Peshawar is such an important city for Pakistan that it can be hard to write about it without sounding shrill. It is significant strategically since it lies near the entrance to the Khyber Pass into Afghanistan. But it is also important emotionally – not only is it a Moghul city and an ancient Silk Route trading hub, but it is also a Pashtun town on the Pakistani side of the Durand Line , the ill-demarcated border between Pakistan and Afghanistan imposed by British colonial rulers that splits the Pashtun people of the region in two. For Pakistan, fighting for control of Peshawar is probably comparable to what France and Germany felt about Alsace Lorraine before World War Two.
So when the New York Times publishes an article about Peshawar being at risk of falling into Taliban hands we must pay attention. “In the last two months, Taliban militants have suddenly tightened the noose on this city of three million people, one of Pakistan’s biggest, establishing bases in surrounding towns and, in daylight, abducting residents for high ransoms,” it says. “The threat to Peshawar is a sign of the Taliban’s deepening penetration of Pakistan and of the expanding danger that the militants present to the entire region, including nearby supply lines for NATO and American forces in Afghanistan.”
The Daily Times says it more dramatically, with a Kiplingesque notion of what the fall of Peshawar to Taliban control would mean for Pakistan: “The Taliban are no longer at the gates of Peshawar, they’re inside, making their presence felt in the largest city in the NWFP (North West Frontier Province),” it says.
Pakistan has just launched an offensive against Taliban fighters near Peshawar in an attempt to re-impose government control. As I said at the beginning, it’s hard not to sound shrill about a place that few outsiders understand. But history is in the making here, and the battle for Peshawar is one we all should watch.
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Very Nice Article!
From
- Posted by True PakistaniTrue Pakistani
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source: http://www.longlivepakistan.com/?p=124
Future will never forgive ARYONE , GEO ,other irresponsible media , Atzaz Hassan and Sharif Brothers
- Posted by HaiderChildren of Adam! Lo do not let Satan tempt you into trouble as he expelled your parents from the Garden, stripping them of their covering and disclosing their private parts. He and his tribe see you from where you do not see them. We have made the Satans friends of those who have no faith. (7:27)
Mankind! We created you from a male and female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you mught come to know each other. The noblest among you in Allah’s sight is the one of you who best performs his duty. Allah is All-knowing, All-Aware. (Qur’an 36:60-61)
Allah will judge between you on the Day of Rising regarding everything about which you differed (Qur’an 22:69)
- Posted by peace thru mercyKabura:
Pakistani Pashtuns are loyal to their country, and wish the Afghans to go back to afghanistan and ditch their “Loy Afghanistan” ideas.
- Posted by Aamir AliDear Mwaqar: You are completely right brother. Your post makes me hopeful for a better tomorrow for the the proud and innocent Pashtuns on both sides of the imposed and shameful Durand Line, which all Pashtuns must join hands, unite and eliminate it once and for all. Pashtuns are scapegoated in the “war on terror”, which is the work of Panjabi Mafia and ISI.
Pashtuns belong to their motherland Afghanistan, which is the proud history of their ancestors and all Pashtuns and Afghans. Ali Jinah can never be the father of Pashtuns.
Thank you for a very informative post. I want to thank NVD and Khan as well.
- Posted by kaburaBeing a pashtoon, i would say only one thing that let pakhtoons to stood up ontheir feet,don,t try to betray or fool them b/c they simple but not foolish people.\
- Posted by khanIndia has the highest rate of illiteracy in asia with 300 million people being unable to read or write how can the indians teach south asia peace its better of if pakistan teaches us
- Posted by HANUMANbeing a pashtoon b rought up in peshawar and london, i can see only one solution. there are around 60 million pashtoons in pakistan and afghanistan area. therefore, it is necessary for us to have a united front. i dont mean to say that pakistan should go to hell. no! i would rather have a unified pashtoons on both sides and have education based on pashto, culture of pashtoons should be preserved and take away the border between afghanistan and pakistan. it is a good idea to admit the differences between punjabi and pashtoon. but once differeces are accepted, we move on to mutual action, economy and b ilateral cooperation on every single front. no visas, full access to all the population of afghanistan and pakistan in both countries. there will be prosperity and difference cultures will fluorish. kind regards, shinvari.
- Posted by shinvairMY GOD, what a bunch of IDIOTS.
- Posted by NVDHaven’t u guys got anything better to do than compare two nations, both of which are frankly a mess when it comes to social development and infrastructure. Look around the world and u will find tens of countries that can be used as an genuine examples if u r so intent on comparing yourself with others.
And to Mr. UMPK, we all know very well that Pakistan has nuclear weapons (credits to your disgraced Dr. AQ Khan for that). But threatening nuclear attack in every single post of yours leads me to believe that you are either insane or you cannot comprehend the extent of damage nuclear weapons can do. For your sake I hope its the latter, in which case I would suggest you Google in Hiroshima or Nagasaki or even Chernobyl and read what comes up. Hope it has some effect on you and I get to read a more mature reply.
Happy reading.
Shantanu Chatterjee
- Posted by UMPKI did not write who is inferior or superior, your last comment regarding equality shows of the inferiority complex that India suffers. I know Pakistan bein a smaller country is strong enough and look face to face in your eyes. You cannot take this. Live with it, Pakistan is stable and strong. Insurgency is a very extreme word, we may have internal problems, but try to misbehave with Pakistan and see how this 163 million Muslim nuclear power unites and retaliate against India.
wow halucinations of grandeur again!
UMPK:
yeah please go ahead bankrupt yourself buy 200 F-16s,10 submarines 2 aircraft carriers,1000 tanks etc.
You are right we are a dirt poor country there is actually a grand conspiracy to portray us in a good light in the media.
And you are a fabulously rich country just fabrications those honour killings,pashtunistan insurgency,balochistan independence movement,civil strife etc.
I am sure you know what you are doing inflation:19.8% industrial growth:3.2%.Please continue doing it.
Please enough said,I know you like to think of yourself as atleast our equal so well goodnight and sweet dreams
- Posted by Shantanu Chatterjee