Solution proposed to end violence in D.I.Khan
ISLAMABAD, Mar 01, 2009 (Asia Pulse Data Source via COMTEX)
Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) has suggested to adopting multi-pronged approach involving all the notable figures of different schools of thought to curb sectarian violence in Dera Ismail Khan, where a large number of innocent people have fallen prey to target killing, suicide bombings and kidnap over the last couple of years.
Solution to all these ills lies with the people, who need to forge unity against anti-state elements, PTI D.I.Khan leader Muhammad Yahya said during his visit to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and some other hospitals of the Federal Capital where last weeks suicide bomb blast victims were being treated.
Around 50 injured were shifted to various hospitals after they were being referred by the hospitals in D.I.Khan. He sympathised with injured and assured them of full support by PTI. He said PTI was seriously concerned over deteriorating security situation in D.I.Khan where people feel insecure even to carry out their routine business.
A conspiracy is being hatched to spark violence in this peaceful district, and there is a need for reversing the situation. He said last week, a suicide bomber blew himself up in the midst of a funeral procession near Shobrah Hotel, killing several innocent people. After the blast the district has witnessed a number of target killing incidents despite an elaborate security cover being in place.
Yahya called upon the citizens to remain alert against acts of anti-state elements, who wanted to pursue their malicious designs by dividing the people. We need to forge unity to foil the nefarious designs of all those who want to create rifts among us.
The district was so calm and peaceful in the past that it formed an attractive spot for recreation. People from suburban as well as adjoining areas used to come to D.I.Khan on holidays and Eids. The PTI leader called for taking solid steps to restore peace in D I Khan.
Source: http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2211931/
Showing posts with label dera ismail khan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dera ismail khan. Show all posts
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Bleeding Dera Ismail Khan: Who Will Heal It?
When the peace talks are underway in the Swat area, the rest of NWFP is as restive as it was. Two blasts were reported in Sirai Norang area of Laki Marwat and the blast in the Dera area is very much the reminder of the grim situation in the tribal belt and its adjacent areas.
Dera Ismail Khan is the target. At least 32 persons were killed and 85 others injured in a powerful suicide blast during funeral procession of Shia elder near Shobara hotel. The funeral procession accompanying the body of Shia elder, Sher Zaman killed yesterday by unknown gunmen, was moving towards the graveyard when it reached near Sobara hotel a powerful explosion took place.
After that it was mayhem. The whole of NWFP dripped in the gloom and doom. Peace efforts have been quashed in Dera Ismail Khan. Its the same hand which is creating unrest and chaos in the country just to destabilize the affairs. Hidden enemy is now trying to fan the flames of sectarian violence.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif and NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, should come out of their palaces and visit the restive areas to heal the wounds of surviving people.
Source: http://www.chowrangi.com/bleeding-dera-ismail-khan-who-will-heal-it.html
Dera Ismail Khan is the target. At least 32 persons were killed and 85 others injured in a powerful suicide blast during funeral procession of Shia elder near Shobara hotel. The funeral procession accompanying the body of Shia elder, Sher Zaman killed yesterday by unknown gunmen, was moving towards the graveyard when it reached near Sobara hotel a powerful explosion took place.
After that it was mayhem. The whole of NWFP dripped in the gloom and doom. Peace efforts have been quashed in Dera Ismail Khan. Its the same hand which is creating unrest and chaos in the country just to destabilize the affairs. Hidden enemy is now trying to fan the flames of sectarian violence.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif and NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, should come out of their palaces and visit the restive areas to heal the wounds of surviving people.
Source: http://www.chowrangi.com/bleeding-dera-ismail-khan-who-will-heal-it.html
Pakistan, Can You Hear Me?
Pakistan, Can You Hear Me?
By Rakesh Mani
The recent suicide attack in Dera Ismail Khan that targeted the funeral of a Shia Muslim cleric who was gunned down, Sher Zaman, was shocking enough. But what is even more shocking is the sheer passivity in the reaction of people in Pakistan to recent events in Dera Ismail Khan and Swat.
It is appalling to think that Pakistanis are ever-ready to take to the streets, shouting slogans and burning effigies, when Salman Rushdie writes something controversial or when offensive cartoons are published in Danish newspapers but are curiously silent when the funeral of a religious leader is bombed in sectarian violence. Or when Taliban forces capture Swat and start beheading people for religious insubordination.
Where is the conscience of a nation? Where are the protests and the million-man marches? Where are the voices that rally dormant citizens to action - on television, in the newspapers, on Facebook even?
If no one protests, it just sends a signal that this is OK. It is OK to bomb a Shia funeral, but it is not OK to write an irreverent story or draw cartoons that poke fun at religion. Where are people’s priorities? How much deeper into the abyss is Pakistan going to sink?
Islamic fundamentalism’s biggest draw is that it is a utopian alternative to the miserable realities of people’s lives. But everywhere that fundamentalists have come to power, their sheen has worn off. Think of Bangladesh, Turkey and Iran. People realize that mullahs can preach all day, but they can’t run a country. So if sectarianism, and militancy in the north-west areas, is Pakistan’s big problem then perhaps it is also Pakistan’s big solution.
Maybe the harsh Zia era was not enough. Maybe what Pakistan needs, finally, is for the Islamists to actually come to power, impose draconian edicts and provide the country with a final inoculation against excessive religiosity.
Maybe then, after suffering through medieval laws against adultery and blasphemy, ordinary Pakistanis will shed their passivity, agitate to separate the state from the tentacles of the mosque and loudly cry no to religious education in high schools, to religion lines on their passports and to rhetoric that urges them to subordinate their citizenship to their religious beliefs. Perhaps Pakistan needs a bitter pill that will forever taint this notion of the religious right being the ultimate defenders of flag and faith.
Because at the heart of Pakistan’s crisis is a national tendency to over-emphasize religion, whether in politics, or at home. Sure, religion can be a good thing. But there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. It will only help if Pakistan begins a massive religious re-discovery movement, its own vernacular version of Protestantism.
But must we go down that dangerous path? Is it really not possible for people to realize what is happening to what is left of their country? Atrocities like the bombing of funerals and the usurping of freedoms from the people of Swat provide opportunities for everyone to clearly see the many evils of excessive religious zeal and of outfits like the Taliban.
Pakistan is the global epicenter of Islamic fundamentalism because of a dysfunctional political system and its underlying difficulty of being born as an Islamic state. Even today, there are too many in Pakistan’s upper echelons – bureaucrats, politicians, power players, journalists and intellectuals – who are uncomfortable with the prospect of secularism, modernism, growth and an open society.
Pakistan’s elites are a paradox. They are largely secular and confident in their professional and social roles. In New York and London, they announce themselves as a part of today’s thriving, bustling modern world. Countless Pakistani men and women throng Wall Street’s biggest banks and Manhattan’s hottest nightclubs. But in Karachi they are more guarded and cautious, and readily cow down to orthodoxy. How they change and fit their modern lifestyles into parochial Pakistan is one of the greatest exercises in hypocrisy.
But as they continue to avert their eyes, Pakistani society is being overrun with cruel, medieval attitudes toward women, education, economic liberalization and modernity in general. Bringing change to Pakistan – reforming a political system and revolutionizing an entire culture – sounds like an impossible challenge. But all the mullahs in the world can’t stand up to the combined will of an agitating and determined citizenry.
There are positive signs coming from Pakistan, however. Yeh Hum Naheen – an NGO headed by producer and media consultant Waseem Mahmood – has put together a musical movement that stands up against terrorism and tells the world that the Pakistani people sing the songs of peace. They claim that more than 62 million people have put their name to the organization’s petition against terrorism, more than the number who voted in the last election in Pakistan. And as Barkha Dutt eloquently pointed out in a recent column, “Pakistan’s media understands that if it doesn’t speak up, their country’s existential crisis could spiral out of control.” No-one can deny the Pakistani media’s extraordinary bravery in light of the challenges they face.
