivedate=6 August 2012 }}</ref> By 2011, Pakistan's armed forces were stretched thin by natural disasters and deployments against extremist groups, with one third of the army deployed for the fight, another third along the Indian border and the rest engaged in preparing to deploy.<ref>Garamone, Jim. [http://www.defense.gov//news/newsarticle.aspx?id=63635 "Fight Against Extremists Stretches Pakistan's Military."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110529013300/http://www.defense.gov//news/newsarticle.aspx?id=63635 |date=29 May 2011 }} ''American Forces Press Service'', 20 April 2011.</ref> On 1 May 2011, in a clandestine operation in Abbottabad, al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden was located and killed by the U.S. Navy SEALs in his private compound. The groups affiliated with the armed TTP vowed, via media, to avenge Osama's death upon the Pakistan Armed Forces.

On 21 and 28 April, senior al-Qaeda operative Ilyas Kashmiri conducted a series of coordinated terrorist attacks on the Pakistan Navy presence in Northern and Southern contingents. This included attacks on high naval officials of the Pakistan Navy in Karachi, first attacking their bus near the Navy bases. Finally on 22 May, TTP attacked the Mehran Naval Base, killing up to 10 naval officers, wounding 30 others, and destroying two naval reconnaissance aircraft, during the attack. In response, the navy's SSG(N) launched its largest offensive efforts since the 1971 operations, and managed to control and secure the base after a massive shootout. Operationally resulting in tactical success, the navy's counter offensive killed all the militants and ring leaders behind these operations. Kashmiri was widely suspected in the Mehran operation.  On 4 June 2011, Ilyas Kashmiri was killed by a U.S. drone strike in South Waziristan.

In 2012, the north-west region of Pakistan experienced periodic bombings perpetrated by insurgents, resulting in thousands of deaths. On 22 December 2012, a suicide bomb attack carried out by the Pakistani Taliban killed Bashir Ahmed Bilour, a minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as 8 other people.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nation mourns Bashir Ahmed Bilour |url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-80817-Nation-mourns-Bashir-Ahmed-Bilour |accessdate=23 December 2012 |newspaper=The News International |date=23 December 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121223125638/http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-80817-Nation-mourns-Bashir-Ahmed-Bilour |archivedate=23 December 2012 }}</ref>

===Tirah Valley clashes===
In January 2013, at least 80 militants and civilians were killed in clashes between the Tehrik-e-Taliban / Lashkar-e-Islam and Ansar ul-Islam (a pro-government militant group) in Tirah Valley of Pakistan's Khyber Agency.<ref name=Tirah>{{cite news|title=Pakistani Taliban overrun rival faction's headquarters, dozens killed|url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/03/pakistani_taliban_ov.php|accessdate=8 April 2013|date=20 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=80 killed in clashes between rival militant groups in Pak|url=http://www.lensonnews.com/lensonnews/1/51/34339/1/80-killed-in-clashes-between-rival-militant-groups-in-pak.html|accessdate=8 April 2013|date=28 January 2013}}</ref> Fighting between Ansar ul-Islam and the [[Religion:Pakistani Taliban|Pakistani Taliban]] continued till March and as a result, almost the entire Tirah Valley came under the control of Lashkar-e-Islam and TTP fighters.<ref name=Tirah/> Over 250 militants and civilians were killed and 400 others wounded in the three-month-long clashes.<ref name=Tirah2>{{cite news|title=Militant infighting compels thousands to flee Tirah Valley|url=http://centralasiaonline.com/en_GB/articles/caii/features/pakistan/main/2013/03/26/feature-01|accessdate=8 April 2013|date=26 March 2013}}</ref> The fighting also displaced about 200,000 to 300,000 people.<ref name=Tirah2/> This forced the Pakistan Army to start Operation Rah-e-Shahadat in order to root out insurgents and extremists from the strategically important region and restore peace and stability for the upcoming May elections.<ref name=Tirah2/><ref>{{cite web|title=Fall of Tirah Valley|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/527310/fall-of-tirah-valley/|date=27 March 2013|accessdate=9 April 2013}}</ref>

===Operation Rah-e-Shahadat===
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict    =Operation Rah-e-Shahadat
| partof      = 
| image       =[[File:NWFP and FATA.jpg|260px]] 
| caption     =Military Intelligence map: Domain of Pakistan Armed Forces Operations to the areas adjacent to Afghanistan. 
| date        =5 April 2013 – 30 June 2013
| place       =Tirah Valley, FATA 
| coordinates = 
| map_type    = 
| map_relief  = 
| latitude    = 
| longitude   = 
| map_size    = 
| map_marksize = 
| map_caption = 
| map_label   = 
| territory   = 
| result      =Pakistan Armed Forces victory<ref name="Express Tribune, War Correspondents">{{cite news|last=APP|title=Tirah Valley: Security forces clear out militants from Maidan|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/566245/tirah-valley-security-forces-clear-out-militants-from-maidan/|accessdate=2 July 2013|newspaper=Express Tribune, War Correspondents|date=21 June 2013}}</ref><br/>TTP forces evicted from the area
| status      =
| combatants_header =Commander(s) and Belligerent(s)
| combatant1  ={{PAK}} 
| combatant2  =[[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan]]<br/>Swat Taliban<br/>Lashkar-e-Islam
| combatant3  = 
| commander1  =Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani<br/>LGen Khalid Rabbani<br/>Air Mshl Waseem-ud-din<br/>RAdm Ather Mukhtar<br/>MGen Ghayur Mehmood
| commander2  =Hakimullah Mehsud<br/>Maulana Fazlullah<br/>Mangal Bagh Afridi<br/>Omar Khalid Khorasani
| commander3  = 
| units1      =North–Western Forces Contingent 
| units2      = 
| units3      = 
| strength1   =5,000 
| strength2   =Unknown
| strength3   = 
| casualties1 =Unknown
| casualties2 =Hundreds
| casualties3 = 
| notes       = 
| campaignbox = 
}}

