Islamabad, August 25: Al-Qaeda is gradually shifting its base from the unsafe and spy-infested tribal belt of Pakistan to “more secure urban areas of the country” like the port city of Karachi that cannot be targeted by US drones, according to a media report today.
Al-Qaeda had operated in the volatile tribal areas bordering Afghanistan with “near impunity” during 2001-08 “but they are on the move, communicating via couriers and moving stealthily in small groups to urban areas”, a former Western intelligence official was quoted as saying by the Daily Times newspaper.
The daily quoted its sources as saying that al-Qaeda operatives were now mostly migrating to Karachi, which has a large Pashtun population.
Many Pashtuns have migrated to Karachi following the launch of anti-militancy operations in the northwest and the recent floods and experts have said al-Qaeda and Taliban elements often find shelter among the Pashtuns.
–Agencies