But let more Pakistanis come out on the streets to protest against the Taliban, against violence and against the murder of their own people. And for peace and dignity and friendship with their neighbors. Let them pressure their state to take action and soon enough the world will unite around their courage and share in their battle.
But if they decide to stay at home and say nothing, they will be sanctioning evil itself.
Published in Outlook India, 24th February 2009
Source: http://www.chowk.com/articles/15482
By Rakesh Mani
The recent suicide attack in Dera Ismail Khan that targeted the funeral of a Shia Muslim cleric who was gunned down, Sher Zaman, was shocking enough. But what is even more shocking is the sheer passivity in the reaction of people in Pakistan to recent events in Dera Ismail Khan and Swat.
It is appalling to think that Pakistanis are ever-ready to take to the streets, shouting slogans and burning effigies, when Salman Rushdie writes something controversial or when offensive cartoons are published in Danish newspapers but are curiously silent when the funeral of a religious leader is bombed in sectarian violence. Or when Taliban forces capture Swat and start beheading people for religious insubordination.
Where is the conscience of a nation? Where are the protests and the million-man marches? Where are the voices that rally dormant citizens to action - on television, in the newspapers, on Facebook even?
If no one protests, it just sends a signal that this is OK. It is OK to bomb a Shia funeral, but it is not OK to write an irreverent story or draw cartoons that poke fun at religion. Where are people’s priorities? How much deeper into the abyss is Pakistan going to sink?
Islamic fundamentalism’s biggest draw is that it is a utopian alternative to the miserable realities of people’s lives. But everywhere that fundamentalists have come to power, their sheen has worn off. Think of Bangladesh, Turkey and Iran. People realize that mullahs can preach all day, but they can’t run a country. So if sectarianism, and militancy in the north-west areas, is Pakistan’s big problem then perhaps it is also Pakistan’s big solution.
Maybe the harsh Zia era was not enough. Maybe what Pakistan needs, finally, is for the Islamists to actually come to power, impose draconian edicts and provide the country with a final inoculation against excessive religiosity.
Maybe then, after suffering through medieval laws against adultery and blasphemy, ordinary Pakistanis will shed their passivity, agitate to separate the state from the tentacles of the mosque and loudly cry no to religious education in high schools, to religion lines on their passports and to rhetoric that urges them to subordinate their citizenship to their religious beliefs. Perhaps Pakistan needs a bitter pill that will forever taint this notion of the religious right being the ultimate defenders of flag and faith.
Because at the heart of Pakistan’s crisis is a national tendency to over-emphasize religion, whether in politics, or at home. Sure, religion can be a good thing. But there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. It will only help if Pakistan begins a massive religious re-discovery movement, its own vernacular version of Protestantism.
But must we go down that dangerous path? Is it really not possible for people to realize what is happening to what is left of their country? Atrocities like the bombing of funerals and the usurping of freedoms from the people of Swat provide opportunities for everyone to clearly see the many evils of excessive religious zeal and of outfits like the Taliban.
Pakistan is the global epicenter of Islamic fundamentalism because of a dysfunctional political system and its underlying difficulty of being born as an Islamic state. Even today, there are too many in Pakistan’s upper echelons – bureaucrats, politicians, power players, journalists and intellectuals – who are uncomfortable with the prospect of secularism, modernism, growth and an open society.
Pakistan’s elites are a paradox. They are largely secular and confident in their professional and social roles. In New York and London, they announce themselves as a part of today’s thriving, bustling modern world. Countless Pakistani men and women throng Wall Street’s biggest banks and Manhattan’s hottest nightclubs. But in Karachi they are more guarded and cautious, and readily cow down to orthodoxy. How they change and fit their modern lifestyles into parochial Pakistan is one of the greatest exercises in hypocrisy.
But as they continue to avert their eyes, Pakistani society is being overrun with cruel, medieval attitudes toward women, education, economic liberalization and modernity in general. Bringing change to Pakistan – reforming a political system and revolutionizing an entire culture – sounds like an impossible challenge. But all the mullahs in the world can’t stand up to the combined will of an agitating and determined citizenry.
There are positive signs coming from Pakistan, however. Yeh Hum Naheen – an NGO headed by producer and media consultant Waseem Mahmood – has put together a musical movement that stands up against terrorism and tells the world that the Pakistani people sing the songs of peace. They claim that more than 62 million people have put their name to the organization’s petition against terrorism, more than the number who voted in the last election in Pakistan. And as Barkha Dutt eloquently pointed out in a recent column, “Pakistan’s media understands that if it doesn’t speak up, their country’s existential crisis could spiral out of control.” No-one can deny the Pakistani media’s extraordinary bravery in light of the challenges they face.
But let more Pakistanis come out on the streets to protest against the Taliban, against violence and against the murder of their own people. And for peace and dignity and friendship with their neighbors. Let them pressure their state to take action and soon enough the world will unite around their courage and share in their battle.
But if they decide to stay at home and say nothing, they will be sanctioning evil itself.
Published in Outlook India, 24th February 2009
Source: http://www.chowk.com/articles/15482
Carnage in Dera
Carnage in Dera
By Prof. Dr. Mansoor Akbar Kundi
The suicidal bomb blast in the funeral procession in my hometown Dera Ismail Khan on 20th like before left more than thirty dead and twice of them wounded. It was a target attack on the Shia as they were carrying the funeral of a Shia activist gunned down a day before. A similar attack was carried few months ago in the emergency ward of the district civil hospital where a Shia crowd following the killing of a fellow had approached the site. No matter whatever one may call it: barbaric, heinous, horrible, atrocious, it is all beyond it. It diminishes me. My hometown, once known for its tranquility and peace with people known for docile smile and warmth hospitality, is now brutally plunged into killing fields with innocent and precious lives lost in day to day bloody sconce without any solution or remedy in sight.
D. I. Khan is a border town. It links Punjab and tribal Frontier Region. Before Tank was raised to a district, it shared direct border with South Waziristan. Being raised to a district status in 1894 with Mr. H.W.Gee as its first Deputy Commissioner it remained a part of Punjab province until the NWFP was raised to a Chief Commissioner province in 1901. It had a mixed ethnic and religious population with 20-25 percent of them belonging to Shia sect. After 1947 a considerable number of refugees from India were settled in the district. Its population rapidly increased after oil boon in 1973 where tribal from Waziristan with financial resources of labor earnings in Saudi Arabia and Gulf Sheikhdoms bought land and properties. After the construction of Chasma Right Bank Canal with agriculture boon and prosperity people from other areas shifted and bought lands.
No matter with rapid change in culture and ethnic dimensions with militancy growth over the years due to Afghan Counterrevolution/Jihad with Pakistan as the front state to facilitate proxy war against Soviet Union, it was still by any definition a peaceful city until the military action by Pakistan army in South and North Waziristan in 2003. The past five years experiences show that it was a drastic action and ultimate bad policy making of our praetorian rulers to please American bosses which has engulfed the NWFP in the flames of instability and chaos. Khalil Gibran says that Cuckoo does not build nest lest its chicks bear the wrath of slavery comes true in the case our rulers opted for military action without realizing the past and present.
They failed to realize the vision and wisdom of Quaid-e-Azam who soon after the independence moved troops from the two agencies by vacating Mir Ali, Razmak and Manzai garrisons the British raised. Where it was a shift in loyalties and priorities of nation-states’ establishments redefining the nature of their relationship, particularly between a core and periphery(ies) by taking U Turn in Afghanistan and events after, there it was a writing on the wall for future instability of the region, the D.I.Khan is part of the day to day bloody scenes. Until 2003 NWFP was out of militancy it is plunged today.
The military action in Waziristan led to huge property destruction, killing and migration to D.I. Khan and adjacent areas. It included children, women, men and militants. During the period many tribal youngsters between the age of 12 to 20 fell into Taliban lines. They were moved by the state of agony and pain of their kith and kin’s murder, losses of properties, and social condemnation; some by Jihad paradigm to bless them and their relatives in the life eternity with all blessings in paradise the Koran promises to a martyr. Out of all revenge and brain washing, their immediate target was the revenge taking from the killers of their relatives, believers and countrymen. A crop of suicidal bombers was easily raised which in attempt to target the heavily guarded security forces convoys and installations are now out of bound.