Operation Rah-e-Shahadat (English: Path to Martyrdom; Urdu:راه شهادث), was a codename of a joint military operation that was commenced on 5 April 2013 by the Pakistan Army, with assistance provided by the {{wipe|Pakistan Air Force}} and Navy for air support. In close coordination with Local Peace Committee (''Aman Lashkar''), the army troops and special operations forces, aided by Frontier Corps, to flush out TTP and LeI militants from the Tirah Valley of the Khyber Agency. At least four Pakistani soldiers and 14 insurgents were killed while 5 soldiers were also wounded.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pakistan army starts offensive in NW; 4 troops die|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2013/04/05/pakistan-army-starts-offensive-in-nw-4-troops-die|accessdate=8 April 2013|date=5 April 2013|publisher=U.S. News & World Report}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Tirah Valley clash leaves 14 militants, 4 security officials dead|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/531500/tirah-valley-clash-leaves-14-militants-4-security-officials-dead/|accessdate=8 April 2013|date=5 April 2013|publisher=The Express Tribune}}</ref> In a major aerial operation, the {{wipe|Pakistan Air Force}} and navy fighter jets pounded hideouts of banned group LeI in and according to military intelligence reports, many militants escaped from the areas taking with them their injured fighters.<ref name="GEO News, 2013">{{cite news|title=Warplanes pound militant hideouts in FATA, 8 killed|url=http://www.geo.tv/article-87422-Warplanes-pound-militant-hideouts-in-FATA-8-killed|accessdate=16 July 2013|newspaper=GEO News, 2013}}</ref>

On 7 April 2013, Pakistani military officials said that at least 30 Taliban-linked militants and 23 soldiers including commandos were killed during clashes in the Tirah Valley since 5 April. Several Aman Lashkar members were also reported to be killed and wounded. Scores of insurgents and Pakistani troops were injured in the operation.<ref>{{cite news|title=Tirah valley operation intensifies, 23 soldiers killed |url=http://dawn.com/2013/04/07/tirah-valley-operation-intensifies-23-soldiers-killed/ |date=7 April 2013 |newspaper=Dawn |accessdate=9 April 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130408092159/http://dawn.com/2013/04/07/tirah-valley-operation-intensifies-23-soldiers-killed/ |archivedate=8 April 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=30 militants, 23 soldiers killed in Pak clashes |url=http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=451068&catid=37 |accessdate=9 April 2013 |newspaper=The Statesman |date=8 April 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512031840/http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=451068&catid=37 |archivedate=12 May 2013 }}</ref>

On 8 April 2013, Pakistani military officials said that at least 30 Pakistani soldiers and 97 militants were killed during fierce fighting with Taliban linked-fighters in the Tirah Valley since 5 April, the day when the operation began.<ref>{{cite news|title=30 Pakistan soldiers killed in northwest valley|url=http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data/international/2013/April/international_April314.xml&section=international|accessdate=11 April 2013|newspaper=Khaleej Times|date=8 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=30 Pakistani soldiers killed in northwest valley|url=https://news.yahoo.com/30-pakistani-soldiers-killed-northwest-valley-164518571.html|accessdate=11 April 2013|date=8 April 2013}}</ref>

On 9 April 2013, the ISPR confirmed that at least 23 soldiers and 110&nbsp;insurgents were killed in the four-day fighting in the Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency.<ref>{{cite news|title=ISPR confirms deaths of 23 soldiers in Tirah Valley offensive |url=http://dawn.com/2013/04/09/ispr-confirms-deaths-of-23-soldiers-in-tirah-valley-offensive/ |accessdate=12 April 2013 |newspaper=Dawn |date=9 April 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411161353/http://dawn.com/2013/04/09/ispr-confirms-deaths-of-23-soldiers-in-tirah-valley-offensive/ |archivedate=11 April 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=110 militants, 23 soldiers killed in Tirah fighting: officials |url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-22181-110-militants-23-soldiers-killed-in-Tirah-fighting-officials |accessdate=12 April 2013 |newspaper=The News International |date=10 April 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130412075611/http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-22181-110-militants-23-soldiers-killed-in-Tirah-fighting-officials |archivedate=12 April 2013 }}</ref>

On 11 April 2013, at least 15 militants and one Pakistani soldier were killed during fighting in southern sector of Tirah Valley.<ref>{{cite news|title=At least 15 militants killed in Khyber's Tirah valley, one soldier killed |url=http://dawn.com/2013/04/11/at-least-15-militants-killed-in-khybers-tirah-valley/ |accessdate=2013-04-13 |newspaper=Dawn |date=11 April 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130412213007/http://dawn.com/2013/04/11/at-least-15-militants-killed-in-khybers-tirah-valley/ |archivedate=12 April 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Fighting rages in NW Pakistan, 15 militants, one soldier killed – army|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/04/11/pakistan-military-taliban-idINDEE93A03T20130411|accessdate=13 April 2013|date=11 April 2013}}</ref> The areas of Mada Khel and Tut Sar were cleared from militants.<ref>{{cite news|title=Report: Tirah Operation- Day 6 |url=http://www.pakistankakhudahafiz.com/2013/04/12/report-tirah-operation-day-6-talha-ibraheem/ |accessdate=13 April 2013 |date=12 April 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130414220118/http://www.pakistankakhudahafiz.com/2013/04/12/report-tirah-operation-day-6-talha-ibraheem/ |archivedate=14 April 2013 }}</ref>

