Tariq Mahmood Livres

The frequency of terrorist events in Pakistan has increased considerably in the past several years. These events are frequent and not random, making it important to identify useful patterns in their occurrences to assist counter-terrorism organizations. In this paper, we conduct such an analytical activity for the first time in Pakistan. We acquire data of terrorist events from reliable online sources, and apply data pre-processing techniques followed by cluster analysis. Based on statistical correlation, we discover clusters over the following combinations: 1) Event of Terrorism- Target of Terrorism , and 2) Event of Terrorism Method of Terrorism . A more significant clustering is one which groups distinct combinations into separate clusters. We analyze these clusters along three dimensions: 1) annually for the time period 1988-2012, 2) for each Pakistani province, and 3) for different types of terrorist events. We also propose a statistic for gauging the intensity of terrorism, and analyze it along the same three dimensions. These can assist counter-terrorism authorities in thwarting future attacks and arresting the responsible criminals.

Anyone who follows the international news, even casually, is well aware that Pakistan is one of world's major trouble spots. This tantalizing novel explores the dynamics of present-day Pakistani society through the eyes and ears of an expat Pakistani couple that get stuck there during a vacation due to the kidnapping of their only son. The couple hails from established military families. However, even after they pay the ransom, their son doesn't come home due to the inaptitude of their well-placed relatives and the local police. Spending an extended time in Pakistan after many years of peaceful upper-middle class life in the US, the couple is able to see how the Pakistani society has evolved over the years. The rich are more scared in the new Pakistan and the powerless are asking questions. The novel is full of colorful characters whose fascinating lives have been masterfully enmeshed to create a story that remains a page-turner till the end. Want to guess whose help was needed to bring the boy back home?