US citizens warned not to travel to Pakistan

[Bengal_Tiger]

A woman cries after the horrific church attack.

BOMB ATTACK AGAINST ISLAM. ANP CONDEMNS ATTACK.



BOMB ATTACK AGAINST ISLAM. ANP CONDEMNS ATTACK.




BOMB ATTACK AGAINST ISLAM. ANP CONDEMNS ATTACK.



La hawla wa la quwwata illah billah.

A'udhubillahi min dhalik.


May Allah protect all Muslims and non-Muslims from the evil of the TTP, the ISI, Pakistan army and all these criminals, enemies of Muslims and non-Muslims and enemies of Pashtuns.

AS A MUSLIM I TOTALLY CONDEMN THIS VILE AND INHUMANE SLAUGHTER!

[Bengal_Tiger]

BOMB ATTACK AGAINST ISLAM.

ANP CONDEMNS ATTACK.


THIS IS NOT ISLAM.

THIS IS NOT THE RELIGION OF THE NOBLE MESSENGER, MUHAMMAD SOLALLAHU 'ALAIHI WA SALLAM.

MAY ALLAH DESTROY THIS TERRORISM AND REMOVE IT FROM THE BLESSED LAND OF PASHTUNKHWA, THE LAND OF THE FAQIR OF IPI, AJAB KHAN AFRIDI, AHMAD SHAH ABDALI AND OTHER MUSLIM HEROES.

[Shamlawar Khurasani]

Since when does ANP care about what is Islam and what is not Islam?

[Bengal_Tiger]

ANP to live and die along with the people: Iftikhar Hussain


September 22, 2013 - Updated 1350 PKT




ANP to live and die along with the people: Iftikhar Hussain



PESHAWAR: Khyber Pukhtunkhaw former information minister and Awami National Party (ANP) leader Iftikhar Hussain said that his party would observe countrywide three-day mourning over suicide bombings at the Church on Sunday here, Geo News reported.

Following his visit to the scene of incident immediately after the gory incident, talking to media Iftikhar Hussain said, “Whether we are in government or out of government, we live and die along with the people, we will never leave the people alone.”

He demanded from the government to take action against the terrorists and added if the people were in trouble, then the government should stand beside them. He said he has come to condole and console the enraged people as a common man.

Iftikhar Hussain said that following the All Parties Conference (APC) terrorism has intensified. The minorities needed security—his party would support the government for peace, he said.

He also appealed to the doctors to rush for emergency duty in the hospitals, as the situation was quite grave and pathetic.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-119351-ANP-to-live-and-die-along-with-the-people:-Iftikhar-Hussain---

[Bengal_Tiger]

1. Pashtun nationalists, ANP, have condemned this outrageous attack.

This attack is sheer barbarism.


2. Peshawar is the political and commercial centre of Pashtuns in Pakhtunkhwa, so normal people must feel reassured, brave Mian Iftikhar Hussein is helping to do that.

He too has lost his own son and seems to be saying he knows he himself might be killed by terrorists but he will live and die with the people.

This is what happened to legendary ANP leader, Bashir Ahmad Bilour.

















*** AFZAL KHAN LALA ***

Afzal Khan Lala had his grandsons killed by terrorists. He is a Pashtun nationalist and ANP member who has vowed never to leave Pakhtunkhwa.



ANP leader Najma Hanif who was killed recently by terrorists.

Today another Pashtun nationalist has been killed in Pakhtunkhwa.

PESHAWAR: A local Awami National Party (ANP) leader was gunned down by unknown gunmen in Balu Khan village\'s Peer Baba area in Buner district on Sunday.

Anwar Khan was also a member of a local peace committee which had formed a lashkar to resist the Taliban militants when they had taken control of the area in 2009

http://www.thefrontierpost.com/article/42950/

The struggle will continue but the TTP and ISI will never win.

[Bengal_Tiger]

Taliban prepare list of 100 to be targeted


Posted on 2013-11-11 06:02:37 by Ihsan Dawar


Politicians, newsmen and Musharraf on the list


Ihsan Dawar

PESHAWAR: Banned outfit Tehrik Taliban Pakistan has reportedly prepared a list of hundred political figures and journalists to be targeted as a revenge of their leader s Hakimullah Mehsud killing in a drone strike on November 2, in North Waziristan Agency. Sources inside the Taliban told on the condition of anonymity that the decision of targeting top leadership and journalists including editors and owners of newspapers was finalized in a high level meeting of Shura which continued for six days for the nomination of new TTP chief. 85 political figures and 15 journalists are included among those who are supposed to be targeted the sources said adding that the decision was taken unanimously in the Shura meeting and approved by all the groups that attended the meeting.