On 12 April 2013, nine Pakistani soldiers and seven insurgents were killed during clashes in Sipah area of Tirah Valley. The security forces took control of the areas of Sandana and Sheikhmal Khel in Sipah area. Three Lashkar-e-Islam militants were also arrested while a dozen others were injured.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nine soldiers, 7 militants killed in Tirah |url=http://dawn.com/2013/04/12/nine-soldiers-7-militants-killed-in-tirah/ |accessdate=19 April 2013 |newspaper=Dawn |date=12 April 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130413162123/http://dawn.com/2013/04/12/nine-soldiers-7-militants-killed-in-tirah/ |archivedate=13 April 2013 }}</ref> Two peace committee members were killed and 22 others were injured in a bomb blast in the same area.<ref>{{cite news|title=TTP denies Mangal Bagh appointed Khyber militant chief |url=http://dawn.com/2013/04/11/ttp-denies-mangal-bagh-appointed-khyber-militant-chief/ |accessdate=19 April 2013 |newspaper=Dawn |date=11 April 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130413211821/http://dawn.com/2013/04/11/ttp-denies-mangal-bagh-appointed-khyber-militant-chief/ |archivedate=13 April 2013 }}</ref>

On 13 April 2013, Pakistan Army's ISPR said that seven militants were killed in the Tirah Valley on 12 April. It did not confirm the casualties suffered by the security forces.<ref>{{cite news|title=Seven militants killed in Tirah, Khyber Agency during last 24 hours |url=http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\04\14\story_14-4-2013_pg7_4 |accessdate=19 April 2013 |date=14 April 2013 |newspaper=Daily Times (Pakistan) |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130418235247/http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013%5C04%5C14%5Cstory_14-4-2013_pg7_4 |archivedate=18 April 2013 }}</ref>

On 16 April 2013, a member of Zakhakhel peace committee (Tawheedul-ul-Islam) was killed in a bomb blast in Dari area of Tirah Valley.<ref>{{cite news|title=Member of lashkar killed in Tirah blast|url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-7-171746-Member-of-lashkar-killed-in-Tirah-blast|accessdate=19 April 2013|date=16 April 2013|publisher=The News International}}</ref>

On 2 May 2013, four Taliban-linked insurgents were killed and five others wounded after Pakistani fighter jets targeted [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|TTP]] hideouts in the Tirah Valley.<ref>{{cite news|title=Four militants killed, five injured in Tirah strikes |url=http://dawn.com/2013/05/01/four-militants-killed-five-injured-in-tirah-strikes/ |accessdate=2 May 2013 |newspaper=Dawn |date=1 May 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502024332/http://dawn.com/2013/05/01/four-militants-killed-five-injured-in-tirah-strikes/ |archivedate=2 May 2013 }}</ref>

On 5 May 2013, Pakistan Army's ISPR said that 16 insurgents and two soldiers were killed during heavy clashes in the Tirah Valley. Three soldiers were reported to be wounded. The military also claimed to have captured militant strongholds Kismat Sur and Sanghar and recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition from the militants fleeing the area.<ref>{{cite news|title=Troops kill 16 militants in Tirah valley: Military|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/544744/troops-kill-16-militants-in-tirah-valley-military/|accessdate=5 May 2013|newspaper=Express Tribune|date=5 May 2013}}</ref>

===Disengagement of militant groups===

News reports and intelligence media news began airing the news that the [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|TTP]] and other Central Asian militant groups, notably the IMU, have now set up camps and reinforced hundreds of fighters to [[Place:Syria|Syria]] to fight alongside rebels opposed to Bashar al-Assad in continuity of cementation of ties with al Qaeda, starting of July 2013.<ref name="Long War Journal 2013">{{cite news|last=Riggio|first=Bill|title=Pakistani Taliban establish 'base' inside Syria|url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/07/pakistani_taliban_es.php|accessdate=16 July 2013|newspaper=Long War Journal 2013|date=12 July 2013}}</ref><ref name="reuters.com">[https://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/14/us-pakistan-syria-taliban-idUSBRE96D02V20130714 Pakistan Taliban set up camps in Syria, join anti-Assad war]. Reuters. Retrieved on 2013-08-22.</ref> According to Reuters, hundreds of fighters had gone to Syria to fight alongside their "Mujahedeen friends".<ref name="reuters.com"/> Media reported the visit and setup of a TTP base in Syria to assess "the needs of the jihad".<ref name="bbc.co.uk">Wali, Ahmed. (12 July 2013) [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23285245 BBC News – Pakistan Taliban 'sets up a base in Syria']. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 2013-08-22.</ref> At least 12 experts in information technology and warfare were sent to Syria in the last two months to aid the Mujahideen. The Pakistani government has not commented on the allegations.<ref name="bbc.co.uk"/>

===North Waziristan offensive===
On 19 December 2013, the army launched a major offensive in the Mir Ali region of North Waziristan following a suicide bomb attack on a checkpoint in the area the previous day. Artillery and helicopter gunships were used in the operation. By 23&nbsp;December, more than 30 militants and up to 70 civilians allegedly were killed.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pakistani army launches offensive in North Waziristan|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/649518/pakistani-army-launches-offensive-near-afghan-border/|date=23 December 2013}}</ref>

===Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan infighting===
In March 2014 rival factions fought for control of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Commander Khan Said Sajna and followers of the late TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud now under command of Maulana Fazlullah clashed in Shaktoi area of South Waziristan and later in the same area in early April 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=12 militants killed in clashes between rival Taliban factions|url=http://www.timesnow.tv/12-militants-killed-in-clashes-between-rival-Taliban-factions/articleshow/4451735.cms|date=6 May 2014}}</ref> This began a bloody struggle for control of the organization. After several minor skirmishes another major attack took place in the Shawal area of the troubled North Waziristan district on 6 May 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=14 killed as Taliban infighting erupts again in Waziristan|url=http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/07-May-2014/14-killed-as-taliban-infighting-erupts-again-in-waziristan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140507030607/http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/07-May-2014/14-killed-as-taliban-infighting-erupts-again-in-waziristan|dead-url=yes|archive-date=7 May 2014|date=6 May 2014}}</ref>

===Operation Zarb-e-Azb===
[[File:War in North-West Pakistan.svg|thumb|300px|Military situation in Pakistan in June 2014, prior to Operation Zarb-e-Azb {{legend|#ebc0b3|Under control of the Government and Allies}}
{{legend|#b3b2ae|[[Religion:Taliban|Taliban]], [[Religion:Al-Qaeda|Al-Qaeda]] and Allies influence}}]]
In response to the IMU's Jinnah Airport attack on 8 June 2014, the Pakistani military launched an operation on 15&nbsp;June 2014 against the militants in North Waziristan including the [[Religion:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan|Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan]] (TTP), [[Religion:Al-Qaeda|Al-Qaeda]], East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) and the Haqqani network. Up to 30,000 soldiers were involved in the operation. It had been described as a "comprehensive operation" that aimed to flush out foreign and local militants hiding in North Waziristan.

By 2014, casualty rates in the country as a whole dropped by 40% as compared to 2011–13, with even greater drops noted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2014/12/22/a-small-measure-of-progress/|title=A Small Measure of Progress|work=Foreign Policy|accessdate=6 July 2015}}</ref> despite the province being the site of a large massacre of school children by Tehrik-i-Taliban terrorists in December 2014.

By December 2015, some 3,400 Pakistani Taliban and their allied fighters were killed during the first 18 months of the operation, according to the ISPR.<ref>{{cite news|title=3,400 militants killed in Operation Zarb-e-Azb: ISPR|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1008791/3400-militants-killed-in-operation-zarb-e-azb-ispr/|accessdate=20 September 2017|work=Express Tribune|date=12 December 2015}}</ref> By June 2016, a total of 3,500 militants were killed including 900 terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Islam, according to the Director General ISPR. 490 soldiers were also killed in the two-year operation. A kinetic military action was conducted and Shawal valley was cleared of militants.<ref>{{cite news|title=490 soldiers, 3,500 militants killed in Operation Zarb-e-Azb so far: DG ISPR|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1123356/dg-ispr-addresses-press-conference-afghanistan-pakistan-border-clashes/|accessdate=21 September 2017|work=Express Tribune|date=15 June 2016}}</ref>

On 21 May 2016, the [[Religion:Emir|Emir]] of [[Religion:Taliban|Taliban]] Akhtar Mansour was killed in a US drone strike near Ahmad Wal town in Balochistan, which is roughly 35&nbsp;km (22 miles) from Afghan airspace.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Jon Boone|first1=Kiyya Baloch|title=Family of driver killed in US strike on Taliban leader file criminal case|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/29/family-of-driver-mohammad-azam-killed-in-us-strike-on-taliban-leader-mullah-mansoor-file-criminal-case|accessdate=21 September 2017|work={{wipe|The Guardian}}|date=29 May 2016}}</ref>

===Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad===
On 22 February 2017, the Pakistan army launched Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad which aimed at eliminating the residual threat of terrorism, and consolidating the gains of ''Zarb-e-Azb''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pakistan Army launches 'Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad' across the country|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1316332/pakistan-army-launches-operation-radd-ul-fasaad-across-the-country|accessdate=22 February 2017|work=Dawn|date=22 February 2017}}</ref> The operation was initiated in response to militant Jamaat-ul-Ahrar's Operation Ghazi that saw several IED and suicide attacks across Pakistan in February.<ref>{{cite news|title=Army launches Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad against terrorists across the country|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1335805/army-launches-country-wide-operation-terrorists/|accessdate=22 February 2017|work=Express Tribune|date=22 February 2017}}</ref>

==Peace prospects and developments==
[[File:Pakistani Districts by HDI.png|thumb|left|The HDI index of Pakistan, showing the major economic development in the country.]]
Since 2006, major initiatives have been taken out by the government to reconstruct and rehabilitate the war-torn areas of FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The military administrator of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Lieutenant-General Nadeem Ahmad, supervised majority of the socioeconomic development in the areas that were badly affected by the military operations.<ref name="Associate Press of Pakistan">{{cite news|last=Staff|title=Int'l Donors conference to be called for IDPs: Gilani|url=http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=75786&Itemid=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219232001/http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=75786&Itemid=2|dead-url=yes|archive-date=19 February 2012|accessdate=9 December 2012|newspaper=Associate Press of Pakistan|date=11 May 2009}}</ref> The government took many initiatives, including promotion the political activities under the Political Parties Act, the construction of the Peshawar-Torkham Road and the establishment of the Investment Bank of FATA, envisioned to bring prosperity and provide employment opportunities.<ref name="Tribune Express, 2012">{{cite news|last=Staff report|title=Development projects: FATA ACS highlights initiative|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/470914/development-projects-fata-acs-highlights-initiative/|accessdate=9 December 2012|newspaper=Tribune Express, 2012|date=25 November 2012}}</ref> Around ₨ 1 billion were spent for the rehabilitation of the IDPs and ₨ 500 million were immediately transferred into the account of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for the economic development in the province.<ref name="Associate Press of Pakistan"/>

