Swat Operation II

[RabzonKhan]

Taliban Terror!


Swat residents circulate adverts for safety

By Daud Khattak
January 19, 2009

PESHAWAR: Under threat from the Taliban, residents in Swat district are publishing adverts in local newspapers to inform the Taliban that they had made amends and were no more running ‘immoral’ and ‘un-Islamic’ businesses.

“I have been providing spiritual cure to patients with the help of Quranic verses. Now, I’m a kidney patient and am suffering from cardiac problems. Doctors have advised complete rest. Therefore, I’ve closed my business. Do not visit me in this regard,” said an advert in Swat-based Urdu newspaper, Azaadi.

The advertisement by faith healer Jameel Ahmad in Charbagh tehsil of Swat, appeared just a week before the police recovered the beheaded body of another healer, Pir Rafiullah, in the outskirts of Peshawar on Saturday.

Rafiullah was threatened a few days before his abduction on Friday last week from his hometown of Taru Jabba near Peshawar. His body was found the next day in Matani.

Closure: Ahmad’s two-room clinic, which was usually packed with visitors, is closed now.

A poster installed on the main gate of the locked clinic says, “I have stopped the faith healing business. The clinic is closed. Please do not visit.”

Ahmad, however, is not the only one, as many others are also closing down business to save themselves.

In a similar advert, Nasirul Mulk of Mingora said, “I have expiated from selling drugs. From now on, I shall do labour and earn Halal (Islamic) income. I will not use or sell drugs.”

A lady councillor and a member of the zakat committee have also placed advertisements in newspapers, saying they have resigned from their jobs, and have asked the people of their respective areas not to contact them in connection with their previous jobs.

Female dancers and singers in Swat had already left the area, for cities like Karachi and Lahore, much before the Taliban’s warnings to drug pushers, smugglers, elected members, and women employees of various government departments.

Locals said the Taliban, through their radio channel, had repeatedly warned residents to stop ‘illegal’ businesses.

Migration: The warnings against educating females have forced thousands of families to migrate to other cities of the NWFP and Punjab.

The provincial government, left with no other option, said the students from Swat would be adjusted in educational institutions in other cities in evening shifts.

According to an association of private schools in Swat, the Taliban ban would put around 60,000 girls out of schools.

Women in Swat have already restricted themselves to their houses, while those employed have quit their jobs, gone on long leaves or have got themselves transferred to other districts of the NWFP.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

^^^ An Anwar has the audacity (or sheer dishonesty ) to argue that the Swatis are in love with the Taliban ..

Your 'chosen ones' have forced thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, to flee their homes fearing the safety of their families, and the for the future of their children, denied an education by the Taliban.

 

[JK!]

Time for round 2 between the Army and Swat Taliban methinks.

 

[waraich66]

Islam provide safety and protection for even non muslims . I could not understand what type of islam they are going to establish in SWAT.

They should not repeat mistakes of Afghan Talaban otherwise they would face same results.

 

[Xeric]

Somebody said the Army is doing nothing in Swat.
What about the 17 terrorists killed by the Army recently.

Let the Army deal with this menace in its own ways.
They don't need advice by 'experts'

Some idiot on media once said, rather qouted a Swat TAliban that we only target schools where the Army have made camps. Someone shoud ask that idiot and the one qouting him on media that does the Army only camps and make posts inside GIRL Schools?? i remeber that many other idiots also bought this Taliban propaganda and criticized the Army for NOTHING!!!
And now ultimately they came to know about the facts. i don't know why we wait to react until the water has risen above our heads.

 

[Anwar2]

Dear friends. Swat is an integral part of Pakistan, not exactly located on an alien planet. You can reach Mingora in just about 4 hours from Islamabad. Move around; do a bit of sight seeing towards Madyan and Bahrain. Go and see for yourself what Taliban “rule” is all about.

About the only inconvenience you will face are the zillion Army checkpoints. Army and FC has commandeered schools, and perhaps for a legitimate reason. The school building is about the only spacious structure to offer protection in (sometimes) sub-zero weather.

