Reuter reported today
the journalists and diplomats, most of whom spent well over an hour climbing steep slopes to get to the madrasa in the Jaba village area near the town of Balakot, didn't get enough time to make any kind of informed assessment.
They were mostly restricted to looking around the madrasa's main building. They were hurried away by the army, which organised the trip, after less than half an hour. Those arriving by vehicle had even less time.
The interactions with teachers and about 100 children at the madrasa - from the very young to older teenagers - were limited. The visitors were shown a group of children learning passages from the Koran partly by rocking their heads back and forward in rhythm. One teacher said he had worked at the madrasa for six years
At least three of the diplomats, who were mainly from Western countries and the Middle East and included some military attaches, said it was very difficult to draw any firm conclusions because of the six-week delay in gaining access and the restricted time allowed to look around.
"I don't think the site was hit but I still can't be 100 percent after today," said one Western diplomat. "As to whether JeM were here - they may have been but I can't determine that from this either."
The diplomats declined to be named given the sensitivity of the subject.
gaand phat Raha Hain?
