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Assignment: Hunting the Taliban

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Hunting The Taliban

20/11/2014

Hunting the Taliban

BBC World Service - Assignment, Hunting the Taliban

In Pakistan’s port city Karachi, police are fighting a desperate war against the Taliban

In Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest city, police are fighting an increasingly desperate war against the Taliban. Every day an officer is killed in the struggle.

Mobeen Azhar reports from Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest city, where police are at war with the Taliban. Given rare access to the work of the police by a Senior Superintendent in Karachi's Criminal Investigation Department, Mobeen join officers on a night time raid in search of the men who train suicide bombers. He meets a suspect in custody who brags about planting bombs and describes how he urges teenage boys to sacrifice theirs lives in violent jihad. Mobeen also talks to a businessman who was kidnapped for ransom and meets the families of police officers who have been killed by the militants. 

Assassinations linked to political parties have blighted the city for over a decade but today, more than 70 groups representing the militant Taliban are also fighting for control. This guerrilla war, once confined to the tribal belt of Waziristan has moved into Karachi with devastating results. 

(Some listeners may find some of this content upsetting)

Produced by Lucy Ash

(Photo: Police in Karachi, are struggling with more than 70 groups linked to the Taliban. Credit: Mobeen Azhar)

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