Waziristan Update IV

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry sources said 246 Taliban have been arrested from the hospitals in and around Quetta during last 40 days, 57 of them have been handed over to the Afghan government, while remaining are being investigated.

musharraf-fata-meeting.jpgMusharraf met with the tribal area governors recently, and got updates on progress for the peace pact. They overviewed the developmental aid packages, as well as efforts to seal the borders.

 

Afterwards Federal Minister for Interior Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao met with a TV station and gave this report on the leaders of Al Qaeda, as well as the number of captured Taliban.

Talking to private TV Channel, the Federal Minister said law enforcement agencies and provincial government have been issued directive to keep a close watch on banned organizations and suspects and pass on information about extraordinary movement to the special cell set up in the Ministry of Interior following appearance of new video tape of this Al-Qaeda leader.

He said instructions have also been issued to tighten security on Pak-Afghan border to stop any terrorist from illegally entering Pakistani area. The Interior Minister said Pakistan is committed to gaining victory in the war on terror.

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry sources said 246 Taliban have been arrested from the hospitals in and around Quetta during last 40 days, 57 of them have been handed over to the Afghan government, while remaining are being investigated. The sources told that detained Taliban entered Pakistan illegally.

This looks as if the policy is not to stop people from going to Afghanistan, but to stop them from coming back afterwards. This, if true could explain the uptick in violence in Afghanistan (along with the report of Iranian fighters joining the Taliban as detailed at Captains’ Quarters), it’s also a canny move that puts the problem in Afghanistan’s and Nato’s laps instead of Musharraf’s, who can ill-afford it with Balochistan still unruly.

This also ties to my earlier report on the Kunar region, and the move to that area by Nato forces.

Pakistan is also forcing students in-country without permission of their country’s government out, and registration of all foreigners is now underway.Â