Friday July 10, 2009
Madrassa educated Baitullah belong to Shadikhel Mehsud in South Waziristan but he was born in Lakki Marwat and was brought up in Bannu where he had also performed as Imam Masjid in a village of Janikhels in Bannu Frontier Region. Short-statured, unassuming and chubby, he suffers from hypertension and diabetes. His sub-tribe Shabikhel Mehsud accepted his authority after he became affluent and acquired arms and large number of dedicated fighters. Once Uzbeks and Tajiks were shunted out from Wazirinhabited South Waziristan by the army and with the active help of Maulvi Nazir, Baitullah gave refuge to them. Most were from Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) including their leader Tahir Yuldachev. It necessitated another operation in Mahsud inhabited South Waziristan. Baitullah fought the army and forced it to conclude a peace agreement in February 2005. Abdullah and Baitullah were close relatives but not on friendly terms. Both operated in different areas with their own followers.
Following in the foot steps of Mulla Omar led Afghan Taliban; Baitullah formed Tehrik-e-Taliban-Pakistan (TTP) in December 2007 after the death of his cousin Abdullah. Another peace deal was inked with him in April 2008. The basic purpose of the Tehrik was to espouse the cause of Islam and work for establishing Islamic laws in FATA. However, unlike Afghan Taliban, instead of waging Jihad against foreign occupation forces, he preferred to battle Pak army.
To justify his war against the army, he declared it as a mercenary army on the payroll of the US. Till as late as early 2009, he maintained a reserved and reclusive posture and was camera and media shy. For unknown reasons he made a volta face and became boastful. He started to proudly claim each and every act of terror in Pakistan and even the one in USA and went to the extent of asserting that his men are capable of attacking Washington. Reportedly he has about 15-20,000 followers from FATA, NWFP and Punjab and has no dearth of arms, ammunition and funds duly supplied by his patrons sitting in Afghanistan. He has his affiliates inall agencies of FATA, as well as in Darra Adam Khel and Swat.
Baitullah is reputed to be a vindictive, revengeful and ruthless man and is strongly believed to be on the payroll of CIA, RAW and Mossad. If Baitullah claims that he is a patriot and has a team of genuine Talibanand are not like throat cutting Swat Taliban, he should prove his patriotism by first turning the guns of his followers towards Afghanistan under occupation of foreign forces. Presently all his guns are pointing inwards towards Pakistan security forces and not a single mission has been launched into Afghanistan which is a genuine battleground for Jihad and where Afghan Taliban are waging a relentless struggle to free their country from foreign occupation. The second step to prove his credentials would be to dissociate itself from all criminals and miscreants and fake Taliban of Swat who have indulged in horrendous crimes that have given a bad name to good Taliban. Likewise all unregistered foreigners residing within his area of influence should be pushed out to Afghanistan from where they had come or to be handed over to authorities in Pakistan.
In the third phase he should giveup militancy and give a helping hand to the government to develop FATA and to integrate it within NWFP. This step will be of utmost importanceto avoid bloodshed of Pashtuns which is flowing profusely for the last so many years. Fighting the state at the behest of foreign powers and leading a life of a vagabond will have disastrous consequences for thepeople of FATA. He must know that USA and India are friends of none. So-called TTP is being misused to serve their vested interests to kill two birds with onestone. He will be out of mind if he thinks that foreign patrons wouldallow him to carve out an independent state and introduce Sharia. One of the main reasons of ousting the Taliban in Kabul was that they had introduced Sharia and had refused to tow their line. The US is keen to convert Pakistan into a secular state and a client state of India and is actively working on this agenda.
Taking into account Indo-US objectives duly complemented by Israel and UK, where does Baitullah led TTP figure out? The US has already chalked out a comprehensive ****** policy whereinall extremist elements residing within Pak-Afghan border belt will be eliminated. FATA has been declared as the most dangerous place on earthand a hub-centre of terrorism posing a threat to world peace. The US troop surge of 21000 in southern Afghanistan and heightened pressure on Pakistan to act as the anvil is part of the gory plan. If he thinks that he can defeat the army with the help of his foreign mentors and carve out an independent Islamic state, he is living in world of fancy. I am sure he must have seen a glimpse of power of military in Malakand Division where the terrain for fighting guerrilla war fare is morefavorable for the militants.
