There’s been a lot of public Taliban activity in Pakistan over the last little while.
The Taliban is slowly trying to make its way toward Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital. The Pakistani armed forces have been verbally scolded by both American officials and Pakistani politicians over their lack of action and unwillingness to shift troops from the India-Pakistan border to help concentrate on combating the Taliban threat.
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani defended his military’s actions on Friday, saying that they are committed to fighting and halting the Taliban insurgency. American and Pakistani officials however have expressed concern over the army’s lack of performance, insinuating that they merely stood by as hundreds of Taliban insurgents made their way into the Buner district, just 70 miles from Islamabad.
Also on Friday, after meeting with government officials, Taliban executives said they would withdraw from Buner. However, residents of the district say that this promise has not been honored and that few insurgents have vacated the region.
Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited the distressed country for two days earlier this week. “The situation there is definitely worse than it was two weeks ago” he said. “They need aggressive leadership that takes action.”
General Kayani attended an operational meeting in Rawalpindi Friday in an effort to prove his military is committed to dislodging the Taliban insurgency. “The army is determined to root out the menace of terrorism from society” the military said, according to the New York Times, in a statement afterward. “It will not allow the militants to dictate terms to the government or impose their way of life on the civil society of Pakistan.”
The general said the military is currently preparing to carry out a mission in Swat Valley, where Taliban insurgents have refused to disarm, disengage and evacuate, in violation of a February peace treaty.
Kayani said the army’s lack of action over the past while was an “operational pause” an effort to let the peace treaty work out the differences on its own.
Admiral Mullen has met with the general many times and has discussed with him many different ways to approach a solution to the insurgency conflict.
The admiral said he was quite impressed after watching the army in training sessions.
Hopefully the operation heading into Swat Valley takes place quick and is as effective as many are hoping.
Pakistan is dead. When did she die? I can give you the very date. Pakistan died on December 27, 2007, the day the Taliban (and its Inter-Services Intelligence allies) killed Benazir Bhutto.
Isn’t it ironic that the only Pakistani with the balls to take on the terrorists was a woman?
The current government in Islamabad (if you can call it a government) is composed of cowards, traitors and eunuchs. No one will miss them when they’re gone. Which will be very soon.
BHAKKAR- a gateway to Pakistan for Taliban. The people of BHAKKAR district have elected a chief minister of Punjab and a prime minister of Pakistan in different elections. Although a goup of local leaders sponcer the occasion and personally benefited by this gesture but basically the people of Bhakkar elected these leaders in hope of a better Bhakkar. It’s requested to the President, prime minister of Pakistan and chief minister of Punjab to please; consider upgrading Bhakkar as a divisional head quarter by appointing a commissioner to provide better governance, extra facilities and security in the area. There are news that religious violence and drug smuggling is increased in the area recently. Bhakkar is a gate way to the Punjab and Sind provinces for NWFP and Afghanistan. Bhakkar has been head quarters of divisional level organization of Thal Development Authority since 1952. TDA was abolish in 1971 on corruption charges against it’s high officials. Bhakkar is also a border district to Dera Ismail Khan and a capital city of Thal desert area-spread in six districts in Punjab. Thanking you, Khwaja Aftab Shah,Florida, U.S.A