Taliban Declares Judicial Independence In Swat

[sabra]

Source: CBS News

The Taliban cleric in charge of Pakistan's Swat Valley has declared the area judicially independent from the country's federal government.

Sufi Mohammad said Wednesday that Islamic law, or Shariah, decisions handed down by militants in the mountainous region will not be subject to appeal or overrule by the Pakistani Supreme Court or any other avenue of appeal in the justice system, reports CBS News' Farhan Bokhari.

"The appointment of qazis (Islamic judges) will be followed by the creation of a darul qaza (Islamic high court). Any decisions made by these two (institutions) will not be subject to challenge in any Pakistani high court or Supreme Court," said Mohammad.

It was a direct challenge to the government just days after lawmakers and President Asif Ali Zardari officially approved the implementation of Shariah law in Swat as a concession to the militants, who had waged a bloody battle against Paksitani security forces in the region for months. They agreed to lay down their arms if Islamic law was instituted.


Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/04/15/world/worldwatch/entry4945913.shtml

[cliffordu]

1. I'm thinking the Pakistani government really made a fine decision to let these

creeps have their own space....

[Igel]

4. It's not entirely as billed.

The trick to a lot of these agreements is undetermining exactly what's meant. You can agree over X because the details aren't spelled out.

"Islamic jurisprudence" means a lot of different things. To the Taliban, Mr. Sufi whats-his-name and God's Mercy "whip-'m until they're righteous Fazlullah", the agreement meant they were in charge, kick out the government. This is what they said they'd do: the government would have no power except to the extent it complied with the Taliban's ... er, Allah's ... er, the Taliban's ... edicts.

To Zardari and others, it seemed to mean that the government would appoint qadis. After all, there is a Pakistani Islamic court set up under the Constitution, which acknowledges Islam; qadis' decisions could be appealed to the supreme court.. So the two shouldn't be incompatible. This was what was discussed in the press as the implementation. The "writ of the government", it was said, would be restored.

Who knows what Sharif thought it would mean when his party helped force Zardari to capitulate. Probably he knew what it would mean, but assumes it doesn't matter--it'll weaken Zardari and his buddies would never turn on him after all he's done.

Did anybody here notice that the Red Mosque maulana was released on bail today? The press says a 3-judge panel of the Pak Supreme Court set bail, but doesn't name the judges. Probably those reappointed per Sharif's requests, but that's just my hunch.

Notice--two distinct, incompatible implementations called "implementing shari'a".

[Alamuti Lotus]

5. 'made a fine decision' implies that they have a choice either way

the students movement is much more powerful than the quisling regime in the areas in question; some government flunky saying "we recognize (x), we allow (y)" is nothing but meekly acknowledging what is already an accomplished fact on the ground.

[cliffordu]

6. My history here might suggest I was being veeeerrrrry cynical.....

Sorry if that didn't come through.....

And quislings is EXACTLY what they are.....

[ohio2007]

2. Pakistan says it can be 'role model' for Muslim world

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Pak-can-be-Muslim-worlds-role-model/articleshow/4406060.cms

which Pakistan? Old or new?

[bemildred]

3. Isn't this sort of like declaring independence or political autonomy? nt