Militants capture Kalam in Swat Valley

[HAIDER]

PESHAWAR, Nov 7 (AFP): Dozens of paramilitary troops and police surrendered their weapons to militants and retreated from the mountain town of Kalam in Swat Valley early Wednesday, a police official said. Announcements about the advance were made on a pirate FM radio station run by Mullah Fazlullah, as militants hoisted their party flag on police stations and government buildings, and distributed sweets. Fazlullah's aide, Maulana Shah Dauran, said in a radio address that the militants also took control of a paramilitary base in Kalam manned by a platoon. Some 40 Frontier Corps soldiers had left the paramilitary base before the militants arrived, residents said. Militants have seized more than two-thirds of Swat Valley in northwest Pakistan.
- DAWN - Latest Stories; November 07, 2007

[WebMaster]

So Fazullah wants shariah law.. isn't it?

[Asim Aquil]

Bastards are taking advantage of the political situation.

Send in the gunships!

[Jana]

Let me tell you they had handed over the captured empty police stations to the local jirgas in Kohistan and Kalam.

Chapter closed from my side

[AgNoStIc MuSliM]

Originally Posted by Jana

Let me tell you they had handed over the captured empty police stations to the local jirgas in Kohistan and Kalam.

Chapter closed from my side

What do you mean by that?

[HAIDER]

Another twist in story linked to above story..

Pakistan denies Indian claims of forces' pull out

ISLAMABAD, Nov 7 (AFP) Pakistan's military Wednesday denied reports from India that it had withdrawn tens of thousands of troops from the border to deploy them against militants in restive tribal areas. Top military spokesman and Director General Inter Services Public Relations Major General Waheed Arshad told AFP that Pakistan did not station troops along the recognised international border with India during peacetime. But he said Pakistan did have troops deployed on the Line of Control as well as on the Siachen glacier in the Himalayas. “Not a single soldier had been pulled back from these two deployments,” he said. A top Indian defence ministry official said Wednesday that Pakistan's troop numbers along the frontier had hit an “all-time low” during the summer as soldiers were sent to the North West Frontier Province. “Our estimates are based on tested intelligence inputs from within Pakistan and feedbacks from our watch on their frontier assets,” added an official from India's director-general of military intelligence. India's military establishment estimates the redeployment has left “gaping holes” in Pakistan's eastern flank facing India. (First Posted @ 11:45 PST, Updated @ 15:55 PST)

Mafia, militants denuding Swat valley of trees

PESHAWAR, Nov 6: Taking advantage of the turbulent situation in Swat district, the timber mafia has accelerated its anti-forest activities, ruthlessly cutting trees in the valley and sharing the windfall with the militants.

The badly-hit forests belong to the Matta sub-division and Malam Jabba, Nek Pekhel, Kabal Tehsil and Marghazar Dara areas.

The forest department has left the forests at the mercy of the timber mafia and militants. Checkpoints of the department are no longer functional even in the areas where law and order situation is under control.

During a recent visit to the area, this writer noticed that timber smugglers have been playing a very active role in anti-government activities and generously funding militants and their patrons.

The financial support to the clerics, especially by those involved in the illegal sale and purchase of vehicles across the Malakand division, is no more a secret as the business is a lucrative one that has been continuing unchecked for the past many years.

Whenever the government tried in the past to impound these illegal vehicles or regularise them as per rules of the excise and taxation department of the government, the people involved in the business start raising slogans for ‘enforcement of Sharia’ and take up bamboos and arms to press for acceptance of their demands.

It has been observed that since 1994 when the ‘movement for the enforcement of Sharia’ was first launched, most of the leaders and the people on the forefront were those having bad reputation as they were famous for smuggling timber, selling illegal vehicles and other dubious activities.

The smuggling of timber is the most lucrative business in the area, offering jobs to hundreds of otherwise unskilled and illiterate people. That is the reason why a maximum number of people living in the hilly areas are involved in this business.

Though Jambel and Kokarai valleys are almost safe for the staff of the forest department, but smuggling of timber is continuing allegedly in connivance with officials concerned.

Forests of Malam Jabba used to be considered the most protected ones in the past mainly because of their inaccessibility, but now the smugglers have started felling trees in this area too because there is no check from the authorities concerned.

The Nekpekhel (Kabal Tehsil) area, which once used to be known for its thick forests, has been almost denuded by these smugglers.

Talking to Dawn, local people Sherin Khan, Nazar Gul and Abid said forests were being cut and timber logs smuggled to markets of Lower Dir through mules which were an effective means of transporting heavy goods in the area.

They said that Karodara and Nehagdara were two main routes being used for smuggling. Logs of timber are brought to different villages in Asbandr area of Adenzai Tehsil and then sent to other parts of the area.

