The Marriott Bombing: ‘Pakistan’s 9/11’?

Re: # 53

Deluded old man, it is you and only you spewing Punjoo style vitriol. As for the breakup of Pakistan, if quoting the facts and admitting our failures is a crime then I like Pavo and many others are guilty as charged. As for the Indians, well they are a much better bunch compared to your likes.

Pakistan is a federation of different ethnicities, you have to be really dumb and stupid not to know that fact. Or, simply an arrogant, elitist bigot.

If you wish to pursue this kind of ridiculous debate, then I suggest u go back to your Bhaati gate, thats where u belong.

#52 So, when your routine mqm-style vitriol about "ethnicities" and your joining with Pakistan-deniers from India in harping about the "breakup of Pakistan" is challenged, you change your color now to "green" and pose as a patriotic Pakistani!! At least the Indians are consistent in their hatred for Pakistan. You on the other hand are a traitor to the country you were raised in, promoting divisions among its people on the basis of ethnicity.

And it is you who has, without provocation, chosen to differentiate between "mohajirs" and "the rest of Pakistan" in your posts. So dont pretend that I have no right to hold you to your own claims, and spell out the historical fact that your parents came running from India to Pakistan to pick up property and jobs left behind by the fleeing hindus.

Re: # 37

tahmed32 & Chowk administrators

In the past you have stated very clearly that you do not wish to respond to my posts and I have respected that decision by not addressing you directly or indirectly. You on the other hand continue to pick and choose to attack even though the referred post was not addressed to you. So, make up your stupid mind what u want, this waffling between yes and no does not cut it.

Since you do not know my parents their mention in your post shows your ingrained prejuidices and shows your true shallow, bigoted personality for what its worth.

Disagreemenst are but natural and people can be agitated but there is a decorum that is maintained unless you were born a b@stard thus have no qualms in denigrating this honorable relationship called parents.

Lastly, unlike bhagoras such as you, i continue to hold the green passport (only one) with ALL of my assets tied to that country including North and South of Pakistan. So spare me your hypocrisy and learn some manners.

Re: # 42
Khyber, thanks for bringing up this point. The governor's point is echoed in the comment of a retired brigader I quoted in a piece for IPS the previous day:

[snip] The Marriott strike bears all the signatures of a ‘home-grown insurgency’, and was carried out "by the same people who attacked the FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) building in Lahore last year and killed Benazir", a retired army brigadier and defence analyst told IPS, asking not to be named. "The tribal agency people don’t have this kind of expertise, unless they have received outside help."

If this is the case, then clearly a convergence has taken place, or is taking place, between these different forces [end snip]

Full story at http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=43963
For those who can't access it - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/beena-issues/message/995

Let's not, however, make it into an 'ethnic' issue as some people on this forum are doing - that will only serve to divide and weaken the fight against such violence.

Re: # 46
Thanks Ras. I actually made this point in the revised article I sent to Volkskrant the following day (the piece was published on Sept 23). This is the revised intro:

"Days after a suicide attacker rammed a truck laden with over 600 kg of high quality explosives into the high-security Marriott Hotel in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad many are still reeling with shock. It’s not that Pakistan is any stranger to bombings. Since the first suicide attack took place in 2002, the number of such attacks, and their casualties, has only risen.

"The first six months of this year alone have witnessed over sixty bomb blasts, about half of them suicide attacks. The year 2007 saw over fifty bomb blasts that took the heaviest toll of lives ever, including the over 150 who died after bomb blasts targeting the late former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s welcome procession of October 18 2007. The year ended with the attack that claimed some thirty lives and killed Bhutto herself as she exited an election rally on December 27.

"But it is the Marriott attack of September 20, 2008, striking as it did this heavily guarded building in the heart of Pakistan’s capital that is being termed “Pakistan’s 9/11�. "

Re: # 34
Mohar...
Pakistan has less regional problems than India. So, Pakistan will be there as trouble maker, unless and until civilised world do something....

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Re: # 41

Don't cry, sweatheart!

