Peshawar: Despite govt denials, Blackwater controversy refuses to fade away

[Naveed Yaseen]

Javed Aziz Khan

PESHAWAR: The issue of Blackwater or its successor firm, Xe Worldwide, refuses to go away despite denials by the US and Pakistani authorities about its presence in Pakistan.

Top government officials, including Federal Interior Minister Rahman Malik, are technically correct in denying the presence of Blackwater in the country as the name of the company had been changed to Xe Worldwide LLC or simply Xe since February 13.

However, many people including the deputy leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan and former senior NWFP minister, Sirajul Haq, have a different viewpoint. He alleged that Blackwater or Xe Worldwide has not only set up its headquarters in University Town, but a building had recently been constructed for it in Mohmand Agency.

“The first news that I got on my return after performing Umrah yesterday was that the building for that company in Mohmand Agency has been completed. They are also hiring PC now, which is close to the Governor’s House, Chief Minister’s House, Corps Commander House, NWFP Assembly and headquarters of police and other security agencies,” Sirajul Haq said.

He was of the view that the project was being led by the American Embassy in Pakistan. “We are planning to create awareness among the public over the issue, discuss it with the intelligentsia and mobilise a public resistance movement against the growing activities of foreign security personnel,” the JI leader said.

Arbab Mohammad Tahir, the spokesman for the ruling Awami National Party (ANP), declined to comment on the issue. He said how his party can comment on the issue when the presence of the Blackwater or Xe is yet to be proved, adding the US and Pakistani governments have time and again denied the existence of the US security firm in the country.

“This is the propaganda of religious parties having sympathies with the militants. The ANP will comment only when the presence of the company in the province will be proved,” Arbab Tahir added.

The University Town Residents Welfare Society had expressed concerns on behalf of its 800 members over the presence of a large number of foreigners, who have been hiring buildings in residential area. The dwellers and visitors have observed the movement of foreigners in cars with tinted glasses in the locality for the past several months.

When asked whether the weapons these foreigners are carrying in their vehicles were licensed, the senior superintendent of police (SSP) Peshawar said he has “no information”. The Frontier Police chief has already denied the presence of foreign security officials in his area.

There were unconfirmed reports that the personnel of Xe have been living in the city in the guise of the officials of the NGOs and other bodies, lodged in several bungalows in the posh University Town.

Apart from the spacious US Consulate on Hospital Road in Peshawar Cantonment, there were reports that people and firms linked with the US hired 25 buildings on Circular Road, Chinar Road, Gul Mohar Lane, Park Road, SAQ Road, Jamaluddin Afghani Road, Park Avenue, Rahman Baba Road, Railway Road, AB Road and Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum Road in the University Town for offices of private companies and NGOs. These reports have always been denied.

MPA Ateefur Rahman whose constituency includes the University Town as well, denied the presence of suspicious foreigners in rented houses in the area. “This is all speculation,” he told The News.

“This is a residential area, but several bungalows have been hired now for the offices of the foreign bodies,” lamented a senior office-bearer of the University Town Residents’ Society.

The Xe is a private military company founded as Blackwater USA in 1997 by a wealthy American, Erik Prince. The organisation operates one of the world’s largest training facility, spread over around 6,000 acres, which trains more than 40,000 people a year, mostly from American or foreign military and police services.

Apart from JI, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf have also expressed concerns over the reports of growing presence of foreign security personnel in Pakistan.

Also, there are worries among the elite class over the reported deal being negotiated between the US Embassy and proprietors of the Pearl Continental (PC) to establish diplomatic mission in the lone five-star hotel of the provincial capital. The hotel closed down after a suicide bombing on June 9.

“We have been hearing about the deal of selling or renting out the PC to the Americans. This will disappoint thousands,” remarked Nadeem Malik, who along with his son survived the June 9 blast.

At least 17 people were killed and over 50 others injured in the bomb blast in PC. Despite denials by the investigators, there were reports that those killed in the blast included foreign security officials staying at the hotel.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=200617