Pakistan In Jeopardy Of Losing Entire NWFP To The Taliban

Pakistani security forces are backed up against the proverbial wall in the violent North West Frontier Provinces of Pakistan and it really doesn't look good. The Taliban have made more and more inroads in the region and as usual, the Pakistani security forces have begun fighting with the hearts of mice.

Here's some details from the article at TimesOnline:

Pakistan’s battle against the Taleban threatened to spiral out of control yesterday after Islamic militants extended their grip in the lawless North West Frontier region.
Emboldened by an increasingly weakened and demoralised security force, Taleban fighters moved in to the outskirts of the provincial capital. Peshawar, surrounding the city and placing it virtually under siege.

With Peshawar under siege, it's apparent that the Pakistani security forces will probably cave in totally and the consequences of all of this are immense. With the North West Frontier areas in total control of the Taliban, we will almost see a new autonomous country set up in this area of Pakistan.

One might argue that this was precipitated by the peace talks and agreements brought forward by the Pakistani government. Many experts warned the Pakistani government against those talks and giving in to the Taliban and Mehsud but of course, they didn't listen and now they are going to pay a steep, steep price.

Taleban 'siege' of Peshawar threatens Pakistan's grip

Army troops have increased patrols in the garrison areas and paramilitary soldiers carrying machineguns are posted at government buildings. But senior security officials said that militants, who now control the region’s main arterial roads, were in a position to cut off communications at will.
Police on the city’s outskirts have long given up patrolling at night for fear of attacks by militants, who are organised under the banner of Tehrik-e-Taleban, the group led by the notorious commander Baitullah Mehsud. Several officers have been killed in rocket attacks on police posts in recent months. “It is a highly alarming situation,” said a senior provincial government official.

The Taleban raided the main government hospital in the heart of the city last week, kidnapping 16 Christians and taking them to the Khyber Agency tribal region outside Peshawar. Although they were freed after a few hours, the incident heightened fears among non-Muslims.
The Khyber Agency, the supply route for Nato forces in Afghanistan, has emerged as the new centre of Taleban activity. Ambushes on convoys have become more frequent.
Yesterday security forces said that they had found the bodies of 22 men who were captured by militants this week and executed after summary trial. Taleban fighters also abducted and killed six thieves and kidnappers in the Orakzai area near Peshawar.
On Sunday militants kidnapped 15 paramilitary soldiers after raiding a checkpoint in the tribal belt only a few miles from the city. The attack occurred hours after security forces in the area foiled a suicide attack involving a teenager.
Tehrik-e-Taleban has virtually established control not only in the tribal areas, but also in several key cities of the North West Frontier Province.
Mr Mehsud, the Tehrik-e-Taleban leader described by Western intelligence agencies as one of the world’s most dangerous terrorists, has been blamed by Pakistan for masterminding most of the country’s suicide attacks last year.