Promising future
A qualified English language teacher with a BA Honours in Sociology and an MSc in niche marketing and international student recruitment, TNS spoke with Stephen Jones who was in Lahore recently. Jones is the regional director of INTO South Asia and China, a private sector partnering organisation that aims to transform the internationalisation strategies and student experience of its university partners worldwide.
By Aoun Sahi
The News on Sunday: What brings you to Pakistan?
Stephen Jones: To meet with people here to discuss organisational matters. I have also met many of our education consultant partners in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

Taal Matol
Long lost brothers
By Shoaib Hashmi
It has only been around for about half a dozen years, but it already has a legion of followers and fans and an army of well wishers. It is the Kara Film Festival, the 'kara' being short for Karachi held each year in Karachi. This time too, like previous years, we thought it wouldn't be held as with the world wide economic crunch most of its usual backers chickened out; but somehow the organisers were able to harness enough funds for the festival to go ahead.

United to fight
Foes of yesteryear, Baitullah Mehsud, Hafiz Gul Bahadur and Maulvi Nazeer, unite to wage war against the US
By Mushtaq Yusufzai
The dramatic teaming up of Pakistan's three top militant commanders and previous rivals -- Baitullah Mehsud, Hafiz Gul Bahadur and Maulvi Nazeer -- who have pledged to join hands in the fight against US-led invasion forces in Afghanistan is expected to bring peace in Pakistan. Their cross-border infiltration, however, may land the country in further trouble. All the three men are considered to be the most powerful and dreaded militant commanders of the country. The foes of yesteryear have reportedly settled their differences and become allies for the future forming a new militant alliance namely Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen or Council of the United Holy Warriors. The move is the result of the personal intervention of the supreme commander of the Afghan Taliban Mullah Muhammad Omar.

RIPPLE EFFECT
Liberty attack -- whodunit?
By Omar R. Quraishi
Not even two hours had gone by and several TV channels had all kinds of 'experts' coming on air and giving their -- mostly half-baked and should I dare say absurd-sounding -- theories on who or what may be behind the attack in Lahore on the Sri Lankan cricket team's bus as it travelled through Liberty Market.

The protests after the disqualification of Sharifs and governor's rule in Punjab are gradually giving way to reconciliation, effected through backdoor channels between Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

The decisive factor -- PML-Q -- is not openly putting its weight behind either of the erstwhile allies. Insiders within PML-Q claim that their efforts are geared towards a consensus national government of PPP and PML-N to preserve national unity and to keep the 'boots' away.

The stance of PML-Q to remain in opposition and urge comprise between PML-N and PPP is unexpected. Insiders say that the ultimate agenda of PML-Q, agreed in a recently held closed-door meeting, was not to make political capital out of this political anarchy. A huge majority within the party is claimed to have supported PML-N and stressed the need to reunify, if and when possible. Things would become clearer after the announcement of the candidate for Chairman Senate.

The decisions regarding disqualification and the imposition of governor's rule in Punjab have been widely condemned, even by the PPP's coalition partners in NWFP and Balochistan like Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), and the provincial government in Balochistan. Even MQM has demanded lifting up of governor's rule during the National Assembly session last Thursday.

The unrest on the streets is articulated in the form of demands for the restoration of the deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan. It squarely targets President Asif Ali Zardari as an enemy who dodged the Sharifs and imposed governor's rule in Punjab.

PML-N, a key supporter of the scheduled March 16 long march, is keeping its options open and has announced that the movement will come to an end if its old demands are met and Zardari keeps his words by restoring the rest of the deposed members of judiciary.

According to reports in various sections of press, national and international players like ANP, JUI-F, Balochistan government, United States, United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates, many close friends and some sensible parliamentarians on both sides are holding meetings with PPP and PML-N to manage reconciliation. PPP complains of PML-N's harsh attitude towards Zardari after the court decision while PML-N translates governor's rule as a wish of Zardari to trample the mandate of PML-N in Punjab and cobble together a PPP-led government instead.

