Pakistan criticized for al Qaeda efforts

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a sharp rebuke of Pakistan's efforts against al Qaeda. Speaking to a group a Pakistani journalist while on a fence-mending tour of the country, Clinton said she found it "hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to." Though the main purpose of her visit was to improve strained relations, Clinton also criticized Pakistan's military establishment and tax practices. Mrs. Clinton's tour of Pakistan comes at a time of heavy criticism of U.S. drone strikes in the western region of Pakistan which some believe violate Pakistan's sovereignty. Read more at the Los Angeles Times.

Tighter Links Between Pakistani Militant Groups

Punjabi militant groups, including Laskar-e-Jhangvi and Jaish-e-Muhammad, once thought by many Pakistanis as allies against India, the United States, and Shiite Muslims, may have strengthened ties with Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

Tehrik-e-Taliban, the main Taliban militant umbrella group in Pakistan, with aims to overthrow the Pakistani government, showed in recent coordinated attacks in Lahore and Rawalpindi that it is starting to coordinate closely with Al Qaeda and the Punjabi militant groups, in an effort to overthrow the Pakistani government. Such a combination poses grave danger to stability in the country.

Read more at NYTimes.com

Pakistani soldiers emersed in fight against Taliban and Al Qaeda

The Mehsud tribal territory of Pakistan is known as one of the regions most difficult to deal with. Pakistani soldiers have been immersed in a fight with the Taliban and Al Qaeda in the region and have lost several troops recently. But, there is hope as Pakistan has garnered deals with new allies. To read more, click here NYTimes.