Pakistani president admits Taliban has “huge” presence in Pakistan
February 14, 2009 by SAF Desk
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The Taliban has established itself across a large part of Pakistan, forcing the country to fight a war against the hard-line Islamist group that is about Pakistan’s own survival, President Asif Zardari told CBS News.
“(The Taliban) do have a presence in huge amounts of land in our side. Yes, that is the fact,” Zardari told “60 Minutes” in an interview to be broadcast on Sunday, excerpts of which were released on Friday.
U.S. President Barack Obama said this week there was no doubt terrorists were operating in safe havens in the tribal regions of Pakistan, and the United States wanted to make sure Islamabad was a strong ally in fighting that threat.
Obama and Zardari spoke by telephone on Wednesday, the Pakistani foreign ministry said. The two discussed the surge in violence by al Qaeda and the Taliban, which has stepped up its insurgency against U.S. forces and the Afghan government.
Zardari said Pakistan had been in denial about the Taliban in the past. “Our forces weren’t increased … . We have weaknesses and they are taking advantage of that weakness,” he said.
Another sign of changing attitudes is the increasing popularity of books, movies and documentaries that explore sex discrimination, rights advocates say.
“Women do not have a proper status in society,†said Mahnaz Mohammadi, a filmmaker. “Films are supposed to be a mirror of reality, and we make films to change the status quo.â€
In a recent movie, “All Women Are Angels,†a comedy that was at the top of the box office for weeks, a judge rejects the divorce plea of a woman who walked out on her husband when she found him with another woman.
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