So far, PPP has failed to get the full support of 85 members of PML-Q without which it cannot hope to form government in Punjab. PML-N claims to have shown a strength of 207 out of 370 members in the house on March 2, a session which is being termed illegal by Governor Salmaan Taseer, the chief executive of the province. PML-N claims a support of 213 members which includes 169 PMLN members, 33 to 35 members of PMLQ forward bloc, three of Muttahida Majlis-e-Aml, three of PML (Functional) and four independents. It is important that 33 forward bloc members of PML-Q openly voted for the resolution posing confidence in Shahbaz Sharif and demanding governor's resignation. In a counter attack, on Mar 5, PML-N MPA Laila Muqaddas also held a press conference with PPP leadership and announced a PML-N forward bloc, something expected to happen after governor's rule.

Commenting on the apparent failure of PPP in winning the number game, Rana Aftab Ahmed Khan, provincial president of PPP, told TNS that there would be no government of any party that does not show clear majority, excluding the forward blocs. "We are not doing horse-trading. PML-N started it by supporting forward bloc politics in Punjab," he said. "We did not want to break the alliance but PML-N's aggressive stance has forced us to do so. Though we are holding talks with PML-Q, the re-alliance with PML-N cannot be ruled out. However, this depends on the attitude of PML-N."

"We want restoration of deposed judges, end of governor's rule and respect of the mandate of the majority party in Punjab to positively move ahead," Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, expected future parliamentary leader of PML-N in the assembly and also the party's provincial head said while talking to TNS. He said PML-N and PPP were in contact with each other and trying to resolve the situation amicably as the country could not afford confrontational politics. Khosa condemned the alleged horse-trading by PPP with Governor's House as its centre.

Mushahid Hussain Syed, former senator and central secretary general PML-Q, talking to TNS, said, "It is time to show unity instead if becoming party to the confrontation. That is why we have condemned the governor's rule and want PPP-PML-N alliance back in Punjab." Furthermore, he said PML-Q also aims to urge the government to respect every party's mandate including PML-Q by forming a consensus national government to run the set up for a sustainable democracy. He said national unity, within the parliament, can take the country ahead and there would be no harm if a national government is formed for a certain period like for 18 to 24 months. Syed claimed he had floated this idea of consensus government three months back.

"We had a detailed meeting of 10 to 15 senior leaders of the party at Ch Shujaat's house in Lahore on March 2. We have a consensus that governor's rule in the Punjab must go," said Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri, senior vice president PML-Q. He reaffirmed Mushahid Hussain's stance that the party leadership has decided to maintain its independent identity and stay in the opposition.

Giving his view, Kasuri said, "I have repeatedly been saying since Feb 18 elections -- and this has become even more relevant now -- that PML-N and PML-Q must cooperate with each other." On the possibility of unification of PML-Q and PML-N, he said, "The offer has to come from Mian Nawaz Sharif." However, he declined to comment on the idea of consensus government.

The March 15 deadline given by Taliban leader Sufi Mohammad for the implementation of Sharia, followed by the killing of two Pakistan army soldiers on Tuesday, has damaged the prospects of the peace accord severely. The people in Swat hoped that the peace will allow them to live a semblance of normal life where the girls could go to schools, women move outside their homes and men could earn their living.

They are now worried for their limbs and lives in the terror that the escalated round of violence could possibly unleash in the valley. The heavenly Swat looks like a ghost valley today. The people have still not recovered from the gory nightmare that was unleashed by the local Taliban. The last one-and-a-half year has seen a population of 1.5 million people being held hostage by a ragtag force of some 2,500 Taliban led by Maulvi Fazalullah, popularly known as Mullah Radio for his jihad-inflected sermons, aired through his illegal FM radio. Fazalullah's men have fought bloody battles with the army over the past two years. Over 1,200 civilians and over 145 soldiers have died so far and around 350,000 hapless locals forced to leave through rough mountain terrain.

The rich have left for Peshawar -- 70 miles away, and the richer for more posh Islamabad -- 100 miles in the south. The poor, with no place to go, suffered the trauma that makes Hollywood horrors look like a picnic. Intelligence sources dubbed as 'spies' and government officials -- particularly from law-enforcing agencies -- were specifically targeted by the Taliban. They were abducted and maimed and their killing turned into a gruesome spectacle in order to send a message to others.

The reign of terror is symbolised by what has come to be known as Khooni Chowk -- the Crossing of Blood. A band of Taliban would, late at night, block the central crossing in the city centre of Mingora. They hung amputated bodies -- some headless -- on an electrical pole in the middle of the crossing, with notes identifying their name and 'misdeeds' against Islam. The bodies were not to be removed before a given date. Anybody violating this dictate could do so only at the risk of being himself put up headless.

