Thursday 29 September 2011

Pakistan -'Good Militants' And 'Bad Militants'

The release from prison of Malik Ishaq (see clip) in July after spending 14 years in jail is seen in some circles, particulary Shiite and western ones, of proof of complicity between Pakistani authorities and anti - Shiite sectarian groups. A native of Punjab, Ishaq was accused of killing 70 people and faced 44 criminal charges, 34 of which have been dropped due to lack of evidence.
One of the charges against Ishaq is for involvement in the planning – while in prison – of the March 2009 attack on the visiting Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore. Security experts say the group also collaborated with al Qaeda in the deadly September 2008 attack on Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel. While little is known about Ishaq in the West, most Pakistanis know him as the militant who was reportedly flown out of jail by the Pakistani military to negotiate with assailants during the hours-long, hugely embarrassing 2009 attack on the Pakistani Army headquarters in Rawalpindi. Shortly after his release in July, Ishaq embarked on an incendiary public speaking tour, addressing crowds of fired-up, slogan-chanting supporters as shown in the clip. The US and NATO are happy to support extremists if they fit the western agenda. They are needless to say not keen on Ishaq and are increasingly distrustful of the Pakistan authorities ability or willingness to control him and similar 'militant' figures. 

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