All out fight against terrorism

By: Farooq Ganderbali

With much cajoling, threatening and incentives Pakistan has reluctantly started its fight against terrorists who are undermining the very foundations of this fragile country. The fight no doubt will be of a longer duration and its outcome will depend on the Pakistan Armys dedication to root out the menace of extremism.

The problem of extremism and terrorism is so huge in Pakistan that an iota of lethargy will negate all the previous wins. Even as we are witnessing some amount of commitment, but the continuation of good-terrorist-bad-terrorist strategy by the state can bring doom to this battle. On one hand Pakistan send its army to fight the terrorists but on the other hand the same army helps the same type of terrorist sneak into Jammu and Kashmir. In the recent months Jammu and Kashmir has seen increased infiltration of terrorists from Pakistani side and it doesnt need rocket science to explain who helps them in their terror missions. It seems highly illogical as to what makes Pakistan to differentiate between friendly terrorists and enemy terrorist, who in reality are all dangers to humanity.

Pakistan tried the differentiation strategy in Swat province by striking a deal with what Zardari termed as good Talibans. The result is before the entire world to see. The good Talibans soon became bad for Pakistan as they started strengthening their positions, flogged girls, enforced Sharia, killed and amputated the people at will and came too close to power centre of Islamabad. The Talibans or any other terrorist group in Pakistan does not work in isolation. The prevailing situation coupled with unique religio-cultural amalgamation makes them part of huge terrorist infrastructure, which is actually working as a country without borders.

Swat is not far from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK) as in between there are just some mountain ranges which have to be crossed. Across these mountain ranges lies the duplicity of Pakistans foreign policy. On one side the bad terrorists are being eliminated under military force while on the other side the terrorists roam freely in their training camps often getting advice from military planners for conversion into a deadlier force. The terrorists in POK are targeted against India, so they are good terrorists, but one wonder before how much time will these also turn against their mentors. Going by the history Afghan Mujahideen and Talibans too were once good for Pakistan.

According to Indian intelligence sources hundreds of trained terrorists are awaiting at the launching pads to infiltrate into Indian Kashmir. And many more are in the process of recruitment and at various stages of training. These terrorists are not immune to the happenings in Swat as most of these are from the same stock. They are fed on same ideology and trained in similar schools. It will not be a surprise if some of these terrorists would actually train their guns against Pakistan army. The Taliban propaganda is at its highest pitch and with forceful use of religion, they will sooner or later get more converts.

Ironically Taliban is using the name of Kashmir and India in a different scenario to plead their cause. Taliban-linked radical cleric Sufi Mohammad has invoked Kashmir on atleast two occasions in the recent past. First he said that fighting in Kashmir cannot be termed as Jihad and Taliban is not interested in it. Secondly after Swat battle Sufi while condemning use of fire power by Pakistan army said that even India doesnt use mortar and air-force to kill its own people. Sufis statement is not due to any love for India rather it is purely a new strategy of Taliban. They gave a simple message to Terrorists and extremists fighting in Kashmir or trained for it, that Kashmir is no longer a priority. It is simple that Taliban wants Kashmir related terrorist infrastructure to turn its firepower against Pakistan rather than India which has attained second priority. It will be nightmare for Pakistan if this mighty force switched sides. The war will be then stretched beyond the control of Pakistan army. The need of the hour for Pakistan is to come clean on its terror operations for once and for all. It is high time that Pakistan dismantles entire terror infrastructure irrespective of its intended use. The era of using terror as a component of foreign policy is long over. One cannot play with fire without burning its hands. Let Pakistan wipe out the entire menace of terrorism emanating from its soil right from Punjab through Pakistan administered Kashmir to North Western Frontier Province. When this arc of terror is wiped clean only then will Pakistans own crescent and a star glow.