Wednesday, June 24, 2009
7 more killed, 11 injured in Kurram Agency tribal clashes
Wednesday, June 24, 20097 more killed, 11 injured in Kurram Agency tribal clashes
Seven more people were killed during fresh clashes between tribes in Kurram Agency. The clashes erupted between tribes nine days ago after militants attacked a Balish Khel check post in Kurram Agency. The tribes are using heavy and automatic weapons against each other. According to sources, seven people were killed and 11 injured during fresh clashes. Thirty-one people were killed so far during nine days of clashes.Visit
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Taliban leadership must be eliminated: experts
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| Taliban leadership must be eliminated: experts |
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| Wednesday, June 24, 2009 By By Mumtaz Alvi |
| ISLAMABAD: Experts here on Tuesday warned of resurgence of the Taliban in case security forces failed to eliminate their top leadership and root out the causes of the genesis under a well-coordinated strategy. Speakers at a conference, 'Countering Talibanisation; The Way Forward', blamed the establishment and the military, which they alleged, nurtured the Taliban, who were sponsored by the West to crush communism and safeguard their interests in the region. Amid chants of shame, shame, some speakers insisted what they called the ongoing drama in Malakand Division and elsewhere should be the last and decisive, as Pakistan could not afford such 'exercises' anymore. Some of them were of the view that if the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) would be ignored and their rehabilitation would not be carried out properly, many of them could fall into the trap of militants. Chairman of the Parliament's Committee on National Security Senator Mian Raza Rabbani noted there was a social, political and moral breakdown of the society, which must be rectified in a sustained manner. He advocated a 'Pakistani solution' to the spectre of militancy, insisting foreign powers had their role in the regional developments, as they eyed the rich natural resources, including the energy resources. "The problem of militancy is not so simple. It is multi-dimensional. The world powers know it well from where it has been funded and nurtured. There is a need to stop the outside funding," he said. The non-implementation of the agreement by the militants after Nizam-e-Adl Regulation was launched, Senator Rabbani noted, dramatically changed the people's mind and this led to a consensus on the use of force, which would be followed by a political process in the Malakand Division. He also made it clear that the issue of militancy was not the issue of Pakhtoonkhwa, it was the issue of the Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan, having a trickle down effect. Senator Rabbani called for economic, political and democratic reforms and expressed concern over what he believed recent ploy to trigger sectarian strife in Pakistan.. Referring to the committee's recommendations, he said that IDP issue must be taken care of properly and their rehabilitation be done by providing them a neat civilian infrastructure and proper security cover. Awami National Party NWFP President Senator Afrasiab Khattak threw light on the provincial government's efforts for the rehabilitation of the IDPs. He called for merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Provincially-Administered Tribal Areas (Pata) and learning to live with Iran, China, Afghanistan and India peacefully, saying, "there is no smoke without fire". He asked for stop angering neighbours. The senator from Peshawar blamed several generals of the past for the creation of Taliban in order to create strategic depth, in case of a war with India. He pointed out thousands of seminaries were set up to produce Taliban, who were described as Mujahideen lovingly by the West. He said the West funded the Taliban to defeat communism and this derailed Pakistan. Senator Khattak was of the opinion that during the 62 years of the existence of Pakistan, militarisation of the society and the state was done in a systematic manner and added the Partition was also made with the same purpose. "Taliban are the other side of this phenomenon in a society, where 1,200-1,300 military men worked in civilian departments," he alleged. Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy was of the view that no strategy to counter Talibanisation would succeed without taking into account the real causes of it. "If a bullet comes from the north, you will have to fire back in the same direction or you will be doomed," he warned. He called the struggle against militancy, a war of ideology, and said that Dr Sarfraz Naeemi also became a victim of it, wondering that how proudly Taliban cut heads and other limbs of Muslims in Parachinar, Hangu and other areas and then put the horrifying scenes on websites. On the other hand, Jaziya (tax) was being demanded from Christians, Sikhs and other communities, he said. "If someone calls Taliban agents of the US, I will not accept it. They are a local product," he maintained. He conceded that there was a need to open schools and provide health cover to the people besides providing them cheap justice. There was also a need to thrash out a plan to counter Talibanisation, he added. He noted Taliban were neither the product of US nor Israel or India. They were produced at the local seminaries, he maintained. Others who spoke included Anisa Haroon of the National Commission on the Status of Women, PML-Q legislator Amir Muqam and others |
