Pakistan suffers worst year of terrorist violence

[AnGrz_Z_K_Jailer]

Pakistan suffered its worst year of terrorist violence last year, with more than 3,000 people reported to have been killed as an al-Qaeda-inspired insurgency targeted civilians and destabilised the country.

By Saeed Shah in Islamabad
Published: 6:10PM GMT 11 Jan 2010

The toll from the violence in Pakistan far outstripped the bloodshed in neighbouring Afghanistan, according to research by the Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies (Pips).

It found that 3,021 people had been killed and 7,334 injured in terrorist attacks in Pakistan in 2009. There were 87 suicide bombings out of 2,586 incidents related to terrorism - a 45 per cent rise in attacks over the previous year.

The scale of the terrorist challenge at home could explain Islamabad's resistance to US demands that Pakistan take on Afghan insurgents based on its soil in the border regions.

Pakistani forces struck back in the first concerted military response to Islamic extremism since the country sided with the US following the September 11 attacks. The armed forces claimed to have killed as many as 7,945 terrorists, but the claim cannot be independently verified.

Overall, Pips claimed that the numbers killed and injured in militancy-related violence, including the extremists, totalled 25,447 in Pakistan, eclipsing the 8,812 such casualties in Afghanistan.

"The most important trend to emerge was attacks on soft targets," said Abdul Basit, a researcher. "The distinction between combatants and non-combatants is gradually disappearing."

Pakistani extremists had been careful to limit their targets to the police and military but towards the end of 2009 purely civilian targets were also hit. Islamabad's International Islamic University and markets in the cities of Lahore and Peshawar saw bombings that horrified the nation.

The current extremist campaign in Pakistan started in the summer of 2007, after the military stormed the Red Mosque in Islamabad, a radical stronghold, killing about 100 people. Al-Qaeda seized on the attack to call for an Islamist rebellion in the country.

That insurrection led to the formation of a Pakistani Taliban movement which fought not in Afghanistan but at home, and which linked up with established militant groups across the country.

Source : Pakistan suffers worst year of terrorist violence - Telegraph

 

[naveed qaiser]

The rise in the political temperature in the country after the NRO judgment and response of political parties is disappointing. In fact, this is distracting the government from attending to issues of terrorism and economic instability. The unfortunate thing is that several political parties are aiming at point scoring as war against brutal terrorists is no mean for them or economy is a secondary issue. The most unfortunate this is that neither these political parties are playing any role war against terrorists nor interested to back Govt in war of our survival. Rather than they are distracting attention of Govt on this vital issue. Which is something deteriorating.

Even the horrific attack on 10th Muharram, a Shia procession in Karachi claimed at least 43 lives and inflicted injuries on hundreds of others. It was followed by attacks on more than 2,000 shops and businesses but still these fools did not learn that eliminating terrorism is most important than exerting efforts to dislodge Zardari.
It is really commendable that Govt took an ultimate action against the terrorists. Earlier the follies of a dictator brought country at the brink of destruction. The massive terrorism and political impasse were the gifts of that dictator. The dubious role of Musharraf not only strengthens terrorists but also undermined economy. Now if all the political forces and some of the Taliban promoters in disguise of journalism fully trying to knock down the Govt, how democracy can be strengthened. It is responsibility of every citizen to realize the gravity of situation and back Govt while political parties should also stop blame game so that Govt focus on this great cause.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Also, as may be seen by simply reading the posts of the many Pakistanis here, there is no enabling consensus as to who the real enemy is and how they should be fought. As long as the GoP, and a large portion of the Pakistani citizenry, believe that there are Good Taliban and Bad Taliban, confusion will reign. This, in turn, allows the policy of acquiescing to terrorist sanctuaries to continue. The result? Loss of actual Pakistani sovereignty over FATA and parts of the NWFP, and terrorists who skillfully exploit the myth of the Good Taliban.

 

[H2O3C4Nitrogen]

Also, as may be seen by simply reading the posts of the many Pakistanis here, there is no enabling consensus as to who the real enemy is and how they should be fought. As long as the GoP, and a large portion of the Pakistani citizenry, believe that there are Good Taliban and Bad Taliban, confusion will reign. This, in turn, allows the policy of acquiescing to terrorist sanctuaries to continue. The result? Loss of actual Pakistani sovereignty over FATA and parts of the NWFP, and terrorists who skillfully exploit the myth of the Good Taliban

Sir we cant let go the GOOD Talibans untill a freak at our East keeps on shouting We Will Get the Jobe done in 96 hours.
The Bad Talibans are predominantly supported by the hostile agencies to creat havoc inside Pakistan.
Every body maintains its assets for its security , Don't you breed Israel to project your national interests in the middle east . Afghanistan serves as a buffer state for Pakistan against almost any foe and Like it or not , we will maintain those assets for the sake of our National security .

 

[TruthSeeker]

Don't you breed Israel to project your national interests in the middle east .

Afghanistan serves as a buffer state for Pakistan against almost any foe and Like it or not , we will maintain those assets for the sake of our National security .

No we don't breed Israel for ANY USA national interest. Please show me any significant benefit to the USA coming from our help to them. Israel has been and continues to be a USA national security nightmare. Our support of Israel is the most costly and most unselfish foreign policy that the USA has ever maintained.

Afghanistan does not want to be Pakistan's buffer State. What? Is Pakistan a colonial power now? Pakistan lost its Afghan colony when it allowed al Qaeda a safe haven in its colony from which to attack the USA. If Pakistan wants its Afghan colony back, it will have to expel al Qaeda and turn Mullah Omar and his buddies into peaceful colonial subjects.

 

[H2O3C4Nitrogen]

Truely its the most Catastrophic year for Pakistan ....