Disagreement over how to handle an escalating insurgency has put the country’s all-powerful army on a collision course with the government, with the military increasingly vocal in its criticism of civilian leaders, officials and diplomats said.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who came to power in May has promised to tame militancy through negotiations, but four months on, talks have yet to start and attacks continue daily.
The army has avoided open confrontation with Nawaz and his government but tension is on the rise.
“The army chief … is thinking: ‘Mian Sahib (Nawaz Sharif), enough is enough’,” a senior army officer serving in the strife-plagued tribal areas along the Afghan border said during a visit to Islamabad.
The military-civilian discord has been the source of tension throughout Pakistani history but Nawaz’s election has raised hopes the government would get a larger say following Pakistan’s first transition between civilian administrations.
Nawaz promised to hold talk with the militants during the election campaign, a welcome vow for many Pakistanis who, while abhorring the bombers, have never been convinced of the necessity of joining the US-led campaign against militancy.
The army, which keeps thousands of troops in the tribal belt, opposes talks with the Pakistani Taliban, saying previous attempts to bring the militants to the negotiating table yielded no results.
Frustration spilled into the open on Sunday when a roadside bomb killed a general and another officer near the Afghan border, just days after government officials promised to launch peace negotiations with the Pakistani Taliban soon.
“This incident has dealt a serious blow (to the peace process),” Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan told parliament this week. “We have come to a standstill.”
The tension comes at a crucial time when speculation is mounting over who will replace the army chief, General Ashfaq Kayani, who is due to retire in November.
The army put out a toughly worded statement this week.
“While reaffirming the army’s support for the political process, (Kayani) also said, unequivocally, that terrorists will not be allowed to take advantage of it,” it said.
“The army has the ability and the will to take the fight to the terrorists.”
The United States, Pakistan’s biggest donor, is pushing Islamabad to step up its campaign against groups such as the Haqqani network which regularly attacks US forces in Afghanistan from hideouts in Pakistani mountains.
“The absence of a strong government narrative on how to counter terrorism is quite disturbing for everyone, including the army chief,” said a senior Western diplomat in Islamabad.
The Pakistani Taliban are a fragmented alliance of factions with no coherent voice. Some within the group have announced preconditions, while others have denied this. The government would not say who would talk to whom, where and when.
“Until they (government) say out loud who the enemy is, there can be no policy and there can be no results,” said the senior military officer.
The army says it would not agree to any preconditions, particularly the withdrawal of troops from tribal areas.
“They are saying: ‘Get out of here and let us be kings’,” another army source also serving in the tribal belt said of the Pakistani Taliban. “That’s not an option.”
Kiayani in manuvering to get another extension in his job. Since he became the COAS, he has boasted a lot but in reality he has done nothing. All we hear from Kiayani is that Pakistan Army is "willing and capable" to fight any threats. The reality is that Talibans and anybody else who desires, can go and kill soldiers and know that nothing will happen to them. Nothing ever has. Americans invaded Pakistan and killed its citizens in Abbottabad. Did Kiyanai's "willing and capable" army retaliate? NO.
What is the source of your news. This is a serious matter.
If the current pakistani government can release taliban prisoners to please afghanistan why cannot it take measures for the betterment of pakistan? after all it was the pakistanis who voted for them and gave them majority in the parliment. perhaps they are too busy holding talks with the indian officials. talk about being neighbourly. remember the saying…..you can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time but you cannot fool all the people all the time.
Is there any seriousness on political front that could match blind commitment of Talibans and if not we ll be dictated.2nd unless we seize to treat Afghanistan as our 5th province we can ensure safe western front.3i Is army it self on same page versus Taliban and are we sure that latter don't don't enjoy some tacit support
All controversial, we are releasing Taliban Prisoners and they are killing our soldiers every day even to the rank of Major Generals.
Has army given up to the Taliban and left us to the mercies of these brutal killers.
Or the COAS is interested in another extion which will be devastating for the morale of the army.
Has army too started a power game to get the fringe benefits like getting extentions? Is Kiyani indispenceable? or all General officers in the queue are nincumpoofs to the extend that army will go into shambles?
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