Everywhere else the militants are being clobbered and they are on the run. In South Waziristan, the terrain is wide open and devoid of congested built up areas. He must also know that unlike Malakand Division where the military plunged in without adequatepreparations, it is more prepared for Waziristan. Here the units have been operating since 2002 and are well versed with the topography andenvironments. He may be banking upon his suicide brigade duly trained by notorious Qari Hussain supposedly an expert in motivating and training boys of tender age. He seems to be oblivious of the fact that all the training sites, hideouts and arms dumps have been identified and will soon be destroyed as was the case in Swat. I am sure he must have noted the changed pulse of the public which has condemned his heinous acts. They have now come to know that he and his exclusive team have very little knowledge of golden principles of Islam as enshrined in Holy Quran and practiced by our Holy Prophet (PBUH) during his prophet-hood.
Innocent boys belonging to poor class are being brainwashed to launch suicide attacks. Mosques, Imambargahs and Khanqahs have been targeted and so many innocent persons have been ruthlessly beheaded. If Baitullah and his accomplices think that they would escape to Afghanistan and would be garlanded by their patrons, they are sadly mistaken. Americans have already announced $ 5 million head money for Baitullah and would therefore be in no position to provide him refuge as in case of run away Brahamdagh.
The US seems to have belatedly got after Baitullah; some serious attempts have been made to kill him. Apart from head money, deadly drone attacks were launched on his main strongholds for the first time killing over 100 people.
One possible reason could be that the latter has seen through the game hatched in the form of ****** policy which aims at decimation of militants. He may have felt the tightening noose around him and his fighters cornered within a specific locale, and seen the raised hammer of US-Nato troops. This apprehension prompted him to join hands with Gul Bahadur and Faqir, form a Council and declare allegiance to Mulla Omar.
Second; he carries too many secrets and his capture alive by the militarycould spill the beans.
Third; the Americans have determined that Baitullah has lost considerable public support including his own clan as was evident from splinter group headed by deceased Zain and now by Misbah and has lost his usefulness.
Fourth; he might not have obeyed their commands to rush to the aid of marooned Fazlullah. Americans always bet on a winning horse and ditch alosing horse. Whatever the reasons, ground realties have changed and Baitullah has lost popular support of the public and possibly confidence of his mentors. Myth of TTP has shattered and Baitullah is finding itdifficult to get a fatwa (edict) issued to legalise Jihad against Pak army. It is still not late for him to abandon the path of militancy and lead a peaceful life.
Madrassa educated Baitullah belong to Shadikhel Mehsud in South Waziristan but he was born in Lakki Marwat and was brought up in Bannu where he had also performed as Imam Masjid in a village of Janikhels in Bannu Frontier Region. Short-statured, unassuming and chubby, he suffers from hypertension and diabetes. His sub-tribe Shabikhel Mehsud accepted his authority after he became affluent and acquired arms and large number of dedicated fighters. Once Uzbeks and Tajiks were shunted out from Wazirinhabited South Waziristan by the army and with the active help of Maulvi Nazir, Baitullah gave refuge to them. Most were from Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) including their leader Tahir Yuldachev. It necessitated another operation in Mahsud inhabited South Waziristan. Baitullah fought the army and forced it to conclude a peace agreement in February 2005. Abdullah and Baitullah were close relatives but not on friendly terms. Both operated in different areas with their own followers.
Following in the foot steps of Mulla Omar led Afghan Taliban; Baitullah formed Tehrik-e-Taliban-Pakistan (TTP) in December 2007 after the death of his cousin Abdullah. Another peace deal was inked with him in April 2008. The basic purpose of the Tehrik was to espouse the cause of Islam and work for establishing Islamic laws in FATA. However, unlike Afghan Taliban, instead of waging Jihad against foreign occupation forces, he preferred to battle Pak army.
To justify his war against the army, he declared it as a mercenary army on the payroll of the US. Till as late as early 2009, he maintained a reserved and reclusive posture and was camera and media shy. For unknown reasons he made a volta face and became boastful. He started to proudly claim each and every act of terror in Pakistan and even the one in USA and went to the extent of asserting that his men are capable of attacking Washington. Reportedly he has about 15-20,000 followers from FATA, NWFP and Punjab and has no dearth of arms, ammunition and funds duly supplied by his patrons sitting in Afghanistan. He has his affiliates inall agencies of FATA, as well as in Darra Adam Khel and Swat.