Sometimes you may hear rumblings of distant artillery, and Cobras cannon fire. You can take solace in the fact that the valiant forces are conquering “enemy” territory and mowing the bad guys down. Then you will see the same bad guys (walking dead) serving you a warm cup of tea … believe me those guys have’nt forgotten their hospitality tradition in these hard times

Yes drug pushers, faith healers, dancing girls are facing a bit of tough time; they have to move to more benign locations. Property disputes and such civil cases are now decided within weeks rather than linger on for decades in our archaic and corrupt legal system.

The most cruel cut of all is from our dear friend AgNoStIc MuSliM “if not hundreds of thousands, to flee their homes fearing the safety of their families, and the for the future of their children, denied an education by the Taliban.”. It’s the Army that displaced 30% of Bajaur’s population, and about 10% of Swat’s population.

 

[Shoaib_Sham]

^^^ An Anwar has the audacity (or sheer dishonesty ) to argue that the Swatis are in love with the Taliban ..

Your 'chosen ones' have forced thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, to flee their homes fearing the safety of their families, and the for the future of their children, denied an education by the Taliban.

I am quoting one of my personal experiences and obviously I am not trying to generalize the events in Sawat based on what I have heard from people of swat.
I had some shifting stuff to be done in my apartment and I went to the near by place where laborers from Pakistan gather in hope to get some work, same as we have laborers sitting in 'our chokes' in Pakistan. That guy(the labor) was from Sawat. Just out of curiosity or may be of my precariousness about what's happening in Sawat I asked about things in Sawat. Without going into the details this was one of his sentence "we don’t like Army because it does not take on Taliban wholeheartedly" and he adds army with all weapons should have finished them by now, if the really wanted. And I asked is this is just his feelings, he said these are the general feelings in Sawat.
I think this sentence had multifold messages to convey.

Need less to say I was pretty sad and confused about what really is happening; I felt in his sentence an echo of Sawatis voice.

Is it a perception or reality on ground? If the reality on ground is different than why this perception? Is it a fog of war making things not very obvious or it is the dogma of WoT? What is really happening, I still remember when I was sitting in my ex-office, when an email popped about my friend/colleague's brother death in Swat. "He was serving in an army as Lt." was the last line of that email.

I still want to keep my trust in our Army, partly it’s the only way out for us and partly because I can not make sense if it is otherwise.

 

[Xeric]

Dear friends. Swat is an integral part of Pakistan, not exactly located on an alien planet. You can reach Mingora in just about 4 hours from Islamabad. Move around; do a bit of sight seeing towards Madyan and Bahrain. Go and see for yourself what Taliban “rule” is all about.

About the only inconvenience you will face are the zillion Army checkpoints. Army and FC has commandeered schools, and perhaps for a legitimate reason. The school building is about the only spacious structure to offer protection in (sometimes) sub-zero weather.

Sometimes you may hear rumblings of distant artillery, and Cobras cannon fire. You can take solace in the fact that the valiant forces are conquering “enemy” territory and mowing the bad guys down. Then you will see the same bad guys (walking dead) serving you a warm cup of tea … believe me those guys have’nt forgotten their hospitality tradition in these hard times

Yes drug pushers, faith healers, dancing girls are facing a bit of tough time; they have to move to more benign locations. Property disputes and such civil cases are now decided within weeks rather than linger on for decades in our archaic and corrupt legal system.

The most cruel cut of all is from our dear friend AgNoStIc MuSliM “if not hundreds of thousands, to flee their homes fearing the safety of their families, and the for the future of their children, denied an education by the Taliban.”. It’s the Army that displaced 30% of Bajaur’s population, and about 10% of Swat’s population.

i agree with what all you have said less the last blame.
It was not Army to displace the figures that you have quoted. It was those Talibans which required some bashing, which was provided by the Army on the REQUEST of civilian govt/authorities that these poor people have to suffer.

Why you people always act childish and blame the military for everything.

Can't you understand for once and all that Army don't act at its own initiatives. It comes under the establishment and has to take instructions from the peoples/leaders who have called it. And yes then on the Army does what it takes to get its job done/acheive the mission at hand.

Army or for that matter any Force is not supposed to negotiate,Dude!

Forces are fed so that they can shed their blood at the time when no other is there to shed blood for the country. And they only know how to KICK SOME A**, and that's very natural as they are trained for this. Army, Air force or the Navy are not diplomats or negotiators or soothers.

