Issue 5.1 | April 2001 | Information in this issue may be out of date. Click here to link to the most recent issue.

Pakistan

History

Pakistan was officially declared an independent sovereign state on August 14, 1997, ceasing its union with India and establishing a homeland for Indian Muslims. Despite its recent liberation, the country has become embattled by conflicts with India over ownership of Kashmir. Frequent fighting over the past decades with anti-Taleban forces, Iran and others has resulted in a landscape littered with explosives. Often ruled under martial law, the country has experienced much turmoil and strife and has created tension between its neighbors and potential supporters.

Landmines/UXO

Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) is Pakistan’s primary generator of landmines. A government-imposed moratorium on landmine production during negotiation to affirm Amended Protocol II has since limited the volume of landmines produced to comply with the protocol’s provisions. Though Pakistan supports the eventual termination of landmine use, it asserts that security concerns are paramount due to potential conflict with India and the situations in Jammu and Kashmir

Pakistan’s tribal belt is mine-affected, though no assessment has been made to determine the extent of the problem. The Pakistan Campaign to Ban Landmines (PCBL) reports that landmines are often found in agricultural lands, roads, near schools and in other public areas. The current estimate of Pakistan’s landmine stockpile is at least six million AP mines.

Casualties

A PCBL survey in the Bajaur area reported 405 landmine victims. Most of these incidents occurred in remote areas, preventing medical treatment for the majority of the injured. A lack of psychological and social rehabilitation centers detours the victims’ reintegration into their communities. Furthermore, many victims cannot afford prosthetics and other assistance.

Demining

Pakistan has contributed to U.N. mine clearance missions, though no clearance operations have occurred in Pakistan. Soldiers have participated in U.N. demining operations in Cambodia, Kuwait, Angola, Slovenia and Western Sahara. The PCBL reports that no mine awareness programs exist in Pakistan, but it is developing a mine awareness and risk avoidance education program in the Bajaur Agency.

Reality Check

Recent events have only worsened Pakistan’s situation. The assassinations of Iranian diplomats believed to support anti-Taleban insurgent forces have subsequently led to tension between Iran and Pakistan, causing Pakistan to deploy troops along its border with Afghanistan. In response, Iran has publicly threatened military intervention.

Contact Information

Faiz Mohammed Fayaz
Pakistan Campaign to Ban Landmines
House #58 H/2, Phase 11
Hayatabad Peshawar N.W.F.P.
Pakistan
Tel: +92-91-810803
Fax: +92-91-812541
E-mail: pakistan@icbl.org