Despite Pakistan's efforts as a key ally in the United States' "war on terror", terror rings endure, from South Waziristan tribal agency to the port city of Karachi. The killing by Pakistani security forces of 26-year-old former Taliban commander Nek Mohammed in June was termed a major milestone in attempts to flush out foreign militants from Pakistan - Nek had acted as an important facilitator between the Taliban in Afghanistan and foreign elements.
However, eliminating Nek was not the end of the problem. On the weekend, another charismatic fighter, Abdullah Mehsud, was behind the abduction of two Chinese engineers and a paramilitary man in the tribal areas, showing the serious threat that still exists to Islamabad's writ, despite a strong military presence and several offensives. Wang Ende and Wang Peng were working on Pakistan's Gomal Zam Dam project for China's state-run Sino Hydro Corp when they were abducted in the Chagmalai area of South Waziristan. Abdullah Mehsud appeared before the international media after Pakistani authorities claimed that the kidnappings had been done by al-Qaeda. Abdullah spelled out that insurgent tribals under his command were responsible as a reaction to the military operations in Waziristan, not al-Qaeda. |