Taliban Outlawed in Pakistan
A fresh escalation in an already serious security situation in Pakistan has prompted the government to ban the Taliban. The step goes beyond those taken by former President Pervez Musharraf during his almost nine years in power. The decision to outlaw the Taliban marks a shift in strategy for Islamabad. Since taking office after legislative elections last February, the central government of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the NWFP provincial government have pursued a sporadic, and controversial, policy of negotiating with militants.