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On Tuesday, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud claimed responsibility for the attack on the Manawan police academy and threatened more such assaults in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the US. He stated that President Asif Zardari was ‘following US policies and allowing drone attacks’ and vowed that the Taliban would continue to commits act of terror until missile attacks are halted. He also claimed that the Taliban have the ability to attack Washington and threatened to target the White House. Attacks against NATO forces in Afghanistan were also on Mehsud’s list.
A few days before the Manawan attack, on March 25, the US State Department put Baitullah Mehsud on its most wanted list and announced a $5 million bounty for capturing him or providing information that could help convict him.
Do you think the US State Department’s announcement of a bounty for Mehsud provoke the Manawan attack? If the drone attacks were to seize, would Mehsud call off future terrorist attacks? Is Mehsud’s real target the US and its affiliate NATO forces? What exactly provokes Baitullah Mehsud?
Dear Friends,
The root cause of Pakistan’s problems I feel is the education system itself. With so many Madrassas functioning how can your economy stand up. I do not know what is being taught in the madrassas but one thing is sure there is no professional education where a person can go out and make a living out of that education.
The reason why these extremists find so much support and manpower is because your government is unable to provide them with jobs. No international company is willing to put money in Pakistan due to the nature of its politics.
If you want to get rid of people like Baitullah Mehsud you must start educating the rural masses. Once they understand the importance of living in peace and harmony the whole region will become a wonderful place to live in!!!!
It is so good to see so many people coming out and having open minded discussions. I am sure all of you educated citizens of Pakistan can make a difference so gents please start this process ASAP!!!
Mawali,
thank you for your writing.
All I am asking is, who has the authority to declare that someone is not a Muslim?
(everyone can say whatever they want, but they have no religious or legal or any other power or jurisdiction).
Please tell me, which person was officially/religiously or legally declared as such.
Sam;
All that the Taliban stand for and their practices as evidenced by the almost daily SUICIDE bombings are against the basic principles of Islam. without going pontificating adnauseam you ought to know that suicide is forbidden in Islam. Then as you ask; if Dr. Absus Salaam an individual of noble character and the only bright star and a Nobel laureate for Pakistan can be declared non-muslim then Baithullah Mehsud and his kind are anything but. This man has been playing on the sentiments of innocent Pakistani’s living in the NW and Fata areas using the pretext of Islam. They have to be made aware that the Taliban and particularly Mehsud are using Islam for personal gain period. Capeesh?
Mawali & others,
Is there a process or authority to declare that someone is not a Muslim ?
How is that done ?
Give some examples of people who are declared as, and what are the consequences those ex-muslim people faced.
Or is this just a wish or denial ?
A rebel without a cause is how Baitullah Mehsud can best be described. This whole issue of Islam and Sharia are mere means and short term goals successively to continue with the terror campaign. These are the same people who denounced drug trafficking under their rule but now are using it to finance terror.
His claims of masterminding the incident in Binghamton, NY are just an example of his desperation to seek coverage. Anyone slightly familiar with the facts knows otherwise. How can people without an understanding of basic Islamic concepts go about or be allowed to impose Sharia or be accepted as followers of the religion. Forget for a moment the daily terror attacks just the fact that he is maliciously distorting the basic edicts and principles of Islam should be plain and simple enough for your Mohalla Maulvi to declare him an an offender.
So the people of Pakistan have to take matters into their hands and rid ourselves of this menace for good. If the picture of that little girl being whip lashed in public and her screams are not enough to wake up this nation than, nothing will.
Baithullah Masood and his followers are not fit to be called Muslims. The Quran forbids targeting of civilians and those who kill non-combatants are guilty of baghy, “armed transgression”, a capital offence in Islamic law. A ‘jihad’ can be proclaimed only by a properly constituted state: anything else is vigilantism. The history of Islam is one of change and adaptation and movements have arisen periodically that seeked to transform both the nature of Islamic belief and the political and social lives of its followers. The Quran teaches that violence and terrorism cannot solve or sort out problems and if Baithullah Massod, Osma bin Laden or Taliban in Afghanistan suffer from the misconception that by using violent means they could intimidate societies then it is their biggest folly. They will never intimidate Pakistanis by their acts of stomach churning terrorism and violence and will suffer humiliation at the end.
If they seek justice then it could only be achieved when there is peace. Peace cannot be achieved when there is peace (AS-Salaam), love, harmony, hope and mercy by reflecting piety and righteousness in their deeds, peace and justice can only prevail when there is harmony and peace around us. In Islam, Jihad means struggle or strive but the struggle must be peaceful and never violent. True idea of jihad spread peacefully throughout the Islamic glorious history and civilization. Islam believes in the jihad that is spread peacefully and militancy and violence is totally forbidden. The greater jihad, as preached by Prophet Mohammed (SAW) is first inward-seeking: it involves the effort of each Muslim to become a better human being and to struggle to improve him or herself so that jihad can benefit their communities.
