Order Code RS21584
Updated August 9, 2004
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Pakistan: Chronology of Recent Events
K. Alan Kronstadt
Analyst in Asian Affairs
Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
Summary
This report provides a reverse chronology of recent events involving Pakistan and
Pakistan-U.S. relations.1 For a substantive review, see CRS Issue Brief IB94041,
Pakistan-U.S. Relations. This report will be updated monthly.
Acronyms
FATA:
Federally Administered Tribal Areas
MMA:
Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal or United Action Front, a coalition of six Islamist parties
NWFP:
North West Frontier Province
08/09/04 — Pakistan issued a protest to the United States over what it says was an FBI
sting operation involving a fake plot to kill Pakistan’s U.N. envoy. On the
same day, Pakistan and India engaged in a rare prisoner exchange when
three soldiers — veterans of the 1999 Kargil war — were returned home.
08/08/04 — The Interior Minister confirmed the arrest of longtime Pakistani
terrorist chief Fazlur Rehman Khalil, the leader of Harakat ul-
Mujahideen who co-signed Osama bin Laden’s 1998 edict declaring it a
Muslim’s duty to kill Americans and Jews. On the same day, twin bomb
attacks in Karachi, including one at a religious school, killed eight people
and injured 42 others. Also, U.S. National Security Advisor Rice strongly
denied that any U.S. government officials had leaked the name of an Al
Qaeda suspect arrested in Pakistan on 7/13.
08/07/04 — The United Arab Emirates remanded to Pakistani custody “senior Al
Qaeda operative” Qari Saifullah Akhtar, who had been arrested the
previous day in Dubai. Akhtar, who is alleged to have run a terrorist
training camp in Afghanistan until October 2001, reportedly was traced
using intelligence gleaned from captured Al Qaeda suspects Ahmed
Khalfan Ghailani and Mohammed Naeem Noor Khan. Khan also
1 Sources include, but are not limited to, the U.S. Department of State Washington File, New York
Times, Washington Post, BBC News, Associated Press, Reuters News, Agence France-Presse,
Dawn (Karachi), Daily Times (Lahore), and The News (Karachi).
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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CRS-2
reportedly provided information on Al Qaeda operatives who plan to carry
out terrorist attacks intended to disrupt the upcoming U.S. elections.
08/06/04 — Pakistan and India concluded two-day talks on their territorial dispute over
the Siachen glacier in northern Kashmir. A joint statement said that
“frank and candid discussions were held in a cordial and constructive
atmosphere,” and the two sides agreed to continue their dialogue.
08/05/04 — President Musharraf said Pakistan and India should “move fast” on
resolving the Kashmir issue, but insisted that he is not setting any
deadlines. On the same day, up to 11 combatants were reported killed in
heavy fighting between Pakistani security forces and tribal militants in
South Waziristan. Also, CNN reported that satellite imagery indicated that
some Al Qaeda training camps have been reactivated near Pakistan’s
border with southeastern Afghanistan.
08/04/04 — Pakistan and India concluded two-day talks on people-to-people contacts
with reports that both countries will relax their visa requirements.
08/03/04 — British police arrested 12 Al Qaeda suspects using intelligence gleaned
from captured Al Qaeda suspects Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani and
Mohammed Naeem Noor Khan. Among those taken was Issa al-Hindi,
said to be one of the most important Al Qaeda figures captured in the past
year. On the same day, Pakistan and China began their first-ever joint
military exercises, a four-day counterterrorism drill. Also, Afghan
soldiers supported by U.S. warplanes reportedly killed up to 70 militants
in a daylong battle in Khost province near the Pakistani border. Finally,
Finance Minister and Prime Minister-designate Aziz stated that there
would be no rollback of Pakistan’s nuclear program.
08/02/04 — An Al Qaeda suspect captured on 7/13 was publically named as
Mohammed Naeem Noor Khan, said to be an Al Qaeda computer and
communications expert whose interrogation was revealing extensive
intelligence on the Al Qaeda network. Numerous intelligence experts later
criticized the United States for releasing Khan’s name to the press even as
Khan was said to be covertly cooperating with investigators.
08/02/04 — Gunmen killed a police officer southwest of Quetta in a failed attempt to
assassinate the Baluchistan Chief Minister. On the same day, a
Pakistani government spokesman reaffirmed Pakistan’s position that it
would not send troops to Iraq under present circumstances.
