THE people of Afghanistan and Pakistan have attached great expectations to reports of possible negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government authorities for the restoration of peace which is a basic need of the people of both countries … The … unrest in Afghanistan has directly affected the Pakistani people but even then they have extended full cooperation to the people of the neighbouring country and accommodated them as they are one nation. Now when the process of negotiation has been initiated to some extent and everyone is trying to bring an end to the ongoing bloodshed, the US should play its role effectively to resolve the long-standing issues permanently.

The unending conflict [with the Pakistani Taliban] has badly affected the lives of the people both in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata. Thousands have been displaced and are leading a very miserable life in camps.

…The killing of former senior minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour and many high-ranking police officials and other law-enforcement personnel are incidents which cannot be forgotten so easily. The war … has deprived many innocent children of education as hundreds of educational institutions have been blown up and people have been forced to stop sending their children to school. The recent incidents regarding attacks on workers of the anti-polio teams in parts of our country are worrisome … It is the duty of the government and nation to take a unified stand and overcome the menace of terrorism in the country. — (Jan 10)

Selection and translation by Ali Hazrat Bacha