Sunday, November 12, 2006

Taliban Institutionalized in Pakistan?

The Pakistani newspaper expresses worry that the Taliban are now officially recognized by the Musharraf regime. The Taliban in some places are now free to impose their particular view of Islamic practice on the population of some tribal areas.
RLC


Taliban in Command?
Published: October 25, 2006 (Dawn Pakistan)

EMBOLDENED, it seems, by the September 5 accord with the government, militants in North Waziristan are now institutionalising their authority over the tribal agency. There is now at least one Taliban `office' in Miramshah, the regional headquarters, and there is no doubt as to who is calling the shots in terms of administration. The militants' jurisdiction has lately been formalised by the Taliban council of advisers, with a clearly defined territory in and around Miramshah demarcated as an "area of operations" where criminal activities are banned. Here it is the Taliban, not the political administration, who will lay down the law for crimes ranging from theft to murder. Punishment is to be meted out in accordance with the Taliban's peculiar interpretation of the Shariat, not the state law applicable to the tribal areas. Penalties include execution, imprisonment and fines. ....


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