Pakistan vs The Taliban: Who Will Win?

[randolph85]

Sayyaf will be supported by islamists no body else. He may also get votes of non Pashtuns religious extremists. He does not represent Pashtuns.

Dostum is no more a warlord but a refined and reformed man, the only one who asked pardon for his mistakes. Uzbeks are our Afghan brothers and in democracy what is counted is ballot not bullet. Dostum will give us now many ballets not bullets. Let us see may be some candidates may resign in favor of others.

Pashtun culture and langauge has threat from Parsiwans not from Uzbeks. Their language and culture is suppressed like that of Pashtuns.

so ghani who just in the last year decided to grow a half assed beard after living abroad for decades now represents pashtuns? lol and now dostum is a reformed man? i know u were stupid but good god you are really stupid. its always nice when a mass murderer asks for forgiveness when they know there is no legal consequence. if dostum turned himself in to authorities to face trial for his crimes, then i might respect him but we all know that won't happen. see the thing is that u are an irrational and stupid "nationalist" but ur ideology is totally inline with someone like abdullah. u both go by empty slogans and bend over backwards for foreign occupation.

pashtun culture is not dancing around in a circle like fools at wedding parties, its the dignity of independence and resistance against outsiders that threaten their way of life. its the pashtun that is willing to leave his family and fight in the mountains knowing he is will probably die and not the sell out that works with foreigners and has a mansion in kabul and dubai that was earned by being figuratively castrated.

[Kushan Prince]

Do you wish Taliban may win and their winning will make Afghan Taliban further stronger. I am the enemy of Taliban and any one destroying Taliban is my friend. If Taliban wins in Pakistan forget about Pashtuns and Pashtunwali.

There is no nationalism in Islamism and then you will have to hide your Pashtun pride other wise you will be crucified being an apostate.

Both Afghanistan and Pakistan should join hands to defeat their common enemy, the Taliban.

You do know the Taliban are the only ones protecting Afghanistan from forgien occupation right? Sure they may be a bunch of gun tooting fuks with messed up ideologies but they have guts to stand up against a superpower which the whole world seems to be fearing. Pakistan doesn't care about Pashtuns, they use Pashtuns on the paki side as scapegoats to cause confusion with their afghan brethren's since everyone is aware that Pashtuns are much stronger together. the only reason USA is working with pakistan is because they got a bunch of nukes. The ISI are slowly trying to expand into Afghanistan by using the Taliban, you are aware of this right? And why should afghanistan join pakistan to fight the taliban? these are the same people who said OBL was hiding in Afghanistan despite being told by the afghan government countless times he was in pakistan being sheltered by the pakis and guess what? he was found comfortably chilling in a villa in abottabad. This is also the same nations who's former president said Afghanistan has no central government and that we are backwards. So you tell me how the hell can afghanistan trust them?

You can't honestly expect a nation like Afghanistan with rich history and pride to join "hands" with an artifical, british created state like Pakistan. Pashtuns have more honour than that.

[Bost Bastan News]

You do know the Taliban are the only ones protecting Afghanistan from forgien occupation right? Sure they may be a bunch of gun tooting fuks with messed up ideologies but they have guts to stand up against a superpower which the whole world seems to be fearing. Pakistan doesn't care about Pashtuns, they use Pashtuns on the paki side as scapegoats to cause confusion with their afghan brethren's since everyone is aware that Pashtuns are much stronger together. the only reason USA is working with pakistan is because they got a bunch of nukes. The ISI are slowly trying to expand into Afghanistan by using the Taliban, you are aware of this right? And why should afghanistan join pakistan to fight the taliban? these are the same people who said OBL was hiding in Afghanistan despite being told by the afghan government countless times he was in pakistan being sheltered by the pakis and guess what? he was found comfortably chilling in a villa in abottabad. This is also the same nations who's former president said Afghanistan has no central government and that we are backwards. So you tell me how the hell can afghanistan trust them?

You can't honestly expect a nation like Afghanistan with rich history and pride to join "hands" with an artifical, british created state like Pakistan. Pashtuns have more honour than that.

Then why are 90% of their victims civilians and Pashtuns? Why don´t they take their war first to Islamabad where the mother of evil is residing?