They are called as the last resort and once put inside the situation you don't ask the forces to have mercy or for that matter negotiate and find alternatives. This thing should have been thought about prior the military was inducted by the bloody Civilian govt.

N.B. i hope you people know that Army is not supposed to fire in the air(its an offense), they fire a bullet to kill. It is POLICE i repeat POLICE that do 'hawai firing' because once the Army has started doing this "hawai firing" thing then who the hell would go and get hold of the situation...you...or are we going to ask some 'khalai makhlook' to come save our A**??

 

[Shoaib_Sham]

Yes drug pushers, faith healers, dancing girls are facing a bit of tough time; they have to move to more benign locations. Property disputes and such civil cases are now decided within weeks rather than linger on for decades in our archaic and corrupt legal system.

If you by any means are trying to justify what Taliban are and what they are doing by using this logic that they are the saviors of the society than I can see where are we heading. They are destroying the very fabrics of the society left over by the political corruption.
We can either fully obey what Taliban say or fully reject them. We have to walk till the end of high (i wish we never walk such a walk) with them because u cannot turn away half way from the high without being getting slaughtered.

What about education of girls and boys? What would happen to the cultural fabrics? Will u accept Taliban ruthlessness about other sects? What about their minds void of essence of real Islamic values? Can not you see that their mind can not ascertain that we are not living in an isolated vacuum?
What about the kidnaps of Chinese, why would u do that , which Islam allows to kidnap non-combat people and specially those who are not doing anything against u or ur Islam?
What about killing or maiming working women (even doctors) in front of their family members for working?

Do you like some 19 year Taliban to kick your butt and to drag you by grabbing you from your hairs on the road for not having a beard, running a CD shop or doing anything which they think is not very Islamic, if you don't like this than why are u in illusion that Sawatis would like this?

 

[Vinod2070]

Islam provide safety and protection for even non muslims . I could not understand what type of islam they are going to establish in SWAT.

They should not repeat mistakes of Afghan Talaban otherwise they would face same results.

That is so great of you. Aren't the "even Non-Muslims" supposed to be eternally grateful for that!

 

[Shoaib_Sham]

That is so great of you. Aren't the "even Non-Muslims" supposed to be eternally grateful for that!

I suppose "even" was just to emphasize the difference of what Taliban are doing in name of Islam and what Islam actually teaches.

 

[Kasrkin]

Correct, I suppose Vinod prefers a cynical take on everything even remotely related to Islam. However that said Wariach doesn't exactly have the best reputation either.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

That is so great of you. Aren't the "even Non-Muslims" supposed to be eternally grateful for that!

Don't hijack the thread please .... again.

No more responses to the above post form other members

 

[waraich66]

Correct, I suppose Vinod prefers a cynical take on everything even remotely related to Islam. However that said Wariach doesn't exactly have the best reputation either.

"What do you mean by best reputation ".

I always tried to speak truth and tried to show reality members eyewashed by western media and sucessful upto some extend .

Before if some member critize US and Allies ,he was labelled as wahabi or talaban spokes man .

Now all of us have seen what israel did in Gaza with support of US .

I shall continue my critisim for who ever comit genocide and crime againt humanity ,if you think that those members who are supporting US and Israel crimes aganist humanity in iraq,gaza and afghanistan have best reputation ,then this is shamefull thinking.

In the end AM attitude towards members is execellent ,now every body is free to share positive remarks and ideas freely.That is reason ,i rank this forum best forum .

Regards,

 

[Kasrkin]

I always tried to speak truth and tried to show members eyewashed by western media and sucessful upto some extend .

Ofcourse, and we all appreciate that. I meant no offense, just keep up the good work.

Now in relation to the topic, I'm seriously worried about Swat. The ANP have ruined everything and probably got us back to square one as we all knew they would. Only they'd be too dishonorable to admit that Musharraf's 'evil dictatorship' had the right idea after all...

Lets just hope the military can think of something else while pathetic ANP guys sit around trying to figure out ways to save face. ("We will fix Swat in no time" they had said before elections, I suppose they will try to put the blame on the army again)