In a surprising development, the local Taliban council has said that militants will move into Afghanistan if the army launches an operation in North Waziristan.
A pamphlet purportedly distributed by the Mujahideen Shura of North Waziristan in Miramshah bazaar on Sunday said that the Taliban would ask Afghan President Hamid Karzai to provide shelter to their men if the army launched an operation in North Waziristan.
This has not been known whether the Karzai government would give them shelter, but if Kabul extends hand of friendship to them, or the Rabbani-led Afghan Peace Council recommends giving shelter to them, it would question Pakistan governments policy as well the dualism and duplicity of the Taliban themselves. Those who are fighting in Pakistan against the security forces, killing innocent people and ruining lives of millions of society members, will be given shelter by the Afghan government? Strange!
Then why has Gen David Petraeus has launched a full-fledged operation in and around Kandahar? Against whom? Are they not the Taliban? Are those Taliban not asking Kabul for a halt in the operation and negotiate peace?
There is something fishy in the dish. Islamabad has vowed to operate in NWA at the time of their choosing, but if they succumb to the pressure and launch an all-encompassing operation in Waziristan, they will have to be extra careful because the enemy doesnt want them to see victorious rather entangled in a long war, which would have grave consequences, of course.
ESCHMALL SARDAR
Peshawar
