Jan Achakzai

Pakistan Shias refuse to bury Quetta dead. More than 4,000 Shias in Balochistan capital hold sit-in to demand swift government action against armed Sunni groups. My take on Hazaras' killing in Balochistan in alJazeera package is online now: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2013/02/201321813486399438.html

Moulana Fazal Rahman, Head of Jamiat Ulema Islam, has gone to vist the Taliban's Office in Qatar, Doha. He has been invited by the Afgahn Taliban, according to reports in Pakistani press. Afghan Taliban's invitation to Moulana Fazal Rahman is  significnat, says politcal commentator Jan Achakzai in interview with the VOA Urdu (Here is the link for the interview):   Moulana visit to Doha significant: Jan Achakzai on VOA Urdu

Jan Achakzai, a political analyst who monitors FATA affairs very closely, said: "The PPA has encouraged political parties to boost their efforts for politicking," "Candidates from various agencies have already started using billboards, sloganeering, pamphlets, and openly showing their political affiliations." Achakzai believes that independent candidates will remain an important factor in the coming elections, but they will be under increasing pressure from opponents backed by political parties. Some independent politicians have already started lobbying for tickets from political parties. (Read more here). http://www.thefridaytimes.com/beta3/tft/article.php?issue=20130208&page=3

Pakistani Taliban’s umbrella group, the TTP has conditionally offered to hold negotiations. Ehsan Ullah Ehsan, the spokesman for the TTP, said the TTP had always been ready for negotiations. In a letter to renowned journalist/Anchorperson Saleem Safi, the TTP called for repeal of all laws in Pakistan which are repugnant to Islam and added that the Constitution should be amended in the light of the Quran and Sunnah. Later, Hakeemullah Masood, the TTP Chief, also conformed himself the offer. He also said that the Pakistani government was following foreign dictates and talks would only be possible if the government would have the authority to hold them freely and end participation in the US’s war in Afghanistan. On of the main coalition partners, the ANP’s response was a cautious welcome: the chief of the ANP, Asfanyar Wali Khan, said that talks with the TTP were possible if they renounced violence. The governmnet’s reaction was ambivalent: it initially dismissed the offer by respond...