Taliban II: The Revival
An unspoken civil war is being waged for control of Pakistan as the Taliban announce their revival.
An unspoken civil war is being waged for control of Pakistan. The Taliban already rule the tribal belt. Now, they're bringing their fight straight to President Musharraf's doorstep. Pakistan's capital has been
rocked by a wave of suicide bombings. Islamic militias usurp all the functions of state while streets throng with protests demanding the President's resignation. Can General Musharraf survive? And how did the Taliban bounce back so quickly after their supposed defeat in Afghanistan?
Waziristan, Southern Pakistan. Shouting 'Death to Musharraf', villagers proudly display the scalps and fingers of their defeated enemies. The Taliban have established a parallel administration here with their own laws. "The general has no control. The militias perform virtually all the state functions", states journalist Ismael Khan.
Lynched thieves hang from lampposts. The bodies of traitors are dragged through the streets. "We killed these people and sent them to God", states one man proudly. Life in the tribal areas remains governed by the unwritten rules of hospitality, honour and revenge. After their defeat in Afghanistan, the Taliban sought refuge with kin on the other side of the border, knowing they would be protected. "They have the same culture and come from the
same ethnic group", explains President Musharraf. But along with the remnants of the Taliban came al Qaeda fighters. The Taliban soon started recruiting local men and rebuilding their ranks. "The are able to motivate people based on misplaced religious beliefs", explains General Sultan. They morphed into a "Pashtun national resistance", launching attacks on American soldiers in Afghanistan. "People don't want foreigners in Afghanistan", reasons Musharraf. Under pressure from the US, Musharraf sent 80,000 troops into the tribal regions. "I was opposed from the very beginning", states Asas Douranni, former head of Pakistan's Secret Service. "It was wrong to carry out military operations against our own people". In response, the
Taliban declared war on Musharraf's soldiers. "We lost about 700 troops", admits General Sultan. But Douranni claims; "the general perception is they lost three or four times as many troops and lost the war". The government was forced to agree a truce. Unsurprisingly, that truce quickly collapsed. When it became known that America had helped Musharraf during the campaign and accidentally killed civilians, mobs took to the streets in protest. "Pervez Musharraf, He must die!" chants the crowd. "Whoever is a friend of the Americans is a traitor". Then came the suicide bombings - a phenomenon unseen in Pakistan before. "Nobody feels secure", states journalist Ismael Khan. Emboldened by success, the Taliban are now moving out from their base in
the tribal regions. Their influence can be seen everywhere in big cities like Peshawar,. Billboards showing women have been defaced; music shops bombed and the theatre closed down. "The people of Islam want Islamic law", claims politician Shabir Awan. Even Douranni, former head of
Pakistan's Secret Service, admits; "our laws have failed." President Musharraf now faces the virtually impossible task of crushing Islamic militants in a country where the majority sympathise with the Taliban and despise America. Is disaster looming in Pakistan?
FULL SYNOPSIS
Lynched thieves hang from lampposts. The bodies of traitors are dragged through the streets. "We killed these people and sent them to God", states one man proudly. Life in the tribal areas remains governed by the unwritten rules of hospitality, honour and revenge. After their defeat in Afghanistan, the Taliban sought refuge with kin on the other side of the border, knowing they would be protected. "They have the same culture and come from the
same ethnic group", explains President Musharraf. But along with the remnants of the Taliban came al Qaeda fighters. The Taliban soon started recruiting local men and rebuilding their ranks. "The are able to motivate people based on misplaced religious beliefs", explains General Sultan. They morphed into a "Pashtun national resistance", launching attacks on American soldiers in Afghanistan. "People don't want foreigners in Afghanistan", reasons Musharraf. Under pressure from the US, Musharraf sent 80,000 troops into the tribal regions. "I was opposed from the very beginning", states Asas Douranni, former head of Pakistan's Secret Service. "It was wrong to carry out military operations against our own people". In response, the
Taliban declared war on Musharraf's soldiers. "We lost about 700 troops", admits General Sultan. But Douranni claims; "the general perception is they lost three or four times as many troops and lost the war". The government was forced to agree a truce. Unsurprisingly, that truce quickly collapsed. When it became known that America had helped Musharraf during the campaign and accidentally killed civilians, mobs took to the streets in protest. "Pervez Musharraf, He must die!" chants the crowd. "Whoever is a friend of the Americans is a traitor". Then came the suicide bombings - a phenomenon unseen in Pakistan before. "Nobody feels secure", states journalist Ismael Khan. Emboldened by success, the Taliban are now moving out from their base in
the tribal regions. Their influence can be seen everywhere in big cities like Peshawar,. Billboards showing women have been defaced; music shops bombed and the theatre closed down. "The people of Islam want Islamic law", claims politician Shabir Awan. Even Douranni, former head of
Pakistan's Secret Service, admits; "our laws have failed." President Musharraf now faces the virtually impossible task of crushing Islamic militants in a country where the majority sympathise with the Taliban and despise America. Is disaster looming in Pakistan?