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Pakistani militant groups uniting

* Experts say money, weapons continue to pour in as Punjab heads towards tipping point

Daily Times Monitor

WASHINGTON: The Lahore bombing is the latest sign, according to ABC News, that diverse militant groups from across the country are uniting.

The Taliban and Punjabi militant groups “are working hand in glove,” says Malik Iqbal, the former Lahore city police chief.

“Ultimately we’re going to reach a tipping point where the Taliban will have opened so many fronts in Punjab that it will be almost impossible for the army to deploy against so many fronts which are so distant from each other geographically,” says Ahmed Rashid.

US officials believe the Punjabi groups are stronger and more radical than ever.

Pakistani and US officials say Lashkar-e-Jhangvi teamed up with the Taliban to attack the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, as well as helping destroy Marriott Hotel in Islamabad last year.

“Police is not trained for this purpose. It’s a force against crime. It’s not a force against terrorism,” said Saud Aziz, the police chief in Multan.

Another problem is the inability to crack down on the militant groups, Aziz said.

US officials believe that the funding comes mainly from Arab states, especially Saudi Arabia. But they admit that despite efforts, they have not been able to convince the Saudis that their money is going to help fund terrorism.

“The money is pouring in. The money is there. The weapons are there. The philosophy is there,” one senior police officer in southern Punjab said, wishing to remain anonymous. “This is our problem. And we are not concentrating.”

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