In D. I. Khan, poor public scary and threatened of the blasts, “death (bomb) squads are around, it is matter of mobilization”. Their targets are defined and undefined, becoming more indiscriminate. They include security forces, political figures, mosques, or any crowd. In D. I. Khan, Shia procession is one of them. The town where I spent my childhood and youth without any sound of gunfire for years is now a bleeding ground for innocent killings.
Source: http://www.pakspectator.com/carnage-in-dera/
By Prof. Dr. Mansoor Akbar Kundi
The suicidal bomb blast in the funeral procession in my hometown Dera Ismail Khan on 20th like before left more than thirty dead and twice of them wounded. It was a target attack on the Shia as they were carrying the funeral of a Shia activist gunned down a day before. A similar attack was carried few months ago in the emergency ward of the district civil hospital where a Shia crowd following the killing of a fellow had approached the site. No matter whatever one may call it: barbaric, heinous, horrible, atrocious, it is all beyond it. It diminishes me. My hometown, once known for its tranquility and peace with people known for docile smile and warmth hospitality, is now brutally plunged into killing fields with innocent and precious lives lost in day to day bloody sconce without any solution or remedy in sight.
D. I. Khan is a border town. It links Punjab and tribal Frontier Region. Before Tank was raised to a district, it shared direct border with South Waziristan. Being raised to a district status in 1894 with Mr. H.W.Gee as its first Deputy Commissioner it remained a part of Punjab province until the NWFP was raised to a Chief Commissioner province in 1901. It had a mixed ethnic and religious population with 20-25 percent of them belonging to Shia sect. After 1947 a considerable number of refugees from India were settled in the district. Its population rapidly increased after oil boon in 1973 where tribal from Waziristan with financial resources of labor earnings in Saudi Arabia and Gulf Sheikhdoms bought land and properties. After the construction of Chasma Right Bank Canal with agriculture boon and prosperity people from other areas shifted and bought lands.
No matter with rapid change in culture and ethnic dimensions with militancy growth over the years due to Afghan Counterrevolution/Jihad with Pakistan as the front state to facilitate proxy war against Soviet Union, it was still by any definition a peaceful city until the military action by Pakistan army in South and North Waziristan in 2003. The past five years experiences show that it was a drastic action and ultimate bad policy making of our praetorian rulers to please American bosses which has engulfed the NWFP in the flames of instability and chaos. Khalil Gibran says that Cuckoo does not build nest lest its chicks bear the wrath of slavery comes true in the case our rulers opted for military action without realizing the past and present.
They failed to realize the vision and wisdom of Quaid-e-Azam who soon after the independence moved troops from the two agencies by vacating Mir Ali, Razmak and Manzai garrisons the British raised. Where it was a shift in loyalties and priorities of nation-states’ establishments redefining the nature of their relationship, particularly between a core and periphery(ies) by taking U Turn in Afghanistan and events after, there it was a writing on the wall for future instability of the region, the D.I.Khan is part of the day to day bloody scenes. Until 2003 NWFP was out of militancy it is plunged today.
The military action in Waziristan led to huge property destruction, killing and migration to D.I. Khan and adjacent areas. It included children, women, men and militants. During the period many tribal youngsters between the age of 12 to 20 fell into Taliban lines. They were moved by the state of agony and pain of their kith and kin’s murder, losses of properties, and social condemnation; some by Jihad paradigm to bless them and their relatives in the life eternity with all blessings in paradise the Koran promises to a martyr. Out of all revenge and brain washing, their immediate target was the revenge taking from the killers of their relatives, believers and countrymen. A crop of suicidal bombers was easily raised which in attempt to target the heavily guarded security forces convoys and installations are now out of bound.
In D. I. Khan, poor public scary and threatened of the blasts, “death (bomb) squads are around, it is matter of mobilization”. Their targets are defined and undefined, becoming more indiscriminate. They include security forces, political figures, mosques, or any crowd. In D. I. Khan, Shia procession is one of them. The town where I spent my childhood and youth without any sound of gunfire for years is now a bleeding ground for innocent killings.
Source: http://www.pakspectator.com/carnage-in-dera/
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Dera among the least likely places to visit
Skyscanner reveals the top 10 most searched for 2009 destinations to see where people are heading on holiday this year.
Spain remains a favourite with Brits due to its close proximity, hot weather and good value
1. London (UK)
2. Malaga (Spain)
3. Alicante (Spain)
4. Tenerife (Spain)
5. Dalaman (Turkey)
6. Faro (Portugal)
7. Palma (Spain)
8. Geneva (Switzerland)
9. Paphos (Cyprus)
10. Murcia (Spain)
Top 10 most searched for destinations by UK visitors using Skyscanner.net for travel in 2009 (as of Dec 08). London took the top spot and a total of five UK cities made the top 50, highlighting the fact that domestic air travel remains strong. However, Spain dominated the top 10, with 5 Spanish destinations featuring, all of which are beach holiday spots. Turkey, Portugal and Cyprus also placed in the top 10, as did Switzerland, due to its popularity as a ski hub.
Barry Smith, Skyscanner co-founder commented:“It’s still early days for 2009 bookings, but already we can see that British people don’t want to give up their beach holidays, even when times are tough. This year, it’s all about making your money go as far as possible, which is why Spain remains an extremely popular destination for British travellers. It’s close, warm and still very good value. Turkey is another value destination, jumping up five places compared to last year’s top 10, partly because it’s outside the Euro-zone.”Of the top 50 destinations, only eight were outside of Europe, suggesting that short haul travel will be the winner for 2009. Despite a fall in UK-USA search traffic in the run up to Christmas due to the strengthening US dollar, New York (USA) and Orlando (USA) made the top 20, as did Rome (Italy), Barcelona (Spain), Paris (France) and Amsterdam (Netherlands).
Places least likely to see many UK travellers in 2009 included Dali City (China), Dera Ismail Khan (Pakistan) and Iron Mountain (Michigan, USA).
Source: http://news.skyscanner.net/articles/2009/01/000847-where-are-we-going-in-2009-top-10-travel-destinations.html
Spain remains a favourite with Brits due to its close proximity, hot weather and good value
1. London (UK)
2. Malaga (Spain)
3. Alicante (Spain)
4. Tenerife (Spain)
5. Dalaman (Turkey)
6. Faro (Portugal)
7. Palma (Spain)
8. Geneva (Switzerland)
9. Paphos (Cyprus)
10. Murcia (Spain)
Top 10 most searched for destinations by UK visitors using Skyscanner.net for travel in 2009 (as of Dec 08). London took the top spot and a total of five UK cities made the top 50, highlighting the fact that domestic air travel remains strong. However, Spain dominated the top 10, with 5 Spanish destinations featuring, all of which are beach holiday spots. Turkey, Portugal and Cyprus also placed in the top 10, as did Switzerland, due to its popularity as a ski hub.
Barry Smith, Skyscanner co-founder commented:“It’s still early days for 2009 bookings, but already we can see that British people don’t want to give up their beach holidays, even when times are tough. This year, it’s all about making your money go as far as possible, which is why Spain remains an extremely popular destination for British travellers. It’s close, warm and still very good value. Turkey is another value destination, jumping up five places compared to last year’s top 10, partly because it’s outside the Euro-zone.”Of the top 50 destinations, only eight were outside of Europe, suggesting that short haul travel will be the winner for 2009. Despite a fall in UK-USA search traffic in the run up to Christmas due to the strengthening US dollar, New York (USA) and Orlando (USA) made the top 20, as did Rome (Italy), Barcelona (Spain), Paris (France) and Amsterdam (Netherlands).
Places least likely to see many UK travellers in 2009 included Dali City (China), Dera Ismail Khan (Pakistan) and Iron Mountain (Michigan, USA).
