The Horror's of the Taliban

[Vinod2070]

Taliban gun down teacher for not hiking 'salwar' above ankles

ISLAMABAD: A teacher who once fought as a mujahideen against Soviet occupation forces in Afghanistan has been gunned down by the Taliban in Pakistan's troubled Swat valley for not hiking up his 'salwar' or trousers above his ankles.

Though the Pakistani Taliban have not issued any edict for the salwar to be worn in this manner, there have been reports of the militants threatening men for not hiking up their trousers.

The militants say hiking up the trousers is essential for offering prayers.

Former mujahideen Amjad Islam, who was working as a teacher in a private school in Swat, was gunned down yesterday for not hiking his salwar above his ankles. The militants then went to Islam's house and gunned down his father, Ghani Akbar, a lawyer by profession.

Islam's body was later hung by the militants from a pole in the College Square in Matta town and local residents were warned not to touch it till Friday morning. The body was taken down and moved to Islam's house after a local jirga intervened.

Local residents said the militants had asked Islam to hitch his salwar above his ankles last morning. The teacher told them he was a former mujahideen and knew everything about Islam. He also said nobody could be forced to pull up his salwar above the ankles, The News daily reported.

Islam said he had also seen the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, which had not forced men to wear their salwar in this manner. His arguments angered the militants and led to a scuffle.

The teacher, who had a pistol, fired at the militants and killed a Taliban fighter and wounded two more. He then tried to flee but the militants shot and stabbed him, killing him instantly. Locals also said Islam's father was a religious and humble man who was well respected in the area.

Large tracts of the Swat valley in the North West Frontier Province are now controlled by local Taliban fighters led by radical cleric Maulana Fazlullah despite a major anti-militancy operation launched in the area by the Pakistan Army in October 2007.

The Taliban have set up their own courts and patrol many towns and villages in the valley located just 160 km from Islamabad.

On January 15, the Taliban banned girls' education in Swat, leading to the closure of some 400 schools. The militants have also directed men to wear Muslim skull caps and stop shaving their beards by January 25.

Taliban gun down teacher for not hiking 'salwar' above ankles -Pakistan-World-The Times of India

There's a foreign element to all this.

All of it in fact is foreign.

What foreign angle is there to this?

 

[waraich66]

There's a foreign element to all this.

All of it in fact is foreign.

The war across the border is the problem.

It causes radicalization when drones are sent by some trigger happy yank looking to kill some mooooslems.

One needs to remember Swat Valley was never a radical stronghold.

It was in fact the most popular tourism destination in Pakistan before all this nonsense started going round.

roadrunner,

There is no foreign hand in swat or FATA,

Let me enlighten you background of troubles in these area.

The majority of these people belong to lower middle class ,they could even afford to send their kids to government school which is not free now .

They have to send their kids for madrasa ,they charge no fee from them also give food and cloth to their children .

Now these children are totally dependent on these madrassa administrator which also belong to lower middle class, these administrator are using their madrasas for their buisness and when US attacked on Afghanistan they inducted more student and brain washed them for jehad and use them for their evil deeds.

There are only few madrasa who are truly working on islamic lines but majority had coverted these madrasa into buisness and involved in terrorist acitivities.

We have to solve this issue at top national priority level if we really want to get ride of these so called talaban mafia.

 

[orion]

@warraich66

There is no foreign hand in swat or FATA,

Many top notch Pakistani Officials have claimed in recent days about a 'foreign' involvemnet in these areas.The most prominent one recently came in from the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Interior Minister Rehman Malik.
Top Stories | Pakistan Observer Newspaper online edition

Adviser on Interior Rehman Malik said on Wednesday that foreign hands were patronising the militants in Swat and Fata areas

Foreign hands patronising militants in Swat, Fata: Malik

Also the most insightful views come in from Owais Ahmed Ghani,Governor of NWFP;
quote;
The governor said that the forces were faced with highly organised and well-funded militants “who are persistently being espoused by external spy agencies. There are round about 15,000 militants in the tribal belt, who have no dearth of ration, ammunition, equipment, even anti-tank mines,” he said, adding that they were being paid properly for that.
The governor said that a militant was normally given Rs6,000 to Rs8,000 per month while their leaders got Rs20,000 to Rs30,000 per month, which, he asserted, was next to impossible without funding from external intelligence agencies.

