The dastardly ambush by the militants in Khyber Agency is yet another instance of the TTP continuing on its deadly course of destabilizing Pakistan. Those who had hoped that with Islamabad still declining to undertake military operation in North Waziristan, insurgency and attacks inside Pakistan would come to an end have thus been proved wrong. Coming as it does amidst reports of Pakistani agencies trying to deradicalise groups of local terrorists, the ambush is all the more disturbing. Taliban networks, including the most lethal Hakimullah Mehsud group, which is supposedly behind the attack, have been camping for long in North Waziristan. What is the justification for not taking action in the agency if attacks of the sort that killed FC soldiers continue to take place?
Having said this, there is a need on the part of the US also to give proper weight to Pakistan’s constraints. What one has seen happening during the last nine months indicates this is not being done. The US policymakers continue to ignore the ground realities in the region. Washington has failed to realise that lack of cooperation between the US and Pakistan can only facilitate the terrorists. By putting on hold the promised civilian and military aid, Washington has forced Pakistan to fight militancy through its own meager resources. Islamabad has thus been left with no alternative other than limiting its targets instead of conducting an all-out operation against terrorists of all brands. This has also led to the thinking among powerful circles that there is a need to open talks with domestic terrorist groups.
A Pentagon spokesman has talked about an increase in attacks from inside Pakistan this summer. Pakistan is facing a similar situation. During the last few months raids by militants operating from Afghanistan have increased manifolds. About 100 members of Pakistan’s security forces have been killed in these incidents. Mullah Fazlullah is currently organising attacks from inside Afghanistan. ISAF has not taken action against these groups. This underlines that unless the two countries urgently reach an understanding, giving due consideration to the ground realities and displaying the much needed flexibility, there will be peace neither in Afghanistan nor Pakistan.