[gadoonwal]

Looks like Randolaph is spokes person of pakistani army on this forum.
The TTP command is in the hands of paki generals.
Stop spreading this propaganda of pakistani isi.
I am tired of exposing pakistani policies towards afghanistan and pashtun on this forum.
Do you want me to paste that article of hamid gul ,,,,,taliban will form govt in 2014 in afghanistan,,ok but who the hell he is to interfare in another country?.
Untill pakistan free kashmir and set up pupet govt in kabul this tali talib drama will continue.
Talibans are fighting againts US in afghanistan ok good job but why the US invade afghanistan then?
ISI is very cunning and using poor afghans and pashtuns in the name of holy islam.
The afghan-talibans are backed,funded and trained by pakistan untill this day pakistani isi supporting them.
TTP is the death squad of isi.They kill only pashtuns not others.
For god sake badlun sb and others stop supporting ,,isi,,,tools.

TTP army enterd the house of afzal khan lala in swat his men defeated them and put them in dark room.One of them was paki army major and the rest were soldiers in talib turbans later kayani visited matta swat and begged lala not expose these evils to media .LALA was given hilal shujaat by pakistan later.

[Badlun]

Do not present Taliban as freedom fighters and foreign forces as occupiers. Who is the president of Afghanistan? Who are the members of the parliament? Who are the ministers? Who are the provincial governors? Who are the army and police personnel? Foreigners or Afghan?

If it was a foreign occupation then why they are leaving on their own? Why they do not annex Afghanistan as the 53rd US state. Why they do not instal their own man in Kabul?

There is no Afghanistan in the dictionary of Islamist Taliban. they are for Umma and Sharia, no Pashtunwali or Afghan nationalism. They are fighting to impose the barbaric system of so called Sharia. In Pakistan there are no foreign forces still they are fighting against the government for Shariah.

[Khostai]

Do not present Taliban as freedom fighters and foreign forces as occupiers. Who is the president of Afghanistan? Who are the members of the parliament? Who are the ministers? Who are the provincial governors? Who are the army and police personnel? Foreigners or Afghan?

If it was a foreign occupation then why they are leaving on their own? Why they do not annex Afghanistan as the 53rd US state. Why they do not instal their own man in Kabul?

There is no Afghanistan in the dictionary of Islamist Taliban. they are for Umma and Sharia, no Pashtunwali or Afghan nationalism. They are fighting to impose the barbaric system of so called Sharia. In Pakistan there are no foreign forces still they are fighting against the government for Shariah.

they will always have an excuse to kill, the troops are living and soon there will be no foreigners in Afghanistan. And you know that taliban will not stop, they will fight till they get in power again. Thats there goal, to get power and control and to bring there own sadistic version of goverment.

[Kushan Prince]

they will always have an excuse to kill, the troops are living and soon there will be no foreigners in Afghanistan. And you know that taliban will not stop, they will fight till they get in power again. Thats there goal, to get power and control and to bring there own sadistic version of goverment.

How do you know they will attack after nato is gone, do you know them? Look at Iraq, after America left insurgent attacks have dropped significantly. That's why we don't hear much Iraq on the news anymore.

Taliban are only fighting back because they feel threatened and they feel like they are being occupied. Wouldn't you feel threatened if they're were a bunch of fat hicks with guns walking around thinking like they own the place? and you couldn't do anything about it? I think the Taliban will stop after a few years and come to their senses, they are humans too after all and i'm sure they will feel some guilt and remorse for what they have done.

[Khostai]

How do you know they will attack after nato is gone, do you know them? Look at Iraq, after America left insurgent attacks have dropped significantly. That's why we don't hear much Iraq on the news anymore.

Taliban are only fighting back because they feel threatened and they feel like they are being occupied. Wouldn't you feel threatened if they're were a bunch of fat hicks with guns walking around thinking like they own the place? and you couldn't do anything about it? I think the Taliban will stop after a few years and come to their senses, they are humans too after all and i'm sure they will feel some guilt and remorse for what they have done.

Iraq is a mess its like civil war there, you should watch some news my friend because I hear almost every week that in Iraq some boms have exploded or what not.

Talibs will no stopt, they do this not because of US they just want to come in power again in Afghanistan, they can only be stoped if Pashtuns realise that they are evil and need to come up with different alternative for the mess that is in Afghnistan, a movement and ideology who will not treat other humans like they are cattle.

[Kushan Prince]

Iraq is a mess its like civil war there, you should watch some news my friend because I hear almost every week that in Iraq some boms have exploded or what not.

