Author: PTI
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: May 9, 2009
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/174980/Taliban-vows-to-eliminate-Pakistans-top-leadership.html
Angered by Pakistan Government's decision
to launch an all out war against them, the Taliban has vowed to "eliminate"
country's top leadership including President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister
Yousuf Raza Gilani and their close family members.
"We thought that being a member of a
religious family, Gilani will support our demand of implementing Sharia in
the Malakand division but instead he has announced an all-out war against
us, which has angered our commanders as well as fighters," an unnamed
Taliban commander told The News daily.
The militant commander, who spoke to the newspaper
by phone, said after Gilani declared during an address to the nation on Thursday
that the Taliban would be wiped out from the Swat Valley and adjoining areas,
the militants had started planning to "eliminate the top leaders of the
ruling alliance, including President, Prime Minister and their close family
members and aides".
The commander said Gilani's hometown of Multan
and tomb of former premier Benazir Bhutto might also be targeted by the militants.
"Besides, the personnel and installations
of security forces, we have now also included civilian rulers in our hit list.
We will definitely need some time to plan our actions but it is not impossible
for us and we have all the means to implement our plan of attack anywhere
in Pakistan," he claimed.