Source: http://news.skyscanner.net/articles/2009/01/000847-where-are-we-going-in-2009-top-10-travel-destinations.html
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Soft-drink bombs: SIMI's new weapon
AHMEDABAD: Having used ammonium nitrate-based bombs to devastating effect in serial blasts across the country, the Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) was experimenting with a new concoction using hydrogen peroxide to make liquid bombs.
Prototypes of liquid bombs were first experimented with in the Vagamon forests in Idukki district of Kerala where a SIMI camp was held in December 2007 to impart terror training to its cadres. The camp was organized by Kerala SIMI secretary, PA Shivli. The experiments with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were revealed in the statement of SIMI general secretary Safdar Nagori during interrogation after his arrest by the Indore police on March 26 this year.
"Liquid bombs are as potent as the ones which use ammonium nitrate. The concoction can be injected in plastic or glass bottles of soft-drinks and detonated without attracting much attention," said a senior Madhya Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) official.
"The terrorists knew that the government would impose strict restrictions on supply of ammonium nitrate. H2O2 was a suitable alternative as it can be obtained from chemist shops easily," said the police official.
Officials said the soft-drink bottles could be placed in crates or stacked in closed goods carriers and then detonated. SIMI planned to use food colours to make these bombs look like the original beverage. They had also figured out how to fix the batteries and detonators for triggering the device.
SIMI was inspired by the liquid bombs tried out by the Trans-Atlantic flight bombers in London in August 2006. Eight Al Qaida terrorists were held while planning to carry the liquid bombs in seven Trans-Atlantic flights.
According to Nagori's statement, this bomb-making technique was first introduced to the SIMI cadres by Hyderabad-based Raziuddin Nasir who had been trained at the Dera Ismail Khan terror training camp in Pakistan.
Nasir (21) was arrested by Karnataka police in January this year from Davangere. He is the son of the Hyderabad cleric Maulana Naseeruddin, currently in a Gujarat jail facing trial in the murder of former Gujarat home minister Haren Pandya.
(http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Ahmedabad/Soft-drimk_bombs_SIMIs_new_weapon/articleshow/3379416.cms)
Prototypes of liquid bombs were first experimented with in the Vagamon forests in Idukki district of Kerala where a SIMI camp was held in December 2007 to impart terror training to its cadres. The camp was organized by Kerala SIMI secretary, PA Shivli. The experiments with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were revealed in the statement of SIMI general secretary Safdar Nagori during interrogation after his arrest by the Indore police on March 26 this year.
"Liquid bombs are as potent as the ones which use ammonium nitrate. The concoction can be injected in plastic or glass bottles of soft-drinks and detonated without attracting much attention," said a senior Madhya Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) official.
"The terrorists knew that the government would impose strict restrictions on supply of ammonium nitrate. H2O2 was a suitable alternative as it can be obtained from chemist shops easily," said the police official.
Officials said the soft-drink bottles could be placed in crates or stacked in closed goods carriers and then detonated. SIMI planned to use food colours to make these bombs look like the original beverage. They had also figured out how to fix the batteries and detonators for triggering the device.
SIMI was inspired by the liquid bombs tried out by the Trans-Atlantic flight bombers in London in August 2006. Eight Al Qaida terrorists were held while planning to carry the liquid bombs in seven Trans-Atlantic flights.
According to Nagori's statement, this bomb-making technique was first introduced to the SIMI cadres by Hyderabad-based Raziuddin Nasir who had been trained at the Dera Ismail Khan terror training camp in Pakistan.
Nasir (21) was arrested by Karnataka police in January this year from Davangere. He is the son of the Hyderabad cleric Maulana Naseeruddin, currently in a Gujarat jail facing trial in the murder of former Gujarat home minister Haren Pandya.
(http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Ahmedabad/Soft-drimk_bombs_SIMIs_new_weapon/articleshow/3379416.cms)
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Rahimdad denies rift in PPPP
PESHAWAR: Pakistan People's Party provincial president has dispelled the impression of any rift in the party ranks, saying the PPP is fully united under the leadership of its Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.
Addressing a press conference here Monday, Rahimdad said the PPP was committed to work for political stability, restoration of undiluted democracy, strengthening of institutions and independent judiciary in the country.
NWFP PPP chief termed the power sharing and consensus between PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on important national issues as a landmark step towards democratic and prosperous Pakistan.
He said people wanted both parties to work jointly for finding a solution to their problems. Rahimdad demanded immediate summoning of the National and Provincial assemblies sessions to pave the way for the revival of a genuine democracy in the country.
About the formation of the coalition government at the Centre and NWFP, he said that names for the offices of speakers of NWFP and National Assembly would be announced soon, adding the PPP would also name the members from the party for the NWFP cabinet.
Highlighting his party stance on the renaming of the NWFP, Rahimdad said a consensus among people from every walk of life was a must before changing the name of the province. "People of Hindko-dominated areas such as Hazara and Dera Ismail Khan will be taken into confidence in this regard," he added. The PPP provincial chief requested the media to play a role in bringing people closer through creating the message of hope and unity.
Addressing a press conference here Monday, Rahimdad said the PPP was committed to work for political stability, restoration of undiluted democracy, strengthening of institutions and independent judiciary in the country.
NWFP PPP chief termed the power sharing and consensus between PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on important national issues as a landmark step towards democratic and prosperous Pakistan.
He said people wanted both parties to work jointly for finding a solution to their problems. Rahimdad demanded immediate summoning of the National and Provincial assemblies sessions to pave the way for the revival of a genuine democracy in the country.
About the formation of the coalition government at the Centre and NWFP, he said that names for the offices of speakers of NWFP and National Assembly would be announced soon, adding the PPP would also name the members from the party for the NWFP cabinet.
Highlighting his party stance on the renaming of the NWFP, Rahimdad said a consensus among people from every walk of life was a must before changing the name of the province. "People of Hindko-dominated areas such as Hazara and Dera Ismail Khan will be taken into confidence in this regard," he added. The PPP provincial chief requested the media to play a role in bringing people closer through creating the message of hope and unity.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
ANP-led alliance gets support of 85 MPAs in NWFP
PESHAWAR: A tripartite alliance of the Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has succeeded in mustering the support of 85 MPAs-elect in the NWFP Assembly, leaving the opposition with little chances of fielding their candidates for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker offices.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has notified the official results for 117 seats in the Frontier Assembly, including reserved seats for women and minorities in the 124-member house. Polling on three provincial constituencies had been postponed due to the deaths of candidates prior to the February 18 elections.
Besides the unambiguous support of 85 members, Pakistan People's Party-Sherpao (PPP-S) has also extended its unconditional support to the PPP, while Muttahidda Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) has yet to decide its future role in the assembly.
The ANP's strength reached to 46 MPAs-elect in the assembly after the inclusion of nine women lawmakers on reserved seats and one minority MPA.
Five independents formally joined the nationalist party while two independents, Malik Hayat from Dir and Mehboob Alam from Kohistan, announced their support to the ANP.
The PPP, which had initially secured 18 general seats, is now enjoying the support of 30 MPAs-elect in the assembly after six independents joined the party, while six on the women reserved seats and one on minority have also been elected to the provincial assembly.
The PML-N enjoys the support of nine members, who would back the ANP-PPP coalition government in the province. Likewise, PPP-S has shown its unconditional support to the PPP in the province. Two independents, Murid Kazim of Dera Ismail Khan and Habibur Rehman Tanoli associated with the PPP-S in the past, would support their party.
After ANP and PPP, the MMA emerged as the third largest party with 14 members in the House.
The tally of independent MPAs has shrunk to six from 22. Pakistan Muslim League-Q, with six MPAs-elect, would have no other option but to sit on the opposition benches in the 117-member assembly.
On November 27, 2002, the combined opposition had proposed the names of Syed Qalb-e-Hasan of the ANP and Nighat Yasmin Aurakzai of the PML-Q for the offices of speaker and deputy speaker, respectively, against the MMA's Bakht Jehan Khan and Ikramullah Shahid.
