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| India-Pakistan | |
| Cleric's exit imperils Pakistan peace deal | |
| 2009-04-09 | |
| A hard-line cleric who negotiated a peace accord that halted fighting between the Taliban and security forces in part of northwest Pakistan said Thursday he is leaving the region to protest the government's failure to impose Islamic law. The announcement casts serious doubt on the durability of a cease-fire in the Swat valley that U.S. officials worry will create another sanctuary for allies of al-Qaida responsible for a rising tide of violence in the nuclear-armed country. The U.S. Embassy said "heightened security" was prompting it to suspend routine consular services Friday in Pakistan's capital. Spokesman Lou Fintor declined Thursday night to detail what led to the security concern in Islamabad, but said consulates in other major cities would remain open and that emergency services would still be available for Americans. Imposing Islamic law in Swat, a one-time tourist haven, was the key plank of an accord worked out in February between the provincial government and Sufi Muhammad, a cleric who once led thousands of volunteers to fight U.S. forces in Afghanistan but has since renounced violence. Thanks in part to Muhammad's mediation, the agreement ended 18 months of terror and bloody clashes that had left hundreds dead and forced up to one-third of the previously prosperous valley's 1.5 million residents to flee. But the militants have retained their arms and this week pushed into a neighboring area just 60 miles (100 kilometers) northwest of Islamabad, where they fought deadly gunbattles with villagers and police.
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| Posted by:ed |
| #7 John Frum - pretty, but Switzerland's closer. And you're not as likely to get flogged or blown up in Switzerland. :-( Trust fanatics to f*** up a good thing.... |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2009-04-09 15:07 |
| #6 Postmarked Lahore May 15 1981 Dear Mom: Enjoying this lovely country and meeting all sorts of interesting people. Must run now, time for prayer. Love, Barry * PS. They had no problem with my passport. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-04-09 14:35 |
| #5 |
| Posted by: john frum 2009-04-09 14:28 |
| #4 Swat, a one-time tourist haven...." The mind boggles.... It shouldn't.        |
| Posted by: john frum 2009-04-09 14:24 |
| #3 ...Sufi Muhammad, a cleric who once led thousands of volunteers to fight U.S. forces in Afghanistan but has since renounced violence. But the militants have retained their arms and this week pushed into a neighboring area just 60 miles (100 kilometers) northwest of Islamabad, where they fought deadly gunbattles with villagers and police. Geez, just think of what would've happened if he hadn't "renounced violence"? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2009-04-09 13:45 |
| #2 "...Swat, a one-time tourist haven...." The mind boggles.... |
| Posted by: Oscar Whavinter7650 2009-04-09 13:32 |
| #1 That definitely was a win-lose situation. |
| Posted by: Galactic Coordinator Omavising9607 2009-04-09 13:22 |