Beena,

Pakistan's 9/11 was on December 27, 2007.

One can only speculate that this was a follow up.

laddu and Khyber have point. This may turn into Pujabi vs Sindhi and what not. I have nagging suspicion that in the end, AZ may prove to be Garbachov of Pak-stan culminating the disintegrative process inadvetantly started by ZH

My information is correct and comes from a highly placed source...

Re: # 42

I have repeated earlier.....punjabi mullahs are creating this mayhem ...all in connivance and implicit arrangements with Nawaz Sharif.........this NS - BB battle has now turned dirtier into NS-AZ battle........

Suicide bombers coming from Punjab: Owais

LETS NOT FORGET THAT PUNJABI POLITICIANS LIKE NAWAZ SHARIF HAD CLOSE CONTACTS WITH OSAMA WHO PAID HIM MILLIONS .



LAHORE, Sept 22: NWFP Governor Owais Ghani warned Punjab on Monday that militancy was gaining strength in its backyard.

“Militants in the tribal areas of the NWFP have established firm networking (with jihadi groups) in southern Punjab and most fresh recruits for suicide attacks are coming from there. Militant leaders and commanders are also coming from Punjab. The militants’ field commander in Swat too is from Punjab,� Mr Ghani told a briefing arranged for senior journalists on insurgency in tribal areas.

The words of caution from the governor came soon after a number of people were detained in Punjab apparently in connection with the Marriott bombing.

Mr Ghani also warned against treating the insurgency in the tribal areas as a problem of the NWFP. “It will be ill-advised to think that the militancy will remain confined to the NWFP. Militants’ activities have already shifted to the settled areas and Punjab and they have established strong links with south Punjab. It’s a national issue, a question of survival for (entire) Pakistan.�Later talking to Dawn, the governor said he had discussed the matter with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. He expressed the hope that the Punjab government would effectively handle the situation.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani is also said to be aware of the issue of recruitments of suicide bombers from his constituency. “He (prime minister) knows about it,� Mr Ghani said.

He said: “The militants are on the run. But the (military) operation will have to continue for another four to five months before the militancy could be contained.�

He said the issue of militancy could not be resolved without restoration of ‘political peace’ and tranquillity in Afghanistan. “However, we are trying to contain it and lower its intensity.�

In reply to a question, he said there was a political consensus in the NWFP on the counter-insurgency operations. “There is complete harmony between the Governor’s House and the ANP-PPP coalition government. The JUI-Fazl is also supporting the operation,� he said.
Mwaqar

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salim
[... Pakistan are still here....]

I am sure you would have said the same thing in '71, as hanood army was humping over your behinds... :)

Anyhoo - It's not about "a terrorist incident" - it's aboout the overall situation in pakiland... these terrorist incidents in pakiland are not the run-of-the-mill ones that happen elsewhere - these are indicator of serious dysfunction in various stake holders in the state: army, civilian govt, civil society - all entities are in conflict with each other... none of these entities ahve any confidence in any other entity...

"President Zardari and his PM" have minimal credibility and are not people of calibre, they simply don't have waht it takes to overcome these serious problems... unwashed abdul is barely making a living, has no strength or willingness to stand up to the challenge... Army is as usual up to no good - they are busy playing their dirty games...

You may hate Bush, but without his billions pouring in - you pakis would be folding up sooner...

This is not business as usual...

Let's not get melodramatic over a terrorist incident - albeit a deadly one with terrible and tragic loss of life. The blast in Karachi was more devastating than the Marriott bombing - both Karachi and Pakistan are still here.

What we need to do is to focus on the future. Banging one's head against a brick wall over and over and over is sometimes not the right answer. Sometimes, jumping over the wall, digging underneath it, or simply going around it is better.

Mushy is long gone and so should his self-conflicting policies. Let's give President Zardari and his PM some time to put their strategy together. A comprehensive, non-violent and political solution is needed for FATA. Bush (soon to be followed by Karzai) is a lame duck and pretty soon will become Peking Duck if the oven of Wall Street continues to sizzle.