The ANP, PPP, PPP-S and PML-Q had formed the combined opposition against the religious parties' alliance at that time.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has notified the official results for 117 seats in the Frontier Assembly, including reserved seats for women and minorities in the 124-member house. Polling on three provincial constituencies had been postponed due to the deaths of candidates prior to the February 18 elections.
Besides the unambiguous support of 85 members, Pakistan People's Party-Sherpao (PPP-S) has also extended its unconditional support to the PPP, while Muttahidda Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) has yet to decide its future role in the assembly.
The ANP's strength reached to 46 MPAs-elect in the assembly after the inclusion of nine women lawmakers on reserved seats and one minority MPA.
Five independents formally joined the nationalist party while two independents, Malik Hayat from Dir and Mehboob Alam from Kohistan, announced their support to the ANP.
The PPP, which had initially secured 18 general seats, is now enjoying the support of 30 MPAs-elect in the assembly after six independents joined the party, while six on the women reserved seats and one on minority have also been elected to the provincial assembly.
The PML-N enjoys the support of nine members, who would back the ANP-PPP coalition government in the province. Likewise, PPP-S has shown its unconditional support to the PPP in the province. Two independents, Murid Kazim of Dera Ismail Khan and Habibur Rehman Tanoli associated with the PPP-S in the past, would support their party.
After ANP and PPP, the MMA emerged as the third largest party with 14 members in the House.
The tally of independent MPAs has shrunk to six from 22. Pakistan Muslim League-Q, with six MPAs-elect, would have no other option but to sit on the opposition benches in the 117-member assembly.
On November 27, 2002, the combined opposition had proposed the names of Syed Qalb-e-Hasan of the ANP and Nighat Yasmin Aurakzai of the PML-Q for the offices of speaker and deputy speaker, respectively, against the MMA's Bakht Jehan Khan and Ikramullah Shahid.
The ANP, PPP, PPP-S and PML-Q had formed the combined opposition against the religious parties' alliance at that time.
22 cities hit harder by high prices
ISLAMABAD • The State Bank of Pakistan data has revealed that nine cities of the Punjab, four of North west Frontier Province, six of Sindh and three of Balochistan remained the worst hit by inflation in 2007-08.
These cities faced more than six percent increase lit the aggregate inflation hitting all baskets of consumption while the rest of the country was subjected to more than 5.4 percent hike, the latest SBP data shows.
Income Group-wise Inflation rate examined by the SBP during January 2008 reveals that inflation for various income groups, three out of four income categories have experienced higher than the overall average Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation: general, food and non-food.
The only category that displayed lower inflation than the overall CPI inflation was the income group earning Rs12,000 or above.
The highest Year on Year (YoY) CPI inflation was recorded for the income group of up to Rs3,000 that recorded double-digit inflation for the fourth consecutive month (14.7 per cent), followed by income group of Rs3,001 to
5,000(14.5 per cent) and income group Rs5,001 to 12,000 (13.0 per cent) while the highest income group, with incomes above Rs12,000, experienced the lowest inflation in all categories (10.2 per cent). City-wise data of income groups exhibits that the lowest YoY inflation was recorded in Rawalpindi by the group with income up to Rs3,000 followed by Sialkot (for the group with incomes in the range of Rs3,001 to 5,000, and for the group with income in the range of Rs5,001 to 12,000).
Rawalpindi recorded the lowest inflation for the income groups with earnings of above Rs12,000 per month. The highest YoY inflation was recorded in Bannu for all income groups.
In all, price hike data of 35 most impacted cities was examined, to find that 25 cities were in the category of high-inflation towns. The data exhibited that the highest level of year-to-year inflation was recorded in Bannu.
The inflation in CPI of January 2008 in the following cities showed on the extreme: Bannu, Attock, Bahawalnagar, Sargodha, Nawabshah, Jhelum, Khuzdar, Karachi, Shahdadpur, Bahawalpur, Samundari, Okara, Vehari, Lahore, Loralai, Rawalpindi, Sukkur, Islamabad, Turbat, Sialkot, Hyderabad, Larkana, Mianwali, Dera Ghazi Khan, Mardan, Gujranwala, Abbotabad, Mirpur Khas, Kunri, Dera Ismail Khan, Jhang, Multan Quetta, Faisalabad and Peshawar.Sunday, March 2, 2008
Blast injures three in DI Khan
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A bomb blast in Shah Ajmal area of Prowa Tehsil injured three persons here on Saturday. The injured, identified as Ghazi Muhammad Wazir, Ghazi Khan and Annan Gul, were rushed to hospital. Unknown miscreants had planted the bomb near the wall of a house.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Pillion riding banned in D I Khan on 17, 18th
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Pillion riding in D I Khan has been banned on February 17 and 18 as part of security plan devised for peaceful conduct of general election, Additional Inspector General of Police Haji Habib-ur-Rahman said here Saturday.
He said the police have sealed all entry points of the city as a precautionary measure for the general election.
A comprehensive phased-wise security plan has been devised which is pre-polls, during polls, and post-polls, he said, adding to avert any untoward incident on February 18, D I Khan police have also chalked out elaborate security measures, sending appropriate deployment to around 429 polling stations. Besides ten points have also been established at different locations in the city that would be manned by police personnel.
(http://thepost.com.pk/NatNews.aspx?dtlid=145018&catid=2)
He said the police have sealed all entry points of the city as a precautionary measure for the general election.
A comprehensive phased-wise security plan has been devised which is pre-polls, during polls, and post-polls, he said, adding to avert any untoward incident on February 18, D I Khan police have also chalked out elaborate security measures, sending appropriate deployment to around 429 polling stations. Besides ten points have also been established at different locations in the city that would be manned by police personnel.
(http://thepost.com.pk/NatNews.aspx?dtlid=145018&catid=2)
The moment of truth for Fazlur Rahman
By Rahimullah Yusufzai
The man who until a few months ago was one of Pakistan's most influential politicians is now mostly confined to his rural home in a remote part of the country in Dera Ismail Khan. Maulana Fazlur Rahman cannot campaign publicly due to security concerns in an election that could drastically reduce his importance and cut down to size the MMA, the religio-political alliance that he and fellow Islamic political leaders led to a spectacular victory and power in the October 2002 general elections.
The maulana and his brothers live outside the city of Dera Ismail Khan and not far from the airport, which is deserted due to disconnection of PIA flights for quite sometime now. An under-construction mosque with its tall domes and minarets beckons from afar. The sprawling compound behind the mosque contains the row of houses belonging to the five brothers, four of whom are contesting the February 18 elections. The fifth, Ziaur Rahman, is a government employee and, therefore, ineligible to become a candidate for the polls.
Twice in recent months, the compound was attacked with rockets fired by unknown people. According to the maulana's youngest brother Obaidur Rahman, who is a candidate from the NWFP Assembly constituency comprising the city and its suburbs, the rockets fell in the agricultural fields on both sides of their houses but failed to cause any damage. On one occasion, the rockets were fired from the road just outside the compound and directly targetted Maulana Fazlur Rahman's home. The rocket attacks and subsequent intelligence reports put together by government agencies highlighted the danger to the maulana's life. Though the maulana isn't convinced that the militants linked to al-Qaeda and Taliban were plotting to kill him, he has been forced by his family members and party leadership to restrict his outdoor political activities. This has affected not only his own election campaign in Dera Ismail Khan and in neighbouring Bannu district where he is contesting another National Assembly seat but also that of his party, JUI-F, and MMA.
Visiting the maulana at his home a few days ago, one saw him delivering a speech on the phone to an election rally of his party in Ziarat in Balochistan province. Seated on a comfortable sofa in his spacious drawing room, he spoke in Pashto to a crowd sitting far away in a place so green, forested and pleasant that Pakistan's founder Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah selected it after falling ill to spend his last days. One wasn't aware of the impact that the maulana's speech would have made on the voters in Ziarat. His physical presence in Ziarat and the rest of Balochistan would certainly have made a difference and swung sections of the electorate to vote for his party candidates. Thanks to the London-based MQM leader Altaf Hussain who introduced the idea of telephonic speeches due to his inability or unwillingness to return to Pakistan on account of security concerns, this innovative method to keep in touch with supporters and run election campaign has now caught on. Islamic politicians, forever keen to make use of modern technology even if they initially suspect the western innovations to be some kind of a trap, are now increasingly using all kinds of phones, emails, SMS texts and websites to mobilize supporters, organize rallies and seek votes.