Fact is fighting a highly trained army of 90000 does require money,weaponary and constant logistic supply route for both esp in a closed valley like Swat which does not have shared borders like that of FATA.The question is how and from where?

Also although u may put the taliban ideology solely on 'madrassas' but in the case of SWAT its much different.They have (rather had) proper schools...mostly NGO run and a majority of these ppl...male and female attended them.The ideology of the swatis is not compararble to the afghan talibans.The thing they lacked is a strong judicial system, which the TTP offers them now.

It is obvious that the TTP isn't always a disciplined organization. Militants from various persuasions and places make up the TTP, which is an umbrella organization for radical Taliban groups having their own local and specific agendas. In the past also, the TTP failed to discipline its Mohmand Agency chapter and its commander, Abdul Wali alias Omar Khalid, despite announcing that he would be made accountable for fighting a rival group of Salafi militants and killing its head Shah Khalid along with scores of his fighters. The TTP did nothing to stop the bombing of some girls' schools in Darra Adamkhel, another stronghold of a radical band of Taliban like those in Swat. The TTP also remained unmoved when the Taliban in Bajaur occupied several girls' schools and other government buildings and set up madressahs or their Shariah courts there.

The Swati Taliban are a different breed compared to the other militants. Many among them haven't studied in madressahs, or Islamic schools, and even their leader Maulana Fazlullah was unable to complete his religious education. Members of jehadi groups are also to be found among the Taliban in Swat. Commoners including tenants have joined Taliban ranks and some are driven by an urge to harm the landowning families in Swat. Others are seeking revenge against the government, its security forces and all those Swatis who have backed the military operations in the once peaceful valley. The authorities and many Swatis also claim that criminals have become part of the Taliban and are using the militants' power to pursue their activities.

Taliban and the people of Swat

A very useful piece of insight by Rahimullah Yusufzai,an analyst who has been closely monitioring the taliban situation on both sides of the border.Best, he is based in Peshawar.

There is a misconception of relating all 'taliban' in Pakistan to the one across the border.The truth is there are several groups TTP,TSNM,Fazllullah clan,all with varying agendas and at most, loggerheads with each other.The classification of 'taliban' in Pakistan is not that simple.

 

[S-2]

"Fact is fighting a highly trained army of 90000 does require money,weaponary and constant logistic supply route for both esp in a closed valley like Swat which does not have shared borders like that of FATA.The question is how and from where?"

Self-funded. Massive criminal enterprise behind this. Think about all the various cash-streams these cats have going? Supplies? How does NATO get theirs? Through Karachi?

Where are the world's biggest private arms markets? Gulf states?

How many containers arrive daily in Karachi?

How long and how much money to keep your customs from inspecting this container or that? Manifests? Shipping docs for the trucker who's coming for the load?

Off it goes north in a semi-trailer.

Hell, it might even join the NATO convoys before turning off somewhere between TANK and Peshawar.

Getting supplies into NWFP/FATA, I'm guessing, isn't an issue for the militants. Lots of expert hands out there eager for some of that action and it's along well-known and practiced routes.

 

[Omar1984]

Taliban existed for decades and they never harmed Pakistanis before.

Pakistanis must think what is happening now, and why didn't we see these kind of things before.

 

[jeypore]

you guys really dont know the difference between al-qaeda n Taliban uhh what a mess.

There is a difference between Taliban and Al quida, but not a whole lot like you might assume. Here is perfect article that i found that shows the difference and similarities between the two organization. Either way they both need to be destroyed.

