Terrorised by Taliban tribals scoff Pak Army's 'war is over' claims

London, Apr.21 (ANI): Local residents in Pakistan's tribal regions, where the Army had initiated an all out offensive against the Taliban and other extremist groups last year, are still living in fear despite claims that the militants have been flushed out.

While the Pakistan Army has been claiming huge success against the Taliban and said that things were fast returning to normal in the rugged terrains, people here are still terrorised by the outlawed militant group, which clearly suggests that the 'war in not over'.

"People are very intimidated. They have been terrorised by the Taliban. They are scared to go out at night. They are scared to speak. The war is not over," The Times quoted a former army officer Khalid Munir, as saying.

The tribal region close to the Afghan border has witnessed a sudden increase in army's action and terror strikes over the past fortnight.

A few days ago over 70 people, mostly civilians, were killed in an air raid by the air force. Nearly 45 people were killed in a suicide attack in Kohat last week.

Earlier this week, suicide bombers targeted a police station killing seven security officials. Another terror strike in a busy market place in Peshawar, the capital city of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) killed over 25 people.

The surge in violence certainly puts a question mark over the Pakistan Army's repeated remark that normalcy in returning in the tribal region, and also suggests that they are nowhere near to being defeated. (ANI)