08/01/04 — The Department of Homeland Security raised the terrorist threat level on
several U.S.-based financial institutions after reports of new intelligence
from an Al Qaeda suspect captured in Pakistan on 7/13.
07/31/04 — A leading pro-Taliban militant in the tribal areas accused Islamabad of
“conniving” with the U.S. government to kill Nek Mohammed, and
warned that military operations in South Waziristan would lead to further
violence across Pakistan.
07/30/04 — A suicide bomber killed eight people in a failed attempt to assassinate
the Prime Minister-designate, Shaukat Aziz, who was unharmed. An
Al Qaeda-link group claimed responsibility. On the same day, Pakistan
announced that one of the suspects captured on 7/25 was Ahmed
Khalfan Ghailani, a Tanzanian national who had appeared on the FBI’s
most-wanted list after his indictment for murder in connection with the
1998 Al Qaeda bombings of two American Embassies in East Africa.

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CRS-3
07/29/04 — Pakistani and Indian officials met for two-day talks on their disagreements
over the Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation project in Kashmir. Talks
were held in a “cordial and constructive atmosphere,” with the two sides
agreeing to continue dialogue.
07/28/04 — A press report said that former Pakistani Army Chief (1996-1998) Gen.
Jehangir Karamat will be named as Pakistan’s new Ambassador to
the United States. On the same day, a suicide bomber killed a senior
Pakistani intelligence officer in Kohat, near the tribal areas. Also, 70
police officers in the city of Gujrat were suspended and faced
interrogation for their failure to discover that several foreign terrorism
suspects were living in the area near their stations.
07/26/04 — The NWFP government reportedly offered to resolve the Wana issue on
the basis of the 4/24 “Shakai agreement,” saying it would lift economic
sanctions if tribesmen accede to government conditions. On the same day,
top MMA leader Qazi Hussein Ahmed promised a nation-wide “reaction”
against any decision to send Pakistani troops to Iraq.
07/25/04 — After a 14-hour gunbattle in the eastern city of Gujrat, Pakistani security
forces arrested 13 people suspected of ties to Al Qaeda, including four
foreigners. On the same day, nine Bell 412 helicopters were delivered to
Pakistan to assist Islamabad in combating terrorism.
07/24/04 — Pakistani authorities released a former nuclear scientist and two retired
military officers who had been held since December 2003 on suspicion of
participation in A.Q. Khan’s proliferation network. On the same day, the
Minister of Information said that Pakistan would consider sending troops
to Iraq if Baghdad made a formal request, if other Islamic countries also
contribute, and if the Pakistani Parliament approves of the policy.
07/23/04 — President Musharraf met with Indian External Affairs Minister
Natwar Singh in Rawalpindi, where Musharraf “emphasized the need for
simultaneous progress” on all issues, especially Kashmir, which he said
needed to be resolved within “a reasonable time frame.” Singh reportedly
responded by saying that, “Flexibility also means flexibility on time.”
07/22/04 — The 9/11 Commission Report was released. The report emphasized the
importance of eliminating terrorist sanctuaries in western Pakistan, and
called for provision of long-term and comprehensive support to the
government of President Musharraf so long as that government remains
committed to combating terrorism and to a policy of “enlightened
moderation.” On the same day, H.R. 4965 (the Nuclear Black-Market
Elimination Act) was introduced in the House. The Act would authorize
the President to impose three-year-minimum sanctions on any “foreign
person or entity” that is determined to have been involved in the illicit
transfer of nuclear enrichment or reprocessing materials or technologies,
or designs or equipment for nuclear explosive devices. Title III of the Act
would require the President to determine that Pakistan has verifiably
halted all proliferation activities and is fully sharing with the United States
all information relevant to the A.Q. Khan proliferation network.
07/21/04 — Foreign Affairs Minister Khurshid Kasuri met with his Indian counterpart
Natwar Singh in Islamabad for “frank and friendly” talks on efforts to
continue their bilateral peace process. On the same day, New York-based
Human Rights Watch issued a report that accused the Pakistan Army of
using brutal tactics, including torture, to repress a farmers’ movement in

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CRS-4
the Okara district of Punjab. A Pakistan military spokesman called the
accusations “ludicrous.” Also, Pakistan’s Naval Chief met with officials
from the U.S. Departments of State and Defense in Washington to discuss
the possible sale to Pakistan of new weapons systems.
