Free Republic

Musharraf targets hate preachers as arrests mount By Simon Cameron-Moore Thu Jul 21, 2005 After a blitz of detentions of suspected militants and Islamists, Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf called for a holy war against preachers of hate and announced steps to curb militant Islamic schools and groups. Musharraf spoke on Thursday in a televised address to the nation, which was awaited with keen anticipation both at home and in Britain after revelations of Pakistani links to the July 7 bomb attacks on London that killed at least 56 people. "I urge you, my nation, to stand up and wage a...

Jaws dropped, mouths drooled, and knees chattered -- hai! Ram!!, kya ho gaya yaar -- he'd done it again.Just when it seemed, that Pakistan was ready for friendly behavior, Musharraf threatened us with a deadline on Kashmir. 'Yet another U-turn' screamed the headlines; analysts overnight came up with well-adjudged reasons for it all -- 'the MNNA status given to Pakistan by the US has made them more confident,' they claimed. But the reality is that Musharraf has been making these threats for quite a few weeks now. As Asia Times told us many weeks ago: 'Lieutenant General Shahid Aziz, Corps Commander...