Talibs will no stopt, they do this not because of US they just want to come in power again in Afghanistan, they can only be stoped if Pashtuns realise that they are evil and need to come up with different alternative for the mess that is in Afghnistan, a movement and ideology who will not treat other humans like they are cattle.

i said singnificantly not fully. And do you really think they will come in power after all that has happened? the afghan army and police is much stronger then ever and kabul is progressing like a gem. And they will be to strong to come under taliban influence.

The taliban are also humans not killing machines!

[Khostai]

i said singnificantly not fully. And do you really think they will come in power after all that has happened? the afghan army and police is much stronger then ever and kabul is progressing like a gem. And they will be to strong to come under taliban influence.

The taliban are also humans not killing machines!

Iraq is actualy even worse that when US troops where there.
The power of brainwashing and saudi dollars is quite strong. Taliban lost there humanity a long time ago, there toughts and morality is just too twisted that they can never be functioning even if they were allowed to join the goverment with other people, they could never function.

And Afghan goverment can fall apart any moment the US stops the aid.
And the problem is that still a lot of dum people moraly support taliban, that is the worst, and those people should stop that, Pashtuns are the only ones in Afghanistan who can stop this mess, and getting rid of taliban is the first step.

[Bost Bastan News]

How do you know they will attack after nato is gone, do you know them? Look at Iraq, after America left insurgent attacks have dropped significantly. That's why we don't hear much Iraq on the news anymore.

Taliban are only fighting back because they feel threatened and they feel like they are being occupied. Wouldn't you feel threatened if they're were a bunch of fat hicks with guns walking around thinking like they own the place? and you couldn't do anything about it? I think the Taliban will stop after a few years and come to their senses, they are humans too after all and i'm sure they will feel some guilt and remorse for what they have done.

the only thing you are 100% good in with a full of ''knowledge'' (your imageries) is your fake pride

[Bost Bastan News]

Iraq is actualy even worse that when US troops where there.
The power of brainwashing and saudi dollars is quite strong. Taliban lost there humanity a long time ago, there toughts and morality is just too twisted that they can never be functioning even if they were allowed to join the goverment with other people, they could never function.

And Afghan goverment can fall apart any moment the US stops the aid.
And the problem is that still a lot of dum people moraly support taliban, that is the worst, and those people should stop that, Pashtuns are the only ones in Afghanistan who can stop this mess, and getting rid of taliban is the first step.

Great post!

We need to understand the western world, specially US. To understand US you need to look back to their history of wars they had in the last 250years. They created many times new states, civil wars, devided people and countries. During the first World War they supported France and Britanians to devide Europe, destroying the Sultanate of Osmanian, creating Austria, deviding Germany and forcing this country to accept giving 75 000km² to its neighbours. The same after the second World War when Germany was devided by them into western occupied Germany, southern occupied Germany and eastern occupied Germany before Germany became devided at the band by a long wall they call The Berliner Mauer (Source: Mr. Mujtaba Stanikzai). Later they moved into Vietnam and Korea. They came out again and north and south vietnam was created, north and south Korea was created. These three countries are already re-united because they are one society but the scenario for Iran is different. There are living different societies. Kurds, Turks, Arabs, Christians, Jews. When US left Irak they left behind a war-torn country now deep in civil war where every fraction enjoy its own government, army, judicative organ. Just imagine what will happen in Afghanistan under the current problems we have when US leaves. We need to eliminate Taliban´s aggression or re-integrate them back into our society and sign that security agreement with US. Until 2024 we have enough time to build our country and fight corruption, ethnic diversity and other social problems.

[Bost Bastan News]

Dec 19, 2013
Quetta blast leaves one dead, 22 injured


QUETTA: At least one person was killed and another 22 were injured in a powerful blast in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province on Thursday, police said.

Five of the injured are said to be in critical condition.

Police said miscreants had planted a bomb near an ice cream shop in Mitha Chowk area of Pashtoonabad, located in the outskirt of Quetta.

The bomb went off at a time when there was crowd of people. Police said eight children were among the injured.

The strength of blast smashed the windows of nearby homes and shops causing panic in the area. Most of the inhabitants of the area were confined to their homes for fear of another blast.

Police, frontier corps and rescue workers were quick at the scene to shift the injured to civil hospital Quetta for medical treatment.

"More than 15 injured are brought to civil hospital Quetta for treatment," Dr. Rasheed Jamali, a doctor on duty told Dawn.com.