This scene -- perpetuated for days and weeks -- is not from the Wild West of the cowboys. It happened in the Swat valley, which once took pride in having the most peaceful and better educated residents not just in the frontier province alone, but all over Pakistan. The princely state -- annexed by Pakistan in 1969 -- had better schools, hospitals and police stations than anybody else. It had an airport, and attractions like ski resorts and trout fishing on the meandering River Swat, which used to attract hordes of tourists every year. No more.

A majority of the police force has either run away, resigned or simply not turned up for work. Local newspapers are filled with advertisements from policemen declaring that they have left their jobs, and hence they be spared "in the name of their small children." A new force of 600 locals was recruited for special commando training to combat what is actually an insurgency. The story goes that 450 of them disappeared during the training itself, and another 148 did not appear on the date of joining. The two men left in the force have not ventured outside their office in uniform since.

This left the entire populace at the mercy of the wolves that are masquerading as saviours of religion. People have seen throats being slit. Those who violate the Taliban code are either lashed or hanged in public jirgas (gatherings). Events where masked gunmen with the latest weaponry went on the rampage were skilfully orchestrated, and then their videos released in order to instil fear in the public. This took a severe toll on the psyche of the public, already hard pressed thanks to unemployment and hunger.

Life has come to a standstill for 80 percent of the people whose earnings came from tourism. Orchids have become rotten in the absence of labour and markets; and the fields lie barren. People go without fire, food, and electricity for days. The only cinema in Mingora was forced to down shutters, television and music has been banned, and CD shops have been closed. Even barbershops were shutdown as shaving, according to the interpretation of the Taliban, is un-Islamic.

It has been particularly hard for women, children and the handicapped because of the problems of age or sickness. Over 200 schools have been blown up as they were giving "western education." Girls are barred from schooling. Over 100,000 Swati girls stand to lose their chance of education and, consequently, any career or professional life. This is happening in a place where the ratio of women in literacy and the job market was one of the highest in the province. The new edict may allow girls an education till the fourth grade, but with a revised curriculum. Also, they must always wear scarves on their heads. In any case, it will take awhile as most schools have been destroyed.

Women have been rendered prisoner in their own homes as they are now barred from going out in public, something that even Saudi Arabia has not tried. The central bazaar for women -- with items like cosmetics and bangles, when partially open -- today gives an image of a haunted place without shoppers. But then, cosmetics are a lesser priority when your children sleep hungry. Women are not allowed to work. Even women doctors are not permitted to carry on with their jobs. Stories abound where women lost babies because of the non-availability of doctors. Many others have died because of the lack of medicines and medical treatment.

The question is -- how did over a million people accept the inhuman dictates of a bunch of jihadi thugs who do not fit into any Islamic school of thought? Well, they have not. They voted liberal parties to power in the last election. But these parties did not have either the political muscle, or the will, to protect them from the evil of the Taliban.

But how did the Taliban gain ascendancy? The system of justice under the princely state was more efficient than what followed. The people, therefore, wanted Sharia courts to be established as a way of achieving quick justice and dispensing with the long delays and corruption of the civil courts. But the Taliban, who had a different agenda, hijacked their demand. For ordinary people, in the absence of the writ of the state, it's just a matter of choosing a lesser evil.

All hopes now hinge upon Maulana Sufi Mohammad, the father-in-law of Fazalullah. Sufi Mohammad is no angel himself. He is a radical cleric freed in 2008 after spending six years in jail for leading 10,000 Pashtun tribesmen to fight the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. Nearly 7,000 died in the bombing and he ran back for his life. The people whose children he took with him after indoctrinating them, leading to their being killed, hate him. He has now been resurrected in order to persuade Fazalullah to accept the government's offer of a ceasefire, which he has agreed to partially. How long this respite will last, only time will tell.

The News on Sunday: What brings you to Pakistan?

Stephen Jones: To meet with people here to discuss organisational matters. I have also met many of our education consultant partners in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

TNS: What does your company offer to students?

