What If Pakistan Fails to Defeat the Taliban?

[RiazHaq]

Haq's Musings: Is Pakistan Ready For Long Sustained Anti-Terror Campaign?

The year 2014 in Pakistan began with 27 deadly terrorist attacks in the first 20 days, claiming nearly 200 lives, according to South Asia Terrorism Portal. Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for most of the attacks. In response, Pakistan ordered air-strikes against TTP targets in Tirah Valley (Khyber Agency) and Mir Ali (North Waziristan) in FATA. This was the first time in several years that the Pakistan Air Force jets pounded TTP hide-outs.



Source: South Asia Terrorism Portal

While I believe the air-strikes were needed to send a message to the terrorists, there was no word from Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif as to his strategy to deal with the TTPterror campaign that has so far claimed over 50,000 lives in the last few years. The strikes raise several questions:

1. Is Pakistan now ready to engage in a long and sustained campaign to eliminate terrorism as Sri Lanka did?

2. If Pakistan is launching a war on TTP terrorists, why is it being done without first taking the people of Pakistan in confidence?

3. When will the Prime Minister launch a communication offensive to build public support required for a war that could take many more years and lives?

4. How will the Prime Minister deal with the pro-Taliban forces active in Pakistan's politics and media and other walks of life?

5. If the Prime Minister has finally decided to end the menace of terrorism, is he prepared to stay the course when there are many more casualties on all sides? Is he preparing the nation to the pay the price?

6. What are the consequences of failure in this war? Will Pakistan fall to the Taliban? Will military intervene if the politicians fail to do what is necessary? What if both the politicians and the military fail? Will there be a massive multinational force intervention to keep Pakistan's nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of the Islamic militants? Will US and China join hands to prop up Pakistani state to protect themselves?

For a discussion of the above and other current topics, please watch the following video:

Haq's Musings: Is Pakistan Ready For Long Sustained Anti-Terror Campaign?

 

[Sedqal]

Have some mercy at younger generation of Pakistan Riaz sahib who are striving for Jinnah's Democratic Pakistan. Please stop defending dictators.

I do agree with rest of your points though, TTP needs to be dealt with - its a headless horse void of any ideology and very unlikely to come to negotiation table. Even if they do come its very unlikely that any sane Govt will not be agreeing to their terms which revolve around giving them defacto control over the areas where they are in greater numbers.

That said one thing many of the analysts miss is that there is a definite class struggle side to the whole mess. For example in Swat, they were welcomed due to their rhetoric against the 'Maliks' (land lords) of the area - which many believed were exploiting others with complete impunity.

 

[HariPrasad]

Isn't the Pakistani media free? I watch a lots of Pakistani news program on net. i never get any impression that Pak Media is not free.

 

[Shabaz Sharif]

Isn't the Pakistani media free? I watch a lots of Pakistani news program on net. i never get any impression that Pak Media is not free.

Its free since Musharaf time, before that? Only one channel was allowed and that to goverment propaganda.

The above image is from 2007 when Mushy imposed emergency.

 

[Black Mamba1]

I think , first thing Pakistani Govt should do is clean academics from religious agendas. There is no point in teaching hatred in school and colleges. The distorted history imposed on kids during Zia era should be revamped. They should be taught to accept diversity If you cultivate with poison seed it will give you poison tree. Military operation may give you short term success, but for long term you must cultivate tolerance in society.

If you intoxicate with Hindu hatred it will not be limited to that, it will branch to Shia hatred, Sunni hatred, Ahmedi hatred, Panjabi hatred and so on. Target the root of intolerances to have a peaceful society.

Same is true for India too. Tollerance is the key for survival of both India and Pakistan.

 

[fiza200]

Pakistan Army is fighting against the terrorism and hope it will be get success in its mission.

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