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Two killed as shells hit houses in Kurram
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| Two killed as shells hit houses in Kurram |
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| Wednesday, June 24, 2009 By By our correspondents |
| SADDA/PARACHINAR: Two people were killed and several others injured as over a dozen rockets and mortar shells fired by miscreants struck houses in Sadda city in the lower Kurram Agency on Tuesday. Sources said the miscreants rained rockets and mortar shells on Sadda city that hit civilian areas, leaving a man and a woman dead and several others injured.The miscreants had been targeting the Sadda city since the fighting between the rival groups broke out. A number of persons, including women and children, had been killed and several others wounded during the weeklong clashes.Meanwhile, the elders of Turi and Bangash tribes have demanded of the government to rein in the militants and take measures for bringing a lasting peace to the troubled areas of Kurram Agency. Addressing a press conference, Allama Muhammad Nawaz Irfani said they had rendered sacrifices for clearing the upper Kurram areas of the militants, but their presence in the lower and central parts of the agency was still a threat to peace. "The militants had been attacking Balishkhel and other areas but the government has turned a blind eye towards this sensitive situation," he told media. |
SOURCE: http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=184555
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3 more killed in Kurram clashes
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| 3 more killed in Kurram clashes |
| Updated at: 2025 PST, Tuesday, June 23, 2009 | |
 KURRAM AGENCY: More three people were killed and five other injured in clashes in Kurram Agency. Also, the tribal leaders and ulema resolved to side with the government in war against the terrorists.According to sources, the clashes are underway in the Kurram Agency in the wake of extremists attack on Balashkhel check post, where 24 have been killed and 56 others injured as yet. Also, the missiles are being fired at Upper Kurram from uncontrolled area. The security forces targeted the hideouts of terrorists in return of the missile attacks. Addressing a press conference in the presence of tribal leaders in Parachinar, Khateeb Jamia Masjid Parachinar Allama Muhammed Nawaz Irfani said extremists are fleeing Waziristan to come into Kurram Agency and disrupting the peace of the agency. He demanded the government to bear down upon the extremists subverting area's peace, adding the tribal lashkar will fight along with Pak Army. Allama said the assassins of Maulana Hasan Jan and Dr Allama Sarfaraz Naeemi are not Muslims. |
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Monday, June 22, 2009
Six die as clashes continue in Kurram
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US, Israel behind Pakistan sectarian violence
 'US, Israel behind Pakistan sectarian violence' Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:02:26 GMT
A senior Pakistani politician says that the US and Israel are fomenting sectarian strife in the country in order to destabilize the nuclear-armed state. Liaqat Baloch, General Secretary of the Jamat-e- Islami (JI) party, told reporters in the southern port city of Karachi that extremist groups were pursuing a US-Israeli agenda across the country. His comments come after a string of sectarian attacks on Shia Muslims in recent months undermined the already deteriorating security of the insurgency-hit country. Countless incidents of massacres took place in Dera Ismail Khan and Kurram Agency over the past few months. This is while the Taliban-linked Wahhabi groups in Parachinar, Hangu district and much of the Kurram tribal agency have embarked on a series of fatal attacks on Shia Muslims. Some local sources say more than 2,000 Shia community members have been killed in the region since 2007. The Pakistani media has warned against religious violence which has defamed the conflict-torn country. The JI leader emphasized that the Taliban insurgents were being funded by western and Israeli intelligence services to defend their interests in the volatile region. "The western powers are financing militants for achieving their desired results in this part of the world," Press TV's correspondent in Pakistan quoted Baloch as saying. The senior politician also urged the Islamabad government to quit abiding by US policies and do "what's in the best interest of the country." He concluded the religious parties will have to rise to fight the conspiracies waged against Islam under the current circumstances. SOURCE: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/98714.htm?sectionid=351020401 Visit
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Eight killed in Kurram Agency clashes
Eight killed in Kurram Agency clashes
Officials warn of military action against the armed men, who are attacking residential areas with mortars and rockets, if they do not cease fire. - AP/File photo
PARACHINAR: At least eight people were killed and 10 others injured in clashes between two groups in Kurram Agency on Sunday.
Assistant Political Agent Ayaz Mandukhel said women and children were among the dead.