Emergency was imposed in civil hospital to ensure timely treatment for the injured.

All doctors and paramedics were called to treat the injured in the blast. Security in and around Quetta civil hospital was tightened to avert another untoward incident.

An official of the bomb disposal squad told Dawn.com that more than two kilogram of explosive materials were used in the blast.



At least 23 suspected militants killed in North Waziristan


MIRAMSHAH: At least 23 suspected militants were killed late on Wednesday during a clash with security forces in the country's troubled northwest, officials said.

According to a security official who requested anonymity, the suspected militants tried to ambush a convoy of security forces which was returning back from Khajuri checkpost area in Mirali Tehsil of North Waziristan tribal region.

The convoy had gone in the area to rescue soldiers who were injured in a suicide bomb attack yesterday.

Security forces retaliated with gunfire and encircled the suspects inflicting heavy casualties.

The gun-battle continued for several hours during which the 23 suspected militants were killed.

Moreover, three security personnel were also injured in the clash.

A search operation was underway in the area.

The clash follows a suicide attack on a military checkpoint which killed at least five soldiers and wounded 34 others. The attack had taken place while the security men were offering prayer in a mosque at the post.

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesperson, talking to Dawn.com, claimed that the militant group was behind the suicide attack and that it was carried out to avenge ex-TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud's death.

North Waziristan, one of the seven tribal districts along the Afghan border, is a hotbed for Al Qaeda and TTP militants.

The TTP has led a bloody campaign against the Pakistani state in recent years, carrying out hundreds of attacks on security forces and government targets, mainly in the country's northwest.


Security forces kill 10 more militants in North Waziristan


MIRAMSHAH: Pakistani security forces Thursday claim to have killed 10 more militants mostly Uzbek nationals, following last night’s clashes that left 23 terrorists dead in North Waziristan tribal agency bordering Afghanistan.

According to an ISPR statement, security forces launched a search operation upon ‘confirmed intelligence reports’ that the militants were planning to attack the troops with IED-laden vehicles, killing 10 militants in Mir Ali area of North Waziristan.

Most of the militants killed in the afternoon’s operation were reportedly Uzbek nationals, it added.

Eariler on Wednesday night, 23 militants were killed in exchange of fire with security forces in North Waziristan.

The clash followed a suicide attack on a military checkpoint which killed at least five soldiers and wounded 34 others. The attack had taken place while the security men were offering prayer in a mosque at the post.

The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesperson, talking to Dawn.com, claimed that the militant group was behind the suicide attack and that it was carried out to avenge ex-TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud's death.

North Waziristan, one of the seven tribal districts along the Afghan border, is a hotbed for al Qaeda and Taliban militants.

The TTP has led a bloody campaign against the Pakistani state in recent years, carrying out hundreds of attacks on security forces and government targets, mainly in the country's northwest.


Suicide attack kills five soldiers in North Waziristan


MIRANSHAH: At least five soldiers were killed and 34 wounded when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden car into a military checkpoint in Pakistan's troubled northwest on Wednesday, security officials said.

The attack came in the Mir Ali area of Miranshah, the main town in the North Waziristan tribal region, a hub for Taliban and al Qaeda linked militants on the Afghan border.

A senior security official said that “a truck laden with explosives was rammed into the checkpoint when security officials were offering evening prayers”.

As a result, “five soldiers embraced shahadat (martyrdom)”, the official said.

“The checkpoint has been completely destroyed and 34 injured security personnel have also been recovered,” he said, revising an earlier toll of 4 people dead and 25 injured.

Another security official confirmed the toll, adding that out of the 34 injured, 28 were soldiers and six were from the Frontier Corps, the paramilitary group serving in Pakistan's northwest and tribal areas.

Ansarul Mujahideen, a little-known militant group linked to the Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) faction claimed the responsibility hours after the attack.

While speaking to Dawn.com, Abu Baseer, the spokesman for the group, said they carried out the attack as an act of revenge for the killing of former TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud.

“We will continue such attacks in future as drones continue to kill our people,” he said.

The umbrella TTP faction and al-Qaeda linked militants have led a bloody campaign against the Pakistani state in recent years, carrying out hundreds of attacks on security forces and government targets, concentrated largely in the northwest.