07/20/04 — A representative of the Lahore-based Human Rights Commission of
Pakistan said that the residents of Azad (Free) Kashmir live under a
“general atmosphere of fear and apprehension,” feeling that “Pakistan’s
military and bureaucracy totally dominate and control their government.”
07/17/04 — Eight representatives of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
reportedly met with a team of Pakistani nuclear scientists in Washington
for first-ever bilateral talks on civilian nuclear safety issues.
07/16/04 — The United States and Pakistan signed an agreement to use FY2004
Economic Support Funds to cancel $495 million in Pakistan’s
concessional debt to the U.S. government. On the same day, Pakistan’s
foreign minister strongly rejected the recent claim of the U.S. Deputy
Secretary of State that the infiltration of Islamic militants into Indian
Kashmir was continuing. Also, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told
an interviewer that he had been “stabbed in the back” by Army Chief
Pervez Musharraf when Musharraf allegedly failed to inform him of the
1999 Kargil operation and the involvement of Pakistan Army troops.
07/15/04 — H.R. 4818 (Foreign Operations Appropriations FY2005) was passed by
the House. The bill would establish a new base program of $300 million
for military assistance for Pakistan, but allocates only half of that amount
while authorizing the President to transfer the remainder from unobligated
balances of funds under previous appropriations Acts. The bill also
authorizes Pakistan to use up to $200 million in Economic Support Funds
to further reduce Pakistan’s concessional debt to the United States. On the
same day, while on a visit to South Asia, Deputy Secretary of State
Armitage told reporters in Islamabad that “the United States is
completely satisfied” with the state of Pakistan-U.S. relations.
07/14/04 — The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on Pakistan
and counterterrorism. On the same day, while on a visit to South Asia,
Deputy Secretary of State Armitage told reporters in New Delhi that “the
infrastructure [in Pakistan] that supports cross-border activities [in
Kashmir] has not been dismantled.”
07/13/04 — Pakistan and India announced scheduling a series of six rounds of bilateral
talks over coming weeks ahead of a planned meeting of foreign ministers
in early September. On the same day, the Afghan Foreign Minister
praised Pakistan for its role in fighting terrorism, but Afghan President
Karzai expressed concern that militants trained on Pakistani territory
continue to cross into Afghanistan to mount anti-government attacks there.
07/12/04 — U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan named the Pakistani Ambassador to
the United States, Ashraf Jahngir Qazi, to head the U.N. mission in Iraq.
07/08/04 — H.R. 4754 (the Department of State and Related Agency Appropriations
Act, 2005) was passed by the House. Section 405(e) of the Act would
require the Secretary of State to report to Congress a plan to maximize
awareness of rewards available for the capture or information leading to
the capture of a leader of a foreign terrorist organization who may be in
Pakistan or Afghanistan.

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CRS-5
07/05/04 — Pakistan finalized a deal to purchase a reported 50 Mirage jet fighters
and 150 engines from Libya.
07/02/04 — The ASEAN Regional Forum formally accepted Pakistan as a member.
06/30/04 — The new Prime Minister, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussein, took office vowing
to continue implementing President Musharraf’s policies on economic
stability, political security, and dialogue with India.
06/28/04 — Two days of bilateral talks between foreign secretaries ended on a
positive note with Pakistan and India agreeing to return their respective
embassies to full strength.
06/26/04 — Prime Minister Jamali announced his resignation at the request of
President Musharraf. Opposition parties and independent analysts called
his “removal” a setback for democracy.
06/24/04 — Pakistan’s new National Security Council met for the first time to
address terrorism in Sindh and military operations in the tribal areas.
06/23/04 — H.R. 4548 (the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY2005) was passed by
the House. Section 304 of the Act would require the Director of Central
Intelligence to report to the Congress on Pakistani efforts to curb
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and to fight terrorism. On
the same day, Pakistan and India agreed to reopen their respective
consulates in Bombay and Karachi.
06/20/04 — After two days of talks on nuclear confidence-building measures,
Pakistan and India agreed to establish a hotline to reduce the threat of
accidental nuclear war.
