South Asia Tracker 26.10.12

Pakistan:

UPI: Unidentified militants detonated an explosive device outside the Awami National Party headquarters in Peshawar. No one was hurt. “The attack took occurred amidst of the end of the Durga Puja festival and hundreds of people were present as a result of the festivities, police said. Following the attacks additional police and paramilitary forces were sent from district headquarters.”

Tribune: The dangers posed by sectarian violence in Baluchistan, Pakistan, have spurred an exodus abroad. “In the past year, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a Sunni extremist group, has turned Quetta into a hunting ground. Gunmen shoot Hazaras every few days while leaflets shoved under doorways warn they are infidels deserving of death.

Thousands choose to face the ocean’s terrors rather than risk an encounter with the death squads stalking their city’s streets.”

Times of India: Pakistani exfiltration through the Indo-Nepal border is increasingly markedly, raising considerable security concerns. “Pakistan is sneaking an increasing number of infiltrators through the porous Indo-Nepal border using four little known gateways in the Terai region along the western border. This year, 107 men and 43 women infiltrated through the Nepal border till October, reliable sources told TOI. The 2012 count is the highest in the last five years.”

Afghanistan:

BBC: A suicide bomb attack has killed at least 41 at a mosque in Faryab province, Afghanistan. “A suicide bomber targeted worshippers who had gathered at a mosque in north Afghanistan for prayers to mark Eid al-Adha, killing at least 41 people.

More than 50 people were wounded in the attack, which happened as people were leaving the mosque in Maymana, capital of Faryab province.

Senior provincial government and police officials attended the prayers, but appeared to escape serious injury.

The victims were mainly civilians and police officers.”

Irish Times: Afghan citizens are fearful of a Taliban resurgence following the exit of foreign forces. “With the future so uncertain, and the economy faltering, the abandonment of Afghanistan has begun, with the middle classes and business community preparing to flee. Safi admits to having started a business in Dubai, “just in case”. Many others have already bought homes abroad, and moved eye-watering amounts of money out of the country. In 2011, $4.6 billion in cash was legally exported through Kabul airport. Who knows how much more was brought out illegally, in aircraft, cars and on the backs of donkeys.”

India:

Times of India: As part of a Government drive to reach out to people in Naxal heartlands, ‘jingles’ are being produced for radio to highlight “how Maoists’ activities are detrimental to growth”, and how their areas have been deprived due to the Naxal presence. Running from September through November, the plan will be evaluated for impact and may, possibly with private support, be restarted in months that follow. The campaign may also be backed by posters, advertisements, and short informational films.

The Diplomat: India is to appoint three new chiefs to its three primary intelligence agencies in the coming days: the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the Intelligence Bureau (IB), and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Whilst the RAW focuses on external intelligence-gathering, in the manner of the US’ CIA, the IB is mandated to manage internal intelligence-gathering, whilst the CBI parallels the US’ investigative, domestic-focused FBI. As the agency involved in the investigation of India’s frequent public scandals, the CBI appointment in particular is seen as highly political.

Myanmar:

The Hindu: Myanmar’s Government has “appealed for peace in the Western state of Rakhine” as Rakhine Buddhists have engaged in mob violence with Muslim Rohingya, seeing entire villages torched. Curfews are in place, but aside from segregation, measures taken to date appear to have had little effect upon levels of violence.

“The long-brewing conflict is rooted in a dispute over the Muslim residents’ origin. Although many Rohingya have lived in Myanmar for generations, they are widely denigrated as intruders who came from neighbouring Bangladesh to steal scarce land.”