As of 2006 and present, there are numbers of notable and major international agencies and {{wipe|United Nations}} to reconstruct the war-torn areas affected of fighting. As early as 2005, there major government institutions who have been involved in public level to lead the reconstruction, [[Finance:Economic development|economic development]] and to bring the quick [[Finance:Economic recovery|economic recovery]] in the war-torn areas, as listed below:

*US Aid
*[[Organization:National Reconstruction Bureau|National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB)]]
*National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
*Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA)
*Special Support Group for IDPs (SSG)
*[http://reliefweb.int/report/pakistan/pakistan-federal-relief-commission-completes-its-relief-operation Federal Relief Commission (FRC)]
*National Logistics Cell (NLC)
*Frontier Works Organisation (FWO)
*[[Social:Operation Madad (Pakistan Navy)|Navy Reconstruction Group (NRG)]]

Under the 2006–15 program, a nine-year project, over $2.06 billion would be spend for the economic reconstruction of the FATA region, with the U.S. Government has pledged to provide $750 million over a period of 5 years.<ref name="Government of Pakistan (Public Domain)">{{cite web|last=Govt. Pakistan|title=FATA Development (2000–2015)|url=https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:fIPH-RQCsycJ:www.embassyofpakistanusa.org/forms/FATA%2520Development%2520Program%25202008.pdf+economic+development+in+FATA&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgfEXQ7LQ3hVtlR6zwXY4tKr745j_a5YtNl4nmbnV8Orj7D1hO40gLzYtUcy1b_iKPkpFXVEv0bQz9g4RQkZaqtv-j0ZJwFg_JqKqZxeS_hjKLZD3iJAhzO9nsu6fjTKG5zLTfJ&sig=AHIEtbQWnEsCN4pgoz8Nfy51F0xJKgAVjA|work=Ministry of Finance|publisher=Government of Pakistan (Public Domain)|accessdate=9 December 2012}}</ref> Since 2010, the engineering units of army, the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) and Corps of Engineers and Military Engineering Service, have been active in the area to reconstruct the war-torn areas. Major operations were carried out by the FWO to complete the wide canvas of works, including construction of over 400&nbsp;km roads, dams, canals and hydroelectric works.<ref name=FWO>{{cite web|last=PA |title=Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Development Works |url=http://www.fwo.com.pk/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=49:federally-administered-tribal-areas-fata-development-works&Itemid=130 |publisher=FWO |accessdate=9 December 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111135726/http://fwo.com.pk/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=49:federally-administered-tribal-areas-fata-development-works&Itemid=130 |archivedate=11 January 2012 }}</ref> The engineering units commenced the work on Gomal Zam Dam in Waziristan with the help of the local tribal people who were employed for this mega project.<ref name="Daily Pakistan">{{cite news |last=Staff |title=South Waziristan free of terrorists: Army |url=http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\07\02\story_2-7-2010_pg7_7 |accessdate=9 December 2012 |newspaper=Daily Pakistan |date=2 July 2010 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100714043105/http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010%5C07%5C09%5Cstory_9-7-2010_pg5_2 |archivedate=14 July 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The Pakistan Army started the political and educational activities after rebuilding the damaged schools and colleges in Waziristan and gave admissions to as many as young tribal teenagers and young men and women in the army institutions since August 2011.<ref name="DAWN News Waziri">{{cite news|last=Muhammad Faisal Ali |title=S. Waziristan marching on road to progress: army |url=http://dawn.com/2012/04/01/s-waziristan-marching-on-road-to-progress-army/ |accessdate=9 December 2012 |newspaper=DAWN News Waziri |date=1 April 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110234033/http://dawn.com/2012/04/01/s-waziristan-marching-on-road-to-progress-army/ |archivedate=10 January 2014 }}</ref>

==Casualties==
[[File:Fatalities in Terrorist Violence in Pakistan.png|thumb|Fatalities in terrorist violence in Pakistan, (2000-present)]]
In a debriefing to parliamentarians on 19 October 2011, the ISPR stated that a total of ~3,097 soldiers and personnel were killed and 721 other were permanently disabled in the war on terror. The ISI lost 63 of its personnel owing to targeted assaults on ISI installations. In the same government report, it confirmed that since 2001 a total of ~40,309 Pakistanis, both military and civilian, had lost their lives in the conflict.<ref name="Dawn">Iftikhar A. Khan. [http://www.dawn.com/2011/10/20/pakistan-lost-two-brigades-in-war-on-terror.html "Pakistan lost two brigades in war on terror"] ''Dawn'', 20 October 2011 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021072804/http://www.dawn.com/2011/10/20/pakistan-lost-two-brigades-in-war-on-terror.html |date=21 October 2011 }}</ref>

