Pakistan: A new wave of attacks?
We discuss if Pakistan is paying the price for battles waged by the US in the region.
The Pakistani Taliban have claimed responsibility for an attack on the US consulate in Peshawar on Monday.
The consulate is considered one of the most highly guarded buildings in the region – the assault on it included armed men and two car bombs.
One of the car bombs exploded at a checkpoint 50 metres away from the consulate. The other detonated closer to the consulate gates.
No Americans were hurt in the incident but at least six Pakistanis were killed including four of the attackers.
The leader of the Taliban in Pakistan said that Americans were their enemies and that they would carry out further similar attacks.
The assault came on the same day a suicide bomber killed at least 44 people at a political rally in Lower Dir district.
Observers have speculated that the attacks could be in revenge for US drone bombings targeting Taliban fighters in the Swat valley. The unmanned planes that drop bombs and have been criticised for killing civilians.
Is Pakistan paying the price for battles waged by the US in the region?
Inside Story presenter Nick Clark discusses with guests Imtiaz Alam, the editor of the South Asia Journal, Muhammad Idrees Ahmad, a sociologist based at the University of Strathclydeand the co-editor of Pulsemedia.org, and Richard Weitz, a fellow at the Hudson Institute.
This episode of Inside Story aired from Tuesday, April 6, 2010.