Homeless in northwest Pakistan
Kacha Gari refugee camp near Peshawar, Dec. 7, 2008 Pakistan has engaged in its own “war on terror” against Islamist militants in the northwest part of the country. The collateral damage: at least 450,000 Pakistanis forced from their homes, according to the UNHCR. In Swat Valley, meanwhile, the Taliban effectively controls the region (sharia courts started ...
Pakistan has engaged in its own "war on terror" against Islamist militants in the northwest part of the country. The collateral damage: at least 450,000 Pakistanis forced from their homes, according to the UNHCR. In Swat Valley, meanwhile, the Taliban effectively controls the region (sharia courts started operating last week), prompting many to flee to camps for internally displaced persons. Increasingly, the people of Swat are having to choose: Taliban or tents.
The fighting and the plight of displaced Pakistani civilians are the subject of this week’s FP photo essay: “Pakistan’s New Homeless.”
Meanwhile, the New York Times reports that U.S. government sources say that the Taliban in Afghanistan is getting “direct support” from members of Pakistan’s military intelligence agency. A spokesman for Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, however, dismissed the report as “sensational journalism.”
For other FP photo essays, check out:
-
Spring Break Gone Wrong?
-
Baghdad’s Back, Six Years After the Invasion
-
Abu Ghraib’s Extreme Makeover
-
India’s Real-World Slumdogs
-
Gaza’s (Literal) Underground Economy
Photo: TARIQ MAHMOOD/AFP/Getty Images
More from Foreign Policy
A New Multilateralism
How the United States can rejuvenate the global institutions it created.
America Prepares for a Pacific War With China It Doesn’t Want
Embedded with U.S. forces in the Pacific, I saw the dilemmas of deterrence firsthand.
The Endless Frustration of Chinese Diplomacy
Beijing’s representatives are always scared they could be the next to vanish.
The End of America’s Middle East
The region’s four major countries have all forfeited Washington’s trust.
Sign up for World Brief
FP’s flagship evening newsletter guiding you through the most important world stories of the day. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.