Pakistan 'In the Hands of the Taliban'

Pakistan is now in the hands of the Taliban,” said the Rev. Bonnie Mendes, the outgoing head of Caritas Asia. “They have become even stronger, even after the death of Bin Laden. And they enjoy the consensus of large segments of the population. The ordinary citizen, the average Muslim Pakistani, is very angry with the government, the United States and NATO, and this is why they look favorably on the actions of the Taliban groups,” said Father Mendes, who comes from Faisalabad. His observations came a day after a Taliban attack in Karachi on a military base that ended after a 12-hour siege with 11 dead. It was the third attack on a Pakistani military target within a month. Father Mendes warned that the assault “shows that the Taliban groups, after the death of Bin Laden, have not been discouraged or disheartened, but instead they have given proof of their strength and firmness.”