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6/1/2006 - Migration Season: The Taliban and their Expanding Influence in Pakistan by Nicholas Schmidle

Migration Season The Taliban their Expanding Influence Pakistan By Nicholas Schmidle June IN EARLY FEBRUARY Taliban distributed DVD showing public execu North Waziristan The Taliban whose Arabic means students seekers alleged criminals metal tower looks derrick After bodies lowered decapitated strung upside headless scaffold The picture sound quality video grainy times images words difficult discern But message clear In Islamic State Waziristan Taliban charge Waziristan which divided North Waziristan South Waziristan belongs Federally Administered Tribal Areas FATA region Pakistan roughly Connecticut running alongside border Afghanistan Since Taliban chased power Afghanistan during U S invasion winter gained strength support throughout FATA particularly Waziristan Many Pakistanis concerned Talibanization engulf whole country starting Waziristan ending capital Islam They described phenomenon using medical references comparing expansion Taliban influence cancer But visit May sensitive Pakistan where Taliban gaining support convinced spread Taliban political military decisions taken Islamabad Islamist ideology WAZIRISTAN S RECENT HISTORY EXPLAINS about center attention today During Soviet Afghan War 1980s American Saudi Pakistani intelligence agencies worked together provide mujahideenwith ideological military training camps throughout tribal areas The CIA typically supplied weaponry lethal surface Stinger missiles while Saudis built thousands madrassas where fighters could educated finer points jihad The majority those fighting jihadwere Pashtuns ethnic group dominating western Pakistan southeastern Afghanistan The Pashtuns follow strict tribal Pukhtunwali first badal which means taking revenge melmastia which means showing hospitality without expectation return favor Today U S officials allege local tribesmen sheltering members Qaeda Taliban giving areas train In tribal areas after state officially doesn function In FATA tribal supersedes everything The Pakistani penal irrelevant judges courts exist police allowed Technically neither foreigners As approach checkpoint bordering tribal agencies white interstate highway sized signs English No Foreigners Allowed Beyond This Point Without clear escorts Pakistani government entering FATA illegal threatening But someone Osama Laden Mullah Omar tribal areas ideal rugged terrain almost impossible outsiders navigate hospitable fiercely loyal culture weapons The tribal areas probably place world Yusuf balding contractor tribesman outside tribal agency North Waziristan You escape there After American invasion Afghanistan thousands Taliban Qaeda fighters tribal regions Pakistan Some foreign Qaeda fighters predominantly Arabs Uzbeks Chechens married local women considered family The Pashtun Taliban simply business They formed committees enforce Islamic villages began reconstructing their ideal Islamic state inside borders Pakistan As recently released DVD shows largely succeeded The Taliban unchecked Waziristan provoked debate Pakistan about prospect Talibaniza sweeping across country The Taliban influ already spilling beyond tribal areas In Tank outside South Waziristan Taliban distributed pamphlets directing beards their women indoors The government loosening Tank Dr Fazal Rahim Murwat Profes Pakistan Studies University Peshawar author The Talibanization Pakistan The colonial power structures which power hands religious leaders stopped working presence foreigners couple decades Murwat sports clipped mustache tongue rolling accent together remind French observed these changes first Afghan refugee camps Peshawar during Soviet Afghan War He habit prefacing important talking points adding information I information watched Arabs around freely tribute money briefcases filled clean notes Now foreign funded militancy coming haunt country Besides Tank Murwat pointed other cities Dera Ismael Khan Bannu vulnerable Taliban influence He feared video beheadings declarations Taliban might these cities where Pakistani government supposed charge In May I accompanied friend named Zargar Bannu people straddles border North Waziristan Zargar Waziri above average height He normally wears close goatee Bannu these grows beard conspicuous His cousins Taliban every hours reminded descendent Prophet Mohammad The Zargar rolling hashish cigarettes poking mullahs Can asking We stopped Pesha Bannu Lunch couple bowls onions fingers plate greasy marble edged spicy yogurt sauce dipping Zargar story about month bandits kidnapped family driver along outside their South Waziristan The first thing Political Agent The Po litical Agent PA federally appointed official represents central government tribal agencies James Spain The Way Pathans describes PA being ambassador governor The institution colonial power structures noted Dr Murwat The Taliban recognize PA authority The PA I anything Zar tinued So called local Talib commander Within raided house freed driver These Talibs being praised heroes Zargar hanged DVD reviled characters North Waziristan local people Taliban sympathizers justice The owner heavy forearms lumberjack approached table troduced himself He spoke English glacier He asked where coming where heading Zargar answered quickly going Dera Ismael Khan Sensing confu waited until after lumberjack leaned forward He whispered I anyone about itinerary I Bannu nowadays I anyone there waiting arrive HAVING BLONDE HAIR AND Bannu asking trouble entirely different reasons First Pakistan The Castro San Francisco Only San Francisco usually prefer while Bannu homosexuality disturbing tendencies