Requires sensitivity
The ground attack in North Waziristan is the most vital part of the operation. The airstrikes have punished the terrorists, destroyed their hideouts and taken toll of their IED making factories. Now it is for the ground forces to smoke out the terrorists, take out some, nab others and establish the writ of the state in the agency. The army has prior experience of the Swat and South Waziristan operations. Among the major failures of the two operations was that the escape of top TTP leadership could not be blocked. In the case of Swat Fazlullah managed to sneak into Afghanistan while Hakimullah Mehsud relocated himself to another fata agency. Subsequently both caused immense suffering to the people and the army.
We are told that the operation was initiated earlier than expected with the result that most of the militants had no time to escape. Further, that the army has surrounded the entire North Waziristan Agency and sealed the 180km border with Afghanistan as well as the boundary with South Waziristan, making it impossible for terrorists to escape. With the exception of those who have taken shelter across the border in Kunar and Nuristan, the entire militant leadership was presumably present in North Waziristan Agency when the airstrikes started. If the arrangements work successfully one expects that major militant leaders would either be apprehended or killed.
There are reports of families still stranded in NWA for one reason or another. It is hoped that while conducting the ground operation, the army would help in the safe evacuation of these people. According to the ISPR, Zarb-e-Azb is the war of Pakistan’s survival. What needs to be emphasised is that in the ultimate analysis victory in the war can only be achieved by winning over the people of NWA who have made a big sacrifice by leaving their hearths and homes. The ground offensive should therefore be conducted with the required sensitivity.
the delay in operation caused by present business tycoon rulers to amass further trillion of rupees and consolidate power has cost the country by trillions of rupeesthey let terrorists flee the country and now idps in millions costing billions of poor man tax money.had this goof,money hungry government taken initiate six months back,thousands of terorists would had perished and less the cost vs looss to terrorist.this government has let the country down badly
The army is doing it,s job efficiently but it cannot win a war of hearts and minds. Mature politicians have to come to the forfront at the same time and engage with their brethern in Wazirstan .. Not all are terrorists! Sadly we lack mature politicians who could help in such circumstances. Let us stop using words like war. It is a conflict of ideas or ideology. There is going to be no victory but only bitterness unless flexibility is shown at the same time.. Tribal customs take precedence over religion in FATA. Our PM has to be more proactive now than before when he accepted to be led rather than lead. He never addressed the nation–the army informed did it. The PM endorsed what the army said. At the moment the army is popular but popularity like .peace bought at the barrel of a gun is also transient.
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