Swat

the most worrying development in a while. effectively a military and state surrender to the taliban barely a couple of hundred kms from our border. can imagine militants all over pakistan being emboldened by this. what do pakistanis think of this? all this after zardari was talking about the taliban being pakistan's greatest threat. this is baffling

Is some kind of stupid joke to get back at the US for hitting taliban targets in Pakland? Makes it hard for the US to continue that now with a ceasefire in place . . .

Still, talk about cutting off your nose and all that . . .

like i said baffling. besides extremely short-term advantages (less violence in swat) i cant think of any medium to long term benefits. in fact i cant see any advantages that would last beyond a month at most. they will have time to re-arm, re-group and then move on to another area to impose their barbaric laws

The One wrote:like i said baffling. besides extremely short-term advantages (less violence in swat) i cant think of any medium to long term benefits. in fact i cant see any advantages that would last beyond a month at most. they will have time to re-arm, re-group and then move on to another area to impose their barbaric laws

Pakistan has lived by the sword for so many years now, they've gotten used to it and will most likely die by it. With all the remarks, retorts and misconceptions inserted into the media, both Zardari and Gilani are just two parts of the same forked tongue.

IMO, this is just another doomed plan to blackmail the US into releasing more funds to the already bankrupt state............or else. India's nervousness is evident and understandable. I don't think anyone can afford the risk of another spark in India with the source traceable back to Pakistan.

I'm just waiting to see whether Obama stays true to his word regarding going after Osama or does a Bush on his NATO allies north-west of the Pak borders. The time for cajoling has come and gone. The US urgently needs to bring a nuclear-armed Pakistan under a strict internationally-controlled security regime.

There is only one way this will ever be resolved fully for the world to be a better place and all roads to the solution lead to a World War scenario with extremist Islam and their sponsors v/s the Rest. Either way, Pakistan will cease to exist and disintegrate in the not too distant future. I hope Indian Govt realizes the gravity of the situation and works to make the borders well guarded and secured instead of indulging in Muslim appeasement and allowing more illegal Muslims from Bangladesh and Pakistan to settle in. The minority of hardline Kashmiris who think they will enjoy independence if separated from India, are living in fools paradise. Because the reality is the vacuum the Indian Govt. will leave will be filled in no time by the likes of Taliban, Qaeda and LeT and they will be forced till eternity to live in NWFP and SWAT like conditions under the shadow of gun and religious regression and forced to relentlessly wage war against India. Bloody fools!!!

I can see the Talibanis causing immediate migraine to India primarily in Kashmir, once they get close enough. Just a matter of time before Talibani terrorists start creating trouble 24x7 at our borders soon enough. Why the fark do we get to be neighbours of the most bigoted, insane, fundmentalist, psycho and demented folks in the whole world.

Pak 'sharia' chief wants Islamic law for entire world

After inking a deal with the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Government for implementation of Islamic law in the Swat Valley, the Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat Muhammadi (TNSM) chief Sufi Muhammad, has expressed his desire of implementation of a similar law over the whole world.

Expressing his hatred for people’s rule, Muhammad said Islam does not have any mention of democracy or elections.

“From the very beginning, I have viewed democracy as a system imposed on us by the infidels. Islam does not allow democracy or elections,” 'The Daily Times' quoted Muhammad, as saying.

He said that the continuous bloodbath in the region was due to the hesitant approach of different regimes in the country to accept the superiority of the Islamic law.

“Had the government accepted our demands in 1994, we would have not seen the violence we are seeing today,” he said.

Muhammad said the authorities should have held dialogues with the Taliban before initiating military action against them, as it would have resulted in less violent activities.

He hoped that the new accord signed with the government would help the Taliban in establishing a complete Islamic state.

“I believe the Taliban government formed a complete Islamic state, which was an ideal example for other Muslim countries. Had this government remained intact, it could have led to the establishment of similar Islamic governments in many other countries,” Muhammad said.

The inking of the so called ‘peace deal’ between the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) government and Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM) would see several of the captured Talibani operatives walk free due to a ‘give and take’ policy being the cornerstone of the whole deal. [Is the Obama cabinet dying with embarrasement here?]

Talking to reporters here, NWFP Law Minister Arshad Abdullah said ‘general amnesty’ would be offered to the insurgents during the talks between Fazlullah led Taliban and Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM) chief Sufi Mohammad.

“Amnesty to the Swat Taliban will be part of the peace talks between Sufi Mohammad and Fazlullah. Without amnesty Taliban would never agree for disarming in the region,” 'The Daily Times' quoted Abdullah, as saying.

Stressing on the immediate need of restoring peace in the troubled Swat Valley, Abdullah said the prime objective of the government was to ensure return of routine life in the region, and disarmament of the militants.

Replying to a question, he said that the NWFP government had first taken the army and Pakistan’s top spy agency while signing ‘sharia’ agreement with TNSM for implementation of peace in Malakand division.

Batman wrote:I hope Indian Govt realizes the gravity of the situation and works to make the borders well guared instead of indulging in Muslim appeasement and allowing more illegal Muslims from Bangladesh and Pakistan to settle in.

illegal bangladeshi migration need to be stopped, yes. pakistani migration is not allowed here anyways

but yes, india needs to have a very robust defence of its western borders now. the taliban are barely 5 hours from amritsar by road and will probably get closer. if they do get too close of course india and the world may well be forced to take some action. these are scary times indeed

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – A Taliban spokesman says the militants will adhere to a 10-day cease-fire in Pakistan's Swat Valley during peace talks with the government.