SJ: We provide pathway programmes for student wishing to go to a university. We go into joint venture partnerships with UK and USA universities. We are currently in joint venture partnership with university of East Anglia, New Castle University, Manchester University, Glasgow Caledonian University and Exeter University in UK and we are in joint venture partnership with Oregon state university in USA. We provide pathway programmes to first year undergraduate programmes for high school graduates in Pakistan. We also offer what we call diploma pathways which lead to second year undergraduate programmes in the UK. Grand university diploma pathways for students who have undergraduate degree programmes but would need further assistance to study support in order to be prepared for a postgraduate masters programmes in UK are also provided. We are also opening top quality universities for students who have missed the entry requirement to go to top university giving them a second chance to access good universities.

TNS: What do you mean by pathway programmes? Are they designed specifically for international students?

SJ: Yes, they are designed keeping in view the needs of international students wishing to make the preparation for full undergraduate and postgraduate studies. What we hope to achieve is prepare our international students through programmes specifically designed for them. The mode of study in their native countries is in many ways radically different from how they would study in UK at the postgraduate level and we provide them the training and facilities to make this jump.

TNS: Many other consultants have also been providing similar services. Why do you think they should come to you?

SJ: In the UK, there are more than a 100 universities. These universities are quality controlled by the government and each institution uniquely provides a quality experience. Our programmes can be defined as joint venture partnership with our university partners. So the students who come to us immediately become members of the university community. They have access to all of the university facilities including university clubs. We guarantee student accommodation on campus. Apart from that they have access to libraries, sporting facilities, cultural facilities and the social facilities of our university partners. On the academic side, they are taught by highly professional, qualified and dedicated members of staff.

TNS: How do you see Pakistan as a market for UK universities?

SJ: Pakistan is a major market for UK universities not only in terms of volumes but more importantly in terms of quality students. The quality of students who come from Pakistan is incredible. During the last A level examination results, a student from Pakistan broke the world record for the number of A grades. It indicates that there is a huge talent pool in Pakistan and historically there have been great links between UK and Pakistan.

It has only been around for about half a dozen years, but it already has a legion of followers and fans and an army of well wishers. It is the Kara Film Festival, the 'kara' being short for Karachi held each year in Karachi. This time too, like previous years, we thought it wouldn't be held as with the world wide economic crunch most of its usual backers chickened out; but somehow the organisers were able to harness enough funds for the festival to go ahead.

And it was a good thing as the Indian delegation consisted of the very lovely Nandita Das and Mahesh Bhatt; Nandita had directed a film, called Firaaq and it won the prize for best film, and the two were much lionised all over Karachi. We were hoping they would come to Lahore too, but they flew straight back to Delhi or whatever -- except that Bhatt Sahib only went back to pick up a change of clothes as he was back at the Lahore border the very next day, as part of a thirteen member Peace Delegation.

They crossed over on foot at Wagha near Lahore, to be greeted by a large number of Lahori peaceniks, including the ones who had taken their own Peace Delegation to India a few weeks before. That was the first such endeavour and they got to meet everyone in Delhi and it was decided there and then that the next step was for a reciprocal Indian delegation to return the favour.

They were able to put together a delegation in quick time, led by Kuldip Nayyar and Mahesh Bhatt, and they were greeted by all the members of the original delegation, and by Meera our leading film heroine who got to be the first Pakistani girl in an Indian Film because of Mahesh Saab! That started the flood.

There were only thirteen members of the delegation, and there were a hundred channels all of whom wanted at least one member to interview, so many of them ended up with none with just their commentators holding forth. The delegates first made their way to Mansoora, the headquarters of the Jamaat-e-Islami, then to Nawaz Sharif the chief of the opposition, who has since been disqualified from holding any public office.

At both places they were greeted like long lost brothers and from there they repaired to the house of Asma Jehangir, chief of our Human Rights Commission for a Round Table Conference over lunch. Then they split up to make their way, by road and air, to Islamabad where all of them have many friends and well-wishers. I have a feeling that as of now they are all scheming the next delegation to go from here to carry on the good work.

When the luxury bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team, sandwiched between two security escort vehicles of the Elite Force, reached the Liberty Chowk at 8.50 am on March 3, Pakistan began to yet again slide further into the chaos that had been its fate for some years now. Around 12 men, armed with rocket launchers, hand grenades and Kalashnikovs, attacked the convoy which was only 300 yards away from the Qaddafi Stadium, where the Sri Lankans were to begin the third-day play of the second test match against Pakistan. For the next 25 minutes, the city's commercial hub, Liberty Market, was raked by bullets and rocked by massive explosions.

