Militancy, extremism and attacks are on rise in Pakistan, particularly in the lawless North West Frontier Province where a Taliban led insurgency is invading every aspect of life.

Among the Taliban’s targets are girl’s schools. Three were recently attacked in the capital Peshawar and in the new year Mullah Radio station, Fazlullah announced a complete ban on girls’ schools in Swat beginning January 15.

Our correspondent Mudassar Shah visited Swat to speak with people about the closure of schools there and the effect the Taliban is having on life in the beautiful city.

In a province where the Taliban has made heavy inroads, the vote for the ANP and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) seems to herald a turn toward some form of secularist democracy.

It’s only been three months, but the secularists seem to be backsliding.

The secular parties have agreed to allow qazi Islamic courts to operate in the mountainous region near Afghanistan.

Qazi courts have a judge who hears cases and quickly hands down decisions based on his interpretation of Sharia law.

Mudassar Shah reports on why this form of justice is increasingly popular.

Taliban Militants have destroyed more than 30 schools in the Swat Valley of Pakistan in the past month. That’s according to the provinces Ministry of Education.

The region is home to radical cleric Maulana Fazlullah, who has called girls’ schools un-Islamic.

Hundreds of girls' schools have shut their doors and thousands of girls’ students have already quit schools.

Mudassar Shah reports from one school in the Swat Valley that has just been bombed.

Pakistan’s military says it has suspended its operations against Taliban militants in the Bajaur tribal area on the Afghan border.

The government says this suspension of fighting is in honour of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

The announcement comes as a small relief to the hundreds of thousand of people who have already been displaced by the intense fighting.

Mudassar Shah reports from the temporary camps set-up to house them.