On Thursday, the government announced that eight platoons of paramilitary troops have been sent to Pakistan’s Buner district, which has been infiltrated by the Taliban. Frontier Constabulary platoons have been dispatched to protect government buildings and bridges in Buner. In recent days, Taliban militants have been patrolling the area, snatching and searching vehicles, and ransacking government offices.
After the passage of the Nizam-i-Adl resolution, how will government forces ensure security in Buner and other parts of Malakand? Should Taliban activities in Buner and Shangla be viewed as a violation of the regulation? Are we in for a Swat part deux?
I have a theory and would like to hear the views of my fellow readers, but first the basis of this theory. I am no student of political science but I think what I am about to say has some substance.
Whereas in recent times:
1. Margret Thatcher took her country of Great Britain to war in the godforsaken islands known as the Falklands to gain popularity and credibility with her electorate.
2. George Bush senior went to war with Saddam Hussein in Iraq for the same reason ( it backfired on him.)
3. Musharaf went to do battle with the Indians in Kargil ( it back fired on him.)Nawaz had to run to the U.S.to do serious damage control.
4. George W Bush junior went to Iraq again for the same reasons under 9/11 pretext and weapons of mass destruction pretext ( it back fired on him.)
So where am I going with all this you may ask? And what does this have to do with the Taliban and the terrorists.
Ah! It is all an unwritten conspiracy. A political game. The Golden rule is divert attention and instill fear, by blaming external elements and in this case use the Taliban and the Mullahs as the tools to further your cause of survival.
The Army and its puppet government are in need of this situation to keep themselves from becoming insolvent. The economic and wellbeing of the country is in tatters and they wish to make hay with the insurgency. Imagine no insurgency—- no money. No perks but the wrath of the people.
The Taliban are the tools and instruments of the Army to fulfill their agendas when required. To say that the Pakistan army cannot defeat the Taliban is a Joke. The truth is that they don’t want to defeat the Taliban, and they don’t want the Americans to do it either. The old argument of the threat from India is starting to go cold and will not hold water for long. The rest of the world does not buy it, not even the Chinese. To say we have Nuclear weapons to fight them is a fallacy. They too have them and to use them is curtains for both of us. Even if either one of us uses them , the damage done will affect both countries severely, as the mushroom clouds will settle over the entire region.
Finally if it is true that the Army really cannot defeat the Taliban; then the country has wasted a vast majority of it’s resources on what has to be a useless institution. In this case if India was really the enemy we could never stand a chance. When they had their insurgency in Punjab , it took K.P.S. Gill two weeks to wipe the insurgents out. It had a price but it is doable. Again their insurgents had been formed with the blessings of Mrs. Ghandi and she paid with her life for it.
So tell me am I mad or what?
India is the enemy. It broke Pakistan in two by sending its army into now Bangladesh. That has to be avenged. The Indians on this blog should look into the role of India in Afghanistan.When Afghanistan was invaded by the Soviets there was not a whimper the Indians. How come they started loving them so much now? India does not lose time to create trouble for Pakistan. We have survived despite Indian machinations,despite the foolish Taliban who are playing right into the hands of RAW.
Taliban is a force which has nothing to do with religion. This force can be used for any cause by funding them. They were used effectively against Soviet. This “so called war on Terror” is to justify a case to the international community that Pakistani Nukes are in danger. Therefore, it is high time to dis-arm Pakistan. Once, you (reader) understand that then it is easy to know who is funding Taliban. Therefore, any peace deal will not last.
I am from India, keep myself updated as to what’s happening around the world esp pakistan and bangladesh.
Reading what’s happening in Pakistan disturbs me to the core.
I wish Pakistan one day is up and runnign as a true Secular and democratic nation.
Long Live India. Long Live Paksitan.
Let me tell you guys. History is going to repeat. Gen Kiani is already ironing his uniform. This is what has happened all the time and it’s going to happen again.
A new general, and another 7 years is the future only if India does not interfere this time to keep Taliban away from its borders. Taliban will not be a military threat to India but its going to effect her economy that is related to defense expenses.
All depends on new Indian leadership’s foresightedness. Make peace with Pakistan by helping them come out of the crises or intervene militarily to push Taliban away from the borders.