Television footage showed several gunmen creeping through trees, crouching to aim their weapons and then running onto the next target. The attack took several minutes, but the running gun battle between the police escorting the vehicle and the attackers lasted for half an hour, after which all the gunmen successfully fled from the scene. However, the assailants had not factored into their attack plan the courageous Mahar Khalil, the man who drove the Lankan team to safety and saved Pakistan deep embarrassment.

Mahar Khalil was fortunate that half of windscreen of the bus on the driver's side was bullet-proof. Two bullets hit the screen but failed to pierce the glass. Another bullet went through the other half of the windscreen. Had he been hit, not only his own security but that of the whole Sri Lankan team would have been jeopardised.

As the attack grabbed breaking news slot worldwide, the pundits were quick to point to the similarity between the Lahore and the Mumbai attacks -- an armed group of people swooping on pre-determined targets with chilling ruthlessness. But Lahore differed from Mumbai in one major respect -- not one assailant was killed or nabbed. In the absence of a Kasab, there began breathless speculations about the identity of those who had orchestrated the attack on the Lankan team. From India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) to Kashmiri militant groups to Tamil avengers to Al-Qaeda-Taliban to sections in the federal government trying to divert attention from the lawyers' march -- their complicity in the attack was discussed threadbare. In whispers was also speculated the possible involvement of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which is reportedly furious about the pressure it had come under post-Mumbai.

However, the RAW was squarely blamed for masterminding the 3/3 to avenge the 26/11. A senior PPP leader and Sindh Assembly member Nabeel Gabool, who is said to be very close to President Zardari, told Geo TV network a few hours after the assault: "The Lahore incident was a replay of the 26/11 attack and most likely carried out by Indian intelligence agents. Those investigating the incident have already recovered some India-made weapons as well as food items from the crime scene".

Prime Minister's Advisor on Interior Rehman Malik too didn't rule out a foreign hand and the Pakistani foreign office thought the assault was perpetrated by the enemies of the Pakistan-Lankan friendship. No prizes for guessing who they were referring to.

A day after the carnage, the national press flashed a warning letter by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Punjab, citing in a secret communiqué on Jan 22, 2009 an alleged Indian plan to target the Lankan cricket team. The CID report claimed that the RAW planned to carry out the attack on the route the Lankan team would take from their hotel to the ground. The report states, "It is evident that the RAW intends to show Pakistan a security risk state for sports activities". The report claims the RAW has collected photographs of leaders of Jamaatud Daawa led by Hafiz Saeed and aims to target them as well.

At the same time, there were hawks like the former ISI chief General (retd) Hameed Gul, who were quick to blame RAW for staging a tit-for-tat attack to avenge the Mumbai assault, saying India wanted Pakistan to be declared a terrorist state.

However, the million dollar question is why did the provincial administration of Governor Salman Taseer gloss over the CID report and let it happen so easily despite a clear warning. The government has not yet furnished any explanations. But there are those in Pakistan not willing to buy the official spin on RAW's involvement in the Lahore attack. Celebrated journalist Ahmed Rashid is quoted by Daily Telegraph on March 3 as having said that the attackers seemed urban-based and semi-educated and were more likely to be from Kashmiri or Punjabi extremist groups than the Taliban. "They could be from the Lashkar-e-Taiba", Rashid said. His view was echoed by Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who told media in Islamabad after the incident: "It is the same pattern, the same terrorists who attacked Mumbai".

These voices apart, sources in intelligence and security forces place their bet on the LeT having committed the Lahore attack. Apart from the Punjabi features of the attackers, their choice of Lahore to mount the assault just about rules out any other militant group's involvement. For one, the group has strong and deep roots in Lahore.

Intelligence sources say the militants could have planned to hijack the bus carrying the Lankan players and use the cricketers as bargain chips to negotiate for the release of the chief operational commander of the LeT Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, who is presently detained at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. It was for this reason why the police suspect that the militants aimed the rocket at the escort vehicle in front, hoping to kill the security guards and boarding the bus without resistance. But once the attackers realised they that could not hijack the bus, they peppered it with bullets.

