News from North Waziristan
The first whiff of independent news from North Waziristan and there is already reason for concern. Word from the military is, as expected, that all is well with the operation in the badlands, and many militants are killed and captured every day, their installations destroyed and their command-and-control structure irreparably downgraded. There are, of course, a few more pockets of resistance, and these might be non-Uzbek al Qaeda leftovers that will soon be netted. But on the whole there is much to write home about, and soon all of NW will be cleansed and retaken.
But an independent report in a prominent daily the other day raised a few eyebrows and lots of questions. Some journalists familiar with local terrain and culture apparently slipped into NW just as Zarb-e-Azb got going, and reported on facts missed by their more ‘imbedded’ counterparts provided with military safety and, one would assume, the military’s narrative. Among other things, the reporting implied that the Taliban had largely left the theatre of war before the air sorties began; many fled to their usual Afghan sanctuary, and a fair bunch also made it down to the mainland, apparently. That is not surprising, considering the way the talks lingered, implying the military practically telegraphed its intentions ahead of time. The argument can also be made, though it has few takers, that the Karachi airport incident was meant to lure the army into the war; one where their firepower would find few targets other than empty buildings, imposing mountains, and helpless civilians.
It was also reported that a bunch of civilians had been killed in air-raids – elderly, women and children included. Also, the initial round of bombing completely destroyed the main Miranshah bazaar. If true, the implications are ominous. It was the hub of commerce, especially for the non-militant community that could not rely on the ‘law of the gun’ to grant them subsistence. Now, ordinary people do not have access to the market, which means near impossibility in getting access to food, among other essential things, especially at a time of war, curfew and indiscriminate killing. This would explain, to an extent, why such a larger than expected number of refugees has made its way down the mountain passes. First there was talk of four to five hundred thousand, but unconfirmed reports now speak of a number in excess of nine hundred thousand.
If these findings are true, the military must immediately adjust its operational technique. It must be noted, with due concern, that so far not one commander worthy of mention has been caught or reported killed. It is safe to assume, then, that much of the enemy high-command made its way to safer areas. If such arguments have merit, then the military must explain the proper position to the people. They have come out openly for the military, and will appreciate an honest calculation of the war. They will not be too impressed, however, if it turns out that the truth has been kept from them.