Jihad is a test of each Muslim’s obedience to Allah and willingness to implant His commands on the earth. It is correct that Islam sanctions rebellion against unjust ruler whether Muslim or not, and lesser jihad can be waged for just political and social struggle. The chief characteristics of Islam is that every Muslim must strive to make our world into a place of peace, contentment and well-being of others and where society is obedient to the commands of Allah. The chief characteristics of Islam is that every Muslim must strive to make our world into a place of peace, contentment and well-being of others and where society is obedient to the commands of Allah. We are instructed in the Quran not to veer to extremes but adhere to ummatum wassatun (middle path) and refrain from excess of any kind and 99.99% of the Muslims earnestly strive to attain this middle ground, which is the most fertile ground in which to practice our religion intended for us: an Islam of peace, compassion, mercy, tolerance and justice for all.
Osama bin laden and Bithullah Masood and his followers have adopted distorted jihad for their political and social philosophy. It is their perversion of thought that justifies suicide bombings and killing of the innocents. These so-called jihadis have no blueprint for any policy or plan for better governance but are obsessed with the hatred of America and the West as they blame them for most of economic ills as well as for the exploitation of the Muslim world; oppression and inhuman treatment of the Palestinians by the Jewish State of Israel; and exporting vulgar and immoral values, which these groups believe is a conspiracy to attack Islam and corrupt Muslim youth by the front door. These groups who call themselves jihadi want to reduce Islam to the length of one’s beard and shalwar.
The simple fact that Pak govt is getting 7.5 billion in aid and he is getting nothing.
I applaud the Taliban and other leaders who are bringing True Islam and Sharia Law to Swat.
No leader or govt in the last 62 years was able to do this.
Remember when Taliban took over Afghanistan they brought peace and eliminated the drug trade.
Once they take over the whole of Pakistan (not just Swat), peace will come.
I think Ashar has made a valid point people are trying to justify their act ….where there can be no justification …..it might not be popular belief that these radicals are not servant of islam few days ago but it has now become so! why is our media not cashing on it? instead every anchor person left , right and centre is trying to point the short comings of our security forces…
we must all understand that we are in state of war and in war nation and forces need all the support they can get …. so lets all boost the moral of jawan and public …..
and media should focus on that if they want pak to survive
Taliban Na Manzor Na Manzor Na Manzor! What I saw today how could I sleep with those screams haunting my ears? A girl whipped in public by men holding her down, I cannot even make any sense of it, this has made me sick to my stomach.I donot accept it!
I just ask my brother and sister of Pakistan please just by ignoring this and closing your tv set you will not make those screams die.We have to let our leaders know this is unacceptable, and never again this can happen! We have to give this girl justice, she is a citizen of Pakistan! Civil society of Pakistan we have to play our part.
Islam would have reached and spread to every corner of the globe by now if Osama-bin-Laden had not been manipulated by the West and resorted to violence. Islam was never spread by sword but by ‘dawah’.
Baitullah Masood is used and instigated by the USA and Europeans to use terrorism against his own Muslim brothers and sisters so that Islam is demonized and harmed globally.
I wish that he has some common sense to understand this simple fact that the West wants him to carry out these obnoxious acts of terror in Pakistan so that it is broken up.
i think militants like mehsud are not doing any good for islam and pakistan. he is just using ISLAM to achieve his mala fide goals. government should also concentrate on the capacity building on law enforcement agencies so that they are able to fight against terrorists. only emotions and will to fight is not enough to win the battle. our media should also play role to educate the society that people like mehsud are not heroes rather they are real enemies.
When are we going to get our collective heads together and realize the greater game that is being played over here. I think the following steps should be taken for the sake of saving our beloved Mother Land:
1)Established a fascist, patriotic and nationalist force made up of like minded patriots belonging to “Sons of the Soil” ethnicities of Pakistan i.e Punjabi, Balochi, Sindhi, Pathan etc.
2) Give Balochistan appropriate provincial autonomy that does not expose the soft belly of the federal structure and provide Balochis access and share in their natural resource. If Pakistan has commited a crime of denying rights and prosperity to any of their citizens, it is the Baloch.
3) Establish ties with Taliban leaders including if necessay B. Mehsud who pledge to remain loyal to Pakistan’s integrity and sovereignty and pledge to fight Pakistan’s external enemies.As for criminals like Fazallulah, defeat them.
4) Eliminate everyone within and outside Pakistan who claim or disguise to be pakistani citizens but who are working for foreign intelligence agencies, instigating riots, creating anarchy, further polarizing the nation along ethnic, religious and sectarian identities. Whether these leaders are local or foreign based should not matter in view of preserving our social stability and our nations integrity.