With liberation of Kashmir in Taliban’s head its a prediction of disaster for Kashmiris too who so far thought that they were just being helped.
So lets wait for the moment when all TV Channels will be shut down for few hours and all radio stations will be quiet. A few hours later a new man in Uniform will address the nation.
Let me tell you guys. History is going to repeat. Gen Kiani is already ironing his uniform. This is what has happened all the time and it’s going to happen again.
A new general, and another 7 years is the future only if India does not interfere this time to keep Taliban away from its borders. Taliban will not be a military threat to India but its going to effect her economy that is related to defense expenses.
All depends on new Indian leadership’s foresightedness. Make peace with Pakistan by helping them come out of intervene militarily to push Taliban away from the borders.
With liberation of Kashmir in Taliban’s head its a prediction of disaster for Kashmiris too who so far thought that they were just being helped.
So lets wait for the moment when all TV Channels will be shut down for few hours and all radio stations will be quite. A few hours later a new man in Uniform will address the nation.
…Our military is capable to fight against these Talibans and once they fully jumped in, Talibans will be no where.
…..
Adil, this Frankenstein knows no remorse or loyalty, only to the 70 virgins, awaiting for their curse.
Taliban have come out as a big threat, and Pakistan looks like Afghanistan of 20 years ago. To fear Taliban is natural, and to defeat (or control) them is imperative. But to defeat them we need to know the cause behind their success, and to do that we have to go back a bit in the history and study the spread of Taliban in Afghanistan. We (the world) created a monster when we relentlessly funded the rag tag mercenaries against the Soviet empire that invaded Afghanistan. Whatever the agenda was at that time came back to haunt us 20 years later. In that time, after the withdrawl of Soviets, there was a big social, economic, political and military vacuum in Afghanistan. The various warlords fought for control and no one paid any attention to the masses who were left without any social structure or state. This vacuum was filled by a sociopolitical force called the Taliban. They promised to deliver social justice and peace – which they did (in their own brand), but for 10 years the lives of common person was free of fear of living in a war zone.
The same is happening in Pakistan now. With the exit of a military dictator there is a vacuum which the democratic political parties have failed to fill. Their is infighting among the power hungry factions (PPP Vs PML-N). The corruption is rampant. The rule of jungle is prevalent. Poverty is every increasing and there is lack of social justice. All of this compounds to social insatisfaction and the rich-poor divide is widening ever more. In this darkness if someone comes out and say “I will give you social justice and bring peace to your life” the masses would be mad not to accept it. This is the main powerbase of Taliban. It is the hope of trying an unknown against a failed known. People see Taliban as an alternative to the system which has not given them anything but misery.
The solution: very simple – deliver governance and social justice to the masses. There is no point in giving billions of dollars in aid if that is going to the 1% elite population. Populace in Pakistan do not want mobile phones, or plasma TV, or flashy cars. They can even live without health and safe drinking water. All a common man on street wants is dignity and self respect. He should have belief in the government that it would treat him the same way as any other citizen around him. He has to feel that the law applicable to him is also applicable to the rich. This is the basic requirement for defeating Taliban, or for that matter any extremist group exploiting the sentiments. Billions in the aid can be spent on a social revolution, and to do this is not an easy task. It would take generations to change the mindset of the rich and elite. As a first step the world should support the moderates who are broad minded enough to make a change in the society. The present political and bureucratic machinery is totally inept in delivering. World should put tangible social achievements as condition to the aid. Fighting Taliban militarily is not the answer. You kill 10 and a 100 will be fighting you the next day. Fighting Taliban socially is the answer. Not promises, not slogans, not talk – but action on ground.
That is the need of the day
Thank God! at last the government of Pakistan begins to view the danger of “Peace Deal” with Taliban and have deployed paramilitary troops in Buner. With these enemies of Pakistan, we should not strike a deal but eliminate them. I beseech the parlimentarians to get out of their personal interests and think about the interests and existence of Pakistan. We voted for them that they serve us and the country. I fear that taliban are dreaming of creating a new empire starting from Sawat through terror and bloodshed. We want to live in peace and harmony. We do not wish that half of our population (women) live inside the four walls and be covered with burqas. We do not wish religious minorities live with fear. We do not want our country to be refered as a terrorist state. When one comes out of Pakistan realizes that how Pakistanis are looked at by other people.
now i really think something fishy going on between the govt and the taliban. The fact that there was literally no resistance when taliban took over Buner tells the true story of wot the govt’s aim is … I think its aim is to give away pakistan in a golden platter to the taliban.. .will not be surprised if taliban declare parts controlled by them as a seperate country …
No matter what people think about Taliban and their actions, one thing is set for sure that Sharia Laws are not very far to be imposed in the entire Pakistan.