Baitullah is reputed to be a vindictive, revengeful and ruthless man and is strongly believed to be on the payroll of CIA, RAW and Mossad. If Baitullah claims that he is a patriot and has a team of genuine Talibanand are not like throat cutting Swat Taliban, he should prove his patriotism by first turning the guns of his followers towards Afghanistan under occupation of foreign forces. Presently all his guns are pointing inwards towards Pakistan security forces and not a single mission has been launched into Afghanistan which is a genuine battleground for Jihad and where Afghan Taliban are waging a relentless struggle to free their country from foreign occupation. The second step to prove his credentials would be to dissociate itself from all criminals and miscreants and fake Taliban of Swat who have indulged in horrendous crimes that have given a bad name to good Taliban. Likewise all unregistered foreigners residing within his area of influence should be pushed out to Afghanistan from where they had come or to be handed over to authorities in Pakistan.
In the third phase he should giveup militancy and give a helping hand to the government to develop FATA and to integrate it within NWFP. This step will be of utmost importanceto avoid bloodshed of Pashtuns which is flowing profusely for the last so many years. Fighting the state at the behest of foreign powers and leading a life of a vagabond will have disastrous consequences for thepeople of FATA. He must know that USA and India are friends of none. So-called TTP is being misused to serve their vested interests to kill two birds with onestone. He will be out of mind if he thinks that foreign patrons wouldallow him to carve out an independent state and introduce Sharia. One of the main reasons of ousting the Taliban in Kabul was that they had introduced Sharia and had refused to tow their line. The US is keen to convert Pakistan into a secular state and a client state of India and is actively working on this agenda.
Taking into account Indo-US objectives duly complemented by Israel and UK, where does Baitullah led TTP figure out? The US has already chalked out a comprehensive ****** policy whereinall extremist elements residing within Pak-Afghan border belt will be eliminated. FATA has been declared as the most dangerous place on earthand a hub-centre of terrorism posing a threat to world peace. The US troop surge of 21000 in southern Afghanistan and heightened pressure on Pakistan to act as the anvil is part of the gory plan. If he thinks that he can defeat the army with the help of his foreign mentors and carve out an independent Islamic state, he is living in world of fancy. I am sure he must have seen a glimpse of power of military in Malakand Division where the terrain for fighting guerrilla war fare is morefavorable for the militants.
Everywhere else the militants are being clobbered and they are on the run. In South Waziristan, the terrain is wide open and devoid of congested built up areas. He must also know that unlike Malakand Division where the military plunged in without adequatepreparations, it is more prepared for Waziristan. Here the units have been operating since 2002 and are well versed with the topography andenvironments. He may be banking upon his suicide brigade duly trained by notorious Qari Hussain supposedly an expert in motivating and training boys of tender age. He seems to be oblivious of the fact that all the training sites, hideouts and arms dumps have been identified and will soon be destroyed as was the case in Swat. I am sure he must have noted the changed pulse of the public which has condemned his heinous acts. They have now come to know that he and his exclusive team have very little knowledge of golden principles of Islam as enshrined in Holy Quran and practiced by our Holy Prophet (PBUH) during his prophet-hood.
Innocent boys belonging to poor class are being brainwashed to launch suicide attacks. Mosques, Imambargahs and Khanqahs have been targeted and so many innocent persons have been ruthlessly beheaded. If Baitullah and his accomplices think that they would escape to Afghanistan and would be garlanded by their patrons, they are sadly mistaken. Americans have already announced $ 5 million head money for Baitullah and would therefore be in no position to provide him refuge as in case of run away Brahamdagh.
The US seems to have belatedly got after Baitullah; some serious attempts have been made to kill him. Apart from head money, deadly drone attacks were launched on his main strongholds for the first time killing over 100 people.
One possible reason could be that the latter has seen through the game hatched in the form of ****** policy which aims at decimation of militants. He may have felt the tightening noose around him and his fighters cornered within a specific locale, and seen the raised hammer of US-Nato troops. This apprehension prompted him to join hands with Gul Bahadur and Faqir, form a Council and declare allegiance to Mulla Omar.
Second; he carries too many secrets and his capture alive by the militarycould spill the beans.
Third; the Americans have determined that Baitullah has lost considerable public support including his own clan as was evident from splinter group headed by deceased Zain and now by Misbah and has lost his usefulness.
Fourth; he might not have obeyed their commands to rush to the aid of marooned Fazlullah. Americans always bet on a winning horse and ditch alosing horse. Whatever the reasons, ground realties have changed and Baitullah has lost popular support of the public and possibly confidence of his mentors. Myth of TTP has shattered and Baitullah is finding itdifficult to get a fatwa (edict) issued to legalise Jihad against Pak army. It is still not late for him to abandon the path of militancy and lead a peaceful life.
