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The Taliban and al Qaeda continue to conduct their violent insurgency in Pakistan's Northwest Frontier Province, and beyond. The desired state, which has been outlined by the actions of the Taliban and statements by al Qaeda, is the overthrow of the Pakistani government. The latest attack occurred in the settled district of Bannu in the Northwest Frontier Province. A Taliban suicide bomber riding a rickshaw attacked a bus stop in Afsar Chowk. Sixteen were killed, including four police, and 31 were wounded in the strike. The Taliban are attacking President Pervez Musharraf's hold on political and military power in Pakistan....

Helicopter Crash Kills Four Musharraf Escorts (Islamabad) -- A convoy escorting Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf crashed during the leader's visit to Kashmir today killing four Pakistani soldiers. An Army spokesperson said General Musharraf was on his way to a memorial marking the second anniversary of an earthquake in the area. He had travelled ahead of the convoy in a second helicopter and was unharmed. Army officials have confirmed that retired Major General Rashid Qureshi was injured in the crash. Officials attributed the reason for the crash to technical difficulties and not a militant attack.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - At least 65 pro-Taliban militants and 25 Pakistani soldiers were killed in new clashes in Pakistan's North Waziristan on Monday, the military said. Around 65 militants and 20 soldiers were killed in battles in the tribal region on the Afghan border on Saturday and Sunday. Military spokesman Waheed Arshad said there had been more fighting in the region on Monday. "Today, we recovered 25 more bodies of our soldiers from different areas and we have reports that 130 militants were killed in three days."

LAHORE, Pakistan -- A Pakistan military helicopter that was escorting Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, crashed in Pakistan-held Kashmir Monday, killing at least four people, according to Pakistan Army and intelligence sources. Musharraf was not on board the helicopter, and he arrived safely at his destination, the officials said. They added that along with the four security officers who died, the presidential press secretary, Rashid Qureshi, and several other people were seriously injured.

SUPPORT NETWORK IN PAKISTAN ACCUSED OF HELPING TALIBAN, OTHERS SNEAK ACROSS BORDER TO ATTACK U.S. BY JAMES RUPERT | james.rupert@newsday.com October 7, 2007 SHEKHANANDEH, PakistanThe stocky, bearded man they call the Subidar is an encyclopedia of the jagged mountains and insular tribes here along Pakistan's northwestern border. As a retired career officer now on contract to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI), he would be just the man to enforce his government's declared policy: to stop Taliban and allied guerrillas from crossing into Afghanistan to attack U.S. troops. But the Subidar's mission is just the opposite, say U.S., Afghan and Pakistani...

Pervez Musharraf has secured an overwhelming majority in Pakistan’s presidential elections, bringing a new five year term within reach of the 64 year old army chief. If his victory is confirmed, Musharraf, who seized power in 1999 coup and later became a key ally in the US war on terror, stands to become Pakistan’s longest-serving ruler. Workers of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Q) thronged the front lawn of the president’s palace in Islamabad at dusk on Saturday, dancing to the beat of drums and shooting firecrackers. Cries of ‘long live Musharraf’ and ‘Pakistan is stronger under Musharraf’ resounded down...

WANA, Oct 4: Mutilated bodies of three of the soldiers kidnapped in South Waziristan on August 30 were found in the adjacent Frontier Region of Jandola on Thursday. Army spokesman Maj-Gen Waheed Arshad termed the killing of the soldiers a ‘cowardly and barbaric act’. “This is a terrorist act and the perpetrators will not go unpunished,” he told Dawn from Islamabad. He said security forces were assessing the situation and would take action in keeping with the new development. Over 250 security forces personnel, including eight officers, had been made hostage in the Momi Karam area of South Waziristan by...

MIRANSHAH, Pakistan — At least 26 people including four civilians were killed on Sunday in clashes between militants and soldiers in Pakistan's restive tribal areas, the military and residents said. Security forces launched an attack against militant bases and hide-outs in the restive North Waziristan region bordering Afghanistan, military spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad said. At least 20 militants and two soldiers were killed in the fighting in a mountainous area south of the town of Mir Ali, Arshad said. Six soldiers and 15 militants were wounded. "We got this information by intercepting the militants' own communications," the general said....

Pakistani militants gain ground in restive areas By Isambard Wilkinson in Tank Last Updated: 1:52am BST 08/10/2007 Pakistani militants with links to al-Qa'eda and the Taliban have extended their territory beyond their stronghold in the lawless tribal areas while the political elite are squabbling over governing the country. Supporters of Gen Musharraf celebrate his election win Fighters have overrun security outposts, established "parallel" local governments and recruited suicide bombers from secular schools in areas nominally under government control in the North West Frontier Province. Western diplomats maintain that a six-month-long political crisis, sparked by President Pervez Musharraf's struggle to extend...