Taliban Furthering its Reach into Pakistan

Nahool Toosi at the Associated Press reports “Taliban militants from Pakistan’s Swat Valley are tightening their grip on a neighboring northwest district [Buner] closer to the capital – patrolling roads, broadcasting sermons and spreading fear in another sign that a government-backed peace deal has emboldened the extremists to spread their reign.” Provincial leaders in Buner have warned that authorities will take action if the militants do not leave.

In light of this, Matt Yglesias argues that “it’s increasingly becoming clear that the ‘Pak’ side of the ‘Af-Pak’ equation is a more objectively troubling situation. Pakistan has nuclear weapons and even besides the nukes is a fairly large and important country.” Also troubling are remarks by Muslim Khan, spokesman for the militants, in which he stated that Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda are welcome in the region and the militants would “help them and protect them.” Meanwhile, a Financical Times editorial stresses that “Pakistan must stop appeasing jihadism…[and] there is no way forward without rebuilding Pakistan’s institutions, in particular a policing and justice system under the rule of law.”