PLAY WITH FIRE; HOW LONG YOU REMAIN PROTECTED?
The Taliban is advancing and taking control over new areas in Pakistan. The army has so far failed to contain this advance. The Pakistan army’s offensive has not deterred the Taliban. More than 2 lakh people have been displaced from swat valley itself. According to the UN aid agencies more that 3 lakh people have so far been displaced and have taken shelters in relief camps. The situation in swat, Mingora, Buner, Dir and other adjoining area has fast deteriorating due to heavy fighting between heavily armed Taliban and Pakistan Army. Reports suggest that the fighting has intensified after PM Gilani’s order to the army to clear Swat and other areas from Taliban. Taliban has encircled one Police Station in Mingora town and about 140 Police men are trapped and are likely to be killed if army does not yet send reinforcement and repulse the Taliban fighters.
UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond has said in the affected areas that an unprecedented human tragedy is imminent in the area and if humanitarian aid like tents, medicines, food, drinking water etc are not made available, large number of people especially women and children would die. It is necessary that this human tragedy should be averted and the fighting should be brought to a logical conclusion soon. So far as the hope of end of hostilities in these areas is concerned, it is not possible in near future.
President Zardari is in Washington to held dialogue with Barrack Obama and Hamid Karzai, the counterparts of USA and Afghanistan. Zardari had to face some tough and embarrassing questions from both media persons and some senators also. He had to face the question that what he had to say about the alleged nexus between ISI and Militants? He could not give any satisfactory answer to this question. Likely its earlier stereotype stand on India; Zardari orchestrated the same rhyme and said that if India withdraw its forces from North Western border so that he can what he says, deploy more force for tackling the Taliban fighters. Zardari further says that he hopes for improving the relation with India after the general election here. Both justifications sound hollow and do not seem acceptable. The advance of Taliban in areas like Mingora, Shangala, Buner, Dir etc had been going unabated and unchecked for years. The so-called peace agreement reached between Pakistan Taliban and Pak government was a milestone in the history of terrorism in this region. It marked the beginning of consolidation of terrorists in Pakistan in much more big way. It also thoroughly undermined the authority of the government. It was perhaps due to this fact the Taliban’ morale was bolstered to a great extent and it ventured into fresh areas like Migora, Shangala, dir etc and captured them. These areas are still under their suzerainty and the writs of the Pakistan government do not run here. Although the PM has ordered his troops to wage an all out war against the Taliban and flush them out within 24 hours, the possibility of waging such war is remote keeping in mind the history and chemistry of Pakistani forces. The unholy nexus between Pakistani army, ISI and Jihad and terrorist elements in Pakistan is an open secret. The startling disclosure of Dr Abdul Kadir Khan, the father of Islamic Nuclear Bomb, had already exposed the nefarious designs of the Islamic Jihadis including Taliban and Al-Qaeda. In fact this whole episode of Taliban should be conceived in this wider perspective. If this Talibanisation of Pakistan goes unchecked and un-deterred, they would be capturing some vital security and strategic installations also within a couple of weeks from now. Tarbela hydro electric power dam is located not too far from Mingora and Swat. This is the place where some of the nuclear fuel and heavy water of Pakistan are kept. This installation is so strategically important that its capture by the Taliban can give them an access to the nuclear arsenals. The reports, though unconfirmed, but not unsubstantiated, suggest that the technology for an Islamic Nuclear Bomb has some how sneaked into the hands of these elements.
Surprisingly, the USA is not so serious to deal and wipe out this menace as it should be. How can US administration take the assurances of the Pakistan’s President for guaranteed with respect to coming heavily down on the Taliban? Such type of assurances had have been given earlier also but the situation has not improved, in fact it has gone from bad to worse. What a tragedy! Actually the whole diplomatic drama in Washington which Zardari played with Obama and Karzai a couple of days ago was aimed at notching multimillion dollar aid from America. Ironically he succeeded in it also. This time also he successfully befooled the international community including the USA which has recently voted for a change from white President to Black President. Undoubtedly this fund would be utilized for conducting anti-India tirade and military buildup across the LOC once this state manage drama is over.
What a huge disproportionate comparison! After 9/11 US launched full fledged war against Afghanistan to teach Al-Qaeda a lesson, but we have been advised to maintain restrain after Mumbai attack despite the fact that one of the attackers has been captured alive who has admitted candidly before the world of his involvement in the mayhem.
The situation is not going to improve in Pakistan even if Gilani genuinely tries to clear Pakistan from Taliban and Al-Qaeda. The reason is simple. The army or at least major part of the Pakistan Army is contaminated with fundamentalism and the utopian concept of Afghanistanisation of Pakistan and later on Islamisation of the whole world have been indoctrinated into the hearts and minds of the rank and file of Pakistan’s army. America must understand this and should engage itself into Pakistan because the situation here in much more precarious than the Afghanistan itself. If the tattered Government of Pakistan tries to enforce its decree, the army may again stage a coup against the civilian government and it seems Pakistan is heading towards it very fast
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