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ISLAMABAD — An onslaught of militant violence has transformed Pakistan’s capital from a sleepy oasis to something of a city under siege, with its tree-lined streets barricaded, schools shuttered and jittery residents wondering when the next attack will come.
Taliban and al Qaeda insurgents based along the Afghan border have brought war into Pakistan’s political and diplomatic heart.The unease has been heightened by the range of targets attacked despite a nationwide security clampdown. Suicide bombers hit the International Islamic University and a U.N. office in Islamabad; militants took officers hostage for 22 hours at army headquarters in the neighboring city of Rawalpindi; commando-style raids paralyzed the eastern city of Lahore; and bombs have ripped through markets in the northwest.More than 300 people have been killed, most of them Pakistani civilians. And no one expects the attacks to end soon."The feeling is that things have degenerated terribly," said Javeed Akhtar, a corporate lawyer. "The university bombing [on Oct. 20] sent a chill through everyone. There is now a realization that targets are unrestricted."Islamabad was once sheltered from the militant violence that was a feature of life in other cities. Visitors were typically amazed by how quiet, well-ordered and wealthy it was compared with other South Asian cities.That started to change in mid-2007, when the army stormed the Red Mosque after militants inside refused to surrender. Gunshots and explosions rang out for days across the most exclusive of suburbs, and about 100 people were killed.The siege is now widely considered to be the starting point of the insurgency. Vowing vengeance, militants based in the lawless, tribal region along the Afghan border began a campaign against targets associated with the government and Western interests.
South Waziristan offensive Security forces fighting their way through a mountainous Taliban stronghold killed at least seven militants Sunday, officials said, while Pakistan’s foreign minister said the 2-week-old offensive in tribal South Waziristan should finish sooner than originally expected.Today, the government will offer bounties of up to 50,000,000 rupees (about $600,000) for each of the top three Taliban leaders: Hakimullah Mehsud, chief of Pakistani Taliban; Waliur Rehman, the South Waziristan commander; and Qari Hussain Mehsud, believed to be the main trainer of suicide bombers. — The Associated Press
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