Pakistan's inadequate response

As Pakistan turns a blind eye to the Taliban threat that seriously endangers its security and also wrests control over SWAT valley and adjoining districts of Bunner,Shangla and Dir,the concerns of US and the west grow manifold and assume still greater proportions.More so since this menace also effects them gravely as Al-Qaeda,talibans and other terrorists outfits have been carrying out disruptive activities in major cities across the world to strike fear and derail world economies.

With Talibans advancing even within 100 KM of Pakistani capital of Islamabad,the resistance shown by police and paramilitary forces of Pakistan appeared only minimal.And that also not until Obama diplomatically referred to the possibility of involving Nawaz Sharif and the army chief for better results and even hold a trilateral summit of the Presidents of US,Afghanistan and Pakistan in Washington that an aerial offensive with troops deployment on a proper scale was undertaken to flush out the terrorists after civilian population shifted to different places. Taliban menace in Pakistan broadly emanate from the tribal belt located in the FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Area) which though located in the territorial jurisdiction of Pakistan functions outside its administrative control through different agencies.This tribal pashtun population owes narrow tribal and sub-tribal loyalties that may change overnight.They live in a society of gun culture with high instances of kidnapping and hijacking. Alongwith Afghanistan,this area is also home to trafficking in narcotics and arms.These areas are therefore nourished for irregular militias that can be used for waging proxy wars.ISI and some elements in the pak army wield influence over these militias .Naturally terrorist outfits are sponsored that have been spreading violence in India and around in Sri Lanka,Bangladesh and Nepal.To quote an instance after 26/11 terrorist strike in Mumbai,Talibans declared unequivocally to invade India alongwith Pak army in case of war as part of jihad.To overcome this complex menace,creating tough regional environment by involving India,Iran,Russia,China and US are necessary to steadily curb this menace.
The instant Taliban activity in Pakistan is taking place under a set objective that can be analyzed as under:
First,Talibans wresting control of additional Pashtun territory is attributed to their desire of rapidly increasing pashtun area under their operation.
Second,by imposing their own brand of sharai laws they intend to so morph the society as to sufficiently hinder and impede action to dislodge them.
Third,since nuclear assets of Pakistan are implicitly located in the proximity of this area,a morphed society will eventually facilitate such assets falling into their hands.
Fourth,the terrorists are now also shifting their area of operation in the gulf of Aden and in the vicinity of somalian shores where piracy is rampant that make the matters more complicated and an immediate action even more urgent.
This also explains why Pakistan repeatedly prefers the pretence of obsession with India as a threat to its security than its existential internal threat from Taliban ignoring even the sound counsel from US and the Wet.India in the meanwhile has no choice but to be prepared for the ultimate eventuality
Updated : Sunday, 10 May 2009, 15:57 [IST]