He said the groups were attacking residential areas with mortars and rockets.
The clashes between people of Balishkhel and Sadda have left 16 people dead and 40 others injured over the past week.
Officials said the administration had told the warring groups that security forces would be ordered to dislodge armed men from their positions if they did not cease fire by Sunday evening.
They said the situation in other parts of the region was under control.
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3 killed in Kurram
 3 killed in Kurram F.P. Report |
| PARACHINAR: Three more persons were killed on Saturday during the clashes between tribal people and insurgents continuing for the last five days at various areas of Lower Kurrum Agency. The number of the casualties has thus reached eight in the five days combat, sources said. The sources say both the parties used heavy weapons including missiles, rockets, mortar shells and machine guns at Sadda, Khar Killay, Balish Khel and Sangina. Although the tribesmen agreed to stop fighting and sign truce but the insurgents including foreign nationals were continuously targeting the local population. The fighting has increased the difficulties of local tribal people many fold with the passage of time and they had asked the government to expand their operation to Kurrum Agency. The tribal men had offered their full support to the security forces in their fighting against the local and foreign insurgents, who were creating problems for the government and the citizens as well. Ten people were also injured in the fifth day fighting. |
SOURCE: http://www.thefrontierpost.com/News.aspx?ncat=ts&nid=1779
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Thursday, June 18, 2009
No One Will Be Safe Unless the Taliban is Stopped
Written by Tufail Ahmad |
| SUNDAY, 20 JULY 2008 09:20 |
July 20, 2008 By: Tufail Ahmad* Memri Dispatch 456:Urdu-Pashtu Media Project Shi'ite Scholars: No One Will Be Safe Unless the Taliban is Stopped "It Is the Shi'ite Muslims Who Have Stemmed the Taliban Tide [Threatening Pakistan]" Shi'ite Scholars: Pakistani Intelligence, U.S. Are Part of an International Plot to Help the Taliban to Kill Shi'ite Muslims. Introduction In early July, Shi'ite scholars from across the country held a conference in Karachi, Pakistans largest commercial city. The conference dealt with the recent wave of violence against Shi'ite Muslims in the town of Parachinar, which is the administrative center of the federally administered tribal district of Kurram Agency, and in several other Pakistani towns.(1) Shi'ites form about 20% of Pakistan's Muslim population. Militant Sunni groups have been demanding for many years to be declared a "minority," a label already applied to the Ahmadis in Pakistan and in effect designates them as non-Muslims. The Shi'ite-Sunni conflict in Pakistan can be traced back to the 1980s, when, following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Iran began financing Shi'ite groups in Pakistan, while Saudi Arabia began financing Sunni groups. In Parachinar, Shi'ite Muslims form a substantial majority, since most Sunni families left the city in the wake of the recent clashes. The recent spate of violence, directed mainly against Shi'ites, began in April 2007, when a mosque was attacked, and was renewed in November 2007, when more than 130 people were killed in Parachinar and in nearby villages.(2) Clashes between Shi'ites and Sunnis in the area go back several decades, but recently the presence of the Taliban has become a factor in the conflict. A November 2007 editorial in the Lahore-based newspaper Daily Times noted that Shi'ite leaders were disappearing in the tribal districts, and that the Shi'ite community suspected the "Sunni Taliban forces" of having a hand in their disappearance.(3) Though past spates of violence against Shi'ites in Pakistan have lasted no longer than a few weeks, the current wave of violence has not abated since November 2007. Respected senator and Shi'ite leader Allama Abbas Kumeli noted in June that some 20 to 30 Shi'ite Muslims were being killed every day in Parachinar and its environs. Kumeli, who is president of the Shi'ite group Jafferia Alliance of Pakistan, said: "Leaving... the Shi'ites [of Parachinar] at the mercy of the Taliban is a conspiracy against the country. If the government, the army, and political and religious parties do not stop the Taliban, we will have a situation on our hands worse than [the one in] Afghanistan."(4) Shi'ite Scholars: No One Will Be Safe Unless the Taliban Is Stopped The conference of Shi'ite scholars in Karachi was organized by the All Pakistan Shi'ite Action Committee.