towards pedophilia The parents handsome young often shave their child pretty Zargar warned Bannuccis would seeing blonde their midst He asked during I I In Bannu Tell everyone He joked Even pigeons Bannu cover their other This contrasts typical portrayal Pashtuns pride themselves being manliest manly their beards strict codes loyalty revenge When I asked Zargar friends about later matter factly What haven Brokeback Mountain The second reason flaunting Nordic roots Taliban Qaeda right Over several months Taliban fighters killed dozens local journalists tribal maliks Waziristan suspicions working erating Western intelligence agencies Pakistani government The Taliban warned reporters against using words miscreants militants describe Taliban fighters wanting instead called Talibs mujahideen The Taliban first acquired their because leading members drassa graduates Technically graduates students their should The Maulanas opted The Taliban In April ernment cleric tribal elder North Waziristan abducted killed ditch Villagers found later photograph INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS tacked chest showed shaking hands Pakistani government official Now these threats rying Bannu The nazim mayor Ba received several written threats One contained Rupees about US slipped inside telling purchase coffin himself When finally reached outskirts Bannu I Even though blinding falling behind mountains I screen shading window Before continued further Zargar instructed driver towards village where friend lived Sham friend greeted outside invited charpoi legged wooden frames taught stretched across ceiling floor Ants scurried ground Shamroz twirled budding handlebar mustache while drank round water sharbat nectarish juice green Zargar Shamroz spoke Pashto about their friends families minutes about Taliban As prepari leave I asked Shamroz mixture Urdu English thought Bannu would Miramshah capital North Waziristan Taliban recent DVD A replied It might month I asked worried about prospect Taliban running around Bannu Why should I I Kalashnikov After finished Shamroz front offered around Bannu Even window shades still being discrete difficult Out model Toyota Corolla stood otherwise choked tractors bicycles horse drawn carriages The women crammed carriages clutching young children baskets fruit All women burqas covering patch The Taliban burqa mandatory during their Afghanistan during 1990s locals claim dition dates centuries When walking group women looked flock screen doors I asked Shamroz about rumors foreign perhaps links Qaeda hiding He story previous courthouse Bannu There three people I recognize I tried speak When I friend theirs leaned scowled Don bother speak Pashto They definitely Arabs We drove Shamroz village center Bannu parked front empty Neat stacks newspapers unused notebooks lined walls Aprominent local journalist office I waited Zargar Shamroz talked minutes The journalist I Marwand anonymity based Bannu frequently travels forth Miramshah Almost reporting local newspapers around Waziris bylined Our Staff Corre spondent Without convincing agreed joined He beard gentle expression He bright color milky white prayer matching shalwar kameez traditional baggy pants tunic outfit Pakistan Af ghanistan After directing driver through couple intersections Marwand pointed alleyway behind Bannu Press Club From could watch enter leave Shamroz Zargar Marwand I joined another handful journalists talking office secretary Press Club The office brought round sodas refreshment Marwand I through Zargar translation conversed about Taliban I asked connection between Tal fighting Americans Afghanistan Talibs issuing DVDs Waziristan In other words Talibs In urrent situation every least Talib drawing unspecified circle This because operation In October Pakistani Army launched military operation South Waziristan later North Waziristan aimed destroying Qaeda Taliban networks scattered villages throughout tribal agency The consequences disaster Local tribesmen previously little affinity Taliban since joined their homes The Pakistani Army their minds foreign intruder Marward farmer North Waziristan recently working fields village under attack Cobra Gunships Pakistani Army His sister taking Mar naked The farmer grabbed mountains Now Taliban For Pashtuns about honor score The Pukhtunwa allows lifetime revenge bruised honor You until frail Zargar forget about taking revenge longer Pashtun Now there reports impending military eration Janikhel Marwand The Janikhel Bannu Army officials allege Taliban fighters based Janikhel orchestrated recent surge rocket attacks Bannu Cantonment Marwand compared rhetoric rhetoric preceding operations South Waziristan North Waziristan We coming That coming I asked The operation Taliban One leads other If there attack Jan ikhel there spillover Taliban ization responded pinching quotations fingers It takes death woman inspire vengeance entire village What happen Ta liban comes Bannu I asked If someone looked around women burqasand beards might think Taliban already I The Talibs relatively harmless people Marwand Basically concept Talibanization projected wrongly If Bannu anyone there objections LATER IN THE AFTERNOON storm through Bannu turned shade sepia forced owners their metal shutters temporarily close business Acouple hundred children playing cricket grassless field sprinting cover nearby trees Zargar Shamroz I joinedby anotherfriendof Zargar snamedImran drove around Bannu windows rolled shades still attached suction When storm subsided headed catch Bannu evening traditions which males adorned necklaces congregate bazaar The custom I learned attractive sneak behind jasmine necklace around Those wearing necklace considered taken This