Bomb blast in Lahore -Iqbal town

[pkpatriotic]

[blain2]

Another soft target. The real test is to see whether the government will throw in the towel and let these elements regroup and reassert themselves or if it will go all out and punish them just as bad. I think the public opinion is starting to turn against these "miscreants" (as per the authorities) so now may be the best time to press on.

[fatman17]

Originally Posted by blain2

Another soft target. The real test is to see whether the government will throw in the towel and let these elements regroup and reassert themselves or if it will go all out and punish them just as bad. I think the public opinion is starting to turn against these "miscreants" (as per the authorities) so now may be the best time to press on.

...the security situation is suddenly getting bad!

[IceCold]

Originally Posted by fatman17

...the security situation is suddenly getting bad!

Its because national interests are put aside and personal enmity is high on agenda. With politicians like these we surely don't need India to do the needful.

[AgNoStIc MuSliM]

Originally Posted by fatman17

...the security situation is suddenly getting bad!

The security situation will get bad - the key is to not 'throw in the towel' and go for 'peace deals' any more, as Blain stated.

The West may have its faults, but on the count of not negotiating with terrorists it is absolutely correct, and that has been shown time and time again in FATA and Swat. Militant should have an option to disarm and rejoin society, but that is it - disarm or we continue to act against you.

[Invincible]

Its all about momentum and will power.

The Pakistani armed forces and the nation with them must press on they cannot give in to this evil.

[Energon]

Originally Posted by AgNoStIc MuSliM

The security situation will get bad - the key is to not 'throw in the towel' and go for 'peace deals' any more, as Blain stated.

The West may have its faults, but on the count of not negotiating with terrorists it is absolutely correct, and that has been shown time and time again in FATA and Swat. Militant should have an option to disarm and rejoin society, but that is it - disarm or we continue to act against you.

The not negotiating with terrorist stance, albeit not nearly as black and white as the cowboys of the current US administration make it seem, certainly has its merits. However, this option of rejoining society isn't nearly as easy as you make it seem. For that to be a true option, the state first needs to invest in a massive institution capable of facilitating reintegration. There are literally generations of men out there who know nothing but fighting and dying in the name of "religion"; many of them have also been addicted to opiates from a young age. From a purely psychiatric stance, these people can't realistically be expected to re-join a functional society. There is of course the counter argument to this I've encountered which says...but an overwhelming majority of these people are only seasonal radicalists, where they only spend a few months from the year doing active fighting, so all they have to do is stay in their homes for the few extra months. Granted the fact about the seasonal participation is true (corroborated by Ahmed Rashid's research team this past 2 years); but the problem with the argument itself is that it over looks the fact that even during their "civilian time" these people are living in dysfunctional societies where the social fabric itself has been denuding steadily over a period of 3 decades. The possibility of someone born and raised in this environment to enter a society which is governed by a rule of law in a hierarchal governmental system lies somewhere between slim and nil.
An entire rehabilitation institutional set up is required which is capable of handling (on a large scale) everything from basic evaluation, psych eval- therapy- counseling, adult education, special education (given the significant correlation between learning disabilities and exposure to opiates at a young age), sex education, trade schools etc. Mind you, an entire network of such institutions are needed if the possibility of some people to actually rejoin society is to be realized.

In all fairness, if this option can't be presented, you might as well go ahead and bomb everyone.

[Owais]

suicide blast in Lahore, 8 killed, scores injured
Updated at: 0205 PST, Thursday, August 14, 2008

Suicide blast in Lahore, 8 killed, scores injured LAHORE: Eight people have been killed including 5 police officials while 20 others have been wounded as a suicide bomber exploded himself at Allama Iqbal town near Dubai roundabout in Lahore amid Independence Day celebrations, police sources said

Bomb disposable squad and rescue teams have arrived on the spot meanwhile the injured people have been shifted to the nearby hospitals.

Suicide bomber was riding motorcycle who having reached near a police station beside Dubai roundabout blew himself up as the independence day celebrations were on progress, eyewitnesses said.

Police and rangers troops have cordoned off the area while the security has beefed up in and around Iqbal Town.

Emergency has been imposed and police and law enforcement agencies have been put on high alert in Lahore.

Suicide blast in Lahore, 8 killed, scores injured - GEO.tv

[AgNoStIc MuSliM]

Originally Posted by Energon

The not negotiating with terrorist stance, albeit not nearly as black and white as the cowboys of the current US administration make it seem, certainly has its merits. However, this option of rejoining society isn't nearly as easy as you make it seem. For that to be a true option, the state first needs to invest in a massive institution capable of facilitating reintegration. There are literally generations of men out there who know nothing but fighting and dying in the name of "religion"; many of them have also been addicted to opiates from a young age. From a purely psychiatric stance, these people can't realistically be expected to re-join a functional society. There is of course the counter argument to this I've encountered which says...but an overwhelming majority of these people are only seasonal radicalists, where they only spend a few months from the year doing active fighting, so all they have to do is stay in their homes for the few extra months. Granted the fact about the seasonal participation is true (corroborated by Ahmed Rashid's research team this past 2 years); but the problem with the argument itself is that it over looks the fact that even during their "civilian time" these people are living in dysfunctional societies where the social fabric itself has been denuding steadily over a period of 3 decades. The possibility of someone born and raised in this environment to enter a society which is governed by a rule of law in a hierarchal governmental system lies somewhere between slim and nil.
An entire rehabilitation institutional set up is required which is capable of handling (on a large scale) everything from basic evaluation, psych eval- therapy- counseling, adult education, special education (given the significant correlation between learning disabilities and exposure to opiates at a young age), sex education, trade schools etc. Mind you, an entire network of such institutions are needed if the possibility of some people to actually rejoin society is to be realized.

In all fairness, if this option can't be presented, you might as well go ahead and bomb everyone.

Energon,

Given the extent of the militancy at this point in FATA, it will not be possible to even initiate work towards a 'functional society' that would provide an alternative to the people involved in militancy. This was the option that should have been exercised soon after the US invasion.

At this point, just creating the space for initiating development programs in the various agencies will require military intervention, otherwise the stability necessary for making those programs successful will remain elusive.

Clearing out certain areas, say bajaur and Swat, maintaining a relatively long term military presence, and initiating development works under its cover, while continuing to target the militants elsewhere if only so that they do not regroup and infiltrate the 'cleared out' areas again, seems to me the only option available.

[Invincible]

Alongside military action there needs to be long term social assistance and welfare in FATA to bring them into the national fold.

What plan is there towards achieving this?

[AgNoStIc MuSliM]

Originally Posted by JK!

Alongside military action there needs to be long term social assistance and welfare in FATA to bring them into the national fold.

What plan is there towards achieving this?

The only proposals for development that I am aware of are the recently announced 9 billion Rs FATA funds and the 750 million $ US FATA development proposals that include ROZ's - the Pakistani funds have been approved, the US ones are pending still.

The main issue (other than getting the US proposal approved) IMO is coordinating these development proposals more effectively with the military operations. On that count it is the political leadership that has to step up. The military can do its part no doubt, but the politicians have to develop a comprehensive plan incorporating all the necessary elements for winning this war.

'Clear and hold' goes the US mantra - 'clear, hold and develop' should be ours.