Untimely confrontation

To remove grievances, talk

Pakistan is all set for holding elections on May 11. The caretaker set up at the center and the provinces is already in place. Thousands of candidates for the NA and the four provincial legislatures are engaged in submitting their nomination papers. The activity however is taking place in the shadow of the TTP. Fears are being expressed that with the government and its agencies fully engrossed in the elections, the terrorists might use the occasion to launch attacks on election gatherings and political leaders. The fears have further been strengthened by the TTP announcement early this month declaring that it considers the elections as an un-Islamic activity. The terrorist network has threatened to specially target three mainstream political parties during the election campaign. On Wednesday major security agencies told the election commission that the militants were determined to sabotage the elections.

It is highly disturbing that the Afghan government has allowed the TTP affiliates to use its soil against Pakistan. During the last two years the terrorists have used Afghan territory to conduct forays in a number of tribal agencies, killing innocent villagers, kidnapping scores of people and launching deadly attacks on security forces. Mullah Fazlullah operating from the other side of the Pak-Afghan border has continued to send terrorists to Swat besides ordering the attack on Malala Yusufzai. Despite repeated demands from Pakistan the Afghan government has failed to deter these elements from launching attacks. The demand to arrest Fazlullah and hand him over along with Maulvi Faqir Mohammad, already in Afghan custody, to Pakistan was rejected. As there was no effort on the part of the Afghan side to stop the incursions, the Pakistan Army was forced on several occasions to take recourse to shelling the militant hideouts. This would have been unnecessary if there was cooperation between the two sides. As Pakistan prepares for elections, the cross border attacks by TTP elements and the reprisals from the Pakistani side continue unabated.

Pakistan stationed extra troops to plug its border with Afghanistan during the 2004 and 2009 Afghan elections. This was to ensure that no militant from this side of the Durand Line was allowed to cross over to sabotage the polls. Pakistan is justified to expect a similar response from the neighbouring country. The Afghan side needs to appreciate the importance of reining in the militants at this crucial juncture. Recalling Afghan military officers from joint exercises with Pakistan is highly shortsighted. Both Afghanistan and Pakistan need to realize that the security and prosperity of the two countries depends on peace and cooperation against the terrorists. Both sides would be losers if they do anything that adds fuel to the fire. There is a need to stop both the cross border activity and the subsequent shelling and initiate talks to remove mutual grievances.