-Four of my colleaugues were killed and several injured. These days, when we leave our houses in the morning, we glance at our children thinking that we might not return in the evening.

Sarfaraz Khan is a wholesale distributor of mostly Indian music and dvd-films, which are considered "un-Islamic" by the Taliban. After several threaths and attacks, the bullet holes are there for every-one to see, his shops now have their ovn security. Many policemen have been captured and later executed by the Taliban. So it is understandable that the underpaid police is reluctant to openly engage the militants especially when support from the government is lacking. So it's better to keep the cd:s hidden in black plastic bags.

Sarfaraz Khan, music retailer, Peshawar

-There is no protection from the government. Instead the government asked us to end our businesses which forced us to launch a protest demonstration against the police because it seems the police is doing the job for the Taliban.

Peshawar is in a state of bathed breath and the Taliban are currently keeping a low profile. The Pakistani government has repeatedly stated that the war on the Taliban will be extended into the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. That will be a much bigger challenge for the army than the Swat operation.

Rahimullah Yosufzai, editor in chief, The News, Peshawar

-I don't think it can be a complete victory. Maybe they will be able to defeat the Taliban in certain places but they wan't be able to acchieve victory in all the areas.

For journalists the situation is extremely difficult, and there seems to be no hope for an immediate improvement.

Rahimullah Yosufzai, editor in chief, The News, Peshawar

-Unfortunately we don't have that kind of leadership which can actually lead Pakistan to survival.

Since the partition from India, the military has held a strong grip over Pakistan and civil society and judiciary is weak. Politics has been tarnished by corruption and inefficiency. After the general elections in February 2008 and with the resignation of General Musharraf, Pakistan now has a civilian government and recently the Chief Justice was reinstated after having been suspended by Musharraf. But human rights standards are considered low and respect for civil rights almost non-existent.

At the University of Rawalpindi, student leader Kunumal Asif got first-hand experience of Pakistan's repressive system.

Kunumal Asif, student leader, University of Rawalpindi

-In our hostels there were no electricity, no water and the students were very worried about the bad conditions of the hostel. So we decided that we would protest against the university administration and we will fight for our rights

More than one thousand students turned out to protest, and the leader, Asif, got beaten by the police and afterwards was fined 5000 rupees by the university administration for, as they claimed, causing unrest. He appealed but that made things worse.

Kunumal Asif, student leader, University of Rawalpindi

-I am getting threats and receieving calls from the agencies, from the law enforcement agencies. I do have the records as well of those calls. That was not a direct threath, but they said "stop this what you are doing, just stop that".

The weakness and inefficiency of the society to provide services have lead to a deep distrust of governments, exacerbated by periods of military rule. All has led to support for militant groups and call for islamic "Sharia" law.

Kunumal Asif, student leader, University of Rawalpindi

-The taliban, the militants, who produce them? I think dictatorship produces talibans, dictatorship produce militants as well.

Samina Ahmed, International Crisis Group, Islamabad

-What is needed in Pakistan anove all, is rule of law. Everybody should be accountable and held accountable. For that it is absolutely essential that you have a independent judiciary, but let's not forget one thing, the only way you are going to have rule of law and which is going to be the basic precondition to put an end to these practices, is that there is stil going to be a democracy. Back to military rule, back to square one.

One of the most severe violations of human rights occured during the military rule under General Musharraf. Thousands of persons have disappeared in Pakistan.

Gholam Murtaza, father of illegally detained son

-About three years ago some people from the agencies raided my house with kalashnikovs, loaded with guns, pistols and they asked about my son.

Both of Gholam Murtaza's sons were picked up by Pakistani security agencies, without charges and without even admitting they were in custody. After seven months, one of his sons were released but he still refuses to appear in front of the camera. Torture and ill-treatment are said to be routine in Pakistani prisons.

Gholam Murtaza, father of illegally detained son

-He was so mentally retarded he was so mentally punished that he didn't bother to talk with us on that subject, that where he was, why did they take him and where he was living and what about the behaviour of the agencies with him (how he was treated).

The fight for justice and respect for human rights in Pakistan goes on. According to Amnesty International, there are hundreds of victims of enforced disappearance, including children as young as ten years old. Many of the detentions were justified in the name of the US-led “war on terror” and were later handed over to the US. 2/3rds of all prisoners in Guantánamo are from Pakistan.

Aisha Masood Janjua

-They think that there are terrorists in Pakistan and we have to pick them up and we can receieve bounties of dollars for them from America, that's all.

Aisha's father, who is a businessman, was picked up in July 2005 and has since then been one of those who are kept in secret without charge or trial. Aisha and her mother Amina are among those who wage a long-lasting campaign for the illegally detained. Like many cases there are eyewitness testimony as to their detention but no official response, not even now under a civilian government.

Aisha Masood Janjua

-I just feel desperate, I wish I would be the someone to do this all to make these things right and that's awful. I can't say anything but they should feel, they have daughters, they have hearts too, they should feel too.

The small demonstration moves on. Tirelessly for years, Amina Masood and her organisation has been working for the release of the illegally detained, by all possible means. After having toured almost around the world for justice in Pakistan, Amina every day receives much support.

Amina Masood Janjua (shows letters)

-Every day we have nearly 50 of them coming, every day. I have two big boxes just full of these letters.

The Supreme Court will soon resume working with the cases but still no response from the government.

Amina Masood Janjua

-In the previous regime we knew it was a dictatorship. People were sold but this is democracy.

And neither Amina nor her daughter have any hopes in the new government even though there is now a totally different policy from the USA.

Amina Masood Janjua

-The deadlock is not with the US, the deadlock is here. They (the politicians) are not demanding the way that they should ..they just say, very humbly, very meekly they should say it more confidently, like ready to dare anything. It is the demand of their people.