(5) Among the Shi'ite leaders and scholars who attended were Syed Ali Hussain, son of Parachinars late Shi'ite scholar Shaheed Arif Hussain Husseini, who was close to Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini; Mirza Yousuf Hussain of the Shi'ite Action Committee; former senator Allama Syed Jawwad Hadi; Shafiq Bangash of the Imamia Students Federation; prominent scholar Allama Khurshid Jawwadi; and parliamentarian Haider Abbas Rizvi. Among the speakers were prominent cleric Allama Juma Asadi; Allama Ghulam Akbar Saqi; scholar Muhammad Ali Abidi; Allama Shah Alam Mousavi; Allama Aun Muhammad Naqvi; and Allama Alam Shah. According to the Urdu-language daily Roznama Jang , the conference participants called on the Pakistani government to stop the Taliban in order to end the violence against Shi'ite Muslims in Parachinar and surrounding areas. Syed Ali Hussain accused the local administration of Kurram Agency, which is governed through a federal representative (whose official title is Political Agent), of acting in a partisan manner against the Shi'ites. He said: "The government must stop supporting the Taliban, [so that] we can defend ourselves." Hussain also accused the Taliban of committing barbarous acts in Parachinar and in the nearby areas of Peshawar, Hangu, Darra Adam Khel, and Dera Ismail Khan. The Shi'ite leaders are also angry over the decision of the local authorities to close the Parachinar-Thal road in response to the riots. This road has been closed for the past 15 months, preventing aid from reaching people in need. With this road blocked, the Shi'ites of Parachinar are effectively blockaded by the Sunni tribes in the surrounding areas. Syed Ali Hussain asked the government to open the road so that the Shi'ite community of Pakistan could deliver aid to Parachinar, stressing that there is an urgent need for food and medicines.. Hussain also warned that, if not stopped, the Taliban movement will spread far beyond Parachinar. He stated: "If the Taliban and their agents succeed in their objectives [against the Shi'ites in Parachinar], there will be no peace in Karachi either." Parliamentarian Haider Abbas Rizvi of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, a political party of immigrants from India that controls the municipality of Karachi, said that those who are stirring up terror in Parachinar will not be allowed to carry out terrorist acts in Karachi. Former senator Allama Syed Jawwad Hadi said at conference that if the tribal district of Kurram Agency is not safe from the Taliban, no place in Pakistan will be safe, and added: "We, the Shi'ites and the Sunnis, are not in favor of war. We [Shi'ites] want to live with the Sunnis in peace. It is the Shi'ites who have stemmed the Taliban tide, and if this wall is breached, no one will be safe." Hussain also said, "The [military] operation [against the Taliban] in the North West Frontier Province is a sham." Shi'ite Scholars: Pakistani Intelligence, U.S. Are Part of an International Plot to Help the Taliban Kill Shi'ite Muslims In Most of the speakers at the conference blamed the conflict in Parachinar on an international conspiracy involving both the Pakistani intelligence agency and the U.S. Allama Syed Jawwad Hadi said: "Since 9/11, the U.S. has hatched conspiracies and has targeted the tribal districts of Pakistan... Some [Pakistani intelligence] agencies are being used to further American objectives [and] are supporting the [Taliban] terrorists… [The conflict in Parachinar] is not a Shi'ite-Sunni conflict. The Shi'ites and the Sunnis are [both] being used [as part of an international plot]." The former senator added that the common enemy of the Shi'ites and the Sunnis was the U.S., and said, "If the Taliban is the enemy of the U.S., then it should use its force against the U.S." Shafiq Bangash of the Imamia Students Federation, an organization of Shi'ite youths, said that the conflict in Parachinar is not between Shi'ites and Sunnis but "between Islam and the infidels," and prominent scholar Allama Khurshid Jawwadi called on the people to "rise up against the forces that have arrived... [to further] the agenda of U.S. and Israel [i.e., the Taliban]." *Tufail Ahmad is the director of MEMRI's Urdu-Pashtu Media Project. Notes (1) Roznama Jang, Pakistan, July 6, 2008. Founded in February 1998 to inform the debate over U.S. policy in the Middle East, MEMRI is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit, 501 (c)3 organization. MEMRI's headquarters is located in Washington, DC with branch offices in London, Tokyo, Rome, Baghdad, Shanghai, and Jerusalem. MEMRI research is translated to English, German, Hebrew, Italian, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese. To support MEMRI's undertaking please click here to send your secure contribution online, or send your donations to: MEMRI |
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