In addition, the TTP and central Asian militant groups suffered a staggering number of human casualties, and according to the reports ~20,742 militants had been killed or captured by February 2010.<ref name="ummid.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.ummid.com/news/2010/February/18.02.2010/cost_of_war_aganist_terror.htm |title='Global war on terror claims 30,000 Pakistani casualties' |publisher=ummid.com |accessdate=26 March 2011}}</ref> Among these, by November 2007, were 488 foreign fighters killed, 24 others arrested and 324 injured.<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite web|url=http://www.topnews.in/600-pakistan-security-men-killed-28-suicide-attacks-after-lal-masjid-operation-26116 |title=600 Pakistan security men killed in 28 suicide attacks after Lal Masjid operation|publisher=Topnews|accessdate=19 October 2008}}</ref> 220 policemen were killed in fighting in 2007 and 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/03/AR2009020300120.html|title=Taliban Destroys a Key Bridge in Pakistan|last=Rondeaux|first=Candace|date=4 February 2009|work=The Washington Post|accessdate=2 July 2009}}</ref> Before all-out fighting broke out in 2003, independent news sources reported only four incidents of deaths of Pakistani forces in 2001 and 2002, in which a total of 20 soldiers and policemen were killed.<ref name="NYdailyNews.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2001/12/20/2001-12-20_al_qaeda_prisoners_kill_6_gu.html |title=AL QAEDA PRISONERS KILL 6 GUARDS, FLEE |work=Daily News |location=New York |date=20 December 2001 |accessdate=27 March 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090618002704/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2001/12/20/2001-12-20_al_qaeda_prisoners_kill_6_gu.html |archivedate=18 June 2009 }}</ref><ref name="foxnews.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,56243,00.html |title=Ten Pakistani Soldiers, Two Suspected Al Qaeda Fighters Killed in Gunbattle |publisher=Fox News |date=26 June 2002 |accessdate=27 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011029/main1.htm |title=18 Christians killed Assailants spray bullets in Pak church |work=The Tribune |location=India |date=29 October 2001 |accessdate=21 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2002-07/a-2002-07-03-5-7.cfm |title=7 Killed in Shootout Between Pakistani Forces and Suspected al-Qaida &#124; News &#124; English |publisher=Voanews.com |date=3 July 2002 |accessdate=27 March 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090825230300/http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2002-07/a-2002-07-03-5-7.cfm |archivedate=25 August 2009 }}</ref>

The data compiled by the independent South Asia Terrorism Portal website shows that around 62,400 people were killed all across Pakistan including at least 33,700 militants, over 6,800 security forces personnel and 21,800+ civilians from January 2003 to August 2017.<ref name="satp">{{cite web|title=Fatalities in Terrorist Violence in Pakistan 2003-2017|url=http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/pakistan/database/casualties.htm|publisher=South Asia Terrorism Portal|accessdate=21 September 2017}}</ref>

Naushad Ali Khan of Pakistan Government's Research and Analysis,<ref name="NWFP">{{cite web|url=http://www.nwfp.gov.pk/ST_IT/Projects/ComputerizationofPoliceStations.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060710172202/http://www.nwfp.gov.pk/ST_IT/Projects/ComputerizationofPoliceStations.php|dead-url=yes|archive-date=10 July 2006|title=Computerization of Police Stations in District Swat|publisher=NWFP.gov.PK|accessdate=3 July 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Police in his article ''Suicide and terrorist attacks and police actions in NWFP, Pakistan''<ref name="PakistanSocietyofCriminology">[http://www.pakistansocietyofcriminology.com/Admin/articles/SUICIDEANDTERRORISTATTACKS.doc Suicide and Terrorist attacks] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111053259/http://www.pakistansocietyofcriminology.com/Admin/articles/SUICIDEANDTERRORISTATTACKS.doc |date=11 January 2009 }}, Pakistan Society of Criminology</ref> has provided details of different activities of the terrorists during 2008. Accordingly, 483 cases were registered with 533 deaths and 1290 injured. Similarly 29 suicidal attacks were recorded, resulting 247 deaths and 695 injuries. During the same period 83 attempts acts of terrorism were foiled by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Police.<ref name="PakistanSocietyofCriminology" />

==Issues with War Veterans==
Pakistan does not have its own equivalent to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. There is also no federal ministry that looks after veteran affairs. Most of Pakistan's infantry come from lower income, poor families, mainly from the rural areas of the country. They remain unknown from the time of their recruitment, and for the most part, to the time of their leave or death. Because there is no network of support that goes out to veterans, some believe that Pakistan's veterans are facing similar issues like those faced by Vietnam veterans. Politicians hardly ever mention the veterans in speeches or statements. This is because civil society hardly ever inquires or hears about the physical and mental challenges facing Pakistan's veterans. How to re-integrate veterans in to society is an issue that has yet to be addressed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/7920/foot-soldiers-our-forgotten-war-veterans/|title=Foot soldiers: Our forgotten war veterans|work=tribune.com.pk|accessdate=6 July 2015}}</ref>

==Popular culture==
Since the success of unified military operations in 2009–11, the Waziristan war has been heavily featured in Pakistan media, including in theatre, television, cinema, music, video games and literature. The war also influenced Pakistan's civil society to gather their support for Pakistan Armed Forces through the media miniseries and films that were released throughout the war. Pakistan's rock bands, such as ''Entity Paradigm'', ''Strings'', ''Call'' and ''Mizraab'' released many patriotic songs to gather support for the Pakistan armed forces to tackle down the insurgency. A popular band in the country, Junoon, released their album, ''Rock & Roll Jihad'' and literature ''Rock & Roll Jihad: A Muslim Rock Star's Revolution'' in 2010.{{citation needed|date=July 2014}}

==United States role==
[[File:US Navy 100323-N-0000X-003 Chief of Naval Staff of the Pakistan Navy Adm. Noman Bashir is greeted by Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command.jpg|thumb|CNS Adm Noman Bashir shakes hand with General David Petraeus to strengthen the partnership with the United States.]]