The sources said that farmer president Pervez Musharraf s name was on the top of the list while ex-president and PPP 's co chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, Rehman Malik, opposition leader Khurshid Shah and Manzoor Wasan were also included reportedly in the list. Some of the top leadership from PML-N names were also said to be in the list. The sources disclosed that in the journalists six were anchor persons while some of the others were reporters and owners of newspapers from KPK were also in the list. It was also informed by the sources that Taliban has probably changed their strategy from blasts to target killings. The sources said after the approval of all the groups, the TTP has sought services of sharpshooters from all the groups who have been provided with modern lethal weapons but it was not yet confirmed if they had been assigned their task or not. Meanwhile, reports pouring about a statement of spokesman for Jandullah faction of TTP Ahmad Marwat said they had appointed Mufti Mehmood for the shooters group. Ahmad claimed they had already left their men towards their targets across the country. The sources revealed that after the killing of their leader Hakimullah Mehsud, Taliban have reportedly brought changes in their strategy from blasts to target 'wanted ' people so as to avoid civilian casualties and divert public opinion to their side. A local expert of the situation said if the proposed plan was acted upon in real, it would provoke a new wave of target killing throughout the country.

Taliban prepare list of 100 to be targeted



TTP's new leader warns of attacks on Punjab.

Pakistan Taliban New Leader Fazlullah Warns Gov of Revenge Attacks in Punjab - YouTube



1. The militants war in Pakistan may have now reached a third stage, here are the stages.

i: Post 9/11 to 2007, War in Waziristan

Following the bombing of buildings in New York, America decided to launch war against Afghanistan. Thus the Taliban were attacked. Pakistan was ordered to join in this war against Muslim Afghanistan. Pashtun tribesmen of Waziristan were fighting with their blood brothers in Afghanistan and felt betrayed by the Pakistani support and there was a conflict in the Waziristan region. It did not impact the rest of Pakistan and Pakistan was seen as a stable country and a potential Asian tiger with very impressive economic growth.




ii: 2007-2013, from Waziristan to the whole Pashtun region.

2007 was the turning point. Pakistan was in turmoil with the crisis over Iftikhar Ahmed Choudhry and the Lal Masjid crisis, it was that year that the current troubles that Pakistan is going through really started. The militants expanded operations from beyond Waziristan to the whole Pashtun region. Many attacks took place.

- Benazir Bhutto was killed.
- The Sri Lankan cricket team was attacked thus ending international cricket in Pakistan.
- Pakistani soldiers were captured and beheaded
- Pakistani naval bases were attacked
- Mosques were bombed with dozens dying
- The Swat valley was taken over



Benazir Bhutto killed.

Countless acts of violence took place. 50,000 Pakistanis are said to have been killed, including 4,000 Pakistani soldiers.

At one point 2 million people were refugees.

The economy was damaged heavily.

However the bulk of victims were Pashtuns and the overwhelming majority of the violence was in the Pashtun region. Now we may be entering a third and possibly final phase.




iii 2013 onwards, the war spreads from the Pashtun region to the power centre of the country, Punjab.

Pakistan is in fact "Punjabistan" and controlled by the Punjabis. There is no local Punjabi nationalism (besides the limited one of the PML-N) because there doesn't need to be. Punjabis rule.

In Pakistani military classes cadets are taught that Punjab is the strategic heart of the country which if India attacks and captures means the end of the country. Punjab is assigned great importance. For Miranshah, Mardan and Peshawar to be attacked does not make a great difference, but for Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad to be attacked means the real actual Pakistan is attacked, because Pakistan is in reality Punjab.

If the TTP launch operations against Punjab then the country may fall in to complete chaos and cease functioning properly.

Baloch rebels may take advantage to take full control of Balochistan or even ensure de facto independence/autonomy (Balochistan is half way to that stage now as all Punjabis have been expelled and the Pakistani flag is banned from flying in many places).

We may now be entering the third and who knows, final phase of this war.

[Bengal_Tiger]

1. The Pakistan army is a conventional military force of around 500,000.

There are around 150,000 Pakistani soldiers based in Pashtun regions i.e. under 1/3 of the army.

