Frontline Pakistan : The Struggle With Militant Islam - Arz-e-Pak

10
the siege
within
the return
oF the mullahs
t he House responded with a resounding ‘Amen’, as a blackturbaned
member prayed for the destruction of America. ‘Oh God,
punish those responsible for the killings of Muslims,’ he implored.
The newly elected legislative assembly of the North West Frontier
Province interrupted its opening session to pay homage to Aimal
Kansi, the Pakistani national who had been executed a week earlier in
America for killing two CIA officials. 1 For the Islamists he was a martyr.
Thousands of people attended his funeral in his home town, Quetta.
Pakistani parliamentary elections in October 2002 had swept
radical Islamists into power in the key border province. The success
of the MMA, the six-party conservative Islamic coalition, 2 came on
the wave of strong anti-American sentiments following US military
action in neighbouring Afghanistan. ‘It is a war between Islam and the
American infidel.’ This slogan instantly hit a chord with Pashtuns who
believed their ethnic brethren on the other side of the border were
being victimized by US forces and the US-supported administration
in Kabul. The Islamists also capitalized on anti-Musharraf feelings
stemming from his pro-US policies. They charged him with betraying
‘Afghan Muslims and siding with the infidels’. The Islamists openly
expressed solidarity with bin Laden and Mullah Omar. 3 The campaign