[Bost Bastan News]

Dec 20, 2013

N. Waziristan clashes: Troops pound militant hideouts, 40 killed


MIRAMSHAH: Pakistani troops pounded suspected militant hideouts in a lawless tribal district for a third day Friday, as the death toll rose to 40 and local residents claimed the operation had left a number of civilians dead.

Clashes between security forces and militants have been rocking North Waziristan tribal agency, on the Afghan border, since Wednesday evening when a suicide bombing killed five soldiers at a checkpoint in the town of Mir Ali.

Militants attacked security forces on Wednesday as they returned after rescuing soldiers wounded in the bombing, prompting the military respond with mortars, artillery and helicopter gunships in a search operation to catch the insurgents.

The death toll from the clashes rose to at least 40 on Friday as four more bodies were recovered from the debris of two hotels that came under heavy fire after fleeing militants used them to take refuge.

The military says all of those killed in the operation were Taliban militants, but locals said many of those who died in the hotels were drivers forced to stay there by a curfew imposed on Tuesday.

Nazir Khan Wazir, the member of parliament for the area, said most of those killed and wounded were not militants.

“Most of those killed and wounded were innocent civilians. People are facing a terrible time. They are trapped in their houses,” Wazir told AFP.

“Dozens of houses have been damaged by shelling. Residents are also facing food shortages.” Wazir appealed to the government to stop the bombardment to allow locals to bury their dead and take the wounded to hospital.

The number and identity of those killed could not be verified independently because of the ongoing search operation and curfew. The area is also off-limits to foreign journalists and aid groups.

Exchange of fire was also took place late Thursday at Amin checking point in Miramshah, the main town in North Waziristan but with no lose of life.

A senior security official said the search operation was still going on in Mir Ali and surrounding areas.

Maulvi Gul Abbas, an Islamic cleric in Mirali told AFP that residents were not able to sleep for the whole night because of the continuous firing.

“Dozens of houses have been damaged. All those killed inside the houses were local residents,” Abbas said.

North Waziristan is a major hub for Taliban and al Qaeda linked militants in northwest Pakistan's seven semi-autonomous tribal districts.

The region is the focus of the US campaign of drone strikes targeting insurgents, but sustained fighting of the sort seen in recent days is unusual.

The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) insurgent group has led a bloody campaign against the Pakistani state in recent years, carrying out hundreds of attacks on security forces and government targets, mainly in the northwest.


Attack on police officer kills two, injures 15 in Karachi


KARACHI: At least two people were killed and more than 15 others injured when a police officer’s car and his residence were targeted with a powerful blast in Karachi’s Old Sabzimandi area, DawnNews reported on Friday night.

Police officials said SHO Mauripur Shafique Tanoli was the apparent target of the explosion which damaged the front of his house also.

SSP Karachi Chaudhry Aslam contradicted with early reports of Tanoli's death saying the SHO remained "unhurt" in the attack.

His car was completely destroyed in the explosion, which was carried out through ramming up an IED-laden motorcycle with the car, said police officials. About five kilos of explosives were used in the attack, they added.

“Two people were killed and 15 wounded. One Police officer also sustained injuries,” Pir Mohammad Khan, a senior police official told AFP.

Doctor Semi Jamali at Karachi's Jinnah Hospital confirmed that two dead bodies and 15 injured people had been admitted. “One of the injured is a policeman,” she told AFP.

Muqaddas Haider, another senior police official said it was believed that the bomb was a timed-device.

Glass windows of nearby buildings were also shattered in the blast.

The loud explosion spread fear among residents of the area as angry protesters took to the streets after the incident demanding an early arrest of the culprits.

Karachi, a city of 18 million people contributing 42 per cent of Pakistan's GDP, has been plagued by sectarian, ethnic and political violence for years.

Police are currently involved in an operation aimed at cleansing the city of terrorists and other hardcore criminals including hired killers, gun runners and drug peddlers.




More deaths and clashes in North Waziristan


MIRAMSHAH: The violence in North Waziristan Agency triggered by a Wednesday-night suicide attack against security forces continued on Friday as another three people were killed after security forces opened fire on a vehicle during curfew hours near Khajori check post. The death toll in this week’s clashes has reached 53 according to locals.

Still unclear is whether the individuals who have been killed in this week’s clashes are civilian or militant. Indeed, the entire chain of events that has left the whole of North Waziristan under a curfew for four days is shrouded in confusion. Competing version of events between military sources, militant groups and local residents cannot yet be reconciled in an area that is inaccessible to most journalists.

