| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| Swat residents circulate adverts for safety |
| 2009-01-19 |
| Under threat from the Taliban, residents in Swat district are publishing adverts in local newspapers to inform the Taliban that they had made amends and were no more running 'immoral' and 'un-Islamic' businesses. "I have been providing spiritual cure to patients with the help of Quranic verses. Now, I'm a kidney patient and am suffering from cardiac problems. Doctors have advised complete rest. Therefore, I've closed my business. Do not visit me in this regard," said an advert in Swat-based Urdu newspaper, Azaadi. The advertisement by faith healer Jameel Ahmad in Charbagh tehsil of Swat, appeared just a week before the police recovered the beheaded body of another healer, Pir Rafiullah, in the outskirts of Peshawar on Saturday. Rafiullah was threatened a few days before his abduction on Friday last week from his hometown of Taru Jabba near Peshawar. His body was found the next day in Matani. Ahmad's two-room clinic, which was usually packed with visitors, is closed now. A poster installed on the main gate of the locked clinic says, "I have stopped the faith healing business. The clinic is closed. Please do not visit." Ahmad, however, is not the only one, as many others are also closing down business to save themselves. In a similar advert, Nasirul Mulk of Mingora said, "I have expiated from selling drugs. From now on, I shall do labour and earn Halal (Islamic) income. I will not use or sell drugs." A lady councillor and a member of the zakat committee have also placed advertisements in newspapers, saying they have resigned from their jobs, and have asked the people of their respective areas not to contact them in connection with their previous jobs. Female dancers and singers in Swat had already left the area, for cities like Karachi and Lahore, much before the Taliban's warnings to drug pushers, smugglers, elected members, and women employees of various government departments. Locals said the Taliban, through their radio channel, had repeatedly warned residents to stop 'illegal' businesses. The warnings against educating females have forced thousands of families to migrate to other cities of the NWFP and Punjab. The provincial government, left with no other option, said the students from Swat would be adjusted in educational institutions in other cities in evening shifts. According to an association of private schools in Swat, the Taliban ban would put around 60,000 girls out of schools. Women in Swat have already restricted themselves to their houses, while those employed have quit their jobs, gone on long leaves or have got themselves transferred to other districts of the NWFP. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 Start with the NYT, oh wait, it's dead already. |
| Posted by: Rednek Jim 2009-01-19 17:58 |
| #1 Newspapers are Unislamic! Kill them all! Ha-ha... |
| Posted by: Da Taliban 2009-01-19 10:40 |