Though the maulana said he was able to visit five villages in Dera Ismail Khan the previous day and was planning to campaign in some more places that evening, it was obvious that the threat to his life has severely curtailed his movement and almost made him captive in his tightly-guarded home. His party activists are sending out CDs containing his speeches to compensate for his absence.
Making matters worse for the maulana is the split in his party, JUI-F, in Balochistan and also in some districts of NWFP and the disunity in the ranks of MMA following boycott of the polls by the Jamaat-i-Islami. A faction of the JUI-F led by Maulana Asmatullah has parted ways and formed a group known as JUI-Aaeeni, or the JUI Constitutional. It is challenging the mainstream JUI-F faction headed by Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani and has put candidates against party ticket-holders. This was a golden chance for the JUI-F to sweep the polls in Balochistan, particularly in the Pashtun belt due to the boycott of the elections by its major rival, Mahmood Khan Achakzai's Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP). But the emergence of the splinter JUI Constitutional faction and also the aloofness of top JUI-F leaders such as former MNAs Hafiz Hussain Ahmad and Maulana Noor Mohammad due to the denial of party ticket for the coming elections have spoiled its chances of success at the polls in Balochistan. In its NWFP strongholds, the JUI-F has encountered split in its ranks in Swabi, Swat and some other districts and dissidents are contesting election against party nominees. This would certainly result in defeat of several JUI-F candidates and further reduce the political clout of the MMA.
Being a realist, the pragmatic maulana conceded that the Frontier was heading for a split mandate in the elections. However, he was hopeful that the MMA despite the disunity in its ranks would emerge with the largest bloc of seats in the NWFP Assembly. In his view, MMA would have to be accommodated as part of the ruling coalition in the province and at the centre as the alliance would be holding the balance of power. Known for long to be nursing ambition to become the prime minister, he humorously remarked that the parties could agree to his becoming a consensus candidate in view of the likelihood of a split mandate at the centre as well. That is unlikely to happen. Neither PPP nor PML-Q and PML-N would forego claim to the prime minister's office in favour of someone like Maulana Fazlur Rahman with much fewer number of seats in the National Assembly. In fact, his best chance to grab the prime ministerial job was after the 2002 general elections when the MMA had almost 70 seats in the National Assembly and was the dominant electoral force in the NWFP and Balochistan. That is now history and there is no chance that the MMA would repeat its unprecedented electoral performance.
However, it would be wrong to underestimate Maulana Fazlur Rahman, who is widely acknowledged as a shrewd politician. One cannot help recall that his late father Mufti Mahmud too bargained for and got the chief minister's job in the NWFP despite having only three seats in the provincial assembly compared to 13 won by its coalition partner, National Awami Party, the predecessor to Khan Abdul Wali Khan's ANP. To his credit though, Mufti Mahmud resigned as chief minister some months later to protest the dismissal of Balochistan chief minister Sardar Attaullah Mengal by the then prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on trumped up charges. That was probably the only time that a Pakistani politician gave up such a coveted position to uphold principles. Times have changed and Maulana Fazlur Rahman cannot claim or be expected to practice principled politics in a country where politics has become the name of a money-making and power-grabbing game and political parties have been turned into family businesses.
As for the Maulana, he possesses a trump card that would keep him and his ilk of Islamic politicians relevant even if they lose elections. Here is how he explained it: "The MMA is a wall that is blocking the militants and hardliners. If the MMA comprising moderate Islamic parties is removed from the scene and made irrelevant, then it would not be easy dealing with the militants, particularly the emotional young men among them, who believe in the power of the bullet unlike us striving for a peaceful change through the power of the ballot."
The writer is executive editor of The News International based in Peshawar. Email: bbc@pes.comsats.net.pk
(http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=96590)
The man who until a few months ago was one of Pakistan's most influential politicians is now mostly confined to his rural home in a remote part of the country in Dera Ismail Khan. Maulana Fazlur Rahman cannot campaign publicly due to security concerns in an election that could drastically reduce his importance and cut down to size the MMA, the religio-political alliance that he and fellow Islamic political leaders led to a spectacular victory and power in the October 2002 general elections.
The maulana and his brothers live outside the city of Dera Ismail Khan and not far from the airport, which is deserted due to disconnection of PIA flights for quite sometime now. An under-construction mosque with its tall domes and minarets beckons from afar. The sprawling compound behind the mosque contains the row of houses belonging to the five brothers, four of whom are contesting the February 18 elections. The fifth, Ziaur Rahman, is a government employee and, therefore, ineligible to become a candidate for the polls.
Twice in recent months, the compound was attacked with rockets fired by unknown people. According to the maulana's youngest brother Obaidur Rahman, who is a candidate from the NWFP Assembly constituency comprising the city and its suburbs, the rockets fell in the agricultural fields on both sides of their houses but failed to cause any damage. On one occasion, the rockets were fired from the road just outside the compound and directly targetted Maulana Fazlur Rahman's home. The rocket attacks and subsequent intelligence reports put together by government agencies highlighted the danger to the maulana's life. Though the maulana isn't convinced that the militants linked to al-Qaeda and Taliban were plotting to kill him, he has been forced by his family members and party leadership to restrict his outdoor political activities. This has affected not only his own election campaign in Dera Ismail Khan and in neighbouring Bannu district where he is contesting another National Assembly seat but also that of his party, JUI-F, and MMA.
Visiting the maulana at his home a few days ago, one saw him delivering a speech on the phone to an election rally of his party in Ziarat in Balochistan province. Seated on a comfortable sofa in his spacious drawing room, he spoke in Pashto to a crowd sitting far away in a place so green, forested and pleasant that Pakistan's founder Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah selected it after falling ill to spend his last days. One wasn't aware of the impact that the maulana's speech would have made on the voters in Ziarat. His physical presence in Ziarat and the rest of Balochistan would certainly have made a difference and swung sections of the electorate to vote for his party candidates. Thanks to the London-based MQM leader Altaf Hussain who introduced the idea of telephonic speeches due to his inability or unwillingness to return to Pakistan on account of security concerns, this innovative method to keep in touch with supporters and run election campaign has now caught on. Islamic politicians, forever keen to make use of modern technology even if they initially suspect the western innovations to be some kind of a trap, are now increasingly using all kinds of phones, emails, SMS texts and websites to mobilize supporters, organize rallies and seek votes.
Though the maulana said he was able to visit five villages in Dera Ismail Khan the previous day and was planning to campaign in some more places that evening, it was obvious that the threat to his life has severely curtailed his movement and almost made him captive in his tightly-guarded home. His party activists are sending out CDs containing his speeches to compensate for his absence.
Making matters worse for the maulana is the split in his party, JUI-F, in Balochistan and also in some districts of NWFP and the disunity in the ranks of MMA following boycott of the polls by the Jamaat-i-Islami. A faction of the JUI-F led by Maulana Asmatullah has parted ways and formed a group known as JUI-Aaeeni, or the JUI Constitutional. It is challenging the mainstream JUI-F faction headed by Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani and has put candidates against party ticket-holders. This was a golden chance for the JUI-F to sweep the polls in Balochistan, particularly in the Pashtun belt due to the boycott of the elections by its major rival, Mahmood Khan Achakzai's Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP). But the emergence of the splinter JUI Constitutional faction and also the aloofness of top JUI-F leaders such as former MNAs Hafiz Hussain Ahmad and Maulana Noor Mohammad due to the denial of party ticket for the coming elections have spoiled its chances of success at the polls in Balochistan. In its NWFP strongholds, the JUI-F has encountered split in its ranks in Swabi, Swat and some other districts and dissidents are contesting election against party nominees. This would certainly result in defeat of several JUI-F candidates and further reduce the political clout of the MMA.
