Pak mly growing in stature, played key role in elimination of 2 most feared terrorists
Pak mly growing in stature, played key role in elimination of 2 most feared terrorists
Written by Fayaz Wani
If the latest reports from Pakistan about Baitullah Meshuds death are true, then it is the second elimination of the most feared terrorist commanders of the world in past couple of months. In May this year, the dreaded Chief of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) V Prabhakaran was killed in Sri Lanka.
Strategically in both the cases, Pakistan military played a key role and this has proved that their army can do wonders if they have the desire and will to go after the terrorists.
The self styled Chief of Tehreek-e-Taliban, Baitullah Meshud, whom Pakistan accused of being working on the behest of India, was reportedly killed alongwith his wife and body guards in a US drone attack in South Wazirstan on Wednesday. His death is being termed as a major setback to Taliban Pakistan chapter and may have a demoralizing effect on its ranks in Pakistan. Already more than 1600 Taliban terrorists, according to Pakistani officials, have been killed in the Pakistan military offensive in Swat and Wazirstan.
While the Pakistani military launched ground and air offensive against Taliban in Swat valley, it has been concentrating only on air and drone strikes in Waziristan, where Al Qaida and Taliban terrorists have a strong hold. Although officially Pakistan has been opposing the US drone strikes, which of late have become more accurate and successful, but the American and Pakistani officials are said to have tacit understanding on the unmanned done strikes against the terrorist targets within Pakistan.
According to media reports, the CIA launched the missiles targeting Baitullah Mehsud after Pakistan intelligence officials passed a confirmed report that the Taliban chief was staying in his father-in-law's home in South Waziristan. A video of the attack was shared with Pakistani authorities. In it, Mehsud along with his vehicle is seen inside a sprawling compound, one of the Pakistani intelligence officials has been quoted as saying by the media reports.
According to wire agency reports quoting Pakistani intelligence officer, Mehsuds funeral had already taken place. He was killed with his wife and buried in Nargosey, he added.
Baitullah Meshud, according to Pakistani officials, was behind several terrorist attacks including the killing of former premier Benazir Bhutto and the deadly strike on Marriot hotel in Islamabad. Besides, he was also blamed for numerous suicide terrorist attacks across Pakistan including the attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore in March this year.
He had a $5m US reward on his head and his death, if true, is being seen as a major achievement in the war against terrorism. Meshud had gained in stature to the extent that The Time magazine rated him as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. The Newsweek too described him as more dangerous than Osama bin Laden.
It is the second major achievement of the Pakistan military within a year. Earlier in May this year, they were credited for the defeat of LTTE in Sri Lanka and elimination of its top leadership including its dreaded chief commander V Prabhakaran in the Island nation.
The LTTE was established by Prabhakaran in 1970s and launched all out war in early 1980s. The terrorist group had a vast area under its control in 1990s and upto early 2007. Besides having sophisticated weapons, they managed to procure some planes and were also having some boats fixed with weapons.
Prabhakaran like Mehsud was blamed for almost all the terror strikes that took place in Sri Lanka. He gave new dimension to the terrorism by introducing suicide bombing. One of the lady suicide bombers sent by him killed former Indian premier Rajiv Gandhi in Indian city of Coimbatore on 21 May 1991. His men also carried out some spectacular air and ground attacks but they ran out of luck after the Sri Lankan troops received military assistance, training and guidance from Pakistan army.
After the denials of military hardware by its immediate neighbour India, Sri Lanka found in Pakistan an ally, which not only dispatched military hardware to the nation embattling LTTE but also sent a team of highly professional army and intelligence officials to guide the Lankan army in their battle against the LTTE rebels.
There have been media reports in Colombo and Pakistan that Pakistani pilots flew the fighter jets to target the LTTE rebels and their bases. The air strikes had enormously weakened the LTTE fighting power and when the ground battle began in April 2008,
they could not hold to the military might of Sri Lankan troops ably guided by Pakistani military officials.
Almost all the top LTTE leadership including its once elusive chief was eliminated on May 18 this year. This brought an end to the war in the Island nation, which consumed more than 70,000 people in pitched battles, suicide attacks, bomb strikes and assassinations.
The killing of worlds two most feared terrorist chiefs within a span of few months is a cumbersome task and needs lot of planning. The Pakistan military officials have gained the expertise during the Afghan war while working in tandem with US army and intelligence officials. Now their army strategists and planners have proved that Pakistan military has a key role in War against terror, a Kashmiri security analyst said.
He said that by taking out Baitullah Meshud, Pakistan military has indicated that when they have got the desire and will, they can beat even very clever and dangerous enemy. The campaign against Meshud and Taliban in Swat and Waziristan has a positive impact on the situation in Pakistan, where the suicide attacks have come down drastically, he said.
If the Pakistan military continues to be driven by the same will and desire, then we may see the elimination of Maulana Fazlullah, the Taliban chief in Swat, the security experts say.
The Pakistan military, through their offensive against Taliban and Meshud, according to political observers, have proved their utility to US and are growing in stature. Now US will have to bank more on Pakistan for the success of War on terror. In the near future, the US may also have to provide drones to Pakistan military to let it independently target Taliban and Al-Qaida elements within the country, they said.
(The author is a journalist based in Indian administered Kashmir and can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )
Fayaz Wani