The announcement Sunday by Muslim Khan comes a day after the Taliban in Swat freed a Chinese engineer held captive for nearly six months. Khan says he was freed as a goodwill gesture.

Swat was once a tourist haven and is now largely controlled by militants.

The peace talks so far appear to be focusing on introducing elements of an Islamic judicial system in Swat and surrounding areas.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani Taliban militants have freed a Chinese engineer held captive for nearly six months, officials said Sunday, as fears rose over the safety of an abducted American threatened with imminent death by his kidnappers.

It was not clear if a ransom was paid or militants were freed in exchange for Long Xiaowei's release, although the Taliban claimed it was a goodwill gesture to the government after it agreed to help enforce Islamic law in parts of Pakistan's northwest in ongoing peace talks. Long's release also came days before a planned visit to China by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.

A string of recent attacks on foreigners — including the apparent beheading of a Polish geologist — have underscored the deteriorating security conditions in Pakistan, a critical U.S. ally in the fight against terrorism, as it battles al-Qaida and Taliban fighters along its border with Afghanistan.

On Friday, the kidnappers of American U.N. official John Solecki threatened to kill him within 72 hours and issued a 20-second video of the blindfolded captive saying he was "sick and in trouble."

U.N. officials said Sunday they were still trying to establish contact with the gunmen who seized Solecki on Feb. 2 in Quetta, a southwestern city near the Afghan border.

The kidnappers have identified themselves as members of the previously unknown Baluchistan Liberation United Front, indicating a link to separatists rather than to Islamists. The captors have demanded the release of 141 women allegedly held in Pakistan.

Pakistan Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik has denied that the 141 are being held.

Baluchistan provincial government spokesman Syed Kamran said it was offering a $31,363 reward "for any information leading to the recovery of the kidnapped U.N. official."

Earlier this month, Polish geologist Piotr Stanczak was apparently beheaded by Islamist militants in a video obtained earlier this month by news media and believed by the Polish government to be authentic. If confirmed, it would be the first killing of a Western hostage in Pakistan since American journalist Daniel Pearl was beheaded in 2002.

The Chinese engineer was freed Saturday and taken to the Chinese Embassy on Sunday morning, said Yao Jing, deputy head of China's mission in Islamabad. Long was in good condition and expected to return to China after a medical checkup, China's Foreign Ministry said.

Yao said he did not know if a deal with struck with the militants.

Long and fellow telecommunications engineer Zhang Guo were kidnapped in August in the Dir region of northwestern Pakistan. They both escaped in mid-October, but Long hurt his ankle and was recaptured, while Zhang got away, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency said.

Pakistani government and military officials either could not be reached or declined comment on what secured Long's freedom.

Paying ransom or freeing militants in exchange for hostages is not unprecedented in the Pakistan-Afghanistan region. However, Muslim Khan, a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban in the Swat Valley, claimed the militants freed the Chinese captive amid talks with the government over enforcing Islamic law in their area.

Swat, a former tourist haven, is now believed to be largely under militant control despite an army offensive.

Mian Iftikhar Hussain, information minister for the North West Frontier Province, confirmed that authorities were talking to members of the Tehrik Nifaz-e-Sharia Mohammed, or the Movement for the Enforcement of Islamic Law, on ways to implement on-the-books regulations allowing Islamic judicial practices.

The movement is led by Sufi Muhammad, whom Pakistan freed last year after he renounced violence. Muhammad is also the father-in-law of Maulana Fazlullah, leader of the Swat Valley's Taliban. Although Fazlullah has in the past indicated deals with Muhammad don't necessarily apply to his group, his spokesman said Sunday that the Taliban would adhere to any deal reached with Muhammad.

"That was our only demand," Muslim Khan told The Associated Press via telephone. "Once Islamic law is imposed there will be no problems in Swat. The Taliban will lay down their arms."

Although agreeing to an Islamic system is a concession to the insurgents, many civilians in the region would likely welcome the move after years of dissatisfaction with the inefficient secular justice system.

The U.S. has criticized past Pakistani peace deals with Islamist extremists, saying they merely give the militants breathing space.

Good move....

we were playing it right in to the hands of the militants and also killing countless innocent people....

are you serious? you have essentially surrendered a part of pakistan and allowed it to have a different judicial system. reduced short-term violence is like missing the woods for the trees. do you seriously think the taliban will surrender their arms or not try and take over more territory in the medium to long term?

The One wrote:

Batman wrote:I hope Indian Govt realizes the gravity of the situation and works to make the borders well guared instead of indulging in Muslim appeasement and allowing more illegal Muslims from Bangladesh and Pakistan to settle in.

illegal bangladeshi migration need to be stopped, yes. pakistani migration is not allowed here anyways

Paksters use the Nepal - Bangla route to get in India and official corruptiond oes the rest. Plenty of them vanish after arrvining by those damned buses and trains. We need to block all such access yes.

PlanetPakistan wrote:Good move....

we were playing it right in to the hands of the militants and also killing countless innocent people....

So you're happy that part of Pakistan is ruled by terrorist org Taliban?

obviously i would ideally want talibans and taliban ideology to be wiped out of Pakistan but you have to be smart and patient about it...

Madly killing countless civilians in the area is just not going to get the job done...if anything its going to make these people even stronger than before.

plus you have to understand the history of region...
right from the british rule to today...

In the 80s these same people was marked as the "heroes of the 20th century" by R Regan who called them over IN THE WHITE HOUSE and now these people have transformed in to the "terrorists of the 21st century"