Zardari: Pakistan in "struggle for survival"

[Saddle Bronc 124]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7890985.stm

Mr Zardari said many people had underestimated the Taleban

Pakistan 'in fight for survival'

Pakistan's president says his country is fighting for its survival against the Taleban, whose influence he said has spread deep into the country.

In an interview with US TV channel CBS, President Asif Zardari said the Taleban had established a presence across "huge parts" of Pakistan.

The country had failed to increase its forces in response, he said.

On Saturday, officials said at least 27 militants were killed in a suspected US missile strike on a Taleban hide-out.

The missile hit a house in north-west Pakistan, near the border with Afghanistan, where the US has carried out more than 20 air strikes from drones in recent months.

Islamabad has long argued that the strikes complicate its fight against insurgents, and violate its sovereignty.

Pakistani leaders had said they hoped US President Barack Obama's new administration would halt them.

But earlier this week Mr Obama said there was no doubt militants were operating in safe havens in Pakistan's tribal belt and that the US would make sure Pakistan was a strong ally in fighting that threat.

'In denial'

In his interview with CBS, which is due to be broadcast on Sunday, Mr Zardari rejected any notion that Pakistan was battling the Taleban on behalf of the US.

"Our forces weren't increased… we have weaknesses and [the Taleban] are taking advantage of that weakness"--Zardari

"We're not doing anybody a favour," he said.

"We are aware of the fact [the Taleban are] trying to take over the state of Pakistan," he said.

"So, we're fighting for the survival of Pakistan. We're not fighting for the survival of anybody else."

He also said the Taleban had extended its presence from the tribal areas to Pakistan's larger cities.

"[The Taleban] do have a presence in huge amounts of land in our side," he said, according to excerpts of the the interview.

"It's been happening over time and it's happened out of denial. Everybody was in denial."

He said that many people had thought of the Taleban: "They're weak and they won't be able to take over… they won't be able to give us a challenge.

"And our forces weren't increased… we have weaknesses and they are taking advantage of that weakness."

'Way of life'

Mr Zardari was elected months after his wife, former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, was assassinated at an election campaign.

Pakistan cannot allow a repeat of the December 2007 attack, he said.

"I lost my wife to it. My children's mother.

"It's important to stop them and make sure that it doesn't happen again and they don't take over our way of life," he said.

"That's what they want to do."

Witnesses of Saturday morning's missile strike in South Waziristan said it targeted a house frequented by militants from Pakistani Taleban leader Baitullah Mehsud's organisation.

Mehsud is believed to be responsible for a number of atrocities, including Ms Bhutto's assassination.

The missile strike took place during a visit to the region by US President Barack Obama's special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, who is assessing strategic options for the future.

Summary: since they created Taliban as "extra regiments" to use against India (and to annex Afghanistan for "extra strategic depth" for what they thought of as inevitable war with India) under war-criminal dictator Zia, Pakistan bears cent-percent of blame for Taliban now making them cry rivers.

[dalegg 143]

Established a presence?

Now they giving them territories just outside of their capitol city!

"Pakistan agreed Monday to suspend military offensives and impose Islamic law in part of the restive northwest, making a gesture it hopes will help calm the Taliban insurgency while rejecting Washington's call for tougher measures against militants."

Taliban, Pakistan Province Agree To Cease-Fire

[almaty 19]

Pakistan, sheesh

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The Taliban is Pakistani. Zardari is being disingenuous.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

The Taliban is Pakistani. Zardari is being disingenuous.

Well, he does have to put a spin which doesn't sound like "We're losing worse to the Taliban whom we created as a militant cadre than we were to the Mukti Bahini before Yahya Khan 'invited' India in to prepone our clobbering". Edited February 17, 2009 by CherryXS

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The Mukti Bahini was never clobbering Pakistan.

Indira clobbered Pakistan

[Saddle Bronc 124]

The Mukti Bahini was never clobbering Pakistan.