The Taliban:

A religious-based group who came to power during civil war and ruled in Afghanistan from 1996-2001. It was removed from power following the events of September 11. This authoritarian government's goal was to create the world's most pure Islamic state. They strictly interpreted Islamic law and forbade, among other things, television, music, and the Internet. Under the Taliban, women wore burqas and most of their freedom was eradicated, including the ability to attend school. Some Afghanis tolerated the harsh rule of the Taliban, as its focus was on the punishment of Islamic trespasses and restoring order to a chaotic country.

al-Qaeda:

This Islamic militant organization seeks to end foreign influence in Muslim countries, "to kill US citizens — civilian or military — and their allies everywhere," and create a perfect Islamic form of government in the Muslim world. Internationally branded a terrorist organization by many, including the UN Security Council, and the US Department of State, al-Qaeda is known for suicide attacks and coordinated bombings. The Taliban and al-Qaeda are sometimes mentioned together because of their similar goals of a pure Islam, and because the Taliban gave safe harbor for al-Qaeda for training camps and granted it legitimacy as part of their ministry of defense

Need to Know: Telling Apart the Taliban and al-Qaeda | Need to Know, al-Qaeda, the Taliban | CitizenSugar - News & Politics

Really read carefully about the Talibans because now there are Pakistanie taliban, and they're focused has changed from Afganistan towards Pakistan. If the Taliban accomplishes there goal for the perfect islamization of the country there will be definitly a doomsday coming.

I truly believe Mr. Hasang, that foreigner understand this problem of talibanization more then the pakistanies because of there sentiments towards taliban.

 

[SSGPA1]

Taliban in Waziristan and Swat are locals BUT they are supported by the intelligence agencies of Indians and Afghans.

Several agents have been captured and sevreal protests have been launched without any solution.

Why does India have multiple consulates in Afghanistan next to our borders?

Why is Brahamdagh Bugti seen at Indian embassy in Kabul?

CIA is letting RAW and KHAD play their game in Pakistan to keep 'presure' on Pakistan.

There is plenty of advice for GoP but how come Indians are not advising the GoI?

 

[orion]

Self-funded. Massive criminal enterprise behind this. Think about all the various cash-streams these cats have going? Supplies? How does NATO get theirs? Through Karachi?

self funded,how exactly? a massive mafia enterprise which one?

u figured out the karachi route...takes 5 days atleast to reach NWFP ...not that easy...but lets assuming that all checkposts and personals r corrupt (though not possible),all this movment needs money...BIG MONEY!Lets take a shorter route from the rugged FATA to SWAT...less distance and easier...again lets not forget mafias dont work for peanuts neither is the currency of ideaology accepted! The tougher the job...the more the risk...the higher the price!How much does it cost NATO for all that movement legally?Imagine if it were otherwise.

Lets not forget that Fazllullah is not Osama bin ladin...doesnt own a million dollar empire,including a mutinational construction company,bank accounts in several countries or extended family in the USA.Neither is fazllulah a Saudi national or an arab.Neither is Pakistan a ol rich country.
A swati mountain man...a place which practically has no proper banking system.the main business is tourism...which is virtually nonexistent since 2007 end.

Simple maths...lets forget the arms...they cost millions of dollars...lets check out the militant 'salary'
6000 rupees/militant i.e $82
if we have 5000 militants(the gov figures r much higher) that makes a whopping $410,000!! A SIX DIGIT NUMBER!!

A sustained war on this no. (which is just a fraction of the total requirement)

Self-funded?Sounds far fetched.

 

[Metallic]

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Hina Khan used to take her life in her hands every morning just to get to school.

Hina Khan, 14, fled to Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, to escape the Taliban.

When she stepped outside her door, the 14-year-old knew that ahead could be suicide bombings, gunfights, kidnappings and beheadings. Death threats were made against her, other students and teachers every day simply because they went to a girls' school in Pakistan targeted by Taliban militants.

"They said don't send your girls to school," Hina told CNN.

She used to live in the Swat Valley, a scenic mountainous region once popular with tourists and dubbed "Pakistan's Switzerland." But those were the days before militants moved in, "striking the fear of God" into residents with violence as they pushed for compliance with stricter moral and religious standards -- so-called Talibanization.