Being a realist, the pragmatic maulana conceded that the Frontier was heading for a split mandate in the elections. However, he was hopeful that the MMA despite the disunity in its ranks would emerge with the largest bloc of seats in the NWFP Assembly. In his view, MMA would have to be accommodated as part of the ruling coalition in the province and at the centre as the alliance would be holding the balance of power. Known for long to be nursing ambition to become the prime minister, he humorously remarked that the parties could agree to his becoming a consensus candidate in view of the likelihood of a split mandate at the centre as well. That is unlikely to happen. Neither PPP nor PML-Q and PML-N would forego claim to the prime minister's office in favour of someone like Maulana Fazlur Rahman with much fewer number of seats in the National Assembly. In fact, his best chance to grab the prime ministerial job was after the 2002 general elections when the MMA had almost 70 seats in the National Assembly and was the dominant electoral force in the NWFP and Balochistan. That is now history and there is no chance that the MMA would repeat its unprecedented electoral performance.
However, it would be wrong to underestimate Maulana Fazlur Rahman, who is widely acknowledged as a shrewd politician. One cannot help recall that his late father Mufti Mahmud too bargained for and got the chief minister's job in the NWFP despite having only three seats in the provincial assembly compared to 13 won by its coalition partner, National Awami Party, the predecessor to Khan Abdul Wali Khan's ANP. To his credit though, Mufti Mahmud resigned as chief minister some months later to protest the dismissal of Balochistan chief minister Sardar Attaullah Mengal by the then prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on trumped up charges. That was probably the only time that a Pakistani politician gave up such a coveted position to uphold principles. Times have changed and Maulana Fazlur Rahman cannot claim or be expected to practice principled politics in a country where politics has become the name of a money-making and power-grabbing game and political parties have been turned into family businesses.
As for the Maulana, he possesses a trump card that would keep him and his ilk of Islamic politicians relevant even if they lose elections. Here is how he explained it: "The MMA is a wall that is blocking the militants and hardliners. If the MMA comprising moderate Islamic parties is removed from the scene and made irrelevant, then it would not be easy dealing with the militants, particularly the emotional young men among them, who believe in the power of the bullet unlike us striving for a peaceful change through the power of the ballot."
The writer is executive editor of The News International based in Peshawar. Email: bbc@pes.comsats.net.pk
(http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=96590)
6 would-be suicide bombers arrested: AIG Dera
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Additional Inspector General Dera, Habib ur Rehman has disclosed that six would-be suicide bombers have been arrested from Dera and investigation is underway to expose the entire network.
Addressing a press conference here, Additional Inspector General Dera has said that it is our utmost priority to ensure peace on the occasion of Elections 2008 and a comprehensive plan has been devised in this regard.
AIG Dera Habib ur Rehman said that Dera has been divided into 6 sectors and 36 sub-sectors, adding that 63 polling stations out of 229 have been declared most sensitive while 123 polling stations declared less sensitive.
He further told that on the most sensitive polling stations, one police officer and eight armed policemen would be deployed at the polling stations while on the less sensitive areas, one officer and six policemen be deployed.
AIG Dera Habib ur Rehman informed that besides 3,000 police officials, FC officials would also be deployed to ensure law and order situation in the area while the services of Pakistan Army could be acquired immediately if needed, added by AIG Dera.
Commenting on the investigation of Benazir Bhutto, Habib ur Rehman said that Dera Police after effective planning and in time information of the Intelligence Agencies, arrested the most important accused Aitzaz Shah.
After his (Aitzaz) arrest, Sher Zaman and other accused were arrested and most of the accused have now been in custody, he added.
(http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=124503)
Peshawar police foil major sabotage bid
PESHAWAR: Entry of Afghan refugees to urban areas has been banned while police have arrested hundreds of people during a crackdown on suspicious persons and activists of various political parties ahead of the general elections on February 18.
The Peshawar Police claimed to have foiled a major sabotage bid ahead of the polling day by recovering 46 dynamites, 42 detonators and 60 fuses from an under-construction building in Shaftal Banda on Phandu Road here on Saturday.
"The Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees has been directed to confine refugees to camps. They will not be allowed to enter the areas where polling would be going on," said special secretary Home, Khalid Umerzai, while briefing media persons about the security arrangements made for the general elections.
Hundreds of Afghan refugees as well as locals have been arrested from across the province as part of "security measures" ahead of the polls. Some political parties have alleged that the government has arrested a number of their workers to disrupt their electioneering.
The political activists who were arrested during different raids in Gulbahar, Karimpura, Hashtnagri, Sikanderpura and other parts of the city included two nazims, Arif of Gulbahar and Tariq Aziz of union council Lahori.
Other detained political activists were identified as Rahmanullah, Sultan Mohammad, Malik Zrawar, Attaullah, Abdul Rahman, Shahid Noor, Mufti Naveed of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz and Arif Qadri, Sher Wazir, Shafiq, Roohul Amin, Pehlwan Lateef of Pakistan People's Party.
A number of workers of the Awami National Party were also arrested during raids by the city police.
A total of 1,094 polling stations have been declared most sensitive all over the province while 3,219 others rated as sensitive. Only 3,618 polling stations have been declared normal.
The government has already declared Charsadda, Swat, Shangla, Tank, Hangu and Malakand as the most sensitive districts while Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan and Lower Dir have been termed sensitive.
The foreign observers and members of the international media have been directed to avoid going to Swat, Shangla, Lower Dir, Malakand, Hangu, Bannu and Tank districts and the Frontier Region of Kohat as law and order situation is not satisfactory there.
"The province has been divided into seven ranges -- Peshawar, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Kohat, Hazara, Malakand and Mardan. Police control rooms would be established that could be approached in case of emergency on the polls day," Khalid Umerzai said.
The official said that elections were being held in the NWFP for 35 National Assembly and 96 provincial assembly seats.
Polls have been postponed in three provincial assembly constituencies due to the death of the candidates.
(http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=96817)
The Peshawar Police claimed to have foiled a major sabotage bid ahead of the polling day by recovering 46 dynamites, 42 detonators and 60 fuses from an under-construction building in Shaftal Banda on Phandu Road here on Saturday.
"The Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees has been directed to confine refugees to camps. They will not be allowed to enter the areas where polling would be going on," said special secretary Home, Khalid Umerzai, while briefing media persons about the security arrangements made for the general elections.
Hundreds of Afghan refugees as well as locals have been arrested from across the province as part of "security measures" ahead of the polls. Some political parties have alleged that the government has arrested a number of their workers to disrupt their electioneering.
The political activists who were arrested during different raids in Gulbahar, Karimpura, Hashtnagri, Sikanderpura and other parts of the city included two nazims, Arif of Gulbahar and Tariq Aziz of union council Lahori.
Other detained political activists were identified as Rahmanullah, Sultan Mohammad, Malik Zrawar, Attaullah, Abdul Rahman, Shahid Noor, Mufti Naveed of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz and Arif Qadri, Sher Wazir, Shafiq, Roohul Amin, Pehlwan Lateef of Pakistan People's Party.
A number of workers of the Awami National Party were also arrested during raids by the city police.
A total of 1,094 polling stations have been declared most sensitive all over the province while 3,219 others rated as sensitive. Only 3,618 polling stations have been declared normal.
The government has already declared Charsadda, Swat, Shangla, Tank, Hangu and Malakand as the most sensitive districts while Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan and Lower Dir have been termed sensitive.
The foreign observers and members of the international media have been directed to avoid going to Swat, Shangla, Lower Dir, Malakand, Hangu, Bannu and Tank districts and the Frontier Region of Kohat as law and order situation is not satisfactory there.
"The province has been divided into seven ranges -- Peshawar, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Kohat, Hazara, Malakand and Mardan. Police control rooms would be established that could be approached in case of emergency on the polls day," Khalid Umerzai said.
