Pakistan's internal struggle over militants

Police confiscated at least 700 illegal collection boxes from marketplaces, along with the 200 alleged activists arrested for violating restrictions on weapons and political activity. The laws, enacted in February by Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider, ban open displays of weapons and promise to prosecute anyone with the easy-to-buy unlicensed weapons manufactured in Pakistan's autonomous northern tribal areas. Mr. Haider banned even state-sanctioned militant groups from raising funds in marketplaces and mosques.

Abdullah Muntazar, a spokesman for Lashkar-e-Taiba, told Reuters news agency that the government was trying to appease Western nations, including the US. "We ask the government not to invite the wrath of God by taking such actions against the Mujahideen ... such moves will only inspire us more," Mr. Muntazar said.

For his part, President Musharraf has taken a personal interest in restoring law and order. In a speech last week on Pakistan's independence day, Musharraf announced the ban on the two sectarian groups, adding that internal disunity was "eating us up like termites."

While the Musharraf government has drawn mild praise for its tough words, Western diplomats remain unimpressed by the results. "When the Musharraf government came in [in October, 1999], there was a commitment made, particularly in deweaponization, and that was laudable," says one Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. "But in terms of reining in religious extremist groups, the record is mixed."

For their part, Pakistan's loose network of militant groups say they have no intention of fading away. As long as there is a jihad to be fought in nearby India, or Afghanistan, or even as far away as North Africa or the Philippines, militant leaders say there will be Pakistanis willing to give money or their own lives for the cause.

"Frankly, we support the government on the deweaponization plan and we believe in restoring law and order, because no one should carry an unlicensed weapon," says Yahya Mujahid, chief spokesman for Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, a Pakistan-based militant group that has claimed responsibility for suicide bomb attacks in New Delhi and in Kashmir. "But about fundraising, we are engaged in discussions with the government. They cannot impose their will on us."

Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islami, a powerful religious group that mentored future leaders of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban and now maintains ties to the Kashmiri militant group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, says Pakistan's crackdown is based on a misunderstanding. "We are surprised that the spirit of holy war is being dubbed as terrorism by America and the West and the government of Pakistan," says Maulana Rehman, a prominent Islamic scholar.

"Muslims wage jihad only when it is needed. When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, the Muslims waged jihad. When the British occupied the subcontinent, the people went on a freedom struggle. If India is imposing its forces in Kashmir, the people are defending themselves," he says.

"If all these fighting will stop, we will absolutely take rest, and then the world will be at peace," Rehman says. His surrounding coterie of assistants and followers nod their assent.

Down at the Islamabad supermarket, Muhammad Munir, a fruit seller, says Pakistan's government is welcome to bring law and order to Pakistan, but any effort to rein in Kashmiri "freedom fighters," as he calls them, will inevitably fail.

"The struggle and the fundraising will continue, because it is Allah's mighty order that it will continue," says Mr. Munir. "We not only support the jihad in Kashmir," he adds, jutting his jaw at an American visitor. "We also want Americans to become Muslims and to join the fight, because we want them to enter paradise."

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