Earlier I would be aghast at the developments one read in the papers. The people succumbing so meekly to the barbarians and some even calling them “naive and do not carry weapons” is comic. Don’t they see pictures in the papers or on the net? they should talk to the women in the affected regions and hear their side of the story or the children there or is it that the men really dont give a damn about their women and children?
I think Pakistan is doomed to the fate ahead. The military has proved to be gutless, the government totally inept and surprisingly the people so timid and callous.
The Taliban thugs will not rest until they take over the state. The Government and Army must come to the table with a comprehensive strategy to defeat these thugs. Nor more appeasement and no more olive branches. These thugs in Swat must lay down their weapons ,renounce their devious ideology, and live like normal human beings. If they fail to do so, they must be eliminated ruthlessly. Make an example of them.
In response to Ali (Uk),
Listen my friend, Pakistan should send in the army, the navy, Airforce, SSG, even pandas if it has to. But we have a right as a nation to protect our interests and the taliban are not in our interest.
If we sit back and watch the show as you so simply put it, well then where will it stop lahore, Islamabad, Karachi? Will people like you safe in the UK say (no, dont send in troops, dont kill muslims) just sit back and watch the show?
We have had enough, if the government wont take action, well then you will see anarchy, we the citizens of Pakistan have a right to bear arms and we defeat our enemies.
Areh Beta an invasion is an invasion yaar which ever way you look at it. The Taliban Mullays are telling the Pakistani Government that the Government have lost their ability to fight the Taliban and so the Talibanis are taking over. What are the paramilitary boys going to do. They are like sitting ducks in uniform. This soldiers will be shot at one by one. It would be like duck hunting season for the Talibanis. You must send in crack Punjabi Jat commandoes yaar. Send in the Punjabi Jats with surnames like gills, malhis, sandhus,mann,cheemas,bhangus and shergill ‘Punjabi Mundays’. They will clean up this Taliban mess.
“Frontier Constabulary platoons have been dispatched to protect government buildings and bridges in Buner”. The headlines ring with pride! A defining moment!
This myopia reflects why “no one” seems to get it! and the Taliban does!The bricks and mortar of building and bridges need protection? So who is protecting the people and their rights? I suppose if defending civilian security and rights have never been the nations business, then it’s OK. The rest of the world suspected that and are now convinced. Time to pray for divine intervention!
It’s also sickeningly hard to imagine the impact of years of “brainwashing” even the “educated”. At this moment there are patriots stressing that India is Pakistan’s real enemy and that the Taliban are good simple god fearing Muslims that only wish the whole world could experience their lifestyle and as a bonus, Pakistani men can preserve their divinely bestowed rights of manhood by leaving their wives and daughters illiterate or having them flogged if they went alone to the market to shop or god forbid visit the only possible kind; a male doctor.
If Taliban are not fought immediately it will not be a question of whether but rather when will the Govt collapses completely.
Pakistan please see the actual enemy which has already entered the back door and fight him, instead of guarding the front door waiting for Indian attack.
Wake up…wake up people of pakistan..
If Nizam-i-Adl is in accordance with the Holy Qur-aan $ Sunnah, then that’s fine.
But, nobody other than the proper authorities should be tolerated for the purposes of its enforcement.
Policing is the responsibility of the state and state only.
No matter what, the trouble makers should be dealt with severely.
The non-state actors/Taliban must leave.
We don’t un-civilised activity created by the Taliban.
The question is,” who is arming these people?” That’s highly thought provoking.
This is very sad and disappointing.
God be with Pakistan.
It was sad to see that when the capital of Pakistan is under the gloomy dark shadows of Taleban, the Interior Adviser Rehman Malik tries to deviate away from the real problem by citing ‘proofs’ of foreign nation involvements in Balochistan uprising. The govt. of Pakistan must judge wisely of what things are of more importance at this moment for the people of Pakistan.