The US Ambassador Cameron Munter found it difficult to counter the Anti-American sentiment in the country, especially after the Raymond Davis incident.<ref name="Daily Beast">{{cite web|last=Tara McKelvey|title=A Former Ambassador to Pakistan Speaks Out|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/11/20/a-former-ambassador-to-pakistan-speaks-out.html|publisher=Daily Beast|accessdate=23 November 2012}}</ref>{{Relevance inline|date=June 2014}} The Anti-Americanism sentiment in Pakistan is one of the strongest in the world.<ref name="B92 Strongest">{{cite web|url=http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2009&mm=07&dd=07&nav_id=60329 |title=Strongest anti-American sentiment in Serbia, Pakistan |publisher=B92 |date=7 July 2009 |accessdate=August 2010 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608092000/http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2009&mm=07&dd=07&nav_id=60329 |archivedate=8 June 2011 }}</ref> The Anti-Americanism has risen as a result of U.S. military drone strikes introduced by President George W. Bush<ref name="YUKKA GHUND">{{cite news| last=  GHUND| first=  YUKKA | url=  https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-01-22-pakistan-aziz_x.htm| title=  Pakistan seeks to quell anti-American sentiments| publisher= [[Software:USA Today|USA Today]]/The Associated Press| date=  22 January 2006 | accessdate=21 August 2010}}</ref> and continued by President [[Biography:Barack Obama|Barack Obama]] as his counter-terrorism policy.<ref name="Liam Stack">{{cite news| last=  Stack| first=  Liam | url=  http://www.csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2009/0708/p99s01-duts.html| title=  Fresh drone attacks in Pakistan reignite debate| publisher= The Christian Science Monitor| date=   8 July 2009 
| accessdate=21 August 2010}}</ref>{{Relevance inline|date=June 2014}} As of present, almost 60%–80% of Pakistanis consider the United States as an enemy combatant state.<ref name="pakistan.camps">{{cite news| url= http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/08/25/pakistan.camps/#fbid=T1U0ubZTfIK&wom=false| title= Pakistan's flood victims give USAID chief an earful| publisher= CNN| date= 25 August 2010| accessdate= 25 August 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100829080411/http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/08/25/pakistan.camps/#fbid=T1U0ubZTfIK&wom=false| archivedate= 29 August 2010| deadurl= no| df= dmy-all}}</ref>{{Relevance inline|date=June 2014}} The Anti-Americanism has been provoked mainly as a reaction from those who are critical of American CIA activities in Pakistan, such as the infamous break-out of the Raymond Allen Davis incident and American intrusions from Afghanistan border such as the 2011 NATO attack in Pakistan.{{citation needed|date=June 2014}} The credibility of Obama administration was undermined in the country{{when|date=June 2014}} and, furthermore, approximately 4 in 10 Pakistanis believe that U.S. military and economic aid is having a negative impact on their country; only 1 in 10 believes the impact has been positive.<ref name="TR News">{{cite news|title=3 in 4 Pakistanis now consider US an enemy as resentment grows|url=http://rt.com/news/pakistan-consider-us-enemy-940/|accessdate=5 December 2012|newspaper=TR News|date=27 June 2012}}</ref> In 2010, Pakistan purchased 1,000 laser-guided bomb kits and 18 F-16 fighter jets from the US.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0217277420100302?type=marketsNews | title=US to send Pakistan laser-guided bomb kits | first=Andrea | last=Shalal-Esa | date=2 March 2010 | agency=Reuters}}</ref>