Now she is safer, 100 miles away in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, but her thoughts are often with her friends in Swat, near the border with Afghanistan.

They do not even go to school now, as authorities gave in to militant demands to shut all girls' schools. As many as 200 schools, mostly for girls, have been destroyed since November 2007 when the Taliban began their campaign to take control of the Swat Valley and surrounding areas.

"They have problems there," Hina said of those left behind.

"How can they leave their land, their home? Why come here? Here it's expensive, and they are all poor. They can't come here. And I feel really bad. All my friends are there. There is no one here."

The targeting of girls' schools shows an anti-women bias by the militants, who advocate an extreme following of a version of Islamic law, according to Islamabad-based human rights activist Tahira Abdullah. She adds it's almost as if the Taliban does not want women to exist.

"And if they do exist, they need to be within the four walls of their house compound; they need to be veiled," she said.

Abdullah is blunt in her assessment of the situation. "Right now, [Swat Valley] is under the control of the Taliban," she said.

"They are knocking on the doors of Peshawar, and I have no doubt they will be knocking on the doors of Islamabad [if] the government continues the complacency they are showing right now."

But the accusation of complacency is rejected by Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, spokesman for the Pakistan military.

"There is success," Abbas said of operations against anti-government forces in the tribal areas near the border with Afghanistan. "The success rate of the army's operation is pretty good in these areas."

He attacked critics of the military operation for failing to recognize the sacrifices of the armed forces. About 1,300 Pakistani soldiers have been killed in operations against militants since 9/11, he said. And he said the fight was made harder because the army lacked modern equipment such as night-vision goggles and unmanned drones.

But the military's continuing fight to secure the area is alienating those it is supposed to help. Some residents said the government is doing more damage than the Taliban ever did.

"If the government doesn't stop this cruelty, finally we will be forced to come here, and this parliament, we will set it on fire, too," said Israr Ali, standing outside the parliament building in Islamabad recently.

Ali had traveled there with hundreds of others from the tribal regions for a protest organized by an Islamic political party in the federal capital.

He said army operations have turned his home into a war zone and that shelling from army helicopters has destroyed buildings and killed his friends and neighbors. The Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies reported that in 2008 at least 7,997 people were killed in terrorist attacks, clashes between security forces and militants, military operations, incidents of political violence, sectarian strife between tribes and border clashes.

More than 230,000 people have fled their homes as a result of fighting in the tribal areas and the Swat Valley, according to a report last month by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Those people include Hina, who fled with her parents and four younger siblings so that they could continue their education.

Hina said she is still scared of the Taliban. But she also is focused on school and her dream to become a doctor. And when she does that, she has another goal -- to help her country "fix problems."

Hina Khan, 14, fled to Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, to escape the Taliban.


Source: CNN - By Zein Basravi

 

[RS4]

This clearly is a national emergencey,I dont like to say it but we need to move forces away from India and secure our home land, India can wait clearly the Taliban can not, we have nuclear deterance so our conventional forces should be freed up especially the air force, the Pak Army is what 700,000+ we need to get the Taliban out dead or alive no matter and once and for all put fedral law in to these autonamous areas. Pakistan will never be able to deal with India if we are falling apart internally. As for beheading or blowing up school girls i have one thing to say. Crucify the Taliban litteroly if needs be or use Bio weapons, what would Jinnah think of the mess Pakistan is in today?

 

[metalfalcon]

Hina Khan, 14, fled to Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, to escape the Taliban.

What else that Poor and Helpless Girl can do. Our Govt has to support her and provide her with quality Education.

 

[metalfalcon]

This clearly is a national emergencey,I dont like to say it but we need to move forces away from India and secure our home land, India can wait clearly the Taliban can not, we have nuclear deterance so our conventional forces should be freed up especially the air force, the Pak Army is what 700,000+ we need to get the Taliban out dead or alive no matter and once and for all put fedral law in to these autonamous areas. Pakistan will never be able to deal with India if we are falling apart internally. As for beheading or blowing up school girls i have one thing to say. Crucify the Taliban litteroly if needs be or use Bio weapons, what would Jinnah think of the mess Pakistan is in today?

