Swat Operation II

[S-2]

I've no doubt that SWATians are lovely people. Engrained by culture and modern commerce. Tourism demands a special and gentle patience among them, I'm sure.

What's happening in your nation breaks my heart-not just SWAT. At least SWAT has it's physical beauty. God's grace shines on thee!! No armies of mankind can take that away-ever.

This comment makes me sad too-

"To break the nerve wreaking boredom while waiting for the next round of bombing, some of the Johnnies have become hardcore Ham fans! Their so-called “vicious” broadcasts provide a bit of entertainment."

-though I now appreciate it a bit more. Sardonic, I believe, and appropriate if not quite accurate.

My answer to you is that your "Johnnies" have a hardcore and devoted following despite the amateur entertainment therein.

They must have quite an act.

Wisconsin is physically beautiful in a quiet, understated, pastoral and bucolic (minor exceptions excluded) way. It's gentle to the eyes.

SWAT takes your breath away and shocks the eye with vivid power...

 

[TruthSeeker]

Swat Taliban summon government officials to sharia courts

By Bill Roggio, the Long War Journal, January 25, 2009 5:23 PM

The leader of the Taliban-controlled district of Swat in Pakistan's northwest has ordered more than 50 political and tribal leaders to appear before a sharia court within a week or face "dangerous consequences."

Mullah Fazlullah, Swat's radical Taliban leader, issued the order in a broadcast over his illegal FM radio channel after convening the Taliban shura, or council.

"They (the political leaders) have destroyed peace in Swat and they should be tried in the Taliban's sharia courts," Fazlullah said in the radio broadcast, according to a report in The Hindu. "If they do not appear in the courts, they will face dangerous consequences."

Fazlullah ordered political leaders in the Northwest Frontier Province, including members of the provincial and national assemblies, provincial ministers, the mayor of Mingora, and leaders of the Awami National Party, the Pakistan People's Party, the Pakistan People's Party, the Pakistani Muslim League - Qaid, and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, and Islamist party. Tribal elders were also summoned to appear before the shura.

Late last week, Fazlullah offered "conditional amnesty for social and political workers and public representatives from target[ed] killings" if they promised to halt opposition to the Taliban rule in Swat. Members of the provincial and national assemblies have been excluded from the amnesty. The offer was also made on Fazlullah's illegal radio station.

 

[waraich66]

I think general public is supporting them because they have tested all political parties ,all failed to provide free and fare justice ,health and education to public and still collecting taxes and wasting public money for their lawish life style and curruption ,if talaban suceed in providing free and fare justice to public,education and health facilities ,there is great chance shariah law implemention movement will start other parts of pakistan.

 

[Anwar2]

Dear S-2:

Swat was a semi-independent princely State till 1968, when it was merged with Pakistan. Swat princely rulers (Wali) were very progressive; lots of schools, clinics, great roads, very low crime. This remote area had the highest level of literacy in Northern Pakistan. The State law was based on Islamic Sharia, very simple, very fair (a far cry from hardliner Taliban version).

As the Pakistani State machinery took hold, in came the corruption and lethargy of the Police and sham judiciary. If you had money you had the law on your side. Civil disputes would linger along for a decade, criminal cases outcome depended on the money in your pocket.

From early 90’s onwards the people of Swat genuinely want the Sharia laws based on their historic experience. The government made false promises in 1999 but failed to adhere to them. The people got fed up of repeated lies and deception.

As the human nature goes, desperation strengthened the extremist ideological reckonings amongst the people. The lava burst coincided with the US invasion of Afghanistan in Oct 2001 (pardon my digression as it is an Invasion). A number of motivated people joined the Taliban in Afghanistan, a number were killed or imprisoned, a few made it back.

The infamous “Lal masjid” operation in 2007 claimed the lives of about 300 young girl students, mainly from Swat, FATA and Bajaur. Old ambers were rekindled and an insurgency broke out. Gen. Musharraf, following his narrow ethnic based calculus took this as an opportunity to score with the Americans. A massive Army operation was launched with a brand name “new front against Al-Quaeda and Taliban in Swat”. Debilitating civilian death toll and brutalities fueled the cauldron what you are seeing today.

