The terrorists’ agenda

Talks would be a naivety

Pakistan has lost over 35,000 of its people including more than 3,000 soldiers in terrorist attacks during the last twelve years. Besides causing a human tragedy on an extraordinary scale, terrorism has hit our national economy badly. Some in Pakistan fail to understand that the terrorists pose an existential threat to the country. Others are naïve enough to believe that once the allied troops leave Afghanistan, attacks inside Pakistan would cease to take place. They are keen to hold talks with the terrorists who in their illusory quest for a world Islamic caliphate are out to dismantle Jinnah’s Pakistan.

In the latest tactical move the TTP has invited a delegation of PML-N, JUI-F and JI to tribal areas to convey its point of view to make talks with the government successful. To create a rift between the political parties and the army, the TTP spokesman has maintained that Taliban did not trust the army. The terrorists have been badly shaken by the military’s ongoing operations in the tribal areas. They want to preserve their fighting force till the US-led forces leave Afghanistan. After that they plan to turn on Pakistan with all their resources. Invitation for talks is thus a ruse aimed at gaining time.

Some of the attacks launched by the terrorists on military establishments indicate that they are now playing into the hands of Pakistan’s enemies. Their choice of the targets shows that they want to weaken the military’s capability to defend the country. In May 2011, the terrorists attacked Mehran base, fired rocket propelled grenades to damage and destroy several warplanes and premiere anti-submarine and marine surveillance aircraft, the US-made P-3C Orion. Several multi-million dollar aircrafts were set ablaze.

What Defence Secretary Asif Yasin Malik told a Standing Committee of the National Assembly should be an eye opener. According to him, 16 defence installations have been attacked by the terrorists since 2009, the latest being the Kamra and the Peshawar airbases. In the attack on the former, an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) plane acquired after much difficulty was destroyed. The TTP is now shifting its attention to Karachi, the industrial and commercial hub of the country. Some of the TTP components are playing havoc in Balochistan where a deep sea port has been built with the help of China and from where the gas pipeline from Iran is to pass. Instead of being appeased, terrorists has to be stamped out once for all.