Curfew in Shangla as troops take positions

[TomClash]

Source: The Dawn

Troops were also marching into Khawazakhela and other parts of the troubled Swat Valley, an indication that perhaps a major show down is in the offing in the valley.

A short term curfew was imposed in the Alpuri Tehsil of Shangla District after security forces moved into the area, well-placed sources told DawnNews.

Sources and eyewitnesses said security forces had reached the Shangla Top for onward deployment at some important sites in Alpuri, headquarter of Shangla district.

Militants have also kidnapped a number of people in Shangla besides killing a local government representative.


Read more: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/04-curfew-in-shangla-as-troops-take-positions-qs-02

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Moment of truth?

[ohio2007]

1. shaping up to be a battle of Iwo Jima proportions if the Pak military can gut check the reality of

dealing with the MSM reporting the # of mass casualities :

snip

Militants have also kidnapped a number of people in Shangla besides killing a local government representative.

Earlier, in Swat, local Taliban kidnapped tehsil municipal officer Rozi Raheem along with his son from Mingora's Sharifabad area, officials told DawnNews.

snip

but its nice to see the MSM is a double edged sword that the 'freedom fighters' must also weild to win the hearts and minds of the world....

Taliban’s ‘media reforms’

Several reporters have been killed in Pakistan’s conflict zones in recent years while others have faced torture, harassment and intimidation. The truth, it seems, can be hard to stomach for the Taliban and security personnel alike. Reports of ‘collateral damage’ involving civilian deaths often do not go down well with the security apparatus.

The Taliban, for their part, brook no dissent whatsoever. Since they consider their cause to be faultless and their actions above reproach, any ‘negative’ reporting is deemed to be worthy of brutal retaliatory action. What else is to be expected of people who do not even pretend that they believe in freedom of expression? They do not subscribe to democratic values or basic human rights. These are people, after all, who are convinced that any Pakistani who is opposed to the Taliban is an infidel.

Be that as it may, the seriousness of Tuesday’s warning issued by the Swat Taliban cannot be downplayed. Never has the threat of extreme violence been more brazen, with militants sending pamphlets outlining their future options to media houses and pasting similar posters in Swat.



Any media personnel engaged in ‘anti-Taliban’ and ‘pro-western’ agendas will face dire consequences, according to the militants. After bombing schools, barbershops and CD stores — not to mention flogging and killing civilians — the Taliban have now announced their intention to ‘reform’ the media and make it ‘mend its ways’.


http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/provinces/16-taliban-s-media-reforms-hs-03

ahhhh

fair and balanced reporting is expected from the media from now on


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/26/world/asia/26pstan.html?_r=1

[Johnyawl]

2. Pakistans last stand.