People of the area say that during the past few months, they have seen a big increase in this illegal business on the main Karodara road, Akhagram and Khall area.

Most of the smugglers use the Swat River near Ramora Dara opposite Thana village in the Malakand Agency (a protected area). Thana has now become a big market of the smuggled wood and from there the timber is sent to down districts via the Mora Ghar Road.

Forest guards in many areas had abandoned their offices as they were unable to control the heavily-armed smugglers and militants, said the sources.
Mafia, militants denuding Swat valley of trees -DAWN - National; November 07, 2007

So, the criminal wants sharia......

[Salim]

I know it for sure that India has moved/ moving out the 27 Mountain Division from Kashmir.

Not that it matters, or does it?

[Bull]

Originally Posted by Jana

Let me tell you they had handed over the captured empty police stations to the local jirgas in Kohistan and Kalam.

Chapter closed from my side

Your 'sources' always contradicts what comes in media, especially if it is about Pakistani forces losing ground!!!

Coincidence?!!!

[roadrunner]

The financial support to the clerics, especially by those involved in the illegal sale and purchase of vehicles across the Malakand division, is no more a secret as the business is a lucrative one that has been continuing unchecked for the past many years.

One of Swats attractions are its scenery. These idiot Mullahs cutting down the trees (no doubts they'll whinge noone cares for us so why should we care about trees), are committing a huge disservice for Pakistan. The Amazon would not be the Amazon if these dorks had any leverage in Brazil.



No doubts there was a time when those banks were full of trees too

[Always Neutral]

Originally Posted by Jana

Let me tell you they had handed over the captured empty police stations to the local jirgas in Kohistan and Kalam.

Chapter closed from my side

Dear Jana,

What about the weapons and the APC's they handed over alongwith the 'empty police station' ?

What about the militants imposing Shariah ?

What about them bringing down the Pakistan Flag ?

The Chapter will be closed when all the above is reversed. Its not going to be easy to take back these towns as using gunships and tanks if feasible will lead to immense collateral damage. Lets wait and watch.

Regards

[AgNoStIc MuSliM]

Originally Posted by Salim

I know it for sure that India has moved/ moving out the 27 Mountain Division from Kashmir.

Not that it matters, or does it?

Interesting. Are you suggesting some silent understanding wrt to stepped up ops in NW Pakistan? Or was this move in the works for a while?

[A.Rahman]

Originally Posted by Always Neutral

Dear Jana,

What about the weapons and the APC's they handed over alongwith the 'empty police station' ?

What about the militants imposing Shariah ?

What about them bringing down the Pakistan Flag ?

The Chapter will be closed when all the above is reversed. Its not going to be easy to take back these towns as using gunships and tanks if feasible will lead to immense collateral damage. Lets wait and watch.

Regards

The best thing to do is to evacuate the sector, and take up defensive positions backed by gunships and UAV's. Cut off all roads, supplies,water & electricity. Lets see how long they last. Let them eat bullets for breakfast and 70mm FFAR rockets for dinner.

[khanbhai]

hahahah our army surrendered shame on them
they have better equipment then the extremists
Musharaff is more interested in choking the media, lawyers and political parties their real motive behind the Emergency

[AgNoStIc MuSliM]

^^^ Lets not get too carried away.

If you read the details - the security forces surrendering are groups of a few dozen, at the most, police and FC personnel (not army), after being surrounded by hundreds of militants. Even the group of 48 that was taken hostage a week or so ago, was surrounded by about 600 militants, and by their own admission, they surrendered when they ran out of Ammunition and rations. Not much you can do when its a few dozen against several hundred and you have nothing to fight with.

Here is the governments statement, making sure they communicate how they are giving "talks" and "peaceful means" an opportunity to settle the issue, so that the usual terrorist sympathizers don't go around ranting about "thousands of children killed" when an operation is conducted.

NWFP Home Minister Shahzada Gustasap confirmed the militants’ advance against the security forces and the capture of a Frontier Constabulary camp, staff reporter Saleem Athar adds.

Gustasap said that security forces were observing the militants’ movements in the area and were awaiting the results of the local elders’ peace jirga.

The home minister, however, warned that the government would maintain its writ at all cost and would use force if the ongoing talks between local elders and militants remained fruitless. Meanwhile, hundreds of locals continued moving out to safer places. agencies/staff report

[Cheetah786]

Originally Posted by A.Rahman

The best thing to do is to evacuate the sector, and take up defensive positions backed by gunships and UAV's. Cut off all roads, supplies,water & electricity. Lets see how long they last. Let them eat bullets for breakfast and 70mm FFAR rockets for dinner.

From where i see it its totally government playing games nothing more.every time there is a fight and terrorist are surrounded there is always a ceasefire.