Re: Beware Pashtunistan
This can not be compared to Karachi because the TSNM situation was based on religion and not ethnicity. Even though TSNM is heavily Pakhtun, the flag of Pakhtunistan did not go up in the 90s. It was an isolated incident, which is NOTHING compared to the urban guerrilla warfare of Karachi where the Govt and the split dissidents factions destroyed the city. Nor can it be compared to the targeting of Islamic scholars by opposing sects in Punjab.
Karachi was a sustained civil war which continued over many years and threatened to permanently destroy the social fabric of the city.
You can't tell me it was worse because I was there and I visited Karachi. The article doesn't mention anything about civilians getting harmed while in Karachi that was not the case. As for the ethnicities of the people involved, all I can say is that Pakistani politicians and army men are no angels across the board.
Well, lets see, the article mentions
1) The movement in Swat was violent.
2) The TNSM people were armed with heavy weapons and had driven out police and FC .
3) The militants had occupied the airport, bridges and had cut off the entire territory.
4) The militants had set up check points on the roads. They controlled who travelled on the roads.
5) The militants occupied governments buildings and offices and held government employees, judges, police officers, civilian officers and 165 army men including three captains.
6) The government had no writ in Swat. It was a full blown rebellion insurgency.
7) It was a desperate situation for the government as the trouble was spreading to adjoining areas. Governement installations were under attack.
8) The major land route to China, Korakram Highway had been blocked by armed militants. A very serious national security situation for Pakistan.
9) FC and army were under attack, even their helicopters were getting shot at.
You think while all this was happening civilians and security personnels were not getting harmed, like they were in Karachi? How many army men, judges and police officials were made hostages in Karachi? Did government lose any office, airport, police station in Karachi? Was the government facing a insurgency and rebellion in Karachi? Did the government lose its writ in Karachi? The answer to all of these questions is no. If one is given the description of the situations in Swat and Karachi in 90s without telling the exact location, which situation would one choose for political kid glove treatment and which situation would one choose for iron hand killings and arrests?