confusing course because mustered Pakistani wearing necklace Sometimes camaraderie important itself People drums encourage another along Shamroz insisted When stopped intersec called children selling flowered necklaces bought person Suf ficiently smelling jasmine apparently stuck Shamroz night cruised alongside throng drummers holding hands adorned purple rhinestone rings With women stashed casual sometimes casual flirtation becomes activity If Taliban controlled Ba I wondered tradition would survive That evening other people Imran house One Yusuf balding contractor tioned earlier shared conversation before local officials Pakistan Inter Services Intelligence ISI Although Yusuf speaking Pashto I caught something about foreigners being spotted Bannu I turned Zargar asked Are talking about Arabs No chuckle about They asked Yusuf about An afternoon storm blows through Bannu Are Taliban behind plans And everyplace today places decided people supposed Zargar noticed widening Don worry It normal It happens every I I think about anymore The other people joined dinner South Waziristan One skinny patchy beard early named Hamid returned visiting family Shakai Valley South Waziristan bombarded Pakistani Army years I asked picture looked inside South Waziristan Foreigners prohibited entering tribal agencies without armed government appointed escort since operation began Waziristan journalists reported there whisked helicopters Hamid looked nodding approval shalwar kameez shadow facial If turban could easily sneak You couldn Then could yourself The fighters Waziristan Taliban These local people seeking revenge their homes being destroyed their families being killed I turned Shamroz hours earlier story illage outside Bannu joined Taliban North Waziristan He INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS religious everyone knows criminal Shamroz But becoming Talib social status These regarded heroes For Bannuccis Talib Tom Cruise society Considering Cruise embrace Scientology I wanted commend Shamroz unintentionally insightful remark thought might translation In reality passing Pakistani Army tries flush terrorists Waziristan Taliban strength While madrassa students gradu certainly playing implementation sharia there Talibs Pakistan hodgepodge Afghans Pakistanis criminals joined Taliban before themselves could strung lamppost There Taliban there Lt General retired Hamid Gul explained efore I traveled Bannu Gul former ISI professed Islamist vocal supporter Talibs Afghanistan during 1990s But there sentimental Taliban The Waziris trained fight centuries Their horse starts snorting whatever force I asked Hamid young Shakai Val village greeted declarations Taliban Waziristan We Islamic under Islamic government answered That Talibs talking about The Pakistani government failed Taliban Zargar interrupted story about There brothers another They recently property dispute asked local council The brothers Talib I think studied madrassa months Zargar militant training agree decision judiciary committee Taliban South Waziristan The Taliban authority growing explained They exact verdict local court coming Taliban brothers immediately accepted After dinner Imran house stepped sidewalk It around streets empty A yellow street light shined playground rusty chains dangling swing An whiskbroom beard walking middle street direc He hunting rifle right passed paused Someone Salaam Alaikum returned greeting On minute drive Imran house guesthouse where Zargar I stayed night I walkers All carried I HEADED FOR THE guesthouse first thingthe llowing morning Outside rules posted Urdu I stared minute deciphering No Wearing Shalwar Kameez Pool I bring bathing fortunately dozen pairs shorts hooks poolside everyone share Most elastic waistbands stretched middle I second might trick evening jasmine necklace tradition Eventually Zargar found couple pairs khaki shorts drawstring After stood around drying communal towels available I noticed stack movie posters leaning against outside Most bright colorful burly flexing muscles holding dripping blood Is there cinema nearby I asked Zargar Yea right guesthouse answered There three Bannu I thought about people I slamabad losing sleep prospect Taliban ization movie theater Islamabad A woman burqa holds burned three years Islamists rebuilt Here Bannu called Islamic State Waziristan there three Adding irony outside front guesthouse black white striped Jamiat Ulema Islam JUI fluttering morning breeze The JUI influential Islamist parties Pakistan unflagging supporter Taliban government level grassroots level since power Afghanistan during 1990s Initially majority Taliban leadership including Mullah Omar graduated JUI madrassas Pakistan Then Secretary General JUI Maulana Fazlur Rahman tapped important foreign policy Prime Minister Benaz Bhutto government From there lobbied funds helped burgeoning Taliban movement eventually national confined southeastern Afghanistan Later Taliban military paigns northern Afghanistan exhausted their power several JUI madrassas closed encouraged their students fight alongside Talibs Today JUI wields enormous power Pash communities In parliamentary elections joined other Islamist parties Mut tahida Majlis Amal MMA It campaigned American Taliban platform easily majority provincial assemblies Baluch istan North West Frontier Province Shortly after taking power provincial assembly NWFP formed special council advise provincial government proper implementation sharia Before passed banning music public places On Islamabad Peshawar movie switched entering NWFP Punjab On sides highway newly posted street signs display religious moral thought Some benign Don hello Salaam Alaikum Smile religious others biting promises Jihad