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| India-Pakistan |
| Pakistain: New strategy to fight militancy |
| 2009-01-31 |
| (AKI/DAWN) - Pakistan's prime minister's adviser on interior affairs Rehman Malik told the Senate that a new strategy had been worked out to combat militancy in the volatile Swat area. Winding up a discussion on the situation in Swat on Thursday, he said he was confident that law enforcers would succeed in flushing out terrorists from the valley in a few weeks. Malik said the new strategy would effectively deal with elements challenging the government's writ. In a blunt warning to the terrorists, he said: "We are after you. We will not let you do what you want to do." The adviser said the situation in Mingora had been brought under control in four to five days through the new policy. He said the militant organisations behind the trouble in Swat included Al-Qaeda, Tehrik-i-Taliban led by Maulana Fazlullah, Tanzeem-i-Islami, Tora Bora group and Qari Mushtaq group. He said that a Taliban 'commander', Qari Hussain Ahmed, ran a training camp for suicide bombers in Waziristan and Maulana Naamdaar had a role in bringing suicide bombers from Waziristan to Swat. Qari Hussain was reported killed in January 2008 when his house was destroyed in an air strike. Malik said the objective of the militants was not to enforce Islamic Sharia law, but to destroy Pakistan. However, he said, the government would continue to pursue its policy of dialogue, development and deterrence, adding that the use of military force was not the only option for restoring peace. He asked the militants to stop killing innocent people, lay down arms and start working for the country. The adviser said that army contingents and paramilitary forces in Swat had been re-energised, curfew had been imposed in some areas and joint pickets had been set up. Malik appealed to the media to black out terrorists and desist from glorifying them. Those attacking politicians and infrastructure, including schools and basic health units, were enemies of the country, he said. He told the house that around 1,200 civilians had been killed and 2,000 injured in violence, while 189 military personnel had lost their lives. Malik also said that 123 government schools and 10 private schools had been destroyed and many CD shops and barbers' salons set ablaze. He said a so-called 'Taliban court' had 'summoned' 40 people. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Ooooh Oooooh! I know! *raises hand* How about: "kill them"? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-01-31 09:45 |