| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| Education system in northern Pakistan is a breeding ground for hard boyz |
| 2006-01-04 |
| NWFP Governor Khalilur Rehman has said that education would help âchange the mindsetâ of people living in the tribal areas of NWFP. His comments referred to the tribal belt on the border with Afghanistan where âjihadi feelingsâ refuse to die down. The United States is also making efforts to emphasise the importance of education in Pakistanâs Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in the hope that it will deliver the desired results. US National Security Advisor Steve Hadley inaugurated the USAID-funded school in Khyber Agency last year underlining Americaâs efforts to change the tribesmenâs mindset. However, the Government Degree College in Mir Ali town of North Waziristan is a breeding ground for anti-American feelings with students supporting local Taliban fighters, sources told Daily Times on Tuesday. More than 15 students of the college were killed in fighting the US forces in Afghanistan and in military action in North Waziristan, a fourth year student of the college told Daily Times. The last student of the college to be killed in action was Abdul Wasit when a house was bombed near Mir Ali on December 1 in which Al Qaedaâs top commander, Abu Hamza Rabia was also reportedly killed. âPro-jihad feelings are high among students,â the student said. âYoung students in particular are inspired by jihad and they praise the activities of local militants against Pakistani security forces and Americans in Afghanistan.â The number of pro-jihad students is on the rise, the student said. âStudents in favour of jihad and local are about 60 or 70 but what is disturbing is that this minority is dominating the majority,â he added. Since the federal government did not extend the Political Parties Act to FATA it gave Islamic parties an edge over liberal and democratic forces to sway local population and students were no exception. The main political party functioning in the region was the nationalist Awami National Party. In December, a musical programme was organised to welcome new students but local militants warned students not to run the programme. âWe are not studying for the sake of getting some government job. We are here to become educated members of the Islamic movement. I think the Taliban need educated members,â a pro-Taliban student told Daily Times. A senior teacher at the college said that at least one in four families had lost a member to âjihadâ and the youth were inspired by the tribesmen against forces fighting the Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan. âThe tribal youth are the biggest casualty of the war on terror in FATA. As you know the best education one can get is at home and there is no tribal family without pro-jihadi sentiments,â the teacher told Daily Times. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #2 âThe tribal youth are the biggest casualty of the war on terror in FATA. As you know the best education one can get is at home and there is no tribal family without pro-jihadi sentiments,â A senior teacher at the college said that at least one in four families had lost a member to âjihadâ I suppose that if one has an excess of children, no problem throwing a few sons into the path of kufr bullets. Not how I understand the end purpose of an education to be used, but I've always been funny that way. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-01-04 12:51 |
| #1 Ummm ... this deserves a visit from MASTER OF THE OBVIOUS |
| Posted by: The Happy Fliegerabwehrkanonen 2006-01-04 12:32 |