Since coming to power in state elections nearly three years ago, a coalition of radical Islamist parties here in North-West Frontier Province has faced a few stumbling blocks on the road to creating a model Islamic state. In the latest tussle over the influence of religious radicals in Pakistani society and politics, the Islamist-led provincial legislature has passed a bill that would empower religious police to ensure that the people of Frontier Province comply with “Islamic values and etiquettes” in everyday life. The bill has prompted a shrill outcry against what critics call the potential Talibanization of the province. Full Story