06/17/04 — Pakistani troops backed by jets and helicopter gunships reportedly began
a new offensive operation in South Waziristan that included the killing
of one of the most defiant militant Pashtun leaders, Nek Mohammed.
Seven others were killed in the attack. Also, the Information Secretary of
the Pakistan People’s party, Munawar Suharwardy, was murdered in an
apparent assassination in Karachi.
06/16/04 — President Bush designated Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally of the
United States.
06/14/04 — The Pakistan Army ended a five-day operation in South Waziristan
that left 72 people dead, including 17 soldiers. On the same day, a State
Department report placed Pakistan on the “Tier 2 Watch List” as a
“source, transit, and destination country for trafficked persons.”
06/13/04 — Pakistani security forces arrested nine suspected terrorists, including the
nephew of Al Qaeda leader Khalid Sheik Mohammed.
06/11/04 — Fixed-wing Pakistani warplanes in South Waziristan reportedly bombed
three compounds being used by militants, including one that was
described as a terrorist training camp.
06/10/04 — Suspected Islamic militants attacked the motorcade of a top Pakistani
Army commander in Karachi, killing ten, but leaving the general
unharmed. On the same day, the Islamabad government rescinded its
amnesty offer to five key tribal militants in South Waziristan and issued
a “kill or capture” order against them.
06/01/04 — A Washington Post editorial article by President Musharraf set out his
strategy of “enlightened moderation” that seeks to end Islamic militancy
and improve the socioeconomic standing of Muslims.

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CRS-6
05/31/04 — A bomb exploded at a Shiite mosque in Karachi, killing at least 20
people and injuring 38 others.
05/30/04 — Unidentified gunmen shot and killed leading pro-Taliban Sunni cleric
Nizamuddin Shamzai in Karachi. On the same day, authorities in South
Waziristan shuttered more than 6,000 merchant shops in an effort to
pressure against tribesmen who are providing shelter to militants there.
05/29/04 — Pakistan test-fired its nuclear-capable Ghauri medium-range ballistic
missile.
05/27/04 — President Musharraf said that junior Pakistan Army and Air Force officers
were among those who tried to assassinate him in December 2003. On the
same day, the U.S. and Pakistani governments reportedly agreed to
establish communication links that would prevent future incursions of
U.S. troops onto Pakistani territory.
05/25/04 — Islamist political leader and pro-Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlur Rehman
was named as Leader of the Opposition in Pakistan’s Parliament.
05/24/04 — Karachi police arrested six suspected members of the Harakat ul-
Mujahideen Al Aalami terrorist group who allegedly were behind a 2002
attempt to assassinate President Musharraf.
05/23/04 — The British Commonwealth ended a four-year suspension of Pakistan.
05/12/04 — The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom again
recommended that the United States designate Pakistan as a “country of
particular concern.”
05/11/04 — Shabaz Sharif, a former Punjab Chief Minister and brother of
deposed PM Nawaz Sharif, attempted to return to Lahore from exile
in London, but was immediately deported to Saudi Arabia.
05/07/04 — A suspected suicide bombing at a Karachi mosque killed 14 Shia
worshipers and injured at least 200 others.
05/03/04 — The U.S. Trade Representative again named Pakistan to its Special
301 priority watch list.
04/27/04 — Pakistan announced plans to reduce the size of its army by some 50,000
soldiers, or 9% of its total strength.
04/24/04 — Five Pashtun tribesmen accused of sheltering Al Qaeda members in
western Pakistan surrendered to government authorities and were
immediately granted amnesty in return for promises that they would not
provide shelter to Al Qaeda members or their supporters.
04/21/04 — H.R. 4183 was introduced in the House. The bill includes a provision
seeking to make available $890 million to reimburse Pakistan and other
key cooperating nations for their support of U.S. counterterrorism efforts.
04/14/04 — Pakistan’s Parliament passed a law establishing a National Security
Council that has been harshly criticized by opposition leaders as
institutionalizing a permanent governance role for the Pakistani military.
04/12/04 — Top opposition figure and ARD leader Javed Hashmi was sentenced to
23 years in prison for sedition, mutiny, and forgery.
04/04/04 — Suspected Islamic militants stormed a Karachi police station and killed
five officers. Officials said they believe the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi terrorist
group was responsible.

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