Posted in News Briefs, tagged FATA on January 31, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Today, one story in particular stood out to me - according to the Christian Science Monitor, “For the first time, the U.S. is putting public pressure on Pakistan by asking its leaders to let the U.S. help fight terrorists within the country. Though Pakistan has rebuffed these advances, it has shown signs of taking the [...]
Posted in News Briefs, tagged Judiciary on January 30, 2008 | No Comments »
On Wednesday, Pakistan’s deposed top judge Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry described President Pervez Musharraf as an “extremist general” after sacking him and 60 other top judges, reported BBC News today. The story was covered by several news agencies on Wednesday, including the UK’s Guardian Unlimited, which reported, “Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudry, who was sacked when Musharraf [...]
Posted in Backgrounders, tagged U.S. Elections on January 30, 2008 | 7 Comments »
So last week’s poll closed today with interesting results. Of the 64 CHUP! readers who responded to the question, “What do you think is the most immediate concern facing Pakistan?”, 65% of you answered, ’security,’ 21% responded, ‘inflation,’ while only 10% replied ‘free and fair elections.’ Unfortunately, I am not aware of the ethnographic makeup [...]
Posted in News Briefs, tagged Taliban, Terrorism on January 29, 2008 | 1 Comment »
The recent fighting between militants and security forces has dominated news coverage of Pakistan. Yesterday, the hostage-taking of 250 schoolchildren and subsequent surrender of the “gunmen” garnered major media attention, although sources differed on whether the incident was perpetrated by a “criminal gang” or by “Islamic militants.” According to an article in today’s Daily Times, [...]
Posted in News Briefs, tagged Terrorism on January 28, 2008 | 5 Comments »
On Monday, breaking news coverage of Pakistan focused on armed men taking 250 schoolchildren and teachers hostage after escaping from police in the Bannu district of the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) earlier today. However, later on Monday, news sources reported the gunmen surrendered to “tribal negotiators” in exchange for safe passage from the area. The [...]
Posted in News Briefs, tagged Musharraf on January 26, 2008 | 1 Comment »
The title of today’s post was the header of a pertinent Wall Street Journal commentary by Hussain Haqqani, a former adviser to Benazir Bhutto who is currently a professor of International Relations at Boston University. Haqqani wrote, “Pakistan’s embattled President Pervez Musharraf is touring European capitals to try and convince Western governments of the country’s [...]
Posted in News Briefs, tagged Kayani, Military, Swat on January 24, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Once again, security developments dominated press coverage of Pakistan on Thursday. According to Pakistan’s Daily Times and The News, the Chief of Army staff [the new head of the military after Musharraf took off his uniform], General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said that military operations, though part of the national effort, “are only a means to [...]
Posted in News Briefs, tagged Elections on January 23, 2008 | 1 Comment »
On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called on Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to stick to his pledge to hold free elections, but added that she understood that democracy “is not something born in a minute,” reported Pakistan’s Daily Times today. The official told reporters traveling with her to Berlin for meetings on Iran, [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on January 23, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Last week’s poll, probing who readers thought were responsible for Benazir’s assassination, is now closed. The results? Of the 70 people who answered, 47% believed Al Qaeda/Taliban was behind the attack, while 27% felt that government agencies had a hand in the killing. While 17% voted other, only 8% believed the government was behind the [...]
Posted in News Briefs, tagged Military, Musharraf on January 22, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Today, Pakistani security forces’ struggle with militants along the Afghan border and more statements by President Pervez Musharraf dominated press coverage of the country today. According to the Associated Press, the army said that the Islamic militants attacked a fort on Tuesday, “one of two clashes with government forces that left seven troops and 37 [...]
