Attack on Pakistan bus terminal

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Source: BBC

A bomb blast at a busy bus terminal in north-west Pakistan has killed at least two people and injured eight others, officials say.

The blast took place in Kohat, an important garrison town in North-West Frontier Province (NWFP).

Pakistani troops are engaged in a military offensive against the Taliban in nearby Swat valley and other areas.

Last week, the Taliban vowed to carry out bombing attacks in Pakistani cities in retaliation for the offensive.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8076594.stm

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1. Pakistan Fighting Militants on 2 Fronts

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The army said Monday that 18 militants had been killed in clashes in the Swat valley and the South Waziristan tribal region over the past 24 hours as part of Pakistan’s expanded campaign against the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

The latest fighting followed exchanges of fire starting late Saturday between militants and the Pakistani military in South Waziristan, which the government has said will be the next front in its offensive. Twenty-five militants were killed in those clashes, the Pakistan military said.

In the latest fighting, two soldiers were killed and four were injured in the ongoing offensive to flush out the militants from the two restive regions.

But the areas have been largely off limits to reporters, and it has been impossible to corroborate assertions by the military.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/02/world/asia/02pstan.html?hp

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2. Gutsy Pakistan protesters march against the Taliban

Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan -- The first thing you notice about the protest is the protesters. They're all men.

Given the conservative nature of the group and the charged nature of the issue, women are not taking part, even if they have a great stake in the outcome.

The second thing you notice are the signs. "Go Taliban Go!" they exclaim, like some high school cheerleader.

Wait a minute. Isn't this an anti-Taliban demonstration, being staged in front of a posh Islamabad shopping center? It takes a few seconds to realize that the signs are missing a word or two after the "Go," as in "away" or "to hell" or "get lost." As in "Go away, Taliban, Go Away."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-pakistan-protest1-2009jun01,0,4314048.story

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3. I hate the way our media diminishes racial minorities, as they do here.

Clearly, this demonstration is against the Taliban. And yet, the journalist plants a seed of doubt, which seed hinges on the ambiguous language. I can see no reason they do that except that Pakistanis are brown and muslim. If these were Russians (preferably blonde and blue-eyed), the media would provide context, translations, coverage would carry a certain gravitas, as if to say, this is no laughing matter.

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4. In fairness, it could just be stupidity. But I doubt it. nt

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6. Right, there is that chance.

n/t

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5. There have been many women protesting the Taliban as well

I will post some pics if I find them in the archives of the Pakistani newspapers.

There's been a big push toward supporting the Pak Army against the Taliban. And the way you can tell is the small number of protests against Army action, coupled with increased public display of anti-Talibanism.

Shallow article. Though I did find the "Go Taliban Go" part a bit amusing. It's common in Pakistan to say this when you disapprove of something. I guess some things don't just translate over. I had posted it on a blog a few weeks back, and then Jon Stewart also brought it up one night.

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8. I know Pakistanis who were horrified by the flogging incident

a few months ago, and I saw news footage of Pakistani women protesting. For a while the horribleness of the Taliban was a nonstop topic of conversation among the Pakistanis I know. Most of the Pakistanis I know are Punjabi's, and they don't have much good to say about Pathans anyway.

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7. It is fun to watch Pakistan's chickens coming home to roost n/t