Adil Najam
Late during the night between May 1 and May 2 in Pakistan there was news floating of a low-flying helicopter having blown up in the city of Abbottabad. There was much speculation, some wild rumors, but no confirmation of what had happened. Then, late night May 1 US East Coast Time (some six hours after the news about from Abbottabad had first started circulating in Pakistan), television screens in the US started flashing a notice that President Barack Obama would soon speak to the nation on a security issue. Rumors and speculation started flashing again.
(Unconfirmed – and, now, reportedly fake – photo of Osama Bin Laden’s dead body being shown on a private TV channel in Pakistan)
Soon it was confirmed that the news was that Osama Bin Laden had been killed: President Obama then confirmed that ke was killed in Pakistan, in Abbottabad, in an operation led by the US but conducted with support of Pakistani authorities (still not clear how much support, and whose). Reportedly, the US now has possession of Osama Bin Laden’s body.
This is a huge development in the War on Terror, even if Osama Bin Laden’s actual role had now become symbolic rather than operational. It is a development that also has huge implications for Pakistan, and for Pakistan-US relations.
More details are trickling by the minute. And partly for that reason it is not yet clear just what happened and which details are confirmed and which are speculation. What is now confirmed is: (a) Osama Bin Laden has been killed, (b) Osama Bin Laden was killed by US forces, (c) Osama Bin Laden was killed in Pakistan, (d) Osama Bin Laden was killed in an operation that was eventually supported by Pakistani authorities, and (e) CNN has no idea about anything that has to do with Pakistan (according to them Abbottabad is an outskirt just outside Islamabad!
As details come in and as a narrative and reactions develop both in Washington and in Islamabad, the one big – the one biggest – question that every Pakistani is thinking about is: What will this mean for Pakistan-US relations? What will this mean for Pakistan and Pakistanis? What will this mean for terrorism within Pakistan as a backlash of this incident?
What do you think?
thanks
IT will mean nothing for US-Pakistan relations.
US people will continue hating Pakistan as they always did.
Pakistan people will continue hating US like they always did.
The two governments will continue working together on things where they have common interests.
Nothing will change.
As an Indian I am loving this!
This War on Terror is great. It will end up destroying the two greatest enemies of India. USA will die in its own war like USSR did and Pakistan is self-destructing. Victor will be India as new world power!
How can Pakistan not know for all this time that Osama Bin Ladin was in Abottabad. After Obama has said that Pakistan has lead to this assassination in his statement last night. Why isn’t media talking about Pakistan’s role? Until Pakistan stands for itself and protect its national interest, it is harmful for Pakistan. The timing of this assassination is good for Obama. What is the truth now, who is going to have the guts to come out and really say how it is. Nothing is good for Pakistan, till Pakistanis are good for Pakistan.
First, I want to understand what really happened? Why can’t GOV. of Pakistan come out and have the guts to say what exactly happened? When will we stand for ourselves? CNN, ABC (Boston Channel) are not aware where Abottabad. Then they are so reluctant to accept the fact that Pakistan has any role in the assassination of Osama Bin Ladin. The U.S. main stream media is trying to show Pakistan as a weak and incapable “so called ally,” and adamant to disqualify Pakistan’s role. Our media from Pakistan and scholars should write and come on media.