The “FM Hams” antics are akin to the “Dictatorship of the Proletariat” paradigms of socialist revolutions of yesteryear. This is temporary cycle that every traumatized society has a natural affinity too. The only solution is for the Pak Army and Government to forego the idea of any sort of “writ” in the area. Just leave them alone, provide help to rebuild their lives (if you can); just don’t mess with it any more.

 

[Xeric]

Dear S-2:

Swat was a semi-independent princely State till 1968, when it was merged with Pakistan. Swat princely rulers (Wali) were very progressive; lots of schools, clinics, great roads, very low crime. This remote area had the highest level of literacy in Northern Pakistan. The State law was based on Islamic Sharia, very simple, very fair (a far cry from hardliner Taliban version).

Very rightly said. Thanx for the insight

As the Pakistani State machinery took hold, in came the corruption and lethargy of the Police and sham judiciary. If you had money you had the law on your side. Civil disputes would linger along for a decade, criminal cases outcome depended on the money in your pocket. From early 90’s onwards the people of Swat genuinely want the Sharia laws based on their historic experience. The government made false promises in 1999 but failed to adhere to them. The people got fed up of repeated lies and deception.

Again correctly brought out.

The lava burst coincided with the US invasion of Afghanistan in Oct 2001 (pardon my digression as it is an Invasion).

What else would you like to call it... Liberation...???

A number of motivated people joined the Taliban in Afghanistan, a number were killed or imprisoned, a few made it back.

Well now this is not what most of the 'normal' people do. Yes a few can be an exception but still it is not advisable that you join hands with terrorists and killers at a place hundred of miles away from you just because shariat was not imposed at your place!

The infamous “Lal masjid” operation in 2007 claimed the lives of about 300 young girl students,

Wow, that didn't happen!!
Sorry but it just didn't happen, no '300' young girls were killed in Lal Masjid.
not even close!

 

[hasang20]

since the drones and coming in we should arm the Taliban and send them throw tunnels to go in Afganistan and kill and destroy US bases.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

The infamous “Lal masjid” operation in 2007 claimed the lives of about 300 young girl students, mainly from Swat, FATA and Bajaur.

An excellent post except for this unsubstantiated nonsense.

You(and other before you) have repeated this claim with absolutely nothing to back it up.

It is nothing but a resort to cheap propaganda and sensationalism by deliberately utilizing the symbolism of 'young girl students'. It is deliberate in that it seeks to inflame emotions by using the status of women, especially girls, strongly associated with honor in Pakistani society, and the perceptions of their being the 'weaker sex' to malign the Army efforts against the takfiris.

So what better way to malign Musharraf and the Army fighting the Taliban than to concoct this story of 'girl students being massacred' - an attempt to paint the Army as both dishonoring the women of Swat, and resorting to murdering a weaker section of society incapable of defending itself.

There was no evidence in favor of this claim presented when the LM occurred, and a bunch of people were on this forum claiming this and other outlandish claims, and you haven't presented any evidence in favor of it either, despite being asked before.

I have nothing against you voicing a 'contrarian view', but I do take exception to your continuing to spout baseless terrorist propaganda such as this. If you have credible sources and evidence to validate your claim, please post them, otherwise do not repeat these claims again.

 

[batmannow]

An excellent post except for this unsubstantiated nonsense.

You(and other before you) have repeated this claim with absolutely nothign to back it up.

It is nothing but a resort to cheap propaganda and sensationalism by deliberately utilizing the symbolism of 'young girl students'. It is deliberate in that the status of women, especially girls, is attached to honor in Pakistani society, and in addition they represent the 'weaker sex'.

So what better way to malign Musharraf and the Army fighting the Taliban than to concoct this story of 'girl students being massacred' - an attempt to paint the Army as both dishonoring the women of Swat, and resorting to murdering a weaker section of society incapable of defending itself.