continue until doomsday Perhaps controversial legislation MMA government NWFP tried authorizing Orwellian sounding De partment Promotion Virtue Prevention Vice would tandem local authorities behave religious police The Taliban Saudi Arabia still Ministry Promotion Virtue Prevention Vice likely inspired MMA proposed legislation The JUI standing relationship Taliban known affinity Taliban ideas question whether provincial government interested curbing Dr Fazal Rahim Murwat University Peshawar terms Talibanization Pakistan Dr Murwat think Taliban Waziristan INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS cilitated MMA government The presence MMA fostering ideological tendencies Taliban Just these billboards added referring female faces billboards either covered black cloth sprayed paint Is Talibanization understood movement metastasizing cancer lawless tribal areas phenomenon emanating chambers provincial assembly Peshawar TWO DAYS AFTER MY Bannu I Peshawar where I spoke Mohammad Jalalud Din influential member Jamiat Ulema Islam Jalalud Din speaks perfect English Political Secretary Maulana Fazlur Rahman chief JUI before being Pakistani Ambassad Niger He keeps beard short I asked reacts people crisis Waziristan directly linked JUI issued statements condemning Taliban activities there We condemning these things because government hearing We spectators This crisis between inhabitants tribal areas central government But sympathetic whole tribal because voted Now Jalalud Din continued situation changing You whole tribal These disturbances engulfed settled areas tremists holding ground The mechanism military action West govern Pakistan working We these results Bannu I explained Bannu street scenes I served seemed match every description I about street scenes during Taliban Afghanistan What difference I asked between political religious vision JUI political religious vision Taliban Jalalud Din explained difference style We elected people choice power force But another election slated sometime questions popping about JUI Taliban electoral benefit Will leading party members Maulana Fazlur Rahman recog potential fallout associating party groups carrying public executions Talibs contained tribal areas Is feasible Does Rahman still wield influence Taliban commanders Or might JUI incor porate Taliban leaders electoral slate validating Taliban under guise democracy Provincial politics North West Frontier Province FATA weren always For decad Islamist parties JUI checked rivaled Awami National Party ANP secular outfit championing rights Pashtuns At points throughout history ANP clamored total independence Pakistan The party ideologues contend Pashtuns Afghans One afternoon Zargar I house Lateef Afridi member ANP Central Executive Committee former Member NationalAssembly tribesman Khyber agency We drawing Afridi private In Afridi towering stringy slicked squinty constantly staring upright chair while younger fellow perhaps early relaxed The splayed Shuja malik tribal Bajaur agency former MNA candidate himself His story exemplifies pitfalls being secular American politi NWFP these In elections ANP ticket claims rigged election MMA candidate A months American Ambassador Islamabad This earned designation being tagged American lackey within several missiles fired bedroom window Luckily shrug I house Several AK leaned against where Afridi Shuja Zargar I sitting I asked Afridi whether situation tribal areas could edied settled peacefully He shook forth The whole system disrupted power traditional secular politicians decline Afridi pointed Shuja whose tribal title argued should badge respect target He faulted state Economic independence bondage Islam Army three factors keeping Pakistan together I presse threat posed Taliban Like Shamroz looked I questioned ability defend himself We raise people months bragged We could really mobilized resources At moment thoughts drifted stories I heard Bannu about avenging sister death taking joining Talibs mountains Could ANP possibly match number Taliban being created recruited daily Every death avenged This blood cheap think One creates hundreds avengers Is every farmer today I wondered really potential Taliban fighter tomorrow I asked Afridi considering Pukhtunwali honor thousands Pashtuns being violated daily Pakistan Army Waziristan If there genuine federation perpetually ruled religion consider being Pakistan He fingers through strand shimmering silver pursed continued But I think reality I bleak Institute Fellows chosen basis character previous experience promise They young professionals funded spend minimum twoyears carrying designedprograms study writing outside United States The Fellows required report their findings experiencesfrom field month They write subject formally informally The result unique reporting analysis periodic assessment interna tional events issues Author Schmidle NicholasTitle ICWA Letters South Asia ISSN Imprint Institute Current World Affairs Hanover NHMaterial Type Serial Language EnglishFrequency MonthlyOther Regions East Asia The Americas Mideast North Africa Sub Saharan Africa Europe Russ ICWALetters ISSN published Institute Current World Affairs Inc operating foundation incorpo rated New York State offices located West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 The letters provided charge members ICWA available librar professional researchers subscription Phone Fax E Mail valley Web address Executive Director Steven Butler Program Assistant Brent Jacobson Administrative Publications Manager Ellen Kozak Institute Current World Affairs The Crane Rogers Foun dation The Information contained publication reprinted republished without express written consent Institute Current World Affairs