Pakistan News Roundup | A View From Abroad

Badshahi Mosque, Lahore, Pakistan (built in 1673 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, it is the second largest mosque in Pakistan--accommodating over 55,000 worshippers.) Photo by Flickr under the Creative Commons license. War on Terror Early last week, Baitullah Mehsud, head of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, TTP, (translated: The Taliban Movement of Pakistan) declared a unilateral ceasefire with the government. At first government officials refused to recognize the overture but by the end of the week reciprocated by ending the fighting in FATA and Swat District. It is believed Mehsud announced the ceasefire due to heavy damage inflicted by army operations in South Waziristan, which have in recent weeks led to the displacement of thousands of women and children in bitter cold weather. http://www.dawn.com/2008/01/29/top7.htm In addition, it is believed that the TTP has recently experienced fracturing as tribalism within the Pakistani Taliban has taken precedence over allegiance to the movement. http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid=2373954 Elections: The ceasefire announced by Mehsud earlier this week bode well for the security situation in the upcoming elections. It was felt that Mehsud’s group, whom the government had blamed for the recent spate of suicide bombings, would not launch attacks while trying to secure a ceasefire deal with the government. Still the bombings and attacks have continued unabated with Awami National Party (ANP) individuals and rallies targeted in recent days. This time around with Mehsud being an unlikely suspect, the government is having a more difficult time pointing fingers at possible culprits. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L095397.htm Despite the increasing threat of violence, curbs on the media, the crisis of the judiciary etc. the 2008 parliamentary elections have seen an unprecedented rise of civil society activism in Pakistan. A number of electoral watchdogs and citizen groups have emerged taking upon themselves the responsibility to monitor the elections. The two leading ones are FAFEN, Free and Fair Election Network and CGEP, the Citizens Group on Electoral Process. With the recent expulsion of IRI officials and government refusal to conduct exit polls, local monitors have acquired an even greater degree of importance to the transparency of the polls. CGEP recently released reports and background papers on elections in Pakistan, two of which can be found below: http://www.pildat.org/events/08-01-09/pdf/Pre-poll%20Assessment%20Report.pdf http://www.pildat.org/events/08-01-25/How%20Elections%20Stolen.pdf In addition, media outlets (back on air but with continuing restrictions) have organized televised debates between political candidates, subjecting them to hitherto unaccustomed scrutiny. While the quality of the ensuing discussion does not meet Obama-Clinton debate standards, the events are in and of themselves significant in raising awareness of the Pakistani electorate of their prospective leaders and agendas.