A Swati journalist writes an open lettter / appeal to Mullah Fazlullah: The writ of the state? ISI-Taliban Alliance? No Comments…

Pakhtuns protest in London against the atrocities of Taliban: Pakhtuns are a brave peace-loving nation. They mind their own business and hate acts of violence, religious, ethnic and sectarian terrorism. This was the message of a grand protest organized by the Pukhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party. The demonstrators protested

Taliban establish a new FM radio station in the Upper Dir area: On 19 June 2008, The News reported that: Emboldened by their unchallenged activities in the troubled Swat valley, Maulana Fazlullah-led militants (Taliban) have started extending their sphere of influence and activities…. Turning to the upper parts of Swat, the

The third phase of military operation in Swat: Will it be any different?: Will it be any different? THE third phase of Operation Rah-i-Haq underway in Swat has been talked up by the government and the Pakistan Army on the grounds of a ‘new strategy’. While we must wait to see the

The extremists – by Dr Muzaffar Iqbal: The extremists Quantum note Tuesday, February 03, 2009 Dr Muzaffar Iqbal The oxymoron “Muslim extremists” was obviously coined by those who have no idea of who a Muslim is. By definition, a Muslim is someone who follows the middle

Comparing Swat and the Hur uprising: "The real game is that Taliban are implementing a global Wahabi extremist agenda in Swat".: Comparing Swat and the Hur uprising Tuesday, February 03, 2009 Farhat Taj This is in response to Ayesha Ibrahim’s article of Jan 26 titled ‘Swat and the Hur uprising’. The people of Swat disagree with her comparison between the

Will the "Swati Taliban" capture Islamabad or Will Islamabad capture them? An outcome of Musharraf’s double-cross policies in the war on terror…: Nazir Naji

Swat and the Mullah Military Alliance: Two pictures and a column – Abbas Ather:

Swat, o Swat! Could it be that the former "assets" of the state are now turning their guns on their former benefactors?: Thursday, January 29, 2009 Kheyam Khan The people of Swat are confused. They wonder how the might of the Pakistan Army cannot subdue the Taliban of Swat. The Swat insurgency and the “counter-insurgency” must be given priority attention by

Some observations on the war in Swat: Thursday, January 29, 2009 Aasim Sajjad Akhtar Over the past few weeks a vigorous debate has raged on these pages about the nature of the war taking place in Swat. It is important to congratulate the editors of these

Many people said that if the ISI was sincere with the Pakhtuns it must target-kill the entire Taliban leadership just like the Taliban did with elders: What Pakhtuns think Wednesday, January 28, 2009 Farhat Taj There are many Pakhtun who argue that some elite state intelligence agencies and the Taliban, as of Swat for example, are ‘natural allies’ and feed on each other. The Taliban

SOS from D.I.Khan. Why have Police and Army failed to protect Shias in D.I. Khan?: D I Khan bomb blast Wednesday, January 28, 2009 So attuned have we become to living in an age of violence that we now barely seem to notice acts of terror unless they kill a significant number of people.

Swat: Taliban hit-list and two-finger sign: If international humiliation and domestic depression is what the Taliban wanted, they have found the device with which to do it in Swat. They have released a list of 43 people whom they have declared “wanted” and liable to

Derailed de-radicalisation: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 Zeenia Satti Just like the Afghan war was allowed to turn into Pakistan’s civil war, similarly, the Mumbai attacks are likely to usher in civil unrest in Punjab. While events in neighbouring countries adversely impact

SOS from Quetta: Systematic killing of Shia Muslims by the Taliban, Sipah-e-Sahaba: Shia leader shot dead in QuettaUpdated at: 1140 PST, Monday, January 26, 2009 QUETTA: A leader of Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) has been shot dead in Quetta on Monday. According to reports,

SOS message from Swat, Pakistan to Mr. Richard Holbrooke: Urgent appeal to Mr. Richard Holbrooke. If you want to understand, expose and address the unholy nexus between the Taliban and the Pakistan Army (ISI), focus your attention on what is happening in Swat. It is an SOS message

Swat: The Taliban hit list: Taliban commander summons dignitaries in its ‘court’: The taliban hit-list 1 – Ex-federal minister Afzal Khan (ANP) 2 – NWFP Minister Ayub Ashari (ANP) 3 – Tahir Ashari, brother of Ayub Ashari

Curbs on women in militancy-hit areas spreading to Quetta: Curbs on women in militancy (or Talibani Shariat) hit areas spreading to Quetta By Malik Siraj Akbar QUETTA: An increasing number of restaurants in Quetta have stopped serving women apparently after being pressured by religious elements, and

A review of Khaled Ahmed’s “Sectarian War: Pakistan’s Sunni-Shia Violence and its links to the Middle East” – by Khalid Hasan: Sectarian conflict looms over Pakistan, says study By Khalid Hasan Source: Daily Times, May 14, 2007 WASHINGTON: Sectarian violence marked by the Shia-Sunni conflict threatens to engulf Pakistan as the current century gets underway, predicts a new study released

OTHER VOICES – Pushto Press – Taliban kill Pakhtuns: Tolafghan, Kabul Taliban kill Pakhtuns TALIBAN militants have taken responsibility for most of the attacks and suicide bombings inside Afghanistan. They have especially been engaged in wiping out Pakhtuns over the last seven years; and this brings us to

