A strange thing happened this week. Hundreds of villagers in Pakistan’s Northwest turned on Taleban fighters after an attack on a mosque killed more than 40 worshippers during the Friday prayers.
As Pakistani Army cracks down on the militants in an offensive that has also killed hundreds of innocent people and displaced nearly two million, ordinary people have launched their own war on the forces that have brought so much misery and destruction to their beautiful land.
After the mosque attack in Upper Dir district, tribesmen attacked the battle-hardened Taleban in their own strongholds, forcing them to run for their lives. The villagers have also formed a militia to deal with the menace that has destroyed the region often compared to Switzerland.
The tribesmen are helping the military and civilian authorities take control of the area, as they rally around the slogan, Pakistan jaag gaya hai! (Pakistan has woken up!). What’s going on? Clearly, Taleban chickens have come home to roost. Tide is finally turning against the militants in their own backyard. Read more.