There was no evidence in favor of this claim presented when the LM occurred, and a bunch of people were on this forum claiming this and other outlandish claims, and you haven't presented any evidence in favor of it either, despite being asked before.

I have nothing against you voicing a 'contrarian view', but I do take exception to your continuing to spout baseless terrorist propaganda. If you have credible sources and evidence to validate your claim please post them, otherwise do not repeat these claims again.

much needed post sir, well done!

 

[Al-zakir]

New strategy to be adopted in Swat: Army chief

Updated at: 2039 PST, Wednesday, January 28, 2009

New strategy to be adopted in Swat: Army chief RAWALPINDI: General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) on Wednesday visited Swat to take stock of the situation.

He was briefed on the prevailing situation in Swat.

Addressing the troops, he reiterated that Army had both the will and resolve to establish writ of the Government.

Gen. Kayani said that no amount of sacrifice would deter us to do our duty. He lauded the morale of troops.

During a day-long tour to valley, Army chief met field commanders and troops. He also met notables of Swat and civil administration.

Earlier on arrival, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani was received by Lieutenant General Muhammad Masood Aslam, Corps Commander.

He said that new strategy would be adopted with regard to ongoing military operation in Swat.

New strategy to be adopted in Swat: Army chief - GEO.tv

 

[TruthSeeker]

The infamous “Lal masjid” operation in 2007 claimed the lives of about 300 young girl students, mainly from Swat, FATA and Bajaur.

Anwar2, Sir,

The number of killed students that you state in your post is exagerated according to most after-action analyses. Here is a "summary" figure from the Wikipedia article:

"The complex was besieged from July 3 to July 11, 2007. After negotiations failed, it was stormed by the Pakistan Army and members of the Special Service Group and re-taken. The conflict resulted in 154 deaths, and 50 militants were captured."

The number of students killed was far less than one-hundred. While the jihadi partisans of Lal Masjid claimed over 300 students were killed, this was never verified by anyone.

Sorry, this is redundant with AM's post that I just now saw.

 

[Kasrkin]

I have nothing against you voicing a 'contrarian view', but I do take exception to your continuing to spout baseless terrorist propaganda such as this.

And you know what the worst part is AM? Its not just the terrorists and some deluded people who came up with all this nonsensical but dangerous propaganda. It was the main stream political parties! Parties that make the government today. Let alone 300, the PML-N claimed that innocent girls were killed in their thousands! This is on record, but no one, not the PML-N or the JI or the JUI-F could come up with 1 name, just 1 name to back this claim up. The damage though has been done, and just like with other things the average Pakistani now thinks that the Army committed pure murder on an unprecedented scale. The result of this was a renewed wave of bombings and fighting across the country, politicans have the blood of our soldiers on their hands, if only they cared about that more than some political point scoring.

To these retarded people I say, 10 SSG commandos just don’t drop dead of their own accord. Army-men are not robotic murderers, they are human beings too, but vilifying the Army has become a bit of a fashion now days. Shockingly one that mullahs as well as burgers share.

 

[ejaz007]

President, COAS pat Afzal on the back
Thursday, January 29, 2009
By Rahimullah Yusufzai

PESHAWAR: The government formally acknowledged the courage and sacrifices of the 82-year-old Pakhtun nationalist leader and former federal minister Mohammad Afzal Khan when President Asif Ali Zardari made a phone call to him to praise him for standing up to the Taliban militants and the Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani met him during his flying visit to Swat.

Though belated, the government move was expected to raise the morale of those opposed to the Maulana Fazlullah-led militants in Swat. Afzal Khan, who is affiliated to the ruling ANP, has been seeking the government’s support and arming of village militias to take on the Taliban but his pleas until now have remained unanswered. General Kayani met Afzal Khan at the Frontier Constabulary camp in Kanju near Mingora. Afzal Khan’s family members in his village, Bara Drushkhela, in Matta area, said a military helicopter flew him to Kanju around 11 am and brought him back in the afternoon. They said Afzal Khan, accompanied by his close relative Colonel (Retd) Ghaffar, met the chief of army staff and discussed the situation in Swat. They expressed ignorance about the decisions made at the meeting.

