|
|
|
 > |
FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
|
|
It is in the breaking news sidebar! |
|
Posted on 07/17/2003 12:57:22 PM PDT by knighthawk
QUETTA: Unknown gunmen shot and killed a former Taliban commander on Thursday, according to one of Pakistan's pro-Taliban lawmakers.
Maulana Noor Mohammed, a member of Pakistan's federal Parliament, identified the dead leader as Raz Mohammed.
"He was a long-time, brave commander of the Taliban," he said. "We are sad about his death."
Maulana Noor Mohammed belongs to an alliance of six religious parties that makes up the main opposition in Parliament.
The religious alliance rules in two of Pakistan's four provinces. It forms the government in the North West Frontier Province and shares power in southwestern Baluchistan province, of which Quetta is the capital.
"We demand the government provide security to the Taliban who are here," Mohammed said.
Afghanistan has expressed concern that former Taliban leaders are using Pakistan as a base to launch attacks against the government of President Hamid Karzai.
Karzai has called upon Pakistan to arrest and hand over Taliban leaders, though he said the Taliban's foot soldiers would not be considered enemies.
It's not known how significant Raz Mohammed was in the Taliban movement. Former Taliban government officials told The Associated Press that Mohammed was a low-level Taliban.
Mohammed was shot and killed when he left his home in Quetta's Pashtunabad neighborhood, said police spokesman, Mohammed Tariq.
|
|
|
|
> |
FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
|
|
It is in the breaking news sidebar! |
|
Is this demand for Pakistani consumption or for Western consumption?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.