Even Rehman Malik told The Associated Press on March 4 that the preparations made by the attackers demonstrated their intention to hijack the bus. He didn't speculate on the identity of the attackers, though. The Lahore attackers, moving in groups of three, possessed walkie-talkies and backpacks stuffed with water, dried fruit and other high-energy food, which are signs that they anticipated a protracted siege. Significantly, even as the bus came under attack, Lakhvi and four other Mumbai suspects were preparing to face Judge Sakhi Mohammad Kahut of the Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC) No II in the Rawalpindi Jail. The Punjab government had decided to hold the in-camera trial inside the jail premises due to security concerns. The last time that the terrorist had used hostage to secure the release of a key jehadi leader was in 1999 when an Indian airplane IC-814 was hijacked from Kathmandu and taken to Kandahar before successfully managing to get the Indian government to negotiate and secure the release of Masood Azhar, the most-wanted terrorist.

Sources in the country's intelligence and security establishment did not rule out the possibility of Pakistan eventually blaming India for masterminding the Lahore attacks. However, they were of the view that the blood-spattered attack was most likely to be carried out by the LeT militants under double-edged plan aimed at damaging the credibility of the government for such a grave security failure besides easing off the rising pressure which had mounted over the jehadi elements in Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. "These jehadis might have thought that the 3/3 attack would force India to go on the back foot, as had been the case with Islamabad after the Mumbai attacks and the ensuing allegations, they added.

These sources pointed out that the Lahore attack, conducted by an armed group of 12 gunmen with backpacks, most of whom had beards, bore similarity to those 10 gunmen with backpacks, who had carried out the Mumbai attacks. However, the sources say there is no precedence for the Indian intelligence agency having the ability to infiltrate an important urban capital of Pakistan and carry out such a well-organised and high-profile terrorist attack, that too while using a whole group of trained gunmen. The sources dismiss the theory about the Indian hand in the attack, saying the Indian intelligence agency has not yet demonstrated the ability to infiltrate important urban centres of Pakistan and carry out a well-organised terrorist attack through a group of local gunmen. They say the RAW-sponsored terrorist attacks in Pakistan till now had been confined to bomb blasts of limited nature by individuals like Sarabjit Singh, who is presently languishing in a Lahore jail.

Conspiracy theories apart, the fact remains that the Lahore terror attack has sparked fresh international concerns that Pakistan, which is already wrecked by Taliban and al-Qaeda linked militant violence, is rapidly sliding into a state of total chaos, making it one of the most dangerous places on the earth today. The Lahore assault is the beginning of the kind of international isolation the Pakistan civilian and military establishment fear, but the extremist jehadi organisations welcome.

United to fight

The dramatic teaming up of Pakistan's three top militant commanders and previous rivals -- Baitullah Mehsud, Hafiz Gul Bahadur and Maulvi Nazeer -- who have pledged to join hands in the fight against US-led invasion forces in Afghanistan is expected to bring peace in Pakistan. Their cross-border infiltration, however, may land the country in further trouble. All the three men are considered to be the most powerful and dreaded militant commanders of the country. The foes of yesteryear have reportedly settled their differences and become allies for the future forming a new militant alliance namely Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen or Council of the United Holy Warriors. The move is the result of the personal intervention of the supreme commander of the Afghan Taliban Mullah Muhammad Omar.

A high-level delegation, comprising the trustworthy commanders of Mullah Omar, is said to have negotiated the union among the three militant commanders currently operating in South and North Waziristan bordering Afghanistan's troubled Paktia, Paktika and Khost provinces. The delegation also handed over a personal letter by Mullah Omar addressing the three Pakistani commanders. In the letter he has appealed his friends to set aside their differences for the greater cause of waging Jihad against the US-led forces in Afghanistan. The letter explains that fighting against fellow Muslim and Pakistani troops was in fact bringing a bad name to the mujahideen and Taliban, hence maligning their image on both sides of the border. "If you want to wage a jihad then you should come to Afghanistan where you can fulfil your Islamic obligation to fight against the non-Muslim occupying forces," the Taliban leader maintains in his letter.

Mullah Omar's letter is also a reminder that killing of their fellow Muslim Pakistani soldiers in Pakistan was in fact a service to the infidels who, according to him, have invaded Afghanistan and are now strengthening their roots in the region. This was because the differences among the Mujahideen were weakening their defence against the occupying forces.

