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?
Very happy that Osama Bin Laden is dead. He was evil. But I am afraid that teh killings and death will continue and Pakistan will again be at worst end of this.
Glad that he is killed, but what an incompetent army Pakistan has. This guy was right under there nose. It’s really hard to believe they didn’t know it. Gen Kyani should be awarded “tamgha-e-incompetency”; is it what you guys eat up lion’s share of Pakistani budget. shame on you!
Oh CHANDLER.
Enough is Enough. When ever American’s wana attack an islamic countary they make lame excuses such as Weapons of Mass destruction.
DID THEY GET ANY SUCH WEAPONS FROM IRAQ?
U ppl r just worried that Islam might prosper thats why U people use terrorism as a weapon and name the muslims 4 that
jameschirico wrote:
You won’t here this on the news because of the many sleeper cells there, but thank you India for providing a staging area for this operation.
User ID:http://washingtonpost.com/PchhVYhgKW0EDQEKv6V1F 3rE7VgS76krNWZjM5N3fM%2B%2B%2BfrlKkwhFQ%3D%3D/
Today 5/2/2011 10:14:45 AM UTC+0500Recommended by 7 readers·
This is one comment posted in Washingtonpost on the news. I dont buy this.
This operation has eliminated the main witness to prosecute George Bush and his cronies for spreading terror in the world.
why did they bury him at sea? doesn’t make any sense. Or was this all fake? There have been reports that he died in 2002.