Curfew was relaxed for two hours between 11am and 1pm in Mirali town and the local administration allowed people to remove the dead bodies. Following a rocket attack on a base, security forces resorted to heavy shelling in the area. There is still however no sign of a large-scale military operation against suspected militants in the area.

Local people said that Waziristan had been virtually sealed and residents stranded in Bannu and other adjacent areas were not allowed to go home.

Security forces fired at a car near Khajori checkpoint during curfew hours, killing three passengers. Troops resorted to retaliatory firing when miscreants fired three rockets at a security forces’ base near Mirali town. Artillery and mortar shells rained on residential compounds in Mirali, Mosaki and Epi village. Helicopter gunships also fired rockets at suspected positions.

The trouble started in Mirali, the second largest town of North Waziristan Agency, after a suicide bomber driving an explosive-laden vehicle targeted a mosque at Khajori check post on Wednesday evening. Officials said that one soldier and a contractor were killed and 11 personnel suffered injuries in suicide attack.

According to the official version, militants ambushed a convoy transporting wounded soldiers from Khajori to Mirali on Wednesday night. Troops retaliated and 24 militants, including Uzbeks, were killed. The ISPR said 10 more militants were killed during search operation in the area on Thursday.

Residents denied the official claims and said that security forces encircled two hotels and that the dead were non-combatants.

Residents said that 12 more bodies were found in different localities of Mirali Bazaar on Friday. Bodies were sent to Bannu, Lakki Marwat districts and villages in Waziristan. Two bodies were buried in Lakki Marwat and six were shifted to Bannu.

Three members of a family killed in firing at the hotels were buried in Dandy Derpakhel near Miramshah. Relatives said that deceased were bringing poultry from Bannu to Miramshah and stranded in Mirali due to clashes. Four brothers hailing from Haiderkhel village were also buried near Miramshah.

Residents said that heavy shelling by tanks, gunship helicopters, use of light and heavy artillery had caused widespread damage to private properties, including shops in Mirali bazaar.

The media cell of the proscribed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan released images of the burnt shops and destroyed buildings showing marks of artillery shells. The pictures were sent to various media outlets and the TTP accused security forces of killing innocent civilians in operation.

On the other hand political administration in Miramshah and civil secretariat Fata in Peshawar have adopted silence and yet to release press note or clarification about the deteriorating situation in North Waziristan.

[Bost Bastan News]

Dec 21, 2013

Polio worker shot dead in Khyber Agency


KHYBER AGENCY: Unknown militants gunned down a polio worker in the Jamrud Tehsil area of Khyber Agency on Saturday, officials said.

The polio worker Galiab was attacked in the Ghundi area of Jamrud Tehsil. He was severely wounded and was shifted to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

The Assistant Political Agent of the area, Jehangir Azam Wazir, confirmed the incident.

Some official sources also said that gunmen threw a pamphlet next to the polio worker, after opening fire on him, with a warning that all those who were part of any polio vaccination campaign or found working for any non-governmental organisation would be targeted in a similar manner.

Earlier on Dec 13, gunmen had attacked two separate polio teams in northwestern Pakistan, killing one polio worker and two police guards.

Earlier on November 23, militants had also kidnapped teachers for supporting a polio drive but they were later released following a jirga intervention.

Pakistan is one of only three countries in the world where the polio virus is still endemic, but efforts to stamp out the crippling disease have been hit by repeated attacks on health teams.

Officials blame the violence and suspicions about the vaccine for a surge in cases. According to the World Health Organisation, Pakistan recorded 72 cases of polio this year compared to 58 in 2012.

Kidnapped Peshawar doctor recovered from Khyber Agency

Prominent physician of Lady Reading Hospital Dr Amjad Taqweem, who was kidnapped from Peshawar in the first week of December, was recovered by security forces' personnel from Khyber Agency today.

Dr Amjad Taqweem was recovered from the Ali Masjid area of Jamrud Tehsil in Khyber Agency.

Assistant Political Agent, Jehangir Wazir, confirmed his recovery while speaking to Dawn.com.

Unidentified persons had kidnapped Taqweem on Dec 3 after he came out of a mosque at Hayatabad Township.

Dr Amjad is a specialist rheumatologist and is heading the Medical-C unit of Lady Reading Hospital, one of the largest public sector hospitals in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.