A senior member of the Afghan delegation, on conditions of anonymity, told TNS that after a few round of talks among the three commanders and their Shura members they were able to resolve minor differences. Instead of nominating one of the three to lead the alliance it was decided that the Shura would administer the affairs of the organisation. The Shura, he added, includes representatives from the three Taliban groups led by Baitullah, Hafiz Gul Bahadur and Maulvi Nazeer.

"The Shura members would collectively take all decisions of the alliance whereas the status of the three commanders would remain equal," said the Taliban commander in his letter. He said the three commanders were no doubt playing their role in Afghan jihad, but their growing engagement inside Pakistan was a setback to the resistance movement launched by the Afghan Taliban against US-led foreign forces in October 2001.

A senior commander of Maulvi Nazeer group, based in Wana, said that one important reason for reconciliation with their rival Baitullah Mehsud was the failure of Pakistan to protect them against US drone attacks. On condition of anonymity, he told TNS that despite their differences with the government they supported the restoration of government's writ in South Waziristan and eviction of Uzbeks from their soil. But the Pakistani government, he added, left them alone to face US drone attacks. Now they will fight against Pakistan and US because, for them, they are one and the same. "Pakistan played a big role in eliminating mujahideen and destroying their locations in the country. We faced tough time at the hands of our own rulers rather than US and its allies."

The pamphlet issued by Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen reads: "Keeping in view repeated directions of Allah Almighty to the Muslims in His holy book to unite against the infidel forces and to appease the ordinary Muslims -- especially the mujahideen and their field commanders whose Ameer-ul-Momineen (Supreme commanders) are Mullah Mohammad Omar and Sheikh Osama bin Laden -- to humiliate and defeat the infidels and non-believers whose heads are Obama, Zardari and Karzai we the commanders of mujahideen -- Hafiz Gul Bahadur, commander South Waziristan, Baitullah Mehsud and Maulvi Nazeer, Ameer Mujahideen -- announce a united Shura to be called Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen." The objectives of this alliance, according to the pamphlet, include the continuation of Jihad and stopping the brutalities.

Pakistan's dreaded militant commander, Baitullah Mehsud, founded Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in December 2007. TTP was an umbrella organisation of all the militant organisations operating in the seven tribal regions along the border with Afghanistan and settled districts of NWFP.

It is not yet clear whether the rest of the militant organisations that were operating in other tribal regions associated earlier with Baitullah-led TTP would become part of the new alliance. In the past Maulvi Nazeer and Hafiz Gul Bahadur announced to fight together if attacked. Though their association at that time was deemed to be against Baitullah Mehsud, both Nazeer and Gul Bahadur repeatedly dispelled the impression. Following bloody clashes between the security forces and Hafiz Gul Bahadur-led militants, Bahadur signed peace accords first in 2007 and then in Feb 2008. Hereafter he was considered a pro-government militant commander as he ceased attacks on security forces and government installations. But he is not happy with the frequent drone attacks.

On one occasion, when Baitullah Mehsud's TTP became a serious threat to the government, it tried to unite other militant groups against Baitullah Mehsud trying to bring together Hafiz Gul Bahadur and Maulvi Nazeer. Nazeer also accused Baitullah Mehsud and his men of sheltering the Uzbeks on their soil but Baitullah always denied the charges. "If the three men, who now rule South and North Waziristan tribal region in true sense, are united they can and will give tough time to the Pakistan government in future", opined a senior retired military officer who wished not to be named.

People of both Waziristans fear the reunion of these militants in the region and their pledge to fight against US-led forces in Afghanistan could create problems for Pakistan in general and poor tribals in particular as US drones would then continue to target suspected location in the area.

Not even two hours had gone by and several TV channels had all kinds of 'experts' coming on air and giving their -- mostly half-baked and should I dare say absurd-sounding -- theories on who or what may be behind the attack in Lahore on the Sri Lankan cricket team's bus as it travelled through Liberty Market.