Indira clobbered Pakistan

Actually, even Indian (such as Gen. D.K. Palit) and independent (such as R.S. Payne) historians have stated that Mukti Bahini HAD given Pak army some clobberings (at Bramhanbaria and Tangail) as well as one near-clobbering at Sylhet. Basically, Mukti Bahini was created by Pak army's own stupidity (by attacking Bengali-ethnic soldiers, paramilitary EPR and police) and independent Bangladesh was inevitable by late 1972 or 1973, even without explicit Indian help (implicit was there from June to November 1971, and there was no plan by Indira Gandhi to forego giving explicit help anyway--but the cowardly Yahya in a drunken fit preponed it).

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Updation

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7894581.stm

Zardari details Swat peace terms

Pakistani President Asif Zardari will sign an order implementing Sharia law in Swat valley only once peace there is fully restored, his office says.

President Zardari's spokesman said that this would require the laying down of arms by Islamic militants.

Perhaps he's hoping for arms-alms from 0bama so he can wipe out Taliban? Given chances of actually disarming Pashtuns, other explanations fail.

Meanwhile, pro-Taleban cleric Sufi Mohammad has arrived in the Swat valley to try to convince local Taleban leaders to agree to the deal.

Locals have largely welcomed it but critics say it is unacceptable.

Sufi Mohammad is the father-in-law of Maulana Fazlullah, the current head of the Taleban in Swat.

Mr Mohammad's TNSM party has already signed the deal to implement Sharia with the government of North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

The deal has been welcomed by locals in the region. Hundreds turned out to greet Sufi Mohammad as he arrived in Mingora, the largest town in the Swat valley.

But critics - especially in the US - have expressed concern over what they see as capitulation to the Taleban.

They believe introducing a separate system of justice sets a dangerous precedent for other militias in parts of Pakistan.

Information Minister Sherry Rehman denied the government had made any "concession".

"It is in no way a sign of the state's weakness. The public will of the population of the Swat region is at the centre of all efforts and it should be taken into account while debating the merits of this agreement," she said.

"The president will approve the Nizam-e-Adal Regulation after the restoration of peace in the region."

Holiday destination

Sufi Muhammad arrived in Mingora with a caravan of some 300 vehicles - a day after he agreed to the truce with the NWFP government. Hundreds of people lined the route, waving and cheering the procession.

"We will soon open dialogue with Taleban. We will ask them to lay down their weapons. We are hopeful that they will not let us down"

Sufi Mohammad

Pro-Taleban cleric

He has pledged not to leave Swat until peace is secured.

"We are happy. People are welcoming us," Swat resident Shah Wali, who was travelling with the motorcade, told The Associated Press news agency.

Correspondents say that many in the caravan wore black turbans - a Taleban trademark.

On Monday regional officials urged the Taleban to lay down their arms permanently, a day after the militants agreed a 10-day truce.

Once one of Pakistan's most popular holiday destinations, the Swat valley is now mostly under Taleban control.

Thousands of people have fled and hundreds of schools have been destroyed since the Taleban insurgency in 2007.

NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Hussain Hoti said on Monday that a bill had been signed that would implement a separate system of justice for the whole region.

The BBC's M Ilyas Khan, who was recently in Swat, says the Taleban had already set up their own version of Islamic justice.

The NWFP government now hopes that a grand jirga (council) led by Sufi Mohammad will be able to persuade all the factions to comply.

The Taleban have said they will examine the document before ending hostilities permanently.

More than 1,000 civilians have died in shelling by the army or from beheadings sanctioned by the Taleban. Thousands more have been displaced.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Pakistan is breaking up. The process started decades ago and is continuing.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Pakistan is breaking up. The process started decades ago and is continuing.

On the nail (probably exact date this started was somewhere between 1947/08/16 and 1951/10/16...)

[SMOKE 1,426]

since you two are having your own discussion about Pakistan & its future...i'll jump in & ask the obvious.

who gets control of the nukes? & ####### happens if the taliban gets'em?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

since you two are having your own discussion about Pakistan & its future...i'll jump in & ask the obvious.

who gets control of the nukes? & ####### happens if the taliban gets'em?

The Taliban won't. They're currently controlled by the Pakistani military elite, English-speaking arrogant pricks who despise (but use) the bearded angry ones. They'd destroy them before they'd let the angry bearded ones near them.

[SMOKE 1,426]

i knew you'd have the answer.......hope you're right.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

yeah me too

[almaty 19]

taliban has become a pseudo part of the pakistani army..sad