The soldier to civilian ratio in north-western Pakistan (Pakhtunkhwa) may be the highest in the world.

2. The TTP number around 30,000 not including Pashtun tribesmen that might join them if they felt the need to, and also not including the Pashtuns of Afghanistan.


Though the Pakistan army outnumber the TTP by 5 to 1 in Pakhtunkhwa, the TTP are a superior fighting force.

In total the Pakistan army outnumber the TTP by almost 20-1 (if you add the FC to the 500,000 of the standing Pakistan army).

3. The TTP troop strength of 30,000 is equivalent to two divisions of a regular army.


The TTP have inflicted heavy damage on the Pakistani army killing 4,000 of their soldiers i.e. less than 1% of the army.

If we assume that the KIA (killed in action) ratio to injury ratio of Pakistani soldiers is for every Pakistani soldier killed, 2 more have been injured that would mean 4,000 killed, 8,000 injured i.e. 12,000 Pakistani soldiers eliminated as fighting units.

This would mean 12,000 Pakistani soldiers out of a total of 500,000 i.e. under 3% of the army.

If it is a ratio of 1.3 it means 4,000 dead, 12,000 injured i.e. a total of 16,000 military units (soldiers) eliminated, i.e. over 3% of the army.

If it is 1.7 ratio (on the high side) that means 4,000 dead, 28,000 injured and thus 32,000 Pakistani soldiers wiped out as fighting units.

This would mean 6.4% of the Pakistani military.


- I believe the TTP have sufficient strength in numbers as well as hidden support from sympathizers in the Pakistani military to launch a ground offensive to capture the federal capital, Islamabad.

- If the TTP do indeed plan to attack Punjab, this brings Pakistan to something akin to total civil war.

The Pakistani military has historically shown itself as an incompetent organization, heavy on bravado but lacking in real resolution and commitment when in difficulty.

The Pakistani military have been defeated by the TTP on many occasions.

[Bengal_Tiger]

If we say that 4,000 Pakistani soldiers have been killed then that means around 50 other Pakistani soldiers that have been effected psychologically by the death of a comrade as most of these soldiers will at least have been in a platoon.

So 4,000 x 50 = 200,000 which is under half of the army, and well over the 150,000 Pakistani soldiers deployed in the north-west of Pakistan.

If we say there are 12,000 soldiers killed and injured and we times that by 50 that = 600,000.

These are neat little arithmetical sums whilst in real life things are not as simple and straightforward as that, but there are far more variables.

The other issue is that the elimination of a commander has far more impact than taking out a regular infantryman as:

1: The commander has closer proximity to senior decision makers who decide policies.

2: The soldiers beneath the commander lack leadership, maybe not overall leadership as there are others higher up than him who will order them what to do but operational leadership on a closer ground level.

I do not think the Pakistan army is as heavily weakened as the numbers above may suggest. Nor do I think the number of wounded or psychologically devastated by the loss of a colleague is as high as mentioned above. I think the Pakistan army can still fight and is still a functional and powerful force.

However, the TTP has the capability of defeating them.

[Pakwatan]

This thread is retarded.

[Bengal_Tiger]

This thread is retarded.

Mr Punjabi, 50,000 Pakistanis have been killed. 4,000 Pakistani soldiers have been killed.

There are 1 million refugees.

Not ending these problems is "retarded".

[Bengal_Tiger]

Taliban power increasing in Pakistan.

Up till now the Taliban have taken swathes of Pakistani territory in north-western regions bordering Afghanistan.

Now however they have take control of parts of the largest city and economic heart of the country Karachi, and are also a threat to the federal capital "Islamabad".

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-28576-Taliban-control-one-third-of-Karachi-says-Wall-Street-Journal

Taliban control one-third of Karachi, says Wall Street Journal

Saturday, February 15, 2014



KARACHI: The Pakistani Taliban have tightened their grip over the country’s commercial hub, officials and residents said, despite a five-month government crackdown, the Wall Street Journal reported.

In a detailed report by two journalists, the newspaper said: “Research by The Wall Street Journal, based on conversations with security officials and urban planners, shows TTP still control or dominate about 470 square miles of Karachi, or nearly a third of its area, where at least 2.5 million people live.