In most cases, and quite disturbingly so, several of the 'analysts' and 'experts' took the very dangerous line suggesting that "oh no Pakistani could ever do such a thing" and that since a country like India would benefit the most from such an incident, it may well be that the Liberty attacks were an Indian response to last year's Mumbai attacks. As always, no proof or even past circumstantial evidence of any kind was proffered to substantiate this. The TV anchors listening to such comments failed to point out the necessary caveat that such comments should be contextualised in the light of the fact that a couple of hours had just gone by and it would be difficult, if not impossible, to surmise about who the attackers may be.

The office of the Punjab director-general of public relations -- a completely useless post in any government -- was the first to throw an egg on its face when it began saying that the Sri Lankan team was not the target of trained terrorists (something that the television footage was clearly showing) but that it was caught in crossfire between two qabza groups. Strange that the members of these qabza groups looked suspiciously like Ajmal Kasab clones complete with backpacks, jackets and trainers.

Some journalists covering the incident were quick to point out that just the other day more police could be seen deployed on this route but one reason for the removal could be the Punjab government's preoccupation with PML-N activists. But what is rightly suspicious is the delay with which police reinforcements appeared on the scene given that according to most reports, the firing went on for almost half an hour. Liberty Market is one of Lahore's most central shopping areas and close to several police stations and check posts and it shouldn't have taken long for police to arrive. Of course, it may well be nothing more than cowardice that explains the delay, or there could be a sinister angle to it as well. However, this is an aspect that needs to be scrutinised thoroughly by government investigators. Also, how could so many attackers leave the scene of such an incident unchallenged? Yes, the police were under fire and yes Liberty has many exits via side streets into neighbouring residential Gulberg. But it still boggles the mind that these people managed to escape in the manner that they did.

As for the footage of the attackers, it clearly showed that they were indeed dressed like Ajmal Kasab and company. And this led one to think that perhaps Lashkar does have a motive in that it must surely be very upset with the civilian government for taking a hard line on it vis-à-vis the Mumbai attacks and possibly wanted to deeply embarrass the government. Six Lashkar-e-Taiba commanders have been arrested in connection with the Mumbai attacks and Pakistan recently indicated, after severe international pressure, that it may be prepared to prosecute them for involvement in the attack.

The incident is also a stinging reminder to all those who often criticised foreign teams such as the Australians and the South Africans for not visiting Pakistan. The preposterous argument often would have these people bring in England's return to India after the Mumbai attacks, ignoring the plain and simple fact that the situation in India is simply not what it is in Pakistan. The poor Sri Lankans have obviously learnt the hard way. But it should now be clear to everyone that no foreign team, for playing cricket or any other sport, is going to come to Pakistan in the foreseeable future. And yes, what these people need to do is to pressurise the government and the military to tackle extremism and terrorism in the country, which is clearly out of control.

These people are of course no match for those who still think that India or some foreign power is perhaps behind this attack. They only need to look as far as people like Fazlullah, Baitullah Mehsud, Hafiz Gul Bahadur, Maulvi Faqir Mohammed, Masood Azhar or groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba or Lashkar-e- Jhangvi to see that Pakistanis is in fact are very much responsible for such acts and that those orchestrating them are from very much within the country's borders. And the sooner this is realised and publicly acknowledged the better because with that the fight against terrorism and militancy is already half lost without firing a single bullet/shell/mortar. Those pushing the accord in Swat also need to re-assess their position in the light of the Liberty attacks. To say that the Taliban are not behind the attacks -- which is something that cannot be entirely ruled out in any case -- because of a current ceasefire and because of the Swat deal is to miss the point that groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and other militant outfits can and do operate independently but share an ideology and objectives that are often the same as those of the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

The role of some of those who came on television was especially pernicious -- and they know who they are and we know who their backers are -- particularly the outlandish theory that the attackers had crossed over from India at the Wagha border a few days ago. One in particular took the cake. He said there was considerable 'circumstantial evidence' which included the fact that Punjab shared a border with India (surprise! surprise!) and that the attackers looked like the Mumbai terrorists. Without realising that he had put his foot in his mouth by the latter statement -- since Mumbai's attackers have been owned up by the government of Pakistan as having gone in a boat from Pakistan -- this gentleman further claimed that the attackers in fact looked like Tamils and hence they were probably Tamil Tigers.

No comment is necessary for making sense of what clearly is nonsense and a dangerously deliberate move on the part of some to obfuscate the possible true identity of the attackers. Their handlers and patrons must be feeling oh-so-happy.