===Economics and Cost of war===
Studies and research conducted by Pakistan's leading economists and the financial experts, the war hit Pakistan's national economy "very hard", and the outcomes produced by the war on country's national economy, were surprising and unexpected to Pakistan's military and economic planners.<ref name="Central Asia Online">{{cite web|last=Sohail Ahmed|title=Pakistan's economy hit hard by war on terro|url=http://centralasiaonline.com/en_GB/articles/caii/features/pakistan/2010/06/18/feature-01|publisher=Central Asia Online|accessdate=5 December 2012}}</ref> The Pakistani government's economic institutions referred to the conflict as "economic terrorism" and according to Pakistani officials, the indirect and direct cost of the war was around $2.67&nbsp;billion in 2001–02, which reached up to $13.6 billion by 2009–10, was projected to rise to $17.8 billion in the 2010–11 financial year.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|last=Ministry of Finance|title=Cost of War on Terror for Pakistan Economy|url=https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:6pbRyrLvGUwJ:www.finance.gov.pk/survey/chapter_11/Special%2520Section_1.pdf+Pakistan+and+Economic+terror&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShmNeXw3b_kZa9btb8ynmF9OmtxDJk-3hPQSGtFyTN8ne1CfKtLv9lvzLYNA_KWjMXalNLRUCrEpR9oghYv5x-DdBPGXVrngVmHfeJLbXHcFz75UmtnKH2T3ehuo3c98GgdmfGw&sig=AHIEtbTjhUwue7Ox9nBkPN8VlbJwThHqOQ|work=Economic Affairs Secretariat|publisher=Government of Pakistan (Public Domain)|accessdate=5 December 2012}}</ref> The country's national investment-to-GDP ratio has nosedived from 22.5% in 2006–07 which went down to 13.4% in 2010–11 with serious consequences for job creating ability of the economy.<ref name="Government of Pakistan (Public Domain)"/> The leading English language newspaper, ''The Nation'' gave great criticism to United States, and called U.S. role as "economic terrorism" in South Asia.<ref name="The Nation">{{cite news|last=Hali|first=S.M|title=Economic Terrorism|url=http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/columns/07-Mar-2012/economic-terrorism|accessdate=5 December 2012|newspaper=The Nation|date=7 March 2012}}</ref>
[[File:Pakistan gdp growth rate.svg|thumb|Economic decay during the time of conflict. Exponentially rising the GDP to 8.96% (2004), it decayed to 1.21% (2008–09).]]
Until November 2016 the conflict, as well as terrorism in Pakistan, had cost Pakistan $118.3 billion.<ref>{{cite news|title='War on terror' has cost Pakistan $118bn: SBP|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1297305|accessdate=28 April 2017|work=Dawn|agency=Agence France Presse|date=November 19, 2016}}</ref> According to US Congress and the Pakistani media, Pakistan has received about $18 billion from the United States for the logistical support it provided for the counter-terrorism operations from 2001 to 2010, and for its own military operation mainly in Waziristan and other tribal areas along the Durand Line.{{citation needed|date=July 2014}} The Bush administration also offered an additional $3 billion five-year aid package to Pakistan for becoming a frontline ally in its 'War on Terror'. Annual installments of $600 million each split evenly between military and economic aid, began in 2005.<ref name=1billion>{{cite web|url=http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Security&loid=8.0.359974956&par=0 |title=Pakistan: $1 billion from U.S. to fight terror |publisher=Aki/Dawn |date=14 November 2006 |accessdate=24 November 2006 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
[[File:Socio-Economic Status of Pakistanis.png|thumb|left|Socioeconomic graph: The war hit Pakistan's national economy very hard, generally affecting 65 million people.]]
In 2009, President [[Biography:Barack Obama|Barack Obama]] pledged to continue supporting Pakistan and said that Pakistan would be provided economic aid of $1.5 billion each year for the next five years. Unfolding a new US strategy to defeat Taliban and al-Qaeda, Obama said Pakistan must be a 'stronger partner' in destroying al-Qaeda safe havens.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/blog/blog_details.asp?id=107 |title=Obama unveils new US policy for Pakistan, Afghanistan |accessdate=2 July 2009 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090401005358/http://thenews.com.pk/blog/blog_details.asp?id=107 |archivedate=1 April 2009}}</ref> In addition, President Obama has also planned to propose an extra $2.8 billion in aid for the Pakistani military to intensify the US-led 'War on Terror' along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The military aid would be in addition to the civilian aid of $1.5&nbsp;billion a year for the next five years from 2009 onwards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/south-asia/obama-to-propose-28-billion-dollars-military-aid-for-pakistan_100173583.html |title=Obama to propose 28 billion dollars military aid for Pakistan |publisher=Thaindian.com |date=31 March 2009 |accessdate=27 March 2011}}</ref>

In his autobiography, President Musharraf wrote that the United States had paid millions of dollars to the Pakistan government as bounty money for capturing al-Qaeda operatives from tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. About 359 of them were handed over to the US for prosecution.<ref name=1billion />
 
{{clear}}

==See also==
* [[Social:Economic terrorism|Economic terrorism]]
* Terrorism in Pakistan
* Human rights in Pakistan
* Joint warfare
* Sectarianism in Pakistan
* Military history of the North-West Frontier
* Afghanistan–Pakistan relations
* Pakistan–United States relations
* Violence in Pakistan 2006–09 (table and map)

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite web|last1=Tellis|first1=Ashley J.|title=Pakistan and the War on Terror: Conflicted Goals, Compromised Performance|url=http://carnegieendowment.org/files/tellis_pakistan_final.pdf|work=Carnegie Endowment for International Peace|date=2008}}
*{{cite news|last1=Jane Perlez|first1=Pir Zubair Shah|title=Confronting Taliban, Pakistan finds itself at War|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/03/world/asia/03pstan.html|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|date=2 October 2008}}
*{{cite news|last1=Farooq|first1=Umar|title=Civilians bear brunt of Pakistan's war in the northwest|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/02/11/civilians-bear-brunt-of-pakistans-war-in-the-northwest/|work=Foreign Policy|date=11 February 2013}}

==External links==
*[http://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/costs/human Costs of War] by the [[Organization:Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs|Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs]], [[Organization:Brown University|Brown University]]
*[http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/pakistan/database/index.html Pakistan Data Sheets] by the South Asia Terrorism Portal
*[http://pakistanbodycount.org/index.html Pakistan Body Count]
*[http://pakpips.com/securityreport.php Pakistan Security Reports] by the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
*[https://www.longwarjournal.org/?s=Pakistan Pakistan] Long War Journal by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
*[http://www.hsrgroup.org/human-security-reports/human-security-report.aspx Human Security Report] s by the [[Social:Human Security Report Project|Human Security Report Project]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091008000837/http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/news/specials Battling Taliban: Where Does It Stop?] ongoing coverage from ''Dawn'' in Pakistan
*{{cite web |url=http://www.historyguy.com/waziristan_war.html |title=Waziristan War (2004 – present) |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date= |website=historyguy.com |publisher=''The History Guy''|access-date= |quote=}}

{{Military of Pakistan}}

[[Category:Economic warfare]]

{{Sourceattribution|War in North-West Pakistan|1}}