TTP dominates 33 of Karachi’s 178 administrative units — known as union councils — security officials said. These tend to be the larger, peripheral, districts, with ever expanding shanty settlements that eat into the surrounding desert. The militants are also now getting more educated recruits, including non-Pashtuns, and spreading to neighbouring areas outside Karachi, including Hub to the west and Jamshoro to the northeast.

The TTP’s sway in Karachi extends right up to Saddar — the city center — and into areas such as Sultanabad, a ramshackle community next to the new US Consulate compound.

These are districts with a majority population of Pashtuns, the same ethnic group as TTP’s leadership. These areas that encircle the city include Baldia and the Sindh Industrial Trading Estate to the west and Gadap in the north. Residents in these areas said TTP’s hold had gotten stronger over the past year.

“There’s been no action against the main body of the TTP, just against some smaller factions,” said Khawaja Izharul Hassan, a provincial MQM lawmaker.

In addition to the main TTP faction from the Mehsud tribe of South Waziristan in the tribal areas, long established in Karachi, the city is increasingly plagued by another TTP faction from the Mohmand tribal area, police officers said, along with TTP Swat.

Islamist militants also have influence over some non-Pashtun districts of the city, such as Lyari in the southwest where TTP ally Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has a base. The TTP has an ability to stage attacks across Karachi.

In the areas it controls, TTP is levying a tax on residents and businesses, said a businessman in Sohrab Goth, a Taliban-run neighbourhood just north of the city centre.

“Karachi is likely to pay a steeper price if efforts by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government to forge a peace deal with the al-Qaeda affiliate’s leadership in tribal areas collapse and a military operation is launched there.

“If the peace talks fail, we fear that a big terrorism wave will hit Karachi,” said Raja Umar Khattab, a senior officer in the counterterrorism Crime Investigation Department of the Karachi Police.

The Pakistani Taliban are a national threat, with Karachi providing the group a vital financial lifeline. Money raised in Karachi from extortion, land-grabbing, kidnapping and robberies is sent to the group’s leadership in the tribal areas along the Afghan border, security officials said.

“The Taliban have complete control of Karachi,” said Bashir Jan, a senior member of the Awami National Party, the main secular Pashtun political party in the city. “They can go anywhere and do what they want.”

Here is a map:

[Bengal_Tiger]

Islamabad declared 'extremely dangerous' in Interior Ministry report


February 19, 2014 -

Islamabad declared 'extremely dangerous' in Interior Ministry report



ISLAMABAD: A report prepared by the Interior Ministry has declared the capital city as 'extremely dangerous' due to the presence and functioning of banned outfits along with other factors, Geo News reported.

According to the report, the capital city is at high risk and has become the sleeper cell of the banned organization members including Al-Qaeda, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Lashkar-e-Jahngvi (LeJ).

The report further stated that arms and terrorists are making their way into the country through Eastern and Western borders which is why cross border terrorists are also conducting terror activities in Pakistan.

Moreover, the report stated that Balochistan and Azad Kashmir are plagued by terrorism sponsored by the neighboring India.

Banned outfits of TTP and LeJ are a real threat in Punjab while the target killers, Al-Qaeda and LeJ are targeting Sindh.

The Interior Ministry report will be presented before the standing committee of National Assembly today.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-138412-Islamabad-declared-extremely-dangerous-in-Interior-Ministry-report

1. Federal Capital Islamabad under Taliban threat.


2. Large parts of the economic capital, Karachi - the biggest city - under Taliban control.



* The Taliban control large parts of Karachi. Karachi is a megapolis with a population of 23 million (Wiki).

In other words a population bigger than some of these countries:

- Sweden
- The Netherlands
- Jordan
- Lebanon
- Israel
- Libya


The Taliban have the resources, manpower and ability to control large parts of this megapolis.

If Karachi goes then Pakistan collapses economically. When I say "goes" I mean that fighting there breaks out rendering it totally unstable and all economic activity halts.

Karachi is the main source of supplies for the rest of the country.


If Islamabad, the federal capital, goes it is arguable whether Pakistan even exists anymore as a functioning state.

Presumably if Islamabad falls to a TTP ground offensive, then Rawalpindi or Lahore would be declared the provisional capital.


* Rawalpindi however is right next door to Islamabad and would not be safe and could be taken by the TTP.


* Lahore would probably be the capital but the Taliban have strong support in a lot of Punjab and the Punjabi Taliban exist too.



Punjabi Taliban.


One thing is clear however, Pakistan is day by day becoming more and more unstable.