The official said that elections were being held in the NWFP for 35 National Assembly and 96 provincial assembly seats.
Polls have been postponed in three provincial assembly constituencies due to the death of the candidates.
(http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=96817)
Former Pakistani official shot dead
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- A former government official was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in his house in northwestern Pakistan, the official Associated Press of Pakistan reported Thursday.
Bashir Hussain Shahani, a retired Scientific Officer of Agriculture Research Institute Ratta Kulachi, was shot in his house in Dera Ismail Khan district of North West Frontier Province late Wednesday night.
Shahani was asleep when unknown armed men sneaked into his room and killed him. The culprits fled from the scene after committing the gruesome murder, said the APP report.
Police have registered the case and started investigation.
Bashir Hussain Shahani, a retired Scientific Officer of Agriculture Research Institute Ratta Kulachi, was shot in his house in Dera Ismail Khan district of North West Frontier Province late Wednesday night.
Shahani was asleep when unknown armed men sneaked into his room and killed him. The culprits fled from the scene after committing the gruesome murder, said the APP report.
Police have registered the case and started investigation.
Voice from Waziristan
Voice from Waziristan
Khalid BhattiToday on 28th October, 2007 I woke up to the horror stories of killing and beheading of thirteen people in Swat, Pakistan that occupied the front page of “Gulf daily News, Bahrain”. Depressed and dejected, I did not know what to do except calling one of my friends from tribal regions to sound him about about the current situation there. I called my friend whose name we can assume to be Atif as disclosing his real name can result in his premature and involuntary journey to the next world. We went to the same school in Dera Ismail Khan and he comes from a well respected family of South Waziristan, the area that have become famous all around the world for all the wrong reasons.
After exchanging usual pleasantries, I was taken back by his narrative of horror that ordinary people are facing there. I will reproduce our discussion for the benefit of readers, which almost took the form of an interview. I have tried to keep his style of narrative intact so that the readers can judge the situation themselves. Further, these are the feelings and opinions of my friend and I do not have any other source to verify them, though I have never found him anything but an upright and sincere person.
Me: Atif! What is going on in the tribal areas?
Atif: Yar (friend), you are talking about tribal area. Even the settled areas of Tank and Dera Ismail Khan (settled areas adjacent to South Waziristan agency) are not immune from Talibanization. Ordinary people are suffering at their hands as well at the hands of Government Forces. Killings are the matter of routine now, and there is sense of fear among all people.
Me: Who are these people?
Atif: Yaraji (O friend), these people are Taliban. Their leaders are the people who were part of Taliban in Afghanistan, and they have recruited a large number of local youth.
Me: Are they local or from other countries?
Atif: There are very few foreigners, and they just live as guests; they do not involve themselves in local politics and keep to themselves. But the Taliban faction, who is creating trouble, is all local.
Me: Local youth? How they have joined them?
Atif: Actually, the youth do not listen to anyone, anymore. They have been brainwashed to the extent that even if father or brothers of these Taliban try to convince them, they reply by branding the father or brother as “munafiq” (Hypocrite). If pressed further, they even do not hesitate to kill the family member who confronts them. The whole social fabric has torn down.
Me: Who brainwashes them?
Atif: Taliban, who somehow have the idea of bringing the entire world to the folds of Islam. They have found these idiots in tribal areas, who can be bent to do anything due to their stupidity in the name of Islam, though they do not have even the slightest idea regarding the basic tenants of Islam. The ranks and files of Taliban comprise of various youth sections of societies including the petty thieves, thugs, unemployed and fanatics. No one can touch them and they roam around freely in the country.
Me: What is government doing about it? After all, army is deployed in the area?
Atif: Yaraji, even a simpleton like me understands that it is the government itself, which is responsible. They have allowed them to grow to show the world that there is problem in these areas. Sometime, to show the world they attack them and then go about shouting about it. They do not even hesitate to sacrifice their own poor soldiers in the process. Tell me, if ISI is not helping them, then how come they have all the latest weapons except tanks and armored vehicles. Now, they have even acquired some armored vehicles also after kidnapping army convoy and are roaming around in it. Almost every single Taliban commander, however small and insignificant he may be, possesses four wheelers and roams around with the escort of bodyguards. Part of the money that is coming to combat terrorism is actually used to help them.
Me: So, the ISI is behind that?
Atif: Yes; most definitely they are. They even have suicide training camps in Waziristan where they train young boys from the age of twelve to sixteen. They brainwash them and make them believe that this is real Jihad, and when they will die in their cause, they will go straight to Jannat.
Me: What the tribal elders are doing about it?
Atif: What can they do; traditionally they were respected and obeyed but in new situation they are totally helpless. Those who have tried are made example for others. ‘un ko baqiyon kay liyay nishan-e-ibrat bana diyaa gaya hay’. Just imagine, when Imam of Ka’ba said that suicidal attacks are haram, even he was branded as “munafiq”. As I told you, they do not listen to anyone, anymore. Alims (Islamic scholars) cannot even confront them; remember, what they did to Moulana Hassan Jan, whose only sin was that he was openly opposed to suicidal attacks.
Me: Once, you politically belonged to Moulana Fazl-Ur-Rehman. Does he have any influence?
Atif: That was in college days, and he cannot do anything. He is also afraid of them. Few days ago, on the occasion of Eid, when people went to greet him, he did not come out of his residence, because he was not sure about who is friend and who is not among two to three hundred people who went to greet him. His brother’s house was recently attacked by rocket fire.
Me: So no one can oppose them?
Atif: Yara ji, you reckon yourself. The things I am telling you, I cannot say in open, because if I do, I am sure that my headless body will be found in two or three days; and this is Dera Ismail Khan, so called settled area. The situation in Tank is worse than that. You remember Sheeraz (not real name), whose relative was kidnapped for ransom in Tank by Taliban. Yaraji, our heart bleeds for what is happening. When some Talib is killed most of the time he is not from the leadership, but is some poor person’s son or brother. Even at the funeral, parents cannot mourn their misguided dead sons as Taliban highjack the funeral and project the death as the death of a hero. When some person of armed forces is killed, he is also some poor soldier struck like us in this bloody situation.
Me: What is the reason that youth join Taliban?
Atif: Yaraji, most of the youth is not educated, and even those who are educated are unemployed because of no economic opportunities. Now, in this scenario, if one knows that he will get money to sustain himself and his family with the added benefit of becoming so called true Muslim, what do you think he will do?
Me: So, they get paid?
Atif: Yes, they get money to sustain themselves. ‘Chai paani chalta hay unka’.
Me: Where they get money from?
Atif: Yaraji, what do you think this money for war on terror goes to? And look, what we have due to them. Nowadays, even the banks in Punjab refuse to open a bank account for us when they come to know about our origin from the identification paper.
Me: Is your family okay?
Atif: No; I have to resettle with all of my family to Dera Ismail Khan and Tank. But these areas are not immune also, as even here they can pick anyone at will and the body is found after few days. People are so much scared that now they don’t have to kidnap them anyone. They just sent a ‘parchi’ (epistle) ordering to go and meet someone and no one dare refusing to go as otherwise whole family bears the brunt. Four, five of our own near ones have become victims (he did not elaborate here, even when pressed). Bas yaraji dua karo kay Allah hum per raham karay - Just pray that may Allah have mercy on us.
At this point, I was not able to continue the conversation and I changed the topic. He asked me when I am coming to Pakistan, and told me that he will himself come to Lahore to meet me, as he cannot invite me anymore due to the situation, and that’s when my eyes moistened as I cannot believe to hear this from my Pathan friend, who are famous all over the world for hospitality.
Frankly speaking, at this moment, I do not know what to write anymore, except remembering my younger days in Dera Ismail Khan and one of my visits to tribal areas with a wedding party (“barat”) when we went around dancing at the beat of “Dhol”. I think it would be a very long time till we are able to hear the beat of “dhol” and voices of joy again in those areas, if any at all.
(http://www.chowk.com/articles/12844)
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