My heart breaks for this country. We have not aksed for this. All we have asked for the rule of law (for instance the popular movement for the restoration of an independent judiciary). In the last general elections, no one in the Frontier voted for the religious parties.
And recent history might repeat itself. The US created Saddam to fight against Iran, then attacked Iraq in the name of WMDs. What did Iraq gain in this whole exercise? only Trauma. In a similar scenario, here we see the US helping ISI to counter soviet influence in Afghanistan and now this exprtiment has backfired as well. In the end its the locals who are suffering.
Also, people please read today’s DAWN our interior minister has given “documentary and Video” evidence to senate in a closed-door meeting that India, Afghanistan and Russia involved in terrorist activities in the various parts of Pakistan. Mr. Rehman Malik said that all major incidents of terrorism and suicide attacks were linked to India and Afghanistan.
It is time for all of us to stand up and demand basic human necessities such as running water and electricity. We do not need people from Afghanistan to tell us how to live our lives, just look at Afghanistan I feel bad for our neighbors they are about 200 years back in time thanks to Taliban and their translation of Holy Quran. And remember just because one prays five times a day and has a beard down to their knees does not make you a better person.
The last real war Pakistan Army fought was 38 years ago – and it wasn’t great. Ever since it has only fought proxy wars by exploiting jobless youth of Afghans and its own poor north in the name of Islam. The free proxy soldiers, the militants, hardened by the real battles are now better trained than the majority of the payroll soldiers who haven’t fought a single war in their whole career.
With USA in its backyard, Army has no choice but to hold back on its proxy jihads. Mujhadins are feeling a bit of a sore behind: for all their lives Pak Army sent them out to fight infidels in Kashmir and Afghanistan but when it came to fighting the greatest of all infidels – Army squeaked, “that’s my daddy!”
Meanwhile, Army has been scratching its head about what to do with militants. They are, after all, cheap and great fighters. They’ll come handy in the next proxy war; or a real one for that matter. So Army carves out a pretty piece of land up north and hands it to them; with the law and order of their liking. Actually, Army didn’t have a choice, Sufi drew a circle with his finger around Swat and said: “We’ll take that.” Not even a thank you; no one taught him that.
I say pick another fight; just make these guys busy again to get them out of there. Pick Iran – both America and Taliban hates it. It would be fun (and funny) to see them fighting on the same side again. Imagine the headlines: Obama funding Osama!
So, anyhow, till Army finds another proxy war to get these militants busy again, there ain’t much you can’t do.
It is the time for a blood revolution. But people of Pakistan themselves should stand up, not the Sufi Muhammed type Pakistanis who are been created by our dictators and raised by the funding of the west to get rid of Soviets from Afghanistan.
It was good to get rid of Saddam in Iraq, but that was done not by the people of Iraq and see the result today. Another contrasting example was in Iran where the masses stood up and brought the change.
It is the right of every LEGAL CITIZEN of Pakistan to live in peace and harmony, now every citizen not only includes Muslims but also includes ALL NON-MUSLIMS. Pakistan is the most corrupt nation in the world, thanks to our fearless police and corrupt politicians.. no one pays their taxes and then we want to blame everyone in the world but ourselves for our rotten lives . Main problem is that we are more concern about what everyone else is doing instead of minding our own business and try to do the right thing. Now as far as the Talibans are concern I consider them nothing more than modern day gangsters and all they want to do is to scare people and tell them how to go about their daily business. Also I don’t believe in any kind of Islam that forbids little girls from going to school and try to learn something and improve their living condition. I hope Pakistani Army can round them all up and send them back to Afghanistan (or kill them all) because if they are so tough may be they need to go back to Afghanistan instead of coming to Pakistan with their tails between their legs , running scared and try to impose some stone age laws. ….. no thanks. Just look at the Pakistani Flag Green represents the Muslim majority and white represents the minorities and if there is someone who does not like our flag may be it is time for you to pack your stuff and leave Pakistan. We have bigger problems and we don’t need any Taliban to tell us what to do.
To larry stout- ” sure she will be invited” … much like the chinese disenters who can only cast their opinions online. Much good that has done so far, eh?