- Title: PAKISTAN: Conspiracy theories abound after Pakistan naval base assault
- Date: 24th May 2011
- Summary: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (MAY 23 , 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MARKET IN PAKISTAN'S CAPITAL
- Embargoed: 8th June 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Pakistan, Pakistan
- Country: Pakistan
- Topics: War / Fighting
- Reuters ID: LVA27UAXUJVTSG5OAK69K0RLRMG8
- Story Text: Attacks against Pakistan security forces are all too common, but the scale of Monday's (May 23) operation marked it out as the most audacious since the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden by U.S. forces early this month.
Blasts rang out and helicopters hovered above the PNS Mehran base in the commercial hub of Karachi, for hours after more than 20 Pakistani Taliban militants stormed the building with guns and grenades on Sunday (May 22) night, blowing up at least one aircraft. At least 12 military personnel were killed and 14 wounded.
The Pakistan Taliban, which is allied with al Qaeda, said the attack was to avenge bin Laden's killing.
Many in Pakistan were furious with the U.S. operation to kill bin Laden without sharing any intelligence beforehand with Islamabad, which they saw as a severe breach of sovereignty.
Despite the Taliban's claim of responsibility, many Pakistanis in the capital Islamabad refused to buy the "Taliban theory" and said India or the CIA could have been behind this.
"We have many enemies as you would know, America is our enemy, India is our enemy, Israel is our enemy. This is the handiwork of those who are sitting in Afghanistan. Everyone knows they are our enemies and are plotting against us, to make us weak," Islamabad school teacher, Mohammad Ishfaq told Reuters Television.
"People think that the Taliban carried this out, but I believe that Taliban are not involved in this. The People's Party government has issued visas to agents from outside who are in Pakistan, trying to destroy Pakistan. They are busy destroying the country," said salesman, Siddique Gohar.
"The aim of these people is to weaken Pakistan, to make it unsuccessful. To weaken the Muslims of Pakistan, to weaken the country," said shopowner, Syed Ali Shah.
Karachi has a population of about 18 million people, a volatile mix of rival ethnic groups and political factions, who all to often readily resort to violence to settle scores.
Sprawling along the sun-baked coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is also home to Pakistan's main port, financial markets and the central bank. It is also a transit point for military and other supplies to Afghanistan for the U.S.- and NATO-led anti-insurgency effort there. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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