I totally agree with you on this point that the Threat To Pakistan Lies from Inside and we are too Focused on External Threat From India.

These people (TTP) are Menace to Pakistan and Pakistani Govt needs to Root out this cancer.

 

[RS4]

I totally agree with you on this point that the Threat To Pakistan Lies from Inside and we are too Focused on External Threat From India.

These people (TTP) are Menace to Pakistan and Pakistani Govt needs to Root out this cancer.

As you all know i spend 70% of my time in the UK, the sad reality is the Pakistan reputation has been shattered by recent events post 9/11. Pakistani in the UK in the early days 19 50s/60s etc. Had a excellent reputation for honesty, hard working people trying to move forward in the world. This is reflected in the massive number of professtional in the UK core industries (Health care, Science Education etc) That reputation is gone. Pakistan is associated with terroisim, extremisim and violence as well as corruption. What was once a great legacy of poor humblr people coming to Europe and contributing to the society has been changed to one of deep suspicion. The radiclisation youg Pakistani is a huge probalem not just in Pakistran but also in the West to. Its sad to see the hard working elders who Pakistan being created compared to the stark reality of its problems today. Pakistan is at crossroads. Although Pakistan can not blindly follow Western policies, the fact is our economy is in a very bad way, we have debt which is huge and serious internal problem which threaten the nation more seriously than any Indian military attack could ever hope to achieve. Pakistan must be under any illusion, Balouchistan is bearly under fedral control, the tribal and Swat valley are battle ground in which the taliban have alot of control over.vWe can blame outside influence as much as we want. But the truth is we should have seen this coming. Go back to the 70s and most people will tell that guns where not common place like they are today, the AK47 culture along with extremisim what imported in Pakistan during the Soviet/ Afghan war and after. Our governments failed its people by doing any about it, religiou school have exploded all across Pakistan offering eductaion to the poor and fustrated masses turning them against the secular pricipals to which this nation was founded upon. The problem is with out a Fedral eductaion system accessable to all the nation we further be in danger. Pakistan has fought three wars with Indiaand spent Billions with what result. We lost Bengal, and created an Army although excellent whci has become ingrossed in Political affairs due to weakness and coruption of civilian governments. Yes we have Nuclear deterance but what good is that against the Taliban. In these time we turn to our under paid and poorley equipped troops to help us, with what though? The governemnt has failed to root out corruption in the Pollice and Army is practically the only instituion which to do right by the people. When shools are being bombed Pakistan soilders beheaded and our cities suicides bombed it time for the government of Zadari the Mafia Boss to equip the Infantry and law enforment with the training and equipment (communication, night vision, body armour etc). As well as this we need to educate as many as we can through National Service or National schooling to deny the Taliban with fresh recruit. This WAR will not be over any time soon so we need to start getting it right. 1.6 billion US dollars for 18 blk52 f16 although i understand the PAF needs, the more immenant threat to our people is coming from within so that 1.6 billion USD could have gone along way in improving the capabilities of our infantry and Law Enforcment agencies whcih i believe would have been better spent:pakistan. We need to spend more on development in the poor area to win back the hearts and minds of the people the government had forgotten about for so long. The Saudi's need to stop funding the Waharby extremist and give more to the PAK people and armed forces. If Iran attacks them they ecpect our help, they cant fight them selves so they hand over some cash which they only end spending in Las Vegas anyway. Mush, Imran Khan who ever, we need a leader to remind us of what Jinnah founded Pakistan for and to get back on track. The PML the PPP all of them are rubbish, they sit in lavish homes whilst the displaced people of Northen area are in poor refugee camps with megar supplies and winter here. Theye really care about their people dont they?

Just my thoughts
Sorry needed to say that, it upset me to see what is happening