Swat under siege — Abbas Rashid: Both India and Pakistan do not seem optimally positioned in terms of internal dynamics to deal with the pressing issues they face. The dissensions within will allow the militants to secure even greater space One indicator of the state

Swat: Talat Hussain asks some important questions: In his op-ed in daily Express, Talat Hussain asks several valid questions exposing the unholy nexus between the (rogue elements in?) Pakistan Army and the Taliban. Talat asks: 1. Why did not Pakistan Army eliminate/defeat terrorists/militants in its military

Is it our war or not? and the divisions in Pakistani society?: Is it our war or not? Saturday, January 24, 2009 Majid Abdullah What does it mean when politicians argue that we have terrorism in the country because General Musharraf committed the country to the Afghan war in 2001? We

President Obama ‘orders Pakistan drone attacks’; also, why are drone attacks important?: (US Air Force/EPA) A Predator drone Tim Reid in Washington (Times Online, 23 January 2009) Missiles fired from suspected US drones killed at least 15 people inside Pakistan today, the first such strikes since Barack Obama became president and

Swat: Afzal Khan Lala of ANP says: "I will not surrender to the Taliban terror. I will not run away.": Legend from Swat: Afzal Khan Lala Interview by Abdul Haye Kakar BBC Urdu dot com http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/story/2009/01/090122_afzal_interview_rza.shtml …. Story of Afzal Khan Lala – by Rahimullah Yusufzai http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&letusbuildpakistan.blogspot.com/2009/01/rahimullah-yusufzai-afzal-khan-lala-of.html …. Also read, Last Khan standing – by Sartaj Khan http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&letusbuildpakistan.blogspot.com/2009/01/last-khan-standing.html ….

Swat: It is a sin to remain silent:

Swat: A knock on the door of our heart – Tanvir Qaiser Shahid:

Story of Shabana from Swat: a wedding dancer killed by the Taliban style shariat: Side-effect Shabana from Swat Friday, January 23, 2009 by Harris Khalique Shabana, the artiste from Swat who used to sing and dance to earn her living and make people merry on weddings and other such occasions, was shot in

Swat: No point in talking to the Taliban… Obama, please bomb the Taliban headquarters in FATA since the Pakistani army is unwilling to do so.: No point in talking to the Taliban Friday, January 23, 2009 by Farhat Taj Some weeks ago I was with a family in the NWFP. The family had staying with them many relatives from a Taliban-occupied tribal area. I

Debacle in Swat – by Kamila Hayat: Debacle in Swat Thursday, January 22, 2009 (The News)Kamila HyatThe writer is a freelance columnist and former newspaper editorThe Pakistan military seems to have suffered a decisive defeat in war. While a fierce military operation has continued in Swat

Mohmand operation and the need to close down extremist seminaries in the NWFP: Mohmand operation Thursday, January 22, 2009 (The News) At least 60 militants are said to have died within the last 24 hours in Mohmand Agency, as troops continue operations intended to regain control over the tribal territory. In stepped

Pakistan’s sovereignty, America and the Taliban…: American drones and Taliban terrorism An important visit by the chief of US Central Command (CENTCOM), General David Petraeus, on Tuesday ended on a note of disagreement in Islamabad. President Asif Ali Zardari “expressed concern” over the US drone

Imran Khan demands the imposition of shariat in Pakistan: Daily Express, 21 January 2009 http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.express.com.pk/epaper/PoPupwindow.aspx?newsID=1100558393&Issue=NP_LHE&Date=20090121 …. Video confession Imran Khan owns up his statement in ‘Kal Tak’ a TV program hosted by Javed Chaudhry on 21 January

Swat asks many questions – by Sohail Qalandar and Tanvir Qaiser Shahid: The siege of Swat (Swat ka muhasira) – by Tanvir Shahid Swat ka sawal… By Sohail Qalandar Pakistan Army is protecting the Taliban to impose their brand of sharia, destroy schools, pressurize the ANP leadership to negotiate with the

Amir Mir: Has Swat fallen to the Taliban?: Wednesday 21 January 2009 LAHORE: Fifteen months after the launching of a military operation in the lush-green picturesque valley of Swat by the Pakistan army to dismantle the militant network of Maulana Fazalullah, a major part of the mountainous

UN condemns Pakistan school attacks: Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:17:04 GMT A UN special representative condemns the increasing attacks on schools in northwestern Pakistan by Taliban and other armed groups. In a statement issued in New York, Radhika Coomaraswamy, the UN secretary general’s special

Swat: Muted protests won’t do: Muted protests won’t do By Zubeida Mustafa PAKISTANIS have perfected the art of protest. Karachi has posters plastered on the walls calling on people to demonstrate their solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. In 2007 Musharraf’s coup against the

Saving Swat: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 Militants, who now control well over half of the Swat Valley, have blown up at least ten schools for girls over the past week. The idea is to drive home the menace behind their warning

Urgent Appeal: Sign this Petition to Save Girls Schools in Swat: ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-005-2009 The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) seeks for your support for a campaign in support of the female students in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The campaign seeks the

Swat: Last Khan standing: Tuesday, January 20, 2009 Sartaj Khan The militants in Swat once again attacked the veteran Pashtun nationalist leader Mohammad Afzal Khan on Jan 11 in his native village of Bara Durshkhela, in the Matta area in upper Swat. Mohammad