Pakistanis uniting against Taliban

[LahoreEstate]

* Sunday Times report notes almost entire nation rallied behind military operation in Swat
* Efforts in Punjab focused on improving intelligence-gathering

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: Twice in the past two months, activists have gathered on The Mall in Lahore holding placards declaring “No to terrorism”, after spreading the word through Facebook and text messages, The Sunday Times reports.

Outraged by a video showing the flogging of a young girl in Swat, they were shocked to see part of the country ceded to extremists. When warnings were sent to colleges in Lahore for girls to cover their heads and not to wear jeans, they began a letter-writing campaign to tell the government and the army chief not to give in to the Taliban. “None of us ever got involved in politics before, but we feel the future of our country is at stake,” one of them told the Times.

Fighting back: After years of turning a collective blind eye to the Taliban, the paper concludes, Pakistanis seem determined to take on the extremists. Almost the entire nation, it notes, has rallied behind the military operation that has displaced more than two million people. A series of bomb attacks last week seemed to strengthen their resolve. On Thursday, when Taliban commander Hakimullah Mehsud warned that residents should evacuate the cities of Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Multan or face further attacks, everyone stayed put. Some kept children home from school, shops stayed closed and public places and hotels were largely deserted, but the mood was one of defiance. “It’s our war,” said one of the country’s biggest textile manufacturers. “We’re the ones who have to live here.”

Such moves represent a shift of attitude. “It’s a huge change,” said Asma Jahangir. “For a long time it felt like we were the only ones raising voices against these militants while the rest of country remained silent and we were labelled anti-Pakistan. I just hope it’s not too late.”

More intelligence: Efforts in the Punjab have focused on improving intelligence-gathering and ensuring police are better equipped and paid. “Lahore is now the real prize for militants,” said an intelligence official. The report notes that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has proscribed all local militant organisations and kept their leaders under house arrest. “We’re doing everything we can to stop their activities,” he said. “But just as it did not come overnight, it will not go overnight.” He said he was focusing on the youth, as almost all suicide bombers identified or arrested in Punjab have been aged between 14 and 22

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg7_14