Scores killed in sectarian violence in Pakistan

[tekisui]

Fierce battles between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in Pakistan's volatile northwest have left 91 people dead, officials said Sunday, despite the imposition of a state of emergency justified in part by the need to quell sectarian unrest.

(snip)

The military said Sunday it would send soldiers to control the outbreak of violence in Parachinar. In a statement, the military said 91 people, including 11 security personnel, had been killed over the weekend.

The violence began Friday when gunmen attacked a Sunni mosque. Sunni militiamen retaliated by attacking Shiites, the police said.

Separately on Sunday, a passenger train was attacked near Peshawar, the capital of North-West Frontier Province, killing one passenger and injuring three, The Associated Press reported, quoting a railway official.

The state of emergency remains a major embarrassment for the Bush administration, which has given more than $10 billion in aid to General Musharraf's government since 2001 and declared him a valued ally.

Ten days ago, President Bush personally telephoned Musharraf and asked him to end the state of emergency, with no result.

The Bush administration has also pushed for Musharraf, who is army chief as well as president, to resign from his military role. The general has said he will, but not until the Supreme Court certifies his re-election last month to a five-year term as president, which opposition groups say was illegal.


Sunni/Shia retaliations, I've think I've seen this movie.

more at link: http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/11/18/asia/pakistan.php?page=1

[bluerum]

1. "President Bush personally telephoned Musharraf and asked him to end the state of emergency,

with no result."

Not true.

The result is what we are now witnessing.

[Igel]

2. What?

Having Musharraf and the interim Kummar administration embarrassed and challenged?

* wants Musharraf gone? Musharraf wants himself dishonored?

Or do you think FATA much cares what happens in Islamabad?

[bluerum]

3. I think that * has enabled a fellow dick-tator. And his "demands" for him

to restore order have been beyond in-effective. In fact, * is so politically ineffective, that Musharraf feels that he can pretty much ignore him. He has his weapons and $$$ which he probably figured would be cut off after the next election anyway. I suspect that there is some winking and nodding going in the back rooms with Negroponte as well.

In essence, Musharraf does not give a flying weasel about what * says or thinks. The Pakis have their nukes and when push comes to shrub - well lets just say that Iran's nuclear programs will accelerate.

I do not have any idea how Fatah figures into events, unless it through the Iran - Israel connection. Or does Pakistan have direct connections with them in Israel?