5) Establish speedy and fair judicial system to benefit the aam aadmi of Pakistan and refuse blood money settlements by including a provision stating every criminal act is an offense against the Pakistani state and its constitution. If the victim relents, the state should still pursue a case by becoming the plaintiff.
6) Disengage ourselves from the Afghan conflict, seal our borders with Afghanistan and expel the Afghans from our country including those who have Pakistani citizenship after 1979.
7) Everyone should take a new oath of loyalty to Pakistan, upholding which will be their constitutional duty and opposing which could result in fine, jail or worse, revoking your Pakistani citizenship and even worse, expulsion.
8) Realize that our military and ISI are our best sources of defense and have successfully defended the country against so many threat and have sacrificed their lives and turned red the boundaries of our frontiers with their blood. We should never shy away from defending Kashmir, our water rights, and our dignity.
All of these are points to ponder before we take a “kadhai” break.
Mehsud is one of the many War Lords that the last decade and a half has created first in Afghanistan and now in Pakistan. They have been profiting from the drug trade, providing protection to the “Taliban” elements hiding in Pakistan as well as Foreign Fighters (read Arab, Uzbek etc). They are a cancer which is eating away at us and needs to be addressed. The army needs to wake up and give up its regional ambitions new focus on closing our borders and eradicating this menace festering in FATA.
In my view he is an uneducated and unwise person who is getting cheap publicity through such acts. He has no vision that he can not implement Islam with such activities. He is spreading hatred about islam in the whole world. He seems to me an enemy of islam playing in the hands of enemies of Pakistan.
Provokes him or not, Drone attacks are unjustified, No one has the right to enter our country, if they end up blowing up my home i would have no choice to blame someone, and Lahore/police are easy targets.
Poverty ,lack of education , law and order are the main reasons why we are in this mess today but fixing them is a long term goal and only a president with farsighted vision can achieve these goals.
For short term Pakistan must act strongly and forcefully to tackle the situation . Not by bombing our own people in Tribal lands but by convincing or otherwise threatening the Americans to stop casting evil eye on Pakistan . Our inability to talk eye in eye with the Americans is our biggest weakness .
We need a strong leader with moderate religious views , vision , shrewdness and good perception to get us out of this crisis we are in today.
Right now Imran Khan is our best bet .
There is a clear difference between the two talibans, namely the one of afghanistan and the one of pakistan.
-The afghanistan one is a genuine national movement and poses a real threat for the US and other occupational forces
-The pakistani taliban is a planted one comprising of foreigners and a few local warlords, and not an indigenous movement
Baitullah has become the Pakistani Osama Bin Laden; everyone seems to be talking about him, but will we have any better luck catching him than the original?
The Taliban are NOT OUR BROTHERS and America is not targeting OUR PEOPLE. The drone attacks are eliminating Al-Qaeda leadership and its sympathizers whom the Pakistani security services are either unwilling, incapable or both of eliminating.
As noted by multiple people, how is it possible that this serial killer can brazenly hold press conferences in broad day light and the Pakistan military is not aware of it, unless there is something darker afoot?
The US should continue to target Mehsud and other terrorists in drone attacks.
Make everyone rich. That will fix Pakistan quicker than you can say Baitizzle Mashizzle!
/EndCynicism
On a more serious note Pakistanis must strive to be more empowered, strive for better quality of life, strive for better education and must not give up their want for a good life. When enough people feel self satisfied and empowered the situation will automatically resolve itself. Until that happens bombs will keep going off, Drones will keep killing innocent people and the world will keep turning. There really is no other alternative.
government of Pakistan need to work for the interst of the country and not for their personal gains . They need to focus on uplifting the standard of living of the citizenz by providing quality education emplaoymnt medical facilities and so on
RE post by Abdul Ghaffar:
Abdul, I agree with you that Justice needs to prevail if any society wants peace. But i disagree with you trying to Justify what these militants are doing…
Nothing Justifies blowing up Masjids and killing innocent people… Historically FATA and the north have had few if any government controls, and warlords have used this to build up their support to the level where they are now looking to threaten the rest of the country. You call it Patriotic, but what is so patriotic about building your own army? the people who want to split Pakistan are not patriots.
Something seems amiss. Whereas the entire country is boiling in anger against this terrorist, our Army seems strangely passive. Can someone please answer. Why is it so difficult to take this man out or bomb his hideout? Why do we keep sending the ill equipped police and para military forces against the terrorists and not our crack troops? Is ISI incapable or unwilling to deal with these threats?
I think its a failure on the part of pakistani government that they cannot stop the drone attacks. FATA is Pakistan’s land and if some country is entering it and the government is not stopping it then the people are likely to take up arms. If they are not protected by the government then they have to protect themselves.
I think that the terror strikes in Pakistan may have deeper links to foreign powers.