Lahore bomb carnage described - click at title to entry
People who witnessed the blast in Lahore give their accounts of what they experienced.
"I was on my way from Canal Road, when there was a massive sound and my car shook," said Tariq, a motorist who witnessed the blast in the Pakistani city of Lahore.
"I stopped the car immediately, and got out, close to GPO Chowk."
GPO (General Post Office) Chowk is an intersection in central Lahore.
It is adjacent to the Lahore high court building where Thursday's massive bombing took place.
"The first thing I recall afterwards is the smoke... it was everywhere," Tariq told the BBC...
If this isn't tragic enough the American Neocons need to be reined in before there is too much more speculation. Let's first remember the Brits are in Pakistan investigating Bhutto's assassination. I can't imagine the escalating violence is very new to Pakistan either. However, there is a report by the UN that is troubling and it needs to be noted by those sincerely interested in security of the region.
However, there is a report by Neocon Joe Lieberman, now Republican pundit and McCain Vice Presidential hopeful that is full of exaggerated 'clauses' without foundation of proof.
There is a lot of internal struggle for control insuring sovereignty and all too often facts are clouded by rhetorical gossip, especially in Pakistan where 'the word' is frequently a vehicle to assign emotion to what should be cool headed logic. Much of Islam operates on words rather than facts, which insures the violence over stability of government. Musharraf in recent dealings over Bhutto's death was noted to use 'that strategy' hoping emotional tensions would provide an allowance of an alternate reality, rather than the fact finding mission of experts.
To put it plainly, the word is greater than the sword in Pakistan, even if the words are lies. That is all too often the case with Neocons that jump to conclusion, such as Lieberman, when escalating fear will serve their political purpose. That is what occurred in the lead up to the illegal and immoral invasion into Iraq and that is what Neocons like Lieberman and the Murdock media services, including his newspapers are again attempting.
That stated, the article below spells out a fact about the existing administration in Pakistan. They are trying to hold onto control. Not necessarily of the country, but, of the propaganda that 'might' insure them to continue to control their power, even in the reality that to date they have done nothing to insure a lead up to peaceful elections such as insuring the protection of the very lives of the candidates. It would be helpful if the date for the election were set and candidates were insured security to allow a progression to those elections without further interruption. That just might quell the violence. Lies by Musharraf will only escalate it and manipulation by opportunists like Lieberman can only insure more media exploitation rather than facts.
A senior Pakistani security official elaborated for Asia Times Online (click here), "We have actually been thrown into a deep quagmire where we are not left with many options. The CIA's presence in Pakistan has made it impossible for Pakistan to handle the Taliban problem independently and through dialogue. On the other hand, there is no military solution on the horizon against the Taliban and another [Pakistani army] operation against militants would cause more than serious repercussions.
" The official, speaking on condition of anonymity as his job does not allow him to speak on the record, continued, "Now we are at a crossroad and we feel threatened that if this problem escalates it may give Western powers and their regional allies a chance to justify an attack on Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. Therefore, we are walking a tightrope where, on the one hand our strategic ties with the West are at risk if we don't adhere to their demands, but on the other hand our own internal security is at risk.
The IAEA is more than correct to be concerned regarding the instability in Pakistan and a Paksitan government in denial of it's own reality is more dangerous than one that can ask for support to return stability and reduce the opportunity to extremists.
IAEA chief, el Baradei, voices concern over safety of Pakistani nukes news
10 January 2008
Beirut: The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN atomic watchdog, Mohamed el Baradei, has added his voice to mounting concerns over the safety of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. In an interview to Arabic daily Al-Hayat on Tuesday, Baradei expressed his fear that it could fall into extremist hands.
"I fear that chaos... or an extremist regime could take root in that country which has 30 to 40 warheads," el Baradei was quoted as telling the pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat .
He stressed that he was "worried that nuclear weapons could fall into the hands of an extremist group in Pakistan or in Afghanistan."
Concerns about the safety of the Pakistani nuclear arsenal mounted ever since president Musharraf imposed a state of emergency in the troubled country in November last year.
http://www.domain-b.com/defence/general/20080110_nukes.html
Perez Musharraf finally admits he perfers providing a haven for terrorists than allow allies into eliminate them.
Pakistan Warns US Not to Enter Northwest (click here)
1 hour ago
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — President Pervez Musharraf warned that U.S. troops would be regarded as invaders if they crossed into Pakistan's border region with Afghanistan in the hunt for al-Qaida or Taliban militants, according to an interview published Friday.
Musharraf, whose popularity has plummeted amid a surge in extremist attacks in recent months, also told Singapore's The Straits Times that he would resign if opposition parties tried to impeach him following next month's parliamentary elections.
Pakistan is under growing U.S. pressure to crack down on militants in its tribal regions close to the Afghan border.
The rugged area has long been considered a likely hiding place for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and his top deputy Ayman al-Zawahri, as well as an operating ground for Taliban militants planning attacks on coalition forces in Afghanistan.
The New York Times reported last week that Washington was considering expanding the authority of the Central Intelligence Agency and the military to peruse aggressive covert operations within the tribal regions.
Musharraf told the Straits Times that U.S. troops would "certainly" be considered invaders if they set foot in the tribal regions.
"If they come without our permission, that's against the sovereignty of Pakistan. I challenge anybody coming into our mountains," he said in the interview in the garrison city of Rawalpindi. "They would regret that day."
Musharraf, who seized power in a military coup eight years ago, is also under growing domestic pressure.
The party of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and the other main opposition grouping are predicted to make gains in the Feb. 18 polls. They have vowed to oust Musharraf if they emerge as winners. Musharraf is seen as vulnerable to impeachment over his decision to fire Supreme Court judges and suspend the constitution last year.
"If that (impeachment) happens, let me assure that I'd be leaving office before they would do anything. If they won with this kind of majority and they formed a government that had the intention of doing this, I wouldn't like to stick around," he said. "I would like to quit the scene."
