Taliban closes in on Pakistani city of Peshawar

Peshwar, a city of three million people may fall into the hands of militants loyal to Taliban. The city is encircled by Taliban militants from three sides.

New York times has reported that the city of Peshawar, capital of Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province may fall into the hands of extremists. Taliban fighters have extended their civil war to the outskirts of the city. The control over Peshawar, just 90 minutes by highway from the capital Islamabad will help the militants to control the entire North-West Frontier Province. The militants are already running a parallel government in several areas of the Province. Pakistani daily 'the news' reports

Haji Mangal Bagh Afridi controls most of what is west of Peshawar. Dara Adam Khel, a mere 35 kilometres south of Peshawar, is controlled by Baitullah Mehsud's loyalists. Charsadda and Shabqadar, both less than 30 kilometres north of Peshawar, are controlled by Commander Umar Khalid, TTP's (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) leader in Mohmand agency

. Fazlur Rehman, a member of the ruling coalition who hails from the city warns.

It’s just a matter of months before news comes that the entire NWFP has slipped out of control

. The residents of the city fear that the threat is imminent. Many of the rich families have already migrated to Dubai and other Gulf countries. Middle-class families are fleeing to other parts of Pakistan, and only the poor are left behind in the city.