Afzal Khan’s family members disclosed that this was President Zardari’s second phone call to him. They said the President Zardari called him a week ago also and paid tributes to him for resisting the militants despite the obvious risks to his life.

Some troops have been deployed at Afzal Khan’s village to protect him from the Taliban, who have attacked his house a number of times. Male members of Afzal Khan’s extended family and supporters also guard the village and his home. Afzal Khan and his nephew Abdul Jabbar Khan, who is tehsil Nazim for Matta, were earlier injured when his vehicle was ambushed by Taliban fighters. His two bodyguards were killed in that attack. The militants have also killed two of his nephews and torched his market.

Despite appeals by his party colleagues and well-wishers, Afzal Khan has refused to move out of Swat. Unlike most other politicians and notables of Swat, he opted to stay and resist the militants. In an interview with The News sometime back, he listed two reasons for not leaving his native Swat. One, he wanted to stay with his people and share their suffering rather than abandoning them in this hour of trial. Second, he said he would be unable to do anything meaningful for Swat and its people if he shifted to Peshawar or any other place.

Afzal Khan has served as a provincial minister in the NAP-JUI coalition government in the NWFP in the 1970s. He was a federal minister in a caretaker government. He was elected MPA and also MNA in past elections from Swat.

Asim Yasin adds from Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari assured the veteran politician of the government’s support to him and his family against the militants, saying the militants would not be allowed to impose their ideology and political agenda on the people through the barrel of gun. The president said the government would never allow the militants to set up parallel judiciary and threaten the local people to either appear before them or face death.

President, COAS pat Afzal on the back

 

[ejaz007]

Army will restore writ in Swat: COAS

* Commanders brief COAS on security situation in valley
* Kayani meets Pashtun leader Afzal Lala, lauds his stance against the Taliban

Staff Report

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Army has the ‘will and resolve’ to defeat terrorists, restore peace and establish the writ of the state in violence-hit areas, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Kayani told troops during his visit to Swat on Wednesday.

The visit comes a day after the third phase of Operation Rah-e-Haq against the Fazlullah-led Taliban began on Tuesday.

Gen Kayani also lauded the morale of troops. A statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations directorate said the COAS “took stock of the situation” in Swat during the visit.

Military commanders briefed him on the security situation in Swat and Peshawar Corps Commander Lt Gen Masood Aslam briefed him on operational plans, it said.

Gen Kayani gave fresh directions for the operation. The COAS also met notables of Swat and the civil administration.

A private TV channel said he also met Pashtun leader Afzal Lala and lauded his stance against the Taliban. Lala said political leaders would not be able to stay in Swat if they were not protected. He called for more government and media attention to Swat.

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[waraich66]

Anwar2, Sir,

The number of killed students that you state in your post is exagerated according to most after-action analyses. Here is a "summary" figure from the Wikipedia article:

"The complex was besieged from July 3 to July 11, 2007. After negotiations failed, it was stormed by the Pakistan Army and members of the Special Service Group and re-taken. The conflict resulted in 154 deaths, and 50 militants were captured."

The number of students killed was far less than one-hundred. While the jihadi partisans of Lal Masjid claimed over 300 students were killed, this was never verified by anyone.

Sorry, this is redundant with AM's post that I just now saw.

You have not seen burnt bone of students shown by different news channels,and totally burnt rooms that happened by use of white phosporus bombs ,so no boby exactly count how much numbers of girls students killed during LAL musjid operation also death cause of col haroon is also mistrious story because he was wearing bullet proof jacket .

 

[Kasrkin]

I believe the Colonel was shot through the helmet. The Army only used WP for smoke and flash purposes. The SSG don't sure incendiary weapons like the Israelis might have had through their wide spread shelling. WF use for smoke, flash and illumination is legitimate. Why do we Pakistanis like to needlessly controversial-ize everything?