Since the recent invasion of the South Waziristan Agency, militants have been launching an ever growing number of high profile attacks, hitting many government targets but also taking a rising toll on Pakistan’s civilian population.
The most recent string of bombings hit in and around the major city of Peshawar, which caused hundreds of civilian casualties in crowded marketplaces. Though Peshawar hasn’t had any direct fighting, it has had to cope with influxes of millions of refugees, and has also seen many attacks.
Locals are asking why they are becoming such a common target, and some are annoyed that the government continues to expand the operations, from tiny Bajaur to the Swat Valley, and now to South Waziristan, giving the sense that the nation is in an unending war.
The government has been launching crackdowns in the capital region lately, ostensibly in reaction to a pair of high profile militant attacks. But even that has netted hundreds of “suspicious persons” for charges like having banned alcohol or illegal cell phone SIMs.
The Pakistan government is paid by the US to attack their own people in their homes and make them refugees. Why would the same government not be responsible for attacking the same refugees after they flee their homes?
Saying that Pakistanis pay a heavy price is the understatement of the decade.
Our lives, our country, our future, everything has been destroyed.
Thank you America for destroying our country. All we wanted was to help you defeat the Soviet Union in the 80's and develop and long term friendship with you. And now that we hate you, please do us a favour, and don't blame us, blame your policies.
The official narrative is that Bush the Dumber made a mess of things and that Obama the Wonderful was elected to repair the damage. To suggest that to the average Pakistani would probably get you a punch in the nose.
Reality is making itself known. Even for a mindless bobble-head in the mainstream media, it must be hard to deny that foreign policy has not changed with the new administration. The wars continue and even expand, and the slaughter of innocent people is increasing. There is no victory to be had in the Middle East. Our leaders cannot even define what victory is.
We're being led by ignorant morons. We are so screwed.
ummm.. only one problem. Pakistan is part of South Asia, not middle east
Pakistanis are too quick to blame the US, why don't they blame their own governments. The sycophants of Pakistani ruling-class support the policies of the worst of the American neocons. Had Pakistan refused to participate in this so-called global-war-on-terror the US would have left Afghanistan a long time ago. Pakistan's refusal would have helped the saner elements of the Bush administration to take control of the foreign policy. Even Collin Powell was surprised when Musharraf accepted all of the American demands.
Pakistan govt taking its share of blame is correct as far as it goes. What often gets overlooked however, is that when the US presents countries like Pakistan with a choice, the option that displeases the US has considerable costs that may be even more horrendous that just going along. What those costs are i don't know, but they've got to be substantial
"Had Pakistan refused to participate in this so-called global-war-on-terror the US would have left Afghanistan a long time ago"
You might not remember this. But as a Pakistani I can't forget.
Musharraf was threatened that Pakistan would be "bombed back to the stone age"
Pakistan didn't really have a choice.
As for our own governments, yes we blame them. But we also blame America for supporting our government. Zardari slowly destroying Pakistan(as if there's anything left to destroy), but we cant do anything about it. People are afraid of Americas reaction.